Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas And Happy New Year

Some of you readers of this blog will have recieved (or hopefully, mail service allowing, will recieve) a christmas card from me. Still, I want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas from here, and a Happy New Year 2007.

May all your wishes and dreams for this upcoming year come true, and may happiness fill your days and nights.

Best Wishes for all of you,

Diana

Life Update

As I said a few posts back, life is so busy, I barely have time for anything else than University, Labs and studying. I’m also working at uni, free hours, so it’s not that stressing, but still takes time. Whoever said university time was fun, should come spend a couple semesters at mine ;)

Now, November is over, and I have to say I blatantly failed on NaNoWriMo. I wrote around 17,000 words, and then I came across two problems: the big lack of time, thanks to see above, and then my muse disappeared to take the vacation I can’t take, and left me with a huge block. I might try again next year, it all depends on how busy I am.

On the knitting front, I can report that the ripped kilt hose is back in track. Already did the heel and I’m on the gusset decreases. I don’t have pics yet, bad light, no time, you know the works. I’ll try to take one some time.

I’m also traveling this week, going to Belgium to spend a few days with Jan. We’ll be resting mostly, since we do need it. I probably won’t be online much, so if you want to catch me, you’re better off e-mailing than trying to catching me on IMs or IRC.

Test Time Again

Life update will come up later, for now, I leave you with this test about what Tarot card I am.

You are The Lovers

Motive, power, and action, arising from Inspiration and Impulse.

The Lovers represents intuition and inspiration. Very often a choice needs to be made.

Originally, this card was called just LOVE. And that’s actually more apt than "Lovers." Love follows in this sequence of growth and maturity. And, coming after the Emperor, who is about control, it is a radical change in perspective. LOVE is a force that makes you choose and decide for reasons you often can’t understand; it makes you surrender control to a higher power. And that is what this card is all about. Finding something or someone who is so much a part of yourself, so perfectly attuned to you and you to them, that you cannot, dare not resist. This card indicates that the you have or will come across a person, career, challenge or thing that you will fall in love with. You will know instinctively that you must have this, even if it means diverging from your chosen path. No matter the difficulties, without it you will never be complete.

What Tarot Card are You?
Take the Test to Find Out.

I won’t get into discussing how accurate or not this is. Those who know me will know.

PS: Thanks to all of you that decided to join the No-Contest. Card making will start wednesday or thursday, and I hope all cards will be en route by next weekend.

Would You Like Some Snail Mail?

Have you been a good girl or boy this year?

Would you like to get some mail in your mail box, other than bills?

This year, as an special event, and to thank all of you that read me and make those that lurk come out of their hiding places, I am proposing you this. To all of you that send me a snail mail address (use the Contact Me linky), I will send a Christmas card. I can’t promise it will get on time for Christmas, but I will send them!

I’ll set a time limit to receive your addresses of five days, starting today (24th of November, and finishing the 28th of November), so hurry up! (I’m setting this deadline so I can get my personalized cards printed on time, and so I can write a nice note on each of them.)

I will not, of course, share your personal data with anyone. It will only be used for the purpose of sending you a card, and that’s it!

Recipe: Basmati Rice & Pomegranate Salad

Basmati Rice - Pomegranate Salad

Ingredients:

  • 100 grams basmati rice
  • 2 tablespoons pomegranate seeds
  • 1 carrot
  • 1 small spring onion
  • 1 slice smoked tofu
  • 6 cherry tomatos
  • salt, olive oil

Instructions:

  1. Rinse the basmati rice, bring to a boil enough water to boil it (about five times the rice’s volume). Add the rice to the boiling water, add a tablespoon of olive oil and a teaspoon of salt, stir, and let boil for 10 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, peel the carrot, cut it in half, and slice it in half moons. Clean the spring onion, cut it in quarters and then slice.
  3. When the rice is boiled, drain excess water, and put in a bowl. Add the carrot, the onion and the pomegranate seeds, and mix.
  4. Cut the tofu in 1cm cubes, heat a little oil in a pan, and stir fry until golden.
  5. Add tofu to rice, mix carefully. Season with some more olive oil, salt and pepper to taste. Decorate with the cherry tomatoes. Serve.

Notes:
This dish can be served warm, as above, or chilled (or at room temperature). Makes a great tupper meal! (This is tomorrow’s meal for me)