Top Ten iTunes

Monthly look at what I have been listening to since June 2004

1. Snow Patrol - Crazy in Love
2. Paul Weller - You Do Something To Me
3. Sugababes - Killer
4. Lisa Scott Lee - Lately
5. Jody Watley - Looking for a New Love
6. Annie Lennox - Waiting in Vain
7. The Lightening Seeds - Marvellous
8. The Jam - Town called Malice
9. Shawn Mullins - Lullaby
10. Salt 'n' Pepa - Whatta Man

Jamon Jamon

Jamon Jamon
Originally uploaded by Essexgirl.

Shop signage. Valenica December 2005

Jo Brand - Sorting Out Billy

52 Books in 52 weeks - Book 3

46 weeks to go

This is comedienne Jo Brand’s debut novel and the first book I have read of hers. The book is the story of two friends, Martha and Flower, and how they wish to ‘sort out’ the boyfriend of another friend, Sarah who is being hit by him. The story moves at a cracking pace and there are no dull moments. It is mainly dialogue led with supposed witty one-liners from some of the characters. I was expecting a funnier book than I got. Whilst domestic violence is not something to laugh at, there are other opportunities to make us laugh in this book, and whilst Brand’s observational humour was present in places it didn’t cut on paper like it may have done on TV. My main gripe however is with the characters. We don’t meet them in any depth, and this isn’t what really annoyed me, it is the number of stereotypes – such as the tall, willowy hippy called Flower or the strict, humourless vicar parent. I definitely feel that Brand needed to develop her characters a bit more.

Fortunately sorting out Billy isn’t the only thing that the lead characters do in this book do, they have driving lessons, giving birth and a dubious career in stand up comedy to deal with, amongst other things, which is what keeps this book readable. There is a lot happening and you do wonder how certain characters will extract themselves from certain (sometimes highly unlikely) situations, and for the most part, Brand delivers a good solution, the end of the book is very weak however, as Brand seems to be in a hurry to finish and tie up the loose ends, in a way that makes the reader feel a little bit disappointed.

Closer

52 Films in 52 Weeks - 3

This film is based on a stage play by Patrick Marber and faces a steller cast of Julia Roberts, Jude Law, Natalie Portman and Clive Owen in a dialogue led film about the complications of modern sexual relationships. Obituary writer and would-be author Daniel (Law) meets kooky, young American Alice (Portman), one day when she gets knocked down on a London street. Inspired by her, he writes a book about her life that gets published and thus he meets photographer Anna (Roberts) who he is attracted to. She rebuffs his advances and he unwittingly (and amusingly) leads to her meeting Larry. However, Daniel remains fascinated with Anna and the two couples' lives become deliberately and also coincidentally entwined.

The acting is excellent, you cannot fault the cast and they are all convincing in their roles, although Larry seems to be a bit of an idiot. The dialogue is well-written if graphic and of a mainly sexual nature as characters frankly discuss and argue their relationships, with minimal input from the outside world.

Jeremy Paxman - The Political Animal

52 Books in 52 weeks - Book 2

A well-researched and anecdotal book about the men and women who think it is a good idea to help run the country. The book is funny in places and educational in others. Some facts in the book will be known to people with a basic grasp of the political system, but there is enough information in here for most people to learn a few things. Paxman does have a few ‘stock’ phrases that he uses several times over that gives you the impression that you have read something like that before, and some topics come up in more than one place in the book, however, generally the book is well-written and informative in the motivation, conviction and ego of the politician and what makes them tick. The book was published in 2002 so does not cover the last election or more recent political scandals. The ten chapters are divided as thus:

*Chapter One* Out of the Mouth of Babes and Sucklings….

This chapter covers the early days of prime ministers, opposition leaders and chief cabinet members and reveals startling similarities in their family backgrounds and education.

*Chapter Two* Getting On

This features information and anecdotes on what politicians did in their youth, and their early involvements with various political organisations such as the Oxford Union of the Young Conservatives

*Chapter Three* Getting In

This tell of the slog some politicians have in trying to get selected for a seat and the power (or otherwise) of local politics and committees, the canvassing and those that choose to stand as independents.

*Chapter Four* New Boys and Girls

This chapter tells how daunting the new politicians find the Houses of Parliament when they arrive and how hard it is to get started.

*Chapter Five* Look at Me!

This looks at the relationship MPs have with their constituents and how they may actually try and help them, plus useful contacts in business that may need to be made along the way.

*Chapter Six* Busy Doing Nothing

What exactly do politicians do all day? Quite a bit actually, and most of it is quite irrelevant. It also discusses the powers of the party whips to influence MPs to toe the party line to for key votes and the long winded procedures involved in getting issues on the agenda

*Chapter Seven* Power at Last

This covers the roles of actual ministers, the fickleness and insecurity of their position and the career civil servants they have to deal with.

*Chapter Eight* The Price of Fame

The impact that having a family member in the public eye has on the spouses and children of MPs and the sacrifices and privileges this may afford them.

*Chapter Nine* Feet of Clay

This chapter cover corruption and the politicians and ministers whose career has met a sticky end.

*Chapter Ten* Being History

A former politician doesn’t have as much going for him/her as you would imagine, and all cope differently (and often better) when out of the limelight.

101 in 1001 update

38 days in, I have completed two tasks, some things are pending but I not yet finished the list...

1. Think of 101 things to do
2. Make at least one new recipe from a book or magazine every week for six weeks.
3. Do 200 stomach crunches in one go
4. Read 52 books in 52 weeks (1 down)
5. Read another 52 books in the 52 weeks after, succeed or fail.
6. Watch 52 films in 52 weeks (1 down)
7. Watch another 52 films in the 52 weeks after, succeed or fail.
8. Get a more professional blog going
9. Complete a photography project on London
10. Book a holiday to Central or South America or Trans-Siberia
11. See March of the Penguins
12. Join a Tai Chi Class – 6/2
13. Find a dance class that I enjoy
14. Do a reasonable sized jigsaw puzzle
15. Give my time to charity
16. Visit ten places from London’s Rough Guide
17. Do a Walking Tour in London (not included in the above)
18. Go the theatre at least ten times
19. Get another £4000 in my ISA (unless I move house)
20. Save £6000 altogether
21. Get a new job
22. Sell on e-bay
23. Lose 5lbs
24. Keep it off.
25. Complete 200 Words a Day Spanish course
26. Buy a DAB digital radio and listen to 10 stations I have never heard for, for a minimum of one hour.
27. Enter to go on a TV quiz show
28. Make lunch to take to work everyday for a week
29. Make my own pesto
30. Join an evening class that is non-exercise based
31. Buy a real designer handbag
32. Watch the first two series of 24.
33. Watch all the DVDs of Ally McBeal (half of Series one watched so far).
34. Organise my photos into albums
35. Sell, donate or throw-away 101 items
36. Get a new bathroom
37. Make my own ice cream
38. Get a new address book and put in all the latest addresses for everyone before they move again.
39. Organise my recipes
40. Try two new recipes a month
41. Break 2 million on Bejeweled 2 (done 17/2)
42. Call Uncle & Aunt once a month, or see them
43. Sort out garage
44. Buy new lampshades for kitchen, spare bedroom and hall
45. Collect all of the Swarovski ‘Wonders of the Sea’ main limited edition pieces. (1/3)
46. Go to bed before 10.30 every weekday night (Sun-Thurs) for two weeks.
47. Frame and display a new photo that I have taken
48. Make a new friend
49. Do 240 sit ups
50. Keep Sims 2 expansion packs up to date and get six successful businesses started in the new one
51. Have Sims weekends, where I play the game in excess of 14 hours over the weekend x 5 ( x1 - 2/4 Mar 06)
52. Get 25 Sims to achieve their lifetime aspiration.
53. 10,000 steps a day for a week (For four separate weeks)
54. Go a Day without TV x 25
55. Meet an author
56. Play LA in a Box 5 times
57. Play Trivial Pursuit 20 5 times
58. Write a story
59. Read what I have not read already on this list: http://www.bbc.co.uk/arts/bigread/top100.shtml
60. Take a photo everyday for a month
61. Do something new every month
62. Save £1 a day for 1001 days
63. Identify 100 things other than money that makes me happy
64. Identify 100 things that piss me off
65. Do a list of 43 places I want to visit: http://www.43places.com/wanderlust/index
66. Make a list of 25 things I know very little about and learn three things about them
67. Go to 50 places (attractions/parks/towns/buildings) I have never been before
68. Take a photo of them.
69. Find a list host to host all my lists
70. Register with a new doctors
71. Register with a new dentist
72. Keep semi-regular charts for genres/bands in iTunes
73. Start a new thread on my discussion board once a week for six weeks
74. Earn £250 from Cash back sites/Surveys
75. Do a jigsaw
76. Get 3 million on Bejewled
77. Utilise the library

Dancing on Ice - The Final

Steafan & Kristin and Gaynor & Daniel skated Bolero in the skate off. Gaynor won. Glad that's over.

Just The Two Of Us - Update

Too much, this show is wearing thin being on every night. Nicky went on Thursday, Penny (finally) on Friday and Chris on Saturday. The final tonight features Mark & Natasha and Russell & Sian. Mark & Natasha should have it in the bag.

Dancing on Ice - Semi Final

Good performances by all contestants. David and Bonnie in the last two, and Bonnie unanimously voted through.

Just The Two of Us - Show Four

Tonight was Musicals and Rock 'n' Roll. Mark and Natasha kicked off with Somewhere Over the Rainbow, you could tell that Natasha was having problems with a sore throat but she still managed the high noted and they got 24 points. Penny and Curtis sang (or in Penny's case shouted) Last Time. Prophetic? I hope so. Judges were rightly critical, but it was not as horrendous as last night's 'comedy number and they got 15.

Nicky and Beverley sang Edelweiss from The Sound of Music. Apparently Nicky (a married man with children) really liked it. They did a good vocal performance of their strange choice, though Nicky messed up at the end as he was getting quite emotional. They got 29 points, though I feel some should have been deducted for Nicky being such a drip. Sian and Russell sang Greta Balls of Fire and Sian got so carried away with her big Rock 'n' Roll performance she forgot to concentrate on her singing and had no control in her voice, doing well to get 27 points.

Chris and Jo sang A Whole new World from Aladdin. I didn't know the song, ot was a bit schmaltzy for my liking but then it was a Disney movie. The judges loved it and awarded them 30 points. Matt and Jocelyn were last on with Really Got Me which was really lively. The panel complained that it was too similar to last night's rock number Dead Ringer, but as Matt pointed out, they had no control how the order of songs were chosen. They got 29 points.

After Martin Fry cam back to perform Hold On with Curtis, the results were announced and surprisingly it was Mark & Natasha and Matt & Jocelyn in the bottom two and the regions chose for Matt & Jocelyn to leave. Britain is so stupid sometimes.