Girlie Nite

I go to the cinema a lot, as you probably know.  I don't go to the theatre very often-- largely because I don't think about it, because they often have cheap student tickets available the day of.  Oh well.

I always enjoy it when I do go, typically at the instigation of friends who have spotted something that can't be missed.  This time, thanks to Lynch, it was The Vagina Monologues.

I admit, I was sceptical.  Because it's an episodic presentation, I had seen (on other shows) a few of the Monologues.  One or two I thought were okay;  one or two others... not so much.  But it was a girlie night out, and Lynch had seen it before and recommended it.  So I was in.

I was impressed.  It won me over.  I wouldn't say it is for everyone, but I would encourage everyone to give it a try.  It was all kinds of things:  irreverent, hilarious, crass, moving, sad... varied doesn't begin to cover it.  My favourite ones were not the crass ones but the thoughtful ones.  And I would see it again.

My one big problem with the night was the crowd.  I don't know if it was just because some people were uncomfortable (she said 'vagina'! *titters*) or because they had already had more than enough to drink before they got there, but the crowd was annoying.  They laughed at everything.  Even the things that weren't funny.  Even the ones that were, for instance, reflecting on being present at the birth of one's grandchild or one's experience in a Bosnian rape camp.  Still they laughed.  That made me quite annoyed... but that's not the fault of the show.  Or the actresses-- although one of them probably didn't help sometimes.  Joyce Falconer plays on my favourite Scottish soap, River City, so there were plenty of in-jokes for people who follow the show, and she has a very thick Aberdonian accent to boot.  She opened her mouth and the local ladies laughed.  Even when it wasn't funny.  She did play it up at times, but even so... it was still an aggravating crowd.  I should have been prepared for that, though-- there were signs on the way in warning that the show might contain offensive language.  Really?  In a show called The Vagina Monologues?  Might be offensive sometimes, or make people uncomfortable?  Laughter will cover that, and make you not look like a prude.  Laugh a lot, then.  Just to make sure. 

Still, I would recommend it.  And go with people you like-- I was there with Lynch, Aleithia, and Jay.  Lynch said it was better the other time she saw it, but having nothing to compare it to, I quite enjoyed it for the most part.  Not exactly the kind of thing I'd have probably said even five years ago.... I'm a changed woman now.  Not just because of the show.  =)

Photos can, as usual, be found here: from number 11.

Flyicide

Bzzzzzzzz...splat!

This was my life for about two weeks.  Suddenly, there were dozens of huge, fat, slow black flies in our lounge windows.  Sometimes they were in our kitchen window, as well, but mostly it was the lounge.  No clue where they were coming from.  I even stuffed the chimney full of newspaper, as Kenny thought that was where they were coming from.  Didn't help.  At the time, I was in the lounge a lot as I was feverishly finishing the thesis.  Or working on it, anyway.  I was already stressed.  It didn't help that these flies were making me even more twitchy.  I was cursing and couldn't sit still... they were making me mad.  Crazy.  Insane.

We didn't have a flyswat, either.  Just a rolled up pieces of newspaper.  And lots of smears of dead flies on the windows.  And carasses on the floor.  I swept up dozens every day, from my murderous rampages.  I couldn't help it.  It was justifiable flyicide, I swear.

We found out months later that it was because there were dead pigeons in the gutters around the flat above us.  Did they get in through the lack of skirting board?  I don't know, but that's what I suspect.  Cos they weren't getting in the chimney, once I blocked it up.  Still, they eventually died out.  Thank God.  I couldn't take much more.

Catching Up

Over the next few days, I'll try to post about all the things that have happened in the past five months or so.  There have been a lot, but I just haven't taken the time out to share them here.  Partly that was due to the fact that I was pushing to get done with my thesis, and I just didn't take time out for much of anything.  Since submitting, it's been due to my brain being mush and me not wanting to look at the computer for long enough to compose even a short post.  However, I have nothing better to do now, so I'll get back to it.  =)

I won't be putting pictures in very often, because I don't have them on my computer.  They have been uploaded various places, burned to cd, and deleted from my hard drive.  I will put links to where they are in my Shutterfly share site-- All Around Amie.  If you can't access it, let me know and I'll make sure you get an invite from that site itself.  When it gets to a point in time where I have photos on my lappy, I'll put them in again. 

Onward and backward!  =D

It's Unani-Moose!

The moose has won.  My new companion to me, the soon-to-be Doctor.  Ha ha.  Seriously, though. 

Everyone, please welcome... wait, what's his name? 

That's the question now.  Each of the three of you who voted get a prize, cos I like you.  I'll get with you about what you'd like.  Thanks for your votes and your insights. 

Now, for two weeks, I'll leave open voting for a name for my moose friend.  Voting will close on 3 July at noon est (5pm my time).  He'll remain just moose for the meantime.  Vote in the comments for a name for him, and the winner (based on my own choice alone) will win some kind of fancy-schmancy prize.  Again, we can chat about that when you win. 

Put on your thinking caps and turn on your creativity-- name my moose!  =D

Garden Envy, Part Two

As I was walking home from uni one day last week, I snapped some more spring bloom photos.  Nearly all of these came from people's very nice front gardens, which made me very sad about the sorry state of our back garden.  I'm glad I get to see and enjoy other people's lovely gardnes, but dang.  Anyway, here they are, the lovelies. 

This gorgeous tree is at Kings, between the CASS offices and the Pavilion sports area.

These next few are from a wee strip of grassy-ness behind what used to be the Butchart rec centre, just before you get to Orchard Walk... or Orchard Place...

These couple are from the Orchard area, where all the streets are called Orchard something.  

The rest are from King Street, homes on the left as I leave uni and walk home. 

I caught several flashes of red jumping out at me.  Always exciting.  =)

The weather was totally crazy this day-- hail, sleet, rain, wind, sun, snow... all in rotating fifteen minute increments.  I got hailed on as I was coming home, but the sun was still out.  So I got lucky.  I got these photos relatively unscathed. 

*sigh*

Garden Envy

My back garden:

The clothes line poles are just higher than my head, and those reed-things are that high.

I don't even know what these should be used for, but currently they are in such a state that I don't think they are fit for anything.

There were, last year, a lot of nice flowering bushes along that wall.  Someone started tearing them all out, and I can't find a rhyme or reason for how and why they did.  And why they left all the branches and bits in piles around the rest of the garden.  Grrrrr.

The neighbour's back garden, which looks nice and tended and like the wee rooms at the back can actually be used for something.

A random garden at uni-- behind my friend Liz's office building.  I gotta figure out how to get in there.

And I've gotta figure out how to deal with our garden.  Not having the right tools is a big bummer right now.

Not to Brag, But...

I totally racked up on the gifties this year.  And I just want to share the bounty.  Not as in, actually share.  Just share the pictures so you can all be totally jealous of me. 

Mystery parcel.  I didn't order this.  And there is no glimpse of who it might be from.  Hmmm...

Another mystery parcel.  This one I opened on my birthday, and it had...

a sonic screwdriver!  Awesome.  From my daddy, as I found out when the Homer Simpson card full of d'oh! arrived.  =)

All of these things are from Kenny.  He's the bestest flatmate in all of Scotland.  Probably all of the UK.  Possibly even all the world. 

Oh, and this was the 'gift bag' for all the above:

From Aleithia, coffee.  Boozey coffee. 

From Liz, the Voucher of Happiness.  And Lush goodies.  Because I'm a lush, and a wench.  Obviously.

From Paige.  Ahhhh, another Voucher of Happiness. 

From RitaBekah.  That girl has good taste, obviously.

From Noelle.  I'd say she knows me a little bit. 

From the Beckers.  Also with very good taste.  Which is why I'm often so well-dressed. 

Thank you, thank you, thank you, friends!  I love them all, and will use them all.  Oh, and I love y'all, too.  =)

Crocs' Epic Fail

I love Crocs.  I really, really do.  Ever since my mom bought me my first pair four years ago, I've worn one pair or another pretty much every day.  Largely it's been the Endeavour (the closed version of the original), but in the past two years I've branched out: Troika, Alice, Celeste, Mammoth,Gretel... and I love them.  However, the Lily-- never again.  Most uncomfortable shoes ever.

I've tried them with hose, with socks, with tights, with bare feet... nothing helps.  They. Are.  Rubbish. 

Blech.  Don't buy these.  Buy pretty much any other, but these. 

Cozy Changes

I don't think I've shared this here yet... although it did feature on my photo-a-day blog.  I rearranged my room a wee while ago, and it makes me happy.  It took some muscle, and some measuring, and some music--because everything goes better with music, of course. 

Having small rooms here in the UK is not just my problem, but is an issue in most flats/apartments/houses that I know of.  I've long had a loft bed, in order to have room for a desk and chests of drawers... but where to put my books?  Kenny gave me one bookshelf, and when Paige moved, I inherited another.  It took me a while, but I finally found places for them that I actually like. 

In case you can't actually tell, that grey bar is the head of my bed... my loft bed.  So the bookshelf is sitting on boxes and boxes of... well... stuff.  Nearly six years' worth of stuff accumulated.  How does that happen?!  Oh well... it's coming in handy now.  ;)

I have shifted things just a little since I first organised and took photos... my iPod alarm clock is now on the top of my wardrobe, and my other little fm digital alarm clock is in it's place.  It was too hard to get to the iPod one when I wasn't in my bed if I wanted to listen to it without earphones.  And I'm way too lazy to climb up and down just for that.  Besides, the ladder has to be moved around in order to have room to turn around... but that's another story. 

This is the other bookshelf, the one from Kenny, on top of my wardrobe.  See where the water bottle is, there to the left?  That's where the iPod alarm clock is now.  Along with the phone.  And all those boxes, which are full of Christmas decorations and other stuff I need to get to from time to time. 

It's like my own private little retreat up there!  And these guys keep me company. 

It just makes it feel so homey and cozy, sitting up in my bed, propped up on pillows and snuggled under the duvet, with a hot drink and a book-- and all my books (the to-be-read ones;  the already-read have to be packed up.  No room.) right at hand.  I. Love. It.  I even hosted a couple of girls the other night, and we sat up there talking for ages (so as not to disturb Kenny's tv watching from his recliner).  It's lovely.  Come see for yourself! =D