user: Q: Before you start putting the songs into a playlist, you should spend time thinking of what songs you want. Browse through your music collection and start writing down songs that catch your eye with the audience and theme in mind. If you consider some songs you haven’t heard in a long time, play those and see if they fit with your intended feel. Don’t worry about writing down more songs than you need, because you can also narrow the list down later. There’s a good chance that you’ll pick some songs that you know are great but that you haven’t listened to in a while. It’s good to listen to the songs again just to refresh yourself on how they go. Maybe there is a lengthy intro that isn’t right for this mix, or a word of profanity somewhere that you want to avoid. Listening to the songs also helps you see if it really fits the tone and message of the CD that you are hoping to achieve. It is also good to read the lyrics while you listen to make sure you don’t miss anything. You want to make sure there’s not a stray lyric or something you usually don’t notice when listening that someone else could pick up on. Examine lyric books or liner notes included in CDs you own, or visit one of the many lyrics websites available online. Using CDs means working within the storage limitations, which for most burnable CDs is around 80 minutes. When considering what your final mix will be, narrow down your list by checking song lengths. Pick the best set that fills the time available. Beginnings and endings don’t necessarily make or break the mix, but both will likely make an impact on the listener. Start out with a song that sets the tone you want the CD have and let it move forward from there. The last song is what you want the listener to feel once it is over. You can go out with a bang or let the tone mellow as the CD closes. This may be affected by what the purpose of the mix is, but for general listening, you don’t want the mix to be too heavy on one particular tempo or style. A whole CD of fast and loud songs might be right for the gym, but probably won’t be right for a long drive. Put a few songs in a row that build the intensity and then drop it down during the next couple of songs. Think of a DJ at a wedding reception or other party, and mimic their routines by trying to form patterns and keep a wide variety. You might use a pattern of fast, medium, slow, or loud, average, soft. But don’t repeat the exact pattern for the whole CD. Break the pattern partway through. This is similar to peaks and valleys, but with a focus more on content than on style and pacing. You want to create a CD that has a sort of unity and put the songs in an order that makes them fit together. You wouldn’t want to put Three Days Grace’s song “I Hate Everything About You” next to Michael Jackson’s “The Way You Make Me Feel.” Try to put songs next to each with lyrical content that seems somewhat similar rather than completely opposite. This is much more of an art than a science, so it will not be perfect. You just want the mix to feel like it was put together in a specific way on purpose, not a bunch of songs that are on shuffle.
A: Brainstorm the track list. Listen to every potential song. Manage the length of the CD. Pay attention to the first and last song. Create peaks and valleys. Nurture the mix’s flow.

Q: Wash and peel four large carrots. Make sure to scrub the carrots clean. Then remove the peels with a vegetable peeler. If you do not have large carrots, wash and peel about eight small or medium sized carrots. Altogether you will need enough for eight cups of grated carrots. Use a cheese grater with big slots to coarsely grate the carrots. You may also use a food processor. However, do not let them turn into a paste in the food processor.  One large carrot= one cup of grated carrot. If you do not have large carrots, use a measuring cup and grate until you have eight cups. You can buy these pods from a grocery store with a large selection like Whole Foods. The pods are usually wrapped in cellophane and are in the spice or produce section. Open the pods with your fingers, and remove the seeds. Use a rolling pin, a mortar and pestle, or the blunt end of a cooking utensil to crush the cardamom seeds. On a cutting board, press down firmly on the seeds with your instrument until the seeds break. Crush two or three times more, until the largest chunks are broken up a bit. You do not need to continue crushing the seed. The seeds only need to be crushed enough to release their flavor. In fact, some recipes use whole seeds. If you bought the whole nuts, open the shells with your fingers. Then on a cutting board, chop the nuts until they are in 3-5 pieces. Chop the nuts until you have about ¼ cup. They will be used as a garnish for your halwa once it is prepared. Place them in a bowl, and put them to the side. Use a heavy-bottom pan if you have one. These higher quality skillets will distribute the heat more evenly. Your mixture will be less likely to burn if you use use a heavy-bottom skillet. Mix them together with a cooking spoon. Bring the pan up to medium high heat, and cook until the mixture comes to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium. Check on the mixture after 15-20 minutes, if the liquid is still at the same level, turn up the heat. All of the liquid evaporate should be evaporated by the end of the 40 minutes. The longer and hotter the mixture cooks for the thicker it will become. Cook until the mixture is a thick and shiny consistency without any liquid.  You can use soy or coconut milk instead of almond milk in this dish. Coconut milk will add a more sweet and tangy flavor. Soy milk, on the other hand, has a bit more of a creamy taste and has a little thicker consistency. Start with a quarter cup of date paste, and stir it into your mixture. Take a small taste with a clean spoon. Add more date paste until it is sweet enough for you.  Use agave nectar to sweeten carrot halwa. Start with a half cup, and sweeten to taste. If you add agave nectar, cook longer, until the mixture is thick and shiny. Date paste and cashew butter can be found at a grocery store like Whole Foods. The cashew butter is optional, and it will give the dish more of a creamy, thick consistency. It will add more fat and protein to your dessert. Mix raisins and cashew butter thoroughly. Get out spoons to eat it with. Halwa can be served warm or cool. To cool the halwa, scoop the halwa into a bowl that will fit in your refrigerator. Cover the bowl with saran wrap and place in the refrigerator. Let it cool in the refrigerator for three to four hours before serving. Enjoy your vegan Indian dessert with friends or family.
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assistant: Prepare the carrots. Grate the carrots. Extract the cardamom seeds from the eight pods. Crush all the cardamom seeds. Coarsely chop the pistachios. Get out a larger, high sided skillet or saucepan. Add the coarsely grated carrots, 4 ¼ cups almond milk, and crushed cardamom seeds into your pan. Cook the mixture for 30-40 minutes or until the liquid has reduced. Take off heat and stir in the date paste to taste. Add in the raisins and 1 ½ tablespoons cashew butter. Scoop the halwa into bowls. Top it with a sprinkle of chopped pistachios for your garnish.