TapFish iPod app: "You can express your feelings once every 6 hours"

I downloaded a fish app, TapFish, yesterday for my iPod, and I tried to give my fishes some love, but I was met with the following statement: “You can express your feelings once every 6 hours”. So I clicked “OK” – since it was the only thing to click.. But it was not ok. I wanted to love my fish! So after being irritated for about 3 seconds, I thought about how ridiculous that statement was.

I understand that with “real” things, the over-showing of emotion, or trying to express yourself at the “wrong” time is not a good look. This will either result in you being labelled as clingy or crazy – no one wants that!! But there is a right time.. Just like how you don’t pick a fight or break up with someone on their birthday, or Valentines day – this is the WRONG time!

I  had a professor in university who started the first class of the semester off by saying “if you have a boyfriend or girlfriend, DO NOT break up with them around the end of the semester, break up with them now. If you are looking for a boyfriend or girlfriend, DO NOT do so at the end of the semester, go out and do it now”. His argument was that starting and ending relationships at the end of the term was a bad idea, as you have more important things to worry about – like reading Wuthering Heights for the 18th time! He was right.. somewhat. But, is there ever a perfect time to deal with the difficult stuff in life?

And when is the “right” time to express ones’ feelings? For your digital fish, it is apparently only once every 6 hours. But TapFish is just an app, what about in real life?

I’m one of those people who despise talking about their feelings. Even if I’m mad, I won’t talk about it. I have to wallow alone in silence, and then after a while, I’m fine. The tenants finally moved into my house over the weekend, so I can finally relax. But the last few weeks were really tough. Going through things and deciding what to keep was probably the most difficult part.

My mum kept a lot of family bits and pieces for me to go through – including a lot of my father’s things, which were, at times, quite hard to look at. There were diaries, photographs, sketches, paintings, beautiful books. As much as I’d love to keep everything, sometimes, it’s just not feasible. Thankfully, I was able to keep a lot of stuff, and managed to get through with a minimal number of nervous breakdowns. It took a lot of trying to calm myself down to stop myself from snapping at everyone. Thankfully, the people around me understood that it’s not easy, and did stop to hear me out when I griped about things.

I think arguments and disagreements are necessary and healthy sometimes.. I like slamming the odd door and throwing stuff But saying that, we have to try to remember to be receptive to what others are saying – even though sometimes it would feel better to throw something at them or smack them in the head. Remember that you have to find the right moment, open your ear holes, and listen!! Patience is key! x

I think it’s time to give my digital fish some love!

Ingredients:

• 2 80g tins of tuna (drained and flaked)
• 1 tomato – diced
• 1/2 cup corn
• 2 garlic cloves – finely diced or pressed
• 2 tbsp mayonnaise
• oregano
• pepper
• dash of lemon juice

Mix the tuna, tomato, corn, garlic and mayonnaise together. Add a dash of lemon juice – this is optional, but I find a dash of lemon juice makes any fish taste better; even if it is just humble tinned tuna!

Add the oregano and pepper to taste, and it’s ready to serve!

Serve with warm toast cut into triangles, and cubes of cheese.

Bon Appetite!

• 200 g / 4 cans of tuna (drained and flaked)
• 200 g mashed potato
• 4 spring onions (chopped)
• 100 g / 1 cup of frozen peas or petit pois (defrosted)
• zest of 1 lemon
• Salt and pepper
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 4 tbsp bread crumbs
• 3 tbsp olive oil

For the Mayonnaise

• 4 tbsp mayonnaise
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• Pinch of red paprika
• Salt and pepper

In a large bowl, mix together the first six ingredients. Slowly add enough egg to bind the mixture together.

Wet your hands, so that the mixture doesn’t stick to you, and shape it into patties – make them roughly the size of your palm and about 1 inch thick. Lightly cover each one with breadcrumbs.

Heat the oil in a frying pan over low-medium heat and cook the tuna-cakes for a few minutes on each side. Be careful when turning them!

In the meantime, mix together the ingredients for the mayonnaise – add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve the hot tuna-cakes with a lemon wedge, the lemon mayonnaise, some green salad and a glass of cold Chardonnay. Bon Appetite!

* You can substitute the tuna for tinned salmon.