Below are the most recent 4 friends' journal entries.

Wednesday, January 6th, 2010
magic_treehouse	5:10p	My 2009 January – Spend New Year in Crewe and went to Chester Zoo which was brilliant but bloody freezing. Introduce my Grandma to James for the first time. Picked over the remains of Woolworths (RIP). Lucy comes to visit. My sister goes to hospital with chest pains. She’s fine. Apparently a lot of teenage girls get it. Hmm. That stuff aside, January is a bit of a killer mostly because work was terrible. I couldn’t wait to get to the end when I visited Iceland.  February – Had the most amazing time in Iceland. It’s just a stunning country, even under all the snow. I saw the Northern Lights, visited Pingvillar National Park, saw the Gullfoss waterfalls, saw the original Geyser, and many other things. They have some damn tasty snacks. Their chocolate is great as are pastry products. Not the dried fish though. Ugh. Ended the holiday by bathing in an outdoor geothermal pool. One of the most amazing things ever, my skin felt wonderful for weeks after and I still daydream about the place even now. I should probably move there. I bet I could buy a house for a bag of chips. In other more boring news I went for a job interview at Keighley library. I didn’t get the job but it’s the first of many I’ll go for. Start to look for flats in Leeds and then secure one. March - Went to see Lenny Henry in Northern Broadside’s Othello and West Side Story. Moved to Leeds, a great decision even if we did get stung by our cunty landlords and suffered stupid deliveries. April – Uni starts to come to a climax and the fear sets in. Saw The Tempest which was disappointing despite it being performed by the Royal Shakespeare Company. My line manager leaves her job leaving me as the sole Quality person in the College. Go back to Crewe for a bit and visit my old colleagues at the library. Bought some amazing knitted peas from a stall on Brewery Wharf. Ordered my Girls Aloud singles box set. Frivolous yes, but I never got to have a proper pop phase when I was growing up. May – My 25th birthday. I spend it in Tropical World, walking round Roundhay Park and having tea in Little Tokyo, my favourite restaurant. (up to 10th). Visited James’ grandma and family for his birthday. It was ok although james didn’t have a good time :s Have to deal with an OfSTED visit at work on my own. Went to see Ross Noble in York who is hilarious as usual. Go to see Saint Etienne in Sheffield who perform the whole of Foxbase Alpha and some other hits. Went to a BBQ at Rich and Greg’s but had to come home early as it was Eurovision night! Went to London for the weekend and saw Hairspray, had an explore around Greenwich, took a boat down the Thames and went to see Girls Aloud at the O2. Saw An Inspector Calls at Leeds Grand. It’s the most awful play I’ve ever scene and we nearly walked out.   June – Went to see Bedroom Farce which turns out to be the best play I’ve seen. Finally got round to having a house warming party with lots of board games and then a night out at Baja and introduce the world to my ‘Single Ladies’ routine. My Mum and sister come to visit and we take them to Harewood House where we watched a bee-hive demonstration. July – Go to the Thackery Museum in Leeds. On getting to the section entitled ‘pus’ I promptly pass out. This was the worst thing that happened this year as, as a consequence, I suffered numerous panic attacks and anxiety related problems for as long as six months afterwards. It’s just shit. July’s a rough month. My Girls Aloud box set arrives! Went to see The Saturdays in Manchester. Went to Party in the Park in Leeds. Highlights are Dizzee Rascal, Little Boots and Frankmusik. August – Went to Leeds Gay Pride. Had an interview at Halifax Central Library, another job I don’t get. Visit my family in Crewe and go to the Blue Planet, and have ice cream at Snugbury’s! September – Come back from our holiday in Mayrhofen in Austria. Wonderful Alpine country with glorious weather. We did loads and saw a lot – waterfalls, farms, mountains, glaciers, cities. Really good fun. And beautiful, everywhere was covered in flowers. Some great experiences. Write my dissertation. It makes me want to cry and I resent writing every single word. When I finish it James takes me to Little Tokyo to celebrate. October – Saw Dial M For Murder at the West Yorkshire Playhouse. Went for an interview at Leeds College Of Art, I don’t get that one either. Jonathan comes to visit and we revel in computer gamer-y at the Expo exhibit in Leeds. Had a lovely day in York too. Went to see Alesha Dixon in Manchester.   November – Went to see Alphabeat in Leeds. Went to see Frankmusik and then VV Brown as well. Two years worth of studying leads to me getting a merit for my MSc making me a proper Master of Science and a master of libraries. Not that I work in one…Go to London to see John Barrowman not perform in Les Cages Aux Folles (boo), and Blood Brothers. Meet Melanie C who is lovely. December – Interrupt a game of strip gay Wii bowling when we go to Rich and Greg’s flat. Several icy weather causes me to fall on my arse a number of times. Inspires me to buy three pairs of trainers in the Xmas sales though – more than I’ve ever owned! Went to see The Pet Shop Boys At the MEN. Spend our first Xmas alone and cook a lovely dinner. Visit James’ family for more food and then my family for New Year. So on paper it looks like I've had a pretty good year and I have. It was just marred by an over bearer anxiety, but let's forget about that because wirting it all down has made me feel that 2009 was full of a lot of highs for me and that's the main thing. And there's been some great music and films released this year which have bucked the mainstream in a way. Music-wise I've made a list of my favourite albums but to be honest, the to p could seriously go in any order as there have been loads of excellent albums I've had the chance to listen to and yet there has not been one absolute stunner. Not that this matters when things are as good as this. Still, there were a few reliable groups that really let me down, mostly electro ones. Client, Fischerspooner and IAMX produced albums I wasn't fussed by and I thought they were a sure bet. Cheryl Cole's was beyond disappointing as well and La Roux's effort and Florence and the Machine's could both have been better. Top albums of 2009: 1. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - It's Blitz! 2. Little Boots - Hands 3. Annie - Don't Stop 4. Lady Gaga - The Fame/Fame Monster 5. Venus Hum - Mechanics and Mathematics 6. Frankmusik - Complete Me 7. VV Brown - Travelling Like The Light 8. Dragonette - Fixin To Thrill 9. Peaches - I Feel Cream 10. Dan Black - Un 11. Pet Shop Boys - Yes 12. Bat For Lashes - Two Suns 13. The Noisettes - Wild Young Hearts 14. Charlotte Hatherley - New Worlds 15. La Roux - La Roux 16. Depeche Mode - Sounds Of The Universe 17. Florence and the Machine - Lungs 18. Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix My soundtrack to 2009 (in no order): Shakira - She Wolf Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Zero Depeche Mode - Wrong Beyonce - Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It) Lady Gaga - Just Dance Bat For Lashes - Daniel Lily Allen - The Fear Peaches - Lose You Frankmusik - 3 Little Words VV Brown - Shark In The Water Alphabeat - The Spell Charlotte Hatherley - White Pet Shop Boys - Love Etc. Natalie Imbruglia - Want La Roux - Bulletproof Noisettes - Don't Upset The Rhythm Venus Hum - Mechanics and Mathematics Mini Viva - Left My Heart In Tokyo Black Eyed Peas - Meet Me Halfway Dizzee Rascal - Bonkers Annie - Anthonio Little Boots - Remedy I'm not going to do a retrospective of the 00s because every time I think about them all I think of is how bad it all was. Terrorism, the economy, the music industry going down the pan etc. Hell even something that seems to be quite good like the internet falls apart on closer inspection. It's addictive but a lot of it's superfulous and trivial. For every 2.0 application that brings people together there are plenty more that concentrate on individualism and self-promotion. You only have to look what it's done to the music industry. I can't help but feel that people have lost the appreciation of music as an art form. The internet has its plus points though, I'd just like to see the next year or so move away from depending on it, and that goes for me too. Anyway, it's hard to be optimistic about the 2010s when the Tories are likely to get in in May. Boo. Current Mood: cold (Comment on this)
Tuesday, January 5th, 2010
magic_treehouse	5:12p	2009 quiz 1.What did you do in 2007 that you'd never done before?: Went to Iceland, saw the Northern Lights, bathed in a geothermal spa, saw the original Geyser, move to Leeds, went on a boat down the Thames, wore a bee-keepers helmet, pass out in a museum, have panic attacks, write a dissertation, become a Master of Science, visit Innsbruck and Salzberg, eat proper wienerschnizel and wild boar, see snow in August, take a cable car (or rather three) up to a height of 3200m, go to a computer game exhibit, met a Spice Girl, cooked my own Xmas dinner. That’s a fair amount! 2. Did you keep your New Year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year?: I don’t make them although this year I vowed to not become so encompassed by work. I succeeded I’m glad to say and my LJ was filled with less boring work witterings than normal. The only thing I definitely want to achieve this year is getting a library job. I have faith it’ll happen, I know that patience is the key and I’ve only just got my full qualification after all. I’ve certainly gone about it the long way round though. 3. Did anyone close to you give birth?: No 4. Did anyone close to you die?: No. 5. What countries did you visit?: Iceland and Austria. I’ve been spoilt for holidays this year and I’ve been very lucky to visit two beautiful countries. 6. What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009?: A library job and my full health back. 7. What dates from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?: This question’s always a load a rubbish. There aren’t many dates I remember! Moving to Leeds was a big thing though. 8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?: Moving to Leeds, getting my MSc, travelling a bit. 9. What was your biggest failure?: My health without a doubt. 10. Did you suffer illness or injury?: Yes! Panic attacks and anxiety related disorders for six months of the year was just not very good. I didn’t think it was anxiety related as that just seemed so stupid. But I’m accepted it now. I’m a very rational person so to have this completely irrational thing completely threw me. It just doesn’t make sense but I’ve battled it irrationally and won for now thankfully! 11. What was the best thing you bought?: My Xbox 360 felt like a frivolous buy to me but it’s given me endless fun. Sad I know. 12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?: James as usual. 13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?  The human race. This is the first year that I’ve ever thought, ‘right human race, you’re fucked and you deserve everything you get’. It wasn’t even the failure in Copenhagen to come to an agreement about what should be done about climate change although that helped. The thing that broke me was people rushing to buy old light bulbs in order to stock pile them. I thought that if people don’t even want to make tiny sacrifices like that (and it’s not really one at all) then they deserve to drown in the rising seas. Gah! As well as that right-wing groups made me very angry. And scared.   14. Where did most of your money go?: Well rent I suppose, and holidays! And CDs as usual. 15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?: Going on holiday to wonderful places. Getting my MSc results. Seeing some wonderful gigs. I was very excited about Girls Aloud, Alphabeat and Saint Etienne especially. 16. What songs will always remind you of 2009? It’s been the year of Lady Gaga hasn’t it, so ‘Poker Face’. Quite a few songs will remind me of the year as it’s been quite a good year for varied pop music. Beyonce’s ‘Single Ladies’ too, and Shakira’s ‘She-Wolf’. Awooooo! 17. Compared to this time last year, are you: a) happier or sadder? Happier, illness not withstanding. b) Richer or poorer? Richer. c) fatter or thinner? The same, and I’m fine with that. 18. What do you wish you'd done more of?: Read. 19. What do you wish you'd done less of?: Watching TV although what I watch is always planned. Panicking. 20. How did you spend Christmas?: I spent it with James at home. 21. What was your favourite TV programme? QI, The Big Bang Theory, The Thick Of It, Cranford, Life and Life In Cold Blood, was Reaper this year? There’s probably more than that. 22. Did you fall in love in 2009?: I was already there but I continued to be very much in love all year. 23. How many one night stands?: None. 24. What was your greatest musical discovery?: Frankmusik, VV Brown, Dan Black and Little Boots are all very good. 25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?: Nope. 26. What was the best book you read?: Three spring to mind - Kate Atkinson’s ‘When Will There Be Good News?, Armistead Maupin’s ‘Michael Tolliver Lives’ and Markus Zusak’s ‘The Book Thief’. 27. What was your favourite film of this year? There were a few. ‘Up’ was amazing. I loved every minute. ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ was great as was ‘Star Trek’. Also a mention for ‘The Hurt Locker’. War films are really for me but this was just stunning. There was also ‘District 9’ which was great and ‘The Hangover’ was surprisingly good as was ‘Julie and Julia’. That’s not answered the question has it?! The point is that there have been some great films released this year and none of the ones mentioned were superhero films which makes a nice change. 28. What did you want and get?: A bona fide library qualification. 29. What did you want and not get?: A new job. 30. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2009: This year I totally rocked the Sheldon-from-The-Big-Bang-Theory look. 31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?: I was 25 and I went to Tropical World and had a meal in Little Tokyo. 32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?: A new job. Not passing out in a medical museum. 33. What political issue stirred you the most?: Not sure really. I wasn’t especially riled by the MPs expenses scandal at I found it sadly quite typical. The general thing I’ve fretted about is the Tories getting in. 2010 could start the decade off very badly.  34. What kept you sane?: James, music, computer games. Note how I haven’t listed my dissertation because that did the opposite. 35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?: I’m getting worse with age. I didn’t used to fancy celebs at all but I feel like there’s a growing list! Jake Gyllenhaal is still my favourite of course. 2010 promises Prince of Persia and multiple orgasms. Others I can think of are very of ‘my type’. The one that breaks the mould is Zac Efron who I’d do unspeakably filthy things to. Well, unless Lucy and Jaqui got to him first I suppose.   36. Who did you miss?: No-one really. 37. Who was the best new person you met?: I can’t think of anyone new I’ve met this year! 38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2009: Don’t ever take your health for granted.   39. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year: I can never do this. How about – Shakira – ‘I’m start to feel just a little abused like a coffee machine in your office’? Amazing. Current Mood: chipper Current Music: Darren Hayes B-sides (2 Comments |Comment on this)
Monday, January 4th, 2010
magic_treehouse	6:26p	'I am a weapon of massive consumption, it's not my fault it's how I'm programmed to function' A quick update and then I need to do 2009 stuff. It's never too late and I want to do quizzes and general post and all sorts. We've been in Crewe over the New Year. Always a pleasure. Actually, it was good as I spent most of the time at my family's house playing board games and generally not doing very much. We had lots of fun playing Cluedo and Rapidough, it has to be said. Looking over at the other team after hearing James say, 'I don't want to say what that is!' and seeing my Mum shaping what can only be described as a giant cock may stay with me for a good while yet. Jonathan's 'ladybird' had me in stitches though, like only he can. We played on the Wii a lot as well. Super Mario always rules. So yeah, we had a nice time. As we'd already had two Xmas dinners my parents made us a buffet for New Year's instead and we ended up watching TV programmes we'd never usually watch like Eastenders (it had a gay interest story, I'm allowed!), and Waterloo Road (I got far too into this). To be honest, the New Year itself was an anti-climax even for me who stays in every year. The BBC had really scaled down the celebrations by sticking Myleen Klass in the cold for a few minutes before the fireworks went off. Disappointing! It felt like we were there for a good while really. I didn't get to see Jonathan all that much on account of his rubbish hours but bethany was around a lot with it being the school holidays so there was always someone about. It never occurred to me that going to Crewe and just being in a full house wold do wonders for my anxiety shiteness. It hasn't bothered me a jot and (touch wood) it's sorted. A good start to 2010. Another good start was filling in a job application for the Department of Health library. It took me bloody ages so if I don't get an interview I'll be so pissed off. Oh, we went to Lac Thai on New Year's Day too. I had a very taste sweet and sour chicken and of course we had the mixed starter with the vegetable bird. I took a photo this time so I'll upload it soon. Dessert was so disappointing! Tinned fruit salad with a few lychees! Not impressed! One of the things that I didn't do while at home was see my Grandma. She'd had a fall and so wasn't very well. She's getting worse sadly. My Mum said that she visited last week and she was asking about why my Auntie hadn't rung. Her being dead for five years might be the issue here. If I didn't laugh I'd cry as it breaks my heart to see her deteriorate. We did do some shopping though. We did really well in the sales as it happens. We got some dirt cheap photo albums in the right size. A miracle! I got Sarah Water's latest book as it was book of the week in Smiths. Very pleased as I've wanted it for ages. I got the Cake Wrecks book too. Amazing. james got some CDs and we had a nice time really. It is ncie to do some shopping elsewhere in Leeds, even if it is in Crewe. I haven't mentioned what other presents we got. It was mostly smelly stuff but Bethany got us some Morph book ends (y'know, I was accidentally wrote 'bell ends' then! Now that would be inappropriate.) and Jonathan got us a Lego game. We also got a Trivia Persuit 'wedge' of Food and Drink which is really hard! Just finished off my Malteasers too. Yum. I'm off until Wednesday. I'm no fool. Hurrah! We've watched TV stuff a lot lately. Doctor Who was good. Not the best but very good. The second half was better than the first I think but like the first it was very up and down. Wilfred was great though, really brilliant. David Tennant's death was very strange, it being so long. It was nice to see all of the old characters though so in that repesect it really worked. I can't think what else we've watched of late. Bits and bobs really. Current Mood: hungry Current Music: Lily Allen - It's Not Me, It's You (6 Comments |Comment on this)
Monday, December 28th, 2009
magic_treehouse	7:39p	Christmas 2009 Christmas has been a pretty successful affair, although it's not quite over for me yet as I've not seen my family yet! My haul's been very good. James' presents had a broad muppet theme and I got: The Mupper Show Season 3 on DVD A cuddly Count and Janice Angel 'Smile Time' graphic novel Muppet Christmas Carol Soundtrack A Swedish Chef mug Nausicaa Of The Valley Of The Wind Graphic Novel Cuddly Totoro Monty Python Fluxx card game A Muppets Christmas DVD 'Animal' belt Sesame Street DVD 1969-1974 Sesame Street 40th anniversary Various chocolate goods I haven't looked through them all properly yet but the Sesame Street stuff, especially the book makes for fantastic reading. I'm quite into the Muppets (good job eh?) so seeing what work goes into the shows is really interesting. We watched the first Sesame Street episode the other day and James keeps singing the songs round the house. In 1969 the only characters to appear were Bert and Ernie, Big Bird, Kermit and the Cookie Monster (who doesn't even eat cookies!). Ourliving room on Xmas day My presents to James weren't themed at all: Tetris Cube Zac Efron calendar (so fucking hot) Cow candles Black Eyed Peas 'The E.N.D' album Beyonce 'I Am...Sasha Fierce' album The Argyle Sweater 2010 desk calendar Top Trumps tournament Cows In Action book Mr Bump stress reliever Mr Bump mints Think that covers it all. Oh, and a cute toast cushion which I bought for both of us as I loved it! Haha. We played with the games and stuff a fair bit during the day. We've got various other bits from James' family too. Too many chocolates and biscuits, Ross Noble DVDs, a strange penguin thing, a digital photo frame (re-inventing the wheel? We're not convinced by it yet!). James with toast cushion and other various gifts On the day itself we played games and cooked the dinner. Very exciting as we'd never cooked a Xmas dinner before. It was a roaring success though. Should have taken a photo of it but we forgot! I was dead pleased with it though. Once that was eaten I'm ashamed to say that we watched a lot of TV. Top Of The Pops (I sung along to everything naturally and it was tonnes better than last year even though it still had Fearne 'The Programme Murderer' Cotton [who appropriately turns into Fearne Bottom when you type it into predictive text] and Reggie 'Please Punch Me In The Face' Yates), The Queen, The Gruffalo (beautifully animated), Doctor Who (OK. Got better. Too much confusion and contrived goings-on at the beginning), Strictly Come Dancing (vaguely), The Royle Family, Gavin And Stacey (Like week old sprouts. ie, off the boil) and Catherine Tate's Nan's Christmas Carol. Quite surprised by The Royle Family. I can take it or leave it usually. I find it a bit too depressing, like a lot of stuff about 'normal' families but it's miles better now they've left the house! A good day all told. Me looking quite smug with my gifts On Boxing Day we braved the shops just to leave the house. Town was busy and a lot was open. We did pretty well. We got the DK Prehistoric Life book from Smiths which we'd been after for a while. For dead cheap too. I bought the Ministry Of Sound 80s 3CD set, although I think I've over-dosed on electro 80s a bit now :s. I also got three pairs of trainers in the Schuh sale. I'm quite excited by this as I've never owned so many pairs of trainers! Yesterday we went to visit James' family. The farm was nice, still all snowy, and we got fed lots and although we didn't do a lot it was nice enough. We played Scrabble today. I won the first one, James' Dad the second. He's worse to play board games with than James, haha. Julia and James' Dad don't get on all that well and Julia always blame me for his behaviour when we visit. Unfair! He'd show off with any visitor! Caught in bed with another man Back home now. Quite glad that we've got a break before we head off to my family for New Year. I want a rest!  Current Mood: thankful Current Music: Annie - Don't Stop (5 Comments |Comment on this)