On Monday, Veggie Hubby wrote a philosophical blog entry about the nature of his blog, and it has inspired me to write my own meta-analysis. I started writing my blog on the 18th February 2008, and since then have written over 100 posts. I decided to write a blog to because my mother started one about her French adventures, as a way of keeping in contact with her children. I didn't really know what I was going to write about, but thought I would give blogging a go. My first blog entry was a book review, but soon, encouraged by a little poll I conducted, I decided that it would be more interesting to write a diary-type blog, even though my life is fairly mundane. At the time, I didn't have a job, and neither did Veggie Hubby, so it gave us something to do. When we didn't have as much happening in our lives, we had more to blog about. Perhaps it is because I don't want to write about my job, even though I do a lot of interesting things there.
I also randomly discovered ShopGirl's blog soon after I started blogging. Her blog is such good read as she has such a positive attitude, I really enjoy reading it. I never really thought or intended to get to know someone via a blog, but I'm very glad that I have. I have found some other great blogs too since then, some of which are listed on my blog list. I am also really glad that Ms Cocoa occasionally posts pictures of her beautiful cupcakes, even though she seems to have recently gone missing as a co-author! Please come back Ms Cocoa. I think that Ms Cocoa must be too busy having Cuty Baby to take care of, and making too many cupcakes.
It is funny how other people find my blog too. My most popular blog entries seem to be those related to food, especially low fat carrot cake, which I have mentioned here before. Another very popular, more recent food-related entry is my one about the absolutely scrummy Quorn picnic eggs. My most popular blog entry among Australians and New Zealanders, and probably overall, is the blog entry about the fascinating but sickening Painted Babies documentary about American beauty pageants. It still astounds me how parents can dress their young children up like Barbie dolls, and exploit them for cash prizes.
I just want to finish by saying that occasionally I find blogging frustrating as I want to keep it as anonymous and uncontroversial as possible. Sometimes, I feel restricted by the constraints of my blog. Nevertheless, I enjoy writing my blog as it makes me reflect on my life, and perhaps motivates me to do more interesting things so that I can blog about them.
Wednesday, 30 July 2008
Sunday, 27 July 2008
Eating in
It has been in the news recently that due to the credit crunch people prefer to eat a restaurant-style meal 
in rather than a meal out. Domino's pizza has soaring profits (but I wouldn't have a Domino's pizza, it is far better to get a supermarket one in my opinion- cheaper, healthier, tastier and more ethical). VH and I bought a new M&S promotion - 2 dine for £10. This includes a main meal, side dish, dessert and bottle of wine. We chose roast sweet potato cakes with a mint and yoghurt dressing (actually, there was no choice as it was all that was left!) and roast Mediterranean vegetables with a balsamic vinegar dressing. For dessert we had profiteroles but saved half for tomorrow. We also had a French wine called 'Froglet'... I find the name quite amusing. It was a tasty meal, and good value. We are luck
y to have an M&S just around the corner from us, but we rarely go in there as it is generally just ready meals these days, which I suppose is kind of what we had tonight. I have also added a picture of some pretty carnations that VH bought me the other day. Flowers that are nicer than the ones in Zizzi.
in rather than a meal out. Domino's pizza has soaring profits (but I wouldn't have a Domino's pizza, it is far better to get a supermarket one in my opinion- cheaper, healthier, tastier and more ethical). VH and I bought a new M&S promotion - 2 dine for £10. This includes a main meal, side dish, dessert and bottle of wine. We chose roast sweet potato cakes with a mint and yoghurt dressing (actually, there was no choice as it was all that was left!) and roast Mediterranean vegetables with a balsamic vinegar dressing. For dessert we had profiteroles but saved half for tomorrow. We also had a French wine called 'Froglet'... I find the name quite amusing. It was a tasty meal, and good value. We are luck
y to have an M&S just around the corner from us, but we rarely go in there as it is generally just ready meals these days, which I suppose is kind of what we had tonight. I have also added a picture of some pretty carnations that VH bought me the other day. Flowers that are nicer than the ones in Zizzi.
Friday, 25 July 2008
Personal services not required
Oops, I haven't blogged for nearly a week. Work is destroying my blog I feel; when I was briefly unemployed I was a better blogger. It is sooo hot which is good, as it is July.:-) However... Veggie Hubby and I are slowly roasting in our flat. It is so hot and even with the windows open all of the time, it doesn't seem to make any difference. What else has happened in my exciting life this week? Well, I took my car to the garage for it's expensive service and MOT. It passed the test but has a rusty front brake and all four tyres have cracks in them, and one has a nail in it! It doesn't sound great, does it?
On Wednesday night, I watched a reality TV show called 'Personal Services Required' about people looking for domestic help. There are two families per episode, who trial three domestic helpers each. Some of the people on this series have been hilarious, the funniest was that one woman was looking for a housekeeper and asked for him to accompany her to Tescos wearing a chauffeur's hat! The woman in the documentary yesterday employed nine staff including three personal secretaries.
It made me think about domestic help... I really don't think people should pay other people to look after their houses, and should do their own housework. When my parents used to have a cleaner, I found it a real invasion of privacy. However, that was just for a morning a week, but these people who clearly don't need cleaners and are around the house themselves should, I feel do their own cleaning. It is just lazy, and the people in this documentary seem to have delusions of grandeur. It is sickening that they have money they can just throw away by paying a housekeeper's salary. For some things, I feel I have no choice but to pay someone e.g. taking my car for it's service. For other things that I can do myself (or Veggie Hubby can do) I feel I should do myself. Not that I could afford £18K from my salary to employ a housekeeper anyway..
Veggie Hubby often says that he 'likes to be served' meaning that he likes to go to restaurants. I like restaurants too, but I really feel they should just be for special occasions, as you can make your own. I don't feel the need to be served. This may make me sound a bit like a Communist, but I feel that everyone should be treated equally, there shouldn't be hierarchies where some people are more important than others. However, in any job there is always a management structure and hierarchy.
On Wednesday night, I watched a reality TV show called 'Personal Services Required' about people looking for domestic help. There are two families per episode, who trial three domestic helpers each. Some of the people on this series have been hilarious, the funniest was that one woman was looking for a housekeeper and asked for him to accompany her to Tescos wearing a chauffeur's hat! The woman in the documentary yesterday employed nine staff including three personal secretaries.
It made me think about domestic help... I really don't think people should pay other people to look after their houses, and should do their own housework. When my parents used to have a cleaner, I found it a real invasion of privacy. However, that was just for a morning a week, but these people who clearly don't need cleaners and are around the house themselves should, I feel do their own cleaning. It is just lazy, and the people in this documentary seem to have delusions of grandeur. It is sickening that they have money they can just throw away by paying a housekeeper's salary. For some things, I feel I have no choice but to pay someone e.g. taking my car for it's service. For other things that I can do myself (or Veggie Hubby can do) I feel I should do myself. Not that I could afford £18K from my salary to employ a housekeeper anyway..
Veggie Hubby often says that he 'likes to be served' meaning that he likes to go to restaurants. I like restaurants too, but I really feel they should just be for special occasions, as you can make your own. I don't feel the need to be served. This may make me sound a bit like a Communist, but I feel that everyone should be treated equally, there shouldn't be hierarchies where some people are more important than others. However, in any job there is always a management structure and hierarchy.
Saturday, 19 July 2008
Dirty Dancing and Zizzi
I had a great day today. I am not sure if Veggie Hubby had such a nice day though. I bought the special edition of Dirty Dancing this afternoon and watched the film for the hundredth time tonight (ok, I am exaggerating, but only slightly). I think it made Veggie Hubby want to vomit. I just love this movie, it is one of the few films that I can watch over and over and still enjoy. Tomorrow, it is time for all of the extras... I'm sure VH will be thrilled! I hinted a lot that I wanted this for my birthday and for Christmas last year, but to no avail, so I decided that I would have to take matters into my own hands and buy it for myself. Haha.
Veggie Hubby and I also ate out tonight, which we haven't done for a couple of months. We went to the Italian restaurant, Zizzi. Veggie Hubby refused to go to this restaurant for a long time because of it's (unmentionable!) meaning in French. I persuaded him to go there for Valentine's day 2006 as we both love Italian food and I was curious about it. It was a big mistake as my heart-shaped ravioli was burnt, and the service was very very slow. We were out shopping today, and there wasn't much choice of restaurants so I suggested that we go to Zizzi (a different branch of the same chain we went to in 2006). We thought we might reconciliate ourselves with it, and whilst we had a good time, I don't think we will ever go there again.
I ordered a calzone, which I have never tried before, and it was very burnt. I should have complained, but didn't. When a waitress walked past, she said that she would get a fresh one for me, as I was paying for it and I shouldn't be paying for that. So she kindly went and got another one for me, and also got a fresh pasta dish for VH so we could eat at the same time. She also offered us a complimentary drink each. My new calzone looked fine on the plate, but underneath it was also burnt so I just ate the top half. However, VH enjoyed his chicken pasta and we shared the most delicious dessert ever, an amaretto cheesecake. Mmm, it was better than chocolate.
Veggie Hubby and I also ate out tonight, which we haven't done for a couple of months. We went to the Italian restaurant, Zizzi. Veggie Hubby refused to go to this restaurant for a long time because of it's (unmentionable!) meaning in French. I persuaded him to go there for Valentine's day 2006 as we both love Italian food and I was curious about it. It was a big mistake as my heart-shaped ravioli was burnt, and the service was very very slow. We were out shopping today, and there wasn't much choice of restaurants so I suggested that we go to Zizzi (a different branch of the same chain we went to in 2006). We thought we might reconciliate ourselves with it, and whilst we had a good time, I don't think we will ever go there again.
I ordered a calzone, which I have never tried before, and it was very burnt. I should have complained, but didn't. When a waitress walked past, she said that she would get a fresh one for me, as I was paying for it and I shouldn't be paying for that. So she kindly went and got another one for me, and also got a fresh pasta dish for VH so we could eat at the same time. She also offered us a complimentary drink each. My new calzone looked fine on the plate, but underneath it was also burnt so I just ate the top half. However, VH enjoyed his chicken pasta and we shared the most delicious dessert ever, an amaretto cheesecake. Mmm, it was better than chocolate.
Friday, 18 July 2008
All work no play
I have been a very bad blogger recently, and have been getting behind with reading blogs too. My job is taking over my life, which isn't great. I have been working long days, writing lots which puts me off writing for fun, and travelling around the country too. Anyway, I got a draft report I have been slaving over (around 250 pages at the moment) sent off today, so I can relax a little this weekend.
I'd love to go to the cinema, if only it wasn't so expensive. There are so many films I want to see: Wall-E this week, and The Dark Knight when it comes out next week too. There are other films I would like to see too, but they wouldn't be of interest to Veggie Hubby. Why is it so expensive to go to the cinema during peak times? £7.20 per adult seems like such a rip-off. You can buy DVDs for less than that. I prefer going off-peak/on Orange Wednesdays when possible. In a way, I prefer watching films at home as you don't get the distraction of annoying noisy people talking loudly and eating popcorn. It's probably worse at the moment with the school holidays starting, they will be packed with annoying teenagers. Perhaps this is just cognitive dissonance as I don't want to spend that kind of money seeing a movie.
I'd love to go to the cinema, if only it wasn't so expensive. There are so many films I want to see: Wall-E this week, and The Dark Knight when it comes out next week too. There are other films I would like to see too, but they wouldn't be of interest to Veggie Hubby. Why is it so expensive to go to the cinema during peak times? £7.20 per adult seems like such a rip-off. You can buy DVDs for less than that. I prefer going off-peak/on Orange Wednesdays when possible. In a way, I prefer watching films at home as you don't get the distraction of annoying noisy people talking loudly and eating popcorn. It's probably worse at the moment with the school holidays starting, they will be packed with annoying teenagers. Perhaps this is just cognitive dissonance as I don't want to spend that kind of money seeing a movie.
Tuesday, 8 July 2008
Airbrushed to perfection
I am very impressed with myself, Big Brother has been going on for a while now (a month?) and I am not watching it!! I have watched most of the other Big Brothers, but this series I decided to avoid and have. It just goes to show, when you set your mind to something it can be achieved, even if it is just avoiding BB. If I wasn't with Veggie Hubby I would probably be watching it, as it passes the time easily, but he doesn't want me to watch it so I don't. In other unmarried years I was living mainly apart from VH so I could watch it, but this year with us sharing our little flat it wouldn't be fair of me to subject him to it.
Instead, Veggie Hubby and I watched a documentary presented by Alesha Dixon tonight, about the fashion industry's airbrushing obsession. I probably wouldn't have watched it, but her personality is so infectious, I thought I would give it a go. Alesha phoned around many magazines trying to get a photo of her on the front cover that wasn't airbrushed, and most were not interested. Surely Alesha is beautiful enough, she doesn't need airbrushing? It puts me off buying women's magazines actually, for putting up such fake images on their front covers. This is cheating the consumer. Of course, covers sell magazines, so it is not surprising but it is sad. What was interesting was that airbrushing is not so important for the men's magazines as it is for the women's/teenage girls mags. This is a pity as these distorted 'perfect' images of celebrities can lead to self-esteem issues and anorexia in impressionable young girls who look at them, and think that is how they should look.
Instead, Veggie Hubby and I watched a documentary presented by Alesha Dixon tonight, about the fashion industry's airbrushing obsession. I probably wouldn't have watched it, but her personality is so infectious, I thought I would give it a go. Alesha phoned around many magazines trying to get a photo of her on the front cover that wasn't airbrushed, and most were not interested. Surely Alesha is beautiful enough, she doesn't need airbrushing? It puts me off buying women's magazines actually, for putting up such fake images on their front covers. This is cheating the consumer. Of course, covers sell magazines, so it is not surprising but it is sad. What was interesting was that airbrushing is not so important for the men's magazines as it is for the women's/teenage girls mags. This is a pity as these distorted 'perfect' images of celebrities can lead to self-esteem issues and anorexia in impressionable young girls who look at them, and think that is how they should look.
Thursday, 3 July 2008
Retro cake
Veggie Hubby and I made this pineapple upside-down cake last night. It is so yummy that it has half gone already. That is why I don't make cakes too often. We altered it slightly as our pineapples were in juice not syrup, but I think it turned out OK anyway. I wasn't sure whether to make it or not as thought it would be heavy and not very summery, but I have been eating it cold and think it is summery enough.Other than that, I am feeling really a) exhausted from all the travelling b) hot as the weather is so hot these days, and our flat is like an oven c) hay-fevery d) my throat is on fire, I have a bad cold developing. I can't wait for a relaxing weekend, and having the chance to recover a bit from the busy few weeks I've had....
Wednesday, 2 July 2008
Hitch-hiking
UGGGHHH I hate train travel. Yesterday, I got the train to and from Portsmouth, for work. I had an absolute nightmare with the trains on the way home - the final leg of my journey home which should have been a 25 minute journey ended up taking 3 hours!!
I found some people at a station near to home, and we decided to get a taxi. One guy called a taxi. A crazy drunken man came up to him and took his phone off him saying he owned a taxi company and would ring them; we thought he wanted to steal the phone, but he was just well-meaning & drunk. Then, the guy whose phone was nearly stolen said his mate was driving past in a few minutes, and would pick us up and take us back in his Land Rover. The group of us got into the back of the Land Rover, and I hitched a lift home! I've never done that before. I got back at 9pm - such an exhausting day, and I was so glad to be home. Quite an adventure!
There were a few perks to the day. It was lovely and sunny, the hottest day of the year. Also, the place I went to treated me really well, and put on a lovely buffet lunch for me.
I found some people at a station near to home, and we decided to get a taxi. One guy called a taxi. A crazy drunken man came up to him and took his phone off him saying he owned a taxi company and would ring them; we thought he wanted to steal the phone, but he was just well-meaning & drunk. Then, the guy whose phone was nearly stolen said his mate was driving past in a few minutes, and would pick us up and take us back in his Land Rover. The group of us got into the back of the Land Rover, and I hitched a lift home! I've never done that before. I got back at 9pm - such an exhausting day, and I was so glad to be home. Quite an adventure!
There were a few perks to the day. It was lovely and sunny, the hottest day of the year. Also, the place I went to treated me really well, and put on a lovely buffet lunch for me.
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