So there it is. My latest piece of art. I cannot even begin to tell you how many attempts it took to take that almost reasonable photograph. It was taken in a process usually referred to as 'hit and miss'. There was a lot of aiming and hoping that I'd get something. It's hard when you can't see what the viewfinder can see. I'm bloody grateful for digital cameras, that would have been a roll of film for that one shot. Maybe two. Anyway, my firefly and her bells are making herself at home on my arm. My arm didn't mind the clingfilm for the last tattoo, this one, it had a fit, just decided after two days that it didn't like it any more. The rash is slowly going, but those little red marks you might be able to make out? Those would be my arms aversion to clingfilm!
I'm feeling in an organised sort of mood today so I'm putting my thoughts out there in an organised manner. Tomorrow I'll be back to flitting, hell it might be this afternoon. I'm an unpredictable sort.
So:
Mum and Tim are in New Zealand. They're vacationing. And they're blogging it here. Just to make sure you feel the envy. Although, the sun is shining and the sky is blue here. It's just that if you were to try flip-flops you'd risk frostbite. Damn it.
I'm going to a ceilidh tonight. I've never been or seen a ceilidh where there hasn't also been an injury. To date the injured person has not been me, which in itself is a minor miracle, so I'm wondering if my time has come.
I went in a chatroom last week, for the first time in years and years. I'm regularly complaining about the world of txtspk, I do loathe it so, but anyway, so there I am in the chatroom, receiving a few private messages. To be honest, over the course of the evening I probably had about 30 guys contact me to say hello. No wait, with just a couple of exceptions they contacted me to say ASL. Some of them didn't bother to say hello. Just straight in there with the Age/Sex/Location. Personally I'd have thought that the 'Lady' part of the moniker I was using would have given the middle part of that set of questions away. But it seems not. I pointed out that I thought it was generally considered bad manners to ask a lady her age, to which one responded that he had to check I wasn't underage. Which is a fair point, but it doesn't really excuse it, unless he also believes that each and every person on the planet tells the truth all the time. Hmm, I think not. Seriously though, what's up with that? No small talk? No, Hi, how are you, have you had a good day? Do they approach people in the real world and say "How old are you, are you really a chick and where do you live?" No, they would get short shrift. (I just looked up shrift and it wasn't a definition I expected). There's something about the 'virtual world' that makes people feel they can be less polite, that it's ok to just say "Hi, what are you wearing?" It's weird, because real world or virtual world, I'm not telling someone I don't know the colour of my underwear. I guess I'm just old-fashioned.
Or not. I did go and get another tattoo after all. I am having difficulties obtaining a photograph. I used an assistant last night and his photographic abilities sucked. I have been outskilled in the blurry photo ability. On the upside, I do love my tattoo, which is a bonus really as it's never going away!
I have a question about smelly people. Why do they always stand so close to you? I like my personal space, I do, I hate it when you're in a queue and they're almost pressed against you, but when they also smell bad it's just dreadful. The other day I stood in a local shop waiting to be served and a lady joined the queue behind me, almost immediately I smelt her and took a step forward, slightly turning to place my basket between her and I, to better protect my poor nose. This didn't help, I assumed the usual posture, free hand moved to just below the nose as you pretend to stroke/play with your lip and try not to breathe. I glanced behind me and saw that the lady behind the smelly one had assumed an identical posture. The people being served were taking a while, I toyed with the idea of leaving the queue, feigning having forgotten something, but maybe I'd be served any second, did I have time to stand again at the end of a queue of increasing length? The thing is, the smell is so often of unwashed clothes and unwashed body. It's not a smell of exercise just completed, it's a smell that has accumulated for days and I hesitate to say weeks, and it saddens me. Do they know? Do they care? I think most of us would be horrified to discover that people around us thought we smelt bad.
One more thing about people. The TV channel Living have been screening the original CSI, beginning from Season One every night of the week, it's not on till late evening so I prefer to record it. As a result when I sit down to grab some lunch or just chill out for half an hour and turn on the TV, it is set to Living, daytime Living shows a lot of Jerry Springer and Maury. I want to know, is any of it real? It is all fictional? Because honestly, some of those stories, they just don't compute. One chick: "Hi Maury, I'm here for the third time to test three more men, because I'm sure one of them HAS to be the father of my child." On this occasion, it was taking her tried total to 7. Seven men that could potentially be the father of her child. I mean, she's been wrong four times already, what if she's wrong three more times, exactly how high a number can she even achieve? It gives me the fear. I need soothing and reassuring they're all actors.
I think I have an addiction to store loyalty cards. No really. My friend Harriet, my niece Chloe and I compare how many Dividend Points we have on our Co-Op cards. When I got my letter from the Co-Op telling me what I'd earned and how much of a bonus they were going to give me, I was genuinely excited. It has become like a competition. Harriet sent me a text to tell me she'd broken the £15 mark and was irrationally excited. I'm just pence away from hitting £30. I'm a terrible saver, but these points, which are, in essence, free money, well I take pride in them. I can't bring myself to spend them. I must hoard them, see how high I can make that figure. When the offers come out I'm there, getting my 5X points on local produce or fair trade, just so I can see how much more I've accumulated. Yesterday I got an email, telling me about my Nectar card - which I use in Sainsburys - saying I could sign up for more points, just spend £5 on fruit & veg and 100 extra points would be mine. There was also a link to show me what I could spend my points on. Now I have a Nectar card obsession, I have to choose what I can save for! I have gone beyond sad, to lands undiscovered. I'd say I needed to get a life, but I actually quite like the one I have. Even with its loyalty card addiction.
This weekend is one of Lincoln's Free Weekends. It's a brilliant idea, you can visit the tourist attractions and get free entry. So, I'm heading to Doddington Hall with Rachael. Despite it being almost on my doorstep and driving past it regularly, I've never visited the actual hall. I was even there this week at the farm shop & cafe with Harriet. She and I went to have lunch there, when we arrived it was a bit pricey so we weren't sure if we should stay, both of us being short of cash, but we thought we'd brave it. I ordered a Jerusalem artichoke risotto and was told it was gone but I could have mushroom risotto instead. As the only veggie option on the menu I couldn't argue. Harriet had a burger and when they came both meals were lovely, but we both felt overpriced. Our table was near the till which meant we could be surrounded by customers at times, so it wasn't a private dining situation. We're both cake fiends so we opted for dessert which was beautifully presented. We went to pay, Harriet handed over her card and I handed her half of the bill in cash. As we left Harriet swept ahead of me, I'd been intending to meander through the farm shop and have a browse but Harriet seemed to be in a hurry. She turned back to me and hurried me a little. We got to the car and she explained. I hadn't realised but we'd thought the meals were overpriced, then they undercharged us, so she'd been in a hurry to make a swift exit. Are we terrible? Sometimes I like to believe Karma bites you in the ass and sometimes it smiles on you.
I honestly believe this woman has one of the most beautiful singing voices. There's something about it that just makes you feel warm inside. The essence of this song is sad and you feel that but her voice still shines through.
This song also has, I think, a really beautiful line: "Forget about it, when forever's over, I won't remember how much I loved you anymore", takes your breath away. I'm such a mush!
I'm not sure how universal the five a day principle is; the idea that we need to eat 5 portions of fruit & veg a day to maintain a healthy diet. Being a vegetarian that's just fine by me! However, I was reading an article earlier on which is a little alarming.
One in ten parents believe fruit flavoured sweets count towards a child's five a day. Double that think chips count.
One in five parents think spaghetti hoops and orange squash constitute a portion too.
One in five parents also believed that oranges and bananas did not count as a portion!
That's scary right? Well, it gives me the fear, but then I was the only kid I knew that ate kohlrabi, so maybe I had a vegetable head start!
I saw a link to this earlier, which supposed that this is the worlds ugliest cat. I happily describe myself as a cat person, more than that, I'm an animal lover. I've always had pets from Bobby Flowerpot my hamster (I was young, I'm sure the name made sense) till Mifford today. In between have been pets including cats Smudge & Lightning, chinchillas Poppy, Quaker, Dobey, Flip, Flop, rabbits Oswald, Goose, Edwina, Rosalind, Chish, guinea pigs Wellington & Fips, hamsters Blob, Chaffie, Chi-Chi, gerbil Jeremy Splodge, stick insects Edgarina & Gluey and a locust Jiminy. There was also Louis the Bichon Frise - but he belongs to Mum so not strictly mine but he lived with me a while, although I can't forget Delirious, a greyhound but she came as a bundle with my ex-fiance. As a youngster we also had chicken and several aviaries with budgerigars, love birds, canaries, quail, finches..... The point being I love animals, always have, always will. And I just don't think that cat is ugly. I think it's adorable. I want to take it home and cuddle with it. Which is not something Mifford would approve of. It's safe to say she feels nothing but loathing for anything with four legs, and if you have feathers, two legs don't work for her either. And to be fair she did catch a slug once, so even a lack of legs annoys her. It's safe to say she hates anything that is not a human. She's a bitch, what can I say. But a cute one. This is a little known yogic pose: "at one with radiator".
I love lovefilm, I have so many movies on my list that half the time I have no idea what I've actually put on there and when the movies arrive I'm always a little surprised. I don't remember adding this movie to my list but I must have done and I'm pleased I did, it was totally bonkers and really made me laugh and I found myself absolutely in love with this track from the movie. Please Mr Jailer - From the movie Cry Baby
On the note of movies I went to see Helvetica last week. It was part of a World Cinema Season that I've mentioned before that's showing at a local venue. It's about the font Helvetica. I know right, how interesting can a movie about a font really be? Honestly? It was excellent. I'm really sorry that more people haven't seen this. It was funny and interesting, without once making me feel bored, or making me shuffle in my seat. I really, really recommend it. It also gave me a quote that I have fallen in love with:
"Trying to look good limits my life."
How often is that true?
One guy in the movie had a wall of framed quotes behind him and I admit to being a bit distracted trying to read them all. I may have permanently damaged my vision by squinting so hard.
So, you may possibly have noticed, I have a butterfly brain, flitting from here to there and back again.
Here I flit.
I was in traffic, waiting at a red light, when I noticed the number plate of the car in front of me. It was on a car which was advertising a local dairy.
The plate was: MO0 4 You.
Really. Every time I think about it I smile. It's absolutely the best plate I've ever seen in my life.
More flitting.
I bought some books recently and I was chatting to the gentleman from whom I purchased them, he asked me about old bibles and what to do with them. I had no idea so he went and spoke to the local vicar, who advised him that bibles should be buried on consecrated ground. I had never heard of that. I'm wondering if that has always been the case. They had a funeral the next day, so the gravedigger also buried the bibles.
It quite fascinated me. I don't have a religion and it had never occurred to me there would be a proper way to dispose of bibles.
Further flitting.
I had an email recently, from a woman who complained that a book she had bought was a bit dusty. To be fair, if I were over 100 years old, I'd probably be a bit dusty too. I mean, really? Do you purchase something that is a century old and expect it to be as new?
Penultimate flit.
I'm going for another tattoo tomorrow. My friend Gary asked if I was planning to join the circus. That would be no. Not this week.
Although, that does lead me to wonder what my circus act would be.....
Last flit. I'm asking for lots of good vibes to be sent to my little sister, Siobhan. She got hit by a van. While she was on her bike. This was not a fair fight. She's relatively ok, no broken bones and thanks to her helmet, no head injury. I believe she is sporting a number of bruises as well as a sprained wrist. So a few healing vibes would be great. Thanks!
Where does the time go? Seriously? It does more than fly, it moves at some sort of Star Trek warp speed. I have no idea what that means, I've never seen Star Trek, but I think it's quite fast.... Anyway, I have a cold. I'm happy to share it around if anyone would like one. It comes complete with my usual hacking cough and I'm willing to also pass that on. My generosity is a weakness.
So, the last time I was here I got my interview questions from Sleepydumpling and now that I have a moment to breathe I'm going to answer them. This is such a brilliant idea, I love it!
Q1. What was it that got you started with blogging? And what keeps you blogging?
I remember way back in 1998 reading The Diary of V and absolutely loving it. It was a fictional diary and the word blog didn't really exist back then - or at least I never heard it, but I'd go and religiously check for a new entry to see what was going on with her, it was like reading a really long book and I loved the idea of it. It stopped being written back in 2006 and I think it was around then that I started reading some of the other blogs that were around, both fictional and real, slowly finding more and more and being a little envious of how funny people were! But I also really liked finding a group of people that wrote without resorting to txtspk and also knew how to spell. I wasn't sure that I had anything to say, or even that I would be entertaining, or amusing, or in fact not fickle enough to give it up after the first week. I started a blog on myspace, but found it really limiting and moved on over here where I could do a little more. I enjoy the interaction with other people around the world, which isn't something you get to do everyday in normal life. I was always a little awed by other bloggers and really nervous of commenting on their blogs! But I've braved that this year and it's probably that which keeps me blogging, getting comments, knowing what I've written has been read and possibly enjoyed!
Q2. What did/do your parents think of your tattoos?
I think it's safe to say that in this case, actions would speak louder than words and the action would be a large frown! My body is mine to do with what I please but I think there was always a concern I would regret my decision to be tattooed. Maybe not today or next year, but possibly in another 30 years. I don't believe that I will but I also think that I can't hold off on doing something today because of an effect it could possibly, maybe, perhaps have when I'm elderly - so long as it's not bad for my health!
Q3. What would you say the greatest inspiration has been in your life?
That's a really hard one. I've been through psychotherapy and I think the realisation that who I am is just fine. I can be eccentric, unreasonable, angry, happy, wild, adventurous, loud, quiet, tattooed, scarlet-haired, ditzy, organised, opinionated etc, etc, etc, has inspired me to be whatever I want to be and not apologise for not being mainstream. That said, I've always rather revered those that didn't follow convention in some way. Back in my school years I remember learning about Albert Schweitzer and being amazed by this man, who gave up what could have been a very prosperous life to train as a doctor to go out and help with medical care in Lambarene. He was a vegetarian who reportedly lived surrounded by animals and this undoubtedly appealed to me. As did his work 'Reverence for Life'. I remember trying to memorise quotes for my examination essays and one with I think has been paraphrased through history is: "I am life that wills to live, in the midst of other life that also wills to live, when I acknowledge and respect all life, then will to live becomes will to love" Those words have always resonated with me, respect life. Have courage to go your own way. Great lessons and certainly an inspiration to me.
Q4. What is your earliest memory? It's always been the same thing, my Dad coming to collect me from my Mum's house, usually quite late (by a small child's reckoning), I'd be wrapped in a blanket and put into the back of the car to head off for the weekend. I remember just feeling so sleepy, but warm. Always makes me smile!
Q5. You clearly love music. What would you say would be the songs that most define you?
You realise that this question makes my brain start to bleed a little? It's an incredibly hard question, there are so many songs with memories attached! I think Lady Marmalade by Patti Labelle is almost the quintessential song. Although I don't use that name here, I've been Lady Marmalade online since back in 1996. I used to go to a good number of internet group meets and would be often introduced as Lady M. I swear Lady M almost became a different persona! It was understood that if that track was ever played in a club my friends were obligated to go dance with me! By the way, I hadn't appreciated, when I chose Lady Marmalade as a screen name, that she was essentially a prostitute. That is definitely no reflection on my good self! The song Black Betty by Ram Jam will always remind me of being a nanny, driving down the road, playing it loud, windows open with the kids screaming "BAM-A-LAM". (I can't tell you how my eyes are watering as I laugh remembering that!) I suspect I've said this before but I think the band Oige was my first introduction to folk music and the first moment I heard them, I knew what I'd been missing from the music everyone else was listening to on the radio. It was like coming home, there was fiddle, bodhran, tin whistle and pipes combined with beautiful, beautiful songs. Cara Dillon was the singer in Oige and do have a listen to P Stands For Paddy which will forever remain one of my favourite songs. Folk music was really such an awakening, I'm slowly trying to draw more people into it and there does seem to be a real movement towards it. When I started going to the Cambridge Folk Festival tickets took weeks to sell out, now it's hours. Oh my god, as I was thinking about music and this question, a memory surfaced, I clearly remember putting this vinyl single on and then I had to jump around for the length of it. I wonder where all that energy went?
I swear I could go on and on with songs... but I'll restrain myself!
So I guess it's time... if any of you are reading and fancy a five question interview, just say so and I'll pop over (once I've had some inspiration) and interview - minus the overhead spotlight obviously.
So there it is. My latest piece of art. I cannot even begin to tell you how many attempts it took to take that almost reasonable photograph. 
