Best easy onion dip that actually tastes like onions
I’m feeling smug to announce that I’ve improved the original with very minimal additional effort. Spending just 2 extra minutes will give you a satisfyingly chunky dip that’s more flavorful, more balanced, and more visually pleasing than the basic version.
sour cream, 16oz
Lipton onion soup mix, 1 packet
½ of a red onion, finely diced (more if you’re feeling bold, less if you’re delicate)
everything bagel seasoning, several aggressive shakes of everything bagel seasoning. I don’t measure, and you shouldn’t either. Trust your heart.
a bowl of some kind to combine all of the above. We just mix ours directly in the food-storage container we’ll put in the fridge later.
gezellig
gezellig (adjective)
noun form: gezelligheid
A Dutch word without a perfect English translation. It’s more of a vibe—a sense of warm contentment.
Think: groups of of friends laughing in a bustling bar on a rainy night. Curled up the couch beside your favorite person with a good book and a flickering candle. A thick piece of toast and a cup of tea.
It’s about a place, a moment, a feeling that makes you want to linger.
Further reading: https://dutchwafflecompany.us/blogs/blog/what-does-gezellig-mean
Why years seem to pass faster as we get older
Proportionality
One year is a much larger fraction of a kid’s life than an adult’s. At age 10, a year is 10% of our entire life. At 50, a single year is only 2% of our life. The older we get, each year takes up “less space” in our overall lived experience. It feels less big, because proportionately, it is.
Memory Density
Our brains encode new and novel experiences with more richness than they do routine experiences. Childhood is filled with first-time events, while adulthood tends toward routine. Because we tend to have fewer “first experiences” as adults, our brain doesn’t have as many “memory markers” to flag.
Attention and Processing Speed
As we age, we process information more slowly and release less dopamine (a neurotransmitter tied to time perception). This means we may have less sensitivity to short intervals, making time feel as though it is passing more quickly.
Mathematical Modeling
Studies suggest our brains measure time on a sliding scale: as we get older, we become less sensitive to small chunks of time, so days and years feel shorter.
Réfléchisseur
réfléchisseur
An old/archaic French word that translates to “one who reflects/ponders.”
Some thoughts
I first came across the word while reading Montaigne, and it’s lingered ever since. I’m not sure why exactly other than I love the idea that there’s an actual term for someone who thinks instead of consumes/scrolls. Someone who will read a book and sits with it for months before writing a thoughtful discourse rather than rushing to TikTok to give a 90 second “hot take.”