I fucking hate the Arduino. I spent a good chunk of yesterday trying to make the distance based LED ball for the ball drop, where the LEDs on it would change color as the ball got lower. Everything was working great until I had it all hooked up and on the ball, when the distance sensor died. I didn't bave time to try anythi g else, so instead I just had to used a lame preprogrammed pattern.

The LEDs looked cool but I am glad (e:mike) destroyed the ball for me.

(e:paul)'s party was amazing. I even made it past 2:30 for once since I stuck to wine.






Wine, cured ham and a sharp spinning slicer - perfect combination





Blue Steel

Badonk!

After work, while (e:paul) and (e:xandra) had their car/mall fiasco, (e:terry) and I went and got Ethiopian with (e:yesthatcasey). I loved the food at Gatur's.

Then after we went home, I had truffle cake before we hesded out again. We all went for margaritas for Caroline's birthday at Don Tequilas. The big matagarita tube was like drinking sugar syrup, so sick. Afterwards we were going to head to a house party, but an actual dog decided to upstag Paul after he heard about his Doggy hat.

We ended up at saddy hardcore night at Underground with (e:robert). It was still pretty fun, but I can't wait for real happy hardcore dancing at Ohm or Rainbow Rink next week.

The atmosphere was so romantic at Underground that Alex and Robert got engaged.

(e:terry) and I made this flourless chocolate truffle cake for (e:Paul)'s birthday. I thought I would write it down with modifications if we ever wanted to make it again. The fanciest cake I've ever made.

1 bag semisweet chocolate chips
7 squares unsweetened 100% cacao
3 eggs, 3 whites
2 sticks butter
3/4 cup sugar

We followed these directions minus the water bath and it worked out fine. We served it with a seedless raspberry sauce and Sweet Jenny's sweet cream ice cream.

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Grease one 10 inch round cake pan and set aside.
In a small saucepan over medium heat combine the water, salt and sugar. Stir until completely dissolved and set aside.
Either in the top half of a double boiler or in a microwave oven melt the bittersweet chocolate. Pour the chocolate into the bowl of an electric mixer.
Cut the butter into pieces and beat the butter into the chocolate, 1 piece at a time. Beat in the hot sugar-water. Slowly beat in the eggs, one at a time.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Have a pan larger than the cake pan ready, put the cake pan in the larger pan and fill the pan with boiling water halfway up the sides of the cake pan.
Bake cake in the water bath at 300 degrees F (150 degrees C) for 45 minutes. The center will still look wet. Chill cake overnight in the pan. To unmold, dip the bottom of the cake pan in hot water for 10 seconds and invert onto a serving plate.

Late but happy birthday Paul!
I love you and hope that your birthday was amazing, and your party this weekend is even better. Here's to many more years!
I'll leave the write up about the bougie bday to you.

[bgcolor]#7FFFD4[/bgcolor]