Friday, August 26, 2005

Don't Feminax and drive ...

I wonder what it is about that heady combination of 500mg Paracetamol, 8mg Codeine Phosphate, a quantity of Caffeine Monohydrate equivalent to 50mg anhydrous caffeine and 100mg Hyoscine Hydrobromide which makes it the only non prescription pain killer that hits the spot for me?  I don’t need to kill pain very often, thanks to my usually nutrient rich diet (you can almost see me shining my halo!), but when I get what I call my “Thursday headache” there’s nothing else that works.  Paracetamol on its own doesn’t even get close; Codeine on its own makes me queasy and Ibuprofen only works if it is truly a muscular thing.

Anyway, whatever it is, it kills the pain; trouble is it kills pretty much everything at the same time rendering a girl pretty much useless!  Apart from the fact that the caffeine gives me the shakes and stops me from getting back to sleep if the Thursday headache manifests itself during the night (as happened this morning, hence the early morning blog post), I get this curious feeling that I’m on a skateboard and someone has just pushed me down a long fuzzily lit tunnel.  It’s kind of nice – as long as I don’t try and get off the skateboard ride and have to “do” anything! However, as you can imagine it’s a bit dodgy if you’re going to operate machinery – driving a car is a bit like being on the dodgems, or if you simply have to get some work done.  In my old job the Scotsman always used to know when I’d taken some.  I guess it was the change from grumpy Bloominjools to an “away with the fairies” Bloominjools that gave it away, but he was pretty adept at spotting it and commenting “watch out – she’s on the Feminax again!”

It seems to be a painkiller that lots of people I know are particularly partial to, and I’m not sure its necessarily to do with the painkilling part …  The only downside for Jazzshark in her impending move to NY is that she’s not going to be able to get it in the States, what with Codeine being banned and all that …  The fans of Feminax aren’t just limited to girls either; indeed the Scotsman often refers “fondly” to a period of his life he spent sitting in his pants and living off Feminax and Cider.  I can’t function properly on Feminax on its own, so can’t begin to imagine what it would be like with Alcohol – I’m such a light weight!  

Any road up, at least being awake (and headache free) at the dawn of crack again has meant I’m seeing a beautiful sun rise and I’m getting the opportunity to listen to some music – last track played can be found on my audioscrobbler page.  

Sunday, August 21, 2005

Update on the tan ...

Well, the tan is coming on fine – no laptop marks on legs which is marvellous – all my other bits seem to be developing evenly too which always good. TH and I have had a wee BBQ: scallop and bacon kebabs, followed by marinated lamb chops, wheat free sausages lathered in honey and mustard (they need livening up some how …) and veggie kebabs. Strawberries and cream to follow (marinated in lemon juice, balsamic and Cointreau), but that’ll have to wait until TH has re-surfaced. He’s gone for a snooze … had a hard morning with the small white ball and sticks, a BBQ with half a bottle of wine and we’re going out tonight (Amy Kohn at 12 Bar) - pacing is required apparently …

What next? Well, I have so much in my head about Edinburgh that I couldn’t possibly publish it all in one hit, so seeing as no-one really knows that this blog exists I’m going to publish blogs for each day retrospectively. No-one will notice! You’re not reading this are you?          

Gotcha!

That was what I said – in my “outside voice” even though I was in on my own – when I finally managed to get hold of an earring that had fallen down the back of my chest of drawers.  That job formed part of a very satisfying 2 hours of tidying this morning.  Having got out of bed and trodden on my toilet bag – still lying full of stuff some 6 days following my return from Edinburgh – I realised that I really had to get myself sorted out.

So, in a major feat of time and motion, I:

  • Sorted out my toiletries, makeup bag and piles of hair products (I’ve inherited a lot of this from jazzshark who couldn’t ship it to NY – apparently someone might have thought that the hair straightening serums were potential explosives ingredients …)

  • Untangled all my jewellery – necklaces from earrings etc;

  • Washed and intensively conditioned my hair - I’m having a curly week this week so have the joy of letting it dry naturally and do its own “big hair” thing rather than spending an hour persuading it that it really does want to be straight;

  • Applied my fake tan (I’ve got a cushion on my lap at the moment to stop the shape of my laptop being irrevocably “tanned” into my legs …);

  • Finished the ironing and put everything away.  Phew!
The jewellery was a particularly satisfying job.  For months now I’ve had a collection of single earrings cluttering the place up. Not any more – though I have kept one single because I can’t bear for it to really be a single … As a pair they were one of my favourites, a present from Lulu; I know where I lost it so I’m hoping it’ll turn up at some point when someone has their own tidy up!  Consequently I’m hanging onto it in the hope that it’ll become a pair sometime soon.  

There was another single; the mate for whom I was pretty certain was down the back of the chest of drawers.  How to get at it however?  The chest of drawers is very heavy and I tried a half hearted shove but nothing happened.  I then squished my head against the wall and tried to squint to see if I could make anything out – yup, it was definitely there.  A long poky thing, that’s what I needed.  Now the best “tool” for the job would have been a ruler, but I happened to know that the one I wanted was downstairs and I’m afraid I was overcome with laziness and decided that one of my make up brushes would suffice.  Laziness can lead to bonkers assessments of the suitability of tools obviously …  As expected, it wasn’t long enough and the fluffy brush bit wasn’t really designed for grabbing earrings.  Localised rummaging in my drawer unearthed a pair of scissors.  Longer - but still not long enough.  Brainwave! A hanger.  That was long enough but somehow the hook kept getting in the way.  So, laziness was shoved to one side, and I collected the ruler from downstairs.  Gotcha!  Should have just gone down for the flippin’ ruler in the first place, would have saved a lot of time!  It’s like trying to undo screws with the end of a knife because you can’t be arsed to go and get the screwdriver.  You know its going to take you twice as long as doing the job with the right tool, and that you’ll ruin the knife to boot, but you still do it … Or is that just me?

Anyway, all possible pairs were paired and I was left with a pile of 10 single earrings.  The temptation to keep them just because I like them was quite strong, but I then asked myself what possible use would they be?  I’m not quirky enough to go out wearing non-matching earrings, and the only other possible option would be to keep them for a time when I only have one ear. But that’s just daft.  If I ever end up with just one ear, I’ll damn well treat myself to some new single earrings to make myself feel better.  Anyway, they’re now in the WPB, though I have put some other rubbish on top of them, just in case I spot them and am tempted to sneak some of them back for old time’s sake …

Saturday, August 20, 2005

Why is it ...

… that when you have the opportunity to have a Saturday morning lie in you flippin' well wake up at the time you’ve been struggling to wake up at to go to work?  It drives me mad!  I came back home from Edinburgh late Monday night and had to go back to work Tuesday morning.  Bad planning I know, but what with one thing and another I haven’t got enough leave to take any more time off.  To be honest if I had taken the Tuesday off the temptation to spend another day in Edinburgh rather than be sensible and use the day to sleep, do washing, sort out the mess that always ensues after a few days away living out of a suitcase, would have been far too great I’m sure.

So there I am, bang, awake at 6.45am.  Now I don’t mean just gently coming round with the capacity to drift in and out for a couple of hours in that lovely way you can on a Monday; no I mean BANG! I’m totally awake and there is loads of stuff in my head that I should do.  So here I sit, a hive of industry, in my lovely living room in my favourite arm chair – the one by the window which means I can gaze at the view periodically.  I have backed up my work laptop (haven’t done it since I started the new job 6 or so weeks ago – bad Jools!), read a few of the regular blogs I now read – bassman, the Marquis, Richard Herring (on the recommendation of jazzshark – go on girlie, get your website and blog going!) and am writing my own Blog – obviously ....

The peace has now been shattered by TH getting up and promptly putting on the TV – it’s always on, even when there is absolute rubbish on (much of the time in my opinion), though when the rubbish is on, the TV is often on with the sound turned down.  WHY???   Well, I guess I had an hour and half to myself …  

I really want to post some nice words on bassman’s forum about his Ed show, but for some reason I’m having a confidence crisis about posting them publicly.  I could do it fairly easily by e-mail – to him personally – but the thought of putting my thoughts on his site and people I know reading them is spooking me.  I know I’m doing a blog – but no-one I know knows it is there!  Or do they …?  Why is it I’m struggling with it I wonder?  What I’m going to do is to type an e-mail to him and then at the last minute fox myself and by cutting and pasting it into his forum instead of sending the e-mail …  I wonder if I’ll be able to pull the wool over my eyes?

I’ve just realised that I haven’t even mentioned Ed yet.  That was what I meant to write about but today’s post is already boringly long so maybe I should re-group and do it at the dawn of crack tomorrow.  Its Sunday after all, which means I’m bound to be awake really early plus TH will be off hitting a small white ball with various long sticks so I’ll not be trying to do it through the sound of the TV.  Sounds like a plan to me!
    

Saturday, August 13, 2005

Edinburgh: 12th merges into 13th

So Friday dawned bright and early, for me at any rate … Gradually various of the housemates got up, and then went back to bed again! The shark and I headed off into town – we walked in which I thought was great, I love to explore places on foot; not sure Jazzshark would agree – she’s more of a taxi shark really! We had a lovely healthy lunch in Henderson’s, found a fringe guide from which to swipe a map and prepared to explore Edinburgh. I realised soon into lunch that the shark was flagging so let her off the hook (she went home to have a rest – but then she had had 4 days head start on me!) and headed off with my map to explore Edinburgh.

I bought knickers - I nearly came away without any and realised just at the last minute! However the handful I grabbed from the drawer and stuffed into my case weren’t all "appropriate" so I had to get some more – not sure the shark (with whom I was sharing a bed!) was impressed with the shocking pink lacy numbers I got, but I like them! I also bought needless earrings all of which I love.

I headed up to the Royal Mile and built up quite a collection of fliers – I don’t think I ended up going to any of the shows – they all seemed to clash with stuff I was already planning on doing – but its was interesting seeing the variety of stuff on offer. I found a pharmacy to stock up on Feminax (the shark and I had both run out …) and found a beautiful red velvet bag at the craft market. I persuaded myself I didn’t need it and that I also didn’t need the far more practical (but still unnecessary) black one (don't be impressed by this seeming display of self control - 3 more shopping days left before going home!) and headed back to the Assembly Rooms to meet C, BB and Katie for Monty Python’s Flying Circus (in French). This was great fun – as variable in its funniness as I found the original Monty Python stuff to be honest – ie. some was a fab and some a bit rubbish. As a non-existent French speaker the sub titles helped for some of the stuff I couldn’t quite remember but didn’t always manage to keep up with the pace. I had an ice cream in the auditorium (haven’t done that in years), helped Katie nudge BB awake – he always falls asleep in shows apparently, and managed not to get soaked in the Marathon for Incontinence sufferers sketch.

After that, a brisk walk to a pub near St Brides (Acoustic Music Centre) with BB to meet Petter (Swedish drummer of Stekpanna amongst others) and let him have keys to the flat so he could crash out and tend to his “visitors” (more of that later …) After that and an interesting conversation about the lack of a drum kit for the gigs (more of that tomorrow) there was a quick sprint to St Brides itself so I could learn a new skill – lacing Corliss Randall into her corset. I wonder why it is, that as a woman, you’re expect to “just know” how to do stuff like that? I had no clue – why would I? I have nothing to shove up with a corset anyway … Well I know what to do now, and pretty damn good I am too! I can also satisfactorily pull a Mae West wig onto another person (not as easy as it should be) and generally be a bit of a backstage dresser. Either way Mae West was happy (fascinating to see her emerge bit by bit as her costume went on) and BB was happy too – it meant that he didn’t have to do it (!), corset engineer not being a skill he was particularly looking to add to his CV … I watched the first small bit of the show then hopped in a taxi and headed over to the Pleasance to meet the shark to see Richard Herring.

Richard Herring was good in parts and not in others I felt. It was a smiley gig rather than a belly laugh gig and to be honest I think he’s a better writer than a performer. There was something almost apologetic about the way he delivers his material. You can read the same stuff on his blog and be rotfl but it didn’t quite hang together as well when he was delivering it live. It was still worth doing though. After that there was small gin break followed by Pajama Men. What can I say …? I was completely lost for the first 10 minutes and then I got it! Its fast paced, very, very clever and they were well deserving of their standing ovation that night. Reviews are mixed, but I guess its one of those kind of love it or loathe it shows. Either way the “wagging finger” and “gross” became big part of the vernacular for the rest of the trip.

No time for a gin break now – so we just headed straight over to the Spiegel Tent for La Clique. I usually hate this sort of stuff, but the shark was so full of praise for it from the year before that it had to be done. And it is great stuff, especially where we were standing – I don’t think I would have wanted to be sitting actually. I surprised myself that I liked it and was inordinately disappointed that I wasn’t chosen to be swung round by the roller skating act that closed the show. The shark thought I was mad to want to do it – she was weighing up the “risk assessment” problems with the whole bit of that show! But I think it would have been great. Anyway – I didn’t get the chance; they got another girl out of the crowd instead who looked absolutely terrified and seemed to be cutting the circulation off on the woman performer’s arm she was gripping so tight!

Well, day over – we couldn’t persuade anyone to come over to the Spiegel Gardens and have a drink so we headed back to the flat for a drink instead. And that should have been that … When we got home all the windows were open. Now, it wasn’t a cold night, but by 2am it wasn’t particularly warm either, so why are the windows open? Well, turns out that Petter had been treating his hair for a little case of the nits which he got from his lovely daughter Engla. Bless her! The shark immediately started scratching her head! I must admit even though you know you haven’t got them you do still find yourself having a scratch subconsciously … We were most interested about what the BB and Petter bed-share dynamic was going to be! I think the shark made some comment about BB needing my pink lace knickers (she really wasn’t impressed with them) to put on his head to guard against infestation, which I’m afraid to say, at 4am and after much gin and wine had me in absolute fits. You know when you just get the giggles and can’t stop? Jazzshark was laughing at me laughing and I was laughing at her laughing at me, and the whole thing dissolved into hysteria. It wasn’t really very funny but our chuckle muscles obviously needed a serious work out!

Friday, August 12, 2005

Edinburgh: 11th merges into 12th

I arrived at Edinburgh airport at 10pm having behaved badly on the plane with the 2 other women in my row.  I guess you could say that “lushes” find each other out; Lord knows how they would have coped with a person in the 3rd seat who was a bit straight! As it was we all ended up with loads of bottles of vodka and wine from an air steward who was obviously on his last trip for a while and was needing to clear out the store cupboard.  We were fairly loud and giddy and I’m sure quite irritating to those other travellers around us - SORRY!  So, I having landed, I texted BigBuzzard and Jazzshark to say “I’ve landed”, and headed off to the loos to get changed into something suitable for “The Cave of the Naked Calf”.  I don’t know if what I wore was suitable, but it was better than the sensible suit I’d had on for meetings at work during the day  Either way, someone complimented me on my frock in the early hours so it can’t have been too wide of the mark ...

Cabaret was followed by “Shaken N’ Stirred” at The Gilded Balloon.  Well, I realise that now, but at the time I didn’t have a bloomin’ clue where I was!  I was awash with white wine and good company and basically just wheeled my luggage wherever I was instructed …  (Secure  in the knowledge that BigBuzzard and Jazzshark were nurturing me through my first Edinburgh trip).  After the Gilded Balloon there was a hectic cab ride “home” followed by cheese on toast, more wine and lots of nattering.  I think we headed off for bed c. 5am?  Not sure to be honest, though Jazzshark and I talked and laughed for quite some time after that.  This was the night that Jazzshark’s “lie down” was born – look out Edinburgh 2006, she’s going to clean up!  
    

So, Edinburgh!

What have I been doing all these years to be going to Edinburgh for the fringe for the first time at my age? I think I wouldn’t have been ready for it actually – Bloominjools bloomed late I fear! As it is, I had a fab time. As expected I ate badly (for my own constitution anyway), drank far too much gin and white wine (even by my own fairly extensive standards) and had far too little sleep – ie. after 3 hours sleep - BANG, I was awake! Maybe I was scared of missing something? Even if that something was falling over a newly arrived visitor’s body in the hallway on the way to the bathroom! Either way I passed some happy early hours alone sweeping the kitchen floor and clearing up from the night before (I know – how sad is that? But as you’ll see in future post, I get excited about sorting out my earrings …!) Anyway, I saw several barmy shows, took in some great music, had some quality time to myself and can’t wait to go back next year!

Monday, August 08, 2005

Day 1

Well, I've broken my duck as an IM virgin, I'm scrobbling day and night. So what the hell, lets do a blog ...

I'm supposed to be working really - had a bad day at work on Friday and didn't get much achieved so have been trying to catch up today but its not going very well. There's ironing to do, food to prepare, Athletics to watch, and I can't get at the bit I need to on the work server to get what I'm trying to do done. Hence I've got totally side tracked with the notion of a blog. As you can see I'm easily distracted ...

I've got my first solo project meeting in my new job tomorrow - its kind of exciting as I know I can do the job and am going to be really good at it once I've found my feet, but I'm at that unfortunate 5 week stage which I means I know enough about the job to know its huge, but not enough to really be hitting the ground at a sprint and rattling through the work in the way that I'm used to!

Stuff to look forward to is a leaving dinner for an old work colleague - it'll be good to catch up with some people I haven't seen for a while. Good food (hopefully), good drink (undoubtedly) and good company - can't go wrong really.

Then I'm heading up to Edinburgh for 4 days at the Fringe. I've never been before and am looking forward to it. Have lots of stuff lined up, Richard Herring (he of a great blog), La Clique, Sex with Mae West, and the delectable Big Buzzard Boogie Band - just need to track myself down a random dance partner (who doesn't mind dancing with someone who dances energetically but badly!) and my trip will be complete.

As usual my big worry is what to wear. That was the great thing about a school uniform, whilst I looked dreadful all though my time at school - thank God it was an all girl's school - I never had the agony of the "what to wear" decision every morning before leaving the house .... Will it be hot, will it be cold, will it rain? So many options and in terms of the Edinburgh trip a bag too small to cope with them all ... I know I'm going to have to survive in jeans and various selections of t shirts but I like to be a bit more glam than that; however, 17 people in a 3 bedroom flat may serve to temper any glamorous aspirations I have!

That and probably 4 days with very little sleep - getting back late, eating late and then trying to sleep through the various tumultuously snoring / sleep talking of housemates will put pay to any glamour I'm sure! I'll take my pink suede boots and jingly belt anyway - even if I look haggard I'll be wearing my favourite bits!

I'm typing this listening to the lovely Blossom Dearie who I've just got to know about in the last month or so (obviously have had my head in the sand for the last 38 years ...) She's inspiring me to get of my BTM and start singing some jazzy stuff myself - not something I've ever considered before being a classical high soprano type of bird, but I fancy being a bit of a Jazz Bird now! I've got my Standards Real Book (courtesy of a very kind friend) and have identified 2 songs so far that I'm aiming to learn inside out and back to front and then eventually summon up enough confidence to sing to someone ... There, I've committed it to blog now, so I'll have to do it.

That's what I'm trying to do - branch out. Do things I haven't done before and just as importantly do more of the things I have done before but not enough of!

Anyway enough random blabbing - work has to be done. Project plans don't write themselves - more's the pity ...

One final thing - you must try this link out - its great but unfortunately addictive: http://earth.google.com