Onigiri

Hey all, how the hell is everyone today?!  I'm in a rather type...ative mood, and since I haven't been updating nearly as much as I've wanted to, here goes!


This last week of work I've been added to schools left and right.  I think I'm already at 14 schools now.  5 full support and I think 9 Online Course Management.  And for those of you who have no idea what I'm talking about, smile and nod.  Short story short, it's more or less support for people who take online courses, like access to their course, account lock-outs, the like.  


So on Saturday I had the crazy notion, "Hey, I've been wanting to make Japanese food since I've came back (physically) from Japan, so why not make some Onigiri?!"  Onigiri is basically the rice balls that are wrapped with seaweed that are filled with anything of your choosing.  In Japan they had Tuna with Mayo, Salmon, Veggies, even some nasty ass beef and somethin' else.  Perhaps my dislike towards the beef stuff was not understanding what I was eating, and perhaps if I knew that it was really pygmy goat (or whatever other critter it could have been), maybe I would have liked it more.  Or perhaps it really was just beef and I didn't like the way it was made.


But I digress.  Or I digressed?  Not sure.  Either way.  I made onigiri today, and it turned out daaamn good.  Basically I made about 9 cups of Japanese sushi rice, the real deal, imported from Japan, sold at Wegmans, and folded it in with a homemade sushi vinegar (made of rice vinegar, some sugar, and a bit of salt).  There are less-messy ways to make the balls involving plastic wrap, and I was prepared to make it that way, but I wanted to just suck it up and shape it all with my hands.  It was at that point when I realized exactly how helpful immersing your hands in salt water between every onigiri was.  That rice is sticky as balls, figuratively, of course, but coating your hands in salt water makes it so you can form them and not have them all stuck to your hands.  Found that out the hard way when the first one I made started to fall apart because it was sticking to my hands as I was dickin' around trying to stuff it for a couple minutes.  Once your hands are no longer wet and salty you're done for.  The next 6 though were great, and even the first one looks alright.  Well, it did before I nom'd it.


Here are some pictures for you guys to look at, although you can see the full set on my Facebook.  Also, here's a chance to shamelessly promote my Twitter as well : http://twitter.com/sacredphoenix55.  You don't have to create an account there, but if you do you can tweet to me... and stuff.  I find that I update it a lot certain days because I can do it from my phone, even when I take a shit, so if you find that you want to know what I'm thinking as I'm droppin' a load, I suggest you check it.

If anyone wants me to make them some and send them some in the mail, I could do that, but I expect to be grossly overpaid in shipping fees and labor.  But really, they turned out damn good!


Also, these past 2 days off have had me watching a lot of Youtube, including almost the entire Equals Three webshow and also some other things by the host of that show and his friends, doing what is known as "vlogs".  Basically Web Log = Blog, and Video Log = Vlog.  So it's pretty much daily / weekly documentary from people.  Turns out the host of that show is a funny guy, as are his friends, but in either case, they've inspired me to consider Vlogging.  I don't know if I'll actually do it, but it could be fun.  Just sayin'.


Also, a friend of mine that goes by the name of Dylan, who if anyone who read my last Japanese blog remembers, actually spent a day with me in Tokyo, anywho, he told me about this animated film maker, Makoto Shinkai, who makes incredibly animated and deep stories.  I watched his short piece, Hoshi no Koe, translating to "Voices of Stars", and it was fantastic.  He has two other films, 5 Centimeters Per Second, and The Place Promised in Our Early Days, and both look fantastic.

Well, look at the time.  It looks like it's time for me to get to bed.  Bowling tomorrow, and my wrist doesn't feel like it's broken today!  For those of you not in the know, for whatever reason, my wrist felt like it was sprained the last week or so.  Last Tuesday at bowling I couldn't lift the ball with my right hand.  Way to be bowling, inorite?  Anyway, I did okay, oddly enough, I think about a 550 or so.  I think I average around a 180 now.  A little low, but given the circumstances, or me just blaming my wrist, you decide, I think that's not so bad.


So again, feel free to leave comments and I'll respond ASAP.  I've really been into the whole internet blogging / facebook the last couple days, so I'll probably get back to you real fast.


In the mean time, I leave you with a really disturbing video from a Uganda Pastor :



 
Definitely don't eat the poo poo.  Ridiculous, huh?  I almost didn't think this shit was real, but alas, it is.  Messed up, huh?


I'm kinda liking the idea of posting videos on my blog more regularly, so be on the lookout for that too.  So many good ideas, so little... well... there is sufficient time.  I don't really have a reason, haha.  


Until next time, see ya!