you don't win friends with salad or steak

Saturday night, my mother organised to have a dinner with family friends to celebrate my engagement and birthday. Of course this was two months after the fact and somehow also involved me having to cook for 12 people. The largest group i've ever cooked for was 8 and that was fucking hard. But that time i learnt lessons, one of which was never do it again. When i explained this to my mother, she got her ethnic on and made me feel guilty in two languages.
So,
Entree - plain spaghetti with napolitatna sauce. The sauce was made during the day and the pasta bought. you only need a big pot for water and small pot to reheat the sauce. Hints i've picked up about sauce
- keep it plain, me and emma make big batches and freeze little containers of it
- there is nothing stopping you from chopping other bits (vegies or meats) and adding them on the day before serving them. So the same sauce can be used with chicken on monday, eggplant on tuesday, olives and sun dried tomatoes wednesday, etc
- use alot of olive oil, it gives it a nice silky body. i'm lucky because my dad has a bunch of olive trees on his farm and we make our own.
- if you use fresh tomatoes that aren't exactly ripe, add pinches of sugar. I sometimes do this with canned tomatoes too.
So the entree only took two hot plates and little prep time (on the night).

For the main I did a surf and turf using an outdoor bbq, which gave me plenty of room to do all the steaks at once. I was convinced, by others, to do fillet mignon, which i'll never do again because wrapping those fillets with bacon took ages (ahead of time) and necessitated a last minute dash to the shops to get more bacon. The steaks were topped with skewered sweet chilli marinated prawns (3 large prawns each skewered using two parrallel skewers, it looked cool). Steaks take about 8-10 minutes to do. In theory.
On the night, while the steaks rested i quickly cooked the prawns, then plated everything and served. I was quickly cleaning the bbq when people started coming outside "I like mine welldone" "Its still red inside" "Bit more".
Ah fuck, its supposed to be pink inside, its supposed to be medium rare. Sigh. Sorry to freak out vegetarians, but the flavour is in the fat and blood - overcook and the blood disapperas and the fat is just char.
Usually I would have done a roast, but considering that a serve of roast should be about 250-350 grams, that would be a 3.6kg peice of meat (to feed everyone) which would have taken ages to cook (45minutes per .5kg, i think) and it would mean that the whole oven would have been taken up with meat, with no room for vegetables. Fish is out of the question for more than 6 people and I don't like cooking chicken. That's why i did steaks. And it bit me in the ass. Anyway, served with the steaks was a whole batch of roast vegetables (out of the way in the oven and with little prep work needed). Because I have an aversion to room temperature foods, i don't eat or prepare salad. Someone else did that. My shame at 'stuffing' up the main course was dampered by opening up some cabernets and doing damage to my dwindling wine cellar.
Dessert was handled by Emma, dishing out a tiramisu, which i was told rocked. (I don't actually do dessert either because i pretty much only eat ice cream - i don't do cake). After cleaning up, which always sucks when you are drunk, me and emma went to a 30th, which always rule when you are drunk. So it evens out.
Next time, when it comes to large dinners, I'm doing a massive lasagne because you can't go wrong there. I hope.

comments

I've changed setting so i shouldn't get so many spam comments; though i liked the attention i have to move on.

now anonymous posters can, once again have the ability, to comment

Stupid people review good movies

Grabbed off Amazon.

Great Escapeby A viewer

This movie is so bad, I have no words for it. It has plenty of character actors. yet not one shred of realism.The German war camp is seen as so relaxed, it does not even make sense that anyone would try to escape from it. The reality of WW2 is, many POWs fared far better than those who were not captured. Many US troops were killed in combat during incredibly risky, almost suicidal missions, while the top brass like Eisenhower stayed back in England and had sexual affairs. I have a feeling he would have been disappointed and mislead by the Dirty Dozen.

In this movie, those that do escape from it are given extremely lenient punishment--something that never would have happened in reality--if you were caught escaping from a german POW camp, you were shot on the spot--no hang dog look, give me my baseball glove and take me to solitary garbage!
Apparently killing 50 escapees wasn't enough.

Doctor Zhivago - by Jamie

I am writing this review for my film appreciation class at Lowry High School in Winnemucca Nevada.
Doctor Zhivago was a very long an boring movie (3 hours-17 minutes)! I just kept on going without having any exciting parts to it. At times it was hard to understand what was going on. I don't even know what the point of it was.
The only good part about this movie was some of the scenery. The snow, trees and mountains looked pretty good. The photography was exceptional The movie needs to have a better plot to it.
The only part i really understood about the movie was that Lara (Julie Christie) was Doctor Zhivago's(Omar Sharif) mistress.
I wouldn't recommend watching this movie. Rent or buy some other movie instead.
Thanks Jamie for giving me a choice. And you score a F.

Fight Club by ldren30907

Those that like it aren't worth talking to. I do ask Fight Club fans a question - have they ever had the crap beaten out of them? I mean REALLY had the crap beaten out of them. The film's premise might seem a lot less valid if one has been in such a situation. This move is for dumb little boys (and sadly, some dumb little girls) who haven't had a hard enough life. To give credit where it's due, Ed Norton's performance was wonderful.
Explains why i don't like Star Wars, I've never been at war in the stars. but alec guiness is awesome

2006 Ledger Eligible Comics and Creators

Are you ledger eligible?

Its true that part of the australian psyche is not to big note yourself but listing yourself as eligble for a ledger award isn't big noting yourself, its making it so others can big note you.

If you think your comic is noteworthy or you enjoyed someone's comic work either list it here or go to the ledger forums. I'm waiting for a big delivery from Phasetwo but most of you have got stuff from Supanova that must be good.

I'll probably be doing a run down of my thoughts in mid novemeber once i track down the stuff released at supanova and read through the stuff i've collected throughout the year.

blood letting and keeping up with the joneses

I donated blood for the first time today. i did not get woozy during or after. I felt slightly disappointed at this.

Its also Hard Refuse week, here in adelaide suburbia. Again its disappointing when our neighbours have piles of crap and we only have some old light fixtures and computer speakers.

keep on bloggin' in the free world

Gazza
Dazza
and Mazza (Or Alex Major)

can you google me?

This blog is connected to Sitemeter, that tells me all sorts of information like referrers; how are people finding my site.

Now since i mention a lot of Australian creators, whenever someone googles a creator i sometimes get a hit and enrty in my referrers list. I doubt that this is comprehensive, no where near - but its interesting all the same.
In the past couple of weeks these Australian Creators have been googled (in no order)

• Owen Heitmann
• Troy Kealley
• Doug Holgate
• Jules Faber
• Alex Major
• Erin M
• Gary Chaloner
• Komala S
  
• Darren Close
• Mandy O
• Rowan Cassidy
• Ben Hutchings
• David Blumenstien
• Matt Bayliss
  

You are being stalked.

Jumping on the Chan Wagon

Embarrassingly, Queeni Chan is a new name to me in the whole realm of Australian Comics. I had heard of her but in my mind i classed as a deviart fan artist (nothing wrong with that - i get my kicks out of sequentials so pin ups don't impress me - please don't hate me).

However, her name came up again recently when there was a rather interesting discussion at Warren Ellis' Engine messageboard, concerning the fairness of the ToykoPop contracts. i hadn't realised/heard she had a book deal with Tpop. So some googling later
http://www.queeniechan.com/
some very nice work, indeed. Lots of juicy sequentials.

I could say, one to watch but I think I'm late to the party, people have been watching her for ages.
So, come December pick up her ToykoPop book, The Dreaming.

On a related note; I'm surprised to see Generations 2004 and 2005 at PhasetwoComics, i thought they were small print run comics that got sold out. Not that i'm complaining i've already ordered them.

finger tap

Item - Ledger Judge, Roger Langrigde in pretty comprehensive interview talks about his start in New Zealand.
Item - I want Maggie Gyllenhaal's box to be mine.
Item - I didn't think much of Batman Begins, but the special edition collectors' DVD contains comic books. While it has happened in the UK and US, I don't think comics are usually distributed with DVDs in Australia.
Item - Making fun of people's photos is fun easy mundane (though i think i saw ex-wives 2-5 in there).

Snova there

It was Emma's birthday over the weekend so we went down the coast and after a nice lunch we found a little market where i discovered so old comics. To make up for not being at supanova i bought

Da 'n dill #1 and 2
Burr 'n Spud #1
The programme for Ozcon III
Classic Illustrated: Lawrence of Arabia (i dunno why)
Doom Patrol #28 (to hopefully resell)

Hope people had fun

satorial sageness for supanova (and beyond)

Overcoats and trenchcoats
You do not and never will look like Neo. However you will look like Neil, the guy who lives down the road who is not allowed within 100 metres of children.

There is no need for any guy to wear an overcoat in Australia - EVER. Unless they want to look like a complete and utter tool and the object of ridicule.

Fullbleed shirts

No.

No. Seriously. No.

Open shirts
Refering to the first photo. The whole 'open shirt over a tshirt' is dead, it died with Kurt, it was messy but it couldn't end any other way. If you want to showoff your favourite tshirt but are afraid of being cold, come join us in the 21st century, wear the tshirt over the shirt, its wacky but works.
Most guys do this to cover up their portliness but it makes it worse. They end up looking like they are wearing a muumuu. Baggy clothes mess people's silhouette up, making them look bigger. So go figure hugging fatboy.

Hints and tips

• Regarding Cargo pants; light coloured no- No. Dark coloured maybe but ask yourself have you ever put anything in those pockets?
• You are allowed to wear shorts before sunset, but after the sun goes down go home and put on some grown up clothes.
• Do not wear plastic rimmed sunglasses inside, especially sports sunglasses (oakley, arnettes, nike, etc)
• If your jeans are skyblue or lighter, you must have borrowed them from your sister in 1989, give them back

And its because I care.

Alas poor aussiecomics.com, i knew him well

Apparently aussiecomics.com has disappeared, i'm not sure if it is forever or temporarily.
It also means if people go looking for the 24 hour challenge site, they won't be able to find it.

Does anything rhyme with pyramid?

I always find articles about other country's (not japan or usa) comic scenes as interesting. In Eygpt a start up is doing well with superheroes.

awesome-awful

Dr Zhivargo, on seeing it for the first time, has entered my top 10.

This article at CBR is the most embarrassing piece of comic related writing ever. But I did learn from now on i will not watch anything Emma suggests unless it involves race cars.

Ledger's Judging Panel

It's quite an honour to be a judge in this year's Ledger awards.
However, I do feel like quite the wingnut when compared to the other judges on the panel.
Publisher, creator, publisher, creator, fanboy.

world wide weber

Some pages from Cool Hand Weber new project
Preview 1
And halfway down
Preview 2
They are from 6 months ago but he's up to page 200 in the project. And i'm kind of excited about seeing the finished book.

Frank's book Crab Allan is one of my favourite graphic novels ever Fullstop I would also say go to www.phasetwocomics.com or www.kingscomics.com.au and buy it because you won't be disappointed. But i can't. Because you can't buy Crab Allan from them or anywhere else that i'm aware of. And its a shame.

Going to have to keep an eye out in Previews when his Adventures in Tymm book comes out, by way of Platinum Studios.

More weber goodness

tv bits and shits

I'm not going to make excuses or try and pose but last night i watched the last half of Australian Princess.
Thankfully.
Otherwise i would never had heard this
"Princess Diana was such an angel, it was so bad that she died the way she did, just like Tupac"
(not exact dialogue)

Otherwise, The Wire, the best cop show ever gets a second season on Channel 9, midnight. If you can find the first season - get it. Its better than The Shield (which has gotten a bit shit over the last 4 episodes - ever since Lem burnt the money - though last night it picked up).

soft shoe (yes its a slow day)

I own about 40 pairs of shoes, possibly more. Mainly sneakers, which i hang onto until they fall apart. I also have a fair few work - 'nice' shoes for work and special occassions. I most recently bought some white shell toe adidas (i wanted black superstars, like run dmc but black sneakers are hard to pull off - satorially). Anyway, I've had my eye on these for awhile

On a conceptual they look cool, but up close they look really tacky. So I'm torn.

On a related note; Bathing Ape is doing retro marvel sneakers, which would look cooler in canvas.

Small Gods on a Cross

Disappointingly, Sydney writer, Jason Rand's Image Series Small Gods is being cancelled with #12. However, on the good side, the creative team will be working on a new book for Image specifically the Shadowline, er, line.

winamp wizard

I wasn't tagged but i've got space to fill. I used a bit of google to help with the lyrics, because i need context. For those who don't know, its the (in my case) Winamp crystal ball - ask the question, press shuffle, press play, the answer is the song played.

How does the world see me?
Poncho's Lament - Tom Waits
"and i'm glad that your gone, but i wish to the lord you'd come home" = love/hate

Will I have a happy life?
The Question of U - Prince
"If I sell my soul, now what will it cost?" = hmm, make the effort and happiness is mine

What do my friends really think of me?
Beta Loser - Darren Hanlon
"Since when did our relationship become obsolete?" "I've been superseded" = sniff

Do people secretly lust after me?
Long Time Coming - Anna Waronker
"It's been a long time coming, coming" = its seems yes, and when they fantasise about me, I'm really really good (which is a nice change).

How can I make myself happy?
Gossip folks - Missy Elliot feat. Ludacris
"Musi ques, I sews on bews, I pues a twos on que zat, Pue zoo, My kizzer, Pous zigga ay zee" = Apparently eccies, baggy clothes and fast food

What should I do with my life?
Step right - Violent Femmes
"Step right up" probably says it all but i prefer "3 for a dollar"

Why must life be so full of pain?
Pressure Zone - Beck
"Wrestling with butcher girls"= hmmmm, apparently for no reason at all

How can I maximize my pleasure during sex?
A little bit of soap - De La Soul
= sigh, thanks

Will I ever have children?
We know - Talib Kwali feat. Faith Evans
=well tell me Talib, tell me

Will I die happy?
Strangers on a train - Handsome Boy Modelling School
If it involves having sex with a stranger on a train, then yes i will die happy, unless my significant other finds out - then no.

What is some good advice for me?
Down Slow - Moby
no lyrics = fate hates me/i'm perfect

What is happiness?
So whatcha want - Beastie boys
Well if the film clip is anything to go, bouncing around in baggy flannelette in the forest with a bunch of guys will make me happy

What's my favourite fetish?
Please wake me up - Tom Waits
"Her out-fit was all made of vinyl, like nothing I've ever seen" = could have been worse and shuffled to Rain Dogs. And most people will be surprised that my fetish involves females.

How will I be remembered?
The luckiest guy on the lower east side - Magnetic Fields