Twisted Barbie becomes a sop

I usually have a pretty tough exterior that only the chosen few really get past, but today I'm worried that I'm... becoming...a soppy woman! I am making desserts for family meals over the festive period, which take some time and effort but are the best contribution I can make (if I say so myself I'm pretty good with sweet stuff) I had some extra time to wait for things to cool and chill etc so I lumped down in front of the TV. Finding nothing much on I turned on a modern adaptation of A Christmas Carol (I can be a sucker for classic adaptations) Being totally honest it was pretty good, even with a made for TV cast of ex-soap stars, and I actually found myself shedding a tear at the end. Oh dear! last year I cried at Peter Pan! Its a downhill slope I tell ya!

Free manners anyone?

I don't like to come across all proper and old-lady-like but I do have a liking for good manners. I was always taught the "basics" like please and thankyou, not talking with my mouth full, and keeping my mouth shut whilst eating. Don't get me wrong I'm no proper lady - in fact lots of people will say I'm a little rough around the edges :)

It does seem that these are a long forgotten trait though, even old ladies no longer say thankyou if you give up your seat or hold a door open. The prompt for this rant was my journey home today where a young family, mother and two kids of about 9ish got on my bus and sat in the seats directly behind me. The mother then handed out a packet of crisps and the kids munched in. Not unusual, but it was the actions from there...all three of them then proceeded to enjoy their crisps, carrying on their conversation during mouthfuls so it sounded like this...

smack munch nom (mouths open like a guppy gasping for air)
"whaasa?"
munch nom munch
"eh?"
nom munch
"whaasa?"
munch nom nom
"eh?"
munch & swallow
"whats that?
each sentence took about a minute because none of them could understand the other with their mouths full.

I know I can be a little sensitive about eating noises, so the whole thing may have been impacted by the female child leaning on the back of my chair whilst crunching but I was pleased when I got to my stop!
I'll give them some credit though as they made a big point of putting their empty packets in a bag...but thats for another days rant

And I have the audacity to compain about what kids listen to these days?...

Partially sparked by a conversation with Gurn, I took a wander down memory lane last night and dug up some of my favourite songs from my early teens. I'm almost surprised that I'm not really that embarrassed by any of them either (OK so theres possibly a couple of bands I'm still not owning up to...) But I thought it might be nice to share some of my favourites here, after all your past makes you who you are so here are the songs that helped me be, well, me.

WARNING: the items below contains a mixture of jangly guitar solos, dodgy lyrics, and some thumping drums. These all were my favourites circa 1993 when I was 14...so plenty of teen angst lies herein.

Freak of Nature - Rescue Me.
I love these drums. I still do.


Extreme - More than words
OK, Its very teen girly and a bit sappy but I was 14 and desperately in love with the guitarist to boot. I still know ALL the words...but maybe I shouldn't admit that bit?


Nirvana - Lithium
Anyone with an opinion on alternative music has one on Nirvana, but I loved them.


Terrorvision - Oblivion
I understand if you don't get all the way through this one...


Spin Doctors - Two Princes
I found the receipt for this CD recently, inside the sleeve. The shop I got it from doesn't exist any more. I felt old. This song still makes me want to jump around like a loon though.


Alice in Chains - Angry Chair (not their video)
This video looks like someones media studies project but it was the best version of the song I could find that wasn't live. Pure unadulterated teen angst.


Wildhearts - Greetings from Shitsville
I've always had this odd pop-punk streak...


Therapy - Screamager
More teen angst, but I do still love this song!


Type O Negative - Black No.1
The goth front moves in...I've loved Type O from the moment I heard them, I've always enjoyed that fact they just take the piss. Although I'd suggest not trying their previous incarnation, Carnivore, that was just a bit much or my young ears!


So there we go. Now any musical psychotherapists out there will have a great understanding of the person I am ;)

The answer to cold gaming hands?

I live in Scotland so needless to say its bloody freezing in winter. I've found myself having a problem lately with my hands getting very cold while I'm playing games on my PC (I do quite a lot of this) so I have a great new product to help me...I'm thinking of launching them as a new line soon....Hobo Gaming Gloves!

The key to good Xmas shopping

Last Saturday, as BMan was away for the weekend, I took advantage and did my Xmas shopping. BMan isn't a "typical" bloke when it comes to shopping but in the pre Xmas rushes in its not his favourite pastime. When I first got into town my brain instantly went blank. I couldn't think what I had planned on buying for everyone and I totally wasn't in the mood so I worked my way down Princes St, hardly looking in any shops (and being driven away from ones I did want to visit by the ever growing hordes of shoppers) I finally stopped about three quarters of the way and got myself some breakfast and a coffee. Whilst waiting for my toastie I sat in the window of BHS and saw a guy setting up in the street right outside, laying out paintings for sale and then producing tins of spray paint and other odds from several bags. The artwork he had on show was pretty impressive in itself, unusual space and landscape scenes in high gloss. Then he started to paint some more and I was mesmerised, he was using car paints and objects usually found in a car garage.

I watched him for about 20 minutes until he finished the one he was working on.


I thought it was pretty impressive, and very unique and watching certainly brightened my mood enough to allow me to get on with a good days shopping (6 hours by the way - I was knackered by the end!)