Typecast

I treated myself to a packet of Minstrels earlier and, whilst eating them, an advertising slogan popped into my head: They melt in your mouth but not in your hand Was that the original Minstrels advertising slogan waaaaaaaay back in the 1980's?  I couldn't remember so I turned to Twitter to ask the geeks my very knowledgable band of merry followers:

I felt his finger trace my spine from top to bottom.  If I'd have been able, I would have let out a sigh of pleasure.  I know he only loved me for my inner knowledge and the stories I could tell but, when he wrapped his strong hands around me and gently picked me up, I knew that we would both be satisfied within a few minutes.

So the final series of Big Brother has finished and the winner was, unsurprisingly, Josie.  For me, she deserved it the most (despite staying in bed far too much) because she was the most genuine of the housemates this year.  One refreshing aspect this year was that none of the housemates were your stereotypical wannabe's that have dominated the last six series' (and the tabloids) so I genuinely warmed to most of them and didn't really "hate" the others as passionately as I normally do.  It's been interesting viewing.

I am not really going to say much about these two photos this week - see the description below each picture.  As you know, I'm not a serious photographer by any means so when I snap something that photographer friends comment on (these have been posted on Facebook previously) then I feel a little bit chuffed.

I threw out your pictures made of pasta and glitter because they cluttered up the house.

Roasting can mean one of four things: a sexual act between at least three participants. normally involving more than one Premiership footballer, a 'glamour model' with a Sunday newspaper journalist on speed dial and someone with a video camera and a shaky hand; to be cooked with dry heat, usually in an oven; subjected to ridicule, laughter or negative criticism; an event where comedic insults, praise and heart-warming tributes are directed towards someone, implying that they are able to take the joking in good humour.

Does chip-resistant nail varnish really exist? I'm 36 hours into a new application of nail varnish.  Black is my colour of choice this time.  I have carefully applied two coats, used a top coat for added protection and shine and left each coat to dry properly.  It was glass-smooth and looked great.  This pot of nail varnish promises up to five days of perfect nails and is supposedly chip-resistant.

Editors note: This is Divnah's story - the tenth in a series that I have called " Cancer - Your Story ". I know I keep promoting the power of Twitter but here is another example of extended networks. I didn't know Divnah until she contacted me at the beginning of June after seeing one of the 'Cancer - Your Story' links tweeted out by a mutual Twitter contact. She emailed me and offered to share her story. If you are interested in sharing your story please click on the link and contact me . Related Links: Cancer Research UK - http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/ All " Cancer - Your Story " posts Photo credit: D Sharon Pruitt - Pink Sherbert Photography * * * When you are open your eyes in a hospital bed and are surrounded by your family and friends and they are all crying you know something is wrong. You know it is cancer.  I was 30 when it started. I was feeling run down and exhausted, just not myself. Eventually I went to the Gene...

I have just finished reading your book (yes, I know I'm a bit late with this one.  I'm not a slow reader, I've just been busy.  Plus it costs less now.) and, like with The Da Vinci Code and Angels and Demons , I got swept away with the mystical secrecy and the code breaking elements. However, I would like to know what IS it with all the italics?  There were so many in places that they were making my eyes dance.  It didn't help AT ALL!  Also, I think you may have got caught up in the glamour of the movie world.  Yes, it's fantastic that you've had two of your books made into films but this read as though Ron Howard was looking over your shoulder, pointing to a place on your laptop screen saying, " Camera shot to outside of building " or " Cut to scene inside the US Capitol building " or " set: light shining on pyramid, reflecting onto Robert Langdon's face ". Ooh, ironic moment - me using italics to make a point... Anyway, ...

1992 I was looking through some old photos the other day and found this photograph.  At first glance it just looks like a baby asleep in a pushchair but look closer.  There is an intravenous pump in the foreground, a charity cheque pinned to a notice board in the background and a reclining chair to the right.  It is a hospital ward and the child in the pushchair is towards the end of the hair loss process through chemotherapy, but she sleeps peacefully. This picture is of my daugher, Rachel and was taken by the nursing staff on Borchardt Ward at Pendlebury Children's Hospital.  It was given to me to reassure me that whilst I went home for a rare break, she was well looked after and she didn't constantly cry. 1994 The second photograph is the first proper picture we have of Rachel after her hair grew back and she'd had her first real haircut since the regrowth.  It grew back blonder, thicker and curlier than previously.  This picture was taken by t...

I am a fairly savvy online shopper and I know that buying online doesn't always go to plan, however I was the very appreciative recipient of a gift voucher to spend on Amazon UK.  My eyes lit up, I rubbed my hands together, flexed my fingers and clicked on the quick-link in my browser favourites bar, navigating to my ever-growing "wish list" to select a couple of items. Because my Open University reading list can be quite heavy, I opted for two recommended reads -  Look Back In Hunger  by Jo Brand and  The Tent, The Bucket and Me  by Emma Kennedy.  Then I spotted  some shoes  (bargain of the YEAR - reduced from £122 to £27), opted for "free super saver delivery", paid with the voucher and felt rather pleased with my new purchases.  I was a tad nervous as I had never used a gift voucher on Amazon previously but the "Thanks For Your Order" email dropped into my email box and I started to allow myself to get excited. That was on the 26th ...

Editors note:  This post has been written by Andy, who was one of my holiday guest bloggers earlier this year.  Andy is 14 years old and an active member of the St John Ambulance organisation.  He addresses a very important subject matter here and has asked me to reach out within my network to bring your attention to this situation and hopefully help you to understand how important knowing basic first aid is. Logo credit: St John Ambulance  

Should we be scared of what is to come? ( watch right until the end of the video... ) Megan is a victim of Amie's mischievousness 

I took these last night, wondering if the clouds would clear so that I could watch the Perseid Meteor Shower .  We had just had a mild thunderstorm and there was a definite break in the clouds. I'm no great photographer by any means and these were just taken using the camera on my phone because the point-and-shoot digital camera never has any batteries in it!

I saw a link on Twitter last night that just said "shocking picture on the front of Time" and was accompanied by a link.  You may have already seen it as it has been shared on Twitter (direct from the article) over 1600 times and has almost 18,000 "likes" on Facebook.  Nothing could have prepared me for what I was about to see and read. The cover picture on Time magazine  (August 2010) is not mine to reproduce here on the blog but you can view it by clicking on any of the links within this blog post.  It is a picture of an 18-year old Afghan woman who was sentenced, by a Taliban commander, to have her nose and ears cut off for attempting to flee her abusive in-laws.  An abridged version of the story can be viewed online or on the iPad version of Time magazine. For this young woman to speak out about her experience (whilst living in a secret location which is protected by armed guards and supported by the NGO Women For Africa) and allowing herself to be...

There are a number of articles around at the moment that have made me consider I may have been living my life rather frugally and not enjoying it to the max.  After all, you're a long time dead and you only get one chance at this life so you might as well enjoy it.

I have been waiting for this all week and was unsure whether to post this here or on the Starman Fan Club .  It may appear in both places.  Anyway - play nice - we are all entitled to our own opinions.

Today two lovely things have happened and I would like to share them with you because they have certainly brightened up my day.

Steady!  Not that!  I'm on about the yoof of today, of course.  I am now officially "old" because I have clicked PUBLISH on a blog post that contains comparisons of my life and the next generation.  Oh dear.

Editors note:  This is Kat's story and is the eighth in the " Cancer - Your Story " series.  Kat is a Military Mom from the USA, currently living in the UK.  I think this story is very fitting for this time of year when a lot of families are jetting off to sunnier climes, searching for that confidence building tan.  It is also something that is covered extensively in the media. If you are interested in sharing your story please click on the link and  contact me . Related Links : Melanoma -  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melanoma Cancer Research UK -  http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/ All " Cancer - Your Story " posts Kat's Blog -  3 Bedroom Bungalow to Let in Crazytown  (check out her "Dear So and So" series) Kat on Twitter -  @3bedroom Photo credit: D Sharon Pruitt -  Pink Sherbert Photography

The release date is getting close I thought to myself.  For six years I had shut myself away to work on my latest project; something that would change the way in which the world perceives human nature, free speech, emotion and public outcry.  I was finally going to be in control and not one single person in the whole world would know that that were taking part in this experiment.

Disclaimer #1:  This blog post is completely safe for work... if it passes the filters. .. Occasionally, the communication barrier between two very intelligent people who both speak the same language can provide much hilarity.  Every so often, I let the Twitterverse know about how my working day is progressing and yesterday was no different.  The day was ticking away slowly, my computer was being an arse and I was counting down the minutes until I could leave the office.

When I saw this week's prompt I had almost made the decision not to participate for a number of reasons.  Firstly, my children are older now; they don't 'play' in the traditional sense and I'm bored of trying to capture the perfect trampoline picture on a very temperamental camera.  Secondly, the flat-bed scanner at home is kaput so scanning in old pictures was a no-go area.  Finally, I have only seen my grandchildren once this week so quick snap-shots of them had also proved to be elusive.  So where do I go from here?

Matthew 7:7 Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find;  knock and the door will be opened to you I think this passage is taken a little too literally at our house.  Leading on from the fact that when the telephone rings and is almost never for me , let us now talk about answering the door.  I am convinced that the population of Blackburn, aged 16 or under, have installed a version of a two-way mirror into the side wall of our house.

The house phone is ringing and it will probably go on ringing until I answer it.  No-one in the house ever seems to answer the phone; they all appear not to hear it.