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Monday, July 6th, 2009
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11:03 am - i am not graham norton
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I have had a fabulous week relaxing in Cornwall, with lovely weather that apparently wasn't as hot as London but was just fine. My mother and two friends were holding an exhibition in the Mariners' Gallery so I spent some time in there being the proud daughter, spent some time on the beach getting reddened, went on a boat trip to Seal Island, caught up with Peter (whose relationship to me is far too complex to go into) and met his bloke John for the first time. Ate loads, walked loads, slept loads, drank quite a bit of wine, didn't see a newspaper, television, or the internet all week, bliss. Unfortunately it was all blighted with an excruciatingly killer toothache, meaning I spent the whole week in a haze of painkillers and a dread of how much this would cost in the unlikely event that I could find a dentist on my return to London, but then on Thursday night, just as I was about to tuck into some glorious smelling sausages, I was overtaken by a wave of nausea and had to retire to bed for nearly 12 hours, and the toothache has now completely gone! I'm not complaining, but it is baffling. (Now I've mentioned those sausages I really want to have some for lunch, although I'll have to make do with Walls from the local shop, not the delicious 'artisan' ones from Thursday.)
I got back late on Friday night which was a good thing as it left no temptation to go out or start drinking, with an early start for Pride on Saturday. I arrived at 9am and was immediately promoted to being a Senior Steward, which meant I had a radio and a team to boss about all day - Yaz was loud and boisterous, and a bit of a liability (she buggered off before the official sign out,) Pui was sweet and friendly and straight, she just thought it looked like a fun thing to be involved in, and Richard I initially thought was quiet and shy, but he was just drowned out by Yaz and whenever she wandered off his personality came out and he was absolutely adorable. We were given a fairly good spot to look after and didn't have too much trouble. I threw off a couple of photographers without press passes and only had one bitch; 'I have half an hour to do my shopping and I MUST cross over the road! What authority do you have to stop me?' Er, well, the Police give us full authority actually. It was a great day, and I didn't spot Ian McKellen or Sarah Brown (who allegedly had snipers looking out for her and an emergency evacuation procedure in place,) or anyone else famous as I was too busy watching the crowd.
After sign out I went for a drink with my Area Manager and a couple of other stewards, where we sunk four pints in about 90 minutes (thirsty work) and then I hung around Halfway to Heaven to watch the acts and make some more new friends. And then in typical Rhoda style I tripped over (losing my Senior T-shirt at some point) and gave myself a massive graze on my forehead (which now has blossomed into a black eye.) But I was well looked after by my friends and the St John's guys, I'm just annoyed about losing the T shirt, and one earring. I got home at 10am yesterday and slept the whole day and night through, possibly annoying my flatmate as the wireless connection doesn't appear to be working and his computer was plugged into the ethernet in the living room where I was dozing. I think he's left a dirty pan in the sink this morning as a protest.
Two separate area managers have asked me to be involved in the Pride Ops Team next year, and I am realy flattered, and well up for that. But that's a year away so now I must get on with the boring stuff like laundry and food shopping, checking eleven days emails, and sorting out the wireless connection. And going back to work tonight. Oh look, it's raining. So much for the laundry and the shopping.
current mood:  back to reality
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| Friday, July 3rd, 2009
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11:42 pm - leafcutters
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It has just taken me eight hours to travel back from a week in Cornwall, and I have to be up at 7am tomorrow. My brief look at the internet before bed informs me that Blur are playing. I've not missed anything exciting then?
current mood:  knacked
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| Friday, June 26th, 2009
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2:39 pm - i'm not bad myself actually
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Well, he will just remind me of the time I was vaguely watching 100 WORST MOMENTS IN POP, LIKE EVER, and the floating of a 100ft MJ down the Thames for the HIStory album. I honestly have vague, if no, recollections of this event but then they somehow switched to interview the sculptor of this ghastly happening. My reaction was, sculptor, Jackson... innit... wotevs... uh, Jackson... WTF, THAT'S MY UNCLE DEREK.
Jesus, Bonnie Greer has been asked to comment and is saying nothing but 'African-American'...Is she somehow missing lots of points? Or just thick?
current mood:  yawn
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| Thursday, June 25th, 2009
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3:58 pm - Writer's Block: All-Nighter
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HAHAHAHAHAHA. Erm.
current mood:  just got up, thanks
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| Tuesday, June 23rd, 2009
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2:11 pm - threat level: severe
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In the very short time since I got up the roadworks blocking my route to the shop have gone from slightly inconvenient to completely impassable. I am now wondering how quickly I need to get dressed and run out before the shop becomes a mile's walk away.
current mood:  miffed
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| Wednesday, June 17th, 2009
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9:42 pm - disambiguation
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Oh my lord. Quite shocked and saddened today to hear of the death of a lovely friend, Ian Loveday, aka Eon. I won't pretend I was his best chum, but I've known him for four years, and he was one of the loveliest, sweetest and most generous people around. I have many fond memories of me, Kate and Ian being the last ones standing at Electrogogo, and he would always somehow manage to get us drinks in way after the bar had officially closed and Mark was packing up. I only saw him two weeks ago at CanCan, and I'm absolutely speechless. Talented and amazing, but unassuming and modest. He will be missed.
current mood: speechless
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| Sunday, June 7th, 2009
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1:54 pm - and the deposit
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I'm a bit scared now. He gave me a cheque, I wrote him a receipt, he went off with the keys... I think I have a flatmate!!!111omgoneoneondixon, or Di Zhien, I asked him if he had heard of Diziet Sma and if I could call him that, but he was insulted by the T at the end. But anyway, if if this works out I might actually cheer up a bit, for three months. Oh Em Gee you don't know what a push it's been these last few months. My last update was semi-comic-suicidal, but I reallly meant it, I really wanted to die, or at least not have to go on (at this point I have now had to >> IAMX saying 'I kill myself.'
Hmm, forwardng to Space Daddy seems to have cheered me up. Hi Aug
current mood: contemplative
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8:51 am - ooh er, lordy!
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It rains. Oh it rains beauttifully. Full on, proper big rainfall, like I imagine it rains in Malaysia, where my last-chance view-the-flat is from. He's Malay and coming here at 11-12, but maybe he won't show up, like a lot of potential flatmates. I am so bored of this now. So many people who will call me tomorrow, so many people who love the place and think it's ideal, and who I think I've clicked with having chatted to, but... nish.
It's a really good job I have a lot of good friends otherwise I'd get very, very, worried that it was just about ME ME ME. I've sussed things now though - Kate sent me word of a cow tent and I read in the Graun about a camping place in Crystal Palace, so that is my plan soon. Seriously, when my six months here is up I'm going to put what's left of my stuff in storage and camp out. Or just ditch everything. Well I have nothing left of Me. Really, all my baby photos and other 'silly' memorabilia, and anything related to my past, those things are just gone now, I have no past, so why should I care about the future?
Well, I don't.
current mood: exanimate
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| Friday, June 5th, 2009
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9:54 am - for alcohol, yes
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Well I may have just gambled away my month's food money on the premise that someone really lovely sounding is coming to see the flat on Sunday, and my landlady is advertising it herself and has promised to 'discuss' the rent, but hell I have missed seeing Mark as a DJ, who is now playing ten minutes walk from my house every week, and my god I had such fun and danced my tiny feet off. What a good night. Apart from the last bit when me and Kate got into bed and she barked 'YOU STICK TO YOUR SIDE OF THE BED AND I'LL STICK TO MINE.' Errrm. So I suddenly felt like a sleazy old perv, sleeping next to my ex, who I thought still felt as fondly about me as I did about her, and who I really had no intention of making a move on anyway... The explanation is that apparently she was rather not well, but I was quite rattled, and this led to me having a dream where I sent out a questionnaire to everyone in the world: 'Do you like Rhoda? y/n' and the entire world said yes except for Kate. I was well annoyed when I woke up. And told her so, but apparently she was in the v drunk 'do not touch me' mode, and still is. So I have closed the double curtains and the inner door for extra blackout and soundproofing (essentials of being a nightworker) and all that and left her to sleep. See? I am nice! Remember that next time the 'Do you like Rhoda? y/n' questionnaire goes out!
Shortly after arriving at CanCan I had a really panicked phone message from my team leader who said they were desperate for people to come in to work but she couldn't do it because she was in Cornwall, and she knew I hated last minute call-ups but could I possibly? Especially with Purnell resigning? Could I even maybe turn up for the lates? I texted back that I was out drinking and planning on a night of it but I would quite happily turn up for the lates if they didn't mind me being hammered, I was only ten minutes away after all. In the back of my not-concentrating mind was the fact that James Purnell had resigned, and I knew the name but was thinking he was a member of the other shift. It took me a whole two minutes to click who he actually was and go WHAT? PURNELL HAS RESIGNED? Well at least now I know he won't be getting Home Office. Dessy thinks I'll get Johnson or Milliband. Any thoughts anyone? I have a lot of respect for Johnson and would love to see him as PM actually. Millie is a bit of a work joke in that one of our team really fancies him, and she'd be jealous if he was my minister.
Wow, this entry is like one of those songs that starts one way and completely flips to a different style, like If There Is Something by Roxy Music, or David's Last Summer by Pulp. Perhaps I should go back to bed too.
EDIT! Hutton's gone!
current mood: confused
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| Thursday, June 4th, 2009
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4:16 pm - should have called themselves the AAAAA1111 party then
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From the bbc...
This followed complaints parties listed lower on the alphabetical ballot papers were hidden when first unfolded. A commission spokesman told the BBC they issued the alert after talking to returning officers and the UK Independence Party, who brought the issue to their attention.
(Yes I realise BNP are first on the paper, but this is funny.)
current mood:  arf
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1:16 pm - what country are we in? antarctica, the island bit
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Right, I just went to vote so you can all SHUT UP now. I'm guessing they aren't expecting a massive turnout in Grange ward, as the polling station was inside the business-as-usual council offices, and the section allocated for the actual voting was the same size as my hallway. I am not exaggerating for effect here, I do have a large hallway, and it could easily accommodate two desks and one polling booth (well, assuming I moved the futon.) Number of voters: me. So don't talk to me about voter apathy, tell everyone sitting in the park.
Just for jolly I took the euprofiler.eu test earlier, just to check I was supposed to be voting for who I thought I was going to be voting for, and I was quite surprised to find out that I was 70% Con, beating Lib Dem by 0.4%. Some of the questions were confusingly badly worded though, e.g. your opinion on 'cutting Government spending in favour of lowering taxes' which really should have specified whether it was referring to Government spending on themselves, or on public goods. And the last section went through all the subjects again asking if you thought they were important issues with only a yes/no/maybe choice which again was badly worded. I think privatising health care is an important issue in that we should not do it, but I was unsure whether ticking the yes meant I supported it. See, even I don't understand what I'm saying now. I was all ready to just go with euprofiler and vote what it told me to, but I could not in the end bring myself to put my X next to Conservative and have stuck with the habit of a lifetime, although with some encouraging backup that my views are 69.6% chiming with what their policies actually are.
Having complained heartily about people ordering everyone to go out and vote I have now banged on about it much more than anyone else haven't I? Ach well. Do you know what I'm going to be having for my lunch? No of course you don't. I am going to have a Southern Fried Chicken flavour Pot Noodle as I have a massive Pot Noodle craving (and more importantly, they are cheap.) Although I don't know what SFC flavour tastes like yet. I bet it's got no chicken in it... nope, suitable for vegetarians.
current mood:  pot noodle in the sun
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| Thursday, May 28th, 2009
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4:51 pm - it's not you home office, it's me
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I think I am having my objectionable teenager phase just a bit too late. Or is this the midlife crisis? Anyway, I hate everything and wah wah wah, it's not fair, why me ad nauseum. I did actually stamp my foot and say 'WHYYYY?' the other day and I don't remember doing that sort of thing as a child. Luckily I was home alone and talking to the broadband connection so didn't embarrass myself too much. (In fact I had one of the classic 'naked in public' dreams today, so psychology there. Perhaps I should qualify that: saying you dreamt of something during the day rather makes it sound like a conscious fantasy. Let's get this clear... I work nights and sleep during the day. It was an actual dream, not a flight of fancy.)
After tonight I have three nights off work to engage in social activities, which should fall under the increasingly rare category of things to look forward to, but I am so stressed out and tired that I fear just the one drink will tip me right into gibbering, sobbing drunk mode, which won't go down well at all, particularly on Saturday. So in essence I am also worried about going out and enjoying myself. I need to calm down.
Squirrels are nice though, I like squirrels. Although they won't let you stroke them like a cat, bastards.
current mood:  high threat level
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| Monday, May 25th, 2009
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11:23 am - the nine worthies did ride
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Is the idea of Whit Walks really unknown outside the North West? It was a massive thing when I was a kid (and still possibly is according to the list on that site, I used to go to the Droylsden one.) Regardless of whether you're into the religion or not, it was a big parade with bands and majorettes, and little girls dressed in white, with one usually being crowned Queen of the May, in that typical British pagan/Christian mash up style. I was just thinking about this because I tried to take issue with ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) perfectlyvague when she suggested today was Whitsun, but she was actually taking issue with the overly US-centric marginalisation of the writers' block suggestions, which is fair enough, so I have egg on my face for being such a pedant. Actually I've just had bubble and squeak with some leftover gammon and a poached egg, so I'm quite happy to have egg on my face, it was delicious.
I am also happy today having rediscovered my favourite dream analysis website. I had it saved on the computer-before-last but have never been able to find it again until today. All other dream analysis websites are a bit flaky and new age, if we still use that term. I run away fast from sites that start saying a particular symbol means you will do something in the future, or tells you it's a message from the fairies. I'm not interested in dream analysis from a spiritual angle, just a logical, psychological one, and the one I've linked to helps you figure out what triggered particular themes without pretending to predict events of the next week.
It's quite miserable for a bank holiday outside, and there is absolutely tits all on television, which is all good news for me as I really should get some sleep in before work tonight. It really is all work and no play round here these days. I slept in my bed at night last night for the first time in weeks, and discovered for the first time that they have a baby next door.
current mood:  slightly aggressive
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| Friday, May 22nd, 2009
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4:18 pm - it's a liberty man
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I am watching Animals at Work, narrated by John Barrowman, featuring Wheely Willy, a disabled chihuahua who brings joy to kids in Los Angeles. Jesus. I wish I was stuck in an office feeling those Friday afternoon blues. Oh well okay, maybe not.
I have just seen the great sight of a schoolgirl with one of those typical black-girl hairstyles, you know, glossy afro curls with a completely flattened fringe, that she was checking was still flat when I walked past her. Only she quite clearly was a white girl. Innit blud.
Edit. Oh Barrowman's not just narrating, he's now appeared on screen for added squealing value. Jesus.
current mood: looking forward to gammon potatoes and cabbage with gravy
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| Wednesday, May 20th, 2009
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4:28 pm - woman of the year 2000
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I am currently unable to sleep, having put myself down for three nights overtime starting tonight, and instead find myself watching The 1900 House, which I watched when it was originally broadcast, and it's still fascinating. Especially the maid-of-all-work, Elizabeth, who comes across as a proper Saff London bruiser, but is fiercely intelligent and thoroughly dedicated to the job. I really wonder what happened to her. They just went to the chippy, having researched the fact that fish and chips was common then, but I think this is a bit cheaty, and surely cost them two years of 1900 wages.
Tonight I am having a budget dinner, ftb skint, and it is supremely simple so I shall share it with you. It actually came from a Sainsbury's advert some years ago, when they did a small run of adverts that were mini recipes. Of course the advert said you needed all Sainsbury's ingredients but I never fell for that.
Cook some pasta
Cut some cheese into little chunks
Open a tin of tomatoes
Mix them all together in a ovenproof dish
Add whatever seasoning you like
Sprinkle some cheese on top.
Bake until the cheese melts.
The end product should have a tomatoey sauce, with little pockets of melty cheese, and tastes like you've put much more effort into it than you actually did, for an outlay of about £1.50. I am hungry now. It may be an early dinner.
Who is Monday on Dreamwidth?
current mood: hungry
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11:39 am - dream on!
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OK, I am a bit 'huh?' about Dreamwidth. I can't figure out how to add people. I have found a page that lists all my Livejournal friends, but that is 350 people, many of whom haven't been heard of for years, or didn't exist in the first place, and Dreamwidth has automatically ticked them all for me to add which clearly I don't want to. Do I have to spend all morning unticking? Three people are in green, which seems to mean they have added me on Dreamwidth, but they are not ticked for me to add, so how do I reciprocate, other than spending all morning unticking the other 347 and ticking those three?
And where are my icons? It said I could upload icons, but none of them are stored on this computer. Do I have to make new ones? I somehow feel that I am making this harder than it should be, but I'm not terribly impressed so far.
current mood: confused
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| Monday, May 18th, 2009
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8:54 pm - we'll see you in the pub then james?
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Oct. 2nd, 2001 09:20 am
I've got that very odd guilty feeling. Like I have forgotten to do something, or done something I shouldn't.
I've had this before (and normally I turn out not to have done/not done anything ater all!) but it's like a dreadful, chilling rush of adrenalin.
So if it's your birthday, or I owe you a tenner or something, tell me!
I have also realised exactly why I never learned to ride a bike.
Right, that's my 'recent entries' from Dreamwidth. And I have no friends. and I have imported a pretty (yes, actually me) new usericon that's gone, but I'm probably doing something wrong (but thank you mockduck for the code!) but then I have been up for 29 hours - this is brilliant for me on a Monday. Btw has anyone else been watching ITV's Boy Meets Girl? Its very watchable. Too many 'buts.' I wouldn't submit this lot at work. Argh.
current mood: baffled
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| Thursday, May 14th, 2009
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4:36 pm - i'll give you expenses
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I am VERY stressed out, having just paid some essential bills and discovered this leaves me with about £4 a day until payday. Honestly, why won't anyone rent my spare room? I'm willing to drop the price ridiculously even if it means ripping myself off, but to be fair I'm being ripped off to start with, so what the hell? To cut a long story short I was offered this flat in February by a 'friend' who said 'hey, take on the flat and then all you need to do is find a flatmate...' but clearly she had inside knowledge that the flatmate market had bottomed out, so now I am paying about 80% of my salary to a 'friend' who I'm not feeling very friendly to at the moment because of this. It's pretty galling to be scrimping about for pennies when according to my recent P60 I earned a fairly nice amount last year.
And it's put me in the very difficult position in that I can't just cut my losses and move, because £4 a day doesn't leave me much for a deposit to move anywhere else does it?
DOES ANYONE KNOW OF ANYONE WHO WANTS A ROOM TO RENT BEFORE I SHOOT MYSELF? (Well hey, the whole flat's yours if I do that.)
current mood:  stressed
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| Monday, May 11th, 2009
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10:24 am - into the storm
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Isn't the internet brilliant? I was sitting outside this morning having woken up at 6am, and thought that you don't see many cirrus clouds (having watched a documentary about clouds last week) so I decided to look them up on Wiki. And there it was, all the information about cirrus clouds you want. Years ago I would have had to have owned a pretty comprehensive set of encyclopedias* to find out this stuff. These days I don't own any sort of dictionaries, atlases or reference books because it's all just there. Or here, rather. Take last Saturday, I was going up to my friend Steve's in a part of England I've never been to before, and in the eighties and most of the nineties I would have needed a detailed map or instructions on how to get there, and I would have probably have visited or phoned the station for train times. On Saturday I simply Googled his post code, panned out a bit on the map to see where the station was, then looked up the train times and prices on thetrainline.com. And if it hadn't been way out in the countryside I could probably have even checked what his house looked like on Street View.
Yesterday I spent at least three hours reading Giles Coren's restaurant reviews (and finding out a new series of Supersizers Go... is just about to air, hurray!) and getting recipe ideas for my pork. Today I will probably find out what most of my friends did over the weekend even though I haven't seen them, and have sparked off a debate about Keith TOTP.
The bad side of the internet is that I am working tonight and have sleeping to do at some point. Also the floor needs a good going over. And I will most likely sit here hitting F5 instead of doing anything. The internet is good though innit?
*And I have looked up the correct plural.
current mood: contemplative
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| Saturday, May 9th, 2009
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10:42 am - more than china
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I am watching Saturday Kitchen having gone slightly OTT with breakfast. Steak, eggs, hash browns, mushrooms and grilled tomato. And I enjoyed every bit, except the little bit of shell that went underneath one egg, but I didn't eat that. It would have benefited from a bit of brown sauce, but I don't have any so I had some mustard, and plenty of black pepper. I now declare that bacon and eggs is old hat, and steak is the way forward.
What are you having for breakfast?
current mood: nicely stuffed
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