The path to a man's heart is through his stomach

Most nights when I am lucky enough, I am graced by May's cooking which tends to be a mix of El-Salvadorean and Japanese. I really can't remember the last time when I have eaten so healthily at home. After which, she drills me with a rating system out of 10, but what can I say, everything tastes great and I am always hesitant about classifying things along a scale. I hate ratings, and at times it just seems wrong to compare one dish to another.

Tonight I had steamed fish fillets, mushrooms, beans, onions and carrots with a mixture of herbs and lime juice. This with a side of white rice, and I was wolfing it down like there was no tomorrow. During the start of the week, May cooked a thai green curry with king prawns and a major assortment of vegetables within. Previous to that, Japanese beef curry, with a side of steamed vegetables, and she even brought it into work for me. Most times when cooking, she wears a red strawberry apron. hawt hawt hawt! :)

Mixed feelings

So today, on my way to and from visiting my coffee friend John, I walked past about 6 or 7 Big Issue vendors (homeless people selling a good alternative news magazine), had an older man wheeling a disadvantaged woman ask me for money, and a deaf woman ask me for money. I'm a bit miffed at hearing someone yelling out BIG ISSUE on every corner of the city, but also like the magazine and accept that it's better than begging.

On the flip side, I had two people ask me for money today, one from a sometimes customer who is also deaf. So my job is a luxury item for her every now and then, and as much as I would like to help her, or any other person (the guy wheeling an older woman in a wheelchair today) who asks me for money I keep having to say no. To tell the truth, I hate it that my budget doesn't allow me to do more for every person around me, but at the same time I'm already committed to something worthwhile and I don't have anymore to give since I have my own HECS debt etc. bah.

Anyway, the flip side of this- when I went to visit John who is located in a little boutique strip some random fashionista came storming in all worked up about a 'suspicious guy' who was in his 50's who looked "like a canadian" and had a baggy hat on. This dude would sit down and do nothing but watch the strip for the past couple of days since he was fairly zoned out, wasted, vagrant, poor, whatever. But I don't remember Queensland having any sort of anti-vagrancy laws and I don't understand how someone who is over 30m away from a site should be told to move on by the police. Totally fucked up. If I was him, I wouldn't even bother looking at all those fugly moles.. What I saw today was just downright ugly. Besides which, I think that any fears of rape etc would be put down by the fact that he's made himself so visible to them already. I dunno, but maybe most criminals who want to commit crimes prefer to remain anonymous or below the radar of their victims before committing the act? Seemed illogical to those girls :/

Barista Comp Stuff

Recently the AASCA ABC event was on, and the final results were

1. David Makin (Vic)
2. Scott Calahan (open finalist)
3. Hazel De Los Reyes (NSW winner)
4. Anne Cooper (QLD)

Very good work from Anne, in only her third or fourth comp she placed 4th in australia overall. She beat me and Cara convincingly at the Queensland Heats where I placed 3rd. But until I see the scores I won't be able to see just how good she was. I'd like to compare scores across states but seeing as how it all seems so arbitrary, I'll have to settle for the fact that I'm just shit and prepare better for next time. It's kind of strange just how much I learnt in the space of just one competition. I feel like my dosing is much more controlled now compared to my previous efforts on the machine. I should have entered last year, and the year before that, I should have met Anne 5 years ago, I should have done this that and everything else, whatever :P I'm certainly happy as I am now though. If the past three years has led me to May, then I wouldn't change any of it. :)

Quick Summary

- My two friendly Canadians, Bronwyn and Adrian have left to go back overseas. They are some of the nicest people that I have ever had the chance to meet and it was very entertaining to be on the sidelines watching this burgeoning romance between the two of them. There have been some comedy moments but the one that remains fresh in my mind is our thoughtful and intriguing discussion on bowel movements after "A Night in India". I almost snorted laksa out of my nose at that one. :)

- Here and back again.

Petra has taken a whirlwind visit of Australia and this time with her brother coming along for the second leg of the trip. A lot of things have happened which I can't really discuss here, but I sum it up by saying that I'm very happy for her, and sad for her, and happy for her, and sad for her.. repeat. What a lovely wonderful woman she is, I just wish our timetables were more friendly these days. :( I'll be seeing her for dinner with some other people and sundry this Thursday I think.

- The Mayfever Madness Midweek Cocktail Party

My quirky May moved in with me after a short romance and we had an impromptu housewarming. It was quite a nice little gathering and hopefully we can do something like this again soon. I bought a blender especially for the occasion and dusted off some *cough* lipton ice tea glasses to substitute for fancy cocktail ones and the near-student party began. She spent most of the night flitting around the kitchen serving up the food, and in the quick period where she was able to drink she went wonky and fell over.

- The Canadians Cocktail Party

Originally, May thought I was a mega boozehead but in all times that we've been out to drink, she's been the one that I've had to look after. Highlights of the night include

• seeing Cam drink 5 cocktails in 90 minutes and thinking, "yeah this will get messy later" - later proven by reports of petra's towel being soiled..
  
• seeing the whole crew, including Antonin who also happens to be a passionate coffeegeek- but from the grower's perspective. Props to you mate :P
• looking at all the pretty girls
• Sampling some delicious cocktails prepared by Bronwyn and Adrian
  
• Going home with a pretty girl ;)

In the local trash rag today-

I read an article about separation anxiety that occurs when someone is separated from their mobile phone or asked to turn it off for a while. All sorts of things like being on edge, irritable, anxious etc. I thought ot myself, what a waste of space. Then I wanted to call May- but realised I didn't have my phone on me. So I spent the next 30minutes looking for it before realising that I've lost it..

ffs :S

I haven't died-

but I have been very very busy. I'll be posting a lot more to play catch-up, and there's a helluva lot of catching up to do... if anyone's still checking this space eep.