So ... you may have noticed I haven't blogged of late.
Not 100% my fault.
So Thursday morning I get up and start hacking apart the invites I made for boy's 3rd birthday (toy story themed, I'm such a cool mum) and hear my parents say we've been cut off, phone and net. Sky's a bit funny too. And after half an hour on the rotatrimmer (bonus of having half your family in the teaching profession. My sister would've lent me her laminator too, if I'd asked) I started feeling queasy.
But I passed it off because I had to get boy to nursery, so I got him ready and went, and posted all his nursery invites into the folders, feeling all sweaty and horrid. I thought it was just the weather, and the fact that nursery gets so hot so quickly.
And then I got on a bus, ready to get my $USD and some other holiday *non* essentials, and that nausea really hit me. So I closed my eyes the whole bus ride and kept trying to imagine this waterfall, something with no smell that was sort of calm and clear and clean and I concentrated so hard on that water ... and it worked until the bus did a u-turn into the depot. And then I lost control. And the bus driver was really nice about the fact I yakked on his bus (probably thinking 'time for my fag break, and if the cleaners are in the bus I get a coffee too'), I went to get a water and yakked a few more times before I managed to make my way home (I was smart, I put the water in a bag on self serve then put the water in my bag and viola, baggy for the bus home!)
So I've spent most of the time we've been disconnected vomming, sleeping and reading. And today, playing on a video game so I feel carpal tunnel setting in. I won't type much longer. It turns out, the whole of the hamlet is disconnected, there's been some gasworks and roadworks so one of them must've knocked out all our phonelines. Thanks.
I went back to work yesterday, for my last shit before we go away. And they actually freaking let me cook! I mean, I normally do weekend breakfast now, since aparently I'm shit-hot at building a bagel (I kid, I'm crap) but near the end of breakfast they were going 'we've only got till people in' and I was like 'I know some kitchen!' (I did one side when I was 6 months pregnant for 2 hours, and I've dressed on the other side for an hour. Besides the point) so I got to cook and avoid shitty customers all day. Especially as Sunday is Complaining Customer day. Win Win. I just had to avoid breathing, to avoid the lingering nausea. And build some upper body strength. Ha!
But I won't be back for long since we're away soon. So excited! I think I'll be able to get up at 3.30 for the flights ...
Oh, and the books I read? Um, My Single Friend (which was good for chick-lit, if a little annoying) ... the title should give away the storyline. Protagonist bird has male roommate she's known for years, is a dork. They watch a makeover show, she decides to give him a makeover, he turns out to be all studly. Yaddayaddayadda ... they fall in love. Very Predictable.
Don't take the piss. My head was pounding from the rush to the head when I puked.
I read the third book in Lindsey Kelk' "I love" series, I Love Paris. I don't know why I pick those books up. Because Alex and Jenny, the boyfriend and best friend characters are mildly funny I guess. You know they say 'write what you know'? Lindsey Kelk actually writes her life. I read her bio before I read I Love New York, the first one, and it's just like it says in the bio. But the bio is far less irritating - in ILNY, she breaks up with her boyfriend and moves to new york and spends half the book telling the reader, and other characters, she broke up with her boyfriend and moved to new york. In the second, I Love Hollywood, she goes to interview this actor (she's a blogger and sometimes-journalist, having given up editing kids books) and they're pictured together compromisingly before it's revealed he's gay. She spends half the book telling people the photo's aren't real and he's just an actor and she broke up with someone in England and moved to New York. And in the one I just read, I Love Paris, she and her new boyfriend go to Paris for his band's gig/her chance to write an article, and they find his ex, who makes a move on the boyfriend. And yep, she spends half the book telling the reader and the other characters that the ex is trying to get rid of her and she interviewed that gay actor and she broke up with someone in England and moved to New York.
How she's going to have a storyline in the fourth book with all the above to repeat endlessly is beyond me.
I have 2 books coming away with me to Florida. Will read when the boy's asleep. Wish me luck on the plane - we have to entertain him somehow! And last time on the way home, he wouldn't sleep a)on the plane b)when we got home. Wouldn't have been so bad if he wasn't in the crawling stage ...
Days until toy story 3: 2
Days until Florida: 3
Days until Harry Potter Land: 5
Days until boy's 3rd: 31
Days until boy's party: 33
Days until bridgathon: 55 (I think?)
Monday, 26 July 2010
Tuesday, 20 July 2010
Balls of steel
I took the advice of a fictional character I created (following that?) ... I grew a pair.
Not literally, obviously, since humans can't do that (and I'm not a chicken. Chickens can) but I took the plunge and looked through some agents on my list and sent some that were a)accepting manuscripts and b)required paper entries. I'll do the email entries tomorrow or Thursday.
So ... be prepared in about two months for me to moan about all my rejections. I'm being a realist - I will get rejected. But I'm also being an optimist - someone's going to want me. I just have to find them. Like those hidden object games I seem to always play.
I feel successful about doing that, but ... I wasn't successful shopping today. The military look doesn't work with the peachy ornamental stuff that's out there ... there wasn't much else. I got a white vest I wanted, and found something in next (:O I never find anything in next) ... but that's it for my holiday. God, can't the high street do something lightweight for simple tastes? The simple stuff I liked was too heavy for right now.
And there was, in all seriousness, about ten books I wanted in waterstones today (I walked out with no books. Achievement!) ... there's the latest Lindsey Kelk that I want anyway, one by Allison Pearson about fan letters that looks good, one about this girl relieving the past which had a sparkly cover which won me over, this book about some guy's random dad who's apparently huge on twitter (never heard of him), one about this girl who moves into this A list apartment block, one about this girl visiting her friend in the summer, and another teen one I can't remember but grabbed me by the balls.
So that's like, £60's worth of books (at least three were in the 3-for-2) ... plus I want toy story 3 and lego harry potter for me wii.
Anyone got a spare £150?
Not literally, obviously, since humans can't do that (and I'm not a chicken. Chickens can) but I took the plunge and looked through some agents on my list and sent some that were a)accepting manuscripts and b)required paper entries. I'll do the email entries tomorrow or Thursday.
So ... be prepared in about two months for me to moan about all my rejections. I'm being a realist - I will get rejected. But I'm also being an optimist - someone's going to want me. I just have to find them. Like those hidden object games I seem to always play.
I feel successful about doing that, but ... I wasn't successful shopping today. The military look doesn't work with the peachy ornamental stuff that's out there ... there wasn't much else. I got a white vest I wanted, and found something in next (:O I never find anything in next) ... but that's it for my holiday. God, can't the high street do something lightweight for simple tastes? The simple stuff I liked was too heavy for right now.
And there was, in all seriousness, about ten books I wanted in waterstones today (I walked out with no books. Achievement!) ... there's the latest Lindsey Kelk that I want anyway, one by Allison Pearson about fan letters that looks good, one about this girl relieving the past which had a sparkly cover which won me over, this book about some guy's random dad who's apparently huge on twitter (never heard of him), one about this girl who moves into this A list apartment block, one about this girl visiting her friend in the summer, and another teen one I can't remember but grabbed me by the balls.
So that's like, £60's worth of books (at least three were in the 3-for-2) ... plus I want toy story 3 and lego harry potter for me wii.
Anyone got a spare £150?
Monday, 19 July 2010
What would you call that?
Y'know I said I did a three-month tarot reading t'other day? Well, I thought, as a laugh (because sometimes they have the best inspiration for stories) I'd get this fate magazine, talks about ghosts and angels and other-worldly things. They have horoscopes in it, and the horoscopes say the same thing as the cards. Now, is that fate, or karma, or coincidence, or a pair of entangled atoms that somehow have made that possible (oh yeah, you got a dose of physics in this ramble!) or something I should disregard despite the fact the dates given coincide to Florida, my friend's 18th, and work when I finish my holiday? And will my choice be changed should these things occur or not?
But another twist of fate, or karma, or paired electrons with spin charge, is relevant to this entry.
I said a few entries ago I wanted a me day, despite needing to earn as much as possible for this holiday/boy in general. Someone new is doing our schedule. I have my first weekday off in months - in this year, apart from a holiday in April. This could be because no one's in college, or because he's noticed I'm available both weekend days and am good enough at enough areas of work to make myself invaluable over the weekend. Or it could be because Kismet agrees I need some me time.
In fact, I start on Thursday about an hour before I normally finish. I can read, write, go to the cinema, sunbathe, sort out my dollars (I have $120 already, and £100 ready to change up, I'll be doing that the next few days) sleep, shop (and try on the clothes without worrying about a buggy!), eat where I want, when I want, meet up with friends. I am NOT going to waste my 2 free days (well, almost free). Even if I'm watching cash - I am going to live for me.
I might also print out required elements for submitting my writing to agents. I have a list of authentic agents in the UK, and their websites, will send to three (since I have three envelopes) and see how we go. I know I'm not great at writing ... but I'm pretty good. Right? Right? It's one of my new years resolutions, I'd better get my head in the game.
**edit** Oh, I just checked. I mentioned both of these elements in the same post 12 days ago. freaky ...
Days until I go see Toy Story 3: 9
Days until Florida: 10
Days until I'm home: 27
Days until boy's 3rd: 41
Days until boy's party: 43
Days until bridgathon: 65
But another twist of fate, or karma, or paired electrons with spin charge, is relevant to this entry.
I said a few entries ago I wanted a me day, despite needing to earn as much as possible for this holiday/boy in general. Someone new is doing our schedule. I have my first weekday off in months - in this year, apart from a holiday in April. This could be because no one's in college, or because he's noticed I'm available both weekend days and am good enough at enough areas of work to make myself invaluable over the weekend. Or it could be because Kismet agrees I need some me time.
In fact, I start on Thursday about an hour before I normally finish. I can read, write, go to the cinema, sunbathe, sort out my dollars (I have $120 already, and £100 ready to change up, I'll be doing that the next few days) sleep, shop (and try on the clothes without worrying about a buggy!), eat where I want, when I want, meet up with friends. I am NOT going to waste my 2 free days (well, almost free). Even if I'm watching cash - I am going to live for me.
I might also print out required elements for submitting my writing to agents. I have a list of authentic agents in the UK, and their websites, will send to three (since I have three envelopes) and see how we go. I know I'm not great at writing ... but I'm pretty good. Right? Right? It's one of my new years resolutions, I'd better get my head in the game.
**edit** Oh, I just checked. I mentioned both of these elements in the same post 12 days ago. freaky ...
Days until I go see Toy Story 3: 9
Days until Florida: 10
Days until I'm home: 27
Days until boy's 3rd: 41
Days until boy's party: 43
Days until bridgathon: 65
Sunday, 18 July 2010
I haven't seen you for ages!
The above is a line I usually trade with my friends, since the nearest friend of mine is a four hour train ride away, the next is a three hour train ride, and the third a two hour train ride (it sounds illogical, but we have to travel into London, then out again on mainlines. If there wasn't a gaping huge river between the first friend and me, 20 minutes tops. And Bury St Ed's is closer than Bedford to me, but still takes longer to get to). The rest are all west country, Midlands and higher. If I don't work with you, I never get to see you, basically.
But I've found myself saying it twice at work in the last 2 days, and not to ex-employees. Customers.
The first used to come in every friday at 7.30. They want their drinks last. They don't mind waiting for their burger to be done special. But the managers they were used to traded out and all the other staff have drifted off and no one remembers they want their drinks after their meals (standard policy is drinks first so the food stays hot) ... so when they came in yesterday about 6 I was kinda happy to see them. They said why they haven't been in for ages, but I was glad I was the one who served them, since I remembered most of their order, and definitely the drink factoid.
The second one was today ... he's a little bit more history, for me. Since for the past four years he flirts like crazy. I went for a job interview once (the interviewer went on holiday and I never heard from them again, which sucks because I aced the interview, had to do some maths and computer work for it) and he was there. Was where I learnt his name, lol. He was asking me out (I've never been able to tell whether he was joking or not) about the time I was making mistakes with boy's dad. And then I went on maternity leave and when I came back he asked where I'd been and I admitted about boy, and he was so rude about boy's dad (which always cracked me up, since he was sticking up for boy too) and then I got sick ... and stopped seeing him come through, since he always came to the restaurant after I finished. So today was the first time in about two years I saw him.
I like it when he comes through on my shifts. He makes me laugh, makes the shifts that much better (and since someone opened a steel door on my head today, I needed it) ... I wish he didn't have a 9-5, would be good to have him come through more often. I've got a couple of late shifts next week ... here's hoping. I don't want anything more than just the chance to laugh, and put him down when he asks for free food (nice try) ... it'd also be nice if he wasn't one of the people who hangs around the back of the store late at night blaring crap music and starting fires, but hey, what can you do?
But I've found myself saying it twice at work in the last 2 days, and not to ex-employees. Customers.
The first used to come in every friday at 7.30. They want their drinks last. They don't mind waiting for their burger to be done special. But the managers they were used to traded out and all the other staff have drifted off and no one remembers they want their drinks after their meals (standard policy is drinks first so the food stays hot) ... so when they came in yesterday about 6 I was kinda happy to see them. They said why they haven't been in for ages, but I was glad I was the one who served them, since I remembered most of their order, and definitely the drink factoid.
The second one was today ... he's a little bit more history, for me. Since for the past four years he flirts like crazy. I went for a job interview once (the interviewer went on holiday and I never heard from them again, which sucks because I aced the interview, had to do some maths and computer work for it) and he was there. Was where I learnt his name, lol. He was asking me out (I've never been able to tell whether he was joking or not) about the time I was making mistakes with boy's dad. And then I went on maternity leave and when I came back he asked where I'd been and I admitted about boy, and he was so rude about boy's dad (which always cracked me up, since he was sticking up for boy too) and then I got sick ... and stopped seeing him come through, since he always came to the restaurant after I finished. So today was the first time in about two years I saw him.
I like it when he comes through on my shifts. He makes me laugh, makes the shifts that much better (and since someone opened a steel door on my head today, I needed it) ... I wish he didn't have a 9-5, would be good to have him come through more often. I've got a couple of late shifts next week ... here's hoping. I don't want anything more than just the chance to laugh, and put him down when he asks for free food (nice try) ... it'd also be nice if he wasn't one of the people who hangs around the back of the store late at night blaring crap music and starting fires, but hey, what can you do?
Saturday, 17 July 2010
My own worst enemy
I tried to go to bed early.
But thought I needed to watch something to send me off.
Something familiar, that I could follow without concentrating, nothing too strenuous or thought-provoking or humourous.
I chose Nick and Norah's infinite playlist.
I miss going to gigs all the time and staying up until 9am. I miss music being my life. I'm actually jealous of Nick and Norah.
Still a good film though. Wish I could've heard 'Where's Fluffy?' the band they chase around manhattan.
But yeah. So I'm awake. And my music and facebook haven't helped me nod off, strangely.
Maybe I should read the Principle of Relativity half of my Quantum physics book. I've read all the stuff about actual Quantum behaviour now.
But thought I needed to watch something to send me off.
Something familiar, that I could follow without concentrating, nothing too strenuous or thought-provoking or humourous.
I chose Nick and Norah's infinite playlist.
I miss going to gigs all the time and staying up until 9am. I miss music being my life. I'm actually jealous of Nick and Norah.
Still a good film though. Wish I could've heard 'Where's Fluffy?' the band they chase around manhattan.
But yeah. So I'm awake. And my music and facebook haven't helped me nod off, strangely.
Maybe I should read the Principle of Relativity half of my Quantum physics book. I've read all the stuff about actual Quantum behaviour now.
Friday, 16 July 2010
Words I keep in mind #2
Wake up
It's time to get your things together
And drive away
Breathe out
Future days will treat you better
That's what they say
Another day
Gone without a sun
But it's okay
If you turn around
And feel the memories
Bringing you down
And in the end
Are you stronger
Do you no longer
Need to recover
And where have you been
Since it's been over
Over my shoulder
And under my skin
Will you ever return there again?
Wake up
The monsters in your head have left you
All to yourself
It's alright
If funny little things remind you
Of how it felt
Another day
No one tells you what it means
What's in your way
Keeps poisoning your dreams
The darkest place that you've ever been
And in the end
Are you stronger
Do you no longer
Need to recover
And where have you been
Since it's been over
Over my shoulder
And under my skin
Will you ever return there again?
It's time to get your things together
And drive away
Breathe out
Future days will treat you better
That's what they say
Another day
Gone without a sun
But it's okay
If you turn around
And feel the memories
Bringing you down
And in the end
Are you stronger
Do you no longer
Need to recover
And where have you been
Since it's been over
Over my shoulder
And under my skin
Will you ever return there again?
Wake up
The monsters in your head have left you
All to yourself
It's alright
If funny little things remind you
Of how it felt
Another day
No one tells you what it means
What's in your way
Keeps poisoning your dreams
The darkest place that you've ever been
And in the end
Are you stronger
Do you no longer
Need to recover
And where have you been
Since it's been over
Over my shoulder
And under my skin
Will you ever return there again?
Inspiration #6
I've been holding off talking about him so far.
I mean, I'm a street team leader, I should be a little more enthusiastic, but I don't know ... I don't think I'm one of those crazy fans any more.
This is my piece about Drake Bell, by the way.
I've been aware of his work since The Amanda Show. Truly terrible show (though I do love Josh and Amanda too) but the Totally Kyle skit he did was slightly less bad than the other skits. Plus, you know, he was good looking (whether he's a year younger than me or not) ... at the time, when I was about 14, that was pretty important to me.
When Drake and Josh started, I tried to watch it. Just for him, really. I thought it was crap, in all honesty. I watched the second series when it started, and that was better, so I stuck with it, and then the third series was crap so I switched off. But I knew he sang a lot, and played guitar and I was interested in hearing the music so I went googling, and found his website.
The girls there were enthusiastic and helpful and got me hooked up with his first album, Telegraph. Great album, even if 'Down we fall' takes 9 minutes. My favourite song of his is on there (more about that later). But it was bittersweet joining, since Drake had had a car accident about a month before I joined. He'd been waiting for this car to move at a stop sign so he could go ahead but the driver coming towards him didn't realise or control the car properly and went smashing into his vintage car (I love the vintage car obsession, American vintage cars do it for me). His passenger was fine, he had cracked ribs, a hole in his chin, loads of scratches and scrapes. He admits the first thing he thought was 'not my face!' since you know, it's his career. If you look now, when he stops growing hobo-beards, you can see a faint line across his chin. He could poke his tongue through that once, had his jaw wired shut for 6 weeks.
Anyway, the last series started when I was on the board, after I was invited to be a UK leader. So of course I watched. The boys were better, the whole cast worked well together ... but urgh, I just can't stand Dan Schneider's version of humour. Good scenes were ruined by nonsensical twists or comments that had no place. That Drake and Josh both made a success (in Nickelodeon terms) of the show is a feat.
Their solo stuff isn't so well known, which is a shame, I loved The Wackness (Mary-Kate Olsen, a stoner whore?!?), and everyone loves Ice Age (Josh was a possum with Sean William Scott). Drake's done stuff like College (ehhhhhhhh) and Superhero Movie (ehhhhhhhhhhhhh! I hate the *genre* movie series, but I did think it was better scripted than Date Movie) and tried a series called Fish Tank which didn't work out. At the moment, he's filming for the live-action Fairly OddParents film (which kinda fills me with dread, that I have to watch Fairly OddParents in order to see Drake) ... I'll leave this space.
It kinda sucks, because he kinda floats from one job to another, but I don't think he feels really, really passionate about anything. His music is so good, but his shows are shoddy (I was listening to the merch guy when Cassie and I saw him) ... Stefanie and I talk about it sometimes, sometimes on the leader chats. I can kind of relate to it, but when you've established yourself like it ... it's not good for a fanbase.
But yeah, his earliest stuff was so much better, he seemed so much more committed. Like the few seconds he was in High Fidelity (awesome, awesome film. I love John Cusack!) or working with Roger Daltry in Chasing Destiny. He gave the birdie to Tom Cruise in Jerry Maguire (yeah, the hockey players' son ... that kid. That was Drake.) ... I totally recommend his pre-D&J work. And his music. He could never act again and just pump records and I'd be happy.
Which brings me back to my favourite song. It's one I overplayed when I was first in remission. It still hits home now, because I so relate. It's called In The End. I'll post the lyrics in another blog, which will obviously go above this one. So ... this is the post that explains the previous one, yes?
I mean, I'm a street team leader, I should be a little more enthusiastic, but I don't know ... I don't think I'm one of those crazy fans any more.
This is my piece about Drake Bell, by the way.
I've been aware of his work since The Amanda Show. Truly terrible show (though I do love Josh and Amanda too) but the Totally Kyle skit he did was slightly less bad than the other skits. Plus, you know, he was good looking (whether he's a year younger than me or not) ... at the time, when I was about 14, that was pretty important to me.
When Drake and Josh started, I tried to watch it. Just for him, really. I thought it was crap, in all honesty. I watched the second series when it started, and that was better, so I stuck with it, and then the third series was crap so I switched off. But I knew he sang a lot, and played guitar and I was interested in hearing the music so I went googling, and found his website.
The girls there were enthusiastic and helpful and got me hooked up with his first album, Telegraph. Great album, even if 'Down we fall' takes 9 minutes. My favourite song of his is on there (more about that later). But it was bittersweet joining, since Drake had had a car accident about a month before I joined. He'd been waiting for this car to move at a stop sign so he could go ahead but the driver coming towards him didn't realise or control the car properly and went smashing into his vintage car (I love the vintage car obsession, American vintage cars do it for me). His passenger was fine, he had cracked ribs, a hole in his chin, loads of scratches and scrapes. He admits the first thing he thought was 'not my face!' since you know, it's his career. If you look now, when he stops growing hobo-beards, you can see a faint line across his chin. He could poke his tongue through that once, had his jaw wired shut for 6 weeks.
Anyway, the last series started when I was on the board, after I was invited to be a UK leader. So of course I watched. The boys were better, the whole cast worked well together ... but urgh, I just can't stand Dan Schneider's version of humour. Good scenes were ruined by nonsensical twists or comments that had no place. That Drake and Josh both made a success (in Nickelodeon terms) of the show is a feat.
Their solo stuff isn't so well known, which is a shame, I loved The Wackness (Mary-Kate Olsen, a stoner whore?!?), and everyone loves Ice Age (Josh was a possum with Sean William Scott). Drake's done stuff like College (ehhhhhhhh) and Superhero Movie (ehhhhhhhhhhhhh! I hate the *genre* movie series, but I did think it was better scripted than Date Movie) and tried a series called Fish Tank which didn't work out. At the moment, he's filming for the live-action Fairly OddParents film (which kinda fills me with dread, that I have to watch Fairly OddParents in order to see Drake) ... I'll leave this space.
It kinda sucks, because he kinda floats from one job to another, but I don't think he feels really, really passionate about anything. His music is so good, but his shows are shoddy (I was listening to the merch guy when Cassie and I saw him) ... Stefanie and I talk about it sometimes, sometimes on the leader chats. I can kind of relate to it, but when you've established yourself like it ... it's not good for a fanbase.
But yeah, his earliest stuff was so much better, he seemed so much more committed. Like the few seconds he was in High Fidelity (awesome, awesome film. I love John Cusack!) or working with Roger Daltry in Chasing Destiny. He gave the birdie to Tom Cruise in Jerry Maguire (yeah, the hockey players' son ... that kid. That was Drake.) ... I totally recommend his pre-D&J work. And his music. He could never act again and just pump records and I'd be happy.
Which brings me back to my favourite song. It's one I overplayed when I was first in remission. It still hits home now, because I so relate. It's called In The End. I'll post the lyrics in another blog, which will obviously go above this one. So ... this is the post that explains the previous one, yes?
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