Oh the Places You'll Go

I had a sudden epiphany.  Why do I have 2 of the same journal?  That's kind of retarded.  Actually, really retarded.  So, in a split decision I'm going to semi-friends-only this journal because then I write about whatever I want and not worry about people I'm writing about reading it and then emailing me about it later.  Not that it's anything bad, just overblown paranoia. 

Things have been good lately.  Actually good.  Claire Wright would be all over that with her Red Pen of Doom "Cliche!" but it's a solid description of things.  I think I am finally getting over whatever illness has plagued me for the last month and my vagina has stopped raging too.  At least today.  My lesson with Keigo yesterday was fantastic.  We discovered Dr Seuss books in his closet.  Jackpot!  We read Hop on Pop which I had never read before, he just ate it up!  He couldn't read fast enough.  It's a really fun book, with lots of rhymes and simple words.  After that, I read him Green Eggs and Ham which is my next favourite book to The Lorax which he doesn't have.  But he liked that one even more!  His homework for the week is to practice Green Eggs and Ham and read it to me next week.  He wouldn't put the book down after I was done, he carried it with him all the way to front door to see me off.  What a cutie.  I'll have to bring my camera one day and take a picture with him.  Although I'm surprised that mom or grandma haven't snapped any because Japanese people are known to be shutterbugs and take pictures of anything. 

I borrowed a couple books from Keigo to copy at work so I can read them when I go to elementary school.  It's not as good as having the real thing on hand, but oh well.  And then I spent all day colouring Hop on Pop with these really foul permanent markers that gave me a headache by the end.  And holy fuck, Suess wrote a lot.  I never realized how long his stories are: sometimes going on 50 pages. 

Andrew didn't make Todai.  I've been trying to call him all afternoon but he's gone AWOL (a la Manuel, it seems).  Likely is he's gone to karaoke and his phone is dead.  That's normally the case.  He said he's working on an awesome birthday present for me.  I can't wait! 

I've also been stalking some icon makers on LJ and am getting the itch to get back into graphics/webdesign again.  I actually found a domain that will host but I don't have anything worth making a site about.  My old one became a blog but now I have two of those, I don't need a third. 

I actually got some comments on the work in progress I posted in the arashirabu community.  Excitement!  The other one didn't get any responses which makes me think it sucked, but I then realized how much I actually comment for the amount of stuff I read.  Must change that bad habit because comments are unadulterated love.  There are only two at the moment, but at least I know someone is reading.  I will write for those two people! 

Culinary Genius like woah.

I amaze myself sometimes.  DAMN.  Dinner came from a combination of google searching and Mago Mago Arashi, believe it or not.  I had some eggplants lying around that were threatening to go off so I figured it should cook them up some how.  I had already planned to make misoyaki salmon which turned out awesome.  A little on the dry side because I forgot to turn the pan down to medium heat, but the flavour was amazing.  Must repeat that one for sure. 

The original recipe was four times as big as this, but even at half the amount there was still a lot of waste.  Next time, maybe make a 1/8 batch (or marinate more fish!).

Misoyaki
1/2 cup white miso
1/2 cup sake
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 oz ground ginger (I cut off a rough chunk and finely chopped it since I don't know how much 1/4 oz is.  Would probably get more ginger flavour out if it was ground up.)
1/4 oz green onion (Didn't have any.  Don't think it would make much of a difference.)

Mix all the ingredients together in container, blending well.  Get most of the lumps out of the miso.  Marinate fish in the sauce overnight.  Heat pan.  Remove fish from sauce, removing excess and patting with paper towel.  You don't need to make the fish bone dry, but not dripping.  Fry over medium heat, 3 minutes each side.  I used sashimi cut salmon and it was delish.

I saw Sho do this recipe on (the first?) Mago Mago Arashi.  I also found it on an Italian cooking website!  It was slightly different (balsamic vinegar instead of soy sauce, with garlic and mint) but reminded me of Sho's version so I figured, why not?  I always wondered what it tasted like.

Fried Eggplant Japanese Style
2 eggplants
Oil for frying (I don't remember how much I used, to each her own.)
Soy sauce
Mayo (Because Japanese people put mayo on everything).

Slice eggplant lengthwise into ~1/2" thick slices.  Press between paper towels to remove excess water.  Heat oil in pan until surface shimmers.  Gently slide eggplant into oil, frying until golden brown underneath.  Turn and fry the other side.  Remove after crispy and brown and drain on paper towels.  Arrange on a plate, sprinkle with soy sauce.  Garnish each slice with a stripe of mayo, as much or as little as you like.

Admittedly, it was a pretty high-cal meal since I fried everything and also ate a cheese-corn-bread thing that I will never buy again from the Prego bread shop on the way home from work.  I had a grilled cheese last night (balanced out by wakame-miso-ginger soup) and chicken parm two nights in a row before that.  Stop frying things!  Eat some rice! 

I saw Yamapi's AnAn photoshoot.  WOAH.  I'm speechless at the hotness.  The model (gaijin - bonus!) is kind of fug.  Definitely picking that up tomorrow when I go to buy Freestyle from the bookstore after work.  Providing they have copies...  I might cry!  Subaru better have it since it's paired up with Tsutaya, but if they don't I'll have to go to the station to check Wings and HMV.  I'd rather not, unless I'm meeting up with Andrew, who is still AWOL.