(no subject)

[chess]

In actual diaryness, yesterday the D&D group I play in had its last session. It was really quite predictable, but fun because the enemy was invisible and we didn't have any specific 'get out of enemy-invisiblity free' spells (or bags of flour), so we got to be inventive. Then we went to Teri Aki, which despite its reputation wasn't stunningly expensive (I had a starter, some sushi, and a big main course, all for £15; if I'd just had a main course it would only have been about £7, which is fairly standard for good food in Cambridge). It was, however, stunningly good. I like Japanese food.

Naath and Katherine got some weird sushi between them, and we had a big sushi platter between everyone; Naath decided that Sea Urchin was not her favourite sushi, and so I got a whole thing of sea-urchin sushi, which was wonderful - *it tastes like seaweed smells*. I love the smell of seaweed, and was momentarily transported back to when I was a kid hopping through rock-pools (I love rock-pools and clay formations by the sea, they're just challenging enough terrain to be fun to explore without being too difficult for me to wander around with my hopeless physical stats). I also got some tuna sushi, off the big platter, which was really good (mm, raw slimy meaty things), and one of the cucumber-and-crabstick rolls covered in Feesh Eggs. Bright orange fish eggs. We decided that they were like edible bubble wrap (they *pop* quite satisfyingly, and there are many many of them because they are tiny) and I felt quite addicted to them by the time I'd finished (after everyone else, because I was fascinated by popping each egg individually).

My starter was Prawn Tempura, which I was a bit nervous of when it arrived because it looked like it was batter-I-don't-like rather than batter-I-like, but dipped in soy sauce it was also really quite good. And it's difficult to go wrong with prawns, although these prawns didn't taste half as good as the prawns in my main course. Thick noodles! Seafood! Naath's Miso soup and tofu tempura, because she kept ending up with stuff she didn't like and I did!

Unfortunately, despite the massive jug of water they brought out for us (it looks like these people *are* used to how much people can drink with such a meal) I only got about two little glasses of water (maybe 200ml total?) and hence was Really Dehydrated on the way back to Sam's room. There was much dithering as Naath bought stuff in Sainsburies which was packed out. By the time we made it back my eyes were attempting to crawl out, so I stared fixedly at Sam and asked where the water was. Apparently I looked/sounded quite scary at that point, but I really was desperate for water, and it wasn't where I thought it was. He directed me to the kitchen and I drank about half a litre before returning with a full bottle.

Then we watched The Usual Suspects, which was a much better film than I thought it would be. Unfortunately I was getting too tired to enjoy it by about halfway through (not helped by the Deadly Heat - we had to close windows because the party next door was firing a spud gun around and being quite loud about it).

They were going to watch more stuff afterwards, but I left at that point (and so did Naath), amidst much 'but surely you can't walk back to Chu on your *own*'. I maintained that it was only ten minutes down the road and I was in fact quite capable of walking back on my own, but just outside Neil caught up with me and said that Katherine had been worrying so he thought it was just easier for him to catch up and walk me back. This struck me as not very sensible at all (although I guess at least Neil can run faster than I can) - if I was being properly cautious, I would either send a party of three (if we think numbers matter, which isn't always the case) or send one person to wheel a bike (because being on a bike does help).

Then I spodded for about an hour, because I have no sense and because I felt I needed to reply to an email, which took a while. Then I woke up at 8 this morning and said 'no, not getting up', then again at 9, at which point it was Too Hot To Sleep so I gave up and started spodding instead, which at least distracts me from the heat death. (I'm not sure what is the better strategy - no clothes at all and closed curtains, which block out the breeze that I can see is around 'cos it moves them slightly, or light clothes and open curtains to let the breeze through.)

Comments

[passage.livejournal.com]

It's largely a sexist thing, the assumption is that it's better to have a bloke wandering around on their own than a women. (In terms of being attacked I don't think the statistics bear this out, but I reckon I could make a biblical case for it being appropriate for men to put themselves in harms way to keep women out of harms way.)

(Of this particular instance my feeling is more 'doesn't really matter', as our experience bore out.)

Incidently I observe that the argument given here undermines your demands in the past that, when in the middle of town, someone walk you home.

[chess]

The reason I don't like walking home from the middle of town is that there are crowds of drunk people, which scare me. (I don't rationally think there's a risk to my safety, but I do prefer to have someone with me for my peace of mind.) In that case it's fine for them to walk back alone because presumably they don't share my fear of crowds.

[atreic.livejournal.com]

Where is the Teri Yaki exactly? (M and I want to go out for dinner tonight, and it sounds great)

[chess]

Quayside. (I think. The place by the river just after the bridge on Bridge Street.)