The shrimp brownie – a dish created while at an all-you-can-eat sushi bar in Las Vegas, after a day climbing at Red Rocks. It was acclaimed as a brilliant fusion of east and west, a transitional dish between the main course and dessert.
Category: general
After spending most of secondary school history cursing the fact that we seemed to spend months and months on Aboriginal and early Australian history, rather than on more interesting things like vikings, mummies, and torture methods in medieaval England, I spent a large portion of the last weekend cursing myself for not being able to remember the name of the rainbow serpent.
Thanks to the joys of google, I was reminded that the rainbow serpent is the Waugal (according to Australian Aboriginal mythology, he was an aquatic serpent that travelled over Australia, shaping the land, creating the rivers and waterways).
Note: They just announced this over the loud-speakers at work: “Attention please. The supercomputer switch has now been completed. We are now operating on code ‘white’.” And the red witch has left the coop. I repeat, the red witch has left the coop.
Categories
spam spam spam casserole and spam
Why is gmailing mocking me? I now have an irritating ‘web clip’ bar above my mail. It can post RSS/XML feeds, but it also posts targeted ads. But when I am in my spam folder, it keeps posting recipes involving spam! Savoury spam crescents, spam fajitas, spam quiche, vineyard spam salad, french fry spam casserole, spam primavera, creamy spam broccoli casserole…. and so it goes. Who eats these things? Why are there so many spam recipes? And why must gmail taunt me with them?!
I realised the other day that I hadn’t heard any magpies since I’ve been here. Then I wondered if they had magpies in the US at all. Then I discovered they did, but they were fake magpies. The magpies in the US and Europe are similar to the Australian Magpies in marking, which is how the Australian Magpies got their name. But they’re from a different family. So, no magpies over here. But I did find some mp3s of magpie calls.
For those of you who have never experienced the joy of being dive-bombed by an angry Spring magpie (they’re always angry, and their territory must be well defended), I am sorry. But if you ever do, remember that wearing an icecream carton on your head with eyes drawn on the back will stop them from swooping you (they only come from behind) even if it will make you feel silly.
And for those who have never experienced the joy of having a hoard of baby magpies squawking outside your tent as you try and sleep in – I am sorry. It is a truly memorable experience, and makes you really want to try out magpie-pie.
Categories
Piled higher and Deeper
I love the fact that there is a cartoon that expresses exactly the way I feel about my life as a PhD student. I am not alone: Piled Higher and Deeper. I particularly like Grad student etiquette.
Also, I have tested the new sole on my chaco sandals (resoled with 5.10 sticky rubber). I don’t seem to be falling over on the pavement at all *excellent*
And, in a completely unprecedented move, I have sold my bed, and am now incredibly rich.
Note: Don’t spill milk and cereal on your laptop. It won’t make it happy. And when the milk dries, the soggy cereal flakes that you couldn’t quite get out from underneath the keys become all crunchy, and the whole experience is one I wouldn’t recommend to anyone.