Talking politics

I have illusions of having a well-informed opinion of politics in America. It's nice to think that the few BBC articles I read keep me up-to-date with what is happening, and allow me to form opinions of where I think my country should go and what kind of leaders that we need.

I dislike the Bush administration. I wouldn't use the word 'hate' to describe my dislike, because I think that the word is overused. But the Bush administration raise my hackles. They make me uncomfortable. I firmly believe that they cheated to get into power. I think they lie, and hide things that shouldn't be hidden more than almost any administration thus far in America's history. I think that they have dragged America into a pointless and never-ending war against an enemy that they have, largely, created themselves and that they are slowly taking away what I consider great about America.

Whether you agree with me or not, please take the time to READ THIS.

Then pass it on to everyone you know. Then start doing something about it. For me, I'm going to write letters, and see if there's anything I can do to support the organisations mentioned in the article.

It strikes a personal note for me, as last time I was flying to Seattle I got questioned about what I was doing. I'd been out of the country for 2 years, and 2 years before that. How long is it until they decided that I'm not allowed in? That I'm a security risk? How long before I can't get into the country because I'm a security risk?

Believe me or not, it's happening. And we have the power to stop it. Act now.

The twang, it is taking over

Since I've been on a bit of a music kick lately, I've (re)discovered that The End can be listened to online and sucked my work colleagues into listening to it with me. The only bad part is that, when listening to internet radio broadcast from Seattle, the morning commute begins just as I really, really need some good tunes. 4pm, one hour to go, and the irritating morning show comes on.

At any rate, I've also been rediscovering the twang of country music. I downloaded a fantastic cd by an artist called Zahl who turned out to be from Norway. American-style country from Norway is interesting, and much rockier than one would expect.

The highlight of this all though, is Garth Brooks. I've been forcing Matt to listen to the cds that a girl from work lent me, and I think his ears are about to explode.

Gibber thump

Usually, actors don't really grab my eye. Yeah, some of them are pretty hot but rarely do they inspire heart-in-my-mouth-drooling-mess with me. But this, ohhhhhhh, this beautiful, beautiful man!

Check the link on the her page for more if you're so inclined. It certainly brightened my day!

Give me music, or give me...cake?

For the last 5 years living in Britain, I've been in what is essentially a musical vacumn. At first, I didn't own a radio and couldn't get new music except by walking into clothing stores. Then I realized that no station like the ever-loved 'One oh seven point seven, The End' seemed to exist in England or Wales.

All the stations played pop. Sugary sweet, mind numbing, pop.

Now, on certain days in the summer, when super-ab man takes his shirt off in the park, I can handle a bit of pink-pop-confectionary-goodness. But mostly, I want something with guitars in. Hopefully played by at least one of the people that are singing. With a bit of screaming, or a bit of twang. And I simply can't get that over here.

So this is a plea, to the three of you who read this (keeping in mind the guitars, screaming, or twang) - What song can't you get out of your head right now? What CD is stuck in your player? Who have you seen recently that you think is amazing?

The sickness, it does not end!

This year doesn't seem to be my best for being a healthy, fit person. First I get the weird alien that sucks all my energy, then I get a strange mystery illness that knocks me out for a week, then the alien is removed but I'm recovering, and then (the very best after throat surgery) I get the stomach flu. With all the wonderful losing-of-innards that it entails.

But now! I am, dare I say it, healthy. The alien is gone, the stomach flu has been beaten off, and I got to wear my Birkenstocks outside today because it was so warm girls were wearing bikinis in the park at Russell Square. Summer may have hit early this year. Staring up at my patch of sky visible above the surrounding buildings, I'm happy.

My, very small, patch of sky. See that sunshine!

Knitting up a storm

I decided at the beginning of the year that I wanted to learn to knit more than the scarves a friend from Western showed me how to make sophomore year, and to this end asked for a few knitting books for Christmas. As I didn't really get any, I ended up buying my own and decided to make, yet again, a scarf to start out with.

However, as I was going to be sat around my flat for at least a week after the alien was removed from my neck, I decided to try something a little more challenging:


This is my sock after just over a week, and let me tell you that thing is a demanding bitch. The yarn is so skinny that I can knit for over an hour and only get a tiny bit done, which can be frusterating. However, it's really cool to look at it and think, "I made that!" So I think that the knitting is going to become a permanent fixture in life. After all, I need something to do when I'm watching endless Firefly episodes!

The only bad thing about it is that in my tiny knowledge of yarn, I decided to use a self patterning yarn instead of the solid colour the pattern calls for, and that means that the difficult stitch (for a novice) it took several days to work out isn't easily visible in the sock. And that's a shame, because it's lovely.

Pattern is 'Roza's Socks' from the Spring edition of Interweave Knits.

An update, or I am still alive

The reason for the lack of posts recently has been down to one thing - impending surgery. My boss freaked when he realized that I wouldn't be there during my deadline week, and so I had to do everything possible at work before I had the time off. And it was stressful.

But as of yesterday, the alien in my throat has been removed. I spent all of yesterday mostly incoherent due to my crappy reaction to anaesthetic, and today am doped up on painkillers (which AREN'T ENOUGH. GIVE ME MORE.). But I am alive, and here, and more posts will follow. Hopefully no longer at two week intervals.