Trial song 2015-16

'Cause baby I could build a castle
Out of all the bricks they threw at me

I can't do anything right. I can't do anything, right? I can't do anything! Right.

And every day is like a battle
But every night with us is like a dream

*texting*
Ugh, still stuck working.

Wanna go out?

...

Meet you in 5?

Baby we're the new romantics
Come on, come along with me
Heartbreak is our national anthem
We sing it proudly

Four years, two. Six months. Not all that long, right? Why wear your heart on your sleeve? No one wants to listen to your dumb stories. Even if they are true.

We are too busy dancing
To get knocked off our feet

Boyfriends are a waste of time. Focus on your career, you've got things to do, places to be. Honestly, you're lucky you've never been in a relationship. You haven't been distracted. None of these guys are worth it. (right?)

Baby, we're the new romantics
The best people in life are free

Shout-out to my bitches. I love you guys. So so much. And you're definitely at your best when you're free :P

Rice cooker recipe #3

These are difficult!

So this is just regular pasta, boiled with a little salt until al dente, then instant soup powder added because:

a) It was the only thing to hand

b) I like instant vegetable soup

and 

c) Yes, I'm completely nuts, thanks for asking. :D

It tasted great, and would've been greater had I been able to actually eat it. Was wolfed down by my ex-roomie :'(

Anyway, till next time!

Gingerbread Man

Am I a fan of Ed Sheeran?

Well, yeah. I squee and aww all over his most recent interviews. I jump from statement to statement about his tattoos and his love life... but it all comes down to his music. His passion. More importantly, his job. And every time, every single effing time, I get all these feelings. Awe. Frustration. More awe. More frustration. And then overwhelmingly, motivation. Inspiration. He’s only two years older than me, and he’s achieved so much in life.

We’re so different, and yet I want to be who he is. I figured out what his motto is, on a recent interview. I’m definitely going to try it out.

He said, “I try to choose a role model, and then be 2x better than them. Work 2x as hard.” (I’m paraphrasing, but that’s what I got out of it)

Well, Ed, it’s time for me to try to work 2x as hard as you, then. Because eff this life where I’m holding myself back because I’m too lazy, too comfortable. People would kill to have the opportunities I have right now, and all I’m doing is sitting on my butt pretending that everything will work out somehow. Well, guess what. It doesn’t work that way, not if you want something as bad as Ed does. And he got his birthday wish three years in a row!

How many times have I got my birthday wish?

...

...Never.

When is a good time? When I'm out of school? When I'm out of college? When I'm stuck in a job I don't like, doing something I don't believe in?

How about now?

Sometimes I think I sound like one of those self-help websites, the ones that claim they'll help you help yourself or whatever that is.(My guilty pleasure when surfing. Shh, don't tell anyone.)

Also, been reading a LOT of Brandon Sanderson. He's another one who pushes himself, and a true inspiration.

Rice cooker recipe #2

So here's a second recipe!

This is Penne with bottled Arrabiata sauce. It's (surprisingly :P) easy to make pasta in a rice cooker. Just add water and... ah ah ah, I'm foreshadowing :P Here's the recipe:

Ingredients:

Dried pasta, Penne                    ~200 gms (I think? For one person, basically)

Bottled Arrabiata sauce            ~50 gms (One would suppose)

Olive oil                                    A shot, in the pasta

Salt and Pepper                         To taste

Method:

1. Place pasta in cold water(it comes from the cooler on my floor, okay!) add salt, and heat
2. It takes longer in a rice cooker than on the stove: it takes about 20 mins to cook
3. When done, drain (most of :P) the pasta water out of the cooker, then add a bit of oil, and about as much sauce as necessary
4. Add salt and pepper to taste, cook a little longer but not too long

I usually don't need any more salt, but pepper(and the associated chilli flakes and italian seasoning) is useful if the premade sauce isn't spiced to your liking.

I've made my pasta out of those Chefs' Basket erm... baskets! Their sauce is actually really nice, and they really do provide everything you need to make yummy pasta. Even in a rice cooker. Especially in a rice cooker.

Cooking is super fun.

Rice cooker recipe #1

So here's my cute little 0.6L rice cooker:

And here's recipe #1:

Ingredients:

1 pack Act II popcorn

Method:

1. Dump pack of popcorn into rice cooker
2. Tape button down, else it'll pop up before the popcorn is done
3. Shake at intervals to prevent burning
4. Cover with cloth (but make sure the steam vent is clear) when popping starts-- it can get quite violent.
5. Shut off when popping stops almost completely
6. Enjoy! :D

It turns out surprisingly well. Been a while since I posted, thought I'd make up for it with a string of rice-cooker recipes :D

Hot off the presses

*groan*

I hate myself and my inability to just let go already, damn you!

Ahem. Moving on.

This year is going to be just fine, I suppose. We're shifting sometime soon, and that has created this sort of limbo in my mind, wherein I'm hanging around somewhere in between a single room in the new wing of my hostel and a double room in the old one. I'm impatient to shift, and yet I'm hoping everything turns out for the best; or else I'll be regarded with no mercy by the people burdening me with the guilt of making them move-- yes, I'm looking at you, Ms. F.

In other news, GRE words, whose meaning I always had a sort of nebulous idea about, that I'm forced to try and remember in my spare time.

Spare time? *hollow laugh* Lab's going well. No, really. No, I haven't just spent the whole day in bed, why do you ask?

Ah, the cleverness irresponsibility of me!

English courses. Must do continuing registration. I'm thinking of taking Language and Gender, and... dum dum dum... Shakespeare!

Must sleep now. Will write fiction every week. Must practice these rusty writing skills, or the brain will turn to mush.

A Playlist

A run-down of songs currently on my favourite playlist:

1. Best Day of My Life by the American Authors

Because I was planning to make a video with my wingies, to this soundtrack. It seems highly unlikely that it’ll ever get completed now, but I’m not giving up just yet. Also, it’s an enjoyable song when I’m in the mood for something peppy and happy-sounding.

2. Problem by Ariana Grande feat. Iggy Azalea

Ariana Grande’s voice is incredible, though I don’t usually like these kinds of numbers. And the lyrics, of course ;)

Head in the clouds, got no weight on my shoulders

I should be wiser and realise that I’ve got

One less problem without you

3. Irreplaceable by Beyonce

I used to listen to this back in school, and downloaded it for old times’ sake, along with Miley Cyrus’ The Climb. Nice, empowering songs for those times when you feel like there’s nothing going for you.

4. F you by Cee Lo Green

Because. It’s fun to go, “F you!” when there’s no one else around. Especially if you have someone to target your frustration on.(No word on whether the frustration is deserved or not. Let’s just say it’s more satisfying to blame one person than to blame life for giving you lemons :P)

5. Tenerife Sea by Ed Sheeran

Self-explanatory. This song is beautiful, and I have it on repeat every night just before I fall asleep. TBH, I’ve done that with a fair share of Ed Sheeran songs, because he rocks.

6. Take Me to Church by Hozier

Somehow the first line sends shivers down my spine.

My lover’s got humor

She’s the giggle at a funeral

Actually, this whole song, and Hozier's voice... And once I begin singing the chorus, it’s hard for me to stop.

7. All I Want by Kodaline

Ah. Yet another from the Vampire Diaries. I love this show for giving me hours of entertainment, characters I can really get my teeth into, but mostly for all the new-old music it’s introduced me to. You can just listen and go, yeah, that’s from the Vampire Diaries. Slow, lovey-dovey, emotional songs to pair with slow, lovey-dovey emotional scenes.

8. See You Again by Wiz Khalifa and Charlie Puth

Thanks to my obsessed wingie. :* And the sentimental video we made for someone who won’t be around as often anymore.

9. So What by P!nk

Equal parts girl/rock-star power and revenge. Yeeaah.

So what

I’m still a rock star

I got my rock moves...

...and you’re a tool so, so what?

I am a rock star

I got my rock moves

And I don’t want you tonight

10. The Wrong Direction by Passenger

Because sometimes you just need to drown in your self-pity and equalize. Yeah, so I’ve never --insert romantic movie name here-- but I can handle that. I just need to wallow in my loneliness sometimes.

11. Superheroes by The Script

So The Script are officially my workout band. I listen to them when I jog, either outside on my iPod or on the treadmill, and they give me inner strength and motivation. I don’t know why, but I’ve put a lot of positivity into their songs, and I get it all back every time I hear another one. This song is just crying out to be a motivational enhancer.

You've been fighting for it all your life

You've been struggling to make things right

That's how a superhero learns to fly

12. Your Love is a Song by Switchfoot

Because my roomie was obsessed with it for a while, and these things transfer from one person to the other like viruses. Good viruses, but viruses nonetheless.

In other news, I feel really, really good. Yeah. Studying for my English exams, planning to have a whole lot of fun this summer, did well in my additional learning courses in college, don't cry over ridiculous things(although I did cry last night, but that was over a fictional character's fictional parents dying, so totally non-ridiculous ;) ). Yeah.