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Note to self: http://www.manchesteririshfestival…
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Voi että hatuttaa. Tai no ei ehkä niinkään hatuta, mutta pettymys on kyllä keskikokoinen ellei suuri. Meidät eliminoitiin Talentista aikalailla viime hetkellä ennen semi-finaalikarsintoja. Pöh. Eivät vaan halunneet maksaa kuljetuksia ja majoituksia näin isolle ryhmälle. Hatuttaa se tosin, että tämän takia peruin mun Suomen reissun ja missaan nyt kauan odotetun Nightwishin keikan. Toivoa sopii, että eksyvät tämänkin saaren kamaralle kiertueensa aikana. Toistaiseksi ei tosin ole mitään UK:n keikkoja niiden kalenterissa...
Positiivista tässä on onneksi se, että saan vähän taas mun elämää takaisin kun harjoituksia on vähemmän. Haluan palata ratsastuksen pariin taas parin kuukauden tauon jälkeen. Keskiviikko, jolloin meidän seuran tunnit on, on mulle tosin aika huono päivä. Haluaisin käydä mieluiten viikonloppuisin, maanantaisin tai perjantaisin, jolloin mulla ei ole läsnäolopakkoa yliopistolla. Jotenkin raskasta käyttää edestakaiseen matkaan 45 min x 2 ja ratsastaa siinä välissä työpäivän jälkeen. Tietysti monet ihmiset tekee niin, mutta mie en vaan jaksa. Tutustuin jokin aika sitten erään toisen tallin sivuihin, jotka tarjoavat maastoja sunnuntaisin. Niille näyttäisi pääsevän aika hyvin bussillakin, mikä on välttämättömyys minulle. Hinnatkin oli ihan kohtuulliset, joten ajattelin kokeilla joskus tässä lähitulevaisuudessa. Niillä näyttäisi olevan muutakin toimintaa, kuten joogaa hevosen selässä (tosin aloittelijat harjoittelevat vain mekaanisen hevosen selässä!), mikä vaikuttaa tosi mielenkiintoiselta. Haluaisin kokeilla, vaikkakin ne tunnit oli tosi hintavia. Ehkä sitä voisi hemmotella itseään joskus.
Huomenna olen menossa Chesteriin kehityspsykologian tutkijoiden kollektiiviseen lukupiiritapaamiseen. Kiva mennä päiväreissulle jonnekin, siitäkin huolimatta, että kyse ei ole mistään kaupunkikierroksesta. Näissä tapaamisissa käyvien ihmisten keskustelua kuunnellessa tulee mietittyä, että pääseeköhän itse koskaan samalle tasolle....
Positiivista tässä on onneksi se, että saan vähän taas mun elämää takaisin kun harjoituksia on vähemmän. Haluan palata ratsastuksen pariin taas parin kuukauden tauon jälkeen. Keskiviikko, jolloin meidän seuran tunnit on, on mulle tosin aika huono päivä. Haluaisin käydä mieluiten viikonloppuisin, maanantaisin tai perjantaisin, jolloin mulla ei ole läsnäolopakkoa yliopistolla. Jotenkin raskasta käyttää edestakaiseen matkaan 45 min x 2 ja ratsastaa siinä välissä työpäivän jälkeen. Tietysti monet ihmiset tekee niin, mutta mie en vaan jaksa. Tutustuin jokin aika sitten erään toisen tallin sivuihin, jotka tarjoavat maastoja sunnuntaisin. Niille näyttäisi pääsevän aika hyvin bussillakin, mikä on välttämättömyys minulle. Hinnatkin oli ihan kohtuulliset, joten ajattelin kokeilla joskus tässä lähitulevaisuudessa. Niillä näyttäisi olevan muutakin toimintaa, kuten joogaa hevosen selässä (tosin aloittelijat harjoittelevat vain mekaanisen hevosen selässä!), mikä vaikuttaa tosi mielenkiintoiselta. Haluaisin kokeilla, vaikkakin ne tunnit oli tosi hintavia. Ehkä sitä voisi hemmotella itseään joskus.
Huomenna olen menossa Chesteriin kehityspsykologian tutkijoiden kollektiiviseen lukupiiritapaamiseen. Kiva mennä päiväreissulle jonnekin, siitäkin huolimatta, että kyse ei ole mistään kaupunkikierroksesta. Näissä tapaamisissa käyvien ihmisten keskustelua kuunnellessa tulee mietittyä, että pääseeköhän itse koskaan samalle tasolle....
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Wai and I had a nice weekend. Our time together is always nice though, so I am not stating the relatively obvious as if it was something extraordinary. We did something a bit different to our usual weekends by visiting Warwick Castle. We had a 2 for 1 voucher, so we decided to go crazy and cultural. The pass we bought included general admission to the castle and its surroundings, a guided tour at the dungeons and visit to the tower that is known for being a filming location for the BBC series Merlin. The dungeons were pretty interesting, even though I think my legs almost failed me at the room of torture. Seriously, there were little kids there too, it would have been so embarrassing to collapse...I just cannot cope with gore and violence, not even in the narrative form!
After a good few hours including seeing peacocks strolling about in the gardens, burning my tongue (thank you HOT chocolate), sunshine, eagles, owls and audience participation (I had to talk to a dragon...all the other adults laughed as a sign of relief for not being picked!), we decided to have a look at Warwick itself. We found this most amazing place for lunch nearby the gate between the town and the castle. The house was a preserved sixteenth century house with crooked floors. Nevermind, my cheese sandwich with green tea were perfect. The best part was the bread - their granary bread was flavoursome and soft with crunchy crust. In fact, I just e-mailed them asking what make their bread is - hoping I can buy it somewhere in Manchester.
On Sunday evening we discussed our ideas for next potential travels. Wai has his conference in Boston coming up, and I would love to tag along. He also had this idea of going for hiking or mountain walking in or around Edinburgh for a weekend. It does not need to be Edinburgh though, especially as he will be going there to do a workshop relatively soon - you can do mountain walking anywhere in Scotland...A bigger idea we've discussed a few times is spending a week or so in Jerusalem around New Year's. This emerged from my idea of going away somewhere far like India for this Christmas. Instead of travelling out for Christmas, we thought we could go slightly after Christmas instead as Wai said he would like to go home for the holidays this year. Israel was his idea - he has mentioned wanting to go there before, and flights are considerably cheaper to Israel than to e.g. India and China.
We shall keep on pondering.
After a good few hours including seeing peacocks strolling about in the gardens, burning my tongue (thank you HOT chocolate), sunshine, eagles, owls and audience participation (I had to talk to a dragon...all the other adults laughed as a sign of relief for not being picked!), we decided to have a look at Warwick itself. We found this most amazing place for lunch nearby the gate between the town and the castle. The house was a preserved sixteenth century house with crooked floors. Nevermind, my cheese sandwich with green tea were perfect. The best part was the bread - their granary bread was flavoursome and soft with crunchy crust. In fact, I just e-mailed them asking what make their bread is - hoping I can buy it somewhere in Manchester.
On Sunday evening we discussed our ideas for next potential travels. Wai has his conference in Boston coming up, and I would love to tag along. He also had this idea of going for hiking or mountain walking in or around Edinburgh for a weekend. It does not need to be Edinburgh though, especially as he will be going there to do a workshop relatively soon - you can do mountain walking anywhere in Scotland...A bigger idea we've discussed a few times is spending a week or so in Jerusalem around New Year's. This emerged from my idea of going away somewhere far like India for this Christmas. Instead of travelling out for Christmas, we thought we could go slightly after Christmas instead as Wai said he would like to go home for the holidays this year. Israel was his idea - he has mentioned wanting to go there before, and flights are considerably cheaper to Israel than to e.g. India and China.
We shall keep on pondering.
(no subject)
I received my first Graze box yesterday. The snacks it contained were The Herb Garden (herb and onion peanuts, baked herb bites and oregano rice crackers), Sun Dance (dried mango, milk chocolate sunflower seeds and green raisins), Eleanor's Apple Crumble (sultanas, cinnamon and honey almonds and dried apple) and Summer Pudding (dried strawberries, blackcurrants, cranberries and sponge pieces). I loved all of them, but my favourite individual food was the cinnamon and honey almonds. Incredibly delicious. It would be nice to get the boxes to the office, but I don't know where our posts go in the department. I should find out.
Yesterday I had an idea to try baking Runebergin torttu, whatever that would be in English. Mine turned out tasting nothing or looking nothing like them, so I didn't bother with the traditional topping either. They taste more like scones. At least they are edible.
P.S. It's snowing today - and not only in Manchester, according to my friends' Facebook updates.
Yesterday I had an idea to try baking Runebergin torttu, whatever that would be in English. Mine turned out tasting nothing or looking nothing like them, so I didn't bother with the traditional topping either. They taste more like scones. At least they are edible.
P.S. It's snowing today - and not only in Manchester, according to my friends' Facebook updates.
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I was inspired to make some granola after writing the recipe down from "Sam Stern's eat vegetarian" that I took out from the library. Basically you just mix oats, cereal, nuts, seeds and fruit with a bit of oil and honey and bake the mix in the oven for 15-20 minutes. I didn't really have much to put in it - I just used some muesli I have and sesame seeds and sunflowers seeds. Nevertheless, it turned out to be so delicious! A real treat! I had some straight from the oven with blueberries and strawberries. Can't believe how yummy it was. I made approximately a pint of it - it will upgrade my plain breakfast yogurt to a whole new level.
(no subject)
Today was a pretty nice day. I did some work, PhD and household wise, so I feel guilt-free regarding work. Post brought me my order from Big Green Smile (yay!!) and Cosmopolitan (yay!).
Here are the products I ordered:
Lavera toner, Yes to Cucumbers face mask (the green/white 'Yes to' tub), Yes to Carrots hair & scalp mask, Somersets shaving oil (the little pink thing), and Ecover fabric softener sample and a hand wash sample (the latter two I chose from a range of free samples). I haven't tested anything yet though.
I also went to the library - a city council one, surprise surprise! I took out a couple of cook books to become inspired for some new ideas. I am particularly fed up with my breakfast foods, and fancy some variation. I even bought some blueberries and strawberries to have with yoghurt even though they are very expensive. I'm sick of porridge and toast...
Lastly, this is my cutiepie Richard, whom I got from Wai.
Edit. A night after, my face feels so silky smooth after the face mask and the toner! Unbelievable! I also signed up for Graze, introduced by Wai. I'm expecting my first box on Friday. I'm intrigued!
Here are the products I ordered:
Lavera toner, Yes to Cucumbers face mask (the green/white 'Yes to' tub), Yes to Carrots hair & scalp mask, Somersets shaving oil (the little pink thing), and Ecover fabric softener sample and a hand wash sample (the latter two I chose from a range of free samples). I haven't tested anything yet though.
I also went to the library - a city council one, surprise surprise! I took out a couple of cook books to become inspired for some new ideas. I am particularly fed up with my breakfast foods, and fancy some variation. I even bought some blueberries and strawberries to have with yoghurt even though they are very expensive. I'm sick of porridge and toast...
Lastly, this is my cutiepie Richard, whom I got from Wai.
Edit. A night after, my face feels so silky smooth after the face mask and the toner! Unbelievable! I also signed up for Graze, introduced by Wai. I'm expecting my first box on Friday. I'm intrigued!
A quick post on pain experience in fish
One of my stable irritations is the people who preach of animal suffering, call them vegetarians yet have fish because 'they are cold-blooded animals'. I just thought I'd list a few results of whether fish potentially experience pain and suffering. Yes, they are ultimately subjective experiences, but this matter has been studied to an extent nevertheless. Here are a few articles I found with 'fish and pain experience' on Google Scholar:
1. Fish and welfare: do fish have the capacity for pain perception and suffering? (Braithwaite & Huntingford, 2004)
" Whilst we agree with the author that fish are unlikely to perceive pain in the same way that humans do, we believe that currently available evidence indicates that fish have the capacity for pain perception and suffering. As such, it would seem timely to reflect on the implications of fish pain and suffering, and to consider what steps can be taken to ensure the welfare of the fish that we exploit."
2. The evidence for pain in fish: the use of morphine as an anagesic (Sneddon, 2003)
"It is concluded that these pain-related behaviours are not simple reflexes and therefore there is the potential for pain perception in fish."
3. Can fish suffer?: perspectives on sentience, pain, fear and stress (Candroo, Duncan & Moccia, 2004)
"Anatomical, pharmacological and behavioural data suggest that affective states of pain, fear and stress are likely to be experienced by fish in similar ways as in tetrapods. This implies that fish have the capacity to suffer, and that welfare consideration for farmed fish should take these states into account. We suggest that the concept of animal welfare can be applied legitimately to fish. It is therefore appropriate to recognize and study the welfare of farmed fish."
4. Fish, amphibian, and reptile analgesia (Machin, 2001)
"Fish, amphibians, and reptiles have appropriate neurologic components, display the appropriate behavior in response to a painful stimulus, and possess antinociceptive mechanisms to modulate pain. Because pain perception in these species is therefore likely to be analogous to that of mammals, invasive and painful procedures should always be accompanied by appropriate analgesia and anesthesia."
5. Avoidance learning in goldfish and trout and implications for for pain reception (Dunlop, Millsopp & laming, 2006)
"Trout were willing to remain in the vicinity of the conspecific while being subjected to low intensity shock stimuli previously shown to elicit avoidance. Goldfish tended to leave this area yet remain in the mid-tank area, adjacent to the stimulating zone, rather than at the end of the tank. These results suggest that shock avoidance in fish is not purely a reflex action. Fish were prepared to change the supposedly innate avoidance reaction according to a change in circumstances, an important concept in the ongoing debate on pain perception in fish."
Obviously one cannot take these results as the gospel truth but there seems to be some evidence for fish experiencing pain and suffering.
As far as the term 'vegetarian' is concerned, it also annoys me when people say 'but I am a vegetarian, fish is not meat!'. The definition of 'a vegetarian' is not 'a person who does not consume meat'. According to the Vegetarian Society, the definition is "Someone who lives on a diet of grains, pulses, nuts, seeds, vegetables and fruits with, or without, the use of dairy products and eggs. A vegetarian does not eat any meat, poultry, game, fish, shellfish* or by-products of slaughter."
1. Fish and welfare: do fish have the capacity for pain perception and suffering? (Braithwaite & Huntingford, 2004)
" Whilst we agree with the author that fish are unlikely to perceive pain in the same way that humans do, we believe that currently available evidence indicates that fish have the capacity for pain perception and suffering. As such, it would seem timely to reflect on the implications of fish pain and suffering, and to consider what steps can be taken to ensure the welfare of the fish that we exploit."
2. The evidence for pain in fish: the use of morphine as an anagesic (Sneddon, 2003)
"It is concluded that these pain-related behaviours are not simple reflexes and therefore there is the potential for pain perception in fish."
3. Can fish suffer?: perspectives on sentience, pain, fear and stress (Candroo, Duncan & Moccia, 2004)
"Anatomical, pharmacological and behavioural data suggest that affective states of pain, fear and stress are likely to be experienced by fish in similar ways as in tetrapods. This implies that fish have the capacity to suffer, and that welfare consideration for farmed fish should take these states into account. We suggest that the concept of animal welfare can be applied legitimately to fish. It is therefore appropriate to recognize and study the welfare of farmed fish."
4. Fish, amphibian, and reptile analgesia (Machin, 2001)
"Fish, amphibians, and reptiles have appropriate neurologic components, display the appropriate behavior in response to a painful stimulus, and possess antinociceptive mechanisms to modulate pain. Because pain perception in these species is therefore likely to be analogous to that of mammals, invasive and painful procedures should always be accompanied by appropriate analgesia and anesthesia."
5. Avoidance learning in goldfish and trout and implications for for pain reception (Dunlop, Millsopp & laming, 2006)
"Trout were willing to remain in the vicinity of the conspecific while being subjected to low intensity shock stimuli previously shown to elicit avoidance. Goldfish tended to leave this area yet remain in the mid-tank area, adjacent to the stimulating zone, rather than at the end of the tank. These results suggest that shock avoidance in fish is not purely a reflex action. Fish were prepared to change the supposedly innate avoidance reaction according to a change in circumstances, an important concept in the ongoing debate on pain perception in fish."
Obviously one cannot take these results as the gospel truth but there seems to be some evidence for fish experiencing pain and suffering.
As far as the term 'vegetarian' is concerned, it also annoys me when people say 'but I am a vegetarian, fish is not meat!'. The definition of 'a vegetarian' is not 'a person who does not consume meat'. According to the Vegetarian Society, the definition is "Someone who lives on a diet of grains, pulses, nuts, seeds, vegetables and fruits with, or without, the use of dairy products and eggs. A vegetarian does not eat any meat, poultry, game, fish, shellfish* or by-products of slaughter."
Dinner: Stuffed mushrooms and vegetables on the side
Right, I know you can't really see the mushrooms underneath as they shrank in the oven, but this is what I had for dinner nevertheless. I sauteed some red onion and red pepper, then mixed them with green olives and chopped sun dried tomatoes, poured it into two large mushrooms and put them in the oven. Whilst they were baking, I made a mixed veg side dish with beetroot, mangetout, cherry tomatoes, celery and horse radish, a dash of soy sauce and Tabasco. Yum!
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I felt pretty happy after I sent my literature review off to my supervisors, so I decided to go shopping. I found some very nice things:
The quality of the picture is not great, cause I took it with my phone. So what's in the picture:
- A yellow jumper, Monsoon
- Boots, Bhs
- Tealights, Clas Ohlson
- Multivitamins and minerals, Superdrug
- Two necklaces and a pair of earrings, Debenhams
- A top, H&M
- A triple photo frame, Monsoon
- A candle, soap and incense sticks, Shared Earth
- Bubble bath gel, hand wash, hand cream and a lipstick, The Body Shop
Altogether £98.49.
Yes, I am actually so full of myself that I bought this soap because it's called Henna.
I think they are very pretty, and would be much prettier if the picture wasn't so bad.
The quality of the picture is not great, cause I took it with my phone. So what's in the picture:
- A yellow jumper, Monsoon
- Boots, Bhs
- Tealights, Clas Ohlson
- Multivitamins and minerals, Superdrug
- Two necklaces and a pair of earrings, Debenhams
- A top, H&M
- A triple photo frame, Monsoon
- A candle, soap and incense sticks, Shared Earth
- Bubble bath gel, hand wash, hand cream and a lipstick, The Body Shop
Altogether £98.49.
Yes, I am actually so full of myself that I bought this soap because it's called Henna.
I think they are very pretty, and would be much prettier if the picture wasn't so bad.
(no subject)
Tänään on ollut kiva päivä, ainakin niin kiva kuin töihin käytetty sunnuntai voi olla. Väikkärin 20 ja puoli ensimmäistä sivua on nyt kutakuinkin kyhätty kasaan. Jotenkin jännä fiilis. Kirjoitin niistä tänään neljä ja puoli sivua, mikä on varmaan oma ennätys. En pysty montaa sivua hyvää tekstiä yhden päivän aikana tuottamaan, mutta kaipa se oli tuo deadline joka piti minut fokusoituna. Huomenna pitää tsekata, jotta kaikki lähteet on listattu ja muokata hieman ennen ohjaajille lähettämistä.
Päivän kivuuspisteistä nosti myös hyvä ruoka. Marinoin taas tofua, keitin nuudeleita ja lisäsin ne wokkiin retiisin, sellerin, porkkanan ja paprikan kanssa. Join pitkin päivää myös ihania, erilaisia teitä (mikä ihme on sanan 'tee' monikko?), joita sain lahjaksi Heidiltä. Itse hyvän teen lisäksi teen juonnin mukavuutta lisäsi ihanan iso, myöskin joululahjaksi saatu Taika-sarjan muki. Illalla palkitsin itseni katsomalla Sherlockin toisen kauden ensimmäisen jakson suht terveellisesti herkutellen, eli dippailen porkkanaa ja paprikaa pestoon.
Päivän kivuuspisteistä nosti myös hyvä ruoka. Marinoin taas tofua, keitin nuudeleita ja lisäsin ne wokkiin retiisin, sellerin, porkkanan ja paprikan kanssa. Join pitkin päivää myös ihania, erilaisia teitä (mikä ihme on sanan 'tee' monikko?), joita sain lahjaksi Heidiltä. Itse hyvän teen lisäksi teen juonnin mukavuutta lisäsi ihanan iso, myöskin joululahjaksi saatu Taika-sarjan muki. Illalla palkitsin itseni katsomalla Sherlockin toisen kauden ensimmäisen jakson suht terveellisesti herkutellen, eli dippailen porkkanaa ja paprikaa pestoon.