HAPPY BIRTHDAY! I won’t put your name here ‘cos I know you’re very shy like that (hint: he squeals and giggles when he’s trying to pour beer from a bottle into a mug and misses), but HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Yes, I’m putting aside my need to bitch about school just for you. :)

You’re one of the reasons why I heart flickr so much, and I’m glad you’re my friend. :)

xx.

Your lecturer who’s meant to be teaching a class on syntax (which is basically the study of the rules for the formation of grammatical sentences in a language) just said, “Maybe we want to spend some time go over them.”

Oh the irony.

Edit: ARRRRGHHHHHHHH MRRRGHHHHH PFFFTTT she just said, “Where did Harry RAN?” GARGGGHHHH *hyperventilating. Eeeeep. Eeeeeeeep. EEEEEEEEEPPPP.

Can I just say that I love Delicious Library, a cataloging software for OCD-freaks like me who, once they find something to sort/file/paste-in-a-moleskine, literally cannot rest until it’s done. (Or until the system through which I’ll be organizing my things is ascertained.)

Last year, when the bunny threatened to throw out all my cooking magazines (I only read cooking and gadget magazines), I undertook the massive task of cutting out all the recipes (and pictures) that I was trying to save, and pasting them in a moleskine (which I had bought simply because I’d found it cheap). The bunny, I think, regretted this course of action later since there was one particularly memorable night when I lay tossing in bed until she finally got up, badgered me into telling her what was bothering me, and had to go back into the living room to help me count out the number of pages I should set aside for each section. Cleverly enough, she then made me stick SOMETHING on the first page of each section so I couldn’t change my mind - this was indeed a smart move, as the next morning I suddenly figured that maybe it would have been better to just have one book for each type of cuisine. ;p

Anyway, so I used to use delicious.library on my 12″ PowerBook, but when a stroke of misfortune rendered my HDD not usable and I had to change it, it was too tiring to think of manually re-entering each and every individual ISDN from all my books, CDs and DVDs all over again. I heart-breakingly bade farewell to one of my favourite apps.

This year, life has begun anew. My MacBook Pro, as most of you I’m sure know, comes endowed with a built-in iSight. This iSight now scans barcodes of any books, music, movies or games into the system, which then searches online for information (including cover art, synopses, similar titles etc) and hey-presto I have my own library catalogue.

This way, if anyone borrows anything from me, with a swipe and click of the mouse, I can add them to my Borrower’s list, and take note of whom-has-what. :)

Chuffed barely describes the ridiculous grin on my face right now. Bring on the OCD!

This seems to be the common trait amongst my friends, all of whom are suddenly offering to drive me around, rent DVDs, buy beer/wine/drinks, lend me software installation discs for the new computer all for one common thing in return - that I cook for them.

I suppose I’m rather flattered that they all think so highly of my food - one friend has even appointed herself Official Leftovers Bin, i.e. after any time I entertain, if there are any leftovers that will keep in the fridge for a day or two, just call her and she’ll come “help us rid our fridge of the leftovers”. It’s just slightly disturbing since it kinda feels like I’ve suddenly befriended a legion of starving refugees. Read the rest of this entry »

Freaking amazing. (via the fount of useless - but very entertaining - information)

My new 17″ MacBook Pro is here. :) This is about as close as I’m ever going to get to the sensation of being a proud new parent. Ridiculous grin on my face and supreme over-protectiveness of my new baby. Woe betide anyone who threatens to inflict harm on her. Especially considering how big a fuss I had to kick up to ensure she came to me in perfect condition.

I’m still trying to think of a name for this new addition to the happy geeky family, and I actually also never got round to naming my 30D. Nor my 1V. Nor the Pentax ME or Fujica AX-3, for that matter. Oh! I didn’t even name my latest iPod!

Perhaps I should just give up on this naming thing. Haha. Oh well. Named or not, you know I love each one of you ridiculously.

And no, I’m not chucking the 12″ PowerBook out just ‘cos I have an MBP! But if anyone wants to buy her from me and will promise to give her a good retirement home, I just might consider that. (Also the bunny wants to have a laptop in the living room so we can surf and watch TV at the same time. I’m not sure why exactly she seems to think that any of the other two laptops aren’t portable but I’m not complaining if I get to keep dana.)

&t

Apparently, there’s been a sudden dearth of I went to XYZ restaurant and it was AWESOME-esque posts, and I guess as most of you can gather, I’ve been doing a lot more cooking now that we’ve moved out of the rabbit hutch and into a bear cave with a grown up kitchen. Tonight we had another friend and her partner over for dinner, and I’m feeling quite proud of myself for two reasons: 1) I managed to make a mushroom gravy (I won’t call it mushroom juice anymore okayyyy) that I actually liked! Hooray! And, 2) I MADE CRÈME BRULÉE. Read the rest of this entry »

So I called a number of Cold Storage outlets to check if they have vanilla pods and either duck or goose fat (all for upcoming dinner parties), and these are the conversations that ensued.

Cold Storage Gourmet (at Guthrie House)

me: Hi, do you sell vanilla pods?
woman: Huh? What pork?
me: No, PODS. P-O-D-S. Vanilla PODS.
woman: How you spiao again? P-O-D-E-S?
me: No, P for Paraguay, O for Orange, D for Denmark, S for Singapore. PODS.
woman: Oh. Uh, wait I check.

I get put on hold.
woman: Hallo? We have no stock. Anything else?
me: Yeah. Do you sell duck or goose fat?
woman: Oh, we don’t stock that sorry.

Cold Storage King Albert Park

me: Hi, do you sell vanilla pods?
woman: Huh? Ver-nee-rah pots?
me: No, vanilla PODS. P-O-D-S. Like vanilla beans?
woman: Oh. What section one is that?
me: Er, I guess baking section? Or like spices? Seasoning maybe?
woman: Oh. Wait I check.

I’m put on hold again for fucking ever.
woman: Hallo sorry no stock. Anything else?
me: Yeah, do you sell duck or goose fat?
woman: Oh. What section one is that?
me: Er, well, it’s usually sold canned or bottled. So, maybe canned food or something? Or maybe in the deli section?
woman: Oh. Wait I transfer you.

I’m put on hold again.
man: Hi, you’re looking for goose fat is it?
me: Yes. Do you sell it?
man: You mean goose fat, as in foie gras?
me: No! I mean goose FAT. Not the liver!
man: Oh. Wait I check.
I’m on hold for AT LEAST 10 minutes.
man: Hi, sorry, we don’t even sell any fresh ducks or gooses we only sell the frozen ones so sorry we don’t sell the fat.
me: Uh. Ooookay nevermind thanks bye.

I mean DUDE you think I want to buy the RAW fat?! I want to buy the RENDERED fat. Like in a TIN. And it’s GEESE.

Edit: HOOORAYYYY JELITA HAS VANILLA BEANS!

Along with links to lists of other 5-things that sound kinda dirty. Uh.

It’s only Wednesday and already the number of hours I’ve clocked this week has doubled since last week! Hooray!

Anyhoo, considering what other people are bringing to school this semester, I’ve decided to arm myself with my new blow torch. I’ve finally, triumphantly, been able to add one to my veritable army of kitchen equipment, citing this Friday’s dinner party (and creme brulee, which I’m serving for dessert) as my impetus to get it now. Whatever the case, Sia Huat happens to only sell canisters of compressed gas in threes, so now I think I can quite safely arm myself with one canister and keep it in my bag, snug between my umbrella and powerbook, and it’ll be there, ready, should I feel the need to whip it out and toast anyone who pisses me off.

Okay whatever since I’m in school I’m going to pay attention. Later.