HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

OG

I'm here to talk to you today about cookies, fancy pants imported cookies.

Original Ginger

I saw these one day at London Drugs and grabbed them just because the looked good, had fancy packaging and are made in Scotland.  Cam and Cara, did you guys try these?  Just like the package says, they are seductively smooth and surprisingly spicy.  Border also makes a Dark Ginger as well.  I've bought them a few times, but they are pricey considering there are only ten cookies in a pack.   If you want to try them, then now is a good time because this week they are on sale.   Now I wish I had bought two packs.

Good news/Bad news

The bad news first...I'm out of turkey!!  The turkey didn't last quite as long as I wanted it to and now I want more.  I got my Christmas dinner out it, a turkey sandwich for lunch the next day, then dinner and I had a little bit left for breakfast the next day.  Nothing like turkey, stuffing and gravy to get you started in the morning.  I want to go cook another one of those turkey breasts like right now.

The good news is that I bought more movies!  Okay, that's not really good news, more like bad news for my wallet, but good news because they were on sale.  I got them at Best Buy and they're more 3D movies.

I hadn't originally planned on getting the new Transformers, or Trans4mers, but again it was on sale, so I grabbed it.  Also, the 3D version has the expanded IMAX 3D and since I didn't see it in IMAX, I had to see what the big deal was.  The movie switches back and forth between the theatrical aspect ratio and the IMAX aspect ratio which might sound annoying, but I didn't even notice.  I was half way through the movie before I even remembered and started paying more attention to see when it would change to IMAX.  I thought it was okay, but not great when I watched it in the theatre, but upon second viewing I liked it slightly more.  I still think Dark of the Moon was better, in fact I think I'll watch it tonight!  Explosions and destruction!!

This afternoon I went and watched another 3D movie, The Croods, that Cody got me for Christmas.  It was better than I expected and the 3D was pretty good.  I've been watching two movies per day since the 25th, so I'm on a tear.  I'll have to wait until Cody gets back to watch Hercules because he's a huge Rock/Dwayne Johnson fan.  He also got me X-Men: Days of Future Past 3D and I'm pretty sure my sister got me Guardians of the Galaxy 3D too, so I've got even more movies to watch.  That last one is still sitting in Cranbrook, I e-mailed/texted Cody about bringing my gifts back for me, but Moyie is so backwards they don't have internet or cell service, so I haven't heard back from him.  I guess I could try telegram or smoke signals.

Boxing Day!

Did anyone go out to check out the killer Boxing Day sales?  I didn't even bother to look at any of the flyers, so I sure if there were any good deals out there if any.  Usually, I'm in Cranbrook which consists of going to Wal-Mart and/or Superstore.  I kind of did that today.

I picked these two movies up at Superstore today and got my 10% discount on them as well.  I didn't set out to buy them I was at work, you know working, and they had the movie bins right you go upstairs, so as I was leaving I had a peek to see if there was anything good.  I picked up "I, Frankenstein" because it was cheap and in 3D.

Then I left work and went to Target because it is literally right next to the Superstore, so it's not like it's out of my way or anything.  I got this pixely Darth Vader t-shirt.

I also got a couple of Marvel figures for Disney Infinity 2.0, both bad ass ones, Iron Fist and Venom.  I don't actually have the game yet, but I guess I pretty much have to get it now.  It's also a good time as it's on sale everywhere this week.  Too bad pay day isn't until Thursday.  Who knows, maybe I even got it for Christmas?  All my gifts are still in Cranbrook, so I don't know.  They still look pretty cool whether I have the game or not.

If you've ever shopped at Target before then you probably know that when you get your receipt you also get a coupon as well.  Usually, it's for some product I'll never use, although once I got a $2 off for a DVD or Blu-ray.  Today I got a coupon for 10% off.

Make that TWO coupons.  I used self scan and whoever used it before me didn't bother to take their coupon, so I took it.  Thanks sucker!  I'm just curious to know if it's 10% off only one item or 10% off everything you are buying.  Either way, it's not bad.

When I was at Target I see they had cheap 55" 4K TV for $599.99.  They usually have cheap TVs at Target, but unfortunately they are crap brands like Magnavox or in this case, Element.

Did anyone get anything cool on Boxing Day?  Let me know.

X-Mas Dinner!

After a quiet day of sleeping and doing nothing, watching Cop Out counts as nothing, I had to make myself some dinner.  Since it was Christmas, that means turkey, or at least some form of turkey.

They were sold out of the stuffed ones, but that was okay because I had a box of Stove Top at home.  Then as it turned out I didn't have any Stove Top, now Christmas is ruined!!  As long as I got some gravy makes up for it even if it's from a can.  The scalloped potatoes rocked, the increased bacon taste is awesome.  Franco American needs to come with an improved gravy recipe, "Now MORE GRAVY Taste!"

The turkey actually turned out.  The instructions said to put it in a shallow roasting pan and I didn't have one.  They also said to check the internal temperature with a thermometer to see when it was done, but I didn't have one of those either.  I put in a casserole(?) dish and left it in the oven a little extra and it turned out fine.  I followed the instructions of brushing the outside with oil and the outer layer was a nice brown crust/bark.  That's the best part!  I should cook one of these things on a monthly basis.

I also tried my Italian sponge cake and it wasn't bad.  I tried Cam's method of dipping it in pasta sauce which made it so much better.  Thanks for the tip Cam!

Now I need to sleep, I am full of turkey.

X-Mas Eve!

If I got this advent calendar to work correctly, that must mean it's Christmas eve!!

X-mas time

Today I finally finished up my Christmas shopping with not a moment to spare.  Cody is headed back to Moyie/Cranbrook tomorrow, so I had to have it done.  With all the gifts bought it was to time wrap them, or stuff them in gift bags like I do because that is way easier.

I also set up my Christmas tree, but since I didn't have any thread I unfortunately couldn't hang up my Makit & Bakit ornament.  It looks TOO good anyway, I'll have to pack it away in box forever, so it doesn't get wrecked because it's irreplaceable.

Keef's picks

I posted a few days back about some movies I bought online and got in the mail.  I've had time to watch  a couple of them, so here are my thoughts.  The first one I watched was Bang Bang!  Yes, the song/dance numbers were better than Knight and Day, but I was disappointed.  It had it's moments, but it still wasn't as fun as I wanted it to be.  Cody watched it until the dance number then he left.

After that I watched Gantz and I actually really liked it.  I watched Gantz 2: Perfect Answer the next day and while it was still a good film,  I liked part 1 more.   It's a cool sci-fi action movie with the occasional exploding body and robot getting kicked in the robo balls.  I was bit torn as whether or not I liked the ending, but I liked the series overall.  The action was cool, the effects were good, it had good music and I didn't even mind the talky bits.  The Gantz movies get my recommendation!

The Blu-rays from Hong Kong were surprisingly very good, the English subtitles were better on this than Chinese movies released in Hong Kong.  There were also lots of special features and they were all subtitled as well.   Best part was that the HK  2 disc Blu-ray set was cheaper than having to order just part 1 from Amazon.ca.

Now I'm temped to dig out my Gantz anime series and finally watch it, but I'm not sure if I should or not as it might change my opinion of the movies.

Re-Makit & Re-Bakit

I did my Makit & Bakit kit last week and it almost turned out except I screwed it up like I do everything else.  I didn't add enough beads, so there were a few spots that didn't fill in properly.  I thought I could try to do it over again and see if I could fix it.

I just put some beads in the low spots and put it back in the oven.

It sort of worked as the spots did get filled in, but now it has a bunch of air bubbles in it.  I forgot about it in the oven for a while and it was in there for too long, so that is what may have caused the air bubbles.  I can live with air bubbles.  One of these days I'll get it right.

Happy Hanukkah!

X-Mas Update

Here is quick X-mas update with a few things going down.  First up we did watch Die Hard 2 and I think some one needs to start a petition to give to FOX and have them release the penultimate edition version.  This version would include the censored audio from the TV broadcast with all it's "Mister Falcons".  When we have to redub the lone swear word out of Steele O'Neil: Zombie Buster for TV broadcast I already know how we're going to do it.  It's near the end when Steele finds the zombified Willie and says "Damn, zombies already made him their bitch."  The censored version will be, "Damn, zombies already made him their buddy."

Oh yes, back to Christmas.  I was shopping at Old Gravy getting some t-shirts for my brother and Matt and I found this awesome Mr. T shirt in the clearance section.  Hope Matt likes it.

I was tempted to get it for myself and I probably would've gotten a second one for me, but it was the last XL.  All the other sizes were M or XXL.

It was marked down to $9.99, or so I thought.

When the lady rang in the shirt it came up a mere 97 cents!   Now I'm mad it was the last XL left.  T pities the fool who don't take advantage of this deal!

I also bought myself a(nother) Christmas gift.  Only because no one else would think to give me this combination of stuff.  Since Cam so highly recommended my last Katy Perry CD, I figured I'd crab the follow up.  I'm not sure if I get her latest one because Taylor Swift's 1989 would be next on my list.

Finally, I'm not 100% sure I'll be back home to Cranbrook for Christmas.  If I do I won't be able to drive back until the 25th and then have to drive back a couple days later on the 27th.  I'm bascially waiting to see what the weather will be because right now they are saying snow 24th, 25th and 27th.  Next week that could change as in less snow or more snow, I'l have to wait and see.  Anybody else going to be around?    I am sending back my presents with Cody regardless of whether or not I go back.  

International cinema

As you guys know I watch all kinds of movies and when I say "all kinds of movies" that usually means action.  I'm not content with just Hollywood because they kinda don't cut it sometimes, so as long as there are dudes getting kicked in the head, shot up and awesome explosions I watch a movie from anyway.  That being said I got some movies in the mail today from the other side of the world.

These first two movies came from Hong Kong, but are Japanese.  Good thing about Hong Kong is all their DVDs have English subtitles.  The one on the left is actually a two Blu-ray set for Gantz and Gantz 2: Perfect Answer.  It was originally a manga, then an anime and now a live action film.  The original manga and the anime is loaded with lots of brutal violence and sexual content.  Or so I've heard.  I actually have the anime series on DVD, but haven't watched it yet.

The movie on the left is Black Butler and also based on a manga and was also an anime as well.  Fun fact, the "Butler" is played by the same guy who played Tendou Souji/KR Kabuto in Kamen Rider Kabuto.  Henshin!

There is my Black Butler blu-ray next to my other package which is from India.  It's basically a brick of Styrofoam with a DVD sandwiched in the middle.  It's good because it protects the movie, but it sucks because opening it is a bitch.  I was carefully trying to slit the side open and little bits of Styrofoam were flying everywhere and sticking to things.  They were stuck to my fingers and wouldn't get off, damn you static electricity.

After making I mess I did get my movie out which is the Hindi movie, Bang Bang!  It's from Fox Star Studios and a Bollywood remake of Knight and Day with Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz.  I wonder which one is better?  As Mike would say, "I guess there is only one way to find out."  I bet Bang Bang! has better song/dance numbers in it.

Now if I can only decide which movies to watch first.

Maked it & Baked it

1 Ornamento 

It's late, but it's here, my Makit & Bakit Christmas ornament.  Christmas Crab was putting the pressure on me to get this done and I didn't want a lump of sea salt in my stocking Christmas morning.  So here we go!

I checked out the tools I was going to need and at first glance I thought, "What the hell do I need thread for?!"  Then it dawned on me that the thread isn't actually for making it, it's for hanging it up after it's finished.  I like how the cookie sheet still has cookies.  I have a feeling it's not recommended to bake cookies and the ornament at the same it.  Sure would be convenient if you could though.

Do not use in a microwave or toaster oven.  If they could somehow develop a Makit & Bakit kit that you could do in the microwave, their use would figuratively (or literally?) explode.  I know I'd be making them all the time especially with the exploding and all.

I'm all set do this.

After one hour...

Two hours...

Two and a half hours...  Next time I think it would be easier to dump some of the beads directly into the mould.   Painstakingly placing each individual plastic bead with a pair of tweezers can be time consuming.

Two hours and fifty six mintues later, it's done...more or less.  The instructions said 15 - 25 minutes baking time, but after 15 minutes the beads weren't even melted, so I ended up having to leave it in for 26 minutes.

While I like the colours, it turned out far from perfect.  It looks better at a distance, so I'm not sure why all the pictures I took are close ups.

It almost worked, but I didn't add enough beads near a couple of the edges, so there are few holes.  Hopefully this won't affect the structural integrity of the ornament.

 

It does bother me that I messed this ornament up.  Can it be fixed?  Is it possible to re-Makit & re-Bakit?  I guess there is only one way to find out.

Makit & Bakit delayed

I know I said the Makit & Bakit post was going up tonight, but I got busy/lazy.  Don't worry I give you my personal guarantee that it will go up tomorrow night.   If you don't trust me don't worry, Christmas Crab says he will make sure I do it...or else.

Free cake!

Today at work a regular Seafood customer bought me and another guy in my department each one of those weird boxed cakes you usually see at Christmas time.

It's an Italian cake, actually made in Italy with real Italian writing on it!  The guy who bought it for us is Italian and has an Italian restaurant on Edmonton Trail.  I've never eaten one of these types of cakes, so I'll probably need some help from Cara.  What is the standard procedure for preparing/serving/eating this type of cake?  On the box it says to keep in a warm room before serving,  I'm not sure why other than it tastes better warmed.

When I told a guy at work that a customer had bought a cake for each of us, he asked it had icing on it.  I told him no and he said he it should.  He does make a valid point.  Would it violate some unwritten Italian culinary law if I bought a jar of Betty Crocker icing and smeared it all over the cake?

Fun fact: the best before date on it isn't until October 30, 2015.   I'm sure it will taste the same now as it will October 31st.  

I need to vacuum

RIP Taco Socks

Rock the vote

Last year after Christmas I was in Michael's and picked up some holiday themed Makit and Bakit sets.  I surprised myself and actually remembered I had them, so that means it's time to start making and baking.  But first I need your help!

I bought two kits, but I'm lazy, so I am only going to make one kit.  This also leaves me with one kit to do next year, let's I hope I can remember that too.  I need your guys to pick which kit I make, the ornament or the wreath.  Choose which one you want and this Saturday I'll makit and bakit.

In the meantime here are some Star Wars candy canes...

Because Cara needs some more Christmas cheer...

Moustache Monday (night)

I'm looking to join a barbershop quartet, so I've trimmed up my moustache accordingly.  Unfortunately, I twirled the one side too much and it broke.  Also, since I have no friends it will be near impossible to find three more people for the quartet.  Oh well, back to being evil then...

I bought some CDs at Melodyia today, one of them was even new.  For some reason they had a lot of Smashing Pumpkins singles.  I got Bullet with Butterfly Wings, I just hope I don't have it.  I forget a lot stuff now, I'm old.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS 2014

Welcome to the party pal!

We watched Die Hard, another classic Christmas movie tonight.  I haven't actually watched it for quite a while other than catching parts of it on TV.   It's obviously not as a good on TV as all the best stuff it cut out.  It was good to back and revisit it.  I've owned it for a long time, it was one of the first DVDs I got.  It's the two disc Ultimate Collection with the shiny silver cover in the extra wide case.  This was before they figured out you could put two DVDs in a regular single case.  We've come a long way since then.

HO-HO-HO

Of course, now you know I have to watch Die Hard 2: Die Harder which is even Christmasyer than the first one.  

HalloweenXChristmas

Even though Halloween is long past I still plug in my vintage Halloween lamp I got at the thrift store.  It does look cool, so I might as well and try and get some more use out of it.  I came home from work today and plugged it in and Cody said, "Halloween's over!", then he suggested I get a Christmas one.  Easier said than done as I already looked at the thrift store, but they didn't have any vintage Christmas lamps.  Then I had an idea.

I like it.

Help Needed

I'm lazy and I need help with finding some software.  I'm looking for a program to that will let me make CD, DVD, and Blu-ray covers.  I want to do case art, not disc art.  I downloaded a couple free ones, but they are so basic that I can't do as much as I'd like.  I don't want one too fancy, I still want it to be easy to use.  Does anyone out there even do these?  The last program I used for making covers was good old MS Publisher and I was making cassette and CD art.  So yeah, it's been a while.  I'd prefer free, but if it's cheap and does what I need it to do, I don't mind paying.  My biggest problem is making a cover like the one I have in my head.  My skillz ain't that good.

STAR WARS ADVENT CALENDAR!

Sorry to disappoint everyone, but I only got a plain old Star Wars advent calendar and not a fancy Star Wars LEGO advent calendar.  I'm just too cheap to pay the $50 for the Lego version which I've seen around a lots of places like Wal-Mart, London Drugs, Toys R Us for quite a while now.  I'll tell you this year's Lego calendar looks pretty cool.  After I didn't get one last year I looked it up online and it was pretty lame.  It only had two or three decent days of kits and the rest sucked.  Looks like they made up for it with this year's calendar.  I'm hoping to find one discounted.  I think I waited too long last year, I'll head to the Lego Store in a couple weeks.  They won't be as cheap as the one year I got one, but I don't think they'll be full price.  I hope.

In the meantime...chocolate!

The wrapper on the calendar has a sticker saying "3D Darth Vader Chocolate" and I just assumed that only on the 24th would you get the fancy chocolate, like in the old days the advent calendar had a double door giant size chocolate on the 24th.

Luckily, everyday is 3D Darth Vader!  Of course it's hollow though.  If it had been solid then it probably would've been better than a Lego calendar.

When you're done with all the chocolates you can cut out a puzzle from the back of the box.  I like that the front and back feature all pictures from the Classic Star Wars with the exception of the Yoda on the back.  It is a bit out of place, but better than Jar Jar Binks.