Wednesday, February 28, 2007

Mills

In a week where I've felt quite gloomy (thanks Stockport weather) it made me smile today when a flip thing i did earlier in the week turned up again in the office banter.

We have a part time temp receptionist called Dean at the moment and i had a deadline on Monday so i called him up to ask him to hold my calls until lunchtime. While making the call it occurred to me it was a very 'boss' thing to do so i asked him his surname before i made my request just so that i could say 'Mills, hold my calls' in a silly 'boss' voice.

so far, so irrelevant right?

well my colleagues didn't think so. in fact they thought it so funny that all requests for Dean on reception now start 'Mills...'

and i overheard one today and it made me smile.

even though i feel fat and irrelevant today, Mills and his new nickname made me smile.

life's a funny ol' game eh?!

An Inconvenient Truth

Oh my god. I am easily depressed when i read about the terrible exploits of human beans but this award winning documentary from Al Gore has made me quite gloomy!

It actually has an upbeat message - we can make a difference. we can get out of this greenhouse we've built for ourselves. but while you've got global warming deniers in power we're f**ked!

if you haven't seen it, please promise you'll watch it.
and tell all your friends to watch it.
because the man puts forward a very good argument and i want everyone to do as he says!

evil flourishes while good men stand by and do nothing. or something like that. is global warming evil? of course it is. when it's middle aged white folk in the richest country on the planet making decisions that will make the poorest of the world homeless.

there's a really interesting slide that shows how the planet will look when the sea levels rise 20 feet if the ice caps melt. and i don't reckon immigration laws will stand up if there are millions of people looking for a new place to live cos their entire city/ country/ island sank!

my man says anything a politician has to say smells of bias for one reason or another. Gore explains how he came to be an environmentalist - i guess to answer questions like my man's - and as a girl who owned a book called The Young Person's Guide To saving The Planet at 16, i can see where he's coming from.

we have to vote with our feet. only buy green and only vote green.

i hope he runs for president in 2008. he wants to save the planet!

Monday, February 26, 2007

Harrison Buttery

My friend Rob from work had a baby this weekend, well his wife Louise did anyway!

It's been a topic of conversation for us during the 7 months I've been working at my current job and I feel like I know little Harrison already! His name is a clever nod to Star Wars and a more obvious nod to Harrison Ford.

I already know of a small boy called Harrison, my last boss had a 7 year old called it but I thought of it more a Beatles thing then... Rob said the couple next door to them in the maternity ward where thinking of Harrison too! Where has this come from?

I suppose it's an easy thing to think about, possible offsprings names. Even tho parenthood is a long way off* me and my man discussed Frank as a boy's name since it was his Grandad's name and I really like it. Then my friend Louise finds out she's having a baby boy in May and they're calling it... you've guessed it; Frank! Must be something in the water. No matter how much he wants to we're not callign anyone Kylie - except maybe a pet. A pet can be Kylie.

I had fish called Starsky and Hutch while at University. They both died. So I replaced them with a big gold one but didn't name it since I figured names meant emotional attachement and he'd probably bite it the following week.

Yep, he lived for years - longer than my stay at University and I gave him to my next door neighbour/ landlady's daughter Rachel cos i was off to the big city to make a living and had no time for fish... I wonder if he's still alive! He used to watch daytime TV with me, play dead with his belly on the surface of the bowl waiting for you to tickle him... I eventually stopped calling him The Fish and called him Goldie after he'd lived thru a few months but I would've called him Elvis if i knew what a legend he was gonna be! haha

My mum named me after the character Jo in Little Women. She was a writer, a tomboy and cut her hair off to sell it for the family purse. Well, two out of three ain't bad eh?! haha and she says she named my bro David after the famous statue and he's never had any problems with the ladies so maybe there is something in a name after all!

So welcome to the world little Harrison! May the force be with you!


*If at all! My mum is gagging to be a granny and keeps eyeing my childbearing hips with a yearning look in her eye! haha, but frankly it can wait! looks way too painful and expensive to me!

Friday, February 23, 2007

Let them eat cake


I bought a Victoria Sponge at lunchtime for a nice Friday afternoon treat for the office.

And now I feel all bloated! Ruined! haha

I'm going the cinema tonight to see Hot Fuzz and I'm very exicted actually.
I resisted going to see it last week so I could go with my Manchester chums - tho the numbers aren't what I'd hoped there's 5 of us and the prospect of Disco Bowling afterwards so quite a Friday night in store!

Simon Pegg and Nick Frost were in an amazing sitcom called Spaced which I only really watched last year - the shame of it! I remember at University an old boyfriend saying how brilliant it was and I just ignored him as he has an obsessive nature so I figured it was just another thing for him to go on about. Maybe I found different things funny back then. I was only 22, what's do 22 year olds find funny?!

So then I saw Shaun of The Dead and it blew me away - Simon Pegg may actually be a comedy hero now. I heard him on Jonathan Ross last Saturday and he name dropped all the legends he's got in it like Edward Woodward of Wicker Man fame and Timothy Dalton of Flash Gordon fame! haha - can't wait to see it!!

Have a great weekend ya'll!









Wednesday, February 21, 2007

pancakes

i made pancakes for the first time yesterday. before i've sat idly by while others made me them, but it was pancake day and nobody had offered to make me any so i had to get my hands dirty!

well not that dirty - i just had to add an egg and some water to some batter mix i'd bought in tesco and whisk...

the first one was too thick but the first one is always the rubbish one. i added lemon. then i tried some honey. then i cracked open some chocolate and melted it into a folded one. then that was too sweet so i went back to lemon.

the problem with making pancakes for one is that you can't help but eat the hot one while you cook the next one which means dinner standing up in the kitchen. ruined. so i tried not eating them til i'd cooked them all and they went a bit cold. ruined again!

but i tossed them and everything!
let's eat pancakes all the time!
they're ace!
tasty and fun! haha

suicidal cyclists



sounds like a great name for a band doesn't it?
but no, it was my drive into work.
i am now over the initial tearful shock so i can relay to you my story of two lycra clad men trying to ruin my day.
as i approached the A560 this morning two cyclists were up ahead not single file in the cycle lane - no that would be too normal - riding side by side presumably talking about who looked better in their ridiculous lycra*
then on hearing a motor car behind them (me) made no move to cycle single file and so i tried to overtake. at this point the one on the right tried to cycle into the right lane and crashed into me.
what a c*ck.
so he falls of his bike and his mate comes over, busting for a fight, shouting at me 'what's the rush?!' nostrils a-flarin' at me - everything!
i apologised and explained that they'd been riding side by side taking up the road and hadn't indicated to let me know they were going right so i'd merely been trying to overtake. angry cyclist then told me cyclists 'couldn't' indicate as they'd lose control of their bikes!!!

well i haven't riden a bike in a long time but i am pretty certain that when being taught to ride a bike, green cross code, etc etc many moons ago that cyclists must indicate with their hands in order to stop them from being run over!

knocked over cyclist said he was ok - i apologised again - and then drove off muttering what idiots they were, 'who do they think they are?!', 'they don't own the road!', 'c*nts!' etc

then i started crying. crying while driving - they really have a lot to answer for!!

now i'm here telling you all about it. i was in the right. they were c*cks. any cctv will back me up. and we know Manchester likes it's cctv.

the lycra must make them feel invincible or something.
luckily they didn't damage my car.
what a start to the day...










*yes, i am feeling quite bitter about my run in with these ridiculouly dressed boys.

Monday, February 19, 2007

captain's log

Over the weekend my man treated me to some youtube nonsense. He likes youtube and has started making lots of his own brilliant videos you can see one of them here.

You can pretty much type anything into the search on youtube and get a good result! Among other things we searched for William Shatner and found this startling video:

Such a lot of love has gone into this production! Brilliant work.
I also heard his cover of Pulp's Common People again recently - still haven't got a copy of that piece of genius! My man also made me watch the Leonard Nimmoy Bilbo Baggins video but frankly he just wasn't as cool at the Shatner!

We saw Steve Hughes live on Saturday night in Sheffield's premier comedy venue. He rocked! Aussie guy based in Manchester with a very laid back style. And serious hair!
And i read lots of my new book Getting rid of Matthew by Jane Fallon which is quite unputdownable! haha, the highest compliment for a piece of chicklit surely?!

This weekend also saw some seriously nice chocolate chip cookies go down as comfort food for my stinking cold - but i'm fighting it on the beaches! o yes!
Vitamin C overdose a-go-go!

Than last night i went to see Russell Brand again with my friend Belle over in Liverpool - she was loving it. At the photo op afters he said she smelled nice. We'll never hear the end of it! But he is very scrummy...

This blog has become rather fragmented and while illustrates my weekend fully, is a bleak snapshot to my rather fractured mind today... over and out!

Saturday, February 17, 2007

Lovability 30

I bought my man Dog Top Trumps for valentines.

This is because we think dogs are brilliant.

But i had no idea how addictive Dog Top Trumps would be!

When i arrived in Sheffield on Friday we went for dinner. i handed over said gift and nick suggested we bust them open for a game straight away! i'd say a hit gift!

So while we waited to order, waited for food, waited for dessert, we played top trumps! I would've liked to of seen the faces of the people on the table next to us as they overheard stats like: rarity 3, lovabilty 30, height 65.5 haha
the waiter was impressed tho.

i can recommend them to anyone who enjoys a) dogs and b) silly retro games that don't need any 'special effects' haha

talking of which, when we got home nick treated me to a few hours playing The Biz - a mad spectrum game invented by Chris Sievey aka Frank Sidebottom, now available online. you try and make it to the top in the music industry but only with words - no pictures or graphics - nothing fancy!

you have to name your band, choose your musical direction, hire and fire your manager, get gigs, ect - its wicked!

ah, the internet. home of the obscure and the loved.

Thursday, February 15, 2007

ladies who lunch

today i went to a ladies networking lunch thing. even though i work with a sales team i am not the sales person and so ahven't been to anything like this before.

it was very similiar to your first day at school. stand around a bit shy wondering who to make friedns with. everyone seems to be laughing and chatting and getting on brilliantly except you. haha

i lingered next to a couple of chicks chatting and introduced myself when their conversation came to a natural pause, explaining my inexprience at these things, they were very nice and asked what i did and we had a nice chat. then when we sat for lunch i was sat next to another couple of nice ladies who we chatted to about business and life in general.

lots of italian food later it was time to get back to the office but while i wouldn't go monthly i certainly would like to go to more of these networking meetings because i like meeting different people who i wouldn't normally meet.

so i was officially a lady who lunches today! ace!

Wednesday, February 14, 2007

happy valentine's day


the international day for hearts and flowers, ah i'm a big softie me!

my boyf made me the cutest animation ever - i particularly loved the purple house he'd drawn in the background! i want a purple house!

the girls and boys in the office got various love tokens like roses, chocolates and heart shaped balloons.. what's not to love about the day of love?!

some people crow on about the commercialism of it all, but these are the heartless types who crow on about xmas and all the other times they have to part with cash on a bit of frivolity! haha

i'm offically doing valentines on Friday cos i don't get to see my man mid-week, spending this evening round a girl friends for dinner and the Brit Awards! excellent! i even bought my self a toblerone!

happy valentine's day wherever you are and how ever you choose to spend it! xxx

Tuesday, February 13, 2007

obesity isn't a disease

last night me and my man were on the front row for Ricky Gervais latest stand up tour FAME.

he was really poorly and had beer, benylin and throat spray on hand throughout the performance. he even got heckled by a guy shouting for him to drink some more benylin! haha

it was really good. and really cool to be so close. i did get a big of neck ache being so short but it was alright. Robin Ince did support and we're big fans of Robin and Ricky so it was a comedy fest for us! I've heard most of Robin's act tho so i enjoyed Ricky more. he does a load of material about the effects of fame. like how he didn't realise he was fat before he was famous and called a chubby funster! haha and how he found Dawn French calling him fat was a bit cheeky really! haha

especially the story about his rubbish bedsit in Kings Cross with his girlfriend Jane when he used to piss on the dishes in the sink in the night to avoid going to the shared bathroom downstairs. haha, she has suffered!

talking of Jane Fallon i bought her book at the weekend. she was the producer of This Life and is my friend Clare's cousin (its a west country thing). i didn't know she had a book out but the cover caught my eye while i was browsing. it's called 'Getting Rid of Matthew' and the synopsis on the back was really funny. so i bought it and i'll keep you posted as to whether it's any good once i've got round to reading it!

it was so mad seeing someone you've watched so much on the telly standing right in front of you! haha, and he's exactly the same. brilliant. go see him if you get the chance. i can't wait to watch it again on dvd...

hope his flu doesn't get worse bless him.

Monday, February 12, 2007

The Queen Romped It

I watched the Baftas last night and was very disappointed to see The Queen get best film.

How did that happen?!

the nominations were:
BABEL - Alejandro González Iñárritu/Jon Kilik/Steve Golin
THE DEPARTED - Brad Pitt/Brad Grey/Graham King
THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND - Andrea Calderwood/Lisa Bryer/Charles Steel
LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE - Albert Berger/David T Friendly/Ron Yerxa
THE QUEEN - Andy Harries/Christine Langan/Tracey Seaward

Sure Helen Mirren rocks it as Her Madge but 'Best Film'? it was a good TV movie at best! And that Tony Blair impersonator was well annoying! Little Miss Sunshine shoulda got it for sure. If you've not seen it try and watch it on dvd - it's sweet, funny, understated... a really pleasant surprise of a film!

Of course the Oscars are next up. Matey, Peter o Toole is it? is up for an Oscar for his performance as a lecherous old man in Venus. Nice. They don't give him one for Lawrence of Arabia but they'll give him one for this rubbish just cos he's on the way out - might be their last chance. I am tres diallusioned with the Oscars and their 'sympathy' wins or 'owed' wins. It means a rather rubbish film can get an Oscar on the back of an old coot being in it! Now i'm sure Peter O Toole deserved an Oscar during his career but it's so boring when they give it away to the old timer... Of course he may not even get it.

i do like movies tho. i am currently living next door to a cinema and my visits are weekly! we saw the chesse fest that is Music and Lyrics this weekend and i'm hoping to catch Dreamgirls soon haha, the very hotly awaited Hot Fuzz is out this weekend and i'm definitely going to see that before the week is out! haha

I'd like to thank my mother...

Thursday, February 08, 2007

let it snow let it snow let it snow

it snowed last night. a little bit. everywhere else in the country has buckets of snow but we have a dribble. typical. Manchester can never get the weather right!

but i think all these chilly temperatures has brought out some hibernation vibes cos i am tired all the time! doctors even have an abbreviation for this, TATT. apparently it's the most complained symtom in surgeries up and down the UK.

this is because people don't get enough sleep. most people catch up at the weekend and then feel cross like they've somehow wasted their days off. sleep is not a waste! it keeps you young! kylie said so! haha so it must be true!

if you went to sleep at 11 every night and then up at 7 you'd probs be ok - but most people get about 6/7 hours a night and this isn't enough. you should also get as much water down your neck as you can as most headaches are down to dehydration. Dr Jods that's me!

blimey this blog is a. really informative. and b. really boring! haha

i'm tired!!!!

another early night on the horizon...

Tuesday, February 06, 2007

the swines

i went to see Russell Brand live last night at the Manchester Opera House.

my friend screamed with delight as he talked about his most personal w*nking experiences and i chomped down on a bag of revels*

he is supported by his mate Trevor Lock who is really bad! Like seriously bad. Painful to watch as he limps off defeated bad. I guess this only makes the audience appreciate Russell more so it's a good move for him. He's on tour with his mate and he looks great! haha the swines! we have to watch that cr*p! haha

we waited to meet the love muscle after the show - he invited everyone into the foyer** to get a piccie and a kiss - he gave a pass word for aftershow naughtiness for the single girls in the audience but i am very happy with my own hilarious man so it never passed my lips! haha he was very pleasant though - he looked quite tired and i felt a bit sorry for him - he really does overtime waiting and meeting fans for hours after the gig - it must be a labour of love for him. he gets to meet lots of hot chicks after all! haha

he tried to give us some politics in between the c*ck jokes but the opera house wan't having it and seemed more interested in shouting out his catchphrases.

he did not, at any point, pull down his trousers and pants. hehe

*revels are brilliant. the element of surprise is somewhat ruined by the obvious malteser and chocolate button shapes tho haha and i've got choc raisins covered... revels are easy to crack man! haha

**the staff who had to work late were very unimpressed!

Monday, February 05, 2007

"i'm so glad they're good again"

this is what i overheard in the queue at Marks and Spencer's last week when i popped in to buy a teeshirt and a box of flapjacks*

the women in question were all over 40 and all very happy showing off their soon to be purchases.

"look at this - only £7"

but do they genuinely believe M&S is on the up and up or are they just spouting what they see on the TV news? I asked my mum and she said she thought M&S was better than it was in recent years.

working in my job i'm still unconvinced. i shop there - haven't noticed them improve much. i still like their flapjacks. i still go there for my undies. end of story.

recently a taxi driver repeated a radio station's strapline to me like it was just a point of fact.

advertising works folks.

i'm in a very cynical mood this week i'm afraid. no particular reason.

i'm not cynical makes good blog.