Who You Know
Who You Know
On The Go: EastEnders in a Pub
On The Go: EastEnders in a Pub
Cactus kid is a Vegan vampire
Cactus kid is a Vegan vampire
Cactus kid adverts are everywhere here, and they make me think of Edward and bella. Is Oasis using Twilight to help their ad campaign?
Past Articles
Summer in Swansea 2008
Summer in Swansea 2008
Hello, dear readers!
Welcome to the chronicles of my summer adventures in Wales, 2008. You can use the archive links on the left to navigate your way around this portion of my life.
When you're finished, hop back on over to WelshGrl2. I'll be waiting for you! : )
xoxo
Jaime
Only a few days left : (
Only a few days left : (
I have been in Wales for 7 weeks now, so there are a few things that I started to miss about home. My mom, my favorite knitting store, and sushi lunch breaks at the PNN office. I go home in a week, and I am looking forward to returning to all those things and more.
That being said, I don't want to leave Swansea. There is a difference between "I don't want to go home" and "I don't want to leave." Not wanting to go home would imply that there is little to desire at home, which is not true in my case. But there is a lot going on here too. I have Ashley, his family, my favorite country apart from home, Sunday Roasts, and no alarm clock to wake me up in the morning.
Ever wish you could live in two places at once?
Diary of a Pint Sized Bridget Jones
Diary of a Pint Sized Bridget Jones
After spending a solid afternoon doing nothing but reading Interview With the Vampire the other day,I dashed straight over to Waterstones to pick up some "lighter reading." You know, something that makes me feel less like I am wandering the world alone for eternity, and more like I can laugh at the tiny tragedies that "ruin" my life.
Turns out Angus, Thongs, and Full Frontal Snogging was a great choice!
It's a Young Adult fiction book written in the form of a diary. Fourteen-year-old Georgia Nicholson hates her huge nose, pines after a 17-year-old "Sex God," deals with ferocious beatings from her pony-sized cat, and lets her 3-year-old sister (and her entire chest of toys) sleep with her at night.
Georgia is exactly the kind of girl that I would have wanted to be at 14, and I love reading about her even at 25.
The book has also recently been made into a film by the director of Bend it Like Beckham and Bride and Prejudice, Gurinder Chadha. I was so pleased to discover Chadha was directing it, and that the film would take place in Britain and star British actors. So many books that are written by British authors and take place in Britain are Americanized when they are made into films. Did you know that Cecelis Ahern's book PS I Love You took place in Ireland? In the movie, Ireland was represented by a pub, a hot husband, and a short holiday. And Sophie Kinsella's Shopaholic books take place in England, but the soon to debut movie takes place in America.
I'm not out to argue that the meaning of a British book turned American film necesarily alters in transition from print to screen. It's the tone, the nuances, the originality, and the culture that are lost.
Angus, Thongs, and Full Frontal Snogging could easily be made as an "American Movie," but I am glad its not. Hollywood already makes plenty of movies (many of which I enjoy, by the way). Let's give other cultures a chance to represent themselves in film too.
On the Tele: Top Gear
On the Tele: Top Gear
A car show for people who love cars. And those who don't (like me). It's quite popular over here, and loads of fun. Check it out.
Happy Christmas.
Happy Christmas.
No typo. There are Christmas cards and sweets on sale at Marks and Spencers. It's September 28th.
Brace yourselves!
Crazy, Hazy, Lazy Days of Summer
Crazy, Hazy, Lazy Days of Summer
I think what made my weekend so utterly perfect was this: I got to see an old friend that I hadn't seen in a very long time. It was great to see her. She is so much fun to be around because she has such a bright, cheery, and warm personality. And I am not the only one who was so overjoyed to see her all weekend; all my buddies here were equally glad to see her.
In fact, you might have seen her this weekend too. She's kind of round, gives off a yellowish color.... Oh, and she has a great name.
Sun!
Yes, dear old sun did a great deal to make my weekend utterly lovely. From playing "Ring of Fire" on Friday night (when I discovered that I am a very slow runner, I am an ok-thumb wrestler, and red wine is probably the hardest drink to 'chug'), to trying no to get hit by flying footballs while laying around in Singleton Park on Sat, to tucking in a nice carvery dinner on Sunday...
it was all perfect.
Sun will probably leave later today, but is was nice having her around for awhile.
What made your weekend great?
ITunes Meme
ITunes Meme
A "fun" post before a "serious" one.
Instructions: Put your itunes (or ipod, or iphone, whatever) on shuffle. Press forward, and write in the title of the song after each question. No cheating! Some answers seem profound, some funny, some completely obscure... it's all part of the fun.
How do you feel today?
Kissing You
What's your outlook on life?
Brothers on a Hotel Bed
What does your family think of you?
Crazy in Love
What do your friends think of you?
Title fight: Heart V. Mind
What do strangers think of you?
Jesus Walks
What do your exes think of you?
Supa Dupa Love
How has your love life been so far?
She Cuts Hair
How will your love life be in the future?
Text Book
Will you get married?
A Man/Me/Then Jim (I don't know anyone named Jim! : )
Will you have kids?
Call it a Story
Will you be successful in life?
Lights On
What song should they play on your birthday?
Une Annee Sans Lumiere
What song should they play at your funeral?
Black Balloon
The Soundtrack of Your Life:
Mariella
You and your best friend are:
The Nicest Kids in Town
Via Claire
London Fashion Week
London Fashion Week
London Fashion Week wraps up tomorrow. It's one of my dreams to someday attend a high end fashion show, but for now I guess I will just have to settle with watching all the cool clothes prance down the runway via podcasts.
One designer that I have noticed is particularly popular around here is Vivienne Westwood. And by "popular around here" I mean I know two gals who are giddy about the fact that they each own a Westwood accesory. And after checking out some photos from Westwood's runway show this season, I have to say that I would be excited too.
I like how her clothes look just costumey enough to create a sense of character, but they aren't so costumey that they can't be worn past the stage door. They are young (but not too young), fresh, and daring (but not over the top).
What do you think? Do you like Westwood's new line?
(all photos from www.londonfashionweek.co.uk)
No All Who Wander Are Lost?
No All Who Wander Are Lost?
I have a disease that I am, from now on, going to refer to as "London Map Dyslexia." I have this uncanny habit of getting off a tube in London, reading a map, then going in the exact opposite direction that I am supposed to go.
It can be quite infuriating. But had I not had said disease, I would have never found this graffiti exhibit just outside London's Waterloo station.
Check out my adventure here.
123, ABC, Socks!
123, ABC, Socks!
A Rant About Socks and All their Social Implications
I have been wearing a lot of knee high and over the knee socks lately. I wear them for two reasons:
1. They keep me warm.
2. I still secretly want to be Cher from Clueless.
Apparently the intentions behind my socks aren't clear to every random stranger I come across in town. Women look at me like I am eiher going to:
A. Tell them they look fat in those jeans.
B. Jump their husbands/boyfriends right there in Boots.
Men look at me like
A. I am going to jump them right there in Boots.
Today, I made a series of stupid, sock related mistakes that have put me in such a mood that I have been telling everyone I meet that I am either going to:
A. Jump in freezing cold Swansea Bay and wait for death.
B. Run out, find a vampire, and insist that he/she vampirize me immediately so I can terrorize all the sock-haters out there, guilt free.
These were the mistakes I made today:
1. Left the house not dressed warmly enough. Brrr.
2. Got so cold that I decided to buy either a pair of tights or knee high socks while I was right next to River Island. Bought them, unwrapped them, and put them whilst sitting on a bench outside.
While I was putting on said socks, two 18-year-old-ish guys were standing near me. Their talking got quiter and quiter once they realized what I was doing.
Apparently, a woman putting on socks because she was shivering cold was the hottest thing they had ever seen in their entire lives. One gave me a smirky, ogling look. I returned his gaze with the LOOK that my mother gives her second graders right before they are sent out to the bench for their inappropriate behavior. I stomped off, wondering why he thought that I was putting my socks on for his benefit, when I was clearly putting them on for my own benefit. I mean, I was cold!
Bloody socks.
On the Tele: Soaps!
On the Tele: Soaps!
Most of the time, I adore British televsion. I love the shorter seasons and shorter series, I adore the "less that Hollywood perfect" look of the actors, and I love love love the humor in British sitcoms.
What I don't adore? British soaps.
To be fair, I don't like American soaps either.
I haven't watched any British Soaps in a few years, but here is a list of some of the more popular ones:
EastEnders
Coronation Street
Holly Oaks
And a few Australian Soaps that are quite popular over here:
Neighbors
Home and Away
A New Language
A New Language
I have spent a total of 321 days in my life in Wales- nearly a full year, and I can only say three words in Welsh; Pryfisgol Cymru Abertawe. That means The University of Wales, Swansea, and I am pretty sure that I don't pronounce it right when I attempt to say it.
The two offical languages of Wales are Welsh and English- so all road signs, etc. are printed in both languages. These signs have made me very familiar with the "look" of many Welsh words (ysgol, adelaid, etc.) but I have no clue how to pronounce them, or even what they mean in some cases!
I love learning new languages, so I figure its about high time I learn the language of my honorary homelan: Wales. I have downloaded a podcast from itunes (cleverly titled "Learn Welsh Podcast") and I am ready to get at it.
Who is with me? : )
All About the Boot
All About the Boot
There's one thing about fashion over here in the UK right now that I am guessing will suprise many of you back in the states.
Cowboy boots are huge.
Boots in general have always been quite popular over here, as far as I know. Their popularity makes sense; they are rugged enough to survive cobblestones, puddles, and downpours, but they can still be quite fashionable.
The thing that really gets me about the popularity of cowboy boots over here is how "the look" women have when they wear them is so different than it would be at home. At home, tight jeans tucked into tall cowboy boots with a plaid tee on top would scream "Hick!" Here, it just shows that a woman has an ironic sense of Americanism in her style.
I do have to take a quick moment to confess that I own a pair of cowboy boots. I bought them right around when Brokeback Mountain was in the theatres and the soundtrack was crooning endlessly and heartbreakingly on my car stereo. Didn't bring 'em with me to Swansea though.
There are loads of other cool boots out right now, beyond the cowboy boots. Personally, I like the slouchy ankle type. Maybe I'll be posing a photo of my feet snuggled up inside a pair soon? : )
In Which I Heart Starbucks, John Cusack, and Dylan Moran
In Which I Heart Starbucks, John Cusack, and Dylan Moran
I have mentioned before that I do a good deal of my work from Starbucks while I am here in Swansea. I have talked about how I feel at home in Starbucks, even though they make you pay for internet access. I have also, in another post, talked about my somewhat strange crush on Dylan Moran.
What I haven't mentioned is that Dylan Moran works at the Starbucks here in Swansea.
Well, the Starbucks-ified version of Dylan Moran works here, anyway. I have a feeling that the real Dylan Moran would survive exactly one shift working at Starbucks, maybe not even that. He'd probably think it was completely out of order for me to ask him for a cup of coffee, then grab a cup for himself, spike it with Whiskey, and bugger off.
Whereas the Starbucks-ified Dylan Moran nicely asks me if I would like whip on my mocha, calls me "beb" with a cute Welsh accent, and continues about his work. To top it all off, he even wears a cool, black "coffee masters" apron instead of a lame green one.
There are probably several of you out there who feel a need to point out that I am in fact here in Wales for two monts because I am visiting my boyfriend, and I probably shouldn't be pining after baristas while in such company. Don't worry. Ashley knows about my crush. He has even seen the guy, and thiks he looks much more like John Cusack than Dylan Moran. (Apparently, long-ish black hair and a similar mount isn't enough of a comparision of him). It's a higher complement to compare him to John Cusack to be sure, but an inaccurate assesment, in my view.
You see, I think Ashley looks like John Cusack, and Starbucks-ified guy looks like Dylan Moran.
No contest, really.
On the Tele: Coupling
On the Tele: Coupling
Coupling was the first British TV Show that I fell in love with. I think the beauty of this show, beyond Richard Coyle as Jeffery, lies in the way the comedy builds on its self through out the thirty minute episodes. The show doesn't seem all that funny for the first ten minutes or so, but by the end of the episode, everything that seemed so mundane in the first ten minutes of the show has been wrapped up into a nice little package of pants-wetting laughter.
Past Articles
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