Chase Ruffley

Assignment for JMC 104 class, used to illustrate skills in explaining processes or topics. For this, I chose to explain how to make my family’s “Better Than Heaven” cake, how to change a lightbulb in a car, and the topic of “Looksmaxing”.

Chase Ruffley

Prof. Fraley

05/10/2026

JMC104

Writing Assignment 13

Recipe

Better than Heaven Cake

I’m not sure if this is a family recipe or not, but it is my favorite kind of cake. Every year for my birthday, from the ages 6-18 my mother would make this cake and it would be my favorite part of my birthday. I had to beg her to tell me the recipe and have since made it for my friends any time we have done one of our yearly trips. I’m grateful that she shared it with me to pass on to my friends, and I’ve been able to return the favor for her birthday these last few years. 

Makes 18 servings

Ingredients:

• German Chocolate Cake Mix
  • For the mix:
    • 1 ¼ cup water
    • ½ cup vegetable oil
    • 3 eggs
• Bag of Heath Bits
• 16 oz tub of Cool Whip
• A jar of caramel drizzle
• One can of sweetened condensed milk

Cooking utensils needed

• 11×8 baking dish
• Mixing bowl
• Whisk
• Rubber spatula
• Toothpick or straw (straw works better)

Instructions

1. Follow instructions to bake cake mix as is
2. While cake is baking, mix whole can sweetened condensed milk with ¾ cup of caramel
3. When cake is done baking, remove from oven and poke holes all over the cake
4. Pour all of caramel-milk sauce over warm cake
5. Pour half of Heath bits over cake
6. Place cake in fridge, let chill for 1 hour minimum
7. Remove from fridge when ready to eat, spread whole tub of Cool whip over cake
8. Top with remaining Heath bits, drizzle remaining caramel over top.
9. Slice into thirds longways, then slice six times evenly short ways.
10. Serve and enjoy

Process

How to change one of the lights on your car

I learned this process through YouTube because my taillight went out one night, and I wanted to save money and do it myself. I was worried about the cost aspect because a few years ago, I had taken my car to the dealership to get my light fixed and they charged me $115 for a $10 lightbulb. This skill is important to learn for primarily two reasons. The first being that it is much more cost efficient, in my case saving over $100. Another reason is that in case of an emergency, you don’t need to find a shop to get it fixed and can fix it yourself.

Instructions

1. Identify which light needs to be replaced
2. Find what size light you need using a bulb replacement guide online (such as Sylvania’s or AutoZone’s)
3. After discovering what size bulb you need, either order the light online or purchase it from the store directly.
4. Upon receiving the bulb through either method, identify where the light is connected on your car
   1. For example, if one of your headlights has gone out, open the hood and find where the backside of the headlight is.
5. Very carefully, twist and pull the old, expired bulb out of the socket and remove the wire connections from it.
6. Unpackage your new bulb, connect the wiring to the back end of the new bulb
7. Insert bulb into socket carefully, twist until tight.

Question

What is looksmaxxing?

Young men have begun to take more interest in their physical appearance, even using potentially dangerous methods to achieve more desired features. This trend, or subculture if you would like to call it such is known as “Looksmaxxing” and has taken the internet by storm. Fay Bound-Alberti, writing for Time believes this trend “…has taken over the manosphere…”, effectively becoming the center for young men who aim to improve themselves. The methods can vary, from methods such as starting a healthier diet to more drastic measures including smashing the bones in your face to reshape them in a more attractive way.

These methods and ideologies that popular influencers have been promoting come more from an angle of selling to susceptible audiences, as Ruth Cleggg of BBC writes. Leaning on writings from Matt Shea, the two make the claim that Clavicular, arguably the face of the looksmaxxing movement shares ideologies with controversial figure Andrew Tate. These shared ideologies build their brand on instilling feelings of worthlessness into young men and offering subscription-based services to build them up. This is where the danger lies, as not only does the basis of these services appear predatory but they reinforce harmful misogynistic ideals after years of breaking down toxic masculinity.

BBC Story: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx28z4zypkno

Time Story: https://time.com/article/2026/05/02/face-value-why-looksmaxxing-is-more-than-hope-and-mirrors/