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dolorous_ett wrote:dolorous_ett wrote:theregoesyamum has supplied it! And it was really, really easy! It turned out to be sooooo easy that I was tempted to delete the whole question. But I decided to leave it, so that passers by could point and laugh.
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omniocular Post-War Challenge. It's going to have to be quick and dirty because I'm very busy, but what the hell...![[profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
synaesthete7) lined up for this - but the tables are large in the Leaky Cauldron, and I think it'll take quite a lot of quiet disapproval for Blaise to cotton on...
krislaughs and swythyv, I have found the settings and sent the vile grey boxes packing. I don't much care for this sappy mauve colour - but it'll do till I can find something that's a bit more me. It's not a personal statement, OK?
I'm not a hopeless cook, but I'm a joyless one. I dislike doing more than the bare minimum - and yet at the same time bad food depresses me. Because I lived in China for years (where Western ingredients were impossible to find and food cooked by others was as cheap as it was delicious), my Western repertoire is very limited. I can make a passable south-western Chinese spread, but it takes forever - once term starts there's no way I'll have the time to do that every day. The other alternative is bought food, which is expensive and often not really good for you.
After Christmas at my parents', and lots of my mum's good cooking, I've realised I need to smarten up my act a bit. I have a small repertoire of boring dishes I cook - and I'm sick of them.
For this reason, I'm really hoping that some of my nice, knowledgable F-list can supply me with recipes, short cuts, book recs or any other recommendations that will help me prepare food that won't take all evening and is relatively easy to prepare.
All help greatly appreciated!
( On the presents I got this year - in particular, a small metal bat. )
Did any of you get anything that just hit the spot like that - a present that was just the right thing in the right place? Tell me, if so - I'm in a mood to collect cheerful experiences.
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But actually it's another nice present that I need to ask about. I've been given some money earmarked for a decent stereo system (my current one still works, but it's a bit delapidated even by my standards), and have realised I've no idea how to go about buying such a thing.
Have any of you had any experience of buying such stereos recently? Do you have any advice - things to avoid, brands that are good etc? I don't have a huge budget, but is it worthwhile paying a bit extra to get DAB?
It's such a long time now since I posted the first half of the words-and-chickens story I'm writing for the ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif){kind=small}
perposterice challenge that it's in danger of sinking without trace. But I'm determined to try and finish it before the New Big Project begins, in spite of all the work and whatnot I've had to do - and despite the fact that the deadline for said challenge fic is long gone. If you're interested, the first half can be found here.
It's taken me a long time to work out what's holding me back, but I've just realised what the problem is - one subplot is a bunch of chickens seized by collective religious mania, and I've really no idea how the chickens would react. That's understandable, of course - still, I reckon I could wing it (if you'll forgive the expression) if I just knew a bit more about chickens. So I would love to know the answers to the following questions:
If there's anyone who feels able to act as a chickpicker for me, I'd be most grateful.
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Other news: I've been to see a film called Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Have any of you heard of it? It really was quite good. I'm not going to comment on it though - I was very tired after an insanely busy week at work, and I bought a large bag of popcorn, sat back and let it all just wash over me. As a watching strategy it has much to recommend it and I had a lovely time (apart from the sad bits), but it doesn't make for great reviews. If you are fond of such, go to my friends page, where many clever things are being said on the subject.
My next door neighbour is a mind reader. She only throws noisy parties when I am ready to weep with exhaustion and desperate for sleep. But it would be immoral to kill her nonetheless, because Killing is Wrong. Right?
branchandroot
