A pill

My parents arrived Monday evening. They had planned to stay until tomorrow, Friday. Officially the reason for the trip was to see me (as it'd been too long - yeah right) and to have a week in our nations capital. Their trip to Iceland had gone really well but they felt like they needed more adventure.

Thankfully I managed to avoid hearing most of their tales from Iceland, and I managed to get away with only seeing about 10 photos. My evil brother was not so lucky last week, he had to see all 400 WITH narration (TEE-HEE-HEE-HEEEEE). In the end they understood that nature experiences are not my thing and the energy they'd use telling me all about it would be completely wasted.

Everything went as always "are you really doing it that way?", "Let me show you how to clean a radiator more efficiently", "Oh, come on, oh just let me do it!". The winner was this morning when I decided to swallow my allergy pill on the go without a glass of water, juice or milk. "Don't do it like that, you need water, it won't work without water". I finally snapped at her as I was tired, exhausted, hot and just wanted to get out of there. It was the first and only time I lost it during their stay which is amazing. Mumbling stuff through clenched teeth doesn't count right?

My fathers birthday was yesterday. He turned 64 and I had taken the morning off to have a long breakfast with them. It wasn't that bad actually and for the first time in, I can't remember how long we talked to each other like adults. That abruptly ended when I tried to clear the table after breakfast. In the evening we just sat down for a quiet light dinner and I was attacked with questions about my life and whatnot. Most of it was deflected by the momshield TM .

They finally left while I was at work today but before they did, my mother decided to clean my flat "to show me that I can make it sparkle". It was surely meant as a comment on my housekeeping skills but I take it as coming home to a freshly cleaned flat. Which isn't all that bad. Now it just smells of guilt and Chanel no 5.

Do you remember this?

Terence Trent D'Arbys - Wishing Well



Discuss.

Hvor er de 2 andre?

I've got my parents over and my wireless is down. Unfortunately this means I probably won't be able to visit all your fabulous blogs and comment (including my own) much.

Hopefully I'll have them kicked out at latest on Friday afternoon.

Have a fabulous week.

[insert own fabulous photo here as I am at work (oh I know, naughty naughty, shame on me) and don't have access to that sort of stuff]

----
Update: Got home, they weren't here. So here you go!

Introduction to Danish

MJ reminded me of a Danish comedy group called "Lex & Klatten" which basically means Lex and the drop, blob or blot. However knowing this group it probably references a bit of spooge on a sheet. They were very much like that.

That said, this video "Too Famous" is completely safe for work but you need sound because this is where you learn a bit of Danish. Of course you could also just sit back and cackle at the bizarre language that is Danish.



Have fun!

Nausia

I've been moaning about the iPhone for a while now. Especially the fact that I can't seem to get my hands on one. They apparently only got 2000 units for Denmark, no wonder it was sold out first day. It bugs me, a lot. It's come to the point where I went into one of those shops here that carries it (allegedly) and asked when they'd have them in store. In the shop. The well trained monkey who must have been in line somewhere else (I wouldn't know where) when God handed out manners, rolled his eyes and started chatting up a colleague. Excuse me! Still here!! Nothing, no reaction. So asked his colleague how long it would take me to get an iPhone.

The lad who must have been standing in line behind dummy no 1 said he didn't know but suggested I'd sign up for one. A national VIP list (waitlist, I made him say it before a black substance started running from his nose). Reluctantly and with huge protests I signed up for one. They will call me when they have one for me. How long will I have to wait? Well he didn't think it would take 2 months. Yay? Signing up to spend a fortune on something that was is in reality just a product. Not even a limited edition, just a regular smart phone with an apple on the back.

Now I feel dirty and violated (not in the good way).

Do you remember this?

SAW classic All of Me by Sabrina



The memories come flooding back

Discuss.

Book update

Yes, besides movies, sleeping and going to work I also managed to read two more books. I'm doing fairly well considering it was 12 books in 12 months. Here are the latest two in my quest to make it through one per month.



The first book Mix Tape: The Art of Cassette Culture by Thurston Moore is a collection of stories about mix tapes and what they meant to them by famous (I'm sure, but not to me) people combined with some bits by Thurston Moore where he explains why he thinks the mix tape defines a generation.

To tell you the truth, I bought it because of the cover. It looks so awesome. Like you can see, it's shaped out just like a cassette tape and it's just so very very kool.

I may not (at all) share the taste of music (or know many of the bands mentioned) of the people who contributed to the book but I understand the sentiment. Just because I was born in 1978 does not mean I completely missed out on the mix tape revolution. Granted I had a CD player by 1991 but I did spend a good part of the 80s recording stuff off the radio and mixing holiday tapes I would use to survive the long trips with my parents over the summer. I may as well have made a mix tape or two for someone I liked. After all these years one can't help but wonder if they keep that sort of thing.

Personally I can't help but think it's more about memories than anything else. Each tape that one made defined a time in ones life, what were you into at the time and all that. It brings back memories.

What did the mix tape mean to you? Any thoughts? Is it all just a load of pollywoggle, codswallow or what is that delightful word that the Brits use?


I've been taking suggestions from the fabulous Dinah and that's worked brilliantly. I must say that although I really loved her selection of books, it was time for something else. Nothing about the amish or such. Something a little twisted and who else could suggest such a thing than our own twisted sistah IDV . He mentioned that this book Mort by Terry Pratchett was good.

Death takes on an apprentice. That's pretty much the storyline and how can you not love that? I was hooked from the very beginning and the style of writing is funny, touching and delightful. Delightfully twisted. How does someone come up with the world being a disc held by 4 elephants? It's just too good. I envy anyone who has an imagination like that.
Also if you really want to understand our own twisted sistah IDV this is the book to read. I can't say I completely understand him but I may be a step closer. If that's a good thing or not I'm not sure.

Anyway love the book and I can't wait to start reading another Terry Pratchett book so very soon. I just have to finish an autobiography first.

Lovefilm

I've been really tired lately. I don't know what is wrong with me, but I have a sneaking suspicion that something is not what it should be. Anyway it's given me the time to spend a little time on the sofa watching movies. The first two are from the mailing service, which I'm still very much appreciating as I don't have to go somewhere by a certain time to deliver them back. I can drop them off in a mailbox whenever. Just whenever.

The first movie is Miss Potter starring Renée Zellweger, Ewan McGregor and Emily Watson. This is one of those movies I couldn't find anyone to watch it with. "But it looks so dull!" and other such rubbish excuses but their loss isn't it? Well that's actually not entirely true. At sometime I was in London with a friend and they were showing it but we decided we'd wait until we got back because we'd already spent a fortune that day.

Well the movie is about Beatrix Potter (I had no idea this was based on a real story and had never heard the name before) who is slightly eccentric (she had money) and makes drawings of Peter Rabbit and such. Then one day she gets published and her life changes forever.
I liked it a lot. It was sweet and sad and a really enjoyable film. Still it isn't exactly a hardcore action movie. I'd compare the pace to that of Ladies in Lavender.


The next movie was Southland Tales starring Dwayne Johnson, Sean William Scott, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Christopher Lambert (I call him Christopher Slambert, I don't know why) Jeaneane Garofalo, Jon Lovitz, Bai Ling, Miranda Richardson, Wallace Shaw (you remember him from Clueless - As if!), Justin Timberlake and Kevin Smith.

I was warned about this. My friend said I wouldn't like it, he said it was odd and not very good. Of course I took it as a dare. Plus with a lineup like that how could there not be something good about it? (I had forgotten the valuable lesson I had made about 10 years ago watching Very Bad Things) So I had to watch it. It was a must. Sarah Michelle Gellar is always good and I have to say I totally digged the Teen Hornieness song and could remember it for a long time. Alas it has faded away.

After what I thought was a good hour of watching I made the mistake of checking how long there was left of it. Only half an hour had passed and there was still a good 1 hour and 45 minutes left. It was going to be a long one. Even though it was bad, and by bad I mean really really really bad. And weird. I still felt I needed to watch it to the end but once it finished I was very happy. I can now say I have successfully watched Southland Tales and I didn't fall asleep at all. Which is quite a feat.


A long time ago I bought a magazine, you know one of those awful weekly womens magazines. Just a Danish varitety. They had different movies with it every week and I didn't even look when I took it off the shelves because £3 including a DVD was pretty cheap by our standards. To my horror it was The Family Stone starring one of my least favorite actors Sarah Jessica Parker. Well I'd seen it before, although I can't remember why or when. I decided to watch it because it's been a while and I think I'm in a Diane Keaton phase. Please help me!

Still I ended up really liking it. The cast, well apart from the worlds most unsexy woman (or horse - Camilla watch out!) is pretty good. The story is good, it was just too bad that it was hyped as a sort of happy holiday movie with a few laughs. I mean anyone with any sense of taste, loves to watch people being mean to Sarah Jessica Parker, not just around Christmas. But actually it's a quite sad movie. Despite the rolling around the floor in egg and such.

I can't believe I like a movie with Sarah Jessica Parker. Bugger.

The tale of a city

so this is Norwich then?

Click to make it larger.

Lovefilm

Welcome to the second edition of Lovefilm. During the weekend I ended up on the sofa watching part of the 7th season of Gilmore Girls and the new batch of movies from Lovefilm. These are the two movies.

There was a buzz about Transamerica even before it was released but I never got around to watching it. Then I put it off because it wasn't high on the list of things to do, yet I put it on my list at Lovefilm and then it went through my mailbox on Saturday.

I like Felicity Huffman very much, especially on Desperate Housewives but she was also in the movie Magnolia (a favorite of mine) and I watched her on Frasier. The guy Kevin Zegers who plays opposite Felicity Huffman is really cute and acts very well in this movie. Felicity Huffman, well she's just outstanding. Everything down to the way she speaks and her mannerisms.

It's about Felicity Huffman who is a transsexual and is going in for his last surgery and learns he has a son and agrees to drive him to California. Even though the son has no idea Felicity Huffman is his father or that she is a he.

I like it a lot. Outstanding acting all around and the story is good. I'd go as far as to say it's quite original as I've certainly never seen a movie like this before. It also seems to be really authentic and real, as they could have easiely sugar coated it (even more). The movie is fun, engaging and touching.

The second movie is Little Miss Sunshine. I think it was IDV who mentioned this one on his blog. Then before that, I saw mentions of it at the Academy Awards as it won 2 Oscars. So naturally I was curious. I try to watch a few of the nominated movies so it's not all fluff. Also I'm a sucker for a pagent movie. Still this is not your usual pagent movie. Not by a long shot.

Take a very dysfunctional family (a father who is well an arse, a suicidal uncle, a son who won't speak, horny foul mouthed granddad, sweet Toni Collette as the mother and a little girl who just wants to be Miss Sunshine) on the road in a yellow VW Bus in which the transmission won't go lower that 3rd gear and the horn is stuck, just trying to get to the Miss Sunshine pagent in Redondo Beach.

It's a laugh isn't it. Sweet, funny and one of the most endearing movies I've seen all year. And who knew Steve Carrell could do anything but comedy? He does a fabulous job and I like him a lot in this movie. Didn't think subtle was his strong point or a strong point. This is definately a mustsee movie.

I can't wait to see what the next two are going to be.

Can't get blue Monday out of my head

Over a period of time I've introduced you to a variety of blue food. To mixed reviews obviously as you can't please everyone. This has been very interesting and I have enjoyed it a lot. What I enjoyed the most were the responses to the food displayed. Although, I'm sure, there is a whole world of blue food out there that I haven't discovered yet, I've decided to stop searching.

It's been very rewarding but it takes up too much time. Time I don't have at the moment. It does not mean that this feature won't come back, nor does it mean it will. Be that as it may, I've made this one last edition to go out with a party.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN INTRODUCING THE PARTY CAKE

I obviously had a little trouble with the whipped cream and sugar cherries.

Bon appetit!

Lovefilm

About a month ago a friend and dear colleague from the office I used to work at mentioned an online dvd rental service. It was called Lovefilm. I had seen the name before but obviously with my mind living in the gutter I thought it was something naughty. She told me that she'd be able to get me a 1 month free trial (and she'd get a gift) if I wanted it.

At first I wasn't sure because you never know with these services and well I like to own movies. Still it was free the first month so what was the harm in that? I signed up, and got 2 dvds really quickly and it turns out the service is really really good. One thing it's done is helped me buy less movies and watch more. Expand my horizon as I have rented some movies I would have never picked out if I were to buy them. All for the bargain price of £15 per month. My free trial just ended Friday. I think it's a bargain. Day 1 they send you two dvds. Day 2 you watch them and return them in a prepaid envelope. Day 3 you get an email confirming that they received them. Day 4 they send you the next batch. It's brilliant. You don't have to go to Blockbuster to return them before 5pm. Keep them as long as you want, you just won't get the next 2 before the first two have been returned.

So I've had the pleasure of watching 8 movies so far plus I got 2 new ones yesterday in the mail. Since this is an ongoing thing I thought I'd make this a new feature. A weekly update of the movies I've watched. What I thought of them and all that. It'll pop up when you least expect it. Still here is the first edition of Lovefilm.


The first movie I watched was Keeping Mum. I'd seen a preview for this on TV back when it was ready for the cinema but since it never really did anything at the box office here I couldn't find anyone to go watch it with me. So it wasn't until I was searching the Lovefilm database I found it.

The movie is about a priest/vicar who is very into his work. His family is falling apart. Wife having an affair, daughter shagging about with the likes of which you wouldn't want your daughter shagging around with, and the son is getting bullied because his dad is a priest/vicar.

Truth be told I am not a big fan of Rowan Atkinson and Patrick Swayze has gotten really old. The main reason I picked it out was because of the plot and Maggie Smith. I just adore Maggie Smith.
The movie is engaging, funny, sweet and I really liked it. Even if Rowan Atkinson does strike me as a bit annoying.


The next movie Infamous was something completely different. It's based on a true story. Another movie I couldn't find anyone to go watch it with. It stars my all time favorite actress Sandra Bullock. Not because she's so amazingly talented. She is very talented but because she's got something that so many other actresses don't have. She's likable, she's nice and down to earth. She doesn't take herself too serious.

Well the movie is about Truman Capote who takes his dear friend Harper Lee with him to a small town so he can write a story about a horrible murder that took place. On his journey he meets Daniel Craig (James Bond has nothing on him here) and other.

This is not usually my kind of movie. Mostly because it's based on a true story. Movies like that give me the creeps. Also the way Toby Jones (Truman Capote) speaks and the fact that the first thing you see when the credits come up is Gwyneth Paltrow doesn't make me jump with glee. Still I ended up really liking this movie. A must see. The fact that Sandra Bullock was not nominated for this movie, and that the movie was generally overlooked at the Academy Awards is a crime.

The Producers is again something else entirely. The musical has been running on Broadway and in the London west end for years so we know the story. Producers want to make a really poor play so the play will tank and they can run away with a lot of cash. It just happens that the play is a huge success.

It has song, it has dancing, it has comedy, Uma Thurman and Nathan Lane. What's not to like? Well, apart from Matthew Broderick ? I don't know, I just didn't like it. In fact I fell asleep watching. A good 30 minutes and I didn't bother going back and watching what I had missed.

Truely a disappointment because I thought I would love this movie. It was funny in places though and the music was good. I usually like musicals.



Staying in the comedy aisle but taking it a bit further I went with Epic Movie next. You know, I love a good spoof. Scary Movie was wonderfully hilarious and I thought this would be too. I was right.

It mixed movies like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (don't really want to see that), Snakes on a Plane (another one I don't want to see), Nacho Libre (never seen that either), Narnia (the first one), Pirates of the Caribbean and many more. Even though I had only watched a few of the movies referenced (or butchered, your choice) I still got it. I laughed like I hadn't done in a long time. It was just so really funny.

Jayma Mays is hilarious in it, and she is now completely forgiven for getting between Betty and Henry on Ugly Betty.

If you like spoofs, then you'll love this one.


This movie Because I Said So is a total chick flick. It just happens that I like chick flicks. I read about this on the Lovefilm website and noticed that Lauren Graham of Gilmore Girls was in it. So naturally I had to watch it. Even if she's not in it a lot.

The story is all about Mandy Moore and her mother (in the movie) Diane Keaton. Mandy Moore is single, and working hard on their catering company. Diane Keaton had raised 3 daughters on her own. Can't remember what happend to the father. The girls agreed that she'd not done a fantastic job and she was way too involved in their lives. Still Diane Keaton then goes on a mission to fix up Mandy Moore with a guy. Then of course there is another guy and you know where this is heading.

I absolutely loved this movie. Mandy Moore is very likable in this, and Diane Keaton isn't wearing gloves. Lauren Graham is wonderful in the movie. Story is nice and the acting good. Definately worth a watch. Ask your girlfriends over and watch this movie with bottles of wine.


The next movie is a remake. I haven't watched the old Hairspray but I though it was essential to watch the new one. Hairspray is set in Baltimore in 1962 and Tracy Turnblad wants to be on the Corny Collins show dancing. It has a huge line of A-list Hollywood actors including but not limited to Michelle Pfeiffer and John Travolta.

I mention Michelle Pfeiffer because I absolutely adore her. She can be the biggest bitch (or witch) and I still love her. The reason why I mention John Travolta is because he makes one ugly woman. Yikes! But he matches his husband Christopher Walken in looks. They are the ugliest onscreen couple of the decade.

It has Michelle Pfeiffer, dancing, music, Queen Latifah and James Marsden. What's not to love. "BALTIMORE, BALTIMORE....."



It's pretty lucky that I've liked all the movies (except The Producers). It's a pretty good statistic. Ladies in Lavender is no exception. I'd never heard of this and only came across it because I did a search for Maggie Smith. Her and Dame Judi Dench are great together. So I thought I'd give it a shot.

You'd think it was boring as it's about two old sisters living alone in a house in the outskirts of Cornwall with a housekeeper that comes by every day to clean and fix dinner. Had it just been that, it may have become dull but then a young handsome polish boy washes up on the beach after a storm and their world is never the same again.

Maggie Smith on her own is fantastic but paired with Judy Dench it's magic. The young polish boy is devastatingly handsome and the story is very engaging. Even if it's not a movie with a lot of action and furious arguements. A quiet movie. A delightful movie.


From quiet to insane, here comes Lucky Number Slevin. An old colleague of mine had mentioned it being weird, odd but not entirely unpleasant. That was curious so I had to give it a go.

It stars Josh Hartnett (HOT!), Lucy Liu, Bruce Willis and a whole parade of other very famous actors. I don't want to tell you about the plot because I will ruin it for you.

All I will say is to each their own and this was not for me. I just didn't get what was so good about it. If anyone thought it was good, but I now know what my colleague meant. Hmmm. I didn't like it. Still that doesn't mean you shouldn't watch it because it is very weird.

Saturday night totty

Bookie

I was tagged by Tara for this book meme. So here goes.

1. Pick up the nearest book
   
   The book that's closest to me on my desk is an old favorite of mine. A Density of Souls by Christopher Rice. I've been raving about it for what seems like forever. I took it out because I'm looking for a book to read and thought maybe I'd want a good cry. I don't. Still here it is on my desk next to me.
   
2. Open to page 123
   
   Done!
   
3. Find the 5th sentence
   
   Elise had tripped on the wording."
   
4. Post the next three sentences
   
   "Found someone" - did Monica think her son was that desperate? Five years earlier, Elise had considered homosexuals as tragically misguided; two men having sex together was a horrifying thought. Two men together had no control.
   
5. Tag five people, and acknowledge who tagged you
   
   I will not tag anyone. I'll let you do this by choice, but what a fabulous choice it would be. It's a great meme so get going everyone and please let me know if you've done it. It would be lovely if you did this one MJ. Also a very special thanks again to Tara who tagged me.

Frantic Friday

Today is iPhone day. Not just here, but in most of the world with the launch of the new iPhone 3G model. It's so exciting. The atmosphere in Denmark borders hysteria as this new 3G wonder is the first we've ever seen of the iPhone on these shores. It's a little much though, it is afterall just an Apple product.

I knew there would be excitement about the iPhone and I thought I was prepared. I mean a launch party in the city centre would satisfy the fanatics and that would be the end of it. So I had planned my day carefully. Leave at 2pm so I could snag one on the way home and hurrah! iPhone goodness!
I still wasn't worried as I walked by the Telia store at the central train station this morning at 8am. 10 fanatics in line, oh well. When I checked the Telia webshop later and it was severely lagging I didn't think much of it. Could be anything right?

So at 2pm I left work, took a bus to a mall I've never been to before because who drives to the sticks to get an iPhone at 2pm on a Friday? Well, I arrived at the mall. Spent a good 15 minutes locating the shop and could see there was no line. I almost skipped/ran to the shop feeling the excitement I haven't felt since I was about 8 and got the TV-studio for my Barbie dolls. There was nobody in the shop. No line at all. Yay!

Then I was met by a rather cute looking assistant who on closer inspection was completely cross eyed. He informed me that sadly the iPhone was sold out. When asked if he thought they might have it in the city he chuckled a little and said "I doubt so". I frowned, glared at him for a bit and declined signing a waitlist. IT'S A PHONE FOR GODS SAKE! IT'S NOT A BALENCIAGA BAG!

Well off I went to the rest of the Telia shops in Copenhagen, where I got the same treatment. How many iPhones did they have in each shop, 10? I mean really, this is insane. So I got home, logged onto their webshop and the 16GB version is sold out. Both the black and the white model. You can't even order the next available one.

What really gets me is this. The 16GB model costs approx. £200 plus you need to tie yourself to Telia for 6 months paying £60 each month for a shoddy (at best) contract and people are lining the streets to get it. It's absolutely insane. Nothing less.

I partly wanted the iPhone because it was pretty expensive compared to other phones and that would mean that not a lot of people bought it. Now that I have to practically beg them to take my £200 plus hand over £60 each month for 6 months to use it, I'm not so sure I want it. Well I do, almost more than ever. But that's neither here nor there, right?

The answer's on a postcard

I'd like to say thank you to the fabulous (yet filthy) MJ for the lovely postcard I got in the mail on Monday. Actually I have already sent her an email but I thought I'd share with you our MJs massive artistic talents.

Front:



And back:



How about that! Here I was thinking I'd get a postcard with moxen (tee-hee!)

Book challenge

At the beginning of the year I decided I would read one book per month, at least, this year. It has been a challenge for me to do that though. Taking time out of my busy day to read proved to be quite a challenge. I do read going to and from work but that's not enough to be sure I'll finish on time. You see, I read quite slowly. I taste the words, look at how the sentences are constructed and the style of writing.

I would say I also pondered the topics of the books I'm reading. Deep as the would be. Sadly enough the books I read are not very high brow. Quite the contrary actually. Still I like it, reading. I have been missing out on a lot by not reading. The thing is, I live in my own little world where not a lot of people and news from the outside are allowed in. My drunken aunt always said I was in my own little world, just skipping by on my own oblivious to whatever went on outside of it. Maybe that's why I discovered that I like reading so much. Because I get a touch of something from the outside yet still it's all fine and dandy. Plus I don't have to stare at, or converse with any of those horrible common people on the train.

So, here are the books I've read so far.

Atlantis Found by Clive Cussler. I liked this book a lot actually as it was a good action adventure book. I liked the idea and although the main character Dirk Pitt didn't appeal to me at first he sort of grew on me.

Clive Cussler has a horrible sense of style and I have a feeling he thinks wearing flannel is posh. It took me aback that anyone could be so clueless. That being said, the tired old plot was pretty exciting and I didn't find a dull moment.

Whenever I find something I like I keep at it until it gets tired and boring. So naturally the next book I read, Sahara was also written by Clive Cussler.

It wasn't nearly as good as Atlantis Found and I found the beginning really dull. Then I noticed that I already knew the story as I have the movie Sahara on DVD. It's based on that book. How disappointing, especially as the casting of the movie was so appalling when you take the book into consideration. Still the book ended up being different from the movie and that was a good thing. I ended up liking it. Even if I didn't love it.

If it ain't broken, don't fix it. So Trojan Odyssey by Clive Cussler was next. Still same main characters with some surprise additions of course.

This was much better than Sahara and I have to say, even if it isn't revolutionary in any way it was a good read. I was fully entertained and that was exactly what I was going for.

Very nice plot twists. Still very appalling sense of style.

My. My. Another Clive Cussler book. You may ask, "doesn't he ever get tired of Mr. Cussler and his appalling sense of style?". The answer is "yes". I did. This book, although a fine read was not at all a book I would ever read again.

A little boring, the story straight out of some horrible B movie and I actually struggled finishing it.

Less descriptions of clothes though. That was a plus. The scary thing though is that you get used to Dirk Pitt, the main character, wearing awful outfits and the author describing them. Especially because you can sort of sense how proud he feels of himself describing something he thinks is very nice.

Next up I took the advice of the fabulous Miss Dinah (she may say nothing, but I like that nothing very much) in one of her Canada posts.

She mentioned Will Fergusons Beauty Tips from Moose Jaw and so I joined Will Ferguson on his highly amusing trips around Canada and loved every second of it.

In fact I read this book in less than a week. You could say I got obsessed to the point where I would be at work just wishing to be on the train on my way home reading.

There was especially a fabulous reference to James Bond in one of the chapters. Oh I laughed. Out loud. For a long time.

After having one successful experience with a book that the fabulous Miss Dinah had suggested on her blog I decided to try another one.

Bitter is the New Black Confessions of a Condescending, Egomaniacal, Self-Centered Smartass, Or, Why You Should Never Carry a Prada Bag to the Unemployment Office by Jen (don't call me Jennifer) Lancaster. It sounded exactly like my kind of book and it was.

I nodded, smiled and indentified myself with it for much of it. Although I still think she got a little soft by the end. Those dogs were the end of hardcore Jen. Or was that in the sequel? Jen is my kind of girl.

So yes, another Jen Lancaster book. This one with the fabulous title: Bright Lights, Big Ass: A Self-Indulgent, Surly, Ex-Sorority Girl's Guide to Why It Often Sucks in the City, or Who Are These Idiots and Why Do They All Live Next Door to Me?

How can you not love a title like that? Also mentioned by the fabulous Miss Dinah.

The same bitchy style of the other Jen Lancaster book but I found her to become a little more mellow and down to earth. Still I loved every word of it and I just didn't want it to end. I almost went into a depression when it finished.

On all the other books I'd at least read something about. Either the blurb on the back cover or someone mentioned them on their blog. Clicking her Heels by Lucy Hepburn was solely bought because of the cover. How can you not want to read that book?

It has stilettos, gold and pink stars on the cover and the author is named Hepburn. How can you go wrong? The answer is, you can't. This is chicklit at it's best or corniest. Basically a girl named Amy gets dumped by her boyfriend who sells ALL her designer shoes (including her late mothers ballerina slippers) on ebay because of a misunderstanding. Amy then goes on a quest around the world to recover them.

It then becomes more of a journey of self discovery than retrieving her shoes. A real, the wind from one door closing, opens another. Corny, sweet and loads of shoes. Yes, yes, yes. Also quite amusing.

That is my list of books so far. I'm a little proud of myself.

The naked race

We are interrupting todays Can't get blue Monday out of my head segment, to bring you news from this years Roskilde Festival. You know, the festival in Denmark where people go to use porta pottys, do drugs, not shower, listen to the occasional band playing and have uncomfortable sex in tents.

Apparently they also have an annual naked race.

Go here to view it.

Would you be up for that kind of thing Timothy?

To paper towel or not to paper towel?

This blog just keeps getting more and more exciting. First an entry about milk, now paper towels, where will it end! Or more importantly, when will it end?

Yesterday I was just going about my day and then by reflex reached out for a roll of paper towels because I'd been careless enough to spill some milk. Don't worry I didn't cry or anything, I only got a little misty eyed. This made me wonder who the heck had bought paper towels. Really, I can't for the life of me remember when I bought paper towels.

I grew up in a house with lots of paper towels, everywhere you went there would be paper towels and you'd hear "grab some paper towels for that" and I learned just how much you can't live without them.
Then I moved out on my own and one of the first things I bought was paper towels. Because "you just can't keep a household without paper towels" and then I learned the true value of money and stopped. They just weren't worth it to be honest. My mother frowned upon my choice and thought it downright wrong not to have paper towels in the house. Still I insisted I'd much rather spend the little money I had on more important stuff. Like going out, champagne, cocktails or other fabulous things such as a £60 vinyl record.

Then I moved here and decided to invite my parents over to stay for a while. I was working every day anyway.. How bad could it be? Ahem, you have no idea, but that's another entry entirely and I may have to write it for the therapeutic reasons alone. Well in the wake of their departure I found my kitchen completely rearranged and a pack of 6 rolls of paper towels. What are those for, I asked my mother immediately after discovering them. She replied "for emergencies". Still the only time I've used them was this once cleaning up the milk, and they were quite handy.

My question is this, why is it even necessary with paper towels? Just use a dishcloth I say. I know I'm hardly known for my environmentally friendly attitude but this is one way I'm helping the environment I suppose. Just remember if you wiped up milk you need to rinse it REALLY thoroughly otherwise it'll be really disgusting. Back to the paper towels though. Why would you want to waste your money on it? Especially when it's such a two-fer or maybe even more-fer. One, you save money and two, you are helping the environment and maybe you are even saving the rainforest.

Did you think about that? You may be saving the rainforest if you don't use paper towels. Ok, this is provided paper towels were made from trees from the rainforest which they may very well not be. I don't know, I'm not a member of the tree hugging society. They could very well just have used rainforest trees for your new special wooden flooring or my parents rubber tree kitchen. Or maybe they don't have rubber trees in the rainforest or there are rainforest safe rubber trees or rainforest safe paper towels, much like dolphin safe tuna, I don't know. Still, I wonder.

In any case, the damage is done. I've got paper towels so I might as well use them. Do you, or why do you use paper towels?

Congratulations!

I thought I'd do a congratulations to our Kylie as she received an OBE or Order of the British Empire yesterday. This is a very prestigious award that HRH the Queen gives out every year. The list was announced in late last year and yesterday was the day to receive it.

Now first of all you are all (the ones who don't know about this obviously) think that you show up for the ceremony, pose with it and then go home waiting for it to arrive at your door. Much like the Academy Awards, Grammys etc. This is not the case, this one is for keeps! You get it, box and everything.

Kylie took a day out of touring and showed up at Buckingham Palace with her sister Dannii, mother Carol, dad Ron and her manager Terry Blamey. She wore a white (there is much debate about it being white or cream) satin dress with sparkly stars in different colours by Yves St. Laurent and gold high heeled sandals.

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Sorry to interrupt here, but how do you get into Buckingham Palace when having an appointment, do you just go and knock on the door. Ask a guard to tell HRH the Queen that you have an appointment??

End of rant
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To celebrate this special occasion I've decided to show you her day, as it would have been, in this little post. So here goes....

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF KYLIE MINOGUE

Ok. I skipped ahead of the brunch and meltdown over which couture dress to wear


Majordomos: Hello there, how do you do Miss Minogue
Kylie: Hello, I'm so pleased to meet you.
Carol: He's not HRH Prince Charles
Kylie: I know he isn't. I've met Charles more than 3 times already.
Ron: Look at how lovely the red carpet is.
Carol: Don't say a word!
Kylie: Oy! Hush you. It's my day.


Prince Charles: Here you go Miss Minogue. I've been begging ma'am to put you on the list for years.
Kylie: Thank you, I'm so chuffed and nervous.
Prince Charles: Don't be nervous dear, I'll tell you a secret. I get turned on by Camillas horsey features. You know how I like animals.
Kylie: Um....!?!


Kylie: Let's zoom in, everything is much better in closeup anyway and it'll end the awkward conversation.
Prince Charles: Good idea. Although my bald spot is more visible now. Let me just get this...
Kylie: Thank you so much. I'm so chuffed.


Kylie: Look at my OBE. HAH! all you naysayers didn't think I'd amount to anything. Look how far I've come since big hair and earrings.


Kylie: Ok, last photo I can't hold this smile forever you know.


Kylie: Come on everyone! "Your disco, your disco, your disco needs YOU!...."


Kylie: See, I can still smile, oh and look at my OBE dears.


Kylie: Yeah, you know what? I got an OBE today! See!


Kylie: I got an OBE today! *giggles*


Kylie: Love to you all.


Kylie: Ok Britney watch and learn deary.


Kylie: See how easy and graceful it can be.


Kylie: I like that song, turn it up! Oh and Britters, see how even in the car it's still possible to keep your knickers (or lack of) out of sight.

Congratulations on the OBE Kylie!