Am I an Introvert?

Or just lame? I’ve been looking back over my past several entries and see the same old thing: I went to work today, then I went home and read. Boooooring. But it’s true; that’s what I’ve been doing. Maybe instead of being woken up at 2AM to drunken singing I should be down there filling in the gaps of ‘Livin on a Prayer.’ Granted those kids are nearly 15 years younger than I am, but in a way that makes me perfectly suited to help them. Unlike them I actually GREW UP in the 80’s. What is with the British fascination with 80’s music? Speaking of which, apparently my 80's song is...

"When Doves Cry"

How could you just leave me standing,
Alone in a world so cold?
Maybe you're just too demanding.
Maybe I'm just like my father--too bold.
Maybe you're just like my mother.
She's never satisfied.
Why do we scream at each other?
This is what it sounds like,
When doves cry.

Which 80's Song Fits You?

Anyway, I haven’t been up to much lately. Though I did actually get out of the house today and yesterday. Though yesterday all I really did was drop off my father’s jacket to be repaired. A button needs mending. That’s what you get when you wear a jacket that is nearly 40 years old. Oh, and I FINALLY went grocery shopping and, as much as I abhor shopping for groceries, I have to admit it feels good to have some food at the flat.

The Christmas spirit is in full effect in this town, too. On my way to get groceries (I walk into city center to the Tesco Metro) I stopped at the bookstore. Man that place, and every place in between, was crowded. I picked up a few books on the cities I selected for my trips. I picked Rome for January. I’ve always wanted to see that town, including Vatican City. I think I’ll follow it with Venice in February. There’s no way I’m missing that place. And I’ll wrap it up with Prague in March. Granted these will only be weekend trips, but I’m hoping to take in the broad range of things from each place and come back with some good stories and even better photographs. I also picked up a book on Ireland. That’s the trip I’ve decided to end on, and I’m going to take at least two weeks to see the whole of the island. I’ll hit towns like Belfast, Limerick, Dublin, and sites like the Giant’s Causeway and the Blarney Stone. The last book I got was a book detailing weekend trips in England, for those other weekends where I can’t catch a flight to some other country.

Damn I’m so lucky. But if anyone would like to join me over here, just say the word, because as much as I enjoy being able to take these trips, I’m still jealous that I’m not back in the States partying with my friends. I miss you guys. And I miss my dog and my family, too. These side trips are all that keep me happy I think. Well, the planning of them, at least.

Went out for sushi last night, too. Don’t know how that place stays in business but I’m thankful for it. There was only one other couple in there from 9 on when I got there (I got delayed watching Star Trek. Geek.). Still, it’s the only sushi place I’ve been able to find and I’d be hard pressed not to cry if it closed. Sniff. I love sushi.

Today I walked down to one of the pubs and read a bit there. It was nice to get out a bit, even if it was to do the same thing: read. I ordered the scampi, thinking I was getting a traditional scampi dish. Well, I was wrong. I got fried shrimp. It was good, don’t get me wrong, but it got me thinking what the difference was between shrimp, prawns, and scampi. Well, here is one website’s answer:

Prawns, shrimp or scampi?
A shrimp is a shrimp; a prawn is, well, a shrimp. The two words are used interchangeably in markets and restaurants everywhere. The textbooks may agree that a shrimp is a shrimp, but many people (and quite a few cookbooks) refer to this most popular of shellfish as a prawn.

Some people say the difference is size. In many parts of the country, small and medium shrimp are sold simply as shrimp, while large, extra-large, and jumbo shrimp are called prawns. Unfortunately, this "rule" doesn't always hold. In some areas, all shrimp, small and large, are sold as shrimp, while in other regions, all you'll find are prawns.
Purists may argue that the term "prawn" is reserved for the shrimp's close relative, the Dublin Bay prawn. The Dublin Bay prawn resembles a shrimp, but it's distinguished by its small pincer claws (similar to those on a lobster) and a narrower body. Sometimes called Florida or Caribbean lobsterettes or French langoustines, these shellfish can be hard to find in markets. And unlike shrimp, Dublin Bay prawns are usually cooked with their heads on. The claws make quite an attractive presentation, although they're too tiny to render any meat.

In Italy, Dublin Bay prawns are called scampi, which has confused North Americans even more. In Canada and the US, scampi refers to a dish of large shrimp that are cooked with garlic and butter or olive oil.

Anyway, hope that clears a bit up for you. Well, it probably doesn’t, because it’s all semantics in the end anyway. However, maybe you can answer for me why the Brits don’t give spoons out with their meals. Every time I’m forced to eat my peas with a fork, scooping the peas onto it with my butterknife. It’s quite the balancing act. Did something happen between the Brits and spoons similar to the Irish and their potatoes? And two pints of 1664 with your meal can give you a healthy buzz, too. That’s a good beer.

Well, here's hoping I have more interesting articles to write over the coming weeks. If not, then at least know, mother, that I am safe. I miss you all. Oh, give my congratulations to Ducky and Fiddy, too, though why God sees fit to punish all my boys with girls I'll never know. Well, Jared deserves it, at least. Take care!