Sikamikanico Blogs

Yes, I am reclaiming my youth. After several years of absence, I've just started listening to Triple J again. (For overseas readers, Triple J is the national youth/alternative radio station). I don't remember why I stopped. It wasn't intentional. But gradually, about five years ago, I slowly started making my way up the radio dial to hits 'n' memories radio, to the extent that I could do perfect air guitar to "More Than A Feeling" and knew all the words to "Winds of Change" by the Scorpions. I really hadn't realised how bad the problem was, until this year's Hottest 100 countdown, when I was vaugely familiar with ...three of the songs in the Top Twenty. Compare that with, say, the years 1995-99 when I would have known the words to pretty much all of the 100 songs every year. But around mid-2000 I got lost, and stayed lost for a few years. I didn't listen to new music, read new books, watch many TV shows or any new movies...the resul

Yes, it's an oft-discussed topic, but I'd like to put a fresh slant on it. I think I'm gaining weight because, since I am so fabulous, logically there should be more of me. No, no. My weight gain is due to one reason only: massive consumption of food.  It began a couple of months back, when I re-started work. I always gain weight when I'm working, for a few reasons: I drink less (barely at all during the week) so it gives me more of an appetite; and also I'm simply awake for more hours of the day, and you don't get so hungry when you're asleep. At the moment there's another factor; since I only work half-days, I get real bored. And I love to cook, and I have more money to buy all the ingredients I want.  The result is, I'm currently spending several hours a day cooking elaborate dishes - which, since it's winter, tend to be heavy, comfort food meals - and eating them all myself. At first this wasn't a problem. I was so thin that I felt no gui

Proudly, on Saturday, I acquired a handmixer. (I'm finally starting to accumulate all the basic household appliances - well, it's only been seven years since I left home, and one shouldn't rush these things). So I decided to fulfill a long standing ambition, and make a cheesecake...well heck, aim low, reach your goals and avoid disappointment, I say! So with great enthusiasm I bought all the ingredients, set up all the equipment and got to work. The crumb crust was easy enough, and I happily set it in the fridge to chill whilst I prepared the filling. That was where the trouble started. Although I'd taken the stuff out of the fridge an hour before, due to the cold weather the cream cheese was still rock-hard. What to do? I don't have a microwave (though at this stage, I do hope to purchase one sometime around 2009) so I decided to try very gently softening it on the cooktop. Let me tell you right now, you can't "soften" cream cheese this way, just make

So last night like the dutiful daughters we are, Kitekat and I showed up for The Father's birthday dinner. Here we are, making the place look at least 68% more gorgeous. He's 51 (God, what a thought...by the time my parents were my age, they'd been married several years, and I was a toddler. I can't look after anything except myself - barely and with a lot of help - and my cat. Whom, come to think of, I haven't seen for a few days). We went to the restaurant attached to the local pub, and I ordered a steak with cheese sauce. I had my heart set on a big, juicy steak. So when my meal arrived, I was shocked and dismayed to discover that it was covered in a brown sauce with mushrooms, totally contrary to my order. I eat most foods, but I HATE mushrooms. I'm never good at masking my emotions, and both the waiter, and everyone else at the table, noticed my disgust. Waiter (sorry, food and beverage attendant ) : Is everything all right? Nico (through gritted teeth) :

A proper post to come soon...when I actually do my work. In the meantime...enjoy this (not too bad for the first shot taken with a camera phone I think!). Is he the most gorgeous creature on Earth, or what?

Yes, today is the day that the Government takes control of the Senate. John Howard, our redoubtable Prime Minister, has promised that the government will not abuse this power. Actually, what he really said was, "I solemnly swear to the Australian people that this Government will not abuse the trust that the voters have placed...ahem, ahem...I'm sorry...MWAH-HAH-HAH-HAH-HAH-HAH-HAH-HAH!" Just out of curiosity, I headed over to the Liberal Party website to check out their "core beliefs". Here they are, with my parenthetical addenda: We believe in the inalienable rights and freedoms of all peoples; and we work towards a lean government that minimises interference in our daily lives; and maximises individual and private sector initiative. "You, dig a hole. You, fill it up again. Or you'll both lose your meagre unemployment benefits. Angry? Well, that's not government interference you're feeling, that's initiative." We believe in government