This could be a long one….

Shirt N Tie

I’ve a lot to say, so bear with me, this could be a long one.

Ben Howard is playing in the background as I type. I’m attempting to sort out new playlists for my journeys as I am back to train travel as from tomorrow morning. It’s time to get ruthless, some music is going to have to go to make room for more. You’d wonder how with an Ipod which has about 15GB of music I can still be bored.

I’ll miss my traveling companion. At the start, being a bit of a loner at times, I lamented the loss of my blog reading time, but I quickly came to love the chat and banter. While I will again be able to read all the things you guys write, I am really going to miss the company. It made the start and the end of the working day so much more bearable.

Periodically over the last month or so the changes to the WordPress platform have really been getting on my wick, but I refrained from saying anything as it’s a great platform, for which I am very grateful. Now though, I miss the Stats page, my notifications go a little awry, I have to multiple click to get to the old WP Dashboard and is there even any point in me voting that I prefer the older stuff if they are not going to change it. I know I am not the only one who feels like this though, so for once it’s good to be in a majority.

I’ve been having a bit of a clean up with regards to the blogs I follow. I finally got around to removing the ones that were no longer active. Periodically WordPress will still do it’s own cull for me, which is a pain in the arse as it’s usually blogs I want to keep following. I never was the kind of person to just follow someone because they followed me, I will only add if it’s something I actually want to read. It’s hard enough trying to keep up without just following people for the sake of it. Everyday I am being introduced to new ones, keep em coming.

Finally, Wee Blue Birdie, who is well worth a follow if you have not already. kindly put me forward for the Sisterhood of the World Bloggers Award. Those who have followed for a while, will know that I long since stopped doing these kind of awards, however by way of compromise, I did agree to answer WBB’s questions. After finally sitting down to take a good look at them, I was all WTF have I let myself in for, but never one to back down from a challenge, here goes.

The Weird and Wonderful Questions of a Wee Blue Birdie

1. What kind of bird would you be and why? – Well that would have to be a Penguin. Why? just because. They are penguins ffs, they need no justification.

2. Which people of history had the best clothing? – It’s questions like this that make me wish I had studied History a little harder at school. I do have to say though, I liked the 80’s. I used to think I was all that with my white shirt, my pink tie and black beret. If I could go back in time, I’d slap myself senseless! Had I the figure for it, it would be the dresses from the Tudor period, all heaving bosoms and tight corsets. I mean who needs to breathe when your waist is the same size as your thigh.

3. In which film do you wish you had played the lead? What would you have brought to the role? – To be honest I wouldn’t want the lead. I’m more a behind the scenes kind of person. There are no specific roles I would have liked, anything in the Lord of The Rings trilogy would have been fine. I could probably have been an orc, without the use of any make up! What would I bring? Probably chaos.

4. What was your favourite toy when you were a child? – Again there is no one toy that I can remember being overly attached to. I was a lover of cuddly toys and I could have told you where every one came from. I have a Snoopy somewhere in the attic that I was quite fond of, will that do?

5. If you could be in the Olympics, what would your sport be? – Chasing men and trying to get them to kiss me, in a very non stalkerish way of course. Only joking, it would be the javelin, because 4 days out of 7 I already feel like spearing the shit out of things *smiles sweetly*.

6. If you could cure one human illness or disease, what would it be and why? – Aww that’s a hard one, there are so many horrible things out there, but I guess for me personally, it would have to be Cancer and Dementia, I think everyone knows the answer why without me having to explain.

7. What is your favourite urban myth, and why do you want it to be true? – Fairies. Can you imagine being able to go to the bottom of your garden to have a cup of magical tea with a fairy. One I would not want to be true is Banshee’s. One night while slightly tipsy, I stumbled into the house with an urgent need to use the bathroom. Feeling I would be unable to make it up the stairs in time, I used the downstairs one. Whilst in the act of lowering my underwear in order to sit, I heard this high pitch kind of wail. I raised the underwear and sort of stood mesmerized. Silence. Repeat process, and again, the same thing. I was petrified and thought a Banshee was coming for me. When sense set in, I realised it was the whirly washing line twirling in the wind. It’s true what they say, when the drinks in the wits out.

8. What is your favourite unusual word? – Oxter – which means armpits. There is something refreshingly satisfying about saying ‘feck aff, I’m up to me oxters!’. ‘Feck’, now that would be my absolute favourite.

9. How would you like your writing to influence the world, or affect those who read it? – That’s easy, I’d like it to make them smile. Simples.

10. What is the best thing about being you? – That’s a hard question to ask someone with low self confidence who always thinks their glass is half empty. My Family and friends, both in real life and online. They are without a doubt the best thing about being me.

There you go Wee Blue Birdie, just for you. I’m away to lie down, I’m worn out now!

It’s 363 Days till Christmas!

Santa Sprouts
Santa Sprouts!

It’s kind of hard to believe that it’s all over for another year. The build up seems to take forever. We begin planning from the start of December, or for some even before and then it arrives and if you blink you miss it.

My Sister and I managed just fine with the cooking, well no one died, so thats got to be a result right? I had my brussel sprouts (thank you for asking Audrey Dawn lol) The effects were not too catastrophic, well until later in the evening that is, when I donned the penguin onesie given to me by Udders. After a brief spell of high winds I pretty much looked like this:

Fart in a Wetsuit
Never fart in a Onsie!

I did get lots of  lovely goodies though, including some other penguin things. I was delighted with everything. Hey as long as there are sweets and stationary I am a happy camper. Add in a Geek fleece blanket and some new sketch pads and it’s a match made in heaven!

I’m not however loving the weather we are having just now. Tonight has been high winds and heavy rain. I keep thinking at any moment the roof is going to blow off leaving me seeing stars, quite literally! I suppose it’s to be expected. Think about the sheer volume of sprouts consumed over the festive period, all that extra gas has to go somewhere. Thing is though, we’ve had these high winds for a while now, so could you all try and point your arses in a different direction to see if it makes any difference.

Oooo that reminds me, there was more good news as well…..wait for it…..I reached 200 followers!! I would show you the little badge only WordPress hasn’t given me one yet, perhaps I have to get 201 for that to happen. I know it’s a little confusing because my side bar says 280, but that’s the figure including Facebook and Twitter.

Thank you to those who pushed me into the path of their followers (yeah that means you Strawberry Quick Sand), reblogged me, bigged me up, and in a nut shell got me the additional followers I needed to reach my goal! It’s possibly the first time I have ever reached a personal target in my life, well apart from trying to make myself float in a penguin onesie that is.

I hope you all had an enjoyable and Happy Christmas. There are only a few days left until the start of 2014, and I very much look forward to seeing you all on the other side!