T'eyla Minh

So, I have two day trips to blog about and a meme to do. I was insanely busy at work on Tuesday and Wednesday (as a knock-on effect of having to help out West/East teams the Wednesday before [i.e. the 20th], resulting in almost falling behind in our own team's work) and didn't find time to update, and then have been too tired / disinclined to actually update whilst at home.

I also have another embroidery scan to post when I get home, as I've finally finished the insane amount of mid-brown. I started the darkest shade of green yesterday then realised I'd completely misread the colour chart and done it all the wrong colour - thankfully there wasn't too much of it, but still, a good three hours' worth of work to redo...

Anyway. I'm just taking a little break before commencing the three-tape dictation of DOOM that is sitting on my desk. Super-long entry commences... NOW!

( Day Trip to Glastonbury, Saturday 23rd May )

After that was the bank holiday weekend, and as far as I can remember I don't think we did anything. Paul was working on the Monday anyway, so I doubt anything exciting happened. I was then at work for two days, before having flex and annual leave on Thursday and Friday.

( (Half) Day Trip to Worcester, Thursday 28th May )

Aaaand finally, the meme stolen from 803am...

Comment to this entry and I'll pick three of your fandoms. You must then update your journal and answer the following questions:

1. What got you into this fandom in the first place?
2. Do you think you'll stay in this fandom or eventually move on?
3. Favorite episodes/books/movies/etc.?
4. Do you participate in this fandom (fanfiction, graphics, discussions)?
5. Do you think that more people should get into this fandom?

I was given Farscape, Jonathan Creek and The X-Files by Eni... Here we go... ( Probably LONG )

Phew. *wipes brow*

Oh, and finally finally (honest), talking about Jonathan Creek, ( have some fic-like ramblings... )

Right, that's enough for one day. Normal service will be resumed shortly. *posts and runs*

That was quite pleasant. Paul was working silly shifts this weekend (2 til 10 both days) so I basically had the weekend (and the computer!) to myself. Despite that, I was even marginally productive - cleaned the kitchen and bathroom, planted the kitchen herb garden pot, and got some bits of shopping on the Sunday.

Of course, the rest of it was spent on the PC. ;)

I've spent most of the weekend indulging unashamedly in Sunset Boulevard fandom, basically - re-reading old fic, e-mail tennises with sweeterthing and Jenny (from Georgia) about SB fic and introspection, and chatting to Eni on YIM after scanning the old UK tour brochure. Which reminds me, I must scan the APR libretto pictures, too.

Sunday was mostly spent working on my new layout, which I'm still not entirely happy with... haven't even attempted to code it yet. I was going to use the 'Expressive' layout but the CSS looks really bloody complicated, and I'm somewhat out of practice, but I think I can achieve the same effect using 'Bloggish' - i.e. a background and a header banner. I have the background sorted, but need to work on the banner. As ever, these things look so much more impressive in my head, and would be a lot easier if I could draw. My Google image hunt was less than fruitful, to say the least, though I did have a second option for the picture that I might try... :P

As a result of re-reading the e-mail tennises with Jenny, I was randomly reinspired last night to make a start on our SB / Breakfast at Tiffany's crossover, the unoriginally titled "Sunset at Tiffany's". I think that was actually going to be the real title, too, but I might come up with something else... This was the thing which was going to have four different endings because we couldn't decide which one we preferred. I imagine Mr Capote is turning in his grave, but probably no more than Mr Wilder is. ;)

( Random fic details, for those who might be even remotely interested... )

I absolutely cannot find words to express how glad I am that I got to see the London production of Sunset. It is a fandom that is very high on the list of favourites, and I can't believe I fell out of it. I felt so ALIVE on 28th February; I've not enjoyed a show like that since... I can't remember. The Woman in White, probably, as after that point things started to go downhill. Before seeing SB again I was almost about to give up on writing completely (as a result of too many issues to mention), but it has reinspired me to the point of absolute ridiculousness - for fanfic, for icons, for thought-provoking discussion, for general creativity. I can't explain why, and I don't want to analyse it. There's just something about the story which has always captured my imagination and never let go, and somehow, I'd forgotten that.

( Glumness )

Meh. Sorry, this started out as a positive post. In any case, many many thanks to Eni for putting up with my inane messenger ramblings of late...

Anyway, in other news, this month is horrendous for birthdays and events, including Mother's Day. And then in April its our anniversary (four years!), and hopefully after that I should have some money. I say this every year, of course. One year it might be true. :P

Right. It is now lunchtime, so I shall post this and have my sandwich.

But an enjoyable one, nonetheless.

I awoke ridiculously early (for a Saturday, anyway) and proceeded to make my way towards Birmingham, leaving Paul with a selection of various chores to do whilst I was out. I was heading off, excitingly, to meet jackiesjottings, who was supposed to come to Brum just before Christmas but for a lack of funds.

( A Grand Day Out )

I should like the record to show, for Jackie's interest, that my area is not normally renowned for people dying on the high street. It's usually quite salubrious. :P

Today I've done not much - watched the Eastenders omnibus (the ending made me cry, damn you Stacey Slater and your dysfunctional family!) and made cakes for Paul's work, as they were moaning apparently as I wasn't well enough to make them over the New Year period. :P

Hopefully Jackie and I will get to meet again some point this year as she's invited me to her beloved Glastonbury. It was a thoroughly enjoyable meet-up yesterday. My favourite thing about meeting online friends whom you've known for a while online is that the conversation flows as though you've known each other for years. It's been the same with all the people I've met, from winter_jasmine to 803am. A strange phenomenon, really. :)

Alternatively active and lazy, this weekend.

Saturday involved a morning trip into Kings Heath to get meat (from the butcher) and to stock up the freezer, hence just under £70(!) in Iceland. £15 of that was wine, though. :P

In the afternoon we made our way by taxi to the Briar for my birthday drinkings. My mum and David had already arrived before us (at 3.00pm, the allotted time) and we waited for Lloyd, Derek and Denise to turn up. It turned out Lloyd had decided to go and see a film which started at 2.40 - thanks for that. :P

Lloyd then proceeded to get us kicked out of the pub. Or, well, that's what we said happened. What really happened was he managed to knock over most of his first pint, went to get another one, and the bar staff decreed he was "too drunk" because he was "slurring his words and swaying". *ahem* In any event, we finished our food and then decamped to the Trocadero instead, and spent the rest of the evening there.

Most of that time was spent watching Derek be the resident clown. The quote of the night was probably: "Of course I've got a chin! It holds my mouth together!", though there was all manner of other hilarity. It's all documented in photographic form on Paul's Facebook, obviously. I have no idea whether they're publicly visible...

Alison arrived shortly after 8.00, at the Briar, whereupon she rang Derek and made her way to the Trocadero.

Paul, Lisa and I left around 10.00pm. Paul and I had a bit of a silly argument (apparently about different things) just before bed, but only because he was drunk and I was therefore unable to differentiate between a serious comment and a joke. It was pointless, anyway. (I maintain it was still a horrible thing to say, drunk, joking or otherwise...)

On Sunday we didn't do anything remotely exciting. I had a headache and my back was hurting from not sitting properly in the pub, so that rather scuppered my enthusiasm to do anything.

Back at work today and the lift is broken (again!).

I have a very busy couple of weeks ahead...

This weekend: bloody rehearsal in bloody Gloucester, followed by Hallowe'en party / Movie Night thing.

Next weekend: fireworks at Paul's mum's for her birthday

Weekend after that: concert at Town Hall, so rehearsing all day for that, too.

December is also just as bad, with two Messiah concerts and Christmas to contend with, as well as all the usual festive stressing. My plan is the usual: one day off work in order to get the majority of my shopping done, tree is going up first weekend in December so I don't have to worry about it, and get it all over with as soon as possible. If you invite me to the pub a week before the event, you can readily expect me to kill you. :P

Christmas should really not be so stressful.

PS: Loving the new Livejournal front page. :D

Mmm, four-day weekend. Most of which has been unproductive but sociable, so not an entire loss.

Friday - we rearranged the attic, which didn't take as long as anticipatd. The wardrobe is now storing all the videos and some boxes, thus clearing floor space, and the television is plugged in, to prepare for such an eventuality that we get a console of some description or an aerial at the very least, so that if people stay over they can watch it. :P

Most of the rest of Friday I spent finishing the redux_08 community. OMG, so good. Epic, but brilliant. I just couldn't put it down. I advise all others who were disappointed in At World's End to have a look - especially if you are of the Jack/Elizabeth school of thought. ;)

On Saturday I met up with Alison and we went to Kings Heath park for a bit, where we chatted and watched toddlers running about the place. Quite a nice day, weather-wise. Paul and I also watched the Simpsons movie in the morning on Sky Premier.

Yesterday we met up with Denise and Lloyd and not Derek, and subsequently Lorna and Bethan and several other people. I ran out of energy pretty quickly, though, for some reason, and we sloped off after a couple of drinks. One more drink in Bacchus and then home via Blockbuster to pick up some films. Once back we watched the first of them, Funny Games US, which was good, if a little slow and strange. I want to see the original UK version even if the American one is shot-for-shot, just because.

Oh, yes - also yesterday I encountered the biggest spider I've EVER seen outside of a pet shop, sitting on the reverse side of the voile at the windows. I thought it was a daddylonglegs at first because of the general shape of it, and then realised what the Hell it was. Needless to say, I legged it. Paul attempted to catch it, but apparently it ran away behind the wardrobe. Meh. I've been horribly paranoid ever since. *shudders* I'm amazed I managd to get out of the bedroom, in actual fact, as usually I end up frozen in terror at the very sight of the bloody things. Perhaps I'm getting slighty better...

Later today we having Lisa up for dinner, and that's about it. I'm still bloody knackered, though - four-day weekends are clearly not good for me.

The re-tagging of my journal didn't happen, either. Ah well, it's an ongoing process...

And also not quite as insanely busy as anticipated...

On Friday night, Paul went out to see a gig at the Station. Around 9.30 he texted to say he was going back to Richie's afterwards, and I killed time by finding Day of the Tentacle to try out on DOSBox. I can't remember what time I went to bed, but in any event woke up at 2.30am to find him still not back. And, being somewhat half-awake, phoned him up and demanded he come home because I hadn't anticipated him staying out quite so late. Which resulted in a less than pleasant discussion a few minutes later, obviously, and some awkwardness the next morning as well, but at least the air had cleared by the afternoon.

Of the evening Paul was supposed to be going to a house party in Stoke, which was apparently meant to have a barbecue, except I suspect the rain called off play. He didn't go in the end, as it transpired, due to toothache. Also, I'd put some washing out to try in the frankly glorious weather that morning, only to have to rush it back inside when the heavens opened three hours later. *shakes fist* Curse you, weather god!

last_dance came over that evening (by bike, which was incredibly impressive), whereupon I fed her bolognese and we watched Sweeney Todd, followed by The Never-Ending Story II, as Naomi had also come along so I could return her copy of the novel, having borrowed it about four years ago... Paul joined us for the second film and wow. SO CONFUSING. It's like they took a few random elements of the book and attempted to force a plot out of them. Plus they missed out my favourite bit about the 'Many-Coloured Death' and when Bastian wishes himself to be King of the Night Forest, which I felt was a bit of a cop-out because I was looking forward to seeing how it translated to film. Meh.

It was very odd, though. We couldn't make any sense at all of what was happening. Yes - three reasonably intelligent adults failed to decipher a children's film.

Sunday was mostly sedate, with the afternoon taken up with a surprise party for Paul's brother Darren, who has recently achieved his Doctorate. So that was quite nice. Afterwards Paul and I decamped to his mum's house for a bit, half-watching the A Bit of Fry & Laurie marathon that Noel had already started, before getting a taxi back around 11.00, and then ordering in a take-away.

Unfortunately, thanks to a combination of buffet food, the two smoothies I had and the two bottles of flavoured perry, my IBS has returned with a vengeance today. I haven't had proper fibre intake for a few days, too, so the 'diet' must start properly again this week. I'm going to have the bike off Paul's mum but need to get a bicycle pump before I can ride it, so need to pop down there one of the days to bring it home. We were going to take it last night but didn't think it would fit in the taxi...

Anyway. I'm feeding my stomach probiotic yoghurt and dried cranberries in the hope of flusing the badness out. Yay.

PS: Now that I have a functional PC / DVD drive again, I need to make some Tim Burton-themed icons. Ohyes.

I spent a bit of money today. Not all of it was for me, though...

First of all, at lunchtime I went to Zavvi to look for Alison's present*, and failed horribly because they were apparently in the process of refitting the entire store, and only a little part of it actually contained things to buy. The man on the tills was supremely unhelpful - "It'll probably be upstairs in the comedy section". Will it? Will it really? Hm. Funny how it wasn't, then.

So, having failed on that count, I instead got hold of a complete set of St Trinian's films for my grandmother (excepting the rubbish new one, of course) if she ever manages to come here for her belated birthday dinner at some point, the 2-disc special edition of Sweeney Todd and season 2 of Carnivále, which all came to £55. Not bad.

Then, after work, I went to Primark. It's absolutely the worst shop ever. Even at 4.00pm the queues are ridiculous. The thing I completely don't understand about it, though, is the way people just... leave things by the queuing area, as though they've suddenly decided at the very last minute that they don't want those shoes or that top. It's weird, not to mention lazy and slobbish. Whilst in Primark I got some new socks and some support tights, finally, and spent exactly £12.00 in there.

I had a little look in the new shoe shop that's opened where Topshop used to be but there was nothing particularly exciting there. It's like Brantano only not as good, really.

And finally, I managed to get a new swimming costume - £14 from Bonmarché. I am officially now a middle-aged woman (and if age is all in the mind, and I feel frelling ancient, why can't I retire yet? :P). But seriously? It should NOT be this difficult to find a swimming costume just because the rest of the known universe can (a) afford a nice tropical holiday or (b) is a stick figure. SOME OF US DO NOT LOOK GOOD IN BIKINIS. End of story.

Both of these shopping experiences were marred by the RUDEST SHOPPERS KNOWN TO MAN. If they weren't barging through me, standing in doorways, pushing me out of the way or prodding/poking/pushing me and my bag, they were just... there. Being annoying. Shopping is bloody annoying where other people are concerned.

Anyway. I think there are just a couple of other bits to get for Alison and I'm done.

*Ali - this is the present I mentioned which you might think was rubbish. It was going to be a complete, 6-DVD set of Eddie Izzard performances. I figured you already have them on video but it's always nice to have these things on DVD. Ah well. If I find it again you can have it for Christmas...

So, yoshi and I have been working through The 10th Kingdom. I'd forgotten the sheer brilliance. Anyway, we just started on episode 2 last night, and as a result, for some reason, my brain gave me a mostly nonsensical Wolf/Virginia-centric dream. Much appreciated, but somewhat strange considering the first time I watched the series (back in sixth form) that ship took over my dreams then, too...

Which is precisely why, when I go to see the new X-Files movie in August (and seriously, I'll go on my own if I have to), despite the fact it's been years and I'm no longer obsessed with it (but, wow, good times...) I will doubtless squee like a fangirl at the inevitable MSR. :D

Old ships never die; they just wait, dormant, until such time as they have reason to pop up again. So much for objectivity, though. ;)

In other news, the credit card bill is currently quite horrendous, so no more spending. We have been quite bad, really, but at least both of us are paying it off. Must lay off it until December, October at the earliest. I'm hoping by the time my mum's birthday rolls around in August I'll have actual money to spend...

Went out last night to see Clare-from-Uni at the Green Rooms, which was nice... the paintings are completely different from when I was there in March for Lisa's birthday, so that was bizarre. Also I'd forgotten how expensive it was (£6.30 for a JD&coke and a vodka&pineapple!) but I'm probably too used to Wetherspoon's prices... Still, a pleasant evening of reminiscence and general nattering.

Barely any work here today but what there is has been urgent - typical. Must pay off first card payment tonight / tomorrow. I tried to do it online earlier but there doesn't seem to be an obvious manner of doing so, so I'll have to wait until tonight and check the back of the statement.

PS: In completely unrelated news, I'm trying to find some decent pictures of Justin Lee Collins; one of him grinning (maybe with two thumbs up) and one of him looking miserable. It's for an icon. Google were unfruitful. If anyone could help, that would be marvellous...

That was a pleasant, if exhausting, few days.

Saturday was spent doing incredibly little, although we did head out briefly to get Paul a hair cut. This weekend we have both suffered with Stylist-Giving-Us-Their-Own-Hairstyle Syndrome, as the guy in the barber's gave him the exact same 'mullet'-type style as himself. Rather a change from Paul's usual army-issue short-back-and-sides, but it looks quite good. :)

Sunday I spent packing the case, doing washing, the usual things. 'Stenders has hit a bit of an interest low at the moment, but it's to be expected post-Easter. The Frank/Pat plotline was nice (I like it when they intersperse canon, despite randomly changing actresses), though I'm not quite sure if I'm glad of the return of Ricky and Bianca... Bianca's current troubles are looking to provide some entertainment, at least...

So, on Monday we left the house at 9.45 to catch a 10.48 train to Manchester Piccadilly, and then onwards to Manchester Airport. If nothing else, this has proven that Manchester is a viable option should we ever be able to afford a holiday, as the journey was relatively painless - no delays, and we got straight onto a train to the airport.

Once at the airport we hopped into a black cab and told him where we were going. When I looked at the respective locations of the hotel and the airport on Google, it didn't look too far, but because it was out-of-area (the hotel was in Cheshire, some 18 miles from the airport), it came to a flat rate of £25... The driver was nice enough, though. He kept pointing out where footballers lived and saying how much various houses cost, as it was a very posh area.

The hotel was gorgeous. Lovely grounds, which it would have been nice to explore had the weather been better. We found our room (a good size, and also a large bathroom) and got changed, then went to find Lisa and Heather in the bar. Heather had driven Lisa up and we got there about 30 seconds before them, as we ran into them at reception. ;)

It turned out my ex-manager was there (Carol W, she of the Inline bannage) but luckily enough she didn't seem to either recognise nor acknowledge me, so no awkward conversations.

The service was lovely, and Jen's dress was gorgeous. :) The only trouble with going to other people's weddings is I inevitably end up thinking "ooh, that's a good idea" and stealing it for future reference.

In between the service and the meal, Lisa and I went around the tables turning over the napkins, having discovered that they'd been arranged upside down (the bows uppermost), and given the hours we spend folding them and putting ribbon around them, it simply wouldn't do. That didn't take too long, luckily.

The meal was very nice, also. Melon with red berry sauce for starters (which I managed a fair bit of, despite not liking melon - again, it suffers with that thing of my liking the texture but not the flavour...), chicken with vegetables in a sort of mushroomy sauce (and peppercorn gravy) for the main, and little chocolate mousse things for dessert. Delicious. :) Also, we were kept plied with free wine and champagne for the toasts.

During the gap whilst they set up the band space / disco in the other room, we were sitting in the bar talking and eventually decided to go and get changed into more comfortable clothing - at the last wedding I went to (Tor's, where I was ill) everyone was changed before the party afterwards. Naturally, at this one, everyone stayed in their wedding garb. Typical. Anyway, as a result of our bad timing and not knowing when things were going to happen, we managed to miss the first dance. Bugger.

By about 10.00pm when we were sitting in the disco / band room, I had somewhat run out of steam. I was also trying not to fall into the trap of thinking "Fuck, I'm never going to be able to afford any of this...", which made me a bit blah for the majority of the evening.

The 'buffet' was a choice of chicken curry or (presumably) beef stroganoff, with some of the wedding cake for afters, which was very nice. Jen had thoughtfully decided on part fruitcake, part sponge. :)

The evening's entertainment was provided by three bands, which IIRC were The Klopeks, The Hunchbacks and 3 1/2 Inch Floppy. Earplugs had been provided, thankfully. Still, by that point I was a little too tired to appreciate it. Paul and I sloped off to bed at around 12.30 and watched about 10 minutes of Battle Royale on Channel 4 before giving up. Apparently Jen stayed up until 3.00am...

The breakfast next morning was also nice - the choice was "whatever you want" so I had a full English, minus beans and tomatoes but plus hash browns, and it was all very good except for the mushrooms, which were a bit tasteless...

Jen gave us a lift to the nearest station (before which, Dave gave me a bone-crunching hug on our departure) and we got a train from there to Piccadilly at a cost of about 2.90. At Piccadilly we spotted a train to Reading via Birmingham so got on it, then sat there for about an hour as it wasn't due to leave for ages. Ah well. Got back around 1.30, whereupon I had a shower (using the new shampoo I got from Supercuts - v. nice, smells of oranges, hair all soft...) and we went out for McDonalds.

I managed to drag myself to choir that evening despite falling asleep on the bus there, as it was the final rehearsal before Saturday's Mahler concert in Tewkesbury (this time I'm getting a lift home...)

Back at work today and it's not been too bad, although I was very tired this morning. Going swimming tonight and then next week we'll be back to Mondays and hopefully regular attendance. ;) Next Wednesday, Paul and I will have been together three long years. How terrifying...

I am still alive...

I haven't done an LJ entry in over a week, but mostly because I haven't done very much... Usually my 'not doing very much' equates to 'lurking about online', it's too damned cold to sit in the corridor on the computer... So, anyway, here's what I've been up to in my week/s off...

On Thursday I did my usual fare of nothing. The other reason I've not been spending too much time on the PC is because the monitor is too high (due to this one being a desktop rather than a tower) and it gives me a crick in my neck... and if I adjust the chair my legs won't fit under the keyboard tray. Inconvenient, but at least the bloody thing turns on...

I believe most of Friday was quite similar... Of the evening we went out with Paul's mate, Tor (who announced she was pregnant), because the going-out for Jen and Dave's pre-wedding get-together didn't happen due to illness... I don't think I could have coped with another night out after last week, though...

On Saturday it was falling_softly's birthday, which was actually mostly quite sedate... The only downside was the Drunken Twat at the table near us who was offended by our very presence, but thankfully he left after an hour or so. Mostly the clientelle of the Briar Rose is okay, but unfortunately the combination of cheap booze and (now, alas) television screens showing the rugby brings in a lower denomination of human life, like the aforesaid Drunken Twat.

Other than that it was a plesant evening. Denise and I watched the boys playing two silly drunken games ("Fizzbuzz" and "I Have Never", the latter of which I loathe and detest), which was possibly more amusing than actually playing. Paul got a little bit annoying on the way home but at least realised that and calmed down again. I think our *ahem* screaming row a few weeks ago helped to clear the air and made me perhaps a little more tolerant. As much as the rows themselves aren't particularly pleasant, they are useful for getting stuff out into the open...

Sunday was lazy...

On Monday I cleaned the kitchen cupboards and rearranged them a bit so we can find things... also made a bit more room in the process, but only just. The rest of the week has involved doing nothing whatsoever except watching my usual fare of Rubbish Daytime Television (This Morning right through to Jeremy Kyle... I know, I know...)

Oh, on Tuesday morning I traipsed up to Selly Oak Hospital to the Dermatology Department regarding the mole on my stomach. The doctor there recommended that I didn't get it removed because the scar that would be left would be more irritating and quite possibly bigger than the mole itself. Not what I wanted to hear... obviously I didn't bring up that I wanted to get a tattoo over it anyway, as he would probably have recommended not doing that, either. He also said that most GP surgeries are quite happy to remove moles themselves once they're happy that Dermatology have cleared them, but, well, my GP surgery doesn't have the facilities to do that, which is why I had the referral to the hospital in the first place. *SIGH*

It was incredibly frustrating and I spent the rest of the day feeling mildly annoyed, to the extent that I didn't bother going to choir. Just, the thought of having to go out again when I was already cold (I had the fire on from about 2.00pm...) and having to keep repeating stuff because it wasn't right... it didn't appeal. We have next week off for good behaviour for Easter, also... Instead, Paul and I went to the pub for tea (local Ember Inns), which was nice. I've been feeling a bit meh since Saturday, to be honest... Mostly I attribute this to the fact that Ali and I haven't been swimming for two weeks for a number of reasons and my endorphine levels are low, but there is also a Certain Issue I'm trying to work through which wasn't helped by Saturday.

Subsequently my productivity thus far this week has been to almost finish my rose embroidery. I should get that done today and then I can finally frame and hang the thing, then work on getting another one started... I find embroidery quite therapeutic, somehow...

(And last night I joined geneandalex, an Ashes to Ashes shipper community, and read lots of fanfic. The Inner Shipper requires feeding, and the Ugly Betty section on FFN has been a bit sparse lately...)

On today's to-do list is to go through the boxes in the attic, but BLOODY HELL, it's cold. Where's spring gone?