February 27, 2014
February 26, 2014
[Life] Textbooks bought today
This year I will be completing a one year graduate diploma degree that will allow me to become a high school mathematics teacher.
I went to buy the required textbooks this afternoon. It costed $290, which is almost 2 weeks of my pay. Since I'm studying at the moment I can't work as much as I used to, so my income has drastically decreased. The cost of the whole course costs about $6,000. It'll be fun paying that back. Ha-
So I'm all geared up and ready to roll! Come at me kids, throw me all your maths problems.
I went to buy the required textbooks this afternoon. It costed $290, which is almost 2 weeks of my pay. Since I'm studying at the moment I can't work as much as I used to, so my income has drastically decreased. The cost of the whole course costs about $6,000. It'll be fun paying that back. Ha-
February 24, 2014
February 23, 2014
February 22, 2014
Hatsune Miku Magical Mirai Concert 2013
In summary, it really was a magical journey to see Miku sing and dance to her songs.
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| Magical Miku!! |
More screenshots and commentary below.
February 21, 2014
Inspector Art - Hamatora
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| Source: @hamatora_PR |
February 20, 2014
February 19, 2014
February 17, 2014
Inspirational comic: Ambition
It's a blessing to be able to find something you love doing. Don't be afraid to let that love grow. You may encounter hardships, but never, never let that passion die.
Source: http://www.incidentalcomics.com/2013/01/the-nature-of-ambition.html
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| Click for larger size. |
February 15, 2014
PaSBA #3: Ultimate Lemon Meringue Pie!!
This time our recipe was sourced from bbc, boisterously name Ultimate Lemon Meringue Pie, this recipe proved to live up to its name.
Lemon meringue pie, for the uninitiated, is a crispy buttery shortcrust pastry filled with sweet yet tart lemon curd and finally topped with fluffy light-as-clouds meringue. Before making this recipe I had personally never sampled this delectable treat, though I'd seen it often enough in bakeries to make me crave something I have never tasted.
Oh well. The idea of it sure sounds saliva-inducing enough. The real thing was too.
Lemon Curd:
Meringue:
Note: Blind Baking is usually used in recipes calling for tart bases; this is to ensure that the pastry is thoroughly cooked and crisp. To blind bake simply cover the pastry with baking paper and weigh it down with dry beans, lentils or rice.
Serah's Analysis
Taste: 9/10. Absolutely delicious! The light sugary fluffiness of the meringue was the perfect accompaniment to the tartness of the lemon curd.
Texture: 8.5/10. On the whole the texture of the mreingue and lemon curd was perfect. However the crust was a bit of a let down it didn't hold it's shape very well making plating a nightmare though it did add an additional but of crunchy texture to the meringue which worked quite well.
Difficulty: Easy-Medium. Not too difficult, though definitely harder than sticking all the ingredients in a bowl and just going crazy with the beaters. Do proper preparation, get all your utensils and ingredients out before you start the curd and meringue and it should be not problem at all.
Overall: 9/10. Definitely worth making again though I'd probably replace the crust with a digestive biscuits crust or a basic pre-made shortcrust pastry.
Pumpkin's Analysis
Taste: 9/10. Perfect balance of sugar and citrus flavours.
Texture: 8/10. The meringue was very light and soft. Make sure to put the pie in the fridge to chill and for the lemon custard to set. The tart base could be thicker.
Difficulty: Medium-Hard. There were quite a lot things to do and keep track of.
Overall: 9/10. Loved this dessert.
Lemon meringue pie, for the uninitiated, is a crispy buttery shortcrust pastry filled with sweet yet tart lemon curd and finally topped with fluffy light-as-clouds meringue. Before making this recipe I had personally never sampled this delectable treat, though I'd seen it often enough in bakeries to make me crave something I have never tasted.
Oh well. The idea of it sure sounds saliva-inducing enough. The real thing was too.
The Ultimate Lemon Meringue Pie
Pastry:
175g plain flour
100g cold butter
1 tbspn icing sugar
1 egg yolk
1) Whack all ingredients into a food processor, process till dough-like. Flatten evenly into pie baking pans. Leave in refrigerator 1 1/2 hours. Blind bake* in Oven,200C 15min. Remove Baking paper, bake another 5-8 minutes.
Lemon Curd:
1 tbspn cornflour
100g castor sugar
finely grated zest of 2 lemons
125ml fresh lemon juice (2-3 lemons)
juice from 1 orange
85g butter, cut into bits
3 egg yolks and 1 egg
1) Combine cornflour, sugar and lemon zest in a saucepan. Gradually stir in strained lemon juice.
2) Pour water into orange juice till total amount is 200ml, strain into pan.
3) Stir constantly over medium heat till thickened and smooth.
4) remove from heat and beat in butter until melted.
5) Beat eggs and egg yolks together and stir into saucepan. Return to medium heat.
6) Stir vigorously until mixture thickens and plops off spoon. Remove from heat and set aside.
Meringue:
4 egg whites
200g castor sugar
2 tsp cornflour
1) Whisk egg whites to soft peaks then add half the sugar in a spoonful at a time. Beat lightly in between.
2) Whisk in cornflour followed by the other half of sugar also a spoonful at a time.
3) Reheat filling and pour into pastry case.
4) Put spoonfuls of meringue around the edges of the pastry case to anchor it. Put the rest of the meringue in the middle spreading it evenly.
5) Place in oven for 18-20min until meringue is slightly browned and crispy.
6) Allow to sit in pie tin for 30 minutes before removing. Allow to rest another 30-60 minutes before cutting and serving.
Note: Blind Baking is usually used in recipes calling for tart bases; this is to ensure that the pastry is thoroughly cooked and crisp. To blind bake simply cover the pastry with baking paper and weigh it down with dry beans, lentils or rice.
Serah's Analysis
Taste: 9/10. Absolutely delicious! The light sugary fluffiness of the meringue was the perfect accompaniment to the tartness of the lemon curd.
Texture: 8.5/10. On the whole the texture of the mreingue and lemon curd was perfect. However the crust was a bit of a let down it didn't hold it's shape very well making plating a nightmare though it did add an additional but of crunchy texture to the meringue which worked quite well.
Difficulty: Easy-Medium. Not too difficult, though definitely harder than sticking all the ingredients in a bowl and just going crazy with the beaters. Do proper preparation, get all your utensils and ingredients out before you start the curd and meringue and it should be not problem at all.
Overall: 9/10. Definitely worth making again though I'd probably replace the crust with a digestive biscuits crust or a basic pre-made shortcrust pastry.
Pumpkin's Analysis
Taste: 9/10. Perfect balance of sugar and citrus flavours.
Texture: 8/10. The meringue was very light and soft. Make sure to put the pie in the fridge to chill and for the lemon custard to set. The tart base could be thicker.
Difficulty: Medium-Hard. There were quite a lot things to do and keep track of.
Overall: 9/10. Loved this dessert.
February 14, 2014
V.Day pick up lines
Whether you're spending V.Day (aka forever alone day) with 3Ds or 2Ds, here's some funny v.day cards to give to your loved ones.
February 12, 2014
Pumpkin's Palette: Nobukatsu + Himiko
After watching Episode 6 of Nobunaga the Fool and finding out that two important characters got killed off (Nobukatsu and Himiko), I needed to release my pain and sadness of losing these two short-lived characters. So I decided to rough sketch them as a memoir for these characters that I liked.
RIP Nobukatsu, you were an adorable and responsible little brother. RIP Himiko, you were an admirable wife who sought to put your beloved's best interest first.
Gackt - P.S. I LOVE U
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| How on earth is this guy 40? Lol. |
It is such a beautiful song! ~cries a bucket of tears~ It's a extremely sweet love rock ballad. You can read the translated lyrics here: http://amaia.livejournal.com/296108.html
It's pretty much about wishing your beloved one happiness even after you have gone.
GRANRODEO - 「変幻自在のマジカルスター」
It's a pretty cool love song. But I laugh at the choice of outfits for Kishow and Ezuka.
STEREO DIVE FOUNDATION - "AXIS"
I love the beats of this song.
The anime is pretty average though, it's a mix of Japan and European history + Mechas.
Wooser S2 - Episode 6 [v.P]
This week Wooser parodied Gargantia.
It also gave us some lines to contemplate over: "If people were ever able to control their dreams, they wouldn't need reality any more. Nothing ever works out in the real world. For example, the odds that you'll be able to go out with the one you like is very low. So lately, whenever I've had free time, I've spent it sleeping."
It also gave us some lines to contemplate over: "If people were ever able to control their dreams, they wouldn't need reality any more. Nothing ever works out in the real world. For example, the odds that you'll be able to go out with the one you like is very low. So lately, whenever I've had free time, I've spent it sleeping."
February 10, 2014
PaSBA #2: Chocolate Cupcakes
This time sourced from bestrecipes.com, this one was a keeper. A perfect cupcake base, yet simple enough to be tossed together and baked in just under an hour this recipe is the one to use!
After making the cupcakes we stuck them in front of a fan made a makeshift baking paper icing bag and piped a few of these goodies with the leftover ganache from last week (Yes, ganache lasts for at least a week in the fridge because of the high sugar content!)
Serah's Analysis
Taste: 9/10: Chocolatey enough without being overbearing, this is perfect to go with flavoured icing.
Texture: 9/10: A lovely cakey texture, not dry and not too heavy.
Difficulty: Easy: After I had all the ingredient and utensils out on the kitchen bench, Pumpkin and I made these in under 15minutes and they were baked in another 15 minutes, we cooled them quite fast using a fan.
Overall: 9/10, delicious chocolatey yet light. Definitely making these again next time with nicer patty cases and actual icing bags and maybe some shiny cachous.
Pumpkin's Analysis
Taste: 8/10 Got the chocolate taste.
Texture: 8/10 Soft and spongey. Make sure you whack on a 6 inch layer of ganache, otherwise it'll taste a little dry, and who doesn't love extra sugar.
Difficulty: Easy. Just mix and bake.
Overall: 8/10 This super simple recipe is great for tea parties.
Chocolate Cupcake Base
3/4 cup Plain flour
1/4 cup Cocoa powder
1/2 cup Castor Sugar
2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Essence
80g Butter, melted
2 Eggs
1/2 cup Milk
1) sift together dry ingredient and then add sugar.
2) Make a small well in the center and add the rest of the ingredients.
3) Beat 2 minutes on medium, make sure all lumps have disappeared. (remember to scrape down sides of bowl!)
4) Place patty cases in muffin tray and fill them just above halfway with the batter.
5) Bake 10 min for mini muffin tray or 16 min for regular muffin tray.
6) Cool and ice or just leave plain.
After making the cupcakes we stuck them in front of a fan made a makeshift baking paper icing bag and piped a few of these goodies with the leftover ganache from last week (Yes, ganache lasts for at least a week in the fridge because of the high sugar content!)
Serah's Analysis
Taste: 9/10: Chocolatey enough without being overbearing, this is perfect to go with flavoured icing.
Texture: 9/10: A lovely cakey texture, not dry and not too heavy.
Difficulty: Easy: After I had all the ingredient and utensils out on the kitchen bench, Pumpkin and I made these in under 15minutes and they were baked in another 15 minutes, we cooled them quite fast using a fan.
Overall: 9/10, delicious chocolatey yet light. Definitely making these again next time with nicer patty cases and actual icing bags and maybe some shiny cachous.
Pumpkin's Analysis
Taste: 8/10 Got the chocolate taste.
Texture: 8/10 Soft and spongey. Make sure you whack on a 6 inch layer of ganache, otherwise it'll taste a little dry, and who doesn't love extra sugar.
Difficulty: Easy. Just mix and bake.
Overall: 8/10 This super simple recipe is great for tea parties.
February 9, 2014
Pumpkin and Serah's Baking Adventures (PaSBA) #1: Chocolate Cake
After a rather long absence and unfulfilled promises to upload pictures of a certain supernova event, Serah has returned to the land of the cyber-oriented and with the gentle persuasion of Pumpkin, a new series (hopefully more long lived than Serah's previous series) is born!
Mission Statement: Every Tuesday we vow to bring you new recipes and baked goods! (Though posts may be published late) We seek to show the world that otakus and computer geeks alike can indeed cook!
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Today we present, The Chocolate Cake!
Sourced from the ever reliable taste.com, this chocolate cake turned out to be actually, pretty average, to be honest not exceptionally wonderful, but a great comfort food for some end of the day R and R.
We also created some lovely simple ganache which came out pretty much perfect.
Serah's Analysis
Taste: 7/10 : Not too rich and perfectly sweetened but somewhat lacking for the true chocolate fanatic.
Texture: 6/10 : The ganache icing helped, but slightly dry.
Difficulty: Easy : I would rate this pretty easy, but I've tasted much better chocolate cakes of the same difficulty.
Overall: Not bad, though not really worth making if you're looking for something more exceptional.
Pumpkin's Analysis
Taste: 7/10: You can definitely taste the chocolate.
Texture: 5/10: It's a little dry.
Difficulty: Super easy: You pretty much throw everything into one bowl and mix.
Overall: I wouldn't use this recipe again, you can find better recipes. Though the icing was superb considering the amount of sugar and cream we threw in it.
Mission Statement: Every Tuesday we vow to bring you new recipes and baked goods! (Though posts may be published late) We seek to show the world that otakus and computer geeks alike can indeed cook!
_______
Today we present, The Chocolate Cake!
We also created some lovely simple ganache which came out pretty much perfect.
S&P's Multi-purpose Super Simple Perfect Ganache (S&P MPSSPG)
-400g Chocolate (dark choc for some added richness)
-300g Cream
1)Melt over lightly simmering water.
2)Allow to thicken, pour over cooled cake for a thin layer of icing. OR allow to completely solidify in fridge and pipe or make into truffles.
Serah's Analysis
Taste: 7/10 : Not too rich and perfectly sweetened but somewhat lacking for the true chocolate fanatic.
Texture: 6/10 : The ganache icing helped, but slightly dry.
Difficulty: Easy : I would rate this pretty easy, but I've tasted much better chocolate cakes of the same difficulty.
Overall: Not bad, though not really worth making if you're looking for something more exceptional.
Pumpkin's Analysis
Taste: 7/10: You can definitely taste the chocolate.
Texture: 5/10: It's a little dry.
Difficulty: Super easy: You pretty much throw everything into one bowl and mix.
Overall: I wouldn't use this recipe again, you can find better recipes. Though the icing was superb considering the amount of sugar and cream we threw in it.
February 8, 2014
Pumpkin's Palette: Yato
While I'm on a roll, this one is for a dear friend Bella who loves Yato from Noragami.
Pumpkin's palette: Yukine
It's been a while since I last drew.
February 5, 2014
Flappy Bird [v.P]
Wooser - Episode 5 [v.P]
February 3, 2014
February 1, 2014
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