You never have complete information

This week, I met with my supervisory committee for grad school to go over the expectations for my graduate portfolio before I graduate next spring. I'm feeling kind of optimistic after that meeting, especially because I will only have to take one class in the spring, and then I can devote more time to my portfolio.

But I was especially comforted by some of the professors' banter. You may recall that my Pioneer Day article was rejected by the first journal I submitted it to. (The second journal has sent it to reviewers.) After I was rejected, I couldn't help but think, "Who am I, a lowly editor who hasn't even finished his master's degree, to submit my pet project to this academic journal?" Well, the professors were saying they had articles rejected from this same journal, and it sounded like it's an ongoing problem with this particular editor. (I hadn't even mentioned that I had been rejected from the same journal; they were just talking about it!) So if these professional historians are having problems, it makes me feel better about my own rejection. My article was rejected because, so the editor said, I didn't have enough primary sources. But I mostly used primary sources, so I doubt that's the real reason. And the real reason might just be the editor!

On Tuesday night, I went on a run on the Wild Rose Trail. I think there was some kind of mountain biking club there, and there were a lot of teenagers who weren't very good at biking, so it was very annoying. I would step off the trail to let them pass, but then they would be stopped and I would pass them, and then it would happen all over again. But at one point, I had stepped off the trail, and this man, who I think was not part of the group, biked up and said, "How are you?" I said, "Good, thanks," and then he said, "How are YOU?" Then he swore and flipped me off.

What the heck!?

I figure he must have been mentally unstable, on drugs, or hard of hearing. But if he was mentally unstable, why would he be mountain biking? I feel like that activity requires a certain level of intelligence and wits. If he was on drugs, why would you take drugs that just make you angry? And if he misheard me, I can't figure out what he thought I said, and why would it make him so instantly turn into Mr. Hyde? If none of these things are true, I can only think of him as purely evil. His response was unreasonable, but I have to tell myself that it is also unreasonable for me to hope he crashes.

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Second week of pumpkinundation roundup!

I went to an early birthday lunch at Chuck-A-Rama, and I went because I expected some seasonal dessert. But all they had was Chuck-A-Rama Apple Crisp, which I think they offer year round. In fact, I haven't traditionally considered apple crisp a seasonal thing, but it's a popular flavor this year. This is what you would expect from something mass produced. 6/10.

Favorite Day Candy Apple Pretzels have a fake apple flavor, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. These are as good as any candy-coated pretzel, with enough saltiness to balance the sweet. 7/10.

Pumpkinundation roundup mostly features foods from my category 1 (iconic foods) or category 2a (foods flavored like category 1), but sometimes I have to include category 2b (seasonal flavors that have nothing to do with the season) because I am excited about them. Hence why I'm including Tootsie Ghost Dots. These debuted back in 2009, and I had them in 2011, but I don't think I've seen them since 2012. They are ordinary Dot flavors, but they are all the same ghostly color, so you don't know what you're getting. It's a fun concept in theory at least, but the flavors aren't very strong. They're just generically sweet, so I really don't know what flavor it is most of the time. I know Dots aren't a quality candy, but I still love them. I'm happy to see these Halloween ones return from their hiatus. 7/10.

Good & Gather Pumpkin Pie Date & Nut Bars are like Larabars but drier. I don't remember much about my experience eating this, which means it wasn't great or terrible. So let's go with 6/10.

I've seen Brach's Mellowcreme Caramel Apple before, but this is my first time trying them. Mellowcreme is basically the same as candy corn or candy pumpkins. There are both green and red apples, but they taste the same. There used to be caramel apple candy corn, but these have a better ratio of caramel to apple. 7/10.

Favorite Day Bakery Pumpkin Streusel Breakfast Bread didn't make a strong impression on me, either when I first ate it or when I made a cheese sandwich from it. 7/10?

Trader Joe's Pumpkin Brioche has a nice, soft brioche texture with some comforting flavor, but it's more brioche than pumpkin. 7/10.

I rarely cook with meat (I think the last time was St. Patrick's Day), but I really wanted to try Trader Joe's Apple Cider Marinated Pork Loin Roast. So I put it in a slow cooker along with carrots, onions, and a fresh pie pumpkin.

It did not disappoint! In fact, it exceeded my expectations. The scent of cinnamon and cloves filled the house, and those flavors filled the meat as well, though it was more spice than apple. Pork has never been my favorite meat, but I've never had it like this. (And this cost twenty dollars, so it had better be good!) 9/10.

I put Trader Joe's Pumpkin Spread on some of my meat. It's meant for savory things, not really to be eaten on its own, kind of like cranberry sauce. There's a strong pumpkin flavor. Not pumpkin spice, but just pumpkin. I did enjoy it on the meat, but it would be better/more important on less flavorful or drier meat. 7/10.

You can see a little dab on the meat, but most of the yellow stuff is actual pumpkin.

I have wanted to try Trader Joe's Pumpkin Danish Kringle since 2017, but this is the first time I went ahead and got it. It's a sweet Danish pastry with a layer of thick pumpkin filling. At first, I didn't like the pumpkin filling: it was dense and less sweet than the pastry. But after eating more, I really enjoy the contrast. 8/10.

I got several Kodiak Cakes Pumpkin Dark Chocolate Muffin Power Cups on clearance a month or two ago. I was glad to get them but also sad that more people don't know how great they are. You just put in water or milk, stir it, microwave it, and then you have a "muffin." For convenience and protein content, it's a great option. 7/10.

Trader Joe's Pumpkin Spiced Pumpkin Seeds are sweet and crunchy. 7/10.

I look forward to Trader Joe's Pumpkin Butter every year. It's like jam but with a pumpkin and spice flavor. It's great on its own or with peanut butter. 8/10.

The first bite of Trader Joe's Pumpkin Spice Hummus had that distinctive chickpea flavor, but soon it dissolves into the overall pumpkin sweetness. It tastes like pumpkin pie! It's surely less healthy than regular hummus (lots of sugar), but probably healthier than actual pumpkin pie. I had no problem finishing off this tub in just a couple of days. (I had another pumpkin hummus two years ago that was also really good, but I let it go bad, and I didn't want to waste this one.) 9/10.

I think I am used to the notion that Kellogg's Pumpkin Spice Frosted Mini Wheats are disappointing and taste artificial, so I am no longer disappointed. I like it as a cereal more than as a pumpkin product. 7/10.