Saturday, August 25, 2007
But don't go tearing your life apart - 11:42 PM
Work Worked on my presentation for the Palmerston North conference and went to the Palmerston North conference. Networked with some interesting people that I hope to do future work with. Need to butter them up some more this week.
Social
No social - all work. Though I did take Jude, Andrew and Marcus to the Fitz
in Palmerston North, we drunk beer out of big bottles
and felt old. Also went shoe shopping with Margot.Games
So yeah I got back from Palmerston North to an empty house (Nick was at his Softsource farewell) and I went so what can I do........So I cough* went raiding* cough. Due to this I have refused to play any WoW this weekend. It sucked big time and yeah I don't want to raid. Whaaaaaaaa Blizzard I want my soul back.
Wellness
Been so busy I haven't weighted in, and conference's supply you with yummy food. Though Palmerston North was good as they gave you salads. But you sit all day :/
Cooking
Because who doesn't appreciate brulee
Creamy Berry Brulee
2 x 300ml cartons double thick cream
2 tbs icing sugar
finely grated rind of 1 orange
1 punnet fresh or frozen blueberries
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 punnet fresh or frozen raspberries
3 tbs castor sugar
extra berries for serving
Gently fold together cream, icing sugar, vanilla essence, orange rind and berries. Spoon mixture into 6 brulee pots.Place pots in a baking dish, fill dish with hot water to half way up the pots. Bake at 140C for 40 minutes. Remove from baking dish and allow to cool. Refrigerate for 4 hours, or overnight if possible.Sprinkle 2 teaspoons of castor sugar over each brulee. Place under a hot grill for about 1 minute, until sugar is dark brown.Allow to cool for about 15 minutes before serving. Serve with extra berries, and biscotti for dipping.
Media
I am re reading Moonheart at the moment. It is sweet and yeah not every ones cup of tea and only when you are in certain moods. And at the moment I am so enjoying it. Is a bit dated since I last read it.
Projects
Fish is done, getting it mounted. Photos next week
Candy doesn't have to have a point. That's why it's candy.
Sunday, August 19, 2007
Didn't see that one coming - 12:00 AM
WorkBusy, but at meetings and mainly getting a presentation sorted for a conference next week in Palmerston North. Had two days annual leave as well.
Social
Went shopping with my Mum checked out Dress smart and Sylvia Park. Dress smart were having great sales and I brought stuff. Brought some pants and some tops and some shoes. (will link pics tomorrow) She came up for the Black Sabbath concert which she thoroughly enjoyed.
Games
My addiction is starting to sneak back. The WoW bug has caught me again, though this time is is just a slight running nose rather than full on eye bleeding. Playing some TD and some Mah-Jong and of course Wii. I lost my professional status in bowling :<
Wellness
Well I put on a kg this week, but in saying that I know why, and I am not sure what i can do about it until Sept. Conferences and more conferences. Still won't power has to kick in sometime right.
Cooking
Two meals this week were great, Laksa and fresh spring rolls OR Beef Fajitas. Both were enjoyable, but I learnt more from the Laksa.
Fresh Spring Rolls
Dipping Sauce
60ml Sweet chilli sauce
1 tbs lime juice
To make the dipping sauce, combine sauce ingredients together
Rolls
100g dried rice vermicelli
1/2 mango
1 small Lebanese cucumber
1/2 avocado
4 spring onions
15g coriander
2 tbs Vietnamese mint
20 rice paper wrappers
Soak the vermicelli in hot water for 20min - then drain.
Working with one wrapper at a time - dip each wrapper in warm water for 10sec to soften then lay out on a flat surface. In the center add approx 1 tbs of vermicelli, to it add a little of each ingredient to your own taste, top with a bit more vermicelli. Fold int eh sides of the wrapper and then roll.
Repeat till all ingredients are used.
Laksa
200g udon noodles
2 tbs peanut oil
3-4 tbs laksa paste
1 l vegetable stock
750ml coconut milk
250g snow peas
5 spring onions
2 tbs lime juice
125g bean sprouts
200g tofu
20g coriander
Heat the oil in a wok, add the laksa paste and cook, stirring over a medium heat for 1 min. Add the stock, coconut milk, tofu, udon noodles and spring onions and simmer for 10 min. Add the snow peas and lime juice and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Divide into 4 bowls and top with coriander.
Media
This was rather bad considering the voice actors, still after a quick search, discovered that is was filmed in French then the sound track was re-dubbed into english with the voice actors having to get their lines to fit the spaces. Still was kids fluff, better than happy feet.
Better than I though. Actually enjoyed this. Was stylie enough not to take it self serious and interesting enough to have a story.
This was great, mindless comedy action. I fully suggest this one for a rainy weekend where a spot of light heartiness is needed. 
This was odd, nice idea behind it, just didn't seem to get any where. Was almost like they were going to make a TV series, then changed their mind. 
Die Hard 4. If you go and see this, leave your brain some where far from this movie. You want pointless violence, mindless explosions, hot kung fu and more guns that the americans have lost in over seas conflicts? This is the movie for you. It promises explosions and it delivers. I almost feel they have set it up for the baton to be passed and there will be a die hard 5, but John McClains son in law will be the new hero. Still we will see.Projects
Nothing to see
Yeah, last time I saw her she was at the bottom of an elevator shaft with an SUV rammed up her ass.
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Welcome to the circus you freaks - 1:28 AM
Yes I am late this week, and that is mainly due to being so busy. I had to cancel experiments this current week due to so much onWork
I worked out how to use the robot, no it doesn't have death lasers. Just LED's. But will be a big help in all that I do, got my QMB poster finished and off into the internal system. I wrote and sat my yearly performance appraisal. And graphed some results on DNA dilution in transfections.
Social
Social - who has time for social.
Games
Playing WoW again, not much though. I think like 4hrs total a week, Got the leveling guide so I can at least make it to 70 before the subscription runs out. Still playing Wii. I went professional with my bowling skills. Woot for me; I got a new ball and if behaves differently.
Wellness
The weight is still ticking down. But to many lunch meetings, conferences etc. My goal is not to gain any weight in Aug, so far so good. But the tough weeks are ahead of me.
Cooking
Not bad, and in the foodtown magazine. Nick didn't complain so that is something
Mexican Meatball Soup
Soup
2 tbs olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1/2 tsp dried basil
1 tsp Mexican spice
2 x 425g cans tomatoes
2 tbs tomato paste
2 cups beef stock
2 tbs chopped coriander
Meatballs
350g mince
1 small onion, grated
1 small egg, beaten
1/2 tsp each; ground cumin, salt
2 tbs chopped coriander
Place the olive oil in a sauce pan. Add the onion and cook over a medium heat until the onion is soft. Add the mexican seasoning, tomatoes, tomato paste, water and beef stock. Cover and bring to the boil.
Meanwhile, to prepare the meatballs, combine all the ingredients in a medium bowl and mix. Roll walnut sized balls of the mix into the soup. Continue to simmer, covered for 30min
Stir in the coriander and serve with pita
Media
Umm didn't see anything or read anything
Projects
Got the bowl back, didn't take a photo. Fish next week.
You can't change who people are without destroying who they were.
Saturday, August 04, 2007
Work
Has been nuts this week doing a ton and a half of samples for an assay, now just the data to plot and work out how to stream line it. But went to The Food Show this week as work related thing. http://www.foodshow.co.nz/ It was great and fully enjoyed being able to go on the trade day. I brought back so many goodies. Was well worth going and will defiantly be going next year.
Kim at the Food Show
Social
Been working hard haven't had time to be social. Caught up with Nick parents yesterday morning after scouting out a wedding venue. So yes this means the wedding is actually going to happen next year. Weddings are so expensive - how the hell do they expect you to have a student loan, a mortgage, retirement fund, medical insurance and still pay for a wedding. Still we are being harsh on our invite list and even discussing that our guests have to buy a ticket to come to the wedding. No present just cash. This means people we don't really like will most likely not pay and not come. Where as the people we really like will pay and come.
Games
Wii - bowling, and zelda. Though i played some WoW today, and canceled my WoW subscription. I am not getting my monies worth out of it. So canceled, but i have 6mths to change my mind. I wonder if I can get my priest to 70 in that time, some how I doubt it.
Wellness
YAH. Off my weight loss plateau and back on the down ward. 78kg now. So that is 12kg lost since the start of June. Another 15kg to go. Going to try running to work some time this coming week, all 12km. I won't be running the whole way but if I walk it - is 2hrs. So lets see how fast I really can do 12km in.
Cooking
Kelly and I made this out of the latest Foodtown mag. Was good and damn easy. I would coat the pork in cornflour first so it soaks up more glaze and doesn't dry out as much.
1/4 cup sweet chilli sauce
1 tbs dark soya sauce
1 l chicken stock
2 packets 2min noodles
2 tbs each: white wine vinegar, sugar
2 handfuls mung bean sprouts
1 handful fresh coriander
Preheat the oven to 200C and line a deep dish with baking paper
Slice the pork into bite size cubes. Combine the sweet chilli sauce and soya sauce and toss with the meat. Lay the pork evenly in the baking dish and bake for 15min and then turn and bake for a further 15min
Bring the chicken stock to a simmer in a medium pot. Add the noodles and simmer for 3min. Add the vinegar, sugar and mung sprouts to the pot and bring back to a simmer.
Remove from the heat and distribute the noodles and liquid between 4 bowls. Top with the pork and fresh coriander.
Media
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
It was..... well... OK. It tied up the series, the story made some big jumps, but I guess when magic is involved you can. A little bit disappointing and almost the feel it was written more to be a movie than a book, compared to the others in the series. It is still one of those you will read it at some point books or at least see the movie.
Strange Days
Strange Days
It hasn't dated as badly as it could have, was kind of sweet and sour at the same time. Actually just like takeaway Chinese - if you are in the right mind - it can be delicious, wrong frame and you are going to be regretting it latter.Happy Feet
Some one made a movie about dancing penguins - shame they didn't make it a story about dancing penguins.Projects
Nothing to see. Arlene forgot to fire my stuff.
To be with another woman, that is French. To be caught, that is American