Yeaaahtoast: April 2007

>> Thursday, April 26, 2007

Making films, and ipod's round the world!

But i'm sure you already know that. Thanks to treehugger dot com, i am now absolutely more convinced that the UK is miles and miles of green ahead of us.

Apparently, for a nominal yearly fee, the government lets out 200-400 metre plots of land to families or individuals to grow their own produce. A tool shed and space for work is usually included on the plot, and they are allowed to grow fruits, veggies, and flowers for their personal consumption. Their fee is determined by their financial status, and since 1950, they are only made to pay what they can within reason. In 1997, the average 250 metre plot cost 22 pounds, about $50 dollars for that whole year.

After doing some research, i've found that allotting has been practiced in Europe since the early 1700's, Copenhagen and Stockholm are just a few large names on the list. The effect of allotments on history has been staggering, they have saved hundreds during the world wars. Produce from the all too distant countryside took weeks to reach the cities, only to rot or be sold for high prices on the black market. When the rural landscape and sprawling country eventually lay in waste, people relied on allotments and neighborhood gardens for food. Recently, in 2003 the first allotment program was set into motion in the Phillipines, funded by, yep, you guessed it, the European Union, encouraged by the German embassy located in Manila. They have since seen a rise in overall health and decline in drug/gang related activities, which have been, in part, credited to the allotment lifestyle.

In the 2006 issue of the London Assembly, the Environmental Committee outlined theses key points as the major benefits of allotments today: Dignity, Health, Environment, Financial, Community, Diversity. Their word choice may not be perfect, but the social, economic, emotional, physical benefits are impossible to miss. Sadly, the UK is losing some of their allotments due to diminishing land structure, poor record keeping by plot overseers, and the upcoming "green" Olympics in 2012. Manor Garden is a 100 + year old allotment site which will be bulldozed in order to build for the Olympics. The good news? After the Olympics are held, the comapcted, bulldozed, leached, plant free area will go right back to the plotholders, minus the 100 year old trees that once grew there of course.

Here in the US, we can't do much to stop this from happening. We're not allowed to sign UK petitions or go protest (unless aunt sally has an extra ticket to London), the most we can do is write letters about our concern for our oldest ~~enemy~~ friend. Visit this site for a quick recap of the issue. Letters may be written and addressed to the Prime Minister Tony Blair at 10 Downing Street, London, SW1A 2AA. (Or faxed to +442079250918 (email me if you fax, so i can make appropriate fun of you))

For more information on allotments, visit Wikipedia or The National Society of Allotment and Leisure Gardening Society. And for a great family allotment blog, check out the Warmans, they're a lovely family!

Hello Mr. Klingon!

How are you?

I met a Klingon on the bus today. He was nice, cool, and had a wicked sexy ripple forehead (like they do). Sigh, i LOVE fan film actors, they (we) truly are a unique breed. In any case, looks like i'll have a spot in the new series, conveniently they film in Altadena, just north of me.

Check out Hidden Frontier for all their previous seasons!

QamuIs Heg qaq law' lorvIs yInqaq puS (Trans: Better to die on your feet, than live on your knees)

Peer Pressure, a Vicious Cycle

>> Wednesday, April 25, 2007

"Don't let peer pressure bother you." "Peer pressure is not real, only you can make up your mind."
BULLSHIT! Peer pressure works! And i now have THIS to show for it!
Thanks goes to Fred and Warren for waving theirs under my noses, now i have that new DS smell....And it smells goooooood.
What would any new game system be without, well, games? So i got these to break in the new boyfriend replacer:

And i let the sales guy peer pressured me into getting this:

because i truly believe it is the best usage of the DS format to date.
Overall, i've been horribly HORRIBLY taken advantage of by my friends, brainwashed into shelling out triple-digit amounts of money, and cannot be held responsible for my actions. However, it seems i have accidentally, ahem, lost my reciept (already) and we all know there are no refunds w/o receipts soooooooo, i am doomed to wallow in misery, knowing that for the rest of my life, my friends will pressure me into purchasing useless crap (i smell a wii and a ps3!) and i am powerless to stop it.
I. BLAME. YOU.

Don't ask me how...

>> Thursday, April 19, 2007

but i somehow f*cked my alarm up today and ended up having 10 minutes to get to work. Now, i live a good 20 min bike ride away (if i go all triathalon on it), so i had to wake my bed buddy up and asketh to borrow the car. He LOVINGLY obliged, THANK YOU HONEY!!!

I usually get to work and immediately hop on the comp to find more vegan food blogs, urk, bad idea today, as i've not had any breakfast so far!
-----
Ok, 1 blood orange had, but i need more sustenance! It's 7 am, i'm off at 12:30, and already i am dead inside to this work day. This should be interesting...

I don't know any of them,

>> Wednesday, April 18, 2007

But i know for sure that no person should have to go through what Virginia Tech went through. My support goes out to the friends, family, classmates, and teachers who lost someone they love.

incessant giggling

>> Thursday, April 12, 2007

Okay, this is truly hilarious!!! I can't believe i never placed the resemblance before, i wonder what the other Spice Girls really look like???

Some things you need...

>> Tuesday, April 10, 2007

To buy :
Cursive's new album
Get: The Magic Flute, Dave Brubeck, And Big Bad Voodoo Daddy!

To see:
MC Rap Cat
Charlie the Unicorn
The Big Mother F*cker Meal

To consider:
The Vegan Outreach : Even if you like meat.

Important Debate!!!

Please help! Me, Nico, Stuart, and Evan were trying to figure out which one is the hip hopper's code:
#1) Cash, Money, Ho's
#2) Bling, Bitches, Booze
Comments, arguments, anyone? And what exactly is the definition of "bling"? How is "cash" and "money" different? And if a wire transfer of money leaves colorado at 2 pm travelling at 67 mpg, and an escalade of bitches leaves arizona at 4 pm travelling 34 mpg, which one gets crunked in Miami first?

Teehee!

>> Sunday, April 8, 2007

I am very tickled by this...

Oh Please!

>> Friday, April 6, 2007

Please oh please oh please go jump off something high. Not the dog, you the owner. GAH! THIS MAKES ME SOOOOOO ANYGRY! SO MUCH THAT I MISSPELLED ANGRY!!!

They're magically delicious!

My blogs i mean. And in fact, i've got a NEW one, and it's totally VEGAN (please check it out and add it to your links list! I know i know, how many blogs do you need Toast? I NEED THEM ALL!!!! MUAHAHAHA-ahk-ackhuh-bleh-kkahgh *cough* *sputter* *gasp*

Anyways, the spur of the moment trip to whole foods last night was successful for my newly formed veganism. Got some vegan sour cream and cheese, i cannot wait to get home and make me a grilled cheez sammich on my lovely daaaark bread. God, Rice Slices from Galaxy Foods melts and tastes like real friggin cheese!!! So nummy... and i scored some vanilla sugar.

I am dying for a nap, DYING for a nap, but i have 2 desserts to make for tonight, hummus, Passions to watch, the bedroom to tidy up, bathroom to clean, and i'm going to try and squeeze in some STRESSSSSSS about the house warming party tonight. I always manage to get some in there... i care far too much about being agood hostess!

I don't get sunday off for work. Sigh. I need to phase them out, working 6 days a week is extremely tiring, especially when 4 of the six days start at 6:15am. Sigh. Gotta snarf some ramen, forgot to bring a snack!

Munny munny munny munn-eh, MUH-NAY

>> Wednesday, April 4, 2007

It's never a good idea to spend your money before you buy it, but there are a few things i really ~~need~~ want, and a big chunk of security-deposit-refund change is coming my way.

#1) I want a road bike, like the kind with skeeeeeeny tires. I love my mountain bike, but it's all kinds of wrong for riding the mostly-flat roadways of Pasadena to/from work. Luckily craigslist is a great/cheap resource for buying other people's used junk.

#2) I would like a new one of these, since my old one just decided to crap out and i need to use it for blogging, family emails, and embarassing moments of/with my friends.

#3) I really want this because i consume so much of it already, it'd be nice to save money and reduce container waste. Plus, it's cool, and it's an appliance, and we all know how much The Toast LOVES appliances!

#4) And i want a flat/rectangle purple bolster and 4" some foam blocks from here, but i can deal with household props for now, like, the cat.

#5) That blue wooden-lidded salt box from whole foods. This guy knows what i'm talking about...

Looks like the DS Lite is on hold, (unless Mark wants to give me his one?), as it's not as "important" as the other things are. I also have a bento desired list that is ever growing, but i already know it will never be fulfilled, as there isn't enough cabinet space in the world for all the cutesy-wootsey trinked associated with a bento life. And naturally all these things are trumped by paying previous debts and buying groceries, mmmmmm, groceries. I also gotta save some of it for a trip to hawai'i this summer, since i don't get paid vacations (why oh why did i leave my multi-figure, benefitted job again?). It's always good to have a wishlist though, makes one feel alive.