OMG, you guys.

i've done it.

i am so freaking excited about this fic... i just hope i can maintain that so i can finish this time!

who else is signing up???

let's squee together!!!


*points to icon* i think draco might be freaking out a little bit about what we're all planning on doing to him... hee.

I havent' posted in about a week - for several reasons. First of all, bento # 560, 2which should have been a little more celebratory ended up rather pathetic - but then it was made after I came home from a party and I was pretty far from being sober, so all things considered, it turned out ok I think. Then I was busy with various RL stuff, then out internet had a break down (OMG withdrawal-victims screaming and shouting all over the place!)
But now I'm back ^_^

Bento # 650 Spaghetti with tomato sauce, decorated with cucumber, baloney and grated cheese. Roast duck, peas, broccoli, corn cob and a japanese ramune-candy

Bento # 651 Vegetable/pork stew. Bruschetta. Grapes on skewers. conchili tricolore with garlic oil and parmasan cheese. Teddy face made with eggplant-peel.

Bento # 652 turkey "cordon bleu", skewered grapes, ramune candy, cherry tomato. Fried ramen with vegetables, decorated with carrots and cucumber.

Bento # 653 Mashed potato with sausage. Corn cob. Broccoli. Chicken hotwings. Cherry tomato. Carrot.

Bento # 654 Broccoli, corn cob. Cherry tomato. Grape. Shaslik (from a can!) all decorated with carrot. Animal whole grain pasta with shaslik sauce, decorated with shizo furikake, grated parmasan and yellow pepper.

1. Take 1 mildly distrurbing docu-drama.
2. Fold in lashings of moral questioning and bake in a hot oven until Overthought.
3. Sprinkle with RE lesson throwbacks and potential philosophy lectures.
4. Cut into sleepless nights and graphic chunks.
5. Dish onto a plate of nightmares.
6. Serve with a large mug of 'Coping Strategy' tea.

For afters, serve a large helping of fluffy wedding fic with extra champagne. Brush teeth and go to bed.

21415 / 50000 words. 43% done!

I'm watching the Exectuion of Gary Glitter, and as usually, C4 have done us proud with gripping drama.

As someone who only often truly understands and feels things once I have experienced them, this is really getting to me. It's not an "execution" it's a "institutionalised murder", and what it really shows up is how lenient our penal system is. I'm not calling for the Death Penalty by any means, but Life should mean Life, not bail in 6 years.

There are news reports, interviews, and coverage of protests. Even a short word from the coldly named, "Hanging Technician", who reveals he'll have to remain psychologically detached when he pulls the lever.

Gary Glitter is unremorseful and arrogant in this, but the wobble in his lip when the sentence was announced is heartening, and really reached out to me.

It's a war of words and of media, in a country where the politicians decide.

People have complained about this -- indeed Gary Glitter himself is planning to sue (which I think he's right to) -- but I'm interested whether this will make people actually want the death penalty or not. It seems doubtful, as the programme raises some brilliant questions that would be seized upon by an interested RE group or Philosophy class, most with an answer that most of you could tell me straightoff.

Well done C4, it's shock tactics again, but, I applaud you. 

Fall Walk My family has been doing a lot of hiking this fall. As fall is wrapping up I put together this bento to commemorate these hikes. Tucked underneath are some brown rice and herb encrusted fish (leftover from last nights dinner). This is topped with roasted pepper leaves, a mixture of dried apricots and mangoes and some recess pieces.

Finger Tips My daughter is a big fan of the children's craft and cooking show Finger Tips. She saw the recipe for Omelette Faces and asked if we could make them (recipe can be found here). The two best went into Daddy's lunch for the next day, along with some veggies and a tapioca pudding.

Today I've got two drawings! Well, I still only actually drew one of them today. I'm just planning on doing the daily drawing during the work week, but then over the weekend I wanted to use my markers so I whipped up the underoo girls.

( cut for tits )

Illustration Friday's word of the week is "blur" and the first thing that came to my mind was those great flapper dresses designed to swing around at crazy speeds. This is actually my first daily drawing that I've been happy with! Man, it only took me a week.

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I cleaned out the fridge on Friday and packed a bunch of leftovers for Muffin. Lately I just cannot seem to rouse myself to add any "cute" touches, I feel kind of bad about that. But on the other hand, I feel pretty good that I'm even making bento at all right now. Too much going on! So, sorry for the lack of cute. But arranging a lunch bento-style does do an effective job of using up a bunch of little leftovers.

With thanks to taffimai for pointing me in its direction:

For all Torchwood and Doctor Who folks suffering from Fannish Ennui?

Spaceman by kaydeefalls could be just what you need.

It's the kind of vid that reminds me why I'm a fan of these things in the first place. Sometimes I need something to just stop me and make me go "OH!" and this is it right now. Just wonderful

Today's Bento:



( Bird's Eye View )

Left to Right:
1 - Broccoli & Grape Tomato
2 - Onigiri (cylinders) Wrapped in Turkey Lunch Meat and an Egg Sheet
3 - Meatballs glazed with an spicy orange & ginger sauce 
4 - Baby Patty Pan Squash, sauteed
5 - Carrots

WW Flex Points = 7

The glaze I used to coat the meatballs is one I use frequently, it's very versatile and holds up equally as well on beef as it does on hearty fish (like salmon), poultry and pork.  It is the same glaze I used in Bento #40.  I've repeated the recipe here for your convenience.
( Spicy Orange & Ginger Glaze Recipe... )

Things I have done since I last posted:

~ ( Visited a country estate )

~ ( Visited the new Ashmolean museum )

~ ( Discovered the value of proof-reading in a church context )

~ Hoovered and tidied the flat.

~ Started looking at a January holiday. We've found that our vague plans are possible, assuming J has a job and we decide we can afford it.

~ Had a few minor melt-downs, but have kept on recovering.

~ ( Eaten my own body-weight. )

~ Signed up for yuletide \o/

~ Replaced most of my icons with old ones I'd missed and shiny new ones. I really need to rotate them more often and use some of the 800 that I have on file.

Things I have not done since I last posted:

~ Written a word on any of the fics due over the next few weeks.

~ Recorded any podfic.

THIS IS NOT GOOD. My brain feels full of barbed wire at the moment, and it hurts every time I try to do something creative. So my plan for this week is to write *something* every day, even if it's just a drabble. And I'm not going to cheat and post the ones I've already written. You're getting completely new words and stories, even if I have to bleed out of my ears to get them to you.

How was everyone else's weekend? Doing okay? My Monday so far has involved a surprisingly good work meeting and a whole lot of coffee. I'm hoping the rest of the week follows this pattern!

The fridge was utterly devoid of anything resembling a vegetable this evening so I see a supermarket shop in my future!  What I managed to scrape together for lunch tomorrow was a rare roast beef sandwich, homemade madeleines, mini cheddars, a Twix, a plum and some Bel Paese cheese.  

I doubt that this will all be eaten but I was desperately trying to find things to fill space.  What kind of things can I add to the freezer stash for emergencies like this that are gap fillers rather than 'mains'?  I have plenty of larger things in there but it's the little things that are eluding me!

SIMON COWELL: The Most Hated Man In Britain right now?

To sum up: JEDWARD VS LUCIE. GUESS WHAT SIMON CHOSE?

THE WRONG ONE.


GAAAHHHH. *HATE*


Sam Gore: "The Judges are being very inconsisent this year. One minute they say it's about entertainment, then the vocals, then likability. Perhaps when the judges decide what competiton this is, then the public will know how to vote."

( I want it to be Saturday already! )

in other news, things are going to be slightly nuts until next weekend.

i have two papers to finish writing, lots and lots of practicing to do, fics to start, and holly, one of my friends from high school, is coming to visit me over my birthday weekend!

i am super excited to have her here (and introduce her to the boyfriend!), but this means i have to work even harder this week to get everything done.

AND THEN I TURN 23 ON THE SIXTEENTH!

WOOT.

so this means i will probably take a small hiatus until then, aside from some drabbles i'll have to write.

hope you all have been doing well!

*smooches*