Flipping

Gah, I keep trying to think of fun subjects to blog about. It's not like my past week or so has been uneventful, by any stretch of the imagination!

First of all, my dad had a heart attack last week. He's ok, I think - the clever doctor people have put a stent in his heart, which is a cool wire mesh thing to keep an artery open. Hopefully that's sorted him out, so although he's tired he's hopefully be okay.

In other news, Fat Tony came to stay! It was so awesome. He was only here for one night unfortunately, but we crammed in some youtube, Mario Kart, Community, Archer, Wall-E, pancakes and socialising. I call that a success.

No silly pictures this time around, tragically, but I'll leave you with this.



I genuinely don't know what to make of it. It's so unabashedly cheesy that I find myself quite warming to it, and I think it's by far Alex Day's boldest and best endeavour yet.

Body

The other night, looking in the mirror, I had a revelation:
Yes, I may be heavier than the societally accepted ideal, but I'm lucky to be an hourglass shape with awesome curves. I'm happy with my body.
Then the following morning, faced with a closer inspection of dry skin etc., I decided I needed renovating from the ground up.

My body image, as I'm sure a lot of you will relate to, is like using a trampoline that is also a functional set of scales: I'm up and down way too often to get an accurate reading. Some days I feel like this:

Did somebody order a Manic Pixie Dream Girl?

And others, I feel like this:

Did somebody say fudge cake?

And that, as near as I can tell, is totally normal.

 The thing is, beauty comes from healthiness and happiness. If you've got both of those, the rest is just taking care of yourself... I've been realising more and more lately that the 'healthiness' side of my life needs a lot of work. All pizza and no exercise makes Jack a fat boy. And Anna a lazy girl.

I don't want to be the slovenly kind of person who never does anything because it's too difficult.

Anyway, I've finally liberated my poor bike, which hasn't been ridden in a year and a half. It's been to Punk Bikes for some TLC, so I just need to get on that, in every sense! At least if I'm actually doing something, whatever shape and size I am, I won't have shame about it. Being ashamed of your body is ten times worse than having a few extra pounds.

Got mad?

The California milk board recently launched an advertising campaign saying that milk can help relieve the symptoms of PMS. However, rather than targeting this campaign at women, they've taken the indirect approach by roping in our boyfriends to help tame us crazy bitches.

Other taglines include:
"I'm sorry for the thing or things I did or didn't do."
"I'm sorry I listened to what you said and not what you meant."
"Let's agree to disagree with me." and
"We can both blame myself."

Now, this is interesting, because my first response is "Well, this is sexist, offensive, and demeaning to women." It may sound like a feminist kneejerk response, but you only have to have your opinion dismissed with the words "it's her time of the month" a couple of times before you want to remind the world that our opinions don't magically become irrelevant just because we have uteri. The whole wandering womb syndrome (the ancient Greeks' explanation for female hysteria) was disproven some time ago, you know.

Luckily Steve James, executive director of the milk board, has foreseen my response. The following quotes are taken from the New York Times article on the subject:

That the campaign is intended to be “funny, good-natured” ought to defuse criticism, Mr. James says, and “the humor will allow people to laugh at themselves.”

“If you do a microsite about how cute puppies are,” Mr. James says, “you’ll get feedback that says, ‘You’re exploiting puppies.’”

Mr. Goodby [co-chairman at the ad company responsible for this campaign] was reminded of some criticism six years ago of the “Milk to the Rescue” commercial as sexist.
“I wish I could say everybody’s got a sense of humor since then,” he says.

Great. Not only am I irrational, terrifying, and in need of careful placation, I am also minus one sense of humour. They're passed it off as an attempt to "start discussion," but unlike the product they're trying to promote, this leaves me with a bad taste in my mouth.

An abundance of blech

I'm sat at home feeling very sorry for myself today. I don't have uni on Thursdays, y'see, so it wasn't the best day to come down with a cold. Colds are the worst, aren't they? They're only just bad enough to ensure constant misery and nose-leakage (reason #3340 why I will never be a sex-symbol).

Add to that the constant, inescapable DRAMA that seems to be brewing everywhere, and you get a very mopey Anna who is confined to quarters. And hungry.

On the plus side, however, as I don't like to get too negative, I've got the option (should the misery become too much) of calling my emergency cuddle-dispenser round tonight. He's offered to cook me some food.

Well, look, there's no sense in wallowing is there. What I'll do now is log off all social networking sites, put some good music on, get changed out of my pyjamas and tidy up. That way, tonight, when I get my food and sympathy, at least today won't have been a total waste.

Oh hey, so, looking back I see I never mentioned Haberdashery? How can I have been so remiss! This is a surrealist-steampunk video made by Boh3m3. His website's not currently working, but for all that he's one of my favourite bloggers / vloggers / weblebrities (shudder).

Like everybody else, when I don't know what else to do, I seem to go in for catching colds.  - George Jean Nathan

NHS, CSS, and other letters as well

Hello everybody!

Right, quick question: do you generally read this blog by:

a) Going to the website,

b) Checking your RSS feed (e.g. Google Reader), or

c) other means?

This matters for two reasons. ONE: If you've all been coming to the website directly all this time, then it's high time I switched to a regular schedule, and TWO: if you HAVEN'T been coming directly, now is the time to do so because I've revamped the CSS and would appreciate feedback.

Look at it shine so prettily.

In other news, a friend of mine asked that I blog about my experiences with the NHS. It can't have escaped your attention that The Powers That Be in America are contemplating reforming their health system. Instead of rebuilding from the ground up, Obama et al have decided to make (necessary and overdue) changes to their existing system. This has spurred hundreds of Twitterers to contribute to the hashtag: "We love the NHS."

There are doubtless hundreds of people better qualified to talk about the NHS than I. However, I suppose if I'm not an average person, who is? So these are my experiences:

When I had hearing problems at age 6, I got grommits, and we didn't have to pay.

When I developed asthma at age 9, they gave me inhalers, and we didn't have to pay.

When I needed stitches - when my periods went haywire - when I had a brush with depression - medical care was always available to me, and I never had to worry about cost. (Not everyone qualifies for free prescriptions, but I always have done.) I take it for granted. It's not until I talk to one of my friends in America and they mention some health trouble - back pain, or a stomach bug, or anything small - that I remember how lucky we have it. Because in most cases my friends are students or young workers, and they can't afford the hundreds of dollars it sometimes costs to get healthcare without insurance.

In the past few weeks I've learned more about how expensive it can be to get insurance in the US, particularly if you've got a preexisting condition. I've learned about the caps they put on their policies (so if your special needs child hits the upper limit, they cancel your insurance).

As luck would have it, I'm talking to someone in the UK right this minute who has bad ear pain. So what's he going to do? Go see the doctor, of course, it's a no-brainer. And he won't be left any poorer for it, whatever the diagnosis is. So, yes. The NHS is far from perfect, but I consider us blessed to have this system.

Healthcare is a right, not a privilege.

In which I revisit my original method of titling posts

You know what, never mind! Sorry! The other layout was far too rough; I shouldn't have changed it until I'd reduced the eyesore factor a bit. It looks like I'll be leaving it like this unless someone comes up with something better.

On a related note, the comment form is now beneath the comments, where God intended it. Thanks Blogger for that one!

Sorry for the slight lull in activity lately; I've been unwell, which impacts my creativity (along with transforming me into a whiny 7-year-old).

/EDIT: Also, there's a poll to the left.

Ten things

For some reason I've found it difficult to write about anything lately. I haven't seen any new films lately, or I'd attempt a lacklustre review, possibly with a few mediocre puns thrown in for good measure.

So anyway, as I said, not much in the way of inspiration happening here. I suppose this is a filler post. For my regular readers, here are ten unrelated things about me that you may not know. To those who don't know me, who are new readers, perhaps, here is my proof that I'm not just another cardboard cut-out person who sits on the bus with you.

1. The place I dream about most often is my home church. I've had flying dreams, naked dreams, exploring dreams, even a sexy dream once, located there. I think I probably dream about it roughly once a week.


2. My parents sent me a bear for my birthday. He arrived today and has a hot water bottle inside him, and I've named him Bode. I think the journey must have been stressful as he's shedding a fair bit - I never want to travel by envelope!
   


3. Back when I used to get insomnia as a kid, I'd try sleeping the other way round, on the floor, in my wardrobe, on top of my wardrobe, in the hall... anywhere. It never worked.
   


4. I want to redecorate this site to something a little less fey, but I've absolutely no idea where to get the layout. I got this one by butchering some code from one of those "OMGLOL pretty up your myspace, lyk totally hot!!!1" sites.


5. I have maybe sort of cyberstalked before. A bit. But it was all public information. But I'm still sorry. Although I would probably do it again. Well then people should stop being so damn INTERESTING then shouldn't they! Still, we're going out now so I suppose I must have done something right! Hahahaah!! I'm not crazy!!! Hahahaah!!!!


6. I used to get very homesick for places I'd never been. Heaven, Ankh-Morpork, a willow tree by a river. I don't any more. Any great thinker, writer, or comedian will tell you that as soon as you're happy with your life, something in your imagination goes dormant.


7. The first pet my family ever owned died right underneath my feet. He was a cat called Chloë and I loved him very much. He purred for the first person to get up every day, so our parents had to ban us from getting up before 6.


8. For years I thought someone I knew was skiving off school. He had six months off at one point just because every weekday morning he'd wake up with an indefinable headache that would disappear sometime after lunch. When he was diagnosed with depression I felt like utter shit, especially since part of me still didn't understand.


9. My greatest fear is that I will cease to be interesting or likeable, and everyone I know will desert me, and I'll be incapable of making any new friends. Every day I wonder if this has already started happening.


10. I could be an amazing poet. I know I could. Maybe I will be one day.

I'm not going to say it's a meme, but if any of you decide you'd like to write ten unrelated facts about yourself (and let's face it who doesn't love a bit of a vanity-wallow once in a while), drop me a comment or an email with a link - I'd love to read them.

Nothing, really

I've been waiting an unreasonable amount of time - like FIVE WHOLE DAYS - to update you on whether I passed my first year of uni or not. But you know as much as I do. So rather than dwell on it, and rage out all over again, I'm going to talk about other things. Hooray!

I'd rather have a bottle in front o' me than a frontal lobotomy. Hahahah.

Seriously, I've been trying to think of something to write about for five minutes, and that's all I came up with.

It's too late for thinking. Also I'm still recovering from the laryngitis.

Instead of anything interesting or amusing from me, watch this video of Christian the Lion. It's so heartwarming your love-organ might start burning like after a visit from a two-dollar whore.

Don't worry, be crappy

You know what? Stop worrying, honestly.

The deciding moment in your life could be which sandwich you eat tomorrow, or how you styled your hair yesterday. You may never know. That's chaos theory - a butterfly flaps its wings, and...

There are too many factors in life! How can you identify any one thing as important enough to stress over?

We are not told how things could have been, we aren't even told how things are! We have to make it up, with no real idea of what the consequences will be. So whether you get the job, the girl, the flat, or not - how could you know if that's better or worse in the long run?

Maybe you'll live on the streets for a month and die a millionaire.
Maybe you'll get fantastic grades at school and lose a leg in a car accident.
Maybe one would never have happened without the other, maybe it would have happened anyway. Who knows? Not you, that's for sure.

So why worry? You'll muddle through somehow, you always do.

Today's Interesting Thing, in honour of my crappy poorlies, is a guide to illing, by the esteemed Anna from Little Red Boat.

End on a high note

Let's play a fun game! What's the worst possible thing that could happen to Anna? That's right: this all over again. Last year I spent Fresher's week, when I should have been getting to know people, curled up in bed, miserable and completely unable to eat / drink / talk for the best part of a week. This year, it's time to get rolling with the uni thing, and my throat decides to pull it's old inflammation trick again.

This time, however, I am actually registered with a doctor! Silver lining, people, silver lining. Until I can get an appointment, however, it's extreme hunger for me. Hoo-bloody-rah.

I spent a fair portion of today watching youtube videos of Sesame Street, getting all nostalgic, and deciding it would be awesome to design muppets for a living. It would, wouldn't it? What a job.

(removed videos deleted)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ptbp0pmcg3U

That kid has got KILLER comedic timing!! And she's adorable, so little Joey is my interesting thing of the day. Hooray! See why you should watch Sesame Street when you feel low?

/EDIT: videos removed? Dagnabbit! Try these:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOKcG-B3VkA


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrwn_v7WkfA


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNLBke_jvYg

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!

and that's why I puked on the vicar.

I can't believe how beautiful the weather's been lately! I was worried that it would be another washout, but instead I've been staggering about getting sunstroke and falling over. Not literally.

I spent the weekend at my vicar friend, TyTe's, house; which was absolutely lovely! He barbequed some shark for me and Gav out in the garden, and it was delicious. Absolutely amazing. I drank a few glasses of rosé, and then... well, I got rather drunk.

I've never been drunk before. It was very peculiar. There's a moment, when you're on a swing, when your stomach swoops and tingles. On a swing, it's amazing. Sitting on a chair, screwing your eyes closed and hoping it'll stop, it's not so fun. Seriously, why do people do this?!

Still, I'm glad that the first (and hopefully last) time I got drunk, I was in a safe environment with people I trust. I'm less glad that I threw up on the patio.

... in the downstairs toilet, Gav holding back my hair...

... in a plastic bucket in the morning...

... in the bathroom sink...

... in the upstairs toilet...

I didn't have the traditional hangover symptoms, just horrible, constant queasiness and throwing up. From 9pm on Saturday to about 3pm on the Sunday, I didn't feel safe. Thank GOD I got better just before I had to get on the train...

Aside from that though, great weekend!

I'm home now, with my lovely lovely family, and causing my beloved undue stress because I'm not in perfect health (in a different way).

--- CAUTION: GIRL STUFF FOLLOWING ---

Every time I move or have a lot of stress, my periods go haywire. When I moved to Plymouth I was on more or less constantly, and now I'm a couple of weeks late. Trauma. I mean, I'm not hugely worried, but I will feel better when I'm all sorted out, so I went to the doctor's today.

--- GIRL STUFF OVER ---

Sorry I've been updating so rarely; life moves so fast... hopefully I'll be a little more regular now!

Nursie!

Not in the Blackadder sense, tragically, although I would make an AWESOME nursie. And not in the naughty PVC way either, although again, I'm sure I'd be more than up to the task. No, I've been simply nursing my beloved back to something-approaching health.

He was DYING!! Well, not really, but certainly very ill. Since Wednesday noon I've spent most of the time at his, flapping my hands ineffectually and occasionally changing his hot water bottle. I'm sure my nursing award is in the post...

He seems to be better now, so hopefully I'll become a bit more frequent in these supposedly "Almost Daily" updates. I confess, I've taken some liberties with the term "Almost", but such is life when things actually start happening.

Tonight Gav was actually feeling well enough to come to the pub with me to see everyone, which was a blessed release for both of us from the confines of his room. Things are looking up, people!

Dawn: Last night she was vomiting and then this morning she was vomiting some more, and then, just when we thought she was done, she started vomiting again.
Principal Wood: Yeah, we've got that stomach flu going around.
Dawn: Her exact words were "I've got stuff coming out of both ends."
Principal Wood: Thank you. That's... very helpful.

Life, love, laughter and the lurgy

Well well well. Three holes in the ground.

It's been a fairly busy few days; I went up to Cardiff again. It felt like forever since we'd seen each other, so it was wonderful to be back in his arms. Unfortunately, he got ill a day or so in. A poorly tummy, so no close cuddles, and a split lip, so no kisses... but there are a million ways of telling someone you love them (here I reluctantly include tickle attacks *grumpy face*).

I travelled up on Thursday (having completed an essay a day early to do so - unprecedented!), met Gav with some sushi, and left him to work. He came home for a bit and went out for some music-related fun while I went for a walk around the lake while the sun set. It was absolutely beautiful! I've got some photos up on my Flickr (see the link on the left).





We went to the wedding of an old friend of his, which was great. I like his mates. We left the reception early because Gav was ill (I accidentally wandered off with Rem's camera in my bag, had to go back!), in fact I got pretty worried about him the next day. Y'see last time he had stomach cramps this bad it was when I was first getting to know him. It caused him absolute agony, so I was stressing out flapping my little hands and making high pitched noises and generally being of no use whatsoever! At least this time I could do something.

When we got back to Cardiff, I tried to help him out by going shopping and cleaning up a bit. We went round to Ben's on Monday, there was music and food and a gorgeous cat. I drank enough (not much, I never drink very much) to become fascinated with spinning a yellow badge... badges are ace. Can't think of many things more fun, except maybe balloons!

There was absolutely beautiful sunshine today, which made the parting a little easier. It's mad how reluctant I was to leave. The sooner I move to Cardiff the better!

Back troubles and spiritual stuff

I should be writing my essay.
I know, I know, I'm always writing an essay when I blog... this is one of my preferred procrastination methods. I'll get back to work in a minute.

I'm back at university, and very pensive. Things have drifted a bit with God and I'm trying to put my finger on why... the one thing that has been brought to my attention is that it's absolutely crucial I get it sorted.

Last night was a bit of an odd one... I was worried sick about my boy because he's got a bad back. It completely threw me off. I was being asked some difficult questions (by him, by myself), and one of them was "Why aren't you relying on God?"
Truth is, He isn't the support to me He used to be.

It's only temporary (it better be!) but it's difficult. I miss Him. And Spring and Summer won't be nearly as awesome if I don't have someone to thank. It's sad, I spent so much time wishing I had someone to share it all with, and now that I have I'm forgetting to share it with the one who made it all.

So, if you're that way inclined, pray for me and my boy. If you're not, thanks for reading.

Health, and a lack thereof

I'm going back to university tomorrow, and pretty soon after that I'm going to start looking into transferring to Cardiff university. I know it's a big decision, but I've been praying about it; and every time I pray I get more sure that it's a good thing to do. Also, I really really want to!

In other news, I always get a bit wheezy when I have a cold, and this time it got so bad that I was out of breath after I went downstairs. That's not on, so I've been to the doctor and he's given me some comedy pills that look like something out of Doctor Mario.

Quite large, aren't they. Still, I never have any trouble swallowing, so nothing to worry about there. I'm also back on an inhaler, which feels very much like a step backwards as I haven't used one in about 8 years.

Yesterday, before I went to the doctor's, myself and my younger brother and sister braved the icy wind to go to the Co-op and get some FROOTS AND VEJ. Our house being lacking in both. I just got a bit vexed the other night when we went to the chippy for the 2nd time in the brief time I've been home. The chippy had ran out of salad so I asked my parents if we have any... of course not.

SO. Tonight I am making the world's best salad, with eggs and grapes and lettuce and brie and red onion and... other things too!

Recovering from Christmas

Christmas was wonderful! Gavin got on GREAT with my family, made friends for life in my younger siblings, made a great impression and so forth. I loved getting to know his friends and family; his parents gave me an utterly gorgeous scarf that I've fallen in love with. It's soft and purple and has spangly bits! Success!



This is Gavin and his mate John wearing their stylish yet practical rain ponchos. I was offered one, but unwisely decided that it wasn't worth the embarrassment. I arrived at the pub absolutely drenched, and it's therefore most likely my fault that everyone in the world has a cold. *coughs pathetically*

It was wonderful though, I got to see my boy's old school. We saw I Am Legend at the cinema (very good), and the Darjeeling Limited (also very good).

New year's was similarly splendid, had a great time in Cardiff, aside from the, you know, DYING. I feel terrible for making my boy ill, but there you go, it was preferable to isolating me in a germ-proof bubble! That would have been lame.

This is what I bought him for Christmas - a t-qualizer, they're called. Very ace indeed!
As for what he got me... that deserves its own entry. I'll tell you later, if you're good.

I'm now back home with my family for a few days to recover from the festive season.

I hope you've all had a wonderful time with your loved ones, sorry I've been so terrible at updating! Must try harder.

Revolutionary musings

I promise, this is going to be my last health-related post for a little while.

I've been to the doc's and apparently it was just a simple infection, or tonsillitis, or the 'kissing disease' or something. But basically I survived, and unless it keeps happening there's nothing to worry about! Lovely.

In addition to which, I'm the right weight for my height, my blood pressure's fine, and I don't have diabetes. Good for me! (Although perhaps I shouldn't be pigging out on peanut m&m's in celebration? Never mind.)

I've been talking to a friend about politics, and changing the world, and homelessness and everything. I want to change the world. I believe it can be done. Furthermore, I believe it SHOULD be done, since I'm one of the few with the power and the inclination to kick up a fuss. But where do I start? Do I just donate £2 a month to the good cause of my choice? Do I turn up at marches and protest everything going?

I'm still finding my way, but don't let me use that as an excuse. I should be starting NOW.

University and the like

I feel better! And my laptop is working! And university seems ok! And the library here has half a million books which is enough to form L-space! And I'm listening to a track called Sweet Charity by Mr Bungle and generally feeling rather awesome.

Did you know, if you hardly eat for almost a week, it really wrecks up your body? Over the past few days, in addition to a painful throat, I've had the muscles in my legs burning with lactic acid, and my tongue actually turned black after a glass of red wine (I kid you not, that is NOT ok with me)! Still, I appear to be 100% better now, thank God. Sorry to bore you all with my health, I realise it loses some of the fascination when you're not undergoing it personally!

I went to a poetry reading the other day, it was very enjoyable. I love poetry, and poetry readings are pseudo-intellectual enough to flatter me into feeling cultured. So that was nice. I came out of it feeling very fired up about how much I'm going to improve throughout university, and thinking "I could so do that!"

Now I'm listening to a song about a cartoon stuffed otter called Philippe. And that is one reason why my boy rocks. Another is that I just spent almost an hour with him on the phone. Hooray!

Love to you all :) x x

The Pain, the Pain...

So basically, my throat is swollen or something, and it's very painful indeed to swallow. So I'm not eating or drinking properly. This has been the case for about 5 days now. My leg muscles are cramping, I think that's because of the whole not eating thing... it's not good, really. I'm going to be meeting everyone on my course at uni today, and I can barely talk.

I realise this has been a very whingey post, but... feel sorry for me!

I've got a doctor's appointment for Friday, luckily, so I've just got to sit it out.