A sign of the times

And grave they may be.


Either I or the world must have gone mad, if the least blogative of my friends manage a higher post-per-week score than me. But what have I to say?

There are of course the occasional sex fantasies starring alternatingly Mr. Gorgeous and Fishstick and sometimes both.
My younger sister has landed herself a new boyfriend, who though not my type may find little resistance in getting my approval for the match; he looks decent, he looks forward to meeting us (a sure sign of madness, which I cannot but like) and will soon enter the army (read: will soon be a man in uniform).
And last but not least it's the holiday season, if nothing else I should be wishing every single reader joy and uhm merriness.

Some christmas gift

Yesterday, I had a little celebration with my housemates. Among a lot of other things I got a three part gift with some good advice*, some friendly testimonials and a tease. Though it did little to make me feel good about myself, it brought a smile to my face, in fact, if I remember correctly it even made me laugh.

Were it not very early in the christmas season yet and had I not been given a disco-light rubber ducky it might have qualified as the bestestest present ever.

* known publically as The sunscreen Speech

Politics Explained

FEUDALISM: You have two cows. Your lord takes some of the milk.

PURE SOCIALISM: You have two cows. The government takes them and puts them in a barn with everyone else's cows. You have to take care of all of the cows. The government gives you as much milk as you need.

BUREAUCRATIC SOCIALISM: You have two cows. The government takes them and put them in a barn with everyone else's cows. They are cared for by ex-chicken farmers. You have to take care of the chickens the government took from the chicken farmers. The government gives you as much milk and eggs as the regulations say you need.

FASCISM: You have two cows. The government takes both, hires you to take care of them and sells you the milk.

PURE COMMUNISM: You have two cows. Your neighbors help you take care of them, and you all share the milk.

RUSSIAN COMMUNISM: You have two cows. You have to take care of them, but the government takes all the milk.

CAMBODIAN COMMUNISM: You have two cows. The government takes both of them and shoots you.

DICTATORSHIP: You have two cows. The government takes both and drafts you.

PURE DEMOCRACY: You have two cows. Your neighbors decide who gets the milk.

REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACY: You have two cows. Your neighbors pick someone to tell you who gets the milk.

BUREAUCRACY: You have two cows. At first the government regulates what you can feed them and when you can milk them. Then it pays you not to milk them. Then it takes both, shoots one, milks the other and pours the milk down the drain. Then it requires you to fill out forms accounting for the missing cows.

PURE ANARCHY: You have two cows. Either you sell the milk at a fair price or your neighbours try to take the cows and kill you.

LIBERTARIAN/ANARCHO-CAPITALISM: You have two cows. You sell one and buy a bull.

SURREALISM: You have two giraffes. The government requires you to take harmonica lessons.

Originally found hereabouts.

Girls=Evil

Now, all I have to do is get myself classified as a girl. Yooiee.

Will you marry me?

You've heard that correctly: I've been proposed to. So far we've agreed on one thing only and that is that we had better not get married. Joy is me.

Penguins

While discussing plans for the future, I let slip that I would very much like to move to the very South of New Zealand and never come back. Somewhat offended (I think) a friend said" But then you will be as far away as possible from us" To which I replied: "Yes, but as close as I can get to penguins." She did not seem to think the relative distance to penguins at all important for anybodies happiness and well-being. Which only goes to show; love her though I do, she will never understand me.

Why don't you write me?

Contemplating how long it has been since I wrote a letter and concluding that I haven't been writing letters because I have received none to answer, I thought" Hey, why not blog about it?"

Onlu, now that I've strted there's little to say. Only the question in the title remains. WHY don't you write me? It's not as if I'm asking you like (let alone love) me too.

P.S. Has anybody else noted the surprisingly high amount of pop-lyrics-inspired post titles?

Fishsticks on my mind

Dig out the stars,
holes in the sky,
I don't really live,
so I can't really die.

Breadcrumbs on the table,
fishsticks on my mind,
still in love with an alien
I must be deaf and blind.

(work in progress)

Please check www. popomundo.com

You'll always find me in the kitchen at parties...

even the parties I throw myself.

So we had a little celebration yesterday, enjoying ourselves for no apparent reason other than the back-in-Belgiumness of a very dear friend and the lack of government. Of course I disappeared feeling utterly miserable after the stuffing myself with paëlla and welcoming everyone in-phase. Of course two fellow party-members (hihi) thought it necessary to sneak up the stairs and catch me red-handed in the act of throwing facebook-chickens in people's faces. Of course they got me back in the dance hall/ living room within seconds; Of course this didn't improve my mood quite the contrary. Of course I wondered (even aloud) why, oh why I came up with the idea of a six-months since we went voting-party. Of course I went to bed too late, much too late. Of course I'm utterly miserable not in the least because I'm still in love. And I know, yes, I know of course I know that I shouldn't be typing this, not were everyone can read it.

It's complicated

Sometimes you don't know what you want until it's too late to ask. Thank puffy clouds I realised in time someone to be my "it's complicated" on FaceBook is exactly what I want.

Ear Piercing Shrieks (picture)

There you go. Look closely for the new new holes in my ears.

Not Rudolph then...

You Are Comet

A total daredevil, you're the reindeer with an edge! Why You're Naughty: You almost gave Santa a heart attack when you took him sky diving Why You're Nice: You always make sure the sleigh is going warp speed

Which of Santa's Reindeer Are You?

Dag Sinterklaas

I can easily guess to whom I owe the pleasure of finding sweets in my shoes this morning and I would very much like to dedicate this youtube clip to the person concerned.

Erik De Bruyn

Admittingly, he may not be so very handsome, nor as charismatic as I nearly made you believe, that what he has to say attracts me enough.

Silence

I should write something. But there's only one thing I can think off and it won't cheer anyone. Least of all myself. And if that were my only source of grief I could be counted among the cheerful still. However sooner or later you'll want to know and resistance is futile against your tricks and allurements. Remember only that it's not whom you think it is, and don't talk to me about it, forget you ever read it.

+
Hair
Eyes
Age
Living
Sense of humour
Knowledgeable

O
General Attitude
Fluency in mother tongue
Fluency in foreign languages

-
Place of birth
Too skinny
Attitude towards me
Lack of craziness-gene

No More Bike

As if the roaring rampaging of combatant superfluous hormones aren't enough to piss me off, some undeserving stealing blob of scum thought it necessary to repropertize my beloved Ronald. No, I am not in a good mood, thank you for noticing!

Enjoy the ride...

Me?! NEVER!

Twat

Tanz mit Laibach

Poor video quality, stupid lyrics, nerve ripping beat, absence of melody in other words just the thing to trick my friends into believing I'm quite happy still.

Quote #14

If this is true, I have only ever loved once.

"Love" is that condition in which the happiness of another person is essential to your own... Jealousy is a disease, love is a healthy condition. The immature mind often mistakes one for the other, or assumes that the greater the love, the greater the jealousy.

Robert Heinlein [ 1907 - 1988 ]

Palpitations

I do have my doubts about this one. Maybe if you replace 'Optimist' for 'Bad News' and 'Pessimist' for 'Good News', then and only then it might work for me.

Quote #13

Admittedly, a homosexual can be conditioned to react sexually to a woman, or to an old boot for that matter. In fact, both homo - and heterosexual experimental subjects have been conditioned to react sexually to an old boot, and you can save a lot of money that way.

William Burroughs

Nearly

I nearly cycled into a fellow bipedalist this evening. I also nearly bumped into a car. I nearly got in at the annual FK Samba de Janeiro Party. And I nearly threw myself at the feet of a man very likely twice my age. But what a handsome charismatic man. Had I been ten years older I would have thrown myself at his feet naked.

Ear Piercing Shrieks

Meet me in front of Vooruit, coming Saturday at 2pm. Bring a camera and some small change to get us a cup of hot chocolate afterwards.

I'm not an addict

I'm not an addict
It's cool
I feel alive
If you don't have it
You're on the other side

I'm not an addict,
maybe that's a lie.

Pick-Up Line

Your Pickup Line Is

If I were to ask you for sex... would your answer be the same as the answer to this question?

The Magical Pick Up Line Generator

As cunning as a cunning fox.

Monkey Business

I can't always be serious and anyway somone recently pleaded for more monkeys to be made available.

Good News

Some events of the day not necessarily in chronological order:

Hospital A called, blood sample X has tested negative on everything which paradoxically means I'm 100% OK. Or maybe 98% OK, can't test for caries in blood apparently. I'm as yet waiting for result on blood sample Y, but what could go wrong now? I've even felt the upcoming headache melt away.

I've volunteered to help clean up the attic. Yes I volunteered. And on the whole it wasn't such a very tragic experience, especially not since I got a cup of hot chocolate afterwards.

I've mastered 6 sudoku's today.

I now have a Facebook account.

Eva* has finally started to talk to me.

* It is none of you're business who Eva is, you call me crazy already.

The (Black/White) Magic of Love

This is but a meagre attempt at a more serious and lengthier sort of blogpost, not just a quick blurb. I apologise for the possible inconsistency of it.

Love.

When I am in love or unhappy for any other sort of reason, it very seldom strikes me that other people, be they close friends, strangers or anything in between, can be anything but single or in a happy relationship. And whenever the dark mood lifts, it comes as a little shock to me to find other people unhappy.
Looking back on the past year with a clear head and heart, so very much has happened. Friends who had been together for longer than I've know them decided to break up, a couple of which each individual felt tingles for another person have remained a couple (and thank heaven, there are only so many shocks a person can handle), a couple of which the individuals are still in love has split up, Ms One-Night-Stand got herself into a relationship and pretty soon out of it again to lead a happy celibate life, et sic ad infinitum. There are too many examples.

Love.

Another little shock is the realisation that I do not, I repeat not need Love, there is chocolate to be eaten, there are (comic) books to be read, lasagna to be made and most of all there are friends to talk to, to visit, to cherish. What I'm really trying to say is, when need be; love will do. Capital L ow vee ee wouldn't agree with me anyway.

What my friends try to tell me...

"Pain and Suffering is inevitable but Misery is optional."

300

Post three hundredth this year. What can I say?

Blogging; it's what I do.

If you want to hear something less predictable: I have a headache. Don't wake me up early tomorrow, not even with gargantuan amounts of deliciously amaretto perfumed coffee at the ready, I may consider leniency towards bringers of hot hot hot ginger infused black tea.

Power Bird

I don't think they've ever been so far off.

Your Power Bird is a Swan

You are a truly graceful and gorgeous creature. You easily see beauty in yourself and others. Intuitive and in touch, you can often guess what the future will bring. And you're flexible enough to accept the changes that life has in store for you.

What's Your Power Bird?

Tweet tweet tweet

Has it ever struck anyone, that no matter what condition you are in, the sight of people in love only intensifies your mood? Simply deepens it but never alters it.

Quote #12

Possibly the wisest thing this man ever uttered.

A thing is not necessarily true because a man dies for it.

- Oscar Wilde [ 1854-1900 ]

Since you're busy here why not also discover the site where I found the quote.

Keanu Reeves

It's been too long since I've posted some eye candy. By lack of a picture of a really really really handsome man, here's a somewhat better one of Keanu Reeves.

Back on track?

For the first time in years, literally years I am not in love or not reigned by it at any rate. All around me people are falling in love, getting together, enjoying the first few months of a sturdy relationship, breaking up, having serial one-night stands, trying to forget an ex. And none of it has anything to do with me. Sure I'm a miserable blob of self pity when I'm on my own, but that's just me. Among friends I feel the ancient contentment glow in my heart and best of all, specified man hate my most distinctive feature is blooming. My life feels like my life again.

Clean your bathroom - II

Clean your bathroom - I

And forevermore 9 november shall be known as Clean-Your-Bathroom-day. Or maybe not. It's just that we've finally agreed on a cleaning schedule for the house, for some odd reason I volunteered to clean the bathroom. Luckily there are tips to be found on-line: here, here and here.

I'm not in love

There's this song. I think George Michael sings it. "I'm not in love... Oh no ho"

Well, I'm not in love.

But I wish I was, it would give me a reason for being angry and miserable. It would be at the very least a hint of explanation for the constant shifts in my mood.

Birthday Presents

There's a new enquête on the right. please make you're favourite birthday presents known. Winner of the previous poll is the Pear Lemon Sorbet, all voters are welcome to help finish the batch.

Must

Must eat at the very least two meals per day.
Must stop at one glass of overly sweet Piña Colada.
Must not sing in public.
Must read more comic books.
Must continue Wiiiiiiiii-Modus
Must write friends.
Must cuddle more.

You have been warned.

Tea - part six

An updated list of teas. It may not seem so but this list is actually getting shorter, time to place my order by friends and acquaintances abroad methinks.

1. Twinings English Breakfast pads
2. Twinings English Breakfast bags
3. Twinings Ceylon orange Pekoe bag
4. Twinings Lady Grey bags
5. Twinings Earl Grey bags
6. Twinings Cherry bags
7. Twinings Lemon bags
8. Twinings Vanilla bags
9. Twinings Passion Fruit, Mango & Orange bags
10. Twinings Blackcurrant bags
    
11. Beijing Iris Wen Gui Jia loose
    
12. Beijing Iris Hang Ju Hua loose
13. Javana Jasmin Tea loose
14. Lipton Andalusia pyramids
15. Lipton Caraïbes pyramids
    
16. Lipton Blue Fruit Tea bags
17. Lipton Liquorice-Mint bags
18. Lipton Orange-Lemon bags
19. Lipton Mint bags
20. Lipton Til bags
21. Lipton Til- Mint bags
22. Lipton Camomille bags
23. Lipton Liquorice bags
24. Lipton Rose-hip/Raspberry bags
    
25. Lipton Soft Cashmere loose
26. Lipton Himalayan Sunrise loose
    
27. Oxfam Fairtrade Bio green tea loose
28. Oxfam Fairtrade Lemon bags
29. Oxfam Fairtrade Rooibos bags
    
30. Meßmer Schwarzer Tee Wildkirsche bags
31. Kruidvat Evening Mix bags
32. Kruidvat Respiratory bags
33. Kruidvat Night-rest bags
34. Kruidvat Fennel bags
35. Kruidvat Rooibos-Honey bags
    
36. Albert Heijn Forest Fruit bags
37. Albert Heijn Mint bags
38. Albert Heijn Blueberry bags
39. Zonnatura Herbal Tea Rooibos bags
    
40. Delhaize Nettle bags
41. Delhaize Raspberry bags
42. Delhaize Lime-Honey bags
    
43. Delhaize Apple-Rhubarb bags
44. Celestial Seasonings Cranberry Apple Zinger pads
    
45. Celestial Seasonings Mandarin Orange Spice pads
    
46. Celestial Seasonings Sleepytime pads
47. Celestial Seasonings Wild Berry Zinger pads
    
48. Celestial Seasonings Chamomile pads
49. Celestial Seasonings Lemon Zinger pads
50. Celestial Seasonings Peppermint pads
51. Celestial Seasonings Raspberry Zinger pads
52. Celestial Seasonings Black Cherry Berry pads
53. Celestial Seasonings Country Peach Passion pads
54. Celestial Seasonings Honey Lemon Ginseng Green Tea pads
55. Celestial Seasonings Perfectly Pear White Tea pads
56. Celestial Seasonings Cinnamon Apple Spice pads
57. Simon Lévelt Spicy Chocolate Chai
58. Simon Lévelt Maya Chocolate Treasure Tea
    

Black Mail

My sole purchase at Flanders biggest book event. She's* so very me, though my physical counterpart, I'm almost certain we share some part of our soul.

*Visit her website here.

Sexy

When friends and blogthings agree something surely is amiss.

Your Vibe Is Secretly Sexy

Sexy isn't exactly a word you'd use to describe yourself But you have a quite allure that certain men feel appealing You don't need to flaunt your stuff to be sexier A little more confidence in yourself, and you'll really light up a room!

What Kind of Sexy Girl Vibe Do You Have?

Run

First there was life at L.M. street without big sister, soon there will be life in this house without Allie. With Miss H. at her boyfriend's place half the time and Boss gone to Big Town pretty much every weekend and in Ghently nightlife every other day of the week, the house is rather quiet and now that I've been accustomed to company also rather lonely.

But then again it is exactly as I should have been expecting. They're all running away from me as fast as they can, and why shouldn't they; I may pretend to be happy/fun/sweet I rarely ever am.

Proppian

Stumbling one day, I came across a fairy tale generator. How could I not share this joy with you?

A child playing in the dirt asked me, "Where did you get your shoes?"

"Sugar and spice," the old woman beckoned as she held out palms filled with cinnamon falling between her fingers like sand. As she sprinkled it across the floor my head swum up in a dizzy spell of hunger. I could no longer control my feet moving towards the cheap gimmicks of an old woman.

"What weighs you down will make you drown," he said with a loud crescent shaped grin. I believed him. I may have been a fool but with my head thrown asunder by the crashing tides of water I took off my shoes and bag and threw them across the stream on the other bank.

The girl knelt down at my feet, pressing her furry costume against my skin. "Please help me," she said, and kissed one foot. She kissed the other. And when I looked down I found both the leather-bottomed shoes gone and bare toes remaining. They froze in the mountain wind. At my feet a white wolf with childlike eyes stared up at me, grinned, and ran off with two shoes in her jaws.

I never strayed too far from home because the thought of father returning home always came back to me. But when air blew away the last remnant of his scent I knew he would not return. So I set out, again, watching my mother's stomach sink into the floor. I did not turn my head as I heard the people pull her into the ground.

A woman from the mountain dressed in dragon scales walked down towards me. Her feet were as bare as mine but that did not seem to matter, because wherever she stepped her feet did not make a sound. "I hear of a man who can perform miracles. He walks across the soil without danger and carries with him his father's ring. Are you this man?"

I pulled the needle out of where it would cause harm, and happy that I did so.

The fairy placed a single seed in my palm which I immediately planted and tended to for months. For days, I watered the seed, showered it with words of encouragement as it grew into a young sprout, and gave it proper space and care as it blossomed fully into a magnificent red rose that granted any wish that I whispered lovingly into its soft petals.

As I fought blindly as callow youths do, a white bird flew by my side and attached a feather to my bleeding wounds. They began to heal instantaneously.

Through the blind frenzy of earth and shadows I plunged my dagger into the creature's heart and watched as it melted into rain.

Waves of comfort and relief washed over my tired limbs as my father and mother embraced and kissed me. The familiar sights of my home and scents of my family soothed me so much that I nearly forgot the heavy pack I had carried for hours on my back, a sack filled with treasures I had collected throughout my journey to bring back to my family.

As the soil on me continued to turn into gold, the ground of our garden sprouted trees, fruits, and vegetables. My family and I stared in a daze as we watched our land grow rich and the people of the soil draw away.

Happy Gap

I had a post lined up called "Happy Gap" about the discrepancies between what makes me happy and what makes other people happy. And because I'm a lazy lousy loser I'm just going to type something entirely different under the same title, or maybe not so entirely different.

As you may collect from posts bellow I have been not entirely overjoyed off late, but as the people who've seen me in real life might have noticed I'm not at all as miserable as I may have made you believe. And I wonder why for there is plenty of gloom in my life. Did I say plenty? Because I, of course, simply meant no more gloom than other people deal with more likely even less but considering my true self, I have been too joyous. Strange and wondrous though this may be, one thing in particular nags me; I am not constantly oblivious to pain of life. But no matter how sad and lonely I feel behind my desk, by the time I've walked down the stairs I'm smiling, hopping, dancing, humming again. And what I wonder most about is; is it the actual surviving walking down the stairs that are in dire need of repair or is it the life and people waiting for me down the stairs that cheer me so excessively.

There and back again

Utter miserability always keeps a place for me. It beats waking up dancing to a tune in my head but now the song has died and I feel something like regret.

Soon

I'm quite sure that pretty soon I'll be almost certainly out of love with he-that-I-must-not-speak-of. But then what? There's still plenty of cute/nice/intelligent/good-looking/attractive men* around and I'm happy of late, I'm bound to fall in love again which I'm not sure I could handle, I'd really like some peace and quiet.

* Don't make me repeat it, happy or not it still burns my tongue to speak well of a man.

Alarming

Sounds alarmingly like me. What am I going to do when this happiness ends? That I wonder.

It's a conspiracy

I cannot disclose too much information just yet, but for those involved: "I'm on to you guys. And you'll never win because I'll never let you. I'll poke out my own eyes with extra sharp toothpicks before I'll let you win."

For more/happier notes check back tomorrow or watch below.

Gelukkige Verjaardag*

I could have done no less to celebrate white princess's 23rd year on the planet, making my being here so much more bearable.


* Dutch for 'Happy Birthday'

Cats

I could have used a wake-up call like that.

Too many feelings

In between relief, happiness, confusion, self-hate and anticipation there isn't much left for me to feel.

I don't know how many of you need further explanation of any of the above, it's complicated.


Relief of some sort that I finally got the word 'friendship' out. Happy or the closest to happy I've been since 11 march 2005 because for once I did not wake up hoping I hadn't. Confusion all-round because what I did think was how nice it is to get along with boys. Self-hate because that's not a feeling for me it's part of my character and finally anticipation which I can live with, looking forward to friends coming over for ice-cream and port rocks.

Stuffing

I've stuffed myself on a twice-a-day basis this past week. The result of which is that I've gone down a bra size and my jeans are no longer perfectly tight but annoyingly loose*.

If any readers know of weight reducing qualities in any of the following foods, let it be known.

• mascarpone
• dark chocolate
• vegan ice cream
• white rice
• black tea
• green tea
• tomato sauce
• spinach
• salmon
• olives
• pasta
  
• champaign
• Mexican beer
• cheese
  
• chocolate cake
• scrambled eggs

* all my thin yet dieting friends: I'm still two dress sizes ahead of you, I don't want to hear (jealous) complaints

Support Love

As yet, I'm not entirely sure what is means exactly but I'm very interested in the leftest pictogram of the bottom row.

More boy joy

Earlier this week it was posed that even I most know of some use for men. If the former post was not the answer the inquisitive soul was looking for, maybe it will please him to know that I think they're great for cuddling too.

Joy Joy Joy

Men, they're not entirely useless. Three day ago I met one with whom I can talk sensibly about jazz. Yesterday I had the intense pleasure of being introduced to one who gives great advice. This morning I found a handwritten note from Allie ( letters however short nearly always make my days) on the breakfast table. And this afternoon Boss fixed the failing audio equipment of my computer. A clear case of Wiiiiiiiiiie-ness if ever I saw one. And to celebrate all this here is a youtube clip of aforementioned musician playing the ukelele.

Crushing

That was about all I needed. And maybe I shouldn't be posting this, but then again who reads this blog anyway?

You've Got a Bit of a Crush

Maybe your guy friend is a crush of convenience - easy enough to happen Did you just break up with someone? Or are you more lonely than usual? If no to both, then this small crush could be the real deal. Find out if he feels the same - because he just might!

Are You Crushing on Him (And Don't Even Know It)?

Name your bike - part two

First of all; Allie does not object to being mentioned on this blog.

Secondly; he has authorised the disclosure of his old bike's name. Which would be Norbert.

Thirdly; he allows it so on one condition and it is that I mention his newly "found" mountain bike also. He be known as " Frankie"

Check Mate

Three consecutive wins, is it the lasting aura of a red-winged horse or was my opponent so very tired and distracted? Until we battle again I can but guess. Should you wonder; the worthy competitor was Miss H. Who (as I have since last had opportunity to speak with her) by no means objects to being mentioned hereabouts. Nor do any other of my house sharers, as long as I strike a positive note.

Life is short

I've just stumbled upon this. Cute and true, what more could I want? Maybe something less confronting. I am in love and I went telling, well we all know how that ended.

Candle Making

I've been so busy telling you about my newest house mate that I forgot to mention another house mate of mine, possibly I was too busy reading to notice much that she was around and if Miss H was talk to her, I had much to fear when I knew her less but now I am fully put at ease.

She likes making candles. How cool a hobby is that?! How big is the chance of arriving in a house with four other occupants and getting along with all of them? Not very big if you're me. And still I've managed it somehow, even being friendly to the boys costs me surprisingly little effort. We'll see what winter gloom brings I guess.

English is Tough Stuff

Dearest creature in creation
Study English pronunciation
I will teach you in my verse
Sounds like corpse, corps, horse and worse.
I will keep you, Suzy, busy
Make your head with heat grow dizzy.
Tear in eye you dress will tear.
So shall I! Oh hear my prayer.

Just compare heart, beard, and heard,
Dies and diet, lord and word,
Sword and sward, retain and Britain.
(Mind the latter, how it's written.)
Now I surely will not plague you
With such words and plaque and argue.
But be careful how you speak:
Say break and steak, but bleak and streak;
Cloven, oven, how and low,
Script, receipt, show, poem and toe.

Hear me say, devoid of trickery,
Daughter, laughter, and Terpsichore,
Typhoid, measles, topsails, aisles,
Exiles, similes, and reviles;
Scholar, vicar, and cigar,
Solar, mica, war and far;
One, anemone, Balmoral,
Kitchen, lichen, laundry, laurel;
Gertrude, German, wind and mind,
Scene, Melpomene, mankind.

Billet does not rhyme with ballet,
Bouquet, wallet, mallet, chalet.
Blood and flood are not like food,
Nor is mould like should or would.
Viscous, viscount, load and broad,
Toward, to forward, to reward.
And your pronunciation's OK
When you correctly say croquet,
Rounded, wounded, grieve and sieve,
Friend and fiend, alive and live.

Ivy, privy, famous; clamour
And enamour rhyme with hammer.
River, rival, tomb, bomb, comb,
Doll and roll and some and home.
Stranger does not rhyme with anger,
Neither does devour with clangour.
Souls but foul, haunt but aunt,
Font, front, wont, want, grand, and grant,
Shoes, goes, does. Now first say finger,
and then singer, ginger, linger,
Real, zeal, mauve, gauze, gouge and gauge,
Marriage, foliage, mirage, and age.

Query does not rhyme with very,
Nor does fury sound like bury.
Dost, lost, post and doth, cloth, loth.
Job, nob, bosom, transom, oath.
Though the differences seem very little,
we say actual but victual.
Refer does not rhyme with deafer.
Foeffer does, and zephyr, heifer.
Mint, pint, senate and sedate;
Dull, bull, and George ate late.
Scenic, Arabic, Pacific, Science, conscience, scientific.

Liberty, library, heave and heaven,
Rachel, ache, moustache, eleven.
We say hallowed, but allowed,
People, leopard, towed, but vowed.
Mark the differences, moreover,
Between mover, cover, clover;
Leeches, breeches, wise, precise,
Chalice, but police and lice;
Camel, constable, unstable,
Principle, disciple, label.

Petal, panel, and canal,
Wait, surprise, plait, promise, pal.
Worm and storm, chaise, chaos, chair,
Senator, spectator, mayor.
Tour, but our and succour, four.
Gas, alas, and Arkansas.
Sea, idea, Korea, area,
Psalm, Maria, but malaria.
Youth, south, southern, cleanse and clean.
Doctrine, turpentine, marine.

Face, but preface, not efface.
Phlegm, phlegmatic, ass, glass, bass.
Large, but target, gin, give, verging,
Ought, out, joust and scour, scourging.
Ear, but earn and wear and tear
Does not rhyme with here but ere.
Seven is right, but so is even,
Hyphen, roughen, nephew Stephen,
Monkey, donkey, Turk and jerk,
Ask, grasp, wasp, and cork and work.

Pronunciation � think of Psyche!
Is a paling stout and spikey?
Won't it make you loose your wits,
Writing groats and saying grits?
It's a dark abyss or tunnel:
Strewn with stones, stowed, solace, gunwale,
Islington and Isle of Wright,
Housewife, verdict and indict.

Finally, which rhymes with enough �
Though, through, plough, or dough, or cough?
Hiccough has the sound of cup.
My advice is to give up!!

Name your bike - part one

A conversation I lately had with the new house mate (whom I shall henceforth refer to as Allie until permission is given to use his full name or any other name I had in mind) sparked intrigue. He told me how fond he was of his bike, I asked for it's name and without as much as a millisecond pause he said N££££££*. I think my heart must have stopped beating two seconds.

Oblivious to the fact that I might not be the only known (to myself) person that names his/her bike I assumed I was the only one. As this is plainly not the case I've started a little inquiry but to no avail. So far Allie and I stand alone.

Just in case you wondered mine's name is Ronald.

* for the full name of said bike too you shall have to wait, surely I cannot reveal such intimacies with written approval of the person concerned

Free Hugs

There may have been times that I could have used a hug and didn't get one. but for the times I got one unsollicited this is a little thank-you-all cartoon.

I have a bike (continued)

Three days of adaptation and my reflexes resemble those of a native.

Read: I don't brake for cars I expect them to slow down for me. I don't care about red lights or police vehicles, my only bosses are seven point five ton trucks. I have a right to sneer at pedestrians and motorcyclists alike. I don't need to get up early, I can cycle anywhere and going home for lunch isn't a complete waste of time. Hills were probably made for cycling down but nonetheless it's fun to overtake old ladies while riding uphill.

I so love my bike. Almost as much as I love my newest house mate. Almost. It's pretty hard to find a man so tea-knowledgeable whereas you can find a bike pretty much everywhere.

Quote #11

I had no post in mind today, let alone something as boring and stupid as a quote, but this one was just to good, not to post:

To my mind, the only possible pet is a cow. Cows love you ... They will listen to your problems and never ask a thing in return. They will be your friends forever. And when you get tired of them, you can kill and eat them. Perfect.

Bill Bryson

Unsad

I realise full well that I have not been my gloomy self lately. Tonight I have heard from several sources how well it becomes me and how nice it is to see me happy for a change. Which is what nags me. I wouldn't have defined myself as being happy just not so sad any more.

This being said made me think and with me thinking irreversibly shifts my mood to gloom, not enough to make me sad just somewhat less happy again.

Munich

That's the name of our wireless network and as off today I -or rather Rudy- can connect. Who needs more cause for cheering.

I have a bike

I have a bike

I have a beautiful second-hand blue bike

His name is Ronald and didn't cost so much

I love to ride him along the canal

And it's the bestest blue bike of them all.

With excuses for the very poor poetry, but I'm somewhat excited about my new bike. I've started my sixth year at university in this town and yet today is the first time I've ridden a bike in it. Quite shocking.

Miffy

In the off chance anyone cares, this T-shirt looks the way I feel.

Need more blogs

A friend of mine has more blogs than I have. Ill though I may feel, friendly though I may be towards the opposite sex, drained from inspiration though I might already appear, surely I cannot let this pass?! It is as if hearing someone has more lip balm than me. It just ain't right.

What is wrong with me?

There must be something going on.

Not only have I lately abstained from insulting every man I meet, I have been friendly even to the sort of guy that in twilight looms around parks and asks single women for their number even though they show no sign of interest, I have postponed going shopping to eat a long breakfast and have a nice chat with my new male housemate, I have admitted missing someone whom I have in the past two years (in no particular order) loved, thought I loved, massaged, disliked, ignored, avoided, liked, befriended, wanted to kill howibly howibly, I have spent time chatting to a guy I hardly know about his ill girlfriend when I could have been reading, I am as yet convinced that I am still in love but still it doesn't really matter he ignores my existance.

There MUST be something going on.


I might have to take this course.

Paper... and a pen if you please.

Pretty damn close, I'd say. Let's hope I don't let everyone write all over me.

You Are Paper

Crafty and creative, you are able to adapt freely to almost any situation. People tend to underestimate you, unless they've truly seen what you are capable of. Deep down, you're always scheming and thinking up new plans. Your mind is constantly active. You are quite capable of anything you dream of. You can always figure out a way to get what you want. You can wrap a rock person up in your sheet of trickery. A scissor person can sneak up and cut you to pieces. When you fight: No one can anticipate your next move If someone makes you mad: You'll attack them mercilessly when they're unprepared

Are You Rock, Paper, or Scissors?

Ice Cream Poll

A new enquête for those who'd care. Don't be shy.

Lasagne or ...

I was very very tempted only yesterday to claim a computer and rant rant rant on the lack of consideration so often professed by my closest relations. Alas, I was already late for a friendly gathering with mucho food and liquor. As I walked there on hardly adequate shoes and downright angry (as some passers by might have concluded from my muffled mutterings)my feelings were by no means improving, all of which melted however once I was seated near a not unhandsome dark-haired man- though it might also have been the lasagne.

Today, I have been, despite still inadequately shoed in windy rainy circumstances, felt well. Quite well. Untill the utterings of blonde drove me in the direction of my usual MHM*.Which only goes to show that, though a man might make me happy, he probably won't.

*Man Hating Modus

Lip Balm - part five

For shame, yes yes yes for shame. I have been buying lip balm again. And I'm in the mood for even more. Continual haapiness does have it's price. The newly acquired balms are printed in bold.

1. The Body Shop lip butter sweet grape
2. The Body Shop cranberry lip balm
3. The Body Shop born lippy watermelon
4. The Body Shop born lippy raspberry
5. The body Shop honey lip care SPF 15
6. The Body Shop hemp lip conditioner
7. The Body Shop Cool Mint lip balm
8. Pop tarts frosted cherry lip balm
9. Pop tarts frosted blueberry lip balm
10. Lip naturals herbal formula bing cherry SPF 15
11. Hema 1/7 pearly gold lip balm
12. Hema lipcare Raspberry
13. Hema lipcare Strawberry
14. Hema lipcare Cherry
15. Hema pearly gloss lip balm*
16. Miss Helen Fruity Lipbalm Strawberry
17. Yver Rocher Baume nourrisant a l'huile d' amande
18. Dirty Girl On The Go raspberry SPF 15
19. Yves Rocher Jardins des Îles Baume hydratant vanille de Madagascar
20. Yves Rocher baume nourrissant édition de noël
21. Carmex click stick lip balm
22. Jelly Belly Grape Jelly
23. Jelly Belly Very Cherry
24. Jelly Belly French Vanilla
25. Sweetarts Blue Punch
26. Sweetarts Green Apple
27. Sweetarts Lemon
28. Sweetarts Orange
29. Sweetarts Cherry
30. Sweetarts Grape
31. Lipsmacker Fanta strawberry
32. Lipsmacker Fanta orange
33. Lipsmacker Fanta grape
34. Lipsmacker Coca-Cola Black Cherry Vanilla
35. Lipsmacker Coca-Cola Cherry
36. Lipsmacker Cool Raspberry Ice
37. Lipsmacker Vanilla Lights
38. Lipsmacker Marshmellow
39. Lipsmacker Berry Heavenly
40. Lipsmacker Spun Sugar Shine
41. Lipsmacker Party Berry
42. Lipsmacker Magical Melon
43. Claire's Cotton Candy *

Edit: You have been warned, two new lipbalms marked with a *

Compensation Anxiety

An idea I have recently shortly discussed with a friend of mine. She doesn't believe a word of it, but as long as I do it stands.

Short men are insecure, insecureness effects compensation anxiety, this causes them to be better lovers.

It's really simple. A short man thinks as follows

• I'm not tall ergo I'm not fysically attractive
• I'm not rich ergo I'm not financially attractive
• I want this girl/woman/boy/man so I must give her/him something no one else will: empathy=> consideration=> attentive love-making

The compensation anxiety may also hold true for men with other unattractive features but in my experience most men aren't bothered with their beer bellies, sweaty feet, baldness, crooked teeth, coarse skin, foul breath or bitten on fingernails. Do correct me.

Birthday Gifts

Because I do it every year, and because you must have something borig to read or start to think the man who yesterday so politely asked to touch my boobs has caused me to be severely brain damaged, here's a list of my birthday presents.

• Desk Lamp
• Set of Bathing Soaps in cute and adorable pastels
• Book Coupon
• Necklace with giant beads
• Pickled olives
• Plain olives
• Dipper herbs
• Moussaka
• Greek Wine
• Plain chocolate
• Cubed feta in olive oil
• Tatziki
• A small plate of greek tapas
• A letter M in chocolate
• Chocolate Line chocolates and marshmellows
• Milk chocolate with hazelnuts
• Dark chocolate with roasted cacao beans
• A bag of Chocotoffs
  
• White chocolate with berries and yoghurt
• A fan with character print
• Miniature spirograph set
• Hello Kitty stationary set
• Fake nails
• Fake blood
• A witches hat
• A broomstick; Beëlzebub Lightning bolt limited edition.
• Black lipstick
• Wine Red nail polish
• A cookbook on Irish cuisine
• A book on Tea trade in Flanders
• A green velvety soft plushy dragonthemed blanket

This list does not include the gifts I bought/will buy myself, there is no need to double it's lenght.

Enquête

You may have noticed some new stuff on the left yes that left of which the most important is the addition of an enquête-feature. This first question is just a trial one of course but nonetheless you may enlighten me.

International Talk Like a Pirate's Day II

These also I could not fail to deliver. Avast me harties.

International Talk Like a Pirate's Day

No more fiiting style of picture for today than this one methinks. We be drinkin' rum tonight or something of the sort, I'm not very good at piate speech.

Quote #10

By lack of a more fitting quote on birthdays, I give thee:

One must still have chaos in oneself to give birth to a dancing star.

Friedrich Nietzsche, Thus Spoke Zarathustra,

German philosopher (1844 - 1900)

23

I've gotten the first gift. The first birthday card. And the first gift voucher. I've checked with the bank and my paycheck has arrived. All I await now is a phonecall from Mr. Way-Out-Of-My-League to wish me happy birthday and profess his deep and unchanging love for me (as if).

Edit: Add in another gift voucher, another gift, 4 text messages, 4 forum congrats and 1 comment. Have I mentioned liking you lot?

SMILE

Upon professing having smiled at a waiter it is suggested the man be tipped extra. After announcing smiling at a man in need of encouragement, the wish to have seen my smile is made known. Continually my mother mocks my frowns with 'You are so much more beautiful when you smile'. My laughs are checked by my sisters unbearance of them.

Question: Do I really smile that little?

The Menu

As promised in this blogpost; the full menu.

Garlic Bread

Lendae Salad

Courgettes à la Martine

***

Teriyaki marinated Lambchops, Merquez and Tofu

Wasabi Balls and Dinosaurs

Vegetable and Stuff Sauce

2 Styles of Rice

***

Chocolate Cake

Almond Cake

Baclava

Pear and Lemon Sorbet

Coconut Straciatelli

Raw Ginger Ice

Pumpkin Spice Yoghurt Ice

Sesame Pudding Ice

Coffee Icecream

Drinks will include:

Ginger Tea

Princess Spunk

Red Wine

Tonic

Orange Juice

Mineral Water

Anything else that you might want, you had better bring yourselve.

A hint

Three things (among others) I judge men on:

1. hands
2. sense of humour
3. subttleness of staring at my boobs

This is what I'm wearing

Mine is blue: Cute but kind of evil.

Let the computer decide who I really am

I can't seem to help it, by lack of a real subject to blog about, I do five on-line personality tests per day. This is what picking the colour green above any other tells about me:

Green is the color of healing.

Green personalities want to help every one. These people can usually be found in the medical profession or some occupation which helps people. Preferring to watch rather than to become involved in others business, they usually keep their thoughts secret. Others see them as good listeners because of this quality. This characteristic makes them wonderful counselors.

Green personalities make others feel at home in their house by putting them at ease immediately. They try to take care of others and they want harmony in every one's life. Green personalities may even stop an argument between others by starting one themselves. Green personalities make the best of friends because they are jovial, caring and can keep a secret.

In order for a green personality to feel good about themselves, they have to be helping someone or something. Nurturers by choice, they are the ones who take care of animals, humans and plants

Quote #9

I do not concurr mister Barrie. If love has a rainbow it is seven shades of grey.

Let no one who loves be unhappy, even love unreturned has its rainbow.

James M. Barrie, Scottish dramatist & novelist (1860 - 1937)

Invitations II

You have three days left to make your attendance to THE Three Ton Baclava Party known, if you should show up, you will not be provided with wholesome food but will have to make do with leftover cake and the drinks you bring yourselves. Can't say I didn't warn you.

Where are my friends?

Abroad apparently. Or decorating their apartments, quarreling with their loved ones, at home and at ease, all blissfully unaware of how I struggle to keep up the appearance of happiness.

That was perhaps not the wisest thing to say but i cannot pretend 24/7. And a little rant is always better than staying in bed, refusing refreshments or books and cry over every little speck of misfortune. I am after all not that miserable; I have just improved my 3D pinball record.

Parenthood I

As the want for offspring defines itself clearer and clearer in my life, I'm trying to find out how well I'd do having to cater for six little brats and their father while cleaning up their mess and not letting go of my own life. The result of this test cannot but fill me with dispair what would a computer program know about my parental skills?

You Will Be a Cool Parent

You seem to naturally know a lot about parenting, and you know what kids need.You can tell when it's time to let kids off the hook, and when it's time to lay down the law.While your parenting is modern and hip, it's not over the top.You know that there's nothing cool about a parent who acts like a teenager... or a drill sergeant!

Would You Be a Cool Parent?

Plint Party

I wonder what keeps me from entering the catering bussiness? Just for the heck of it I'm having a little house warming party tomorrow. And if you read this, you are invited.

We will be having stir-fried fish with mediterranean herbs and a carrot-potatoe oven casserole. Bring your own wine though, I'd love the provide the spirits but alas I am temporarily out of funds.

And now I'm off to grab some lunch and put up posters.

Too ill.

Usually after not having studied I blog about how well the exam went and how I am never going to study again. Not so today.

For three consecutive days I've had a very painful sore throat, as this temporary discomfort diminishes however the headache and feverish complexion appear at the health horizon. These are severe symptoms for a selfprofessed only ill once every two years.

Right now however I got up to tell my professors I'm to ill to think properly let alone study and take exams ( how do do oral exams when your voice is on strike anyway???). And after that I'll get back to bed not leaving until tomorrow 5pm safe to get myself mre hot tea and lavatory escapades.

Do not bother me unless to force a mug of something steaming hot and healthy in my hands.

Invitations

38 invitations have been sent out. Not counting my housemates.

Should they all come I have a problem. A space, time, food, money problem. However ( as has been cleverly pointed out by an invité who happens to have just read his invitations in pretty much the same room as I am in now and has asked for the menu prior to his consent which of course I have refused for it is only proper that everyone waits his/her turn) hardly ever does everyone you invite show up.

Conclusion I'm catering for about 12 people. Everybody else will have to stuff themselves with cake.

P.S. The full menu will be published one week prior to the festivities, I expect all rsvp's by then.

Quote #8

September tries its best to have us forget summer.

Bern Williams

Pizza Style

Meatball Pizza

Unusual and uncompromising.You're usually the first to discover a new trend.You appreciate a good meal and good company.You're an interesting blend of traditional and modern.

What's" Your Pizza Personality?

September

Finally my favourite month has commenced (I love use the word commenced, sound so much more educated than 'started'). That is good news because A] in mere hours I will no longer be responsible for the watering of plants, cleaning of floors, emptying of mailbox and feeding of chickens, a pig, a guinee pig, two cats, a pondful of goldfish and a younger sister (the latter especialy is prone to complain about quality and quantity of the dish provided), in mere hours my parents will be back from a weeklong trip to the heart of Germany (the geographical heart that is), God knows what they were looking for there. B] The day my paycheck arrives draws near. C] It's my birthday soon.

And best of all D] Autumn is on it's way. I love autumn.