I used to work in a bookshop, as an in-betweener, because I enjoy reading. I buy books from Amazon these days, but I still do visit bookshops from time to time to see what's happening in the world of books. About a month ago I went into one, and while browsing I came across a book called 'Beauty Pays'. "Mmm...does it?", I wondered and read a few pages of it.
I didn't like the cover, to start with, in the same way as some people judge other people from their looks. It was ugly, I thought. I know I shouldn't but I infer, to some extent, the book's content from it's cover. I don't judge people from their looks, though. London is full of 'unique-looking' people after all, and I know that majority of them are nice people :)
I was in this bookshop for only ten minutes, but what I picked up from this book is this: ugly people earn less than beautiful people and they should be protected by law for compensation for less wages and discrimination, just like disabled people.
There might be some truths in this, but I would rather not agree with the author here. The reason is I genuinely and truly believe that your view on beauty depends on your age and your experience in life. I think younger people view handsomeness as something important than older people do because the younger the people are the less experienced they are in life to spot and to understand inner charm and virtue.
Another reason why I'm inclined to disagree with the author is if I agree with him, then that may establish a few uncomfortable home truths - I am poor because I am ugly. But then if I insist too much on my point of view as above, then that would make me an old woman as well as ugly and poor. I'm gonna drop this subject now.
Lovely lovely chocolate cake for you today :)
Ingredients (for 20cm cake tin):
(for the sponge)
120g soft butter
120g self-raising flour
100g sugar
2 tablespoon cocoa powder
2 eggs
(for the filling)
100ml double cream, whipped
1 large handful raspberries
Preheat the oven to 190C.
Sift the cocoa powder and flour together once. Mix the rest of the ingredients well in a large bowl. Sift the flour into the bowl and mix everything gently with a metal spoon. 'Gently' is the key here. Once you put flour into a cake dough you have to be gentle with it, otherwise it will turn out to be a tough and rough cake.
Cut out a greaseproof paper to fit the bottom of the cake tin, and pour the cake mixture into the tin. Bake for about 30-40 minutes until a wooden skewer inserted comes out clean.
Squash half of the raspberries with a folk, and mix with the rest of the berries and whipped cream.
Take the cake out of the oven and wait until the cake is completely cooled - a good few hours. Slice the cake into two discs, spread the cream mixture on top of one of them, and replace the top half.