The List goes on ... x

Hello there!

Ok, so don't shoot me... I know it's been a ridiculous amount of time since I even attempted an entry. I blame this entirely on the horrendous world of X-Men. It's all over now though so I've spent the last week or so catching up on some of my list... I have watched another five of my 'Films to watch before you die', and have planned, booked flights and hotels for a rather fabulous three week trip across America...!

So really, I have been sticking to my list... just not documenting it, until now..!

Here's a roundup of the films I've watched this week:

2001: A Space Odyssey = 3/5

This film was pretty amazing for it's time, but I'm afraid I still didn't quite enjoy it to the full. It looks great for a sci-fi and the acting was ok, but it just went on and on... and didn't really keep me glued to the screen. Perhaps the Trekky in me didn't come out as much as she could've when watching A Space Odyssey.. but I will give it 3 stars for its production value and the fact it's a Kubrick film.. (I'll probably be disowned by anyone I work with in the industry for not giving it 5 stars... sorry xx).

Scarface = 3/5

This is one of THE longest films about gangs I've ever seen. I enjoyed the idea of the gang warfare, etc and that he goes from a nobody to Mr Suited and Booted.. but I was a little disturbed by his relationship with his sister.. thank God she gets revenge at the end. The storyline is good, but again it's really long film and I think they could have done it in less screen time.. but Al Pacino knows his stuff, and no wonder it's such a well celebrated film. 3/5 from me :)

Apocalypse Now = 2/5

Not a fan I'm afraid.. perhaps it's because I'm a girl, or maybe I'm just rubbish with films that I'm supposed to like? I just found it a bit mind numbingly boring...

Words can't really describe my lack of enthusiasm for it... so I'm going to have to just give it 2/5.. sorry film buffs!

Cabaret = 5/5

I LOVED this... such a girly film, and I don't think it's lost anything from when it came out to now. It's a brilliant story, and love the costume and makeup design, along with a few musical numbers.. can't go wrong!

It's a 5/5 from me, probably because I'm a girl, but also because I love a good musical. Very impressed with the film, and could probably watch it over again :)

Trainspotting = 1/5

I REALLY wanted to like this.. just because it's so well known and so many people have seen it. Don't get me wrong, the acting is great, and the cinematography is great.. I just didn't enjoy it. Or was I not supposed to? That's what I never quite understand with the dark, dingy films... they are full of horrendous material, but people love them. Maybe I just need to be more open minded? Either way I don't think it's really improved my life having seen it, if anything I now can't look at babies in quite the same way, eurgh!

So there we have it, a collection of films from my list that I've now seen.. you might not agree with my opinions, but everyone's different :)

Next blog post will be about the America trip... so watch this space xx

Catch-Up time...

Wow.. so I didn't realise how much of my life had been consumed by Xmen until I realised my last blog entry was almost two months ago.

I'm currently nursing a sore head and hangover after an interesting night out, so bear with me if my grammar is off point.

I've been doing a measly job at completing my list recently... so decided to watch two of my films today, bringing me ever closer to it's completion (Ok.. so I've only watched 7 of 50.. but I'm getting there, slowly!).

A Bout de Souffle (Breathless)

It's nice to delve back into the world of French again, having finished my degree in the language three years ago and hardly used it

since.

Breathless is a film which, at the time it was released, made a new move in French film making, and has since been hailed as one of the most influential films ever made, because of it's technique and style.

It follows a crook who has killed a policeman, and hides in Paris with an American girl and it follows their story..

I love how simple it is... short sentences, to the point, and the theories about love and life.. definitely something to ponder on a Sunday afternoon. It looks beautiful, and I love everything about it. A definite must-see for classic film lovers. An absolute 5/5 from me!

Princess Monoke

Not really my usual pick of films, Princess Monoke is Anime and follows the warrior Ashitaka as he journeys to find a cure for a curse given to him by a rampaging boar-god.

It's quite a cute story, and the animation itself is great. I love Ashitaka's voice (Billy Crudup). It's rather like chocolate, you could just listen to him speak forever.

I can't say it was the easiest story to follow, it's definitely for kids, even though I think a PG rating is a bit low.. too much blood for my liking!

Maybe I just don't mix well with anime? I know as a film person I should like it, but this film doesn't really do it for me.. give me a classic Disney instead please!

Did look great though, so I'll give it 3/5 for that.

So there you have it... two more down, and 43 to go... the challenge continues...

Hopefully I'll be back soon with a slightly more interesting update for you, but for now I'm off to bedfordshire ready for a 3am alarm... eurgh.

Night all x

16) Be a Bridesmaid / 26) See Shakespeare at The Globe

Hello there...

Sorry for such a late update, it seems my life has again become a rollercoaster of both work and social events... today is my first breather, phew!

I can happily announce, however, that I've completed another two items from my list .. number 16 and number 26!

I'll tell you about them in reverse order as that's the way they happened...

Sunday 4th July 2010 - Henry IV Part 2 at The Globe

So a couple of weeks ago, I spotted a post on Facebook (shock horror!) asking if anyone would like some tickets to a performance of 'Henry IV Part 2' at The Globe.. what a great opportunity to tick another item from my 'to do' list!

I jumped at the chance, and a few days later found a pair of tickets waiting on the doorstep, I would be going to visit Mr Shakespeare on the 4th July!

With this in mind, I scoured my phonebook to find the perfect companion to view this cultural goodness with, and who better than the lovely Nick Starr, my AD brother from another mother!

After a lovely walk along Southbank and dough balls galore at Pizza Express, we made our way into the beautiful building that is The Globe theatre. We thought it best to hire cushions for our bench, three hours is pretty long!

The Globe is incredible, such a beautiful place and gave me butterflies (ok, not everyone gets as excited about architecture and literature, but I do).

I'd not read Henry IV, so wasn't sure what

to expect. The performance we saw was Part 2, which follows the first play but can also be viewed as a stand alone story, and it was brilliant! I completely recommend going to see a play here, if only to feel cultural for a few hours.

17th July 2010 - Jenni Hanson and Alex Mutch

Thirteen years ago, I met a lovely young lady called Jennifer. She was small and brunette, and we became rather good friends. Fast forward a decade or so and she's all grown up.. ! I'm not sure where the time has gone, but it seems to be a blink in my minds eye.. Jen has gone from a girl with a dream of the perfect wedding, husband and family.. to a woman with her fiance, Mr Mutch, and her big day.

I think the reality of it really hit me at the rehearsal. Watching Jen and Alex say their vows to each other stood up at the altar really hit home. To find such a perfect match doesn't happen often.. but Jen has definitely found him in Alex, and I felt so lucky to be one of her bridesmaids.

The day itself was beautiful. I arrived at Jen's parents' house in the morning, to get ready with Abi and help Jen with anything she might need.. I think we were just as nervous as she was, but incredibly excited at the same time. I have so many memories of that house, and it was nice to think we were spending our last few hours with Jenni as a Hanson in the house we grew up in (I say we as I spent half of my childhood in the Hanson residence!).

With hair in place, make up set with hairspray and dresses intact, we stood in the kitchen as Jen made her way down the stairs.. my heart was pounding, and I knew she looked amazing before she stepped through the door, I was right. The dress was perfect, and we all had tissues at the ready (although her dad needed them the most it seemed!) .. before heading to the garden for some pre-wedding photos.

Champagne finished, and some pre-match food eaten.. we travelled to the church in style, two by two, and waited in the porch for Jen's arrival. She arrived fashionably late, looking stunning yet nervous.. as she walked up the stairs and towards the aisle.

As soon as the organ kicked in, so did the fact that this was it, she was about to become Mrs Mutch..

An hour later, it was all over.. it felt like it was over in minutes, but it was such a lovely ceremony. Poor Alex looked so nervous as he was saying his vows, and I was sure there we had a cryer.. but he held it together and stayed dry! The only slip up was Matt mis-spelling his name on the wedding certificate, oops! A missed 's' later, and Mr and Mrs Mutch were officially a married couple!

The wedding reception was great fun, with some fabulous speeches courtesy of Jen's dad, the best man (Matt) and of course Alex. The food was also amazing, as was the best wedding cake I've ever seen!

Lots of beef and yorkshires later.. the night continued with muchos partying and debauchery. A splendid day and night all in all.

So there you go, five things down.. twenty five to go.. I'll sign this off with a picture of the happy couple ... until next time!x

Book Update...

Number 17 on my list is currently read the top 100 novels according to The Times.

I have had a slight problem with this challenge, as at least ten of the books are now out of print and there's no chance I can afford to get them from a collector...!

So... last weekend I discovered that WH smith have a lovely bookmark entitled '50 Books to read before you die' .. which is in keeping with the '50 Films to see before you die' which is also on my blog list.

I've therefore decided to swap my Times list for the WH Smith list (not quite as fancy, I know) in the bid that I'll actually be able to complete this challenge! It also helps that I've read a few of them already, but will probably re-read a few to refresh my memory..

The new list is as follows:

1) The Lord of the Rings - J.R.R Tolkien

2) 1984 - George Orwell

3) Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen

4) The Shapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck

5) To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee

6) Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte

7) Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte

8) A Passage to India - E.M Forster

9) The Lord of the Flies - William Goulding

10) Hamlet - William Shakespeare

11) A Bend in the River - V.S Naipaul

12) The Great Gatsby - F. Scott Fitzgerald

13) The Catcher in the Rye - J.D Salinger

14) The Bell Jar - Sylvia Plath

15) Brave New World - Alodus Huxley

16) The Diary of Anne Frank - Anne Frank

17) Don Quixote - Miguel de Cervantes

18) The Bible

19) The Canterbury Tales - Geoffrey Chaucer

20) Ulysses - James Joyce

21) The Quiet American - Graham Greene

22) Birdsong - Sebastian Faulks

23) Money - Martin Amis

24) Harry Potter Series - J. K Rowling

25) Moby Dick - Herman Melville

26) The Wind in The Willows - Kenneth Grahame

27) His Dark Materials Trilogy - Philip Pullman

28) Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy

29) Alices Adventures in Wonderland - Lewis Caroll

30) Rebecca - Daphne du Maurier

31) The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time - Mark Haddon

32) On the Road - Jack Kerouac

33) Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrad

34) The Way We Live Now - Anthony Trollope

35) The Outsider - Albert Camus

36) The Colour Purple - Alice Walker

37) Life of Pi - Yann Martel

38) Frankenstein - Mary Shelley

39) The War of the Worlds - H.G Wells

40) Men Without Women - Ernest Hemingway

41) Gulliver's Travels - Jonathan Swift

42) A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens

43) Huckleberry Finn - Mark Twain

44) Robinson Crusoe - Daniel Defoe

45) One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest - Ken Kesey

46) Catch 22 - Joseph Heller

47) The Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas

48) Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden

49) The Divine Comedy - Alighieri Dante

50) The Picture of Dorian Gray - Oscar Wilde

This doesn't mean that I won't read more of the Times list, I fully intend to read them too.. but for my own pleasure rather than for this blog.

xx

12) Go To Ireland

Top of the mornin' (or evenin' depending when you read this!)

I thought it had been too long since I wrote anything on this blog, so here's the latest update from my list...

I have been to Ireland! (Cue idyllic pretty picture... ) Well, Northern Ireland..

Ok, , so it wasn't strictly Ireland ... but it's almost there, so I think it's allowed! It is, after all, the land of the NW200, which in biker world is a pretty big deal.

Each year thousands of bike fanatics and riders head to Portstewart to compete in the North West 200 Superbike and Superstock Races... and this year I was one of them, courtesy of TT3D.

You can read more about the races here.

A week full of testosterone was pretty interesting... there were people from all over the world who had counted the days until the races began, such a great atmosphere...

I tried my best to hitch a lift on one of the superbikes, but alas I failed. I did, however, manage to try on a jacket or two... wasn't sure I could afford the excess baggage if I'd purchased it though! (Excuse the windswept 'I've had 3 hours sleep' look I'm working.. )

It was rather nice being surrounded by Irish accents.. even if they belonged to big hairy biker men.

Check out some rather amateur HD footage from the Flipcam:

Excuse the swearing in this one...

I can't say the social life was envigorating, thanks to stupidly long hours and working once we got back to the hotel, but we definitely made enough time for Dominoes and alcohol which is never a bad thing.. so much for experiencing the local area though.. hmmm!

So I'm not sure if this lets me tick number 12 off my list? What do you think..?

Mini List Update xx

Aloha

It has been decided that my replacement for numero 3 on my list will be ... drum roll..

.. learn how to swim!

It seems that I am pathetic when it comes to water based activities... as a) I tend to think I'm going to drown and b) I often inhale a few gallons of water at a time.. not the best predicament to find yourself in!

I blame this on several worrying incidents involving my first few swimming lessons. One of the other children thought it would be hilarious to deflate my armbands during said lessons, and laughed as I sunk slowly underwater to leave a few air bubbles behind. How very dare he!

This did put me off, but I battled on and continued to take lessons, and I was actually quite good (or I liked to think so!). I could do underwater flips and whatnot .. though I often thought I could smell processed mashed potato when doing them - is that normal? Probably not.

I also did the 25m swim in my pyjamas, at the end of which I had to removed my pyjamas whilst treading water - oh my! I swear they make this stuff up to torture small children, as the teachers clearly must get a kick out of seeing children struggle to undress in the water (who came up with this idea?! Mental people!). NB. I did have a swimming costume underneath!!

Since then, however, I have slowly forgotten how to tread water and swim in a straight line, as it seems my lower body wants to sink whenever I try and float along.. sad times. I am clearly not the mermaid I once thought...

.. here's hoping that I'll have some joy as an adult and learn how to float along without drowning at any point!

xxx

Sorry did I miss a month?

Hello there..!

It seems that over a month has past since my last entry, which worries me rather as I'm not sure quite what I've done with it... *checks diary* ... oh right, I did do things!! Want to know..? If you insist!

February

1) Alice in Wonderland Screening

Overall thought of the film? AMAZING. I know it's had mixed reviews, but I think it's a great version of Alice in Wonderland.. and the whole point is that it is NOT a remake.. it's Alice returning to Wonderland when she's grown up.. and for the people who love the original story they have still included flashbacks to it.Almost two years after I worked on it.. Alice

has finally hit the screens! We were sent our tickets to the cast and crew screening in the post, so wandered down to the Empire in Leicester Square to don our 3D specs and look for our name in lights (and 3D which was rather splendid).

I might be biased, having worked on it briefly, but I'm really impressed at the finished product. It looks beautiful, and is worth the money much more than Avatar which is visually incredible but lacks a storyline.

If you've not seen it, and love Tim Burton.. go get a ticket whilst it's still in the cinemas, it'll look much better in 3D on a big screen!

2) The discovery of chatroulette.com

Oh what a marvellous invention. Created by a student somewhere abroad, it takes a basic idea of a chat room and make it visual.

How does it work?

You plug in your webcam (and microphone if you intend to speak!) and log onto the website, where it gives you the option to 'play'. You are then connected to a random person from across the globe (or nearer sometimes) and you can decide whether you want to talk to them.

If you don't, just click 'next' and you'll be connected to the next webcam.. sounds ridiculous but can be great fun!

So far I've ..

- Had a conversation with Spanish / French people

- Said hello to the Jonas Brothers

- Witnessed a live arrest outside someone's window

- Been asked on a date

- Been serenaded

- Had an improv song sung to me, with drums to accompany it

- Convinced an american and his brother to strip and give me a gun show (I blame Mike/Dave for this!!)

- Had a girl strip naked for me (not by request!)

- Had another girl do a lot worse than that! (I won't go into detail)

- Seen a LOT of male self-love (YUK!)

If you haven't played on it yet.. click here to behold it's splendour. Just be warned... you WILL see a lot of male parts.. just click 'next' pronto if it's not your kinda thing!! Enjoy x

3) The discovery of Fire and Stone

I’d heard many a story about this wonderful place… and as a lover of all things edible, I felt I should visit it to form my own opinion..

High five to whoever created it and then opened it’s various restaurants. Anyone who puts little roast potatoes on top of a pizza has my vote. Yessir!

I have now tried the New Yorker and the Canberra which both feature said potatoes. I feel if I go again I should probably branch out and try something new…!

March

1) Alex's Birthday Meal

Oh what a night! *sings* ... So Alex has joined the 24 club, meaning I'm the last remaining 23 year old amongst my London friends I think? Eek... and we celebrated it in style!

Cocktails and fine dining at Ruby Blue, with what felt like our very own Grand Piano plus singer. Lots of good songs and a great atmosphere, plus a lot of lovely people.

Alex seemed to have a fun time, and so did the rest of us. It made me realise how much I miss seeing the girls and having a fun social life!

2) Cat on a Hot Tin Roof

After months of saying I wanted to see this, I finally took the plunge and found some cheap tickets on lastminute.com to go to the show one evening with Beth.

The acting was incredible. To be honest, I expected nothing less from such a great cast. My only problem was that I didn't realise it was three acts long!! This usually wouldn't be a problem, but having been up since 6am I was struggling to keep myself from passing out over the balcony!

For true theatre lovers, I do recommend it.. It's a classic script which they've done an amazing job of bringing to life again... It's on at the Novello for a little while longer, so go get your tickets!

3) Guilty Pleasures

Ahoy ahoy! Last weekend was the monthly joy of Guilty Pleasures.. my favourite themed night in London! This month was Hello, Sailor! Myself and Beth put our nautical attire and trotted to Koko in Camden for the soir.

It was a highly amusing evening, in a building full of slutty sailors and some rather nice male eye candy!

I also managed to consume a whole bottle of wine to myself which, to people who know me, is not a good idea! Apparently I looked rather 'away with the fairies' for a lot of the evening, much to Beth's amusement!!

4) Kick Ass

"With no power, comes no responsibility"

As you may remember (if you are a keen follower of this rather bizarre blog) , I worked at Freud when they started the PR for this film, and had to help sort through all of the stills photos. This means I've been dying to see the film since the end of last year!

Was delighted to hear that Miss Brook was also keen to see the gore-fest, so we set a date for a Wednesday as we are both cheapskates.. (or financially controlled).

It was worth the wait!! What a fabulous film... very Kill Bill, but far more entertaining I found. The characters are great, and I am now harbouring a desire to become Hit Girl and go kick som bad guys asses! (I do not however want to have the same things happen to my parents - I won't say anything further in fear of spoiling it for people).

I am still, of course, in lust with Aaron Johnson. Shame he's impregnated a woman twice his age and seems to be set on spending his life with her. Damn.. I really know how to pick them! Haha.

So now you've heard from snippets from the last couple of months in my oh so wonderful social life. I've not, however, forgotten the point of this blog, so ...

List Update - Cheese Rolling
It seems my dreams to go to Gloucester for the cheese roll this year have been shattered thanks to the joy of Health and Safety. Damn. Seriously, when did the world get so serious about everything? I miss being able to roll around in the dirt and graze my knee without having to fill in an accident report form, eurgh.

Read the tragic news here : http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/gloucestershire/8563692.stm

List Update - Book List

I've finished it.. finally! Book number 7 on my booklist was 'Under the Volcano' by Malcolm Lowry. Verdict = borefest!!

I started this book at the end of LAST YEAR... and it has taken all of my spare energy to trawl through it.. all 365 pages..

The story follows an alcoholic and the events during his last day alive. It involves lots of alcohol, far too much description for my liking, and the re-introduction of his ex wife and the man she had a fling with when she was married.

It says it has shaped literature, but I can't take this seriously.. it just made me want to sleep. Maybe I'm just not educated enough to appreciate it?

However, there were some heartwarming moments of realisation by the main character of the feelings he still has for his wife.. and there were parts of the book that I enjoyed.. unfortunately they would probably equate to about 5 pages.

List Update - General

So having thought over my list of things to do, I realise that there is one that could be near impossible to complete... visit all of the museums in London! So, I've decided to swap this for something new. This is where you come in, I need suggestions please!

I will still, however, report back on any museums I visit as it seems to be one of my weekend pastimes at the moment :) I'll still attempt to visit them all, I just won't document them as a challenge as such!

There you have it! A life and list update for you all.. with more to come soon, I promise!

xxx

My apologies... !!

I must begin this blog with a rather strong apology at lack of entries since January... I have let myself down, the world of blogging down, and my long list of readers down (sorry Mum)...

It seems since the 3rd of January I have been ridiculously busy, which has left me little time to continue with my list, much to my dismay..

I have, however, begun the next on my list of novels .. which is taking me a hell of a lot longer to read than first envisaged, predominantly due to the fact that it's a pile of boring rubbish. I will persevere though and make it to the end somehow (I did consider just reading the back page, but then my idea of completing the list would be a sham, and I wouldn't be able to live with the sheer guilt of it).

So what has been keeping me busy? Various things..!

Work

I started another film on the 6th January (which I won't name for contractual reasons) .. which is a self funded shoot by a man who has wanted to bring the film to life for over 15 years. It is a lovely idea, but a nightmare at the same time as nobody seems to know what they want to shoot.. surely 15 years is long enough to have worked it out? Eek. I just hope it all looks good at the end and he is proud of his film being made after so long.

The crew are great fun .. but I think everyone is slowing grinding to a halt at the though of the shoot going on much longer.. we've run over by a week already.. and, as much as I need the money, my brain is melting more so than usual!

Can I also just mention the delightful catering that we've had throughout the shoot (no wonder my thighs now resemble a couple of tree trunks!) .. Barry's Canteen. The frozen and fried delights of Barry are provided daily with a side serving of sarcasm and grumpiness from the chef himself. To quote said chef "I don't really like cooking". brilliant! The vegetables come as some form of slush, so I'm pretty sure they no longer contain the vitamins I'd hoped for... and everything else seems to be potato related. God help me.. The fact that I now crave fruit and veg instead of chocolate is rather alarming!

Fox Interview

I did manage to get an afternoon off to go and have and interview with the Fox PR department in Soho Square which was rather exciting. It was for a job as European Junior Publicist for Fox, meaning I'd be doing a lot of admin but also getting to travel around a lot, which would be amazing. The job sounded pretty perfect, and the interview seemed to go really well.. she even said that I'd be perfect for it! Apparently not, as two weeks later I received an email saying I'd not been successful, gutted. So much for my escape from the film world, aye?

Play

Anyhoo... work is a rather dull thing to talk about, especially as I can't really say much about the ins and outs of it.. so here's what I've been doing for playtime since Jan :

Joanne's Visit

At the end of Jan, Joanne paid me a visit for a weekend of fun and frivolities..! We ate a LOT of bad things.. including some dodgy chinese from Leicester Square (you all know you've done it..!) .. before heading to see Avenue Q. Having seen it before, I couldn't wait to see it again.. and it was brilliant. A nice addition to the evening involved a pair of girls who were highly intoxicated and falling around the theatre throughout the performance. We were treated to a couple of awkward moments with the manager trying to remove said girls, but to no avail. Another highlight of the evening was hearing a member of the audience cackle after a joke, leaving the entire auditorium in stitches, including the actors who struggled to continue with a straight face. Genius.

We also had a lovely day wandering through Portobello Market and discovering strange donut treats and new shoes... followed by a stint in Westfield during which I was fleeced £125 for some makeup! Dear Lord... next time some nice french lady starts whispering me sweet nothings about minerals and powder, then I'm running the other way.. save me some pennies!

Lunch with Ben

Having talked about Sunday roasts since August, Ben and I felt it was due time to actually go and eat one... so we headed to sunny Chiswick to the Old Ship. En route there were various jokes made about Ben's little car as it rattled along.. and how it was almost at the a landmark in its mileage.. to which I joked that it would be terrible it it never made it those few extra miles..

.. after what was a marvellous dinner and a few hours of banter, we headed back to find Ben's banger.. but disaster had struck. We'd parked on a road that said 'liable to flooding'.. without thinking that it might actually flood! Thankfully it wasn't as bad as some of the other cars.. or the skip that was floating down the road..! An hour later, the car was free and we escaped Chiswick with a newly fitted swimming pool under out seats.. eek! I have been informed recently that said car has hit it's landmark mileage and is still running well.. hurrah!

Lent

I can't really class Lent as play.. but it's one of those things I try and do every year, even if I don't go to church all that much anymore. It seems that if you give something a name, then it makes you more determined to stick to it! This year I'm attempting to give up snacking between meals (I'm allowed fruit though in case I pass out!) .. but it seems to be proving more difficult than first envisaged... I also seem to be trying to bend the rules here there and everywhere and have consumed a lot more pudding than I would usually.. need to sort this out!

List related activities...

I know that a lot of people think I've given up on my list.. nooo! I haven't, I've just not had as much free time to continue with it since I've been working..! I have, however, started to read more of 'Under the Volcano' by Malcolm Lowry as part of my book challenge..!! I have also embarked upon a mission to find the rest of the films from my list and start watching some more.. it seems I need a education in decent films! (coming from the girl who loves Hilary Duff mush.. !)

I'm also looking into getting myself to the Gloucester Cheese Rolling this year, just trying to find out dates etc, but looks like it could be a thumbs up for May 2010 :o)

xx

Happy New Year!

One question ... where did 2009 go? Seriously, has anyone seen it?

I can't actually quite believe that we've made it to 2010.. ten years ago we were all cowering in fright at the thought that the Millenium would bring destruction to the Earth and it would the end of human civilisation as we knew it... oh how wrong we were!

Saying that, I think the world has gone a tad crazy since then, with the birth of celebrities such as SuBo and Jedward..

madness! It's all fun and games though, and we're now all aboard good ship 2010, ready for what it throws at us..

I had a rather lovely New Years Eve with two of my best friends, Sarah and Alex... or to a close circle 'The Ex-Wives Club"..! Having been ill since Christmas Day, it was nice to actually leave my bed (she says, typing this blog from said bed) and venture into the Big Smoke, ready for some serious alcohol! Alas, my serious alcohol turned out to be a glase of Rose and some Champers at Midnight.. damn me and my sensible head (at times)... A particular highlight from the evening would be our pre-midnight dance to JC Chasez.. yes, we're THAT cool.. hehe! Great fun, and so glad to see in the new decade with such a lovely duo. (Will add pictures in later once they've been Facebooked..!)

So what has the New Year brought so far?

New Years Day consisted of fabulous amounts of Marmite on Toast.. YUM.. with some Muppets Wizard of Oz to complete the morning.. short trek back to the joy of North Acton and settled in for the night.. which involved some superb televisual delights and a private viewing of Fight Club in my boudoir.. or a DVD in my room (doesn't sound quite as glamourous, does it?!).

Having finally seen the film, I can't say I thought much of it.. please don't shoot me! Obviously it's on the list of 50 Films to see before you Die.. but it doesn't mean it'll suit everyone's tastes. I think it's extremely clever and well put together, but a bit too violent for me (yes, I know the clue is in the title!). One for the male race I think.. or the tomboys of the world.. but I 'd still give it 3 stars for creativity.

January 2nd

Yesterday I was rather excited to be going on a blind date.. but it seems that he must have actually been blind as he managed to somehow not turn up! I can't even cover up how stupid I

looked, standing in the cold for an hour waiting for said mystery man.. so in my rage I decided to not waste my trip into London and used my already battered credit card to go and see a show..

Billy Elliott was the show in question, and it's bloody brilliant! I've always loved the film, and have to say hats off to the stage production of it. The songs are great, the dancing is amazing, and anything that can bring me close to both tears of laughter and sorrow get a thumbs up in my book. Definitely worth going to see if you haven't yet.. and another one ticked off the list of shows I want to see in the Big Smoke.

So there we have it.. the first two days of 2010 have been rather splendiferous.. and I still have six and a half years left to complete my list, hurrah! (At the rate my book list is going, I shall need it.. they might be the top 100 novels, but I think they missed the word 'boring' out of the header..!!).

Adios amigos xx