pumpkin soup, take two

WAHOO! my precioussss pumpkin soup recipe is now posted!

go. experience its exquisite pumpkininess. mere words cannot describe how tasty it is; you must make yourself some and experience it for yourselves! better still, invite friends over and have a soupmaking extravaganza!

(er, pardon me. seem to be a little hyped up. probably a little post-class energy combined with coffee infused with cocoa. lo muy siento. XDXD)

D'OH. --;;;

i just went to post up my pumpkin soup recipe (finally!), and then i deleted it about halfway through. completely by accident. --;;;

i've a lesson at 1, and things i should do before then. so hopefully i can post it later.

for the moment, i'll say that the Spaz Seal of Approval is highly entertaining. made a really good pumpkin cheesecake yesterday that caused him to flip me off in response to eating a bite of filling before it had even baked.

no, no, this is good. that only happens if it's so good it's made him want to eat it all right then and there. so there really is no more ultimate seal of approval, as far as he's concerned. XDXD

(was hoping to get similar reactions from Mariam and the Mommie yesterday as well, but alas, for it was not to be---we ended up eating the cheesekeeki by ourselves. XDXD)

(i think we should have stickers made up. ever so much better than the poxy Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval. >D >D >D)

all i ever got from you was all i ever took from you

...

wow.

without a doubt, the dumbest lyric i've heard in ages goes as follows:

"fell so hard, i broke my jaw...i couldn't talk to you."

taken from Zwan's "Come With Me."

wow.

obviously, it hasn't rendered me speechless, but it really did throw me off. it tries to be awkwardly cute and/or meaningful in a really strange way (a la Sr. Sumner, f'rinstance), but wowitreallyisn't.

*is impressed*

in other news, had a Moment a moment ago.

all day yesterday, i'd had the Pixies cover of the Jesus & Mary Chain's "Head On" stuck in my head. didn't have it with me to listen to. so it was maddening, quite naturally.

a moment ago, heard the J*A*M*C version on one of the various internet radio stations to which i listen.

...ahhhh, i feel so much better.

someday when i have more energy and time, i shall have to go on a tirade (hah, planned tirade? XDXD) about my deep and undying love for the J*A*M*C.

(well, up through Honey's Dead, at least. after that, i just don't know. i've been told by people whose opinions i do actually value that i ought to give Stoned and Dethroned another chance. but i just don't know. i don't know that i can get around the Hope Sandoval factor. XDXD)

updates? what are those? XD

ah, yes. but it appears that fate has forced my hand, and i must update today after all. XDXD

why, you don't ask?

today is the most lovely and wonderful Keito-chan's birthday. IIRC, she is 21 today.

so please, take whatever you're drinking right now (alcoholic or non; it does not matter) and raise a toast to her continued sparkliness throughout the coming year. ^^

it's a sin...

...not to wish Fifichu-chan a most joyous and exciting and all-out fantastic birthday today. granted, she's probably off having the time of her life up norf, but still---good wishes have got to count for something, right? XDXD

(some birthday presents for her and some other people should be arriving at my house today; shall try to send them out before next year this time. XDXDXD)

checked the box on the blue coupon

this past one was not a weekend nearly as exciting as last, but still rather okay. although i still haven't managed to get those recipes i keep promising up, but...good intentions, y'know? XDXD

against better judgment, did go and see The Italian Job on Saturday. and y'know---it would have been a fine, entertaining, fluffy, Mini-and-action-packed extravaganza all on its own. not particularly great, but not horrible, either---i went into it having pretty much the lowest expectations possible, and so i was pleasantly surprised when it didn't utterly and completely offend on every level possible. in fact, it was quite enjoyable. Seth Green and Mos Def are my new heroes, in fact.

but the fact remains, it really shouldn't have been called "The Italian Job." none of the characters should have had the same names as the original film, and it shouldn't EVER have been marketed as a remake, because it really wasn't. there were elements that were obviously taken from the original (apart from the obvious name cribbings), but it really wasn't anything like the same movie. it was completely ludicrous to behave like the two movies really had anything to do with one another. didn't people who had such power realise the sort of skepticism and/or ire they'd raise by presuming to have the audacity to remake what many consider to be an example of a fine classic British movie? i mean, maybe they weren't thinking about it very hard, as the original had nothing like the same impact in the US as it apparently had in the UK. but it's still utterly ridiculous.

so yes, the movie's enjoyable enough in a fluffy sort of way if one realises that any pretence of being anything relating to the original is all a blatant lie. :P and apart from the climax of the movie, the score was actually quite good. and whee, Amon Tobin + Photek! (though not together. just so we're clear. XDXD)

went for a drive (well, Spaz was driving, of course) in the STi in the wet on Sunday. FUN. FUN FUN FUN. god, that car is such a beast! it just wants to go! i wish there'd been even more rain, but at least we did get out to enjoy it a bit.

also, Harry Goz (Captain Murphy on Sealab: 2021) is dead. i don't know how, and i don't know when, but it was mentioned during one of the Adult Swim bumpers last night and also on the Adult Swim message boards. (i'd link directly, but you have to be a member to view anything on the board. if you wish to sign up, you'll find it right away.) yeesh, last week was apparently a really bad week. :P

more later, perhaps.

shinjirarehen! (again and again!)

my friend Riki-chan has reappeared!

we used to be in Japanese classes together. i really missed her a lot. this is so cool. ^-^ she's apparently doing variety shows and modelling and grid-girl stuff in Japan now. wonder if i'll ever see her again? she is seriously one of the cutest people i've ever met. i'm so glad she wrote me. please excuse the gushing, but i really did miss her---this made my day. ^-^

speedwell

today darling Fifichu-chan leaves on a fabulous journey. please wish her good luck, tons of fun, and a brilliant journey---much like i'm doing. ^^

(on another note entirely, i did in fact get a Mini for my birthday. i got several, in fact. more details and/or photos to come later. ^^)

answers to mysteries of the universe

...may one day explain why someone found HSL while searching for Telugu porn.

i mean, y'know, aside from any such queries that end people up here now. self-perpetuation and all that. XDXD

also, i somehow neglected to mention a very dangerous booth at the show yesterday. the booth was run by Midlife Classic Cars, and amongst other piles and piles of danger was a whole slew of things out of here.

and i bought nothing. i was in fact very well behaved. despite that book on the rally history of Works Minis. am proud of self-control. XDXD

on another note entirely...

...happy birthday to Harpy. ^^

may all your twee indie dreams come true. ^^

going underground

picture a lovely Sunday afternoon filled with the following:

sun shining. slight breeze; summer's last gasp.

an approximately five-mile stretch of two-lane road with a 50MPH speed limit and actual passing allowed, along with Hockenheim-esque trees lining either side. a large lake to the south, freaky nests of winged, stinged things hanging from a few of the trees---but none out to play with motorists out enjoying the day, thankfully.

this was the road to Moraine Valley Community College for the British Car Union's 2003 British Car Festival.

your players:

a brief synopsis of the day:

(click the link below for more; as always, click on any and all thumbnails to view larger versions of the photos. some were taken by Spaz, and some were taken by me. yay, we've mastered the art of sharing. XD)

where do i begin? apparently, last year's show had well over 700 cars in attendance. i've no idea whatsoever how many were in attendance this year; the only thing i can say for sure is that we definitely didn't get to see everything. a show of such sheer magnitude as this really ought to last more than one day, in my opinion. there were parts vendors, book, model, and t-shirt vendors, and of course food vendors as well. apparently this was the BCU's 17th annual such festival, and it showed---the mind boggles to consider the sort of organisation which must go into pulling together such an event, but it seemed that they did it wonderfully. (i of course might feel differently had i been someone with a car actually in the show, but as a mere showgoer, it seemed really quite nicely organised---i wish more shows we went to were like this.)

as neither Spaz nor i are experts on all the things we saw today (we've got specialised areas of expertise, and some things one or the other of us knew more about and could inform the other thusly), we were quite shocked that we remembered as much as we did about the photos we took. admittedly, some of the photos themselves helped us out---some people thoughtfully had license number plates which bore out some aspect of the identities of the cars to which they were attached.

we started to get a bit sun-sick towards the end; it really was quite bright and hot out. but all in all, it was unbelievable---and probably not much short of a nasty stint in traction could keep me from going next year. ^^ without further ado, more photos!

the pixie-esque hood ornament on a lovely blue-and-white 1957 Austin-Nash Metropolitan.

the same ornament in profile.

the Metropolitan itself. ^^

the interior of the Metropolitan. wish this weren't quite so dark; i really liked the dash. ^^

a fine selection of Austin-Healey Bug-Eye Sprites lining up in line.

one on its own.

if you drove one, you'd see this every day.

what makes a Sprite tick...?

and of course, one would never expect to see me take a photo of a 1966 Mini Cooper S, would one? ^^

nope, not me. i should also mention that there were a number of new MINIs at the show as well (mostly Cooper S models), and although i've seen photos of old and new together before, it's really impossible to appreciate just how much larger than the old Minis the new ones are. the new MINI is very small compared to other modern cars, but it positively towers over the classic ones. O.O;;; even the Mini pickup truck and the Clubman wagon still seem, well, miniscule by comparison. amazing.

interior of the '66 Cooper S from above.

and right next door was this lovely 1969 Cooper S, complete with rally lights.

nearby, just waiting to go slogging off into the wilds of Palos Hills was a menacing Mini Moke.

not far away was a Jaguar XK-120. largely meant to build up excitement about the Jaguar marque following WWII, wouldn't you say it fits the bill quite well? ooh.

aaah. ^^

there was also a selection of Jaguar XKEs on hand, such as this one.

and these two, which had their bonnets flipped up and engines on display...

here's a closer under-bonnet view of the red XKE from the last photo.

Morgan was also well represented; amongst those gathered was this 1974 Plus Four.

...lest one should have doubts, it proclaims its identity quite clearly.

a Morgan 4/4 to make you giddy.

the 4/4 from the rear. i particularly love how nicely and neatly the three seats not in use can be covered up.

a Morgan 3-wheeler...

...and its interior. (surprise; it's a two-seater!)

more from Morgan.

a nice under-bonnet peekaboo at another spectator.

nestled neatly in the dash of this particular specimen was a bottle of water...

...which the owner informed us he'd placed there to see if anyone would notice. ^^ he also pointed out that yes, it's very appropriate.

of course, what would a British car show be without some Triumph? Tea for four is served!

the back end of a 1968 Triumph GT6.

with the weather being so lovely, it would have indeed been a crime to be without a Sunbeam. or 8. or more.

Lotus was represented as well; several Elans and Elises and also a few Europas. (they do seem to like their Es, don't they?)

the back of that same Europa, which i certainly wouldn't mind sitting behind.

the event was also graced by the likes of what is apparently one of only thirteen Lotus Exiges to be imported into the US. it's even more impressive in person.

(hee, and i think that's an MG of some sort on the road directly behind it. ^^)

there was also an unbelievable Shelby Cobra. i think you'll agree that fangs really aren't necessary with a mouth like that.

the Cobra at rest.

finally, a flock of nine DeLoreans came in to roost; a tenth was spotted in the parking lot not actually being shown.
(perhaps you wouldn't count them, but they were built in Ireland, so technically...and really, who'd complain about any opportunity to see a bunch of one of the coolest cars ever together in one place? i nearly had to haul Spaz away bodily from the DeLorean cluster, else i don't think he ever would have left.^^)

revel in the beauty of brushed stainless steel. ^^

(incidentally, one of these lives in Arlington Heights; we saw him a few weeks ago while driving around. followed him for a short bit in the STi, too---just long enough to snap this photo....)

now, back to the DeLoreans from today. quite literally.

here's where the power is. mwahahaha. power. it isn't just for time travel, uh-uh.

last but not least, isn't that a lovely shade of yellow?

as stated earlier, there's no way i won't be here again next year. still a long way off from having anything at all that would qualify to be shown here, but it's more than put a gigantic smile on my face just to have witnessed all of these in person. this show was really and truly spectacular. ^^

shake well before use she said

really will try to be more forthcoming with the entries of actual interest and/or use to someone other than myself sometime soon. (yes, i count 'amusement' somewhere in amongst the above two traits. XDXD) this week has not only been exceedingly busy, but also rather exceedingly painful (at least, toward the start) due to a nasty tooth infection. never fear, however; even that could not hope to shut me up for good. am feeling much, much better, and so perhaps in a mood to write.

(now, whether or not i find actual time to is another matter entirely. XDXD)

in the meantime, i haven't mentioned how much i adore the people who write for Sniff Petrol lately, have i? monthly, that love seems to grow and grow. this is because quite sadly, SP went to being monthly quite some time ago, so we don't get updates quite as often as we used to. but, y'know, quality. they're sheer quality, and i respect that---it's far more important that that be the case than that we get more frequent updates. ^-^

also, that car show i mentioned not long ago is this weekend. expect a full report and probably more photos than you ever could possibly want to see to follow. if not immediately thereafter, then hopefully at some reasonable closeness to the actual event. ^^

finally, i feel a mad urge to write. day cannot go by quickly enough so i can indulge this urge. *.*;;; expect badness if i do; after all, what good can come of anything where the first line of dialogue is, "Quit squirming," ? XDXDXD