First Pasta Post

We all have sins to atone for.

On my quieter days in the north of Scotland I have been attempting some recipes that didn't work the first time in the hope that the culinary deities will forgive me my past indiscretions. Most recently I took another crack at pasta.

My first attempt was in 2011. The result was...sub-par. Inedible, really. Hard, tasteless sticks of starch. So many things wrong with my approach. The dough was underworked and unrested, the rolling was poorly executed and the final result was too thick, too hard, and plain disgusting. I felt shame. I decided homemade pasta was too much hassle for the potential reward and put it out of my mind.

Enter 2013. A couple of friends got this lucky man a pasta machine. I had no choice but to step up to the pasta plate again. This time I was going to knock it out of the park. Older, wiser, and fully equipped there was no way I could fail. And I didn't. Using Felicity Cloake's 'Perfect Pasta' recipe and the fancy new machine I knocked out some exceptionally long pasta. Not only was it delicious, it was a simple and relaxing thing to make. The pasta machine made all the difference.

Pasta is worth making, fun to make, and delicious. If you do feel like it though, get a pasta machine.

The 27 Club

Soooo... I got a bit older last month. I'm not bothered - not a drug-addled rock star -  but a friend of mine (who followed suit shortly afterwards) pointed out that we now fall into the 'late twenties' bracket. Another pointed out that my age was a cube number (the next is 64) but 26, being a number between a square and a cube, was even better from a maths point of view.

The comment about the late twenties got me thinking about the 'big' 3-0 and all those 'things to do before you're 30' lists. I found a 150 item list doing the circles in the blogosphere so I've jumped on the bandwagon and reproduced it below with my comments (because people love lists). The things already done are highlighted in bold
whilst italics mark out things you want to do.

1. Bought everyone in the bar a drink
- When we were the only people in the bar. Still counts in my book.
2. Swam with dolphins

3. Climbed a mountain
- Pretty sure I've only climbed large hills.
4. Taken a Ferrari for a test drive
5. Been inside the Great Pyramid
6. Held a tarantula
7. Taken a candlelit bath with someone - Very few tubs are made for two.
8. Said “I love you” and meant it
9. Hugged a tree
10. Bungee jumped
11. Visited Paris
12. Watched a lightning storm at sea - Awesome! I love watching lightning storms
13. Stayed up all night long and saw the sun rise
14. Seen the Northern Lights
15. Gone to a huge sports game
16. Walked the stairs to the top of the leaning Tower of Pisa
17. Grown and eaten your own vegetables
18. Touched an iceberg
19. Slept under the stars
20. Changed a baby’s diaper
21. Taken a trip in a hot air balloon
22. Watched a meteor shower
23. Gotten drunk on champagne
24. Given more than you can afford to charity
25. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
26. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment
27. Had a food fight
28. Bet on a winning horse - I'm not a gambler.
29. Asked out a stranger
30. Had a snowball fight
31. Screamed as loudly as you possibly can
32. Held a lamb
33. Seen a total eclipse - Only seen partial eclipses. They don't count!
34. Ridden a roller coaster
35. Hit a home run - I think this should be edited to include other sports (scored a try, hit a 6, scored a goal, threw a 3-pointer, etc.)
36. Danced like a fool and didn’t care who was looking - I dance from time to time (always like a fool) but it's really rare that I just let go of my cares and lose myself in the moment, which is what a lot of dancing really should be about in my mind.
37. Adopted an accent for an entire day - I think this would just annoy people!
38. Actually felt happy about your life, even for just a moment - I feel sorry for those who haven't done this in the past 6 months, yet alone the last twenty-something years. I believe brief bursts of joy are possible even when life is grinding down your body, mind, and soul.
39. Had two hard drives for your computer
40. Visited all 50 states
41. Taken care of someone who was drunk - If you haven't done this by 30 you either have very responsible friends or you are a complete a-hole.
42. Had amazing friends - If you haven't found amazing friends by 30 (or had them and lost them) I feel sorry for you. Good friends are one of the finest things in life.
43. Danced with a stranger in a foreign country - I've decided England doesn't count (United Kingdom is the country).
44. Watched whales
45. Stolen a sign - And been ashamed of it.
46. Backpacked in Europe
47. Taken a road-trip
48. Gone rock climbing - Done a couple of climbing walls but that doesn't count.
49. Taken a midnight walk on the beach
50. Gone sky diving
51. Visited Ireland
52. Been heartbroken longer than you were actually in love - Not that kind of person.
53. In a restaurant, sat at a stranger’s table and had a meal with them - Bit weird, no?
54. Visited Japan - Must do this again. So much fun.
55. Milked a cow - Milked a goat a long time ago. Don't get on farms much.
56. Alphabetized your CDs - This just makes sense.
57. Pretended to be a superhero - 'Pretended'?
58. Sung karaoke - Badly. Enthusiastically. So badly.
59. Lounged around in bed all day - What. A. Waste.
60. Played touch football
61. Gone scuba diving - I've snorkeled in a pool but nothing more.
62. Kissed in the rain - Some rains make for a romantic kiss, some really do not!
63. Played in the mud - Embrace your inner kid.
64. Played in the rain - EMBRACE THE INNER KID!
65. Gone to a drive-in theatre
66. Visited the Great Wall of China
67. Started a business
68. Fallen in love and not had your heart broken
69. Toured ancient sites - Hard not to in Scotland. Just wandering around could be considered as touring ancient sites.
70. Taken a martial arts class
71. Played D&D for more than 6 hours straight - This is not a *must do* thing! I've played once (when I was 7). No idea how long it took. Probably not 6 hours.
72. Gotten married
73. Been in a movie - Extra in Stroke of Genius.
74. Crashed a party
75. Gotten divorced - I think items on the list shouldn't rely on other items on the list (no. 72 in this case).
76. Gone without food for 5 days
77. Made cookies from scratch - So many cookies. COOKIE MONSTER!!!
78. Won first prize in a costume contest
79. Ridden a gondola in Venice
80. Gotten a tattoo - Don't think this should be on the list. Personal preference.
81. Rafted the Snake River- Pretty location specific. Been rafting though.
82. Been on a television news program as an ‘expert’ - Not many people get to do that. Helps if you're pretty in addition to smart.
83. Gotten flowers for no reason
84. Performed on stage - I'm counting school.
85. Been to Las Vegas
86. Recorded music - I have recorded other people playing music. Not very musical myself.
87. Eaten shark - Sorry.
88. Kissed on the first date - Does before the first date count?
89. Gone to Thailand
90. Bought a house
91. Been in a combat zone
92. Buried one/both of your parents - Whoa! This should NOT be on the list.
93. Been on a cruise ship
94. Spoken more than one language fluently - I should pull the finger out and polish up the ol' French.
95. Performed in Rocky Horror - Don't see this ever happening.
96. Raised children - Not going to happen. Nope.
97. Followed your favourite band/singer on tour
98. Passed out cold
99. Taken an exotic bicycle tour in a foreign country
100. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over
101. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge
102. Sang loudly in the car, and didn’t stop when you knew someone was looking with the windows open - Not often warm enough for the windows to be open in Scotland.
103. Had plastic surgery - Should not be on the list but the fix on my nose counts.
104. Survived an accident that you shouldn’t have survived - Had a few near-misses but not sure if any qualify for this.
105. Wrote articles for a large publication - Don't think the local paper counts as a 'large publication'.
106. Lost over 100 pounds - This should not be on the list. You shouldn't have those 100 pounds to lose in the first place! Maybe this should be 'Gotten into excellent shape'.
107. Held someone while they were having a flashback - Ummm... Not sure anyone I know has intense flashbacks. This is a weird entry.
108. Piloted an airplane
109. Touched a stingray
110. Broken someone’s heart - Don't think this should be on the list. Seems mean.
111. Helped an animal give birth
112. Won money on a TV game show - Another poor entry in my book. Think this list could be fairly easily thinned to 100. Of course, 'before you're 30' lists are always better personalised. 
113. Broken a bone
114. Gone on an African photo safari
115. Had a facial part pierced other than your ears - Again, personal preference not to do this one. Looks good on some people, probably would not do me any favours.
116. Fired a rifle, shotgun, or pistol
117. Eaten mushrooms that were gathered in the wild - Can be a risky proposition!
118. Ridden a horse
119. Had major surgery - Another bad entry.
120. Had a snake as a pet
121. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
122. Slept for 30 hours in a 48 hour period - What a waste of precious time!
123. Visited more foreign countries than U.S. States
124. Visited all 7 continents
125. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days
126. Eaten kangaroo meat
127. Eaten sushi
128. Had your picture in the newspaper
129. Changed someone’s mind about something you care deeply about - Not sure about this one so not scoring it for me.
130. Gone back to school - A little ambiguous, this one.
131. Parasailed
132. Touched a cockroach
133. Eaten fried green tomatoes
134. Read The Iliad and The Odyssey - Two epics on a rather epic reading list.
135. Selected one ‘important’ author who you missed in school, and read - Done this for more than one author. Some many books to catch up on!
136. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
137. Skipped all your school reunions - Not had one yet (May is the first) but I plan to attend so not scoring this for me. Why not see what became of those feral little kids?
138. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language
139. Been elected to public office - C'mon, really? If anyone has really done all of these items they've lived one crazy life!
140. Written your own computer language
141. Thought to yourself that you’re living your dream - Think this goes with that happiness one. Generally sarcastic when I tell myself I'm living my dreams.
142. Had to put someone you love into hospice care - Should not be on the list.
143. Built your own PC from parts
144. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn’t know you
145. Had a booth at a street fair
146. Dyed your hair
147. Been a DJ - Done playlists for events and managed the sound centre but not used deck so not counting this one.
148. Shaved your head - Had a trimmer run over my head but didn't shave the final stubble.
149. Caused a car accident - Who puts this sort of crap on the list?
150. Saved someone’s life

62/150

Not the most amazing score. Hasn't really inspired me to a specific activity but I think, on reflection, I should travel a bit more. I love to see new place, experience new cultures, but always end up trying to save a bit of cash by taking smaller holidays (or none at all). A fun wee list to spark ideas but I think people should stop looking at other people's lists and decide what it is they really want to do.

What do I really want to do before I'm 30? Not sure of specifics yet but I'm damn sure I want to make every year count!