Stand up straight!

There was a soundtrack to my childhood, repeated daily – hourly! – that became such a familiar sound it just went in one ear and out of the other.

Stand up straight! Stop biting your nails! Tidy your bedroom!

I finally stopped biting my nails in my late twenties and am perfectly comfortable with the fact that I am not one of the world’s Tidy People but never gave the idea of standing up straight a thought, let alone a second one, until I saw this photo of me:

Jo - 18 October 2009

The camera is level.

It’s me that’s wonky.

So, after thirty years of slouching, I am finally listening to my mother and standing up straight. Head up, shoulders back, don’t stoop.

I know it’s working because my back muscles are screaming in protest.

And I know when I start to pitch forward once more because my back sighs with relief.

I have adjusted my car seat so I’m sitting bolt upright in that.

Even now, sitting at the breakfast bar, I have realised that I lean forward to use the computer!

I think this will take some time to correct but I am determined to do it.

Maybe it’s because I want to, and not because my mother’s nagging me, that makes it easier?!

Just don’t ask about the bedroom!

Ben and Jerry’s Hubby Hubby love!

Now, can someone please explain to me why I don’t live in Vermont:

Ben & Jerry’s, known for its euphoric ice cream flavors and dedication to social justice, celebrates the beginning of the freedom to marry for gay and lesbian couples in Vermont with the symbolic renaming of its well-known ice cream flavor “Chubby Hubby” to “Hubby Hubby.” In partnership with Freedom to Marry, Ben & Jerry’s aims to raise awareness of the importance of marriage equality and, to show its support, will serve “Hubby Hubby” sundaes in Vermont Scoop Shops throughout the month of September. [more]

Ben and Jerry's: Hubby Hubby!

See here for more information!

Radio Ga Ga

For years now, I’ve been an avid listener of Radio 2, listing my favourite shows as Sarah Kennedy’s Dawn Patrol, Wake up to Wogan, and Chris Evans’ Drivetime, as well as Mo Dutta and Alex Lester at the weekend. I stopped listening to Jeremy Vine’s show a long, long time ago, simply because I can’t bear political talk shows.

However, a few months ago, I found that if I had the radio on while I was listening to Ken Bruce, the entire show could pass without me hearing a word. Then I stopped listening to Steve Wright, after a series of awful “interviews” that were cringe-worthy and embarrassing. Then they ditched Mo Dutta (or he left, not sure which) and replaced him with Zoe Ball. I tried, really I did, but I couldn’t take it, not so early in the morning! And then Alex Lester vanished, replaced by Emma Forbes, who also failed to grab my attention. When you bear in mind that I get up at 6am, a good radio show is as important as my first (and second!) cup of coffee.

To fill these gaps, I tried a multiple of different stations, from local stations like Real Radio, Red Dragon, and Radio Wales, to national stations such as Classic FM and Radio 3.

B got me a digital radio for my birthday in January, so I’ve also been experimenting with digital stations, and finally discovered The Arrow, which plays non-stop rock music. I’m currently listening to We Will Rock You and was serenaded a few Mondays mornings ago with Sweet Child O’ Mine – what a way to start the day!

The only downside to their non-stop playlist is that there’s no news, no traffic and no time checks. So I now spend my mornings rushing around at the last minute, though at least the beat of the music lends me extra haste!

At the farm, I don’t have a digital radio, so listen to Classic FM, despite their extremely annoying and constantly repeated adverts. I haven’t got a clue what I’m listening to, but it’s very soothing, and provides the perfect backdrop to the day, sun or rain.

What radio station(s) do you listen to?

Has your PIN number been revealed?

I’ve recently subscribed to the MoneySavingExpert email and I’m so glad I did so as this week’s email contains a link to a website which claims to list everyone’s PIN number.

If you’re in the UK, I suggest you check it out. Click here and see if yours is on the list.

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince

Last night, B, Jennie, GG (Jen’s hubby) and I went to see Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, courtesy of Orange Wednesdays, which now also lets you have 2 for 1 pizza at Pizza Express, as well as 2 for 1 cinema tickets.

Ron, Hermione and Harry

And boy, am I glad that our tickets only cost us £4 each instead of £8 because there’s no way that film was worth a penny more.

I’m gutted, as I really thought that they would do something special with this film, but the way I see it, they completely missed the boat.

It was always going to be tricky as the book is essentially exposition, setting the scene for the next and final book. But that doesn’t explain the thinking behind the film.

HBP is about the Horcruxes: what they are, how they work, why and how Voldemort made them, what objects he used and speculation about what those objects are and where he hid them. Intertwined with this are the themes of love, loyalty and trust.

So why on earth did they decide to turn HP6 into a teenage romance?

And what’s with the decision to cut out certain scenes (such as the DA/OotP vs DE battle at the end of the book, Dumbledore’s attempts to get Harry to understand the importance of love and how that makes him different to Voldemort, not to mention the rather important hint that one of the Horcruxes was under Harry’s nose the whole time) and instead make up new scenes, such as the destruction of The Burrow?!

I completely understand why they cut scenes and characters, but I really really REALLY hate it when script writers and directors make up new scenes, especially when their inventions fail to add anything to the plot. I can honestly say that had they dropped the nonsense about destroying the Weasley home and instead followed the book so that the film closed with a battle between the Death Eaters and Dumbledore’s Army and the Order of the Phoenix, the film would have been so much better.

What’s frustrating is that the bits they did well were outstanding. The cave sequence, for example, was exactly as I imagined it when I first read the book, from the eerie darkness to the shock at seeing Dumbledore so weak and frail. It was perfect, a true example of the book brought to life.

But the rest of it … oh dear.

And that makes me worry about the final two films.

I’m going to refrain from drawing up a list of the things I didn’t like, on the grounds that such activities would make me extremely sad and suggest that I have nothing better to do, but that won’t stop me thinking about them as I return to hacking away at Himalayan Balsam now that it’s stopped raining…

Not long to go!

Oooh, oooh, OOOH!

Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen

Last night, B and I, along with a whole bunch of people from her work, went to see Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen. As films go, I enjoyed it and certainly didn’t notice the 150 minute running time, plus extra for the trailers. Considering how uncomfortable cinema seats are, I tend to use this as a guide to how much I enjoy different films!

Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen

Typically, as with any film concerned with blowing things up and using lots of special effects, the plot line was hardly intricate, and the number of boob shots involving sexy women was, I felt, rather insulting. When oh when oh when will movie producers, directors and script writers come to the conclusion that a female character could possible be used for something more than titillation? That maybe her role in the film could be more about, say, the plot, and less about some guy’s prepubescent fantasy involving hot women and motorbikes?

Apart from that irritation, it was a good film and if you’re even mildly into geeky things, this film is a must-see.

Oh – am I getting old for thinking that the volume was too loud? I mean, when your jeans leg starts vibrating as a rssult of the sound waves, surely someone should turn things down, just a little?

End World Hunger on my blog!

Scroll down my sidebar and you’ll see a widget for SocialVibe who have teamed up with WordPress to enable WP bloggers to earn money for charity:

Each time someone visits your blog and engages with your brand (by rating a video, for example), you’re making a difference. That impact is immediately visible on your badge, i..e., ‘My blog has provided 63 cups of clean water for people in need.’

The money donated comes from your brand, so you and your readers never have to pay a dime. In addition to earning donations, you’ll also get feedback from your charity about the difference they’re making thanks to you. By clicking the charity logo in the badge, you can find information about your cause and view real-time goal progress.

(From the WP blog)

My charity of choice (i.e. from the list) is the United Nations World Food Programme, specifically Fill the Cup. It’s all sponsored by Showtime, a American TV station. Take a look, click the link and watch the preview of their shows so that they’ll donate to WFP.

Then, when you’ve done that, scroll down a little further and have a go at the Free Rice game: every time you get a correct answer, ten grains of rice will be donated to end hunger across the world.

Thank you!

Happy birthday, Jennie!

My best friend and fellow blogger, Jennie, today celebrates her 30th birthday, though she is insisting that she’s really 22 and 96 months, to satisfy those of us who know what her passport, driving licence and birth certificate say!

I'm not quite sure that's what the Eglu chicken feeders are for...!

Hon, you’re now 30. I know you’re not exactly thrilled with this and are insisting that you’re no older than you were a decade ago, but you’re missing the point. None of us feel older than we did when we were at school / university / in the first flush of youth. Just because our bodies are getting older doesn’t mean that our minds or souls are ageing at the same rate. I know I’ve changed since we were at school (for the better, I hope!) and you have too. I won’t go into the whys and hows, but I see you with your husband now and I remember when you two first got together, and the contrast is striking. I see you with your wonderful children and I know that you’ve become this amazing person, that the years have added, not detracted, to who you are.

A cold day at the beach!

Accept your age, go with the years and look forward to what comes next. You are who you are, no matter what your birth certificate might say, and the only way you’ll lose yourself is if you worry about what it says.

Taking a break in the sun

Happy birthday xx

Not In My Name!

Not In My Name! Click the image to sign the petition: stand up against racism and fascism