Neil Gaiman.
Is. Writing. (Or has written)
A DOCTOR WHO EPISODE.

*dies from fangirly glee*


So, so, so need to get those writers week talk tickets.

So, since we had Monday off as a regional holiday, my assessment this week is on Friday/today.
However, my group has an afternoon session, so we start at 11 in theory and go into the kitchen at 12:30.

We're doing pasta (and accompanying sauces) so at least the results will be tasty.

Wish me luck~

I tend not to do write ups for the Jaz Parks series, mostly because they are delicious literary junk food for me* and because I read through 1-4 in the space of a month or so and you probably didn’t want to read about me spazzing about how I loved the action and the romance was smushy, but not overly so and the characters had a laugh at themselves too.


But this is the latest book, just released, so I feel as if I should give some points of note (that aren’t commentary).
( Some points of note... )

( ...a few annoyances... )

( and some commentary )

( BONUS FOOTNOTE! )

So, the aftermath of the busy-ness is that I am up one cat tail and useless set of cat ears and have 87.5% (or 17.5 out of 20) on my assessment.

The picnic was fun, as all cosplay events usually are, and for once I did not crash and sleep for two hours afterwards.
Both of these facts are probably influenced by the fact that it wasn't exactly sunny on Saturday.

I still need to finish my kitchen design.

*may spam later on with book posts*

30 out of 35. :D
Although I'm not sure if the final score was 35 as there were some things that were on the marking schedule that weren't actually marked. So the out of may be slightly less.

Apparently need to work on my piping though, which yeah, I can understand, but this is pretty much the first week we've done any pastry piping...

So, happy for this week's assessment. Next week is fish, and the assessment seems easy. (Two items, although there is NOT two items on the marking schedule. It's more like four.)


Fun stuff shall have to be later.

In the meantime, I've settled on what pairing/person 'Bloody Game' is best suited for. Doctor/Master.
Yes, in that order and bonus points if it's genderswap for the Master.

I've also found that 'The Time it Takes' is the Doctor, and that even though the lyrics don't match up, 'Just be Friends' is GwenIanto.

COMPLETELY OFFTOPIC, but the sight of David Tennant in a red velvet jacket is hilarious. And makes me want that jacket.

As of this week I am back at course, I shall require the usual tidings of luck for my assessment... at 8 o'clock this morning. (Yes, I shall be going to bed as soon as I've posted this.)

It's pastry (for what seems to be the fifth time) and we're doing handmade puff pastry and choux pastry. And while it's been absolutely fine in lessons, I'm getting this foreboding feeling of DOOM.

Eh, I'll let you know how it goes. As well as give you a list of the (good) fanfics I've been reading on the bus and the myriad of plot bunnies which I can't be bothered to actually write but still wish to share.
Oh, and I should do the assignment we're supposed to do as well sometime in the next few days...

So... twenty minutes away from a new year over here.

A little bit nervous, because OH MY GOD, TIME IS MARCHING EVER ON, but really hopeful it will be better than this one, at least in terms of academic success. (Although I could do without the work experience and I still don't know if I want to wake up at five in the morning for five months. And nineteen feels so old when you're looking at yourself and realising you're an adult and should be doing stuff like making money and meeting people.)

So yeah. 2010 had better be a brilliant year, otherwise I'll be tempted to bandsaw off its balls or something else appealingly alliterated.

Happy New Years from New Zealand everyone!

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!

Or just an EXTREMELY pleasant 25th, depending on what you do.

I have no idea if this is intentional, but I do find it ridiculously funny that there is a section of a Wikipedia article labelled 'Over 9000'.
The article in question is the Roud Folk Song Index which is kind of staggering in its length. Over nine thousand indeed.

It's kind of interesting going through and clicking on song names that are interesting too. My favourite so far has been Lady Isabel and the Elf Knight which is awesome, because the titular lady kicks ass.

Another one that was delightfully diversionary was Sweet Polly Oliver, which I recognised of course from Monstrous Regiment and had fun looking at all the Female Wartime Crossdressers. *proceeds to list all the ones she likes* Ulrika Eleonora Stålhammar, Deborah Sampson, Christian Cavanagh/Kit Cavanagh, Maria van Antwerpen and finally, one that's a bit weird Enrique Favez.
I have to say, I'm particularly amused by the fact that quite a few got military pensions and several were praised for 'preserving their chastity' during service.

And, somehow, I ended up looking at macaroni penguins.

80% or 24/30 (give or take a mark)
And the assessed items were very tasty. Although I got pinged for seasoning, yet again.

Here, have some music to celebrate.

( The Brunettes - If you Were Alien )

( Blood Red Shoes - It's Getting Boring by the Sea )

( Minuit - 25 BUCKS )

( Giana Factory - Bloody Game )

( Lucid 3 - AM Radio )

Assessment in... THREE hours.

Oh god I hope the brioche will turn out all right.
Least I don't feel sick or headachy though.

Wish me luck guys, I'm going to need/knead it.

I got to watch ‘Waters of Mars’ last Sunday.
And it was good. As good as people were saying.

( Except now I REALLY hope that– POSSIBLE SPOILERS HAPPEN )

Wish me luck for my soup assessment tomorrow morning guys.
Because I'm now in Diploma and everything's supposed to be tougher.

Lace trimmed scarves

Ruffly umbrella
I want to do this. When I get an umbrella that isn't plastic. Isn't it the cutest?

Button brooches
Yay, something to do with the buttons in the button tin. Even though I don't have any really pretty shank buttons. (Unless kitties count.)

Not a specific tutorial link, but a blog's tag for 'dolls' and awesomely cheap ways to make clothing and accessories for dolls. (The dolls the posts are written for are American Girl style dolls, but dolls are dolls, right?)

And that is it.

ETA: Except this is a rather fascinating photo. You can see a fake tooth!
Also, 'x-ray kissing' sounds like the name of a band.

My feet are still recovering from this last week in the bistro at course. Spending four days in which 6-7 hours were spent on my feet has convinced me that I really do not want to do restaurant work.

Firstly, have an actual link.
Yet another reason why kissing is good for you.
If science is not wrong and you are female and plan to have kids some time.

Then have some videos.

( First is Lil' Cthulu, which is absolutely adorable. And the thing I was talking about at Jenny's birthday. )

( Second is a really weird, but hilarious video on how to make a McNuggetini )

( Thirdly is... a remix of John Barrowman dancing set to Beyonce's 'Single Ladies'. About two thirds of the way through, there is something resembling an Irish dance step. )

In RL news, today/Monday I am front-of-housing. For dinner. *dies*
Also, never have a barbeque with twelve chefs. Too many chefs, while not spoiling the broth, does make it rather awkward as everyone wants to do something and actually knows how to do it, but there isn't enough things to do.