While the cat's away

Gavin's been gone for three days, and I've been using the freed-up time to meet up with people, go out with housemates, and mope in my room. Mostly that last one. It's been a fairly good weekend, except for a very dramatic night last night in which I was extremely irrational and angry and frightened - never a good combination. Long story short, I was just worried about Gav because he was having an allergic reaction.

Friday night was vastly superior: I was hanging out with friends, kicked everyone's asses at Wii bowling, met someone new, discovered White Russians (which are now tied first with Baileys for best alcoholic drink ever), and wore my sexy shoes for no readily explainable reason.

Interesting thing of the day: a facemaker. I adore this thing, I have endless fun with it. Just search for faces by Thiefree to see what I've been up to with it!

Repentance

You know what? Repentance hurts. My tears last night were tears of pure grief at the things I've done and the way I've been, and it was like wringing out my heart. I'm a sinner. An unpopular word, perhaps, but that's what I am and I realised that anew last night. I was sobbing the words I'm sorry, over and over, but words didn't do it justice. I was grieving the things I'd done to sully the Holy Spirit. Something so pure and beautiful that should lift me up to better things, and I've trodden it in the dirt time and time again.

Gavin told me he felt I should call my sister Judi, so I did, despite the fact that I assumed she'd be asleep. So I said no. Gav said "I really feel like you should call her." So I did; no answer. "Try again." I did, and she picked up, and she said all the right things... she hadn't been able to sleep so I hadn't woken her. She said the right things, encouraged me, and gave me good advice. I thank God for people in my life like Gavin and Judith who are, thank God, there when I need them.

And today... this appeared in ASBO Jesus:

I thought mine had, but last night my tears made it burn brighter.

Big ones

I was walking down the road on my way to buy some pillows and stuff for my new bed, when a slightly tubby thirty-something builder man got out of his van and shouted to his slightly tubby builder-pal "Hey, tell her what you said earlier. Tell her what you said about breasts!"

I ignored him and walked ahead, looking like I wasn't at all bothered while secretly wondering what he had said about breasts, and what I should have said in response. I assure you, in my head, I was post-hilarious.

In the shop, I bought bedding and such, having discovered that double beds aren't double the size of single beds OR big enough for two people. Well I mean really.

On the way home, I turned the corner onto my street and once again encountered builder man, who, as he passed me, said in happy Welsh tones, "BIG ones."

Now I know what you're thinking. You're thinking, 'Anna, how did you stop yourself from pouncing and making sweet sweet love to him right there on the pavement?'

I don't know, guys... I just don't know.

This house will self-destruct in 3...

Every home has a few quirks. Doors that rattle, floorboards that creak, a mad woman locked in the attic; you know, the usual. Well, having been in my newly-renovated home for three weeks (gosh, is that all?), I'm starting to discover the little things that make this house unique.

One time in ten, turning on a light will blow the lighting circuit. The emergency lights go on, I go downstairs, get out the stepladder, go to the fusebox, flip the switch, reset the house alarm thing that beeps, put the stepladder away, and resume my activities.

Nine times out of ten, trying to use the tumbledryer will blow the appliances circuit which also blows the lighting circuit. For some reason this results in NO emergency lights. So I have to get out the stepladder in complete darkness, go to the fusebox, feel around for both switches and flip them, reset the house alarm thing that beeps, put the stepladder away, and resume my activities.

Yes, the house alarm thing, I think that warrants explanation. Basically, its job is to beep when something's wrong, despite the fact that we can tell something's wrong by the way the lights have all gone out / the dishwasher isn't working / we're all burning to death in a horrific inferno (delete as applicable). Still. Nice of it to let us know.

Beep.


Beep.


Beep.

And every time it does beep, I have to stab about in the darkness, hitting the loud waily siren button a couple of times, and a number of other buttons, before I find the reset button. Why does it HAVE a loud waily siren button?! And what are all those other buttons FOR, if not to make it harder finding the "Dear-God-please-stop-the-beeping" button?

All the other little quirks are fairly standard. A cold tap that doesn't turn. A shelf in Leon's room that fell off as soon as he put something on it. Ten square centimetres of kitchen storage for each of us. STILL no internet connection. But for all that, it's a lovely little place, and I'm settling in nicely.

In other news, I bought some amazing shoes that make me feel great and I only feel slightly guilty about that. They're not as expensive as I hope they look. As a new heels-wearer I haven't hobbled into town in them yet, but they seem pretty easy and comfortable as well as being diabolically sexiful. Hooray!

I've relapsed into my addiction, by the way. Boots Meal Deals. I start getting the shakes if I don't have one for a few days. The chicken fajita wraps... mmmm... I'd happily live off them! With the resulting Boots points (loyalty cards for the win), I hope to save up for a pencil or something.

Interesting Thing of the Day, courtesy of gavD: Lego in ruins. Awesome!

Scrapbook etc

For those who're interested, my recent creative splurges are here, the photos I've been taking recently are here, some funny photos of people (myself included in a wig) are here, and a picture of a happy face is here.

Some of you may well be wondering why I got kicked out of the pub. It's not as glamorous and exciting as I apparently made it sound; I intended to drink some coke, maybe, but went straight through to the beer garden. This is apparently suspicious behaviour, so Gav was told to come get me. I got ID'ed, grumped a bit, and had to go. I went back a couple of days later with my passport and an apology ready - it's a difficult job they do, and I felt bad for saying "This is ridiculous" - but apparently Dan had Had Words with the management and told them that if they ID me they'll never work in this town again.

I hope Ross was exaggerating.

It's good to have friends like that, isn't it? Scary friends who Know People. Back home on the Isle of Wight I had my own mini-mafia looking out for me; I've lost count of the number of people who've sworn to avenge me should I ever have my heart broken. This is something I have not previously shared with my Beloved, so, surprise honey!...

Does this website make my butt look big?

I KNOW EXCITING ISN'T IT

Welcome to the all-new (i.e. slightly different) Almost Daily Exploits! MARVEL as I make slight adjustments over the coming weeks! (You did marvel, I distinctly saw you marvelling.) By the way, if anyone knows where I could get a 5-star rating widget for each post (á la YouTube) please let me know in the comments. You may be interested to know (although I can't think why you would) that I've also added a wishlist to my profile.

Heartfelt thanks to my Beloved for showing me how to do basic CSS adjustments. I am now a technology wizzard. Although I would like to point out to anyone else who says "That's the gay rainbow, you know" that rainbows meant different things before Gay Pride and they'll mean different things after. Symbols are like that. Flighty little scamps.

So where to start! Since moving to Cardiff I have finished and sent off a Very Important Essay, been kicked out of a pub, had multiple creative splurges, and been voted honorary mayoress of Wales. Three of the above are true.

It's amazing how conducive my new room is to creativity. It has a skylight, which allows inspiration falling from the sky to seep into my brain as I sleep. That's the current theory anyway.
In the space of two days, I modified a white waistcoat, decorated a strappy top with flowers, fixed my black trousers (the ones I've been holding together with a badge for about three years), started a scrapbook, made two (very professional-looking) cards, and decorated my nails in pointless but wonderful ways! Photos are, of course, forthcoming - I'll let you know when they're up.

I heard on the radio today, in a text-in segment about what Zippy is, that he is in fact a Zippy; part of an entirely separate species from the planet Tickle. (So he is a RAMBUNCTION?!) Zippy still terrifies me. By 'still' I don't mean 'since childhood', you understand. I mean 'since a year and a bit ago, when I was introduced to the concept of Scary Zippy who cuts peoples toes off with pliers. One... by... one.'

I'm currently penniless and destitute due to accidentally paying my rent twice - bravo, me! - and it's taking weeks to sort out. I'm living off the scraps people throw to pigeons. It's not as fun as it sounds; there's something about the sight of a grown woman diving after soggy chip-ends in the street that makes people clutch their children and hurry past.

My recommended track right now is Wheels by Cake. After discovering this song on YouTube I found a few more by Cake, and ended up buying two of their albums from HMV. (This was before the aforementioned Rent Crisis and therefore is mild fritterage rather than extreme.)


And with that, I think I'll leave you. Please let me know what you think of the new look - do you love it? Hate it? Does it threaten your masculinity? - and, as ever, thank you for reading.

Absence

I haven't forgotten you, beloved readership! I've moved into my new house and there's no internet. As soon as there is, rest assured, I'm going to update you on everything that's been happening!

Meme-time!

Nabbed from Girl with a one-track mind.

1. My uncle once: got told he had about 6 months to live. That was a month ago.

2. Never in my life: have I kissed a girl.

3. When I was five: I started having flying dreams.

4. High school was: odd. I didn't fit in. Does anybody?

5. I will never forget: the opening lines of Romeo and Juliet. Memorised for an audition.

6. Once I met: a blind lady on a train. She's a spy for the blind, and goes around with her dog to report how she gets treated. Her name is Rose.

7. There’s this boy I know: who's travelled all around the world, seen amazing things, writes amazing songs, and is still kind of a tool.

8. Once, at a bar: a lady criticised me for half an hour. And I listened.

9. By noon, I’m usually: still asleep.

10. Last night: I drank milkshake on the beach with my siblings.

11. If only I had: a kitty.

12. Next time I go to church: I'll probably cry, again.

13. What worries me most: is that I'm not the same person I used to be.

14. When I turn my head left I see: heaps of junk (ah, home again...)

15. When I turn my head right I see: more heaps of junk (sigh)

16. You know I’m lying when: I'm looking down, talking quietly, and fidgeting. I can't lie well.

17. What I miss most about the Eighties is: my ghostbusters spacehopper!

18. If I were a character in Shakespeare I’d be: hah, I was Helena for years. Now I'm her, post-ending.

19. By this time next year: I want friends my own age in Cardiff.

20. A better name for me would be: She-who-likes-chocolate-and-cuddles.

21. I have a hard time understanding: imaginary numbers, the rules of cricket, reality TV... countless other things.

22. If I ever go back to school, I’ll: understand people better, and maybe not feel so left out.

23. You know I like you if: I choose to spend time with you. Simple!

24. If I ever won an award, the first person I would thank would be: Gavin.

25. Take my advice, never: go to school with your trousers inside-out. Trust me.

26. My ideal breakfast is: cream cheese and salmon bagels. Or cheese / bacon / lettuce sandwiches!

27. A song I love but do not have is: Wheels, by Cake. Just discovered thm, I wanna buy some serious albumage.

28. If you visit my hometown, I suggest you: explore the cemetary, walk by the sea, sit under a tree in the park and wait for a red squirrel.

29. Why won’t people: be nice just for the sake of being nice?

30. If you spend a night at my house: let's eat ice-cream and watch girly movies. I never get to do that any more!

31. I’d stop my wedding for: I wouldn't be the one to stop it.

32. The world could do without: velcro, but who wants to live in that world?

33. I’d rather lick the belly of a cockroach than: have a one-night stand.

34. My favourite blonde(s) is/are: Stephen, my honorary big brother.

35. Paper clips are more useful than: a glass hammer. When did you last use a paperclip?

36. If I do anything well it’s: writing poetry.

37. I can’t help but: see the best in everyone.

38. I usually cry: Full stop. Haha no, I've been bad lately, but: I usually cry when I haven't been socialising enough.

39. My advice to my child/nephew/niece: it takes the power out of a bully's insults when you can see why they're afraid of you.

40. And by the way: I want to have more adventures.

I was locked up for a year

A few days before my 21st birthday, I went missing. I was in a large room with about 5 other people. When the smell got too bad, or we just needed space, we'd go to different corners of the room. The man who put us there didn't want us escaping each other, so he put another half dozen or so people in.

A year later - although I kept saying it had been a day or a hundred years - we got out, I don't know how. I went back to my family on the 12th October 2009. They cried. I called my boyfriend and couldn't get through, and his message was different, and I was ready to cry, I missed him so much! But then I realised that what I had assumed was an extra bit of his phone message meant only for me in case I came back ("Loves Bear. Loves diddums.") was actually him - right behind me...

He told me that his job was going very well and that he was pretty much THE expert for (insert some techy thing here).

My family, Gavin and I went to this big new building to see my cousins and a bunch of other people from my church. They were all amazed and happy to see me. I was overjoyed to see everyone, I'd missed them SO much!

The strangest part was that... you know that mental check you can do? And then you go "oh, it's just a dream actually, I'm ok"? Well that came up negative several times. It was real when it was happening.

When I woke up I wasn't even sure what year it was. I went downstairs and turned the TV on to check that it's 2008. (It is.)

Steampunk

If you don't know about Steampunk already, you will do by the end of this post.

I discovered the concept through Girl Genius, a beautiful plot-driven webcomic that I thoroughly recommend. The best description of that I've found is this:

Steampunk is Victorian elegance and modern technology: steam-driven robots, souped-up stagecoaches, and space-faring dirigibles fueled by gaslight romance, mad scientists, and oh-so-trim waistcoats. It’s The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, 10,000 Leagues Under the Sea, The Wizard of Oz, and The Golden Compass. Replete with whimsical mechanical wonders and bold adventurers...

Because I love you too much to subject you to many thousands of words, here instead are many pictures that hopefully explain why I'm so fascinated with it.






Basically, it's brass, it's cogs, it's battered and beautiful.