Festive Working

I don't mind working over Xmas... I have only actually had to work Xmas Day itself the one time, for lastminute.com in their call centre back in 1999 i guess, I dressed up as an angel including wings & wig and went my local pub first... Clearly back in 99 I had to express my creativity creatively!

Now that I work in the wonderful world of broadcasting working when other people are off is par for the course, bank holidays and the like doesn't mean the radio switches off, in fact people who never listened before might be tuned in while in the shed/ kitchen/ car etc so it's quite an opportunity... it's also a time when the usual lineup may change so you'll hear someone new on the airwaves while the regular talent takes a break...

As I started a new job back in October I thought best volunteer for the rubbish shifts, show willing ;) But oh man the earlies between Xmas and New Year? gah!

Since leaving the Smooth breakfast show I haven't had to wake up before 5am and frankly I haven't missed it one bit! haha I maintain it's plain unnatural! haha but working from 6 in Shropshire means leaving the house in Brum just before 5 which has meant an alarm at 4 for the back end of this week... This is my last one today tho and I'm back to usual shift from the 2nd, with a bank holiday off thrown in!

I suppose the only thing about having Xmas off is that chances are someone near and dear will also have time off and not since the summer school holidays have we had such synchronized time off, so I am considering having Xmas off next year, I had last year off, perhaps that's the way to go, one year on, one year off... I'm thinking California next Xmas, somewhere warm*

*I'm sure this is directly related to my heating being off for the Xmas duration this year :(( it's back working again tho now :))

Xmas Giftage

Ah giftage the reason we all love Christmas haha

My stepdad gave me USB record player which can convert my records to digital audio via my mac... oooooh! fancypants! I love the crackle of vinyl me, looking fwd to playing with that over the next few days...


I got some new nice smellies (Gucci Rush and Paul Smith Rose), some booze (Kahlua for White Russians mmmm) and some DVDs to while away the winter nights...

I think it's a shame that giftage has become so obligatory tho, I mean I definitely have bought my nearest and dearest pointless stuff because it's the thought that counts... but the thought in those cases was almost always 'oh gawd what shall i get this person, i have to get them SOMETHING or they'll think i don't love them anymore' haha and how is that a good state of affairs? sure it works for the shops selling meaningless tack but getting my stepdad a xmas jumper just so i can give him something seems a bit shallow... surely we should just get our nearest and dearest presents whenever they present themselves! no matter the time of year... i don't mean to be a scrooge - sure spend time with families at Chrimbo if you can, it's nice to hang out for a few days and remember what you like and don't like about folk haha, but i reckon the gift pressure ruins the seasonal spirit...

that said we all like to receive presents so perhaps this is why we insist on buying gifts for other... cos we want to get lots back! lol

Xmas telly

I don't really watch a lot of telly, I get into a few series and watch those... Since we gave up the PLUS box 6 mnths ago our tv consumption has relaxed and reduced dramatically... altho we just ordered a new one so perhaps it will go thru the roof again next week! lol

The only thing I've watched that's really stood out was When Harey Met Bob and the Live Aid doc that followed, it was a good yarn.. not sure about the casting tho, and Hart's padded suit loooked a bit daft..

One thing that you have to try and see if you haven't already is a comedy series called Modern Family... it describes itself as being a mockumentary about a dysfunctional family but seriously, is there any other kind? isn't a family by nature dysfunctional? haha but anyway this show is really laugh out loud funny, which is quite a rare pleasure... see it, do it!

Xmastime continues

Ok ok I slipped on the daily dose, but I had to travel to and from Liverpool so I have a decent excuse ;)

Whizzed up north for a flying visit to see my family and catch up with an old friend who now lives in Amsterdam... our festive drinkies are becoming quite the annual tradition with a hangover to match... we went on Pammy Watch as Ms Anderson is doing the big Liverpool panto along with Les Dennis and the yummy Mark Moraghan... we didn't catch the beautiful blonde but did manage to have a moment with MM which is a bit blurry due to the number of Guinness with Tia Maria I'd consumed by the time we bumped into him! I also have fuzzy memories of discovering the jukebox in the pub was on FREEPLAY - which is awesome always - and us dancing with a random local called Tony! oh god...


Hoping to catch Louie and The Hoff in panto in Wimbles next...

Xmas Blog 2

Boxing Day.

I woke up in my freezing cold home (heating out until Weds I believe) and did a little abs work out on my bedroom floor... this was a win win situ as not only did it help to work away some of the xmas naughtiness I been shoveling down my neck, but also increased blood flow and body temperature!

It definitely feels colder today, I guess the longer it goes since the heating was on last (Thursday night) the colder the walls get.. and the news on tv/ radio and all across the papers explaining this is the coldest christmas in 100 years does nothing to warm my cockles! Lol

So thermals on, snow boots donned, we hit B&Q to look for a portable radiator to help warm the house until Wednesday... And oooh the shops were so warm! And ahhh the car was so warm! And brrrr back in the house it's soooo cold!

But not too cold to blog dear! Lol

so on Xmas Eve* we started to listen to Marley's Not Dead on Radio4 because Richard Madeley had recommended it on Twitter (@richardm56), he had a bit part in it which was really very funny, and loads of other starlets were in it too.. it was really funny, so we just dropped into the iplayer this afternoon and listened to it in full - you can find it here

Then i tuned in to the Adam & Joe Xmas Special broadcast Xmas morning but faaar to early for me on a day off work (10am), and in fact I am one hour into 3 of this show and oh how lovely it is to have our old friends back on the radio... i explained to my dad the joy of being in BlackSquadron - or not depending on the weekend - of knowing what it was to shout Stephen randomly in a crowd - of singing along to the jingles and laughing out loud on the treadmill at the gym when listening to the podcast - they truly are the best i've ever heard on the radio ! they rock and amaze. and now they only do occasional specials because they've got bored of it! how painful and yet so awesome that they would acknowledge it before driving a much loved show into the ground! more kudos earned! (sigh)

food wise you'll be pleased to hear I've eaten lots of the good stuff again today.. mince pies, stollen, German cinnamon biscuits**, ginger choc biscuits and soon trifle! OMG***

But remember those sit ups earlier people! I earned my Xmas treats today! Plus extra cals for the cold surroundings right?! haha

*me and my dad, our Xmas guest hadn't arrived yet

**my FAVOURITE xmas treat, thankfully found in the local deli after the Lidl let me down!

***the 30 days sugar detoc starts Jan 1st people! Lol

The 12 Blogs of Xmas

I shall attempt to blog for 12 days on the trot to make up for my appalling neglect this last month!

It's Xmas Morn... I am waiting for my fella to come home from his overnight shift... the boiler is bust so there is no heat or hot water and it's a tropical -7 according to my iphone, i assure you that i can feel it in my fingers, toes.. and nose! Lol... i bought an electric heater (gawd help me when the leccy bill comes in) and the landlord brought over another couple and my friend K brought another over... so almost one for every room but no heating engineer visiting until the 29th ! that's a very cool yule people! quick put the oven on! haha

Today on the menu just a few of my favourite things: Popcorn, fruit toast, pizza, chocs, cake, cheese! And to drink? How about some Irish Cream and cocktails?! Wow I am gonna need that Boxing Day walk and then some! Lol

I will watch me something festive on the box, play some scrabble maybe, listen to my ever-growing collection of xmas albums* and try to remember to move around frequently so the blood keeps running...

I really don't give a hooping funt for Christmas, I always offer to work it cos if someone who really loved it had to work instead that would be silly... but time off and seeing family and friends is awesome and ANY excuse for a party baby and I'm there! Lol So I try not to be too humbug about it, plus i get to eat Christmas Pudding!

So may I bid you all a merry winter solstice/ xmas, may you hug and be hugged by someone you love today!

*Elvis/ Spector/ Jazz/ Tijuana/ Isaak/ Tunstall - seriously I love Xmas albums - why not recommend me your favourite?!

You have a favourite, right?! ;)

Are you ready for your close up?

In the Guardian newspaper every weekend they ask a celebrity or a person of public interest to answer 20 questions...

I love a good Q&A me, and for some time I've wanted to make an audio family & friends edition... because often we're all so busy with the business that is everyday life you don't get a chance to say to your nearest and dearest, 'hey, what do you think the key to happiness is?' right?!

To my shame I have been all talk and no recording so this idea is so far just that, an idea! lol I got excuses but I won't bore you with them ;)

Having said all that, now that I'm publicly shaming myself into getting on with it! This blog is my own kick up the bum, I did sent the Q&A to a few friends this week as a warning shot for what might be to come in the New Year when i get my sh*t together! haha

In the meantime I have decided to blog my own answers to the Q&A, because surely the rule is never ask someone something you haven't asked yourself!

so here goes...

What is your idea of perfect happiness?

listening to good music in good company (on a good hair day!)

What is your greatest fear?

tragically, failure. Although, you'll be pleased to hear i am making real efforts to face this fear head on for a showdown! hehe

With which historical figure do you most identify?

hmm... I'll have to think about this one*

Which living person do you most admire and why?

my mum, she has such beauty and balls, or gumption if you like... she just goes and gets what she wants! amazing... can't argue with that for a role model!

What vehicles do you own?

an 8yr old Fiat Punto with a roof rack - not very glamorous but it gets me there and back... one day I'll have something better looking parked outside, one day...

What has been your most embarrassing moment?

there are so many to choose from... haha

What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?

starting something but not finishing it... such a slacker!

What is the trait you most deplore in others?

people who can't say no, then let you down. just say you can't do the thing, don't make it worse by saying yes then not doing it! too disappointing!

What objects do you always carry with you?

my phone is somewhat of an extra limb these days...

Where would you like to live?

I think London for work, but Dorset/ Cornwall for seaside living...

What is your greatest extravagance?

Probably music, can't resist new CDs; guitar lessons are a must this year; love going to gigs...

What is your greatest regret?

not learning how to play the guitar from birth! seriously, how good a player would i be by now?!

What do you most dislike about your appearance?

likes the song goes "I wish I was a little bit taller" hehe, longer legs please!

What is your favourite smell?

i love that smells remind me of people and places, but i suppose my favourite smell would probably be my mum's perfume because it reminds me of her (JPG btw)

What is your favourite word?

cocktails? the question mark is rather essential too ;)

What is your favourite book?

the book you don't want to end, the book you buy for all of your friends because you loved it so much...

What is your favourite fantasy?

being a great guitarist, in a band, on the road... what a way to make a living ;)

What or who is the greatest love of your life?

Radio. It certainly seems to have taken up most of my time, energy and commitment for the last 15 years!

Do you believe in capital punishment?

I don't think evolution of our species is killing each other, we're capable of such great things thru co-operation and most crime is preventable...

How did you vote in the last election?

I agreed with Nick. And look where that got me! LibCons... ruined...

Have you ever said ‘I love you’ and not meant it?

No

For what cause would you die?

worldwide equality for women

How often do you have sex?

when i can

Which words or phrases do you most overuse?

i go thru phases but right now its easily OMG! haha, what can i say in my defence? I'm easily excited?!

What single thing would improve the quality of your life?

financial independence would allow me to pursue my dreams outside of chasing the rent

How do you relax?

play guitar, listen to music, put the world to rights with friends and family, cocktails...

What keeps you awake at night?

the streetlight outside of my bedroom.. grrr!

Do you believe in life after death?

i think one you're gone physically you're gone but your memory lives on with ideas you left behind

How would you like to be remembered?

as a great human being

How would you like to die?

i sometimes think it would be great to get to a stage in life, you've achieved everything you desire, you have a fab party with your nearest and dearest and then you say goodbye on your terms, but i don't think we're ever ready to say goodbye... it's not in human nature, so my answer is... in many many years from now!

What would your motto be?

trying to be good

What is the most important lesson life has taught you?

life is too short... and it's a small world... make the most of both of these and you'll be all right I reckon!

phew! that was hard work haha... oh and i reserve the right to change my mind about any of these answers! haha these are strictly answers circa winter 2010 ;)

* i'm thrown by this question... maybe i haven't done enough reading! eek!

hoarders anonymous

i been going thru some stuff in storage recently... it was fun! i found long lost clothes/ books/ photos/ trinkets... then mum says to me, hey missy, long term what are you gonna do with all this stuff? and i find i'm lost for an answer... i am clearly one of life's hoarders!

in front of me is a pile of unread newspapers and magazines.. let me make this clear, i WANT to read them all.. i just find the time to do so alludes me! but is that a reason to throw away a potentially enjoyable read? i think not! and yet piles of unread papers remind me of my step-dad's piles of newspapers that drove my mum mad! haha did i inherit this bad habit from him? or do we just want to absorb as much information as possible in life?

it's not made any easier - my hoarding habit that is - by the fact that i move house so often! i mean, it's abnormal! haha i have friends who long ago wrote my 'new address' in pencil in their address books because they'd already filled a page with crossed out addresses for me.. but i have blogged about my many moves before... how it relates here is, every time i move i'm confronted with all my 'stuff' haha.. at least if i stayed put i might just put it in the loft and forget about it! but why does it bring me any kind of comfort to have all this stuff... obv there is a lot of sentimental value and i'm a nostalgic bird for sure... but i think i seriously need to car boot most of it! i guess i think it will come in handy sometime... even tho as the years go by it fails to come in handy! haha

perhaps i should stick it all in a storage unit for a year and if i don't miss any of it, just get rid... how liberating/ horrifying that would be!

gone daddy gone

i have an absent father.

i have a very present step-dad who i love muchly, and even tho he and my glamorous mother parted ways in the 80s, he is the man i call dad... the man i will spend xmas day with and the man who potters in my garden when he visits... he is a lovely lovely man.

the problem i have is because my dad.01 has been absent for much of my life, i have always felt a lack of something... i worry sometimes that i have textbook daddy issues! haha i mean did i make bad choices in men because of this guy? i sure seemed to pick some unsuitable types when i was a young girl... but maybe all girls do this? did everyone have as steep a learning curve? or did i get a tough ride seeking unavailable men? i do believe that every action in life has a reaction, the ripple effect of this man sharp-exiting my life is surely considerable? i read in a magazine when just a teen (uh-oh!) that i was a rejection-junkie; a passive-aggressive commitment-phobe because of the rejection i experienced as a child... (yikes! that mag needed an age restriction...)

and yet, *grown up face* i do not care to know someone who doesn't care to know me... there's only so much rejection a girl can take!

it's an emotional merry-go-round that's for sure.

i think it's pretty shameful behaviour to leave a little girl (and a baby brother) to carry on in this big bad world without her daddy... but maybe he thought i'd be better off without him, low self-esteem sure has a lot to answer for in my life! and i had a very lovely granddad who stepped in to be the father figure before my mum got me dad.02 so don't feel too sorry for me folks, that's not the point of this scribbling at all!

what makes it all worse is the fact that somehow thru some sherlock holmes work by my little bro i was reunited with this man in the 90s... I was 22 i think... we exchanged numbers... we didn't keep in touch! i know that i was angry with him, hence my lack of effort... but i'm only human! i expected too much from this first meeting... i wanted him to explain why he hadn't been in my life for all that time... he didn't give me an answer, what answer could he give me? it's a painful memory... a missed opportunity... and now he is gone again :(

people in my life including my younger bro (the only other person who can relate to my situ direct) suggest it's his loss, why lose sleep over it, and i can buy that theory... i just don't feel it! it feels like unfinished business... i don't want to not know my dad! and yet i have a perfectly functioning step-dad thing going on... it's not about replacing him... it's about knowing the man who is responsible for my being here... i suppose i can choose to forget about him... perhaps its indicative of something else going on in my life that i feel this lack...

maybe i just think too much. actually i know that this to be the case! give myself headaches all the time. i should give myself a break! ;)

i worry that this is classic over-share... but i would welcome your thoughts if you have any on the subject...

New job: Day 8

HEY! So I got me a new job...

The good news is that it's working for a fantastic company... the bad news is that I now have 100 miles round trip commute to sunny Shrewsbury which includes my nemesis the M6*! Noooooooo!

Also I no longer have to rise with the milkman and wake up at 4am (words cannot describe my joy about this! Lol)

As a result I been pretty busy/ tired/ busy/ tired leaving no love for blog! Boo!

So I thought I'd pen a quick update and then hopefully it will be business as usual as soon as I've got my groove on at the new ship :D

I miss writing my nonsense! How else am I gonna remember stuff when I'm 80?! haha

Take care of yourself... aaaaand each other ;)





*The M6 (for non UK residents) is the WORST MOTORWAY EVER! Lol That is to say a cruel mistress that is the only main road from the Midlands to the North West of England and BOY does it get a lot of traffic... I avoid this bad boy if I can because everyday a lorry crashes into someone or something and the M6 becomes a car park! Add this to the "roadworks" that have been going on since the dawn of time (seriously, when is the finish date for this BS?!) and you're on a serious go-slow in life! And now I get to ride this b*tch everyday to and from work! Wooooo! Watch me at 20mph in the fast lane! Lol :(((

So long and thanks for all the fish...

Prologue Dec 2010: I wrote this entry at the end of September. I guess I forgot to finish it in the hubbub of finishing work, or perhaps I wasn't sure if I should publish it. Anyhow I just rediscovered it and thought I'd round it up and publish :)

Today is my last day at Smooth Radio... after almost 3 years of getting up at ridiculous o'clock to eat biscuits and make radio with Nick Piercey it's all over!

I am lucky enough to have found a new job... and when I say lucky, I truly mean it, the jobs market in radio is fierce since all the groups shed sackfuls of talented staff over the last 2 years...

Having faced unemployment over the last few weeks I have had a lot of time to reflect on what I might want to do should another radio gig not work out... I must say other than wannabe rock star I was at a loss as to what I'd do with myself!

At a recent (and successful) job interview they asked me what I'd like to be doing in 3/4 years time (that old chestnut!) and I said I'd like to be still making radio! I've been making radio since I was 15yrs old! (oh you really don't want to hear those tapes! Lol)

And even though I have worked in other jobs before I signed up to working in radio full time, and while I know that I would always find something to do that paid the bills, there are no words to express why I love working in radio so much... I think others who work in it would agree it feels a bit like a bug you've caught, almost impossible to shake off, regardless of job insecurity and terrible wages! Most of the people I have met working in this industry over the last 8 years have been so lovely... and all addicted to working in radio!

Epilogue: I am 9 weeks into my new job and it's going great.. i still love making radio and i still have high hopes to get to the almighty Radio2, altho will they appreciate it when i tell them i loved them before it was cool to do so! Lol I just had a conversation with a new radio recruit about how tough it is out there and he was shocked and appalled - oops! i told him hey you can get on in radio you just have to want it beyond any material things haha i think any industry that makes it near impossible for new blood to trickle in will die of old age and lack of fresh ideas.. not cool ! it seems that the bean counters have ruined another industry.. they always win! but on the flip side, because its so difficult we're left with a bunch of people who really want to be there and really love it - right?! ;)

Turn on, tune in and never quit!

my friend done a blog

about one of my favourite subjects too... cakes! :)

http://cupcakesetal.blogspot.com/

holding ya nerve

so i am facing a period of 'resting' as an actor might say.. yes, i shall soon be in between jobs!

it's been a while since i was a job seeker... almost 3 years ago i was almost unemployed when i moved to Brum but i managed to get a last minute reprieve and a job at Smooth Towers... so the last time i was out of work was about 2001 and that was only for a few months before i landed at Radio Juice* but i remember the boredom and lack of cash as the biggest problems... i signed up for free classes in 'stress management' and Microsoft Powerpoint just to get out of the house... but i had to count the pennies for busfare! my poor housemate would get home from work and i'd talk her head off cos i had been home alone all day! lol (she is a saint that girl) - this was before internet was as 'affordable' and cost per minute so at least come October I'll have Twitter and Facebook to keep me company! lol

having this break makes you inevitably take stock and seek advice from those around you... what to do next? my industry has taken quite a knock or three in the last couple of years and too many people for my liking are keen to push me to do something else! but i love doing what i do and it seems a bit previous to say i'll quit now cos the going got tough! lol i suppose in 6 months if i was still watching daytime TV and chatting on FB i might need to change direction in life, but to give up at the first hurdle seems... unseemly! certainly i hope i'm made of tougher stuff! but i suppose it means i'm thinking about what other stuff may fulfill me and earn me money should the situ arise...

you may recall i have a new electric guitar so mostly i'm looking fwd to lots of practice time! lol but infact maybe my geet is the new career on the horizon! the new roadie on the block ;) and my mum is gonna give me some insight into the sewing machine - i could be the next big name in shift dresses! lol it certainly is giving me plenty to think about.. 'know thyself' being the ultimate enlightenment... and yet navel gazing a little indulgent if left unchecked! lol

*bless them halcyon Brighton days!

Eating for England

I shall attempt today to eat only classic English fodder!

I have begun my quest with that traditional English brunch: Beans on toast... I can't properly explain how tasty and comforting it was! haha Perhaps it's simply belly nostalgia! I've been eating beans on toast for so long that now it seems like an old friend... it's cheap and cheerful... not too naughty... is good at any time of day... it's a bit of an easy feed too, so that's always going to help... open tin... tip beans into bowl... pop toast in toaster... nuke beans for 2 mins... butter up that toast... tip beans on toast season with black pepper... good times! haha (you can taste it can't you? you're gonna have it for your tea aren't you?!!)

So what for lunch? I have my eye on fish & chips* for tea! Perhaps egg & soldiers for lunch... don't really fancy eggs tho today... could do bangers & mash** but had some bangers on Tuesday and they weren't that nice... don't really do that sorta stuff anymore... ooh i know i should have a classic English sandwich for lunch, cucumber perhaps? in little triangles haha with afternoon tea and scones!

As much as i dream about living in another country I love my English creature comforts too much to be gone for long! I certainly hope that Kraft don't ruin Cadbury's, life would be less indeed if they were to turn Dairy Milk into anything that resembled American chocolate!

Mmm, maybe as part of Eating for England day I should have some classic English goodies too, chocolate digestives and a double decker for a treat anyone? Of course that would mean getting dressed and missing the end of Trisha...***

*sans fish obv

** veggie bangers obv ;)

***holidays are amazing! lol unemployment looks better every day!

London Calling

How much do I love our capital city? Well I was conceived there so I'm practically a Londoner ;)

On my most recent jaunt had the best time with my mate B.. we visited the Royal Academy of Arts and the Tate Modern* for a wee spot of culture..

then headed to see a surf garage band from Chester The Suns ** play The Borderline just off Charing Cross Road via Crobar for some cheeky happy hour Sambucas...

a good time was had by all.. you just can't beat Londinium for a weekend.. if you're a city girl like me anyways... maybe I'll move back there one day when I can face the rent prices hehe

*will post some pics here

** who were frickn awesome! fyi

White Out

Saw a fabulous exhibition by Todd White in Birmingham Mailbox yesterday... Never heard of him before but his PR guy assures me he is WELL famous! Lol

Turns out Todd was chief artist on Spongebob Squarepants! OMG! respect! and now he's Hollywood's favourite artist... well this ex is on until September at Three White Walls Gallery and he's flying in from LA to make a special appearance at the gallery in September too, can't be bad!

Wish I could move a brush like that across canvas... *sigh*

the joy of random

i have long come to the conclusion that if you watch out for it the joy of random can truly enhance your life experience... you just gotta know when to grab it!

today on the high street in Kings Heath i was popping to the bank and post office boring stuff.. then at the lights i saw a man wearing a bright yellow Hull City teeshirt, i smiled to myself as i know 2 very ardent HCFC supporters and i thought how unusual...

then i notice he was reading a book about an Italian singer/songwriter called Carmen Consoli

now when my mum lived in Rome in the late 90s and i visited as much as was practical i heard Carmen on MTV and bought a couple of her albums, she is in essence a guitar chick in Italian, sure i can't understand everything she sings but it sounds good anyway! lol

but a random guy in a Hull City top reading about her - in Italian i might add - curiosity just got the better of me!

"sorry, are you reading about Carmen Consoli?" he looks up from his book surprised by my outburst.. "it's just i own a couple of her albums and obviously she's only known in Italy.. so how come you know about her?"

turns out he also had lived in Italy, was studying for a MA in Italian Studies and Carmen Consoli was featuring in his dissertation! we walked and talked for a little while he explained all this and how she had an album out just last year and he travelled to Milan to see her live.. we then arrived at a grocers where i needed to get some broccoli.. he also needed the grocers so i asked his name (Noel) and said 'piacere, ciao'

such a wonderful random moment in life, no more no less... and reminded me about Carmen Consoli - hope you like!

Gay Paree How I Love Thee

So I been to Paris! For the first time ever! And I can't believe I've never been before!!! Argh!

Loved it so much! And all those French movies I've watched too, how could I not have hopped over the Channel to visit our nearest chic European city?!

The people were tres fabulous, the weather was scorchio and the sights were leg killing! Lol

Okay the checklist:

Saturday we* went up to Montmatre and walked up the massive incline to Basilique Sacre Coeur... listened to a string quartet busking up there, checked the view of the Parisian skyline.. went for dinner at Le Moulin de la Galette (complete with original windmill) and enjoyed a glass of vin rouge (say hello to my new friend Olivier the waiter if you get there!).. enjoyed some pastis at a bar before heading back to our apartment on Rue Saint Maur..

Sunday croissants and fresh baguette for breakfast! Then it was Louvre o'clock and a bit of face time with Mona, Venus et al (plus lots of getting lost - that place is seriously huge!)... Sunday night after a siesta and some gorgeous camembert and tomato homemade baguettes we headed for Lady Eiffel via the Arc Du Triomphe, me legs nearly dropped off from all the stairs but the view was fabulous and worth every step! lol We got a taxi home and met a nice man from Guinea who had been in Paris for 10yrs and loving it..

Monday we spent a few hours roaming the exhibits at the Pompidou Centre, my little mind was blown by seeing Dali/ Matisse/ Picasso up close and personal (which is more than you can say for Mona in her glass cabinet 6ft away!) then in the evening went to the Latin Qtr and ate at Le Jardin D'Ivy because it was recommended to me by my friend Belle.. very cool!

Tuesday me and the papa went shopping.. Dad really needed to see the brand new Apple Store on Rue Halevy - a converted bank with the vault doorway intact! I bought a fabalas French cover for my phone... then popped over to H&M and found a little red dress which is tres Ooh La La! haha

A ruddy marvellous time was had by all! Other notables were the French radio station I found that played Franco/ English pop and had the Autoglass ad in French! Awesome! And on the way in at passport control the chappie checking my papers saw my retro 80s sunnies hanging on my teeshirt and gestured for me to put them on.. I was confused at first but then realised what he was asking and he laughed when I posed in them and said I was cool! a tres bien beinvenue indeed!

Paris c'est magnifique!

Can't wait to get back!

See some of my Parisian pictures here

*Me and my dad :)

Bubblegum Masterclass

Recently at a friend's anniversary BBQ I met a couple of my their young kids aged 5 and 6 respectively... In my car I had a big bumper box of retro bubblegum... given to me by my mate CF and unlikely to get an airing until I thought of putting the two together! Turned out it was quite the though provoking combination...

Blowing bubbles with bubblegum isn't something you give much thought to as a 30-something young lady, but I realise now that at some point you had to learn to do it!

And so began a Sunday morning Bubblegum Masterclass in a kitchen in Somerset... it'd been a long while since my last bubblegum session but let me assure you it's like riding a bike hehe

The boys both chewed the pink retro gum til it was soft then tried to poke their tongue through... failing to find the strength, we resorted to a beginner's cheat... taking the softened gum out of our mouths and flattening into a mouth shaped piece, holding with fingers and sticking tongue in, then trying to position behind the teeth... then blowing without spitting the piece out again... mind blowing stuff! you take so many life skills for granted.. the playground is invaluable after all lol

after about a half hour we were beginning to get small beginner bubbles but i left them a large bag of bubblegum to practice with ;) when i visit again this summer I'm hoping to get a picture of them doing some serious bubbles!

I'm so proud to have been the one to pass on this great life skill to a couple of West Country boys haha, they'll always remember Aunty Jodester who 'talks funny' haha

Happy Canada Day!

A proper Canadian treat for y'all ;)

moving on

I moved house again this week.

Again I say cos let me tell you there's been a few... in fact I've more than likely talked of moving before on this blog!

But when you've lived in Liverpool (3 addresses)/ Basingstoke (2)/ London/ Cambridge (3)/ Kingston/ Brighton/ Sheffield/ Manchester (5)/ Birmingham (3 so far) it all adds up to a lifetime of boxes and people commenting on how many shoes you own!

We were at the last place for just shy of 2 years and probs would've stayed a bit longer (despite it being the coldest house in the world!!!) but the landlady wanted to sell up and now we're living in a much hipper part of town so...

I'll miss my nice neighbours tho, to the left was a lovely couple Craig & Sue and Craig proved invaluable for any handy man help... to the right were Stella & Pete... across the street John who knew about cars and helped me start my battery last winter.. and round the corner Bert the veg man reminded me why you should never buy supermarket produce - it tastes of nothing! been chilled to death!

a couple of people have said hello to us as we've been moving stuff into the new place, so hoping our new neighbours will be just as nice, but it's a shame you can't check before you commit! haha

so the next couple of weeks will be me unpacking and trying not to spend any money as i wait for the deposit to be returned*, boy moving is expensive!

then need to consider a house warming...




*the boyf has a crazy idea about this that involves him never getting a deposit returned... more money than sense clearly!

gimlet girl

It was my birthday this week! And if you know me, and I know you do ;) You'll know this means weeks of self loathing (why aren't i fluent in Italian/ joined a rock band/ found the meaning of life yet? etc etc) followed by my annual birthday cocktails!

a friend of mine* recently noting my liking for Vodka Lime and Soda, recommended i try a Vodka Gimlet! excitedly we tried to find one that very eve but i had to wait until I was at cocktail bar Nuvo in Brum Monday night for my first meeting with the Vodka/ Lime blend...

but OMG it is a tasty treat! Just look at it! so for my birthday i got a new favourite cocktail and a new favourite Beatles** record!

new fave Beatles you ask? well somehow by living on a B-side and never making an album Yes It Is had passed me by and yet is so easy on the ears i just love it... check them vowels! i have since discovered more unfamiliar B-sides and bootlegs (ah the internet is a wonderful place sometimes) and it's quite a treat!

*/** many thanks R

a proper boozer

Address: 119 Kensington Church Street, London, W8 7LN

this weekend while in London I found this great little traditional pub in Kensington... me and my rock & roll compadres enjoyed a few cheeky beers/ vodkas/ jacks in here and the staff were lovely if a little cheeky*

and you really can't give enough kudos to a pub that has a ladies loo like this one! Flowers in there, hand lotion, the business!

so i suggest youtake a trip over for a quick pint or three asap if you are that way inclined! :)

* the following night we met one of the bar staff rather worse for wear while at the Shepherd's Bush Empire!

Rock & Roll Makes My World Go Round

This weekend I enjoyed a bit of old fashioned Rock & Roll at the Shepherd's Bush Empire... Been watching the Chris Isaak band doing their thang for 19 years now so I know to expect a great night out - those boys can rock it good!

This track is one of my all time faves...

new old music

me and my man love a good music documentary we do...

the beeb are particularly good at making them and we seem to fill our digital recorder with these hour+ epics to enjoy on a rainy/ non rainy afternoon... and while watching these stories of music from yesteryear we think 'ooh we really should have more fleetwood mac/ ac/dc/ genesis etc" and a record store browse and buy sesh was organised because we are old and prefer a physical purchase rather than a 'download' - tsk such luddites hehe...

*** at this point may i just say that i had continued this blog and somehow google saw fit to log me out because i logged out of my email on a different account thereby deleting all my creative ramblings GRRRRR!***

we landed in HMV Bullring and had a few ideas of what we were looking for.. some solo early McCartney after listening to an old Fireman album and liking the guitars... some early Fleetwood Mac after my loving Oh Well... some Led Zepplin after reading of Pamela Des Barres exploits with the band... some Genesis because we love hearing I know what I like (In your wardrobe) on Planet Rock... the list continues but that will do for now, you get the gist of the situation.. this wasn't a list of people we'd no knowledge of, but stuff we felt deserved further investigation!

I worked in HMV many years ago on a Saturday in Basingstoke and absolutely loved being around music all day, before that I'd worked in some inde shops in Liverpool and was so pleased to be there... I can't say the same about the staff we met last week, but maybe music retail isn't as much fun as it used to be since digital took all the customers away...

But I digress... we came away with a veritable feast of listening pleasures including: AC/DC Back in Black, Genesis Selling England By The Pound, Paul McCartney & Wings Band On The Run, Jimmy Hendrix Are You Experienced, Led Zepplin Vol III, and a Fleetwood Mac album I can't remember the title of but features Oh Well... (Then Play On it is - I have recently listened to and loved!)

Absolutely loving AC/DC and Hendrix so it was a trip well spent, though haven't had a chance to listen to all in full - such is modern life and the demise of albums - who has time?! hehe

I am going to continue my education, I'm thinking some Talking Heads and Bob Dylan may be next on the list... and if you think I should hear an album just get in touch :)

Sound City

In Liverpool this weekend I happened across a live music festival called Sound City... loads of pubs/ bars/ venues got involved to put on a great 4 day-er of live music, lots of it free!

My favourites were local band The Mono LPs and French synth kids Curry & Coco which I've found a couple of clips of for you to enjoy :) I'm nice like that...







what do you think?

Roadtrip

Recently me and the other half hit the South West for a few days for a roadtrip...

We saw a documentary about the singer Donovan and he raved on about how cool and inspiring St Ives was when he was a young man and it had a very good review from my mum so I decided it had to be my next destination! Its a fair few miles to drive so a bit of a commitment but we arrived on a Monday at 4ish and stayed til Thursday afternoon so worth the effort..

We started in St Ives and were very pleased to happen upon an open mic night full of locals jamming to classic tunes (and a poet who everybody quickly tired of and talked over!) - what a great start to our little holiday, full of cider and cheered by friendly locals... we just about stumbled our way back to the hotel... the next day, after a short walk on Porthminster Beach we enjoyed breakfast overlooking the sea which warmed my soul, a city girl I may be but I was brought up by the river so water really does it for me haha

We went to have a look at the Tate St Ives and the exhibitions were closed for a refurb (of all the days in the year! ruined!) but we were able to have a peek thru doors and watch surfers on Porthmeor Beach from the roof terrace cafe... We made our way back thru the lovely cobbled streets and bought some postcards and fudge then headed off for Land's End and Sennen Cove...

Sennen Cove was a bit windy but beautiful blue and turquoise sea.. fabulous! It didn't occur to me that it was the Atlantic Ocean, but it is! How exotic! Then we stopped off at Land's End Aiport for a cuppa and the skinny on how to fly to the Scilly Isles the following day... The Airbus holds 8 passengers and is that small! We booked in... (more on this later!)

Then we had a look at Land's End, took a trip to Porthcurno Beach and the Minack Theatre and a quick half in a pub at Logan's Rock... for WOW factor definitely recommend Minack Theatre, they have shows from May to Sept too so I'll be going back! A theatre built into a cliff, just beggars belief how they managed it! It's featured in a film too, Love Story, altho they abandoned filming there when the weather got too bad and recreated it in a studio!

Then we found a place to stay in Sennen and ate dinner at the First and Last Inn in England! It had a smugglers tunnel on display and a gruesome story about an old landlady who got left on a pole on the beach and left to drown for being a part of a smuggler's ring! charming!

We flew to Scilly and the man totally bricked it! he isn't a traveller bless him and the plane was so small he clenched his fists the entire 15 minute journey... i did feel for him but i thought his refusal to fly home to the mainland a little over the top, it was only 15 minutes for goodness sake! so we had to swap our ticket for the 2 and a half hour ferry back instead! and i am no sea-woman! haha luckily for him i didn't chunder...

while in Scilly we saw St Agnes and walked almost the entire island! imagine living someplace so small you could walk the circumference of in a few hours... blows my tiny mind! Lol we had a Cornish pasty (well he did, i had a soup thing, very nice too) and a bit of local tipple and then headed back to St Mary's for a few hours before returning to the mainland... we stopped in to say hi to the man who runs Radio Scilly and he gave us all the gossip about the island's differing personalities, very interesting! he also said he only occasionally misses the mainland for a curry but they get them choppered in when there's a big group! how glam is that! curry by helicopter! brilliant!

our ferry arrived at Penzance and our car was at Land's End carpark.. so we eventually got home to our B&B but only had time to repeat visit First & Last for tea which was fine as the other punters (locals and tourists) in there provided lovely company as well as the food being fabulous...

then it was already time to head home again but on the way north we popped into Tintagel to spy their castle and picked up some mead! it is like a very strong honey wine - omg! not good! lol we also discovered a place called Boscastle up the way and popped into their Witchcraft Museum, very interesting! and my boyf bought a wand... gawd help us!

and that's it.. the roadtrip deets in full! a fab week and totally recommend if you haven't been :)

you can see some pics of my trip here

reward motivated

i was in Liverpool recently and went to stay with my dad... he had an orchid that had just flowered, no big news there, but then he told me it hadn't flowered for 5 years! FIVE YEARS! what does that tell you about a person? that they're willing to wait 5 years for a flower?!

as possibly the most impatient person i know i cannot fathom such a quest! i don't think i've ever waited 5 years for anything in my life! what does this say about me? am i lacking as a person? it certainly makes me question how i am motivated.. quick thrills please lol

i had a caller to the radio show recently who when telling me about the best place he ever had breakfast (in Tenerife incidentally) he was with a girl he'd waited 10 years for... swelled my romantic heart! but 10 years?! seriously?! lol i defo couldn't do that!

what's the longest you ever waited for something?

vinyl man

This is my mate Keith, he runs a record shop in Kingston Upon Thames here!

If you are ever in the neighbourhood, pop in and tell him I sent ya! I'm not on commission but I do love a record shop and think people like Keith are keeping them alive!

There is something so seductive about the smell of old vinyl... and don't get me started on the crackle! Just rediscovered this via a recording and it gave me goosebumps. One of the great reasons I love that I am a child of the 70s is that I can appreciate vinyl and all its crackling joy. Kids today etc etc ;)

My first shop job was in a record shop in Liverpool on Matthew Street called Backtracks... I was 16/17 and soon also had a cloakroom job in a nightclub called The Buzz... ah good times! I loved working listening to music all day.. hence my radio bug methinks!

Later when I moved to Basingstoke I got a Saturday job at the brand new HMV and met my first love...

So here's to record shops, long may they live on street corners, full of indie kids, soul divas, metal heads and all the rest!

a whiff of the past?

my mum has long been a fan of the bacon sarnie... and i know she isn't alone in this... bacon sizzling on the grill is probs one of the most popular whiffs when people are asked their favourites...

but hear this! i, being the vegetarian of many years that i am, am perplexed by something that happened last week while on holiday in Cornwall...

walking down by the seafront early one morning i got a whiff of this cooking bacon and was surprised to feel myself enjoying the smell! my finding the smell of bacon cooking pleasant in any way is at odds with my moral belief that it is inhumane to eat animals... and yet something biological maybe was saying 'mmm, dinner!'

in these situations it's best to blame your parents! lol

my mum tried to be a veggie in the 80s but the bacon buttie proved too tempting a mistress and she had sneaky meat treats when out of the house she shared with her then veggie husband (my dad) on more than one occasion... which must've somehow made an impression on me haha, the bacon sandwich forever cast as forbidden fruit!

i must say i had/ have no desire to actually eat a bacon sarnie, the idea of chewing on flesh after more years than i care to count is actually abhorrent to me.. i love to remind people that Einstein said humans would have to evolve to be vegetarians*, it all comes down to simple economics! i'm the cheapest date! lol so no chance of my being corrupt into an omnivore again any time soon.. but i have always wondered how i would cope if i got pregnant and had a meat craving! the social pressure to give my baby/ body what it 'needed' would be massive, what a horror!

so i'm guessing that pre-13 i enjoyed a bacon sarnie with my mum on more than one occasion and enjoyed her enjoyment of said snack so much that the smell of it makes me smile...



*and they love to remind me that Hitler was a vegetarian... which by all accounts may just be a bit of propaganda anyway! how rude! i never ask people why they eat meat and i am always asked why i don't.. i know it's the norm to eat meat in western society but surely now we're 1 in 10, people can get over it? i suppose it's like when you don't drink, people want to know why because it reflects badly on them somehow... ah the world is a strange and beautiful place...

hungover on a sunny day

today is very sunny and the weather reports assure me it's going to be lovely and warm too. but i am hungover and unable to a) get dressed b) open the curtains - my tiny eyes couldn't cope!

i am glad to report that i have a couple of unidentified drunken bruises. why is it that you always come home from a night of vodka with bruises?

i've been drinking vodka a long time now and let me tell you* it never ceases to amaze me when i wake up with a sore head. i take this as proof that vodka is no good for the memory!






*this is my new fave phrase courtesy of Dave...

dream a little dream

I've had a few odd dreams recently... maybe you can tell me what they mean (if anything)

in the first one i was driving in my car in the rain. then it cut to my looking for my parked car ahead of the rain coming. couldn't remember where i had parked it and was very worried about it!

in the next dream i was driving my car along a treacherous winding road through a woody area, that seemed high up, in possibly a foreign country. i was concerned about driving along this road and the journey ahead...

the last dream of a driving theme saw me driving but unable to make my rear view mirror sit in the right position. that is to say it would sit too high or too low but not where i wanted it to. the boyf says this represents my not being able to see clearly where i've been!

so what is it? a lot of driving... a lot of uncertainty and anxiety... maybe that's it, just anxiety dreams... what do you think?!

Flattery will get you everywhere...

So today I was asked for ID at the supermarket when buying some alcoholic ginger beer*...

THIS IS THE BEST THING THAT'S HAPPENED ALL YEAR! Lol

I know she was wearing glasses haha, but she was so amazed at my senior years that she told her till buddy who had a customer who chipped in! they all agreed I looked 21! good work girls! way to cheer a lass up for a tired Friday arvo!

This summer I'm going to 20/15 haha - that is 20 years since I was 15! WTF?! haha I can remember so well what I got up to that summer... how time flies... and you know you're old when you say stuff like that!

But as your body inevitably decays and your memory fades why is it that we still 'feel' so young? i guess it's a cruel trick of the mind to make us keep going!



*i know! i've been meaning to trying it for ages! and i will report the results of my taste test asap!

Happy St Patrick's Day

May your stout be creamy and your fiddle be merry!

geetar girl

a colleague said i looked like i might play guitar! how cool is that? i don't actually know what it is about me that says this to them but i'm just gonna go with it...

i have fallen off the wagon a bit (a lot) with my guitar playing... can't put my finger on it but i just wasn't feeling it, despite my love for guitar music not lessening any!

i'm sure if i carried on doodling for another 10 years i might get someplace... it just seems so impossible when you see a lege like James Taylor play effortlessly, or you hear a lovely fiddly bit on a cd...

plus i'm more than a little embarrassed (a lot) that i've only written one decent song in the 3 years i been playing - clearly i'm not naturally gifted! Lol i tried to write some more but they just felt twee.. have all the best songs been already written?! hey that sounds like a good line for a song! haha where's my pencil...

i clearly need inspiration...

i done a picture

yday i went to Hereford for the first time - blimey it's far out! and i don't mean in a Dennis Leary kinda way! haha

stopped at the New Inn in Pembridge for a Ginger Ale - as you do - and took a picture which you can see here of a sign on the bar... love a good sign...

but after a lovely road trip i can safely say you can take the girl out the city but you can't take the city out of the girl! haha

whispering to dogs

this week i saw The Dog Whisperer LIVE! can you imagine a better thing to do on a cold Thursday night in Birmingham? Cesar Millan in the actual flesh! OMG!

he walked on stage and did his impression of a dog wagging its tail - too cute! he made a lot of women in the midlands very happy right there...

before i went along i wasn't sure what to expect, the TV show is great but how would that translate to a stage show? would there be actual dogs or just a lot of multi-media? well in fact he had a combination of both... what surprised me most was how much he talked about relationships between men and women as part of his spiel... i mean i understand he talks about relationships between people and dogs... i suppose he was using it as a point of reference... it unnerved me tho haha

there is something very special about seeing someone in the flesh for the first time after having seen them on your telly every week for a year - oooh they're real! haha and he's so likeable! i tried so hard to arrange to interview him via work but he had no PR time for the likes of me - boo! well, whatever... his loss... etc etc (gutted! haha)

he was a great showman too, it must be pretty daunting to step out infront of thousands of people to give what is a tarted up dog training seminar, safe to say he has big ones... and he made lots of gags about how we love to humanise dogs, hey, it's funny cos it's true buddy! Lol

my friend at work said the name of the show made it sound like he goes around whispering to dogs - "oi come here rover" - which is quite an amusing concept... of course as any good Millan follower will tell you he trains people and rehabilitates dogs...

my seventies mommy

Check out my beautiful 70s mommy!

That's my gene-dad there too but we don't know much about him so... he does look like my brother tho!

I guess my mum is just 21 here, big hair, love the hat! i believe she made that dress herself and folks i'm more than a twinkle on this special day ;)

i was at my uncle Alan's the other day and talking about how i would go about tracking down my long lost gene-dad... seems i have to get me to the library to trawl electoral rolls etc, all seems very dull with more rejection at the other end a real possibility! lol (yeah laugh it up jodester!)

so he says hey check out these old pics i have and dishes out 5 old family albums with pics such as above for me to coo over! pictures like these are priceless... i wonder what she was thinking when this was taken, another shot shows some serious platform shoes (i'm so proud!) so maybe her feet were aching after a long day of wedding nonsense... maybe she was looking fwd to the disco (she is still a party animal!)

i read an article a year or so ago about a photo website that was asking for pics of people's parents from when they were young... lots of cool snaps were loaded up from the 50s/ 60s/ 70s.. might just have to find the site and add my own folks to the collection!

Dennis

If you want to know what happened when I met Dennis... just click here!

billie

i just heard this Billie Holliday track for the first time that i can recall... and i just LOVE it!

it's so evocative of an era! it seems to draw me into a smoke-filled jazz club of old and a time of less sophistication and more earthy pleasures haha

it also reminds me of the rainy days i spent listening to Dina Washington on vinyl in my bedroom in Basingstoke back in 1993 (of all places! haha but that's where it takes me! what you gonna do?!)

i think it's funny how certain tracks can transport you to far off places in your mind.. what a strange and beautiful beast the human brain is.. the flaming lips will always take me back to London circa 96, the wannadies take me back to Cambridge, i'll always remember playing Sheryl Crow Soak Up The Sun at sunset on Pier Radio in Brighton... the list is endless but how does the memory attach a memory to a song?! crazy but fabulous i suppose...

the mix tape

So even though the mix tape has died a death due to hardly anyone having a tape player anymore, it's safe to say that the mix cd is alive and well... and while not as time consuming certainly still top marks for effort...

i was sent a mix cd by a friend just recently and it's so cool to think of a person concocting the perfect mix of tunes for you... altho in this case it's full of songs i never heard before and no track list! doh! need to get that by email me thinks...

on this particular cd i can even hear the vinyl crackling - how is that possible?! that's something i thought lost to tapes forever! i guess my friend has some fancydan vinyl to digital converter that i haven't bought into yet... but omg the crackle literally made the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end... what a child of the 70s i am lol

it's been so long since i heard an actual record... i own many and used to trawl second hand places for those old portable box record players but they were way old and they always broke... my brother bought some 'decks' a few years back and said recently i could have them as he no longer used them but i haven't quite got round to picking them up and now i wonder why?! i need the vinyl crackle back in my life! if i wasn't broke i would head to Richer Sounds this very day and purchase me some hi-fi equipment! lol

this latest cd got me to thinking about all the mix tapes/cds i ever got and and made over the years... i made a birthday one just recently... and before that i think i made myself a few driving compilations... it seems like something i want to get back to... an ex-boyf of mine has a record club i might try and crash... think a few people make a compilation playlist* every month using a keyword for inspiration and then send a copy to each club member..

my jazz guru Chadders made me a cd a few years ago and i still listen to it... and i think if i for some reason had to chuck out my music collection i'd keep all the homemade stuff... it has heart in it after all... you don't make a mix tape for just anyone! lol

having said that - if anyone wants to make me a cd just for fun go right ahead!

*because to actually make these mixes is technically illegal and yet no monies has exchanged hands... silliness to criminalise sharing in this innocent capacity and the reason the music industry finds itself in such dire straits...

Best Valentines Ever

On Sunday I went to The Electric Cinema in Birmingham to see Breakfast at Tiffany's with my boyf. Since this is my all-time favourite film this was definitely the best Valentines Day Ever!

I first saw this film when I was just 17, I caught it by chance on late night TV and it had me hooked from the beginning... what's not to love? I cried like a baby at the end and made sure I got a copy on VHS asap.

18 years later and it still gives me goose bumps. I don't know whether it's because it reminds me of being 17 or just the gorgeousness of the movie itself, but it's timeless... I'm pretty sure all those shots of Carrie Bradshaw nipping into her brownstone in SATC are styled on the Holly Golightly version from all those years ago...

Seeing it at the cinema for the first time was a real treat. You get to see the edges of the scene my little TV can't cope with - hear the fantastic Mancini soundtrack to it's optimum effect... and wonder at what went wrong for George Peppard when it all went so right for Audrey Hepburn*

And the boyfriend didn't even fall asleep! Brownie points a plenty! He did raise an eyebrow to Mr Yoonioshi which is only fair (we'd all like to erase THAT character performance from Mickey Rooney!) but he said he could see it was a well made and influential film... (like he would dare slag off my fave film! lol)

And yes. I cried like a baby at the end all over again! How embarrassing, you can't take me anywhere!

*I read recently that this part should have gone to an English actress who died recently... (I can't remember her name, do you know it?) And that the reason she got the cold shoulder was she didn't service the casting couch properly! Eek! The dark underbelly of 50s Hollywood!

not only but also

i just did a new blog here

i also posted a picture on this blog

now i sleep.

homegrown

while i was in Manchester recently i visited the Urbis and caught an exhibition called Homegrown, the story of UK hiphop...

it was fab! i learned about shebeens, clubs in people's front rooms born out of racist door policies in British clubs at the time... a music rag article said of them you don't want to live next door to one but you should have one across the road!

it was interesting to think about the rise of a new art form in the 70s, it's spiral into mayhem in the 90s, american dominance, fall from grace and back to the roots for the millennium... funny how everything in western culture seems to be cyclical, like nothing is constant, everything must be fluid and reinvent itself forever...

i later learned that this is to be one of the last exhibitions to be shown at Urbis - that they will no longer be a gallery.. i hope they don't just turn it into another glass office block! how disappointing would that be?!

go see if you are in town before it ends...