My Blue Heaven

Moofies

Narnia was out here last Thurs. Watched it on Fri night. T’was pretty good – it followed quite closely to the book (from what I can remember of it). Next up, King Kong is out this thurs. Looks good too.

Ooh and I saw the teaser trailer for XMen 3… looks phwoarsome! May 2006. Can’t wait!!!!

So I made myself some real homemade miso soup last night. It turned out rather well. Quite pleased am I. My dinner consisted of fresh salmon sashimi (from the fish stand at the asian market at Colindale), a big bowl of miso soup, some yakitori stir-fried mixed vegetables and boiled rice. Very yummy and healthy dinner. Mmm.

Current listening :: “Happy is a yuppie word” – Switchfoot

Bonito, miso, udon.. japanese food = yum!

Kwai took me on my first shopping trip to Oriental City in Colindale, London on the weekend. First stop was the asian (oriental for the locals) food court… man I was in food heaven! Every kind of asian food outlet imaginable… chinese, thai, malay, singaporean, japanese, korean, vietnamese. Mmmmmm…. *drools* We decided to tackle the huge array of choice buffet style. Some dim sum from here… some satay sticks from there.. and some roast pork/duck from another. My eyes were definitely bigger than my stomach.. but luckily we didn’t buy everything at once. I was suprised how quickly I got full. Will have to take another trip back to try some of the dumplings and other stuff!

Anyways we next stopped at the asian (oriental for UK’ers) supermarket. Heaven for buying asian groceries. They had sections for different cuisines – again – japnese, korean, chinese, thai etc. We hit the Japanese section first.. and never made it any further. I’ve discovered japanese cooking! And it isn’t as hard as I thought! I’m gonna learn how to make a wicked udon noodle soup, miso soup, teriyaki or yakidori chicken.. even miso yaki beef… or karaage chicken… mmm! I discovered on this very cool weblog a few basics in japanese cooking. Such as the basic jap soup stock consists of two main ingrediants – bonito flakes and kelp. Thats how they make that yummy udon soup.. and miso soup.

So now I have added to my kitchen white miso paste, bonito stock powder (which contains kelp already), some udon noodles, kikkoman slightly-sweet shoyu (soy) sauce, a tube of wasabi, and yakitori sauce. Last night I cooked udon noodle soup and vegetables with a bit of miso paste added to taste. And some yakitori chicken pieces. Mmm.. it was delish! Still need to fine-tune a few things.. but very excited am I at the prospect of learning how to cook all those delicious japanese dishes. Gonna try getting some bulk sashimi too to slice up. Mmmm. Tonight I’m gonna make some real home-made miso soup. With miso paste, bonito stock, wakame seaweed and tofu. Yummy AND really healthy. Only problem is that japanese ingrediants (particularly good quality, non-msg ones) tend to be rather expensive. Esp over here.. being imported so far.

And finally I’ve discovered the nicest japanese green tea ever. Its by the company Ujinotsuyu – who make the really nice genmai cha (green tea with roasted rice). They also do sen cha… and we found this High Grade stuff.. loose tea leaves in a sealed foil bag.. 100g for 10 quid! But its GOOD stuff. Looks like real fresh leaves when you pour water in, not like the usual dried stuff. And it tastes soooo good. Quite different from your typical cheaper stuff. Really soft clear taste.. even the strong dregs aren’t bitter. I think I’m becoming a bit of a green tea connosiour. Hehe. Mmm.

Ooh check out my new Yahoo! avatar. (Thanks Viv for the reminder).

Current listening :: “These are the special times” – Christina Aguilera

Rant alert

Is it just me or are there more uptight, self-righteous, with-a-stick-up their-arse kind of people in the UK than there are in Australia? Yes I’m probably making gross generalisations.. and yes I’m actually referring to particular incidents. I guess I’m just having a bad day.

There are 2 things in particular that have gotten under my skin today – 1) self-righteous nosy neighbours with MAWS (middle aged woman syndrome) and 2) ridiculous company policies (prob maws related too).

Issue 1 is a bit complicated, so I’ll try not to get into it too much now. In short, I recieved a letter from a neighbouring flat informing me that they called in an “Environmental Health Officer” in response to noise from my flat. This apparent call was made (I say apparent, coz it is highly possible that she is bluffing) at 2pm on a Sunday afternoon!!!! And what was I doing at that time? I had some music (Jamiroquai) playing on my stereo/computer and whilst doing my vacuuming. No the music wasn’t very loud at all.. it was a fair volume – being a weekend afternoon – but it wasn’t like “party” loud. The letter states that she has made “repeated requests to you .. to please turn your music down”. Okaay… if banging on someone’s roof constitutes making a “request”, then I suppose she has done so. She goes on ranting about other crap, trying to sound all formal and intimidating. I’ve been told that if she has indeed made a complaint, then I would recieve a letter from the council. Which I haven’t yet. I’ll wait a few days.. and if no letter arrives, I might call her bluff by going up and asking her (politely – which is more than she has done for me) for copies of the documents written by the Health Officer when they visited, and for copies of the “crime reference number” and letter from the police (she states in the letter that a “crime reference number has already been allocated in reference to Flat 3 and the police have sent written permission to call 999 as and when further incidents of harassment occur”). I think I can smell bollocks in the air with this one. What do people (particularly those in the UK or who know about such things) think?

With issue 2, we’ve just been told that we’re “not allowed” to eat lunch at our desks as a new company policy. If its cold food/sandwiches then we can eat at a table set aside for lunch. If its hot food then we’re to be sent off to eat in this tiny storeroom so that the food doesn’t make the office smell of food. I mean that is absolutely ridiculous – telling someone where they can and can’t eat their lunch. I’m certainly not going to sit in isolation in a storeroom to have lunch every day. Almost makes me want to go back into contracting so I don’t have to deal with this office politics & policies crap.

Argh I’m so pissed off at the moment. Why are some people so annoying? Perhaps they feel they have to spread their misery to others. Grrrr. Not Happy Jan.

Current listening :: “Respect” – Aretha Franklin

Geek talk

Been trawling through geek articles this morning at work in an effort to make the new redesigned e.s.p.a.r.e.s website that I’m putting together as.. standards compliant and up-to-date with the best web practices and white-hat SEO (search engine optimization) as possible. Not an easy task when the whip is cracking as time runs short. I wish I had more time to read through the articles in A List Apart. Some are even rather amusing.. I just have to share this exerpt from an article about SEO.. regarding the W3C site:

“W3CÂ’s site houses a collection of proposals, drafts, and Recommendations, written by geeks for geeks. And when I say geeks, I donÂ’t mean ordinary web professionals like you and me. I mean geeks who make the rest of us look like Grandma on the first day SheÂ’s Got Mail.™”

Heeheehee…

With all this fairly recently found knowledge of standards in CSS2, XHTML etc etc.. I really should update my own website, which is probably a shocker if you ran it through a W3C standards check. Plus it’s littered with the misuse of tables.

Journeying back to fitness!

Anyway, enough geek talk! I went to dance class last night! First time in…. months! I went to Sheila’s jazz at Pineapple. Man… I felt like such a beginner. Reminded me of when I first started taking jazz classes, feeling totally clueless and un-coordinated. But it wasn’t too bad.. I got the routine in the end, yay! And I’m not quite as unfit as I thought I was. Still nowhere near as strong as before – somewhat flabby in places that once were tight and toned. *sniff* Ah well… I’m on the journey back to fit and healthy goodness again. I’ve also joined a gym here too… finally! I joined up with LA Fitness (platinum membership, which means I get to use any in London – and there’s one quite near my place) and will be attending my first Hatha Yoga class tonight! Yay for exercise and yay for feeling great!! 🙂

Current listening :: “Time” – Ben Folds

Working weekends already

Being at work on a Saturday kinda sucks. I guess its only a short term thing as there are some really majorly tight deadlines in the coming month. But I’m starting to get very bored today.. putting these info pages together is turning my brain to mush. Hence I’m finding some temporary solace in my blog.

It’s really not that bad I suppose – I didn’t have anything planned for today, was able to rock up later than normal, and it’s a much more relaxed atmosphere. Perhaps a little too relaxed, as I found myself drifting off a bit at one stage. But I think that is just end-of-week tiredness speaking. It’s been a long week.

Anyways, tonight is my work’s christmas party. We’re going to a comedy club called Jongleurs over in Battersea, which is only a few streets away from where I used to live! Quite close to our office here in Chelsea too. I think everyone is meeting here at work at about 6pm, which I suppose is perfectly convenient for those of us working today.

Oooh I’m christening my new leather fur coat with it’s debut at the xmas party tonight! I love this coat.. just so gorgeous. 🙂 Some drunk better not spill any beer on it or “somebody gonna get a hurt real bad”. 😛

*sigh* I miss my bf. Long distance relationships ain’t easy. But I suprised myself. Never thought I could do it. I’d always subscribed to the theory that a long distance relationships could never work. But it has. And he’s back from Frankfurt on Thursday.. when it will be long-distance no more. Yay. 🙂 Hrm.. this is rare. I haven’t talked much about him before have I? Well a girl has to have some secrets. 😛 I’ll tell you one interesting fact though – he’s an actor.

Current listening :: “Senorita” – Justin Timberlake

Y.A.R.Q (Yet Another Recycled Quiz)

This Is My Life, Rated
Life:	5.7
Mind:	5.1
Body:	5.5
Spirit:	4.6
Friends/Family:	3.5
Love:	7.7
Finance:	5.8
Take the Rate My Life Quiz

Hehe. Interesting scores. I wonder how differently I would have scored at the beginning of the year. I think my “body” score would definitely have been up in the blue. *sigh* Sucks that I just don’t have time to exercise much these days. No gym membership yet (can’t afford it) and no time to go even if I did. Haven’t even been dancing much yet… but I’m still settling into things, and I fully intend to get back into dance and exercise.

I’ve been thinking about home a fair bit this past week or 2. Just remembering things… people… friends… what life was like back then. Sometimes I think I was happier then. Sometimes I really miss Sydney – particularly my friends. Yes I do really miss you guys (if any of you still read this that is). Life really was great for those few months before I left for London. Had heaps of friends, met lots of cool people… was fit and healthy… full of energy. Not that its not been pretty cool being here too. Its just….. not as good as many people seem to rave about. For me anyway. There have been alot of downers during my time here. (Its been 6 months and 3 weeks exactly now. How time flies!) And yeh… maybe it’s just me, but I’m not really “having a ball” as many people have described coming to London. But I wonder… is it just me.. my mindset.. my negativity. How much difference can ones mindset and attitude make to ones life? Hrm.

Anyways… sometimes I rather dislike London. Its a huge city full of people… and yet you can feel so lonely. It’s expensive, and stressful. Maybe I’m not cut out for big metropolitan city living? Maybe I long to retire to a small sunny town by the sea. Hmm… that does sound appealing… particularly the sunny and sea part. 😛

Please excuse my morbid musings. I’m just typing things as I think about them. I made a list the other day about the things I love and hate about London. Lets see if I can find it…..

Things I love:

• Always so many things to do, so much on, so many opportunities to experience so many different things!
• Being able to get around so easily without a car on the fairly well-established public transport system
• The power of the pound in Europe, being so close to Europe and really cool places like Italy
• Salsa clubs
• Lots of gigs
• The independance
• My bf (well he *is* British!)

Things I hate:

• Transport/travel – takes ages, is crowded and tiring
• Unhealthier lifestyle, fast-paced and stressful – not laidback or peaceful
• Long working hrs – little time to exercise, spend at home and relax, or do things I enjoy
• Going home alone / being alone
• Cost of everthing – so friggin expensive!!
• The cold weather
• Cramped living spaces/buildings/everything!!

Hm… so thats my analysis of London so far. I’m sure there are many more things I have yet to discover. But it’s after midnight now, and this little girlie has to go sleep coz she’s already turned into a pumpkin. And on that note, g’nite all.

Oops final note. Today is my last day on dialup! Tomm I’m getting Homechoice broadband and digital tv installed.. yay! Job is going ok, but I’ve got big deadlines for this Wed and through Dec. Eeek!! Oh and lastly, I’m sick. Managed to get a cold from last week at work (heaters aren’t working properly). 🙁

Current listening :: “Nightingale” – Norah Jones

Cryptic blogging revisited

Welcome to the planet
Welcome to existence
Everyone’s here
Everyone’s here
Everybody’s watching you now
Everybody waits for you now
What happens next
What happens next

I dare you to move
I dare you to move
I dare you to lift yourself up off the floor
I dare you to move
I dare you to move
Like today never happened
Today never happened
Today never happened
Today never happened before

(Switchfoot – “Dare You To Move”)

Just not meant to be

Me and brown scarfs that is. I lost my precious and frequently-worn brown scarf today.. its probably taking a merry round the London tube – Victoria Line. Poo. I hate losing things. And this is the third.. yes, I repeat, THIRD, brown scarf that I’ve lost in the last few years. Grr.

*sigh* Maybe we’re just not meant to be.

Anyways. Its 7:15pm and I’m still at work. Methinks it is time to go home. I did get in at like 3pm today – was waiting around at home for the BT engineer to come fix the phone line (they said between 8 and 12, and he arrived at 1pm).. But it is fixed! Finally! I have internet at home (well.. dialup for now till my Homechoice digital package is installed)! Yay!

Current listening :: “Dip it low” – Christina Milian

Still young at heart! ;)

Heehee. Thanks to Vron for this amusing little quiz.

You Are 23 Years Old

20-29: You are a twentysomething at heart. You feel excited about what’s to come… love, work, and new experiences.

But tonight I’m off to do old-peoples stuff. I’m taking a trip to Ikea to buy some essential furnishings for my flat. Yay.

I said ‘Brrr’ its FREEZING out here

Literally! It has been absolutely frrreezing over here this week… must be at least 0 degrees at night and rarely goes over 10 degrees during the day. I get up in the morning and I walk to the station past cars that are frozen over with a layer of frost on top. Sometimes when I walk home at night, the cars are already frozen over… and it’s only like 10pm. I am so thankful for my big shopping expedition in Brussels.. these puffy winter coats are proving VERY useful! Have made good use of the gloves and scarfs I bought too! The days are sooo short too. I get up at about 6:45am and its still dark. The sun starts setting at 4pm and its definitely dark by 5pm. At least it’s not raining – clear blue skies and sunshine almost every day… looks deceptively warm from inside, but when you step out… brrrr!

Anyway, yes, new job and new flat. I’m settling in quite nicely to both. The flat is very comfortable and warms up very well with its central heating. The shower and bath are really good too – lots of hot water for me to take nice long relaxing baths. 🙂

The job is going pretty good so far. My manager seems to be quite impressed with my work – he told me so on Friday. 🙂 I found and fixed a few bugs in their layout that they didn’t know of / had been stuck on. I’ve also just started developing the front end pages for the new redesigned e.s.p.a.r.e.s website. Gonna be a tight deadline for release at beginning Dec – plus the added pressure that this is the most important website to develop, being their main site with the most hits. But the busyness makes the day go faster.

My hours are 9-6pm, which means I have to leave home by around 7:30am (coz it takes me an hour and half to get in.. Kinda sucks). The people at work are cool – two aussie brothers from Melbourne are the two IT directors.. the developers behind the system. Then there’s the graphics designer and his girlfriend who handles the content. And there’s me now. Quite a small team, but all young and get along well – its like working with friends. I just wish it was located in a more central place – its a 20 min walk from Earls Court station, which is 10 mins from central london. All this walking is surely good for me.. making me fitter hopefully!

In other news

So what else. Other than work and settling into the new flat, I’ve watched 2 movies – FINALLY got around to watching Serenity today! Yay! Damn those reevers are kinda scary. Not at all like starcraft reevers. Hehe. 😛 And I also saw Howls Moving Castle (finally) the other night. I really enjoyed it.. it was not as wierd as his previous movies.. (eg Spirited Away).. and I thought it was rather romantic too. 🙂 Harry Potter came out here on Friday.. Leciester Square has turned into a huge Harry Potter promotion… with big spotlights shining down onto the trees and this huuge Triwizard tournament cup fixture out the front balcony of the cinema. I’ve booked myself a ticket for next friday night… yes you gotta buy in advanced coz first few nights were sold out.

I also went to dance class for the first time in 5/6 weeks yesterday. And boy is my body paying for it today! I. Am. In. Pain. My entire back is in pain everytime I move any muscle in it. Didn’t know the back had so many muscles that could hurt like this. My left inner thigh is slightly.. hurt/injured. Nothing serious… just probably a minor strain coz my legs aren’t used to being used like that. My knees even buckled slightly once during the routine coz my thigh muscles just couldn’t get my body back up again that quickly. I am seriously out of shape. And it sucks lemons. Really gotta get back into shape. I hate being weak and unfit. I want the strength and flexibility you get from dancing. I’m thinking of doing ballet too actually. Its my posture. Its gotten really bad… so bad that my left shoulder is hurting all the time now coz I’m constantly hunching over and tensing my shoulders. I don’t stand up straight and its becoming a chronic problem.


Ok time for me to go home and take that bath I’ve been waiting for! (I’m at an internet cafe… still no internet.. heck not even a connected phone line at home yet!) Sorry about the rather long update. Not having net at home kinda sucks.

Back in town!

Hello again from chilly London town. Yep, I’m back in London now. Lots to say, but no time now. In short, I’m now renting, just moved into my own studio flat up north in Finchley. Also got a new job which I’m starting on Wed. Will update you all with details later, but I’m in a net cafe atm and my time is gonna run out in 2 mins so gotta go! Will modify this post later. Ciao!

ps Special shout out to my melbournite homie schfuller Doonks. 😉