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Messages - Orik

#16
I started reading a series of novels by John Marsden on September 14 a couple of days, after I watched a rather bad movie call Tomorrow, when the war began. The movie was bad but I figured I had better see what the book was like.

I was not disappointed. The book is almost always better than the movie and this one was no different. However the book was so good, that I read through the book from beginning to end in just under 6 hours. I went through it very quickly, it was a very simple book to read but it was also very enjoyable.

The movie did not do the book justice at all. but after reading the first book I went to find other books by the author to find out John, Marsden had written a series of novels. The first is Called the Tomorrow series. I found the entire 7 novels in the series, to be a very pleasurable read. These books where a great escape to the stress of spending a few more days hospitalized once again.

For the past couple of weeks I have read pretty much one book every two to three days. I spent the majority of that time ripping my way through the entire series of his novels. I just recently finished the first of the 3 novels in The Ellie Chronicles that continues on after the war series finished off.

The Tomorrow Series consist of these novels
Tomorrow, When the War Began (1993)
The Dead of the Night (1994)
The Third Day, The Frost (1995) (published in the U.S. as A Killing Frost)
Darkness, Be My Friend (1996)
Burning for Revenge (1997)
The Night is for Hunting (1998)
The Other Side of Dawn (1999)

I loved the first third and last book of the series the most. If you have a young teen reader that does not enojy reading very much try them with the first book in this series. They are a very pleasurable read I found them a bit quick and easy  to read as well. But then again I have read a lot of novels so what may have been a simple read for me may not be the same for some one else.

AS I said I only just finished the First book in the Ellie Chronicles but I have had to take a break and read some humor to adjust for all the images of war...

For that genera of writing I fall back to my collection of novels by Terry Pratchett a fantasy writer that I find has a fairly good British wit  that he puts in his novels all of which over the years I have found to be a laugh out loud series of books all of which have been real joy to read.

I will finish The Fifth Elephant by Terry Pratchett. Sometime within the next 8 hours this will mark the third Terry Pratchett novel I have read in the past 2 days. After I finish that book I will start on the second and third novels in the Ellie Chronicles.

While I Live (2003)
Incurable (2005)
Circle of Flight (2006)

When I finish those I hope I will be healthy enough to go and see what novels I can find in the second hand store that I have not yet read or own.
#17
Honour
#18
HI PC long time no see.  How have you been ? what did you do while you wernt here and last but no least where you been at ? With out you here and some other folks who have also gone silent posters such as Tenkanni, Purelife, Lil Me, Van_Dan? Russ plus a few other regulars  since they stopped posting here

What I am saying PC is that Discover Seattle has been pretty silent with out you and a few others around here

Discover Seattle has sure has been a quiet forum that can be bad or good depending on how you look at it.
#19
I am so glad that you did't either.

I have a feeling over the next 3 months that the price on FB stock will plummet even further than todays asking price of 21 dollars

and this article is why

Another 1.7 Billion Reasons to Avoid Facebook Stock (http://moneymorning.com/2012/07/31/another-1-7-billion-reasons-to-avoid-facebook-stock/)  July 31, 2012    By Diane Alter, Contributing Writer, Money Morning
    As  if there weren't enough factors to make Facebook (Nasdaq: FB) (http://moneymorning.com/tag/facebook-stock-price/) stock unattractive, there's a flood of free shares about to hit the market that  could make it even harder to raise the share price.
In  two weeks comes the first expiration of "lock-up" agreements, meaning certain  investors barred from selling their shares will then be able to do so. Typically  employees and big investors are required to hold shares for a certain time  period after an IPO. This is done to reduce selling pressure and the chance of  a mass exodus as soon as the stock starts trading.
But  now some of those investors' shares will be freed up, and they want to cash in.
Nearly  1.7 billion shares of Facebook stock will enter the market over the next few  months, starting in mid-August. That is more than four times the number of  shares now floating on exchanges.
"It's  like a train coming around the corner toward shareholders, so they better get  out of the way, Francis Gaskins, president of research firm IPOdesktop.com, told  the Los  Angeles Times.
The  first batch of 268 million shares will be freed up in mid-August, followed by  192 million more shares in mid-October, and a whopping 1.2 billion shares will  be let loose in mid-November.
Granted,  a slew of those shares will not be sold, but the fresh torrent of shares to be  set free far outnumbers the 421.2 million shares Facebook sold in its fabled  IPO.
To continue reading, please  click here... (http://moneymorning.com/2012/07/31/another-1-7-billion-reasons-to-avoid-facebook-stock/)

#20
Should it be we who are to die

We fight for what we want, We Fight to win. We fight to survive. We fight to stay alive.
We fight for what we believe. We fight against tyranny. We fight against injustice.
We fight for our right to live free. We pledge to die if we must.

Should it be we who are to die. Be it by arrows swift flight Or should it be we are to die by Crossbows bolt. Should it be we who are to die be afraid ? I say No, We are not afraid!

Should it be that we die by Mages spell, or should it be we are to die by the warriors blade. Shall we be afraid? No! No! I say. We few that live free, we fight for our right to die as free men for we are not anyones slave.

Shall we fear the call of the grave? Nay! Nay! I say, We fear it not this day... For I know why we fight, we fight for our rights. We fight for our right to be here. For our right to stand free beneath the sun, the stars & the forrests canopy. We fight & shall die to stand free beneath the moon in the nights sky.

Look out across the plains do you not see the clouds that float tranquilly by. Should it be this is the day that I die? Free men are you & I, look out at that majestic blue sky and tell me dost that tree bow before man? Nay it does not & neither shall I. But gladly say I, that here I will bend my knee. To give thanks, praise to the Creator above & my Mother below.

I am a free man. For, I stand in peace at one with the Great Spirit at one with the wind that rushes through the Willows. I watch & see the tree that won't bend in the wind, break, as I watch the tree that bends survive...

If I have learned one thing one bit of wisdom & that I share here this day, today and tomorrow and tomorrows, tomorrow. for they to shall see me standing strong, free & brave.

For I have learned to conquer my fears.

I accept that one day, hopefully not anytime soon, that I to shall answer the call of the Grave & become one with the earth my Mother and give back to her as she gave to me.

Never look back in regret look to the future for it is here & it is today. Will you be the tree that bends or the tree that breaks ?

Just what is it you fear? For all will answer that call of the grave there is no escape. Life is temporary

fear = slavery = death

acceptance = freedom
freedom = tranquility = peace

peace of soul & peace of mind.

Tuesday July 31 2012
Written by Devan Aka Orik Aka Evail Frog
#21
Hero
#22
Not intimatly Gopher, but then just how well do you want to get to know someone? I am just happy to have my ring back on my hand & nothing else matters at this time. A wee bit selfish of me perhaps but I have nothing else to say for now.

Looks at ring on hand and smiles fondly once more.

peace im out of here for now

#23
I went out completly naked of course.  But now that I have my ring on again, I am once more fully dressed.
#24
I spent the past 7 months walking around Naked. Today I am dressed for the first time in a very long time.
#25
Somethings can never be replaced but sometimes a little bit of hope goes a long way. My ring took it's time finding its way back to my hand but it finally did and I am once again all smiles.

Merry Christmas in July
#26
My Ring was Found. Jun 26 2012 & returned to me a short while ago. =)




#27
Jerry Lee Lewis

Drinking Campagne
#29
 Seafood Fajitas are a wonderful treat & they are great for family gatherings. You can easily adjust the amount of ingredients for the number of people you will need to feed & you can adjust the amount of spice that is added.

The basic rule as I understand it is between 4 to 6 ounces of meat per person and 4 tortilla wraps per person. As for the rest of the volume that's up to the people & the sides you place out for them to add . The recipe I provided will easily feed 4-6 people.  Even more if you double the ingredients list.

Fajitas are a reasonably healthy choice for your family & Providing all the ingredients you buy are fresh while being cooked with very little oil. For a healthy choice to this dish,  buy all the ingredients fresh from one of the china town seafood stores as for veggies I pick them up at sunrise market for cheap I often use olive oil to cook with.

If you don't like Hash Browns you can easily substitute them with 4-6 cups of steamed Jasmin rice instead

The Ingredients & items you will need

2 frying pans
16 fajitas wraps

1 large red pepper
1 large green pepper
                               
clean them by removing all seeds wash & rinse then prepare them by then slicing them into thin long strips

1 medium shallot
1 medium onion
washed & peel them then to prepare them by slice them into long thin pieces

3 cups dehydrated hash browns

I use Golden Grill Myself.  Once re-hydrated they will make approximately 5 cups of hash browns.

If using Fresh Potatoes you will need to peel them & boil them until they are semi tender plus you will need to have enough fresh potatoes to fill approximately 6 cups of them once shredded in to hash browns

You will need to rehydrate the 3 cups of dehydrated hash browns about 20 minutes prior to your cooking them. To quickly re-hydrate the dehydrated hash browns Pour boiling water on them till it just covers the top of the hash browns. Cover & let sit on the counter to rehydrate (it should take 15-20 minutes)


2 Can's Smoked Muscles

Make sure you get the ones packed in oil & not brine. Save the oil from the Smoked Muscles to grease your frying pan.

2 Cans packed in water Oysters

Drain and rinse your oysters. (make sure you don't buy the ones packed in oil or brine)

Place oysters and muscles in a cup of iced water to soak for 5 minutes prior to cooking, then Drain the muscles & oysters through a sieve.

You should have 3 table spoons of a orange fat & oil from the smoked muscles. If you don't have at least 3 table spoons worth top up with Canola oil. Some people like Olive oil but for myself I prefer to use some pork fat that I save from whenever I cook pork belly. If you don't have the pork fat or oil mentioned then pretty much any cooking oil will do.


In one pan Cook your shallots onions & peppers in 15 ml of oil till they are tender now Add your oysters & muscles & Fajitas sauce.

I use 1 packet of Western Family 35 Gram Fajitas Seasoning Mix mixed with 50 ml or a 1/4 a cup of water

Let  the muscles oysters & vegetables simmer for 4-6 minutes Your veggies should be very tender & all the orange fat on the muscles will have finished melting & be mixed into the Fajitas sauce.

While that is simmering

You should be on your stove with the other frying pan which should have added to it those the 3 tablespoons of saved muscle oil add 1 drop of water to test it. If the oil spits and hisses like a enraged snake it is now hot enough to add your hash browns

Frying the hash browns will take all of 6 to 8 minutes, when the edges of the hash browns turn a nice dark golden colour they are done.

Remove both items from heat

place hash browns on a large plate & top them with your Fajitas sauce consisting of your veggies muscles & oysters.  You can serve directly as is dividing it up to 4 large plates or 6 small plates with a couple of Fajita wraps on each plate

I like to Fluff & Mix the fajitas sauce mix with the hash browns using a couple of forks then I place into the center of 12 soft Fajitas wraps a few table spoons of the mix into each Fajitas wrap.

I like to serve them on the plates opened up & served with the following sides in the center of the table for others to add as they please

1 side of Diced tomatoes (I like Hunt's Diced Tomatoes with Basil, Garlic & Oregano)
1 side of Shredded lettuce (Personnel preference is Vancouver's Leafy Lettuce)
1 bottle of Louisiana hot sauce  (great for flavor plus it's a mild heat so pretty much everybody can enjoy it)
1 bottle of Tabasco sauce Great for a ton of heat perfect for those who like it spicy hot
1 side of sour cream (My Personnel preference is to use Garlic ranch)
1 side of mixed Black Beans
1 Side of Corn Niblets
1 side of Shredded Armstrong cheddar cheese (Medium).   

Done this way those you can easily serve 6-10 people

Or it will make 1 for dinner today, 1 for lunch and 1 for dinner tomorrow with a whole lot left over for the freezer which can be taken out & reheated via the Microwave whenever one is hungry & does not want to spend any time cooking something.

You can replace the oysters and Muscles with Chicken, beef or Pork. or with any thing else you please. 

I love using Salmon & Shrimp  or better yet is fresh red snapper and tiger prawns
#30
Lol those are some funny pics & greatly used in responding to each others posts.

Those are some beautiful close up flower photos Gopher. Did you take those with the Olympus? ?