I will post a couple more times, but who knows when.
What I did on my summer vacation-
I moved back to Wyoming (for those of you who don't know where that is, it's north of denver and south of montana. Basically, it's the big empty place in the map east of Salt Lake. Those who've seen the movie SLC Punk will know it as the place with the strong cheap beer.)
My stuff is, of course, still in NZ, since I haven't sent the paperwork back yet. Though there is always the chance that my former flat mates have given up on me and sent all my stuff to the sallies.
I'm not in school at the moment. I have a couple more months before I have to start paying on my loans, so I might as well use them. Plus, by the time I remembered to try to beg my way back into a school here, they'd all started.
I will be going back to school eventually, though. But I think vet school will have to wait until I have the patience to sit in a room and hear the same thing over and over again all day (ok, the patience to just sit in a classroom all day) and not go bonkers, and the dollars in the bank to pay at least most of it. Which means not for at least a couple or 5 years.
In the mean time, I've been vacationing, eating taco bell, velveeta shells and cheese, and all the ranch dressing and doritos I can get my grubby little paws on. I'm applying for as many jobs as I can here in town, hoping to pay off my stupid loans, and plotting my next escape from Wyoming. I was thinking California.
Oh, and I have a job interview this afternoon. I just need to find some shoes that aren't flipflops, sneakers, or wicked witch heels. Something between sneakers and heels, I think, that I can still ride my bike with.
Hmm... other than that, not much going on with me. Catching up on my playstationing, my wii playing (oooh, wii sports is fun!), my TV viewing. Oh, and getting ready to go see my mom get married in september.
Wow, I sound disturbingly happy. I think it's the caffeine.
j.
August 31, 2007
August 4, 2007
Home
I'm home. And broke. Or rather really really in debt. I'll leave this up for anyone who wants to see what *not* to do when you move half way around the world for school. And for the small amount of actually useful information I managed to cram in there somewhere/ somehow.
j.
j.
May 31, 2007
It's 8:13 AM, do you know where your lazy blogger is?
Setting me loose on the unsuspecting populace of a sick small town at 7:40 this morning was, perhaps, a mistake. Not because I'm inherently evil (tho I am) or because I have an appointment at 9ish. Or even because for some bob-awful reason I had cash. Oh no.
It was a mistake because I ran out of soda at about midnight. And I haven't slept since. I've watched bad movies, and read bad books, and made fun of both (in my head). But I did not sleep. Because I had no caffeine. This is serious problem.
Perhaps I didn't tell about last week? (I think it was last week... specifics a bit hazy....) Some chick got mugged (kinda) outside my house on monday evening. But by then I had been out of soda for, like, 2 whole hours. And it was 6:30, so Kmart was closed. And the incompetent grocery store was out of soda, so I had no caffeine. So I tried the one across the street, and *they* had not the right brand. And none of the gas stations on the way home had it. And some ditz in a car tried to run me over, and didn't have her lights on.
Dude, important point here- j. needs a new set of knees. She waaaaay deep in debt. She not be unhappy if some brain dead insured type hit her, break knees, and *pay for new ones*. This not a problem. However, driving down the middle of the street, in the dark, without your headlights on, then swearing at sweet, innocent, law abiding j because you're a dumbass, that not ok. And unlike hot boy/boy nekkid party, it not even ok in theory. (mmm, boys....)
Sorry, where was I?
Oh, yeah. Caffeine + me= good
Me-caffeine = Bad.
I hit the grocery store (which is down to 3 bottles now, I pick up more tonight....), starbucks (cafffffeeeeeiiiiiinnnnnneeeee!!!!!!!!!) and the bakery in about 5 minutes. I into town and back in 23 minutes, give or take. With bad knees. And no caffeine. It a motivator. And a mood altering wassname. I loves it.
And I feel sorry for anyone who runs into me when I not got any, and can't get more. I've seen rabid angry dogs who were better behaved.
j.
It was a mistake because I ran out of soda at about midnight. And I haven't slept since. I've watched bad movies, and read bad books, and made fun of both (in my head). But I did not sleep. Because I had no caffeine. This is serious problem.
Perhaps I didn't tell about last week? (I think it was last week... specifics a bit hazy....) Some chick got mugged (kinda) outside my house on monday evening. But by then I had been out of soda for, like, 2 whole hours. And it was 6:30, so Kmart was closed. And the incompetent grocery store was out of soda, so I had no caffeine. So I tried the one across the street, and *they* had not the right brand. And none of the gas stations on the way home had it. And some ditz in a car tried to run me over, and didn't have her lights on.
Dude, important point here- j. needs a new set of knees. She waaaaay deep in debt. She not be unhappy if some brain dead insured type hit her, break knees, and *pay for new ones*. This not a problem. However, driving down the middle of the street, in the dark, without your headlights on, then swearing at sweet, innocent, law abiding j because you're a dumbass, that not ok. And unlike hot boy/boy nekkid party, it not even ok in theory. (mmm, boys....)
Sorry, where was I?
Oh, yeah. Caffeine + me= good
Me-caffeine = Bad.
I hit the grocery store (which is down to 3 bottles now, I pick up more tonight....), starbucks (cafffffeeeeeiiiiiinnnnnneeeee!!!!!!!!!) and the bakery in about 5 minutes. I into town and back in 23 minutes, give or take. With bad knees. And no caffeine. It a motivator. And a mood altering wassname. I loves it.
And I feel sorry for anyone who runs into me when I not got any, and can't get more. I've seen rabid angry dogs who were better behaved.
j.
May 20, 2007
Expanding my musical horizons
So normally, when I want to get my brain working (happens very rarely) I pop in some JS Bach and Fugue my way to a happy brain.
But I've been told there's more to old dead guy music of the possibly mind expanding variety than just dusty old Bach and Mozart. I'm told there's a Beethoven guy too. Crazy, I know.
So I wandered out into the ever seeing vastness of the internets and located me some Beethovens (no, not the dog, or the movie about the dog).
I'm listening to it right now, actually. Picked up some piana sonatas. I'm about halfway thru the first now. 21 in C major, op 5 blah blah blah. So... rather than let the music pull me into working brain, all the first.. wassname (movement?) anyway, the "allegro" one, all it made me think was... "how the hell do you make your fingers move that freaking fast? and what was he on when he wrote that?"
It's like listening to angsty anime on fast forward. Does he like me? he hates me, he loves me, he dumped me, he's screwing my best friend, he looked at me, he wants me, he's changing schools.... I mean... Change pace, fine, but this is like getting tossed in and dragged out of a wind tunnel every 30 seconds or so.
Maybe it's just the pianna players interpretation? If not, I gonna have to stick to the more mundane Beethoveny stuff, 9th symphony and all that.
I guess I just not sophisticated enough to appreciate it. But damn, how do your fingers move that fast?
And yes, this is school related- Bach calms me down, makes my brains run happy. It's like drugs, only cheaper. "Hey kid, try some Fugue, you'll like it, everyone's doing it. All the cool kids. You wanna be cool, don't you? "
Oh man, I'm the street peddler of music that gives most people headaches. Now if only it paid like drug dealing and prostitution.
j.
But I've been told there's more to old dead guy music of the possibly mind expanding variety than just dusty old Bach and Mozart. I'm told there's a Beethoven guy too. Crazy, I know.
So I wandered out into the ever seeing vastness of the internets and located me some Beethovens (no, not the dog, or the movie about the dog).
I'm listening to it right now, actually. Picked up some piana sonatas. I'm about halfway thru the first now. 21 in C major, op 5 blah blah blah. So... rather than let the music pull me into working brain, all the first.. wassname (movement?) anyway, the "allegro" one, all it made me think was... "how the hell do you make your fingers move that freaking fast? and what was he on when he wrote that?"
It's like listening to angsty anime on fast forward. Does he like me? he hates me, he loves me, he dumped me, he's screwing my best friend, he looked at me, he wants me, he's changing schools.... I mean... Change pace, fine, but this is like getting tossed in and dragged out of a wind tunnel every 30 seconds or so.
Maybe it's just the pianna players interpretation? If not, I gonna have to stick to the more mundane Beethoveny stuff, 9th symphony and all that.
I guess I just not sophisticated enough to appreciate it. But damn, how do your fingers move that fast?
And yes, this is school related- Bach calms me down, makes my brains run happy. It's like drugs, only cheaper. "Hey kid, try some Fugue, you'll like it, everyone's doing it. All the cool kids. You wanna be cool, don't you? "
Oh man, I'm the street peddler of music that gives most people headaches. Now if only it paid like drug dealing and prostitution.
j.
disturbing lab
So... (yes, school, again)
About three weeks ago now, we had a lab where for half of it we watched videos of strange stuff, and for half of it we tested reflexes and brain stuff on each other.
The second half wasn't bad. I did lose my ring, tho... and learned I have a freaking huuuuuge blind spot in my right eye. Big surprise.
The video, tho, was really disturbing. We watched (and were lectured on) a decerebrated frog, pigeon (here after called "flying rat") and a cat.
Just in case you don't get what that means, they take out all the fun parts of the brain, and basically just leave a pulse and respiration. Oh, and reflexes. Sort of.
So first was the frog. Who stood funny, kinda hunched. Didn't go anywhere, obviously, since it's brain was gone. Then they showed a frog with a cut across... brain stem, maybe? something like that. It looked like green slime. I'm not sure it was really alive. It was gross. Anyway, they played with those two (and a live, brain having one) for a couple minutes, then suddenly there's one pinned thru what I'm gonna call the nose, and they're doing weird stuff to it. Good thing I don't eat frogs.
Then the pigeon. Apparently, when you take a flying rat's brain away, it's still a flying rat. A blind one, and totally uninterested in food or other rats, but still, it flies, leans, does all it's need to move stuff just fine. Damned flying rats. The made one (I think it still had a brain) ride around on a birdy merry-go-round, to watch its head tick. Funness.
Then it was on to the interesting stuff. Ten minutes of kittens, some guy in a cage with 10 kittens, and all the neato stuff you can do with a live, healthy cat (if you don't like your arms), like drop it from not very high and upside down and watch it flip around. Or make it's head spin. Or about half a dozen other things.
Then suddenly we're in a lab. And there is a cat in what cen best be described as a cat stand. A cat which, missing most of it's brain (and looking like, rather than put the skin and stuff back, they just painted over the skull with tar) was acting like my mothers dog. Just kinda lying there with its tongue out. 'parently, when you take out the front of a cat's brain, it isn't really a cat anymore. The guy couldn't get it to do any of the stuff a "normal" cat would, even when he flipped it over (showing off a wicked trach(sp)) to show that it wouldn't flip its head around. I don't think he dropped it tho... It woulda kinda gone "thunk".
So there's a floppy beanbag cat, without a brain (basically) and this guy just flipping it around. On the video. For us. Well, and "many" classes in the past. They're supposed to be old videos. Ok....
Yeah, really gross.
Did I mention I get tested on this?
blech.
j.
About three weeks ago now, we had a lab where for half of it we watched videos of strange stuff, and for half of it we tested reflexes and brain stuff on each other.
The second half wasn't bad. I did lose my ring, tho... and learned I have a freaking huuuuuge blind spot in my right eye. Big surprise.
The video, tho, was really disturbing. We watched (and were lectured on) a decerebrated frog, pigeon (here after called "flying rat") and a cat.
Just in case you don't get what that means, they take out all the fun parts of the brain, and basically just leave a pulse and respiration. Oh, and reflexes. Sort of.
So first was the frog. Who stood funny, kinda hunched. Didn't go anywhere, obviously, since it's brain was gone. Then they showed a frog with a cut across... brain stem, maybe? something like that. It looked like green slime. I'm not sure it was really alive. It was gross. Anyway, they played with those two (and a live, brain having one) for a couple minutes, then suddenly there's one pinned thru what I'm gonna call the nose, and they're doing weird stuff to it. Good thing I don't eat frogs.
Then the pigeon. Apparently, when you take a flying rat's brain away, it's still a flying rat. A blind one, and totally uninterested in food or other rats, but still, it flies, leans, does all it's need to move stuff just fine. Damned flying rats. The made one (I think it still had a brain) ride around on a birdy merry-go-round, to watch its head tick. Funness.
Then it was on to the interesting stuff. Ten minutes of kittens, some guy in a cage with 10 kittens, and all the neato stuff you can do with a live, healthy cat (if you don't like your arms), like drop it from not very high and upside down and watch it flip around. Or make it's head spin. Or about half a dozen other things.
Then suddenly we're in a lab. And there is a cat in what cen best be described as a cat stand. A cat which, missing most of it's brain (and looking like, rather than put the skin and stuff back, they just painted over the skull with tar) was acting like my mothers dog. Just kinda lying there with its tongue out. 'parently, when you take out the front of a cat's brain, it isn't really a cat anymore. The guy couldn't get it to do any of the stuff a "normal" cat would, even when he flipped it over (showing off a wicked trach(sp)) to show that it wouldn't flip its head around. I don't think he dropped it tho... It woulda kinda gone "thunk".
So there's a floppy beanbag cat, without a brain (basically) and this guy just flipping it around. On the video. For us. Well, and "many" classes in the past. They're supposed to be old videos. Ok....
Yeah, really gross.
Did I mention I get tested on this?
blech.
j.
cheap student soup
Ok, you may not have realised it yet, but I have what is perhaps the most complete pantry of any cheap/ broke student ever. I need to make it go away.
It's also really cold here, so I wanted soup. Too lazy to wait for chickpeas to cook from dry, too hungry to do anything really involved.
So I went shopping in my pantry shelf, and thru my fridge stuff.
I found all sorts of goodies, and decided to make lentil soup.
You can put just about anything in this- even meat, meaty broth, cat hair, whatever.
But I carefully restrained myself from dumping in brussels sprouts, broccoli, and cabbage. Trust me on this- the makes very stinky.
What did I use then?
One (1) big ass pot
Two (2) cups split lentils (give or take)
One (1) can peeled crushed tomatoes in sauce
One (1) whole onion, diced
One (1) zucchini, diced
One (1) bunch of unslimy spinaches rescued from the rotter, sliced into ribbons
and
Two (2) gallons water (give or take)- that's about 7L for those of you with the funny numbers
I took all that stuff, dumped it in the pot. Stuck it on the stove, over medium heat. Added spicyness as follows-
dash (really little one) wasabi powder
dash (really BIG one) cayenne pepper
dash (dash sized) garlic powder
1/2 t cumin (dashed, of course, so just a guess)
lots of cajun seasoning. Again. Probably about 2T
Oh, and a glug each of white and basalmic vinegar. And a glug of oil.
Then I covered it and wandered off.
About half an hour later, I opened it up, stirred it around, turned the temp down to low and added-
One (1) un-icky potato
One (1) nearly icky tomato
One (1) heaping dash dried cilantro.
And
One (1) whole hell of a lot of salt. I think maybe 3 heaping T worth of sea salt.
Oh, an a dash (really big- ~1T) curry powder, since the spinach made it smell like ass.
Note, at this point it was very spicy and had no flavor. If you a meaty person, this taken care of by searing your meat first, or something. If you unlazy, you can add flavor by roasting the veggies first. Or by carmelizing some/ all the onion. I lazy, tho.
So about 4 hours after I started, I decide that tasteless soup should have bread. So I pull out... molases, rye flour, white flour, honey, salt, yeast, and my fav. bowl.
worked out to ~
1T molases in way too hot water (~1c)
1T honey (again, in the water)
1T yeast (once the water cooled a bit)
The bowl got...
2C (about) white flour,
1C rye flour,
1T sea salt
1t table salt.
and after that it was just normal bread making- mix, kneed, raise, beat down, rise, shape, bake (too fast, wrong temp- again) eat.
So while I was (not really) waiting for the oven to heat, I pulled out a trusty frozen head of roasted garlics. Yes, the whole thing. popped the yummy insides out of the papery clove wrappers, mooshed them a bit and dumped the into the pot. Yum. And some more salt.
So now, 8 hours after I started, I have almost 2 gallons of (very spicy) tasty soup, most of a loaf of (not fully cooked) yummy brown bread, and a very full tummy from when I wandered to the grocery store halfway thru and picked up a bag of chips and some white choco chips.
Anyone want cheap soup?
I figure the cost to make it here was... $7ish for the soup, another buck or two for the bread?
j.
It's also really cold here, so I wanted soup. Too lazy to wait for chickpeas to cook from dry, too hungry to do anything really involved.
So I went shopping in my pantry shelf, and thru my fridge stuff.
I found all sorts of goodies, and decided to make lentil soup.
You can put just about anything in this- even meat, meaty broth, cat hair, whatever.
But I carefully restrained myself from dumping in brussels sprouts, broccoli, and cabbage. Trust me on this- the makes very stinky.
What did I use then?
One (1) big ass pot
Two (2) cups split lentils (give or take)
One (1) can peeled crushed tomatoes in sauce
One (1) whole onion, diced
One (1) zucchini, diced
One (1) bunch of unslimy spinaches rescued from the rotter, sliced into ribbons
and
Two (2) gallons water (give or take)- that's about 7L for those of you with the funny numbers
I took all that stuff, dumped it in the pot. Stuck it on the stove, over medium heat. Added spicyness as follows-
dash (really little one) wasabi powder
dash (really BIG one) cayenne pepper
dash (dash sized) garlic powder
1/2 t cumin (dashed, of course, so just a guess)
lots of cajun seasoning. Again. Probably about 2T
Oh, and a glug each of white and basalmic vinegar. And a glug of oil.
Then I covered it and wandered off.
About half an hour later, I opened it up, stirred it around, turned the temp down to low and added-
One (1) un-icky potato
One (1) nearly icky tomato
One (1) heaping dash dried cilantro.
And
One (1) whole hell of a lot of salt. I think maybe 3 heaping T worth of sea salt.
Oh, an a dash (really big- ~1T) curry powder, since the spinach made it smell like ass.
Note, at this point it was very spicy and had no flavor. If you a meaty person, this taken care of by searing your meat first, or something. If you unlazy, you can add flavor by roasting the veggies first. Or by carmelizing some/ all the onion. I lazy, tho.
So about 4 hours after I started, I decide that tasteless soup should have bread. So I pull out... molases, rye flour, white flour, honey, salt, yeast, and my fav. bowl.
worked out to ~
1T molases in way too hot water (~1c)
1T honey (again, in the water)
1T yeast (once the water cooled a bit)
The bowl got...
2C (about) white flour,
1C rye flour,
1T sea salt
1t table salt.
and after that it was just normal bread making- mix, kneed, raise, beat down, rise, shape, bake (too fast, wrong temp- again) eat.
So while I was (not really) waiting for the oven to heat, I pulled out a trusty frozen head of roasted garlics. Yes, the whole thing. popped the yummy insides out of the papery clove wrappers, mooshed them a bit and dumped the into the pot. Yum. And some more salt.
So now, 8 hours after I started, I have almost 2 gallons of (very spicy) tasty soup, most of a loaf of (not fully cooked) yummy brown bread, and a very full tummy from when I wandered to the grocery store halfway thru and picked up a bag of chips and some white choco chips.
Anyone want cheap soup?
I figure the cost to make it here was... $7ish for the soup, another buck or two for the bread?
j.
May 17, 2007
Am I the only one who studies better drunk?
For minor clarification, by drunk I mean with a couple jack and whatevers in me. And by study, I mean at all.
I've been sooooo good about the not drinking thing. And all it gets me is this totally uptight, terrified of messing up mess. So I'm too worried about doing the stuff wrong to do the assignments, and too hyper to read the damned books.
But relying on booze to get me thru school is the way of madness and meetings where they sing really lame songs about how some light in the sky makes you happy, or something. Not for me. Tho there are *any number* of functional alcoholics in my family, I'd rather not be one of them.
Funny thing is, tho- I get stuff done when I've had a couple drinks. I get nothing done without it. And I hate being drunk. It be that slippery slope thing, I think.
Of course, the school related stuff I've just spent 2 hours playing with was mostly not for *my* classes (except for the diagnosis of the obese mr. richard A.) but the online fun and games for the *vet* students, which I am not. So I was playing around in the radiographs, and the extra yummy histo slides, and the ethics lectures. because nothing's as interesting as what you're not supposed to be doing.
I think that's the trick, actually, to getting me to behave like a grown up- tell me I'm not allowed. After all, I'm not allowed to study while drinking, or go to class that way. And sure as hell it's frowned upon in labs. But it just goes so much better. Like back in elementary school, when they'd tell you to look up the vocab words, and write down the deff. and a sentence.... I'd go wandering off thru the dictionary. Much more fun. More useful too.
And yes, I do realize this is not healthy. But I figure some studying is better than no studying. And of course, lots of studying is better than either of those, but I don't see it happening, do you?
j.
I've been sooooo good about the not drinking thing. And all it gets me is this totally uptight, terrified of messing up mess. So I'm too worried about doing the stuff wrong to do the assignments, and too hyper to read the damned books.
But relying on booze to get me thru school is the way of madness and meetings where they sing really lame songs about how some light in the sky makes you happy, or something. Not for me. Tho there are *any number* of functional alcoholics in my family, I'd rather not be one of them.
Funny thing is, tho- I get stuff done when I've had a couple drinks. I get nothing done without it. And I hate being drunk. It be that slippery slope thing, I think.
Of course, the school related stuff I've just spent 2 hours playing with was mostly not for *my* classes (except for the diagnosis of the obese mr. richard A.) but the online fun and games for the *vet* students, which I am not. So I was playing around in the radiographs, and the extra yummy histo slides, and the ethics lectures. because nothing's as interesting as what you're not supposed to be doing.
I think that's the trick, actually, to getting me to behave like a grown up- tell me I'm not allowed. After all, I'm not allowed to study while drinking, or go to class that way. And sure as hell it's frowned upon in labs. But it just goes so much better. Like back in elementary school, when they'd tell you to look up the vocab words, and write down the deff. and a sentence.... I'd go wandering off thru the dictionary. Much more fun. More useful too.
And yes, I do realize this is not healthy. But I figure some studying is better than no studying. And of course, lots of studying is better than either of those, but I don't see it happening, do you?
j.
Still not dead
I'll get caught up here soon, I promise- and there's some neato lab stuff to tell aaaalllll about. No, really, Like I'm never eating cat agai... wait, I don't eat cat.
Yeah, anyway, I get caught up soon.
Yeah, anyway, I get caught up soon.
April 28, 2007
Party Planning for the broke and lazy
If college students were rich, party throwing would be easy- call the planner and the caterer and write a couple checks. Actually, broke students could do that too, but it does nasty things to the probably already crappy credit rating.
So instead, a bit of creativity is required.
Music is easy- I dare anyone out there to find a group of ten or twenty with no ipod or other music storage toy. Drinks are easy- provide plastic, ice, and mixers- let them bring their own if they want more.
Food- now food is where it gets interesting. You can do the ever popular pot luck, which is no fun. Or you can have the rotating party, where one person (or group) provides the food, then you swap out. You get more parties that way too. And it doesn't have to be expensive either. Spanish rice, bean burritos (homemade tortillas if you're someplace like NZ where they're 50 cents each), chips and salsa, maybe some fajita fixings or tamales if you're feeling rich/ motivated, and you have a yummy kinda mexican inspired party. Baked ziti, home made pizza, cheap antipasta, and you got a kinda italian fooded party. And until you try it, don't tell me that sushi's tough. Not good for cancelling out boozy extravagence, but if you have four or five people rolling, it doesn't take long to get *a lot* done. And if you leave out most (or all) of the fish, it's pretty cheap too.
Entertainment, of course, depends on when you hold the party. And who you invite. Some people are happy with no more than a kiddie pool and some beach toys. Others want activities. My favorites for activities (and both can be played outside in the depths of winter with some modifications) are soda bottle bowling and street golf. Which are pretty much what they sound like.
For soda bottle bowling you need-
For street golf you need-
I have to thank the students of St. Andrews in scotland for street golf, actually- I never would have thought that up on my own. Maybe with help, but it's tough to find golf minded mischief makers around here.
I'm sure with this start you can now throw at least part of a cheap party. Or at least keep yourself amused (and arrested) for at least a week. Oh, and no wading in Wyoming in october through may without special clearance from the loony bin.
j.
So instead, a bit of creativity is required.
Music is easy- I dare anyone out there to find a group of ten or twenty with no ipod or other music storage toy. Drinks are easy- provide plastic, ice, and mixers- let them bring their own if they want more.
Food- now food is where it gets interesting. You can do the ever popular pot luck, which is no fun. Or you can have the rotating party, where one person (or group) provides the food, then you swap out. You get more parties that way too. And it doesn't have to be expensive either. Spanish rice, bean burritos (homemade tortillas if you're someplace like NZ where they're 50 cents each), chips and salsa, maybe some fajita fixings or tamales if you're feeling rich/ motivated, and you have a yummy kinda mexican inspired party. Baked ziti, home made pizza, cheap antipasta, and you got a kinda italian fooded party. And until you try it, don't tell me that sushi's tough. Not good for cancelling out boozy extravagence, but if you have four or five people rolling, it doesn't take long to get *a lot* done. And if you leave out most (or all) of the fish, it's pretty cheap too.
Entertainment, of course, depends on when you hold the party. And who you invite. Some people are happy with no more than a kiddie pool and some beach toys. Others want activities. My favorites for activities (and both can be played outside in the depths of winter with some modifications) are soda bottle bowling and street golf. Which are pretty much what they sound like.
For soda bottle bowling you need-
- At least 10 empty soda bottles- all the same size and brand
- masking tape indoors, chalk outside
- a long, straight, flat surface
- One ball of moderate weight and firmness per 10 bottles
For street golf you need-
- Golf clubs, at least 2 each.
- Golf balls- at least 1 each
- a cup (or cups)
- running shoes
- aim
I have to thank the students of St. Andrews in scotland for street golf, actually- I never would have thought that up on my own. Maybe with help, but it's tough to find golf minded mischief makers around here.
I'm sure with this start you can now throw at least part of a cheap party. Or at least keep yourself amused (and arrested) for at least a week. Oh, and no wading in Wyoming in october through may without special clearance from the loony bin.
j.
April 23, 2007
Way too spendy for students Pasta
This is what I had for dinner. Just now actually.
ingredients:
sauce-
to make-
For the love of all that's happy and good to eat, don't put in *glugs*, plural, of the vinegar. It'll overwhelm everything else and you won't be able to taste all your way too expensive fresh stuff. Voice of experience, here, people.
If you can't or don't want to get fresh spinaches (weirdos) you could use frozen, but I don't think it'd be as good.
If you're one of those meaty people, this'd be good probably with like those roasted lamb chop thingies- you know, with the bone? Or maybe veal. Slab or two of wood fired suckling pig (how do I know what you have in your kitchen)? Duck would be too strong, I think, and chicken or turkey too blah. Fish just sounds wrong to me, but maybe there's one that would go well with this. Yeah, I think a good thick seared or roasted lamb chop. Nothing fatty, tho. Probably good "impress the date" food.
And they take away my magic vegetarian card. Again.
Maybe next time I tell you all about how I bastardized a roast lamb recipe I got from that Alton Brown guy's show.... Tho again, that's wandering back into the debt for life range of foods.
What? A school blog? are you crazy?
j.
ingredients:
sauce-
- 1 pt Cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
- 8-12 pitted kalamata olives, chopped
- 1c fresh chifonaded spinaches (like linguini- I can't spell)
- 1-2T Olive Oil
- 1-2T other veggie oil
- 1/2-3/4 chopped onion
- 1T sea salt
- 1 Glug basalmic vinegar
- squirt or two of good lemon juice
- 1 serving medium shells (about 1" or 2.5cm from top to bottom)
- 1T sea salt (seeing a pattern here?)
- water for in boiling.
to make-
- First you puts the water in the pot and puts it on the stove. Don't, for the love of the kitchen toy gods, put the salt in the water yet. It'll pit the living hell out of your pots, and this is only Way too spendy, not crazy put me in debt for the rest of my life spendy pasta.
- I'm assuming you know enough to wash your veggies before cutting them, but if not, do it. icky nasty stuff on veggies. They grow in dirt, ya know.
- Put your (hopefully deep) frying pan/ sauce pan on the stove, with maybe medium heat. Add the oil. All the oil. If you're rich or crazy you can use olive oil for all of it. If you're me you go maybe half and half- you're trying for a total of less than 3T of oil. 2 should work.
- Let the oil heat, then add the onions, and cover the pot. Swish or stir them occasionally while you wait for the water to boil. Oh, and the salt goes in about now, too.
- Sane people would put the spinaches in next. I am obviously not sane, because I put in half the tomatoes next. About a minute after I put in my pasta. I'd wait, if I was you, until about 5 minutes after I put in the pasta to dump the tomatoes and spinaches in. And turn the temp down to about medium low after you put the lid back on.
- After a couple minutes, add your chopped olives. They don't have to be too finely chopped. Just probably not whole.
- A minute before you need to pull the pasta, add the splash or so of lemon juice and the basalmic vinegar.
- Drain your pasta, and toss your yummy fresh veggie sauce with it.
- Oh yeah. Eat.
For the love of all that's happy and good to eat, don't put in *glugs*, plural, of the vinegar. It'll overwhelm everything else and you won't be able to taste all your way too expensive fresh stuff. Voice of experience, here, people.
If you can't or don't want to get fresh spinaches (weirdos) you could use frozen, but I don't think it'd be as good.
If you're one of those meaty people, this'd be good probably with like those roasted lamb chop thingies- you know, with the bone? Or maybe veal. Slab or two of wood fired suckling pig (how do I know what you have in your kitchen)? Duck would be too strong, I think, and chicken or turkey too blah. Fish just sounds wrong to me, but maybe there's one that would go well with this. Yeah, I think a good thick seared or roasted lamb chop. Nothing fatty, tho. Probably good "impress the date" food.
And they take away my magic vegetarian card. Again.
Maybe next time I tell you all about how I bastardized a roast lamb recipe I got from that Alton Brown guy's show.... Tho again, that's wandering back into the debt for life range of foods.
What? A school blog? are you crazy?
j.
April 17, 2007
Strange new time warp of DOOM (+1)
Somehow, for some reason I can't quite figure out, yahoo manages to deliver to me mail from next week.
Sure, it's all spam, but still- it's not even the 18th here, and they're delivering me mail from the 23 of april 2007. How, oh mighty yahoo mail server, how???!!!
and for your procrastination enjoyment, may I present freecell.net
j.
Sure, it's all spam, but still- it's not even the 18th here, and they're delivering me mail from the 23 of april 2007. How, oh mighty yahoo mail server, how???!!!
and for your procrastination enjoyment, may I present freecell.net
j.
I been a baaaad baaaad bunny
Sorry I not post much. I been lazy. Extra lazy. Extra super, olympic, above and beyond even my own expectations lazy.
In vaguely positive tho scary news, I have in fact actually bought a school book. Required text and everything.
I have not, however, actually opened it yet. It's for a test next wednesday. I have plenty of time. I do need to do some physics work, tho- that one's monday... I think.
In totally different news (but strongly related to my outrageous lazyness) I watched all of CSI Miami season 3 yesterday.
Where's the crime scene investigating? where's the follow thru? How the hell do they do DNA sampling and stuff so fast? 10 minutes, start to finish, I swear!
Yes, it's cheesey, and no, if there were more CSI vegas available, I would not watch it. But I've seen all of the Vegas one, and I can only watch it soooo many times. Even if it has more yummy men (warrick and the video guy- archie?) I can only watch each episode so many times in one week.
But back to Miami. What's up with the kid that shows up and magically just *knows* how to do all the stuff in the lab? And they just throw him, alone, on a case? And what's with all the shooting? Don't normal, real cops get in trouble if they shoot people? 'parently criminalists and stuff in Miami get into huge shootouts at least twice a month. They killed off or fired something like half the staff. If it were a real place, I think everyone would be looking for new jobs.
And for bob's sake, could they stop giving the bad actor guy those two part lines? And please, please take the sunglasses away? or just fire him and hire someone else? Someone who can act? Please?
For anyone who made it this far- Yes, I am drinking lots of caffeine filled soda, why?
And I don't know if I mentioned it here or not, but I'm going home at the end of the semester. The dollars drop against, well, everything makes NZ less economically feasible for me. So I be going back to the land of doritos and mac n cheese. Maybe I join foreign service. Who knows.
j.
In vaguely positive tho scary news, I have in fact actually bought a school book. Required text and everything.
I have not, however, actually opened it yet. It's for a test next wednesday. I have plenty of time. I do need to do some physics work, tho- that one's monday... I think.
In totally different news (but strongly related to my outrageous lazyness) I watched all of CSI Miami season 3 yesterday.
Where's the crime scene investigating? where's the follow thru? How the hell do they do DNA sampling and stuff so fast? 10 minutes, start to finish, I swear!
Yes, it's cheesey, and no, if there were more CSI vegas available, I would not watch it. But I've seen all of the Vegas one, and I can only watch it soooo many times. Even if it has more yummy men (warrick and the video guy- archie?) I can only watch each episode so many times in one week.
But back to Miami. What's up with the kid that shows up and magically just *knows* how to do all the stuff in the lab? And they just throw him, alone, on a case? And what's with all the shooting? Don't normal, real cops get in trouble if they shoot people? 'parently criminalists and stuff in Miami get into huge shootouts at least twice a month. They killed off or fired something like half the staff. If it were a real place, I think everyone would be looking for new jobs.
And for bob's sake, could they stop giving the bad actor guy those two part lines? And please, please take the sunglasses away? or just fire him and hire someone else? Someone who can act? Please?
For anyone who made it this far- Yes, I am drinking lots of caffeine filled soda, why?
And I don't know if I mentioned it here or not, but I'm going home at the end of the semester. The dollars drop against, well, everything makes NZ less economically feasible for me. So I be going back to the land of doritos and mac n cheese. Maybe I join foreign service. Who knows.
j.
April 2, 2007
I have indeed *not* been deported
I know, sad day for kiwi's and international students everywhere. They want me to get the very nasty, totally unenjoyed physical again- I think they lost my paperwork.
So while I'm not leaving 2 days ago, I am leaving in June.
Why? At the rate I'm going here, I'll be about 300k in debt before I get in to the real program at massey. And I there are (shock, horror) some things I miss in wyoming (and no, they aren't just reasonable internet and doritos).
Plus, I looked at what I've got, class wise, and I'll only be 2 prereq's short for colorado (and about 4000 hours experience) at the end of the semester- if I pass everything. No comment on my GPA.
I wonder, do international students studying in the states feel as much like an ATM as I do here?
j.
So while I'm not leaving 2 days ago, I am leaving in June.
Why? At the rate I'm going here, I'll be about 300k in debt before I get in to the real program at massey. And I there are (shock, horror) some things I miss in wyoming (and no, they aren't just reasonable internet and doritos).
Plus, I looked at what I've got, class wise, and I'll only be 2 prereq's short for colorado (and about 4000 hours experience) at the end of the semester- if I pass everything. No comment on my GPA.
I wonder, do international students studying in the states feel as much like an ATM as I do here?
j.
March 24, 2007
Import/Export
Depending on what happens monday when I go to have a chat with the people at school I may or may not be staying.
see, they have these rules for students, expensive rules. Which are a totally different subject, of course.
Well, in order to stay I have to pay my fees for this semester, get a receipt, and wait a day. Then I can get a bank statement (saying I have about 14kNZ sitting in my account) and get another receipt for $120 (yep, visa fees went up. Again.) and take that stuff, plus this whole other list of stuff I need (photos and applications and records and who knows what else) to the immigration desk on campus 10 days before my visa runs out, so they can get it renewed for me.
So I need to take receipts for things I haven't paid yet (still no loans) and bank statements with money I don't have, and the 120 for the fee, to this desk. Last wednesday.
Now, some time next week I'll have *some* money. But it won't be 24kNZ. Not even close to that. My stafford may or may not get here by friday, but even if it does, the school won't admit to having it for a week. I don't know if this is normal for universities, but it's honestly the only place I've ever heard of holding checks (cashed in the school's account the whole time) for a week before crediting the account.
But since, as I said, they hold those checks for a week, my account won't show even partial payment before friday (also known as the day before my visa runs out).
now yes, at least some of this is my fault. After all, I could have borrowed a huge-er pile of cash at crazy rates. I could have pestered the loan company to let me apply for my private loan earlier. Heck, I could have put it all on a credit card somewhere.
But I didn't do any of that. And so now if I don't get an extension (and I'm really not holding out any great hope) I have to leave.
Funny thing is, I might just go anyway. Anyone who's actually read the more coherent posts in here- the school related ones, anyway- will realise that I'm really not getting anywhere, except maybe in debt.
For comparison, what I've borrowed (and spent) in the last year would have been enough to travel on for at least 2 years. The tuition alone was enough for at least one really good year.
I am, oddly, not comfortable here. I don't know if it's the out there racism that I keep running into this last 6 months or so, or the way people here manage to be some of the best travelled xenophobes I've ever met. Or maybe it's just that I miss doritos. It could be how most of the local students think a great night hanging out with friends starts with a bottle of vodka each and ends with puking.
Or maybe I just want to go home because I know there is no way I'll actually study here. I have no motivation. The better I do, after all, the longer I have to stay. Call me commitment phobic.
So, probably wednesday or thursday I'll be taking off for home.
which means that this weekend I'm cleaning and pre-packing and doing laundry. I don't want to think about what else I have to do- who I need to see on monday, finding tickets, getting some/ any furniture for when I move back, getting rid of my bed here, telling the flatmates I'm taking off, and who knows what else.
Blegh.
I want my mommy.
I know- so mature.
j.
see, they have these rules for students, expensive rules. Which are a totally different subject, of course.
Well, in order to stay I have to pay my fees for this semester, get a receipt, and wait a day. Then I can get a bank statement (saying I have about 14kNZ sitting in my account) and get another receipt for $120 (yep, visa fees went up. Again.) and take that stuff, plus this whole other list of stuff I need (photos and applications and records and who knows what else) to the immigration desk on campus 10 days before my visa runs out, so they can get it renewed for me.
So I need to take receipts for things I haven't paid yet (still no loans) and bank statements with money I don't have, and the 120 for the fee, to this desk. Last wednesday.
Now, some time next week I'll have *some* money. But it won't be 24kNZ. Not even close to that. My stafford may or may not get here by friday, but even if it does, the school won't admit to having it for a week. I don't know if this is normal for universities, but it's honestly the only place I've ever heard of holding checks (cashed in the school's account the whole time) for a week before crediting the account.
But since, as I said, they hold those checks for a week, my account won't show even partial payment before friday (also known as the day before my visa runs out).
now yes, at least some of this is my fault. After all, I could have borrowed a huge-er pile of cash at crazy rates. I could have pestered the loan company to let me apply for my private loan earlier. Heck, I could have put it all on a credit card somewhere.
But I didn't do any of that. And so now if I don't get an extension (and I'm really not holding out any great hope) I have to leave.
Funny thing is, I might just go anyway. Anyone who's actually read the more coherent posts in here- the school related ones, anyway- will realise that I'm really not getting anywhere, except maybe in debt.
For comparison, what I've borrowed (and spent) in the last year would have been enough to travel on for at least 2 years. The tuition alone was enough for at least one really good year.
I am, oddly, not comfortable here. I don't know if it's the out there racism that I keep running into this last 6 months or so, or the way people here manage to be some of the best travelled xenophobes I've ever met. Or maybe it's just that I miss doritos. It could be how most of the local students think a great night hanging out with friends starts with a bottle of vodka each and ends with puking.
Or maybe I just want to go home because I know there is no way I'll actually study here. I have no motivation. The better I do, after all, the longer I have to stay. Call me commitment phobic.
So, probably wednesday or thursday I'll be taking off for home.
which means that this weekend I'm cleaning and pre-packing and doing laundry. I don't want to think about what else I have to do- who I need to see on monday, finding tickets, getting some/ any furniture for when I move back, getting rid of my bed here, telling the flatmates I'm taking off, and who knows what else.
Blegh.
I want my mommy.
I know- so mature.
j.
March 20, 2007
YAAAAARRRRGGGGHHHHH!!!!!
If i were to say there was a certain someone here in NZ I wanted to see dipped slowly in acid until her/his limbs dissolved while they screamed in hideous pain, with death at the end just for fun, would anyone here be really surprised?
If I told you this person (to whom I won't actually do this, since it would be waaaaay more work than the person is worth) worked for the university would it be surprising? How about if she (yes she) was so good at her job that she only answered e-mail after 8 days, without checking on anything before replying, and always with no information ("I'm sorry, I don't know if XYZ is here. name")? Would it really hurt to check? Is that not what office workers in direct contact with customers get paid to do?
On the exact same subject, my stafford loans get disbursed (less than 1/3rd of them, for some bob forsaken reason) this friday. The school will have it's money on or about the 30th, and will admit to having it sometime after I'm deported.
My private loan company contacted the school electronically on the 15th (that would be the 16th here, and a friday, which people seem to think is part of the weekend here....) but they haven't heard back, and the loan lady (who I so adore) hasn't heard from them. Really.
I would probably have fallen for this, but last year my loan was "sent" for about two weeks while it was sitting in a file on a desk. Somewhere. So I called the loan companies. And they told me all sorts of fun stuff. And now I want boiling acid and a huge vat and a crane. And an idea of where to go when I get kicked out of school for not paying my tuition. I was thinking south america then travel overland back to the states.... Maybe on my bike.
Maybe universities that are running out of money are exempt from decent customer service? Tho what with a good portion of their operating budget coming from international student tuition and fees, You'd think they'd try a bit harder. I might just do well enough here this semester to get back to Wyoming. After all, it's cheaper and they won't deport me.
j.
If I told you this person (to whom I won't actually do this, since it would be waaaaay more work than the person is worth) worked for the university would it be surprising? How about if she (yes she) was so good at her job that she only answered e-mail after 8 days, without checking on anything before replying, and always with no information ("I'm sorry, I don't know if XYZ is here. name")? Would it really hurt to check? Is that not what office workers in direct contact with customers get paid to do?
On the exact same subject, my stafford loans get disbursed (less than 1/3rd of them, for some bob forsaken reason) this friday. The school will have it's money on or about the 30th, and will admit to having it sometime after I'm deported.
My private loan company contacted the school electronically on the 15th (that would be the 16th here, and a friday, which people seem to think is part of the weekend here....) but they haven't heard back, and the loan lady (who I so adore) hasn't heard from them. Really.
I would probably have fallen for this, but last year my loan was "sent" for about two weeks while it was sitting in a file on a desk. Somewhere. So I called the loan companies. And they told me all sorts of fun stuff. And now I want boiling acid and a huge vat and a crane. And an idea of where to go when I get kicked out of school for not paying my tuition. I was thinking south america then travel overland back to the states.... Maybe on my bike.
Maybe universities that are running out of money are exempt from decent customer service? Tho what with a good portion of their operating budget coming from international student tuition and fees, You'd think they'd try a bit harder. I might just do well enough here this semester to get back to Wyoming. After all, it's cheaper and they won't deport me.
j.
March 15, 2007
Highflyers
So there's a lame restaurant in town called Highflyers. At night it turns into, yep, a lame dance club.
At this lame dance club (with lame dance mixes and puke-smelling very young boys of less than admirable stature) just about every student hooks up at least once. It's a meat market.
And oh my bob does it suck.
Now, sure, if your only goal when you go out at night is to get drunk, dance like an idiot to bad (very very bad) music and get random sex with total strangers ending in a walk of shame the next day, then yeah, it's great. If, however, what you want is a decent night out with good music, decent drinks, and guys that are old enough to drink in the US, it is not the place for you. And indeed, not the place for me.
For tho I get puking drunk on cheap spanish wine, I don't get drunk on jack. I could drink that, or jamison's or even bailey's for weeks and not get drunk. And so groping and drinking and making out on the dance floor is not what I want to do. I want a good solid drinking bar. The kind you find chef's and cooks and waiters at. The kind I don't think I'll ever find here.
but yes, if you are in this town, and you want easy sex (and all the shiny new diseases that come with it) High Flyers is your place.
j.
At this lame dance club (with lame dance mixes and puke-smelling very young boys of less than admirable stature) just about every student hooks up at least once. It's a meat market.
And oh my bob does it suck.
Now, sure, if your only goal when you go out at night is to get drunk, dance like an idiot to bad (very very bad) music and get random sex with total strangers ending in a walk of shame the next day, then yeah, it's great. If, however, what you want is a decent night out with good music, decent drinks, and guys that are old enough to drink in the US, it is not the place for you. And indeed, not the place for me.
For tho I get puking drunk on cheap spanish wine, I don't get drunk on jack. I could drink that, or jamison's or even bailey's for weeks and not get drunk. And so groping and drinking and making out on the dance floor is not what I want to do. I want a good solid drinking bar. The kind you find chef's and cooks and waiters at. The kind I don't think I'll ever find here.
but yes, if you are in this town, and you want easy sex (and all the shiny new diseases that come with it) High Flyers is your place.
j.
March 10, 2007
Tales of a NZ summer
So summer is really really really here now- in the northern hemisphere equivalent of September. And a scorching day it was too.
People were heard to say such thoughtful things as "it's soooo hot" and "wow, it's really hot, let's find someplace cool."
So in celebration of this very hot weather, I bought myself a jar (yes, jar) of cranberry sauce (and not that whole berry crap either). And yes, it is yummy.
Oh, yeah, the scorching hot highs?
Around 29C or... wait for it
84F.
Yes, really. Prostrate in the streets from heat exhaustion. Wimps.
j.
People were heard to say such thoughtful things as "it's soooo hot" and "wow, it's really hot, let's find someplace cool."
So in celebration of this very hot weather, I bought myself a jar (yes, jar) of cranberry sauce (and not that whole berry crap either). And yes, it is yummy.
Oh, yeah, the scorching hot highs?
Around 29C or... wait for it
84F.
Yes, really. Prostrate in the streets from heat exhaustion. Wimps.
j.
March 6, 2007
Beware: evil course descriptions
So my schedule has changed a bit in the last two weeks or so. Some classes have gone away (animal health behavior and welfare, spanish) while others just won't leave me alone (chemistry?). And while I'm sure that's all interesting to someone out there, it's not what I feel like discussing just now.
Course descriptions, wonderful, useful, necessary things. Beautiful, helpful paragraphs and charts which tell you all about what you'll be doing next semester, or at least enough to figure out if you want that class or not. 3 hours lecture, 2 hours tutorial, or 4 hours lecture, or the ever popular 3 hours lecture, 3 hours lab.
Which brings me to my actual topic. One of the classes I'm taking, one of the interesting ones, is supposed to have 3 hours of lecture and 3 of lab each week. Either someone wrote something down wrong, or the lecturers are just a bit confused about what a lab is.
See, we have three hours each week in this class (so far) in a big boring lecture theater, listening to people read off their powerpoint slides. Directly off them. Then we are supposed to have three hours doing interesting stuff in a lab. You know, looking at slides, digging around in dead animals, playing with the slide making machine, whatever.
Instead we have our lab in a histology lab room. With easily over 100 seats. Comfy seats. soft seats. Ergonomically correct seats. warmth. low lights. Swimmy tables.
But we don't do lab stuff!
We get extra lectures! i timed it today- we spent a bit less than 40 minutes looking at slides and 2 hours getting lectured. One of them by a man who lisps like the big wig in Monty Python's Life of Brian.
so be careful when you pick classes- you might end up trying not to fall asleep while counting how often the lecturing lab guy says "um".
j.
Course descriptions, wonderful, useful, necessary things. Beautiful, helpful paragraphs and charts which tell you all about what you'll be doing next semester, or at least enough to figure out if you want that class or not. 3 hours lecture, 2 hours tutorial, or 4 hours lecture, or the ever popular 3 hours lecture, 3 hours lab.
Which brings me to my actual topic. One of the classes I'm taking, one of the interesting ones, is supposed to have 3 hours of lecture and 3 of lab each week. Either someone wrote something down wrong, or the lecturers are just a bit confused about what a lab is.
See, we have three hours each week in this class (so far) in a big boring lecture theater, listening to people read off their powerpoint slides. Directly off them. Then we are supposed to have three hours doing interesting stuff in a lab. You know, looking at slides, digging around in dead animals, playing with the slide making machine, whatever.
Instead we have our lab in a histology lab room. With easily over 100 seats. Comfy seats. soft seats. Ergonomically correct seats. warmth. low lights. Swimmy tables.
But we don't do lab stuff!
We get extra lectures! i timed it today- we spent a bit less than 40 minutes looking at slides and 2 hours getting lectured. One of them by a man who lisps like the big wig in Monty Python's Life of Brian.
so be careful when you pick classes- you might end up trying not to fall asleep while counting how often the lecturing lab guy says "um".
j.
March 5, 2007
a scary encounter
I thought, really, that I had escaped them when I moved to NZ, but no, they have followed me. I think I have some strange sort of locater beacon in my head or something. BFE texas (fort stockton) at a gas station, in wyoming, south carolina, new york, california, and now, finally here, in NZ.
What am I talking about? the Jehovah's Witnesses. They have found me again. Much easier to get rid of here, tho. I think they're used to a rather less religious prey. So I told them I was Jewish and sent them on their way.
I was born in a Jewish hospital, that's gotta be close enough. The academic advisor in high school thought so, anyway. And who am I do disagree with her?
So yeah, no knock down drag out fight, no pamphlets, no hellfire and badness. I gotta say, the Jewish thing works better here than at home. Maybe because there are only really about 4000 in the whole country. jews for jesus don't count, btw- the jesus thing makes you xian. sorry.
Now that I've offended just about everyone reading this (hello?) I guess I should wander off.
And I promise a real update that doesn't have me running in terror from people trying to make me bob-fearing. A beacon, I tell you.
j.
What am I talking about? the Jehovah's Witnesses. They have found me again. Much easier to get rid of here, tho. I think they're used to a rather less religious prey. So I told them I was Jewish and sent them on their way.
I was born in a Jewish hospital, that's gotta be close enough. The academic advisor in high school thought so, anyway. And who am I do disagree with her?
So yeah, no knock down drag out fight, no pamphlets, no hellfire and badness. I gotta say, the Jewish thing works better here than at home. Maybe because there are only really about 4000 in the whole country. jews for jesus don't count, btw- the jesus thing makes you xian. sorry.
Now that I've offended just about everyone reading this (hello?) I guess I should wander off.
And I promise a real update that doesn't have me running in terror from people trying to make me bob-fearing. A beacon, I tell you.
j.
February 21, 2007
Vacation- finally
So school starts again next week.
I get my grades for the summer school thing that just ended sometime before the middle of march.
And today I picked up most of my lecture notes for the "fall" semester. I still want to call it spring semester, btw.
So yeah, I've been doing school stuff. i'm trying to get my room put together before classes start- this whole no furniture at all thing is starting to get to me- I at least need a bookshelf and somewhere (other than on my bed) to put the computer. And I'm dealing with all the left over and goofed up money stuff. and I'm trying to figure out if I can pay all my bills. And I'm trying to decide if I really need a job. Ok, I lie- i'm trying to talk myself into actually getting the job I know I need.
But untill then (and the hour I have to waste on friday getting my lab sched and stuff) i have all this yummy time off. To cook and clean and get ready to kill myself over classes that at least seem a bit more interesting than statistics. But mostly time to goof off and read lame books and drink soda and look at photos and try to figure out how to get my computer fixed without my usual Wellington shopping spree....
Right right- back to goofing off. I think I'm going to try to die of cholera this time- don't you just love oregon trail?
j.
I get my grades for the summer school thing that just ended sometime before the middle of march.
And today I picked up most of my lecture notes for the "fall" semester. I still want to call it spring semester, btw.
So yeah, I've been doing school stuff. i'm trying to get my room put together before classes start- this whole no furniture at all thing is starting to get to me- I at least need a bookshelf and somewhere (other than on my bed) to put the computer. And I'm dealing with all the left over and goofed up money stuff. and I'm trying to figure out if I can pay all my bills. And I'm trying to decide if I really need a job. Ok, I lie- i'm trying to talk myself into actually getting the job I know I need.
But untill then (and the hour I have to waste on friday getting my lab sched and stuff) i have all this yummy time off. To cook and clean and get ready to kill myself over classes that at least seem a bit more interesting than statistics. But mostly time to goof off and read lame books and drink soda and look at photos and try to figure out how to get my computer fixed without my usual Wellington shopping spree....
Right right- back to goofing off. I think I'm going to try to die of cholera this time- don't you just love oregon trail?
j.
February 15, 2007
All done for now
With studying, anyway. Time to switch to "did I pass" obsession mode.
See, I did better than last time. Of course, the only way I could have done worse would be if I hadn't shown up or had forgotten to put my name and number on it, or visibly, obviously coppied of the kid on the other side of the room. Tho sleeping through the exam, in the exam room and drooling on the answer book probably would have worked too....
Tho now that I think about it, I could have drawn some cute stick figure molocule people to take up that blank space on the last question- you know, the one covering the stuff that I never actually made it to because I'm a dumbass.
You know, the kind that burns out studying a week before the exam (damned cramming) and then just stops totally, not actually finishing everything (or anything, for that matter)? yeah, that kinda dumbass. Which is also the kind that's probably got some mad internal bleeding going on thanks to all the ginko I've been popping. It's like speed for broke people who like bloodthinners. Yummy stuff. Smells kinda like a cross between multi-vitamin and urinal cake. Not that I wander around sniffing urinals. That's a bit gross, even for me.
But yes, now I get to almost totally relax for at least, oh, I don't know, a week and a half or so before the school thing starts up again. I think I should get drunk and clean my room. Or something like that.
Ok, off to nap.
j.
See, I did better than last time. Of course, the only way I could have done worse would be if I hadn't shown up or had forgotten to put my name and number on it, or visibly, obviously coppied of the kid on the other side of the room. Tho sleeping through the exam, in the exam room and drooling on the answer book probably would have worked too....
Tho now that I think about it, I could have drawn some cute stick figure molocule people to take up that blank space on the last question- you know, the one covering the stuff that I never actually made it to because I'm a dumbass.
You know, the kind that burns out studying a week before the exam (damned cramming) and then just stops totally, not actually finishing everything (or anything, for that matter)? yeah, that kinda dumbass. Which is also the kind that's probably got some mad internal bleeding going on thanks to all the ginko I've been popping. It's like speed for broke people who like bloodthinners. Yummy stuff. Smells kinda like a cross between multi-vitamin and urinal cake. Not that I wander around sniffing urinals. That's a bit gross, even for me.
But yes, now I get to almost totally relax for at least, oh, I don't know, a week and a half or so before the school thing starts up again. I think I should get drunk and clean my room. Or something like that.
Ok, off to nap.
j.
about 12 hours left
I have about 12 hours left until my exam. It starts sometime tomorrow not after 9. I need to be reading my chemistry, working problems, drinking jack. I have no jack, no desire to work problems, and the reading is really not going well today.
Correction, the reading of *chemistry* is really not going well today. Not that smutty romance novel reading is going much better. My attention is pretty much shot to hell. If I were a law breaking kinda girl with a couple hundred bucks laying around, I think I might pick now to experiment with speed.
Unfortunately, I'm broke and not big into trips to the ER. So instead I'll try to OD on soda and ginko pills. Haven't killed me yet- tho I might pee myself to death. too bad I'm not a coffee drinking kinda girl. Even if it does just make me shaky.
So.... anyone want to take bets on how I do in this class? I'm feeling a distinct lack of confidance in my ability to BS this exam. even if I do recognise more this time around. Damn my vile procrastinating ways.
Ok, time to fetch the late night study supplies- wordless music, junk food, and more soda.
Oh, yeah, and time to clean out the keyboard too- damned thing gets stuck half the time.
j.
Correction, the reading of *chemistry* is really not going well today. Not that smutty romance novel reading is going much better. My attention is pretty much shot to hell. If I were a law breaking kinda girl with a couple hundred bucks laying around, I think I might pick now to experiment with speed.
Unfortunately, I'm broke and not big into trips to the ER. So instead I'll try to OD on soda and ginko pills. Haven't killed me yet- tho I might pee myself to death. too bad I'm not a coffee drinking kinda girl. Even if it does just make me shaky.
So.... anyone want to take bets on how I do in this class? I'm feeling a distinct lack of confidance in my ability to BS this exam. even if I do recognise more this time around. Damn my vile procrastinating ways.
Ok, time to fetch the late night study supplies- wordless music, junk food, and more soda.
Oh, yeah, and time to clean out the keyboard too- damned thing gets stuck half the time.
j.
February 12, 2007
The demon that stalks my days
Somehow, no matter how hard I try, I can't get away from this voice I have in my head. Not a normal "you suck, you should give up and go home" voice, I don't think that would be anywhere near as annoying.
No, this voice comes from the grocery store, the saturday market, the fruit stand on the side of the road. And it whispers to me. Everywhere.
"come to me, j. I have things for you to buy. Yummy tasty soda and chips and another bag of potatoes and some more dried beans"
And I valiantly try to resist. But I can't. I don't know if it's because I have to go in anyway to get my soda fix (I'm so not paying $3 for a 1.5L bottle). Or if it's because it's embarrassing to pay for $5 worth of soda with my credit card (Hey, it's the end of the summer, and my budget kinda died a slow painful death on the way to NY), or if it's just because I'm some kind of creepy hoarder.
I could give you a rundown of what I have, but let's just leave it that, if I wanted to, I could probably feed ten people for at least two or three days. i have like, two or three *kilograms* of lentils- that's at least 30 or 40 pounds! (ok, like5) And veggies, and salad stuff, and a huge vat of honey, and sugar I've only used making bread. And bread making stuff! I think about the only thing I don't have right now (other than refried beans, taco shells, el pato and chipotles in adobo sauce) is baked beans!
totally off topic- the google spell checker hates the words chiplotles and adobo. Of course, it also seems to hate the word google... Ah, nevermind the google thing- just wants it in caps.
Back on topic.
So, in my most recent valiant effort to ignore the sneaky shopping voice, i made a list. A short-ish list. And I avoided the call of the 10$ quart of very nice ice cream. and I ignored the sweet song of the candy aisle (except the 4 pack of cream eggs- which were on my list) and didn't even get any chips.
But I went, in one 15 minute shopping spree, from having easily 5 weeks of food, to closer to 7. And the trip to the asian grocer yesterday totally didn't help- tho I didn't buy the grape pocky like I wanted to. Just so I'd have it. But the tofu for a large family? I'll be having veggie stroganoff for weeks. Ok, maybe 4 days.
Help me, please- make the grocery store stop telling me about all the food I could buy there, then not cook, and throw out. The checkout girls are starting to recognize me!
Hmm.. now some studying, and some reheating of yummy fake enchiladas. With cheese this time, tho.
j.
No, this voice comes from the grocery store, the saturday market, the fruit stand on the side of the road. And it whispers to me. Everywhere.
"come to me, j. I have things for you to buy. Yummy tasty soda and chips and another bag of potatoes and some more dried beans"
And I valiantly try to resist. But I can't. I don't know if it's because I have to go in anyway to get my soda fix (I'm so not paying $3 for a 1.5L bottle). Or if it's because it's embarrassing to pay for $5 worth of soda with my credit card (Hey, it's the end of the summer, and my budget kinda died a slow painful death on the way to NY), or if it's just because I'm some kind of creepy hoarder.
I could give you a rundown of what I have, but let's just leave it that, if I wanted to, I could probably feed ten people for at least two or three days. i have like, two or three *kilograms* of lentils- that's at least 30 or 40 pounds! (ok, like5) And veggies, and salad stuff, and a huge vat of honey, and sugar I've only used making bread. And bread making stuff! I think about the only thing I don't have right now (other than refried beans, taco shells, el pato and chipotles in adobo sauce) is baked beans!
totally off topic- the google spell checker hates the words chiplotles and adobo. Of course, it also seems to hate the word google... Ah, nevermind the google thing- just wants it in caps.
Back on topic.
So, in my most recent valiant effort to ignore the sneaky shopping voice, i made a list. A short-ish list. And I avoided the call of the 10$ quart of very nice ice cream. and I ignored the sweet song of the candy aisle (except the 4 pack of cream eggs- which were on my list) and didn't even get any chips.
But I went, in one 15 minute shopping spree, from having easily 5 weeks of food, to closer to 7. And the trip to the asian grocer yesterday totally didn't help- tho I didn't buy the grape pocky like I wanted to. Just so I'd have it. But the tofu for a large family? I'll be having veggie stroganoff for weeks. Ok, maybe 4 days.
Help me, please- make the grocery store stop telling me about all the food I could buy there, then not cook, and throw out. The checkout girls are starting to recognize me!
Hmm.. now some studying, and some reheating of yummy fake enchiladas. With cheese this time, tho.
j.
a year ago today in NZ
I got here at some crazy hour of the morning. The walk from the plane to the customs and immigration people was really really long. I hoped they wouldn't call me on my rather sickly looking self- a week past malaria, I don't think anyone looks their best. but no, I just matched my passport. they let me in, and because I only had about an hour, rather than transfer my bags with the people at the international terminal, I dragged them over to domestic and checked them back in over there.
Quick point- this time last year, I was, I think, as skinny as I've been since I was about 20. I don't think I weighed more than about 120. My stuff? that I was carrying? at least 40 lbs. I looked funny with my half starved crazy skeleton trying to drag my bags through the airport.
So anyway, I got on the neato inter-terminal bus, since there was no way in any kind of hell I was carrying that crap all the way to the other terminal. Got to the domestic terminal, and wow... there is no security.
Ok, so there's security, but, like, no metal detectors, or guys with big angry guns, or taking off shoes, or pat-downs... they just, i think, look for people visibly carrying guns/ bombs/ whatever, and politely ask them not to. But you really don't care about the airport bits, I'm sure, but how about the view? for at least half the flight, you can see both coasts, if the weather is clear. which is really neat. And the airport in palmy is tiny. Bigger than the old Martha's Vineyard one- probably about the size of Laramie. Pretty small.
And then I went to campus. I was stupid, and didn't arrange to get picked up, so I wandered all over campus trying to figure out where i was supposed to go. With my 40 lbs of crap, still recovering system, and 2 full layers of clothes. Eventually got everything taken care of, got into my room at the student hostel/ dorm, and then i think I slept. Or maybe I went into town. i know eventually I did have to get food.
And here today I'm trying to get the rest of my loan stuff sorted out, study my chemistry, get the last of that stuff turned in (late) and make enchiladas that work with stuff I can get here.
And since I'm procrastinating, the recipe will probably follow sometime later today. wow, I need sleep. And beer. And a proxy to take my test for me. Wonder if that's allowed...
j.
Quick point- this time last year, I was, I think, as skinny as I've been since I was about 20. I don't think I weighed more than about 120. My stuff? that I was carrying? at least 40 lbs. I looked funny with my half starved crazy skeleton trying to drag my bags through the airport.
So anyway, I got on the neato inter-terminal bus, since there was no way in any kind of hell I was carrying that crap all the way to the other terminal. Got to the domestic terminal, and wow... there is no security.
Ok, so there's security, but, like, no metal detectors, or guys with big angry guns, or taking off shoes, or pat-downs... they just, i think, look for people visibly carrying guns/ bombs/ whatever, and politely ask them not to. But you really don't care about the airport bits, I'm sure, but how about the view? for at least half the flight, you can see both coasts, if the weather is clear. which is really neat. And the airport in palmy is tiny. Bigger than the old Martha's Vineyard one- probably about the size of Laramie. Pretty small.
And then I went to campus. I was stupid, and didn't arrange to get picked up, so I wandered all over campus trying to figure out where i was supposed to go. With my 40 lbs of crap, still recovering system, and 2 full layers of clothes. Eventually got everything taken care of, got into my room at the student hostel/ dorm, and then i think I slept. Or maybe I went into town. i know eventually I did have to get food.
And here today I'm trying to get the rest of my loan stuff sorted out, study my chemistry, get the last of that stuff turned in (late) and make enchiladas that work with stuff I can get here.
And since I'm procrastinating, the recipe will probably follow sometime later today. wow, I need sleep. And beer. And a proxy to take my test for me. Wonder if that's allowed...
j.
one year ago today
One year ago today I was running around San Jose like a mad woman, desperately searching for my passport. You can read about it here, if you like.
Ok, Actually, that's what I was doing earlier in the day a year ago today. A year ago right now today I was sitting in my aisle seat, watching movies, snacking on the (not bad) air NZ food, and hoping the sleeping people next to me didn't need to get up while I was asleep. and wearing the same jeans I've got on now. Guaranteed to make any customs or border official turn you away at the window.
No years ago today, I took a quiz, and barely passed it, hit the half way point on my homework, which should have been in last week, bought yummy stuff at an asian grocer that has, well, just about everything else too, avoided doing my studying (oops) took a nap, bought Indian food I can't afford, plotted world domination (not really) picked up enchilada making stuff, and got accosted by store security while grocery shopping at the countdown. Anyone who knows what I look like might wonder, as I did, what the "ideal" shoplifter in NZ looks like, 'cause I hate getting followed around stores. Maybe if i didn't wear such well ventilated jeans?
and did i mention my nap? but now, it being monday and all, I have to get all the rest of my stuff done. and if you're nice i'll maybe give you a "what I did a year ago today" post again tomorrow- featuring the very long, very spinny corridors of the auckland international terminal, and the really cool non-security at the domestic terminal.
fun fun.
j.
Ok, Actually, that's what I was doing earlier in the day a year ago today. A year ago right now today I was sitting in my aisle seat, watching movies, snacking on the (not bad) air NZ food, and hoping the sleeping people next to me didn't need to get up while I was asleep. and wearing the same jeans I've got on now. Guaranteed to make any customs or border official turn you away at the window.
No years ago today, I took a quiz, and barely passed it, hit the half way point on my homework, which should have been in last week, bought yummy stuff at an asian grocer that has, well, just about everything else too, avoided doing my studying (oops) took a nap, bought Indian food I can't afford, plotted world domination (not really) picked up enchilada making stuff, and got accosted by store security while grocery shopping at the countdown. Anyone who knows what I look like might wonder, as I did, what the "ideal" shoplifter in NZ looks like, 'cause I hate getting followed around stores. Maybe if i didn't wear such well ventilated jeans?
and did i mention my nap? but now, it being monday and all, I have to get all the rest of my stuff done. and if you're nice i'll maybe give you a "what I did a year ago today" post again tomorrow- featuring the very long, very spinny corridors of the auckland international terminal, and the really cool non-security at the domestic terminal.
fun fun.
j.
February 11, 2007
Procrastination annoyances
For anyone out there who, in some mad fit of creativity, decides to write some fan fic (real person or otherwise) or the more manly version- the survivalist story, do me a few simple favors, please?
Ignoring most punctuation issues, and the inability of some people to use the verb "to be", there are some common problems that crop up.
Lack of research. If your character is taking a trip on an airline, and in first class, they don't have to board last, A isn't an aisle seat, and they *don't* actually strip search everyone getting on the plane. If your character is *flying* the plane, their arm falling asleep and causing them to pull the stick left or right will not, generally, turn the plane- not directly, anyway... Might flip it over tho.
If you're writing a Marysue, give your character at least one fault- your female cannot be totally perfect, I don't care if she pops her gum or drools when she sleeps, your male character cannot be rambo, with a pile of guns and cool military-guy toys no sane ATF-type would ever let you keep in one person's name.
And that brings me to realism. i know, bad in these fantasy stories, but.. well... I can only suspend my disbelief so far. So if you've got everyone munching on Doritos in france, and sucking down beer, i'm gonna have a problem with it. And if your rambo dude is carrying 75lbs in brand new boots over 100 miles of untamed mountain, i'm gonna laugh at you. a lot. Like I laugh at people who've obviously never been on a plane but write a story about flying.
Oh, yeah, and if your characters go somewhere interesting, like South East Asia, could they please not get attacked, or use sit down potties? this is back to the research thing, but is also that whole rampant xenophobe thing. Places that aren't where you're from aren't actually a glimpse into hell. heck, they even have electricity and running water in most of them.
Now, for the far more important part.
If you can not actually write, please don't try.
If you have more than one person speaking in a paragraph, I will personally hunt you down and whack you with my flippy ruler. it gets extra swing. Unless you like getting thwacked with a ruler, in which case I will come up with something else. Maybe read very old, very boring translations of very bad books at you.
Their car- the car belonging to them. There car- go that way, car. They're car- they are car? ok, that one's never gonna work.
similarly- you're trouble- you are trouble. your trouble- the trouble belonging to you.
If you aren't sure which of these goes where, please, please, please, just pick one and use it throughout. Please! And learn to use too! it means also! to does not mean also. It's kinda directional. You don't go too the grocery store, and neither do you go to fast. Unless you are actually going somewhere for not eating. I've honestly been reading a story (survivalist- I can only read so much "and then the really hunky actor/ musician/ whatever fell madly in love with my mind and we made out like bunnies" stuff before what's left of my brain melts totally and dribbles out my ears.) where the writer seems to cycle randomly through their/they're/there and you're/your, while somehow never once hitting the right one. no, I don't know how, but let that be a lesson to you about playing the lotto. he has a ~30 or ~50% chance of getting the right one, but by changing around, he's always wrong instead.
where was I? oh, yeah. Please, please, please, don't write unless you can really write. Or at least, if you do, don't put it where anyone else can ever read it.
and, tho this blog is a work of near total fiction (except the procrastination and food stuff, and even some of that), i exclude it from any and all places I goof on all that stuff I just bitched about.
and everyone Does know that capitalization is to be used at the owner's discretion, right?
j.
Ignoring most punctuation issues, and the inability of some people to use the verb "to be", there are some common problems that crop up.
Lack of research. If your character is taking a trip on an airline, and in first class, they don't have to board last, A isn't an aisle seat, and they *don't* actually strip search everyone getting on the plane. If your character is *flying* the plane, their arm falling asleep and causing them to pull the stick left or right will not, generally, turn the plane- not directly, anyway... Might flip it over tho.
If you're writing a Marysue, give your character at least one fault- your female cannot be totally perfect, I don't care if she pops her gum or drools when she sleeps, your male character cannot be rambo, with a pile of guns and cool military-guy toys no sane ATF-type would ever let you keep in one person's name.
And that brings me to realism. i know, bad in these fantasy stories, but.. well... I can only suspend my disbelief so far. So if you've got everyone munching on Doritos in france, and sucking down beer, i'm gonna have a problem with it. And if your rambo dude is carrying 75lbs in brand new boots over 100 miles of untamed mountain, i'm gonna laugh at you. a lot. Like I laugh at people who've obviously never been on a plane but write a story about flying.
Oh, yeah, and if your characters go somewhere interesting, like South East Asia, could they please not get attacked, or use sit down potties? this is back to the research thing, but is also that whole rampant xenophobe thing. Places that aren't where you're from aren't actually a glimpse into hell. heck, they even have electricity and running water in most of them.
Now, for the far more important part.
If you can not actually write, please don't try.
If you have more than one person speaking in a paragraph, I will personally hunt you down and whack you with my flippy ruler. it gets extra swing. Unless you like getting thwacked with a ruler, in which case I will come up with something else. Maybe read very old, very boring translations of very bad books at you.
Their car- the car belonging to them. There car- go that way, car. They're car- they are car? ok, that one's never gonna work.
similarly- you're trouble- you are trouble. your trouble- the trouble belonging to you.
If you aren't sure which of these goes where, please, please, please, just pick one and use it throughout. Please! And learn to use too! it means also! to does not mean also. It's kinda directional. You don't go too the grocery store, and neither do you go to fast. Unless you are actually going somewhere for not eating. I've honestly been reading a story (survivalist- I can only read so much "and then the really hunky actor/ musician/ whatever fell madly in love with my mind and we made out like bunnies" stuff before what's left of my brain melts totally and dribbles out my ears.) where the writer seems to cycle randomly through their/they're/there and you're/your, while somehow never once hitting the right one. no, I don't know how, but let that be a lesson to you about playing the lotto. he has a ~30 or ~50% chance of getting the right one, but by changing around, he's always wrong instead.
where was I? oh, yeah. Please, please, please, don't write unless you can really write. Or at least, if you do, don't put it where anyone else can ever read it.
and, tho this blog is a work of near total fiction (except the procrastination and food stuff, and even some of that), i exclude it from any and all places I goof on all that stuff I just bitched about.
and everyone Does know that capitalization is to be used at the owner's discretion, right?
j.
February 9, 2007
Organic Chemistry is teh devil
Or maybe procrastination is.
It occurs to me- tho not often, thank bob- that I'd study much better in a place without computer or internet. Like the school library. Except they have computers i could sign into, and people who apparently never learned that library = freaking quiet, already!
And the public library is even worse. They have all the interesting books. Says the girl who used to end up reading the dictionary rather than writing out definitions and sentences for stupid spelling class... But I blame my very very bad handwriting for that one.
So yeah, 7 days worth of study time left, all my assignments should be in, and I'm sitting here, reading SDN, playing free cell, and wondering if I'll actually get a copy of the DVD I want to see that *doesn't* skip next time. Or flipping thru my new art book. Or staring at the wall. Or walking to the store. Or trying to drown myself with a mouthfull of soda. Or looking at the stamps in my passport.
ok, I have much more productive procrastination i could be doing right now- like making sure my student loans are going thru, or figuring out why *I'm* the only one that can't access the Massey web site. Or wiping my hard drive. Again.
j.
It occurs to me- tho not often, thank bob- that I'd study much better in a place without computer or internet. Like the school library. Except they have computers i could sign into, and people who apparently never learned that library = freaking quiet, already!
And the public library is even worse. They have all the interesting books. Says the girl who used to end up reading the dictionary rather than writing out definitions and sentences for stupid spelling class... But I blame my very very bad handwriting for that one.
So yeah, 7 days worth of study time left, all my assignments should be in, and I'm sitting here, reading SDN, playing free cell, and wondering if I'll actually get a copy of the DVD I want to see that *doesn't* skip next time. Or flipping thru my new art book. Or staring at the wall. Or walking to the store. Or trying to drown myself with a mouthfull of soda. Or looking at the stamps in my passport.
ok, I have much more productive procrastination i could be doing right now- like making sure my student loans are going thru, or figuring out why *I'm* the only one that can't access the Massey web site. Or wiping my hard drive. Again.
j.
February 6, 2007
Stupid study ideas
So... I've got, like... eight and a half days left before my exam. And about 2 before all of my work has to be in (ok, that's a lie- most of it had to be in *at least* last week). So I thought I'd study while doing something else, to try and keep interested.
Important lesson- studying while "watching" CSI, good. studying while watching scrubs, bad.
Also, when you're expecting something interesting in the mail (like a spiffy art book from the states), *Don't*, for the love of bob, check the mail before you get anything done. You will play with your cool new toy for hours. Or at least an hour. Sorry- short attention span.
And trying to study while hungry is probably a bad idea too.
So the combination of all those bad ideas means I've done 6 problems (of the super quick variety) in about 2 and a half hours. Not to be too obvious, or anything, but I somehow don't think that pace is going to work.
So I'm going to finish this section (hopefully in less than 5 hours) and reward myself with lunch and the rest of this episode of scrubs. Or maybe the transporter. Yeah, that sounds like a good (bad) idea.
j.
Important lesson- studying while "watching" CSI, good. studying while watching scrubs, bad.
Also, when you're expecting something interesting in the mail (like a spiffy art book from the states), *Don't*, for the love of bob, check the mail before you get anything done. You will play with your cool new toy for hours. Or at least an hour. Sorry- short attention span.
And trying to study while hungry is probably a bad idea too.
So the combination of all those bad ideas means I've done 6 problems (of the super quick variety) in about 2 and a half hours. Not to be too obvious, or anything, but I somehow don't think that pace is going to work.
So I'm going to finish this section (hopefully in less than 5 hours) and reward myself with lunch and the rest of this episode of scrubs. Or maybe the transporter. Yeah, that sounds like a good (bad) idea.
j.
February 5, 2007
computer fun
Turns out that my computer is the only one I know of that's not loading the massey web site. So unless it's a problem with my ISP, I figured, you fix everything with a system restore.
So I'm spending part of today getting back my minimum requirements to run my computer. And part of the day putting my bookmarks back. And part of the day studying, weather I like it or not.
But I won't be spending any time at all doing those stupid online quiz's I need to get done, because the school's all closed up for something called "waitangi day" (something about a treaty the Brittish, I guess, kinda actually stuck to with the natives), I got no other computer access. Yay.
So, maybe some actual studying will get done.
Or maybe I'll do some more laundry, make some tacos, and watch boondock saints, scrubs and transporter 2 until my brains flow out my ears. Oh wait....
Yeah... And I gotta get those east asian languages loaded into my computer again. This whole "??????/???" thing is just not gonna work.
oh- and for those of you keeping track, since the last time I said "I really need to study, I think I'll go do that now" or some variation on that, I have done... no studying. Gee, I feel stupid.
j.
So I'm spending part of today getting back my minimum requirements to run my computer. And part of the day putting my bookmarks back. And part of the day studying, weather I like it or not.
But I won't be spending any time at all doing those stupid online quiz's I need to get done, because the school's all closed up for something called "waitangi day" (something about a treaty the Brittish, I guess, kinda actually stuck to with the natives), I got no other computer access. Yay.
So, maybe some actual studying will get done.
Or maybe I'll do some more laundry, make some tacos, and watch boondock saints, scrubs and transporter 2 until my brains flow out my ears. Oh wait....
Yeah... And I gotta get those east asian languages loaded into my computer again. This whole "??????/???" thing is just not gonna work.
oh- and for those of you keeping track, since the last time I said "I really need to study, I think I'll go do that now" or some variation on that, I have done... no studying. Gee, I feel stupid.
j.
February 3, 2007
Nightmare!
And this has nothing with drunk BT calling at 3am.
The Massey site seems to be down. All of it. For 2 or 3 or 4 days now. plus tomorrow.. and knowing them, monday too. 2 weeks before my summer school exam. When I need to be able to check stuff and ask questions and stuff.
And finish all those stupid quiz's!
Yargh! this is so what I get for leaving things to the last possible minute.
Urgh.
j.
The Massey site seems to be down. All of it. For 2 or 3 or 4 days now. plus tomorrow.. and knowing them, monday too. 2 weeks before my summer school exam. When I need to be able to check stuff and ask questions and stuff.
And finish all those stupid quiz's!
Yargh! this is so what I get for leaving things to the last possible minute.
Urgh.
j.
January 29, 2007
Something about school, for once!
So, I have about 17 days left to learn all my chemistry. That means I have about 4 days for each section, or three days for each section (plus assignments) and 4 or 5 days for general review and practice tests.
For those of you who have been reading along, that probably means I'll re-read all my trashy novels, watch a bunch of movies and CSI, wander aimlessly in town, and flip out on the last night.
I'm only a *little* delusional, after all. If I were truely studious, I'd be graduated by now. So yeah, the next two weeks for me will be actual work. Scary. Plus I have to figure out WTF is up with my private loan. Which means tracking down the loan lady and seeing if she sent in papers that I don't know about- always a possibility with her.
And for those of you coming over for next semester- either to Massey or one of the AUS. schools, only a couple weeks left to visit everyone left on your list, stuff you face with all the stuff you can't find over here, Pack and pack, and re-pack, deal with money stuff, triple check your tickets (don't forget to join a loyalty program- I'll have enough for a free ticket in another month or three), play around with your passport, stare at your visa, call the credit card companies, and all the 8 gazillion other things you have to do.
Strange to think that this time last year I was a nutcase, running around everywhere, just back from Africa, and out of my head with malaria. Driving myself around the country to visit people I won't see again for a long long while.
Right, then. Time to "work".
j.
For those of you who have been reading along, that probably means I'll re-read all my trashy novels, watch a bunch of movies and CSI, wander aimlessly in town, and flip out on the last night.
I'm only a *little* delusional, after all. If I were truely studious, I'd be graduated by now. So yeah, the next two weeks for me will be actual work. Scary. Plus I have to figure out WTF is up with my private loan. Which means tracking down the loan lady and seeing if she sent in papers that I don't know about- always a possibility with her.
And for those of you coming over for next semester- either to Massey or one of the AUS. schools, only a couple weeks left to visit everyone left on your list, stuff you face with all the stuff you can't find over here, Pack and pack, and re-pack, deal with money stuff, triple check your tickets (don't forget to join a loyalty program- I'll have enough for a free ticket in another month or three), play around with your passport, stare at your visa, call the credit card companies, and all the 8 gazillion other things you have to do.
Strange to think that this time last year I was a nutcase, running around everywhere, just back from Africa, and out of my head with malaria. Driving myself around the country to visit people I won't see again for a long long while.
Right, then. Time to "work".
j.
January 27, 2007
Doctor Dislike
Odd, I'm sure, but for someone who wants to professionally do the medical thing (tho on animals other than people), I *hate* going to the doctor.
I don't know if it's because they chase me with sharp and pointies, or that they tend to be very condecending, or maybe that I just feel like an idiot going in and explaining what's bothering me.
Example. My shoulder is killing me. Ok, maybe not killing me, I'd give it about a 4. For comparison's sake, getting hit in the head with a hockey puck is about a 3.5, and a headache so bad I lock myself with bigtime painkillers in a pitch black dead silent room and whimper for 10 hours is about a 6. But the normal Rice crispy sounds have moved on to hurting, moving it hurts, and it's just driving me batty. I *should* see a doctor for this- I might actually be able to do something about it other than advil and ice it into (eventual) submission.
But I probably won't.
Part of it, I know, is a carry-over from my childhood, when if whatever was wrong was still *just as wrong* after a week, you could go to the doctor. Not before. Parents not big on the doctor thing, me thinks.
Problem with the "if it's not better in a week, I'll go then" thing is... well, you have to explain to the doctor all about how it feels like people are gouging your (ear/ brain/ knee/ shoulder) with ice picks, sawing thru the muscles, and setting up big-time pain factories in the area that's bugging you, and have been doing it for, oh... 7 or 8 days. Somehow, this seems to discredit your pain rating, even if it was conservative to begin with.
And if you've got something like bronchitis, they really stare at you, and give you the "are you an idiot" lecture.
Or they decide that, because I'm female, I must be making up whatever's bugging me and they tell me there's nothing wrong and send me home. I hate doctors like that.
So I'm sitting here with a shoulder that's been bugging me for a week or so, a hip that keeps locking, and a total lack of allergy meds, because I'm worried the doctor's going to look at me like I'm an idiot. Or send me off for x-rays or something expensive.
Meh, I hate going to the doctor. Maybe if they gave me treats... or did my nails.
Damn, dogs have it good. They even get their butt squozed if they act right.
j.
I don't know if it's because they chase me with sharp and pointies, or that they tend to be very condecending, or maybe that I just feel like an idiot going in and explaining what's bothering me.
Example. My shoulder is killing me. Ok, maybe not killing me, I'd give it about a 4. For comparison's sake, getting hit in the head with a hockey puck is about a 3.5, and a headache so bad I lock myself with bigtime painkillers in a pitch black dead silent room and whimper for 10 hours is about a 6. But the normal Rice crispy sounds have moved on to hurting, moving it hurts, and it's just driving me batty. I *should* see a doctor for this- I might actually be able to do something about it other than advil and ice it into (eventual) submission.
But I probably won't.
Part of it, I know, is a carry-over from my childhood, when if whatever was wrong was still *just as wrong* after a week, you could go to the doctor. Not before. Parents not big on the doctor thing, me thinks.
Problem with the "if it's not better in a week, I'll go then" thing is... well, you have to explain to the doctor all about how it feels like people are gouging your (ear/ brain/ knee/ shoulder) with ice picks, sawing thru the muscles, and setting up big-time pain factories in the area that's bugging you, and have been doing it for, oh... 7 or 8 days. Somehow, this seems to discredit your pain rating, even if it was conservative to begin with.
And if you've got something like bronchitis, they really stare at you, and give you the "are you an idiot" lecture.
Or they decide that, because I'm female, I must be making up whatever's bugging me and they tell me there's nothing wrong and send me home. I hate doctors like that.
So I'm sitting here with a shoulder that's been bugging me for a week or so, a hip that keeps locking, and a total lack of allergy meds, because I'm worried the doctor's going to look at me like I'm an idiot. Or send me off for x-rays or something expensive.
Meh, I hate going to the doctor. Maybe if they gave me treats... or did my nails.
Damn, dogs have it good. They even get their butt squozed if they act right.
j.
January 26, 2007
Good News/ Bad News
I know- Two posts fast-like, one after the other, I must be sick... (actually, I think I am)
Anyway- this has been a kinda good news/ bad news week.
My mother and her Man Friend have kinda picked a date and a place for to get hitched.
Not Aruba. Too bad.
My sister's boss's boyfriend totalled her (my sister's) car.
Which was my car.
Which I was supposed to be getting back when I got back to the states after school, since by then it would be paid for, hopefully still in good condition, and still getting 35+mpg.
Only had to do seven labs.
In 3.5 days.
All done now, tho.
Got my date and time for my summer school final.
Also got confirmation of my classes for next semester.
Cadbury Cream eggs are in stores here.
Pollen's down a bit this week.
And I'm all out of Claratin, which doesn't work anyway.
I think it's time to go back to sleep. Maybe when I wake up Life will be all good. Like in a fairytale. But not one of the ones with people eating witches or bad monsters or ogres, or anything. More like the lorax before the onceler.
Maybe it's just time for vacation. Or a drug habit. Anyone wanna lend (give) me a bunch of money to develop one of these? Didn't think so.
j.
Anyway- this has been a kinda good news/ bad news week.
My mother and her Man Friend have kinda picked a date and a place for to get hitched.
Not Aruba. Too bad.
My sister's boss's boyfriend totalled her (my sister's) car.
Which was my car.
Which I was supposed to be getting back when I got back to the states after school, since by then it would be paid for, hopefully still in good condition, and still getting 35+mpg.
Only had to do seven labs.
In 3.5 days.
All done now, tho.
Got my date and time for my summer school final.
Also got confirmation of my classes for next semester.
Cadbury Cream eggs are in stores here.
Pollen's down a bit this week.
And I'm all out of Claratin, which doesn't work anyway.
I think it's time to go back to sleep. Maybe when I wake up Life will be all good. Like in a fairytale. But not one of the ones with people eating witches or bad monsters or ogres, or anything. More like the lorax before the onceler.
Maybe it's just time for vacation. Or a drug habit. Anyone wanna lend (give) me a bunch of money to develop one of these? Didn't think so.
j.
movie love
I am a reader. It happens. I read waaaay too much, whenever I can find the time. But I also like movies.
Some, I love.
Take Last of the Mohicans, for example. The whole damned thing is beautiful. The scenery, the music, the cast, the story and plot arc, the relationships, the selfless death, I love it. I'm a sucker for romantic stuff, remember?
I just finished watching it. They copy, unfortunately, skips and freezes at most of the good parts, so while I'm running the story in my head to match the movie, I end up off (you know, like when you hear your favorite song on the radio and they cut out half of it- you find yourself singing along with the missing bit, but they're playing the last verse). Drives me nuts. I think the only really good, moving scene that didn't get messed up like that is the one at the end, on the cliff. For the two people in the world that haven't seen the movie I'll leave it at that.
But, much tho I love the story, and the sudden true-ish love found on the frontier (10 miles from teh center of albany) and the way Uncas (for no sane reason I can come up with) falls madly for the younger sister...
Ok, see, I wanted to read the book, right? I mean, the book is *always better, right? But I *can't*. I've tried. Over and over again. I don't know if it's the writing style of the time, or that the written story just doesn't speak to me- but I can't read it. I get about 2 pages into it and give up. I don't usually give up. Heck, I read this terrible book about *star dragons*, for bob's sake, with physics equations every 5 pages or so. But I can't read the book for last of the mohicans.
Ok, major geek failure here- I can't force myself to get through Lord of the Rings, either. I got to about Tom Bombadill, and I want to throw the books across the room. I am a geek failure.
Maybe it's just books "everyone" loves. Or serious old fiction. Or anything written by victorians. Tho honestly I can't stand steinbeck either.
Maybe when I'm old and slow, and my mind is willing to hold a single idea and spin it out for days on end, maybe then I'll be able to read books like these. But I don't think so. I have a friend who could read them now- reads big boring philosophy books for fun, writes endless long books with philosophical wonderings. Was basically born about 125 years too late. I just don't have the patience for it. I wish I did. I'd like to see who else Frodo ran into on the way to the big angry mountain. I want to follow nathaniel's travels, see what Uncas was really like, find out, someday, what actually happens in Tortilla Flats.
Maybe some day I'll take another couple really long car rides. And maybe I'll get the uncut versions of these books on tape. And maybe then, driving way too fast through the smokies on the interstate (40, I think) between tennessee and North Carolina, or that big empty badness that is west Tejas, I'll finally find out what *really* happens.
But for now, I'll stick with the movies. And maybe I'll find surround sound, to watch "mohican's" again. Because, Damn, I love that movie. And not just because Daniel Day-Lewis is hot. He's hot in other stuff too, but I don't love it.
j.
Some, I love.
Take Last of the Mohicans, for example. The whole damned thing is beautiful. The scenery, the music, the cast, the story and plot arc, the relationships, the selfless death, I love it. I'm a sucker for romantic stuff, remember?
I just finished watching it. They copy, unfortunately, skips and freezes at most of the good parts, so while I'm running the story in my head to match the movie, I end up off (you know, like when you hear your favorite song on the radio and they cut out half of it- you find yourself singing along with the missing bit, but they're playing the last verse). Drives me nuts. I think the only really good, moving scene that didn't get messed up like that is the one at the end, on the cliff. For the two people in the world that haven't seen the movie I'll leave it at that.
But, much tho I love the story, and the sudden true-ish love found on the frontier (10 miles from teh center of albany) and the way Uncas (for no sane reason I can come up with) falls madly for the younger sister...
Ok, see, I wanted to read the book, right? I mean, the book is *always better, right? But I *can't*. I've tried. Over and over again. I don't know if it's the writing style of the time, or that the written story just doesn't speak to me- but I can't read it. I get about 2 pages into it and give up. I don't usually give up. Heck, I read this terrible book about *star dragons*, for bob's sake, with physics equations every 5 pages or so. But I can't read the book for last of the mohicans.
Ok, major geek failure here- I can't force myself to get through Lord of the Rings, either. I got to about Tom Bombadill, and I want to throw the books across the room. I am a geek failure.
Maybe it's just books "everyone" loves. Or serious old fiction. Or anything written by victorians. Tho honestly I can't stand steinbeck either.
Maybe when I'm old and slow, and my mind is willing to hold a single idea and spin it out for days on end, maybe then I'll be able to read books like these. But I don't think so. I have a friend who could read them now- reads big boring philosophy books for fun, writes endless long books with philosophical wonderings. Was basically born about 125 years too late. I just don't have the patience for it. I wish I did. I'd like to see who else Frodo ran into on the way to the big angry mountain. I want to follow nathaniel's travels, see what Uncas was really like, find out, someday, what actually happens in Tortilla Flats.
Maybe some day I'll take another couple really long car rides. And maybe I'll get the uncut versions of these books on tape. And maybe then, driving way too fast through the smokies on the interstate (40, I think) between tennessee and North Carolina, or that big empty badness that is west Tejas, I'll finally find out what *really* happens.
But for now, I'll stick with the movies. And maybe I'll find surround sound, to watch "mohican's" again. Because, Damn, I love that movie. And not just because Daniel Day-Lewis is hot. He's hot in other stuff too, but I don't love it.
j.
January 23, 2007
For your amusement
I have about ten minutes before I have to leave to take a test/ quiz that "only counts if" it raises my grade. So busy work...
So as I chug starbucks (my stomach hates me right now) and listen to alice's restaurant, I figure rather than studying (which will just put me to sleep- damn that CSI), I will point all of you (all 2 of you) to my favorite january game- the state of the union drinking game!
Now, I missed it when it ran live, that whole lab thing, and I can't play tonight, but it'll be there for a while, and as soon as they get it loaded at c-span, I can play over and over again. But not tonight.
But I figure all of you can play (if you haven't already). It's true bipartisan fun! well, unless you're one of those no-fun having types, in which case, get off the internet- it's the work of teh devil, and will make you burn in hell. And I really don't want people like that hanging out in hell with me. Nope nope nope.
so anyway- state of the union drinking game, with link to c-span's state of the union page.
and remember- don't drink and drive. Unless you're in the senate.
j.
So as I chug starbucks (my stomach hates me right now) and listen to alice's restaurant, I figure rather than studying (which will just put me to sleep- damn that CSI), I will point all of you (all 2 of you) to my favorite january game- the state of the union drinking game!
Now, I missed it when it ran live, that whole lab thing, and I can't play tonight, but it'll be there for a while, and as soon as they get it loaded at c-span, I can play over and over again. But not tonight.
But I figure all of you can play (if you haven't already). It's true bipartisan fun! well, unless you're one of those no-fun having types, in which case, get off the internet- it's the work of teh devil, and will make you burn in hell. And I really don't want people like that hanging out in hell with me. Nope nope nope.
so anyway- state of the union drinking game, with link to c-span's state of the union page.
and remember- don't drink and drive. Unless you're in the senate.
j.
Contact!
So, I'm spending this week doing labs (and taking some lame test) because I failed at it miserably last time. Ok, not that bad, but still, not good either.
And it's really not as bad as last time. Almost fun. It's amazing what having some vague idea of why you're doing what you're doing does to your enjoyment and speed in lab. Tho I will never be the proud owner of a still. I (always, every time) get either booze over 97C (where they tell me it does not live) , or else watery-booze and boozey water. So no moonshine making for me. Drat.
On a totally different subject- I have finded the most perfect fry combination ever- well, for me, anyway....
Thai hot chili sauce, cajun seasoning, mild curry powder, salt and oil on the fries (chili sauce really doesn't flavor the potato- the rest is for that) dipped in roasted garlic mayo. OMG, I could eat it all day long. Not good for getting back to "pre-NZ" weight, but... well... it taste sooooo goooooooood.
So- roasted garlic mayo-
you need a head (or 2 or 5 or 20) of garlic
enough aluminum foil to wrap each head like.. well, garlic
olive oil (if it's dried out- I found fresh)
cookie sheet
oven
bowl
spoon
fork or food processor or easy to scoop out blender
mayo
Ya takes the garlic, and if it's dried (like most is) you cut off the stem bit, so you can almost see the tops, and drizzle olive oil into them. You can actually skip this totally, but I'm told it's good.
Ya wraps the garlic in the foil (put the bottom of the head in the middle, and fold it up like wrapping a wine (beer?) bottle- you've all tried this, yes?)
Ya tosses the garlic onto the cookie sheet (bottom down) in a 350-ish F oven.
Ya bakes it for... oh, 30 minutes or an hour, or untill it's soft and yummy- whatever.
Ya lets it cool.
ya stores the extra in the fridge- probably double bagged, tho it smells less than unbaked garlic.
Ya takes out the mayo (or whatever ya uses instead of mayo (if ya uses miracle whip, ya be a vile bad person, and may never ever ever tell me about how this tastes)).
Ya puts the mayo in the bowl (or food processor, or blender) with the spoon.
Ya squeezes (squozes?) how ever much garlic ya wants into the mayo (I usually use about 1 clove per tablespoon). Just the smooshy part- not the papery skin.
Ya mooshes (with fork) or blends (with blender) or grinds to death (with food processor) the mayo/ garlic stuff.
Ya eats just about anything dipped in it (not breakfast or desert, me thinks, tho... like cajun seasoning, even this has places it do not go).
Ya can use the extra garlics (extra? me not got extra yet....) in just about anything. Like soup. Or burgers. Or scramble-ed eggs. Or tacos. But not apple pie. I don't think. Or ya mooshes the garlics up with some salt and just eats it like that- on just about anything (again, not pie). And then you scares off hot people, vampires, and everyone that doesn't like garlic. But ya doesn't gets ulcers, and mosquitoes ignores you. Unless you eats bananas. But people that eats bananas is sick an deserve to get eaten by mosquitoes.
j.
And it's really not as bad as last time. Almost fun. It's amazing what having some vague idea of why you're doing what you're doing does to your enjoyment and speed in lab. Tho I will never be the proud owner of a still. I (always, every time) get either booze over 97C (where they tell me it does not live) , or else watery-booze and boozey water. So no moonshine making for me. Drat.
On a totally different subject- I have finded the most perfect fry combination ever- well, for me, anyway....
Thai hot chili sauce, cajun seasoning, mild curry powder, salt and oil on the fries (chili sauce really doesn't flavor the potato- the rest is for that) dipped in roasted garlic mayo. OMG, I could eat it all day long. Not good for getting back to "pre-NZ" weight, but... well... it taste sooooo goooooooood.
So- roasted garlic mayo-
you need a head (or 2 or 5 or 20) of garlic
enough aluminum foil to wrap each head like.. well, garlic
olive oil (if it's dried out- I found fresh)
cookie sheet
oven
bowl
spoon
fork or food processor or easy to scoop out blender
mayo
Ya takes the garlic, and if it's dried (like most is) you cut off the stem bit, so you can almost see the tops, and drizzle olive oil into them. You can actually skip this totally, but I'm told it's good.
Ya wraps the garlic in the foil (put the bottom of the head in the middle, and fold it up like wrapping a wine (beer?) bottle- you've all tried this, yes?)
Ya tosses the garlic onto the cookie sheet (bottom down) in a 350-ish F oven.
Ya bakes it for... oh, 30 minutes or an hour, or untill it's soft and yummy- whatever.
Ya lets it cool.
ya stores the extra in the fridge- probably double bagged, tho it smells less than unbaked garlic.
Ya takes out the mayo (or whatever ya uses instead of mayo (if ya uses miracle whip, ya be a vile bad person, and may never ever ever tell me about how this tastes)).
Ya puts the mayo in the bowl (or food processor, or blender) with the spoon.
Ya squeezes (squozes?) how ever much garlic ya wants into the mayo (I usually use about 1 clove per tablespoon). Just the smooshy part- not the papery skin.
Ya mooshes (with fork) or blends (with blender) or grinds to death (with food processor) the mayo/ garlic stuff.
Ya eats just about anything dipped in it (not breakfast or desert, me thinks, tho... like cajun seasoning, even this has places it do not go).
Ya can use the extra garlics (extra? me not got extra yet....) in just about anything. Like soup. Or burgers. Or scramble-ed eggs. Or tacos. But not apple pie. I don't think. Or ya mooshes the garlics up with some salt and just eats it like that- on just about anything (again, not pie). And then you scares off hot people, vampires, and everyone that doesn't like garlic. But ya doesn't gets ulcers, and mosquitoes ignores you. Unless you eats bananas. But people that eats bananas is sick an deserve to get eaten by mosquitoes.
j.
January 21, 2007
weather adjustment wierdness
It's "hot" here today- 74, to be precise, with 54% humidity. And the UV index is at about 800, because some crazy decided to build the place under a huge hole in the ozone layer-thingy. Back home, I'd be just comfy- maybe looking for another layer. But here, heck, it's a heatwave. I think it's warmer in Phoenix today- and it's winter there.
I'm wearing sunscreen, and a hoodie (light weight) and jeans (whole-y) and flipflops and a wifebeeter and assorted underwear.
And I'm hot.
Oh, I know- lose the hoodie and swap the jeans for something lighter, but... I don't think I have enough sunscreen for that.
See- when I was a kid, I used to spen all summer with my grandparents, on the beach in florida. And after about a week I'd be toasted a nice shade of brown (went well with the white blonde hair). Then, sometime in highschool, I realised that all those tan people look really really old at about 30. And since I don't want to look old, I stopped doing the sun thing. And I got very very pale.
And now, no matter what I do, how much time I spend in the evil demon sun, or what I do or don't wear, I don't tan. I burn. I freckle, I pale. No tanning. Well, except in spots- if I get sunscreen on everything but one small spot of my face, that spot will tan. If I just get one small spot of SS on my face, I just freckle. Forget it entirely, and I *still* just freckle. Well, after the burn goes away.
So in my totally vain attempt to continue looking "not old" I am wearing too many clothes- 'cause clothes is easier than slathering smelly stuff all over. Cheaper too.
and sucking down the venti mocha frap's like they're going out of style.
Now if only they weren't so cold they make my stomach hurt....
j.
I'm wearing sunscreen, and a hoodie (light weight) and jeans (whole-y) and flipflops and a wifebeeter and assorted underwear.
And I'm hot.
Oh, I know- lose the hoodie and swap the jeans for something lighter, but... I don't think I have enough sunscreen for that.
See- when I was a kid, I used to spen all summer with my grandparents, on the beach in florida. And after about a week I'd be toasted a nice shade of brown (went well with the white blonde hair). Then, sometime in highschool, I realised that all those tan people look really really old at about 30. And since I don't want to look old, I stopped doing the sun thing. And I got very very pale.
And now, no matter what I do, how much time I spend in the evil demon sun, or what I do or don't wear, I don't tan. I burn. I freckle, I pale. No tanning. Well, except in spots- if I get sunscreen on everything but one small spot of my face, that spot will tan. If I just get one small spot of SS on my face, I just freckle. Forget it entirely, and I *still* just freckle. Well, after the burn goes away.
So in my totally vain attempt to continue looking "not old" I am wearing too many clothes- 'cause clothes is easier than slathering smelly stuff all over. Cheaper too.
and sucking down the venti mocha frap's like they're going out of style.
Now if only they weren't so cold they make my stomach hurt....
j.
It's a milestone, damnit!
I've finally done about 1/4 of the reading. I still have all the exersizes to do, for practice, but still- about 1/4 isn't bad- 'specially for me, wh usually doesn't get anywhere near that point. Now just one long, boring assignment, and I'm done with this section.
Ya know, if the people who wrote the textbook would learn to actually explain things, rather than just saying "this is- and so's this" it'd be a heck of a lot easier when they then want you to do something they never actually even *hint* at how to do. (grumble grumble)
And all the stuff I just read isn't in the "for total braindead morons" book I got from the library.
Ya know, this stuff would be a lot more interesting if they'd explain it better- or at all. It's tough staying interested (even in something that would otherwise intrigue me) when I can't understand how they get from point A to point Z, 'cause they skip the steps in between. Yargh. Meh, maybe I can find something at the library that does more than say "this is mass spectrometry, now use it". Or I could just pretend it doesn't exhist. Somehow, me think that one not work so good.
Blech. Ok, some snack food, then back to work. I guess. Heck, I'm almost 1/3rd of the way through what I need to have read/ done/ understood before labs start on tuesday. Yay.
Can I have 800 bazillion dollars (US) for january 23rd-mas? Please? Maybe?
note- semidried tomatos are addictive, expensive, and yummy. I ate them all as soon as I got home so I'm out. Oh well, no yummy pizza for me now.
j.
Ya know, if the people who wrote the textbook would learn to actually explain things, rather than just saying "this is- and so's this" it'd be a heck of a lot easier when they then want you to do something they never actually even *hint* at how to do. (grumble grumble)
And all the stuff I just read isn't in the "for total braindead morons" book I got from the library.
Ya know, this stuff would be a lot more interesting if they'd explain it better- or at all. It's tough staying interested (even in something that would otherwise intrigue me) when I can't understand how they get from point A to point Z, 'cause they skip the steps in between. Yargh. Meh, maybe I can find something at the library that does more than say "this is mass spectrometry, now use it". Or I could just pretend it doesn't exhist. Somehow, me think that one not work so good.
Blech. Ok, some snack food, then back to work. I guess. Heck, I'm almost 1/3rd of the way through what I need to have read/ done/ understood before labs start on tuesday. Yay.
Can I have 800 bazillion dollars (US) for january 23rd-mas? Please? Maybe?
note- semidried tomatos are addictive, expensive, and yummy. I ate them all as soon as I got home so I'm out. Oh well, no yummy pizza for me now.
j.
January 20, 2007
Sappy Movies "R" Us
I am the biggest sucker for sappy old movies. And new ones too. I know, I know- nasty, snarky, whiney, sarcastic posts- but really, they hide the ... something... of a total sappy romantic. I just can't help it. And there's sappy novels too, tho they take a bit more time (usually).
But movies- wow.
And of course, because I'm supposed to be studying my pale rear off, I've been watching sappy movies. Which this weekend includes "the postman", "meet joe black", and one of my all time favorites- "the ghost and mrs. muir". Two of them- maybe all three- based off books, and meet joe black kinda (like movie of the book kinda) a remake of death takes a holiday.
But damn- they're all depressing. I mean, I realise life is all temporary and full of death, but... well, when two out of three heros are dead when the movie starts, there isn't really anywhere for the story to go- right?
Ok, back to the ghost and mrs. muir- I love this movie. I mean- she starts off all, I don't know- weak, I guess, the first place you see her looks like the first time she's ever asserted herself. But she goes on from there, and finds her dream house, and meets a man and falls in love- but it can't work- of course it can't. He's dead, after all, haunting her perfect house. Tho, ya know, If he weren't about 80 years older than me (and dead) I'd be all about rex harrison too. My oh My. But I mean, the way the totally in love, totally isolated ghost gives her up so she can have a chance at love with a living man- makes me cry every single time. The whole damned movie does. No idea why I watch it. Maybe I just like the story too much. I mean, it's a classic doomed relationship. He's dead, for bob's sake. And he gives her up! so she can be happy! It's like dream man- so perfect you dream about him, but totally safe because he doesn't actually exist. I'll take 2.
I don't know, tho. I mean... I know there's the whole "if you love something let it go" school of thought, but... and I realise that in the time it's set, and even when it was made men were more... decisive, I guess... but- He just left her. Decided what was best for her, after a fight, because he was jealous, and made her forget- stomped off like a kid. Oh, fine, he thought he was helping her find something, but... Why the hell couldn't he have asked her? I mean, if he'd stuck around, he'd have seen that she spent all that time alone.
I know- I'm far too involved with this movie. It's just so.. doomed. I mean- they don't even meet untill he's dead. And then he goes away, and she has another 30 or 40 years without him. lonely. blech. I'm getting all lame now.
Must be time for a blow stuff up movie. Or something.
so yeah, me like sappy movies. And csi.
j.
But movies- wow.
And of course, because I'm supposed to be studying my pale rear off, I've been watching sappy movies. Which this weekend includes "the postman", "meet joe black", and one of my all time favorites- "the ghost and mrs. muir". Two of them- maybe all three- based off books, and meet joe black kinda (like movie of the book kinda) a remake of death takes a holiday.
But damn- they're all depressing. I mean, I realise life is all temporary and full of death, but... well, when two out of three heros are dead when the movie starts, there isn't really anywhere for the story to go- right?
Ok, back to the ghost and mrs. muir- I love this movie. I mean- she starts off all, I don't know- weak, I guess, the first place you see her looks like the first time she's ever asserted herself. But she goes on from there, and finds her dream house, and meets a man and falls in love- but it can't work- of course it can't. He's dead, after all, haunting her perfect house. Tho, ya know, If he weren't about 80 years older than me (and dead) I'd be all about rex harrison too. My oh My. But I mean, the way the totally in love, totally isolated ghost gives her up so she can have a chance at love with a living man- makes me cry every single time. The whole damned movie does. No idea why I watch it. Maybe I just like the story too much. I mean, it's a classic doomed relationship. He's dead, for bob's sake. And he gives her up! so she can be happy! It's like dream man- so perfect you dream about him, but totally safe because he doesn't actually exist. I'll take 2.
I don't know, tho. I mean... I know there's the whole "if you love something let it go" school of thought, but... and I realise that in the time it's set, and even when it was made men were more... decisive, I guess... but- He just left her. Decided what was best for her, after a fight, because he was jealous, and made her forget- stomped off like a kid. Oh, fine, he thought he was helping her find something, but... Why the hell couldn't he have asked her? I mean, if he'd stuck around, he'd have seen that she spent all that time alone.
I know- I'm far too involved with this movie. It's just so.. doomed. I mean- they don't even meet untill he's dead. And then he goes away, and she has another 30 or 40 years without him. lonely. blech. I'm getting all lame now.
Must be time for a blow stuff up movie. Or something.
so yeah, me like sappy movies. And csi.
j.
January 17, 2007
What I do on my Summer Vacation
So far, I've gone shopping in New York, eaten my way down the east coast of the US, snacked my way through SFO, loafed about the sydney airport international terminal, written many whiney posts and e-mails, frozen, baked, done some grocery shopping, eaten out too much, ignored my homework, done my homework, and read a lot.
Oh, yeah, then I signed up for this movie delivery rental service like netflix only on the other side of the world, with more cost and less selection.
Which brings me to what I've been doing for the last couple weeks-
I have been on the biggest CSI binge ever, but now it must come to an end. I know, I can play the horatio drinking game with the first three disks of CSI Miami, but after that, they've run out, and I need to switch series. Damn them for not having more. Two seasons vegas, 1/2 of the first season of Miami, and none of NY- what'll I do? Without CSI, how do I study? it's just interesting enough (2nd time thru) to keep me awake while I read the (very boring) chemistry book. I suppose I could hunt down the other law and order-y stuff they have, but... but... they don't have much, and I'll run thru it.
Guess I'll have more time to study, huh?
j.
Oh, yeah, then I signed up for this movie delivery rental service like netflix only on the other side of the world, with more cost and less selection.
Which brings me to what I've been doing for the last couple weeks-
I have been on the biggest CSI binge ever, but now it must come to an end. I know, I can play the horatio drinking game with the first three disks of CSI Miami, but after that, they've run out, and I need to switch series. Damn them for not having more. Two seasons vegas, 1/2 of the first season of Miami, and none of NY- what'll I do? Without CSI, how do I study? it's just interesting enough (2nd time thru) to keep me awake while I read the (very boring) chemistry book. I suppose I could hunt down the other law and order-y stuff they have, but... but... they don't have much, and I'll run thru it.
Guess I'll have more time to study, huh?
j.
January 15, 2007
communication
The university sent me a cute little "happy birthday" e-mail, with a photo of a birthday cake. Gee, thanks, all of the pretty with none of the taste. And to make it even more personal, they put my student ID number at the top of it, so I'd know it was meant for me. Good to know they've got that all automated. I mean- good to know they care.
One of the flatmates is coming by tomorrow, bringing her mother, for some interview since she's changing majors. That'll be interesting. I don't think I've seen her since we signed the lease. So... beginning of November?
And to make things interesting, a story-
A couple months ago I bought a little whiteboard, because whiteboards are useful, when you've got who knows how many people living in a place, where you may never actually *see* anyone. This morning there was a note about the dishes- Fine, I did mine, and a couple more- I use the same four or five every time, since I'm a mushroom-allergic vegetarian, and the others are mushroom eating omnis. If they'd label the dishes that hadn't had mushrooms on them (I'm not into the puffy hive covered look) I might have done more. Or maybe not- bacon grease is a bitch to get off, and the smell on my hands makes it tough to eat (ooh- shiny new diet idea).
So I go back out to the kitchen and there's a *new* note about how the (cleaning) flatmate didn't know we were only supposed to do our own dishes. And then a short rant.
Dude- I've been in the house all day- if there's a problem, why can't she just wander down the hall, poke her head in my door and say "hey, why didn't you do the rest of the dishes?" Is it that difficult to actually *talk* to a person, instead of leaving a snarky note? Ugh. Guess I gotta go talk to her now. Sometimes, I wish people would be less "fake pleasant" and more "real pissed off". This whole hiding what you feel thing, then avoiding actually confronting people about it, yeah, it pisses me off.
But then- I come from a loud family.
j.
One of the flatmates is coming by tomorrow, bringing her mother, for some interview since she's changing majors. That'll be interesting. I don't think I've seen her since we signed the lease. So... beginning of November?
And to make things interesting, a story-
A couple months ago I bought a little whiteboard, because whiteboards are useful, when you've got who knows how many people living in a place, where you may never actually *see* anyone. This morning there was a note about the dishes- Fine, I did mine, and a couple more- I use the same four or five every time, since I'm a mushroom-allergic vegetarian, and the others are mushroom eating omnis. If they'd label the dishes that hadn't had mushrooms on them (I'm not into the puffy hive covered look) I might have done more. Or maybe not- bacon grease is a bitch to get off, and the smell on my hands makes it tough to eat (ooh- shiny new diet idea).
So I go back out to the kitchen and there's a *new* note about how the (cleaning) flatmate didn't know we were only supposed to do our own dishes. And then a short rant.
Dude- I've been in the house all day- if there's a problem, why can't she just wander down the hall, poke her head in my door and say "hey, why didn't you do the rest of the dishes?" Is it that difficult to actually *talk* to a person, instead of leaving a snarky note? Ugh. Guess I gotta go talk to her now. Sometimes, I wish people would be less "fake pleasant" and more "real pissed off". This whole hiding what you feel thing, then avoiding actually confronting people about it, yeah, it pisses me off.
But then- I come from a loud family.
j.
I'm feeling bored (and sleepy) so I thought I'd put up my student transaction thingy from this past year- plus what this next semester is going to cost me. Dratted school- raising rates. And at one point that 52k NZD was about 28k USD. Dratted exchange rate. Doing nasty things to my debt level.
Current Transactions
| Due Date | Reference | Details | Debits | Credits |
| 21/09/2005 | 055425 | 05 myMassey Payment | -9000.00 | |
| 13/02/2006 | INSUR | INSURANCE CHARGE | 222.50 | |
| 28/02/2006 | S37 | 0612 Building Levy Palmerston North | 15.00 | |
| 28/02/2006 | S01 | 0612 Enrolment Fee Palmerston North | 40.00 | |
| 28/02/2006 | S25 | 0612 Student Services - Palm North | 80.00 | |
| 28/02/2006 | S92 | 0612 Student Assoc MUSA 0.4-0.79 | 157.00 | |
| 28/02/2006 | TUTCP4 | 0601 162101 Biology of Cells | 2250.00 | |
| 28/02/2006 | TUTCP4 | 0601 199101 Biology of Anima | 2250.00 | |
| 28/02/2006 | TUTCP4 | 0601 123101 Chem & Living Sy | 2250.00 | |
| 28/02/2006 | TUTCP4 | 0601 124111 Phycs fr Life Sc | 2250.00 | |
| 02/03/2006 | INSUR | INSURANCE DISCOUNT | -30.00 | |
| 27/03/2006 | | J | -5578.58 | |
| 27/03/2006 | | J | -6375.52 | |
| 31/03/2006 | | J | 11469.50 | |
| 30/06/2006 | S92 | 0612 Student Assoc MUSA 0.4-0.79 | -157.00 | |
| 30/06/2006 | S91 | Student Assoc MUSA >= 0.8 | 170.00 | |
| 31/07/2006 | TUTCP4 | 0602 161130 Biometrics | 1875.00 | |
| 31/07/2006 | TUTCP4 | 0602 175102 Psyc Natural Sci | 2250.00 | |
| 31/07/2006 | TUTCP4 | 0602 123102 Chem & Mat World | 2250.00 | |
| 31/07/2006 | TUTCP4 | 0602 123102 Chem & Mat World | -2250.00 | |
| 31/07/2006 | TUTCP4 | 0602 194101 Ess of Mam Bio | 2250.00 | |
| 31/07/2006 | TUTCP4 | 0602 119155 Comm in Sciences | 1875.00 | |
| 01/08/2006 | | J/USD15000.00 | -24019.22 | |
| 08/08/2006 | | J | 15756.32 | |
| 17/08/2006 | INSUR | INSURANCE CHARGE | 192.50 | |
| 01/09/2006 | | J | -192.50 | |
| 30/11/2006 | TUTCP4 | 0603 123101 Chem & Living Sy | 2250.00 | |
| 07/12/2006 | | J | -5062.92 | |
| 12/12/2006 | | J | 2812.92 | |
| $52665.74 | $-52665.74 | |||
| Due Date | Reference | Details | Debits | Credits |
| 26/02/2007 | TUTCP4 | 124111 Phycs fr Life Sc | 2325.00 | |
| 26/02/2007 | TUTCP4 | 164151 Intro Spanish I | 1937.50 | |
| 26/02/2007 | TUTCP4 | 194241 Physiol Control | 2325.00 | |
| 26/02/2007 | TUTCP4 | 117255 An Hlth, Bhv, Wl | 2325.00 | |
| 26/02/2007 | 01 | Enrolment Fee Palmerston North | 40.00 | |
| 26/02/2007 | 92 | Student Assoc MUSA 0.4-0.79 | 157.00 | |
| 26/02/2007 | 25 | Student Services - Palm North | 84.00 | |
| 26/02/2007 | 37 | Building Levy Palmerston North | 15.00 | |
| $9208.50 | $0.00 | |||
maybe not interesting, but it's amazing what goes on and off that thing in a year....
j.
Crazy time and an offer-
I have 31 days untill my chem exam. I just realised that today. I think I'm gonna be sick. And that has nothing to do with the orgy of contraband food I had for dinner. (Thanks, R., the mac n cheese mix is yummy). It doesn't even have anything to do with my newly re-aquirred diet pepsi habit. I don't think.
More like, I don't think there's any way in all of hell that I can be ready by then. Even if I do actually *open* the books I borrowed from the library, instead of just admiring their lovely covers from across my bed (no furniture, people- bed= bed, chair, table, desk, etc). And next week is my lab thing! I should be studying!
Um... maybe after CSI.
Now- I'm sure a couple of you sneaky lurkers are coming here. And it's kinda obvious (well, to me anyway) that the "photo tour" isn't showing up anytime soon (damn that "work" stuff), so, in its' place, I offer a free walking tour of all the places you probably don't want to know about- like the only place I know of in town where you can get rootbeer. Or the Rugby Museum (free). Or the student bars (not free). Or the grownup bars(also not free). Or the local bike shops. Or whatever. If you're coming for feb, let me know, maybe there'll be a couple of you- I can kidna... er, meetup with you before you get too lost. Maybe there's more than one of you, and you can all meet in one place- not just in e-mail!
Heck, even if you're not showing up untill june or july- drop me an e-mail now (or then) and I'll show you around. Maybe even drag someone else along. Unless, of course, you all just read this for the trainwreck. In which case- Yay! Stalkers! I never had any of them before!
Ok, back to the chem. rassa sassin frassa rass.
j.
More like, I don't think there's any way in all of hell that I can be ready by then. Even if I do actually *open* the books I borrowed from the library, instead of just admiring their lovely covers from across my bed (no furniture, people- bed= bed, chair, table, desk, etc). And next week is my lab thing! I should be studying!
Um... maybe after CSI.
Now- I'm sure a couple of you sneaky lurkers are coming here. And it's kinda obvious (well, to me anyway) that the "photo tour" isn't showing up anytime soon (damn that "work" stuff), so, in its' place, I offer a free walking tour of all the places you probably don't want to know about- like the only place I know of in town where you can get rootbeer. Or the Rugby Museum (free). Or the student bars (not free). Or the grownup bars(also not free). Or the local bike shops. Or whatever. If you're coming for feb, let me know, maybe there'll be a couple of you- I can kidna... er, meetup with you before you get too lost. Maybe there's more than one of you, and you can all meet in one place- not just in e-mail!
Heck, even if you're not showing up untill june or july- drop me an e-mail now (or then) and I'll show you around. Maybe even drag someone else along. Unless, of course, you all just read this for the trainwreck. In which case- Yay! Stalkers! I never had any of them before!
Ok, back to the chem. rassa sassin frassa rass.
j.
January 10, 2007
school stuff. And stuff.
So, I finally sent out an assignment that's been sitting around, done, for weeks. I feel so much worser now. Picked up a couple books for my chem-learnering- the recomended textbook, and this one called... um... organic chemistry demystified. Amazing how much more sense the study guide makes when you've got the text, too.... Yay for the orgasmic chemistry. Also printed out more of the stupid assignment sheets, so I can send the rest of my assignments.
Only about 5 weeks untill my final, you know.
Oh, and I gave in and registered for next semesters classes. I'm going with a mix of interesting, usefull, and gotta. So a welfare/ nutrition class (how much what per cow for this much milk/ meat), the physics class I didn't bother to actually work at last year, first semester spanish (I'm sure they'll adore my accent), and.. um... some physiology course... control systems, or something? I dunno. anything to avoid invert zoology. I admit, I am grossed out by most inverts. Give me snakeys any day.
j.
Only about 5 weeks untill my final, you know.
Oh, and I gave in and registered for next semesters classes. I'm going with a mix of interesting, usefull, and gotta. So a welfare/ nutrition class (how much what per cow for this much milk/ meat), the physics class I didn't bother to actually work at last year, first semester spanish (I'm sure they'll adore my accent), and.. um... some physiology course... control systems, or something? I dunno. anything to avoid invert zoology. I admit, I am grossed out by most inverts. Give me snakeys any day.
j.
and now for something completely different.
Sorry about the potato-centric nature of my posting lately. It's just that they're cheap, and ya know, potato, mellon, and something else hit with a mellon baller, then with carrot matchsticks would make a pretty neat home-made molecule building kit.
Anyway. I've been reading all about stereochemistry (but not learning to spell it). So I'm obviously not at all interested in talking about it.
so Instead, I thought I'd give you guys a quick run down of all the things you should never ever ever do with the english language. In approx. order of annoyance, from most to least.
There you go- more than you ever wanted to know about the english language. Lucky you.
ok, back to csi/ sleep.
j.
Anyway. I've been reading all about stereochemistry (but not learning to spell it). So I'm obviously not at all interested in talking about it.
so Instead, I thought I'd give you guys a quick run down of all the things you should never ever ever do with the english language. In approx. order of annoyance, from most to least.
- Confuse poisonous with venomous. It's very simple, but so many people get it wrong (including a poster in my bio lab a couple years ago, but excluding the OED). I know of no poisonous snakes. It's just not common. In order to remember, and save me the hassle of both correcting you, and tattooing it on your forehead, if you bite it and you die, it's poisonous, if it bites you and you die, it's venomous. example- you will not meet any venomous mushrooms. But you can have poisonous *or* venomous frogs and toads. Yum. so quick-like- bad snakes = venomous, belladona= poisonous. ok, so the poison thing also counts for things that get on your skin. Same idea, tho.
- Forget to use the verb "to be". In france they kill you for it, I think. With stale bread. In the US, you just sound like an idiot. A backwards idiot. When you are talking about something which needs doing, or is in the future, you use it. No, really. Not " the laundry needs done." Needs what done? needs doing, maybe. Needs *to be* done, yes. If someone asks you what you wanna do when you grow up you don't tell them "I want an astronaut." You tell them you want to be one. Important here, people. If you actually want an astronaut, then you say "I want to be an Air Force Wife." See, that "to be" thing again.
- say "hey peoples" when talking directly to a group. Or "there were peoples there." Please. Just don't, it's so very wrong.
- Insist on using "y'all" then refusing to conjugate properly. Just because you insist on speaking like an ignorant fool doesn't mean you need to be one. Y'all is singular, Y'all's is singlular possesive. All Y'all is plural, All Y'all's is plural possesive. Learn it, use it (actually, please don't).
- Talk LOUDER TO PEOPLE WHO TALK "FUNNY" OR DON'T SPEAK ENGLISH. Acents and foreign languages don't cause hearing loss. You don't need to speak louder, you need to speak sssslllloooowwwweeeerrrr. And use actual words. They don't teach up to the minute slang in english for beginners.
There you go- more than you ever wanted to know about the english language. Lucky you.
ok, back to csi/ sleep.
j.
January 8, 2007
A new and different flatmate problem.
So, at my new flat there are 3 of us (most of the time) for now. We all have a problem. A terrible problem. We all like grocery shopping. Way Too Much.
I bought more food this weekend, tho I said I wouldn't. Mostly junk, but still. I want to buy more.
One of the flatmates put out stuff they bought for breakfast, then went grocery shopping, and forgot it. They're having pancakes now. I don't know how we don't die of food poisoning. We're all terrible at keeping stuff at the right temp. We must have super strong intestinal stuff. Well, except me and the milk thing. Working on that.
Kinda funny- they think I should cook more asian food. I thought the rare chinese junk food I did was enough. Tho I haven't made sushi in a while. Might need to get back to that. Yum.
Other than that, tho, no cat fights, no screaming messes, no problems with who buys what. Kinda laid back and nice. Of course, We're all slobs, but what can you do, right?
j.
I bought more food this weekend, tho I said I wouldn't. Mostly junk, but still. I want to buy more.
One of the flatmates put out stuff they bought for breakfast, then went grocery shopping, and forgot it. They're having pancakes now. I don't know how we don't die of food poisoning. We're all terrible at keeping stuff at the right temp. We must have super strong intestinal stuff. Well, except me and the milk thing. Working on that.
Kinda funny- they think I should cook more asian food. I thought the rare chinese junk food I did was enough. Tho I haven't made sushi in a while. Might need to get back to that. Yum.
Other than that, tho, no cat fights, no screaming messes, no problems with who buys what. Kinda laid back and nice. Of course, We're all slobs, but what can you do, right?
j.
January 7, 2007
Potato soup!
Because I said I would.
ya need-
put the oil or butter in a 2q pot over med/hi heat untill warm. add onions, cover, stirring occationally untill they get soft and translucent. add the potatoes and cover with water. Cook untill the potatoes start to get soft. mix the corn startch into the milk, then add the milk to the pot slowly, along with other seasonings, stirring occationally, untill it's thickened. usually takes me about 45 minutes, start to finish. Longer if I use bigger chunks of potato.
I like it with (again) cajun seasoning, or sometimes roasted garlic and carrots added.
Alternately, for roast veggie cream soup, you can make white sauce (butter, milk, flour or corn starch) that's kinda thin, and roast the veggies with some oil/salt in the oven, just dumping them into the sauce at the end, mixing them around a bit with the seasonings. Saves some time, 'cause you can do the roasted veggies beforhand in bulk and freeze them, but has a different flavor.
j.
ya need-
- 1 lb potatoes- chopped to 1cm sq. pieces
- 1 med onion- rough chopped
- water to cover (or chicken broth if so inclined)
- 1tbsp oil or butter
- salt
- pepper
- seasonings
- 1 tsp corn starch or flour
- 1 C (give or take) milk, or *plain* soy milk
- 1C grated cheese (cheddar or jack, or whatever) - optional
- other optional ingredients- celery, carrot rounds, other root veggies, garlic- added with the potatoes. Corn, peas, dumplings, added near the end.
put the oil or butter in a 2q pot over med/hi heat untill warm. add onions, cover, stirring occationally untill they get soft and translucent. add the potatoes and cover with water. Cook untill the potatoes start to get soft. mix the corn startch into the milk, then add the milk to the pot slowly, along with other seasonings, stirring occationally, untill it's thickened. usually takes me about 45 minutes, start to finish. Longer if I use bigger chunks of potato.
I like it with (again) cajun seasoning, or sometimes roasted garlic and carrots added.
Alternately, for roast veggie cream soup, you can make white sauce (butter, milk, flour or corn starch) that's kinda thin, and roast the veggies with some oil/salt in the oven, just dumping them into the sauce at the end, mixing them around a bit with the seasonings. Saves some time, 'cause you can do the roasted veggies beforhand in bulk and freeze them, but has a different flavor.
j.
Very important, painful thing I am learning (again) on my summer vacation.
People who don't normally drink milk should not eat/ drink things with milk in them.
Well, ok, things that *used to be* milk, usually ok- cheese, butter, things like that, ok.
Things that are still basically milk- white sauce, milkshakes, ice cream, not ok.
These things should, in fact, be avoided at all costs. When ingested by the lazy but hungry j, they cause temporary happyness followed by hours of "intestinal distress". Which I'm sure everyone wanted to know all about.
Ah, well, at least I won't be running around this afternoon- I'll have time to study my ochem. which is good, because my contact course (when all the labs get done- in one week) is just about 2 weeks away, and I really don't want to look as stupid this time as I did last time. dratted math.
j.
Well, ok, things that *used to be* milk, usually ok- cheese, butter, things like that, ok.
Things that are still basically milk- white sauce, milkshakes, ice cream, not ok.
These things should, in fact, be avoided at all costs. When ingested by the lazy but hungry j, they cause temporary happyness followed by hours of "intestinal distress". Which I'm sure everyone wanted to know all about.
Ah, well, at least I won't be running around this afternoon- I'll have time to study my ochem. which is good, because my contact course (when all the labs get done- in one week) is just about 2 weeks away, and I really don't want to look as stupid this time as I did last time. dratted math.
j.
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