boblog

retrograde

Don't understand why I like this:

In other news, it continues to be freezing here.
At least it's stopped snowing.

earworm

This latest earworm came out of nowhere. It leapt into my head one day after work last week and drove me crazy trying to identify it:

Soundhound wasn't any use.

Something bleak... a war film maybe...?
12 hours later... BAM!

Pärt

Music: Spiegel im Spiegel - Arvo Pärt (1978)

BBC adaptation of Elizabeth Gaskell's North & South (2004)

Earworm!

earworm

Fun Ethereal - Tall Trees

As usual, I have no idea what is being sung. Let's hope it's nothing too objectionable.

murmuration

via BoingBoing

into darkness

200

It is a truth universally acknowledged that the bicentenary of Pride and Prejudice will be accompanied by a surge of Jane Austen-related events and merchandise - and articles that shamelessly hijack the novel's first sentence.

BBC News

Having originally expected P&P to be everywhere today, then disappointed to discover not a single adaptation on ANY channel, BBC News has gone slightly overboard:

Janeites: The curious American cult of Jane Austen Um... yeah... those weird Americans...?

The enduring appeal of Pride and Prejudice Fanfic!

PD James: 'Price [sic] and Prejudice is perfect in every way' Typo!

Joanna Trollope on Austen "The untouchables of English literature"

Bridget Jones vs Pride and Prejudice

The most serious article of the lot is a piece about Jane's "my own darling child" letter now on display at the Jane Austen Museum.

If you can watch the iPlayer in your location, there's also a bit on The Culture Show about P&P adaptations.

Tearing myself away from the BBC website, there's this (rather dreary) set of Jane Austen stamps due out next month.

And, while we're on the subject, as much as I love the idea of the Lizzie Bennet Diaries, it hasn't enthralled me so far.

Happy birthday, P&P!

deo

So, I've been making my own deodorant for almost a year now and love it.

Amazing. Works better than the stuff I'd been buying, easy to make, leaves no marks on clothing, lasts ages (made my third batch last month) and contains no nasty chemicals. Won't go back to commercially produced deodorant.

Got the recipe online somewhere - can't find the original site but here are some others with similar recipes.

Melt 2 tablespoons of coconut oil in a dish, mix in 2 tablespoons of arrowroot powder, 2 tablespoons of bicarbonate of soda and a few drops of tea tree oil. Pour into a jar. Done.

There are a few minor downsides:
Do give it some time to start working - the site I got my recipe from warned of an acclimatisation period of up to two weeks.
It can sting a bit if applied right after shaving.
Scooping it out of the jar with a finger and applying it by hand takes some getting used to.
In warmer weather it reverts back to its melted form - batch #2 went into an old deo stick container and spent the summer in the fridge.

Other than that, bloody brilliant stuff.

earworm

The first earworm of the year - a Tinie Tempah mashup; Earthquake vs Pass Out (my favourite line of which is 'I got so many clothes I keep some in my aunt's house'). Rhymes to make Des'ree weep.

I've been listening to it for the past 45 minutes non-stop on the Infinite Jukebox.

2013

Traditionally, the first post of the year sets out my resolutions and plans for the next twelve months.

Well, as proved by last year's spectacular failure (0/3 achieved) I wonder whether there's much point in making any resolutions.

My plans for the year so far:

Redo the meadow. Using 2011's seeds was a spectacular failure so I'm going to try the Olympic park seed mix this time.

Do something with the front garden. Still have no idea of what to do with it though.

Get some new glasses. The day before yesterday I walked into the living room door and my already-on-their-last-legs frames got bent (I'd had rather a large gin). Can't quite see properly and it's really annoying.
I've been looking for new frames for YEARS without success and now I NEED new ones I had, until yesterday, been highly sceptical I'd be able to find anything I truly liked. However, after a search of all the (open on NYE) opticians in Boblogville I stumbled upon a (hideously expensive) pair I love. So, an eye test (also hideously expensive) and some online specs shopping is on the cards.

Will probably end up blogging less. Am losing the will to blog, but will try for monthly updates at least.