@Brass Beau
Thanks.
Cooking has been a hobby of mine for years. A late friend of mine used to organize potluck dinners for the local sci-fi and fantasy fandom, and I’d bring desserts, usually. I was always struck by how people reacted to the different things I’d made. Pound cake made from scratch with homemade vanilla buttercream icing? Meh. Pecan pie with molasses and vanilla, made from scratch? Meh. Blueberry pie made from scratch, with a butter crust made from scratch? Meh. Store brand no-bake cheesecake from a mix from a box, colored pink with food coloring, and a few fresh strawberries on top? Everyone goes gaga.
It’s like writing greentext at 4chan. The reception I get is in inverse proportion to the amount of effort I put in. I suppose people like bright colors, and short first-draft-quality greentext that ends with a bad pun or a meme reference.