Trifle!

Mum often makes trifle at Christmastime, and a couple of years ago I learnt how to do it. It's quite simple and very fun to make!
I finished this trifle yesterday and am really happy with how it turned out (can't wait to eat it either!) Following is the "recipe" I use for trifle - note that I don't actually measure anything...

roughly 7 sponge/ladyfinger biscuits (savoiardi)
2 packets jelly crystals (I like using the Port Wine flavour)
liquor, such as Cointreau (optional)
assorted fruits (strawberries, mango, pineapple...I used approx. half a tin of fruit salad)
1 punnet fresh blueberries
vanilla custard
whipped cream
grated chocolate

1. Arrange the biscuits around the base and sides of a glass bowl.
2. Prepare one pack of jelly crystals according to packet directions and add to the biscuits. Add liquor if using. Leave in the fridge to set. Make the remaining jelly and leave to set. Once set, add to the biscuits.
4. Add the fruit and some of the blueberries (reserving approx. half a dozen). Pour enough custard over the fruit to fill the bowl.
5. Use a piping bag or pen to decorate the trifle with the whipped cream. Add extra blueberries and grated chocolate.

Trifle will keep for several days in the fridge.

Now We Are Free

love this film.

life

is not about

the material.

not about money

or friends

or time

or possessions.

it's about love.

how much we receive.

but, more importantly,

how much we give.

NEVER WASTE ONE MOMENT

cursing, regretting, hating.

instead: smile, laugh, love.

Sting - Fields Of Gold

Little Heroes - One Perfect Day

I love this song! The lead singer holds an uncanny resemblance to Black's lead in Wonderful Life. The video's a little quirky but I think the song's awesome. Plus they're Aussies!

an update on life!

Next week I officially finish classes for semester 2, and also conclude my first year of study. It's gone so quickly and it's sort of overwhelming to think that I've already been through one year. I have exams in a couple of weeks which I'm so not looking forward to...I just hope I go ok in them.

I've chosen my subjects for next semester! I've decided to major in English Lit, which I wasn't really sure about at first but I think it's probably the right path for me. I'm still doing History and Theology units which I really love, it would have been cool to major in Theology but I didn't on account of the fact that I don't know where it would take me afterwards.

I've successfully finished one of the books on my dream book list - Richard Ford's "The Sportswriter". IT WAS BLOODY AMAZING. I don't think I've encountered prose like that in a long time. I was thrilled to find out that it's the first in a series so will definitely be reading the following books. If you can get your hands on it, it's worth it.
I also started reading a beast of a book called "The Adventures of Augie March", written by Saul Bellow. Interesting plot line but very heavy (physically and linguistically). I want to keep pushing on with it and see what happens.

Anyway, that's all I can really think of that's worth talking about. I'll try and keep my posts more regular.

Peace.

cumulonimbus.

So it's been millennia since I posted on this thing. Whatever.

This is Phryne Fisher, fabulous and stylish amateur detective, and main character of the Phryne Fisher Mysteries, written by Australian author Kerry Greenwood. Mum recently introduced me to her and I'm hooked. The books are great! In the process of reading Away With The Fairies.

OH.



MY.



GOSH!!!!!

I FINALLY HAVE THIS ALBUM! AFTER WHAT SEEMS LIKE CENTURIES!
I LOVE MARK KNOPFLER AND THIS ALBUM IS SERIOUSLY AMAZING!!!!
Ahhh! Probably my fave album at the moment. We used to own it but I'm not sure where our old copy went. My parents like Dire Straits and Mark Knopfler and I grew up listening to them. Listening to the album brought back a lot of memories, as I found that I knew most of the songs even though I hadn't heard them for years. If you like roots rock/ blues rock then this is right up your alley.

Update on me: I'm in my ninth week of semester 2 at uni. It's been going pretty well, still not sure what I want to do afterwards. I've finally started getting driving lessons and am doing pretty well (I hope!). I made a list of some books I want to read, there are about forty on there but I'm sure there will be more. My parents bought a red lounge. A couple of weekends ago I watched a cow die. I'm finding out who I am and what I want to be, and I think I'm starting to appreciate who I really am.

Peace.
x

Here are some pictures of Mark Knopfler...just 'cause he's awesome.








Dire Straits! :)

Just being alive is a truly wonderful thing.

Imqaret.

This is another traditional Maltese dish which I love to make. My nanna introduced me to imqaret and I absolutely loved them - and was desperate to learn how to make them for myself!
Imqaret (singular mqarut) are date-filled pastries, scented with orange flower water and served hot or warm. They are traditionally deep-fried but it's much easier to bake them. When we were in Malta we didn't get to try these but when I go back I will search for the real thing.
They are very simple to make and very, very addictive. Even if you aren't great at baking, imqaret are very hard to get wrong.
Below is the way I make imqaret:

500g pitted dates
Water
1tbsp orange blossom (flower) water
6 sheets puff pastry


1. Preheat the oven. I have a fan forced oven and usually preheat to about 180C. If you have a conventional oven, 200C should be adequate. Remove the baking trays from the oven before preheating.

2. Set aside the sheets of pastry to thaw. Traditional imqaret use handmade pastry, but puff pastry is so easy and works really well.

3. Place the dates in a medium sized saucepan, cover with water and add the orange blossom water. Using 500g of dates should be enough, but there is no reason why you can't use more.


*A note on orange blossom (flower) water. This is basically made from distilled bitter-orange blossoms and is used traditionally in Middle-Eastern cooking. It has a great smell and taste and is really nice in coffee. You can only really get orange blossom water from a deli or specialised stores.

4. Heat the mixture over medium heat, stirring frequently. You will notice the dates breaking up and the water going cloudy. As the mixture thickens the water will turn brown and you should end up with a paste. Don't worry if you are still left with whole dates in the mixture, they taste great in the finished product.



5. Cut a thawed sheet of pastry in half, and spread one edge of each half thinly and evenly with the mixture. Fold both long edges of the sheet together and press the sides with a fork. Repeat with remaining sheets. The trick to imqaret is making them as thin as possible. If they seem to be too thick, press them down with your hands once folded.
Note: Always place the puff pastry on a cool baking tray, if you lay the sheets on a tray which has just come out of the oven the pastry will start to cook and will be difficult to manage.

6. Bake for about 15-20 minutes or until evenly golden, then place on a wire rack to cool slightly.

7. Cut each length into about five rectangles while still warm.



Imqaret are best eaten warm, but can also be enjoyed cold. They are a great snack and keep in the cupboard for about a week (mine never last that long!) Great with coffee, tea or on their own.
If you have leftover date mixture, refrigerate it for another batch. Dad tried it on his cereal and said it was really good, so I guess you could do that too.

Enjoy!

Rachel eating her tenth mqarut.

WINTER TERM UPDATE!!!!!

So I finally got my winter term results back.

Distinction!

I really, honestly surprised myself.

I thought I would die if I didn't tell you how I felt.

I'm still here, and you still don't know.

Imqarrun Il-Forn.

A.k.a. baked macaroni.

So I'm really getting into cooking! This is something I haven't made for a couple of weeks but is seriously one of my favourite things to cook and eat.
This is a traditionally Maltese dish. My grandmother (who is Maltese)makes this all the time, and the recipe found its way to my mother (who isn't Maltese) and then to me. I've made it so many times I don't need a recipe anymore. The following is the way that I make macaroni.

Ingredients:

Olive oil
1 onion
Garlic (optional)
Tomato paste
Grated zucchini, carrot (optional)
1 kg mince (I think I normally use lamb)
1 bottle of tomatoes (tinned tomatoes work fine also)
Peas (these are essentially optional, but they're great)
500g penne
5-8 eggs
Grated cheese

Method:

1. Preheat the oven and make sure you have a medium sized baking dish. I have a fan forced oven so I usually heat it to 200C, if you don't have a fan forced oven I'd say set it to about 220C. I don't usually find it necessary to grease the dish, but it depends on what sort of dishes you have.

2. Heat the oil, add the onion, garlic (if using), tomato paste, vegetables and peas. (if using). A staple food of the Maltese diet is tomato paste. You have to embrace the paste. Always remember you can never use too much of it. I always add the grated vegies but my grandmother doesn't. It doesn't make all that much difference. My dad loves peas and I always add them - I find they really improve the dish.

3. In a separate pot, cook the mince. Apparently you're meant to separate meat and vegetables when you're cooking, it's some hygiene thing...hahaha.

4. Once the mince is browned, add it to the onion mixture and heat together, then add the tomatoes. I have started using these bottled tomatoes called Italian Polpa. They're really good but the bottles are a pain to open. If you have muscles then they shouldn't be a problem.

5. In a separate pot, boil some water for the pasta and cook pasta as usual. You will use a lot of pots here, but it is so fun to make. I always add a little bit of oil to the water, just to give it a bit of extra flavour. You can cook the pasta at the same time as you're doing the mince, or afterwards, it doesn't matter all too much.

6. Once cooked, drain pasta and run under cold water to cool. It is important that you let both the mince and the pasta cool, otherwise when you combine them in the dish with the egg, the egg will cook.

7. Combine pasta and mince in dish, and then add the eggs. Be sure to combine them really well. Regarding the number of eggs, add as many as you feel is needed. I normally add about six, it just depends on the size of the dish.

8. Cover the top evenly with grated cheese and cook in the oven for around 30-45 minutes. I normally use tasty or cheddar cheeses. After half an hour, I usually check the macaroni and just see how well done it is.

This is a really great meal which can be enjoyed both warm or cold. I find it so fun to make (and eat) because there's such a process (as well as tradition) involved. My dad grew up on macaroni and so have I. It's certainly a meal I look forward to and one which I will definitely pass on. If you decide to make macaroni, I am sure you will enjoy it. And don't forget the tomato paste.



Photos 'borrowed' from http://www.spicyicecream.com.au/2008/06/expert-borrowers.html --> a fantastic blog which I really recommend.

It's All Greek To Me.

Due to the fact that I hadn't cooked for an ultra-long time and really felt like messing up the kitchen, last weekend I made this:



It's called spanakopita (σπανακόπιτα) and it happens to be a Greek pastry dish not unlike burek. I was introduced to burek by some Greek friends, and fell in love with it but never actually got round to trying my hand at it. Then a couple of months ago we bought spanakopita and tried it...and I started up a new love affair! Luckily I had a recipe for it in my Anthony Telford cookbook I blogged about a couple of months ago, so I gave it a shot!

Here is the recipe:

1 bunch spinach
500g Australian feta, crumbled
500g fresh firm ricotta
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon mint or dill (optional)
1 teaspoon salt
8 filo pastry sheets
3 tablespoons olive oil

1) Preheat the oven to 180C. Prepare a baking dish by lightly greasing with oil.

2)Wash the spinach thoroughly and place in a pot of boiling water. Cook for 20 seconds or until wilted. Drain and run under cold water to refresh and stop the cooking. When cool, squeeze the excess water from the spinach. You will have approximately 2 cups cooked spinach.

I had silverbeet, which was tough but alright to use. The book says that more spinach can be used if wanted. I broke the leaves away from the stem (which you don't use because it is tough as anything) and then shredded them using my hands. They wilt pretty quickly.

3)Place the spinach in a bowl, add the feta, ricotta, eggs, parsley, mint or dill (if using) and salt, and mix thoroughly. If you make this, be sure to CRUMBLE the feta into very small pieces. You don't want lumps in there. I also found I didn't have to add the salt because the feta made it salty enough. Be sure to mix it really well. Anthony Telford suggests Australian feta because he says it is 'less salty than European feta, therefore allowing the cook to control the saltiness of the dish'.

4)Place four sheets of filo in the prepared baking dish and brush each layer with oil. This forms the bottom layer. Working with the pastry was the hardest part for me. I had never used filo pastry before and was very clumsy! It is crazily thin and breaks easily, plus it dries out super fast. To stop it drying out I covered the sheets I wasn't using with a damp tea towel...which worked. Make sure you oil the sheets well and cover the base and sides of the dish with the pastry. The book also suggests using puff pastry...which I think I may try next time! If using puff pastry, you only need one sheet for the top and one for the bottom.

5)Spread the spinach mixture evenly over the filo. Repeat the filo layers for the top, brushing each sheet with oil. If there is excess filo, just fold it into the side of the dish.

6)Bake in the oven for 25 minutes or until golden and crispy on top. I have a fan-forced oven so I set the timer to 20 minutes, which was adequate.
My spanakopita didn't look like the one above but it sure was fun to make, and it went in a flash! It is traditionally served as finger food, so wait until it cools and cut into individual pieces. If you want to eat it all on your own, then don't worry about the cutting.
This recipe serves 6 and the finished product tastes good (if I do say so myself). Definitely one I'll be making again.

Last Wednesday, I finally got my act together and donated blood. I'd been meaning to do it for some time but for some reason never got round to actually making the appointment.
It was surprisingly awesome. The donating centre was bright and comfortable, despite the sharp, clean smell that always accompanies places with needles. I filled out a questionnaire, complete with "personal questions", and then I went in for an interview which consisted of a nurse checking my weight, iron levels and blood pressure. Before I knew it I was lying feet-up in one of those reclining chairs.
The nurse put anaesthetic on the inside of my left elbow (a fluro yellow which subtly complemented my skin tone), placed an inflated cuff above my elbow to help blood flow and then gave me a small ball to squeeze when she stuck the needle in.
It didn't hurt at all! Just a slight prick really. Though she did sensibly encourage me to look away.
The whole donation took about ten minutes, then I was bandaged up and taken to another room where I got to eat junk (to increase my blood sugar and stop me from fainting) and drink apple juice! I didn't get a bruise either, though I still have a small rather attractive hole in my skin.
The best part about it was definitely knowing that I could help save lives. They tell you over and over again on the TV ads that one donation could save three lives, but I really didn't realise the full scale of it all until I had parted with a pint of blood. It felt great to know that I could be helping people in my own small way.
I next donate in October and am thinking of also becoming a plasma donor.

AHHH MAJOR WORK!!!!

So the time has come to start writing.

3,000 word short story in two weeks.

I have my idea, I arrived at it with some help but really like it.

So basically, I plan to write about this man named Richard (for some reason I only really saw him as a Richard) who has just died.
He isn't sure why or how he has died, all he knows is that he is dead.
Then it's like...he starts hearing the conversations of his family and friends, talking about him after his death. I want them to mostly be saying bad things/expressing their frustrations at him. Even though he is dead, I want him to realise that even though he thought he was a good man others thought otherwise. I want him to be scared of death and scared of hearing the conversations.

My character is meant to go through some sort of change but I'm not sure how I am going to make that work seeing as he is dead. Maybe his change will just be the realisation that he was only really living for himself.

Anyway, I will end with him being revived. The story will only cover about 15 minutes in time. I want the audience to be able to imagine what happens next - does he confront his family about their feelings, or does he try and make himself a better person?

I am really excited to write this, I hope that it works out. I'm really liking the class, but I have found it a little hard because I think I'm the only first year in the course, and everyone else just seems so...smart. It's been fun though and I'd glad I did it.

I'll keep posted on how the story turns out.

Peace!

Workshop: Characters

For this exercise we had to discuss our favourite literary characters. After intense deliberation (and I mean intense) I decided on Anne Shirley from 'Anne of Green Gables'. I have seriously read this book about ten times, apparently my mum used to read it to me when I was a baby. I really love Anne - she's such an entertaining person - and I love how we get to watch her grow in maturity and understanding.

Using our favourite characters, we were asked to describe a character (of the opposite sex) who portrayed a similar characteristic. I wrote about a boy with red hair and a vivid imagination.

Another great exercise we had was this: we were all given three pieces of different coloured paper. On on piece we had to write a number between 5 and 70 (I wrote 39), on another we had to write a unique physical characteristic and on the last, an extreme emotion. We then had to swap our cards with fellow classmates, so I ended up with a 39-year-old character with a disfigured arm experiencing extreme happiness. It was difficult! But I think I pulled through.

Workshop: Ways To Start Writing

We first started by using images as basis for a story. We then had to share them with a classmate - I've included the one which she thought was the best...



He knew it was time. The cheering above had subsided, and now he could hear the muffled tones of the judges, calling the names. He turned to the small boy beside him and tapped his sequined shoulder - 'Come on, they're waiting for you'.
For a moment their eyes met - the boy in his shining costume and white skates, the older, haggard man biting his lip. They walked towards the stairs, climbing them quickly, and then they were by the rink and the boy was pulling on his coach's sleeve.
'My skates'.
The man knelt down and gently held the laces, tying them slowly into firm, neat knots. The blades were sharp and ready, the crowd was on its feet.

I then had to take that story and combine it with a story I wrote corresponding to this image:



I found it really challenging! But it worked in the end :)

Workshop: Week One.

So I've had a few requests from people saying that I should put some writing that I do in my winter course up on the blog, and I have decided to follow through.

The first week of the unit has already gone by! We started off studying Henry Lawson's 'The Union Buries Its Dead', which I quite liked, then we moved on to Barbara Baynton's 'The Chosen Vessel' - much more terrifying! We also studied Vance Palmer's 'Josie' - a simple story detailing the reaction of children to the death of a classmate. They were all wonderful reads.

Polly Ticks.

So this morning Oz has a new PM.
I actually feel a little sorry for KRudd. Losing the support of his party - that's gotta hurt. Apparently he cried.
But he really didn't do all too much for our nation, and that whole home insulation business, the mining tax and his blatant neglect of the climate change issue (which he claimed was the 'moral challenge' of our generation and then backed down on) really hurt his leadership. I see him as a very elusive man - people are going on about how there are two Kevin Rudds - the public persona and the foul-mouthed dude.

Hopefully Julia can do a little more than Kev did for our country. (Hopefully Liberal can win the next election)

I LOVE THIS GUY.

GO ZACH! YOU'RE AWESOME!

WORLD CUP

WOW OK BRAZIL vs NTH KOREA --> 2:1!

I screamed when Korea scored! I mean even though I do like Brazilian football and think it's so beautiful to watch...GO KOREA GO!

Côte d’Ivoire and Portugal, scoreless draw! That's epic!

Spain play at 12am tomorrow morning!!!! VS SWITZERLAND!!! VIVA ESPANA! (and I can't put an accent on the 'n'... :( )

So, it's been a while, and I've sort of missed blogging.

My exams are now over! It's such a relief to have them finished. I feel like I went alright but we'll just have to wait and see.

My winter course starts next week. I'm looking forward to it...but keep having to remind my parents that YES, it did cost money, and NO, I'm not having a semester break. I think they think I'm crazy because I'm not having a holiday. But I'd much rather do something productive with my time rather than sit around doing nothing, which is what I would probably be doing most of the time if I had a holiday. And plus it's writing, and I love to write, it never completely seems like work to me.
It's sort of annoying though because my uni has given me no information as to where my classes are or what time they run. I have no idea what's happening. It can be frustrating...

I am so tired right now thanks to a little something called the World Cup! I have been staying up each night watching the games and have loved every minute of it. I have this thing when I support the underdog, so each game I go for the worse team and cheer for them like there's no tomorrow. Bit unfortunate about Germany thrashing us but we have to be optimistic. I can't wait till Spain play because then I can watch Fernando Torres in action! I'll also be checking out Argentina thanks to Lionel Messi...that guy, seriously...wow.
The whole tournament has been really surprising with the Asian teams qualifying. A lot of people underestimate Asian football but they're really doing well! Like Japan beating Cameroon...or Korea beating Greece...me, I can't wait till Côte d’Ivoire play...they're not Asian but what the hey. I love football.

Anyway, I better go take the washing off the line, it's 5pm and I hope the clothes are dry!

Peace.

I don't know if you heard about this, but there was a news story a couple of nights ago on this two-year-old Indonesian boy who smokes 40 cigarettes a day.

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I was horrified. Indonesia is becoming known for their problems with cigarette smoking - their weak regulations mean not only that young Indonesians are targeted in smoking campaigns but also that it is widely accepted by the community.
Artists such as Jamiroquai and James Blunt who have allowed their Indonesian shows to be used as props for tobacco marketing would not help the situation at all.
Smoking in Indonesia is painfully common, with studies showing that on average poor families spend more on cigarettes than on books or education.
And possibly most horrifying? The fact that increasingly younger children are being drawn into cigarette addiction. Trusty Yahoo!News presents this alarming statement:

"There are many children under five years of age who have started smoking. A decade ago, the average age of beginner smokers was 19 but a recent study found that the average is seven."

It is a shame that such a horribly common habit like smoking is not targeted in Indonesia. I personally find it a gross thing to do, it stinks and the side-effects are awful. I have a few friends who are into the cigar movement as well. I find all smoking disgusting but it has been proven that smoking a cigar is better than a cigarette (they are made of 100% tobacco and you don't inhale the smoke, so there is no risk of lung cancer...only throat cancer...wow isn't that delightful?) Plus they don't smell too bad either.

I think the reason that we find this instance of a young child smoking so shocking is because of the nature of our societies. We live in a world with anti-smoking laws. There are people who actually condemn the habit. Packets have those gross images of gangrene and whatnot plastered all over the front. There are those ads on TV laced with tar and cancer and strokes and nicorette. We set standards as to how a parent should raise their child. We have grown to know an alternative.

It actually makes me really sad to see that a two-year-old smoking nearly two packs a day does not raise cause for concern among the Indonesian people, and this story really made me appreciate my own standards, understand how lucky I am and to see the awful dire straits that some parts of the world are falling into and should never have to face.

WAKE UP IT'S EOFYS!

I don't watch all that much TV, but there is one ad that I absolutely cannot stand for the following reasons:

1) For ages I had no idea what EOFYS meant.
2) Why on earth do they have Christmas-like decorations on their house?
3) I just don't get the whole family-bursting-into-song-and-dance thing. Or the Foxtel dude showing up in the middle of the night. Or like 50 people celebrating in the front yard.

When I first saw the ad, I actually thought it said this:



'Happy Oedipus'. Adds a whole new dimension to the ad, doesn't it?

This is much more entertaining.

Tea Accompaniments.

ANNE TYLER

b.1941. Lives in Baltimore, Maryland. Pulitzer Prize winner. Very private as she doesn't grant face-to-face interviews, rarely does book tours or makes public appearances.

I won't go through the whole story of my love for this author as it will take too long.

I've read five of her books and will give a small blurb and my own personal rating...because I want to feel like a critic :P



Earthly Possessions (which I found has been made into a film with Susan Sarandon and can't wait to see it)

This book was short, which I liked, because it made the story more powerful. It deals with a 35-year-old woman who is taken hostage by a young man and details their trip to Florida and the unravelling of her life.

I'd probably give it a 7/10.




Morgan's Passing

Now I read this just last week. I hadn't read Tyler for a while and Mum brought this home from the library where she works. It might sound weird but I think I liked it because I didn't like the character. Morgan is essentially this really irritating guy who finds his life so tedious that he adopts multiple personas. He's amazingly eccentric and strange and I think the fact that he annoyed me so much made me really like the book.

Probably 7.5-8/10.



The Accidental Tourist

This was the second or third Tyler book I read. It was great. It's a sad book, but I found I never cried which was nice (I don't usually cry as a result of books). It follows the life of this exceedingly conventional guy, Macon Leary, who writes travel guides as an 'Accidental Tourist', yet he has experienced immense tragedy and life changes which really made me sympathise with him. It's also been made into a film so I think I might see it if I have time.

Most definitely deserving of an 8-8.5/10.




Breathing Lessons

The first Tyler book I read. I absolutely loved it. It is set in a single day, revolving around the lives of couple Maggie and Ira Moran as they travel from their home in Baltimore to a funeral and back - making a commentary on their past, present and the status of their marriage. It isn't a heavy book, which I liked, and I found I was really able to engage with the story line and with the characters.

8-8.5/10




The Amateur Marriage

I borrowed this from the library not only because it was an Anne Tyler book but also because I love red coats and the woman on the front happens to be wearing one.
It was an absolutely brilliant book, probably my favourite Tyler book yet (besides The Accidental Tourist). It chronicles the married life of Michael and Pauline Anton from 1941-2001, a wartime couple who marry with nothing more in common than romantic intention. Their relationship spirals downwards throughout the book, leaving me not only amazed at the masterpiece this novel is but also at the events that unfold.

8-8.5/10. I loved this book!

But then again, I guess I loved all of them. She sets all her novels in Baltimore, which may seem a bit monotonous but it actually isn't, because all the characters are so different from one another (despite the fact that they all want something more out of life). They are all so refreshing.

Each time I finish one of her books I feel so irritated that it's over that I have to start again...meaning I've pretty much read each book twice, if not more than twice.
I am a very sad person, I know.

I am currently reading her book, A Patchwork Planet which is proving to be just as remarkable. When I finish it I might feel tempted to post another review.

Of course not all her books will achieve the same success but i just find her to be brilliant. So different from a lot of novelists around these days.

If you have time to read, if you like books dealing with ordinary characters (they're also reasonably short so they're easy to get through in a day...except for The Amateur Marriage ...which is probably the thickness of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire) or if you just want something new to sink your teeth in to, then I seriously recommend this novelist.

Peace and love.

whenever i see that i have a new emal, part of me still hopes that it's from you.

it never is.

may.

so we're at the end of may. oh my goodness.
i can't believe we're almost six months through.

the other day my sister said 'can you believe that brittany murphy died last year?'
i mean, i wasn't actually a brittany murphy fan but i was stunned. time goes so fast.

like i'm finishing my first uni semester tomorrow, which is bizarre.
because i remember my first week like it was...yesterday...?
and i can't believe that i am almost 1/6th of the way through my BA. a bit freaky but cool all the same.

----

but anyway, i'm sidetracking here.
so i just got an email from my lecturer asking me to come to my history tutorial tomorrow because i've already missed two.
like i was considering otherwise.

the first one i missed was about four weeks ago, i was fully prepared to go and had packed and everything, it was 9am, about an hour before i had to leave, and i was feeling a bit tired so i just thought i would lie down and have a ten-minute nap.

i woke up at 3pm.

i heard someone downstairs and was like 'huh? why are they home so early?' because i still thought it was 9:30am or whatever.

so i went downstairs and found my mum in the kitchen and said 'what are you doing home so early?' to which she said 'aren't you supposed to be at uni?'

i was like 'huh it's only 9:30' and she said 'dude it's 3pm'(or something to that extent)

well, naturally, i freaked out. but i wasn't tired anymore so that was a bonus.

the second time i actually was sick so it wasn't a big deal really.

----

i've gotten back pretty much all my assignments and feel so happy about them all. i've really surprised myself which is nice, because i like surprises.

----

yesterday i went back to my old high school because they needed people to read and write for some school exams. it was pouring with rain, i walked to school and my shoes were soaked!
i saw some of my old teachers which was nice, they were really surprised to see me there.
so then i did the reading for this girl who was really struggling, it was yr 10 maths and she was having so much trouble, it felt nice to be able to help in some way even though i couldn't help her with the answers i still read her the questions.
then i walked back to the train station in the rain, caught a train home and walked home in the rain. my shoes are still wet!

----

i have been annoyed at certain members of my family all day but i won't go into it because most likely i will rant.

----

sometimes i wish things could be different. not necessarily easier. just different.
i mean, i have a good life, and i hate it when people who share a similar way of life to me or who are really well off complain about how their lives suck. because they really don't! i used to think my life sucked because i'll admit it, i have to deal with things that most people never encounter during their lifetime. but then i did some volunteer work and met people who were struggling and it made me realise that my life doesn't suck at all! sure there are low points but they are practically trivial to what some other people go through. even though i do have different experiences to most people i consider myself lucky that i have the ability to do things like appreciate myself and others, or to communicate, or to walk outside without fear of harassment or death. we can all appreciate ourselves and our lives if we just take the time to do so. we can all think of what we want to change, but can we actually make them? can we be them?

now i know that if i want things to change i have to change them myself.
because they won't get better on wishful thinking.


peace.

OHMYGOODNESSMASSIVEINSPIRATION!!!!

so if you didn't know, i'm fully observant and make stories up in my head about random people i see. not sure if it's such a good thing but anyway....
so i was at central station last night at like 6pm catching a train home after an epic day at uni and i had just missed my train so i was sitting there reading next to this guy in a green argyle jumper and anyway this girl fully comes up to him and goes:

'this is ridiculous'

bit of random conversation, then the dude goes:

'i had a dream about you last night'

and i was fully like WHAM idea for a story wow.
if i get the time to write it i will.

also i applied for that winter course yesterday which took me ages to do but i knew deep down that if i didn't do it then i would quite possibly regret it forever.

the person i have been thinking about each day for the last six months came back to australia today which is good...but it also makes things more certain...because i want to see him but i don't know if he wants to see me.

anyway my dad keeps saying 'it's time' to me and i don't know what it's time for. probably because i said i'd give him some lemon meringue pie (yes i made another one. hopefully it turned out well)

well...catch you later!

Exam Study.

Tea Accompaniments.

"The Basics: A really useful cookbook"
Anthony Telford

'Tired of cookbooks with a mess of complicated instructions, exotic ingredients, and completely unachievable photographs of food that only a chef could prepare?' (the blurb forgot to mention Photoshop)

Thanks for asking, Mr. Telford. Because frankly, I am.

So I got this book for my eighteenth birthday last year and absolutely love it. It includes simple recipes like baked ham to more complex ones such as *cough cough* lemon meringue pie, all with simple instructions and affordable ingredients. Complete with tips and hints to make every meal a success. No pictures but I think that makes it a better book as I don't feel dejected when my food doesn't come out of the oven miraculously airbrushed and identical to the book's version.
If you like cooking, are seeking independence or just need something to read, this is definitely a worthwhile choice.

Plus the author gives his kids unusual names like Chile and Sapphire.

Lemon Meringue...Die.

So this is what a lemon meringue pie should look like.

Mine looked nothing like this!

We have a lemon tree at home, and it went into production overload and made like fifty lemons. I've always wanted to make a lemon meringue pie and finally after persuading Mum I had the go-ahead.

The pastry went fine, apart from the fact that I had a lapse in concentration and forgot it was in the oven, so it was brown instead of golden.
No matter, no matter, I told myself, progressing onto the lemon custard.

The custard turned out ok, it was really easy to do and I was quite proud of it. The real problem, however, came with the meringue.

I enlisted the help of my sister, who has sufficiently more meringue-constructing experience than myself. She was whisking the eggs and I was finishing the custard, and then we poured the meringue on top and put it in the oven.
Then five minutes later she asks me 'Did you put sugar in the meringue?'
And I, thinking she was joking, replied 'No. Did you?'
To which she said 'No'.

So when I took my pie out of the oven, it had a mound of cooked eggwhite sitting on top. Disappointing, but fun, and I sure am going to make another one of these again.
It took up most of my day but boy, was it worth it!

i'm going to do it!

so for a while now (well actually like a week) i have been deliberating over whether to do a winter term at uni.
the unit i would do is an english lit course on australian literature/creative writing. it sounds so fascinating! i am a bit of a casual writer myself and so think it would be amazing.
it would be 13 hours a week for 3 weeks, instead of holidays. that might seem like a bummer but i don't really care...it's writing, i love writing, and plus what else would i do with my time?
so i think i am going to apply. slight problem being that i don't have a job at present...but there is a thing called commonwealth support which i think i may have to take up.
13 hours a week of writing. it's like heaven. i don't know what my parents think cos each time i've asked them what they think they've been like 'mmmnnnn' or something equally noncommittal.

it's things like this that make me feel independent and like i'm taking initiative.

musings.

can't wait till tomorrow - because then i can get two assignments off my back.

i really need to see people. i hate feeling lonely. my life has become so busy and i can't seem to find the time to get on top of being social. it drives me insane, seeing the same people all the time (i.e. my family...as much as i love them it's like...no...). i do have friends at uni so it's not like i'm some crazily hectic loner but i just miss so many people and i feel like i'm growing apart from them and as much as i know that it's inevitable eventually it just makes me feel so crappy. i hardly ever talk to my school friends anymore, it's like we never even existed together, and i'm really missing them like crazy. it would be so nice just to get away and make friends who can't speak english so you don't have to talk, all you can do is hug and smile at each other.

i want things to get better. i have been sick for the last couple of days and it has been hell. i hate staying home, not just because it's boring but because i feel so unproductive it's not funny. plus it doesn't help that my throat is on fire 24/7. i missed uni on friday, my history lecture and tute, and it was seriously the crappiest thing ever, because i love history.

i really miss my mum at the moment. she just started full time work again after 18 yrs and it's been so crazy. she leaves home about 6:30 am and doesn't come back till 6pm. it's just sad not having her at home or spending so much time with her, it's sort of like i've lost a close friend. a lot of the time during the week i am alone at home, i have two days off during each week, and it is so lonely. i've started doing heaps of housework to help out which i don't really mind about but it's like noooooo don't leave! but it makes her happy and for that i am happy too.

i really need to read 'mrs. dalloway' by virginia woolf for tomorrow's english lit lecture but i am so not motivated. not that i hate virginia woolf or anything, i've never read her so i can't actually have an opinion on that, but i started reading the book and even though it's short i died after eleven pages because it was really something i wasn't expecting. and my lecturer (who is so small and nice and too polite to say that anyone is wrong) was like 'yeah it's really complex, read it in one sitting'. which is like climbing mt. everest for me (or sailing around the world, a.k.a. doing a jessica watson). it's like impossible. i have to start reading and then stop for a bit to read the five other books i have going at the same time. that's how i roll. right now i'm on three so it's not that bad yet.

my sister's birthday is on friday, not-so-sweet-17. i can't wait. i love her so much! plus i am making her something awesome (which i am yet to start) and i can't wait for her to see them.

sometimes i really regret my choices, and i know that's the worst thing to do but occasionally i find myself feeling bad about what i've decided, like:

having operations...sometimes i wonder what it would have been like to just live with myself. i often wish i could have waited a couple of years more, because at least then i would have had some sort of a memory and some idea as to whether i wanted to change. i had my first operation at seven and i guess even though my parents would have asked me what i wanted maybe i didn't know what was going on at the time.

choosing a BA...i guess cos of the whole 'it's pointless' thing, because it's so broad. i don't even know if i want to teach any more. i don't know what i want to do. i hate it. even though i really like the units i'm doing i have no idea what exactly i want to do with my life...and the only real thing i can do is teaching. everyone else seems to be so sure of themselves and here i am going 'doodeedoo hmmm maybe i'll do this, maybe i'll do that' and it sucks like crazy because i need some certainty here.

so yeah, that's my life at the moment, for whoever reads this.

TO ANYONE WHO ACTUALLY READS MY BLOG (IF ANYONE):

If you exist, then thank you. I like to write very much and just saw this as another way of doing so.

If I can make at least one person smile/feel happy...well that's what I live for essentially!

It's quite nice, this blogging lark...when I remember to do it, that is.

April 20, 2010

Today marks eleven years since the massacre at Columbine High School.

To all those who died: Cassie Bernall (17), Steve Curnow (14), Corey DePooter (17), Kelly Fleming (16), Matt Kechter (16), Daniel Mauser (15), Daniel Rohrbough (15), Rachel Scott (17), Isaiah Shoels (18), John Tomlin (16), Lauren Townsend (18), Kyle Velasquez (16) and William 'Dave' Sanders (47) - may you have eternal rest.

To all those injured: Brian Anderson, Richard Castaldo, Jennifer Doyle, Stephen 'Austin' Eubanks, Nicholas 'Nick' Foss, Sean Graves, Makai Hall, Anne Marie Hochhalter, Patrick Ireland, Michael Johnson, Joyce Jankowski, Mark Kintgen, Lisa Kreutz, Lance Kirklin, Adam Kyler, Stephanie Munson, Patricia 'Patti' Nielson, Nicole Nowlen, Jeanna Park, Kasey Ruegsegger, Valeen Schnurr, Daniel Steepleton, Evan Todd and Mark Taylor - may you have made a strong recovery.

To all others directly affected by the tragedy at Columbine: parents, teachers, friends...may you be able to overcome your grief and see the positive in each day.

To the killers, Dylan Klebold (17) and Eric Harris (18) - may you also be granted eternal rest and peace despite your actions.

May we all learn something from the Columbine Massacre - to value our lives, ourselves and the people around us, because we never know when they could be cut short.

May we remember Columbine.

But most of all, may we find it in our hearts to forgive.

i have a really sore neck right now. i think it's because i've been tilting it or something. i don't know.

the sky is black and it's only 6:50 pm. daylight saving confuses me.

i smell cheese. grilled cheese.

the person who i care for intensely has no idea. at least i don't think he does. i have an aching desire to tell him how i feel...even though he may freak out...even though...oh i don't know...chill out sophie.

i think i spend too much time thinking.

i wish i could overcome my doubts and worries (some of the stupid ones) but i suppose we all have our preoccupations and mine just happen to be of the irritating kind.

in with gothic literature, out with twilight. no one can beat mary shelley/bram stoker/horace walpole/i'm sure there are many others.

i want to read the castle of otranto by horace walpole. i haven't read much gothic literature but really want to try it.

there is a moth outside my window

it's gone now.

it's strange to think that now as the day is ending for me it is starting for someone else.

death ends life, not relationships - mitch albom.

...

I LOVE YOU.

There. I've said it.

And you'll probably never read it.

Current Infatuations

LINEN!

I recently bought myself a linen jacket, similar to this one but without all the buttons, and I absolutely love it. It's really warm but also really cool! And it has pockets!

Tea Accompaniments.

Great Expectations

Charles Dickens

I'm doing literature at uni, and we have to read this book.

So I casually opened it, just to get an idea of what it was about, and literally COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN.

It is seriously one of the best books I have ever read.

We also have to study Austen. Somehow I don't think Sense and Sensibility will be greeted with as much enthusiasm.

I think I'm just over Austen, I don't think the years of studying her in high school really did my impression of her any good.

But anyway, back to Dickens. I found this book seriously brilliant. Dickens' writing style combined with a great plot really makes it a sensational read.

If you haven't read Great Expectations, you should.

Next stop: David Copperfield.

Musing.

i love. i try not to hate anyone even if they are to me the worst person i have ever met.

i love music. it is so calming. i love it how it always seems to be the worst songs that you can’t get out of your head.

i love my friends and family, and i love to make them laugh, smile and know that i love them.

i’m not very tall but i’m getting used to it, though banging my head on the cupboard door in my kitchen will never stop being painful.

i try to stop being such a mess but i guess everything accumulates.

i love dancing and singing, neither of which i do professionally.

i love feeling accepted or like someone loves me.

i forgive my parents for giving me the wog gene.

i hate being late for things.

i hate being impatient.

i love apples.

there's that sound again, it always comes out from my computer. i think it’s the fan.

i'm nowhere near perfect and i’m happy with that. perfection is overrated anyway.

i enjoy talking and walking with special people. you know those times when you’re with someone and you feel like you’re the only two people on the planet? i love those times.

i hate the word ‘moist’.

i love the feeling of exercise.

i can’t wait for friday.

i have an awesome family.

i have to book driving lessons otherwise my mum will nag me until i’m thirty.

i wear jackets and things with pockets and bandanas and jeans and earrings and vests and a smile.

Tea Accompaniments, With An Ounce Of Hyperventilation.

OH WOW.

I found out last night that probably my favourite author ever, Mitch Albom, is going to be at an 'Author Evening' at a bookshop about 10 minutes away from where I live! If you've never read any of his books you should, he is amazing. I AM SO EXCITED. I have read a few of his books and loved them. :)

I'm phat.

So I'm home alone, and I started watching this show:

Personally, I found it disgusting. The intense pressure placed on girls and women to be thin is seriously horrifying. I felt like retching at images of Keira Knightley's shoulder blades and Kate Bosworth's collarbone and ribcage. Seriously. Don't these people ever eat? They'd get blown away in a light breeze.

And yet, they are renowned for their body image. They are paid to flaunt their bones.

What is wrong with society? The world is seeming to embark on a significant starvation revolution with the overwhelming need to be skinny rising up the agenda.

I exercise and watch what I eat, but I'm curvy and happy.

Funny how eating more than a salad a day actually makes you feel good.

Current Infatuations

Wow ok! I am going to tell you about the wonder that is Bircher Muesli. I love this stuff. I have it pretty much every day, and boy, does it taste good. You know that stuff that tastes really really good for you? Well, that's Bircher Muesli. Basically you soak the rolled oats in orange juice overnight/for a couple of days and then I like to add natural yoghurt, fruit (passion fruit is good, as is banana) and sometimes honey.

BY THE WAY!!!!!

Check out this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zr_MJAOyOeU

It wouldn't let me embed it. Sorry. But I lovelovelove this song!!!!

Tea Accompaniments.

Telling Tales

edited by Nadine Gordmeyer

After a long time trying to find something adequate to quench my literary thirst, Telling Tales answered my search. I loved this book so much I borrowed it out from the library twice (which, I assure you, I only do if I REALLY like the book). I didn't endeavour to read it simply because it features works from writers such as Susan Sontag, Woody Allen and Margaret Atwood, or because the proceeds go towards educational programs discussing HIV/AIDs.

No, it was a combination of the two, the fact that all these authors, from vastly different walks of life, could unite to raise awareness of the widespread and devastating problem that is HIV/AIDs. These are works of the highest calibre, and I know that I will once again have to renew this book from the library in order to read it a third time.

I give it 4.5 stars.

Bite Ya Bum.

The recent celebration of our national day got me thinking - I am, painfully and potentially irrevocably un-Australian. I'm not tanned (I'm the equivalent of living, breathing paste). I never frequent the beach. I don't know how to surf or play rugby (soccer is more my thing). I have no idea how to throw a boomerang (I'd probably decapitate myself), fish, light a barbecue, and I can't remember the lyrics to 'Tie Me Kangaroo Down Sport' - actually, I don't think I ever learnt the lyrics. In my defence I do watch the cricket, but I don't think many other people do so that probably doesn't count.

So my only saving grace is language and the wonder that is Australian slang. Sure, I don't say 'Austray-an', but I have friends who do so they make up for it. Yet language in itself divides us. It's hard to believe that we're all from the same country with the number of Australian accents we've got going. The one thing that truly unites us Aussies is joy in the complete naivety of foreigners. Boy, do I love taking the mickey out of tourists. My dad's sister recently came over from England with her husband and kids, who all have polished Yorkshire accents. The number of times I had to refrain from laughing when they didn't understand what I'd said! Yet for people who describe 1:30 as 'half-one', who call a ute a 'truck' and who say 'trousers', they do pretty well. Though I'll never forget the time when I once said 'No worries' to a foreigner, who then replied 'Why do you think I'm worried?'

Just in case there is another deprived soul like myself who does not know the lyrics to 'Tie Me Kangaroo Down Sport', our trusted friend Wikipedia describes it as 'one of the best known and most successful Australian songs'. So get learning.

Calling it a day.

Game, Set, ARGH

Who doesn't like to watch a bit of tennis now and again? Sure, if you look away for even a second you risk missing a fantastic volley or the like, but you can't deny it's a highly entertaining sport - and a direct cause of its addictive nature is the increasingly prevalent 'tennis grunt'. No two grunts are the same. You have Maria Sharapova's imitation siren wail, which was said to reach a record 101 decibels at Wimbledon. There's the Williams sisters' one sided screaming matches. And who could look past Yanina Wickmayer's 'whoopee'?

But is the grunt necessary? An increasing number of people are labelling it as cheating, a way of throwing of opponents by producing an inhuman shriek capable of causing deafness. And frankly, I don't blame them. I mean, look at Roger Federer. He always goes out on the court looking calm and relaxed, and he never makes a sound.

Makes me wonder why he wins. :)