There will Never be a Better Time

It seems like I haven't made cupcakes in a very very long time.  And since I'm meant to be writing my second assignment for my Masters paper right now, as we speak, what better time to make cupcakes?  These little beauties are vanilla with vanilla-maple frosting.  For some reason (maybe I over-mixed them?) they turned out a little tough, but when you've got a noseful of frosting, who really cares?  They came out kind of pretty too.  See?

Polka-dots - good for the soul.

I was just meant to go in to drop off the Hellblazer and the Love and Rockets that I'd borrowed from the public library (which, sad to say were slightly overdue... heh heh), but you've got to walk past the science fiction and fantasy section to get to the comics at my public library.  Uh oh.  What did I see out of the corner of my eye but Perdido Street Station, by the inimitable China Mieville.  It was too good an opportunity to miss - I have read Un lun dun and Iron Council already, and really enjoyed them both.  I think because Perdido is such a weighty looking tome, I always get put off getting started on it, but the holidays will be coming up soon, so I figured the universe was trying to tell me something.  I really love the world building in it so far, and Mr. Mieville doesn't shy away from the big words, which I really like.  Expand that word power!  I'll let you know how I get on with it. Just as an extra treat, here is an interview with China Mieville conducted just after Un Lun Dun came out.  He's ridiculously cool and super talented.

Oh, and here is a link to one of the blog things that I follow, Cakehead Loves Evil - shes' running a thing called Cupcake Tuesday, and truly, the submissions blew my mind.  I can't even believe that I'm showing you this link, because they make my attempts look like shit.  Though, she says huffily, I bet those cupcakes don't taste very good.  *sniff*

Mama!  I need to borrow your opposable thumbs!

Well, that's enough pretending that I'm doing work.  I'd better actually go and do some - I'm trying to get into it again, really I am, but I think that I lost my mojo for this course during the holidays, because I'm kind of struggling to get back into it.  I'm sure it's around here somewhere...