So after my great success in making niku jaga on Friday night, since I had tons of potatos and onions sitting around, I thought I'd have a go at making curry. I'd bought curry mix weeks ago, but never got around to actually making it.
So tonight I spent ages and ages preparing the vegetables, cooking the rice, preparing the meat, boiling everything together.... And then I pull out what I think is the curry roux. Except, the thing inside the package is not a set of meltable blocks, but a mysterious bag! And I think, "Okay, not to panic, curry doesn't always come in blocks." So I open it up and start pouring it into my vegetable and meat stew, and I suddenly realize my terrible mistake. This isn't roux at all - it's some sort of curry mix that you heat in the microwave and pour directly on top of rice.
MY MEAL HAS BEEN RUINED. I am a proficient cook, but I cannot win in the face of these odds. Damn you, Japan, for tricking me into buying the wrong thing!
Perhaps I should only be taking this out on my supermarket instead of the country as a whole? Nah, this way is much more fun.
- Rindi
Current song: Solarforce - Ormazd (original mix)
Current mood: Anguished... and hungry!
Monday, September 25, 2006
Friday, September 22, 2006
Cooking Adventures
I finally decided that I should start cooking again. Where cooking counts as following a recipe, not just browning some preseasoned chicken in a pan, 'cause I've already done that. xD So at the end of the day, I did a quick scouring of online recipes for something simple and Japanese. I ended up picking out a recipe for niku jaga, or beef and potato stew. One of those homecooked sorts of meals - a Japanese comfort food. It's got the typical Japanese seasonings of brown sugar and soy sauce, so I figured I could invest in those ingredients and use them for all sorts of dishes.
Anyway, long story short, niku jaga pretty much involves browning some meat, adding potatos and onion, water, sugar, soy sauce, and cooking wine, and then simmering for a while until the potatoes are done. Simple, and oh! So delicious. Truely, there's nothing quite like homemade food, and I'm somewhat ashamed for not cooking at all during the summer. But from here on out, perhaps things will change. I would love to learn some octopus dishes, but I'm not even sure that they exist. D: Still, I figure all the octopus tentacles that are sold in the grocery store have to be good for something besides sushi.
- Rindi
Current song: None
Current mood: Happy
Anyway, long story short, niku jaga pretty much involves browning some meat, adding potatos and onion, water, sugar, soy sauce, and cooking wine, and then simmering for a while until the potatoes are done. Simple, and oh! So delicious. Truely, there's nothing quite like homemade food, and I'm somewhat ashamed for not cooking at all during the summer. But from here on out, perhaps things will change. I would love to learn some octopus dishes, but I'm not even sure that they exist. D: Still, I figure all the octopus tentacles that are sold in the grocery store have to be good for something besides sushi.
- Rindi
Current song: None
Current mood: Happy
Sunday, September 17, 2006
Notes Before Sleep
Okay, I've been holding off on posting because I wanted to write up some further thoughts on Ged Senki before going any further. After examining the Earthsea series in slightly more depth, I can now affirm that my prior feelings of unease really were the beginnings of disappointment. Seriously, Ghibli! The way that you've mangled the series is unforgivable, especially now that I realize that all the shadow stuff did come from the first book like I suspected. Fans of the series will be very disappointed when they view the movie - I guess this is why it's better to watch a movie without knowing the book series that it's based on because that always leads to disappointment. Studio Ghibli, please go back to creating original stories! Even you are not immune to the saying, "The book is better than the movie."
Hm, I do have pictures from my company recreation trip Friday before last, but I haven't even gotten around to pulling those off my camera so don't expect to see them in the immediate future.
I still want Pop'n Music 13, which is to be released in a week or two, but I still suck at the game, so that is sad. Must... practice... Too bad I keep getting distracted by the internets! BTW, my Konamistyle order came in and my stuff is awesome. :3
And now I sleep. Oyasumi... ~_~
- Rindi
Current song: Des-Row - Kagerou
Current mood: Tired
Hm, I do have pictures from my company recreation trip Friday before last, but I haven't even gotten around to pulling those off my camera so don't expect to see them in the immediate future.
I still want Pop'n Music 13, which is to be released in a week or two, but I still suck at the game, so that is sad. Must... practice... Too bad I keep getting distracted by the internets! BTW, my Konamistyle order came in and my stuff is awesome. :3
And now I sleep. Oyasumi... ~_~
- Rindi
Current song: Des-Row - Kagerou
Current mood: Tired
Sunday, September 03, 2006
Movie madness
Well, thanks to my planning inabilities, my original plan to go to Kyoto ended up with me going to Nara park and drawing the afternoon away. On my way back to the train station, I happened to walk by a theater that happened to be playing the lastest Ghibli film, Ged Senki (Tales of Earthsea). Since the next showing was ten minutes away, I ended up paying the 1800 yen admission and watching it. I was very upset because it ended up being based on the fourth book, Tehanu, and I've only read the first two in the series. However, after looking over a brief summary of the book, perhaps it's better this way because I think a lot has been changed for the sake of the movie.
The movie was good, but not amazing. The animation seemed kind of flat, especially at the beginning, and parts of the movie seemed random and pointless (lol, two minutes of annoying singing in the middle). I also missed the abundance of wacky/strange critters that have shown up in earlier Ghibli films, but I guess there was no place for that sort of thing in this film. Still, the backgrounds were love, and I was extremely glad to see that the cute boy in all the advertisements was not Ged after all (Ged's middle-aged after all!).
I was a little bit fuzzy on some parts, especially a lot of dialogue in the beginning of the film, but I'd say I was able to understand 75% of it. Maybe a bit more. Much much better than the FMA movie that I watched last summer - I was lost for most of that one. e_e
P.S. I updated with several posts at once, so scroll down for additional updates.
- Rindi
Current song: Anberlin - Ready Fuels
Current mood: Is hungry a mood?
The movie was good, but not amazing. The animation seemed kind of flat, especially at the beginning, and parts of the movie seemed random and pointless (lol, two minutes of annoying singing in the middle). I also missed the abundance of wacky/strange critters that have shown up in earlier Ghibli films, but I guess there was no place for that sort of thing in this film. Still, the backgrounds were love, and I was extremely glad to see that the cute boy in all the advertisements was not Ged after all (Ged's middle-aged after all!).
I was a little bit fuzzy on some parts, especially a lot of dialogue in the beginning of the film, but I'd say I was able to understand 75% of it. Maybe a bit more. Much much better than the FMA movie that I watched last summer - I was lost for most of that one. e_e
P.S. I updated with several posts at once, so scroll down for additional updates.
- Rindi
Current song: Anberlin - Ready Fuels
Current mood: Is hungry a mood?
Friday, September 01, 2006
Hopeless Fangirling
OMGOMGOMG! I have theoretically spent a lot of money in exchange for some amazing goods! The world should not let me go on shopping sprees too much because I'm starting to realize that I really enjoy them. <_<;
Okay, so I was a lame Pop'n Music obsessee and went and whored out Konamistyle's online store. The English site sucks, but the Japanese site has sooooooo many cool things for sale! First of all, I picked up the Des-row CD that I've been wanting for well over a year (too unskilled to order it last year, since this stuff is only offered through the online store ^^;). One of my favorite Pop'n Music artists! My mom would hate the music though - it's like, rock and rap. So very excellent. XD
I also got the PnM character illustration book that was first released in early July. It sold out really quickly, so I had to wait for it to get back in stock before I could order it. Needless to say, this is an item that I have been desperately wanting for two months or so. It's got character information and animations for all the games from 8, onward to 13. It's going to be awesome. >3
Lastly, I bought some keychains of absolute win. When I first spotted those reissued Deuil keychains, I was all, "OMG, I AM BUYING THOSE IF IT'S THE LAST THING I DO!!!!" They just went on sale two days ago, and I totally got myself a set! Squee! The poses are so awesome. I can't wait 'til they get here.
I guess this is where the 'theoretically' part of my first sentence comes in. The site wouldn't accept US credit cards, so I am paying for my purchase via cash on delivery. Fascinating, as I didn't know you could really do such a thing with online purchases, but fortunate, since I don't have a Japanese credit card. It was exciting - I could specify both the date and time for when the takkyubin would come to deliver my stuff. In some ways, Japanese post is amazing... but that might be because it doesn't directly involve the postal system. ^_^
Anyway, I guess this makes me the worlds biggest and lamest Pop'n Music nerd. Thank goodness there isn't anything else that I'm quite as rabid about. I have plans to get the special limited release of Pop'n 13 when it comes out later this month (expensive, but the extra items will be so worth it), but other than that, I am going to try to limit my purchases. One can really only have so much luxury in their lives, right? XD
----
Following on this post of blatant consumerism, here are some other cool things that I want, but would probably not buy for myself. So if anyone wants to get a jump on their Christmas shopping, listen up!
1. I remember talking to Kelsey about using up the rest of my Barnes and Noble gift card, and I came up with a CD that I would actually buy, but before I could write it down, I forgot what it was! I was kind of upset, but figured it would eventually float back up to the surface. I was just sad that I wouldn't have the chance to purchase it before I headed off to Japan. However, lo and behold! A couple months later, the name has finally come to mind again, and it's something that Barnes and Noble doesn't offer anyway. XD
We used to have this old tape that I loved - Hennie Bekker's Transitions. No one knows what happened to it, but it somehow disappeared. Come to think of it, I'm not sure where Bekker's The Smoke That Thunders tape went to either. Anyway, this is something that I would love to get my hands on someday, as I have very fond memories of it. ^_^
2. I got a recommendation from a friend for a book called Vampire of the Mists, by Christie Golden. It's set in the Forgotten Realms world, which I am quite fond of, and involves an elf-turned-vampire. It sounds very good, and I'd like to read it sometime. Actually, the whole Ravenloft series sounds pretty interesting. :3 Vampire of the Mists is old, but apparently there is a new edition (in paperback!) coming out very soon.
3. Hrm. I'm also vaguely interested in The Yoshida Brothers. Shamisen players for the win. I'd have to relisten to the music samples though... and I wish the samples were from the middle of the song instead of mostly empty intros. D:
4. Buy me Beatmania, plzkthxbai. D<
- Rindi
Current song: Okami OST - Seiankyou Commoners' Quarter <3
Current mood: I am a happy happy little Pop'n nerd right now
Okay, so I was a lame Pop'n Music obsessee and went and whored out Konamistyle's online store. The English site sucks, but the Japanese site has sooooooo many cool things for sale! First of all, I picked up the Des-row CD that I've been wanting for well over a year (too unskilled to order it last year, since this stuff is only offered through the online store ^^;). One of my favorite Pop'n Music artists! My mom would hate the music though - it's like, rock and rap. So very excellent. XD
I also got the PnM character illustration book that was first released in early July. It sold out really quickly, so I had to wait for it to get back in stock before I could order it. Needless to say, this is an item that I have been desperately wanting for two months or so. It's got character information and animations for all the games from 8, onward to 13. It's going to be awesome. >3
Lastly, I bought some keychains of absolute win. When I first spotted those reissued Deuil keychains, I was all, "OMG, I AM BUYING THOSE IF IT'S THE LAST THING I DO!!!!" They just went on sale two days ago, and I totally got myself a set! Squee! The poses are so awesome. I can't wait 'til they get here.
I guess this is where the 'theoretically' part of my first sentence comes in. The site wouldn't accept US credit cards, so I am paying for my purchase via cash on delivery. Fascinating, as I didn't know you could really do such a thing with online purchases, but fortunate, since I don't have a Japanese credit card. It was exciting - I could specify both the date and time for when the takkyubin would come to deliver my stuff. In some ways, Japanese post is amazing... but that might be because it doesn't directly involve the postal system. ^_^
Anyway, I guess this makes me the worlds biggest and lamest Pop'n Music nerd. Thank goodness there isn't anything else that I'm quite as rabid about. I have plans to get the special limited release of Pop'n 13 when it comes out later this month (expensive, but the extra items will be so worth it), but other than that, I am going to try to limit my purchases. One can really only have so much luxury in their lives, right? XD
----
Following on this post of blatant consumerism, here are some other cool things that I want, but would probably not buy for myself. So if anyone wants to get a jump on their Christmas shopping, listen up!
1. I remember talking to Kelsey about using up the rest of my Barnes and Noble gift card, and I came up with a CD that I would actually buy, but before I could write it down, I forgot what it was! I was kind of upset, but figured it would eventually float back up to the surface. I was just sad that I wouldn't have the chance to purchase it before I headed off to Japan. However, lo and behold! A couple months later, the name has finally come to mind again, and it's something that Barnes and Noble doesn't offer anyway. XD
We used to have this old tape that I loved - Hennie Bekker's Transitions. No one knows what happened to it, but it somehow disappeared. Come to think of it, I'm not sure where Bekker's The Smoke That Thunders tape went to either. Anyway, this is something that I would love to get my hands on someday, as I have very fond memories of it. ^_^
2. I got a recommendation from a friend for a book called Vampire of the Mists, by Christie Golden. It's set in the Forgotten Realms world, which I am quite fond of, and involves an elf-turned-vampire. It sounds very good, and I'd like to read it sometime. Actually, the whole Ravenloft series sounds pretty interesting. :3 Vampire of the Mists is old, but apparently there is a new edition (in paperback!) coming out very soon.
3. Hrm. I'm also vaguely interested in The Yoshida Brothers. Shamisen players for the win. I'd have to relisten to the music samples though... and I wish the samples were from the middle of the song instead of mostly empty intros. D:
4. Buy me Beatmania, plzkthxbai. D<
- Rindi
Current song: Okami OST - Seiankyou Commoners' Quarter <3
Current mood: I am a happy happy little Pop'n nerd right now