Not life's biggest fan right now..
13th June 2006.
Wow, I haven't written in this thing in ages and ages. Don't feel all the inclined to write anything now. But I should.
Haven't been up to much really. Finished teaching chem. Went to Taieri Mouth for Queen's Birthday with Oliver and company. Got rejection letters for all the ministry jobs I had applied for. Applied for some more of the things - rejections on the latter still pending.
23rd June 2006 - Etheldreda, V. With Nocturn. Vigil.
Money is such a depressing thing. I have less than I'd like and it is constantly shrinking. Stupid power bills. And groceries.
Recently Dunedin has been much with the cold and sleet and frosts and generally the sort of weather that leaves me full of snot. Medieval Reading Group has been going well, I think I may be passing as smart-ish. Thesis, less good.
Otherwise my life has been pretty dull. Much Morrowind has featured. And some Oblivion last Sunday morning, after a very drunken night out in the sleet.
Actually, have been drinking more than I ought to recently. Never to great levels of drunkeness, but more frequently tipsy than I'd like. I have alcoholism paranoia.
Also doing well at working on my theobromine addiction. Will not make my doctor happy, but I can live with that (or die from it, either works).
I plan to spend tonight reading S. Morgenstern's Classic Tale of True Love and High Adventure: The "Good Parts" Version. I bought the 25 year anniversary edition, having not yet read the added content.
Too many gaps to fill since I last did a decent job of writing on this thing, so I think I'll just not bother.
It's such a good thing I don't live in New Orleans. I would rapidly become astoundingly rotund.
Neil Gaiman
29th June 2006 - Peter and Paul, App.
I'm supposed to be baking, but I'm procrastinating and putting it off. This may end badly come morning tea tomorrow, when I'm supposed to be providing.
I may make dinner instead, then worry about baking.
Over the last week I've been getting more and more disconcerted that the Ministry of Education has yet to tell me that I either have an interview or am up for some horrible rejection. The other ministries were very quick with their rejection letters, and I am beginning to think I may have to email the Ministry of Education and ask them if my rejection letter has got lost.
Well, catch up since I last wrote. Saturday I went to the pool with Meg and while swimming lengths (for the first time in ages) I did something funny to my knee. AFter the usually aquajogging we went down to Savory Japan for lunch. About then I noticed my knee was quite unhappy. Meg came back to my place to read some comics and play some computer games while I read a little more of Simon Morgenstern's classic tale. In the evening, after visiting Lyall in his new flat to drop some things to him, I went to the festival of lights with Oli and co. After dining with them, on a tiny but stupidly expensive bowl of only mildly above average soup, and watching the lanterns go around the Octagon I decided that I didn't want a night of being social, or drinking, I wanted a night in my nice warm bed reading my book. So after going to the office and doing a little work in the free heating, I headed home to bed and The Princess Bride.
Sunday I went to the office and had the most productive day I'd had since February. It was great. Thesis suddenly seeming not so bad.
Monday, followed from Sunday. Thesis work being done in the office. In the evening I went to Oli's and played Articulate for the evening.
Tuesday, the thesis doing continued. Including a chat to my supervisor about my argument - first there has been in a bit too long.
Yesterday, slightly less productive, on task, but was a bit tired and thus distractible. Ended up doing backing up and the like.
Today, the computer that has been waiting to be set up since January was finally set up, so the office was a bit excited and much of the day wasted making sure it had everything on it that we thought it needed. I also had lunch with my father and caught up with Stew for afternoon tea, having not seen him in months. At about five thirty, when I should have been on my way home (what with winter dark and cold and needing to buy baking supplies on the way), I started playing with Photobooth on the new computer, below is the results.
Hokey Pokey Biscuits
Ingredients125g butter
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon golden syrup
1 tablespoon milk
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
Method
Preheat oven to 180*C.
Combine butter, sugar, golden syrup & milk in a saucepan. Heat until butter is melted and mixture is nearly boiling, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Allow to cool until lukewarm. Sift flour and baking soda together. Add to the cooled mixture. Stir well. Roll tablespoonfuls of mixture into balls. Place on an ungreased baking tray, press down lightly with a fork. Bake for 15 - 20 minutes or until golden brown.
Makes: 22
Special thanks to the Edmonds Cookery Book for this simple and good recipe
