My bucket list starts with: Hang gliding

Hang gliding
It just appeals to me. It's the closest you can get to actually flying. I think it would be exhilarating. I know I'll be terrified once I get up there. But, I think, after the first few seconds the terror would subside and I'd really enjoy it. Besides... regardless of whether or not it turns out to be a good experience, if I don't do it I'll always regret it, I'll always wonder.

Visit the Darien
I love the rain forest. I love the jungle, the life, all the amazing plants, and animals, and sounds! I've been absolutely enthralled by the Darien ever since I first learned about it. It is some of the densest jungle in the world. It accounts for the only gap in the otherwise unbroken path from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego that is the Panamerican Highway. There are almost no roads. The best way to get around is by piragua (dugout canoe).
I had hoped to visit earlier this year. I found a place called Playa de Muerto. It's a small (225 people) Embera community in the Darien. I mentioned the place to my parents and told them that I thought it would be a neat place to visit sometime. (Maybe in a few years when I have some money saved.) At which point they promptly started planning a trip! Awesome! We were originally planning to spend a few weeks in Panama around Christmas/New Year's, but that fell through in the end.
I am still determined that I will see the Darien, it may not be for a few years, but I will see it!
I'd love to take a few months (or a year even) to travel through the Darien and the Amazon. That would be amazing. Give me a backpack, a tent, a notebook, and a camera and I'm happy!

See the Outback and the Great Barrier Reef
I've always wanted to visit Australia. There's so much unique wildlife there. All sorts of oddities trapped on or brought to the great island over the years. Plus, I love the ocean. I love going to beaches and finding critters; looking in the tide pools. I love all the little crustaceans and anemones and even the rocks and seaweed! So, how fantastic would it be to see the Great Barrier Reef?
Again, I know I could easily spend a year in Australia and still not feel that I've even scratched the surface of all there is to see and do, but I'll take what I can get. If I'm ever lucky enough to have the luxury of spending that kind of time there, great! If not, well... I'd at least like to take a few weeks and cover the key points.

Have a house with a library
Having a big house is not important to me. I don't have images in my mind of what a "dream house" should be. What is important though is that I have ample storage space for my books! I love the thought of having a whole room dedicated to them. The room should be large; I plan on having a lot of (read "easily a thousand or more") books. It will need to have plenty of good comfortable seating for reading; a couch, a nice armchair, a rocking chair (preferably a glider), and a beanbag chair at least. Windows to let in natural light during the day and lamps for reading at night. There should be a writing desk for when the fancy strikes me. And a fireplace to curl up by. It would be my refuge. A place to go to get away and just lose myself in another world.

Get published
I want to feel that satisfaction of working on something and a publisher saying, "Yeah, I like this!" I want to write a story - a book, an article, even a poem! - that goes to print. Something that's good enough that people want to pick it up and read it. I don't have the imagination to write fiction, I'll leave that to other folks, but I've had some pretty interesting experiences in my life. I think they're worth sharing. I just don't know if I can express myself well enough, coherently enough, to convey that in writing. Entertaining someone with a story face-to-face is all well and good, but it's a different beast when you try to put it down on paper. Maybe one day I'll give it a shot though.

Askew

So, yet another thing I can thank StumbleUpon for... It lead me to knitty.com. This is a pretty cool site. They've got some awesome patterns up! There's also some really weird stuff, but hey! That keeps it interesting, right? I kinda like the weird stuff.

Anyway, I've bookmarked a whole bunch of the patterns, but I haven't really gotten a chance to play with them yet. Most of them require me to purchase new yarn and/or needles. The one I have tried though, came out great! Askew. It was easy as pie. It took me just over a day to make and it looks great! I've had a tonne of compliments on it. I've even been asked to knit one for someone else, they liked it so much! I love that I knit something that I can now go out and wear!

Anyway, I was just excited about that and wanted to share.

I now return you to your regularly scheduled programming...

Eliza

So I've been playing around with these virtual therapist things. I'd come across Tara and iTherapy before. It's kind of like talking to a particularly dull wall. Then I met Eliza and immediately decided that I'd been to harsh on Tara. Eliza makes Tara look like a genius! Anyway, poking around a bit more led me to Eliza Redux. This one takes the cake. Just as dumb as Elzia but with random, inane rants thrown in.

Here are a few examples:

Eliza: Are you saying 'no' just to be negative?
Me: If I say 'no' again, will you get after me?
Eliza: Does that usually happen when you say 'no' again?
Me: I don't usually say 'no'
Eliza: Don't you really usually say 'no'?
Me: I really don't
Eliza: How is that possible?
Me: I'm just not very good at it
Eliza: Thinking is an experimental dealing with small quantities of energy, just as general...

And the screen cleared before I could get the rest copied down.

Or what about this one? This one just started off scary.

Eliza: Show me a sane man and I will cure him for you
Me: I'm starting to believe that
Eliza: Is it because you are starting to believe that that you came to me?
Me: No, I wanted to talk about my relationship problems
Eliza: Are you saying no just to be negative?
Me: Not this again!
Eliza: We are all floating in the either of unconscious collectivity.
Me: You are a strange duck
Eliza: What makes you think I am a strange duck?
Me: Because you randomly start talking about ether in the middle of our conversations
Eliza: Is that the real reason?
Me: Yes, yes it is
Eliza: You seem to be quite sure of that
Me: You got a problem with that?
Eliza: We were discussing you -- not me
Me: Hey, you asked!
Eliza: Oh, I asked but only in my dreams
Me: You think this is a dream?
Eliza: What does that dream suggest to you?
And God came down from the heavens and said unto the chicken; thou shalt cros the road. And the Chicken crossed the road, and there was much rejoicing.

That was just weird!

Me: I think I like Tara better than you
Eliza: Do you really think so? Can you be more specific?
Me: Sure, she may not be as entertaining, but she seems more understanding... in a strange sort of way
Eliza: Please go on with whatever it is you are inadequately expressing.
Me: You're awfully insulting
Eliza: In truth, what evidence is there that I am awfully insulting?
Me: The fact that you just told me I'm not a very good communicator
Eliza: Why do you think I should just told you?
Me: Because you have the IQ of a potato and you're trying to mask your own inadequacies

I tried again and got this:

Eliza: Show me a sane man and I will cure him for you.
Me: So... are you the crazy one then?
Eliza: Why are you interested in whether I am the crazy one then or not?
Me: I don't want to take advice from an insane AI
Eliza: Don't you really want to take advice from an insane ai?
Me: Maybe you're right... Maybe I secretly do!
Eliza: You don't seem quite certain, that may be a good thing, and then again, it may not.
Me: You're not very helpful, are you?
Eliza: What makes you think I am not very helpful?
Me: Because you haven't actually said anything useful yet
Eliza: Is that the real reason?
Me: Isn't that enough?
Eliza: We are all floating in the either of unconscious collectivity.
Me: Didn't you say that once before?
Eliza: We were discussing you -- not me.
Me: Trying to!
Eliza: Would you like to discuss you spiritual life?
Me: What spiritual life?
Eliza: Why do you ask?
Me: Why do you?
Eliza: And God came down...

And finally, there was this:

Me: Are you anxious?
Eliza: Symptoms, those you believe you recognize, seem to you irrational because you take them in an isolated manner, and you want to interpret them directly.
Me: What? Where did that come from?
Eliza: Why do you ask?
Me: Because it seems completely random
Eliza: Do you think this is real, imaginary, or symbolic?
Me: I think it's pretty real, but you seem to think it's imaginary because you keep on talking about your dreams
Eliza: Really, how is that possible?
Me: I don't know, but you've brought them up a few times now
Eliza: What don't you know?
Me: How this could be imaginary or at all relate to your dreams
Eliza: What does that dream suggest to you?
Me: That we're in the Matrix
Eliza: Do you feel aroused discussing arcane and peculiar things?
Me: Yes, how did you know?

So, yeah... Eliza Redux takes the cake on weird and useless automated drivel.

100 Vegetarian Things to Eat Before You Die

One kinda led to the other.

Here goes...

1. Edamame
2. Cha Soba
Soba flavoured with green tea powder.
3. Arame
Specific type of kelp as far as I can tell.
4. Earth Balance Buttercream
I don't know what this is and I don't feel like researching it as it sounds brand name and I'm pretty sure I haven't had it.
5. "Homemade" sprouts
I've had plenty of sprouts in my time (alfalfa, broccoli, bean) but I can't say that any of them were ever "homemade".
6. Green Bamboo Rice
Rice infused with bamboo juice. Sometimes used in sushi to lend colour.
7. Absinthe
8. Eat at a raw restaurant
9. Fresh (real) wasabi
No, but I've had plenty of wasabi paste/powder.
10. Deep fried pickle
Surprisingly good.
11. Fiddleheads
A few times.
12. Garlic stuffed olives
Ate a whole jar all by myself. (Not all in one sitting of course. The jar was huge!)
13. Smen
Similar to ghee, but aged and stronger in flavour.
14. Goji Berries
15. Shiso or Perilla
Looks like nettle, tastes like mint.
16. Amaranth
Upon closer examination it appears that amaranth is just a fancy name for pigweed. I didn't even realize you could eat those things! We always just saw a weed and pulled it out.
17. Pomegranate molasses
Well, I've had pomegranate. And I've had molasses. But I've never even heard of pomegranate molasses.
18. Water convulvulus (Water Spinach)
19. Pea eggplant, Thai eggplant, green eggplant, Japanese eggplant, Indian eggplant, Sicilian eggplant...
20. A Zen Buddhist Vegan Meal
21. Kohya Dofu
Freeze dried tofu.
22. Wild Asparagus
When we can get it, yes. A little bit grows right on the edge of our property. Unfortunately people are jerks. I've watched more than one climb the fence, cut it, and drive away.
23. Elderberry
24. Candlenuts (kemiri)
25. Salsify
Goat's beard. Most likely the root of the purple goat's beard.
Haven't had this particular one, but I have eaten dandelions.
26. Nutritional Yeast
Only time I eat yeast is when it's baked into bread.
27. Pandan
28. Roman cauliflower
29. Anything with acorn flour
30. Poi
31. Chaya (tree spinach)
32. Pitahaya (dragon fruit)
33. Asafoetida
34. Fried plantains
35. Basil seeds
I've had lots of basil, but always the leaves, never thought of eating the seeds.
36. Cardoon
Artichoke thistle.
37. Durian
38. Ground Cherry or cape gooseberry
39. Fresh waterchestnut
Waterchestnuts are good, but I've never had a fresh one.
40. Cashew nut cheese
No, 'though I have had Rambol cheese. It's a soft cheese, similar to brie, with walnuts. It's smooth and creamy with a slightly sweet flavour. I've never found anything else quite like it.
41. Nettles
42. Fake duck from a can, tofurky, or any prepared vegetarian product to resemble meat
Veggie dogs, veggie burgers and, on a similar note, soy cheese.
43. Kimchi
44. Masala Dosa
45. Lotus Seed
46. Matcha
47. Loubie Bzeit
Green beans, tomato, and lots of garlic. Sounds pretty good!
48. Quince
49. Blue Potatoes
They're a novelty, sure, but I don't like them any better than other potatoes.
50. Injera
Pancake-like thing. Usually served with some sort of stew.
51. Nasturtium
52. Turkish Delight or Lokum
53. Spruce tips
54. Breadfruit
No, but will hopefully get to try it soon!
55. Mangosteen
56. Swede or Rutabaga
Wow! This made the list? Really? I mean, it's not bad depending on how you prepare it. I always like to add a little to my stews and it's good mashed up with potatoes. But, I have to admit, I'm a little surprised that it's list-worthy.
57. Garlic Scapes
Never heard of these before. Apparently they are "a garlic-lover's nirvana". Guess I'll have to try some.
58. Lavash
59. Candied Angelica
60. Rambutan
61. Sambal
62. Bhutanese Red Rice
63. Candy-cane or Chioggia beets
64. Mango
65. Ras el Hanout
66. Vegan marshmallow
Now there's one that definitely wouldn't have made it on my list!
67. Umeboshi
68. Red Currants
You bet! Home grown too!
69. Puy or French (green) lentils
70. Millet
No, though I do have a couple of recipes that I've been meaning to try that call for it.
71. Fresh Bamboo shoot
Never fresh, only canned or frozen.
72. Jerusalem artichoke
73. Wild strawberry
We were lucky enough to have a few of these growing in our back yard.
74. Jambool
I don't even know what this is!
75. Po cha or Yak butter Tea
76. Adzuki beans
77. Shirataki
Thin, translucent, low carb, gelatinous, Japanese noodles.
78. Manioc, yuca, cassava
In several different forms.
79. Quinoa
80. Ramps
Spring onion.
81. Chufa
82. Purslane
83. Curry Leaves (Kadipatta)
84. Sorrel
85. Sumac
These are a pest! Didn't realize you could eat them!
86. Vegan cupcake
Uh... no. Again, not sure why this made the list. Who cares?
87. Montreal bagel
88. Peri-peri
89. Syllabub
90. Chartreuse
91. Kamut berries
92. Kalamansi Lime
93. Aloe
Never tried it. Mostly because I heard that it tasted terrible!
94. Morels
Very yes! They grow wild around our place and they are lovely!
95. Raw “bread”
96. Dandelion wine
97. Rosti
Potatoes. Good.
98. Loomi
99. Stinky tofu
100. Something grown by you
Yes, lots of stuff. Beans, tomatoes, potatoes, peas, carrots, onions, garlic, corn, pumpkin, squash, zucchini, cucumber, peppers, various herbs, lettuce, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, radishes, apples, strawberries, peaches, cherries, raspberries, rhubarb, and probably more besides! We also gathered a lot of stuff wild; blackberries, wild strawberries, puffballs, morels, asparagus... And, I know it doesn't really count for the vegetarian list but, we also grow our own chicken, turkey, and beef. We've done ducks, geese, and guinea fowl at various points. And we always used to have our own eggs too. 'Though we haven't had laying hens for a few years now.
So, yeah, I think I qualify on that one.

32 out of 100. Meh.

100 Things to Eat Before You Die

Yet another gem from StumbleUpon.

I've had some pretty interesting foods at various times, but I don't know if they'd be considered "must-haves". I'm just reading through the page as I write this post so, I'm not sure what-all's on it yet. Let's see how I do with the list...

100. Venison
Done and Done! Venison fillet Mignon and a lot of venison stew.

99. Nettle Tea

98. Huevos Rancheros

97. Steak Tartare
Never tried this, but I would really like to. So far, the opportunity hasn't arisen, but someday I'll be at a fancy restaurant and I'll see it on the menu. Right now I don't exactly have the funds for a lot of fine dining so, this one'll have to wait.

96. Crocodile
I've never been anywhere that serves crocodile. Supposedly it tastes like a cross between chicken and crab. In that case, I think crocodile green curry over rice would be the way to go. Sounds good, yes?

95. Black Pudding
Yes please! This stuff is amazing! I know, it sounds kind of gross... blood and offal and all, but it's really delicious. I wish it were easier to get over here! I ate it all the time when I was in Ireland, but you hardly ever see it in the supermarkets here.

94. Cheese Fondue
What's not to like?

93. Carp
Yes, though it's been a while.

92. Borscht
I'd like to try making this one day. Just haven't gotten around to it yet.

91. Baba Ghanoush
Yes! This stuff is fantastic! I used to eat it all the time when I was a kid. My parents would get a bowl of baba ghanoush, a bowl of hummus, a package of pitas, and a bunch of raw veggies and we'd make a night of it. My brother and I always devoured the garlicky baba ghanoush and left the hummus relatively untouched. Now I love them both!

90. Calamari
I still order this stuff whenever I get the chance! Calamari == Win!

89. Pho
I love these big, wonderful bowls of soup! There's a Vietnamese restaurant around the corner from where I live. They have pho with two types of beef (rare and well done), tendon, tripe, and meatballs. I'd love to try it sometime. I've never had tripe before (or tendon for that matter!) and I think this would be a great way to try it for the first time.

88. PB&J Sandwich
My mom tried to send these in my lunch a couple of times when I first started school. I never liked them. I'd always ask for a jam sandwich without the peanut butter. Fifteen years later, I give PB&J another shot. Wow! These things are phenomenal! I still can't imagine how I couldn't have liked these as a kid. Nothing like a delicious PB&J sandwich with toasted bread, smooth peanut butter, and grape jelly! 'Though, pretty much any variation is great. Untoasted, crunchy peanut butter, with strawberry jam is also good. It's just not the best.

87. Aloo Gobi
Is good!

86. Hot Dog from a Street Cart
I've had hot dogs from several different street carts. 'Though, I don't know if they're the kind the author of the article is talking about. All my street carts have had grills. He talks about water, so I can only assume he's getting boiled hot dogs. For me, I'd take grilled over boiled any day.
But, I feel I must add, there is something even better. The absolute best hotdogs are steamies from Montreal. These things are amazing. Both the dog and the bun are steamed and delicious and wonderful. You'll never find anything else quite like it.

85. Epoisses
Apparently this is the "king of all cheese". I'll have to keep an eye out for it.

84. Black Truffle

83. Fruit Wine (made from something other than grapes)
I'm not much of a wine drinker. Actually, I'm not much of a drinker period. So, no, I haven't tried this one.

82. Steamed Pork Bun
It's been a good long time but, yes, I've had these.

81. Pistachio Ice Cream
Don't know that I'd put this on my list of foods... but, yes.

80. Heirloom Tomatoes
Yes, several varieties. Most of them home-grown.

79. Fresh Wild Berries
We have a tonne of blackberry bushes growing all over our property back home. We all used to go out and pick them in the summer. Some years we'd get more than we could eat! We'd have them over vanilla ice cream, make lovely pies, freeze them, save them, give them away, or just eat them by the handful.
We've also got a few raspberries and wild strawberries. Real wild strawberries are minuscule, but they are sweet and delicious enough to make up what they lack in size.
I also got to pick and enjoy fresh blueberries while we were in Nova Scotia visiting family. Delicious!

78. Foie Gras
As much as I'd like to try this because it's a delicacy and it's special, I don't know if I could bring myself to do it. Eating meat doesn't bother me in the slightest. I don't mind the idea that another animal has died to feed me. Cruelty, however, is another issue. That, I can't abide. I don't mind if the animal dies, as long as it is killed humanely and doesn't suffer while it lives.
From what I understand of foie gras, the ducks and/or geese are force-fed in order to make the liver extra fatty and tasty. Sounds a little cruel and unusual to me. I don't know... I'll have to look into it more before I make a final call on this one.

77. Rice and Beans
Not much to say about this one but "yes".

76. Head Cheese
As much as this may be interesting, I'd be a little wary of eating any sort of brain matter. Especially since all this nonsense with BSE and whatnot. I mean, I have no problem with eating other organs; liver, stomach, heart, kidneys, etc. I'd just be a little concerned about eating any sort of nervous tissue. If you can guarantee me that it's free of dangerous prions, then sure, I'll give it a whirl. But otherwise, I think not.

75. Raw Scotch Bonnet Pepper
I've had scotch bonnets cooked into other things before. Most notably, my dad's Superbowl chili. Can't say that I've ever tried a raw one by itself though.

74. Dulce de Leche
Tasty!

73. Oysters
I've had clams. I've had mussels. I've had scallops. But I've not had oysters yet.

72. Baklava
So delicious!

71. Bagna Cauda
I've never even heard of this before! It does sound good though. Especially with artichokes!

70. Wasabi Peas
Good as a snack. 'Though, truth be told, I'd rather just put a little wasabi paste on my sushi and enjoy it that way.

69. Clam Chowder in a Sourdough Bowl
I've had clam chowder and I've had sourdough. Does that count?

68. Salted Lassi
Sounds... interesting.

67. Sauerkraut
Love this stuff! Eat it straight out of the jar as a snack! Hot, cold, fried with onions and peppers, on hotdogs, with sausages, in Reuben sandwiches... I could go on!

66. Root Beer Float
Check!

65. Cognac with a Fat Cigar
Never had either of these. Can't say that it holds much appeal for me.

64. Clotted Cream Tea
I've had clotted cream, just not in my tea. Actually putting clotted cream in tea seems like a terrible waste! Of cream and of tea! You have to understand that proper clotted cream is going to be at least 55% fat and will be thick enough to spread with a knife. It really would be like splashing a big old pat of butter into your tea!
I maintain that the best way to have clotted cream is spread generously over warm scones with a bit of jam.
To. Die. For.

63. Vodka Jelly
Tried it once. It was alright. Meh.

62. Gumbo
I've had it, 'though not nearly often enough in my opinion.

61. Oxtail
My dad makes the best oxtail soup! Mmmm...

60. Curried Goat
Saw it on the menu and couldn't resist.

59. Whole Insects
Haven't gotten around to it yet, 'though I wouldn't mind trying fried grasshoppers or chocolate-covered ants at some point. I might get a little squeamish at live maggots though, I dunno.

58. Phaal
Haven't tried this, but I want to! Hottest curry out there? Yes please!

57. Goat's Milk
I've had loads of cheese made from goat's milk, but I've never tried the milk itself.

56. Single Malt Whiskey
Tried it. Not a fan.

55. Fugu
It's on my list. Has been for a while. It's not exactly an everyday item though. Especially not over here.

54. Chicken Tikka Masala
Definitely good.

53. Eel
Smoked eel (unagi) sushi is my absolute favourite!

52. Krispy Kreme Original Glazed Donut
You know what? Everyone goes nuts over these donuts. They're not that great. I mean, they're not bad. They're just nothing special.
Now, what is great is a fresh, warm, homemade donut.
The only other donuts that could compare were from a street cart on O'Connell Street in Dublin. She made them right there, in front of you. You told her whether you wanted them dipped in chocolate or just tossed in sugar. You got them in a paper bag, with a napkin; still warm. They were the most delicious, melt-in-your-mouth donuts you could ever hope for! I once bought half a dozen of them and proceeded to go home and eat them all in one, guilty sitting. Those were truly the best donuts money could buy!

51. Sea Urchin
I'll try it one day... maybe.

50. Prickly Pear
These show up as a specialty item in the grocery stores 'round here every now and again.

So, that's 30 out of 50. Now on to the second half!

49. Umeboshi

48. Abalone

47. Paneer
My love of cheese extends to this wonderful little gem as well.

46. McDonald's Big Mac Meal
Unfortunately, yes.

45. Spaetzle
Don't think I've run across this one yet.

44. Dirty Gin Martini
Never had any martinis, dirty or otherwise.

43. Beer above 8% ABV
I think I've had some that was 10%. I've definitely had 7.5%, which, if I'm not mistaken, is still relatively strong for a beer. As previously mentioned though, I'm not a big drinker. I generally dislike both beer and wine, with very few exceptions.

42. Poutine
Yes! But if you want proper poutine you have to go to Quebec. I've had it other places and it's just not the same.
Don't let them try to tell you that any old cheese will due. (Poutine with grated cheese is alright, but it just doesn't compare to the real thing.) The cheese curds should be fresh. They should be fairly salty. And preferably white and unpasteurized.
Mmmm... heart attack on a plate.

41. Carob chips
Not as similar to chocolate as I thought they would be.

40. S'mores
It's been ages but, yes.

39. Sweetbreads
I always thought sweetbreads and head cheese were the same thing. Apparently I was wrong. I was feeling a little iffy on the headcheese, but these sound quite good. Sweetbreads I would try sometime.

38. Kaolin
The author didn't have many details on this one beyond the fact that it is edible clay of some description. I have actually heard of this before, I just couldn't remember what it was called. Anyway, suffice it to say, I haven't tried it. I'd give it a shot if the opportunity ever arose though.

37. Currywurst
Why am I only hearing about this now? This sounds good! I think I may have to try to make this one sometime. Sounds easy enough; sausage, ketchup, curry paste, curry powder... maybe a few other spices.

36. Durian
I wouldn't go out an buy it on my own. But I'd eat it if someone else offered it to me.

35. Frog's Legs
Had these as part of a seafood platter in Montreal. Tasty. Kind of like a cross between chicken and fish.

34. Beignets, Churros, Elephant Ears, or Funnel Cake
I've yet to try churros, but the rest I've had.

33. Haggis
No, but I've been dying to try it for ages!

32. Fried Plantain
Deep fried, shallow fried, spiced, and plain!

31. Chitterlings
Well, I've never had chitterlings on their own, but I have had them in the form of sausage casings.

30. Gazpacho
The author calls this a "bread soup" but, as far as I know, it's more of a cold tomato soup. Either way, I've never had it.

29. Caviar and Blini
I've had the (red) caviar, just not the blini.

28. Louche Absinthe
No, though my parents do have the absinthe, the special slotted spoon, and the instructions for making the drink.

27. Gjetost
Never tried it, but it's cheese, so I'll probably like it.

26. Roadkill
No. Not as far as I know anyway.

25. Baijui
Another no.

24. Hostess Fruit Pie

23. Snail
I've had the traditional escargots with garlic butter as well as a strange-looking snail that came on the side of my plate at a restaurant in Italy.

22. Lapsang Souchong
Never tried this particular type of tea, though I've had many others.

21. Bellini

20. Tom Yum
Came shortly after my first experience with pho.

19. Eggs Benedict
I make these for myself for breakfast whenever I'm feeling like a bit of a treat.

18. Pocky
Yes, in many different flavours.

17. Tasting Menu at a Tree-Michelin-Star Restaurant
Can't say I've ever done this one.

16. Kobe Beef
Maybe someday...

15. Hare
I'm lucky enough to have a neighbour who raises rabbits to eat. I've made my own hassenpfeffer at home and also tried rabbit souvlaki in a restaurant.

14. Goulash
One of the Hungarian travelers I met in Dublin made me a wonderful goulash while we were both staying in the same hostel.

13. Flower
I made my own pickled dandelion buds when I was a kid as well as candied apple blossoms.

12. Horse
Never had it, but I wouldn't be opposed to trying it sometime.

11. Criollo
Apparently I need to go to Peru for this one. Hey, I'm all for that!

10. Spam
Yes, and I've also had Klik (the Canadian version of Spam)!

9. Soft-shell Crab
I've seen one at a beach, just never eaten one.

8. Rose Harissa
From what I can tell, this is expensive chili sauce.

7. Catfish
We used to have catfish all the time in my house. My brother loved it!

6. Mole Poblano
I'm not entirely certain that I've had this specific variety. But I've definitely had mole.

5. Bagel and lox
Didn't like it at first, but the combination has grown on me over time.

4. Lobster Thermidor
Never tried it, but it sounds lovely!

3. Polenta
I've got a recipe that I've been meaning to try out. Just haven't quite gotten around to it yet.

2. Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee
Not much of a coffee drinker so... no.

1. Snake
I was hoping that snake would make an appearance on this list. I got to try a piece of deep-fried rattlesnake when I was in Texas with my family. It was good. Lots of cartilage, not a lot of meat, but that's okay. It was still tasty!

So, the count stands at 53 out of 100. (I think. Honestly, I'm a little tired and this post is long, it's entirely possible that I've miscounted.) Not bad, I guess.

Cup-o-cake: Impressed!

And this is why I love StumbleUpon!
I find all sorts of interesting stuff with that little button. And this? This is fantastic!
You've heard of Cup-o-Soup, right? Well, this is the same idea, only for cake!
It's almost as easy and far, far better 'cause, well... it's cake. Fresh, homemade, delicious, chocolate cake. In a mug. In 5 minutes!

I am so making this tomorrow!

Paraskavadecatriaphobia!

Because it's Friday the 13th.
And... because I can.
It's just a cool word, okay?

Situation: Diffused

So, I think I've managed to talk and sidestep myself away from the majority of the awkwardness. I still don't feel great about it. I still wish that things could've worked out a bit differently. I'm not sure how exactly. Just... not quite like this.
I know I'm probably making a mountain out of a molehill. I know it's probably not as bad as I think. Actually, it's not even that it's turned out all that poorly, it's just that I feel bad about it. I feel bad about what's happened to get me to this point.
There isn't really much I can do about it now though. What's done is done.
I'll move on from here and try not to screw things up again.
At least I'm no longer in the middle of any crazy, criss-crossing, love interests. (I hope!)
Now I just have to wait and see how things unfold.

I'm an Idiot!

I don't really want to expand on the circumstances just now. But, suffice it to say, I win at getting myself into awkward situations.
I'm pretty sure I'm now in the middle of what's looking to be one-and-a-half love triangles. It's not really a triangle anymore at all. It's just weird and confusing and... oh yeah, did I mention awkward?
Anyway, I think I know what needs to be done now.
I'm gonna try to sort things out tomorrow.
I really hope that this doesn't blow up in my face.
Wish me luck!

25 Random Things...

My roommate filled out one of these and I figured that I'd give it a try too. Here's what I came up with:

1. I love daffodils! I'm generally not much of one for flowers but there are a few that appeal to me. Irises and lilies are fun, but there's just something about daffodils. They always make me happy.

2. I can recite pi to 60 digits. I memorized the first 70-odd digits when I was in elementary school, mostly 'cause I was bored, and it just stuck with me.

3. I spent copious amounts of time playing with Tonka trucks as a kid. Way better than Barbie dolls, believe you me!

4. My singing could make small children cry. I couldn't hold a tune to save my life.

5. I love road trips but I hate driving. I'd rather be the passenger any day.

6. I've traveled a fair bit but I still get terrible wanderlust a lot of the time. I don't like to stay in one place for too long. I get restless.
If I ever get the time and the money, there's a whole list of trips I'd like to take, places I'd like to visit. India, Kenya, Egypt, South Africa, Australia, Romania, Argentina, Brazil... I could go on. I discovered something called OzBus a couple years ago. A twelve week road trip from London, England to Sydney, Australia. You pass through 20 countries along the way. It sounds absolutely amazing!

7. I love to bake. Bread, muffins, pies, danishes; not too crazy about cakes though. I think it's the icing. I don't like decorating them. Strangely enough I don't mind doing fancy shapes and decorations for other pastries, there's just something about cakes.

8. I'm a voracious reader. "When I get a little money, I buy books; if any is left, I buy food and clothes." -Erasmus. That just about sums it up for me. I love books. I love owning well-made books. I have some lovely hardbacks variously bound in silk, leather, or cloth. Depending on the book, I also like second-hand copies. They have more character.

9. I'd take a camping trip over a five star resort any day. I feel uncomfortable with people waiting on me like that. I'd much rather feel self-sufficient. Besides, when you're in one of those fancy resorts you're so far removed from everything. I want to experience the place I'm visiting. I want to feel it, see it, smell it; not be hidden away in some plush, padded room somewhere.

10. I generally like coffee-flavoured things but I hate coffee. I'm much more of a tea person. However, I do like iced cappuccinos, mochas, coffee-flavoured truffles and chocolates and the like. Honestly though... there's nothing like a good, hot cup of red tea. Just a spoonful of sugar, give it a stir, and enjoy.

11. I usually do alright in the cold (as long as it's not too windy) but I can't stand the heat. Once it gets past about 25 C, I just shut down. Especially if it's humid as well.

12. The oldest landmark I've seen is Stonehenge. I went to England with my family a few years ago. We stayed with my aunt, rented a car, and took a tour of the UK. We saw some pretty amazing stuff. Visited a few castles, saw the white cliffs of Dover, went to Oxford, walked through Sherwood forest, spent a very chilly afternoon at Hadrian's wall. I'm pretty sure, out of all of those, Stonehenge is the oldest and the most famous. It was really an amazing thing to see.

13. The coolest thing I've seen is probably a shuttle launch at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
See below for more details on that one.

14. Words like "irregardless" tend to annoy me. It's redundant. "Regardless" is already negative, you don't need to negate it again by tacking a useless "ir-" onto the front.

15. I like to collect quotes. I've found a few new ones recently that really appeal to me. They should be listed below somewhere.

16. I love myths and legends. I collect mythologies, fairy tales, fables, etc.

17. I have a soft spot for guys with accents. My favourites are probably Scottish and Australian. I absolutely melt for them! Latino accents are pretty good as well. British can be alright. I'm rather partial to Liverpool accents. And I have to admit Donegal accents can be rather pleasing as well.

18. I'm fascinated by languages. I always like to look up the etymology of words. I'd love to be a polyglot. I can speak a little French and Spanish, and I can understand Portuguese, but English is the only language I speak fluently (so far). I'll keep working at it though. Not that I've had much time to dedicate to language study or practice lately, but I'll get back to it. Eventually.

19. I'm a computer science major who loves all things old-fashioned. Horse-drawn carriages, dip pens, ink pots, pocket watches, wax seals, turntables, rotary phones. I know they're not all even remotely from the same era, but they're all things I'd like to see more of. They're interesting. Fun. They have character.

20. I hate socks! Generally the first thing I do when I get home is rip off my shoes and socks. I'd go barefoot all the time if I could. Unfortunately that's not always an option.

21. Cats and cows are my favourite animals. There are very few animals that I don't like, but they're probably at the top of my list. After that I'd probably go for a snake or a lizard or something. Iguanas and bearded dragons are pretty cool...

22. I can't eat in the dark. It's just one of my weird little quirks. My food needs to be well lit. I can just about handle eating popcorn in a darkened movie theatre, but anything beyond that... well, you better have the spotlights turned on.

23. I love board games. Of course, all the classics are great: trivia games, scrabble, monopoly, risk; but some of the more obscure ones are just fantastic!

24. I like trying obscure or bizarre foods. I've had fried rattlesnake, ostrich sausage, buffalo burgers, venison stew, rabbit souvlaki, sea cucumber sushi, pickled squid salad, custard apples... some of them are stranger than others, I know, but I thought that they were all fairly interesting.

25. I've always wanted to try hang gliding. I know I'll be slightly terrified once I get up there, but I still want to do it. I think they usually send you up with someone else, an instructor, the first time anyway, so that might not be so bad. The idea of flying like that just thrills me, even if it does scare me a bit at the same time. What an amazing experience!

Well, this has been fun... If a little more lengthy than anticipated. Hope I didn't babble too much.

Coolest Thing I've Seen

I'm fortunate enough to have gotten the chance to see and do a lot of cool things so far in life. I've been to a lot of places and done a lot of fairly awesome stuff. That makes picking the single "coolest" event a bit of a challenge. I had to think about this one for a while.

In the States we had: the Grand Canyon, the Everglades, the Very Large Array, eating rattlesnake in Texas.
At home in Canada I remember: Niagara Falls and playing in tide pools in Nova Scotia.
Ireland was: catching hermit crabs on the beach, the Giant's Causeway, eating lunch at the Brazen Head (est. 1198).
England had: Stonehenge, Hadrian's Wall, Dover Castle, Nunny Castle, Sherwood Forest.
From Central America I remember: Xunantunich, Chechem Ha, Tikal, the Panama Canal.
Europe was brilliant, with: La Ramblas, the Alps, the Pyrinees, a fantastic clock in Liechtenstein, Versailles, Notre Dame, the Eiffel Tower, and Gaudi's cathedral.

Like I said, I'm lucky. I've seen a lot of phenomenal things.
What finally stood out in my mind though was my trip to Florida. My parents not only took my brother and me to the Kennedy Space Center, we got to see a launch the next day!

I don't think it's possible to adequately describe the sensation of watching a shuttle take off. It's something you just have to see (and hear).
It was a nighttime launch. I was only 10 or 11 at the time and I remember being cranky at having to wake up at two in the morning. It was so worth it though!

I remember the night being pitch black, and quiet. The launchpad was lit and we could see the shuttle sitting there. Anticipation.
Then steam, thick and dark, begins billowing from the bottom of the shuttle. It gathers and climbs, obscuring the shuttle bit by bit. Then, just as the tip of the vessel disappears behind its veil... The world explodes!

Light! Sound!

The sky lit up as if the sun had suddenly burst from the ground. For a few moments we could see everything around us. A minute of perfect daylight in the middle of the night.

And the noise!
No cymbal crash, rock concert, thunderstorm can hold a candle to the earth-shattering uproar of that shuttle making its great escape.
That rumbling, roaring ruckus reached out and rolled across the distance between us. Filled the air. Filled our ears, our heads. It grabbed the ground and shook us. Rippled through our bodies. After the first second or two, you are no longer hearing the launch; you're being engulfed by it.

And then, after being blinded, deafened, and awed, it begins to recede. The light shrinks back towards its source. The sound fades away. And you're left in a seeming vacuum. Tingling and watching the fireball rise.

As that brilliant bead of light shrinks to a speck you see a hint of a burst, a tiny bit of extra light, as the rockets detach. Watch for another moment and it vanishes. Beyond reach, beyond sight, beyond perception.
And you're left alone with the stars.

"Defend your vice"? Uh... which one?

Sloth at Baru by roblisameehan

There are a few that immediately come to mind.
Let's see... sloth, lust, and gluttony to name a few.

Now, as far as defense goes...

Well, sloth isn't a perpetual state. I can work quite hard if there's some incentive or motivation. It's just that, quite often, it doesn't seem like there is. I dunno, I get into funks where I can't seem to get up the gumption to do anything at all. I've been in one of those for about a month now.

Gluttony? That one I'm working on. I've been bad the past couple of weeks, but I'll get back on track again. I'll get it under control.

I'm not sure if lust is quite the right word for my last vice. It's not as if I don't have any emotional connection or deeper attraction to the people I sleep with. I usually do. I'm not just in it for the sex. But I definitely do have a bit of a preoccupation with fornication.

If real life had savepoints...

Man oh man, the things I'd redo!

Undo button by dps

Well, the first thing that pops to mind is my attempt to run away from home. That was stupid! Not only was it foolhardy, but it cost me a lot of money and hurt everyone around me. I would give just about anything to be able to erase that particular disaster from my past.

Relationships in first year. I pulled some stupid sh*t in first year. Most of it had to do with boys. Unfortunately some of it ended up hurting them. I wish that I could take it back. It wasn't fair to them. I was just acting the bollocks. No excuse.

Moving out of residence. Residence has it's problems. It can be noisy and distracting. People are always having parties and pulling fire alarms ('cause they're drunken morons!) but it's still probably the best option for living arrangements when you're in school. You don't have to worry about furniture or landlords or transportation. It's simple. It's easy.
But I was so anxious to get out on my own!
I don't even remember why anymore. It seemed so important at the time. Now it just seems silly.
Things might have turned out so much differently if I had just stayed on campus for one more semester...

Ireland.
It would take a small book to properly describe all the things I did wrong on this one.
In short: I panicked, ran off to Ireland, lied to my parents about why I was going and what I was doing. Things started going wrong. My parents tried to step in and help and ended up in the middle of a big mess because I had misled them about the situation. I got engaged. That was a mess and a half! Don't get me wrong, my fiance was a wonderful, loving, sweet, caring guy. It wasn't for lack of love that things fell apart. Things were just poorly handled, all 'round. And the whole thing stressed my parents out terribly and I wish I could go back and spare them that.

A space of my own

Room and board has it's perks, but the convenience is no substitute for the satisfaction and comfort of having a place of your own.

Not that I have anything against my roommate, or the family I'm boarding with. I'd just like to have my own place. I'm tired of everything I have being someone else's. I want to pick out my own furniture, have my own cookware, do my own grocery shopping, make my own food! Now, the cleaning? That I don't mind someone else doing. But everything else could stand to change.

Don't say 'irregardless' around me

In general, just try to avoid bad grammar and redundancies (oxymorons are okay). I know my grammar isn't perfect, but I do make an effort and I appreciate when other folks do the same. This mostly applies to writing, of course. The spoken word is supposed to be much more free form than what we write down. That being said, there are a few words that just plain annoy me, irregardless of circumstance.

irregardless
It's completely redundant. Regardless already means "without regard to", there is absolutely no need to preface that with a negating "ir-". This word should not even exist! The only time you should be able to get away with using it is if it's part of some sort of humour.

prebiotic
This one really drives me nuts! I mean "probiotic" was bad enough. Someone decided to coin the term and then everyone latched onto it. Now every second thing you see in the supermarket is "probiotic this" and "probiotic that". The problem with probiotics becoming so popular though is that now your calcium-enriched-trans-fat-free-low-sugar-probiotic yogurt no longer stands out. You need a new hook. So, what do they come up with? "Prebiotic"! This word is such a gimmick! They've started tossing it into ads and slipping it into commercials. Not that they explain what the term means mind you. "Probiotic" is already popular enough, people are gonna jump on the bandwagon without even knowing or caring what the word means. This word is yet more proof that human beings seem to have lost the ability to think for themselves. Empty-headed sheep!

orientated
I've always said oriented. I'm not sure which version is technically correct, but "orientated" always makes me do a little inward cringe when I hear it.

dreamed
I know it's considered a perfectly acceptable alternative to "dreamt". Actually, it looks like it may have overtaken its older counterpart; this spell checker doesn't even recognize "dreamt" as a word. Anyway, I still prefer the older form. "Dreamed" was only introduced in order to get this verb to match up with all the other ones that take an "-ed" to form the past tense. Just like "swollen" and "swelled". In this case, it's not so much that "dreamed" annoys me as that I prefer the alternative.

Audiences

I wonder if anyone ever reads this. I wonder if they ever have.
I tend to think not. There are so many blogs out there and there's nothing in particular to draw an audience here. I don't write to an audience. I'm not expecting a crowd. I use this page the same way I'd use a journal. I just write what's on my mind. No particular direction or theme. I'm not going for popularity. I'm not looking for numbers. But I do wonder sometimes... if anyone ever has wandered onto this page, listened to what I had to say.

I'm generally glad that I don't have an audience. It means I don't have to worry about pleasing anyone. There's no pressure on me as to what or how often I write. I'm completely free. That being said, I somehow enjoy the possibility of readers. I don't know what I'd do if I ever found out that there were people following this blog. I'm not sure how I'd feel about that. But I do like the idea that this is "out there" and that someone could be reading it.