Better Late Than Never

I apologise. I’ll tell you why though you know it already. I was doing so well, reinstating the  blog and making regular updates that clearly kept you oh so thrilled and then…. well I got a little slack. Life happened and both thumbs dropped off, I got kidnapped by pirates, aliens abducted me, I became queen of my own utopian dynasty. Ok life happened and I got lazy. I’m sorry because I did swear to you (my one loyal reader) that I would update next week and several weeks later here I am.

So please forgive me and allow me to update in style. Or because I don’t know how to update in style please allow me to share all the funness (is that even a word? Webster’s says no) and life happenings with you because sharing is caring after all.  

I last updated on the 14^th April to brag a little bit and so I am going to brag a little bit more because a week later Huw and I got this little guy…

Haaaaaave you met Barney Stinson? Well no you haven’t because I am introducing you to him now. Barney is a Long-Haired Golden Syrian Hamster which essentially translates to sooooo cute and fluffy!!!!!!

I’ve owned a hamster exactly the same breed as Barney before, his name was Cookie and if I could demonstrate his personality by humanising him Cookie would have worn a top hat, maybe even a monocle and would have carried a walking cane swishing it dandily (is dandily a word? Webster’s says yes). If I could demonstrate Barney’s personality I am looking at a different character. I’m seeing a leather jacket wearing, cigarette smoking and motor bike riding type of person. Sort of like-

So far I have learnt that you can’t watch Top Gear or Fast and the Furious or leave the window open on busy days because Barney doesn’t like the sound of cars. He also cannot stand Annie Lennox. He will pretty much go for anything if it is made of leather and has taken tiny little hamster sized bites out of my bag and purse before I’ve noticed. He will chew for hours on his cage bars rather than gnaw at any of the hamster chew related products purchased for him and then he will wilfully dangle upside down from the suspension bridge. So far Barney has peed on the wall, chewed through several cushions and is determined to dig his way down the sofa. Plus monkey nuts are his crack cocaine. Boy will go crazy to get his paws on one of those things.

Frankly he is a bit hilarious to watch. Anyone that says hamsters don’t have personalities clearly has never owned a hamster and I double dare them to put anything leather near him and see how long it lasts.

The other news I guess is that I’m leaving my place of employment after 5 years. I was starting to feel so down and doubt myself about my ability to do anything remotely work related. Then I got a phone call from someone who had spotted me and mentioned a potential job opportunity for me. Long story short I interviewed and got a new job. I am being replaced by two people at my current work place so I feel vindicated that when I said I was busy I wasn’t just talking pants.

I feel a mixture of emotions. I’m sad that I am leaving a place where I have worked and enjoyed working for a long time with the knowledge that I will not work with some excellent colleagues again but I am also grateful that I have had the opportunity to meet those colleagues and do what I was able to do.

I’m also feeling that glorious feeling of excitement and nerves you get before you do anything new. It’s been a while since I’ve been the new girl and I’ve already got all those little voices in my head –not the scary kind- whispering all their doubts. Forget the butterflies in my stomach; I have great big bats flapping around in there. In fact sod the bats. I think I’ve got a case of Batman.

For a long time I haven’t been able to get round to reading anything and I've really missed it. Now I am fully ensconced in the Song of Ice and Fire series (aka Game of Thrones) and am trying to rein it in a bit because the series isn’t finished and I’m exceptionally greedy and want to have it all. I had a wonderful moment last weekend when I realised that I just couldn’t and wouldn’t put one of the books down until I had finished it and for the first time in a long time I sat reading until the sun came up and then went to bed when I finally closed the cover. That is the power of stories.

On that note I bid you adieu and will try and update next week, I might not have the powerful stories but I do like to tell them.

Squee Moment of the Week/ Moment for Others to Be Absolutely Terrified:-

I have booked my first driving lesson.

 

Disney vs Misery

As I am off to Disneyland Paris on Monday, sorry let me say again in case you didn't hear me, as I am off to Disneyland Paris on Monday I would like to 'theme' this weeks post accordingly.

I would like to share with you this hilarious (well I find it so) video that has been going viral. Take a little moment and enjoy...

Watched? Enjoyed? Good. The guy is called Jon Cozart and appears to be a scrawny kid from Texas who has a real talent at singing, pulling great faces & putting together a brilliant parody of what happens to some of our Disney princesses when the happily ever after is over.

For those of you who have chosen not to watch the video because you think it's mushy Disney crap I recommend that you click play. Ariel's ecosystem is being destroyed by oil spills and whaling, Aladdin has been arrested in the War on Terror, Belle is going to be burned at the stake by her crazy village and Pocahontas is going Last of the Mohican on our arses. Who couldn't blame her? She was after all the grand old age of 11 when she met John Smith who was pushing on 30. I guess child protection laws weren't in effect in Colonial America.

What I love about this most is that someone who clearly loves the Disney can also see the twisted side of it all. And, as I am talking about twisted I would also like to share the Twisted Princess series on Deviant Art created by an artist called Jeffrey Thomas. I cannot help myself, I am clearly a morbid creature.

I happen to adore the Disney movies- the art, the songs, the way I just feel better after having watched a Disney movie marathon. Maybe it's because life can be crap and sometimes, just sometimes, it's nice to escape into a world where 100% of the time the good guys win, the girl gets her man and the bad guys end up falling off tall buildings/ clifftops/ aircraft.

Then, when I am feeling particurly NeilGaimany I like to dabble in the dark side and sample from the various reminders of where these stories actually came from. Modern authors are getting in on the act. Neil Gaiman has his 'Snow, Glass, Apples,' a re-telling of the Snow White legend from a more sympathetic point of few of the step-mother. Angela Carter has her anthology of short stories based on fairy tales in 'The Bloody Chamber,' a book I love so much that I really, truly wish I had written it myself.

The modern authors and artists get in on the act where it comes to the horrifying side of Disney but I happen to have a copy of Grimm's Fairy Tales and for anyone who knows about this sort of thing knows that the source material isn't exactly sunshine and happiness. Cinderella as an example has a glorious section describing how each of her step-sisters start hacking away at their feet just for the chance to squeeze into the shoe. The prince notices the blood seeping from the slipper and realises that neither are his gal. I know people can be desperate to not remain single but c'mon ladies....

When I was younger The Little Mermaid was all I wanted. I had the games, t-shirts (not the doll though- curses!) & the books. As an adult I have two copies on DVD, one I can watch and one for 'collectors' purposes and I went to see the Broadway play when I was in New York. I also remember reading the original version when I was a child and was both fascinated and horrified. No Flounder or Sebastian but instead tongues being cut out, sisters offering knives for a bout of heart stabbing, feet that bleed when our heroine dances and a far from happy ending when she loses the man she loves to another woman and then turns to foam.

Say what?? Isn't it fantastic. For every 'modern' re-telling of anything involving a fairy story just go back and look at the original. It's nothing new- these writers just want to go back to the source.

People complain that Disney have perverted the true fairy stories. Well yes. And no. If I had a five year old I would be much happier with them watching the Disney way of life and frankly there are moments in time when I am far happier regressing to my 7 year old self and singing my heart and soul out to 'Tale as Old as Time.' However when I am feeling a bit more 'mature' I like to read fairy tales as they were originally intended, warning's about the evil, bad and sinister.

That's the great thing about Disney and fairy stories. Sometimes you're in the mood to read about women making sacrifices (by er, not committing murder) and spending eternity earning a soul and other times all you want to do is watch colourful fish dance around a red-head.

So I shall enjoy my little trip to Disney, wear the Mickey ears and meet the characters and maybe when I'm back I'll start on that mini fairy tale I've been trying to work on when it's cold and damp...

Squee Moment of the Week:-

Spent last Sunday watching big burly Rugby men doing their thing at Twickenham thanks to an invite from my friend Beth :) It was bloody fantastic! Though not too bloody thankfully. We were so close to the try line that we could see sweat and tears (not that there were any, this isn't football) and muscles and... well I'll stop now before I get into trouble.