Chocolate Festival

So aswell as going to london for the Earth Hour..we also went so we could go and see the Southbank Chocolate Festival! It was smaller than I expected but there were still loads of stalls to go look at. I managed to restrain myself from buying lots of chocolate..but could no longer give in after staring at the pancake stall for what was probably the fifth time! I did not regret it tho..it was AMAZING. I may have been slightly greedy and had chocolate sauce added to the banana and nutella pancake I had chosen..but why not? It was a chocolate festival after all..and atleast I hadn't given up chocolate for lent :)

Here is the link to some of my photos from the festival :)
Choc Fest.

Earth Hour

So Earth Hour on Saturday 27th March 2010 was a success. There was a great atmosphere and alot of ppl were around to witness the lights turning off at the various places that were taking part.

We went round london visiting as many sites as we could on foot. Starting off at picadilly for the count down we then went through leceister square to get to trafalgar square and then walked down to big ben. It was great fun and hope you like the video made by James Kar Photography :)

BTW..I have put my photos up on tumblr as there are a fair few..(from Picadilly Circus, Big Ben and Big Ben from across the river)..but here is the filming by James Kar Photography of the event. Hope you enjoy it. :)

Musings

I wonder what its like to be an image..a photo. I thought at first I meant camera..but no..I mean the result. Sometimes images work better..when they're not on their own.

The Chocolate Festival & Earth Hour

So today I am going to the southbank chocolate festival! How exciting is that?! Just seen a mini video of the highlights of it that someone randomly sent me on twitter. Looks amazing and like I will be spending lots of monies! We're gona be making two trips to the chocolate festival today :) One in the late afternoon..and then again at night after the Earth Hour at 8.30pm where eveyone is supposed to turn off all their lights to help save the environment. It's crazy how much difference just an hour can make and shows how much unneccesary energy we waste most the time just by leaving lights on. So anyone who is reading this..in general..please just make sure you're turning the lights off when you don't need them. Thank you :) Well I better go now as I have to go get ready! Really looking forward to today :) and of course I am sure I will be posting photos up soon.

Catch-22

I think it was near the end of last year..or maybe it was around the start of this year..I finally started reading Catch-22 by Joseph Heller. It was something I had been meaning to do for ages. 
It was quite a hard book to grasp at the beginning..as I don't think I have ever read a book written in this way before. It was only until around page 32 that it suddenly all just clicked and I finally understood how to read it. From then on the book just suddenly became hilarious to read and I did not want to put it down. My only dilema then was whether or not I should go back and start again to get the bits I'd failed to get from the beginning but I was just too eager to read more. Sadly for some strange reason..I guess I just became busy and everything all started getting a bit hectic..I no longer had the time to read it despite really wanting to. Thankfully I now have the time and I have started reading it again and I have started from the beginning! This time I'm able to understand and get my head round it right away and am getting the bits I missed.
The bits I've been enjoying so far are actually I think mostly to do with Doc Daneeka. The first part that really amused me about him was when he first tells us of Catch-22. Then there's the part about how he had declared himself unfit for war..HILARIOUS..and then the part I've just finished reading about the newlyweds..which I still don't understand the reasoning behind why he gets punched in the nose! Ahh..I'm wondering if somehow this will be explained later on in the book but I'm not so sure it will be. I've got a lot of this book left to read as I'm still very near the start but I'm sure I'll probably write more about it soon. Ahh I can't wait to get back to reading it but I need to go cook myself some dinner first and use the egg that I broke earlier thinking it was a boiled egg. Was not impressed as it made a bit of a mess..but I managed to save most of it. Go me! :)      

Purple Chocolate Heart

I can't eat it because it looks so pretty.

Sometimes I feel like throwing my hands up in the air

You've got the Love - Florence and the Machine
Sometimes I feel like throwing my hands up in the air
I know I can count on you
Sometimes I feel like saying "Lord I just don't care"
But you've got the love I need To see me through

Sometimes it seems that the going is just too rough
And things go wrong no matter what I do
Now and then it seems that life is just too much
But you've got the love I need to see me through

When food is gone you are my daily meal
When friends are gone I know my savior's love is real
You Know it's real

You got the love
You got the love
You got the love
You got the love
You got the love
You got the love

Time after time I think "Oh Lord what's the use?"
Time after time I think it's just no good
Sooner or later in life, the things you love you loose
But you got the love I need to see me through

You got the love
You got the love
You got the love
You got the love
You got the love
You got the love

You got the love
You got the love
You got the love
You got the love
You got the love
You got the love

Sometimes I feel like throwing my hands up in the air
I know I can count on you
Sometimes I feel like saying "Lord I just don't care"
But you've got the love I need to see me through

It's been a lonnng..working week

I was so busy taking photos of tube station floor (..some may know why..actually probably no one will know why..) that it took me a while to realise the bottom of the tube train I needed to get on was starting to feature in my photos..managed to just about make it on the train but have no idea if the photos will be of any good. I guess we shall just see when I get home. It's been a long week at work..despite me only working two days his week. The more I check into what's been happening whilst I've been off..the more I've been finding mistakes and then have to spend time correcting them :( and all with the added pressure of knowing my audit is coming up soon! I am not one for failing..and knowing that I'll be off for the five days before my audit makes me somewhat very nervous. They could get up to all sorts when I'm not there and then I'll lose points and I just have to beat the other stores and keep my place! Oh I am worried..but let's just hope for the best...hmm.. :/ Anyway it's finally the weekend for me..so I'll have to stop thinking about that..there's nothing worse than taking the stress of this kinda work home with you so that's the last I'll say of it. I'm looking forwards to this evening :) Some nice quality time where we can just chill out and escape from everything. I saw something about a chocolate festival weekend coming up..? Think it could be next week so I shall be checking that out when I get home :) If only SOMEONE hadn't given up chocolate for lent.

The random photos..of the tube station floor.

Nose Wars

I think I can safely say that my nose is AGAINST me. Not only do I suffer from regular nose bleeds..which as a child I was always told I will grow out of..but it is currently behaving as a runny tap. It was okay at first..but well now..my nose is feeling a bit sore around the edges after having to use so many tissues. Atleast..it's not because I'm ill..and is down to hayfever but it's still not very nice. I really didn't think hayfever season had started yet but my antihistamines are in my bag at the ready now. I did try blowing my nose earlier..but that is a bit of a big problem for me as one..I can easily get a nose bleed on my left nose..and two..because I can't actually get any air through my right nose..which leaves me in a bit of a pickle. Oh and guess which side of my nose is the one that's fine and which is the one that's running..? The bleeder on the left is fine..and the no way through for air one on the right..is the runner. So blowing my runny nose just isn't gona happen.. Therefore bringing me to the conclusion..
MY NOSE is AGAINST ME :(My only solution now is to lie on my bed with my head tilted back a bit just to slow it down..and to keep myself occupied I am typing on my iPod about it. Oh the joys of my nose.
I should probably change the subject now as I realise that I have written quite a bit just about my nose so I apologise for that and will change the subject.
Today I went back to work after being off for a week and a half. Nothing very exciting happened and it seems they managed okay whilst I was off which left me with a much less stressful return..although I did have to correct a few things. Oh and I did find out my audit is in about two weeks! Eeek. Ooo and before I forget..I must sort out going to the cinema to see Exit Through the Gift Shop. That is a must for me so I better get on that case now. Oh..but one more thing before I stop my writing..I had the most amazing duck with plum sauce for dinner. Delicious :) 

Photos from UK Big Freeze

Final post on the big freeze..took me a short while just to sort out who was and who wasn't part of the big freeze..but think I've managed it. Enjoy.
UK Big Freeze

I love this advert..or should I say loved?

I absolutley loved this advert when it came out oh so long ago..but was sad to find out it got banned..due to complaints about animal cruelty. As of yet I cannot find out what the final outcome was..in terms of what the hell is the real story behind it. There is talks of the dog being on a vibrating platform..but also that it was trained to act like that.. Currently I am still looking into finding out the real story behind how this ad was made..but I cannot believe the rumours that they scared the dog into shaking like that..which is why I feel I can still post this advert up.



I found this link which should help clear things up.

Happy Mothers Day

Just something I thought I'd put together quickly..

The Big Freeze Leceister Sq Video by James Kar

UK Big Freeze

So earlier today at precisely 12.30 afternoon we went to witness the uk big freeze flash mob at Leceister Square. It was quite strange to experience..and coming up to the moment in time when this was all about to take place we were questioning whether there'd actually be anyone turning up..but as we waited around we were able to start guessing who was in on the whole thing and it all got quite tense and exciting. There was a decent turn out..maybe not as large as had been hoped for but I'd say there was a good amount of ppl..and some good poses. Video to follow soon as you can't really get the effect through photos.

Recycling

I am pleased to say..I am now able to recycle plastic by my house. It's been a long time coming and now saves me the job of taking it to work to recycle it. I don't take much to recycle..but every little bit helps..and well..why not? It just takes five minutes to take what has been collected to the recycle bin and then it's done. It is also quite fun to post the items though the gaps..and when recycling glass to hear the noise of it breaking. I encourage all ppl to recycle as I think it can be quite fun and well it helps do some good even if it is just on the minor scale.

The clean stuff..soap

I've just opened a new bottle of shower gel..with a bit of difficulty which I won't go into details about..and noticed on the back it says..like it does with food..once opened use within 24 months..fair enough you might say..BUT..what the hell?! It's a bottle of shower gel..which may I add is not very big..230ml to be precise..and well I'd be lucky if the bottle lasts me much more than a week let alone TWO whole years. How UN-often would you have to shower for it to last you two years now? I for one am not one for trying that out. I am curious though..enough to try it out..but can safely say I won't be..what happens to the shower gel after two years?? Will it make you turn green? Or maybe give you a rash? If it does give you a rash..what the hell have they put in it? Or more precise..why does it take two years for that to come into effect? Does it grow? Does it evolve? Or is it quite simply because once you've opened it bacteria can get in? I guess that makes sense..but it's soap..is it not meant to be self cleaning..hmmm?
Ahh well..I'd better go..meant to be meeting ppl at le pub a while ago and I'm gona go eat a little bit of chicken first :) Ooo..maybe tonight the kitchen at the pub wont be closed SO early..and I can get myself some of that amazing chocolate pudding with custard!! Oooo..

James Kar at work

So here's the filming from the other day. James..he inspires me..he makes me proud. More videos please. Love you xxx

Photos from my trip to Cambodia

Happiness is..

My friends..my whale..
..a belief in things working out in the end.

Other things that make me happy..
Hugs
Snuggling
Cuddly things
Milkshake
Cake...& also with custard
Photos
Taking photos
Stencils
Playing with photoshop
Sleeping
Picnics
Dancing
Listening to music
Being creative
Tidying
Organising
Pillows
Things that look cute!
Bears
Donkeys
Little rabbits and their lil white tails
Penguins
House Partys
Writing random things
Drawing random things
Making lists just so I can cross things out
Typing on laptops
Typing on my ipod
Finding faces in anything
Lying on the grass in summer and staring at the clouds
Looking at the night sky and all the stars
Laughing
Being inspired
Drinking hot chocolate
Melting marshmallows on an open fire
Going to funfairs
Eating candy floss
Going to see fireworks
Going to see pretty lights
Doing special things
Making memories
Cooking food
Eating food
Going out to nice restaurants
Going to nice places
Walking around London
Sitting in Trafalgar Sq
Watching the bustle go by
Observing
Chatting
Being quiet
Reading
Playing suduko
Learning things
Taking photos of pigeons
..and drawing them
Drinking hot chocolate
Having shiny coins in my purse
Buying people presents
Receiving presents
Unwrapping presents
Leaving little notes
Receiving little notes
Eating sweeties..especially sour ones
Being warm

Wow I really could go on but think maybe I'll stop now.

Currently

So right now I'm sitting in James' studio waiting for him to set it up so we can start doing some filming for his soon to be RElaunched website..which is all quite exciting :) We've had a bit of a late start to the day..had to get some food and buy some more flowers to add to the rather amusing two flowers he bought for his living room yesterday..oh I wish I had taken a photo..but sadly didn't think of that at the time (..which for me is actually quite shocking). Aww..the poor lil flowers..they looked so lonely and miserable, but hugging each other. Quite funny to look at..but they now have some (strange) yellow flowers and a bit of weird greenery to keep them company so all is right in the flower world now. So finally..after a somewhat long lunch we have made it into the studio and put the heaters on as it is a bit chilly..or rather I'm a bit chilly. My hands are like ice. Infact..my hands are always like ice..what is up with that? Anyway..so yeah. James is setting up his stuff..wonder how this is all gona turn out? Links will be posted when the site is relaunched..and then we can all see how the filming from today will have turned out :)

CAMBODIA 9.10.09-12.10.09

I was looking through my notes on my ipod this morning and I found my (sadly) half finished entry from my trip to Cambodia last year . It's not finished..to my own disappointment..but I thought I may as well post it anyway as it's still for me atleast..an interesting read.

"So..Cambodia was interesting..completely no idea what it was gona be like..and well..it was an experience..and not one I plan on doing again..the place did grow on me tho..but I was so glad to be leaving..!

Within the first fifteen minutes of meeting our tour guide and driver for the next three days..we were driving along a fairly main road..(well I call it a main road..because it was one of very few roads that was still in a decent condition..ie. no huge holes..rocks..or flooded..)..and our driver ran over a dog with his mini bus. Omg..I can still see and hear it happening clearly in my mind..one minute we were just driving along..(they use the horn to beep at things a lot in that country..ppl..tuk tuk's..motorbikes..bicycles..cows..cars..dogs..basically all things that are in the road..)..and then there was a bit more excessive beeping plus braking and we all looked to the front where we could see a lil dog happily trotting along the road. Then all of a sudden the little dog just disappeared under the mini bus where we then hear the bus hit something..then a bump..and then a yelping kinda whine..which omg was horrible to hear! We then looked behind and the poor dog has ended up under another car. You then see another dog standing at the side of the road all alert and looking concerned and amazingly!!..you see the dog that had just been run over..TWICE!..on his feet and running across the road to get out the way..it was amazing the poor lil thing survived..if it hadn't I think I would've actually thrown up.
So after that ordeal we went to see the artisans..at the silk factory..not before going through the muddy flooded roads though..thought we would get stuck..but the bus made it through. The artisans at the factory were amazing..takes a lot of skill and good eye sight to do..I now appreciate how silk is made and have finally figured out how they do it..it is pretty impressive. After that we went to another place with more artisans..but these were more of the carving type..where they would carve out of sandstone and wood..that was also pretty impressive..so now I appreciate all the hand made sculptures too..
After that we stopped off at some huge market which was a bit like a maze to get around. Cambodia's a place to bargain..they told us usually by 30% is how much you should bargain it down by..within a few minutes WE'd been offered a 60% mark down and in the end we got two for a 70% mark down (on the price of just one)..and then witnessed a couple come by..who bought one for the amount we paid for two..ha.."
Written on the 22nd October 2009.

It's a shame I never completed this entry as this was only the first few hours of our arrival in Cambodia and we were there for four days. I'll post some photos up as it was quite an amazing place to visit..but I guess it just wasn't my kind of thing to do. I appreciate having done the trip now I'm back..it was a good experience..but at the time I just didn't enjoy it. I was also suffering from dehydration at the time and was not taking to food too well..so I guess that didn't help. I did appreciated it whilst I was there..and I didn't just let my time there pass as a blur..but I didn't need to go to places like this to see how ppl live to appreciate what I've got. Walking around the ruins of angkel wat was like being in a film (think tomb raider)..and to think these temples were made in the tenth century! Absolutely amazing. Most the stone had all been carved (..again making me appreciate the work of the artisans)..and put together..WITHOUT cement..something I did struggle to get my head round..but then again the stones were quite large and heavy..I tried lifting a piece that had fallen over time to get a better perspective..and well I guess you could understand why they didn't fall down..but how on earth did they get them up there in the first place?! Another amazing thing..and I thought was quite a good idea when learning the reason behind it..was the stairs on these temples. They were so narrow and steep that to get up them you actually had to climb up them using your hands and feet..which was quite a scary ordeal..especially for someone like me..who is scared of heights. The reasoning..was so that you would respect the building. You would tread with care..mostly for your own safety and from difficulty..and not damage the temple. As I said before..I will post up some photos soon and then you can all see for yourselves.

I love donkeys

Get looking. Be inspired.

The creative world is such an amazing place. Art. Design. Music. Dance. Film. Fashion. Photography. Food. Everything. There's just so much..and it's all out there for us to see.

Here's a few sites from my friends:
Agent Melon
Fluffy Thoughts
James Kar Photography
My carrot-y friend

Rise Against - Hero of War

He said, "Son, have you seen the world?
Well, what would you say if I said that you could?
Just carry this gun, you'll even get paid"
I said, "That sounds pretty good"

Black leather boots, spit shined so bright
They cut off my hair but it looks alright
We marched and we sang
We all became friends as we learned how to fight

A hero of war, yeah that's what I'll be
And when I come home they'll be damn proud of me
I'll carry this flag to the grave if I must
'Cause it's a flag that I love and a flag that I trust

I kicked in the door, I yelled my commands
The children they cried but I got my man
We took him away, a bag over his face
From his family and his friends

They took off his clothes, they pissed in his hands
I told them to stop but then I joined in
We beat him with guns and batons
Not just once but again and again

A hero of war, yeah that's what I'll be
And when I come home they'll be damn proud of me
I'll carry this flag to the grave if I must
'Cause it's a flag that I love and a flag that I trust

She walked through bullets and haze
I asked her to stop, I begged her to stay
But she pressed on
So I lifted my gun and I fired away

And the shells jumped through the smoke
And into the sand that the blood now had soaked
She collapsed with a flag in her hand
A flag white as snow

A hero of war is that what they see
Just medals and scars, so damn proud of me
And I brought home that flag, now it gathers dust
But it's a flag that I love, it's the only flag I trust

He said, "Son, have you seen the world?
Well, what would you say if I said that you could?"

Why does everything have to be about money??

Why does everything have to revolve around money?? Why can't it just be about having fun..living life?? ..oh because you need money to do that. Doesn't that just suck. The power that money has. Try and take money out the equation of life (or should I write living??) and well it's pretty impossible..right? If someone wants to tell me otherwise I'd be happy to hear..but I'm talking about living a certain quality of life (in the modern day). Just a normal one though..not one where you can have whatever you want..that's all just extras.
But back to the point..whatever that may be..as I think I'm just rambling.. If money didn't 'rule' the world.. I guess we would still all be living like cave men..or maybe we would have wooden houses..or maybe we would have houses..but where would we get the materials to make it? The materials you can't just get from the natural world around you..?..and even then who said you could take it..? And then the electricity and gas..etc..? Ppl need to work to produce things..but ppl need an incentive to do that as it's not just for themselves..and well money is the only solution. You do something for me..and I'll do something for you just wouldn't cut it as there's too many ppl to cater for..it just wouldn't work. If ppl didn't get up and go to work..well the world as we know it now just wouldn't exist. Therefore we need to buy everything we want to give us an incentive to want to work and earn money and for the world as we know it to exist.
I've now just decided there's no point talking about the existence of money and everyone's NEED for it..I guess the real problem is actually greed. Ppl just always seem to want more..more than they actually need..ppl want luxuries. Ppl want the big house..the nice car..the latest gadgets..but it's not a need. I dont need those things..I'm quite happy with what I've got. Yes..what I've got I don't need all of them..but I'm not driven by a want for all these things. I just want to be happy..and 'things' just aren't what do that for me..maybe for a moment but it all wears off. It's hard to explain this without sounding a bit like a hypocrite..but I hope you get what I mean. In the long run..it's about being happy with what you've got and for me..that's the ppl around me. I don't need a big house..a flash car and all those fancy things. Yes it'd be nice..but I can live without it..and knowing that makes me happy. There's more important things in life.

Money makes the world go round.
..but it doesn't create true happiness.
That comes from within.

Lettuce

Two thousand and ten has introduced me to many things so far..and one of them is introducing me in to..the world of lettuce! Until a few weeks ago..whenever I thought of lettuce I only thought..iceburg lettuce..but then slowly..very slowly..I came to a realisation that I've eaten lettuce which when thinking about it..was not iceburg lettuce..eg. when eating Caesar salads.. What really got me into this crazy realisation tho..was when I was buying the bags of mixed leaves..mixed LETTUCE leaves..to have as part of my lunches..I was thinking..this is not iceburg lettuce..it can't be lettuce..but the bag clearly says lettuce..which made me think..omg what form does lettuce come in??..and I started doubting myself..I had no idea what lettuce looked like anymore and it all got a bit scary as..well..one should know these things..I mean IT'S lettuce..how could you not know about lettuce..? So..after this huge realisation which took me about two or three days..I decided..I'm going to go buy some actual lettuce..not these bags of leaves..which I also realised is actually a rip off considering buying the whole real thing is ALOT cheaper and lasts the week instead of just one or two portions....and so to cut a long story short..I was quite amazed to find...there are millions..! (okay so maybe not quite millions..that was a bit of an exaggeration..) of types of lettuce. It was actually quite fascinating to see..and also..it explained a lot. So now I'm currently in the process of trying my third type of lettuce..first one..great..second one..omg..NO way again! and third..my faith in lettuce has been restored. Names..I will get to you later when I go on the internet properly..but for now I'd just thought I'd write about my discovery on the matter of lettuce.  

The first day of March..

It seems today was pretty sunny..ppl wearing t-shirts and no jumpers..apparently?! I however...seem to have missed ALL of it!! :( so I've bought myself some trifle along with a whole load of other food for consumption this week :) Gona get the ingredients for cake making tomoro as I have too much to carry home..and also I need to check my cupboards to see what I've got. MUST remember to check for jam tho..that is one thing I definately need..as I also bought some scones :) ..and maybe I could make a victoria sponge??

Ahh I was meant to go out after work..toot' pub..tonight..but everyone else is doing a closing shift..and well I got excited at the supermarket :) so now am headed home. I went there last week..and I can go next week so all is okay :) ..I hope.

Had soup for lunch today..with mozarella in a wrap..and as always..made a bit of a mess preparing le food..but! the soup splashes made a cute lil face on my can..which made me not mind so much..this time! I duno what it is..but whenever I make lunch..it looks chaotic cos of the amount of mess I SOMEHOW manage to make..and also!..when I make my simple (healthy) lunches..it always seems to take ME forever..and by the time it's done I'm usually ready to give up and not eat..what is up with that?? Well I'm about to get off the tube now..so I will stop typing and post this in a bit after I've got home :)