Sunday 31 October 2010

Light Thrill...

I don't really celebrate Halloween.

But I though this video was really cool!


*drools* Mmm....shiny lights!

Wednesday 27 October 2010

I'm going mad.

I don't need much in life. I mean, I'm a simple girl. Give me some food, some water and some undies that fit and I'm happy.

However, there is currently a void in my life. A hole, nay, a blasted abyss in my existence!

What is it, I hear you cry? What could be the cause of such despair?


Well, I'm a total and utter Gleek freak. It's been out in the U.S for practically months now and yet there isn't even a peep of it over here on the other side of the pond.

I told myself I wouldn't watch it online, because The Wonder Thing and I are supposed to watch it together, but it's driving me mad.

Hellooooo? Channel 4? Yeah? What's up?! Where's my fix?!

This demands some sort of complaint! Some sort of uprising! A DEMONSTRATION OF A KIND!!


So I did a drawing.




"Gleedom or BUST!" - You tell 'em, girl!

Never let it be said that the British are too tame to take action.

Tuesday 26 October 2010

Obsessed

You know you're hair obsessed when you're considering downloading a hair calender *le sigh*

Monday 25 October 2010

Conversation Snippet: The Buub

The Wonder Thing: I heard The Buub (a term for Michael Bublé) was on X Factor last night and I missed it. Can I watch it on your computer?

Me: *nonchantly* Yeah, sure, no problem.

X Factor Narrator: ...and pop star Michael Bublé..!

The Wonder Thing: He's not a pop star. He's a pop sensation.

Me: ¬_¬


Multi-platinum selling artist?

More than 25 million worldwide album sales?

I can't even compete!
To see his performance, click here (those in the U.K can catch it on ITV replay).

Wednesday 20 October 2010

Oh, we do like to be beside...

the seaside...



Oh, we do like to be beside the seeeea!


*hums the rest of the song, since she doesn't know the words*

I'm sure the waves won't tell...

Hence, why these posts are so late - I was at the seaside.

You can't really call it a beach, since there was no sand.

Just your usual, English, pebbley beach.

However, this means that when the tide pulls back out to sea, it pulls about a thousand stones back with it.

As they tumble over each other, rushing back and forth, they make the loveliest noise...

Monday 18 October 2010

Darlings, I'm dizzy

Because I finally got to see Willow Smith's new video for her 'Whip My Hair' single (link updated 27/10/2010, as Youtube has now blocked it in the U.K. Boo hiss!). And it's stunning. I adore her confidence in the video, and the bright colourful aspect of it.
Using her hair as a paintbrush? Inspired.
I bet even Mr Incredible is whipping his head to this, with his rubber necking self.
But then again, I also like the Sesame Street 'I Love My Hair' video. It's cutesy and lovely and makes me feel all gooey inside. It's telling you to love yourself just as you are. Beautiful.

Which one to post?

Which one to post?!!

Oh.

Hello Ms Mash-up. Nice to see you.


Compromise for the win!

Friday 15 October 2010

Confetti OM NOM NOM!

So, I gots hungry one day.

So I mades some foods.

It was actually a bento recipe, from the Just Bento site. She called it Sweet Pepper and Carrot confetti. So I guess that's what I'll call it as well. It's a really simple recipe, which I obviously adore, because hard complex recipes make my eyes go funny.

It was delicious. And I will definitely be making it a staple.

Ingredients:

1/2 an onion
2 sweet peppers (I think bell peppers should be fine)
1 medium sized carrot
1 stock cube
340ml of hot water
2 tablespoons of soy sauce
Black pepper

Makes approximately 2/3 servings (depending on how hungry you are!)

I chopped diced up half of a red onion I had lurking in my fridge (terminology is hard!).


Then I chopped up the sweet peppers too!


Eventually they end up diced.

Then I got confused. How do you dice a carrot!?


By cutting each slice into quarters? No?


Well that's how I did it. Oh well.

The original recipe calls for dashi, but I'm not that authentic. And I don't have any vegetable stock in *carnivore face* So I used a fish stock cube.

Hello fishy!


I dissolved the stock cube in about the hot water, and then put it on to boil.

Is it boiling? Is it boiling? Did I put in too much water?

No, it's okay, it's boiling.


Getting this close is a silly thing to do.

Then I put the chopped vegetables (the onion, the carrot and the peppers) into the boiling stock...


and left it until all the water had evaporated. It took about 20 minutes.

Then I threw in about the soy sauce (it sizzles incredibly) and added a liberal amount of black pepper.

All that was left was lovely, caramelised vegetables - or confetti, if you're trying to sell this to people who despise the 'v' word.


I ate it with brown rice and sprinkled nori on top.

This is the moderate amount of nori I put on for presentation. And then I om nom nommed my way through the entire plate.

Tuesday 12 October 2010

Twists of HORRIFIC TERROR!

Well, less of the horror, but they're a bit messy and certainly bordering on the terror.

Two weeks ago today, one of my favourite aunts put my hair into twists.

It was so painful, my eyes started running (I don't cry).

She did all the stuff I'm vehemently against: Using some gunky, beeswax and petrolateum based gel that she uses in her locs to do the twists; she combed my hair dry; and when she combed it, she dragged it from the roots upwards.
As if having to experience my hair being pulled out forcibly wasn't bad enough, I could bloody well hear them as well, like a bleeding rice krispies advert:
Snap, crackle, pop!

Hello A Simple Thing. Meet Hair Hell. Hair Hell, A Simple Thing.
I even got tapped on the head with the comb for shifting about!

Afterwards, I was like, no, I'm too old for this shiz.


I admit, I thought I looked cute.




But I had to take two paractamol to deal with the pain.

I repeat: I'M TOO OLD FOR THIS SHIZ! *throws a tantrum*

I generally tend to hate it when other people do my hair, since they never listen to me, and think they know best and it all goes terribly Pete Tong (cockney rhyming slang for 'wrong') and I suffer for a day and then take it out.
However, due to the trauma I suspect my hair went through being combed, I decided to leave the twists in for a month. No physical manipulation. Apart from the regular stuffs and fiddle-ation.

But it's going on the third week and it's looking like a dog's bark: Ruff! *snickers at own joke*


So I've been tying a scarf around it, in a style I like to call " The Backwards Babouska":



If that fails, I go with my hat (that I actually made myself - I may post a tutorial in the future). A satin bonnet underneath is necessary for protection and avoid fluff-in-hair-itis.

But then, I just couldn't take it anymore...and I took them out *pops a fudge piece and dares you to judge her*

The tiny size of the twists has resulted in a crazy twist out. I don't think it's safe for public consumption. So, no pics. Desolée!

I think I'm just going to wear this twist out for a while...maybe until a bird mistakes me for nesting material or something....

Monday 11 October 2010

Original Inspiration

One of my friends was the original inspiration for me to go natural, and she wrote kind of mini interview about her hair here.

If you're a bit of a newbie or a transition, you may find it helpful for advise and stuffs ^_^

It's basically my hair philosophy in a nutshell. Which is weird, because I haven't spoken to her about hair in about 7 years!

I just thought it was nice and got all excited when I saw it, so I thought I'd share :)

Friday 8 October 2010

Fresher's Fair!


We gave out over 500 leaflets for our society. I had to keep running to the library and printing off more. I fail at Presidential delegation.


There were so many people!

And we got over 100 e-mail sign ups. So, I think this was a pretty good Fresher's Fair. And our stall did rock.

And more importantly, the freebies! Whoo!


I didn't jiggle the camera. That's how fast the dude was handing out free pizza.
Promise.

One of the staff on one of the stall's did her own seasonal make - up.

As I didn't love their store already.

A Jack Daniel's cowboy hat that some stall was handing out.


They'd run out of sombreros, which made me sad.

Now The Wonder Thing and I can't match.

My friend BeeBee, styling the aforementioned cowboy hat in an appropriately suave manner.


She was so insanely enamoured of the hat I had to give it to her!


All the swag I dost picketh up from the Freebie fair (minus the hat).

Yes, that is a loaf of bread in front.

Surely you know that bread is a staple product for 85% of British students?

Wednesday 6 October 2010

Boy from Brixton

What with all the ruckus I've been causing at home this summer, I nearly forgot about one of my university friends.

He sings like an angel (fortunate, since he was named after one).

He slays womens left, right and centre with his lovely and sweet personality.

He's - he's -

You know what, words just don't do justice.

Here's my boy from Brixton!

Monday 4 October 2010

It's Fresh Meat Week!

Er, I mean, it's Fresher's Week!

That means a buck load of new university students are nervously unpacking their bags and duvets, and undy wears (hopefully) and pictures and teddy bears and other stuffs.
They've said good bye to their loved ones and kicked their napping mothers out of their (single) beds.
So, as someone who has been through it twice before, having survived armed primarily with ear plugs and a mean mugging expression, here are some tips for les newbies!

Before we begin, please be aware that if at the time of reading, it's not legal for you to drink in your country, don't take my advise as a reason to start. Mmmkay?
Plus, I'm really fussy and am only friends with people who shower on at least a weekly basis. You may find some people who aren't that bothered. Everybody's differeeent!

Financial

1. Getting money is exciting. Especially money you haven't worked for (yet). Please prioritise what you spend it on! Yes, that designer something may be cute looking and if you wear it every day for your entire degree, then you'll get your money's worth, but if you die of starvation first, then that's just plain stupid. So remember to buy food, okay?
No, seriously. I have seen people try and survive on Sainsbury's basics 9p noodles.
It's not pretty.

2. When you go home, go shopping at home.

By this, I mean raid the cupboard of tinned things.

You, Indiana Jones. Can of Baked Beans, Holy Grail.

3. Always ask if a shop has a student discount! The worst that could happen is they say no.
Unless they start throwing eggs at you instead.
That's definitely worse than them saying no.
But hey, at least you know not to go back there now!

4. If there is a freebie fair, go and pick up all the special offers and discounts that you can.
Getting there before it officially opens, since all the second and third and fourth years will have done this. I found Masters students in the front of the queue!

5. ...but at the same time, only use the special offers when it's actually worth it. Using the pizza voucher and splitting the cost (and saving) between 3 of you is sensible. Using the £9.99 for a pizza of any size voucher to eat an extra large pizza every night is plain stupid. (Unless you're financially inclined that way).
Especially if you're doing it by yourself.

6. Everyone's situation is different. So, for some people, it's cheaper or them to eat together and share out the cost that way.
But if you find your friends are constantly coming over to yours and never invite you to theirs for dinner. Well. I think this makes you a bit of a schmuck.

Or Nigerian. Or a Monica hostess.

Or maybe you don't like your friends' cooking.

Moving on swiftly....

Social

7. Beware of taking pictures. They will turn up on Facebook. Even if you un-tag yourself, they're still there! Lurking on the interwebs....

8. You know that person who gets wasted and throws up and their clothes get all ripped up and stuff? And they wake up the next day completely ignorant of where they are?
Don't be that person.
Especially now that Facebook will rat you out to your family.

9. All the drinking and bar crawls - these aren't the only way to meet people and make friends (especially if you're not into drinking). Societies are a great way to meet people with similar interests.
It makes sense, but I know a depressingly large amount of Fresher's who don't do anything in their first year.
Except drink, but that kind of goes without saying.

10. Try and get out of your house and have a bit of a wander around campus. Where I live seems to have been built especially to prevent socialising, but doing simple things like leaving your door open, or going into the communal space to introduce yourself to your room/flat/house mate is one way to get to know peoples.

11. Hygiene is important. Your flatmates are unlikely to find the mould on your plate as hilariously funny/intriguing/delicious as you. You don't need to be obsessive about it, just polite. For example, try not to culture a new breed of bacteria in your tea cup.
It makes the Earl Grey taste funny.

12. When you're out and about in town, just have your head screwed on and do the usual (especially if you're in a big city):
- Don't leave your drink unattended, or it may get spiked. Yes, this does still happen.

- Always keep an eye on your friends, and hopefully they should do the same for you.

- If someone you know is wasted, don't leave them by themselves.

- Try and hang out with people who had an iota of a sense of responsibility if you plan on murking yourself stupid.
If you constantly go out to get drunk , you may find a lot of people won't want to hang out with you. See 6 and 7

- Don't think it won't happen to you, because that's when it usually does. So walk in well-lit streets, preferably sober and always tell people where you're going. If walking is out of the question, phone for a cab from a reputable company and makes sure they have your correct details.


13. Look after yourself! If you're on campus, and you no longer have your family to care for you, you need to act an adult. (Note I used the word 'act'). Like, trying to take regular showers. And eating well.
Burgers and chips are yummy, but after a while, they'll wear your body down.
And you can't think straight because your brain hasn't got any real fuel to run off, (because Haribo is not a food group, nor does it contain any real nutrients), and you have a feeling that that funky smell is coming from you, then your mental self (as well as your physical self) will suffer.

Oh, lord, how it will suffer.

If not for you, at least look after yourself for the rest of the world. We have rights, you know.
Enduring your unholy pong is not one of them.

Academic

14. Yes, I know lectures (in most courses at most universities) aren't compulsory. I mean, most teachers don't even take register! And if you've stayed out until 5am that morning, that 9am lecture doesn't look too great.
But let's do some maths.
For the academic year 2010-2011, the average English/Welsh student's tuition fees are £3,225.
And let's say you have 8 contact hours a week on average, and ten weeks in a term/semester:

So £3,225 / 3 (terms/semesters) = £1075 per term/semester

£1075 / 10 (weeks) = £107.5 per week

£107.5 / 8 = £13.4375 per hour.

So every time a lecture is missed, the average student pees £14 down the drain.
Once or twice is fine.
If you're really not that bothered, stay at home, don't go to university and save yourself £30,000 worth of debt.
But if you never turn up, that's a truck load of money you've spend for nothing.
Do you know what I could do with a truck load of money? I seem to remember touching on it here.

15. Not withstanding the financial cost, it could hit you academically: if your lecturer says something life-shattering that turns out to be an exam question, or gives everyone a hand-out, or explains something that you don't understand 25 weeks later, the night before your big exam ...

Well, all the Red Bull and Haribo in the world can't help you now.

16. If you can, try and do a little bit of work before the deadline. And I don't just mean the night before. It will soften the blow of the inevitable all-nighter. The first one is the hardest.
You'll swear you'll never do it again....

This is usually a lie.

17. If your lecturer gives you an article to read that they've written, don't decide not to read it simply because you think they're arrogant.
Embrace the arrogance.
Encourage the arrogance.
Reference the arrogance in your essay and exam.
And when it is time to graduate, get the arrogance to write you a glowing reference.

18. Most courses you have to work hard to actually flunk.

Please don't work hard in that direction.

You will shame your family, and no longer be able to raid the cupboards for food.

19. If you need help, then find out where to get it. Ask your tutors or your classmates. Some universities have specialist departments that help students look over their work and give them feedback and help.
Ask SOMEONE.
But don't be irritating about it, constantly harassing the same person who has the same, if not heavier, workload.
For example, if you were sick and missed the lecture, I will give you my notes.
If you went out, got wasted, made out with 25 different people, threw up in front of my door and before crawling into bed and missed the lecture, which I know all about thanks to a certain social networking site, you can bloody well jog on mate.

20. Most importantly, have fun! Try and leave with (mainly) good memories, rather than sucky ones of you being stuck in the library for the entirity of your degree, because you were so obsessive over work.

Or, just a big blank for the last couple of years, since you've been so wasted you can't remember any of it.

Dude(tte). Not cool.

Remember the work life balance - although you're there for a degree, university/college is all about the experience as an entirety.

Enjoy yourself!

Saturday 2 October 2010

POW!

*Puts on gangsta hat*

Coco and Creme wrote a little article on 'Fly International Chicks'.

Getchu a piece.

'Cos it's wicked, innit?



Normal language will be resumed on Monday, when I have recovered from unpacking (>.<)

Friday 1 October 2010

Final Year aspirations

I should be moving onto campus tomorrow (and technically, I should be packing now).

Agh! Last year of uni!

I thought I'd write a list of stuff I want to have achieved by the end of this year:, academic and otherwise:

- Have an awesome stall at Fresher's Fair!

- Get a high 2:1 (above 65%) or a 1st in my degree

- Quit Theatre Group!

- Finish my dissertation

- Get onto a PGCE

- Cut cake making down to once a month

- Get my bento making game up to scratch!

- Be able to have a gentle conversation in Mandarin and/or Japanese

- Help my college team get 3rd or 2nd place in the league.

- Stop getting sucked into the ridiculous drama of a certain friend group(s).

- Focus on the Belly dancing society properly

- Stop ignoring my commitments. Or, stop signing up to so many (sssh, pretend we don't see the irony!)

- Hit Bra Strap length with the hair

- Learn to use the family camera (because my camera phone is pants)!

- Run a 5k....? Okay, maybe that's reaching a little bit.

I mean, there's goals, and then there's dreams...

Anyone else got any targets they're aiming for by summer time?