Friday, June 13, 2008

Sharing...

Just a little something...




Talking of sharing, here's my brother's blog... He 'knows' things about music, and writes rather well...

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Does eBay have a spell checker?

In the same way that autism can be viewed as a spectrum, I've got to wondering if writers' propensity to judge/fume/giggle/bitch about errors in grammar* and spelling might have a spectrum all of its very own.

I'll own up to a certain sense of smugness when I spot glaring errors. In the days when - as a teacher - I invariably had a board marker in my pocket, I was one of 'those' people, who took glee in doing that 'apostrophe thing' in public spaces.

However. Nothing brings me so close to strange mix of shock and mild amusement as eBay. It's an absolute wonder for true gems. Here's just a tiny selection that I found without even looking...

No items can be returned as all descriptions are fully arcrate.

Yes, this fills me with great confidence.

Topshop, Miss Selfride, Oasis shirt, Indie, Vintage, Emo, Kate Moss.

Perhaps this shirt has a severe psychiatric disorder? Surely, no shirt could be all of these things all at the same time? Even if it could, do people really exist who want to look 'Indie-vintage-emo-Kate Moss'?

Topshop Red Dressy Up Size 10 - Excellant Condition.

No thanks, I'd rather buy things from a charity shop...

WART MOLE SKIN TAG REMOVER 100% EFFECTIVENESS NATURAL 100% HERBAL* EUROPEAN! CLINICALLY TESTED MONEYBACK GUAR

Um. No comment. If anyone knows what a guar is, please explain. On second thoughts, please don't.

I'm sure that with a little searching** the best of these are yet to be discovered...









*Note to self - remember to check, check and, recheck this blog entry for errors...

** aka procrastinating.

DISCLAIMER - any errors found within this post were left intentionally by the author...

Tuesday, May 06, 2008

Defying (the laws of) Gravity.



EXT: Miss-C sits on doorstep in early morning sunbeams with cup of hot coffee.

Enter: First Bumble bee of the summer. Fuzzy and yellow, it stops to drink from lavender flowers.

M-C: Smiles.

Saturday, May 03, 2008

Delirium.

I've been a bit knocked sideways by a virus that has taken out half of Oz's school this week. Today, is the first day I've been able to stand vertically for more than 3 mins. This led to a moment of revelation in the shower.

As I stood in the shower, the postman knocked.

This gave me a strange sense of deja vu - didn't the postman try to get in yesterday? Only with the hindsight of a recently departed fever does it occur to me that perhaps, the postman didn't actually climb in through the window yesterday. It now seems (highly) probable that the postman didn't climb through the window with several stangers, and that none of them actually argued about who would sign for the letter he was trying to deliver.

At the time this 'happened' I was simply quite grateful that no one seemed to mind, or particularly care, that I was unable to even open the door - relieved that I didn't seem rude. They seemed quite happy to bicker amongst themselves in the middle of the living room, before letting themselves out and politely leaving me to my hot, sticky slumber on the sofa.

Fever is a funny thing.

Monday, April 28, 2008

Lollypops and raindrops.


I was late to the world of statcounters with this blog. Somehow thought it would be too complicated. However, now I know things that I should never have known otherwise.

It seems that the majority of 'strangers' stumbling here have googled 'lollypop ladies' and (for some bizzare reason, probably only understood by SEO experts) this post comes up first.

It seemed only fitting to mark this strange Number One slot with a post. I'll never cease to be amazed the wonderfully random world of the w.w.w and google-ness.

Good also to celebrate the real lollypop ladies (and men), not least because they probably all got rather wet this morning.

Friday, April 25, 2008

Reality Check?

Freelancing feels slightly precarious, to say the least, and there are moments when I'm tempted to scurry back to the stability of a salary and stability etc. However, it does have some wonderful moments.

Today I spent an afternoon as a 'Reality Checker'.

Best job title ever, just wish I'd had a badge to pin above my desk to keep my spirits high on cloudier days. I've got a 'pack' of literature that explains my role for the afternoon - and it's there in 12pt Arial 'Reality Checker will...'

Just wonder if there's any chance of making a career out of this? But then I realise that checking other people's reality might not necessarily be the same as keeping a check on my own...

Tuesday, April 22, 2008

La La

Apologies for the slightly upside down/back to front entries below, seems to be one of those days.

Just received sample spreads for my book. Should be a very happy thing. (Good times?)

But. There is not a single word written by me in the spread, and the way it reads leaves me cringing. There was no indication from my editor that they were unhappy with my content, or that there was a problem. Kind of leaves me in a strange dilemma. (Bad times?)

Perhaps I'll just go
and watch the blossom again
and ponder on this.*


[* Note to self - leave dodgy haiku alone...]

La La La

First day of seeing apple blossom always makes me smile. Wanted to 'share' the blossom feeling...

If I could find the camera I'd take a picture - but it seems to be lost.

There was a song that I posted - but the html went bad.

So perhaps this might do. Cheesy? Possibly (or is that just because of American Idol?). But it does seem to spread the blossom sunshine feeling...