101 Things in 1001 Days - The Third Ten

21. Get a new job
22. Sell on e-bay
23. Lose 5lbs – 28/4
24. Keep it off. - ongoing
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


Not such a successful list. 23 is completed and 24 is ongoing. I have done nothing towards 21, 22, 25, 26, 27 and 29. I have managed 28 about four out of five days a week. I have looked at other evening classes but their is nothing interesting me at the moment, so I will have to see what comes up by September.

Mehalah - Sabine Baring-Gould

I was interested to read this book as it was set in the Essex marshlands near where my ancestors lived. Baring-Gould was the local vicar and wrote countless fiction and non-fiction books, poems and hymns, the best known probably being Onward Christain Soldiers. This book was his most highly acclaimed novel and with it he drew comparisons with Hardy, Dickens and Charlotte Bronte. I certainly see the Dickens similarity as a lot of his characterisations echo Dickens style of almost caricatures.

Our heroine is a young woman called Mehalah who lives on a small island off of Mersea with her sick, widowed mother. She is a bit of a tom boy and is as capable as any of them men when it comes to handling the boats. She has an admirer is a young fisherman called George, plus an elder, wealthy landowner called Elijah. Elijah uses his power and influence locally to try and win Mehalah away from George.

The writing style is very typical for a book set in the 1880s, thus the old style language doesn’t flow well for those used to reading more contemporary books. Some events that happen in the book don’t ring true. Without giving too much away, the author is somewhat heavy handed in his attempts to add a bit of mystery and it is often plainly obvious to the reader what the true story of events is, and it is frustrating when the characters don’t realise this, regardless of the strange coincidences that seem to have befallen them.

Whilst it was not an easy read it was still an interesting book to read, but one I am unlikely to pick up again.

Big Brother Update

What an eventful week in the BB House as 14 fame hungry wannabes bitch and argue of national TV for thirteen weeks for my entertainment.

BB gave the housemates a brotherhood task and two random housemates (Shahbaz and Lisa) were the leaders, immune from nominations and the only people to get their suitcases. They were allowed to choose people to join them as and when BB said so. Most people were more upset at not getting their suitcases than avoiding eviction and it caused some tears and tantrums. Nikki wanted bottled water and thus had a tantrum about this, as well as not having her stuff several times, she was highly entertaining.

In other news Shahbaz was getting attention and wanted more so proceeded to go out of his way to wind up and spat with his housemates as much as possible. He was overly tactile with people he had just met, and requests to tone it down were ignored. He had some spectacular rows and exhibited some rather unhinged behaviour, but ultimately found that the rest of the housemates had ganged up on him and became the victim himself, before walking after a kind of mini breakdown on day 5.

Dawn the alleged misanthropist (who wasn't) got a message to say her sister was ill, she then told her fellow housemates that this was actually a code that meant all was not well with her portrayal in the outside world and that she should leave. BB decided she had actually broken the rules about contact with the outside world and ejected her. Not that it made any difference as she wanted to go anyway and BB and presenter declarations about her being a rule breaker were all a bit lame, as basically they had got one over them.

At the end of the brotherhood task the only ones without a suitcase were Dawn, Bonnie (pronounced Bonn-eh) and Glyn. After dawn was 'ejected' Glyn and Bonnie went head to head for last night eviction that saw the dull, unattractive non-entity Bonnie leave.

Top Ten iTunes

The Top iTunes that I have played since June 2004

1. Snow Patrol - Crazy in Love
2. Paul Weller - You Do Something To Me
3. Jody Watley - Looking for a new Love
4. Sugababes - Killer
5. The Three Degrees - Givin' Up, Givin In
6. Lisa Scott Lee - Lately
7. Hot Butter - Popcorn
8. Rufus & Chaka Khan - Ain't Nobody
9. Annie Lennox - Waiting in Vain
10. The Jam - Town Called Malice

Big Brother 7

BB7 has kicked off with 14 attention seeking freaks, I mean, housemates in the smallest, most inside out house ever.

First in was Bonnie (pronounced Bonneh) who can't speak very clearly, is as thick as two short planks but thinks she is pretty and sexy and was happy to show off her flabby gut in the VT. The crowd booed her in. Next was Pete who was in a band and had Tourette's Syndrome and was completely hyper. Unless he calms down soon he will irritate people enough to ensure an early eviction.

Third was young, posh toff George, who allegedly has Royal blood. Next was Scottish-Asian gay guy Shabaz who appeared to know no social boundaries and proceeded to stroke all his fellow housemates. He was followed by Lea who is the same age as me and has had £35,000 of plastic surgery to make her look ten years older. Her boobs are apparently a 30M. Quite how she stays upright is anyone's guess. Imogen was a former Miss Wales and she was quite pretty and probably quite bland. Mikey was a twat who hates feminists. I don't think he knows the meaning of the word, and (hopefully) was just talking bollocks for the cameras to get in the house. Dawn was a depressive and misanthropist who didn't want to make any friends and didn't believe there are any good people in the world apart from Ghandi, Mother Teresa and Bob Geldof.

Glyn was an 18 year old lifeguard from Wales who thought he was God's gift. Quite frankly if I was given him as a gift, I'd hope God kept the receipt so I can exchange him for someone attractive. Richard was a camp Canadian 'sexual terrorist'. Yawn. Grace was a spoiled, young Sloane who has never wanted for anything in her life. Lisa was a mad Chinese girl from Manchester with a loud voice and bad hearing.

Sezer was an entrepreneur with an ego and he was followed by the utterly charmless Nikki whose life's ambition was to marry a Premiership footballer.

I hate them all. Apart from possibly Dawn as I may be able to relate to her dislike of everybody.

Orange Trees

Orange Trees
Originally uploaded by Essexgirl.

All over the city. Valencia, December 2005.

The blue wires on them are lights, so they look nice at night.

Apprentice Winner

Michelle Dewberry pipped Ruth Badger to the job of The Apprentice. Although she did not raise as much money as Ruth, she ran a more glamorous event.

Later this week Big Brother returns, so that is my summer sorted....

iTunes Top Ten - Prince

The Top Ten most listened to Prince tracks on iTunes

1. Erotic City
2. 1999
3. I Would Die 4 U
4. When Doves Cry
5. Let's Go Crazy
6. Kiss
7. Daddy Pop
8. Cream
9. Sexy MF
10. Money Don't Matter Tonite

Apprentice Update

I've not updates the blog about this fab show this season, but surfice to say The Badger (aka Ruth Badger) and Michelle Dewberry go head to head for the final. I also want to add that I can't believe people actually buy this.

It is for novelty value only and an expensive novelty for £40, but all profits go to Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital

Matrix Revolutions

101 Things in 1001 Days - No 6. (10 out of 52)

I watched this on DVD at the weekend, gutted to discover that it was on TV yesterday! I had been meaning to watch it since seeing Matrix:Reloaded at the cinema. However, the film picks up where Reloaded ends, soit takes a while to get back into it if a fair amount of time has elapsed. However,, the special effects and fight sequences are excellent and more thant distract from your intitla confusion, and I was pleased to say I enjoyed it more then Reloaded.

L'Umbracle

L'Umbracle
Originally uploaded by Essexgirl.

Part of the contemorary City of Arts & Sciences in Valencia. Jan 2006.