I can't imagine accidently "stubbing" my knee...

Then you're clearly not trying hard enough.

 

On topic:

- Better at school. I frequently get complacent with myself because I know how well I can do, and I'm a chronic procrastinator. Sort of came to a head last year (As of this post that means 2011) when I took a creative writing class and only turned six pages in total, in spite of having a lot more written.

- Finding an outlet for creativity. This one is a bit more reasonable, I'm planning a couple of games for The Falador Tavern, one of which will involve art. Just need to get my hands on a scanner...

Going to get a job and acquire currency.

Speaking of scanners, that is one thing I keep forgetting to get a hold of. I was thinking of acquiring a decent-quality one to help improve my artwork. Thankfully, I am rarely short on creativity when engaged in some odd conversation, so coming up with unique creations only needs work. I might even share my way of thinking up new ideas with you sometime, Alg.

 

Although I am surprised you have procrastination issues as troublesome as mine. You never really came off as one to me for some reason.

I never actually complete my New Year's resolutions so this year I'm gonna cheat the system.

 

I plan to become impoverished, be terrible at dealing with women, lose at everything, and not to become a god.

I never actually complete my New Year's resolutions so this year I'm gonna cheat the system.

 

I plan to become impoverished, be terrible at dealing with women, lose at everything, and not to become a god.

Finally, someone with realistic goals!

I never actually complete my New Year's resolutions so this year I'm gonna cheat the system.

 

I plan to become impoverished, be terrible at dealing with women, lose at everything, and not to become a god.

Finally, someone with realistic goals!

 

Curious what would his reaction be if the exact opposites happen with him hitting the multi-million jackpot on the lottery, having insane luck with the opposite sex, and winning every single contest entered, thus "failing".

I never actually complete my New Year's resolutions so this year I'm gonna cheat the system.

 

I plan to become impoverished, be terrible at dealing with women, lose at everything, and not to become a god.

Finally, someone with realistic goals!

 

Curious what would his reaction be if the exact opposites happen with him hitting the multi-million jackpot on the lottery, having insane luck with the opposite sex, and winning every single contest entered, thus "failing".

I'd probably fall into the depths of depression as I realize that I'm incapable of even succeeding at failing.

My 2013 resolution is to become more of a sexual tyrannosaur.

 

My 2013 resolution is to become more of a sexual tyrannosaur.

So there will be a big debate about whether you're a lowly scavenger or a predator?

 

:twss:

My 2013 resolution is to become more of a sexual tyrannosaur.

So there will be a big debate about whether you're a lowly scavenger or a predator?

 

:twss:

 

And why aren't there more interesting resolutions like this anyway?

My 2013 resolution is to become more of a sexual tyrannosaur.

So there will be a big debate about whether you're a lowly scavenger or a predator?

 

:twss:

 

The debate will be whether one is a sexual tyrannosaur, or a sexually-frustrated tyrannosaur. You know, stubby arms and stuff...

And why aren't there more interesting resolutions like this anyway?

Or how about instead of resolutions there are revolutions?

 

 

 

Also, this would be the perfect time to set a book goal for the year on my Goodreads account.

Triathlon. Given that I already run 5-10 miles 3 times a week and do a c.60-80 mile cycle every Sunday it's not much of a step up, but I hate chlorinated water and live quite a way inland.

 

Also need to step eating at restaurants all the time and either learn to cook or put up with McDonald's.

No, you need to learn to cook. Eating at McDonalds every day, if nothing else, is ridiculously expensive. You can eat for less by cooking for yourself, and you can eat at other resturants and get 2x the food for the same price, or more (I get Chinese delivery for about the same as a McDonald value meal with large fries, which is easily twice as much food or more). If I cook for myself, I can eat nearly a pound of ground beef and a salad (it's a combo, I call it taco salad) for an average of like $7 or less per night (mostly enough times to use up the spinach and cheese).

 

As for my resolutions, there is nothing in my life I would change that I am not in process of changing already.

McDoubles are pretty cheap, fries are a rip off though. Still, eating there more than once a week is not the best idea.

No, you need to learn to cook. Eating at McDonalds every day, if nothing else, is ridiculously expensive. You can eat for less by cooking for yourself, and you can eat at other resturants and get 2x the food for the same price, or more (I get Chinese delivery for about the same as a McDonald value meal with large fries, which is easily twice as much food or more). If I cook for myself, I can eat nearly a pound of ground beef and a salad (it's a combo, I call it taco salad) for an average of like $7 or less per night (mostly enough times to use up the spinach and cheese).

 

As for my resolutions, there is nothing in my life I would change that I am not in process of changing already.

At present I eat fruit for breakfast and have a late, large lunch at a restaurant for just over £10. I then don't eat again until breakfast the next day (the exception is Sundays, where I don't have lunch because I'm cycling and instead have dinner at a restaurant). Would cooking lunch and dinner really be cheaper than this (good UK supermarkets are v. expensive)?

No, you need to learn to cook. Eating at McDonalds every day, if nothing else, is ridiculously expensive. You can eat for less by cooking for yourself, and you can eat at other resturants and get 2x the food for the same price, or more (I get Chinese delivery for about the same as a McDonald value meal with large fries, which is easily twice as much food or more). If I cook for myself, I can eat nearly a pound of ground beef and a salad (it's a combo, I call it taco salad) for an average of like $7 or less per night (mostly enough times to use up the spinach and cheese).

 

As for my resolutions, there is nothing in my life I would change that I am not in process of changing already.

At present I eat fruit for breakfast and have a late, large lunch at a restaurant for just over £10. I then don't eat again until breakfast the next day (the exception is Sundays, where I don't have lunch because I'm cycling and instead have dinner at a restaurant). Would cooking lunch and dinner really be cheaper than this (good UK supermarkets are v. expensive)?

 

You don't need to go to a "good supermarket" for anything other than meat lol, that's the case here anyway. I can eat for $2 a meal if I choose - not to mention that skipping dinner every day is probably not very good for you.

At present I eat fruit for breakfast and have a late, large lunch at a restaurant for just over £10. I then don't eat again until breakfast the next day (the exception is Sundays, where I don't have lunch because I'm cycling and instead have dinner at a restaurant). Would cooking lunch and dinner really be cheaper than this (good UK supermarkets are v. expensive)?

Depends on your definition of "good UK supermarket". If you're talking Waitrose and Marks & Spencer, then don't complain about high prices; that's their market.

 

I got a 250g packet of good quality beef mince from Tesco for £2.50 yesterday and this was in a price inflated student-friendly store, could easily get cheaper elsewhere. Was making a bolognese out of it, so a can of chopped tomatoes, onions and garlic, tomato puree (which I had already, but it's inexpensive and lasts a long while), spaghetti, beef stock, parsley. All of that comes to about... £6.00? Made two portions, can refrigerate the spare portion, so £3.00 per portion, and you have the option of adding the things you want. I don't personally like mushrooms but you could add them, carrots too.

 

Far cheaper than £10+.

 

Meat is always the most expensive part of a meal, so you "pack out" some of the meat with more veg to keep costs down. Almost all of us have no problems getting enough dietary protein, but far more of us struggle getting enough Vitamin A, so healthy diet's not really an issue if you do that.

Not sure what things are like over in the UK but here asian supermarkets often have insane deals on meat. They kind of have a stigma of being low quality but really it's the same shit they sell you elsewhere at twice the price.

Luckily in my country we still have access to some cheap, really high quality locally grown meat. Even in my town we have one small store that specialises in fresh meat.

 

 

Oh, and as a New Years' Resolution I'll do more things that do me happy. Even if it means hurting or using other people. I'll never truly hurt anyone, I am too soft inside for that, but I think you get what I mean. And recent experiences show that people like me more when I do what I want to do and say what I want to.

It's decided then, I'm going to learn to cook.

There is certainly a line when trying to eat cheep where you descend into unhealthy food which I try to avoid. I eat cheep, but still recognize bulk where possible, and stay away from most of the processed stuff. Something we have around here if you want to go a bit hippy is you pay a farmer a sum of money along with a group of other people, and every week, you all get a share of that weeks harvest (so really fresh fruit and veggies). The price tends to work out quite favorably.

 

I used to work with a girl who ran classes out of her house on the side about cooking on like $10 a day or less (and keep in mind, she was an organic farmer so this is quality food that will make your poop sparkle). Kinda wish I had attended one actually, but shes the one who told me about the farmer co-op stuff. You can't grow veggetables here though, unless you like mercury and lead in your salad.

 

My issue with McDonalds, is that for launch at a job where I do a moderate amount of physical labor I'd be looking at a quarter pounder with large fries and a 10 piece mcnugget meal, or I could bring leftovers from home (McD's costing me almost $13). I have no idea what food prices are like in the UK though, or even in the states (I think food, or at least milk, is a lot cheaper in the states than in Canada).

 

 

And actually, I have thought of something. I wouldn't mind getting back into swimming, just as a sort of general fitness thing. I can't stand the gym. It is a wholly unpleasant ordeal from start to finish in every conceivable aspect. But I don't mind swimming.

Everything's cheaper in the US because they aren't taxed out the wazoo on every little thing. Just be thankful you don't live in Quebec, there they get taxed on tax (GST is calculated and added onto the first subtotal to make a second subtotal, then provincial tax is calculated and added onto that).

 

Croce, be sure to let us know how you make out. Right now, my cooking skills include sandwiches, Kraft Dinner, barbequed hamburgers, Campbell's Chunky Soup and ordering pizza from the place down the road. I am the epitome of a single man. :lol:

Some of the more entrepreneurial farmers in the UK run co-ops. I know a couple that buys their produce directly from the farmer. It's cheaper because it cuts out the retailer, the vegetables are obviously more fresh, but you are limited to whatever is in season at that particular time, and if there's a poor harvest or difficulties due to weather or logistics (etc.) there can be problems. A lot of farmers will periodically run markets in local towns too, indeed many British towns and cities still have traditional flag markets, but it varies vastly at a local level so you'd need to do that research for yourself.

 

If you're looking for a book/website that teaches basic cooking skills and recipes without requiring lots of exotic ingredients, a lot of the resources tend to be named "student" cookbooks, and for obvious reasons, such books tend to focus on making affordable and easy meals. You don't need fancy equipment either... a wok's a wok whether it costs £10 or £50.

 

EDIT: I've now started getting Waitrose ads via Google. >_<

Yes, you are at the mercy of both yield and the seasons. It helps to not be too picky about your vegetables, and being creative enough to find uses for them. This is what stew and salad are for. If all else fails, you can turn just about anything you get into one or the other. We also have the farmers market.