Rantings

more animals

It's a week today since I was in hospital having my impacted wisdom tooth removed. Well, true to form I got an infection didn't I? I was in a lot of pain over the weekend, so on Monday morning I went to my dentist and he flushed the socket, packed it and started me on a week's course of antibiotics. I've felt generally unwell since I had the tooth out, but today I appear to have turned a corner. A couple of days of medication and I'm already starting to feel a bit better. Except for one of the sutures which is bugging me. It's obviously causing irritation because the tissue around it is inflamed and painful, but that's nothing compared to what I've put up with since last Wednesday. But, you know, it grinds you down. I've had some pretty horrible painful surgical procedures inflicted on me over the years, and to be honest I'd rather go through all of that again than have my bloody jaw bone drilled into to get tooth out in several pieces. Abdominal surgery? Pah! Piece of cake!

Hospital yesterday. Wisdom tooth. Cut gum. Drilled bone of jaw. Tooth had to be removed in about 4 bits. Face swollen. Hurts to talk. Need painkillers. And chocolate pudding. Kthxbai.

I've just been to Somerfields up the road from where I work to get me lunch. While I was there pondering whether to buy a vegetable samosa from the chilled cabinet, I spotted these:




Notice Roast Flavour Chicken and the picture of what look like twiglets. I was intrigued and decided to give them a try. When I opened the packet, these were inside:



Not what I would call food. Mummified toes, perhaps, but certainly not food. Food looks like food. Meat. Fresh fruit and vegetables. Not toes. Urgh!

I tasted one. Then wished I hadn't. I doesn't taste at all like chicken. In fact it doesn't taste quite like anything I've ever eaten before.

I'm sorry, Mattesson's, but this just doesn't do it for me.

Via Pinksy

It was a pleasant evening last night, so we decided to get the Cobb oven out - besides, we had just had a delivery of Cobblestones and were dying to try them out. I won't go into exactly what we had to eat, except to say that I am rather chuffed in that some of the produce was home grown. I've never grown my own veggies before, so it was a real sense of achievement for me. And delicious, too.

Next year I will definitely be extending my vegetable patch so that we can grow more variety.

I had a few days to recover now from the play, and looking back I am glad it's over, though I enjoyed it immensely. I do think we took on quite a task without realising it several months ago when we voted for Pygmalion as our mid-year play and I'll be the first to say it is not an easy play to learn, even if we are only amateurs. There doesn't seem to be any logical flow to each character's dialogue which makes it very easy to get lost half way through. This happened a few times, but everyone else was brilliant and kept the flow going like they were pros. Tomorrow I believe we will be having the post mortem, so it will be interesting to see what that brings.

Next show: The Christmas pantomime! Yay!

Before you ask, yes I took some photos and shall be taking more this evening. I only have about half an hour to compose this, so I shall try to be quick, as I have to zoom off to the Arts Centre shortly.

Thursday's performance was ok-ish. It would have been tons better if there hadn't been a bus trip of 20-odd biddies from the local old folks home. Not that I have anything against old biddies, bless them, but they apparently had been told by their carers that they were coming to see My Fair Lady and could have a good old singalong to the songs. I shouldn't have been surprised when they old dears started talking amongst themselves in rather loud voices. It was rather offputting, and my poor dad (playing Alfred Dolittle) got lost halfway through a particularly long bit of dialogue, tried to recover himself a couple of times, then froze up and said 'shit' on stage!

Last night was marginally better. At least we had a much better audience who laughed in all the right places. But I forgot my lines last night! LOL Thankfully, they were only a few words I forgot and Matt and John rallied to help me out and keep the flow going. I must must must do better tonight!

After this evening's performance we shall be toodling along to the wrap party, so no photos for you until tomorrow, I'm afraid. And I shall be watching Doctor Who (which I will have recorded from tonight's airing) before I do anything with photos, so you will just have to wait. :-) I have my priorities after all.

Right, I have to go and make sure all my stuff is in the boot of the car before I leave.

Toodle pip, dwarlings! Mwah! Mwah!

Well, it's 10 minutes past midnight and I have just finished the coat for my Mrs Higgins costume. While working, Mr Lisa has helped me go through my lines a few times. I think I just about have Act V off pat now, I just need to revise where I am to be on stage and at which points. Tomorrow we have the final read-through, then we are On stage on Thursday. Oh heck!

I know I promised to post photos but I think it would be better if I post pictures of us all properly dressed up in the green room before the show, so check back!

Wanna come and see it? It's on at the Washington Arts Centre Thursday, Friday and Saturday of this week!

More information here.

Well, that was the last rehearsal I will be attending till next week. Am I nervous? OF COURSE I BLOODY WELL AM!

I am now about to relieve the stress symptoms with a bottle or two of beer.

more cat pictures

The jacket is almost finished as is the skirt (although I didn't make the jacket, but I will be hemming the sleeves and doing the buttonholes).

Pictures to follow tomorrow. Maybe.

Today is going to be busy. We are popping out very shortly to get some plants for the garden, and while Mr Lisa is busy digging out back, I will be attempting to quickly run up the skirt which is part of my costume for the mid year play. Ooooo, it's getting close! And as I still don't know my lines properly I have to rehearse too. If I have time I will also be making a jacket to match the skirt. The blouse is finished. Watch this space as I may be posting pictures of my handiwork soon.

more cat pictures




more cat pictures

more cat pictures

My mam and big sis took me out shopping yesterday. My parents are going to China next week and they are going to be away for my birthday, so yesterday was a birthday present shopping day. Mam bought me a pair of Doc Marten high heeled sandals and sis bought me a pair of purple metallic Doc Marten eight-eyelet boots. Very nice they are too.

But before that, we went to a restaurant on High Bridge in Newcastle called Flatbread Cafe which was yummy and quite an experience. I ordered a bottle of Cannabia Hemp Lager which was quite tasty, and the food was all served in little dishes and no cutlery was provided - you just have to pick the food up using chunks of flatbread which is served warm to your table. The menu features dishes from all over Asia, such as China, India, Malaysia, Thailand, etc, and everything we ordered was utterly scrumlicious, so get yourself along there!

http://revjph.blogspot.com/2008/04/devil-behind-eyes.html

OK, the truth about the weekend. It wasn't so fantastic for me.

Firstly I have a virus which is making me tired and achy with a slightly upset stomach and mouth ulcers, so that put a bit of a damper on things to start with.

Secondly, I've been thinking too much. Before you laugh let me explain. I am a thinker. Always have been. Sometimes this has been overwhelming and when it gets out of hand it almost always makes me feel sad. That is until something inside me clicks and tells me it's time to start writing it all down, because that helps me to put all of my thoughts in order and make some sense of it all, then I feel a million times better.

So, I'm writing it all down, and I'm making no secret about what I write as I feel complete transparency is important.

There are those people who just get on. They don't have to try, they simply function in the world, like they are a piece of a great big jigsaw. Then there are those of us who feel like the spare piece that doesn't seem to fit in anywhere.

I am one of the latter. I know I am not alone, either, so some of you reading this will understand.

Ever since I can remember, I had difficulty relating to people. I would say something which to me seemed perfectly reasonable but I'd end up with my mother or someone else jumping down my throat for being rude or annoying. I always seemed to say the wrong thing. Or do the wrong thing. Or waffle on too much. Or whatever. It was the same at school. I was laughed at for being the gawky one with glasses, then it was for being the brainbox. Without trying I seemed to naturally learn stuff easily like I was a sponge and I was bullied for that.

Eventually I learned that it was safest not to say or do anything at all. I became wallpaper. I didn't want to be noticed. The world was a hostile place and I didn't know who to survive in it. I began to play truant from school. I wouldn't go out with my classmates when they met after school. I stayed in my bedroom and read, or drew pictures, played music or whatever.

The attitudes of the other girls at school used to fascinate me. They used to talk about clothes and makeup and boys, which to me seemed so completely boring and superficial I used to try to work out why they did it. They'd backstab each other, and bitch about "her in class J2", and I used to think "Why do they say those things? What is the point? What do they get out of it? What are they feeling to make those words come out of their mouths?"

In the end I decided I'd probably never know. But this inability to understand people hurt me badly. Without being able to analyse it, I grew up simply feeling inadequate. An underachiever. I was afraid to have an opinion, to voice a thought, to behave in a way which felt comfortable to me, and I grew into an adult who lived under the constant stress of having to observe people intently in order to tailor my own behaviour to make me fit in. I tried to be uber-polite and it made me weak.

I am now living proof that nobody can live their life like that indefinitely. I became clinically depressed but tried to continue to function the way I always had and in my early thirties I had a complete breakdown. I was suicidal. I began to behave in completely weird and abnormal ways. I had become detached from reality in a way that I guess would be diagnosed as a psychosis. I was prescribed drugs, counselling, and whatever else was available on the NHS but nothing had a lasting effect.

That is until I met N. N is the psychotherapist who completely turned my life around. Very early on in my therapy he advised me to stop taking my drugs, and this was a major breakthrough. It wasn't until then that I realised that years of taking them only took the edge off my angst by numbing my brain and stopping me from actually thinking about things. Suddenly I was able to think clearly and with his expert guidance I was able to explore my own experiences and emotions and begin to make sense of them. He made me realise that, in fact there is a place for everybody, and that it would be just as valid to argue that it is everybody else who simply don't understand me.

This came as a complete revelation to me and was a significant milestone in my life. As you can probably guess, some of these major mental breakthroughs were very recent, and I feel as though certain patterns are shifting and rearranging themselves in my head.

So, to everyone who was there: I apologise to you all for getting suddenly drunk and blabbing about all the stuff that had been consuming my thoughts, it wasn't really appropriate pub talk. You know what I am talking about. If you don't, you weren't there. And I now know why I've been feeling so down all weekend.

To Sarah: who once told me that there are no 'normal' and 'abnormal' people, but that there are 'ordinary' and 'extraordinary' people. And there is a quiet pride in being extraordinary. Thank you.

To Graham: Maybe I don't get it, but every day I battle low self confidence and low self esteem. I just need a bit of encouragement.

To Tori: For allowing me to feel like a person rather than a weirdo and enabling me to give 'it' a name in public and to talk about Asperger's without me feeling like I need to keep 'it' secret.

To Julie: For being a calming influence and making me think sensibly.

To Ian: For being there to support and care for me. I love you.

We all have bad times. This was one of mine.

On Saturday morning there was a dedication to Sophie Lancaster, the young woman who was kicked to death by young thugs because of the way she was dressed last year. It was held at the bench that was installed last year, and I was expecting a small personal affair, but when we got there, there were literally hundreds of people there. Ade Varney gave a beautiful gentle speech, and then Sophie's mum, Sylvia Lancaster said a few words.



There were television cameras there I couldn't really get very close, so I just waited patiently for it to finish and for everyone to place their flowers on the bench and table in front, and then I took a couple of snaps to remember it. Mr Varney had painted a lovely picture of Sophie. I'm not very good at expressing myself, but I can say that I was quite touched by the whole thing.





Of course, today the boys were sentenced for her murder, and I think we're all pretty pleased with their sentences. Let us hope that this sets a precedent and any other narrow minded bigots following their story will take heed.

Yes, we had a good time, thanks. It involved lobsters ...












... cyberlox and pvc ...










... chicken jambalaya and champagne ...












... and future gay icons (aka my husband, Mr Lisa)!















So, yes, we had a grand time, thanks!

Amazing news from the BBC!

see more crazy cat pics

My dog is the only one I know that hockles. (For a Geordie translation of hockle, ask me!)

... courtesy of Phil ...




Aladdin And The Magic Lamp Panto

Via Of Course I Could Be Wrong ...

Oh no it isn't!!

Hello there boys and girls. Are you having a good time?!

Ahem. Sorry. Ok, I suppose I really should put my thoughts down about this whole panto thing if only for my own personal use as I will no doubt have forgotten the whole experience this time next year, most probably because I will be already involved in some way with WTGs next pantomime production.

Well. Last week was ... stressful to say the least. Not only because I was extremely nervous and didn't believe that I would be able to remember my lines but I also had some personal issues which made coping all the more difficult. This was my first ever appearance on stage and I was scared beyond belief. Add to that the pressure of making sure I was in the right place at the right time with the right props and saying the right things and I was a gibbering mess. Dry mouth, weak knees, heart thumping, the lot. Then there was this other issue in which I am not going into detail, and I just wanted to scream at a certain someone.

Anyway, I coped. Someone told me a couple of weeks ago of a friend of his who used to throw up before every performance, but reckoned that the payoff was worth it ... the buzz he felt when the audience clapped and cheered as the curtain went down. Imagine how disappointed I was last week when all I felt was relief that it was all over. Three performances in one weekend, and I felt completely mentally and physically exhausted.

So, after 5 days to digest all that had happened during that time and I was resolved to make sure I was not going to get stressed before the show. After all, the first three performances went ok, so I just had to convince myself that it would be a breeze this weekend. Not as easy as it sounds.

Still, I had my cue notes more organised than the week before and I really found it easier to get into the character. My props were in order and I was ready to go. And I must say it went well. Everyone acted brilliantly, especially the four main characters (Genie Djinn, Carpet, Aladdin and Abanaza [boo, hiss]) who I thought were just perfect, they made the whole show thoroughly entertaining. After all, you need more than a great script to make a great show. It also helps if you have a great audience, and yesterday's matinee was a pure joy to hearthe children cheering and shouting and booing and hissing in all the right places.

And did I get that buzz I was hoping for? You bet I did. I was on a total high last night. So, while Mr Lisa sent our buddies from the audience into the bar and helped clean up the auditorium for me, I got changed quickly, put on a bit of makeup and did my hair and off out we went to Rock with Ramrod's first rock night of the year, to catch the last couple of hours. I danced my socks off and feel thoroughly worn out this morning, but I haven't laughed and danced and enjoyed myself so much in a long time.

Unfortunately, I now need some painkillers for my oomehead that's coming on, but I suppose that's the price we pay for having a good time. :-)

It would appear that Will Smith has become a Scientologist.

I'm too tired and stressed to even think of a witty comment, so I shall leave that pleasure to you, my reader(s).

Via Pinksy

Eeek!

Only 4 days away. The pantomime. I'm nervous to say the least. Very nervous. I have had only one complete run through on Thursday, then one more this Thursday after which I am expected to know all my cues, the song, the dance, etc, and after that we go on stage for real Friday night.

Oh [insert deity of preference here]!!

Saturday and Sunday we did a bit of promotion with a board and handing out flyers, the second day in full costume, which was fun. Hopefully we'll get a few more in the audience through that.

----------

Now then. Whitby.

At the New Year celebrations I mentioned that I had had a pretty horrible hen night. I mean we went out for a meal, the service at the restaurant was not very good, everyone was miserable, some people left early and I ended up picking up the tab for them, and we were home by about 10:30pm. :-( Pretty shit really.

So, while me and the gang were in Shambles, somebody (don't know who, think it was a group thing) decided I should have another hen night at Whitby Gothic Weekend in April. Involving pink glittery cowboy hats to which Tori offered to attach some cyberlox or provide said lox for me to do my own stuff. Heh!!

Where to obtain pink glittery cowboy hats? Well, I've found sets of 10 on eBay quite reasonably, so I'll probably get them from there.

Anybody else got gimmicky ideas to add to the overall effect? All suggestions welcome.

Wow!

What a great weekend! Started it with Friday night at Persecution in Stockton, followed by All About New Year's Eve in Whitby for four nights to see the New Year in.

A truly wonderful time spent with good friends in a wonderful town having a fabulous time celebrating the end of the old year and the start of the new.

Many thanks to everyone who helped make me feel like 'somebody' instead of 'nobody' (especially to Sarah who really does understand).

Big hugs to Tori and Andy (what a nice bloke!), Sarah, Rick the Vic (aka Richard), Ian, Bugle Boy (aka Spike/Graham/Mayhem750 *delete as appropriate), Geoff, Graham and Sandra & Rachel.

And to finish the whole thing off, Ian sets fire to the oven while trying to make bacon sandwiches for our breakfast, for which he will never be allowed to forget. His signature song is now 'Firestarter' and he will henceforth be known as Burnie.

Other new nickanmes coined over the past four days are Rick the Vic and Bugle Boy. I will let them choose whether they want to explain those ones!! LOL

moar funny pictures

I'm stressed. Really stressed. Christmas does that to me.

You see, unlike most women (!!) I don't do multi-tasking. My brain is simply not wired up for that. I can only concentrate on one thing at a time and when I do I become completely engrossed in it until the job is finished. I can't concentrate in a room full of people or even with the radio on as even the slightest distraction makes it impossible for me to focus. Sometimes, if a task is linked up with other tasks I feel overwhelmed by it all and my stress levels go through the roof. My head feels like it's about to explode and I end up running away from it. This can apply to something very simple like housework. I can feel bogged down by everything that needs to be done and end up doing very little. It's like wading through treacle. Everything gets mixed up in my head and I can't pick one thing out at a time, it's like I don't have some necessary filter I need to ignore everything else. This makes it difficult for me in social situations, which is why I'm always the quiet one when there's a group conversation happening. I've always been like this but I used to cope ok until a few years ago when I was diagnosed with depression/anxiety. Several years on, several different antidepressants and a few years of psychotherapy later, and I've never regained that mechanism. Even though I am no longer depressed, I'm still surrounded by a bomb site which to me is a representation of how my life has fallen apart and I've never been able to pick up the pieces.

So, hopefully you can understand why Christmas becomes such a challenge for me. Too many things to think about and coordinate. Right now I just want to scream.

Last night it all became too much for me. Something went wrong with the dinner plans and caused friction between Mr Lisa and me, and I got in the car and drove to my sister's house. I didn't even go to talk, just being in a calm environment with sister hugs and kitty hugs on tap was all I needed. But the whole thing has left me feeling really, really low. I don't even think I can bring myself to go to theatre group rehearsals tonight (sorry guys). I feel like a sub-standard human being who will never be good enough for Mr Lisa and who can't even function properly in the world and that is quite devastating.

So I think today is going to be a day of misery, chocolate, Christmas shopping after work, more chocolate, followed by hot chocolate tonight accompanied by whinging about how fat I am due to overconsumption of chocolate.

So there.

At least the gallery for October 2007. I've half done October 2006. I'll finish it probably tomorrow. Then more galleries to come.

http://wgwmemories.moonfruit.com/

Anyway, sorry for the delay, but let's face it, if you were that desperate to see photos you'd have gone off and googled someone else's galleries as there are loads of them out there!!

Watch out for more pictures being uploaded.

It hasn't stopped raining for two days. The sky is almost black. It looks like we are in a perpetual twilight. I wear long skirts so going out means I get totally sodden round my ankles. Methinks platform boots are in order. That way I can walk on water. [guffaw]

I've still not done the Whitby report, mainly on account of the fact that I've been putting together a dedicated photo gallery site as I now have too many photos from all of the WGW's I've been to along with holiday and convention piccies, to name just a few. I anticipate having it finished anytime between this evening and Friday!! Depends on how much time I can devote to it.

Anyway, this weekend is going to be a busy one as far my social life goes. Friday night is Persecution night, and this Saturday plays host to the once a month cricket club do with Rock With Ramrod.

I forgot my cousin's birthday on Sunday. I have to post a belated card today and then it's her daughter's birthday next Sunday. Must remember to get a card for her as well.

Today has been a tiring day, not because of hard work, but from the sheer emotional strain that funerals and saying goodbye to loved ones seems to bring.

The service was lovely. Just as my uncle would have wanted it. So, that's it. Closure. Finality (is that even a word?). One day he was in our lives full of love and life, and suddenly he's gone, and there's a big empty space inside and at this moment I don't know how to fill it or even what to fill it with. I need sleep. I always need sleep when I've had an emotional time, it just seems to leave me feeling exhausted.

So, the plan for tomorrow: write the Whitby report and post the link to the photo album.

I'll miss you, Uncle George. I love you.

Ok, Whitby is well and truly over, but I have been rather tardy in getting those pictures uploaded and a report written. After three late nights plus the clocks going back an hour I seem to be suffering from an out-of-kilter body clock and have been too damned tired to do anything.

Still, I had planned on updating my blog this evening, but it will have to wait a bit longer.

Today I received a phone call from my mother to say there had been a terrible accident and my uncle (my dad's brother) had just died. It appears he fell out of the loft while storing stuff. He was as fit as a fiddle. Everyone is just in such shock. My dad has now lost both of his parents and both of his brothers. His brothers were both younger than him ... it isn't supposed to happen that way, surely?! I can't help but feel so angry. He was such a good bloke, a loving father. Didn't suffer from any illnesses. Strong as an ox. And then this happens. He has left behind a wife, three grown up children and a couple of grandchildren.

Right now I need a whisky. And a good cry. And an early night. The Whitby report can wait.

Right, I'm off to Whitby. I will not be back until Monday. Hang in there for the photos and a full report. As two of my friends who are going are Whitby virgins, this should be fun, if only to see the looks of utter astonishment on their faces. Yay!

I can't help but feel a mixture of anger and despair. This is nothing short of persecution by backward narrow minded bigots who still think that sexuality and sexual identity is purely personal choice. My heart breaks to think of all the innocent people who have been put to death for simply being.

Turbulent Cleric: The cost of being lesbian, bay, bisexual or transgendered

via Of Course I Could Be Wrong

I like taking these tests because they are always wrong about me!! Hehe! This is not like me at all, yet I was truthful in my answers! [guffaw] Of course I wouldn't mind being like this at all, but I'm not unfortunately.

You are Strength

Courage, strength, fortitude. Power not arrested in the act of judgement, but passing on to further action, sometimes obstinacy.

This is a card of courage and energy. It represents both the Lion's hot, roaring energy, and the Maiden's steadfast will. The innocent Maiden is unafraid, undaunted, and indomitable. In some cards she opens the lion's mouth, in others she shuts it. Either way, she proves that inner strength is more powerful than raw physical strength. That forces can be controlled and used to score a victory is very close to the message of the Chariot, which might be why, in some decks, it is Justice that is card 8 instead of Strength. With strength you can control not only the situation, but yourself. It is a card about anger and impulse management, about creative answers, leadership and maintaining one's personal honor. It can also stand for a steadfast friend.

What Tarot Card are You?
Take the Test to Find Out.

I haven't posted in a while because there hasn't been much to say. I'm always too tired lately to post anything, because I've taken to partying at weekends, which is probably not a sensible or respectable way to behave at my age. However, Whitby Gothic Weekend is on the horizon and I will be reporting on it in due course. Watch this space as I intend to publish a lot of photos to my blog which should keep you all happy for all of five minutes.

coolpic.swf (application/x-shockwave-flash Object)

Perlbox.org

I'm intrigued as it seems to be a bit different to most other speech recognition software. Wondering if anyone else has used it and can comment.

I intend to have a go sometime over the coming week. I'll let you know how I get on.

linesuperfollow.swf (application/x-shockwave-flash Object)

I've been playing with this for the past 10 minutes or so. I have no idea why it's so compelling.

Somebody's out to get us

TOKYOMANGO: Condom Fashion Show in China

via Of Course I Could Be Wrong...

Yes, yes, I know what you're thinking ... where are the children? Am I right? Well let me tell you matey, you don't need kids around to do childish things, you just have to let go of your inhibitions every now and then. Eeee, we had fun. After I had recovered from the dizziness caused by hyperventilation we I drove home. LOL

What a weekend!! I am utterly shattered!

Friday night we went to see Neil's band play at the Art's Centre (it was also Kate's birthday). Drinking, late nights, etc.

Saturday, Neil's wedding (another Neil) evening reception, made our escape (there is only so much Agadoo and Birdy Song one can take before losing the will to live) and went to Legends night club (metal/rock/goth/emo/you-name-it) - drinking, dancing, even later night ... got home around 4 am.

Tonight, went to see Hayseed Dixie at the Academy. Drinking, dancing, singing, generally having a bloody fantastic time.

Home. Feeling totally shagged. Need. Sleep. Legs ache. Feet ache.

I'm getting way too old for all of this.

Your Friday Music: Harptallica

Woah! That's like ... surreal! I need to sit down.

Research on bread indicates that:

1. More than 98 percent of convicted felons are bread users.
2. Fully HALF of all children who grow up in bread-consuming households score below average on standardized tests.
3. In the 18th century, when virtually all bread was baked in the home, the average life expectancy was less than 50 years; infant mortality rates were unacceptably high; many women died in childbirth; and diseases such as typhoid, yellow fever, and influenza ravaged whole nations.
4. More than 90 percent of violent crimes are committed within 24 hours of eating bread.
5. Bread is made from a substance called "dough." It has been proven that as little as one pound of dough can be used to suffocate a mouse. The average American eats more bread than that in one month!
6. Primitive tribal societies that have no bread exhibit a low incidence of cancer, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's disease, and osteoporosis.
7. Bread has been proven to be addictive. Subjects deprived of bread and given only water to eat begged for bread after as little as two days.
8. Bread is often a "gateway" food item, leading the user to "harder" items such as butter, jelly, peanut butter, and even cold cuts.
9. Bread has been proven to absorb water. Since the human body is more than 90 percent water, it follows that eating bread could lead to your body being taken over by this absorptive food product, turning you into a soggy, gooey bread-pudding person.
10. Newborn babies can choke on bread.
11. Bread is baked at temperatures as high as 400 degrees Fahrenheit! That kind of heat can kill an adult in less than one minute.
12. Most American bread eaters are utterly unable to distinguish between significant scientific fact and meaningless statistical babbling.
    

1. No sale of bread to minors.
2. A nationwide "Just Say No To Toast" campaign, complete celebrity TV spots and bumper stickers.
3. A 300 percent federal tax on all bread to pay for all the societal ills we might associate with bread.
4. No animal or human images, nor any primary colors (which may appeal to children) may be used to promote bread usage.
5. The establishment of "Bread-free" zones around schools.
   

BBC NEWS | Scotland | North East/N Isles | Seagull becomes crisp shoplifter

Heh!

And here he is in action:

Theatre Group has been interesting of late. The past 3 weeks have been taken up with auditions and casting. Last Thursday we found out who had been cast and who had other production responsibilities. And yes, I got a part! Not a huge part, but I'm still chuffed for my first role. I play a policeman. Now, picture this ... Policeman 1 is well over 6 feet tall ... and then there's me. Policeman 2. Four feet 11 inches and almost as wide. The funny looking little sidekick. Put it this way, it's a pantomime, and if it gets a few laughs then I will have done my job. :-)

I'm also Head of Costumes which is a little scary, but I'm sure it will all come together. I posted a wanted notice on my local freecycle group on Friday evening and I've had a response already! I collect some donations on Monday so we'll see if there's anything suitable. If not for this time round then I can always stash it away for future productions. Ah ... remembered ... I can't collect on Monday as I have a wedding reception to go to ... wonder who that would be ... a couple from the group I seem to recall ... heh! Oh well, must email the fabric lady and let her know.

We went out to O'Neills Irish Bar in Durham last night to see a band - I think it was "Six Nowt" - but we didn't stay very long. Mr Lisa and I have both been poorly all week - since Monday morning.

So, am I the only one who thought that the BBC's coverage of Live Earth was absolute tripe? Am I the only one who thought that the inane drivellings of Corinne Bailey Ray could have been better replaced with the pre-recordings of bands from around the world? Why did they have to cut from some of the best performances in the UK to show these pre-recordings? I got the distinct impression that director didn't like heavy rock bands and just because he didn't want to watch it he didn't think anyone else in the UK should, too, so decided to cut to bloody Crowded House in Oz. Not that Crowded House are bad, mind you, but it was in Oz. How many people in the UK watched hoping to see Metallica, or Spinal Tap, only to be shown a bit of it? Those empty time filling interviews between sets would have been a much better opportunity in my opinion. I noticed that there were no cuts from Madonna to show events elsewhere in the world!

Well done, BBC. You bollocksed it up again.

pinksy » Blog Archive » Happy Hands Club

He he heh! Me being a geek, I just love this. Someone has way too much time on their hands (pun intended).

We to the cricket club again last night. Despite the bin bags at the window again, it turned out to be a very enjoyable night. I consquently have an ear worm in the form of Rammstein which simply won't go away. Also I think I must have drank a bit too much because I'm still staggering about a bit, which probably means a hangover will kick in around 2pm. I'm ashamed. I'm off to eat raw coffee ...

Had a letter from the hospital yesterday. It was telling me that I had an appointment today at 11:50am for another breast scan. Now, first of all I think that was a bit short notice, because not everybody would be able to take time of work just like that, mostly I was confused as I had had a letter from the consultant after I had surgery telling me that the histology showed the lump was totally benign (fibroadenoma) and therefore treatment was finished and no follow ups were required.

So I phoned them this morning to check and it turned out that there hadn't been any communitcation between the mammography unit and the consultant's secretary since before I had even had the op! Pah! Grumble-grumble-it-wouldn't-have-happened-back-in-my-day-etc-etc!

Ok, rant over. As you were, folks.

The meeting went pretty well. Everyone had only good things to say about the play and we all learned a lot from the experience. In general, I think everybody wishes we had been able to run the show for longer, as the Saturday night performance was so much more polished and professional and we could have made even further improvements.

From what I've learned from the experience, the only real difference between professional shows and amateur shows is that amateurs don't get paid, and in my opinion they probably have more of a challenge to achieve such good results as they have such limited resources to work with.

We also watched a read through of the opening acts of two pantomimes that WTG members had submitted for the Christmas show. We have to read through the full scripts and vote next week. We then begin working on the winner of the vote straight away as there are costumes to make/procure, sets to build, and lighting rigs to plan! Woo hoo! Bring it on!

It's only Tuesday, and already I'm excited about Thursday's meeting at Theatre Group. We're having the Post Mortem of the play we did at the weekend, Blue Remembered Hills by Dennis Potter. And as this is all new to me, I'm dying to know what the outcome is.

Our next show will be the Christmas pantomime, so I'm guessing that scripts will be brandished by everybody wanting to try their hand at directing. Not me, though. To new. To scary. Maybe in a few years time. :-)

I'm still really tired. Glands in me neck swollen. Feeling achey. Didn't sleep all that well last night, either. Bugger.

Found a couple of interesting and, frankly, scary articles on sleep deprivation.

Scientists Finding Out What Losing Sleep Does to a Body

The Effects of Sleep Deprivation on Brain and Behavior

I am definitely having that snooze when I get home!

I don't know what's wrong with me today. I am so tired. I had a good night's sleep and yet I feel physically and mentally exhausted. My muscles ache and I can't stop yawning. I really just want to lie down and sleep the day away.

But I can't. I have eleven parcels so far to package and post (eBay sales) and then I have my therapy session this afternoon in town. Think I'll have a snooze when I get home.

... I feel pretty rough today. I didn't have a drop of alcohol, and I made sure I drank plenty of water last night at the party, and yet I feel really rough.

I really need to get some proper sleep.

The final night was brilliant! What can I say? If I thought Friday's performance went well, it wasn't a patch on last night's. It was by far the best and everything went (almost) without a hitch. At the end, the cast came on for a final bow and called Kate, the director, up on stage. It was Kate's first time at directing and she did a brilliant job. Then us lot up in the light and sound room got a call to the stage, and all the rest of the Washington Theatre Group who weren't acting. Everyone was given a job, you see, including front of house, fire wardens, set designers/ builders, etc. It was nice for everyone to get recognition for their hard work as well, as none of it would be possible without them.

After the audience had left, Mr Lisa made a quick getaway and hid behind a pint of beer in the bar while we had a bit of a photoshoot, Peter made a lovely presentation of a framed poster from the production which we had all signed, and then all the sets had to be dismantled and put away and the stage cleaned up, etc.

Once all the hard work was over we went off to Cat's house for the celebrations. Had a great night, and came away feeling like the group are more family than anything. Such nice warm people, and I'm blessed to have been able to join the group. For the first time in my life I'm feeling like an empty space is being filled. (Ok, gushy moment over).

I'm shattered now. Got home around 3:45 am, so needless to say, I haven't been up and dressed for long! Just had my breakfast before I'm about to catch up on my email.

Last night's performance went extremely well, and although I noticed several mistakes I'm pretty sure the audience didn't notice. They laughed in all the right places, and they gave a round of applause at the end, so I don't think we can expect more than that. :-) We made a bit of a boob up in the lighting room when we forgot to switch the banks over from one scene to two, so than when we put the red and orange flickering lights on behind the barn to simulate fire, all the lights started flashing like we were in a disco. Amazingly, the audience seemed to think it was all part of the show. LOL

As Cat said after the performance, "It always comes together on the night", and it did because believe me I really was nervous that things were going to go horribly wrong and we would be refunding everyone their ticket and programme costs. But then, I do tend to be a bit of a pessimist at times.

So, one or two more tweaks to the way the lights are patched and tonight's performance should go without a hitch. The actors were brilliant, so well done to them all. Dennis Potter's plays are not always the easiest to do, but they pulled it off beautifully. The costumes and makeup was really effective, especially with the character Peter coming back with a shiner after a fight in a previous scene. Much thanks to Nigel for being so patient with a complete noob.

My mother and her friend will be coming to see the show tonight, and I'm hoping some other friends will too. Mr Lisa enjoyed it and I think he's coming along tonight as well. After the show we will be going to Cat's house for the wrap party. :-) Woo Hoo!

I'm getting nervous. Some of you may already know that several months ago I joined the Washington Theatre Group - an amateur dramatics group based at Washington Arts Centre.

Tonight will be the first performance for me. I'm not acting this time around, but have been given the role of assistant lighting and sound technician. It's pretty scary to say the least. I mean, we didn't even finish the tech last week and last night we had to blag it as we did a straight run through dress rehearsal, but all in all it turned out ok. I just wish my stomach would settle. I'm finding it very nerve racking to say the least.

We're putting on a production of Dennis Potter's "Blue Remembered Hills". Set in 1943 the story centres around a group of seven year old children who are all played by adults. It is quite a dark tale of children playing innocently, but whose innocence comes crashing down in a most catastrophic way.

Needless to say, I will be rushing home after work to make sure I have my script with lighting cues, etc all straight and legible, eat a hastily prepared meal, then I will be rushing off to get there around 6pm to make sure everything is set up and working for the performance beginning at 7:30pm.

I have only one word to say right now ... Yeeaarrgh!

Go and visit the blog of Dave the Sod and watch the March of the Emperor.

All I can say is "Heh!"

I made this template last night. Have previously used free templates from Caz, but wanted to try my hand at making my own.

I'm quite pleased with this for a first attempt. I think it may stay for a while.

I will be spending a little time playing around with my blog layout this evening, so apologies if it becomes unusable for a while.

Hang in there folks, I will return!

Received these in my email this morning, and I thought they deserved a special airing. Enjoy!

Unfortunately, I have no way of knowing who owns them or where they came from. If they're yours, please drop me a line and I'll remove them and replace them with a link to your website.

Mr Lisa has just pointed me to this review from the same venue.

Well, last night was the final night of the bank holiday, so we went out again, this time to see a band that a couple of friends of ours are in. I have to say they are one of the best local club bands I know of, and I'm not just saying that because they're friends. If you get the chance to see them, don't miss out on the opportunity ... you will not regret it. I have seen them many times and they always put on a really good performance.