Solstice 09

We had a fab solstice this year. I hired a car so we could get to my favoured spot in the hills and pitched the tent - with some thanks to the wind helping us get the top sheet on after the undertent was already 6 feet up - and settled in for the night.

We had taken a pack of cards, some magic cards, and a dice game with us for entertainment, but didn't even break them out. Instead we laid listening to the land around us, the sheep bleating, the wind and rain bouncing off the tent. It was calming and blissful. In the morning we got up and wandered down the hill a little to watch the sunrise.

Unlike the thousands of people at Stonehenge we were granted a beautiful sunrise through the trees. The sun rose as a red ball over the horizon, slowly drifting up into a large cloud bank, looking similar to an eye rolling back into its socket.

I did try to get some photos but it my phone's camera just didn't capture the view well so you'll just have to use your imagination!

Stupid girl

Most people will have seen this stupid stupid girl on the news last week...


She initially claimed that she asked for three stars on her face and fell asleep so the tattoo artist carried on drawing stars.

Anyone with any knowledge of tattoos knew that this was utter trash - mainly because no professional tattoo artist would just keep on going once they have completed what they were asked to do, it would be suicide for their career if nothing else! The kindly artist did offer to pay half of the fee for removal but now the girl in question has admitted that she asked for all 56 stars to be inked on her face and only changed her mind about them when her father saw them and was angry. Papers reported today that the artist has now withdrawn his offer.

HAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHa. Thats what you get for lying stupid girl! Hopefully you will now learn some important lessons...

1. think before getting any tattoo - theyre very likely with you forever
2. Don't lie - especially to the media - because it just makes you look like a prat
3. tattoo removal hurts far more than getting the tattoo

Excitable?....Me?

Its a bit silly I know, but I'm all bubbly and excited...tomorrow is the summer equinox and as usual I'm off overnight to be in a good spot to watch the sunrise at 04:26 tomorrow morning. I don't go far, but my chosen spot in the hills is an awkward place to get to. I checked out all the options of buses, and even getting a lift, but due to the times we would be travelling theres no other way to make the trip other than by car. Taxis are too expensive, so I've hired a car for the day! Its only cost me £20 and it means I get to drive! I've not driven for over a year, so I'm very over excited about it. A little worried too, in case I have forgotten how....but its just like riding a bike isn't it?

Coincidences

I've lived in Edinburgh for 4 years now and so far only one of my friends have managed to get up here and visit me. I'm not worried about that, we are still all very good friends. I got an email a few weeks back from Sam, who is coming up to perform in the festival with his theatre group from Norwich which is pretty cool for a start, but today I found out the name of his show and that its actually being held in the complex of my work!

I really have no excuse to miss it now. As with many festival shows its on at a stupid time (3:15) but at least I can sneak along in a late lunch break.

Oh my.

I don't normally mention anything on TV, mainly because I don't really watch much of it.

No one could have missed the media frenzy kicked up by Britain's Got Talent and its unusual singing sensation Susan Boyle. For anyone who does actually live at the earth core and doesn't know already its a live reality TV show to pick an act for the Royal Variety Performance. This slightly older lady entered and was quite openly mocked as she walked onto stage only to release an impressive voice which quickly silenced the laughter. I did see this and it was great to see the smug grins removed from the whole crowd (especially the judges).

Anyway... This lady has become quite a hit with our cousins across the water and now the latest revelation....

Slipknot are Susan Boyle Fans

Stuck in a World of Goo

As promised - Maybe a little sooner than you expected eh? - Info on one of my many current addictions...World of Goo.

This is a fantastic indie game made by 2dboy that B-Man gifted to me - He realised its addictive potential maybe and decided he wanted some quiet time - Its a puzzle game where you have to use Goo balls to build structures to achieve the levels goal and continue with the storyline...sounds easy?

Oh no its not.This has to be one of the most infuriatingly brilliant games - you die over and over yet have the constant urge to go back for more punishment of your goo balls splatting against spikes, or being sucked into the wrong tube, or simply collapsing because you forgot to add a vital ball-strut near the base.

Thankfully the developers allow players to skip levels! I'm still spending time going back to those and trying to figure them out.

Barbie owns up

"Where the hell has she gone???" (Honestly I can hear the screaming of this phrase from here)

I'm here to answer that question...In my room playing games. That's it. Sorry. Nothing any more exciting than that.

"But Barbie, you have the attention span of a small insect, what on earth has managed to keep you away from drivelling posts full of nonsense?" (It must be the voices in my head)

Well, loaaaads of very, very addicting games - Left 4 Dead, Sims 3, and World of Goo for a start.

"Ooh I've heard of one of those" (Obviously the voices are as clever as I am)

Well If you're very patient and keep coming back I might manage to rustle up a post or two to tell you all about them, and why the hell I'm soooo addicted

Blogs of note

I don't often go blog hunting - I usually read those of my friends and a couple of others that have been recommended in the past, BUT I recently found three of the best blogs I've ever come across, they're either great in their writing and/or basic concept so I figured they all certainly deserve to have a mention to spread the news further. So with no further delay, and in no particular order heres Twisted Barbies top three....

1. Want to see pictures of people who should be having fun but look soooo miserable? it's happiest people ever

2. Want to see Goths admitting that they're not all so serious...or will melt in the sun? Try Goths in Hot Weather (I know some of the folks in these photos too which gives the blog extra kudos in my book)

3. Sims 3 storytelling at its best, a heart wrenching story of simulated life gone wrong, heres Alice and Kev