Tom's Diner

Stolen from Meredith, but this blog entry by Suzanne Vega is great.

A surprising interview

I don't know who I love more in this clip - Dizzee Rascal or Jeremy Paxman

Strangely addictive...

Streaming .TV shows by Ustream

The Guardian...

Well, it's not the paper itself, but the 'Comment is Free' section of the website commissioned 500 words from me. Hurrah! Now I have to write them...

Thank you Sandra

Just as I was getting pretty fucking disheartened about publishing any of my work ever again, my wonderful friend Sandra (who writes her own fantastic stuff - check out her blog on my links) has written this extremely supportive post. It makes me feel so much better that I want to post it in its entirety here. No hyperlinks, but you can always read it with those on her blog:

*****

Is it worth thinking about what makes comedy funny?

I suspect British academic Deborah Finding will be wondering, after her article examining how television comedy “Little Britain” works was critiqued all over the world.

The debate started in the UK and was big news in Australia here, here and here. While what’s news is essentially the same, the varying comments - many viciously personal about the researcher - give strong opinions about why it is ridiculous to claim “Little Britain” is anything but funny.

The controversy hit New Zealand here and here, and was debated at Public Address, where as elsewhere, Deborah was accused of being too “politically correct” for analysing how “Little Britain” works as comedy.

I have two admissions to make: I’ve never seen “Little Britain.” And Deborah Finding is one of my closest friends, so I read the controversial and thought-provoking article last summer.

Objectivity riders noted, what interests me most about this is the strength of world-wide reaction.

In the article, Deborah looks at the history of British comedy and how it “works.” She is especially interested in comedy that claims to be ironic or alternative to mainstream values. She suggests that while “Little Britain” is satire, it ”works” as comedy because the figures it mocks are recognisable stereotypes that we want to be able to laugh at - because on some level they disgust us.

Vicky Pollard is described as ASBO-enthusiast, a benefit scrounging, uncaring single mother who would swap her baby for a Westlife CD, and who is so stupid that she doesn’t know she is 8 months pregnant when she visits her doctor.

Deborah notes being called “Vicky Pollard” in an English schoolyard these days is an insult - shorthand for white, working-class and female. While adults may be laughing ironically at Vicky in “Little Britain,” the kids just get that being a “chav” isn’t cool.

The second character Deborah looks at in depth is Ting Tong, a Thai mail order bride who apparently tricked the man who bought her into keeping her, despite her ugliness.

The figure of the mail order bride is sexual, exotic and neither damaged nor capable of being damaged. Given that this makes her not quite human, we do not have to worry about her. Links between mail order brides and women trafficked for prostitution are well established, and the available narratives of the lives of those women, including rape, beating and imprisonment are anything but a joke.

Deborah and I worked with women trafficked into prostitution in the UK - some of whom were from Thailand, and some of whom were married to their pimps. Their lives bear no resemblance to her description of the Ting Tong character in “Little Britain,” which allows us, instead of feeling compassion, to write off Ting Tong’s life as firstly, not difficult, and secondly, of her own making as a tricksy Asian woman. Ting Tong must be happy to be selected as a wife by a English man - especially because she is so ugly. In one sense, this breaks stereotypes of Asian women as sexually compliant and beautiful, but mostly it trivialises the horrors of power and sex played out in the lives of trafficked women - and the men who buy them.

The third figure Deborah looks at is Dafydd, a gay man, who apparently runs around the village trying to find homophobia. He never can, because there isn’t any, so his brightly lycra-clad character is both visually and actually ridiculous. Deborah says:

However, this sketch only works if one believes that we are, in fact, living in a pro-gay, homophobia-free utopia. If this were the case, then indeed it would be ridiculous to see prejudice where it no longer exists.

“Pro-gay homophobia-free utopia” isn’t quite how I remember the small villages of Wales - or anywhere else for that matter.

Is it really enough just to say “I like it because it’s funny”?

Well, yeah, it is. We don’t always think about why we laugh at something. Which is perhaps why Deborah has attracted such vitriol. Because sometimes when pushed to think about why we’re laughing, we may realise things which make us uncomfortable - or we may reject the need to think about it at all. One comment from Public Address may just hit on the head why Deborah’s research is bugging people so much that it has gone around the world.

Hypothesis:

Finding’s concludes through doctrinal reasoning that if I - an audience member - find the mocking in Little Britian funny I am a prejudiced victimiser of marginalised groups.

Observation:

I know I am not a prejudiced victimiser of marginalised groups and yet I have found Little Britain funny*.


People who laugh at “Little Britain” do not want to think of themselves as treating disempowered groups with disdain. The suggestion that the laughter may be rooted in superiority or discomfort is easier to ignore if we shoot the messenger and call it ivory tower nonsense.

Otherwise we’d have to be prepared to go in for a little self-awareness, which we all know can be kinda painful, particularly when not accompanied by chemical enhancement.

With a local spin - do I know why Bro’ Town makes me cringe while I laugh? Is it the funny pictures - or the fact the show viciously mocks every racial stereotype available in Aotearoa right now - by portraying them in all their techni-colour glory. Who am I - especially since I’m Pakeha - laughing with?

Deborah Finding has touched a nerve, a nerve people don’t want to examine for themselves. She’s also had to shut down her blog to the public because of the hate mail she was getting from disgruntled “Little Britain”ers. Not so funny for her then.

We don’t like her questions, do we? Far more comfortable to keep laughing.

Ironically, of course.

Let's hope it's a goodbye montage

Hate mail

Even less fun than it sounds

This is going to be my next paper :) Or perhaps just a blog post here when I'm not sleepy...

The TV Show

Anyone seen this?

Anyone have opinions on Peter Kay's spoof 'The Pop Factor'?

Speak now, or lose your chance to influence what I'm going to say on Saturday's 'The TV Show' on Channel 4. But really, tell me what you think! I'm going to go and actually watch it now.

It's on at 4.05pm on Sat. It's hosted by Krishnan Guru-Murthy, and I'll be one of the 'experts' on the sofa. The other one will be Andrew Newman (ch 4's head of entertainment and comedy). Bit of a difference in our CVs there... Oh and it's live. 

Must. Not. Swear.

Not THAT sort of Star!

I don't know which to be more appalled by: that the story got picked up by the Daily Star, or that they inexplicably changed my name to Linda. I've asked them to change it on the website... let's see if they do.

Get it while it's hot

My 'Little Britain' piece has just been made the main story on LSE's homepage, and the head of press has sent out a press release about it, as he's keen to get it some attention. Watch this space for reports of me as a humourless feminist :)

Undecided voters

I love this quote I just found on Perez Hilton:

“I look at these people and can't quite believe that they exist. Are they professional actors? I wonder. Or are they simply laymen who want a lot of attention? To put them in perspective, I think of being on an airplane. The flight attendant comes down the aisle with her food cart and, eventually, parks it beside my seat. "Can I interest you in the chicken?" she asks. "Or would you prefer the platter of shit with bits of broken glass in it? To be undecided in this election is to pause for a moment and then ask how the chicken is cooked."

- Author David Sedaris, on undecided voters

Birthday Beginnings

Writing this just as the clock ticks over to midnight, so I guess I'm officially 31. Started my birthday an hour early by buying the Observer at 11pm outside Leicester Square tube. I never quite get over how that's possible :)

The Indelicates were great! Thanks to Mike for introducing me to them. Too short a set sadly, but they played all my favourites from the album, plus an excellent new song 'David Koresh, Superstar' from their new album, which they claim will be a concept album about Waco... if anyone lets them make it. Ha. The support acts were not so good - Carolyn and I showed our age by declaring them far too loud and hiding in Starbucks until it was almost time for the Indelicates. Not really in keeping with the spirit of the Metro club... but I'm too old for this shit sometimes.

Jenny Lewis was quite incredible last night. Her vocal sounded amazing and the performance was actually more country than the new album would have led me to believe. Many of her songs sound like standards already. I think she's going to be around for a very long time. Gwyllym enjoyed it too, which was good, as I took him for a birthday present.

All in all, an excellent double bill.

Low-key birthday tomorrow. Hopefully will involve seeing Andy Murray win the Madrid Masters. And cheese. For me that is, not Andy Murray. I'm sure he's not allowed to have cheese before a final :)

Gig Double Bill

It's been a while since I've been to two on consecutive nights, but I have no doubt that the combination of Jenny Lewis tonight at the Koko and the Indelicates tomorrow night at the Metro will not disappoint. I had a second (and third) listen to Acid Tongue today, and it's much better than I thought it was on first listen. I only really liked 'Black Sand' at the beginning, but now I like almost all of it. 'Godspeed' is my favourite for today, and my bet for the song that will close the show. Everyone's tacky like that :)

Sarah Silverman's voting tactics

The Great Schlep from The Great Schlep on Vimeo.

Wouldn't it be wonderful though?

Sarah Palin Debate Flow Chart

Rachel Yamagata's new album...

...is WAY better than the first one. I love it. Looks like getting dumped by Tom McRae works wonders for a girl's songwriting. Maybe we could fix him up with some other people who could do with a heartbreak before writing their next albums :)

Because Archbishops sometimes make sense

"One of the ironies about this financial crisis is that it makes action on poverty look utterly achievable. It would cost $5bn to save six million children's lives. World leaders could find 140 times that amount for the banking system in a week. How can they tell us that action for the poorest is too expensive?"

iTunes Genius Function

Surprisingly aptly named. It has already relieved me of money and time. I LOVE the 'playlist from your own library based on the song of your choice' aspect to it. I put in 'New Art For The People' by the Indelicates and it made me a playlist that followed that song up with:

Your Ex-Lover Is Dead - Stars

A&E - Goldfrapp

New Slang - Shins

Chasing Pavements - Adele

Maps - Yeah Yeah Yeahs

Wrecking Force - Voxtrot

BMFA - Martha Wainwright

etc etc... others included Feist, Arcade Fire, Placebo, The Cardigans.

Pretty good, no?

Murray Mania

Stayed up and watched Murray's incredible semi-final against Nadal finish last night. I can't believe he actually beat him, much less made it to a Grand Slam final against Roger Federer. It's going to be a late night tonight! Tuesday will have to be a slooooow day...

In other tennis news, I have to finish my Hogarth singles semi-final tomorrow afternoon. I was 6-3, 3-2 up when we had to stop because of bad light. So I only need three more games to get into the final. Sounds easy when you say it like that :). Alice and I are still waiting to see who our opponents will be in the Hartswood doubles final, as the other semi has not yet been played. And it looks like we're going to play our Hogarth semi-final only a couple of days before the final... feeling reasonably confident about that one though.

Met up with our wedding photographers yesterday so that they could see the church and the reception venue. All seems good, and they even took a few photos of us for good measure. We'll see how they turn out. As long as there are a few nice ones of both of us (at the same time) on the day, I'll be happy. Other nice photos will be an added bonus. People keep asking how wedding plans are going. Maybe I'm missing something but there doesn't seem to be THAT much to do. We're doing some wine tasting at 5pm tomorrow for the reception... can't imagine that being too much of a hardship! Church, reception and photographers all booked. Gig in the evening all booked (although remaining secret until definite confirmation). I have a frock and various other accoutrements. Need to make some invitations in October I guess and send them out, but other than that, what else is there?!! Ok there are a few things, but it definitely seems manageable, and I don't think I've had any Bridezilla moments (well ok, maybe one, when I saw a cushion and said 'ooh that's the colour I want my bridesmaids' dresses'... and then wanted to shoot myself in the face). 

Meeting my supervisor on Wednesday so better get on with work today so I actually have something to give her...

Save the Ginglik

If you haven't already signed the petition, please do so here. Ginglik is one of the best venues in London, having launched (and relaunched) careers of people like Beth Rowley, The Storys and Nerina Pallot. Plus, it's got sofas and fairy lights and it's very near my house. What more do you need to know? - sign!!

Greenbelt

Off to Greenbelt in the morning. Look at that lineup. Plus the amazing pizza tent, the chai chapel, the tiny tea tent where numerous games of mah jong will be played, and the invitable random running into old friends. Wouldn't spend my August bank holiday anywhere else.

Tennis: so far, so good

Results so far:

Hartswood Women's 2nd team in Division 2

7 matches played, 6 wins, 1 draw

Result: Promotion to Division 1

Campden Hill Open Women's Singles (qualifying draw):

First round, won 6-0, 6-0

Second round, lost 7-5, 6-1 to eventual finalist (who Alice beat in the final. hurrah!)

Campden Hill Open Women's Doubles (short sets round robin):

Round 1: Lost 1-4, 4-2, 4-2

Round 2: Lost 1-4, 0-4

Round 3: Won 4-1, 4-1

Round 4: Won 4-2, 4-1

Result: 3rd place (bronze!!)

Hartswood Women's Singles

First round: Won 6-4, 6-3

Quarter final: Lost 3-6, 3-6

Hartswood Women's Doubles

First round: Bye

Quarter final: Won 6-1, 6-0

Semi final: Won 6-2, 6-4

Final: To be played Sep 13th

Hartswood Mixed Doubles

First round: Bye

Second round: Won 7-5, 6-1

Quarter final: Lost 5-7, 1-6

Hogarth Women's Singles (first to 9 games until semi and final)

First round: Bye

Quarter final: Won 9-4

Semi final: To be played before Sep 15

Final: To be played Sep 21

Hogarth Women's Doubles

Quarter final: Won 9-4

Semi final: To be played before Sep 15

Final: To be played Sep 21

this sums up my life right now

Rachael Sage

A busy Rachael-ing week. Started with the Green Note in London on Thursday night, with Dan and Carolyn. Rachael did 2 sets, including two new songs - not sure of the titles, but if I had to guess, I'd say 'Open and Willing' and 'Red Piano' (less sure on the second one, but that was my favourite). It was also Dan's last UK show, and Rachael kindly (haha) improvised a mocking line when Dan klutzed his fork to the ground during one of her songs :)

Saturday was Brighton. We went on the train but this was to prove a howlingly bad error when we realised it was Pride day. Obviously, I'm all (well at least half) about the gay, but I just don't want ALL of them in my very small train carriage (far worse on the way back, when an extremely drunk (and not even gay!!) 16 year old girl tried to make 'conversation' with everyone. I'd go into details, but then you'd also lose the will to live (taster: "then I actually had NO life expectancy at all"... sigh, if only). Rachael's set was good, although if I'd known the journey back was going to be such a nightmare, I'd have asked for 'Slow Down' (my favourite) instead of letting her off easily with 'Wildflower' when she asked me what I wanted to hear at the end...

Yesterday there was no show, but Rachael, Meredith and Jacob came over for Sunday lunch, which was really nice - and included an impromptu cover of '...Baby One More Time' in our living room after I had to stop the Britney dissing that was happening at the table. I can't help it, there is a special place in my heart from Britney, albeit a dark and frightening place :)

Today is Cambridge and we're about to leave. Rachael's playing the Bun Shop tonight, which was my local pub when I was doing my Masters. Weird. 

Bit of time off on Tuesday and Wednesday as I definitely can't make it as far as Manchester or Glasgow, and I really should do more work. Wednesday night, Alice and I are going to see the midnight showing of the Batman movie at the IMAX. Geeky but cool, I'm sure.

Thursday will be my last show (the 12 Bar, natch), as although Rachael's playing another Brighton show on Friday, I have friends coming for the weekend. I'm sure she'll have had time to work up the full Britney cover by Friday :) hee. Off to some comedy on Saturday night with a big group - local comedy club in Chiswick has Mitch Benn headlining, so that should be lots of fun. Then the following week, it's all about the work. Honestly.

A brighter Deborah

Do you think I'll get smarter if I attend at 2.45pm on Wednesdays?

Soooooo hot

So hot today (see the shiny face) that of course the cat wants to sit on me and purr for hours. Furry hot cat... just what you want when it's over 25 degrees :)

Played our last second team match on Monday, and we won 20-4, which guarantees that we win the league and get promoted. Yay!!! Alice and I only dropped two sets in the whole league, so we're feeling pretty good.

Back down to earth last night when we were asked to step in and play for the first team in their last match. We played at Campden Hill, which is a fantastic club in Holland Park (you can imagine the swankiness... and the waiting list to join), and their team was REALLY good. We got spanked 24-0, and my only consolation was that Alice and I actually managed to get more games than the other two first team couples (12 for us, 10 and 6 for them - sheesh).

A day with no matches today so I even got to have a non-miniscule lunch (yummy bread and cheese and serrano ham and sunblushed tomatoes) from the deli, and a large glass of wine. 

Trying to write a chapter for a book on 'pop culture responses to 9/11'... but it's hard to think about it when it's so sunny outside :) My chapter is on Ani DiFranco's song/poem 'Self Evident' as feminist pop culture response. 

Simon's Cat

Stolen from Riccardo's blog today, but EVERYONE needs to see these. Especially anyone with a cat. New best thing ever.

Kitten much improved

Well, in terms of her fur growing back etc. as you can see. Not so much in terms of intelligence ("they'll never see me here, disguised as a book...")

Red Sky At Night

From my garden last night. Pretty cool.

choking on my breakfast

yes, the second part of Dr Horrible was that funny. Go and watch it immediately, if not sooner.

Turning the Tables

If you have access to a colour printer, here's a small piece of activism you can do easily. Print this out, and cover your local/commuting rag with it. Designed to go over the Metro (shudder) on the tube, but obviously the Sun or the Sport... or, well, most of them...could do with it too. 

Thanks to nomorepornonlondontransport for an awesome design.

yay!!

Hurrah, it's working now!

Dr Horrible Sing A Long Blog

I was so excited about this, and Part 1 is now live. But we can't watch it because we're not in the US! That sucks, big time :(

How We Used To Live

Does anyone remember the 'educational programme' of the same name? We used to watch it in school. Clearly inspired by this, I wrote this as a young teenager, and have just found it while looking for something else. I include it, not to prove I was a precocious and pretentious child, though of course I was, but in case it brings up the same nostalgic feelings for anyone else.

***

How We Used To Live

We used to put the numbers in the formula,
in place of the letters, and cancel out the brackets
to get a solution.

We used to set up the apparatus,
as shown in the diagram, and get the results
to prove our predictions

We used to be given a number,
either one or two,
to decide whose side we would be on

We used to write yes/no questions
with appropriate boxes for ticking
to find out if our loves loved us

We used to be given cuddles and plasters
and magic pink cream
to stop our wounds hurting

We used to want to grow out of it all

***

Operation: Kitten

Yoko was spayed yesterday. She was so good at the vet's, and when she came home, with a letter saying 'Yoko will be quieter than normal as she has had an anaesthetic', she defied all expectations by bouncing around as usual, albeit in a slightly drunk manner for the first five minutes. Bad news: the *second* she came round from the op, she tried to bite her stitches, and her prize for that is that she has to wear an Elizabethan collar for ten days until the stitches come out. You can see for yourself how impressed she is with that idea. She has spent HOURS trying to pull, push and scratch it off. Dumb yet determined, that's my cat.

Little Britain

Publication now live! Check my publications link on the left...

I'd love thoughts and feedback if you have a spare half hour to read it sometime :)

Guardian article

If you only read one piece of analysis or comment today, let it be this fantastic article by Kira Cochrane on the backlash against feminism. My favourite part is when she points out that the three main charities supporting women who have experienced sexual and domestic violence receive less (COMBINED) than the Fucking. Donkey. Sanctuary. I know we like our animals in this country, but COME ON! Do we really value women less than aging donkeys? Really?

A story in three (very short) parts.

1. What's this?

2. Hmm...fascinating!

3. Yes, I have decided it will be mine. You may not use it.

Wimbledon Pictures

The Williams sisters played doubles at the end, so we sneaked down to the front for a better view...

Murray vs. Santoro

Thought I should get this picture while Cavaday was ahead, as I had a feeling it wouldn't last :)

Forgot to take a picture during the Nadal match... but if you don't know what he looks like by now, just turn on the coverage and wait for the commentators to start fawning over his body. If he gets to the final, I'd like to propose a drinking game in which you have to do a shot (of Pimms, natch) every time a commentator says the word 'biceps'. Unconscious by the end of the first set is my guess.

weddings, tennis and work

Had a fun weekend in Devon for Fan and Pete's wedding. It was quite the occasion. They hired out this place for the whole weekend. As oldest brother of the bride, James (and therefore me too) got to stay in one of the very cool rooms: Puccini. We arrived on the Friday night and had champagne and lasagne and more wine before crashing out. On Saturday morning, we thought about playing tennis, but the courts were very old and in poor repair, and it was raining, so we decided against it. The rain continued, which was really sad (and annoying, given that the days either side of the weekend were beautiful and sunny) because the afternoon activity was a fifties garden party. Pimms, sandwiches, cupcakes, boules and croquet - all of which would have been much more fun had it not been freezing and drizzling. Still, I suppose it was particularly English. James wore a linen suit and I wore this dress (but with a sparkly silver belt, rather than pink, no flower, and hot pink heels. oh and 50's curled hair of course). I was very pleased to have got the theme just right (some were rather less impressive), and it was fun for everyone to get dressed up. High point: someone who thought I looked like Christina Aguilera. Low point: someone who thought the ten year old I was with was my daughter. (I was outraged that someone thought I looked old enough to have a ten year old daughter... until I realised I am totally old enough to have a ten year old daughter. Sigh). At 4.30 everyone was called inside for the ceremony, for which the bride had changed into her really rather fabulous (but eye-wateringly expensive) Vera Wang wedding dress. The ceremony was lovely and was followed by a champagne reception and confetti (rose petal) throwing. Brief respite to go and warm up and get changed for the evening, which was black tie. I love getting dressed up, but having to get into my second pair of high heels for the day, when I normally live in my Converse All Stars was something of a shock to the system. Still, I managed to totter downstairs in time for champagne cocktails (kir royale...mmm), and then dinner (Brixham crab and salad followed by beef wellington with mash and asparagus followed by handmade chocolate profiteroles). By the time dinner was over, it was about 10.30pm. I stayed up to watch the bride and groom have their first dance (the wedding band's rather bizarre cover of The Smiths' 'There Is A Light That Never Goes Out' - a cool choice, even if strangely executed), but conked out around midnight. Got up reasonably early the next morning and drove back to London, where the cat was so happy to see us that she was running around faster than her legs could keep up with and kept falling over. Pretty damn adorable.

And now back to the real world. Well, back to work anyway. My new thing is to write 1000 words a day, and then that's it. No guilt if I can just finish that, and Mon-Fri only. Haven't done much today yet, but will get there, and I'm taking tomorrow off because we're going to Wimbledon (yay!!), but in general, this is working. I'm really going to try to get a lot done in the mornings so that I can have guilt-free tennis watching in the afternoons. I love Wimbledon fortnight! 

being quoted

Well, here we are again. After being interviewed in lots of different forms (papers, magazines, radio, TV) for my last job, I realised that I don't mind being interviewed at all. I'm not camera shy, I think I'm articulate - I come across well, and I get my point over, sometimes even in a soundbitey kind of ways. But what always stresses me out is that the end result is never what I thought it was going to be (with one exception, which was bizarrely enough, the longest TV interview I did, for a documentary, and even then it was still very stressful). Either I get misquoted, or worse still, quoted accurately but completely out of context, so I can't even say 'I didn't say that'. So anyway, I'm quoted in this week's NME. Page 39. And to be fair, my name is spelled correctly, my research title is spot on, and the first sentence of my quote is, word for word, what I said. However, I was asked for a few lines, so that's what I gave. The first one, which they printed was an introductory/context sentence. The second (and third, very short) sentence, which was NOT included, was my actual quote on the topic. I'm sure no one but me cares, and no one thinks that I sound like I haven't addressed the issue or I don't know what I'm talking about, apart from me. But I do! And it DOES bother me!. So here it is, for all five people who will maybe read this, the quote as it was supposed to be, not just the first sentence:

***

At a time where domestic violence is as prevalent as ever, and UK rape convictions are the lowest they have ever been, the mainstreaming of the 'torture porn' genre, whether in films, video games or t-shirts, is something to be very concerned about. Brown's initial violent act gives Madonna the black eye, the Crystal Castles make it sexy by putting it on their shirt, and then young people wear this image as a hipster badge, seemingly without any concern that they may be condoning and popularising violence against women. The responsibility for this phenomenon lies with all three.

***

Just using the first sentence makes me sound like a generic ass, in my opinion. I worry that 13 year old me is reading it, and thinking 'huh, 'Deborah Finding, researcher on sexual violence narratives in music at LSE's Gender Institute' (who, by the way "is strongly anti" - hurrah! can I get THAT on a t-shirt?) sounds like an old fart trying to spoil it for the rest of us'. Sigh.

Comment and tell me it's not so bad.

you sit in a basket and *I* will write a PhD, ok?

Trust/Tender Project

Please go here and vote for Trust (Tender) in the Best Educational category for the National Lottery funding. It's a domestic violence awareness project that's been doing some really good stuff. Click 'Trust', then, 'read more' and then you should be able to vote. Cheers :)

WTF

Can anyone believe this badge was being sold at the Republican convention? Lost for words...

this could be my favourite photo so far...

Woe is me

Waa waa waa... all the way home

I was supposed to be eating fine food and drinking fine wine last night at high table at St John's College, Oxford with some friends of mine. James and I set off in plenty of time on the bike (evening wear stashed in top box) so that we could do a little Blackwells-browsing before getting changed for dinner at 7. Not to be. About 20 minutes into our drive, the bike broke down and could not be persuaded otherwise. The AA said they'd be there within the hour and would take us to our destination, so I was still quite hopeful of getting there in time for dinner. However, two and a half hours later - the time we were supposed to be sitting down for dinner - we were still at the roadside. Finally, we were picked up in a truck by a man who I'm sorry to say fit every bigoted asshat stereotype you might associate with the job. Sigh. I was so miserable by then, I didn't even bother to respond. Got home and had takeaway Chinese... quite the comedown. By then I was also having trouble breathing, which I thought was to do with having sat at the side of the road amidst a whole heap of grasses and polleny beasts for three hours - but sadly, a day later this still hasn't worn off. Feeling really quite ill. We were supposed to see Laura Marling tonight in St James' church, Piccadilly, but I just couldn't face it. And I really like her! Two disappointments in two nights! Really, really hoping to feel better soon. I can't afford to get sick again - I've got SO much work to do. And I refuse to miss the fun on Friday, when Alice and I are going to Queens for quarter final day. Fingers crossed, one and all...

Charlotte Sometimes and The Cure

Don't know if anyone remembers either the book, or the Cure song of the same name, but this is the rather wonderful story of plagiarism, fandom, and what happened when the author met Robert Smith.

Part 1

Part 2

Does anyone think she might also make a case against 'Life On Mars'????

Favour

Please vote here for Shannon's video, 'Lily's Purple Plastic Purse' (you don't have to register or anything, just click) - oh and watch it while you're there, as it's super-cute :)

what was I thinking?

Normal service resumed herewith. Please comment with a caption for this one:

Regina Spektor

Ok, so this track should be working now. Enjoy!

kitten in the wild

well ok, maybe not *wild", but certainly she loves the garden... 

Music Time

Gentle readers, I try to keep my promises. Someone who reads this blog correctly identified me in a photograph, and won a prize. Hard as it is to try and make a mix CD for someone who has almost everything, I'm hoping there's at least one new song among this lot. And for the rest of you... everyone's a winner - happy listening!

If this band had existed when I was 15, this song would have been on every mix tape I made for someone. I've played it to death since discovering these guys:

Ben's Brother - Stuttering

A fine, happy song for summer (when it comes). Please take note of excellent and not at all gratuitous use of the 'mouth trumpet':

Victoria Vox - Buttercup

Love this song. I'm a sucker for slightly self-deprecating lyrics sung in a slightly quirky accent:

Antje Duvekot - Dandelion

Forget Martha, love her though I do, this is the female equivalent of Rufus Wainwright:

Nicole Atkins - Maybe Tonight

This is the most un-Regina Spektor like song Regina Spektor's ever done, and wouldn't be out of place over the final montage in an OC or Dawson's Creek soppy finale, but sometimes we all need a little cheese:

Regina Spektor - The Call

finally!

I can't really post without a cute kitten picture, so let's get it out of the way first:

Now, back to business. I *finally* finished the revisions for the Little Britain paper, so fingers crossed, the paper should be up on the electronic journal really soon. I'll link to it, and anyone with half an hour to spare (or however long it takes you to read 18 pages) can tell me what they think...

Celebrated by bunking off this afternoon. Watched Safina come back from match point down in the second set to finally beat the surly (yet admittedly brilliant) Sharapova. Match of the tournament so far, in my opinion. 

The kitten went for its first walk in the garden - we attached it to a little harness with a lead. She seemed to enjoy the garden once she'd stopped trying to bite the harness off and started exploring. We got slightly annoyed though as we noticed that bastard snails have eaten - and were still mid-munch in about 8 cases - half of our herbs :( Need to get some of that copper tape to put round the pots that they don't like. Or train the cat to kill them...

varsity blues

Alice and I drove down to Oxford yesterday to give the Varsity squad some practice before their match in  few weeks. We played sets against four of their pairs, and considered ourselves in our own private Varsity match, as we both went to Cambridge. We lost two sets 6-2, 6-1 but won two 6-1, 6-0, so at the end, the result was that Cambridge won by one game! Hee. It was fun though. Good to get some practice in against strong players too.

Wimbledon draw at the Hartswood this afternoon so will see if I can snaffle any more tickets. Fingers crossed. Am watching the French Open at the minute - would love to see Federer win it, it's the only Grand Slam left that still eludes him.

Went out with Stan on Friday night to see Jenny Eclair at the Bloomsbury. I have to say that she was absolutely awful. The biggest load of anti-feminist negativity about women and aging I have ever heard, I think. Just cliche after cliche about how men are always up for sex but women don't want it, or how she was so fat now (she's a size 12) - and I think describing yourself in ways that might fit a 90 year old when you're actually 48 is just ridiculous. I was expecting her to be all edgy and feminist and funky, but NO. 

Might see the Sex and the City movie today... at least that will be exactly what I expect... terrible as that may be :)

more kitten pictures

If you're in the mood for a good story...

read Rachel North's mouse saga - starring her fat and lazy cat, Miff:

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

I read it again last night when I couldn't sleep, and it still amuses me. I think my favourite part is when they drop the cat right on TOP of the mouse, and it still fails to catch it.

My small cat is now quite adept at catching and eating flies (little manker that she is). Fairy Godmother Louse also sent some marvellous cat toys which she has been enjoying. I'm trying to take pictures of her playing with them, but some are proving rather difficult as they involve leaping (cue lots of pictures without the cat even in the frame). When I have them, you'll have them.

Gender Institute yearly photo

Every year when I look at this group photo, I can't help feel that there must be a lot of academic departments made up entirely of unattractive people that cancel ours out!

This photo was taken last week, in one of the four days of summer we had. First one to spot me wins a prize :)

In other news, I should have a piece published online to add to my little 'publications' section soon. It's actually the Little Britain chapter, which is being published in two separate places (hurrah!). So if you're too cheap to buy the book, you can read the (more extended, but better) version online. Soon. Just have to make a few changes for the editors.

In kitten news, Yoko has discovered:

a) how to make a very whiny miaow when she wants to be picked up

b) how to get onto the kitchen surface where we keep her pot of toys and also things that she is not allowed to eat

c) that the kitten in the mirror is her (same cannot be said for shadow kitten on sunny days... this is still an enemy to be destroyed)

more kittenness

Lolcat

Riccardo inspired me to make a lolcat!

Believe it or not, I'm also reading feminist post-colonial theory right now...

Let's see if I have more fun

Ignoring the death stare, I like this picture because it is proof of a) blondeness, b) engagedness, and c) that I really did collect 2000 surveys. And you can only see half of them!

Actually my hair looks darker in this picture than it really is. Looks like Photo Booth is not omniscient after all...

No one likes being photographed mid-miaow

Poor Yoko is kind of being ignored tonight while I desperately try and finish a chapter that has absolutely no chance of being finished tonight. The PhD and Deborah were not meant to be together I think...

Paper Eating Frenzy

Did anyone order a kitten?

Active with the activists

Who doesn't love a good protest? And as punishment for actually buying me a necklace with the Playboy bunny on it (even though my mother is actually such a naif that she claims not to have known what it was - "I thought it was just a sweet little bunny!"), I'm taking her with me. I love their campaign logo.

I can't watch the scary parts!

You are so nice when you sleep, and the DEVIL when you wake

Adult Jesus Camp

Ever wanted to know exactly what sort of church George Bush went to? Knock yourself out.

Yoko - Day One

So far I have surmised that kittens like:

small spaces and little corridors

being petted

boingy mice on scratching posts

hiding in their carry cages

exploring, but only when people are around

and don't like:

food

water

loud noises

sudden movements (except for boingy mouse movements)

not being able to see people

and are generally confused by:

bicycles

Let's see how this pans out :)

p.s. I wasn't quick enough with the camera to capture her browsing my CD collection, but I do think her choice of James' Dick Francis novels may come back to haunt her when she is older...

I'm not fluffy, I'm a killing machine

Kitten Love

turning the corner

I *think* I am starting to feel a bit better. I can actually swallow without wanting to cry now, which has to be something. And I managed to get outraged at a news story Riccardo sent me, which requires my brain to be at least part-operational. As long as I'm better enough to finish this chapter tomorrow, because I think we all know that as soon as Sunday arrives and there is a kitten, it will be very difficult to do anything! Excited!

more of the same

Still got plague. Worse today than yesterday, so given that it was the third day where absolutely *nothing* was working - not even stuff I had from last time I had tonsilitis - and I felt like crap I managed to drag myself to the doctors for some heavy duty antibiotics. Fingers crossed I will start to feel better tomorrow. I'm really so very over it. And I know this may sound strange, but I actually WANT to get back to work. It was actually going ok before this and I was about to submit a chapter. Now I'm stalled in a very annoying way. Sigh. Still, nothing I can do but wait it out, and at least I guess it means I'm resting the bloody hip injury! God, I must be getting old. I have AILMENTS. Plural.

Was going to watch 'For The Bible Tells Me So' tonight, but just couldn't face it. Had delicious cottage pie (Gordon Ramsay recipe, cooked by Alice) tonight, and I actually managed to eat about half a bowl of it, which is as much as I've had of anything really. Got some Ben and Jerry's sorbet too. Mmm...

By the way, if you haven't been to see Mike Leigh's new film 'Happy-Go-Lucky' yet, you really must. It's fantastic. I was skeptical that the man was capable of making a happy movie - especially as he claims that some of his others are happy (I've seen most of them: he and I obviously differ in our definitions of 'happy'), but he definitely pulls it off. Sally Hawkins is brilliant, as is Eddie Marsan (who I think lives round the corner from me, as I often see him in Chiswick eateries). See it, and feel like a better person :)

Bad News #1

Physio says no tennis for at least a month, and not much of anything for at least a week-10 days

Bad news #2

Not a cold but tonsilitis. Fever and razory throat, not so lovely

Good news #1

Four days to kitten!

sick AND injured? seriously?

As if the annoyance of getting a hip injury which meant we lost a semi final of a tournament we probably would have won was not enough, today I wake up with a sore throat, blocked nose, stiff neck and general feelings of clammy, heavy badness. Sigh. Plus I'm trying to finish this chapter, and it is NOT making it easier. I just sat for ten minutes trying to remember the word 'eponymous'.

On the plus side, we are 'kitten minus five days' :)

New kitten (hopefully!)

This is a picture of our potential new kitten! She's 13 weeks old and ready to leave the nest (that can't be the right word) on Sunday. She's a blue colourpointed ragdoll all the way from Wales.

Comment immediately and rate kitteny cuteness :)

Endnote Rage

Ok, I've already ranted about this on Facebook, as well as to at least three people in person, but it seems I'm still not done.

WHY WHY WHY would people use endnotes?

When you read a book, and someone makes a point, and puts a little number next to it, that means there's further information about that point, or a slightly tangential/amusing opinion, or simply the source of the point. Which more often than not, you want to read. So you glance to the bottom of the page, where you find your (hopefully Terry Pratchett-esque) footnote, your curiosity is sated and you move on. But no! For there are those in the world who do not believe life should be this easy, so they put their thinking caps on:

(ACT ONE: SOMEWHERE IN THE BOWELS OF HELL)

'Hey, you know those great footnotes you get in books?'

- 'Yeah?'

'Haven't you ever wished they were more... I don't know... annoying? Harder to find? Time consuming?'

- 'Totally! Someone should totally come up with that!'

'Well. I think I have an idea. Why not put them all in the back of the book?'

- 'So you have to skip to the back every single time you want to read them? And then back again?'

'Yes! Sometimes even twice with ONE WORD!'

- 'It's genius, frankly'

(SCENE)

The book currently causing my rage is, 'Rape: A History From 1860 To The Present' by Joanna Bourke. Now, as you might guess from the title, this is not light reading, so you might think the author/publisher might want to take it a little easy on the reader. But no. The book is nearly 600 pages long, and includes almost 100 PAGES OF ENDNOTES. Any bored mathmos out there who want to calculate how much of my life I am going to waste flipping backwards and forwards, please be my guest.

Ok, I feel better. But it may not be because I'm ranting. It may just be because all the time I've been writing, I have not been holding the book. Back to it...

Grr

Work hasn't gone particularly well today (annoying, as I thought I was on a bit of a roll). Still, I finished the Nick Hornby book I started last night, 'Slam'. It's aimed at teenagers, but is a pretty good read for anyone, I think. I've got tons of novels I want to read, and think I am going to start reading again, instead of feeling guilty because I'm not reading academic books.

The two books next on my list: 'South Of The River' by Blake Morrison, and 'A Complicated Kindness' by Miriam Toews. Gifts from Zoe and Louse respectively :)

And I really DO want a ragdoll kitten.

I want a cat

like this one...

Bjork

Great show. Sad that there was only ONE song (Anchor Song) from my two favourite albums combined (Vespertine and Debut), but there's no doubt that it was a great show. And if you can throw glitter everywhere, why wouldn't you?! Highlights for me were 'Dull Flame Of Desire', which was a duet with Antony from Antony and the Johnsons, 'Who Is It', 'Declare Independence' and, obvs, 'Anchor Song'.

The merch was sadly uninspired though. Now if she'd been selling hats like the one she was wearing...

blah blah blah

Well, on the plus side, the reason I haven't blogged much is because I have actually been getting a reasonable amount of work done. Some days I even believe that I'm going to get a PhD at the end of this. 

Ten things I have done in the last month that prove I am now a grown-up

1. Filed all my bank statements and financial papers in one place

2. Written about 10,000 words of my PhD

3. Got engaged

4. Opened a joint bank account for bills and food

5. Refused to attend several gigs on the grounds that they are too far away (Brixton, instead of west London for example) or that they are standing gigs. I need to sit down and have a good view, dammit!

6. Not bitten my nails (this is mainly related to point 3 as people keep looking at my hands)

7. Cleared my desk ENTIRELY of extraneous material

8. Read (and understood) business section news about the credit crunch

9. Remembered to keep my fold-out alternative to a plastic bag in my bag when I go shopping

10. Baked pies, puddings and other things

Ten things that might throw doubt on my adult status:

1. Used animal shaped cookie cutters to turn grown up pie into 'Polar Bear Pie' etc.

2. Continued to buy 'Heat' every week and read it cover to cover

3. Had to reapply nail polish every day as keep picking it off as an alternative to biting nails

4. Bought more Kipling bags on Ebay because they are so great and the monkeys are cute

5. Played too much Scrabulous when could have been writing more PhD

6. Have been hiding engagement because questions about weddings are too grown-up and more unanswerable than questions about PhD. Chairbacks? Seriously?

7. Went to see '21' and '27 Dresses' and enjoyed '27 Dresses' more

8. Currently wearing hair in bunches

9. Wardrobe contains at least 20 hoodies

10. Had to make list about whether adult or not 

Now I've read everything

As if we needed more proof that the BNP are fucking morons, here's one of them suggesting that rape is like CAKE. 

I hope this goes round the internet like wildfire because they really do need to have their shameful views brought into the light where everyone can see them for the codswallop they are.

procrastination of the highest order

Stolen from Rachel: a Herculean task

Real update soon...

Shining

This is awesome! A trailer for 'The Shining' re-imagined as a romantic comedy:

The Pierces

I still love this song:

but if you want a more country-tinged comedy song from them about male impotence (and who doesn't? I hear you cry), head over here for 'Giddy Up'.

Jason Mraz

I've loved this song for so long! I can't believe he's FINALLY putting it out as a single, and also on his new album. Yay!

Katy Perry

UR So Gay - Katy Perry

At first I thought this was going to be very annoying in that gay=stupid way that seems to be so popular now, and that I was going to have to rant about it. But turns out, she really means gay. And anyone who starts a song with, "I hope you hang yourself with your H&M scarf" is ok by me.

There's also a great song called 'I Kissed A Girl' (no, not that one) on her MySpace. Check her out!

Things I covet - part 1

so cute! but sadly so NOT budget :(

pain and misery... ah, a return to the PhD

Well, despite still needing afternoon naps more often than not, and being unable to sleep past 6.30am, things are starting to feel a little more normal.

I've had a reasonably productive PhD morning - although immersing myself back in all the harshest abuse narratives for one of my chapters was perhaps not the gentlest re-introduction I might have had. Still, once it's done, it's done. Am going to try and have a first draft of this chapter by Friday, so those 6.30am starts may not be a bad thing.

Face-blindness

Theme stolen from Rachel's blog - but I am fascinated by this condition and had never heard of it before today. Explained here.

Back home

Will upload loads of pictures soon, and write a bit about the last few days. Here's one picture I particularly like for now though. How nice of the bird to fly in at just the right moment!

Not too exhausted. Did loads of sleeping yesterday, and I think I know where/who I am...

bridge climb pics

I know these look like those pictures where the people have been superimposed on the view... but I promise they are not. Besides, who would choose to wear these stupid outfits?

climber!

This is the smile of someone who just woke up after having climbed Sydney Harbour Bridge last night!

The climb was awesome. A little scary at the beginning, but then fine - not strenous at all. The views were incredible. It was sunny when we went up, then we saw the sun set - actually saw it drop, which takes about 5 minutes and which I've never seen like that before - and then on the way back the amazing city night lights. Fantastic. Takes about 3 and a half hours in all. Very impressive. I will post pics when I can.