I hate driving when I'm tired. I'm lucky that I've never lost complete control of the vehicle. Or, for that matter, hit something (or someone) in the road when my eyes shut.

That shit is scary.


Post Scriptus; I miss you all.

Situation: Safely Home
Disposition: Exhausted
Orchestration: Silence, please

Vegan Buckwheat Crepes

You will need: Buckwheat Pancake Mix (Ployes are available at most grocery stores and the like at health food stores); Vegetable Oil; Water; a skillet, hot plate, or otherwise flat bottom cooking pan;  a spatula; a measuring cup; a whisk.

Ployes Buckwheat Pancake Mix  3/4 cup
Water 1 cup

The key to good crepes is all in the consistency of the Water to Buckwheat mixture.  You want it to be thinner than pancake mix, but you also don't want it to be watery.  Measure 1 cup of water into the measuring cup.  With your whisk, slowly mix in the Ployes, checking the consistency ever now and again (don't just dump it all in at once, you may find you need less. Evening out the consistency by adding more water and mix just leaves you with way more crepe mix than you probably originally needed.)  The mixture should hold to the whisk a little as you lift it out, and should run off pretty quickly.  If it's moving slow like pancake mix, add a touch more water.  If it's watery, add more Ployes.  Common sense folks!

Set your stove to a good high heat.  Pour in enough oil that it covers the pan as you move it around.  Ideally, you want the oil to get really really hot before you cook anything in it.  You can test this by putting a few drops of your mix in.  If it quickly hardens and sizzles, you're ready to cook.  Before you start in on your crepes, pour a mini pancake into the pan, maybe 3 or so inches wide.  There's no need to worry about this one, it's your tester.   You'll notice the top of the pancake filling with bubbles.  Wait till it's almost entirely covered and bubbles, then flip it over.  The real purpose of your tester is to soak up a lot of the oil that's in the pan, so if it's really really greasey, you're doing it right!  Lift up the under part of the tester, or simply flip it over again...if it looks done, throw it on a plate. (You can soak up all the grease on the pancake with a napkin or paper towel, and it should taste just fine too)

Now, another thing to remember about crepes is to keep them thin.  You can achieve this 2 ways, effectively.  Pour you mixture right into the middle of the pan.  With your spatula, very lightly spread the mixture around so that it is visibily getting thinner.  OR, if you're using a pan with a handle, lift the pan just above the heat and tilt it slightly.  Pour the mixture into the pan a tilt the pan in different directions so the crepe covers most, if not all of the flat surface area.

Just like your tester, bubbles are you sign to flip.  There should be a LOT of bubbles on the top, not just on the sides, but in the middle too.  If the edges are getting too dark too quickly, turn your heat down a little.  Flip the crepe over when it looks ready and let the other side sizzle for a while.  When both sides look uniformly cooked to a nice golden brown, and your crepe is thin and can be rolled up and folded, you're done!


Crepes are generally prepared rolled up into little tubes, but you can fold them however you'd like (use toothpicks to make them stay, they'll likely unroll themselves).  Like pancakes, they are perfect with maple syrup; fruit, and/or some nice, vegan whipped creme. 



Mange!

Situation: Kitchen
Disposition: Hungry
Orchestration: Sizzling Oil

This week has been busy.  School has started and things are hectic.  Books, homework, lectures, work, friends; I have very little time to breath.  However, in a few weeks things should slow down a bit.  I'll be settled into the college routine, and I won't be working Saturday nights into Sunday mornings anymore.  I can finally start accomplishing things...hopefully.  For now, sleep.  I have work soon.

Love.

Situation: Ortho-lounger
Disposition: indifferent
Orchestration: Charlie Hunter Band

This is my first post in a long time.  My summer has been exhausting and hectic and I'm sorry to everyone that I didn't get to hang out with or get in touch with.  I honestly think that once I start classes, things will slow down, as peculiar as that may sound. 

My summer has been awesome.  I accomplished a few things that made me very happy.  First, a 20 foot cliff dive, successfully, that felt great;  But of course I throw my back out on the 8 foot dive that followed.  I spun fire for the first time in my life up at Burdock, which made me indescribably happy.   I hope to be spinning fire for the rest of my life, if possible.  I got into college.  This is a huge accomplishment for those of you who are unaware of what little work I did in High School.  I'm excited to be learning again.  I'll be attending USM in...a few days...holy shit!  I made 5 under Par in a round of disc golf, which rocks ass.  And many other various crowning achievements that escape me at the moment. 

My primary goal for Autumn and Winter will be: Dual-Citizenship with Canada, Learning fire eating, Dean's list, partaking in martial arts classes, writing more frequently (both music and freelance fiction), and again, many more that escape me at the moment.

I am going to make a conscious effort to update this frequently once again, when life takes the slow lane and eases on the brakes. 

Love to all of you.

Situation: Toilet
Disposition: Relieved
Orchestration: The Coup

Oh, where to start.

First, Movie Reviews:



   I visited Cathy at Lily Moon yesterday, and picked up the grinder at the Coffee Shop, or what's left of it (the coffee shop, not the grinder).  It's unreal walking into that place and seeing everything dismantled, emptied, cleared out, taken down, boxed up, et cetera.  I honestly did a cartoon style double take and had to stand there in awe for a few minutes before I could compose myself and remember why I was actually there.  I miss that place.  I miss the people.  I miss almost everything about it.

   However, I do enjoy my new job at Coffee By Design.  I work full time now and I get good tips even though the pay is low, so it evens out to about $9 - $10 an hour if you factor in tips every day/night.  It's much different from Lily's.  Customer and co-workers...need I say more? 

Anyway, this is a long post tonight, and I have work tomorrow morning, so I'm going to go shower and crawl into bed.

Bonne nuit mes amis. 

Situation: Soybeans
Disposition: Tired
Orchestration: Alarm Bell, Bb

How to tell if someone is a movie lover or not...

Step 1.  Ask them their top 5 favorite movie's of all time.

Step 2.  If the question was answered quickly, question their choices.

Step 3.  Assess the quality of their choices.
              If their answers consist of Hollywood junk such as;
              a) 'Alexander'
              b) 'Catwoman'
              c) 'Rollerball'
              d) Or any sequal to 'The Crow'
              You can safely conclude that the person in question is NOT a movie lover.

Step 4. If they answer slowly or think hard about the question at hand before answering
              they are likely avid movie watchers, and appreciate good cinema.

Step 5.  If they tell you quickly that the question is almost impossible to answer, or present
               you with a detailed list of movies compiled after days/months/years of careful
               consideration, this person is indeed a movie lover.

Use this method enthusiastically to confirm who your real friends are.

Situation: Sewing Machine
Disposition: Chapped
Orchestration: Creepy Child Laughing

I'm tall
You'll notice that first.  I'm probably taller than most people you know (or don't), or I'm one of the tallest to say the least.  Second, third and fourth, in no particular order, you may notice my lip piercing, tattoo [the visible one] and my wallet chain.  Next, my hat.  Clothing will probably come next, or the fact that I always have a five o'clock shadow.  People notice outward appearances in certain orders based on factors of what attracts them and what's obvious or apparent.  This is obvious, but sometimes not apparent. 

I'll finish this thought later, I have to get to work.

Enjoy the sunshine today.

Situation: Out
Disposition: Still Exhausted
Orchestration: Rockets And Blue Lights [Close At Hand]

Some days, time doesn't move as slowly as we wish.
Other days, seconds drag on for what may seem like centuries.
Appreciate the former, and take advantage of the latter.



Read a book.

Situation: Temporary Insomnia
Disposition: Tired
Orchestration: Claire De Lune

Liz and I went and saw Harry and the Potters last night.
They definitely rocked the Portland Public Library.

Coffee By Design is fun.  It's not nearly as busy as it was made out to be.  Mister Bagel was definitely a more hectic job. 

I'm in a strange mood right now.

Situation: Blah
Disposition: Blah x2
Orchestration: Pink Panther

I've spent the last few days playing with my new toy.

  Yesterday was an intense 4 hours of frisbee extravaganza.  2 hours playing ultimate frisbee, and another 2 playing disc golf.  I got quite the sunburn, and hurt my thumb, but other than that, the day was a blast. 

   I have my orientation at Coffee By Design today at 12:00.  According to Mary Allen it's just getting people aquianted with the business and watching "...a really awesome video!".  I'm excited to be working again.  This little vacation was nice, but I'd like to start making money again soon.

  This summer I want to have a massive yard sale.  My dad hates yard sales and thinks they're tacky, so I'll be selling anything he feels like throwing away too.  Also, dumpstering stuff to sell is always fun.  If anyone would like to join in on this potential yard sale, please do, it will be loads of fun, you can get rid of your crap, and make a few bucks for it. 

   Anyway, time for Aloe Vera and breakfast.

Have a good day comrades.

Situation: Between The Sheets
Disposition: Burning
Orchestration: Supertramp