friends who like pictures of cocktails

I've been on Instagram for a little over a year now. I like it. Despite using Facebook primarily to stay in touch with extended family, I tend to self-censor just a bit, limiting the number of photos I post of my kids, that sorta thing. But since Instagram is just images and captions, I feel like I can post whatever I want in any quantity I see fit (similarly, I reserve my less, shall we say, diplomatic posts for Twitter). If you don't want to see pictures of my adorable offspring, don't follow me there. You know what I mean?

Anyway, it's been interesting to observe what images different followers "heart." I have a few friends who seem to like just about everything I post, which is cool. But most friends and acquaintances tend to "heart" the same kinds of things over time. Here's how my small following breaks down:

Friends who like pictures of my kids.

Friends who like pictures of my cats.

Friends who like pictures I post when I go running.

Friends who like pictures of my crafty pursuits.

Friends who like pictures of food.

Friends (and total strangers) who like selfies.

And of course, friends who like pictures of cocktails.

Am I missing anything? How does your social circle compare?

burning bridges: advanced baking

Actually, I didn't really do any baking at this job, either. But having worked at a bakery before helped me easily land this food service gig shortly after relocating to Berkeley following my one post-high school year in Bend, OR. I worked the opening shift, meaning I got there at the ungodly hour of 5 am or so, but the upside was that it was just a couple of blocks from my apartment. I put out all the baked goods the bakers had been baking for a couple of hours by the time I got in, did some prep such as cleaning and cutting strawberries for the cake gal (every bakery has a cake gal), and finished some products like the black & white and yellow smiley face cookies. By the time the bakery opened, I was already an hour or two into my shift! In addition to getting up super early, relatively low pay, and not the most flexible schedule (eventually I picked up on my community college studies at DVC before transferring to Cal), another downside was being allowed to pick any item to enjoy during my break. It's just not a great idea to eat chocolate eclairs every day, you know?

Anyway, I took my son there one afternoon last week and other than the girl working there at the time (who was probably my daughter's age when I worked there!) and the absence of the fro yo machines I vividly remember in the back left corner, nothing has changed. The cookies they sell by the pound are exactly the same, as are the decorated cookies, pastries, breads, and several of the cakes (mmm, chocolate fudge cake ... I also remember the pink-colored white chocolate flaked "champagne" cake). Having moved around so much in my life, it's a pretty novel (and kinda cool) thing to be able to return to a place that hasn't changed much at all.