Please slow Down - I don't understand!

Life is changing so fast I can't (or rather don't feel like) keeping up anymore. I am not old, perhaps by my teenager's standards I am ancient, but I don't think 37 year qualifies me for any old age concessions. I feel like things in life have changed so much and every day there is a new word or acronym I don't understand.

I have been using the internet for 10 years now, one would think that in 10 years you can master a skill - if I were studying to be a doctor, I would be fully qualified to save lives - BUT NOT in Cyber world.

Iin the "old days" we used words like: etc, et.al, eg, i.e., inter alia. Abreviations which were taken from Latin, they had history and if you could throw in the occasional nem. con or op. sit., you were really being just snooty!

Now we have a new language, things like : HSDPA, URL, PRUSS, GPS, all of which sound like things which need an ointment! We have kids (and lots of grown ups) that send messages that no longer use vowels, which used to be something they only did in the telephone directory!

We have taken phonetics to a new level, and called it chatspeak , they even have a dictionary (a very long word for people who can't write "great") and an online translator!. Take these messages, "Av01d P30pl3 Wh0 Tallllk Lyke Th15" and " lyk wer did u get dat shrt!" and my personal favourite "lol dnt b dum im betr dan u "!

This is worrying for me as a foodie, what happens if this technology filters into cookbooks and then into kitchens. How are we going to tell someone to "beat the eggs until light and fluffy" or "slowly add the flour, which whisking all the time" - I would hate to see the results!

Yes, I guess you can say I becoming Technophobic and am starting to think the Amish have something going for them! I want to let go and just be, write letters in ink and post them (when the Post Office is finished their strike)!

So in my quest to slow down and " Tune out, turn off and drop out", I made a real British Classic. No nation does boiled quite like the British - but this is a real winner! Take your time, write a letter, read a book and smell the roses.


Boiled Beef and Carrots

1.5 kg Topside Beef Roast
2 Large Onions
10 Cloves - studded into the onions
20 black Peppercorns
Salt
1 Celery Stick (with the leaves)
5 -8 Bay Leaves (I used dry)
Water
Peeled Whole small carrots
3 Large Potatoes Cut in quarters
Oil for Roasting the Vegetables

Place the beef, the spices, the onion and celery stick in a large pot and cover with water.
Bring to a rapid boil and skim off any scum that might form.
Lower to a simmer and leave to cook for about 2/3 hours, until the meat is tender.
At the 1½ hour mark add the carrots and the potatoes and boil in the stock until just done.
Remove the carrots and the potatoes from the pot, and toss in a little oil and roast for 30 minutes in a hot oven until browned and crispy.
Remove the meat from the stock, wrap in tin foil and leave to rest for about 20 minutes.
Slice the meat and serve with the vegetables and a little of the stock poured over the meat.
Simple, slow and totally delicious.