For me, the Miss Torn competition is a chance to win something. I like competing, I like contests, and I like winning. It's a moment for me to use my face and my skills with a camera to test myself, and see if I can beat out the rest of the competition. And that's fine.
For others, the Miss Torn competition is a chance to stroke their egos- to be on the receiving end of tons of compliments, on their looks, hilarity, or both, and high votes. It's a chance to really show off your selfie game, your makeup skills, your... face... and anything else you're particularly proud of. And that's fine.
For others still, the Miss Torn competition is a chance to get a free merit, and maybe get some points, to boost their abilities and prowess in this game, because for some reason, it's really easy to get heavily invested in this ridiculous text based rpg! And that's fine.
And for others, the Miss Torn competition is a chance to see the people we're playing this silly game with, to humanize that jerk that buy-mugged you a week ago, to recognize that that real estate mogul is actually a really cute guy, to be surprised that the dude who won't shut up about how great his faction is has several adorable puppies. It's a chance to see the diversity of this game, even if the majority of the game is straight white dudes, to realize the individuality of all of the awesome folks here.
And then there are the others. You know the ones I'm talking about. The dudes who search through the Miss Torn entries to find their next mark, who then send them creepy messages to no end until they're blocked, and then attack and bounty the poor girls to no end. The girls who get frustrated when they see an entry cuter than theirs in the voting pool, and intentionally give them a low mark out of jealousy. The guys who jack off to entries that have a little cleavage, then turn around and complain about the lack of effort of those entries on the forums, calling the girls offensive names.
These people take advantage of this game mechanic to do things that are at the very least rude, sometimes gross, and at the worst, cruel and disgusting. Take, for example, these messages that I received since posting my picture:
"great ****" - -Seymour-
"I'd drag my ********* through a mile of broken glass and dirty syringes just to lick the ****** of the last guy that **** you." - bLiNd
"You should be my girlfriend. I need a strong woman like yourself." - daep
"Where you FROM and how old are you" and after I pointed out how inappropriate those questions were to ask of an internet stranger, "Yes but wanted to see if you live near me or whether it too old or young lol" - Detonator
Yeah, I know I'm going to get attacked for posting their names, but I couldn't care less. I'm already being attacked all the time- both literally, and in messages. Just look at my defends. Anyhow, these messages are totally inappropriate. Not only do some use bad language, which I don't appreciate seeing all over my inbox, but they're all just not the sort of things that people with common sense should say to anyone. The third, by the way, is not a compliment- it is creepy, as I am not interested in an internet stranger, and such a come-on is not in the least bit attractive anyways. And the fourth might be in violation of the rules of Torn, depending on your interpretation of the rules, but regardless, it's creepy, and again, wrong, and inappropriate.
In point of fact, due to my entry from last year, I still have multiple people attacking me on a regular basis. Even when they get absolutely nothing out of it but my frustration.
The point is, this competition is not here for you to abuse the other members of this game. There's a difference between a compliment and a disturbing remark that makes people uncomfortable. This competition is here for us to have fun, not to have to fend off abuse, creeps, and dirtbags.
tl;dr: Miss/Mr Torn is a competition that has a lot of potential for great things for a lot of individuals within the game, but the current state of it is a breeding ground for monstrosity and grossness. So, do your part, and don't be a jerk. Good luck in the competition.
Normally I cook the ragu, the bechamel, buy some ricotta, and premade noodles (because I hate big pots of boiling water), assemble them all, then roast it in the oven. To sous vide this, I will replace the 'cooking' bits with the sous vide method, and rather than roasting it all in the oven, I'll give it a little once over with my blowtorch to give it that nice golden finish.
So first, the obligatory selfie to prove it's actually me doing this-
Next, day 2, prep: A few tomatoes and other veggies for the ragu, which I chopped up and threw in a bag, which I then tossed into the bath for a few hours to mellow out. At the same time, I prepared the bechamel- flour, milk, cream, and butter, all thrown into a bag with no effort at all on my part, then cooked at 183 F.
Day 3, ragu time: I combined the meat and the veggies in a bag, and as you'd expect, threw it in the bath at 160 F for 30 hours. The bechamel rested in the bath because I genuinely did not care enough to bother to refrigerate it.
Now, day 4: I made ricotta cheese sous vide, but I forgot to take pictures. Here's the final product, though, alongside the finished ragu and bechamel:
It's important to realize that while one can technically cook pasta and rice sous vide, it's practically speaking ridiculous and useless. Pasta and rice must be cooked to a certain level of water absorption, not to a certain temperature. Therefore, bringing them to a certain temperature and holding them there for a time does not do anything to cook them. Yes, you can put the starches in with water in a bag and cook it, but it saves absolutely no time, and you end up with a product that is far stickier than it rightly should be. So, in cases of sous vide dishes that require pasta, you have three options- throw it in a bag with its sauce and hope the sauce cooks it, or make it the traditional way, or just buy ready made pasta. I did the last way- it's in a strainer because it allowed me to coat them in olive oil without it pooling up at the bottom.
So, tada! Lasagna sous vide. The ragu, bechamel, and ricotta all turned out flawless- the latter was so much easier than the traditional method, you have no idea. I blitzed the thing with my blowtorch at the end, as I am wont to do with everything from steak to creme brulee, and it has a beautiful color that my phone camera did its best to capture.
Was it worth it? I would say yes, when it concerns the bechamel and ricotta. However, the ragu is a lot easier when made traditionally, as I love using my food processor, and did not do that here. Rather, I had to let the veggies fall apart on their own, which, again, took 30 goddamn hours. Ridiculous. Additionally, I like being able to test the acidity of my sauce while it's cooking, which is one thing you can't do sous vide- the ragu in this case turned out fantastic, if a bit acidic. This was easily remedied by adding a tablespoon of butter before I assembled the layers.
So there you have it. Next challenges are manicotti, lobster, and other seafood.
Lots of messages from guys asking me to reveal personal identifying information, and do things that are not appropriate to discuss in a public forum. Also, some threats. Weirdest one, though:
Is there a color blind mode for the easter egg hunt? I'm just wondering, as the competition does require the ability to differentiate between related colors at times.
Maybe actually take action against rampant sexism rather than just complaining that there aren't a lot of women here and 'we don't know why' or whatever, make efforts to make this place a little bit more welcoming and hospitable to all newcomers, not just the ones who are either straight white men, or who keep their identities anonymous.
Lots of messages from guys asking me to reveal personal identifying information, and do things that are not appropriate to discuss in a public forum. Also, some threats. Weirdest one, though:
You say this, but it was my face alone that got me to I believe 8th place (maybe 7th? not sure) 2 years ago, when I submitted last minute with zero preparation. It is my face that most people comment on in the messages I get- the polite ones, that is, which actually and fortunately make up the majority.
And that's without an ounce of makeup (but several ounces of sweat).
And again, I don't know why you're doing this, insisting that the only reason I'm winning or in 2nd, whichever I'm on now, is because of my chest. Believe it or not, not everyone is as shallow as you apparently seem to assume. I don't know why you are making that assumption, and I won't claim to know, but it certainly seems like it's based on your own personal views and beliefs... So, how about let's stop with the nonsense of all this, and just support other women, and appreciate the fact that pretty much every woman on torn (at least every single one whose picture I've seen) is beautiful in her own way, and that's the only way that matters. -_-
And also realize that racial slurs should not be allowed in usernames and I really don't understand how the username suckmy***** is at all allowed here... That's the real travesty...
...You are the one that said it should be expanded past just pictures, not me, lol. Surely you understand that?
Don't try to turn this around on me when you're the one who thinks that stuff besides my face should be considered in a silly competition on an online game.
What represents Torn better than a girl who actually does the stuff that people on here do digitally religiously? Everyone trains at the gym, and boxing gloves are literally an item in game, and I do that religiously both in the game and in real life. What represents torn, a game where everyone starts out as a noob, picked on and mugged and everything, but has a chance to climb to the top, better than a person who had to similarly fight tooth and nail just to survive in the real world?
Point is, you're full of it, and I've had enough of self righteous women who think they're better than other women because they agree with the sexual and general mental hangups of men whose masculinity is more fragile than a splintered toothpick, or women who think they're better than other women for any reason at all really, because we need to support each other. I am no better than you, and you are no better than me. Rather than trying to tear each other down, let's prop each other up. It's a lot less taxing, I promise you. Go back and read the first comment I made on this thread, and you'll see that I am actually practicing what I preach, and I'm not just full of hot air, lol.
"Ms Torn is a booby pageant, it has nothing to do with strong successful women"
Thereby implying quite directly that I am not a strong, or successful woman. That is a baseless and incorrect assumption.
"I'd like to see the competion expanded past just pictures, for it to mean something."
Thereby implying that if that were the case, I probably wouldn't be at the top. Again, a baseless and incorrect assumption.
I am a disabled woman. I live with lupus, which has often debilitating consequences. And yet, I run a successful business, and teach violin to plenty of successful students. I also play the violin for professional gigs every now and again, such as tomorrow evening, and perform in various ensembles and symphonies across the state (usually as a ringer, but whatever, I've only been out of college for a year- during which btw I got 2 degrees, and am 1 class short of obtaining the third).
I also am spearheading a charity effort to raise awareness of chronic illnesses and other invisible disabilities, complete with advocacy efforts such as benefit concerts to raise money for research funds for various related conditions, petitions to change policies of such organizations as the red cross to better inform people, communications with local schools, churches, etc. concerning recognizing the signs of chronic illnesses specifically in children.
Additionally, I went through physical therapy for half a year, and then got hit by a goddamn car, and then kept right on teaching that very evening, and quickly afterwards started up work with a personal trainer. For the first time in my life, I'm in a state of physical health where I can actually do normal things like walking up and down stairs (albeit with a little pain, but at least it's possible now), and extraordinary things like study martial arts, aerial silks, and other fun stuff.
In the meantime, I love cosplaying, particularly when I get to design my costumes- down to the last detail- myself, and writing music, continuing the track of my music composition degree, and writing articles concerning educational theory (even though it takes months for them to be published). And, I'm able to enjoy plenty of other fun activities that I haven't been able to really do in the past as much, because...
Prior to last July, I was in extreme pain whenever I used my fingers, to the point where my fingers would lock in the straight position and I'd have to yank them back into place, and it felt like my hands were breaking. My pinkies were eventually bound in casts, to prevent them from hurting, as they were the worst offenders, so I only had 8 fingers to use- and yet, I was still able to obtain my degrees, and be the concertmaster at the symphony at my conservatory.
I have a lot of weaknesses, like the fact that my social life is at best minimal and at worst nonexistent, or the fact that I still cannot manage a single full pull up from the ground, but I do my best to improve upon them (I've gone up three inches in the last month on that pull up!), and I capitalize on my strengths. I'm an active member of my community, and I'm working through a lot of pain, and I've made something of myself and will continue to do so, both with business and non profit efforts. I recognize that I'm not a perfect person, but I sure as hell am not just a pair of boobs plastered to a plank of wood.
So don't assume that I'm not badass, because I'm pretty sure that even without my disabilities, the stuff I do is pretty badass. Can you teach 2 year olds to play Vivaldi? I highly doubt it. Can I? Yes, that's a normal Tuesday for me.
Ok, there's a big difference between hairy testicles, actual sexual organs, genitalia, and breasts- breasts are not a sexual organ. Yes, I know, some people get turned on by breasts, but some people also get turned on by feet, and yet, I don't see you yelling about flip flops!
Like, I don't get why I'm criticized for wearing something that shows that I have boobs when that is a necessity for the situation I was just in, while she isn't criticized for wearing something that showed she has boobs, when that was clearly not a necessity at all, lol. Like, don't get me wrong, idgaf what she does, I think she's pretty and I envy her makeup skills, but I don't like that I'm being picked on for a thing that we both have???
Fair mistake. I wear the gloves and wrap my hands to cushion the impact on my knuckles, wrists, and elbows, because I have severe rheumatoid arthritis.
I mean, I posted about krav maga on the forums way before I commented on this post, and the majority of people who voted for me did so after I did so, and she's replied to some of those remarks on other threads... so yeah, probably. In all statistical likelihood, yes, she probably did, lol.
Again, I am not 'flaunting it'. It is a part of my body. How the hell am I supposed to take a picture that shows my face that doesn't show my boobs, that isn't an extremely uncomfortable close up????? People are supposed to vote because I'm pretty, not anything to do with krav maga- but it's important to realize that I'm not wearing a costume or dressing up, in fact, I'm literally dressed like that (minus the gloves, though my hands are wrapped) right now, because I'm about to go punch a bag.
We generally pair off and practice singular moves and things against one another, then simulate an attack(s), then a group attack(s)- at least that's how we do it at my studio. For example, the other day, we practiced an elbow jab to an opponent at the side, so our partners held the kick pad up at their neck; followed by practicing a hammer strike, then doing the two in tandem with one another. Then, we worked on kneeing somebody in the solar plexus- grabbing onto the neck and the arm fat in order to really force the knee up there- while partners held the kick pads to protect their bodies. Then, we practiced getting choked, then getting choked up against the wall, then getting out of that choke, following it with the elbow jab, hammer strike, grabbing the neck and arm fat, and forcing our knee into our opponent. Then, we practiced multiple attackers, all trying to choke us, within this little gated area in the middle of the studio. One of my favorite classes this month, lol. I still have a huge bruise on my neck!
Dude, THAT IS JUST MY BODY. I AM BUILT TO HAVE BOOBS THAT SQUISH SO THEY LOOK BIG IN SPORTS BRAS. I CANNOT CHANGE THIS FACT. YOU NEED TO GET OVER IT. Seriously, what is your problem with natural human anatomy?
Also, I posted a poll where I asked people to vote on 3 different pictures, to determine which one I should post. One obscured my cleavage partially, because of the angle of my arms, and yet, you could still see my boobs. Because it's hard to hide something that a) protrudes from my body despite your apparent belief that they do not, and b) is displayed right on the front of my chest in a picture that also displays the front of my face. And guess what? No one voted on that one. Pretty much everybody voted on the one I posted, hence my posting it.
You need to get over your anatomical hangups, seriously. It's a bit disturbing in an apparently 27 year old adult.
Krav Maga originated in Israel. Unlike literally every other martial art (at least all the ones I've ever heard of), it doesn't have stances, or forms, or techniques, or whatever- it's not a competitive sport, or an art at all, really, I think. It's a way to beat the ever loving crap out of people, and defend yourself to the death. If there were krav maga competitions, they would end in severe injury. My teacher always says only fight when you must, and when you must, fight until it's over.... in other words, unless you absolutely have to fight, don't, and remember that running away is a valid option; and when you do have to fight, it's only over when you are safe and secure, meaning a) you've found a means of escape, or b) you've completely subdued the enemy to the point where they cannot fight back. It's awesome.
It's especially awesome because despite my disability, I can still fight! Krav Maga is made so that anyone can fight, not just the already fit. For example, I have a hard time getting off of the ground because my knee joints are sore and weak 1,000,000% of the time. So, when I'm knocked to the ground, I don't worry about getting up- instead, my teachers showed me how to bring my opponent to the ground (my favorite is hooking a foot around one ankle and pushing on their knee, that one is just hilariously effective), and other ways to flip the situation to my advantage, or at least to leverage even ground.
I really, really love it. Plus, it's a good way to connect with my Jewish heritage.
I mean, a year of training daily in krav maga and getting kinda decent and much stronger is a fair amount of effort (EDIT: And for 6 months I went through physical therapy, and now I'm working with a personal trainer to get even better). And, I wasn't leaning over, that's just the way I approach my punching bag- knees bent and hips level, head down. And, besides, if you take a look at my profile picture you'd quickly realize that that's just the way I'm built. I'm a 20 something woman who has BOOBS, SURPRISE!!!! WHAT A SHOCKER! They're part of my normal human anatomy, get over it. I have yet to find a sports bra that actually provides full coverage, and honestly, I don't need them, the ones I have are plenty secure enough. It's you who is insecure, if you're that concerted by the anatomy of half the population. -_-
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