Thursday, December 31, 2009

Three Sheets

Perhaps blogging, when one has drunk a serious amount of red wine, is not a terribly good idea.Yes, well since when have I ever been sensible? I'm not going out to celebrate the New Year, for I will be nursing a hangover of gargantuan proportions. And, I'm a sad fuck. I for one will not be sorry to see the back end of 2009. In many ways, it's been three shades of shite. But, I haven't swung for anyone. Yet. Nor have I been arrested. Damn.

I suspect that 2010 will also bring it's challenges. But that's life. Innit?

Yes, I know, giving up smoking should be on my New Year's Resolutions. But it's not likely. The only resolution I'm prepared to make (in my very sozzled state) is: not to make any. Let's be honest, I have the will power of cold spaghetti.

However, I am all for reading about yours. So, what are you going to different this year?

Thursday, December 24, 2009

Christmas Eve

To those of you who have stuck with me from the beginning: thank you, well done and it's good to know I'm not the only one without a Life. To those of you who landed on here this year: it's been lovely to get to know you.

Hottie arrives soon and Boy comes back from his dad's a bit later. And the festivities will truly begin.

Thanks to the snow fall last week and subsequent thaw and re-freeze, I can't get my car out of the drive. The inch and a half of ice, coupled with a narrow drive-way and a gentle incline have conspired to usurp my Festive Shopping. I was most miffed yesterday. Stomping around, sprinkling salt, jabbing at the sheet of glass to no avail.

Not to worry. We have alternatives and buses (hopefully). We will have goodies for Christmas Day lunch/meal/dinner. The duck is waiting patiently in the bottom of the fridge. I'm going to do it with rasberries this year. We'll see how much of that process I remember. The worst case scenario is we end up having bacon sandwiches and tons of mince pies.

So this is the calm before the storm.

I hope you all have a brilliant Christmas, however you choose to celebrate it (or not). Hold your loved ones close this year. They are fragile and precious and you are lucky to have them and vice versa.

Monday, December 21, 2009

Winter Solstice Party



Thanks for braving the foul weather we're having. Boy will take your coat upstairs, come in make yourself comfortable. Have a drink. Have several more. There are munchies on the table. I suggest you get stuck into the mince pies and cheese straws before Dave, XL and Cogidubnus start fighting for pole position underneath. Also, Savannah and Beth will need a space to dance later.




It's good to see you. I hope you have a great time tonight. If you do end up sleeping in the bath. There's a lovely cafe up the road, I promise I'll wake you, hose you down and we'll go have breakfast.


Blessings of the Winter Solstice to you. May the Sun return with Light and Warmth into your life and bring you love, laughter and prosperity.

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

America - Ventura Highway

I went to see the Backroom Harmony Band tonight and they played this.

Enjoy the original version, with the second verse.

Winter Solstice Invitations


The last time (which was the first time) I held a party. People complained bitterly that I didn't give enough notice. Therefore, consider yourself notified.
I will be throwing the virtual doors of Palais de Roses open next Monday (21st December) to celebrate the Winter Solstice. It's that time of year when we gather to mark the turning of the Wheel of the Year. We give thanks for the blessings we have received and look forward for the lengthening of the days. It's the time of year when we turn inwards and reflect on the goals we will be setting ourselves for the coming year.
It is also the best time to indulge in our friendships and loves. Giving tokens of appreciation. Whether homemade or shop-bought, it's a time for pressies! Woo Hoo!

And I fully expect we'll be indulging in a lot of this:


Let's have a good old knees up!

Monday, December 07, 2009

Stationery Support Group

Hello. My name is Roses and I am about to share a deeply disturbing problem of mine.

I am addicted to stationery.

Yes, I know it's shocking. But it's true.

I love stationery. Pens, pencils, paper, note books, journals, diaries, push pins. All of it. I love it so much. I have to have it.

Borders, the massive bookseller has now been taken outside and is in the process of being shot. I trooped down there a few days ago to secure my W&A 2010 edition and also The Creative Writing Coursebook as my copies went walkabout a few years ago and both are good resources to have, especially as my skills are so bloody rusty at the moment. Normally, I get my stationery fix at WH Smith. I have my brand of choice pens and my brand of choice paper. However, while I was in the rummage sale that Borders has become, I stopped by Paperchase. Oh boy. Or I could just say 'ouch' and leave it at that. Those of you who don't understand my stationery pecadillo can leave now and see you another time; thanks for dropping by.

Of course, Paperchase aren't taking part in the 20% off everything. Unfortunately. It didn't stop me buy a handful of cards, postcards and I thought I'd try a new flavour of pen. Today, lured by promises of lunch, I met Dave in town. We ate, caught up and then I sent him home. He still is not his bright, energetic self and unfortunately, is too well brought up to say he's had enough, or to just to go home. He is very big and brave.

Anyway, back to stationery.

I wandered around H&M looking for a hat that would a) fit and b) not make me look stupid. I gave up on the not looking stupid part and got a couple of wooly hats and a new scarf and then went back into Borders. How was that a good idea? Of course I had to buy a copy of The Virago Book of Ghost Stories and something for Boy towards his Yule pile and then I wandered into Paperchase. I now have more pens, cards and a postcard that reads: Make yourself at Home, Clean my Kitchen! Needless to say my credit card is a quivering mass in the corner, thoroughly exhausted. But I have just remembered that I need some of those post-it indexers and probably more pritt stick.

Damn.

Sunday, December 06, 2009

Paranormal Activity

Yesterday, my Main Squeeze and I decided that we'd go to the movies. He wanted to see Paranormal Activity, I reluctantly agreed. I may have said in the past, I'm not good with horror. I hide behind cushions, jumpers, doors and people. I jump and squeak. Even in dire horrors when the film-maker practically shouts 'This is a scary bit! Scary bit coming up!' I still cringe and quake.

When he first floated the idea, I did a bit of research on the interweb and thought it looks promising. It's a ridiculously small-budget film, that has grossed millions. Someone, somewhere is rubbing their hands together. It's done in the same style of the Blair Witch Project, everything filmed on hand-held camera, which given the subject matter, works very, very well.

Meet Katie and Micah, two normal love-birds with a spot of bother happening in their new house. Micah buys a camera to try and document the parnormal activity surrounding Katie. This has been happening on and off since she was 8 years old.

The film itself is exceptionally well paced. The escalation is gradual and more importantly, believable. Micah is the sceptic, who wants to play with technology and Ouija board, not so much scared as fascinated. Katie on the other hand, is uncomfortable with the camera, concerned that it is inviting trouble, which of course it does. A psychic visits early on in the proceedings and delivers the news that it isn't a ghost, but a demon. He suggest contacting a demonologist and states that they can't out run the phenomena. Micah doesn't want to bring the demonologist in, in a very sweet, but misguided opinion that he can sort things out. When he eventually realises that events are moving well beyond his control, the demonologist is out of the country. The psychic comes back, but is so uncomfortable by 'the presence', he is soon forced to leave. The couple now thoroughly frightened want to leave the house, however, 'the presence' has other ideas.

Because it is presented so normally, you are drawn in to the characters' experience. They are likeable, quirky and seem to have genuine chemistry between them. The film manages with little effort, to get you to suspend your belief. You leave with a creeping feeling of 'Oh My God, this could really happen'.

I didn't watch the movie from under my seat, a fact of which I'm quite proud. Though, that could be due in part to the pint of cider I had beforehand. There were bits that were uncomfortable and really made me jump. I would recommend it, definitely. That was time and money worth spending.

Wednesday, December 02, 2009

Guilty Pleasures

There are times when only a hardcore vegging session will do. Last night was one of those times. I assumed the position on my sofa, snuggled under my red blanky and began channel surfing. My regular fare of crime drama were on repeats and I flicked to the Sci Fi Channel.

There Megashark vs Giant Octopus was waiting. Truly. How could I not watch this to the end? I moved enough to send Boy a text to tell him the crappiest film ever was on. He came downstairs and poked his head around the door, draped himself on the futon and promptly fell asleep. Please be aware, that is his normal late night viewing habit, not a damning indictment of the film. He's not proud, he'll fall asleep during anything. It's like Pavlovian reaction, he watches a dvd stretched out on the futon, he's snoozing.

This was car crash television at it's best. I could have been in a lecture theatre, attending 'How Not to Make a Movie 101'. But despite it's awfulness, I had to watch it to the very end. In my head I was compiling it's list of faults. I think they found a book of Cliches and incorporated each and everyone into the script: plot and dialogue. They must have been operating on a budget the scale of my last paycheck, because quite frankly the sets were appalling, the special effects laughable and couldn't they have at least hired some actors? I've seen less wooden performances in an MFI showroom. My favourite moment happened early on when the 'Mega Shark' lept thousands of feet into the air and ate a plane. I was rolling around the floor in pain.

There's just something so appealling about a truly awful movie. I know I'll never get back the 1 hour and 40 minutes again, but it was worth it, just for the laughs. It certainly beat the current trend of mainstream television's endless parade of reality television.

However, I did pass on Komodo vs Cobra. I'd had enough excitement for one night.

Bank Holiday Sunday

Dear Dave I woke up today with Philip Glass' Metamorphosis in my head. It's apt really as it was part of the music chosen for your...