Vue Cinema

We made our maiden visit to the new Vue Cinema in Exeter tonight to see The Last King Of Scotland. I have reviewed it over on the joint blog in detail but I will just say – BRILLIANT FILM! I am thinking a strong contender for one of my Top 5 Films – 2007.

Ridiculously early morning

We did it – we got up at 5.45am! I had a rubbish night sleep, I woke up so many times panicking about sleeping through my alarm! In the end I woke up at 4.20am and could not get back to sleep! Joy! It took us an hour from leaving the house to walking back down the drive so not bad. Once we get into a better routine we should cut that back a bit.

Had chiropractor appointment this afternoon, feel like it helped and I must remember STAND UP STRAIGHT! I tend to walk looking at the ground all the time thus making me look a bit like a duck (tipped forward, arse stuck out…beautiful!)

Oh What A Night

Last night was really good; I met up with Nat at Kelly’s flat at about half 7 armed with a bottle of wine. Kelly had decided she wasn’t coming out and didn’t fancy a drink so me and Nat polished off the wine between us before heading to Butlers, The Ship and then down to the Quay (much to my protests – I wanted to go the Arena but Nat wouldn’t let me!) We had a couple drinks in Waterfront and then went in to Riva. We got in for free since Nat knows the manager. It was pretty dead in there but they had a cheap vodka deal on so not to worry! We bombarded the DJ with requests for dodgy music (namely STEPS!!!) We danced the night away, eventually getting our wish when the DJ played 5,6,7,8! This basically cleared the dance floor too except me and Nat who happily line danced along!! Ah, the memories of our misspent youth! I finally left Nat with some other people at just before 2am (meaning the bloody Chinese was shut when I got there so I had to settle for a cheeseburger from the burger van!) It was nearly 3 in the morning when I get home and crashed into bed. Had a brilliant night tho…

Waking up at 7.30 this morning was just unnecessary though! I got up, had a cup of tea, read yesterdays paper and then went back to bed for a couple hours! Other than that I have been to Sainsbury’s but that would be it! Getting up uber-early tomorrow to help Mum with the horses so the plan is to get an early night tonight…we’ll see!

Wow, what an exciting life I lead!

I have done basically Jack Shite this week!

There was no cinema visit last week due to the vomiting but this week John and I went to see Perfume at the Picture House on Wednesday night. I really enjoyed it. It was dark and brooding but refreshing at the same time; most mass murdering men tend to kill for sexual reasons but this showed a murderer who was for all intents and purposes, innocent. Don’t get me wrong, the murdering was very evident and is wrong! But his motives were based in innocence especially when compared to some of the notorious murderers of this generation.

We did have a slight crisis after the film though…we had taken a chance and parked inside at the Harlequins carpark since we were running a bit late and our usually parking place, outside harlequins was blocked off to be used by the builders working up the road. There IS a sign that says the carpark will be locked at 11pm but we have got back to the car before well after 11 and the inside carpark has always still been open so we decided to chance it rather than be late for the film. When the film finished we headed back to the car, getting back at about 11.05 ish and, yup, you guessed it – it was locked! We couldn’t believe it! After John had rung his mother to tell her the car had ultra-secure parking for the night we contacted the carpark emergency number to confirm that yes, they would charge us some ridiculous fee to come back and unlock it or we could collect the car any time between 5.30 & 8am without incurring any charges. We ended up getting a taxi back to my house & I dropped John into town at 7.20 the next morning on my way to work so he could collect the car! We laughed about it once we were home but initially we weren’t well pleased!

Other than that the week has been dull dull DULL! I am off out with Nat tonight which should be good though.

Vomitty week!

This hasn’t been best week of the year so far which given there have only been three is saying something!

Sunday, Monday and Tuesday were fine – I had both days off work and spent Sunday and Monday sorting crap in my room (and there is SO much crap in there!) Pretty boring days but it needs doing.

Tuesday was Mum’s birthday. I hadn’t told Mum I had the day off work, originally I had planned to take her for lunch but since she finally booked to go to the day spa & use her voucher that we bought her when she left Shell I thought I would surprise her instead. So, I got up normal time & left the house as if going to work (although nearly got let down as I lost track of time and by the time I left the house I would have been late for work if I had been going there!) Anyways, instead of heading to Sowton I went into town and settled myself in Starbucks with a coffee & a croissant to read my book for a while. Mum was due at the spa for 11am so at about half 9 I headed down to the florist in the Guildhall and arranged to pick up a bouquet of flowers in an hours time. I then wrote her card, wrapped her present and generally stayed out of the way in case she arrived early and saw me! Just before 11 I went into the spa; flowers, card & gift in hand; and explained to the lady there that I was hoping to surprise Mum when she arrived. They were very nice and let me sit in their relaxation room out of sight with a coffee and a magazine to wait for Mum. When she arrived I went out and she was definitely surprised! Actually, she was touched; I hadn’t even wished her a Happy Birthday before I left in the morning so she thought I had forgotten so it was lovely for her to realise that, No, her daughter is not an insensitive cow after all! She had a really lovely day spa-ing and I carted her flowers home since i had my car & she was on the bus!

Unfortunately the rest of the week sucked. I had horrendous stomach pains and spent a lot of the week throwing up which was nice……not. I did use the time to read the new book in the Hannibal Lecter series – Hannibal Rising. It’s all about Hannibal as a child and young man, sort of an explanation as to why he becomes the person he does. It wasn’t the best book I’ve ever read but quite good. Apparently the film is out soon so I shall see what it looks like. I have never watched the other films but this, based on the book, shouldn’t be too bad. As for the sick, I was a bit worried about yesterday as we (me, dad, mum & courts) had tickets to the South Hams Motor Club Dinner & Dance at the Dartmouth Golf & Country Club. I was feeling a bit better as the day went on so I went and I braved the food & it was lovely. The drinks were through-the-roof expensive so we stuck mostly to the water on the tables. Dad won loads of trophies (although one of the engraved ones had the wrong name on it so they took it back to get it changed!) When we left I thought it was about 10pm but it was actually nearly midnight so I suppose it must have been a good night for time to go so quickly.

Today has been another lazy day, went into town for a bit but didn’t get much…typical Sunday really. Don’t want to go back to work tomorrow but needs must! At least I get a bit of a lie in since I’m on 10-6 tomorrow.

Kylie Showgirl Homecoming Tour

Tonight I should have been in Manchester for the Kylie Minogue concert but I decided just after Christmas that I really couldn't afford to travel up there for just one night especially since I had two tickets and only me going. So I decided, with a deep sense of regret and "Should I be doing this?!", I my pair of tickets on to Ebay. They sold for £100 + p&p so I got my money back. I was pleased they sold but at the same time kind of wished that they hadn't as then I would have gone!

I felt a bit better when I saw that the concert from Melbourne was being shown on Channel 4 on the very night I should have been seeing Kylie so at least I could see what I was missing. Not as good as live admittedly but seriously cheaper and more comfortable!

However just before the TV show started I had a missed call from John. I assumed he was just ringing to remind me to watch since I tend to forget and then miss the beginning of things! I rang him back only to find that it was a good thing I had not travelled the long distance to Manchester since part way in to the live set Kylie had to pull out of the show half way through! Well, obviously Yay for me for not being £100's out of pocket but still Poor Kylie. Her manager has stated flu as the reason for her stopping the show which I can well imagine since there's a lot of it about at the minute. I do worry though; Kylie herself had said that she had changed things around so the tour would hopefully be less draining physically but having just seen her dancing around in full showgirl getup on the TV you have to question if she is doing too much too fast?

The costumes were no less impressive this time around. The infamous blue corset and headdress of '05 has been replaced with an equally stunning iridescent pink bodice with trailing feathers and matching headdress. There's kinky thigh high boots, beautiful ballgowns, disco-diva silver wigs and sex-kitten (literally - there were little furry ears!) body suits. Her dancers were clad in, well, very little for the most part!! Gorgeous guys writhing around on stage while beautiful woman with showgirl wings strut their stuff complimented Kylies hot image. I was a little upset by her strange performance of Locomotion (my favourite 'old skool' Kylie song!) but then I was expecting it since she sexed it up in 2005 when Me, Clare, John & Hev went to see her in Birmingham!

Kylie always puts on a show - she's not just a woman stood on stage with a mic and her voice. She's about all that and a whole lot more. The costumes were amazing, the dancers were amazing, the lighting was amazing, the whole show was just AMAZING. I wish I had been there for witness the atmosphere but I can image...

Get well soon Kylie.

One week in and all is well...

...except me! I have a coldy thing - bleugh!

I was back in work on the 2nd to find more changes - Shayne is no longer working with me on the mobile contracts, he has been moved to another part of the team & I am looking after the contracts on my own (well with Steve's help but you know what I mean) The working week was pretty uneventful though.

John & I went to see The Prestige at Picture House FINALLY! We have been waiting to see this film for SO SO long but it just hasn't been on nearby. It was so worth the wait though. So so SO worth it! A truely brilliant movie. Brilliant cast, brilliant story, brilliant acting, BRILLIANT! More to the point Christian Bale and Hugh Jackman - GORGEOUS! Arrrrrrr!!! We walked back to the car talking it through - did I mention brilliant?! Definately a contender for my Top 5 of 2007. Shoe-ins are likely to be Pirates...3 and my most awaited film of '07 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.

Monday was Claire from works 20th birthday and she had arranged a night out in town....dressed as pirates! Yup thats right - a pub crawl, in fancy dress on a MONDAY! Never gonna happen, nah ah, nope, no way! Paul bullied Jamie into going along and Jamie bullied me so I collared John but none of us were dressing up. She had text about a million times reminding people it was all happening, 7.30pm. Me & John arrived early to eat (they were meeting at Weatherspoons) I suppose we got there about 7.25pm, Paul arrived at 7.45 and Jamie at about 8...Claire and co finally decided to make an appearance at 8.25 - only an hour late then. It has to be said our plan of NOT dressing up was the right one - there was about 4 of them dressed up, Claire & her boyfriend had gone all out. It was shockingly bad I have to say! We didn't stay long; I was feeling rough, Paul has to get up at stupid o clock and Jamie just didn't want to be there. John was easy but leaning more towards leaving so that's what we did - we left. Well we had shown our faces, she can't complain.

As part of my New Years Resolutions I have joined the gym at work. Well, I say I have but thats not entirely true. I applied to join, I made an appointment for my induction, I went to my induction. I was then told that I had high blood pressure so couldn't continue with the fit test part of the induction until I had consulted my doctor for him to give his consent for me to carry on and exersize - what tosh I feel. Anyways I went to my doctor yesterday and, after waiting 40 minutes to get in to see him (I was 10 minutes early but he was running half an hour behind!) I explained the situation to him. He tutted at the ridiculousness of it and the fact that, in some cases, to be told that your blood pressure is 160/99 is going to cause great concern to people. As it was he took my BP and got a reading of 137/76, wrote the letter and all was well. I felt quite guilty about wasting his time but at least now I can get on with it gym wise. Give it a couple months and I will be unrecognisable with my new fit figure!!

New Years Resolutions

Its that time of year again peeps - when we make plans we don't stick too beyond the end of January!

Mine this year are pretty standard and scarily similar to last year...

1 - Lose weight, Get fit. Stop eating so much junk, cook more meals, exercise more (I plan to do the Race For Life again, just forewarning you!)
2 - Save some money, reduce the debt. Look at getting a second job for 'fun money' and basically just spend less!
3 - Be Happy. Go out, read books that interest me, watch great films, learn something new, develop new interests and generally just have fun & enjoy the year.

Thats it me thinks...what are everyone elses resolutions?

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Hello 2007!

Its been a good year but I hope 2007 will be even better for me and for everyone.

I can't believe another year has come and gone. 2006 flew by, it seems like only yesturday that I was forgetting to take Stevie home from work at the Billy on New Years eve 05/06. In a year I have worked three full time jobs - cheffing at the Billy, supervisor at Shell and now account person at EDF...such an exciting selection! I have done lots of things I have enjoyed - concerts, nice meals, nights out, new places, meeting new people.

New Years Eve John, Adam, Troe, Flik, Laura, Courts and me were going out in Teignmouth as Gothic Angels having ordered multiple pairs of red wings off a site on the internet and paying a huge fee for Saturday delivery. Wonderful plan but it didnt happen. Saturday came around and I rang Link delivery service for an ETA on the wings...yea, they had NOTHING for me. So, no wings! Grr!

In the end we had a thoroughly nice evening at Johns drinking, chatting, laughing, playing drinking games and then Poker (thanks to Troe & Adam for the teaching - I think we were nearly getting it!) It was nice to Adam & Troe again & nice to meet Flik & Laura (and Tom who arrived part way through the evening) Flik & Laura mafe me feel old though - so young! Laura was really quiet but sweet. Flik I've spoken to on MSN and heard about many times from John so it was nice to put a face to a name. It really took me back though to remember what it was like to be the youngest in a group and trying to make the right impression to ensure people like me and never being sure if its going the right way or in fact making it worse.... We watched in the New Years fireworks from London with a glass of Bubbly (what a fiasco getting the cork out - cut fingers and a broken cork!) and then watched Jools Holland before heading to bed.

A really nice way to see in 2007, with friends.

So, Happy New Year everyone. I hope 2007 is everything you hope it will be and you achieve all you plan to.

Good Luck & Love To You All in 2007 and Always.