Beloved Voyeurs

Monday, 23 February 2009

Growing old disgracefully

I am 27. I know this because it says so on my drivers license and my passport and other important documents. However, I'm sure this is some kind of practical joke, as I'm reasonably convinced I am still 15, I am in no way an adult, and that even though I do things like pay council tax, it's not really real, I'm just playing at being a grown up. When people ask if I have kids (which I do plan to do one day) I just looked shocked, then remember that this is not a ridiculous question. That, in fact, Wellingborough is full of people my age with children at secondary school. Thing is, I still think I'm a kid. I am yet to complete any of life's milestones... no kids, not married, no mortgage, no degree, haven't even really sorted a career out yet, although have eventually found a foundation I like. Looking at my mother, I'm not sure this will ever change. I just hope that my more childish traits come off as more adorable and cute and less lame and unhinged!

Anyway, commenced birthday celebrations on Thursday. Shipped Pete off to Retro-Beat at The Horseshoe, and had the girls (i.e. Caz, Chrissy, Pebbles, Carly, Tahnee & Isabel) round for an Ann Summers party. Isabel was selling off her kit as it was her last party before moving to Cyprus so we picked up some bargains. I bought the Deadly Desires and Entice basques:

All in all, was a good laff. Then headed into town to hear Pete DJ at Retro-Beat.


Friday was my actual birthday. Had a pretty lazy day, which was nice, with Pete spoiling me. I got money from various people, a great Debbie Harry tee from Caz along with an iPod sock (I've been carrying mine around in an actual sock), Madagascar on DVD, a bottle of Cava and some chapagne flutes from Mum & Paul... winner of the weirdest gift does go to my dad's mother who sent me £26 in £2 coins in a jam jar and 3 tea towels. In the evening Dad and DJ popped over with a very nice bottle of champagne so I spent the evening drinking that whilst munching a takeaway from Bentos.

Saturday, me and Pete went into Northampton to check out the Anne Frank exhibition at the Guildhall. My brother has been volunteering at it while it's on so we went in, said hi, and had a look around. Then I went to my opticians, finally accepting my Miu Miu frames have had it, and ordered a new pair of glasses and stocked up on contact lenses. Should get the new glasses in the next few days. Unusually the frames I chose are actually really cheap! I did spend some time lingering around the Prada display, but to be honest I think they were a little old for me. Much as I love diamante, I don't think it works on glasses until a certain age, and even then you're flirting with Dame Edna territory. Wandered back to Guildhall to find DJ, and stopped to look in a jeweller's en route. Saw a very nice platinum and diamond ring for £13,999. The rock was huge! I pointed it out to Pete. He commented how nice the white gold and diamond £750 one was (which, actually, it was). I pointed out that if we ever did decide to get married, I would be demanding a bigger and shinier ring that the one Matt has bought Tahnee (which is very very nice and has set the standard, since they're the first of my close friends to get engaged). We dropped the subject, anyway! I lurked around the Guildhall waiting for DJ, while Pete disappeared into the record fair across the hall. I killed time by reading the plaques on the wall, my favourite being a list of "Wives and Consorts of the Mayor of Northampton". Consorts... I do love that term. Sounds classy yet illegitimate! Once I did manage to gather the boys, we went to Buddies for lunch, since DJ had never been. For those not familiar with Northampton, Buddies is an American style diner in an old school in a backstreet. It's pretty tiny and always busy, and crammed floor to ceiling with tacky Americana... inflatable Bud bottles, bumper stickers, The Simpsons memorabilia. They do about 30 different types of burger, but I went for the steak, which I have to say was pretty impressive. Even had a dessert (typically huge) and spent the rest of the day feeling like I was going to explode. Went home for a nap and ended up sleeping until 7pm. It's a hard life.

Anyway, birthday festivities will resume next weekend. Me and Caz (and her brother, Martin) are having a joint birthday do. Well, we're gathering everyone in town and getting drunk... not sure if that really constitutes a 'do' as such but it should be fun. Not worked out what to wear yet though... maybe a basque? Well, I'm not that old yet, I might as well get em out while I can!

Sunday, 22 February 2009

iPod Recently Played for the last week

Here's what the 'Shuffle songs' setting on the iPod has been throwing up at me this week:

Because The Night - Patti Smith Group
Piece Of My Heart - Big Brother & The Holding Company
Loving Arms - Beautiful South
Blue (Da Ba Dee) (DJ Ponte Ice Pop Radio Edit) - Eiffel 65
She Drove Me To Daytime Television (XFM Session) - Funeral For A Friend
Saltwater - Chicane feat Maire Brennan
Light My Fire - The Doors
'Round Springfield (Medley) - The Simpsons
Sa raison d'etre (Live) - Pascal Obispo
Everybody (Backstreet's Back) - Backstreet Boys
Bizarre Love Triangle - New Order
The Circus Of Dr Lao - The Future/The Human League
The Night Train - Kadoc
Plump - Hole
Somebody Told Me - The Killers
Real Wild Child - Josie And The Pussycats
Hussel - M.I.A. feat Afrikan Boy
Kiss Kiss (Jah Wobble Remix) - Holly Valance
Get A Real Tattoo (Live) - Six By Seven
Across 110th Street - Bobby Womack
The Only Way - Gotye
The Age Of Love - The Age Of Love
Who's That Calling? - Blue Apple Boy
What's It Gonna Be - H "Two" O feat Platnum
Substance (Felix Da Housecat Remix) - Dot Allison with Miss Kittin
Mother Stands For Comfort - Kate Bush
This Way - Jewel
One More Murder - Better Than Ezra
Just A Little - Liberty X
Shining Light - Ash
Ding A Dong - Edwyn Collins
Spacetravel - Bush
Black Coffee - All Saints
Rester Femme - Axelle Red
Oops!...I Did It Again - Britney Spears
Tu Seras Bien - Axel Bauer
Runaway Lover - Madonna
Castles In The Sky - Ian Van Dahl
Held - Smog
She's A Mystery - Bon Jovi
Caught By The Fuzz - Supergrass
Win You Over - Forever Moon
Ce Matin La - Air
Sweet Emotion - Aerosmith
Save Your Kisses For Me - Kenickie
Sitting At Home - Honeycrack
Don't Speak (Single Version) - Clueless
Protection (J Sw!ft Mix) - Massive Attack
Die In The Summertime - Manic Street Preachers
It Ain't What You Do - Bananarama
Fatigante - Louise Attaque
Rain (Vocal Mix) - Kerri Chandler
No Goodbyes - The Subways
Don't Stop Movin' (Original Version) - Livin' Joy
Special Delivery - The Offspring
The Stoop - Little Jackie
Three Lions (Jules Rimet Extended Mix) - Baddiel & Skinner & Lightning Seeds
The World Should Revolve Around Me - Little Jackie
New Moon On Monday - Duran Duran
One Of The People (Shark Tank Mix) - Adamski's Thing feat Gerideau
Loneliness - Tomcraft
Kabul Shit - Lily Allen
I Think We're Alone Now - Tiffany
What Do I Have To Do - Kia
Why Can't We Turn On The Lights - Space
Femme Fatale - The Velvet Underground & Nico
Primus (Live) - Babes In Toyland
Yesterday - P.P. Arnold
Survival - Madonna
Promise - My Scarlet Life
Break Apart Her Heart - Good Charlotte
Air - Ben Folds Five
Simple & Funky - Alliance Ethnik
Steal My Sunshine - Len
Ninja Hi Skool - Bis
Et quand bien meme - Jane Birkin
Tales Of A Dead Scene - Soulwax
Eddie - Rocky Horror Picture Show Original Film Soundtrack
Tusk - Fleetwood Mac
Something Better Change - The Stranglers
If You Only Let Me In - MN8
Ready Or Not - The Fugees
Family Portrait - Pink
When The Rain Falls - Suede
Straight Up - Chante Moore
I Know What I'm Here For - James
Viens boire un petit coup - Licence IV
3 Is A Magic Number - Embrace
Strange And Beautiful (I'll Put A Spell On You) (Jacknife Lee Mix) - Aqualung
Starman - David Bowie
The Boy With The Thorn In His Side - The Smiths
Asking For It - Hole
To You I Bestow - Mundy
Speed Of Sound - Coldplay
Can't Cry Anymore - Sheryl Crow
Artificial Sweetener - No Doubt
Slave Boy - Lolita Storm
Suerte (Whenever, Wherever) (Album Version) - Shakira

Wednesday, 18 February 2009

Mistresses (BBC 1, last night)

Something hit me while idly watching the first episode of the new series of Mistresses last night.

I think I'd seen the show before, and I'd read bits and bobs promoting it, so I had a general idea what I was in for. Besides, needed to kill time before Shameless was one.

I realised that the programme, and others like it, are 'grass is greener' television. Over-the-top scenes of illicit romps in hotel rooms with mysterious strangers... I remember being single, I remember liaisons, I do not remember anything like that. But then, I'm in my twenties, no kids, no mortgage, and whilst I'm very happy in my relationship and would like it to last, it isn't set in stone that this is my life until the day that I die. There is still possibilities, and my wild (ish) past is not that far behind me. I am not the target market for this show.

The target market are people who will look at these scenes and it will fulfill their 'grass is greener' fantasies that they secretly harbor. They will never go out and do these things, they don't have the energy once the kids are in bed, and his shirts need ironing, and they have to be up early to drop the Volvo at the garage. But, they will watch this show, tell themselves it's real, that people out there are doing that, let the thought flit across their mind, and return to boring normality.

I suppose the real difference between them and me is that I could do this stuff if I wanted. I don't, but I guess I have that option. I also have the option not to bother watching Mistresses again. Not that the world it portrays bothers me at all, it's the world of its viewers that I can't avoid thinking of that plunges me into the depths of despair.

I have nothing against marriages, mortgages, and kids, I hasten to add. But these are not things I intend to get tangled up in until I've done all I feel I need to do that they may stop me doing. Hopefully, doing things that way will prevent me ever feeling the need to go weak at the knees while watching crap television on an overstuffed floral sofa.

Thrills, Pills, and Headaches

I had a migraine yesterday. I don't get them often and I don't know what caused it. However, like most people, I am perfectly willing to speculate so it could have been caused by tiredness, the fact my glasses need replacing, or my excessive chocolate consumption. I don't know if any of those could cause a migraine but they sound plausible. Yesterday I stayed in bed until 5.15, at which point I crawled downstairs wrapped in a duvet, woke up Pete who was sleeping on the floor (signed off with bad back), and complained of hunger. Then I couldn't sleep last night. This may have been due to excessive sleeping during the day, or poor injured Pete's twitching, shuffling and snoring (snoring has nothing to do with said injury but I don't feel I can beat him up about that just now). Which brings us to today when I'm at my desk in the office feeling uncomfortably warm, nauseous, and with a lingering headache. I feel bad for having missed work yesterday so I'm hesitant to go home, but at the same time, I'm of very little use, performing only simple tasks, and mainly hiding behind my monitors, procrastinating by checking Facebook, Twitter, and here. This just serves to make me feel even more wretched. I'm trying to force myself to sit it out until at least mid-afternoon when perhaps I can beg for mercy and depart early. However in the meantime, if anyone asks me to do anything to complicated, I may well cry.

It's my birthday on Friday. I'm sure this is contributing to my cheery demeanour.

Friday, 13 February 2009

*ahem*

I have been a lax blogger of late, but, inspired by Dave's fantastic effort, My Life Is A Sitcom, I have decided to turn over a new leaf. Or whatever the digital equivalent may be. Anyway, I promise to be better. Although not right now, because I actually have work to do. I just wanted to state my intentions.

Sunday, 1 February 2009

iPod Recently Played for the last week

Admittedly, I took a couple of days to listen to my new purchases (Franz Ferdinand's Ulysses EP, Lily Allen's The Fear EP, Maximo Park's Our Earthly Pleasures, and Portishead's Dummy) but this is what the random setting came up with this week.

Stuck On Repeat (Edit) - Little Boots
Drivin' Me Wild - Common feat Lily Allen
Girl With The Sparkling Eyes - Bellatrix
Take Me Back (Radio Edit) - Tinchy Stryder feat Taio Cruz
Crying Blood - VV Brown
London Underground - Amateur Transplants
10,000 Promises - Backstreet Boys
Say Yes - Elliott Smith
Smells Like Teen Spirit (Live) - Nirvana
Fame - David Bowie
Our Lips Are Sealed - Fun Boy Three
I Need You - LeAnn Rimes
I Am Blessed - Eternal
A Season Of Fire 1: The Crimson Strain 2: Redstorm Rising - Scott Mosher
Bullet - Acts Magdalena
Atomic - Blondie
We Belong In This World Together - Stereo MC's
Suffering - Psyren
Wrong 'Em Boyo - The Clash
All Melody Maker Readers Are Pointless Little Shits - JP Killham feat MC Grr
Don't Want To Forgive Me Now - Wet Wet Wet
She's A Star - James
Perfect - Smashing Pumpkins
You Can Do It - No Doubt
Verone - Cast Of Romeo & Juliette
Gabriel - Ash
Intro - UNKLE
We Are Broken - Paramore
Serotonin - Mansun
Vultures - The Offspring
She's So High - Blur
Ashes To Coal - The Somatics
Who's Got A Match? - Biffy Clyro
U.S. Fade Out - Atari Teenage Riot
Atmosphere - Joy Division
Long Time Woman - Pam Grier
Oops (Oh My) - Tweet
Shut Up (Album Version) - Kelly Osbourne
The Winners Song - Peter Kay
Sunshine Of Your Love - Ella Fitzgerald
Breathe - Kylie Minogue
I Write Sins Not Tradgedies - Panic! At The Disco
The Sweet Escape - Gwen Stefani feat Akon
Metaphorically - The Free French
Jenny Was A Friend Of Mine - The Killers
Go Wild In The Country - Bow Wow Wow
Kiss Their Sons - Transvision Vamp