Christmas and all that jazz

Christmas Day went really well, our cooking was perfect. The meal is legendary - the whole family has been asking us about it, knowing the details already.

We went to Blackpool on Boxing Day. We opened presents at Raine's mum's house. I'm excited about my bean in a tin, which I grow over a few months to reveal a secret message. We're trying to decide where to position it. Our house is worryingly damp. We have some plants which never need watering. Although the bean shouldn't go dry it'll probably need a lot of light, so I think it'll have to go near a rear window.

After present opening we cooked a new meal for Raine's family - kind of shepherds pie, but instead of gravy it has chicken stock, tomato puree, worcestershire sauce, onions, garlic, and flour to thicken it; mash on top. It was really tasty. Raine said it tasted like fajita pie, which is a fairly accurate description.

We had a family meal round at my Grandparent's place on Friday. It went pretty well. Almost everyone is happy with us now - it's strange to think that they have a problem with us because we're two girls, but they're starting to see we're not two headed, childeaters, just two people in love. There's just John that has a problem, but he's becoming really isolated. For the past couple of Christmas he's given me socks with 3D Reindeer on, these are hideous, and £1 from Primark. When I got to my Grandparent's John's youngest child, Ali, presented me with a present. It felt suspicously sock like. I opened it in the car as we were leaving, it wasn't raindeer socks, it was 3D cat socks, with bells on. My mum liked them, so her's they became.

Whilst in Blackpool I got a new computer. I've had my old one for nearly 5 years, which you can't complain about for a laptop. It's had a few problems over the past few months, the final straw being a faulty space bar - you have to hit it 3 times, hard, to get a single space. Not great for my train of thought.

I spent yesterday evening putting music on the new laptop. I've got nearly 3 days - 65 hours - worth. I'm so happy:-) It's one of the joys of having 120GB of space rather than 18!

Hope everyone has a good new year. We'll be spending it at home, with a good meal and wine.

Merry Christmas!

So, Christmas is here. We got through the Christmas shopping. It's been really harsh this year. We haven't a lot of spare cash, so it's not really been fun. We did manage to get some good gifts, though - I think everyone's going to be happy. I do love giving presents. I want to give a mention is Oxfam's latest scheme: Oxfam Unwrapped (http://www.oxfam.org.uk/shop/). Instead of buying people crap you can buy them a goat, or some condoms...imagine buying your Grandma condoms...it doesn't go to them, of course. Raine and I were pondering the logistics, if everyone buys a goat does Oxfam have to put that money towards goats?...Next year will there be a rehouse an abandoned goat present?

Tomorrow we're having my parents round. They have a dog (it was my aunt and uncle's, but they had to go into a nursing home, so my parents have taken him in), which they'll be leaving at home, so they can't stay for ages. It'll be nice, though, they'll have a decent amount of time here, then Raine and I will have the evening alone. We'll probably crack open a bottle of wine (or Spankers...we still haven't dared open that stuff, lest the house become a den of debauchery) and ponder the infinite...or play board games...or watch the Soaps, which always have hilarious, redicuously improbable disasters on Christmas Day - plane crashes, murders, outed affairs with ex-Oxfam goats.

We saw a couple of films last week, both worth mentioning. "The Darjeeling Limited" is excellent. A lot of fun, and very original - it's directed by Wes Anderson (of 'The Royal Tenenbaums' fame). The other: "The Golden Compass" is beautiful to watch.

I got an early Christmas present yesterday: a letter saying I'm through to the final, assessment centre, stage of a job I applied for. I really thought I'd messed up the telephone interview. I spent the whole day with a smile on my face. It was a lovely, confidence boosting, surprise!

Merry Christmas to you all - take care and have fun.

Last week of term. Lots of work to do. Raine has deadlines this week. I don't have any, my work's just about keeping the momentum going. I'll kick myself if I don't keep working through the holidays. I really feel like I'm getting somewhere, and I'm getting a lot of positive feed back from my mentor. I thought I was ready to leave uni (at the end of this academic year, when I get my degree), but I'm being encouraged to stay on, and I would be upset if I had to finish after this year. It's where to get the money from, though.

Beer festival was good, if a little bit crazy. We managed to stake out a great spot - in one of the little alcoves. We displayed our souvenir pint glass trophies on a ledge around the alcove. Furness is the best bar on campus, it is the self-proclaimed "hotbed of socialism." The beer was good - lots of random flavours, from the novelty ginger nut, and lipbalm tasting cherry, to the serious ale lovers' dark, hoppy flavours.

My Plain Lazy tops have been coming in handy this week. Have had a lot of comments about my "Make Tea Not War" top. My dad came up last Friday, we went out for coffee, the manager of the shop chatted with me solely because of my top, and gave us both our coffees for £2 - individually they cost more than that. This is a good situation, we're not greatly well off at the moment. The holiday's had to be cancelled, because we're owed money - Chris couldn't find a job for ages, and we've had to support him. It's getting cold, and people keep telling me to wear a coat - if I could afford a coat I'd buy a pair of shoes! My favourite shoes, which I wear all the time have worn through at the back, so they rub my feet...I swapped to my other shoes, and the shoelace snapped. This is a point against remaining a student.

We're having my parents here for Christmas dinner. We're planning what to make already - very domesticated. We're going traditional, with turkey, but we're going to do our favourite mash: potato, sweet potato and carrot (it's excellent!), and honey roasted vegetables.

The car's being picked up tomorrow evening. As ever, we hope the work won't be extortionate. Her engine's been rattling around, the engine brace seems to have gone. Walking's been nice - good for us, and theraputic, but it gets a bit much in the rain. Have started to break the distance into songs...you can get to the uni entrance by the end of "Hey Little Rider"...

Eggs and Tibet

My mind's kind of swimming in work at the moment. Getting down to it at the moment - really getting stuck into it. I think I've had a break through. I'm kind of in that state, though. When you get really stuck on something creative, and you just float along in it. Whatever you do your essence doesn't change, you leave it behind in that you are creating.

I haven't left the house today. When I was cooking eggs, showering, making curry, I was still really thinking about this group I'm studying: New Kadampa Tradition (a Western form of Buddhism, headed by a very controlling Tibetan lama). They talk a lot about meditation, perhaps that means they're getting me - they're accused of being a cult, if I don't blog for a while come and help Chris and Raine rescue me from the meditation centre, who will be taking all of my incoming cash...Actually, I'll be ok, they'll kick me out when they figure out how broke I am...no they won't, they get me sign up for benefits, as is their usual way. One member had legitimated this practice, they said that by building the movement up off the State they were giving the State good karma. Wa-hay for the State in the next life, maybe it'll have an improved version of Gordon Brown leading.

We didn't have much of a weekend. I was working at LUSU on Saturday. We went back up to uni in the evening, for a World Aids Day gig. We waited for Chris to get home from work, then he had to eat. We thought the gig went on til 12, it didn't. We got there a bit before 11 and it finished, so we walked home again (the car's broken, so we're on foot at the moment). Got stoned in the back garden, had a giggle and talked profoundly - as you always do when you're stoned, even if it's about soap operas, it's profound. On this occassion it was about books. I decided that Raine likes books which romanticise the super human, or the post human - it's beyond the normal human experience. I like books which examine the human experience, which examine the everyday, and illuminate that. In the middle you have Chuck Palahniuk, who romanticises the final moment of human experience. Everything he writes about leads up to a final moment.

We got our shopping delivered to us, because the car's broken down. That was quite fun! Ordering on the Internet then it arrives. It would have been more miraculous had there not been several problems, meaning we had to call them up. Calling ASDA up means speaking to someone in South Africa, that's strange. Firstly, because you're talking about your shopping which is coming from Morecambe; secondly, because no call centre is in South Africa!

The end of the week is a big occassion: Furness (college at the University) Real Ale and Cider Festival. Every year they hold it, and it appears in Real Ale guides. Close to 100 real ales, and stamp books to fill, and for every fourth pint you get a souvenir pint glass. Cunning - of course you're going to drink four pints for that. Really, you are. Well, last year we didn't, we stole one off a table, but...Mostly, I think the pint glasses are distributed because you wake up and don't know why the hell your head hurts so badly, then you see the glass and go down to Furness for the second day, to cure your head with more alcohol, and see what it is you've forgotten, and so on for the whole weekend. Anyway, it's down with tea for Friday night, will need it come Saturday, I fear.

Accordians and the wilderness

Went back to Blackpool, saw "Into the Wild." It's based on the true story of Chris McCandless, who left his Ivy League life and went travelling across America. Go see it. Seriously, go get your coat... I'm going to try and get hold of the book, while it's still movie-tie-in cheap.

We went to the accordian club Christmas party. This is an annual event (every Christmas, in fact). Raine's been going forever, this was my 3rd. We corrupt it - Raine's mum's co-organiser, and we have to do the raffle - we go around and sell the tickets, then we put them all into the hat, but we always have about 10 rows: 50 tickets (about 45 more than every other group). Through the half hour the draw takes place we go up in turns, "oh, me? I've won?" we each say. Everyone gets a prize, it's just we get several, each. The party's brilliantly communist - so long as you contribute there's food a-plenty, everyone can play music, everyone wins a raffle prize. There are some amazing characters there - you couldn't write a TV show as good. Some you love, some you ridicule. We love it, we're going to be in London next year - we'll be tempted to make a guest appearance.

We are now planning a party to enjoy accordian club winnings - ginger wine, beer, and some very strange alcopops: 'Spankers' they're called, in 'Peach and Passion' flavour; God know what sort of aphrodisiac they contain, but keep tuned for post party entries;-) My favourite prize was a little bag... it has toiletries inside, but it's the bag I love - it's cord/canvas, in burgundy, with a little toggle. Raine says if I were a bag, I would be that bag! Raine and Chris were disgusted with me when I rushed up for our first prize and came back with a bag, no % volume in that...Maybe I'll keep emergency tea in it.

Came back to Lancaster with CDs. I'm falling back in love with my music collection. I've been inspired to write, I'm working a new song - the first one in a long time.

We had something of a comedy night in the living room last night. We made vegetarian chilli and re-jigged the furniture. Raine set up a bar, and moved the hi-fi - there was meant to be music, but the music options were too crap, so we watched comedy shows. There was lots of good stuff - 'Have I Got News For You' and a night of Billy Connolly, doing his 'World Tour of Australia.' We were trying to do something for Chris. He's been working really hard this week. His new job has turned out well - he really enjoys it, and he's working with some good people. He's been put on the Management Training Scheme already.

We've found out that Asda is one of the best places to eat out in the Lancaster area - yes, we are turning into white trash. We went there shopping the other day. I'd been working and hadn't eaten, so we decided to try the cafe. They do tea and coffee with unlimited re-fills for £1. I had a sandwich, it was amazing. It was Christmas dinner in a sandwich - turkey, bacon, sausage, stuffing, cranberry sauce, special mayonaise, bread made with pork and sage...Raine suggested we have people round for Christmas dinner and serve them that. Unorthodox, but when they try it they'll understand.

Won another debate. It was a no-brainer, and a subject dear to my heart: should Religious Studies be taught in schools. I had to argue it should. I am passionate about this - I think it's one of the the most important subjects we can teach in school. Ignorance of religion breeds intolerance and terrorism.

I feel like I am going crazy at the moment. I'm feeling really low, and I have been for a while - fighting to keep my head above water, put one foot in front of the other. I sleep over 12 hours a day. I'm going to see my doctor this week. I threatened Ned Flanders action this afternoon - driving myself through the gates of the mental hospital. I'd like to be taken to my room kicking and screaming, please...

If you don't already know, England got knocked out of Euro 2008. It was horrible. All we had to do was draw at home against Croatia, and we lost. Our (ex) coach is the biggest footballing idiot known to man. He played a team which proved he had booked a summer holiday before realising it clashed with the competition. Last night involved a lot of shouting at the television, very important - if only I (and the other half of the English population) had shouted a little louder I'm sure we would have won...

Went to see Beowulf on Tuesday. It wasn't great. I felt a bit cheated when I left the cinema. The fact it's computer animated didn't add much. I can't figure out why they did it like that - was it one big experiment, or was it meant to be a comment on the nature of the original work?

There's someone sat next to me, here in the library, with a really strange sniffing affliction! Every 10 seconds or so he sniffs really loudly and abruptly. He must practice it. It doesn't seem like he's sniffing for any medical reason, I think it's purely to annoy people...perhaps he's doing some kind of wind up experiment - Ashton Kutcher/Jeremy Beadle's going to jump out from behind row of books soon. Raine and I have stopped working in the library - it's just too annoying. I think, if I spent the whole year working in the library, I'd have a stroke, or a criminal record...

Also, I know I started the last blog saying how good Eric Taylor's album really is, but I want to repeat that for effect! It's outstanding. If you don't like it the first time, give it another go. I think it's like his live shows, it's comparable to a religious experience! It builds such an atmosphere - like preachers in evangelical churches. You get swept away in it. It's like your favourite novel, the kind where you can walk through the scenes, and be kidnapped by the characters.

Got hold of Eric Taylor's latest album: 'Hollywood Pocketknife' this weekend. It's great stuff. It takes concentration - you have to give it your all to fall in love, but it's worth it. It's really got substance. It's real, if you know what I mean?

Went home on Saturday night. Had a great meal at a new Thai restaurant in Blackpool: Wah Wah's. It's a really good place, if you're unfortunate enough to be looking for somewhere to eat in Blackpool. I had Pad Thai, it was really different from any Pad Thai I've had before - it had a thick base sauce, but it really worked. Chris hoovered up everyone's left overs, he loves hot food, but he said mine was a contender for best dish, with his Thai Green Curry. Went to Scrooges and The Blue Room afterwards. The only places worth the time of day in Blackpool, but they are well worth it - institutions of our youth.

I've developed sleeping sickness lately. I think it's the the weather - it's cold and dark all the time. Plus, my head's out of here - I'm ready to leave uni and move away. Started sleeping 11 - 12 hours when I have my way, then I've slept so long I'm still tired!

Have to find out about immunisations today. It's looking like we might end up in Egypt at Christmas, so we're going to get the immunisations ready for the possibility.

Petrol here has surpassed the £1 a litre mark. Crazy stuff. 60% of that is tax. Low income families are spending 1/3 of their income on petrol, and that's essential petrol - to get to work, and to get the shopping, to keep the country's economy afloat. Gordon Brown talks crap, about how we've got to talk tough to Iran. Gets me so angry. Let's talk to tough to Iran, like we do to Iraq and Afganistan, hey?

Watched "This Is England" last night. Really strong film. If you get chance to watch it do!

Going back to Blackpool tomorrow night. Having dinner with a group of friends, old and new. Got to work during the day, so it'll be good to have a night out. I have to book a table in the morning, our numbers are slowly swelling - we're into double figures now - and the restaurant we're going to fills up on a Saturday night. We're going to have couples sitting on each other's knees soon. I have to say I prefer to go out in Blackpool. Lancaster's just full of jumped up students, out to get pissed and laid. We know the honest places in Blackpool - places with real people.

Raine and I are starting to think more and more about the summer. It's likely we'll be moving down to London. Tottenham seems like somewhere we might want to settle. It's an up and coming area, good connections to the city, but still affordable - we want a ground floor, 2 bed place with a garden. We want somewhere to sit out and grow vegetables! Chris might end up coming down with us. Of course I've got to sort out a job first...

The weekend was good. Raine and I both had good times with our folks. I went to the football with my dad. Blackpool played well, and managed to win - yay! Hopefully it'll give us some confidence. I really think we're got the ability to stay up. A few more wins in the run up to January, then we'll get some new players, and we should be home and dry.

Saturday was officially annointed 'shirt day.' I got a Blackpool shirt, then Raine came back with two early Christmas presents for me. They're my dream Christmas presents, too - Plain Lazy hoody's, one saying 'Give Peas and Chance,' the other, 'Make Tea Not War.' I have been searching for over a year for just these hoodies - you wait around for one, then two come along at once...I was supposed to give them back until Christmas, but I put them on and refused to remove them until my nagging won out.

Chris got a job today - go Chris. It's in a supermarket out in Garstang. It's all good - we're going to be able to eat next month;-)

We're hoping to get to the cinema to see 'Lions for Lambs' tomorrow. Wednesday means buy one get one free - always good!

I went and picked up some liquid latex...I never tire of telling people this (made for a great moment at my Grandparent's;-))...alas, before your mind runs totally amuk, it's for my dreads - it'll hold down the frizzy bits, make me presentable. Chris and I both put it on our hands earlier - we now have bald hands...it's certainly not a lie when they say it bonds to hair.

Finally, for the cooks. We had one of our favourite meals today. Salmon with leaks and mash potato. Make a sauce for the salmon and leeks: 2 tbsp olive oil, 2 tbsp clear honey; 2 tbsp wholegrain mustard, 1/2 juice of a lemon (good squeeze of Jif lemon). It's very tasty. Mix wholegrain mustard with your mash too - mustard mash's good with anything.

The Shins were really good last night. They played a mix of stuff. Raine and I are loving their latest album: "Wincing The Night Away." The crowd near us sucked - there was a very drunk group, talking loudly and spilling beer. I would've said something, but the crowd's ring leader had a scar on his face that was bigger than mine. Still, we moved away (several times - they were attracted to us) and got into the music...they're worth catching, if they come to a town near you.

We got Austin back (Mr. mini man (as he is now forever known) fixed her all up for £60 - we love him!) and headed off for Manchester early afternoon. Had a look round the shops. Went to one of our favourite restuarants: Rice (http://www.ricemanchester.com/page.php?18). They cook amazingly tasty rice and noodle dishes in minutes.

I picked up a form to renew my passport yesterday, nearly fainted when I found out how much it'll cost: £72. £72 for the right to leave the country! Tomorrow, when I go to hand over my money, the person at the Post Office is going to have to wrestle my debit card from me. I have to do it, though, we will go away at Christmas.

Going home to Blackpool tonight. Haven't stayed there for a couple of months, so we're due a visit. My mum's making us a meal tonight. We're having days with our respective mothers tomorrow, then seeing Dan in the evening. Lunch with my Grandparents on Sunday. I want to fit in a visit with my Uncle, who's in a Nursing Home with my Aunty. He's a great guy - amazing. He gets stir crazy in the Nursing Home. He was part of the Dunkirk Landing, rode a motorbike off a landing craft, being fired at by Germans. He waterproofed tanks ready for the landing, drove one through a lake at his base to test the waterproofing out. He's written a book on his war time experiences: "From Lorry Wheels to Tank Tracks" it's called, I think. It's important I visit him this weekend: it's Armistice Day on Sunday. Armistice Day resonates particuarly nastily these past few years, the years of Iraq and Afganistan. Those two minutes silence always bring tears to my eyes.

'The Squid and The Whale' was pretty good. If you like films in the vein of 'Thumbsucker' and 'Me and You and Everyone We Know' it's worth checking out.

Off to work in a minute. After I've kicked the moron who is talking on his mobile in the library - ARGH!

I wish I was in Austin

Austin's at the mechanic's today. Her electrics have become suicidal. Her indicators still work as hazards, but won't indicate when you're turning. A month or so ago we were fleeced for some work - £300 for a new head gasket. She's in good hands this time. The guy loves minis - he runs Mini Technique (http://www.spares4minis.com/), he just repairs and rebuilds minis all day long. What a wonderful life! Some of his rebuilds are beautiful. When I've got some cash Austin's going there for some sprucing up.

We're ill. We both had lunch out yesterday, an hour or so later we were hit with the same nasty symptoms. Today's going to be spent in bed. We have to be better (and have the car back) by tomorrow, because we're going to Manchester to see The Shins. Raine's been waiting for years to see them. They were meant to be at Leeds Festival, when we were there last, but they didn't show. A few months ago we tried to catch them in Manchester, but the show was sold out, and we had a nasty experience with ticket touts. This time we have our tickets, and nothing is going to keep us away.

I was in the toilets of the library yesterday. C Floor toilets always have the best graffiti. There's a problem wall. Last time I was in there someone had asked, "Am I a freak for being a virgin." Then people gave heartfelt answers: "Don't feel pressured," "Me too," "Don't rush into it. I did, and I regret it." This time: "Is it just me, or are other people out of their depth with their course?" I love it. Of course, I have this thing for graffiti - I think it's great - pure art. On main road out of Liverpool there's a bridge, and for years it's had "The pies, The pies" spray painted across it - so randomly wonderful. At York Minster there is ancient graffiti - a statue is covered in 100's of years of names, and declarations of love.

Our recuperation plans: we're going to watch a film or two during the course of the day. We have 'Junebug' and 'The Squid and The Whale' from Blockbuster. Plus, I've got a new book to read: 'Man Crazy' by Joyce Carol Oates. Before I came to Lancaster, when I was still in college, I had this plan to read my way through the fiction section of Lancaster University's library. I've resumed work on this plan.

All hyped up on ginseng

I've become addicted to tea. Fruit tea, and ginseng tea. Raine says she's going to get me a tea pot for Christmas. That's the danger of giving up drinking, you become addicted to unsavoury substitutes.

I have a focus group in an hour. I spend a couple of hours looking through graduate recruitment packs, commenting on them. I get £20 in return. Sounds like a good deal - getting paid for something I already do every day.

'Elizabeth' was good. I recommend you see the first before this one. It's stronger that way - you can appreciate Elizabeth's character progression. The visuals were very strong. The cinema was quiet - no oiks. Everyone in Lancaster had become a sheep. We drove into town and everyone was headed, in droves, up the hill to the castle. It was great - like a real life horror movie. I wanted to 'baaa' out the car window, but Raine was scared of divine retribution: we'd break down and be subject to ridicule. The castle used to be the site of witch hangings - the Pendle witches were hanged there. We thought the practice had been resumed. Chris imagined a family running, shouting, "Stop! It's just granny, she's always had a funny walk..." Reality's never as good: there was a firework display.

There was a suppliment with my Saturday paper. Best independent shops. Tomorrow we're visiting: http://www.growingwithgrace.co.uk/. It's a local Quaker company, who grow and supply organic fruit, veg and groceries and sell them at a fair price. Sounds wonderful! We're going to make a big pot of soup, and roasted veg.

I came into the library, and tried to pick up my new library card. I was presented with my old card. I asked if I could get the money back I paid for the new one. I was told no. They showed me the paper application, it hadn't been made up yet. The request is being 'processed,' though...I wrote a letter of complaint, suggested they might like to review their system. 1) I didn't get an email to say my card was handed in, 2) 'Lost and found' wasn't checked when I asked for a new one,' 3) librarians are stripped of common sense when they walk into Lancaster University Library. The perfect book I found the other day has gone awol. I would have gotten it out, had I not been waiting for a new card.

Watched 'La Haine' last night. It wasn't good. Basically about a bunch of French chavs. Not enough happened. High hopes for 'Elizabeth' - have had three duds this week, let's end on a high note. Think we're going to go to the Chinese on campus before the cinema. Best Chinese I've ever been to. Raine's addicted to the Singapore Noodles.

Am currently trying to write about Richard Dawkins. Want to suggest that his view of religion is unfair, reductive and dangerous. He gets me so angry. Have to use that anger constructively. Am considering sending my work to his website: richarddawkins.net for personal comebacks. My hope is to get him to realise what a tosser he is. However, he says himself "dye-in-the-wool faith-heads are immune to argument." That's him - dye-in-the-wool, fundamentalist atheist.

Started a new book last night. Haruki Murakami's 'Wild Sheep Chase.'

I work gainfully...actually got paid for 5 hours work today, when I only did 3 - I like being rewarded for efficiency... then I sit and have 30 000+ words taunt me in the library. At the moment I'm thinking numeracy - that's my excuse for not getting through enough research. Sunday I have to take a numerical reasoning test, my first one. All the jobs I want to apply for have them. Anyone who likes to talk about graphs, fractions and % speak now - admit your freakishness and be worshipped for two days.

Watched 'The Motorcycle Diaries' last night. I wasn't overly impressed. Seemed like the director knew they had a good thing on their hands, and rode on that - didn't try to make a good thing special. Best film at the cinema: 'Stardust.' Wonderful stuff, everything a film should be. Going to see 'Elizabeth' tomorrow. We have free tickets. We went to see 'The Dark Is Rising' last weekend. Some kids were talking, I complained to staff, but nothing was done, so they gave us tickets. Great deal: the film was crap.

Had our weekly 'Religion and Global Modernitites' deabte yesterday. Won again. We had the hardest topic, according to Paul (Heelas). Not only did I win, I changed his opinion. We were the proposition, arguing "We are more autonomous." Everyone figures New Labour have killed our autonomy. I should work for their press office...

Have a good weekend everyone. I'm going to listen to Muse, and think about working.

New chapter. The last blog (http://riley-bean.livejournal.com/) died, through inactivity. I spend most days in the library procrastinating at the moment, so this one's likely to be a success (in so far as my random ramblings can be considered a success) until June.