Friday Fill-In

It's been a while... still, here's this week's Friday Fill In:

1. 12 stops and home.

2. My favorite thing for dinner lately has been whatever takes the least amount of effort to cook - I hate cooking for one.

3. Walking a dog (preferably one you can give back) through the snow on a crisp winter's day... mmm.... bark! bark! bark!

4. A nice long walk soothes the soul.

5. Tell me some good news.

6. When all is said and done, I'm OK really.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to chilling out, blogging some catchups and thinking up plans for tomorrow, tomorrow my plans include maybe a geocache or two, maybe the sound/art exhibition thing at CMU and Sunday, I want to make sure I'm ready for Monday - this may involve going in to the office and doing some work :s!

Early to Bed... Mostly

With everyone in the UK safely in bed by around 8pm Pittsburgh time, it's been really nice to just go to bed when I'm tired, without any distractions (noone to say 'Oh, but my routing algorithm nearly works, looklooklook'). And mostly, I've been in bed, ready to sleep, not later that 10:30pm. Except on two occasions - one tonight, and one some weeks ago - what was I doing on those occasions? Watching YouTube.

Why??? The last time was Legally Blonde the musical - I spotted it in someone's Facebook status and over the course of the evening sat down and watched the whole thing (in 18 parts). Was it any good? It got better as the show progressed certainly, I actually thought it was kind of sweet. And given I didn't think much to the film at all - this was definitely much better. I've actually put the CD on my Amazon wishlist (is this something I should be confessing to? I'm not sure).

So what was I watching tonight? Britain's Got Talent. Again prompted by Facebook status messages, this time lots of them, all talking about Holly Steele. Started out watching Holly's audition, and then went back to the start of the playlist her video was in and seemed to be watching a selection of highlights from the episodes. I'm up to episode six so far and will save the rest for another day. Here's my favourite:



Oh my!

Friday Fill In

This week's Friday Fill In:

1. Said the night wind to the little lamb, do you hear what I hear?

2. The first Noel, the angel did say, was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay.

3. Go teletubbie mountain, Over the hills and everywhere.

4. It came upon the midnight clear, all glory be to God on High. (Who knows why I tie these two carols together but in my head they just seemed to join up.)

5. Freedom Let your heart be light.

6. And the thing that will make them ring is the carol that you sing ting-a-ling-a-ling.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to the Kinder Children's Choirs candlelit Christmas concert (and what an alliteration that is), tomorrow my plans include buying the last Christmas presents as I travel home again and Sunday, I want to do whatever takes my fancy!

(I like carols too much to want to answer these with anything other than the words - I've done my best)

Friday Fill-Ins

This week's Friday Fill-In:

1. The last band I saw live was Scouting for Girls (at the Big Gig - they just happened to be the last to play).

2. What I look forward to most at Christmas is everything.

3. My Christmas/holiday shopping is part way there.

4. Thoughts of grumpy fill my head.

5. I wish I could wear something other than t-shirts and jeans.

6. Bagpipes are played in Scotland... and I'm planning a trip to Edinburgh.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to tidying the world, tomorrow my plans include being less grumpy and Sunday, I want to feel like I've had that nice balance of a weekend - productive and relaxing!

Friday Fill-In

This week's Friday Fill-In:

1. My blueprint for success includes music - everything should be done to music.

2. Haribo Starmix was the last candy I ate.

3. The best facial moisturizer I've ever used is water.

4. Music and cleaning can be good therapy.

5. I'd like to tell you about the inadequate supply of comfortable spaces in the Infolab 21 (my department).

6. Forgotten is my strongest characteristic - I'm just too tired at the moment to have strong anythings!

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to seeing Verity, tomorrow my plans include watching the Fireworks up at the castle and Sunday, I want to get plenty of sleep!

Friday Fill-In

This week's Friday Fill-In:

1. My favorite food seasoning is rosemary. (It makes good potatoes)

2. Music is music to my ears.

3. Lucky is a good name for a cat - but almost promises some sort of narrow escape, mind the roads!

4. Achieving things is something I take very seriously.

5. Many people do things we don't understand; the more there are of them, the more likely the result will be unfathomable.

6. A pink glittery shirt for Innovate was the last thing I bought at the store.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to resting tomorrow my plans include resting and Sunday, I want to rest some more!

Friday Fill-In

Following Clarence's lead... today's Friday fill-in.

1. My birthday, autumn leaves, visiting Chris and Hazel and having some evenings off for half term... are some of the things I'm most looking forward to in October.

2. Sometimes I... sing properly, but only if I think noone is listening.

3. Because one day I might do something radical ...and that's why there is a saying, "never say never"!

4. When I'm down, I... spend money and eat chocolate.

5. In bed ...is where you'll find me most often.

6. A rainy day is good for ...puddles!!

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to ... going to bed..., tomorrow my plans include ...bacon and earning money, hopefully in that order... and Sunday, I want to ...feel useful!

If Only

If all we lost somehow came back
If all that died again would grow
If only it was so, these are the loneliest words I know

From If Only, Whistle Down the Wind.

I want my keyboard and music books.

The Word is Music

I was trying to remember last week how I'd come to buy Sarah Kelly's albumTake Me Away, it took me a little while but I bought the CD after hearing one track on The Word Is Music (online radio). I thought I'd have another listen but I don't think I'm especially likely to buy anything from what's being played at the moment. The ads are somewhat irritating (though not as bad as Classic FM). Also, I don't like the way their feed works, why do I need a big blank black page (which I don't seem to be able to bookmark) among the tabs in my browser?

When a Knight Won His Spurs

When a knight won his spurs in the stories of old
He was gentle and brave he was gallant and bold
With a shield on his arm and a lance in his hand
For God and for valour he rode through the land

No charger have I and no sword by my side
Yet still to adventure and battle I ride
Though back into storyland giants have fled
And the knights are no more and the dragons are dead

So let faith be my shield and let hope be my steed
Against the dragons of anger the ogres of greed
And let me set free with the sword of my youth
From the castle of darkness the power of the truth

(Traditional)

Lego Les Miserables

I couldn't not post this.



I hate people who post videos to blogs, I must stop doing it. To this video at the original YouTube page, click here.

Sweeney Todd!

Went to see this tonight at the Vue in Lancaster. There was a suprisingly large amount of blood even knowing the story but it was pretty good. I love the soundtrack.

Mary Stuart's Prayer

We sung this arrangement of Donizetti's Maria Stuarda at the concert on Sunday. It's always been one of my favourite choir songs and was easily my favourite of the three we sang on Sunday. I'd not found a recording of the arrangement before this (not that I'd tried hard), but here goes...



Or, from the original YouTube url: here. The recording is the Manchester Boys Choir.

Shopping goodness!

I am a girl, today I went shopping and enjoyed it.

I went to the Manchester Arndale centre today as I needed to drop my MacBook in for a repair (only the casing, hurrah). The Apple Store in the Arndale is pretty small and feels very different to the Regent Street, London shop. Just opposite the Arndale Apple Store is a very nice Waterstones, not the largest I've been in but easily the most spacious. I came home and told everyone that the Waterstones feels like an Apple store, it's yummy!

Anyway, I didn't buy anything in either the Apple Store or Waterstones but stuck my nose into Primark on my way back to Manchester Piccadilly and bought three t-shirts and two pairs of shoes (shoes!?! I really am a girl). Had just missed a train at Piccadilly so went to the HMV on the station concourse and spotted The Hoosiers album, The Trick to Life in the sale (it hadn't been in the Lancaster and Liverpool branches) so bought that, McFly's All the Greatest Hits (don't laugh) and Scouting For Girls self-named album. With student discount and a twenty pound gift card, the whole lot cost me a total of £1.53, bargain!

It's here!

At the last possible moment before I head home for Christmas, my Sweeney Todd soundtrack has arrived. Hurrah for Play.com. I shall take it to Hobnob's with me when I leave in a moment.

Yay!

Moonshot - Video Killed The Radio Star

Moonshot - Video Killed The Radio Star is playing on Bailrigg FM right now. I can just about bring myself to admit that I quite like The Buggles version of this song but the Moonshot recording is quite nicely different.

Sweeney Todd!!!!!!!!

Sondeim + Tim Burton + Johnny Depp = Even more excitement than libraries!

I just remembered the Sweeney Todd movie and found the site complete with trailer and music. Johnny Depp sounds so much better than I could have expected and the music is really quite gorgeous. I've pre-ordered the CD in my excitement (released on the 17th) and now have the site open in a tab so I can listen excitedly.


25th January...!

Exciting libraries!

No, really.

You can tell I'm not really into my new piece of work yet, here's my second Stumble of the day... "Can you spot the library?". I think the pictures are really cool, I really like the idea but I do wonder how it really works. Does it look as good as it should or is it just odd? Also, would you have to change (update) the books now and again? It'd make it more interesting but also more costly. I guess it'd depend on your choice of books in the first place - ensuring they're suitably timeless. I'm not sure about some of the Cardiff choices on that count.

Hmmmm.....

Oooh, you could play the read all the books on the library game too, a whole new list of things to not get round to finishing!

Also, I'm listening to 'Christmas' tagged music on Last.fm but it's a bit varied. It was Ding Dong Merrily on High which is great, but I'm now being played L'Âme Immortelle - Life Will Never Be The Same Again and I'm not quite sure how Christmassy that really feels.

BookMooch & Other Related Links

Having received a BookMooch newsletter today I thought I'd post a general plug in my blog.

BookMooch is an excellent international book swapping site. It works on a points system rather than a direct swap which makes it easier to get the book you want. The site's got a pretty large user base so whilst I haven't found everything I want it does pretty well for your average paperback. Register at BookMooch.com.

In today's newsletter the BookMooch founder also recommends:

- Xenagia: a book fan site for people who like to read science fiction, fantasy
and horror. It currently rates Dune at number one, maybe I'll read my copy soon.

- Magnatune: an online music site that lets you listen to whole albums online before you buy them at the price you want to pay. Sound sort of curious, maybe I'll check it out.

The Proclaimers

The Proclaimers are awesome. Happy happy music of bouncing and excitment. Also, even their sadder stuff is happy (or makes me happy).

Hurray for Proclaimers joy!