Sunday, August 2, 2015

SUNDAY ROUNDUP AND BLOG MODERATION

Before we get started, let's give a super shout out to my girl Kim of http://caffeinatedbookreviewer.com/ who lovingly does her weekly meme every Sunday about news, reviews, books and great info.  Hey there Kim!


RANDOM STUFF
Yep, it's that time again, and I still have no clue what all happened last week, but I assume I accomplished a few things that I was supposed to because nothing has fallen apart.  Hottie Hubby's mom turned 75 yesterday, so family from Georgia, New York and around NC hung out for a massive cookout to celebrate.  Let me just say this - remember how I feel about cookouts and any food that's cooked on a grill?*heh*



Anywho. Remember all those things that have been randomly planted in the front yard by moi?  I know what I planted, I just don't remember where in the heck I planted them. (lol)  Watermelon, mint, cantaloupe, jalapeno peppers, tomatoes, mustard greens and green peppers are popping up all over.  Yes, I know what you're thinking, and no, it would make too much sense to label them the way the rest of the world does it. (lol) What can I say?


DO YOU MODERATE?
Once upon a time, I visited a blog that was super interesting, so I commented by giving some blogger love.  I left to take care of something else, but when I came back and refreshed that page, I didn't see anything. Huh?

Being new to the blogosphere, I commented again, and the same thing happened.  It wasn't until a while later that I realized the blog was moderated so that my comment wouldn't show up until the owner reviewed and approved what I had written.

I don't moderate, mostly because I'm too lazy I think. (lol)  Also, in the history of this Blog, I've only had to remove one comment, and that was due to duplication. I've visited other blogs, however, and seen comments deleted for one reason or another.  On the other hand, I've been to some places where the statements could be considered offensive, are sexually explicit, or just don't have anything to do with the subject matter at hand.   So I wondered - is this why some bloggers moderate what can be placed in the comment section?  Do you just hope for the best when viewing statements or are you just a little bit nervous about what someone is going to say?


SIMPLE AND QUICK RECIPES
One thing that always seems to come in handy for many recipes is Greek yogurt. It can be easily changed into a sauce, dip or marinade very quickly, and it always adds extra flavor to a meal.  Below are two really great recipes from The Summer Table by Lisa Lemke that will have you in and out of the kitchen in no time.


AVOCADO & FETA CHEESE CREAM
1 Ripe Avocado
3 1/2 Ounces Feta Cheese
1 Teaspoon Lemon Juice
3/4 Cup Greek Yogurt
Pepper and Salt to Taste 

Peel, pit and chop up the avocado and place it in a bowl.  Crumble the Feta into a bowl and add the lemon juice, along with a little of the yogurt.  Mix everything together into a smooth sauce with a hand mixer or puree it in a food processor.  Then add the rest of the yogurt and season with salt and pepper.  Don't forget the cayenne if you like a little heat.


MINT, LIME & CHIVE SAUCE
1 Clove of Garlic
1/2 Cup Chives
1/2 Cup Chopped Mint
Grated Zest & Juice from 1/2 Lime
3/4 Cup Greek Yogurt
Salt and Pepper to Taste

Finely chop up the garlic and combine it in a bowl with the chives, mint, lime juice and lime zest, and a little of the yogurt.  Mix everything into a smooth sauce with a hand mixer or in a food processor.  Stir in the rest of the yogurt.  Season with salt and pepper.  For a hint of spice, add red pepper flakes or jalapenos.


JUST ONE MORE THING
As you know, I hate to see mean-spirited behavior or anything that could hurt someone's feelings. A close friend of mine gave a really nice gift to a family member the other day, and the receiver complained to her that she knew she didn't wear those type of shoes, but appreciated it.  My friend, who I'll call Jane was sort of shocked.  She felt fairly safe purchasing a pair of these beautiful flat shoes, and had no clue that this family member "didn't wear those"  indicating that there had been a previous discussion about these type of shoes which never happened.  Jane told me that she felt this family member's comment was in poor taste, was accused falsely of knowing something she didn't, and that she just should have been gracious at least to her face, then thrown them in the closet once she left.  By the way, she didn't give the shoes back to Jane. (lol)  What are your thoughts about gift giving or receiving.  Should you be brutally honest if you don't like  a gift, or should you just suck it up, smile kindly and keep it moving?






18 comments:

  1. Great thoughts and thanks for sharing. Have a great week!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hey There and hope all is well! I hope your week is as wonderful as you are! Hugs...Ro

      Delete
  2. Oys at that person. I was taught to always say thank you no matter what and show appreciation. The thought that counts and all that, ya know? Same with running a non-profit. Even if it's not something we can use you say thank you then try to find another group that can use it instead.

    And nope I don't moderate. I rarely have to remove anything. Even spam is rare and if it does show up Disqus has an easy remove spam option you can do in your email.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ditto on those feelings Anna. Don't get it. I've never seen spam on this end either, but my e-mail is something else. (lol) Happy Sunday. Ro

      Delete
  3. RO, you had a lot on your mind this morning! And, yes, a standing ovation to Kim at Caffeniated Book Reviewer!! Have a great week, RO!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hey Angela, you know me too well.(lol) Sometimes have to turn my brain off and censor my ramblings. Kim is awesome and hope your week is as wonderful as you are. hugs...Ro

      Delete
  4. I don't moderate, but if I get a spam comment, I get rid of it. Thankfully, not much spam gets through the filters on my blog, so it's not really a problem.
    When it comes to gifts, I think it depends a little bit on who is the giver and who is the receiver. If I give something to one of my kids, I would appreciate it to know it if they didn't like what I got them, so I won't make the same mistake again. For people who aren't as close, I think it's only polite to say thank you very much, it's so kind of you to think of me! That being said, I always include a receipt or something so the gift can be exchanged - that way, I don't even have to know it if the person didn't really like it ;)
    Your cook-out sounds like fun, but also like a lot of work!

    Lexxie @ (un)Conventional Bookviews

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Great point about the giver and receiver when it comes to the kiddies. In this case definitely two adults. Receipt in the future is a good idea. Cookouts suck! (lol) So I don't do anything associated with them in most instances unless I cook something that's not on that dang grill. (lol) Big hugs...Ro

      Delete
  5. I don't moderate either and it's probably mostly due to laziness. I haven't had too many problems with spam comments but I know people who have. It sounds like an adventure trying to figure out what you planted and where! I'm a smile sweetly and say thank you regardless of the gift. The only exception is my husband though he rarely gets me something that doesn't work. Have a great week!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. lol! Like you, I've never seen any spammy stuff, so that's a plus. You are so right about trying to figure out that garden. (lol) It can be a nightmare!!!!. Kudos to hubby for knowing what to get his sweetie. Big Hugs, Katherine.

      Delete
  6. I moderate new visitors, but use a plug-in that allows people to comment freely once I've approved them once. I also use a spam catcher, and it's a good thing. I get an absolute TON of spam. I got a fair bit back when I was on Blogger, which was why I moderated everything back then... but it's much worse now. I don't know if it's just the host server I'm on, or what, but whew, I get a lot. I've very rarely had to remove a comment because it was rude or trollish, though.

    Re your friend's experience - I'm so sorry! That must have made her feel really bad. In the recipient's position, I would say thank you with much appreciation for their thoughtfulness. However, if I really couldn't use the gift, I might try to find some tactful way of letting the giver know so that s/he didn't repeat it. As someone who loves to give gifts, I've found that there's nothing quite as discomfiting as finding out years later that what you've been giving someone (or cooking for them) wasn't something they liked, and they were just too polite to say so!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's interesting Lark about the initial moderating. That's weird that you get so much spam. Wonder what's going on? Wouldn't that be the pits to find out later that your gifts have been re-gifted or are sitting in the closet? (lol) Hugs...

      Delete
  7. I don't moderate the comments on my blog. But I do get an email for each comment left so if it's spam I can just go delete it which doesn't happen often.

    I think when you get a gift, you should just smile and say thank you. Even if you don't like it. 15 years ago my brother's in laws gave my mom a half eaten box of chocolates for Christmas. I kid you not. She didn't say anything to them but we sure did talk about it for years. lol

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That makes sense, Mary. Wow! That's tool funny about that chocolate and I can imagine it being the topic of conversation every once in a while for a good laugh! (lol) Hugs...

      Delete
  8. We don't moderate at the blog. And naughty unappreciative person who should have just said 'thank you' for her gift.

    LOL, about your unlabeled bountiful garden. Hope your family get together was fun inspite of the bbq yuckies for you.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Crazy about those shoes! (lol) You have such a nice way of saying that I have a mess in a my garden (lol) and love it! Meeting new people was neat, but once they barbequed my food, it was the pits. (lol) When they put barbecue sauce on my cheeseburger, I nearly fainted. *heh* Hugs...

      Delete
  9. Ha! I never moderate, it's too much work and seems to deter people from commenting on your posts. As for your friend, I fee bad for her. You never tell someone you don't like their gift, it's the thought that counts. People are just so rude!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I agree, the kind act is the big thing in the long run. You may be right on the moderated stuff deterring readers. Never considered that. Hope all is well! Hugs...

      Delete

We love comments, feedback and YOU! Hugs...