Migration

So I am in the process of moving to wordpress as the widgets and other zippitydoodahs make my blog look a bit more proffesional.

I don't like to be a desserter nor do I like abondoning things; so I hope you understand that this is a proffessional move and I still prefer Blogspot... but the time is to move on.

Ciao.

“Don’t eat the garlic or ginger; it’s only there for flavour.” Hector Vs Ameera: The food round.

 Just a bit of background on this, Ameera is my best ultimo fantastic friend and Hector is my boyfriend. They often challenge each other for my affection, or rather Hector challenges Ameera; we all know my loyalties are with Ameera.

In relation to this, Ameera once gave me chicken fried rice the way her dad did for her and it was so delicious I raved about it and usually bug her into making once a week/fortnight/whenever we get reduced chicken at Tescos.  This finally enraged Heccababyloos into saying “I can make AMAZING chicken and rice, I will make it for you.”

So just over a month after he first said this (yes, he said it more than that once) Hecclebeckle gets his chance.

♥♥♥Ameera♥♥♥	♂♂♀Hector♀♂♂
·         1 whole cooked chicken ·         Cooked rice ·         Cooking oil ·         Low fat natural yoghurt	·         Chicken thighs (1/2 each) ·         Rice ·         Cooking oil ·         Garlic ·         Ginger
Fry chicken in pan for a few minutes, add rice and stir till all heated through. Serve with yoghurt poured on top.	Roughly crush garlic, cube ginger. Cook in with rice. Fry off rice. Fry chicken thighs in inch of oil evenly on all sides. Serve (do not eat garlic and ginger) put chicken thigh on top of rice.

I shall review them separately rather than comparing each mouthful, just because I would end up showing so much love for Ameera and end up sounding cruel to Hector…

First up, Heccababbingbounds Chicken and Rice.

2pm. “Hector I’m reallllllllly hungry.” Biggest eyes, slight tug on the muscled arm, soft kiss on the cheek and then cuddle into him. That is the recipe for getting what you want from a boyfriend. It’s so obvious it doesn’t matter if he reads this; we both know he’s still going to do it in the future. (Yes, my face is quite smug right now.)

2.30pm. I can make chicken and rice. “Won’t be better than Ameera’s” Want me to make it? “Yes” I don’t have my rice cooker or my knife “Why do you need a knife you’re cooking rice” Do you have a sharp knife? “Yes… well, a semi sharp knife” Semi sharp? I need to go get my rice cooker. “Why, that’s just silly” **************************

I am already bored with writing out this conversation, repeat rice cooker and knife a few times, add a couple confused/annoyed sighs, and a sparkling smile and he is finally on his bike (literally, it’s a shiny red one.)

4pm. HECTORIA RETURNS. But he forgot to buy chicken so he runs away to Tesco again (apparently he had gone to Sainsburys which is near his house)

4.20pm. HECTANGLE RETURNS. He sits down next to me. ¬_¬

4.25pm Hecsanova makes a lot of crashing/banging/scary noises at the kitchen  counter.

4.35pm. Hecclibut confers with Ameera on how to cook rice without rice cooker. Agrees impatient high heat is the best way forward.

4.55pm. Hectory sits down and says we have to wait 5 minutes. Ameera comments on burning smell. Hecclebury sprints 4 yards to hob.

5.15pm. Food is ready. Hectally sits next to me… Leaving my bowl on the table a billion miles away but passes Ameera hers. (minus 5 cheezeburgahz! D:< )

5.16pm. BEGIN EATI*** Heccington- “Oh don’t eat the ginger and garlic, its just for flavour.”

Alright, alright, I admit I didn’t need to write all of that, it doesn’t really affect (much) the review of the food. I just wanted you to be in the same emotional state as I was.

The rice, bar the times I had to pull a sneaky skin of garlic off my fork and flick the ginger cube out the way (which was very expertly cubed by the way), tasted divine. The frying gave a slight crunch as needed but it was obviously cooked well (for someone who relies on a rice cooker.) The flavour really was great, I can’t think of words to describe it. The garlic wasn’t strong but it could have been limited by the ginger so you just get an implosion of spice. The two contenders worked well in unison and it doesn’t leave the kind of aftertaste you need to brush your teeth/ eat some chocolate to get rid of. It is a happy aftertaste.

The chicken was succulent and a perfect colour throughout. Although I did have to pull it off the bone with my talent of only using a fork (Yes, rice went everywhere.)

However, Hectorial said that thighs were the best chicken to use, and so I consumed it and will not mark him down on this. It was super yummy.

Ameera’s chicken fried Rice.

Pulls all bones from chicken. Puts chicken in pan, waits, adds rice, waits, serves.

The pillow-soft grains of snow congregate in my bowl, now a slight golden tinge humbles their appearance, but in my eyes it just multiplies their glory. Strips of chicken can be seen, some slithers of roasted skin, some voluptuous chunks trying to cover their modesty in their starchless companions.

I pour the yoghurt in a swirl of longing all over the top of my bowl. It seeps through the lines and curves of the rice and coats the hot roasted chicken with a cool, creamy, slightly milky flavour.

The crunch, cream and chewy textures all marvel your tongue with each mouthful.  The roasted chicken flavour that clings on after the frying makes you nostalgic of Sunday afternoons, the filling rice warms your insides and the yoghurt helps it all flow down with every swallow.

This is comfort food at its best. This is perfect.

Ok… some may say I am biased here. I am not. Both are great, both are beautiful, both are dishes I would eat again and again. But Ameera’s dish has cheese on both sides of the burger when I award a 10 out of 10 cheezeburgah both sides. ;D

Politics…

Putting my face on

So I like very much the template I had been using but like everything in my life I just wanted to change and try something new. If you don't then life is dull and you never progress or evolve.

I realise you don't even care why I chose what I chose, you care even less that I have spent an hour and a half changing, re-changing, choosing and changing back to finally settle.

There was an absolutely adorable background with some chibi-anime style animals wearing clothes and glasses and such not, reminding me of this adorable t-shirt in New Look teens section at the moment.

Bunny Bunny Bunny: The top in New Look :3 The top which I think someone should buy for me.

But that comparison sums up why I couldn't have the kawaii background; it would be rather childish and I need to keep a grown up facade to attract a varied audience... I mean to reflect my very serious and sensible approach to life... (shifty eyes).


There was also a rather snazzy (to use my best friends favourite adjective) pinkish one that looked like contemporary wallpaper. You know that large printed type stuff with swirls and fleur de lis (however that darn word is spelt) that give a rather bold statement. Yet after looking at it for a while it was distracting and the title was difficult to read; a blog that you can't even read the title of would be the blog of an amateur. That is my least favourite way to be described.
 For any one who didn't get that last reference, is the proud owner of a rather black humour and are not squeamish then please watch this

I would apologise for anyone who found that link offensive but if you can't see the funny side I don't want you to read my blog anyway...



I TAKE IT BACK! I TAKE IT BACK! I need all the readership I can get... I apologise if I sounded harsh just now. 

Moving On....

So the backgrounds I found appealing would give derogative connotations and  possibly just annoy any/every one that happens to come by my blog so I settled on blue clouds. I love the colour blue. It is kind, a little sad but it never abandons you whether its in the day or in the night. There is blue everywhere. Plus the clouds are always reminiscent of dreaming and I love dreaming! 


Well, I reckon I have out ranted interest, people probably didn't even make it to the llama link so if you're still reading now I give you two very big thumbs up and thank-you. I think you are a bit strange for wanting to read this, but you have my respect. I would have fallen at the lame title for the post... I've forgotten what I meant by it. Maybe make-up.

Disclaimer for my Past, Present and Future.

Most of the images, (Basically all but a few obvious ones) come from the netherworld that is the internet. I do not own them or have any right to them really but it looks better with them there compared to when they are not. If you have a problem I will delete them instantly, but I am only using them for reference to reviews I write, so it is obvious they are not mine but someone else's.

This was meant to sound like a sincere apology but I just sound like a moody teenager. Ooopsy Daisy. <3 Lets not worry about it. 

“I think I have fallen in love with our serious sergeant, may the best girl win” ^__^

I can always count on my Ameerasama to share with me the joys of anime. Today she and I watched Full Metal Panic: Episodes 1-12.

The anime is based on a separate military organisation thingy called Mithril that destroys all forms terrorism and similar threats. Oh also everyone has huge robotic suits of armour called arm slaves (?) at least that is what it sounded like they kept calling them.

These ASs belonged to Mithril and every/any terrorist and government group. Even they do not know why they have such advanced technology.

This is all the background to the world of FMP; the storyline watches a 16 year old school girl (of course) who may/may not be one of the ‘whispered.’

Want to know what the whispered are? FMP won’t tell you until about 6/7 episodes in. And even then they don’t really tell you the whole story. Basically though there are people who in a separate consciousness know EVERYTHING about technology. 

If you were a terrorist and you wanted to know EVERYTHING about technology so you could have the best what would you do? That’s right; you would kidnap the whispered and do experiments on them.

Therefore, without her knowledge, the main character is assigned a guard of three 16(ish) year old soldiers. Don’t be fooled by their age, they have been brought up in the soldier way, and so think of nothing else but soldier-y stuff. ¬_¬ Oh boy, I have such a fantastic grip of the English Language.

One of the three is a super-serious guy, and it is him that they choose to enrol in the whispered girl’s class.

This boy is serious about his protective assignment, but has little to no knowledge of Japanese High School kid behaviour; so much of the humour is based around him and his interactions.

Like what would happen to any dim-witted boy that is trying to be intimately close to a girl he ends up looking like a pervert most of the time. But as they say, sex sells, and it’s funny.

The first few episodes are kind of silly, but with nothing explosive, thus eradicating the need for the soldier entourage. As soon as they are called off everything changes. There are guns, murder, hijacks, fighting, a taser and kidnap.

“Imagine they are going to catch me, they are going to rip off all my clothes and play with my body. When they are done they will kill me. You hate it don’t you.”

A wonderful quote, it really accentuates the sexual humour in Full Metal Panic. There are so many unneeded panty shots of the girls. But there is no female fan service. So you would think this was a male driven demographic. However, the filler episodes and the lead up episodes have quite a girlish drama associated to them that there must be a female audience. 

I must admit, the panty shots were just so ludicrous and obvious it could be for girl’s sake just to up the humour.

 Sorry, I could't find a still or a youtube clip of all these ridiculous shots, but heres one with Chidori in a bikini.

The show boasts a large amount of talented and special 16 year olds as the cast. Each of them weird and likeable in different ways. Ameera and I are at war over one of the female characters, I think she is a wonderful ditzy edition whereas Ameera hates her till the end of time. 

I award Full Metal Panic 8 our 10 cheezburgah rating. It is funny and enjoyable; you could easily watch it for a while. But the politics are so breezy, they mention them to make a military style dialogue and storyline but they don’t delve into them (Well not by episode 12) so it is an anime to just veg out to and eat (a lot) of cheesecake with.

The calm before the storm... of caramel.

Cadburys Caramel Mini Eggs.

Pulling away the foil in pieces, the sense of frustration rises as you cannot obtain the treasure that waits underneath. It breaks and curls on your fingers; the silver reflecting the electric light above onto that smooth surface that is still a little out of reach. 

It finally comes off, all of it, rolling it into a ball and throwing it aside is gratifying as you now hold the egg between your fingers.

It feels quite firm, there is not give, unlike the Lindt mini egg that softened to the body heat. No, Cadbury chocolate is sturdier, stiffer but inside your mouth you can taste the cream used to get a luscious chocolate consistency.

Once inside, your mouth feels full. It is only meant to be a mini egg but the thing feel much larger, it is strikes you every time, not just the first time you eat it. 

Sucking the chocolate and it slowly collapses inside. And then a rush of caramel swirls into your mouth. The flavour is so much sweeter than the shell it was hiding in. 

But as soon as you discover this golden miracle flowing into your mouth you swallow in surprise and it is all gone. The taste leaving satisfaction behind.

That is, until you pick up the second egg…

Eating a third egg and it does feel a little over-indulging. The aftertaste beginning to leave a dry, coated feel to the mouth. Warm milk should quench the problem left here. But those eggs will definitely be enjoyed again later.

Vivitar 410HD Digital Video Camera- a review most dissapointing.

Vivitar 410HD Digital Video Camera-

As a media professional in training, I thought it would be a good idea to obtain a pocket camcorder in order to film video blogs and such. As a student I didn’t want to part with my money, especially for something that is course related. ;D

I found the reasonably priced Vivitar 410HD DVC at Argos for £29.99 (April 2011 price). They had the one item in stock, lucky me was my first thought; oh how wrong I was.

Being of the sensible kind I obviously forgot to look at whether I needed batteries and a memory card whilst I was shopping. On returning home I found it requires 3 AAA batteries. The kind that all kids toys and remotes want but there is never any in the house. Thankfully I had the recommended 4gb memory card in my digital camera, so I just used that.

As soon as I took the DVC out of the box it felt like a plastic child’s toy. The 180 degree spinning screen is practical but from the first turn I had a fear it would just snap off. It doesn’t lock as such into position and is a real weakness to the machine. 

The USB slides out of the top, hidden under a rubber protector like that on most contemporary phones. I have a memory stick that works the same, when you plug into the computer it can push the USB back, but just holding onto the button will stop this. It isn’t a disadvantage to complain about and it keeps it protected.

The screen size is 1.8inches. This is absolutely fine for filming (the kind of filming you would use a pocket camcorder for) but it made the instructions and descriptions of buttons too small for me to see, and I have pretty good sight! Setting the time and date was fine, and the menu is very easy to navigate. In that aspect Vivitar have a very good simple layout and software system. However the hardware left me unamused. 

The up/down buttons felt chunky and clicked loudly when I used them and the left/right buttons were so light it didn’t feel like you were pressing them except things moved on screen. Well, things moved to the right on screen, whether I was pressing the left of right button.

Zooming to 2.0 was easy using the right arrow button, but zooming out took me a while, in the end I had to use my thumb nail to press into the lower half of the left button to get anywhere.

I recorded a practise 5 second video of nothing, the sound quality was very reasonable for the inbuilt microphone, and the HD quality was ok. Although for best results it is recommended to stand a metre and a half away. 

I was able to delete my scene on the camera, but when I had it took me straight back to the viewing menu and showed an ‘error’ screen at me. This can panic some people, especially if they are not used to technology. It was just that the camera had nothing to view, by deleting all the data it confused itself. All that was need was to change the menu, but most cameras automatically take you to a different menu if one is empty. 

Ameera and I then attempted to film outside with the camera. Acquiring this.

The quality of the film, for a £30 DVC was surprisingly good. The sound was quiet but really we should have expected it from an inbuilt microphone when outside.

In conclusion, although the camera is affordable and the quality of the end product is satisfactory, I would rather put in an extra £20 to get more reliable hardware. The Vivitar is rather ugly and I can’t get over the extremely plastic shell that is so light I wonder if it’s empty.

3/10 Cheezburgah rating.