Running With Scissors
Thursday, April 29, 2004
I seem to have quit smoking. I haven't smoked for 6 days, except for one small desperate puff. I located a lone cigarette, left over in one of the numerous empty packets in a handbag, and simply had to get rid of it. The puff tasted absolutely revolting and made my throat hurt.

So now I have a little more money, to spend on frivolities. Hurrah.

I also have a new job, processing health insurance claims. Happily there will be no answering of phones involved.

I went to see Radiohead last Saturday. They were brilliant, of course, but a little too far away for me to get excited about. That's why I tend to avoid shows of such magnitude...it's too much like watching a video to spend $80 on.

This week I bought a red top and a black pencil skirt. Tried them on but they don't look quite right on me somehow. Perhaps it's the fact that my hair looks utterly dreadful?

I've been unable to talk about pretty much anything except quitting smoking since I stopped, so I won't attempt to write any more. Unless you want to hear about all the hideous withdrawl symptoms and general pit of hell through which I have been swimming for the past 6 glorious days.

Happy days!
Fiona expressed these musings at 9:39 PM
Synopsis
The life and times of a girl who likes cake.

The Cast And Crew
Fiona: A genius musicologist with a giant brain, who loves cake, pies and aeroplanes. Captain of Skybed 2.
Rob: Fiona's gentleman caller, also owner of a giant brain, and captain of Skybed 1.
Vanessa: Sister of Fiona, recently returned from a jaunt around the Continent.
Timothy: Friend of Fiona and gentleman caller of Vanessa, currently swanning around in Paris.
Nicholas: Friend of all of the above.
Helen: Platonic wife of Fiona, artist, and senior lecturer.
Mother: Self-explanatory.

Links to Alleviate Your Boredom
www.engrish.com
home.iprimus.com.au/ncarvan/
Other Blogs
News, Rants, Soliloquies and Reveries
Seventeenth

Recipe Of The Week: Orange and Raspberry Cake
Ingredients
125g margarine
3/4 cup (165g) caster sugar
2 eggs, or egg replacer equivalent
1 1/2 cups (225g) self-raising flour
1/2 cup (125 mL) orange juice
3/4 cup raspberries. If you use frozen ones, don't thaw them, please.

1.Grease deep 20cm round cake pan, line base with baking paper, sprinkle with sugar.This helps your cakey to rise, as the mixture clings tenaciously to the sugar as it climbs up the sides of the pan.

2.Beat butter and sugar in medium bowl til all light and fluffy.

3.Beat in eggs one at a time, beating til just combined between additions. Or, if you are using egg replacer, divide it in half, pretend it's eggs and do the same.

4.Fold in flour and juice, in 2 alternate batches, ending with a flour batch.

5.Fold in 1/4 cup raspberries, gently now..

6.Now, assemble your cakey. Spread 3/4 of cake mixture into your pan, sprinkle with remaining raspberries. Spread with remaining cake mixture.

7. Bake in moderate oven (180 degrees) about 1 hour. Stand cake in pan 5 min,then cool on a wire rack.

8. Ice your creation. Orange or passionfruit icing would be nice with this one, I think. I usually just sift some icing sugar until I get sick of it, then add enough orange juice or passionfruit pulp to make a nice consistency.

9. Share with your friends and bask in praise (it'd be nice if you mentioned me, but if you don't, I'll forgive you). Or,
consume alone.