Saturday, May 17, 2008

I'm off (like that mayo in the back of the fridge)

Dear Internet:

Gone to Europe, see you in June.

xoxoxo

James

Saturday, May 10, 2008

We aren't quite there yet, dear.

In the last century or so, western society has take some huge strides in social awareness and acceptance. Some member cultures moreso than others, but still. Even the most "backward" and parochial of societies in the western world will agree that slavery was probably bad and - as long as they don't do it here - gays don't need to be shot on sight.

We're in an age of information, where hard numbers about inequality and injustice can be generated, and each generation is, roughly, growing up more aware.

But we're not there yet. I hope someday to see a world where the inequalities we see and are aware of are dealt with, and we can begin to tackle the next set of monsters from our psyche.

This is a fantastic article. You should go read it.

James

Labels: I think too much

Thursday, May 08, 2008

I'm pretending it's summer!

Even if it isn't, quite. But it'll be warm this weekend, so the Weather Oracles promise us.

So, for the 3 people in the world who aren't on facebook (not that you read my blog, but hey, if there's one thing Douglas Adams taught me, it's that it's not my fault you didn't know - I announced it.), we're casting the net a little wider for Friday Gaming this week.

There's no regular game on right now, and we're going to be gone for the next three weeks, so it seemed like a good time to have a BBQ. Come on over and eat burgers and hot dogs and hang out. Maybe there will be gaming. Maybe there will be videos.

James

Labels: Friday gaming, geekery

Stuff and Things, 17 and 18

El boring post, a few days late.

Stuff and Things for May 5:
-36.63l regular gas (Apr 24)
-32.0l regular gas (Apr 28)
-33.16; regular gas (May 1)

It really doesn't look like I drive a Prius, does it? But then I look through my call log and realize I put on nearly 2000 kilometers in a bit over a week. Oh. Oy.

James

Labels: Stuff and Things

Sunday, April 27, 2008

Advance warning

Just so the people in my life are warned well in advance:

I will be useless come September.

Remember: you were warned.

James

Labels: geekery, I need a tag for this sort of thing

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Wacky Cake

Cooking isn't Complicated returns after a long hiatus, to show that Baking isn't Complicated, either! At least, sometimes.

Today is wacky cake, one of my favorite recipes growing up, and kids can make it. In fact, I helped Kalen make it last night.

You will need:
8"x8" pan
flour
sugar
baking soda
cocoa powder
vanilla
vinegar
brown sugar
cornstarch

You already have:
small pot
measuring cups and spoons
salt
butter
vegetable oil (for some inane reason, this isn't on the list of essentials. Consider it there now.)
In an 8"x8" pan, dump:

1 1/2 c flour
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 c sugar
1 tsp baking soda
3 tbsp cocoa powder

Mix it around with a fork until it's pretty uniform. Make three holes in the top, and pour in:

1 tsp vanilla
1 tbsp vinegar
6 tbsp oil

Pour 1 cup of cold water over the whole mess and mix it up with the fork. Don't lose the fork! My brother baked the fork in the cake once, over 20 years ago, and he still gets teased about it. I'm just sayin'.

Go back up to the top, and preheat your oven to 350 f.

Put the cake in for 25-30 minutes. Probably better on the long side unless your oven runs hot.

While it's cooling on a rack (don't take it out of the pan), get a small saucepan and dump:

3/4 c brown sugar
3 tbsp cornstarch

Mix them a bit, and pour in 1 1/2 cups of cold water. Stir it around until there's no guck sticking to the bottom, and turn on the heat. When it starts to boil, stir it for 3 minutes, and/or until it gets clear and thick.

Take it off the heat, and put in 1/4 c of butter. Stir until it's a yummy butterscotch colour.

Cut up the cake into 9 pieces (more and less are both sacrilege), and put one in a bowl. Pour butterscotch sauce over top, and eat it with a spoon. Other people can fend for themselves and get their own darn cake.

Yelp because it's still super hot. Eat it anyway.

James

Labels: Cooking isn't complicated

Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Stuff and things, Parts Ten Through Sixteen, Inclusive

Umm, yikes?

Ok. I should have all my receipts, but may have missed a thing or two.

For April 21:
-23.27l regular gas (Mar 11)
-33.48l regular gas (Mar 13)
-12.86l regular gas (Mar 17)
-25.49l regular gas (Mar 17)
-18.52l regular gas (Mar 18)
-4l 5w30 oil, oil filter, cabin filter and gasket (Mar 18)
-Command & Conquer 3 for Xbox360 (Mar 18)
-BSG Season 3 box set (Mar 18)
-Small Favor (new Dresden hardcover, insert fanboy squee here) (Mar 22)
-Epistle-inspring swim trunks, later abandoned (Mar 24)
-33.82l regular gas (Apr 14)
-Exchange program propane tank (Apr 17)
-35.82l regular gas (Apr 18)
-Temp/Pressure relief valve, plumbers tape and a CPVC drip tube for my hot water heater (Apr 21)

And I think that actually covers it...

James

Labels: Stuff and Things

Thursday, April 17, 2008

Update-o-rama

So, in case the silence hasn't been eloquent enough, things have been busy at work and home the last little while. The last two posts were produced from my hotel room in Vancouver, WA, where I was for 2 weeks on a company training course.

A company training course that happened to land me in town for Gamestorm, which was the best co-incidence ever. I got in some good gaming while I was down, and did some road trips to catch dinner with Frank and Sarana, as well as hanging out with Jake and Matt and meeting many of the other faces under that communal roof. I spent some time and some excellent gaming with Ben, which was good because we're otherwise missing each other this year.

Then I got back and spent a week scrambling to catch up and be a useful human again, before disappearing on the weekend for Forge Midwest.

Forge Midwest was awesome. The Madison location was great, I had some excellent gaming, including a couple runs of Reality Cops, and just excellent company and fun overall.

Then I got back and have spent the last couple days scrambling to catch up and be a useful human again. I'm almost there. Soon, I will be able to meander vaguely towards a regular blogging schedule again.

Footnote of the day: If your soul is touched by music, August Rush is a powerful, very moving story. If music is a thing you can take or leave, I suspect it's predictable schlock. I loved it to death, and was moved to tears more than once. But, it's been established in the past that I'm a sucker for schlock.

Also, Nine Worlds again this Friday, or at least, that's what I'm planning towards. Steak and asperagus and nothing fancy or time-consuming is the meal plan.

James

Labels: Friday gaming, geekery