“Things Every Southern Woman Should Know How to Make”

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Alice clicked on the headline, mildly curious about what yet another stranger thought should be in her kitchen repertoire. Pictures of China plates mounded with crispy fried chicken, greens, cobbler, and a pile of biscuits a mile high flooded the screen, all set off with a pitcher of sweet tea beaded with condensation. The table was set; an apron draped off to the side next to a box labeled “Gramma’s Recipes” in fine calligraphy. She closed the browser and put away her tablet. She was born a Georgia peach, but she couldn’t make a cobbler to save her life. Did that mean she wasn’t southern? Or maybe just not “Southern.” For Alice, there was no recipe box full of family traditions. Her younger years were filled with rental homes in different states and her father’s voice coaxing her toward a text book rather than a cookbook. Metalworking and fabrication held more interest than learning to flambé or sauté. Did it make her less of a woman that her cooking skills consisted of fresh salads
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Rambling of a Casual Gamer: Skyrim and Why I Love the Bows


I’m quite a ways into Skyrim now, and of all the weapons I can choose from, my favorite is the bow. I’m far enough along now that I have a Daedra bow (well, two). My enchanting is crap, but my knock-down power is excellent. The best part is I’m not even done with the Archery perks. I will get stronger!

I like the bow versus the other weapons because it’s long range. I pop enemies before they ever get a glimpse of me. And unlike some games, the Skyrim bows are nicely effective. The targeting works well. For most things, lower level arrows are fine, and since iron and steel arrows are easily obtained in battle, ammo is usually free.

Nothing makes me happier than taking down a dragon with my bow. Except maybe turning their bones and scales into my armor.

Dragonscale armor, oh yeah!
 

On a practical note, I like the bows best in Skyrim simply because they don’t mess with my line of sight like the melee weapons. I have a staff and a war-axe I carry for close-up situations, but I can’t stand to explore with them drawn. For some reason, maybe because the default setting is the right hand and I’m a lefty, the weapon on the right side of the screen distracts the crap out of me.

I know what you’re thinking. Brandi, why don’t you just equip it to your left hand every time?

Because my left hand is my magic hand?

And I’d have to remember to switch my button controls, which I WILL forget. Besides, my bow is awesome. I can suffer in-battle, right-side weapons when I have to fight close range. Which I make sure is not often.

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