Monday, April 24, 2006
I don't care what it costs, I simply MUST have a Tank Chair.
Flickr
Sunday, April 23, 2006
There are some great chip shop names in Sheffield, "A Salt and Battered", "Northern Sole" and "The Codfather" for example.
Today I think I have found the best:
Saturday, April 22, 2006
Manfacturer: Rustlers
Product: 70 Seconds BBQ Rib
Pack Size: 170g
Fat per pack: 11.9g
Calories per pack: 261
Price per pack: Unknown
Manufacturer's description: Chopped and shaped pork with a BBQ seasoning and added textured soya protein in a sesame seeded bun with BBQ sauce.
Charles has very kindly provided me with a new snack to try. I think he felt pity for me - Jane is visiting her mother and sister this weekend so I am having to fend for myself. It's actually quite traumatic.
I am rarely allowed these kinds of food. Jane forbids them from the house (rightly or wrongly). However, being at work, I had complete snack freedom.
Whilst working my last ever 14:00-22:30 shift, it was good to know that sitting in the fridge was a ready-in-70-seconds BBQ Rib Sandwich. That is truly fast food. I reckoned that I could stand up from my desk, go to the fridge, remove product from packaging, place it in microwave, enter Gents, perform toilet things (inc wash/dry of hands, obviously) and return to microwave with 8 seconds or so to spare. As it turned out, I was quite close.
Charles had furnished me with some experienced cooking tips which I duly forgot. Something about microwaving the 'meat' for longer than the bun. Or was it the other way round? I couldn't remember so read the instructions, removed product from packaging, assembled components (a snack that requires "assembly" - game on!), and heated for a while. Then I took the bread out and gave it a burst in the toaster. After burning my fingers and applying the sachet of BBQ sauce it was time to let snack cool (time used constuctively in walking back to desk).
The fun began before I'd even got back to my desk. This thing smells. A lot. It has the kind of aroma you either love or hate. Kind of a synthetic sugary, spicy smell. I like it. The similarity to the McDonald's McRib from a few years ago is hard to get away from. I wouldn't be surprised if these guys supplied McD's with the sorely-missed McRib. For this snack the only difference seems to be a lack of chopped onion and a different kind of bun.
Tasting the BBQ Rib almost seemed a shame, I was enjoying the look and smell of it. I was concerned that the rib itself would be too hot and I would further injure the roof of my mouth (I had had a taco-related incident at lunchtime). I shouldn't have worried, my rib was cooked to perfection. Spicy and meaty, neither chewy nor hard. The bread was a little too "long-life" tasting, but that was partially expected and is forgiveable. The memories of a McRib are too hard to shake off. It is so reminiscent of a McRib that if this were any other product I could imagine armies of lawyers preparing to do battle.
Points: 9/10 Very good. Lost one point because the tab on the pack broke when I tried to open it. Stock up.
Jane says: Nothing. She is away this weekend. However, I think it's safe to say that she would not be impressed.
Thursday, April 20, 2006
It wouldn't even surprise me if Hollywood decided to actually make this.
I was sent this email the other day:
"On Thursday 4th May 2006, at two minutes and three seconds after 1:00 in the morning, the time and date will be...
01:02:03 04/05/06
This will never happen again (it was the 5th of April in the USA date format)."
I happen to think this will happen again in 2106 which, if I maintain this healthy lifestyle, it is possible I might witness.
Not sure I'll stay up for it though. I may just set my clock forward a bit and pretend.
Apparently, I've not been doing enough snack reviews. To quote G-man, "Toni and I would like to know what happened to the snack review. Get a grip you loser".
So here we are.
Product: Airwaves Black Mint
Manufacturer: The Wrigley Company Ltd
Pack Size: 10 pieces
Calories: 155 per 100g
Fat: 0g
Manufacturer's description: "A source of phenylalanine. Excessive consumption may cause laxative effects".
"Black mint", eh? Well, I just couldn't not buy them, could I?
I'm not a big gum chewer, I probably only buy a pack a month. I know little about gum to be honest (except that I believe it's illegal in Malaysia and mucks the pavement up when disposed of improperly). I've been reading the ingredients of this pack and I can see why it has little nutritional value - the words "gum", "wax", "thickener" and "glazing agent" don't really cut it for me. The veggies may be pleased to know that the glycerine is "non-animal" and this pack carries the "suitable for vegetarians" legend.
Airwaves "black mint" are the usual small pieces of gum that the Airwaves brand prefers (as opposed to the "stick" of other brands). They seem to have been crafted to be exactly the same colour as snot. Indeed, when I placed one piece so as it dangled from my right nostril, the girl who sits next to me at work was suitably impressed. She then declined my offer of a pice of gum. Strange.
Getting over the bogey-like appearance may take some doing, but it is necessary in order to experience the "black mint" flavour.
It is here that the con is exposed. "Black mint" is nothing of the sort. It is aniseed. And in a green form. Don't be fooled.
I think Wrigley's may have cocked up here. A quick Google suggests black mint "produces more oil than the white variety, but it is of an inferior quality". There is no mention of black mint in the ingredients. Just anise and eucalyptus.
The flavour is quite strong, but to be honest, virtually idenitcal to the original Eucalyptus variety. I may even conduct a blind taste test over the weekend to check this. The taste disappears way too quickly and you are left chewing on what looks like a bogey.
Points: 2/10. A con. May as well buy the original ones - I believe the flavour lasts longer.
Heather says (Jane was not available for comment as I was at work): "Pleeurgh" as she spat it into the bin. Classy bird :-)
Edit: Also not worth the hassle are Wrigley's Extra "Fire". A little hint of cinnamon for 20 seconds before the flavour disappears. Unbelievable.
You know you shouldn't be at work when... (2)
Monday, April 17, 2006
...you start working out if you should spend this afternoon beating this guy
You know you shouldn't be at work when...
...you sign into Messenger and not ONE of your contacts is also online.
Monday, April 10, 2006
Seem to be getting out and about on several weekend breaks this year. This weekend we've just been to visit Nick and Rachel in Linlithgow.
We’ve been up to visit them in Edinburgh before, taking the Bullet for the drive. This time we opted for the train (Jane got one of those cheap ticket deals that you’re only eligible for if the 3rd letter of your name is a given consonant and you buy your ticket between 13:00 and 13:03 on a day of the month that is a prime number and it wasn’t raining in Munich three Tuesday’s previously). I was dubious as my last few cross-country train journeys (Sheffield-London) are the reason I now prefer to drive whenever possible.
On the face of it, long-distance train journeys make a lot of sense, reserve a seat, relax and watch the world go by. My last few experiences made me dubious, but I have to say I was pleasantly surprised. For a roughly equivalent journey time, the train trip to Edinburgh was a much nicer affair than sat in a car. And I got to see the unicycling student at Sheffield station (it’s compulsory to have one on each train, yes?). I had a few minor niggles (the multitiude of self-closing interior doors all seem too slow/stupid) and the looping “Attention train crew, the passenger disabled alarm has been activated” message on one leg of our journey being the only real downers. However, we were able to be a bit smug whenever turfing students out of our reserved seats. Oh, and you can drink your four pack of Carlsberg without spilling it, whilst charging your iPod/mobile from the power sockets.
I’d only been to Lintlithgow once before, driving through it without stopping on the way to Islay last year. It was nice to have the chance to have a look round. It really is a nice place. We had a great time in Linlithgow, chatting (with a few beers) on Friday night, visiting Glasgow on Saturday followed by a large steak in Bar Leo. Sunday we had a brisk walk round Linlithgow Loch before getting the train back to Sheffield. Sadly I took hardly any pictures as when out and about I was largely technology-free. There’s a couple on my phone I may post up later.
Nick and Rachel were, as ever, excellent hosts – ta guys.
Perhaps it’s just the journeys south that are a nightmare.
Saturday, April 01, 2006
Not normally one to make posts about work (what with all the potential fall out and such), but I am very excited to announce that I have been successful in getting an offer of employment for another company. This pleases me greatly.
I haven't been enjoying my current workplace. It's not turned out as expected. I decided shortly before Christmas to give it another couple of months to see how things work out. Sadly, things have, in my opinion, got worse. So following a bit of a post-30th birthday "life review", I'm off.
I've handed my notice in and now just need confirmation of my final date. My new employer will take me as soon as I can start which is nice. Obviously this is still subject to satisfactory references and completion of a 3 month probation period. However, I am hoping this will be a very long-standing arrangement.
Must remember to post the offer acceptance letter off tomorrow!
Edit: OK, so I've got to work out my entire Notice Period. Not Great. Still, I've now got a countdown over on the right to help me keep track.