PurpleSheep

After several days, often weeks, of peanut butter on toast and beans being the exclusive sources of  protein in my diet, my body starts to complain as it slowly dies from the inability to build anything new, and tentatively, I add some sort of Quorn product to the shopping list.
I’m always surprised when I hear of vegetarians who enjoy Quorn because it is essentially mushroom protein moulded into different shapes. Not only is it tasteless (though it often smells like cat food for some reason) it doesn’t absorb flavour well. In my experience it takes a lot of experimenting, marinating and slow cooking to make Quorn taste good. When I manage to make a dish of good tasting Quorn I tell everyone about it; it truly is a culinary achievement. To be fair, It’s also tasty deep fried (what isn’t thought?), but with the amount of cheese I consume (lots of recipes vegetarian recipes use cheese, or if you’re in Austria the vege option is deep fried cheese) this is not practical for fitting into the same jeans. That is why condiments are such an amazing thing; you get your protein from the Quorn and you taste something nice at the same time. I’ve never eaten a Quorn sausage that hasn’t first been lathered in tomato sauce, nor a Quorn ‘chicken style’ sandwich that hasn’t first been spread with mustard or tomato chutney. And the most wonderful thing about condiments is that they’re not in ‘the style’ of anything. You don’t feel cheated or lied to. I’ve never actually had a steak but I’m quite certain that Quorn ‘steaks’ bare little resemblance to the original dead cow. They do however taste suspiciously like their ‘chicken style’ breasts.

Condiments are also great for having on toast. As some of you may know, I rather enjoy cooking, but my illness often prevents me from partaking in my favourite pastime as often as I would like. When I have an attack of laziness, and making food with any nutritional value is too much effort, toast is often the only option available to me for tea. Jam, marmalade, peanut butter, Nutella, honey, and Marmite: they all go well with toast, and there are so many choices with condiments, you don’t get bored. Also, as a coffee drinker, the negative side effects of eating too much white bread (though admittedly seeded batch is my favourite) are neutralised by a liquid often too eager to leave the body.

If someone took away my condiments I’m afraid I would die of malnourishment.

We drove out for the sunset a few hours before nature had scheduled it, beginning with a wrong turn which took us through cow and sheep crowded countryside, and not failing to notice the heads turning at our wannabee Subaru Punto. With heavy tripods, unsuitable footwear, and no jumpers, we headed up the path to Lairds Loch, spotting a deer the moment we arrived. With the deer too far away for photos, we walked round the loch in search of a location, nearing the much beloved boat, and retracing our steps backwards after spotting suspicious looking fisherman and their chihuahua. Hopping over some fallen trees we entered marshland; the best photos being in the most uncomfortable places, and we remembered Rannoch Moor and Greg’s poor sodden feet. This was not quite so bad, though too squidgy for slip on vans. The deer scuttered into the woods as we delicately manoeuvred through the marsh by the side of the loch, until we found a good position for sunset. Greg set up his camera, fiddling with filters, and remotes, while I pined for the SLR I so desire as I took pictures with my lovely compact, then reminding myself I’d probably get the same sort of pictures out of an SLR. Afterall, it’s the photographer; not the camera.

We passed some hours taking photographs of fading light; pink tinged clouds reflecting off the loch and giving the damp place a warm glow. A second abandoned boat became the focal point of the pictures, with the odd duck moving hurriedly across the water behind it. As 21:54 approached (Nature’s timetable of events listed this time as sunset) what was left of the light disappeared, and we began to pack up, doing it quicker after we heard the fisherman and their dog. Being jumperless was perhaps another reason to speed up. We trundled up the road in the punto, with the dashboard vibrating, the wheels making strange noises and hoping the fuse for the ipod would last, thinking of our next adventure in the punto.

So Greg and I went off in the wee punto today, through rain and hail stones, to Glamis Castle, which after a tour I realised I’d be in before. It made me more sure that I’m destined to be an expert in a pretty irrelevant to real life, historic field. We had a nice wee tour while it rained outside, with only two other people. Most of the castle in still in use, which is a pity since it makes the tour rather short, but it was fun all the same.

Next, we took tea and scones in the Victorian Café, which was lovely, and tested out my new camera with very positive results. The scones were okay, but without being too egotistical I think I can make better. They were big but not light, where as I think  my scones are lighter, but smaller. It was still nice though and we had some fun with my camera before venturing out into the gardens with Greg’s trusty SLR and my compact. We went a walking in the pine forest a saw a red squirrel, before taking a saunter around the Italian Garden and having camera geek fun. We continued our tour of the garden past some cows, over a burn on which I used the ‘minature effect’ on my camera with more happy outcomes, and onto the unfinished walled garden, where we daydreamed of River Castle, presented by Greg and Mhairi with Hugh Ferningly whatshisname doing the hard work.

After our lovely afternoon, and much deliberation, it was decided we would end the day with a meal at the Belmont Arms, which we had previously found to be nice when Iain could drive and Greg was rich. Unfortunatly this time, although Greg enjoyed some tiger prawns, my meal was expensive, tastless, unseasoned, pasta-vege mush, and the coffee and mints we had afterwards was cheap non minty chocolate and INSTANT coffee. However, despite this, the camera and the company kept my spirits up (to use an old fashioned phrase :P) To finish the night, we took some sunset photos in a gooseberry field and then came home.

I’m going be the Cheshire cat for Welcome to Wonderland at the Union- on the condition that lots of people are going out and it will be worth spending the money.

I would like some opinions on what to wear. I will be wearing tights on the bottom, then black shorts. I am stuck between two tights. I like the Zebra ones best but I don’t know if the other ones would go better. Also, there is the option of really cool hot pink fishnets, but I theyre hold ups so might be too tarty plus they're not stripy. But I could get stripy leg warmers to go with them.


On top the cheaper option is the pink and black top, which I think I’d cut a bit to make cooler. The other option is the green, pink and black one, which I think would look good with the zebra tights.

                                                                               

For my eye makeup I was also thinking of this, if Lisa would be so kind as to do it. But maybe pink would be better.




I have other ideas but I’m not going to share them just yet. Tell me what you think!
(click pictures to enlarge)

I read a little bit about anarchism today for my tutorial (which I subsequently missed)
Anarchists believe in no state at all, because a state infringes personal freedom. It’s not like classical liberalism which believes in a state with minimal intervention, in order to protect our natural rights of “Life, liberty and property.” From what I gathered, anarchists believe this doesn’t work because people in the state have power, and power corrupts.

                        “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely”
                                                                                          John Emerich Edward Dalberg Acton

Interesting, doctors and teachers are seen to have power because of unequal distribution of knowledge.
It also seems that an anarchist society depends on human nature to create a sort of utopia. Every man is a good man until they acquire power which corrupts them. If noone has power then a society would work. I’m quite cynical about that but it’s an interesting idea. I believe when people get into power many relish it and abuse it. Even, for instance, a supermarket cashier, who takes pleasure in enforcing the law past ‘the spirit of the law’ in regard to laws of alcohol. I wonder how society would really work without a state. Perhaps I should do more reading on anarchism.

I’ve found reading about this and liberalism quite interesting, especially seeing as how much state intervention exists in our country. I do think that we are entitled to personal freedom, and that no state has the right to outlaw or punish for beliefs. I’ve not quite made up my mind what I think because I don’t think I’ve read about it. Although, I know I do think that a state should be required to ensure everyone has an equal start in life to have as much freedom as possible in pursuing their goals and ambitions in life. There are things I think should be banned, but then does that infringe people’s personal freedom? For instance: banning private schools. But there would be no need for them if the state was providing equal education for all. It’s all very complicated. No wonder philosophers spent their life writing one or two books. If only I could be like Marx, and be supported by a rich person so I could focus on being a philosopher :P It seems to require a leisurely life.

Every time I write a history essay (which I’ll concede has only been twice) I realise that I cannot study history. I enjoy learning about different parts of history, occasionally it’s interesting to see them through different historian’s perspectives just to dislike one intensely and think “You fool” in 19^th century English accent, but I cannot write about history. I cannot answer essay questions. And this could result in a major problem when writing a dissertation (assuming I get that far; but let’s be positive) Maybe I just don’t know how to write essays in general and I remember having the same problem with Politics. I mean how to you write one without referencing everything you say. Well we shall see. I’m already very worried about getting these essays done. Researching is the hardest part. I never feel like I have enough information to write one, which is why I always wonder how on earth Iain gets them done so quickly.

I had a Spanish listening exam today, which I find to be the hardest part of the language. The difference in accents in ridiculous; words don’t sound like the words I’ve learnt! And Columbians speak very fast. I think because I can listen out for the ‘th’ sound in Spain Spanish I find it easier to recognise words. No matter, that’s the exam over, I’ve just got reading and writing to do, and when you get a dictionary in the exam it’s not exactly difficult.

What a dull ramble to evade essay writing…

It is essay time again. This time I’m a tiny bit more prepared though still as awful as ever at self motivating. I have been trying to read “Syndicalism in Ireland” for a while now, but there are too many distractions, such as reading the blog of Euan’s girlfriend.

I have to admit I am incredibly jealous of Rachel and her Thai adventure. That is something I would absolutely love to do and wish I had known more about teaching English in other countries. I don’t blame her for giving up her vegetarianism. I think it would be extremely hard to reject the experience of real Thai food in favour of stir fried vege and rice. I got bored in Europe where there are probably more options than in Thai land. If I was on holiday there I would stay vegetarian. But if I was living there as she is I’m not sure what I would do. Probably turn away from my vegetarianism. In a lot of cases I am torn between what I believe in and life experience. The dilemma being that I think life is all about experience and I believe food is one of those experiences. On the other hand I believe in upholding principals and vegetarianism.

At least cakes and pastry are vegetarian. Surprisingly, I think I enjoy preparing them and serving them to people more than eating them- although I do love eating. I take pleasure in having rituals with some foods; like during the Summer I was unemployed, I’d get up and have black coffee and a toasted cheese sandwich with chutney and watch tv, then have a nutrigrain bar and go out on my bike. It’s nice to enjoy little things like that. Little things make life good. This summer I’m hoping to learn the art of patisserie (expect an invite to mine for a very late brunch/lunch) I’ve began thinking about the future and owning my own cake/pastry/coffee shop is an option, although I’d probably have to open at 10, and despite all the hard work I doubt there’s much money in it.  Catriona is pretty good at that sort of thing so I could have a business partner. I just don’t think I’d be any good working for someone. I am terrible with authority figures, as Mr Neill once said: I challenge all authority. I don’t do it on purpose either, it’s just who I am.

Onto other distractions from essay writing, I’ve been planning what I’ll be and wear to the Alice and Wonderland thing at the union. I trust a couple of people are interested in going? I’m going to be the Cheshire Cat. I need to look up the description in the book and see what it’s like but I have a brief idea of what I’ll do.

I’d best go try read a little bit more about the growth of labour unrest 1917-21.