Oh the joy of school holidays, in this case "half term", which for us thankfully is three days and not 6 like most other regions.
Pro of holidays: no school run.
Con of school holidays: the children are home all day.
Due to being particularly skint, I thought it would be a good idea to invite a friend of the boys to play on Wednesday, which meant I spent two days frantically shit-shifting to make the house look presentable and the boys' room accessible without climbing gear.
The house now looks normally untidy. This is a result, but not a great one.
So on Wednesday afternoon, friend number one appears, best buddy of twin one. This friend is relatively calm and plays quite nicely. Twin two was rather marginalised though and a bit miffed, so in my befuddled state I thought it was an idea to invite twin two's best friend today.
Friend number two is here now and I am going demented. Twin two is high pitched and hyper with an attention span of a few seconds. Every time they get something out, he moves onto the next thing. His poor friend has started 56 games and actually played none.
Twin one is not marginalised, he simply shouts louder for attention. The noise levels are deafening and so I have escaped to my bedroom while the baby inexplicably manages to nap.
Just over an hour to go and then I think a nice quiet stare at the tv is required.
Lego now. I've just put away the last Lego game. Exhausting.
Friday, 17 February 2012
Thursday, 16 February 2012
As February goes by...
It's not very far on in the year and this here bloggage isn't happening on a daily basis at all.
Ah well. Such is the way of all (my) intentions.
Naturally I have had a fulfilling and active time in my absence and haven't spent all the time playing with my 3DS at all. Not one bit.
Ok, maybe.
In my head I am writing a novel to win the Good Housekeeping competition to win your book in print. I have formulated an excellent back story, but am failing to get the main story or anything actually written. 5000 words and synopsis to be submitted by 31 March. Is this likely? It is not.
I am also mentally composing my Masters dissertation which I need to make a decision about really soon.
I have however actually made the decision to return to work. Having done a handful of "keep in touch" days, I feel this is a marvellous idea when I am in the office, and feel it is a terrible idea when I am at home. To be pondered at length at a later time possibly on another blog.
So. That is where my head is. Mostly with Mario.
Ah well. Such is the way of all (my) intentions.
Naturally I have had a fulfilling and active time in my absence and haven't spent all the time playing with my 3DS at all. Not one bit.
Ok, maybe.
In my head I am writing a novel to win the Good Housekeeping competition to win your book in print. I have formulated an excellent back story, but am failing to get the main story or anything actually written. 5000 words and synopsis to be submitted by 31 March. Is this likely? It is not.
I am also mentally composing my Masters dissertation which I need to make a decision about really soon.
I have however actually made the decision to return to work. Having done a handful of "keep in touch" days, I feel this is a marvellous idea when I am in the office, and feel it is a terrible idea when I am at home. To be pondered at length at a later time possibly on another blog.
So. That is where my head is. Mostly with Mario.
Thursday, 9 February 2012
Mums online
So today started off badly at bedtime last night, the mood is not good. Badly organised bedtime = bad sleep and hectic morning.
During baby's nap this morning, I elected to sit down with a coffee and The Wright Stuff. To find them chortling about the much maligned Mumsnet.
I have reservations about Mumsnet; google lists results from there highly on searches (and indeed other forums) and instead of a sensible answer to your query, you find the opinions of the general public. Who invariably lack specialist knowledge and may write utter drivel. As is the way with forums, you also get incensed arguments from every viewpoint on just about any topic. Idiots are free to post and their opinions are recorded for posterity as long as they adhere to the rules. The rules and etiquette don't allow you to say "you are an imbecile and your opinions are potentially dangerous" so there they are, popping up in your search results. Annoying.
But still. Leave us mums alone. A pet hate of mine is the smugness of those with their interesting media lives mocking those who spend a lot of time online. No, we still don't have anything better to do.
Mumsnet is often targeted: why do mums whine about having so much to do then spend all that time online?
Because of course, when you have a baby you have simply millions of people to speak to... If it is your first baby, you may not know other mothers, you might find your old friends turn a bit glaikit when you bore on about baby and you also are likely to have a million "is this normal??!!!" questions. So you venture online. You find people in the same position. You chat to them. Next time you need to chat, you chat again. It's reassuring. It's companionship.
Later, when you may be feeling aaaaaaaaargh! and at that all-I-do-is-change-nappies stage, you can impart your own knowledge and feel a little bit useful. Never underestimate feeling useful at that stage, it doesn't happen often.
This morning one woman quipped about the women on Mumsnet never leaving the house unless maybe to go to Waitrose.
Welcome to life with a baby. That's what happens. Ho ho, such mirth.
Yes, some über mothers have a full and marvellous life with endless coffee mornings and baby sessions and being out there generally doing things that aren't free to do. But they are not looking for company online, are they? They're at Starbucks with their Real Friends.
I do sort of understand the query as to why mums complain about having no time and then spend time online. But seriously, if you spend hours entertaining, feeding, comforting and generally caring for a baby, and that baby has a nap, are you seriously expected to crack on immediately with chores and not have a spot of feet up time? Should we be being domestic 24/7?
Do people, who are busy with things that aren't children and who complain about having no time, genuinely never watch tv or phone a friend or have a bath, or go to the pub or out for a meal? Never? We all need time out somehow.
You also need to talk to someone, babies aren't the best conversationalists.
Don't get me wrong, I don't LIKE Mumsnet (on account of the idiots, sorry) but please, criticise them for the right reasons instead of insulting all mums.
I need to go now, I'm off out for coffee with a mum friend. The joy of a second baby is that you do know mums now. Huzzah.
During baby's nap this morning, I elected to sit down with a coffee and The Wright Stuff. To find them chortling about the much maligned Mumsnet.
I have reservations about Mumsnet; google lists results from there highly on searches (and indeed other forums) and instead of a sensible answer to your query, you find the opinions of the general public. Who invariably lack specialist knowledge and may write utter drivel. As is the way with forums, you also get incensed arguments from every viewpoint on just about any topic. Idiots are free to post and their opinions are recorded for posterity as long as they adhere to the rules. The rules and etiquette don't allow you to say "you are an imbecile and your opinions are potentially dangerous" so there they are, popping up in your search results. Annoying.
But still. Leave us mums alone. A pet hate of mine is the smugness of those with their interesting media lives mocking those who spend a lot of time online. No, we still don't have anything better to do.
Mumsnet is often targeted: why do mums whine about having so much to do then spend all that time online?
Because of course, when you have a baby you have simply millions of people to speak to... If it is your first baby, you may not know other mothers, you might find your old friends turn a bit glaikit when you bore on about baby and you also are likely to have a million "is this normal??!!!" questions. So you venture online. You find people in the same position. You chat to them. Next time you need to chat, you chat again. It's reassuring. It's companionship.
Later, when you may be feeling aaaaaaaaargh! and at that all-I-do-is-change-nappies stage, you can impart your own knowledge and feel a little bit useful. Never underestimate feeling useful at that stage, it doesn't happen often.
This morning one woman quipped about the women on Mumsnet never leaving the house unless maybe to go to Waitrose.
Welcome to life with a baby. That's what happens. Ho ho, such mirth.
Yes, some über mothers have a full and marvellous life with endless coffee mornings and baby sessions and being out there generally doing things that aren't free to do. But they are not looking for company online, are they? They're at Starbucks with their Real Friends.
I do sort of understand the query as to why mums complain about having no time and then spend time online. But seriously, if you spend hours entertaining, feeding, comforting and generally caring for a baby, and that baby has a nap, are you seriously expected to crack on immediately with chores and not have a spot of feet up time? Should we be being domestic 24/7?
Do people, who are busy with things that aren't children and who complain about having no time, genuinely never watch tv or phone a friend or have a bath, or go to the pub or out for a meal? Never? We all need time out somehow.
You also need to talk to someone, babies aren't the best conversationalists.
Don't get me wrong, I don't LIKE Mumsnet (on account of the idiots, sorry) but please, criticise them for the right reasons instead of insulting all mums.
I need to go now, I'm off out for coffee with a mum friend. The joy of a second baby is that you do know mums now. Huzzah.
Wednesday, 8 February 2012
Happy birthday Mr Dickens
Charles Dickens was born on 8th February 1812, which makes this the 200th anniversary of his birth.
You will of course know this due to attending all the Dickens Dinners and the general celebration of all things Dickens. What, you haven't?
I was reminded that it was the bicentenary - of the arrival of an infant Dickens - by an email from Lovereading. Why wasn't I bombarded with this? He was one of the greatest writers of all time, if not the greatest, and provided us with much of our view of Victorian England. What would have been his 200th birthday should be a cause for celebration, should it not? Google acknowledged it, as they do, but there was little said elsewhere.
Living in a country which goes potty over Burns, who wrote poetry, I fail to understand why the English/British don't remember their great writers, namely Dickens and Shakespeare. Admittedly they don't know for sure what Shakespeare's date of birth was, but they do know he was baptised on 26 April so that'd be a good day to celebrate him. And as for Dickens, they do know when he was born; today was the 200th anniversary. Significant, no? Just me?
I think it is maybe a measure of the Scots and our fiercely patriotic tendencies, but we dedicate a day (and gain yet another excuse to don a kilt and get drunk) to our most famous writer. Who wasn't as talented or prolific as either Dickens or Shakespeare. I categorically dismiss claims that Burns was Scotland's answer to Shakespeare.
28 April shall become Ian Rankin day sometime. Honestly it will. Maybe just in Fife, but it will.
Come on England, remember your famous sons!
I raise a cup of coffee to Mr Dickens, thank him for his legacy and renew my vow to get on with reading his works...
You will of course know this due to attending all the Dickens Dinners and the general celebration of all things Dickens. What, you haven't?
I was reminded that it was the bicentenary - of the arrival of an infant Dickens - by an email from Lovereading. Why wasn't I bombarded with this? He was one of the greatest writers of all time, if not the greatest, and provided us with much of our view of Victorian England. What would have been his 200th birthday should be a cause for celebration, should it not? Google acknowledged it, as they do, but there was little said elsewhere.
Living in a country which goes potty over Burns, who wrote poetry, I fail to understand why the English/British don't remember their great writers, namely Dickens and Shakespeare. Admittedly they don't know for sure what Shakespeare's date of birth was, but they do know he was baptised on 26 April so that'd be a good day to celebrate him. And as for Dickens, they do know when he was born; today was the 200th anniversary. Significant, no? Just me?
I think it is maybe a measure of the Scots and our fiercely patriotic tendencies, but we dedicate a day (and gain yet another excuse to don a kilt and get drunk) to our most famous writer. Who wasn't as talented or prolific as either Dickens or Shakespeare. I categorically dismiss claims that Burns was Scotland's answer to Shakespeare.
28 April shall become Ian Rankin day sometime. Honestly it will. Maybe just in Fife, but it will.
Come on England, remember your famous sons!
I raise a cup of coffee to Mr Dickens, thank him for his legacy and renew my vow to get on with reading his works...
Tuesday, 7 February 2012
Perfect skin
It's about make up. I am, after all, a girl. Yes, girl. Ok. I am a woman. Grr.
Due to my ongoing preoccupation with my face and the fact that it is unhidden by tresses, I have been forced to investigate the wearing of make up.
Not that I am unfamiliar with the wearing of it, I adore make up and own many many different types (mostly lipsticks, a woman can never have too many). But I rarely get made up, I don't take the time. On nights out and when I need to look "done", I do like to look pretty and all, but on a day to day basis, nah. To be honest, being clean and having my hair brushed is as good as it gets, and in this brilliantly cold weather, the latter gets eschewed in favour of donning a hat and forgetting about it.
Which goes awry if I end up going somewhere where I have to take the hat off, as the hat-hair that emerges is a bad hair day's bad hair day.
But, back to the neglected face. It looks a bit, well, like I need a spot of make up. I have discovered a new product. It calls itself a miracle: Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector. It is "based" on BB (Blemish Balm) creams, which seem to be the new black for faces, but for £9.99 I'll go with "based on", over £30 "actually".
I like. It is essentially a tinted moisturiser, it goes on like a moisturiser (so takes seconds) and looks like it's not there. Except my skin looks nice.
Huzzah!
And then, if I'm feeling extra generous with my time, I can add on the beautifully overpriced Yves St Laurent blusher (now apparently just called blush) and mascara I spent all my birthday money on, and one of the 56,000 lipsticks or glosses that I own, et voila! A face to be seen in.
Due to my ongoing preoccupation with my face and the fact that it is unhidden by tresses, I have been forced to investigate the wearing of make up.
Not that I am unfamiliar with the wearing of it, I adore make up and own many many different types (mostly lipsticks, a woman can never have too many). But I rarely get made up, I don't take the time. On nights out and when I need to look "done", I do like to look pretty and all, but on a day to day basis, nah. To be honest, being clean and having my hair brushed is as good as it gets, and in this brilliantly cold weather, the latter gets eschewed in favour of donning a hat and forgetting about it.
Which goes awry if I end up going somewhere where I have to take the hat off, as the hat-hair that emerges is a bad hair day's bad hair day.
But, back to the neglected face. It looks a bit, well, like I need a spot of make up. I have discovered a new product. It calls itself a miracle: Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector. It is "based" on BB (Blemish Balm) creams, which seem to be the new black for faces, but for £9.99 I'll go with "based on", over £30 "actually".
I like. It is essentially a tinted moisturiser, it goes on like a moisturiser (so takes seconds) and looks like it's not there. Except my skin looks nice.
Huzzah!
And then, if I'm feeling extra generous with my time, I can add on the beautifully overpriced Yves St Laurent blusher (now apparently just called blush) and mascara I spent all my birthday money on, and one of the 56,000 lipsticks or glosses that I own, et voila! A face to be seen in.
Monday, 6 February 2012
Ageing disgracefully
Periodically I catch sight of myself and am surprised to see a middle aged person looking back at me out of the mirror. The short hair and specs add to this; I look and feel kind of old. As do my peers, I'm sorry to say. We ain't young no more.
My children add to this feeling of decrepitude by talking about my youth as "the past" and asking what I did before television was invented. Incidentally, I don't go there with computers and phones, they can't comprehend it.
But.
I don't care. I wouldn't want to be younger again. I would have less confidence, more insecurities and less of the things that bring me joy now.
I don't worry about things that worried me even just five years ago, but I care more about the world as a whole, about our future and the existence that lies ahead for my children. I am interested in more and more as I get older, and that's great. I want to know about what's going on, I guess I want to be a part of it, albeit a very quiet part.
I hope I have more than half my life still to lead, so I'm not really very old. But I do think I finally feel like a grown up. And I like it.
Even if I do play too much Mario.
My children add to this feeling of decrepitude by talking about my youth as "the past" and asking what I did before television was invented. Incidentally, I don't go there with computers and phones, they can't comprehend it.
But.
I don't care. I wouldn't want to be younger again. I would have less confidence, more insecurities and less of the things that bring me joy now.
I don't worry about things that worried me even just five years ago, but I care more about the world as a whole, about our future and the existence that lies ahead for my children. I am interested in more and more as I get older, and that's great. I want to know about what's going on, I guess I want to be a part of it, albeit a very quiet part.
I hope I have more than half my life still to lead, so I'm not really very old. But I do think I finally feel like a grown up. And I like it.
Even if I do play too much Mario.
Sunday, 5 February 2012
February is here
Hmm. It seems to be the 5th of February. Oops.
Which does mean that I forgot the birthday yesterday of someone who used to be very important. Which is a bit sad. Not that it was their birthday, but that it doesn't matter that I forgot, because they couldn't care less.
I've got another to-be-forgotten birthday next week but I have more self respect than to spend another moment thinking about that one.
The date also means I haven't blogged for a while.
What have I been doing?
Playing with my 3DS mostly.
I have Ghost Recon: Shadow Wars, which is a turn by turn strategy game. I like it a lot. I'm spectacularly bad at first person shooters, so lining my men up and telling them to shoot is far better. This game also shows the 3D effect off splendidly.
Mario 3D is defeating me. There is no invincibility cheat in the Special World, so the tricky levels are tricky. Although to be fair, the tricky levels normally involve Luigi falling off things rather than being stung by an enemy. I am Luigi still, who doesn't seem to have a purpose. Nobody to defeat, nobody to rescue. He is fun, especially when he wins a level and way heys in the most camp manner imaginable.
But behold the greatest game ever. Mariokart 7. Now mine.
Everything you'd expect from a Mariokart title. Except no challenges like the previous DS title had. Boo. 4 new cups and 4 retro ones. New features include customisable karts, a parachute to float down from heights, a flower item to shoot flames at opponents, all seven items as one item pick up and probably other things I have either not found yet or have forgotten.
In other news, I've been on my annual jolly to Glasgow, which was, as usual, ace and should be more often than annually.
I have had my hair cut properly short. Possibly an error, I lack the prettiness of face required to carry off the Face On Display thing.
Blogging excuse: not been very well with infected finger and a cold. Poor old me.
Which does mean that I forgot the birthday yesterday of someone who used to be very important. Which is a bit sad. Not that it was their birthday, but that it doesn't matter that I forgot, because they couldn't care less.
I've got another to-be-forgotten birthday next week but I have more self respect than to spend another moment thinking about that one.
The date also means I haven't blogged for a while.
What have I been doing?
Playing with my 3DS mostly.
I have Ghost Recon: Shadow Wars, which is a turn by turn strategy game. I like it a lot. I'm spectacularly bad at first person shooters, so lining my men up and telling them to shoot is far better. This game also shows the 3D effect off splendidly.
Mario 3D is defeating me. There is no invincibility cheat in the Special World, so the tricky levels are tricky. Although to be fair, the tricky levels normally involve Luigi falling off things rather than being stung by an enemy. I am Luigi still, who doesn't seem to have a purpose. Nobody to defeat, nobody to rescue. He is fun, especially when he wins a level and way heys in the most camp manner imaginable.
But behold the greatest game ever. Mariokart 7. Now mine.
Everything you'd expect from a Mariokart title. Except no challenges like the previous DS title had. Boo. 4 new cups and 4 retro ones. New features include customisable karts, a parachute to float down from heights, a flower item to shoot flames at opponents, all seven items as one item pick up and probably other things I have either not found yet or have forgotten.
In other news, I've been on my annual jolly to Glasgow, which was, as usual, ace and should be more often than annually.
I have had my hair cut properly short. Possibly an error, I lack the prettiness of face required to carry off the Face On Display thing.
Blogging excuse: not been very well with infected finger and a cold. Poor old me.
Monday, 30 January 2012
Green (ish)
It turns out I am as green as a cucumber.
Maybe the inside, ok.
On my current quest to commence greatness* as of February 1st, I've been reading up on how to be greener. I'm not very good at being green; we have very little in the way of services for recycling and I rarely manage to save more than paper and bottles. I drive a petrol car to places I don't need to go to. Disposable nappies are firmly established. Etcetera.
But now it seems I have a feather in my ecological cap. For I am super green with my laundry.
I do not own a tumble dryer. As I also do not own a garden to house a washing line, this is actually very goodly of me. We previously had a washer dryer and I didn't use it as a dryer. Therefore, in the Great Washing Machine Death of 2010, the washer dryer was replaced by a washing machine. We have many clothes horses and a humidity problem.
Green brownie points: 45,000
I do all my washing at 40. Not 30 because it makes it all smell icky. This was confirmed by a washing machine engineer (who popped round regularly in the later months of the old machine). 30 isn't hot enough, even if Unilever tell you it is (15 is made up altogether). No boil washes for me though. 40 does fine.
Green brownie points: 5 (because if I really cared about being green I'd just have the smell).
Dry cleaning is something I reserve for suede or leather, or things that would break the washing machine. Everything else does fine on a cold wash.
Green brownie points: 100.
Ironing. Nuh uh. I very rarely iron. We mostly wear clothes that don't need ironed, or just look a little rumpled. Shirts get ironed, as do properly crumpled things. Most things are ok.
Green brownie points: 10. It doesn't use THAT much energy.
It's good to be green, even if it is entirely inadvertent.
* new resolutions on Feb 1st. Details to follow.
Maybe the inside, ok.
On my current quest to commence greatness* as of February 1st, I've been reading up on how to be greener. I'm not very good at being green; we have very little in the way of services for recycling and I rarely manage to save more than paper and bottles. I drive a petrol car to places I don't need to go to. Disposable nappies are firmly established. Etcetera.
But now it seems I have a feather in my ecological cap. For I am super green with my laundry.
I do not own a tumble dryer. As I also do not own a garden to house a washing line, this is actually very goodly of me. We previously had a washer dryer and I didn't use it as a dryer. Therefore, in the Great Washing Machine Death of 2010, the washer dryer was replaced by a washing machine. We have many clothes horses and a humidity problem.
Green brownie points: 45,000
I do all my washing at 40. Not 30 because it makes it all smell icky. This was confirmed by a washing machine engineer (who popped round regularly in the later months of the old machine). 30 isn't hot enough, even if Unilever tell you it is (15 is made up altogether). No boil washes for me though. 40 does fine.
Green brownie points: 5 (because if I really cared about being green I'd just have the smell).
Dry cleaning is something I reserve for suede or leather, or things that would break the washing machine. Everything else does fine on a cold wash.
Green brownie points: 100.
Ironing. Nuh uh. I very rarely iron. We mostly wear clothes that don't need ironed, or just look a little rumpled. Shirts get ironed, as do properly crumpled things. Most things are ok.
Green brownie points: 10. It doesn't use THAT much energy.
It's good to be green, even if it is entirely inadvertent.
* new resolutions on Feb 1st. Details to follow.
Sunday, 29 January 2012
Becoming happy
So I've missed a few days again.
It's not daily. Not any more. Most is ok.
I am reading a little ebook, of the free variety, which is 52 ways to improve your life or something similar. I have so far read 1-13 and feel the need to share in a paraphrasing sort of way.
So, suggestion number 1 is the concept of treating others as you would wish to be treated. Sadly I don't have millions of pounds to rain upon other people and that's how I'd really like to be treated. Being unfacetious, I THINK I do this. Where I know I fail, I don't expect. Ooh. Idea! Do the things that I'd like other people to do.
I think that might be what they meant.
Number 2 suggests replacing "I should" with "I choose to".
I choose to make my house tidy. I don't believe me. Failed already.
Number 3 wants me to stop interrupting and listen better. I know I need to do this. Will try harder.
Number 4 reminds me I'm supposed to be appreciating people. Telling them why I like them.
I do this. Sometimes. Not necessarily to the right people.
Number 5. Don't judge people by first impressions. I do know this from experience due to being woefully bad at reading new people.
Number 6 is all about buying classic clothes and dressing for success. Hmmm. That requires funds and a non expanding body. I shall continue with the bag lady look for now until I either fit back into the majority of my clothes or money starts falling out of the sky onto me.
7 - be positive about myself. If I was able to do this I wouldn't be reading books about how to improve my life. Annoyed now. Everything can be positive. Yada yada, the lack of money makes me more inventive. There. A positive statement. I win! Woo.
Number 8 is suggesting I need to plan what I want to happen. To visualise situations as I would like them to be.
And still nobody throws money at me. I'm visualising that really well and nothing has happened.
9 and I've to be a less dictatorial leader. I am to stop telling the children what to do? Hmm.
It's losing me now by 10, which wants me to work on teamwork. I have to treat my family as a team and value all members.
The baby seriously doesn't pull her weight, we can't be expected to be a cohesive team.
Hmmm. What can 11 do to win me back? I shouldn't work so hard.
Done! Next?
At 12 I need to consider what motivates me. Money. And kudos but mostly money.
The bots will be liking the money references. Hiya bots!
And my last one to date: number 13 is clutter busting. Yes, I agree, this will probably solve all my woes in one fell swoop of mad sorting. One day.
So far so meh.
It's not daily. Not any more. Most is ok.
I am reading a little ebook, of the free variety, which is 52 ways to improve your life or something similar. I have so far read 1-13 and feel the need to share in a paraphrasing sort of way.
So, suggestion number 1 is the concept of treating others as you would wish to be treated. Sadly I don't have millions of pounds to rain upon other people and that's how I'd really like to be treated. Being unfacetious, I THINK I do this. Where I know I fail, I don't expect. Ooh. Idea! Do the things that I'd like other people to do.
I think that might be what they meant.
Number 2 suggests replacing "I should" with "I choose to".
I choose to make my house tidy. I don't believe me. Failed already.
Number 3 wants me to stop interrupting and listen better. I know I need to do this. Will try harder.
Number 4 reminds me I'm supposed to be appreciating people. Telling them why I like them.
I do this. Sometimes. Not necessarily to the right people.
Number 5. Don't judge people by first impressions. I do know this from experience due to being woefully bad at reading new people.
Number 6 is all about buying classic clothes and dressing for success. Hmmm. That requires funds and a non expanding body. I shall continue with the bag lady look for now until I either fit back into the majority of my clothes or money starts falling out of the sky onto me.
7 - be positive about myself. If I was able to do this I wouldn't be reading books about how to improve my life. Annoyed now. Everything can be positive. Yada yada, the lack of money makes me more inventive. There. A positive statement. I win! Woo.
Number 8 is suggesting I need to plan what I want to happen. To visualise situations as I would like them to be.
And still nobody throws money at me. I'm visualising that really well and nothing has happened.
9 and I've to be a less dictatorial leader. I am to stop telling the children what to do? Hmm.
It's losing me now by 10, which wants me to work on teamwork. I have to treat my family as a team and value all members.
The baby seriously doesn't pull her weight, we can't be expected to be a cohesive team.
Hmmm. What can 11 do to win me back? I shouldn't work so hard.
Done! Next?
At 12 I need to consider what motivates me. Money. And kudos but mostly money.
The bots will be liking the money references. Hiya bots!
And my last one to date: number 13 is clutter busting. Yes, I agree, this will probably solve all my woes in one fell swoop of mad sorting. One day.
So far so meh.
Wednesday, 25 January 2012
Super Luigi
More Mario, sorry, I'm not doing much else. Mariokart 7 is in my basket awaiting payday, I'll spraff on about that in time.
Special world one mission: rescue Luigi. Once completed, you can play as Luigi.
Luigi is my favourite Mario character, along with Daisy, the original princess before Pe-ach stole the title.
An aside there. For those who have played Mariokart, the SNES version, the vindictiveness of the princess is known. Known as the bitch, which also could be be-atch. Obviously the character couldn't be called Princess Bitch, so Pe-ach is a close substitute.
Likewise, playing Boo at Mario Tennis will indicate how he earned the name 'king Boo. Not King, 'king.
Back to Luigi. I'm not sure what he's doing in Special World 2, other than dying a lot. I guess he's rescuing someone. Or is it just revenge? Luigi isn't the vengeful type. Hmm.
Special world one mission: rescue Luigi. Once completed, you can play as Luigi.
Luigi is my favourite Mario character, along with Daisy, the original princess before Pe-ach stole the title.
An aside there. For those who have played Mariokart, the SNES version, the vindictiveness of the princess is known. Known as the bitch, which also could be be-atch. Obviously the character couldn't be called Princess Bitch, so Pe-ach is a close substitute.
Likewise, playing Boo at Mario Tennis will indicate how he earned the name 'king Boo. Not King, 'king.
Back to Luigi. I'm not sure what he's doing in Special World 2, other than dying a lot. I guess he's rescuing someone. Or is it just revenge? Luigi isn't the vengeful type. Hmm.
Tuesday, 24 January 2012
Special Mario
Ooh. Ooh. Ooh!
So it turns out that Mario 3D isn't a waste of money after all. I finished the game today, and I only had to do, erm, most of world 8 using the invincible cheat. This took me 12 hours and 44 minutes, over the course of 2 weeks. Not a lot, I hear you say. I beat Bowser and rescued the princess and so the game was finished.
But ho and lebold! A whole new world (a new fantastic point of view, oops sorry) has opened up. Special worlds, with the entire game again. Special worlds 1 to 8. Except really hard.
New Mario suit: raccoon suit with a neckerchief, which means if you pound jump, Mario turns into stone/lead/something and smashes whatever you're pounding. And that's all I've found so far. World S1-1 done, one medal found.
I shall report back with more at a later date.
So it turns out that Mario 3D isn't a waste of money after all. I finished the game today, and I only had to do, erm, most of world 8 using the invincible cheat. This took me 12 hours and 44 minutes, over the course of 2 weeks. Not a lot, I hear you say. I beat Bowser and rescued the princess and so the game was finished.
But ho and lebold! A whole new world (a new fantastic point of view, oops sorry) has opened up. Special worlds, with the entire game again. Special worlds 1 to 8. Except really hard.
New Mario suit: raccoon suit with a neckerchief, which means if you pound jump, Mario turns into stone/lead/something and smashes whatever you're pounding. And that's all I've found so far. World S1-1 done, one medal found.
I shall report back with more at a later date.
Monday, 23 January 2012
The post for 23 January - finally!
Oh welcome back Blogpress! It works again. It wasn't (which was iTunes not doing the update) and I had I use Blogger: the app, which didn't have a lot of features. Blogger: the site, doesn't work well at all on the phone, and I don't have a functional PC I can stand to use.
To recap the original post, I am catching up on Sherlock, which is universally acknowledged as being Very Good. And it is. I am also looking forward to the return of Pan Am at the weekend which is mindlessly enjoyable.
As I can input photos correctly, here goes a couple of things that caught my eye.
The defence against potential lawsuits of packaging does result in some lunatic disclaimers - peanuts may contain nuts - but the illustration on my noodles does presume a certain lack of intelligence.
This "bargain" caught my eye in the supermarket
Oh Blogpress, I love you. Welcome back indeed.
To recap the original post, I am catching up on Sherlock, which is universally acknowledged as being Very Good. And it is. I am also looking forward to the return of Pan Am at the weekend which is mindlessly enjoyable.
As I can input photos correctly, here goes a couple of things that caught my eye.
The defence against potential lawsuits of packaging does result in some lunatic disclaimers - peanuts may contain nuts - but the illustration on my noodles does presume a certain lack of intelligence.
This "bargain" caught my eye in the supermarket
Oh Blogpress, I love you. Welcome back indeed.
Sunday, 22 January 2012
Hate and Loathing in Lost Values
I have a hobby: shouting at David Cameron on the TV. It is quite a satisfying habit as they very often follow footage of the oafish Cameron and his words of misery with coverage of the unable-to-speak Ed Miliband (how did that happen?) and the permanently sheepish Nick Clegg. Much shouting all round.
Talking of Clegg, I naively believed him when he talked of influencing from within. I am a fool. He lied, he sold his soul, and that of his voters, for the sake of a seat on the cabinet. I have never been so disappointed in any human being ever. All the people who voted not-Tory and voted Liberal got Tory.
But still. We have what we have (sadly) and us* in Scotland are champing to vote for independence. Cameron has shifted us from meh to WE WANT IT NOW with regards to a referendum.
* yes I know it's not all of us. Ok.
I didn't vote for it, which makes me entitled to complain that they're there. I'm still shocked that anyone can understand what Tory policies are and still vote for them.
Ah. The key word there is understand. I think all that was understood was "not labour" and so off they trotted to vote for a party that is openly against so much that is good. They, being the general public, who are mostly ignorant fools. Apparently.
Anyway. I have digressed. Lucky nobody reads this because I shouldn't ever talk about politics. It comes across wrongly.
The point. There is one, somewhere, and it is that I have issue with pretty much every single thing that Cameron says. To be fair I'd argue black was white if he suggested it was blackish, but most of the time I genuinely disagree.
They want to scrap child benefits for "rich" families. Those earning incomes over threshold for higher tax.
Which is about £48k pa.
Last time I checked, this didn't make you rich. If you earn £48k, you could buy a property worth up to £170k. A quick check at property prices indicates the level of mansion you could get for that.
A modest 3 bed to be precise, in a cheap area of the country.
George Osborne was bleating on about how much they could save and Cameron was mewling about people on £40k not being equal to those on £80k and it how they need to look further into it and not once does it seem to have occurred to them that they need to raise the threshold, that current levels penalise middle income earners. Not the rich.
Surprise!
Actually it probably has occurred long since but they undoubtedly like the extra revenue and definitely don't care much about real people.
Cameron is like us you know. If we are all toffee nosed rich boys.
Done now. Normal inanity resumed tomorrow.
Talking of Clegg, I naively believed him when he talked of influencing from within. I am a fool. He lied, he sold his soul, and that of his voters, for the sake of a seat on the cabinet. I have never been so disappointed in any human being ever. All the people who voted not-Tory and voted Liberal got Tory.
But still. We have what we have (sadly) and us* in Scotland are champing to vote for independence. Cameron has shifted us from meh to WE WANT IT NOW with regards to a referendum.
* yes I know it's not all of us. Ok.
I didn't vote for it, which makes me entitled to complain that they're there. I'm still shocked that anyone can understand what Tory policies are and still vote for them.
Ah. The key word there is understand. I think all that was understood was "not labour" and so off they trotted to vote for a party that is openly against so much that is good. They, being the general public, who are mostly ignorant fools. Apparently.
Anyway. I have digressed. Lucky nobody reads this because I shouldn't ever talk about politics. It comes across wrongly.
The point. There is one, somewhere, and it is that I have issue with pretty much every single thing that Cameron says. To be fair I'd argue black was white if he suggested it was blackish, but most of the time I genuinely disagree.
They want to scrap child benefits for "rich" families. Those earning incomes over threshold for higher tax.
Which is about £48k pa.
Last time I checked, this didn't make you rich. If you earn £48k, you could buy a property worth up to £170k. A quick check at property prices indicates the level of mansion you could get for that.
A modest 3 bed to be precise, in a cheap area of the country.
George Osborne was bleating on about how much they could save and Cameron was mewling about people on £40k not being equal to those on £80k and it how they need to look further into it and not once does it seem to have occurred to them that they need to raise the threshold, that current levels penalise middle income earners. Not the rich.
Surprise!
Actually it probably has occurred long since but they undoubtedly like the extra revenue and definitely don't care much about real people.
Cameron is like us you know. If we are all toffee nosed rich boys.
Done now. Normal inanity resumed tomorrow.
Saturday, 21 January 2012
Blogging success and the lack thereof
Well, 21 days gone and I haven't blogged for 3 of them.
Oops.
Not giving up.
Mildly chastising self and pledging keeping going.
18/21 ain't bad. It's most days, not every day. I'm sure I clarified that. We'll get there.
"We" being me, Sam, people
In my head and a number of bots. Woooo. Apologies if you're not a bot, I'm not saying you're bot-like, just that statistically, we are pretty much all bots.
Look. I didn't actually call YOU a bot. If you're reading then you're real. Get over it.
I did for a while wonder at why I had a cult following in Russia.
I don't.
Because my blog is "low volume" I attract these bots that don't even read it, they just want me to look at their site. Which is very rude, but such is the way of the bot. They wouldn't bother if I had a lot of hits, because I wouldn't notice them. Which I suppose is rude of me in turn, so we are all to blame.
Come back real people. Please. See off the attention seeking bots that nobody reading this is like at all.
Apparently I need to do things like link back to old posts, post interesting things, frequent the net generally and pimp my blog out there.
I do none of the above. No linking posts because I have no recollection of what I wrote before, nor does my blogger app have the capability of linking.
Interesting? That belies the purpose.
Getting out there and bigging the blog requires levels of social activity that is beyond me. The sites I used to frequent and pick up readers from seem to have dwindled.
So it's back to being interesting again.
Dammit.
Oops.
Not giving up.
Mildly chastising self and pledging keeping going.
18/21 ain't bad. It's most days, not every day. I'm sure I clarified that. We'll get there.
"We" being me, Sam, people
In my head and a number of bots. Woooo. Apologies if you're not a bot, I'm not saying you're bot-like, just that statistically, we are pretty much all bots.
Look. I didn't actually call YOU a bot. If you're reading then you're real. Get over it.
I did for a while wonder at why I had a cult following in Russia.
I don't.
Because my blog is "low volume" I attract these bots that don't even read it, they just want me to look at their site. Which is very rude, but such is the way of the bot. They wouldn't bother if I had a lot of hits, because I wouldn't notice them. Which I suppose is rude of me in turn, so we are all to blame.
Come back real people. Please. See off the attention seeking bots that nobody reading this is like at all.
Apparently I need to do things like link back to old posts, post interesting things, frequent the net generally and pimp my blog out there.
I do none of the above. No linking posts because I have no recollection of what I wrote before, nor does my blogger app have the capability of linking.
Interesting? That belies the purpose.
Getting out there and bigging the blog requires levels of social activity that is beyond me. The sites I used to frequent and pick up readers from seem to have dwindled.
So it's back to being interesting again.
Dammit.
Wednesday, 18 January 2012
2012, the year that works
Well, due to having a birthday last week, I failed to acknowledge the need for resolutions aside from the perpetual need to shift the belly. So now it is time to contemplate what it is I want to have achieved by the end of 2012.
Having been dieting for precisely 48 hours, it is galling not to be slim yet, but I shall persist. I know how good it feels to succeed and FINALLY my head seems to be in the right place, which isn't the fridge.
I'm going to embrace FLYlady and get the clutter out, the sink shining and the house generally ready to sell, for we need at least 2 more rooms and despite hoping and hoping, no extra rooms have sprung up here. A house move is an essential for this year.
By completing one 15,000 word dissertation that I've basically written, I can claim my MSc and use that as a fresh start to my unimpressive CV.
"and I didn't know what it was I wanted to do until I realised I was destined to be a *insert job applied for*" Hopefully this year a perfect, well paid, satisfying job with a full time crèche will fall into my lap. As they don't.
I speak of how brilliantly Dickens wrote, how much I enjoy his books and so on. It is true, except I have only read in full "A Christmas Carol" and didn't even read the other Christmas Books in the volume. I am aware of the stories involved in his other works but haven't actually read them, although I have read many bits of them. As mentioned before, I'm starting with Great Expectations, which I have had emailed to me in daily instalments and still failed to read. To read the entire works this year would seem entirely unlikely but I am pledging to read a few. Well, at least one.
There's some vague things to do which seem idiotic to have to make a note to do: watch the DVDs I've bought, play the games etc.
This I shall write each day, or try to.
And I shall endeavour to go to bed a little earlier, as well as being a better mother/wife/daughter/friend. Y'know, the stuff I should do anyway.
Oh, and for the record, it's 2013 that's the year for doing interesting things. Ha.
Having been dieting for precisely 48 hours, it is galling not to be slim yet, but I shall persist. I know how good it feels to succeed and FINALLY my head seems to be in the right place, which isn't the fridge.
I'm going to embrace FLYlady and get the clutter out, the sink shining and the house generally ready to sell, for we need at least 2 more rooms and despite hoping and hoping, no extra rooms have sprung up here. A house move is an essential for this year.
By completing one 15,000 word dissertation that I've basically written, I can claim my MSc and use that as a fresh start to my unimpressive CV.
"and I didn't know what it was I wanted to do until I realised I was destined to be a *insert job applied for*" Hopefully this year a perfect, well paid, satisfying job with a full time crèche will fall into my lap. As they don't.
I speak of how brilliantly Dickens wrote, how much I enjoy his books and so on. It is true, except I have only read in full "A Christmas Carol" and didn't even read the other Christmas Books in the volume. I am aware of the stories involved in his other works but haven't actually read them, although I have read many bits of them. As mentioned before, I'm starting with Great Expectations, which I have had emailed to me in daily instalments and still failed to read. To read the entire works this year would seem entirely unlikely but I am pledging to read a few. Well, at least one.
There's some vague things to do which seem idiotic to have to make a note to do: watch the DVDs I've bought, play the games etc.
This I shall write each day, or try to.
And I shall endeavour to go to bed a little earlier, as well as being a better mother/wife/daughter/friend. Y'know, the stuff I should do anyway.
Oh, and for the record, it's 2013 that's the year for doing interesting things. Ha.
Tuesday, 17 January 2012
Daily blogging
I'm going to do it.
Today however has been dedicated to a teething baby, boisterous six year olds and the resulting sleep catch up and brain decay.
So there's not a lot to say.
Watching: Masterchef, Stargazing Live, One Born Every Minute (and being grateful Neighbours is back after the Christmas break).
Listening to: David Guetta. No, I didn't see that coming either.
Reading: Charles Dickens, Great Expectations just now. His complete works are on my Kindle, we'll see how that goes.
Today however has been dedicated to a teething baby, boisterous six year olds and the resulting sleep catch up and brain decay.
So there's not a lot to say.
Watching: Masterchef, Stargazing Live, One Born Every Minute (and being grateful Neighbours is back after the Christmas break).
Listening to: David Guetta. No, I didn't see that coming either.
Reading: Charles Dickens, Great Expectations just now. His complete works are on my Kindle, we'll see how that goes.
Monday, 16 January 2012
Home button blues
Argh. The joys of being an iPhone user. I'm not sure why exactly I am on my second iPhone, I seem to genuinely believe I would be less happy with another phone and so I had to replace my useless 3G with an iPhone 4. Excellent phone, very happy, love my apps and all is good.
When it works.
I have a deep distrust of Apple and their updates. The 3G was unusable slow once iOS 4 came out. See all these lovely features! They will break your phone! The time came to upgrade and I said "no, I don't like the fact that I have to commit to two years with a phone that will undoubtably be unusable before the two years are up" and meant to buy a Sony Ericsson. And then I got an iPhone 4 and threw myself at the mercy of Apple periodically breaking devices so you upgrade.
We were happy together until yesterday. My unresponsive home button does seem to be a software issue because a number of tricks can restore it temporarily. If it is a hardware issue, which is a possibility, then there are a couple of issues which could certainly contribute to the button developing a fault. Apple have this obsession with minimalism and definitely place style over function in some respects. One sole button is a lunatic choice. Apple previously showed this genius with their one-buttoned mouse.
The home button does everything and so it is used constantly. Also, there is no cover over the power inlet, so it is unprotected and open to fluff, damp and little bits of damaging debris. A little cover, as featured on most non-Apple devices, would protect it, but it would make the device less sleek and would interrupt the smooth lines. So, no cover.
Some googlage revealed the following tricks to restore the functionality to the home button:
1) open a native application, hold down the power button until "slide to power off appears". Release the power button and gently press the home button until the home screen returns.
2) close all apps. Some apps seem to cause this. In my case it seems to be Safari.
3) run the camera app in the background at all times.
4) admit defeat and turn on the on screen home button. Settings>general>accessibility options>accessibility button on.
1) works for me, but the problem comes back.
2) and 3) don't work for me
4) makes me despair. It does work but is annoying onscreen, and raises the question of why Apple saw the need to provide such an option rather than fixing the actual problem. I fail to see how it aids accessibility so should be listed under "Usability options for things that break".
I think I need to defect to Android finally. In 9 months when I can...
When it works.
I have a deep distrust of Apple and their updates. The 3G was unusable slow once iOS 4 came out. See all these lovely features! They will break your phone! The time came to upgrade and I said "no, I don't like the fact that I have to commit to two years with a phone that will undoubtably be unusable before the two years are up" and meant to buy a Sony Ericsson. And then I got an iPhone 4 and threw myself at the mercy of Apple periodically breaking devices so you upgrade.
We were happy together until yesterday. My unresponsive home button does seem to be a software issue because a number of tricks can restore it temporarily. If it is a hardware issue, which is a possibility, then there are a couple of issues which could certainly contribute to the button developing a fault. Apple have this obsession with minimalism and definitely place style over function in some respects. One sole button is a lunatic choice. Apple previously showed this genius with their one-buttoned mouse.
The home button does everything and so it is used constantly. Also, there is no cover over the power inlet, so it is unprotected and open to fluff, damp and little bits of damaging debris. A little cover, as featured on most non-Apple devices, would protect it, but it would make the device less sleek and would interrupt the smooth lines. So, no cover.
Some googlage revealed the following tricks to restore the functionality to the home button:
1) open a native application, hold down the power button until "slide to power off appears". Release the power button and gently press the home button until the home screen returns.
2) close all apps. Some apps seem to cause this. In my case it seems to be Safari.
3) run the camera app in the background at all times.
4) admit defeat and turn on the on screen home button. Settings>general>accessibility options>accessibility button on.
1) works for me, but the problem comes back.
2) and 3) don't work for me
4) makes me despair. It does work but is annoying onscreen, and raises the question of why Apple saw the need to provide such an option rather than fixing the actual problem. I fail to see how it aids accessibility so should be listed under "Usability options for things that break".
I think I need to defect to Android finally. In 9 months when I can...
Sunday, 15 January 2012
Hangover
Bleurgh. Being somewhat out of practice of the old drinking thing, I forgot how awful hangovers are.
Good night out, followed by 3am sickness. Poor sleep, punctuated by thumping head and shivers. Surprise sickness later on didn't help much either.
The cure, as every drunkard Scot knows, is Irn Bru. Having dispatched grumpypants to procure some Irn Bru, with the desperate instruction of "even if it's Iron Brew", imagine my displeasure when he returned with no juice at all. Not even Pepsi Max which is my drink of choice usually and which was half price. "you said Irn Bru" he protested, having refused to buy Iron Brew on principle.
10pm I got my Irn Bru, for that is when I was well enough to go out myself.
It was good.
Good night out, followed by 3am sickness. Poor sleep, punctuated by thumping head and shivers. Surprise sickness later on didn't help much either.
The cure, as every drunkard Scot knows, is Irn Bru. Having dispatched grumpypants to procure some Irn Bru, with the desperate instruction of "even if it's Iron Brew", imagine my displeasure when he returned with no juice at all. Not even Pepsi Max which is my drink of choice usually and which was half price. "you said Irn Bru" he protested, having refused to buy Iron Brew on principle.
10pm I got my Irn Bru, for that is when I was well enough to go out myself.
It was good.
Saturday, 14 January 2012
A moment of feminist ranting
Excluding those I live with, I lead an entirely female companioned existence. Most of the time I think that I miss being around men and then I remember that actually, men are pretty rubbish.
When things look good there's always a man (or two) to bring you back down to your place.
Rar.
That's all. Back to normal now...
When things look good there's always a man (or two) to bring you back down to your place.
Rar.
That's all. Back to normal now...
Friday, 13 January 2012
A bank by any other name
Virgin.
Ptooee, for one needs to spit after uttering that word in reference to the company, which that was.
No, to be fair, everything attached to the moniker Virgin is not awful. Virgin trains, for example, run the truly fabulous Pendolinos. Virgin Media give me TV and, while not perfect, are a million times better than they were when they were Telewest. Virgin Records weren't hateful, nor is Branson himself.
I should be more precise with my bile. My hatred in this instance lies with Virgin Money. Ptoooee. The providers of the biggest rip off credit card I have ever had the misfortune to own. MBNA were the actual perpetrators of misery but Virgin Money put their name to it and made that name synonymous with unscrupulous and exploitative.
Unlike other financial institutions of course who as a one are lovely and caring, putting their customers first and doing what they can to maximise interest and minimise... I can't finish that, even facetiously.
And there I was innocently watching Channel 4 News, when along came a quite stunning advert for Virgin and the things they've done over the last 40 years. Because they run Pendolinos they will make Northern Rock (as was) a thoroughly nice bank. They're not going to do what other banks do.
Really? Do tell me more. What, no specifics?
Then they use the magic "this is how you can tell we're lying" words: Virgin Money. Eeee eeee eeee! Alarm! Virgin Money are shiny and aesthetic, and will take every penny they can off you.
Besides, Nationwide said all that "we're not like other banks, we're not even a bank" once, then they had the change and they too stole my last penny and charged me for taking it. Sob!
It is a rather lovely advert however. Watch it. Directed by über-director Duncan Jones, aka, or previously known as rather, Zowie, son of David Bowie. His first two films, Moon and Source Code, are magnificent, and so is this advert. A shame it is for a bank, and a bank with such a name.
Ptooee, for one needs to spit after uttering that word in reference to the company, which that was.
No, to be fair, everything attached to the moniker Virgin is not awful. Virgin trains, for example, run the truly fabulous Pendolinos. Virgin Media give me TV and, while not perfect, are a million times better than they were when they were Telewest. Virgin Records weren't hateful, nor is Branson himself.
I should be more precise with my bile. My hatred in this instance lies with Virgin Money. Ptoooee. The providers of the biggest rip off credit card I have ever had the misfortune to own. MBNA were the actual perpetrators of misery but Virgin Money put their name to it and made that name synonymous with unscrupulous and exploitative.
Unlike other financial institutions of course who as a one are lovely and caring, putting their customers first and doing what they can to maximise interest and minimise... I can't finish that, even facetiously.
And there I was innocently watching Channel 4 News, when along came a quite stunning advert for Virgin and the things they've done over the last 40 years. Because they run Pendolinos they will make Northern Rock (as was) a thoroughly nice bank. They're not going to do what other banks do.
Really? Do tell me more. What, no specifics?
Then they use the magic "this is how you can tell we're lying" words: Virgin Money. Eeee eeee eeee! Alarm! Virgin Money are shiny and aesthetic, and will take every penny they can off you.
Besides, Nationwide said all that "we're not like other banks, we're not even a bank" once, then they had the change and they too stole my last penny and charged me for taking it. Sob!
It is a rather lovely advert however. Watch it. Directed by über-director Duncan Jones, aka, or previously known as rather, Zowie, son of David Bowie. His first two films, Moon and Source Code, are magnificent, and so is this advert. A shame it is for a bank, and a bank with such a name.
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