Winky Face!

I'm just going to come right out and say it.  I am not a huge fan of emoticons.  I do not use a happy face to indicate happiness, or a sad face to indicate sadness.  I don't even use LOL when texting or IMing, as I prefer a simple "ha!" to get the idea of laughter accross.

However, I will acknowledge that I am in the minority.  If there was a battle, I lost.  Emoticons have won, and I accept their place in the world.  I will even admit that they can make the tone of an email or text or whatever clear if the words themselves don't convey the proper meaning.  I don't use them myself, but if someone sends me a frowny face or a confused face, I understand their meaning and move on with my life.

Except!

The winky face.  If there is one emoticon I cannot stand, it is the winky face.  You know the one I mean:

;)

The intended meaning, as far as I'm aware, is to convey cheekiness or sassiness.  And it drives me up the freaking wall.  Because here is the thing.  In real life, people smile at each other, or frown, or have big smiles, or stick out their tongues (which, ugh), or look surprised.  All of which have a corresponding emoticon to convey these expressions.

Do you know what people don't do?  Wink at each other.  Constantly wink at each other.  And if they do, they should stop, because I'm sure they'll just develop a twitch of some kind.

There only two contexts I can think of where winking is appropriate in real life.

One:  If you are playing a joke on someone and want to let someone they are with in on the joke subtly.  A wink at that person while continuing the joking will get that message across, and then hopefully they'll get in on the joke and you'll all have some fun times.

Two:  A pickup wink, done in jest.  Possibly accompanied by finger guns.  This works in almost any circumstance in life, and is generally delightful.

That's it!  Those are the only two situations in which you should be winking!  Or maybe if you're trying to get a contact back in place.  But blinking would also accomplish this, so let's forget that one.

Two!

So, when I see people (and god help me, so many people do this) use the winky face after a comment they mean to be funny, all I can think is STOP STOP STOP!  If you need to use an emoticon (and I really must stress that no one needs to use an emoticon) in that case, will the smiley face not do?  What is wrong with the good old smiley face?  Are you too good for the smiley face??

Your cheekiness comes across as far less cheeky if you have to tell me you're being cheeky!  (Also, the work cheeky looks funny when you write it too many times. Cheeky.) Would you really wink in real life after you said whatever you just said?  I thought not. It's just dumb.  Stop it.

However, if someone develops an emoticon for the double finger guns, I will have to bow to their genius and gladly allow all winky face/double finger gun emoticon combos, as they will be hilarious.

Mug of the Day - 3 August

Cuba!

Mug of the Day - 2 August

Bruges! It's my most multi-lingual mug, as it also says "Bruges" and "Brujas".

Mug of the Day - 29 July

The kings and queens of Scotland.  Educational!

Mug of the Day - 28 July

Barcelona is one of my favourite mugs. I think it's so pretty.

Pop Music Wars

I'm a fan of The Critical Condition, which has insightful and often very funny pop culture commentary.  And I'm a fan of pop music.  So, imagine my delight when those two things merged together in what I say, without hesitation, is THE GREATEST MUSICAL CHALLENGE OF OUR TIME!

I mean, really.  How can you not love this:

You will decide the winner in an epic match-up among the 64 best pop songs released since 1981.

I've very much enjoyed the first round of voting, although some of the choices have been tougher than I anticipated.  So, go and vote, and then come back and I'll tell you who I voted for and why.

Seriously, go and vote.

Right.  So, the first votes have been in the Joy Bomb category.  And the choices have been excellent.  Almost every song has made me want to get up and dance.

Game 1: Madonna's Like A Prayer vs Steve Winwood's Higher Love


Now, I won't lie to you.  Higher Love is a very good song.  It's happy.  It's very very catchy.  But, come on.  Like A Prayer is one of my all time favourite songs, ever.  And, I would say, one of the best pop songs ever.  It's also a great karaoke song.  This one was a total no brainer.  Like A Prayer all the way.

Game 2: Chumbawumba's Tubthumping vs Human League's Don't You Want Me


This is the first round in which a pattern started to emerge with my voting.  (I'll let you see if you can figure it out.) I like Don't You Want Me a lot.  I love story songs, especially duets.  I love 80s music, especially at its most synthesiser-tastic.  But there's just something about Tubthumping that makes me want to jump up out of my chair, start dancing and shouting along with the chorus.  I have such specific memories attached to this song, and it makes me smile every time I hear it.  Plus, both the band and the song are silly words, which is always pleasing.  Tubthumping for the win.

Game 3: Eurythmics' Sweet Dreams (Are Made of These) vs George Michael's Freedom 90

This one actually surprised me.  I'd have thought for sure it would be the Eurythmics all the way.  That song is a classic!  But then I listened to them both, and remembered just how much I like Freedom 90.  It's so catchy!  And that video!  (Which, I am aware, shouldn't factor into the decision, but it's iconic!)  And, comparing them back to back, I realised that, of the two songs, I think I prefer Freedom.  And so it won. (And so the pattern continues.)

Game 4:  The Backstreet Boys' I Want It That Way vs Belinda Carlisle's Heaven Is A Place On Earth


Okay, this is where it gets a bit embarrassing. I may as well just come right out and admit it.  I love boy bands. I do, I can't help it.  The harmonies, the ballads, the dramatic key changes.  It all just hits me right in the cheesy music enjoyment target zone.  And I Want It That Way does all of those things so well!  It's like they took a "perfect boy band ballad" template and crafted this song.  And so, while I do like Belinda C, there was just no way that I could let her win.  Sorry Belinda.  Backstreet Boys it is.  (And, again with the pattern.)

Game 5:  Lady Gaga's Bad Romance vs Dolly Parton's 9 to 5


Well, this one wasn't even a contest.  I have no real strong feelings one way or the other for Lady Gaga, but I fucking love Dolly Parton. Love. Her. To. Bits.  Even though she would probably be mad at me right now for cursing.  Remember how I said I love story songs? 9 to 5 is the story song of every single person in the world who has ever had a job. The lyrics are amazing, the music is amazing, it all just works.  I love love love it.  Not even a question.  Dolly all the way. (This one is pattern free, for the record.)

Game 6:  Irene Cara's Flashdance (What A Feeling) vs Deee-Lite's Groove Is In The Heart


I think this was my toughest call.  I instinctively was thinking Flashdance.  I love that song.  It's on my iPod, and I smile every time it comes on.  But then I listened to Groove Is In The Heart again.  And, as a pop song?  It's amazing.  And ridiculous!  Which makes it even more amazing, because it shouldn't work.  It uses a slide whistle!  That is not an instrument that you generally find in your average pop song.  Yes, Flashdance is ridiculous in its own way, what with it's silly, silly lyrics.  But Groove Is In The Heart is just so fucking catchy.  Playing them back to back, I still had Deee-Lite in my head hours later.  And if that's not the sign of a great pop song, I don't know what is.  Deee-Lite it is. (And there's that pattern again!)

Game 7: Culture Club's Karma Chameleon vs Paula Abdul's Straight Up


Okay, I lied.  This was my toughest call.  Because I love both these songs.  Karma Chameleon is such a perfect encapsulation of its time and place.  It's just a wonderful song.  So catchy, and memorable.  But Straight Up?  Holy crap, 12 year old me loved that song so much that even considering voting against it is like a slap in the face to my early teen years.  I actually thought this song came out later than it did (1988, in case you were wondering, although it was on the Billboard charts in early 1989).  I associate it much more with the 90s than the 80s, for some reason.  Maybe because it feels more like the cheesy pop I was listening to in the early 90s?  I'm not sure.  But anyway, I love it, so it had to be Paula.

(Bonus Abdul fun: listen to Opposites Attract again sometime.  The lyrics are so delightfully dated!  Plus: animated cat duet!)

Game 8: Kelly Clarkson's Since U Been Gone vs Tina Turner's What's Love Got To Do With It

This was was the only match-up where I liked, but did not love, both of the songs.  I went with Tina Turner, because you know, she's Tina Turner.  She's a classic.  But I like these songs pretty equally, so it was a bit of a coin toss.

What I realised in my voting is that, although I love 80s music, it's not the music I listened to when I started listening to music.  It's the music I listened to ironically (but really did love) in the late 90s when I was at university.  But the music that I first listened to? I'm the oldest in my family, so I didn't grow up with an older sibling's music in the background.  The music I first listened to on my own was the music of the early 90s.  And a pattern definitely started to emerge as I pretty much picked 90s songs over 80s songs every time.

And, I have to say, that surprised me a little.

Next: the Deep Feelings division.  I can't talk about that just yet.  Time After Time against Total Eclipse of the Heart?  I think that Sophie's Choice was actually about this decision.  So difficult!

Mug of the Day - 26 July

In honour of my upcoming Skype chat this evening with my California based friend, I give you San Francisco.

Mug of the Day - 25 July

It was surprisingly hard to find an attractive mug in Istanbul.

Okay, Not Such A Great Start

Well, that didn't go so well, did it?

Only one day in to my big plan, and I forgot to post anything yesterday.  Well, that's not entirely true.  I remembered, but at such a time that I couldn't really do anything about it.  And then when I got home from my friend's leaving do, I was a bit drunk and tired, and completely forgot.

So, take two!

I'm currently debating whether or not to be productive today.  There are lots of things I could be doing.  Or, I could finish re-reading the fifth Harry Potter book.  I'm re-reading them all after seeing the final movie, to remind myself how much better the books are compared to the movies.  But that's always the case, isn't it?  I can't think of any film version I've seen that's actually been better than the movie version.

I actually try to avoid seeing films if I've read the book.  I saw that Will Smith movie, I Am Legend, and I spent the entire last third on pins and needles wondering when the big reveal was going to come that the woman and kid staying with him were actually zombies, in disguise and infiltrating his home to lure him out to be captured.  Because that's what happens in the book!  (Oh, sorry.  Spoiler alert for a 57 year old book!)

Only it never happened.  And the movie has a happy(ish) ending!  The book ending is way better.  Much, much, much darker.  Probably too dark for audiences of a Will Smith movie.  But way better.

I probably won't be productive today.  I have the whole week for that kind of nonsense.  And it's sunny.  So, today's version of productiveness will be to lie out in my sunny garden, and read the most whiny and annoying of all the Harry Potter books.

Seriously, could he be more of a whiny baby?  Or a more accurate representation of a fifteen year old?  Or could practically any given teenager be more of a whiny baby?

Man, I do not miss being fifteen.

Mid-Year Resolution

I've set myself a mid-year resolution.

I know a lot of people go in for those new-fangled "New Years Resolutions", but I say those are for suckers.  It's right after Christmas, you're all exhausted from spending time with your family, fat from eating chocoalate for weeks on end, and hungover from weeks of binge holiday drinking.  Are you really in the right frame of mind to make any decisions about your life? I think not.

But mid-July! Now, that's a different story.  It's sunny (theoretically), it's warm (theoretically), you're full of the joys of summertime (theoretically).  Never mind that it's been raining for the last six weeks basically non-stop, and you're thinking about building an ark in your garden.  It's summer!  And that is the time when you should be making resolutions.

So, my resolution is this:  I am going to remember that I have a blog, and that I like writing on it.  And, every day for the next 30 days, I am going to write something and post it.

That's it.  Nothing fancy or earth shattering.  But I think it will be really good for me.  And good for you!  Because you'll get to read it!  Don't you feel lucky??

So, feel free to check back in.  I plan to be here.

Mug of the Day - 22 July

I heart New York.

Thor, and Where Ebert Went Wrong: A Response to Roger Ebert

Roger Ebert just wrote two blog posts on his site (not official reviews, although I don't know if that makes any kind of difference), thoroughly trashing Thor, which was released in the States last week.  He really, really hated this film:

The story might perhaps be adequate for an animated film for children, with Thor, Odin and the others played by piglets. In the arena of movies about comic book superheroes, it is a desolate vastation. Nothing exciting happens, little of interest is said, and the special effects evoke not a place or a time but simply...special effects.

For some odd reason, Thor was released in the UK earlier than it was in the US, and I saw it a few weeks ago. I wasn't particularly looking forward to seeing it. I'd wanted to see Source Code, which wasn't playing.  It was a choice between Thor and Arthur, and my friend and I essentially flipped a coin and picked Thor.


Now, I have to confess that I do have a (not-so) secret soft spot for huge blockbuster films.  But I'm not a comic film fan-girl, and I don't automatically drool over every Marvel movie.  In fact, I slept through the middle bits of both Iron Man films (saw them on planes), despite wanting to like them.  That being said, I really enjoyed Thor.


It's a big, fun, ridiculous film.  It walks the line very well between being cheesy and taking itself seriously.  And why can't a film be both of those things?  Now, Ebert had some very spefic complaints, most of which seem to be based on the fact that he wasn't giving the film his full attention.  That's a pretty damning comment about a film critic - surely critics should give every film they review their full and utmost attention?  


Well, I'm not sure if Ebert saw this film intending to review it - that's not clear in his posts.  And, more relevantly, he's human.  He has genres of films he loves and respects, and those he does not. I suspect that the category of "comic book films" falls somewhere close to "films based on video games" in his film preferences list.  He doesn't like this type of movie, and when he does (The Dark Knight or Spiderman), he seems to like these films despite the fact they're based on comic books.  


In fact, from his review of The Dark Knight, he says this:

“Batman” isn’t a comic book anymore. Christopher Nolan’s “The Dark Knight” is a haunted film that leaps beyond its origins and becomes an engrossing tragedy. 

That may be true.  But it implies that being a comic book is a BAD thing.  And I'd argue that it isn't.  There is a place for serious, dark, tragic films based on comics.  And there is a place for bright, shiny, fun, camp films based on comics.  Why does one have to negate the other?

The biggest problems that Ebert seemed to have with Thor seemed to stem from a lack of comprehension of the film.  I'd argue that the reason he did not pick up on these details is because he had already dismissed the film as not worth his time.  In his defence of his initial post, he says this:

It is impossible for most critics to be familiar with the source material of most movies, and that doesn't bother me. A movie must contain whatever the audience requires in order to enjoy it. It's not required to be "faithful" to its source, as if adaptation were adultery.

I agree with this.  A film should stand on its own.  A viewer should not have to do research on Wikipedia (as one commenter suggests) to understand the plot points of a film.

However.

The plot points that Ebert claims not to have understood?  They're in the film.  They don't require knowledge of the comics.  I can guarantee this, because I understood them, and I have never read the comics. Very briefly, and in no particular order, here are some of the problems he had with the film:

• It was unclear if Asgard was another planet or where it was.  Almost the first lines of the film describe how the Norse people saw the alien visitors from Asgard, thought they were gods and worshipped them.  Thor and his buddies fly through space to get to earth. Thor points out where his planet is to Jane. It is mentioned many, many times that there are portals to other worlds, including Earth.  I really believe that to not have grasped this point means that you just weren't paying attention.
• "I wondered, for example, why a giant metal robot chose to attack a small New Mexico town when it could have been attacking the Golden Gate Bridge."  Because he was sent to kill Thor.  He went to where Thor was.  There's perhaps an argument for wondering why the portal leads to New Mexico at all, but that's beside the point.
• Not knowing if Darcy was a scientist. Now, this is a minor point, and not essential to understanding or enjoying the film.  But there is a bit of the film where Darcy asks a very basic scientific question, and upon being asked "I thought you were a science major?", she responds that she majors in political science.  She's an intern working for course credit.  They cover that.
• Thor's hammer is "stuck".  Odin has a whole speech when he takes away Thor's hammer, about only a person worthy of its use will be able to wield it.  Maybe that was too subtle?  Thor has to earn the right to use it, by becoming a better person/god/whatever

I'm not saying that disliking Thor is wrong, although Ebert certainly thinks that liking it is.  I'm saying that he didn't want to like it.  And so he didn't pay attention.  I have watched many a film in my time, expecting to hate it and finding millions of little points to snark about.  I don't think that everyone has to like what I like.  

But, surely, if you're getting an outpouring of comments on your initial post saying they enjoyed it from regular film viewers (not just crazy comic fans), and if it does indeed have a 79% positive rating at Rotten Tomatoes, surely then you must at least consider the possibility that you are, if not wrong, then at least in the minority.

Writing a second post, to defend your first trashing of the film and  to hurl a bit of abuse those who disagreed with you, feels a little bit childish.   In his second post, Ebert says this:

One of my weaknesses is to play with the logic of preposterous movies like this. I consider that an amusing exercise, to be read as entertainment and not taken so damned seriously.

I agree, I do the same thing.  However, Thor has an internal logic.  Ebert just chose not to see it.

I remembered I have a blog!

So, it took 3 years, but I finally updated the Steve Guttenberg blog.

Next on the list: this one.

Change Time!

So, last week I turned 32. And that really makes me think I should be at least somewhat of a grown up. I also got to thinking about my blog, and what I want from it. I like it, and don't want to let it die out entirely, but I also realized that I wasn't updating in its current form (which you probably realized as well, if you're still actually checking this. Thanks for that, if you are, by the way). I decided it was time for a change.

The name of this blog has been "Alice's Dark Place" since I started writing it in 2004. The name was based on an inside joke between a friend and I, and was probably never funny to anyone else, at any point ever. Since I am now a grown up, and firmly in my early thirties, I decided I needed to update not only the look but the name. And so we come to "Alice's Grown Up Blog".

And yes, that is the best name I could come up with. And yes, I actually did give it quite a bit of thought.

My life hasn't changed that much since I've last written, but it's definitely gotten busier. I'm doing much more at work, which is great and I love it. My flat is on the market, and I'm thinking of moving to a nice converted Victorian flat and getting out of the purpose built 1970s flat market. The cats are adorable, although Lucy is twice the size of Beez, and I have no idea how that happened.

On the personal side, things have probably changed more. I've been really busy with work, which means I'm not seeing as much of my friends as I would like to. I've done a lot of evaluating of my friendships, and realized that I have some really amazing friends, but that you can't stay friends with everyone forever. Such is life. I'm going to do more to keep in touch with my friends, who I love, and not let work take over my entire life.

I'm also going to buy a flatscreen TV. Life is exciting, people. Exciting!

I want to devote more time to my blog, to Londonist, to Steve Guttenberg and to writing in general. Turns out I like it. And I miss having people read my writing. I've missed y'all!

Anyway, I'm back. It's all very fabulous.

Found in an old notebook while tidying my flat...

Books I Read: Summer '96

(started beginning of June, 1996)

Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck
The Great Gatsby - F. Scott Fitzgerald
Famous Last Words - Timothy Findley
Another Roadside Attraction - Tom Robbins
The Scarlet Letter - Nathaniel Hawthorne
Prizes - Erich Segal
The Little Drummer Girl - John Le Carre
A Green Desire - Anton Myer
Tess - Katherine Burton
Heiress - Janet Dailey
Watership Down - Richard Adams
Sisters and Strangers - Helen Van Slyke
Moon Shadow - Dawn Stewardson
Butterfly - Kathleen Norris
All The Right Moves - Brenna Tod
Privileged Lives - Edward Stewart
A Ruling Passion - Judith Michael
The Two Towers - J.R.R. Tolkien
The Return of The King - J.R.R. Tolkien
Destination Unknown - Agatha Christie
Sand In The Wind - Kathleen O'Neal Gear

(also listed: Books to Read - "John Irving - Prayer for some guy")

Films I Plan To Never Ever See

Can I just say that the premise of The Strangers scares the crap out of me? It's terrifying. The scariest thing I can think of.

People come to your house and torture you and then kill you just because you were home? So. Freaking. Scary.

It stars Liv Tyler, who I like, and Scott Speedman, who is dreamy. Normally, the two of them cast as the leads in a movie would get me interested. A rom com with the two of them? Please, as if you could keep me away on opening day.

But, the two of them in a film with a terrifying premise that is giving me anxiety attacks even though I haven't even seen it? Not for me.

I pass the poster every day on my way to work - it's on a phone booth on Balham High Road, just before the tube station. And every single day, I think "God, that's so scary." The poster I pass has the three masked figures on it, and that freaks me out too. They're wearing creepy masks! And two of them are girls!

What is up with these people?

I get easily freaked out when I'm home alone - not in my own house, but in other people's houses. Even my parents' house. I always have to do a full check of the house. You know, to make sure there aren't killers lurking, waiting to kill me. The room that scares me most is bathrooms, but only if the shower curtain is closed. I always have to check behind it, y'know, to make sure the killer isn't standing behind the curtain in the bathtub, and it's always a highly tense moment.

I don't really know where this worry comes from - I didn't watch my first horror movie until I was at university (and I still haven't seen most of the classic 80s ones), and I think that's when I started getting freaked out.

So, what with my worry about killers lurking in wait when I'm home alone, you can see why it's very unlikely that I'll see The Strangers. It's not my specific fear covered in the film, but it's one that's just as scary.

I may, however, watch the copy of A Nightmare on Elm Street that I have on DVD at home.

Maybe.

Someday.

"The internet doesn't even know who you are anymore."

So, apparently I haven't posted since April 26. And by "apparently", I mean "in cold hard fact".


In all fairness, since April 26, all I've done is work. That's it. I've come reasonably close to a nervous breakdown. I've gone out, like, twice. Maybe three times. I can barely remember what my friends look like. I've hardly written for Londonist. It's been very exhausting.


But, I've just had a week of holiday and I'm feeling much better now. I'm even making plans to see people! It's crazy, I know.

I've had a super veg-out holiday, which has been fab. I've basically read, watched episodes of Felicity and slept. I've also seen a few people, but it's mainly been about the chillaxing.

Have I ever mentioned how much I love Felicity? Because, I really, really do. I've watched the whole first season over the last week, and it's been delighftul. I'd forgotten how much I liked that show. And I had this super clear memory of sitting with Mandy in a movie theatre in Mississauga after the season one finale, telling her all about it and telling her that she should watch it. And, I was totally right. Because it's such a good show.

It's also made me very nostalgic for my first year of university, which was TWELVE YEARS AGO. Holy crap, I'm old. In September 1996, I went to York and met all these amazing (and not so amazing) people. Some of them I'm still friends with, some of them I'm not. A few of them, I look back at photos and I can't even remember their names. Good times, I tell you!

Holy crap. Twelve years. Shouldn't I feel like more of a grown up by now?

Sometimes, I am dumb

So, yesterday morning, I was doing a bit of tidying before my friend Alexcia came to stay, and had two bags of rubbish to get rid of. I carried one in each hand, and held my keys in my left hand, and took them to the communal bins.

I left my front door a bit open, but as I was walking away, I heard the wind slam it shut. "Whew", I thought, "good thing I have my keys."

I got to the garbage area, opened the big metal door and swung the bag in my left hand into the bin. As it was going in, however, the handle of the bag looped around my front door key and pulled it into the bin.

That's right. My keys. In the garbage. My front door. Locked.

Now, just to give you the right mental image of my stupidity, the bins made of metal, about five feet high, around four feet in diameter and on wheels. They're really big.

My keys were sitting on a black bin bag, and were about half way down. Obviously, I couldn't get them.

Someone had left a washing machine sitting in the garbage area, which is where we all leave big stuff to be picked up by the garbage men. (Actually, it was sitting pretty much right where the tree on the left is in this entry.) And I had a genius idea.

I would wheel the giant bin to beside the washing machine, climb up on it, and reach into the bin, and grab the keys. And then, ta da! I'd be all set.

I opened both the huge doors and wheeled the bin out. Due to the kind of wheels on it, I had to kind of turn at as I pulled it, creating a nice spinning out motion. I finally got it to the washing machine, climbed on, and reached in. And was still about ten inches away from the stupid keys.

So, I spun the stupid bin back into it's storage room.

I decided to knock on the door of the one neighbour I kind of know. She's nice, in a "lecture me about life in general" kind of way. But, of course, she wasn't home.

I was really stumped. Julia wasn't going to be home for ages, Alexcia was arriving in a few hours and I was totally stuck.

Then, like a beacon of hopeful light, a door on the building opposite opened. An young-ish woman walked out and I immediately ran up to her, all "excusemeI'msostupidbutIdroppedmykeysinthebinandneedhelpdoyouhaveacoathangeroranything". After she figured out my crazed speech, she told me that she didn't live there, but was just the carer. A teensy tiny little old woman walked out behind her, and I went into the whole speech again. The teensy tiny little old woman (or TTLOW) went and got me a Marks & Spencer hanger.

I raced over to the bin, and reached in. I was still about 8 inches away from those damn freaking keys. Dammit!

TTLOW called out to see if I was having any luck, and when she heard I wasn't, mentioned she had a stepladder. She walked back into her house, and I followed her in, because she was teensy and tiny and shouldn't be carrying ladders for me.

I grabbed the ladder, hauled it over to the bin, climbed up, reached in with the hanger, and ..... SUCCESS!!

I snagged the key ring on the end of the hanger, and was back in business. I carried the hanger and stepladder back to TTLOW and thanked her profusely. She really was very nice.

So, half an hour of idiocy later, I was back in my flat.

Needless to say, I will be carrying my keys in my pocket every time I go to the bins now. The lesson, she is learned.

Meme-a-rama

A) Four jobs I have had in my life:

Camp counsellor, bowling alley attendant, background talent agent and TV production manager

B) Four films I would watch over and over:

Can't Hardly Wait, Some Kind of Wonderful, Zoolander and Overboard.

C) Four places I have lived:

Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario (1977-1987), Goderich, Ontario (1987-1996), Toronto, Ontario (1996-2001), London, England (2001-now)

D) Four TV shows that I watch:

Currently, I am Sky Plussing Dirty Sexy Money, Brothers & Sisters, Reaper and Skins.

F) Four people who e-mail me (regularly):

I am a bad e-mailer and thus do not get many in return. I probably get the most from Heather, Leanne, Lindsay and Robin.

G) Four of my favourite foods:

Kraft dinner, pasta of almost any kind, Thai food, Indian food. Mmmmmm.

H) Four places I would rather be right now:

Rather than here in my office, procrastinating? On holiday somewhere sunny, at home sleeping, in the pub getting drunk and in my garden.

J) Four favourite authors:

Let's call this four of my favourite authors. Jane Austen, Nora Roberts, Kazuo Ishiguro and Marian Keyes. That's just off the top of my head.

Oh, and also?

If you're in the UK, please watch Football Hurts tomorrow, Thursday 14th Feb on Nuts TV at 9pm.

Thanks!