And wondering, "Oh where in the hell am I going to land?"

[the_siobhan]

So I now have an answer as to whether or not I can write an entire book in a month. That answer is "no".

I am exactly at the halfway point of where I should be, however, which means I am well on track for getting an entire book written in two months if I can keep going at this rate. That won't be in August, because my family is coming to visit, so I figure I'll be taking a break and getting back to it in September. Which means I will be finished writing my 50,000 words probably early October.

They will be terrible, terrible, not very good words, but they will be written down and therefore I will have my story.

I suspect the process of turning it into a story worth actually reading is going to take a lot longer.

********************

I finally pulled the plug on FB. This time of year I'm already hanging onto the fringes of what's left of my mental health with the tips of my fingernails and having people tag me on stuff that makes me cry was sending me right over the edge.

Yeah, I'm an emotional cripple and I'm not afraid to admit it.

So anyway, you can't reach me through FB anymore. It's email or LJ. You can send a FB message through one of the partners, but they aren't super reliable about passing them on. (By which I mean they will usually tell me stuff, but they aren't prompt about it and if it's an event that's taking place I usually find out about it the day it's happening. And if I already have my pants off, good luck with getting me to put them back on.)

********************

I haven't touched the German since Axe & I visited there... two years ago? I think. Anyway at some random moment last week I decided to reinstall the Duolingo app and I've been plugging away at it again.

Learning languages is supposed to be good for encouraging new neural pathways and depression causes definite cognitive damage, so whether or not I'm ever successful in learning anything I figure it's a good hobby to have.

I have to say I'm often surprised at the words they choose to include. I'm doing the section on animal names right now and a lot of time I end up wondering why they devote so much time to including words I'll probably never use. I mean, once I have insect, do I really need fly, beetle and bee? Why include duck, chicken and hawk once I know the word for bird?

I suspect that one of the reason I lost interest in it last time is because it felt like there was too much filler.

********************

Axel has gone full-on vegan. Did I mention that? Like one day it's all pig roasts and yummy yummy beef machines; the next day there is tempeh and almond milk in my fridge.

I find it hilarious only because it's so typical of the man to go from 0 to 60 overnight like that.

Anyway I'm fully supportive of the idea of eating less meat. The transition period just tends to be a little bumpy - I've noticed most new vegetarians go through a period where they cook exactly the same way, but just use tofu in place of the meat. And I'm just not that big a fan of tofu.

But hey, he's still doing all the cooking so I am not about to complain. And the tofu vindaloo he made in the crock-pot was really very good.

********************

I am so boring right now. No money to do anything and it's too hot to go outside.

Comments

[ironed_orchid]

I find it hilarious only because it's so typical of the man to go from 0 to 60 overnight like that.

Ha!

Tofu works best in dishes where it can absorb lots of flavours. Slabs of tofu are no fun.

[firecat]

As your theoretical Nano cabinmate, I'm sorry I didn't cheer you on or in fact log on to the site at all this month. :-(

[greylock]

So I now have an answer as to whether or not I can write an entire book in a month. That answer is "no".

I think you mean: not yet.

I finally pulled the plug on FB. This time of year I'm already hanging onto the fringes of what's left of my mental health with the tips of my fingernails and having people tag me on stuff that makes me cry was sending me right over the edge.

I'm torn between celebrating another leaving "social", and kinda being with you at the end.

I'm amazing, naturally, at German. No idea why.

Axel has gone full-on vegan. Did I mention that?
LOL.
Actual LOL, not just letters.
Personally, I think vegan is *meh*, and I love mock meat, but... how can you hate tofu?

And the tofu vindaloo he made in the crock-pot was really very good.

Recipe?

[the_siobhan]

I think you mean: not yet.

Point. I'm definitely getting faster as go through this.

how can you hate tofu?

I don't hate tofu. I just find it kinda dull. I would much rather have more beans and nuts in my food.

I'll ask him to post the recipe.

[the_siobhan]

No need to apologize! I've really only used it to post my numbers.

[the_siobhan]

I haven't found that it's really all that good at "absorbing" to be honest. I think maybe I will get him to try marinating it.

[the_axel]

3 tablespoons vinegar
1/2 head garlic
3 tablespoons fresh ginger
2 tablespoon curry powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1⁄4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1⁄4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1⁄4 teaspoon ground cloves
1⁄4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon mustard seeds
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tomatoes
1 cinnamon stick
1 onion
Blend it all into to a paste (Siobhan finds the texture of onions like eating tinfoil but likes the taste and smell). Hurray for Blendtec.

Appropriate amounts of cubed tofu, green peppers, red peppers, carrots and broccolli.
Slap in a slow cooker for as long as it takes.

[greylock]

You are a gentleman and a scholar!

[greylock]

In my experience, tofu doesn't absorb anything.
It's a lie peddled by big tofu.

[greylock]

I always quote Stephen King:
Write. Write everyday.

I do. Which is why I can do 10,000 words before breakfast. :)

I just find it kinda dull

I find there are many kinds of bad tofu I hate.
I dig the fried puffy ones, but I hate others.

Is mock meat on the agenda?
Because I love Quorn and various others.
And I've made saitan (SP?) before. Once. Didn't love it, and it used so much water it was appalling.

We've a few vegan cookbooks ('How It All Vegan' is one)... but nothing is simple and I prefer to buy off the rack. Or eat meat. But vegan cooking is an adventure.

I just can never get anywhere near http://www.vegandad.blogspot.com good.