What to Expect
What to Expect
Monday: That's Life:
Crazy, Hazy, Lazy Days of Summer
Tuesday: On the Tele:
Wednesday: That's Life
Searching for Technological Sanctuary in the Rain
Sunny With A Chance of Insanity
In Which I Heart Starbucks, John Cusack, and Dylan Moran
A Rant About Socks and their Social Implications
Diary of a Pint Sized Bridget Jones
Thursday: Turn to the Left, Turn to the Right: Fashion in Swansea:
Friday: VLog Day
In Which I Fancy Myself Mary Poppins
At any given time...
Past Articles
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










