Lists are so much easier to structure than paragraphs.

[jadesfire]

I'm still trying to catch up on comment replies, but that might take me a while. My brain is still on a 'go slow' today, brought on by constant dreams last night which have left me worn out this morning, and the awful, horrible weather which is making me want to crawl under a blanket and not come out again. Under the circumstances, being busy should be good, but I'm not coping so well. I've got lots of easy, interesting things to do, but I still look at my list and want to cry. That's just daft, because seriously, everything on that list is totally achievable, and quickly, and then I get to cross things off, which will be AWESOME.

So, I'm writing in an attempt to pull myself out of my own head (no ear bleeding so far, you'll be pleased to hear) and remind myself that I do exist.

~ Last night's lecture was on EU law, which was...er...honestly? Not as dull as it could have been, but when even the lecturer is apologising for the content, you know you're in trouble. Still, she was a good speaker, knew her stuff and I learned some things about what the Lisbon treaty actually *means*, although don't ask me what until I've had a chance to read my notes again.

~ I like being allowed to sleep in on a Tuesday morning. Only an hour or so, but it makes a huge difference after all the travelling on a Monday.

~ Despite extreme cravings, I got through yesterday without having to resort to junk food, even though the soup we made at the weekend didn't turn out very well. So, oh wise and knowledgeable flist, do you have a favourite soup recipe that you could give me? It's not something I've ever really got the hang of, so while I can make pasta sauces from scratch using my imagination, I don't really know where to start when it comes to soup. I prefer thin soups to thick ones (broths rather than thick 'leek and potato' type things), but I eat most things!

~ Because I know this is relevant to some friends' interests: Get a free Evolution wall poster (UK-only, sorry, although if you really, really want one, I might be persuaded to post one overseas).

~ I'm still ploughing my way through the Eighth Doctor Audios, and have mixed feelings about them. I adored Scherzo, which is just the kind of twisty, mess-with-your-head plot that I like, and Creed of the Kromon was pretty good too. Whoever's writing this series has a sharp eye, and the processes of Kromon society was highly entertaining for anyone who's ever worked for a large bureaucracy. Until the last 5 minutes of The Natural History of Fear, I thought it was one of the best radio dramas I'd ever heard. The structure, the plotting and the characters were both labyrinthine and clear - you knew that your perceptions were being twisted and messed-with, but you never knew where they were going to take you next. The acting was brilliant, the production spot-on and it was utterly and completely engrossing.

But. For me, the reveal was deeply and fundamentally unsatisfactory. Not just because I'd hoped that wasn't where they were going, but because there wasn't enough time *after* the reveal to explore what it *meant* for the characters in Light City. I think I need to have another listen, knowing what's coming, to try and actually understand the story a bit better. Still, I have a personal dislike of this kind of twist ending, which definitely coloured my view of the story

~ In terms of writing, I wrote an SGA ficlet off a drabble prompt (for which I'm sure I'll be forgiven) and prodded a few others that refused to cooperate. I'll get the drabbles cleaned up for posting later in the day, along with the ficlets. Both are SGA, actually, which seems to be a fandom curiously resistent to drabbling. I've only ever managed one which is not like me. A couple of the prompts have me utterly and unusually stumped, so I'm going to give myself until the end of the week to get them done, then declare defeat. I have an idea for an original fic that I offered someone at the Fandom Free For All, and I'm hoping once that's out of my head, other stuff will start to flow. Don't hold your breath, though...

~ Speaking of feeling blocked, I really want to write something with Hugh, but my brain keeps freezing. Sic Transit Tempus readers who know what I'm talking about, would anyone care to throw me a prompt/scenario/wild idea? I'm all at a loss.

~ Tonight is slightly nuts, since I have my slimming world group THEN people to dinner, but at least I have something resembling a social life at the moment. Of course, it's not helped by my sore throat and slight sniffle that I'm desperately hoping won't turn into a cold. I don't have time to be ill right now!

So that's me, folks. How's everyone else doing? Better now Monday's over?

Comments

[miss-zedem.livejournal.com]

There's a soup I LOVE, but it's the chunky kind rather than the broth kind. Also, it's ages since I made it and I have no clue where the recipe book is /o\ I'll have a rummage and get back to you.

As for Hugh - there used to be a paddle steamer that went from Barry Island. Anyhoo, it's called The Waverley (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PS_Waverley), and as far as I know is still in operation. Some mystery aboard that, perhaps? Or something about Tiger Bay?

[jadesfire2808.livejournal.com]

My hesitancy with the thick kind of soup is that they don't always reheat very well or very appetisingly! But I'll take any good recipe that's going :)

Hmmmm...I'll have a look at the steamer. That looks like the kind of thing I can dig into without too much effort - Tiger Bay is a little ambitious for me right now, at least in terms of history (and knowing my research habits ;)) Thanks! will see what happens...

[dune-drd.livejournal.com]

Oh, what an awesome poster!

As for Hugh, you know, I haven't seen much fic based in the Cold War - could be interesting to see what the Russians were up to all that time they had to investigate Tunguska...

[jadesfire2808.livejournal.com]

Would you like one? I don't have anywhere to put it, but am happy to order one and send it on.

Ooh, that's a really good point, especially since Torchwood has such a strong "national" foundation. Thank you - I hadn't heard of that one!

[dune-drd.livejournal.com]

If it's not too much trouble, I'd love to have that poster for my office, yeah. And Tunguska is about the only 'alien' incident I know of in the UdSSR... but then they *were* good at covering things up ;)

[jadesfire2808.livejournal.com]

No trouble at all! I think I still have your address, but will email if not.

*g* It's intriguing that they took so long to investigate it. I can definitely feel a story coming on...

[dune-drd.livejournal.com]

The wikipedia entry definetly reads like a Torchwood file ;)

[thalia]

Hugh and Jack, or just Hugh? Because I've always wondered how Jack reacted when Hugh told him that he and Marion were moving to Cardiff from London.

[jadesfire2808.livejournal.com]

Ooh, that's a really good one! I've been trying to find a 'back story' moment for a ficlet, and that sounds perfect.

*ponders* THANK YOU!

[greyias.livejournal.com]

We have a delicious family recipe for vegetable beef soup (not stew, the broth is thin, although I have a stew recipe of my own too), fairly simple to make. I'll have to dig through my gmail to find it if you are interested.

[jadesfire2808.livejournal.com]

I'm *always* interested in food ;) That would be lovely, thank you! We're quite happy making stew, but it's nice to have some changes too.

[greyias.livejournal.com]

I ♥ food. I'd marry it if one of the fifty states here would let me. (Yet somehow, I do not have any food or nom icons. Icon fail.)

The recipe should be in your inbox. Of course, I just found that I also have a Chicken and Dumplings recipe if you're feeling really brave.

[jadesfire2808.livejournal.com]

I only have the two, but I feel they express my feelings well. J and I would be foodies if we had the money, definitely. As it is, we try a new recipe every week - maybe I should start putting them up here!

Safely received thanks! Sadly, dumplings are one of the few foodstuffs I'm not keen on (the other being baked beans), so I'll pass on that one, but the beef soup looks extremely nom-worthy. much appreciated, thanks!

[naye]

Do not get a cold!! I forbid it.

*snuggles*

(Rainy here, now, but I am feeling more cheerful than I have for the past week!)

[jadesfire2808.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I shall make sure the virus obeys your instructions *g*

(Glad you're doing better *snugs you*) I have my SAD light on, and it's helping ENORMOUSLY.

[rustydog.livejournal.com]

Most people already know this soup, so it might not be new to you, but it's one my parents and I really like in winter. It's thin (or can be) and since the broth is my favorite part of the soup, that suits me well.

I don't want to discourage you from listening to NHoF again, but one thing I like about the audios is that there are *so many*. I think it's okay to write off a few and move on, because there's statistically a high chance that you'll find others you really like if you keep going. I'm sorry it's thrown you off so badly.

[jadesfire2808.livejournal.com]

Ooh, that looks great, thanks. Not come across that before, although the broth instructions are somewhat daunting! Still, we're in on Sunday, so I should have time for cooking...

*nods* I'm more or less over myself - and I'm aware it's me not the drama - and ploughing on. Or I will be once I've given winamp a good kicking. I swear the tracks were in the right order when I downloaded them, but Faith Stealer is still doing all kinds of weird stuff :S (not YOU, btw - winamp barely talks to my MP3 player, but its own software is even worse...)

[rustydog.livejournal.com]

Oh, for the vegetable stock? You could use chicken stock or anything you want. And I don't usually make the veg broth from scratch, I buy something like this and wouldn't feel at all guilty about buying something cheaper in a can, either.

I think I was lucky to find an mp3 player that will let me load tracks directly (window to window file transfer) rather than going through a player, but I still had to mess around with the file naming to figure out how it worked. Sorry Winamp is being rotten!

[jadesfire2808.livejournal.com]

Ooh, okay, cool. I can pour water on a stock cube with the best of them ;) That's much more manageable! Thanks :D

The irony is that I LOVE my little Creative Zen, but it's an absolute (*&*% to work. Its own software sucks, and it doesn't play nicely with anyone else. That alone is enough to make me want an iPod next time around :S I swear it was all fine on Winamp, but when I tried to listen to it, it kept jumping around, which got somewhat confusing!

[m-nivalis.livejournal.com]

(here via dreamingspires friendslist)

Here's a recipe for my "almost vegan soup" (note that my soups usually turn out to be more stew than soup, so you might want to add extra water). It's a good way to use up leftover veg. Vegetables used for this soup have included carrot, parsnip, potato, mushrooms, broccoli, leek, onion - occasionally all at the same time!

Base recipe as follows
- 1-2 crushed garlic cloves
- 10 cm sliced leek (green bits for preference) OR 0.5 red or white onion.
- 1-2 carrots, thinly sliced
- 0.5-1 tsp each of cinnamon, ground ginger and coriander (tumeric can also be added)
- 1 tin of chopped tomatoes
- 1/3 cup red lentils
- 1/3 cup French le puy lentils
- 1/2 - 2/3 cup bulgur wheat
(if you have some quinoa, add that if you want)
- vegetable stock cube
- a few leaves of kale or savoy cabbage (can do without, but tastes better with)
- 0.5-1 chorizo, sliced or cubed

Boil the le puy lentils separately, as they take longer to cook than red lentils and bulgur.
Fry the onion and carrots soft in oil. Add garlic and spices. Add lentils and bulgur and let fry a bit before adding tomatoes. Add hot water to cover, and a bit more (add more water if you want a thin soup). Sprinkle the stock cube into the mix. Let boil and then simmer/slow boil for c. 20 minutes until the lentils and bulgur are done. If you want to add broccoli, do that after 15 minutes or so, unless you want it boiled very soft. If you time it well, the le puy lentils will be done a minute or so before the bulgur and red lentils. Add the le puy lentils, the chorizo, and the kale/cabbage to the soup. Let simmer under lid until the cabbage is soft (or just as crunchy as you like it). Add some more spices if necessary.

It's a very improvisable recipe, so add or discard ingredients and change amounts to suit your preference and your cupboard.

[jadesfire2808.livejournal.com]

Ooh, thank you so much! We usually have most of those in the cupboard, except for the lentils. Red lentils were bought for the FAIL SOUP at the weekend - do you think green ones would work in place of the French ones? I can't tell from my brief searching...

Much appreciated, thanks!

[m-nivalis.livejournal.com]

Fail soup? That sounds a bit worrying... I hope it was salvageable.

I'm not a lentil connoisseur, but I don't see why green ones wouldn't work. Red lentils go mushy, but le puy (and iirc green lentils) stay firm, so you get both kinds in the soup. You get nice colour from the le puy lentils (to confuse you, they are sometimes known as French green lentils (http://www.foodsubs.com/Lentils.html)), but that's no imperative to run out and buy some if you already have alternatives at hand.

[travels-in-time.livejournal.com]

I have no plot ideas, but I wouldn't mind seeing a little quiet interlude with Hugh and Jack. Jack thinks Hugh's gotten used to seeing him die in various ways, and he's surprised when Hugh can't quite hide his reaction to the latest very gruesome one.

That's pretty specific, though, so I won't be bothered if you don't use that prompt. As always, I'm thrilled anytime you write Hugh, for anything. :D

[jadesfire2808.livejournal.com]

*smiles* I hoped you drop in! I do love that idea, and I'm making a note on my 'Hugh' list (I have plot bunny lists all over the place now...)

Once I can figure out the STT timeline again (SRSLY. It's an embarrassingly long time since I wrote any), I'll get going. The plan is to have some projects for *me* alongside the committed stuff, and I definitely write Hugh for *me* as well as you guys :D

[travels-in-time.livejournal.com]

Ha. You set out the Hugh-bait, you knew I'd be along sooner or later. *g*

[donutsweeper.livejournal.com]

WOOOT HUGH!!!!!

Ermm, yes. *ahem* What about him thinking about/discussing retirement with either Marion or Jack?

[jadesfire2808.livejournal.com]

Ooh, that's a good plan. I like that one!

:) thanks!

[crystalshard.livejournal.com]

My current favourite soup is carrot and coriander, and it's a broth-type soup that goes down very well. Unfortunately, I have no recipe, but it should be fairly easy for you to find one by Googling.

As to Hugh - I'm feeling in a romantic mood right now, so how about Hugh and Marion's second date? There can be wacky alien stuff happening if necessary :)

*edited for spelling*

[jadesfire2808.livejournal.com]

Ooh, I'd love a carrot and coriander soup that actually works. That was what I tried to have this weekend, and it all went rather wrong :S

*g* Okay, I'll see what I can do, but I should warn you, that in my head, that prompt forms rather an odd shape...

[crystalshard.livejournal.com]

Odd shapes are no problem - I can't wait to see how it turns out! And I hope you manage to find a good recipe. I should have asked at the restaurant where I had it, but I was in a bit of a hurry that day.