Butter chicken rice

Today I had to make an improvised meal for myself, so I looked around the kitchen and created one of the easiest, quickest meals ever (plus, I thought it was really nice). It is simple, and some might find it too bland, but I would like to think of it as holding 'delicate' flavours. It basically consisted of rice, chicken (so I wouldn't recommend this to vegetarians), butter and sage.

Ingredients:

Chicken thigh (per person)
Cup of risotto rice (per person)
Butter (I don't know how much butter exactly, but about a table spoon sized chunk, like the image on the right- the smaller piece)
Handful of cut up sage (per person)

What to do:

1. If you have a rice cooker, put the rice in the cooker with water. If you don't have a rice cooker, put rice in a pot with water until cooked.
2. Cut up chicken into small pieces and fry with a bit of oil so it doesn't stick to the fry pan
3. Add the handful of sage to the chicken when chicken is no longer raw
4. When the rice is cooked, add the butter to the chicken, which allows it is melt, and then pour everything in the pan on top of the rice.

And that is it, and I really enjoyed my dinner tonight, which I'm glad, because I had no idea what I was making at the time and was just hoping that whatever I made would come out edible. 

Unfortunately I don't have a picture of my meal, or couldn't find an image that could resemble it, so I thought I should just go with a picture of rice in general. 

Terrible Things

A beautifully tragic song, sung with so much passion, which is equally found in the instrumentals, 'Terrible Things' by Mayday Parade definitely moves the listener through an iridescent array of emotions, as the lead singer, Derek Sanders guides us through a story. 

I don't want to say too much about 'Terrible Things,' because it is one of those songs that just needs to be heard and enjoyed, without being told about how it progresses. I highly recommend to pay close attention to the lyrics, as that is the main focus in the song; as I said before, it tells a story that will make you cry, while the single piano at the beginning of the song provides more movement, building up to the climactic point, which breaks your heart, making the words even more emotive. This song is so painfully beautiful and so real. And that is all I'm going to say about it, so I hope you fall in love with this song just like I did... 

Skins- favourite characters

One of my favourite television series is 'Skins' (the BBC/ original version), and I have finally completed watching the sixth series, which means that I have watched all the different generations, and now I can come to a conclusion to who my favourite characters are from each series. For those who don't know what 'Skins' is about, it is about a group of friends (and in some cases, frenemies) and their last two years of high school. There are different "generations," which means that there is a changeover of cast every two series, as each group graduates from the high school, and there are three generations in total.

These people are not the best role models in the world at all; with drugs, alcohol and sex, however, despite these things playing a major part in the world of 'Skins,' it is a masterfully written script, where each episode focusses on a different character, allowing the viewer to delve into the complexities of that individual and allowing us to understand their motivations, their personal problems and why they are like who they are. I probably don't recommend 'Skins' to people who don't want to be confronted, because it is a very confronting and raw series, but it is brilliantly acted, and you learn to love most of the characters, and if you are like me, you get really attached to them, which is why I decided to write about my personal favourites from each series.

I promise not to give too much away for anyone who hasn't seen it and are planning to, but hopefully I reveal enough to inspire some viewers or prompting past viewers into thinking who their favourite characters were. The fantastic thing about the show is that, some characters that you used to love, you may begin to hate, and the ones that you used to hate, you begin to love, as you discover more about their lives. 

Series 1 (first generation): Cassie (note: Sid was also)

Cassie is one of the most unique characters, as she doesn't care what other people think of her, which allows her to embrace all eccentricities. Her common phrase is "wow," as she finds the whole world absolutely incredibly amazing and a wonder, however, sometimes life and everything becomes too much for her, as she suffers from an eating disorder, as well as being suicidal, as there are times when she can't cope with what is happening around her, like experiencing love, heartbreak and having self-loathing. She is the sweetest character, and all fans of the show would probably agree with me, that your heart goes out to her and you wish for her to find all the happiness in the world. Cassie also says some of the most profound lines (I think the first two generations have really deep lines about their views of the world, which are really impressive). 

Cassie- "Don't say you love me unless you really mean it, because I might do something crazy like believe it"

Series 2 (first generation): Chris (Tony was also)

I didn't like Chris in series one, but as the story lines for each character was growing even more intense, I realised that there was more to Chris than the pill-taking hooligan that we thought him to be previously. As he learns to completely fall in love, a sweet and complex character emerges, that has secrets that were so hidden, that no one could have guessed what was in store for Chris in the second series. I wouldn't have said it in series one at all, but in the second series, Chris is actually quite charming in a different sort of way, and strangely enough, Cassie began to annoy me a bit in this series, however a cute friendship blossoms between these two. 

Chris- "It's kinda easy when you've got nothing because nothing can be taken away from you"

Series 3 (second generation): Emily (Effy was also- I think she was my all-time favourite character in the whole of 'Skins')

When the first generation said goodbye, I was like "how can I continue watching without them? It won't be the same!" But I have to say, that I loved the second generation so much, and sometimes I think that I like them better than the first, because the stories become darker and more complex as new problems between characters and within characters arise. Emily is the walked-over twin, but in the series, she begins to break away from her sister, Katie's, shadow and has the courage to become her own person. She's in love with Naomi, and she has to deal with family issues and their acceptance of her sexual preference, as well as Naomi's insecurities about being with Emily. 

Emily- "I think you want someone to want you. Well, I want you. So be brave and want me back."

Series 4 (second generation): Effy (Cook and Freddie were also- I just liked everyone in this series actually)

Effy was in 'Skins' since the first series, as she is Tony's younger sister. She is the girl that Cook and Freddie both love and have fought over since the first episode of series three, and she at first appears like she doesn't care about anyone else, however that couldn't be any further than the truth. She takes drugs, drinks, plays with people, but all because she feels too much and is one of the most insecure of the second generation. She is also, I find, the most complex character, as she is terrified of the world, and as a defence, tries to build up walls to protect herself, but only hurting herself even more. She is a mystery to the others, and that seems to be her charm, but underneath it all, she is lost.

Effy- "I went crazy when I was with you, I can't let that happen again."

Series 5 (third generation): Grace (Rich was also)

I think series 5 went downhill, as the relationships and story lines became a bit cliched, but I think it is still worth watching all the same, just to see a comparison, and also some of the episodes were really enjoyable. I wasn't a massive fan of this generation, because I found that I didn't actually like most of the characters- a lot of them were just horrible and you don't really get to understand why, in this series. However, Grace is such a lovely person, living in a fairytale, believing in love and happily ever afters, who was so nice to everyone. It's like she is the sunshine amongst the grey clouds that are the other characters; she was a refreshing break from all the meanness between the others, and her relationship with Rich is nice to watch.

Grace- "I am who I need to be"

Series 6 (third generation): Mini (note: Alo also)

Minnie was horrible in series 5, but you were able to see that she was just insecure about her place amongst the others. The sixth series stories began to improve from the previous series, which was a relief, because I love 'Skins' so much, and I didn't like being disappointed. The story lines returned to revealing the complexities of each character, and by beginning the series with a tragedy, the series has a continual focus on how each character learns to cope. Minnie does revert to the horrible person she was in series five occasionally, but you begin to see the "true" Minnie, the one where she just is scared about the future. 

Mini- "Just tell me it'll be okay, and will be"

Reunited

I definitely know that one day I want to go on a road trip with a group of friends, where we just drive and see what happens; the adventure of spontaneity and the thrill of the unknown! But for right now, as my friends and I say: "I'm living vicariously through books," and I have finished reading the book 'Reunited' by Hilary Weisman Graham, which features an eventful road trip.

We have always been taught to never judge a book by it's cover, but that is often rubbish, because the cover is always a good indication of what the story is going to be about, or at least reveal the genre and who the book's audience is intended to be, so I'm going to refer to the cover, that says:

"1 concert. 2000 miles. 3 Ex-best friends."

And that pretty much sums up the book. It is about three ex-best friends after graduating high school, who four years previously, fell out and consequently, grew apart, one being the popular girl, another being the moody different one, and the other, just wedged in the middle. But when they were best friends, they were massive fans of the fictitious band 'Level3,' which also broke up four years before the novel takes place, and it is because of a one-time reunion of the band that brings the three girls together again, taking them across America just to see them perform. And during that time, they have to cope being around each other, but knowing that they have to eventually confront their past. 

Like most of the books I'm reading at the moment, because of the miserably cold weather, it is an easy read, and a book that suits summer time, is perfect. I especially liked how each chapter begins with an extract of lyrics from different Level3 songs, which fit well with the story. The book isn't extraordinary, however it is a fun read, and as I explained before, it is the closest I am to being on a road trip at the moment. I personally like stories that take place during a road trip, or another form of travel, as we readers get to experience (well, imagine) the physical journey, as well as the emotional journey of the different characters, and it does show that a change of scenery can change a way someone behaves in certain situations, as well as taking a character out of their comfort zone, encountering unprecedented situations, which actually parallels with what real life actually is all about. 

7/10  

Please don't say you love me

Music Monday: 'Please don't say you love me-' this is a song that I was told about yesterday by one of my beautiful friends, who seems to always find the perfect song to suit my mood. She is the same friend who introduced me to Tori Kelly, who's music I played on repeat for over a week, because I could relate to her songs so much, and absolutely loved them. Since then, so much has happened in my life (because, let's face it, that is what happens when time passes), so now I'm listening to this new (new to me) and wonderful song on repeat, absorbing every word sung, understanding them so well.

Gabrielle Aplin is an English singer, who's debut album (she only has one album at them moment- but let's hope she writes more) is called 'English Rain,' which is folk-pop. Aplin is a singer-songwriter who has such a sweet melodic voice and it is so pleasant to listen to her singing. I'm serious when I say: when I clicked onto the link that my friend sent me of 'Please don't say you love me,' and I heard the first few notes, I instantly went on iTunes and bought the song. I later found out that the week the song was first released (as a single), it had reached number 6 on the UK charts, which, being her first ever single, is very impressive, so no wonder I love it.

The lyrics are sweet, just like her voice, and I believe that many people who have experienced young love would be able to relate to this song greatly: it speaks of the fear of a new and strong emotional connection with someone, and the hope that everything will last, because what has been found is beautiful and could become more, but acknowledging how fragile everything is and that it might not last if things are rushed.

Just please don't say you love me

'Cause I might not say it back

Doesn't mean my heart stops skipping when you look at me like that

There's no need to worry when you see just where we're at

Just please don't say you love me

'Cause I might not say it back 

Reliving childhood

The other day, my friend and I were walking around the city and found a book shop. Book shops have become a bit of an endangered species over the past few years, since most people have begun buying books over the internet, so we were very excited and entered. Walking around the different genres, admiring all the books and pointing out what we've read, what we recommend and what we have been planning to read, we finally stopped in one section and stayed there for the next hour. And that section was the kids' picture book section.

Although there were many new picture books, there were still heaps of books from when we were growing up, and as a result, we decided to relive our childhood and look through all of the beloved stories from our pre-school days. First there was 'Where's Wally-'  and I discovered that my observational skills have greatly improved since I was three (which I'm very happy about).

Can you find Wally? He is there

And there was the very much loved 'Hairy Maclary' series, with my favourite characters, including Schnitzel Von Krumm, as well as many other books from my childhood, like 'Possum Magic,' 'Diary of a Wombat,' 'There's a sea in my bedroom,' 'We're going on a bear hunt,' 'The Jolly Postman,' 'Owl babies' and 'Where's Spot' (with the accompanying toy!) just to name a few, and believe me, this is really just naming the hundreds that we found in this incredible bookshop.



And to my absolute delight, we found some of my favourite picture books as well: 'Guess how much I love you,' 'Where the wild things are,' 'The very hungry caterpillar,' and 'The rainbow fish' (which I have to admit, I still have the poster of it hanging in my room). Okay, I have to just emphasise how amazing 'The rainbow fish' is, but I have to warn you, this is a plot spoiler: it is about a fish that has scales the colour of rainbows and sparkles, and he was very proud and wouldn't play with the other fish because he thought he was more special than everyone else. Then one day a small fish asked if they could have one of his scales, and he was like "NO!" and all the other fish then didn't want to have anything to do with the rainbow fish. And the rainbow fish got sad, and I quote "I really am beautiful. Why doesn't anybody like me?" and he saw this octopus, who said that the only way to be happy would be to share the scales with the others and be friends. And at first the rainbow fish was like: how can I be happy without my beauty? But he realised that he was beautiful and lonely, so when the little fish came back,  he thought: what was the harm of giving one? And then seeing how happy he made the little fish, he began sharing his scales with all the others, until he had only one sparkly scale left. And he was happy and had friends at the end. It is such a beautiful story with a fantastic moral/ life lesson!

Anyway, hopefully some of these book titles brought back fond memories for you, as they did for me. My friend and I then continued talking about favourite kids TV shows we used to watch, but I guess that nostalgia can be saved for another post for another day.

This is what happy looks like

I had read Jennifer E. Smith’s novel ‘The Statistical probability of love at first sight,’ and would rate it as something to do while passing the time. ‘This is what happy looks like’ is her new novel, which was once again something that passed the time, but in a pleasant way. It was a good book, but nothing too life altering, but most books aren’t. The great thing about this book though, which makes it stand out from other novels, is that Smith is able to take a completely unbelievable and unrealistic coincidence and turn it into something that you can believe to be real.

Set in the summer holidays, seemingly ordinary girl, Ellie O’Neill’s small town in Maine is the location of a movie, where star and heart-throb, Graham Larkin, is starring. But the two know each other, but not in a way that is conventional because they don’t actually know the identity of the other. It all starts with Graham sending an email to the wrong person and a friendship and feelings blossomed from their emailing.

“Hey, we’re running pretty behind here. Any chance you could walk Wilbur for me tonight?”

“I think you have the wrong email address. But since I’m a dog owner too, and I don’t want Wilbur to be stranded, I thought I’d write back and let you know…”


But now, being in the same town, they finally meet and discovering that her pen-pal is actually incredibly famous, their relationship becomes even more complicated, with having to cope with the horribly nosy paparazzi's and Ellie’s relationship with her mother and absent father.
Like I said, the chances are so incredibly unbelievable, yet you believe it. And we are able to see through this novel, that the famous are really just ordinary people who just happen to have a face that everyone knows.

The novel is peppered with sweet little lines, and is a nice summer read (even though I read it in winter)

6/10 

Technology hates me

I have said this before to many of my friends, but it is official: technology hates me.

It hates me so much,  and I realise I talk as if technology has a brain or thought, but you know what, sometimes my luck (my lack of luck) in terms of technology actually makes me paranoid in thinking: it must have a consciousness, otherwise, how come out of everyone, everything breaks down on me?
For example: when I first got my laptop, on the first week, it got a program malfunction thing, and I had to go to the IT help people at the computer shop to fix it. And that is not the first time computers decide to not work for me,  like when I was at school and we had to borrow laptops for assignments, I always ended up getting the dodgy one that didn't let me log on, or it did but then would freeze and I would lose all of my work. Or the worst of all, was in my end of year maths exam for school, which would go towards my end of year mark and consequently determine which university I was going to, my calculator decided to freeze and I was without a calculator for twenty minutes (in an hour exam) while someone had to go looking for a spare.
I'm sure many of you can relate to some of these experiences too, because I don't think I'm the only one to be this unfortunate when it comes to this sort of thing.

But no matter how much technology fails you, don't do this

But the thing that has triggered me into writing a post dedicated to my undesirable relationship with these machines, is that:
1) last week, the right side of my headphones stopped working, which is annoying
2) but not as annoying as what just happened then: I buy music off iTunes, and two nights ago, I bought a few songs, so last night I was transferring them onto my iPod. And it was while ejecting my iPod from the laptop, my iPod decided to delete all the songs, all the movies and TV series that I had on it. I tried to connect it again and fix it, but nothing worked. My iPod was merely a shell of it's former self. All the memories that were inside of it (all my playlists) are forgotten. While I stared at it with defeat, it stared at me like I was a stranger. There was no recognition in it at all...

Yes, I have just personified my iPod. But no, I am not mad, I just tend to go really metaphorical and unnecessarily poetic when I am feeling like this. It is such a first world problem, but that doesn't mean that it doesn't upset me. I am extremely upset, and it has started to make me realise how much we rely on technology. Even though I don't get on with it, we both depend on each other: we coexist.

And 3) I went to the IT help people again and they couldn't fix it and what happened to it, only happens in a "one in a thousand" chance. Great...

I think it can be said: Zooey Deschanel's Jess really is the medium of true emotions 

Video Games

Last night I just discovered the singer Lana Del Rey, which apparently everyone has heard of, except for me. But she is absolutely incredible, and after listening to a few of her songs, I decided to buy her entire album 'Born to Die- The Paradise Edition,' which was the two albums combined, and I spent this morning listening to all of these songs and absolutely falling in love with her style.
As you might know, my favourite singer is 'Marina and the Diamonds,' who has an incredible voice and a unique sound, and that is another reason why I loved Lana Del Rey, because her songs are idiosyncratic as well, but completely different to the sound that Marina generates. Lana Del Rey, I guess is more jazzy/bluesy/folky/alternative- all of the songs that I've heard (24 of them), are absolutely beautiful and the lyrics are so meaningful and soulful.

Because I've just discovered her, (I don't really know how come I never knew her songs before now) I realise how much I've seriously been missing out on in the music world.
I can't decide which is my favourite of her songs yet, because I love them all, however, I guess the song of the day could be one of the first that I ever heard. So, for today's "Music Monday" introducing... Video Games.
I don't really know that much about Lana Del Rey's personal story, her motivations or her history with music- as I didn't know that she existed less than 24 hours ago- so instead of providing some background like usual, here is the song and I hope you enjoy it as much as I have, especially if you were like me and didn't know about this phenomenal singer.

Video Games

Welcome, caller, this is Chloe

I do like easy reads, and there is nothing wrong with that. However, just because I don’t read the classics like Wuthering Heights (which I did borrow once, read the title, started reading another book and ended up forgetting about Emily Bronte and getting a library fine) doesn’t mean my opinion on books should be snubbed off. I love analysing and reviewing, and recommending people different books that I absolutely loved or think is a great way to pass the time. For me, reading is addictive and the more people I can share this addiction with, the better. And this particular novel, ‘Welcome, caller, this is Chloe’ by Shelley Coriell, I was very addicted to it and read it in just a day.

If you were to turn over my copy of the book, there is an extract of Publishers Weekly review, saying “Coriell shows sparkling wit and great skill in creating complex characters with memorable personalities. Chloe’s emotional growth is believable…” But instead of quoting the entire thing because I don’t want to be too lazy, I’ll fill you in with my personal opinion to the novel. I have to agree with Publishers Weekly, that Coriell’s characters all have developed the complexities that make them so realistically believable, and when I read a story, I like believable characters. The story itself isn’t a unique storyline, but the life that each individual person that Coriell has written, allows for this novel to stand out as a good read.

It is about a girl, Chloe, who was popular until suddenly her best friend stops talking to her and spreads a rumour around the student population of their high school, leading Chloe into isolation and having to endure the whispers that happen when she passes people. She has effectively become an “Outcast” like it says in the novel. It is during this time that her school guidance counsellor forces her to join the struggling school radio station, where all the other “outcasts” are found. And their welcome is far from friendly, with only the shy and distant guy, Duncan, is willing to acknowledge her, but soon, Chloe, with her warm, friendly, talkative personality, she is able to turn the radio station around, whilst also having to deal with the struggles happening in her personal life, with her gran’s worsening Parkinson’s, the need to pass her assignment, and her growing affection for Duncan and his own problems.

So, you can probably predict how the ending is going to turn out, but that is okay, because teen reads may have typical endings at times, but despite the wit that Coriell incorporates in her writing (which I love), serious topics are addressed throughout the novel in an insightful and sensitive way. It may not be a classic, or an absolute must read, but ‘Welcome, caller, this is Chloe’ was an enjoyable read and I couldn’t put the book down, because Chloe is such a loveable character.

8/10

The Night Circus

Firstly, I apologise for my absence, I was away for a week and didn’t have internet access, but that meant that I had the opportunity to do a great deal of reading. So be prepared for many book reviews to come.

I had the absolute pleasure of reading the enchanting book ‘The Night Circus’ by the extremely talented, talented and extraordinary Erin Morgenstern. It was such a magical book, with a unique sequence layout, that works extremely well, beginning with one time, then alternating between another, later time and then ending with the two progressing time periods coming together at the end, wrapping up the story in a grand conclusion as the story resolves itself. I don’t think I’m making that much sense, it’s really complicated to explain the format, so I’m just hoping you can trust me enough to just accept that ‘The Night Circus’ is an exceptional novel and a must read, as it truly can be considered a new classic of our times, bringing magic to life, with it’s vivid and luscious description of imagery.

Set in the late 1800’s to early 1900’s, there is something romantic about that period, with pocket watches, lace gloves, top hats, delicate fans, manners and elegance (or is that just me who romanticises this period?) but throw in a magical circus- 'Le Cirque des Reves'- with a mysterious ‘Challenge’ underway, and a love that is forbidden (the concept of a forbidden love is so romantic too! It’s official: I need to get out more) and this creates the stunning ‘The Night Circus.’ As soon as you read the first word, you are enraptured with a world that you don’t want to leave.

I recommend this book to anyone who wants to instantly fall deeply and beautifully in love with something that leaves you hauntingly spellbound and wanting more. So, for all those romantics out there- whether you are dizzyingly a believer in love or if you are an ‘in-the-closet’ romantic- this is the book for you. Enjoy, be entranced, become a “reveur” and read ‘The Night Circus.’


10/10

From page to screen: 'Vampire Academy'

I have to say I was very disappointed with the film. They were able to explain the concept of strigoi, moroi and dhampiers, but I think that I would rather forget that the movie ever existed and just focus on how fantastic the books are.

Wow, I sound so negative: it's not as if the storyline was lost in the movie or they changed things dramatically, in actual fact, they followed the book pretty well, it's just "something" was missing. And I don't really know what the "something" is, it's just that the "something" wasn't there. It didn't have a certain "life" to it, which I can understand sounds like a terrible attempt of being a pun, considering it is a film about vampires (aka "the living dead"). But all movies, no matter how many dead monsters are in it, has to have that "spark of life," so it is a shame I have to say that this film wasn't a success because of this lack.

Even the advertising doesn't represent what the story is

Another critical, and more specific feature of the film, was the casting. I was severely disappointed with the choice of actor to play Dimitri, who is described as a "complete god"in the books, but I'm sorry, I just don't think that Danila Kozlovsky looked very "god-like" in this particular movie. He didn't look twenty-four like his character was meant to be, mind you neither did Zoey Deutch look seventeen, but she naturally performed Rose's quick witted comments. I'm sorry,  I'm being really critical, but I really can't lie. I didn't think Lucy Fry was an engaging actress to play Lissa, meanwhile I thought Sarah Hyland played a good Natalie, and I think Dominic Sherwood had the potential to be a good Christian, however the script didn't allow for that much character development to occur for him, or any of the other characters come to think of it. Maybe that might have been the "something" missing; the story was there, but the character relationships and complexities wasn't.

This is what you should read- ignore the movie

But let's return to the book itself. 'Vampire Academy' is the first in the series, written by Richelle Mead, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. It is written through the eyes of Rose, a seventeen Dhampir girl (of human and vampire decent), meaning that her purpose is to protect the Moroi (good vampire), in particular, her best friend Vasilisa Dragomir, from the evil vampires, the Strigoi. Rose is a charismatic and feisty character, which, in the written word, is highly entertaining to read. She is funny and unlike the film, you get to see the complexities of her character and her opinion on others. And St Vladimir's Academy is where they attend school, where she trains to become a guardian, and where she finds herself caught in a forbidden attraction to her instructor, Dimitri. Meanwhile, there are evils- both Strigoi and even amongst their own- that threaten their lives. It is such a good read and I recommend this series to anyone who loves urban fantasy romance, as it fits all the categories perfectly.

Signs of laziness

I am one of the most laziest people ever! And I don't say that lightly- it is actually a very verifiable fact, and here are some of the signs that have shown how lazy I am:

• When I just wake up and log on to Facebook to find that some people were on five hours ago! I look over at the time and it is currently 1pm. And I repeat: I just woke up.
• When I wake up early (8am) and walk to the train station and I feel like an absolute zombie, when a 70 year old man jogs past.
• When I am running in my dream and wake up thinking that is my exercise for the day
• When I feel like I've achieved so much when I make a really nice sandwich. Yes! I've completed all the tasks for today!
• When my friend tells me about their gym work out, and I tell them about the novel I'm reading- it's a "mind work out," and they count, right?
• When the only productive thing I did one day was getting out of bed to have a shower, only just to hop into bed again straight away
• When I can't think of other examples, because my brain is too tired, so instead find some images to make up for it:

And finally, ending on a Disney note:

If I was a Seven Dwarf, I would be Sleepy