Lily's Revenge

Lily's revenge
With a husband in Brussels, parents that are busy playing bridge and being after 10pm at night, I really need a rant and since I can't speak to anyone this is the next best thing.So I was getting ready to snuggle up in bed with my Sarah Water's book when I noticed a large wet spot. Yes, my cat peed on my bed. I am not happy about this. Everything is wet and of course the sheets went in the washer right away. So it wouldn't normally be a problem because we have another room but because we only moved part of the house last weekend we don't have a duvet or spare sheets so I am stuck sleeping on a leather couch. I don't find leather couches good for sleeping because they are too cold and I hate waking up and feeling the cold leather.I think Lily is traumatised from moving and that's why she weed all over my bed. Plus Chris isn't here so she feels more on edge. In fact she is meowing constantly at the moment and doing my head in a bit.Why am I stuck in a flat with a crazy cat that wees in my bed while my husband is at the freakin' Hilton in Brussels sleeping in some nice bed and having cocktails? Oh and my alarm goes off at 6.45 tomorrow so it's not like I get to relax at all tomorrow cause it is deadline day.And I got my period today so I'm really, super happy at the moment. NOT! In fact if anyone messes with me at the moment I may rip their head off. And if this post is full of spelling mistakes and grammatical errors I really don't care because well I'm just ticked off at the moment and need to have a rant!8 out of 10 cats is just not that funny years after things have happened. It doesn't work.Brett Favre ticks me off. How dare he play well against the Packers. Grrrr!

A weekend of period dramas...

Goodness me, it's nearly the end of my three-day weekend and I have spent the majority of it watching period dramas.
On Saturday I watched the romp-fest know as The Tutors. I dip in and out of the show but I can't help myself. It is just funny.
And Saturday night I went to a tractor pull so not very period-drama-esque but I loved it. Really good event.
Sunday was spent indulging in 1995 Pride and Prejudice. I found myself absolutely smitten by Mr Darcy again. He is just so noble and loyal and true, and I just love him. Yea he is a bit proud but he works on the by the end of the story and we can like him again. Rich? Well I firmly believe that Elizabeth Bennett does not love him because he is rich although many a critic has suggested otherwise. Whatever, I say to that. She loves him because of his good heart and the way he looks after his family and estate, and because he is just a really good person.
Right, Sunday night watched the first part of Wuthering Heights on ITV and I actually liked Heathcliffe! How random is that? Well I didn't like him but I was slightly sympathetic towards him which has never happened before. Maybe this is Twilight wrecking havoc with my sensibilities or maybe this interpretation has made the viewer more understanding towards him. Watch this space to see if my affection continues.
And Monday, after a bit of driving test studying, watching North and South again. *sighs* I'm getting the old butterflies with John Thornton. Yea he and Margaret have a Darcy/Elizabeth relationship but there is something about him that is so un-Darcy-like. Maybe the way he aspires from the beginning to change his character so Margaret accepts him but in the end he doesn't have to change at all as it is Margaret who has gone through the transition of character. Thonton is proud but in a good way, proud as in he takes pride in his work and his family. Plus he just loves Margaret so much and wants to be with her and it is lovely.
Oh bless me and these dramas.
More Wuthering Heights tonight before reality strikes on the work-front tomorrow. Yuck.

Summer time...

It is coming to mid-way through the summer and I am wondering where the heck the time has gone. In June I went to America and had a great time with my family and friends there. I even enjoyed the Mid West for a bit which has never happened before! Believe me, I was shocked by it too.
After enjoying the Mid West, Chris and I went to Berlin and it was ace. We had a really good time hanging out in a super fun city with all of its sights and fun people. I think Germany is probably my favourite continental country. I have been three times and always have a really good time when I go. I think the people are incredibly friendly and generous, and I just like it there if that doesn't sound too weird.
We are hoping to move again soon so I have been looking at apartments on the internet all afternoon. In fact I am getting a headache from looking at all of them which is telling me it is time for a break.
And the British Open or the Open is on. I find watching golf very relaxing, maybe because I am not actually playing and frusturating myself on the course as I have a tendancy to do.
And those are my thoughts for now...

Accrington Carnival Queen

I recently had the task of judging the above contest. Now the above contest is a beauty pageant and I loathe these competitions. I won't go into my rant about them as I'm sure most of you have heard it before but I thought I would share with you some of the answers from our six finalists. There were 22 entrants but only the final six got to answer the big questions. I will not identify the contestants to save them all from embarrassment but here we go.

MC - Why did you enter the competition?
Finalist 1 - I use to to the carnival when I was in Girls Brigade and I loved it.
MC - Who is your role model and why?
Finalist 1 - It sounds really, really, really cheesey but my mum and dad and sister because they made me who I am.

MC - If you could change anything about the world what would you change and why?
Finalist 2 - I would make things more like they are in America where nobody is jealous of each other and they compliment there girls. There is a lot of jealousy in this country going about. Some people are trying to undo others. A lot of people do it for their own ends and do it to put people down.
MC - What is your biggest challenge?
Finalist 2 - I think life overall is a challenge. I aspire to do so much. I live life to the fullest. I really, hope I can feel like I can do my best and everything which is why my life is such a challenge.

MC - If you could meet anybody int he world who would you want to meet and why?
Finalist 3 - I would like to meet a lot of people in the world. We have so many role models and people who have different talents. I think one person I would like to meet is Keira Knightley. She is my role model.
MC - What has been the proudest moment in your life so far?
Finalist 3 - Probably when my dad had his car crash. I was in the hospital recovering and I didn't see him for 12 months but I was just so proud when he came home. He just survived.

MC - If you could help any charity which one would you help and why?
Finalist 4 - The charity I would help is breast cancer. One of my grandmothers got it and recovered for it and helping breast cancer would help a lot of people.
MC - If you won, what strengths would you bring to the role?
Finalist 4 - I am bubbly and outgoing. I am always smiling and confident and I am just happy.

MC - If you won the competition, what would it mean to you?
Finalist 5 - It would mean a real lot to me. I like getting involved with things that have to do with Accrington.
MC - If you could meet anyone in the world, who would you meet and why?
Finalist 5 - I don't really know. I think it would have to be the Queen because she is really sweet.

MC - If you could help any charity which one would you help and why?
Finalist 6 - If I could help any charity it would be the RSPCA (Royal Society of the Protection and Care of Animals). It is because I love animals. I want them to be happy.
MC - Who is your biggest role model and why?
Finalist 6 - My sisters because I love them a lot and appreciate everything they do for me.

Finalist 3 won by the way, bless her. My opinions of beauty pageants are unchanged.

Why I love my cat

I have a cat, a seven-year-old moggie who I have named Lily. Chris and I adopted Lily last summer from an animal shelter in a nearby town. I'd been wanting a cat for a long time and we finally decided to adopt one. I had a cat when I was a little girl but haven't had one since. Chris has never had a cat. I've loved cats longer than I remember. They are so sweet, goofy and mysterious and I am intrigued by their distinct personalities. Plus they all have such amazing eyes that are so expressive. You can learn so much about what a cat is feeling by looking into its eyes.

So we adopted Lily and she ran off two hours after we brought her home. I was heart broken. I wanted to give her a home and love her but she ran away. We searched for nearly two hours but she wasn't coming back. Neither Chris or I got much sleep that night. How pathetic was that? I had a cat for all of two hours and the thing ran away from me. I felt like the worst pet owner in the world. Family and friends suggested we leave out cat food which we did. Night after night we would leave a bit out and sure enough it would get eaten but we didn't know if it was Lily or another cat living in the area.

One of our neighbours said he saw her jump over the fence in his back garden so we had a little hope. Then one night I was in the kitchen after a late meeting and I heard some meowing. We had run out of cat food. I thought it was in my head because of course I was obsessing about losing the cat. But then I opened the door and there she was. It took me over an hour to coax her inside again but she eventually followed me, well followed the food. She was hesitant with us the first couple of nights but by the weekend she was sleeping in the bedroom and gave us her full seal of approval.

Lily is a little madame. She rules over us. If she is hungry, she lets us know. This morning I was awoken by whiskers in my face and purring. Apparently it was breakfast time. I want to be mad at her when she wakes me up early but I can't. I just get out of bed and head downstairs to give her what she wants. If her kitty litter needs changing, she lets me know because she knows Chris will never touch it.

She isn't a lap cat. She hates being picked up and cuddled and prefers to be stroked while sitting on the arm of the chair I am sitting in. Yesterday morning I woke up in bed and she was cuddled up next to me. I didn't acknowledge her cause I didn't want to scare her away. I think that was her way of telling me she trusts me but she doesn't want me to catch wind of it. She likes to be in control.

Lily snores. It's super cute. I didn't think cats snored but she does. Sometimes when Chris and I are in bed at night we hear her snoring away, content in her cat bed. Now that it is sunnier, she follows the sun around the house, stretching out so the sun kisses the right part of her body. I found her in the bathroom one morning because that was where the sun was.

When I come home from work, she knows my routine. She will meet me at the door and follow me upstairs while I change out of my work clothes. After I change we have a little petting and purring. It's our little ritual and such a nice thing to come home to after a long day.

Lily doesn't play tons. She sometimes bats a toy mouse around but this lasts little more than five minutes on any one occasion. She will race around the house at night for no reason, just running up the stairs jumping and running back down again. I'm not sure if she wants me to play with her or not so I just let her get on with it. Bedtime usually follows this.

Chris says I am obsessed with Lily and I probably am. She brings me so much joy and happiness. She is so independent and set in her ways. Sometimes I wish she was a bit more of a lap cat but then she wouldn't be Lily. She definitely has cattitude in spades. The way she walks around the house, you would think she was some kind of monarch. She has so much class and is almost regal, like we should be bowing down to her or something.

I do wonder if she would like to have a cat friend at home all the time with her but then I think she wouldn't be able to rule over us the way she does. I think she likes having that power. Lily has these beautiful turquoise-green eyes. If she is happy she tells you with her eyes. They become big and the pupils slightly dilated. But if she is angry she just scowls with her eyes. And her little black nose is so cute. It's like a little black gum drop.

I know she is a cat and cats are pets and not people but I love her tons and tons. I feel so lucky she came back to us. Maybe that's my problem, because she left I feel like I need to prove myself to her. At any rate, she is having her way with me.

And she totally knows when her picture is being taken cause she will be super cute than move and not move back so I will miss it.

Reading and writing and the rest of the Twilight series

I haven't blogged in quite a bit mostly because I haven't had much to write about of any consequence. I am finding this lack of ability in writing is making itself prevalent in my creative writing as well. In February I started doing some more creative writing and I got on a bit of a roll with it but then March hit and I just didn't feel the urge to write. I wasn't inspired to create characters, stories or much of anything else. I think this may have been because my work-life became suddenly chaotic and I couldn't find any kind of creative outlet to deal with frustration without being miserable and pessimistic.

That being said I have done a heck of a lot of reading. In the past when I have felt lost with writing reading seems to help me find some kind of creative spark. Maybe I draw on other writer's genius but it helps and spurs me forward. For example Elizabeth Gaskell and her long drawn out Victorian writing has been particularly helpful for me. Now a lot of people find her novels incredibly dull and long-winded, which is not surprising if you have read her work. But I think I love the long, analytical descriptions of everything.

So that is a snap-shot into my writing process. It's coming along, my latest venture, but I will not say anything more on that subject at this moment.

Now on to Twilight. Well I finished Breaking Dawn. Yes I read all four books in less than a month and was gripped pretty much throughout the series proving I do indeed have a reading-comprehension level above a 12-year-old even though I my natural maturity may be little more than a 14-year-old's. So Breaking Dawn, I enjoyed it but I still don't think I loved it. I loved seeing Bella and Edward get married and I liked seeing that side of their life together but when she got pregnant and all, I suddenly didn't care as much about the characters because I couldn't associate with them. Now does that make me immature? I'm not a mom and am not really feeling much of a desire to be one at the moment. I wonder if my own issues with motherhood prevented me from loving the novel and feeling a connection with the characters. Bella didn't want to be a mom but than she totally loved it. I didn't get that.

I wanted more a fight at the end. I wanted to see Bella take on the Volturi and be the strong and amazing vampire woman that she became by the end of the novel. I feel like the Volturi came on the scene way to fast. In fact if I was Stephanie Meyer I would have divided Breaking Dawn into at least two books and not just three parts. And I would have made all the Volturi stuff into its own novel because they have been prevalent from the beginning and I felt some how gypped that I didn't get to see the final battle.

And Jake, aw bless him. I almost found myself crushing on him more than Edward by the end of the novel. Now I will say Edward is my number 1 crush hands down but there was that conflict for me. I just found Jake's character really noble and honourable. I appreciated the way he said 'no' to his family and went with the Cullens. There was something exciting in that for me.

Finally Edward, dear Edward. I do love him almost the way I love Mr Darcy, Mr Rochester and some of the other great literary heroes (if you can love a 17-year-old vampire the way you can love a literary masterpiece hero). I love just how much he loves Edward although sometimes he seemed a bit over protective of her but I love he romanced her and surprised and was just there for her no matter what. II still want to know his character better. I've decided to read Midnight Sun when I know about my job future. It will serve as either commiserations or celebrations.

Still watching 24, it's ace and Tony Almeida better not die. And my dinner is ready so I am signing off.

A few thoughts on 24 - SPOILERS

Right after my more recent sad blog, I wanted to share a few thoughts I had on what is only the BEST show on television - 24.
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When the show first started back in the day, it was on Friday nights. Now I was in college and being too cool for school or whatever I couldn't watch it. I also knew I would be immediately addicted to said show. So my senior year when my friend Rich said he watched it I decided to take him up on his offer of watching over it his place. Now that was half way through season 2. Nuclear bombs were going off and it was just crazyness! But I was hooked.

In fact so hooked when my boyfriend (now husband) came all the way from England to visit me in Denver in 2004 I made him watch it cause I couldn't miss it. He had never seen it before and being the nice person he is, he watched it with me. Now how many of us have a partner that would travel like 7,000 miles and watch a television show they have never seen. Bless me, I'm lucky. Well said husband is now hooked too. He started watching it in 2005 from season 1. I think it took him all of a day to watch it even though he knew the big Nina plot twist.

In my humble 24 opinion season 3 was the best, best, best! When Jack Bauer killed Ryan Chapelle I was totally shocked he actually did it. I mean Jack Bauer has saved America and the rest of the world like a billion times but that was far and away the biggest moment in 24 history. Holy crap! And then season 5 when poor Edgar died at CTU, I cried and cried and cried and was seriously depressed the day after I saw it. I still can't think about it without saying, 'poor Edgar.' (Ask Chris.) And I didn't really think Tony Almeida was dead so when he came back I was like, well duh!

So I know 24 is pretty much u-rah-rah America right-wing propaganda but I love it. If Jack Bauer ran for President I would so vote for him. I didn't vote for President Obama in the last election because of President Palmer just so you know. Oh and when it was cancelled/postponed last season I felt serious withdraw symptoms. And when the final series ends, I will probably feel like I lost a little bit of my personal happiness.

One final word on Kim - dude, she has been kidnapped how many times? I still think she will be kidnapped again before the show ends forever. Wasn't convinced about her turning against Jack but there you go.

Wuthering Heights

Wuthering Heights is one of those books I have always struggled with. I think I have read it two or three times but I never seem to get much enjoyment from it. I have no sympathy Catherine. I think she is a spoiled child that toys with people's emotions. She is just not nice. And Heathcliff, well I have a bit more time for him because I know he was treated badly as a child but he is so mean to Cathy and Hareton (the only two characters I think I actually like in the novel). So I know Catherine and Heathcliff has this amazing love for each other, a love that transcends death or something but what the heck? They are horrible people and I don't get why I should celebrate their love for each other.

I've read several commentaries as I try to convince myself that this book is worth my time and my admiration (not that I am some elitist book critic). I've read that their only redeeming qualities are their love for each other because their love is so all-encompassing and beautiful. (And yes this was in Eclipse which I know is not some book about literary criticism but it's what brought up this whole Wuthering Heights thing for me again). But these characters are so selfish and their love is selfish. How does that possibly make them better people? Is it just because they are simply capable of love and willing to do anything for each other? Even Edward Cullen and Bella Swain could not convince me.

Another way I have tried to like Wuthering Heights better is by watching various adaptations of it. Even still I have no sympathy with the characters even when Ralph Fiennes or Laurence Olivier is playing Heathcliff. I still don't get it! I like gothic romances as much as the next person. In fact Victorian gothic literature is slowly becoming one of my favourite areas of literature because of the various layers to the novels.

I'm currently watching a modern adaptation called Sparkhouse and it is totally brilliant. The gender of the Heathcliff and Catherine characters has changed, and because of the various back stories I actually feel something for these characters. (Oh and Richard Armitage is in which is how I found the series but he is not a lead. He still smoulders even as a farmhand). Anyways I believe in Carol and Andrew's (weird, those are my in-laws names!) love and I want them to be reunited eventually, even if it is in death a la Wuthering Heights. I love the idea that their love transcends the hurt of the past.

So why is it that I like this story better than the freakin' book? What the heck am I missing? I know I am a romantic at heart so why do I not feel anything for what is supposedly the most romantic novels in literature?

I'll probably just read it again.

I am seriously 14...

I've always known I'm not the most mature person in the world but I seriously think I have the soul/brain/personality of a 14-year-old. Here are some examples:

• I develop random crushes for no reason at all, albeit they tend to be on celebrities of some degree (Toby Stephens, Richard Armitage, Hugh Jackman to name but a few in recent years...) Now I haven't had a proper crush on someone actually in my life since I met my husband six years ago but I take that as a good thing. Mind you there have been one or two people I have met that I 'fancied' a bit but these little crushes have been like passing thoughts if anything.
• I love boybands, I mean LOVE boybands. My first boyband love was New Kids On The Block. Oh dear, I love them still. I saw them three times when I was nine and I saw them recently at the MEN arena in Manchester. My long suffering husband went with me. And it was such a fun night. I giggled, I whooped and I danced and it was great. I spoke to all these other twenty and thirtysomethings about our fave boys, mine is Jordan and I felt totally at home, like I was with my people or something. Now my other boyband loves include JC of *Nsync who I seriously thought I was supposed to marry as a college student and would argue with anyone who suggested I was delusional. And to a lessser degree Nick Carter of Backstreet Boys. Am I sad? I just think I really like boybands
• And Britney Spears :-)
• And American Idol/X Factor
• And pretty much any pop music aimed at teens. (I haven't gotten into Miley Cyrus but there is still time.)

So that brings me to my latest discovery. I was at work today, a proper newspaper job mind you, and I was talking to the work experience girl named Poppy, what a wonderful name that is. She is 15, nice girl. She sees the book I am reading, Eclipse by Stephanie Meyer.

Let me digress - I am infatuated/in love/obsessed with the Twilight book series at the moment. That in itself probably shows my general maturity level. Basically I am reading book three and I have only been reading the series for nine days, some of which I was on vacation with my husband in Prague during. I find myself pining for the chance to read the book at work when I am suffering from writer's block.

I love Edward Cullen despite him being a 17-year-old fictional vampire. (Does that make me a peado since I am 28?) I won't go into too many details about the series but I love them and I am kicking myself for not reading the books before the movie was released in December. I missed it! I missed it in the theatre! Grrrrr...

So back to me and Poppy - I tell her how much I am enjoying the series and she says does too.
'Have you seen the movie?' I ask.
'Yes it is really good.' She says.
I say, 'I am really sad I missed it in the theatre.'
'It was good but what I really liked about it is Robert Pattinson.' (For those who don't know, he plays vampire Edward Cullen. PS - I so had to look up the spelling of his name before I put it in this.)
'Yes,' I say.
'You know he is Cedric in Harry Potter,' she asks.
'Yes,' I say. 'I was so sad when he died because he was so cute in the movie.'
'I know,' she said and that ends our conversation.
Now none of my work colleagues are in this conversation other than to ask what Twilight is. As soon as they learn, they get all busy with work again like it is some inconsequential thing. I want to order them to read Twilight but I stop myself.

Now is it bad that I am obsessed with teenage vampire fiction? Is it bad that I know who Robert Pattinson is and I can have a talk with a teenager about him? Is it wrong that my husband has warned me that I have an exam to study for on Friday and should not be distracting myself with vampire fiction? The fact I am procrastinating the way I am just reaffirms how immature I totally am.

I don't know if this just who I am, this weird person that develops regular infatuations like a teenager. Or maybe I am seriously 14 and that's it. Maybe I will never be an adult.

My first blog on Never Been Kissed

I am brand new to this blogging thing although I have been doing it on MySpace and Facebook in some format for years but I figured it was about time as I have lots of randomness I felt I needed to share with the world and I think my husband, family and friends will appreciate me having a space for this.

I am watching Never Been Kissed for the millionth time. I love this movie. It's not super brilliant but for whatever reason I connect with it. For the longest time I thought I would be a 25-year-0ld journalist who had never been kissed. I was convinced in college that would be my lot in life. Why was I so worried about that? I don't know but it was a really big deal to me.

High school was not the best time in my life. I was not comfertable with who I was and what I wanted from life. I think reliving that terrifys me. I have nightmares about high school whenever I really anxious about something happening in my life. I guess that is how subconsciously connect with my insecurities. Isn't it weird how our minds connect with that?

And the kissing bit? Well I did not find myself in Josie's position as life would have it. But still it is weird how worried I was about all of it. I still don't know why that was so important to me and really why it still is to some extent.