So, I've been making Bento...

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I've taken up Bento as a hobby. A bento is a Japanese lunch box featuring small amounts of a variety of intricately arranged foods. The more popular bentos of this age are made to be cute, a quality derived from using things like tiny cookie cutter style veggie cutters for carrots, cucumbers, and the like. As illustrated by this image which is borrowed from Just Bento.

As you can see, bento can be ridiculously cute ^_^
BTW, this bento by Delphine.

Bento is more than food, it's an art form, a method of meditation, and a way to show special someones how much you care about them. This is a much more common practice in Japan where the degree of sentimentality attached to bento making has been employed quite effectively in commercials. This one I made me cry. Scroll about halfway down the page on Just Bento then go back and read it. Makiko Itoh does an incredible job of explaining the difference between a lunch box and a bento.

I began making bento yesterday and have since gone on a bit of a shopping spree on Amazon.com for some crazy nifty bento gear. I have rice molds, egg molds, veggie cutters, silicon treat cups (for cute separators), and super fab egg molds shaped like a bunny and a bear. I'm also heading up to the Fortune Supermarket in Va Beach to gather other tidbits like miso, azuki beans (red bean), chopsticks in a case, a real bento box, and any other little accessories that leap off the shelves into my sticky mitts for purchase.

So far I've made five bento. I've learned it can be very time consuming until you start to get into the habit of a couple hours of prep work. The cool thing is that the couple hours of prep needed to really streamline the daily bento beat can be done once a week. Wash your veggies, cut them into the shapes, lengths, and styles you envision yourself using over the week and pop them into storage containers with water. Make sure there is enough water to cover the pieces and toss the lot into the fridge. Onions, peppers, and whatnot can be cut and loaded into a water free container for quick cooking later. Cook your rice and use Saran or cling wrap to form them into balls. You Tube it if you can't figure out how. Let them cool a bit on the counter or what have you and then stash them into a freezer bag, cling wrap and all, to be used a later date. When you need to tuck a ball into a bento, either leave it frozen or slip it into the microwave for about 1-2 minutes (depending on size). To properly nuke it, so it doesn't dry out or turn into a rock on you, leave it in the cling wrap while heating. The sparkly little ice crystals on the inside will keep it deliciously moist. You can also boil your eggs about three days worth at a time, but really, two days is tastier.

I've also discovered the more variety you provide, the more interesting and palatable the meal will seem. Toy with the possibilities for texture, flavour, appearance, and even scent to offer the most memorable bento. Have fun with it and remember to share your efforts with others when you can.

These are the first five I've made, in order:

Once again I have proven my absolute slackertudiness! (it is a word if I so will it!)

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So, updates first...

I have completed yet another semester (at ECSU this time though) with a 4.0 again. I can only hope, at this point, that the demands of educational awesomeness will eventually require enough effort on my part to keep me awake. I don't have high hopes. Next semester should be better. I have French and two creative writing classes. For now, I have three weeks of Christmas vacation to dawdle through. I will be spending Christmas Eve, Day, and Boxing Day enjoying all that Colonial Williamsburg has to offer. Yay! It's exciting to escape everything for a change. I've never been a fan of Christmas, but with all the pressure being removed by the simple act of removing my self and my cuddle-bug (husband) from the pressure-cooker pot of expectation, I have certainly become merrier than anyone imagined I was ever really capable of. Beyond that, I've taken up Bento, Archery, and a distopian book obsession. *LOL, spellcheck doesn't recognize the word "distopian" yet.

BTW, found this nifty review site for YA books...if you're into that genre...which I naturally am as I hope to become a writer of such. Anyway: HERE

From the last post:

I, in my super awesome geekitudiness...

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would like to say I am stoked beyond all reason about the upcoming release of ANONYMOUS...
see trailer here:  http://www.anonymous-movie.com/  ...if your mouth is not seriously agape imediately afterward, then...well, you just don't get it. Furthermore, I have more to express my excitement about:

The release of Breaking Dawn pt1 on November 18th! It is only five days beyond my hatching day, and it is all I want for my gift. See trailer here: http://www.breakingdawn-themovie.com/ and you'll totally understand.

The release of the final book for Christopher Paolini's Inheritance Cycle on November 8th.  For more info, click here:  www.shurtugal.com/

Busch Gardens' Howl O' Scream is about to begin! For more info, click here:  http://howloscream.com/williamsburg/homepage.aspx

The ECHNA Ghost Walk in Elizabeth City NC is almost here! For more info, click here:  http://www.historicghostwalk.org/

Oh, and my Creative writing professor said I have "a natural writing ability". ^___________^

Pottermore is bloody well AMAZING!!!

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Okay, so I must say, at first I was less than dazzled by the experience. I had been waiting since the second day of the "Magical Quill Challenge" for my welcome email, and was so very far beyond just excited that I  had really built up some unbelievably magical experience in my mind by the time I received it, and was almost disappointed in the reality. However, I have found that the site greatly improves as you navigate it. It could use music though!

There are loads of new tidbits about characters, production, publication, set design, creatures, bits and bobs......and on and on....that is completely new for the hopeful and increasingly happy explorer. It really becomes exciting when you finally make it to Diagon Alley! Once there you will be able to purchase school supplies and even a beasty. The graphics from here on are truly magical and the information offered is staggering in detail. (From here, there be spoilers)

I've recieved my "Welcome" email for Pottermore!

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Yeah, exactly that....more to follow............

Pottermore Update

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First:
I Got An Early Access POTTERMORE Account!!!

Second:
The Deathly Hallows p2 was brilliant!

Alan Rickman's performance as the Half-Blood Prince's tale is explored was beautifully tragic and worth every tear it stole from me.

Oi, am I a SLACKER!

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It's been ages since I've been up here. Well, I finally got to register for courses at ECSU. I am currently set for 6 classes at 18 credit hours. I wanted to do an overload, but the pickings are rediculously thin at this point. This is even more the case since one can not overload until the very day before school begins (which is the 16th btw) and there will likely be absolutely nothing left at all then. Regardless, my schedule stands as follows:
  • Traditional Grammar
  • Advanced Composition
  • Children's Literature
  • English Literature I
  • Writing for Stage, Film and TV
  • Oral Interpretation of Literature

JK Rowling's "Pottermore"

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If you have not heard about Rowling's new Pottermore project then go there...

http://www.pottermore.com/

Now, isn't this exciting?!? I think it is. So much so in fact that I have an alarm set on my phone for July 31st. I really want a shot at being one of the few allowed in early. I also get downright giddy over mention of July 15th's HP7 Deathly Hallows pt2 release. Yes, I already have my tickets for the 12:01am showing at Lynnhaven AMC on IMAX 3D!

So, I'm back again.

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After a well deserved period of sloth-like behavior, I have decided to use this and my WordPress.com listing as mirrored accounts. WordPress looks prettier on my phone (and there's an app. for that). But, more importantly, I've decided to start posting and writing again because my slight skills in authoress mode have dulled without use and I will need them more than ever when school starts back on August 16th.

So, for the next few lines or so, I will be writing in my excitedly complaining voice.