ForumTitleContentMemberSexCountryDate/Time
United Kingdom~Off Topic Thread~
Fender benders lead to huge blow outs. My freshman year of college I rear ended a car ahead of me...and since I was still on my parents insurance they were NOT HAPPY. Somehow it became some huge blow out where my parents said if I wasn't sleeping w/ my boyfriend at the time this wouldn't have happened?!?!?! Anyways, it ended up where we didn't speak to each other for nearly a year.

It has been a veritable cemetary this weekend in here. Next weekend I'm going to be MIA...Brit meetup Friday, Celtic Fest Saturday, and half marathon Sunday.
ginger1981FemaleUnited Kingdom2008-09-08 09:15:00
United Kingdom~Off Topic Thread~
QUOTE (Jeraly @ Sep 5 2008, 03:59 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Call me naive but I didn't realise they lived here... nor mantises (though those are pretty cool when they don't fly/run at you laughing.gif )

I dunno - I guess I always thought that animals frequently seen in a zoo back in the UK were from the deepest depths of some exotic rainforest or suchlike... unsure.gif I don't mind them so much when they are behind glass...


Do you ever watch that show on Discovery called Verminators? That show is the creepiest crawliest show

Verminators

There was an episode once where it was the infestations...yes and that is plural...from hell. This guy was a very bad alcoholic and made home brew in his apartment to boot. Anyways, this guy had

roaches
bedbugs (his mattress was covered in blood from the bites)
mice
ants
black widow spiders

but the kicker...when the exterminators went onto his deck to check out the closet out there, he had a nest of killer bees! It was honestly the most disgusting thing I have ever seen in my life.
ginger1981FemaleUnited Kingdom2008-09-05 16:04:00
United Kingdom~Off Topic Thread~
QUOTE (rkl57 @ Sep 5 2008, 02:44 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
When I was a kid and used to visit my family in Texas I lived in constant fear of the cockroaches and lizards in the yard. On my cousin's ranch I once saw a tarantula - I never recovered.


I can deal with lizards and snakes. I dunno why...they don't freak me out so much. Maybe it's just invertebrates that bother me?
ginger1981FemaleUnited Kingdom2008-09-05 15:59:00
United Kingdom~Off Topic Thread~
Good job on getting the pic of the centipede from the University of Nebraska entomology website Aly good.gif I actually signed up for an entomology class there one year...I thought we would just look in glass cases with dead bugs in them. When I went to the first class I found out that you would actually be given a live Hissing Cockroach to keep alive for a semester. Needless to say I dropped that class like a rock.

I would say that centipede was about 1.5 inches long. It was good sized.
ginger1981FemaleUnited Kingdom2008-09-05 13:35:00
United Kingdom~Off Topic Thread~
I read about them on Wiki and they supposedly eat spider eggs and stuff like that. They apparently don't "live" in the apartment too...they typically stay in basements but they are somehow finding their way to the second floor where I live.

I had these things in my old apartment up here too. What is weird is I have never had problems with any other insects (no roaches, spiders, daddy long legs) except with these things.
ginger1981FemaleUnited Kingdom2008-09-05 11:20:00
United Kingdom~Off Topic Thread~
QUOTE (elmcitymaven @ Sep 5 2008, 01:02 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
I think I caught a disease from Bruce... unsure.gif

It's called I-need-more-cars-itis. It is apparently chronic, and is expensive to treat. I have it so bad, I had to buy a '93 Mustang convertible. devil.gif It's awesome -- I can't stop grinning when I'm gunning it.

So LA girlies, who's up for a ride with the top down this weekend? star_smile.gif

Wow, it's like I'm the car fairy, and I turned the wand on myself.


Mustang Maven eh? To the tune of "Mustang Sally of course...


QUOTE (Jeraly @ Sep 5 2008, 01:28 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
laughing.gif Maven!! You are so bad!!!

I've been fighting with a roach this evening laughing.gif You can read about it here if you're interested as I think I summarised it quite nicely in an e-mail biggrin.gif It's been interesting but I also found a little game site where I have been chatting online - simple pleasures but fun - it has brightened my evening and my day so that can only be a good thing smile.gif


I spent my night fighting one of these things myself!



I saw it crawling on my bedroom wall and I started screaming for Nicky to come in and kill it. Well, he came rushing in at the flying speed of a snail...giving the centipede plenty of time to crawl back behind the bed...on my side of the bed and out of sight under my pillow. So he finally comes shuffling in while I'm jumping around like an idiot...and he has MY NEW RUNNING SHOE to kill it with. Anyways at this point he can't get to it so I get a broom while he moves the bed. The thing is just chilling on the baseboard...and I attack with the broom. At first I miss, but the centipede gets a dust bunny caught in some of its legs...slowing it down and thus giving me the opportunity to once and for all off the dang thing.

Nicky had also killed one earlier in the week and squashed it so it left a nice big mark on our wall. We killed another one a month ago...methinks it is time to call the landlord about these things. They aren't poisonous or are going to bother you but they just look so creepy.
ginger1981FemaleUnited Kingdom2008-09-05 09:01:00
United Kingdom~Off Topic Thread~
QUOTE (Poiteen @ Sep 4 2008, 01:36 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
can't say that I do know much about the Dublin Marathon, my sister did the Women's mini marathon one year, but I don't know how long it was. Dublin still has some hills, but I don't think it would be quite as bad as the great north run, hill wise. It's also probably a smaller event, so depending on your perspective that could be good or bad. There are still crowds by the side, cheering you on and there's all the usual stuff, the roads closed off, medical personnel standing by, etc etc.


The Dublin course didn't look too bad...it seemed to stay along the southside and around Phoenix Park. I like their course better...but at the GNR I would have people cheering me on. Eh...I might do the one race this year and another the next. I'll just have to work out in which order.
ginger1981FemaleUnited Kingdom2008-09-04 14:16:00
United Kingdom~Off Topic Thread~
QUOTE (illumine @ Sep 4 2008, 01:37 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (ginger1981 @ Sep 4 2008, 11:27 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
I admit that not all the democrats stances ring true with me, and I'm not convinced that Obama will really make any fundemental changes if elected. But at least to me, the democrats aren't interested in opposing semi to outright religious views on my life.


So it only applies if Dems are elected, not Reps?



I have a greater uneasiness of the kind of "changes" - or non-changes that could happen with a republican leadership than with a democratic leadership. For example, a greater chance of troops coming home with democrats than republicans. I think there is a greater shot at rebuilding international confidence in the United States with Obama than with McCain (and note...I think the same would have been true with Hilary).

Those are just a few examples of my point of view. Everyone is entitled to what they believe and what they hold dear...I tend to give more respect to someone who has thought their position through first rather than someone blindly supporting the other candidate just because there is a D or an R behind their name. wink.gif I come from the deepest of redest of states and I now live in Obamaramaland...so I understand how it can work both ways yes.gif

Edited by ginger1981, 04 September 2008 - 01:55 PM.

ginger1981FemaleUnited Kingdom2008-09-04 13:55:00
United Kingdom~Off Topic Thread~
QUOTE (Poiteen @ Sep 4 2008, 01:26 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
oh and ginger, was that the great north run in England, you were talking about?? I watched it one year, it looks tough!


The one in Newcastle...that would be the one :-) I'm doing the Chicago Half in about 10 days, and I have a few others lined up I want to do next spring/summer. I'm not so concerned with the distance but the hills...I have no way of training for those except on ye auld treadmill.

Do you know much about the Dublin Marathon? If I don't do the Great North Run that was the other race I was thinking about doing when we go back over next fall.
ginger1981FemaleUnited Kingdom2008-09-04 13:31:00
United Kingdom~Off Topic Thread~
Experience does count for something, but it is not everything. I was rather shattered by the primaries as I liked both Hilary and Obama...I thought that had they ran better campaigns they would have had an unbeatable ticket. But that isn't the case.

The republicans...I would maybe say more pointedly their evangelical base...go against many things I believe in. They say don't have an abortion, it kills a life...but I rarely hear from them how to give a child a good life after it is born. I hear that gays are somehow "threatening" my marriage, but yet they get their only defense from a couple verses in a 2500 year old book. I'm attacked for not being a patriotic American because I question the decisions made by my leaders...not because I'm some sort of commie but because I love my country enough that I don't want it f'ed up.

I admit that not all the democrats stances ring true with me, and I'm not convinced that Obama will really make any fundemental changes if elected. But at least to me, the democrats aren't interested in opposing semi to outright religious views on my life.
ginger1981FemaleUnited Kingdom2008-09-04 13:27:00
United Kingdom~Off Topic Thread~
I'm sure I might get plenty of barbs for this, but I find it difficult to vote for someone who thinks ID/creationism should be taught in public schools. Or abstinance only education (sure worked with her daughter!). Or that it is god's mandate we go to war or build a pipeline.

I don't mind McCain so much, but let's be honest...he's on the upper end of the average life span for a male. He seems to be fairly healthy, but with people that age it can change very quickly. Look who is second in command then?

At least with Obama he is surrounded by people with experience.
ginger1981FemaleUnited Kingdom2008-09-04 13:12:00
United Kingdom~Off Topic Thread~
QUOTE (*julez* @ Sep 4 2008, 12:43 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (ginger1981 @ Sep 4 2008, 01:37 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (Poiteen @ Sep 4 2008, 12:05 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
I spent yesterday evening swearing and shouting at the TV. After tomorrow, I'm not watching any more election coverage. It makes me too angry.



QUOTE (*julez* @ Sep 4 2008, 12:21 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (Poiteen @ Sep 4 2008, 01:05 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
I spent yesterday evening swearing and shouting at the TV. After tomorrow, I'm not watching any more election coverage. It makes me too angry.


Why put off til tomorrow what can be done today? innocent.gif

I watched last night. I was unimpressed, but that's just me. I'll continue to watch as I am a glutton for punishment.


I'm so over this election. I just haven't felt like either side has done a great job here. Either way, the neocons still seem far more frightening to me. I wasn't even that scared until there were chants of "drill baby drill" or whatever that was they were chanting. Seriously, is that really going to solve our fuel issue? It's still going to run out eventually morons!


Agreed. And I find it really shocking that they believe that some of us who supported Hillary would go for Sarah Palin! Their politics are diametrically opposed! The only thing they have in common is that they're both women.





My favorite is the charge that O doesn't have executive experience. Well, if you want to get technical McCain doesn't either.

That is only the tip of the iceberg why I highly dislike this woman.
ginger1981FemaleUnited Kingdom2008-09-04 12:47:00
United Kingdom~Off Topic Thread~
QUOTE (Poiteen @ Sep 4 2008, 12:05 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
I spent yesterday evening swearing and shouting at the TV. After tomorrow, I'm not watching any more election coverage. It makes me too angry.



QUOTE (*julez* @ Sep 4 2008, 12:21 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (Poiteen @ Sep 4 2008, 01:05 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
I spent yesterday evening swearing and shouting at the TV. After tomorrow, I'm not watching any more election coverage. It makes me too angry.


Why put off til tomorrow what can be done today? innocent.gif

I watched last night. I was unimpressed, but that's just me. I'll continue to watch as I am a glutton for punishment.


I'm so over this election. I just haven't felt like either side has done a great job here. Either way, the neocons still seem far more frightening to me. I wasn't even that scared until there were chants of "drill baby drill" or whatever that was they were chanting. Seriously, is that really going to solve our fuel issue? It's still going to run out eventually morons!
ginger1981FemaleUnited Kingdom2008-09-04 12:37:00
United Kingdom~Off Topic Thread~
QUOTE (Jeraly @ Sep 3 2008, 04:08 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
For years I never realised why it had those funny numbers at the end of it... since I got a bit older and realised other countries existed innocent.gif I figured it out - right about when I figured out what zip codes were ( I swear as a kid I had some idea they had something to do with the zipper on jeans... whistling.gif )


Maybe you thought they were like Levi's jeans...I remember during that time in the 90's the 501's were hot (paired with Jason Priestly Ray-Bans of course!)
ginger1981FemaleUnited Kingdom2008-09-03 16:09:00
United Kingdom~Off Topic Thread~
I didn't even bother with 90210. I wonder if the Peach Pitt will still be around?

Hmmm...I got wrangled into volunteering to help out at an opening gala/benefit for the new American Girl store up here (it is opening in one of the malls I work with). Apparently they are closing down the store at 12:30 to get ready for this big party...apparently my job is going to be dealing with angry parents whose kids are throwing a fit because the store is closed. I have to find a way to sate them...and if they ###### enough I give out a free gift.

I better get into the party for free for doing that job dangit!
ginger1981FemaleUnited Kingdom2008-09-03 15:02:00
United Kingdom~Off Topic Thread~
QUOTE (charles! @ Sep 3 2008, 06:59 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
good morning everyone. it seems like we have more tropical storms out there coming our way.


Did you scare everyone off? Sure a quiet day...
ginger1981FemaleUnited Kingdom2008-09-03 14:42:00
United Kingdom~Off Topic Thread~
QUOTE (illumine @ Sep 2 2008, 03:32 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
I'm ready for more drinks and garlic fries! yes.gif

----

Hot damn - the pound is FINALLY dropping!!!

$1.78 - a record! kicking.gif

This means we can actually afford to move back sometime in this decade.


yeah it is good news! Especially since we want to go back October of 09'...I hope it keeps going down.

Btw...has anyone done or is interested in doing the Great North Run next year?
ginger1981FemaleUnited Kingdom2008-09-02 16:21:00
United Kingdom~Off Topic Thread~
I got owned in Monopoly. He build hotels on Vermont, Connecticut and Oriental. Who thought the ghetto spaces would kill me?

I'd love to show up in November, alas later that month I go back home to see mi famiglia for thanksgiving. Hopefully in the future I'll make it out to Cali to harrass y'all wink.gif
ginger1981FemaleUnited Kingdom2008-09-01 22:42:00
United Kingdom~Off Topic Thread~
Aly's party makes my little Bacardi Breezer Mojito and ongoing game of Monopoly with Nicky seem very, very boring.
ginger1981FemaleUnited Kingdom2008-09-01 17:36:00
United Kingdom~Off Topic Thread~
QUOTE (charles! @ Aug 30 2008, 11:40 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (Gemmie @ Aug 30 2008, 07:46 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
I'm going to visit the Salem Witch Trials in a couple weeks. biggrin.gif

So excited, it's all so interesting and it can be used for research.

i think my ex-wife traces her roots to there.


laughing.gif

I saw a bumper sticker once that said "My ex wife's car is a broom"
ginger1981FemaleUnited Kingdom2008-08-31 09:15:00
United Kingdom~Off Topic Thread~
QUOTE (rkl57 @ Aug 30 2008, 09:02 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Is it really football season again? Where has this year gone?


I do have to admit this year has gone fast. I'm quite sad that summer is about over...after all up here the weather was awful until the first couple weeks of June. It just feels like I got cheated out of a full summer of laying at the beach doing f' all.

That being said I do look forward to my American football good.gif
ginger1981FemaleUnited Kingdom2008-08-30 09:21:00
United Kingdom~Off Topic Thread~
QUOTE (rkl57 @ Aug 29 2008, 02:36 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Guys - only 117 shopping days until christmas!


AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!

God I hate xmas shopping. However, yesterday someone left a bunch of gift cards out on the counter in the copy room to give away (we often get free ####### and gift cards from retailers we work with). They are all loaded with $50 credit....so I'm stashing those as x-mas presents for my mom and sisters innocent.gif Damn lucky find...but I think I might keep the White House/Black Market one for myself.

QUOTE (weedebz @ Aug 29 2008, 04:13 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
still on a mission for a good dunking biscuit here in US. (see my post in movinghere - strange things) Anyone here found a good tea dunker?


Have you been able to get out to the World Market store in Omaha yet?

And add Nicky and we have a set of quadruplets. The f'ing Bank of America has been a thorn in our side...after being a customer for 3 months they still have not sent him his debit card. The first two were apparently lost in the mail, and after going into a branch to complain they said that they would have it sent to the branch and they would call him. That has been approx. 3 weeks. I've gave him reminders a few times as week but he just doesn't get on it. Same with the paypal issue he's been having...they refused to x-fer his money from his UK bank account to his US bank account but they still charged him all the fees (basically, what happened was they took the money out of the UK account but refused to deposit it in the US account...but they didn't want to redeposit in the UK bank account...he had the fanangle with them just to get it redeposited). Now they want him to pony up additional money for putting the money back into the UK account. I will give him credit for fighting with them as much as he has...but dammit they should not have charged you for NOT PROVIDING A SERVICE.

I find myself wish I could just take care of it but these problems are completely out of my hands. I understand that it is frustrating for him dealing with a new system...but nevertheless you have to deal with it.

Anyways, my Saturday is looking like this:



GO HUSKERS!!!
ginger1981FemaleUnited Kingdom2008-08-30 08:46:00
United Kingdom~Off Topic Thread~
QUOTE (Krikit @ Aug 28 2008, 11:08 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (ginger1981 @ Aug 28 2008, 05:00 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
I'm 26. I think it's time for me to learn how to make Jello molds.

Here's one. Poke it! It trembles.

And another!! A Universe Beyond Gay

You can almost taste them, can't you? Don't forget to decorate them with little knick knacks. It makes them special. smile.gif


Jaybus that is almost as disturbing as the Clay Aiken pins. However, my favorite jello mold of all time was Aunt Beth's from National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation...the mold that had the Meow Mix in it? laughing.gif

QUOTE (elmcitymaven @ Aug 29 2008, 12:17 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Fantastic! Makes me think of these two:

The Other Other White Meat

and

Knudsen Products


For some reason that Kundsen cookbook reminds me of the church cookbooks compiled by the ladies at the local methodist church. I think something like 80% of the recipes involved Knudsen products.

QUOTE (English Muffin @ Aug 29 2008, 08:00 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (*julez* @ Aug 28 2008, 09:45 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Gillian, thatplace looks very posh!! Congratulations and best of luck as you start on this new chapter of your life. *hugs*


It is very posh - so not sure how I'm going to fit in. laughing.gif

I really love it and I can't wait to move in now. good.gif


Beautiful apartment! It's amazing what $720 will buy you in other parts of the country. You have so many cool amenities...
ginger1981FemaleUnited Kingdom2008-08-29 08:58:00
United Kingdom~Off Topic Thread~
QUOTE (Poiteen @ Dec 8 2008, 04:00 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Oh Ginger! I'm so sorry things are going like that for you. It's such a sad thing when people have these kind of sudden hardships thrust upon them, and it must be difficult to see it happen, but you can't feel guilty, you had nothing to do with it. Probably the people that were let go even had little to do with their fate. The current economy is forcing businesses everywhere to let go of perfectly good staff. We can only hope that when the recession finally lifts, the businesses left will be leaner and work better, and we can all have another boom off the back of it.

Maven - I have nothing to say but hear! hear! I read some of the thread when you posted about it first, and just couldn't bring myself to post because there were people in there saying exactly what I would have said, and there were some hard heads in there that just wouldn't read it or take any heed. What's the point? I guess in situations like that you can only PM the person, give your own advice, and invite them over to the UK forum where they would be given the correct advice. It's funny that RJ is such a strong opponent of the 'cliquey' regional sub-forums, because I think that her knowledge of the UK process was so good becuase we do have a stong community here. It would be harder to filter out the specific info about the UK if we didn't have this subforum. sigh.


Thanks pointy. I feel like the Debbie Downer of this thread LOL. Most people who were let go were expecting it to some degree, but I think the shock still gets a hold of you. It's really quite an awful downward spiral and I hope our government will do something. I feel like the $700 billion bailout just dissapeared...like how does money just dissapear? It has to go somewhere!
ginger1981FemaleUnited Kingdom2008-12-08 17:15:00
United Kingdom~Off Topic Thread~
It's been funeral day around here. I somehow still have a job (for now) but many many friends were let go today. It's going to be a very sad Christmas for a lot of my collegues.

I've heard my grandpa and others speak of how they had a certain amount of guilt that they survived while their buddies didn't. I know this sounds cheesy, but in a much less significant way I feel like they do. I don't have kids, or a house or anything of value really and I somehow made it. I know that I was probably smarter than some that I took the opportunity to learn how to do various things and to be counted on by the executives and even help out the (former) CEO. But I was still really really lucky.

Anyways, is it just me or does it not feel much like Christmas this year?
ginger1981FemaleUnited Kingdom2008-12-08 16:50:00
United Kingdom~Off Topic Thread~
QUOTE (rkl57 @ Dec 7 2008, 09:58 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
The guilt is the cross that I must bear.

Will Christmas be dinner or just drinks? Although I LOVE the food here, I am looking forwarded to going out for a Western when I get back.

Oh I forgot to say - I found an alarm clock here with a target for a face that comes with a pistol. When the alarm goes off you turn it off by shooting it with your pistol. I have a feeling I will be purchasing this before I leave.


What a brilliant alarm clock! It's safer than using a real gun to shoot it haha!
ginger1981FemaleUnited Kingdom2008-12-08 13:01:00
United Kingdom~Off Topic Thread~
Dangit Seurat didn't want to upload on my original post


ginger1981FemaleUnited Kingdom2008-12-07 11:15:00
United Kingdom~Off Topic Thread~
QUOTE (Jeraly @ Dec 5 2008, 03:37 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Ginger - I can totally relate... it was worse studying it in uni because you have to meet criteria, deadlines, time frames... fit in with tutors' ideals as to what is "art" and the pressure really sends your muse running laughing.gif I love painting but frustrate myself trying to make the things look like photographs then get disappointed when they don't... My best painting (in my head) was a small one of the Musee D'Orsay (sp?) in Paris on the banks of the Rhine by night - thing is, it was for my A-level and it was a lettering piece so I had to stick some crappy text on top of it which I took about three seconds over - the painting took a couple of months I think laughing.gif But the text ruins it sad.gif

I moved onto installation art in my degree because it allowed more room for interpretation... thing is all our tutors were ceramicists or painters so I don't think they really "got" me rolleyes.gif

On another note, I am having a blub to Band Aid's "Do they know it's Christmas" particularly at the lyrics "but there won't be snow in Africa this Christmastime" and thinking "THERE WON'T BE BLOODY SNOW IN PALM SPRINGS EITHER!!!" cray5ol.gif Then feeling a bit sad and pathetic... I've been looking up old carols I sang in primary school and getting all nostalgic... I think I need to invest in a Christmas Carol CD or something laughing.gif


I did ceramic and I have some very nice pots and mugs to show for it lol. I just have an idea right now that involves a very large canvas, a paintball gun and some paintballs. I would consider my idea more in the realm of conceptual art than anything else. Maybe Jackson Pollock with fire power.

Are you talking of the Van Gogh Starry Night over the Rhône? I saw that at the D'Orsay a few years ago...I believe the famous one in the starry night series is at the MOMA.




Speaking of which, Nicky and I are heading down to the Art Institute today. You may remember it from Ferris Beuller's Day Off, as they have the famous Seurat painting there:
http://upload.wikime...près-midi_à_l

The nice thing is the Chicago Public Libraries let you check out museum passes so you can get into most of the major Chicago museums for free. Now that the weather is crappy I think we're going to be spending more time inside the museums.

I agree Pointy that it is way better to be a starving unemployed artist than to be a starving unemployed executive assistant. It sounds more glamorous :-p

QUOTE (rkl57 @ Dec 6 2008, 04:44 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (Jeraly @ Dec 5 2008, 04:37 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
On another note, I am having a blub to Band Aid's "Do they know it's Christmas" particularly at the lyrics "but there won't be snow in Africa this Christmastime" and thinking "THERE WON'T BE BLOODY SNOW IN PALM SPRINGS EITHER!!!" cray5ol.gif Then feeling a bit sad and pathetic... I've been looking up old carols I sang in primary school and getting all nostalgic... I think I need to invest in a Christmas Carol CD or something laughing.gif


Yeah, but when is there ever snow in England at Christmas? England generally does not get good snow, which aside from at Christmas is very overrated.

I'm telling you Jer - get yerself to Idylwild (sp?). The snow there is lovely. And the best part is you can drive away from it back to warm weather in no time.

Where are you ladies on the facebook? I tried searching for maven, but she is unfindable. I don't think I know the rest of yis names to go looking for you.

And greetings from Tokyo! I am staying at the Park Hyatt, which is probably the most beautiful hotel I have ever stayed at with absolutely impeccable service. But now that the yen is really strong - whoa is Tokyo expensive. Good thing I'm not paying for it.


Ooo Tokyo!!! Are you going to do any shopping in Ginza?

Edited by ginger1981, 07 December 2008 - 11:14 AM.

ginger1981FemaleUnited Kingdom2008-12-07 11:12:00
United Kingdom~Off Topic Thread~
Aly, maybe you should look into producing Clay Aiken pins!

Wow...what did your gig from last month tell you as to why they haven't paid you yet?

I think if my job ends up being dust in the wind next week I might become an artist. Last night I told Nicky about some of the ideas I had. I love art, but the way I am I'm so meticulous that I frustrate myself.

Then again, is there ever such thing as a content artist?
ginger1981FemaleUnited Kingdom2008-12-05 15:00:00
United Kingdom~Off Topic Thread~
Hello and greetings everyone...it feels like it has been a while since I've been on here. I get that way with websites for some reason...I take a couple week break and I'm back. But I did miss everyone here.

Nothing much going on...big layoffs next Monday, so at the moment I'm crossing my fingers hoping I'll stay employed.

However, if there is a silver lining to the cloud, it would be the Clay Aiken Pin Extravaganza. In the dark moments where I was scared for my future, this application helped take my mind off of things by harrassing everyone I know into adding the Clay Aiken Pin Extravaganza to their facebook.

It was interesting going back and reading some of the parental experiences here...it's amazing how very few people have "normal" families. I think mine is just plain bizzarre...basically, my grandparents raised me while my mom was following bands around (she used to date one of the sax players from Huey Lewis and the News...and no I'm not making that up). My mom got married to my step dad (whom I call dad) when I was 6...and all of a sudden I moved in with people who I didn't really know that well. It made for interesting times and interesting situations.

For a while I wondered if my paternity was due in part to the guy who sang "The Heart of Rock n' Roll." (which, after some research I can attest that Huey Lewis is NOT my father).
ginger1981FemaleUnited Kingdom2008-12-05 12:13:00
United Kingdom~Off Topic Thread~
QUOTE (rkl57 @ Nov 20 2008, 02:09 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
We saw a bear in Yosemite! Naturally I was so excited I was shaking and the thing turned out blurry - you kind of can see him though




For a second I thought it was Sasquatch!


QUOTE (illumine @ Nov 20 2008, 04:29 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
I placed a rather large order on www.britsuperstore.com on Saturday. They shipped it Monday & I received it today in California.

Very impressive!!

Now I have 20 packets of Mr. Porky biggrin.gif , plus some Frazzles, Bisto & Nik Naks. dancin5hr.gif

And my Mom has 20 packets of cheese crispies, M&S Shortbread, orange & whisky marmalade and strawberry & champagne conserves.


Mmmm....M&S Shortbread. Hopefully we will be getting a box of those soon!

I'm having the thanksgiving for misfit people. Basically, it is everyone who can't go home or has no other place to go on Thanksgiving. So my roster (including my husband and myself) includes:

3 Brits
1 Canadian
1 Nebraskan
1 Tennessean
1 Ohioan
1 Downstater (downstate Illinois that is)

I'm making the turkey (I'm brining it the night before), stuffing and mashed potatos along with a pecan pumpkin pie. My friends are bringing various sides and booze.

We haven't planned for Christmas really to be honest. I was thinking of roasting up Cornish hens. I do believe at the moment it will be just Nicky and I celebrating together...but basically we're cancelling it for the most part. With both our job security wobbly for the next year we're not exchanging gifts amongst ourselves or with our friends and family.

Oh, Nicky started his job yesterday at Wal-Mart. To give you an idea of how ####### the economy is....he said the first thing they said at orientation was "this is the first year we've been able to be picky about who we hire." Basically, most of the people there had bachelor's degrees and had all lost their jobs at other places. He said they all stated that Wal Mart was the only place they could get a job at. Some of them were even business owners whose businesses had gone under in this economy.

Edited by ginger1981, 21 November 2008 - 02:50 PM.

ginger1981FemaleUnited Kingdom2008-11-21 14:49:00
United Kingdom~Off Topic Thread~
QUOTE (Poiteen @ Nov 19 2008, 07:30 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Glad to hear it worked out, it would have really sucked to have to pay for people that didn't show up.

TBH i didn't really see anything too crazy on my few days at AFV as they like to call it. One video though I did fell pretty queasy about, it was a little girl, totally naked, she was maybe 4 or 5, and she had scribbled all over herself with a marker. Weird. What kind of parents just tape that, and then think to themselves - I know!! I'll send this to ABC so it can be put on National TV!! I don't know if they were going to blur out the little girls bits or just cut around them (she kept bending down to write on herself some more) but I thought it was really odd.


It may seem cute, but as a parent...seriously did they not think of the pervs out there?

I suppose you had plenty of videos of men getting hit in the balls with various objects, right?
ginger1981FemaleUnited Kingdom2008-11-20 09:49:00
United Kingdom~Off Topic Thread~
QUOTE (Poiteen @ Nov 12 2008, 12:22 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Hey guys Thursday is my first day at my new job. Friday, yesterday and today I spent putting videos in to the edit bays for America's funniest Home Videos. I'm very tired of watching kids and pets doing dumb things.

How's the decisionmaking coming Robin?


I was watching a Bob Saget comedy special on HBO and he said that people would send in porn quite often to AFHV. He also said they got some really bizarre ones. Apparently someone sent in a video of a guy wearing SCUBA gear climbing a ladder by his pool (assuming he was going to jump off the ladder into the pool). The guy was waving and yelling "Hey Bob!" when the guy fell off the ladder. Apparently the next 20 minutes of the video was just of the guy laying there...either conked out or dead, Bob Saget really wasn't sure.


QUOTE (rkl57 @ Nov 12 2008, 09:41 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Decision making was completed last night - my present employer made me an offer I simply could not refuse. Huge promotion and raise. AS much I was interested in the BBC offer, I couldn't help but shake that it would have been a sideways move and that I would have to spend the next year or so building the relationships and good will in order to progress forward - basically to get what current employer is offering right now would be at least a few years down the line. I never expected this to happen so quickly.

It seems so odd, to have such choices in this economy. I suppose it's karmic payback for all my career woes back in the 90s economic boom.


I think that is one of the awesomest dilemma's I've ever heard of. Congradulations!

QUOTE (Poiteen @ Nov 16 2008, 01:48 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Ginger, have you had the meet up yet? how'd it go?


The meet up went well...everyone that showed up was super nice and we had lots of pizza to go around!

I've been completely boring lately except for a celebrity spotting this weekend. I was running along the lakeshore in Evanston (which is the suburb immediately to the north of Chicago...home of Northwestern University) with a friend of mine. Since it was pretty cold and windy there weren't very many people out and about. So we're going along and we come upon a guy, a woman, and a youngish woman pushing a baby stroller. As we're passing by them I look over at the guy and I think to myself...jeez he looks familiar. And then I'm like...jeez he looks just like Jerry Springer. My friend looks over at me and is like "Holy #######, it's Jerry Springer."

I had my camera phone with me and I wish I would have taken a pic but he was obviously spending time with his family and I would have felt bad bothering him. I found out later that night that his daughter lives in Evanston so he was probably up there visiting her.
ginger1981FemaleUnited Kingdom2008-11-18 09:55:00
United Kingdom~Off Topic Thread~
Eh, I'm just trying to get enough people to come to the VJ meetup in Chicago. I had to submit my reservations and since at the time the party was of larger number I had to book it as a package deal and put down a deposit. In the mean time I've had a slew of cancellations...I understand stuff comes up so I'm not really mad at anyone, but I'm just really scared right now I won't be able to cover all the costs and will be stuck with a large bill. I've spent my time pleading around to try to find enough people to show up!
ginger1981FemaleUnited Kingdom2008-11-08 11:45:00
United Kingdom~Off Topic Thread~
QUOTE (Jeraly @ Nov 5 2008, 08:05 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Seen piccies of Gillian with her sparklers looking all cosy and bonfire-nighty... I miss bonfire night cray5ol.gif


Did you make tomato soup?
ginger1981FemaleUnited Kingdom2008-11-06 10:45:00
United Kingdom~Off Topic Thread~
Congrats to you Pointy! The long wait is over...and in a month you'll be complaining about work like the rest of us jest.gif

Nicky got a job yesterday too! He's a Wal-Mart employee now. When he was being interviewed, he had a Brummie woman as his "translator" LMAO. Apparently she went through the same situation when she moved over here too...her husband got a job with Boeing and they moved over here and she couldn't find a job for several months. She said she started as a temp a year ago but got hired on and is now a supervisor. It is such a relief...the starting pay is only $9 an hour but I think it's a good start.
ginger1981FemaleUnited Kingdom2008-11-05 11:43:00
United Kingdom~Off Topic Thread~
Nicky has been nerding out on me too. He's been taking pics of the polling place (it's a school behind our building) and posting them on his facebook like he's a spy LMAO.

I went over at 6:15 this morning to vote...there was a long line, and it took me about an hour total. Not counting the two election judges getting in a fight because they couldn't decide whether to give me a provisional ballot or some other type of ballot.
ginger1981FemaleUnited Kingdom2008-11-04 15:42:00
United Kingdom~Off Topic Thread~
Ugh...too much candy and booze this weekend for me. I'm holding back on sweets until Thanksgiving...or at least until I'm PMS'ing again.
ginger1981FemaleUnited Kingdom2008-11-03 09:39:00
United Kingdom~Off Topic Thread~
QUOTE (Jeraly @ Nov 1 2008, 02:14 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Hahaha!! 6.30 is good biggrin.gif I've just put cookies in the oven and am taking a VJ break before attempting to make the truffles resemble something a little more impressive than sludge in a bowl!!!

Think we are going to run out of table space this time - have chairs now which is an improvement and we can move them outside and sit outside if we feel like it later!! I have once again massively over-catered, mainly on the chips I think because Jeremy insisted on getting the Doritos that were on offer wink.gif

I've sewn the wig to the sheet but due to the plasticky $1 nature of it I am losing a lot of hair (not mine but poor Ginger might just look bald!) and the plastic is splitting... I figure that a few staples should do the trick and have a balloon to stick under the sheet so that the wig can take some kinda shape!!! I have markers for the face too!!

Ok - truffle time!!! Man I can't wait to get in the shower!!!


I guess you're going to have to call it Sinead instead of Ginger now :-p

How was the party...or is everyone still recovering? I do hope there are photographs....
ginger1981FemaleUnited Kingdom2008-11-02 12:34:00
United Kingdom~Off Topic Thread~
QUOTE (rkl57 @ Oct 31 2008, 01:23 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (ginger1981 @ Oct 31 2008, 12:55 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
I've never been there myself, but I've heard that Mesa Verde National Park is really amazing too...it's not far from Durango. Basically, hundreds of years ago (as in before Europeans started settling over here) Natives built a city...literally into a cliff. It's been abandoned for a few hundred years but you can go there and walk around in the abandoned city.


I've been to Mesa Verde! The Pueblo cliff dwellings are very cool:




The tour was excellent.


How interesting! Though I admit I imagined them being much larger. With the people in the pictures I finally have an idea of scale.
ginger1981FemaleUnited Kingdom2008-10-31 14:09:00