Books, books, books...

by GilraenH ^Pro @ 31/07/2007 – 18:53:10

1) Shakespeare or the Bible.
Shakespeare - going to see some live Shakespeare at the end of August at the Globe. Woohoo!

I know a bank where the wild thyme blows,
Where oxlips and the nodding violet grows,
Quite over-canopied with luscious woodbine,
With sweet musk-roses and with eglantine.
A Midsummer Night’s Dream Quote. Act ii. Scene.1

2) Most romantic moment in fiction.
It must be someting by Jane Austen. Probably involving ~~Colin Firth or Matthew Macfadyen~~ Mr Darcy.

*ooh - I've gone all gooey inside looking at that picture*

3) Favourite word? Tickateeboo. Closely followed by 'plum'.

4) Most overrated writer(s)
Dan Brown. Nice stories, atrocious writer. Clive Cussler comes a close second. Followed by J K Rowling.

5) Most underrated writer(s)
Hmm...Alistair Reynolds? Excellent sci fi writer, although he may be well recognised already , I don't know. George RR Martin, also sci fi/fantasy. His Song of Ice and Fire series is excellent, one of the best series I've ever read of the genre.

6) Best meal in literature
Er, OK. Stumped on this one. What did they eat at the Restaurant at the End of the Universe? The talking pig.

7) Favourite novel in translation
?? Stumped again.

8) Favourite children's book
C S lewis collection.

9) Books by your bedside
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - JK Rowling. Sorry - for what it's worth, I don't think it's very good.

*scary eyebrows kid*

10) Sexiest book
?? Don't think I read sexy books. Remember those erotic fictions back in the 90s though? By Nancy someone? I had a couple of them.

Thanks Meno and Landers. A little more cerebral than your average meme.

I must not attack harlequin clowns...

by GilraenH ^Pro @ 30/07/2007 – 18:02:12

Working on the Royal Mile just before the Edinburgh festival is an interesting time. After cursing the bum notes of the piper all last week (all day, people, ALL DAY) we couldn't have welcomed him back more after we were subjected to what can only be described as an ecrucitaing din of a trio of accordian-violin-bongo ensemble.

Walking back down the Mile after the end of a hard day's graft, the wizards and hobbits were already on the streets handing out leaflets, dancing around in front of tourists like possessed madmen.

However, we soon came across one of those 'statue' people. You know exactly what I mean. Painted from head to toe in silver and won't move until money goes in his little hat. An evil cousin of the mime, that one. It took all our willpower not to go over and attack him with the exteremely heavy and expensive piece of site equipment we were carrrying at the time - I'd gladly fill in the insurance papers - 'had to bludgeon a mime to death'. They'd understand.

I'm just glad we didn't see any harlequin clowns. It would have been a bloodbath.

Gil's back and she's got cool friends...

by GilraenH ^Pro @ 29/07/2007 – 08:58:20

Hello All,

This is just to let you know about what two of my friends are up to here on BCUK...

Not content with writing their own blogs, two people who -- (although I have never met) I think are amazing and wish I could take down the pub for a deep philosophical chat or have a 12 hour Whoathon with*! -- have gone one step further into blogland and are using their excellent writing skills to great effect to get some money for two great worthy causes.

First up, there's Playwrite27 (to give her the BCUK title) - she's writing 100 stories - each 100 words long (not easy!) for 100 days for ACCORD.

Here is the link the stories:

http://nbgolash.blogspot.com/

http://www.justgiving.com/nbgolash

And here is a link to ACCORD:

http://www.accord.org.uk/

ACCORD Hospice is an independent charity giving free medical and nursing care to those in Renfrewshire and parts of East Renfrewshire whose illness is causing physical pain and emotional stress and for whom curative treatment may no longer be appropriate. ACCORD opened its doors in 1992 to offer specialist palliative care services through provision of 8 In Patient beds, enhancing the existing Day Hospice facilities and Specialist Nurse led Community service. Our aim is to offer pain and symptom control, emotional, psychological and spiritual support, delivered by a team of specialist health care professionals. We respond to the needs of our patients and their families.

And of course, there's Landers - the 24 hour blogathon is happening right now (2pm to 2pm) and if you are around BCUK then he is promising a post every half hour to raise support for Amy's cause for 24 hours. Now Amy's cause is Cockayne's Syndrome, which is a genetic disorder and - rather than me try and explain it click on the link, but to get a better understanding, please visit Landers or Juzzy's blogs.

http://bloggingforamy.blog.co.uk/

GIL xx

*Yes, I know I ended this weird grammatical sentence with a preposition, It's been a long week.

Pip & Polo

by GilraenH ^Pro @ 20/07/2007 – 17:12:58

Quote Of The Week:Jeeves & Wooster

by GilraenH ^Pro @ 18/07/2007 – 21:30:45

The things we have to do to get a decent feed, these days...!!!!

by GilraenH ^Pro @ 18/07/2007 – 20:43:12

Facebook

by GilraenH ^Pro @ 15/07/2007 – 15:43:11

Hello there,

Today, my cousin John invited me to join Facebook, so I did. Don't know what it's all about - can't find any homies from years ago (not that I had that many homies) but I dare say it's a laugh.

Also, tonight, I shall be doing the following in whatever order I see fit:

* that's not my bathroom, I wish it were *

And, although it will be a pleasant enough evening, I should be here:

Darn my work - at least (hopefully) I will soon have someone I can trust to do everything properly whilst I am away, and the next Florida that hubs gets, I am going to go too come hell or high water!

Have a great evening,

Gil (your friendly half-sheep woman). XX

Like a sheep - I AM a sheep!!!

by GilraenH ^Pro @ 15/07/2007 – 15:29:42

From urban dictionary after AJ, Subs and Faffa.

I found some pictures, but they are far too disturbing to post.

Lullabies

by GilraenH ^Pro @ 14/07/2007 – 13:08:26

Hello All,

Lullabies.me.uk

I have been doing some updating to my website as I have neglected it ever since I started bogging, and also You Tube didn't exist then, so it's much better with a smattering of actual music in it.

Check it out if you want, and if you have any reviews or artists that you think I could include, let me know.

I try to avoid funny looks...

by GilraenH ^Pro @ 12/07/2007 – 18:33:58

Click on the pic. Go here.

Aaaah!

by GilraenH ^Pro @ 12/07/2007 – 17:57:30

This would make a good blog background image for the brave.

Play your own blues song!

by GilraenH ^Pro @ 12/07/2007 – 17:30:29

It's brilliant! Play your own blues! Here.

A Girls Guide to Geek Guys

by GilraenH ^Pro @ 11/07/2007 – 18:17:18

A Girl's Guide to Geek Guys

By Mikki Halpin and Victoria Maat

So, your crush on the bass player from Vibrating Sandbox has finally died a whimpering death and you're wondering where to go from here. All the sinister dudes are either dating a series of interchangeable high-school riot girls in baby doll dresses and an overdose of manic panic, or permanently shacked up with some bitter old lady who pays all the bills. Which will it be, a wifely prison or a humiliating one night stand? Into this void of potential mates comes a man you may not have considered before, a man of substance, quietude and stability, a cerebral creature with a culture all his own. In short, a geek.

Why Geek Dudes Rule

They are generally available.

Other women will tend not to steal them.

They can fix things.

Your parents will love them.

They're smart.

Where The Geek Dude Lurks

While they are often into alternative music, geek dudes tend not to go to shows too often. Instead you'll find them hanging out with their friends, discussing the latest hardware revolution or perfecting their Bill Gates impressions. You know how some people wear t-shirts with their favorite bands on them, thus showing that they went to certain shows? Well, geek dudes wear t-shirts with the logos of different software companies on them, thus showing that they are up on the latest, um, releases. A small, though convivial, rivalry may be detected here amongst the geek dudes. Try wearing one yourself and see if he strikes up a conversation. Of course the best way to meet a geek dude is through the Internet. All geeks harbor a secret fantasy about meeting some girl in cyberspace, carrying on an e-mail romance in which he has the chance to combine an activity he is comfortable with, computing, with one he is very uncomfortable with, socializing. To many geek dudes, cyberdating is just an advanced form of some kind of video game, but they are frustrated by a lack of players. Their lack is your strength.

Imprinting

You might notice that these men harbor some strange ideas about how the world works and some particularly strange ideas about women. There is a reason for this. Because they've had limited interpersonal experience, geek dudes must look elsewhere for behavior models. Lacking a real world social milieu, geeks often go through a transference stage with such narratives, and try to model their interactions on them. Thus, certain media images and themes come to have an overly cathected, metaphorized reality to them, while the rest of us view such programming as mere entertainment. Case in point, our next topic...

The Trek factor

If you're not up on your Star Trek, you can forget about getting or keeping a geek dude. And I'm not just talking vintage-era Captain Kirk and Spock either. You've got to be up on your The Next Generation, your Deep Space Nine, your Babylon 5. Armed with your own knowledge of Federation policies, you can better gauge when and how to act. The sexual politics of Star Trek are pretty blunt: the men run the technology and the ship, and the women are caretakers (a doctor and a counselor). Note the sexual tensions on the bridge of the Enterprise: the women, in skin tight uniforms, and with luxuriant, flowing hair. The men, often balding, and sporting some sort of permanently attached computer auxiliary. This world metaphorizes the fantasies of the geek dude, who sees himself in the geeky-but-heroic male officers and who secretly desires a sexy, smart, Deanna or Bev to come along and deferentially accept him for who he is. If you are willing to accept that this is his starting point for reality, you are ready for a geek relationship.

Once You've Nabbed Him

Of course, catching that geek guy is only half the battle. Keeping him by your side is another story altogether. I was privileged to speak with Miss Victoria Maat, who not only got herself a geek guy but was also clever enough to marry him just a few short months ago. She interrupted her newlywed bliss to give us a few tips on the care and feeding of a geek man: Geeks are sensitive and caring lovers and husbands. If you can hang with the techno-lifestyle, they make the best mates. They are the most attractive people, not flashy or hunky, but the kind who get cuter and more alluring over time (I told you she was a newlywed). Definitely give geeks a chance.

Geek Cuisine

Geeks tend towards packaged, junk foods since they prefer to work and think and aren't all that into cooking for themselves. Make sure that your geek understands that you are not merely a replicator, and provide him with home cooked food. A batch of chocolate chip cookies will let him know that you love him. You do have to monitor your geek for weight gain; however, remember that most of their days are spent sitting and staring at a monitor.

Geek Lifestyle

The geek dude has long work habits and tends to bring his work home with him. He seems permanently connected to his hard disk. You must at least appear interested in his work. Generally, a solid understanding of the computer is a must; if you cannot master this, you should at least be able to talk the talk. Remember most geeks are anal and they get stressed about details which appear insignificant. Be understanding, put on your best Deanna Troi face (see above) and empathize. To relax, geeks love to play the latest computer games. Let him play Myst or Chuck Yeager's Air Combat for hours if he wants to. Act concerned if he's stuck or has just been ambushed by three MiGs. My geek loves to try to help people on the Internet who say that they are stuck in Myst. He comes up with clever riddles instead of directing them point blank. Geeks also like to go to sci-fi and Japanese animated movies, again, a basically harmless vent for your man.

Geek Buddies

Many geeks extend their work friendships into what they jokingly refer to as RL (Real Life, also known as "that big room with the ceiling that is sometimes blue and sometimes black with little lights"). The greatest thing about your geek's buddies is that you can feel secure in setting them up with your girlfriends. They may feel awkward around females at first, so don't overwhelm them. In time they will come out of their shell and realize that you are into the same things they are.

Post-It Note

I thank Victoria for the above advice. I must say that when she read my draft of the piece, before writing her section, she asked her husband which one he thought she was more like, Deanna or Beverly. Howard, the devil, immediately replied that he had always thought Victoria was actually most like Ensign Ro Laren, a cute character with a slight authority problem who is always had trouble (this is fairly apt). This exchange is interesting for several reasons:

Howard had already thought about who she was most like.
He could summon up characters from seasons past with ease.
Victoria actually knew who he meant.
Folks, I think this marriage will last.

One Last Thing

Because they have been so abused and ignored by society, many geeks have gone underground. You may actually know some and just haven't noticed them. They often feel resentful, and misunderstood, and it is important to realize this as you grow closer to them. Don't ever try to force the issue, or make crazy demands that he choose between his computer and you. Remember, his computer has been there for him his whole life; you are a new interloper he hasn't quite grasped yet Geek dudes thrive on mystery and love challenges and intellectual puzzles. Don't you consider yourself one? Wouldn't you like a little intellectual stimulation or your own? We thought so.

From this site.

I couldn't resist it...

by GilraenH ^Pro @ 09/07/2007 – 16:53:40

May I present to you Mr & Mrs Martha and Archibald Goose.

Martha works in the Mayor's office by day and is a streetwalker by night. She has a strange white cat fetish and has an on/off affair/romance with Moe.

Archibald is a bum.

Go here.

Wee Gil tonight

by GilraenH ^Pro @ 06/07/2007 – 19:45:33

There's lots of wee Gils, but here's one just for tonight.

Want your own wee weeme? Go here.

I am a Faithful Dreamer

by GilraenH ^Pro @ 02/07/2007 – 19:34:09

Click on the colours to see the real me.

Go here if you want to do the test.

About You: You are a Dreamer

Your combination of abstract thinking, appreciation of beauty, and cautiousness makes you a DREAMER.

You often imagine how things could be better, and you have very specific visions of this different future.

Beauty and style are important to you, and you have a discerning eye when it comes to how things look.

Although you often think more broadly, you prefer comfort to adventure, choosing to stay within the boundaries of your current situation.

Your preferences for artistic works are very refined, although you vastly prefer some types and styles to others.

Though your dreams are quite vivid, you are cautious in following up on them.

You are aware of both your positive and negative qualities, so that your ego doesn't get in your way.

A sense of vulnerability sometimes holds you back, stifling your creative tendencies.

You much prefer to have time to plan for things, feeling better with a schedule than with keeping plans up in the air until the last minute. Your decisions are well thought out, and you're not the least bit impulsive.

You do your own thing when it comes to clothing, guided more by practical concerns than by other people's notions of style.

If you want to be different:

Your imagination is a wonderful asset, but don't just dream?be bold enough to
take action and explore new things!

Consider a wider range of details and possibilities when thinking about the
present and the future?don't be too set in your ways.

How you relate to others: You are Faithful

Your trust in others, respect for tradition, and caring nature make you FAITHFUL.

Maintaining a few intimate relationships is more important to you than knowing a lot of people, and you share a lot with your close friends.

Those who have managed to get close to you value your camaraderie, and they know that they can trust you with anything; you're a good listener.

While you can usually see several sides of an argument, you often have a strong opinion as to which side is correct—the order of things is usually clear to you.

Your perspective on the world is based on careful observation, and you know a lot about how people feel in—and react to—many situations.

Your exploration of others' feelings has led you to believe that although people generally act appropriately, having clear social rules is very important to a functional society.

Time alone for reflection is important to you—you are introspective and aware of your own feelings.

Faithful is as faithful does—you expect those with whom you are close to be loyal to you, and you take betrayal of your trust very seriously.

If you want to be different:

Some of the alternate perspectives that you understand may have more value than you give them credit for—keep in mind that right and wrong aren't always so clear-cut.

While you are able to reap the benefits of your time alone, and may see interacting with a lot of people as more tiring than exciting, remember that there is a lot to be learned from experiencing things and not just reflecting on them.

Musings From The Chair