Saturday, January 27, 2007
Intro
This week I have been a stress bunny trying to get everything in order to buy a house and get 2 weeks of experiments done in 1 week. I fell sorry for Nick because he is the one putting up with being in a grump due to the stress. Side note – I HATE mossies, My legs look like they have been through a meet grinder due to me scratching them.
Week O Work
This week I have been working on an assay that determines how relaxed something is. Basically we are looking for neurotransmitter analogues. But I promised some one I would have samples done by a certain time and I came through, (all for the promise for a afternoon tea that he IOU’d me) but I gave some people some results and they are happy. But argh while doing all this I kept being asked if I could change my paper.
Week O Social
As I said we are trying to buy a house and Unconditional is next Friday. And this week was all the finical stuff. I had to get pages and pages and pages of bank statements because I had to prove I didn’t normally spend like I did over Christmas. Was a major pain in the arse. But all done now, and we just have a builders report to go. And why is it, when last thing you should be doing is spending money you think of all the things you really want to buy.
Went and caught up with friends last night which was good, sat around talked crap – but damn was a nice BBQ, with kebabs and couscous salad, and my weakness fresh bread. Hummmmm the smell of warm bread.
Week O WoW
Our group needs a better tank, either than or some DPS that isn’t crazed and act like small nuclear devices with unstable triggers. But in saying that I wouldn’t have Remmy any other way. My lvling is coming along quite nicely and I should hit 66 by the end of this long weekend I hope. So many rep grinds and they all take for ever. Oh well, but in the end I get a bigger mace to smash stuff with.
Week O Being a better person
Ok I am getting back on track again, but this week I made some nice lunches and didn’t get to eat them because I was running around doing house stuff. But will put a recipe up to inspire me
Baby Green Salad with Pears, Honey-Roasted Nuts and Shaved Parmesan
POINTS Value 4
Servings 6
Preparation Time 15 min
Cooking Time 0 min
Level of Difficulty Easy
Ingredients
1/2 cup canned cranberry sauce, whole-berry or jellied
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
2 Tbsp water
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/8 tsp table salt, or to taste
1/8 tsp black pepper, freshly ground, or to taste
8 cup mixed baby greens
3 medium pear(s), ripe, cored and thinly sliced
2 oz honey-roasted almonds, walnuts or pecans (about 6 Tbsp)
6 Tbsp Parmesan cheese, shaved (use a vegetable peeler to get shavings)
Instructions
In a medium bowl, whisk together cranberry sauce, vinegar, water, oil and mustard; season to taste with salt and pepper.
Place greens in a large serving bowl. Add dressing, pears, cheese and nuts; toss to mix and coat. Scatter shaved Parmesan on top.
Yields about 1 1/3 cups per serving.
Books and stuff
I haven’t posted the book, and at the moment I am rereading the Harry Potter series. Last time I read them I had a nasty nasty flu, so they were great nice light reading that didn’t acquire any attention. So seeing what it is like when I am not dosed up on flu tablets.
Summary
Well the week is over and all the stress has gone (hopefully) so looking back to relaxing and enjoying the summer. And think about how much I want a set of these. http://www.bluetake.com/products/BT450Rx.htm
Saturday, January 20, 2007
Demons have over run the world - 10:58 AM
IntroWeek of trying and doing this weekly and so good, damn I could do with some sleep. But yeah to that latter.
Week O Work
Well my paper is almost written and looking good, well I hope so. Certainly looking better than it did before. I made a deal last week that I would have a whole pile of results out by the end of this week and get a free afternoon tea, but Margot who has a bit of a bee in her a bonnet every time you mention Karl said she wanted to see the results of the initial screen, and she would be away Tues, Wend and Thurs. Well great, so I will be working Sunday to do this so I can still make my Fri shout. Sometimes I think this place doesn’t want me to do any work.
Week O Social
I gave Neelam a massive bruise at soccer on Thurs. I really must learn to aim, to much power and too little control. Damn now I sound like the Americans. But not much socializing last week. I even lurked out of free drinks and pizza early. But last week, well we didn’t get in to much trouble and Kelly isn’t getting divorced, and she is still aloud to talk to us. But I don’t think she is allowed to drink with us for a while.
Week O WoW
WOOO HOOO expansion is here and I am no my way to level 70. But damn it, druid’s level slow. I am loving the new content and checking out all the new zones and stuff. Now just to find where that damn priestess wanted me to go, damn you think she could have given me a map. And never ever ask for directions in WoW chances are the person has no idea and is looking for it too, but they do know where the cave full of all the really mean monsters are and will tell you with a very straight face, that what you are looking for is right at the back of the cave and when you get to the back of the cave all the monsters turn friendly of there is a device that makes them normal rather than elite. Then giggle widely as you spend the next hour trying to get there, discovering they lied, and trying to get out again. All the time you are yelling son of a bitch. But in saying that, the next person that comes along – you can use the same story on them, and giggle widely about it. The Blood elves are well; damn their paladins are going to be over powered. Nice cool lore add though. But 62 and climbing.
Week O Being a better person
Hahahahaha my week of being a better person went out the window as soon as I received a small green box with 4 CD’s in it. So yeah hassle me about this and let’s see if I can improve on it.
The Book
I have now finished the book. It had its moment, and def. would not be a book I would choose to read. But in the end it was quite a good book where every one has a happy ending.. well every one that counted. It was almost like a soap opera near the end with unclaimed fathers suddenly appearing etc. It did point out how much it must have sucked being black in America in the 40’s, 50’ and 60’s. And how long it takes a group of people to forget the bad things. (though Bush is happening to them, so the bad things are still happening) And how lucky people in NZ have it. Over all I enjoyed the book but found it very difficult to relate to where it was coming from. It did have one universal flavour that I would relate to – sometimes no matter what, girls can be silly. Particular if there are boys involved.
Will have to find another book to read and write about. But I am going to post this one to my friend Lana so she can read it and write about it in her blog.
Summary
WoW has stolen my soul for a bit (actually I don’t think I ever got it back after I installed that first CD 2 years ago) But I can fight it more now, or I can delude myself into thinking I can fight it. But this week there is no trying to get away, it has sucked me in and holding me tight while whispering sweet things in my ear about how great it will be, and for the moment – I believe it.
Saturday, January 13, 2007
A New Start - 12:39 PM
Intro
From now I am going to try and up date this a bit more, mainly because the easiest way for people to keep up to date with me is here, and this year I am going to try and be a better person. First week back at work and things went ok, I should have done more, but well…. It was the first week. It has been good to be in my own bed and back in my own routine and well away from my mother’s cats.
Week O Work
Over the break our PhD student managed to kill all our cells and they are now just bulking up in number now. From my point of view it was funny because the reason it happened was he was so afraid to do anything about the alarms going off he left them. After ringing almost every one in the company except me (the only person it seems who knows how the gas regulation system works). My bosses’ husband has made a comment that if Ed rings him one more time he will feed the phone to him. The filter set I had been waiting for turned up… Yay. So will be making some lovely cells that glow in the dark. Kind of like that. But by the end of this month I have to finish my paper. It is on food and inflammation, I have finally got all the results and they are making some sense so all good, now it is just up to me to sit down and do it.
Week O Social
This week has brought a new person on to the scene and her name is Kelly. She fits in brilliantly and is full of wanting to go out and drink and have fun, which we fully encourage her to do. She even lead us astray by teaching us how to steal signs, and since she is the one in the photo with it – It must have been her.
Kelly leading us astray
The lushes themselves
(Kelly and Brair)
From now I am going to try and up date this a bit more, mainly because the easiest way for people to keep up to date with me is here, and this year I am going to try and be a better person. First week back at work and things went ok, I should have done more, but well…. It was the first week. It has been good to be in my own bed and back in my own routine and well away from my mother’s cats.
Week O Work
Over the break our PhD student managed to kill all our cells and they are now just bulking up in number now. From my point of view it was funny because the reason it happened was he was so afraid to do anything about the alarms going off he left them. After ringing almost every one in the company except me (the only person it seems who knows how the gas regulation system works). My bosses’ husband has made a comment that if Ed rings him one more time he will feed the phone to him. The filter set I had been waiting for turned up… Yay. So will be making some lovely cells that glow in the dark. Kind of like that. But by the end of this month I have to finish my paper. It is on food and inflammation, I have finally got all the results and they are making some sense so all good, now it is just up to me to sit down and do it.
Week O Social
This week has brought a new person on to the scene and her name is Kelly. She fits in brilliantly and is full of wanting to go out and drink and have fun, which we fully encourage her to do. She even lead us astray by teaching us how to steal signs, and since she is the one in the photo with it – It must have been her.
Kelly leading us astray
The lushes themselves
(Kelly and Brair)
On Saturday I had the worse hang over I have had in a long time, all due to her and Briar. I made every one watch the Arnold Rimmer song while I sang along to it. But I paid the price, Nick made me get up in the morning and walk to the local café for breakfast. I said “You are doing this because you hate me”, he said “No, you played the Arnold Rimmer song at 2am – there needs to be punishment.”
The Arnold Rimmer song
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMzIRPCngLo
Week O WoW
I finally made it exhaulted with Argent Dawn, so I am now attuned to Naxx. But with Burning Crusade coming out need week it doesn’t really matter. But yes bring on next week and the expansion.
Week O Being a better person
This is me reporting what I have been doing this week to be a better person and by better I mean going to the gym, healthy eating, not running over small children, ransoming the world. Well I have contacted UniTech to see if I can get some help with my work on the S800. It is about time I actually had this damn car running. So we will see, I have to wait for the office to open properly this Monday before I find out.
I have gone back to making salads for lunch and doing my Pilates in the morning. So now I just need to keep it up and not blow it all out the window with drinking sessions. So yeah I have started, and every one says the hardest step is the first one. So here is hoping 10kg by the end of this year has gone. So who knows the year has just started. But to encourage the rest of you to think more about what you are putting in your body I am doing a recipe of the week.
Recipe of the week
Smoked salmon, orange and blueberry with rocket and tarragon.
The combination of smoked fish and fruit is legendary as the fruit not only counteracts the richness of the fish, but also gives a pleasant freshness to the salad
Ingredients
6 sweet navel oranges
1 tbs brown sugar
2 tsp Dijon mustard
2 tsp arrowroot dissolved in 65ml cold water (cornflour will do the same job)
2 tbs chopped tarragon
250g blueberries
2 tbs pine nuts toasted
300g rocket leaves
400g smoked salmon, flaked
Instructions
Squeeze the juice from 2 oranges. place in a non mircowave bowl, add sugar and mustard and microwave for 1min. Whisk in the dissolved arrowroot, microwave for another minute and stir until thickened. Allow to cool
Using a small knife, peel the remaining oranges, ensuring all the white pith is removed. Quarter the orange lenghtways then cut into thick slices.
Place in a bowl, add the orange and arrowroot mixture, tarragon, blueberries, pine nuts and rocket leaves and toss to coat. Sprinkle over the flaked salmon.
265 cal per servering (about 3 pts Frances)
Blueberries are good because they reduce the darkness of the bags under your eyes.
The Book
Well I have started reading the The JustUs Girls by Evelyn “Slim” Lambright. Well other than the fact I am a white girl and I am not the target audience for this book it is reading ok. I am only up to the 4th chapter so still have a bit to go. But one of the things that has got me so far is, they went on about how expensive a funeral is but thought having a limo to go to one was normal.
Summary
Well week in summary, back and work and getting into it. We have put an offer on a house and are now going through all the stuff you have to do before you finally say yay or nah to it. By the 2nd of Feb should know more.
I brought a bottle of Dove Summer Glow, http://www.mydove.com.au/SummerGlow.asp And damn I am sold, this stuff is great I got the normal to darker skin and noticed I went a few shades darker after the first application. I didn’t go orange and there was no streaking. Brilliant and at $7 a bottle any one can try it.
I start back at ceramics at the start of Feb so nothing to report on that front. Saw The Da Vinci Code which was all round average – book is much better but then they spend a lot more time explaining the history and that which is what makes those books so good. And that is about it for this week.