no artificial flavours

I apologize to anyone who has been in contact with me today, I’m feeling quite miserable and my patience is hovering around zero.

My stomach ache has turned to bad abdominal pain, which is not so much fun. I hope to return to regularly scheduled programming soon. In the meantime I’m downing liquids and nibbling soda crackers.

I thought this label was interesting. They were all out of Canada Dry Ginger Ale. Well, they had Diet Canada Dry, but that tastes like poo. So I opted for this bottle instead.

It kind of tastes like ginger ale, but at the same time, not.

If you could have your own drink what would your name it, and what would it consist of?

Pomegranate green tea with a slice of lemon, and I’d call it…Afternoon Bliss.

Ah, that’s a bit rubbish. I’ll have to think of a more exciting alcoholic mix.

the cactus where your heart should be

I have a stomach ache.

I went out to dinner and a movie with a friend tonight and we ate at 5.30. Clearly, something did not agree with me as its nearly 1am now. At first I thought it was just the taste of a bad action movie in my mouth, but no has to be more. Hope it passes soon. Blah.

***

Some time back Serah from The Curiosity Cabinet asked me to partake in Arms Around The Stereo: The Mixed Tape Comeback.

Of course, I said yes. The world needs more mixed tapes, this is fact.

I’d been mulling over a playlist, sorting out themes and such for the past few weeks, trying to make it a full indie list, but the list was turning out to be pretty gloomy and it needed an infusion of handclaps. So there is no real theme or order to this mixed tape, just the songs that have gotten me through the past couple of months.

So here she be – Look Happy Its The End Of The World

Download the zip files at your leisure. Part 1 & Part 2

Apologies, but the end of the world had to come in parts.

EDIT: Just in case it wasn’t clear, it appears the files don’t download in order but the list below is the proper order that I intended the songs to be heard in. Hopefully that clears up any confusion.

Rooibos/Palm Wine Drinkard – The Stills
A-Punk – Vampire Weekend
Runouttaluck – The Golden Dogs
Tonight I Have to Leave It – Shout Out Louds
All Because of You Days – Echo & The Bunnymen
Ballad of Cable Hogue – Calexico
Most of the Time – Bob Dylan
I Don’t Remember – Peter Gabriel
Black Boys on Mopeds – Sinead O’Connor
Black Satin – Miles Davis
All Medicated Geniuses – Pretty Girls Make Graves
Gobbledigook – Sigur Ros
It Was - Animals Talking
Love Vigilantes – New Order
Sleep Forever – The Red Sun Band
Sea Shanty – Goodtimes Goodtimes
Tales of Las Negras – Mice Parade
We Own The Sky (Maps Mix) – M83
All The Mines – The Curse of Company
One Long Pair of Eyes – Robyn Hitchcock
Abel – The National
Moonlight – My Bloody Valentine
Welcome Home - Radical Face
We’re Just Friends – Wilco

What’s a song you’ve been spinning lately that will make it on your next mixed tape?

I tore the dreams from my head and tossed them in the flames and the smoke smelled like my past

Until a few weeks ago I was under the impression that my cell phone could only hold 25 text messages. I believed this because whenever it would reach 25 it would flash that it was out of memory, and since I was worried I wouldn’t be able to receive anymore texts I would just be in a constant state of deletion, which is a good and bad thing. 25 texts go by in a few days for me, as that is how everyone makes plans, etc. Then a few weeks ago I just stopped deleting messages and before I knew it I was up to 250, so clearly, my phone is a liar.

Now there are a few messages I have kept on my recent phone for months and months, ones that I just couldn’t bring myself to delete, because they were so funny, or because, well I just couldn’t delete them. Still, today I cleaned house I gathered my phones from the past year and discovered a few random gems.

I have been taken hostage in Urban Planet. They have gold pleather boots in here. Help.

Beer is patient.

Yeah, I’m alive and grumpy. Fucking airports.

Hey. Miss you.

I hope he gets attacked by a purple inflatable cow while he’s there.

Hey, do you fancy the gym? Actually, lets go drinking instead.

p.s. The door business sucks. Put that in your paper as well.

After the door slammed this morning I had to suppress the urge to open it and scream after him “It’s a hooka!”

I’m at subway “making” dinner.

It is his daughter.

You better be getting really drunk, I want funny stories tomorrow!

I’m feeling pretty tired, but I might last the whole film. I must sound so rock and roll to you.

Hey, hey I just found you some microwave popcorn!

I want to hit him in the face with my shoe.

Haha! Yeah, I may be a lgitule drunk…the sides says hi! I’ll call you in the tomorrow. Love you!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx. Kisses. Boo-ya!

Hey, do you know what the code for the door is? I hate numbers. Why can’t they just scan our eyes instead.

This is why you should keep your keys, cash, cards and other personal effects in your pockets. Wallets are for suckers.

Hope you packed your sleep suit!

Hey kid, smile.

***

I can only imagine what I sent in return. Thankfully, my phone doesn’t save sent messages.

EDIT: I’ve been forwarded a few messages that I have sent to Ali in an attempt to remind me I’m just as guilty.

I love that you have whole carrots in your fridge. Oh, and bananas work best on the counter.

I’m cooking dinner in a dress and boots. Who would have thought this day would come?

37 C is 98.6 F. What are you fact checking her?

At least you can take small joy in that you left him with an addiction.

Why are you texting me? Clearly you should be fucking him already.

Any hilarity lurking on your phone? Or is there anything on your phone that you wouldn’t want someone to uncover? Or how about your computer?

I was just having this conversation with a friend and there definitely would have to be some cleaning up if I was passing my computer around. Or perhaps I’m just really territorial.

A machine, when it tries the way it does makes it seem like it can love

The robots are winning, and I no longer have the strength to defeat them.

I wish I didn’t care, yet I wish they cared back.

On a lighter note, it is my goal in life to see these guys live.

Would you rather, hamburgers, donuts or pieces of meat stuck to your body if you had to choose?

i’ve kissed mermaids

I bought a whole pineapple today.

I’m not sure how to go about slicing it properly so its still sitting on my counter. I’ve put some lemons next to it just in case, you know, it gets lonely.

I saw a man on a unicycle today, and my favourite clarinet busker had a trumpet and flutist with him. All made me smile.

I got a new shirt the other day, pictured below. I was wearing it today while out with a friend and we had the accessory/lipstick talk. Which is something everyone debates with me.

I’m a simple girl. I don’t wear much makeup, don’t wear lipstick, ever, and rarely change my accessories. Hence why you can see my green-blue pendant (given graciously to me by Ali) in almost every photograph of me taken within the last two years. Its brought me good luck since I put in on and even if it clashes with my outfit, I still keep it on. I’ll wear other accessories, no problem but that and my two rings remain steadfast on me.

So as I out with my friend today, wearing said top and a pencil skirt (wanting to look classy for the library and all) she remarked that I should try this lipstick (we were in the drugstore at the time) and then she noted that my pendant and said it didn’t match my top.

I cocked my head and looked at her perplexed and said:

I’m wearing purple docs with black and grey leg warmers in a pencil skirt. Do you think I really care if my pendant is a different shade of green than my top?

Point taken, she replied.

But she still tried to push red lipstick on me.

Oi and vey.

However, style differences aside, we settled onto the couch this evening to watch Wimbledon highlights and Nelson Mendela’s birthday celebration/concert, televised from Hyde Park (which is where I’ll be next week watching The National). It was a good show, I always enjoy seeing Annie Lennox perform.

Another show that came up whilst we were chatting – Blackadder have you heard of it? Rowan Akinson, Stephen Fry, Huge Laurie and created by Richard Curtis. Its from the 80s and the humour still resonates. Search it out of YouTube if you like, but here’s a clip.

Blackadder Goes Forth: Catch the Hospital Spy - its worth it just to hear Rowan Akinson say “darling.”

Oh say, say, say. Oh say, say, say!

Do you find that certain music is always tied to the place or surrounding where you first heard it? Or perhaps not necessarily when you first heard it, but the place where you truly uncovered it and dug in a little deeper.

I’m terrible with song association, its something I’m trying to stop doing but I’ve always found it difficult. Songs inexplicably become attached to people in my life. Thankfully, only a small few have bad memories and there is only one artist whose music I just can’t play quite yet.

I’ve been listening to Fever To Tell and Show Your Bones this morning from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and for me both those albums aren’t tied to people, but places and thus listening to the albums catapults me to another time.

Specifically the number 16 Granville street bus, riding to Vancouver from the suburbs one summer whilst I was house sitting. Its funny listening now, with a fresh perspective and remembering how the songs affected me so.

Both Kerplunk and Dookie (Green Day) are tied to my teenage bedroom and my Sony Walkman. It took 12 clicks to rewind She.

The Red Hot Chili Peppers Californication album transports me back to the summer my friend and I drove from Vancouver to San Diego along the coast highway, with a stop in the desert. I can’t wait to go back to Joshua Tree this winter.

I listened to Substance 1977-1980 by Joy Division really for the first time back in September when I moved to England. Walking through the cobblestone streets and becoming immersed in another culture while a British voice sang into my ears reminded me that I was defintely no longer in familiar territory. Yet it was oddly comforting.

And so on, and so forth.

Any artists, or songs that are tied to places for you?

***

I honestly can’t wait for this to be released. I thought it was going to be come out this summer, but it looks like Hallowe’en now. Ah well, hopefully a trailer will tie us over until then. This is just a teaser.

I heart Kevin Smith.

In unrelated movie news, has Get Smart been released yet in NA?

and the backs of my eyes hum with things i’ve never done

Tonight my friends and I sat at this little Italian restaurant and closed the place out, sitting at the table over drinking and eating copious amounts of pasta.

It hit me today, as the prospect of a job in Vancouver was dangled, that I could very well be in a different city within the next month.

This, scared me shitless.

Why must we leave a city when its hidden treasures become known. When a walk through the city centre always ends with running into a friend for tea. When you’ve covered all your walls to just the right degree.

I’m not ready to leave.

What’s something you’ve attempted that’s challenged you, but at the same time caused butterflies of nerves?

decency

Have you ever been lost? Maybe as a child, or as an adult. Or in a situation where you needed help, but no one was offering. People were just walking by as if you didn’t exist?

I was in a clothing store this afternoon, waiting in the que to try something on. I’d been waiting there a few minutes when a woman exited the fitting room with a handful of clothes. She had followed the salesgirl out and was now standing next to the counter (where they give out cards with however many items you have), after placing her clothes on the counter, she looked at the salesgirl expectantly, and told her she’d like to buy the clothes.

The salesgirl ignored her. Not telling her that you have to pay for your clothes at another point in the store.

The woman stood waiting at the counter for another couple of minutes. It was obvious from her mannerisms that she was somewhat disoriented and I began to wonder if she might have a vision impairment too, as she was wearing big dark glasses inside the store, and she just seemed very agitated.

As I inched up closer in the que, the salesgirl was whispering to her co-workers and I overheard the word ‘crazy’ being muttered and at least 6 employees and a security guard were standing inside the change rooms just out of view of the woman, whispering, but no one was asking her at all if she needed help.

By the time I reached where she was standing I was livid with these employees and just about to ask the woman myself if she needed some assistance, when another employee from a different department came over and ask if she needed help. I heard her again say she was looking to buy these clothes, and noticed that she had a bit of a speech impediment, but before I could do anything else I was ushered into the change room.

I figured by the time I exited someone would have led the woman to the cashier.

No, she was still standing at the same exact point. Literally in front of this salesgirl, who was just ignoring her.

I resisted every urge I had to yell at this incompetent employee and I stepped right back into the que and asked this woman if she needed any help. She again repeated that she wanted to buy the clothes, and I told her I was going to the pay for my purchases if she wanted to follow me.

I should point out now that the department store I was in is just gigantic and people go crazy, tearing things from the shelves, so it can be a little overwhelming. I once had a panic attack when in the store in London. And I have seen grown women fight over shoes and belts before while shopping.

I could tell that there was something not right with the situation, and I didn’t want to jump to conclusions, but I was fairly certain something was amiss. I reassured her that the counter wasn’t that far away and she picked up her clothes and reluctantly followed me.

All the while the salesgirl and every other person around us where staring blankly into space.

As we started to walk to the cashier que I noticed she didn’t have a purse or any other bag on her. Granted she could have had money in her pocket, but you know when you just have a feeling about something, I knew by the time we reached the start to the line that she didn’t have any money on her. I gently asked if she’d come shopping alone. It took a few more questions before it came out that yes, she had been separated from her group. Although I put no faith this the customer services department of this store, we went over to the counter and had someone paged.

It seemed Helen (this woman) had be out on an shopping trip with her group home and had been separated while looking at the lovely shirts she still had clutched in her hands.

I know we’re all guilty of turning a blind eye sometimes, I turn the volume up on my ipod so I don’t have to listen to the street noises, and put my head down when someone sticks a advertisement flyer in my face, but it honestly made me sick to my stomach that a handful of employees (and other people in line) were just sitting idly by and not offering assistance when it was clearly needed.

Inexcusable.

just holding out for some fate

I’ve been watching this bee dance along the edge of my windowsill for about fifteen minutes. He’s unsure about entering, it would seem.

I can’t shut my window because I’m desperate for the breeze (England doesn’t do screens). Although much like the rain in this country, the wind works at weird angles and I can’t actually feel the breeze, but my curtains tell me its alive. So I’m choosing to believe them.

I’m in need of a summer album. Been listening to Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga today because I needed some handclap goodness to help move my report writing along. Helped, somewhat.

Anyway, Star Wars. I’ve watched the first of the original trilogies. Twas good. But I fear I won’t like the rest of them if C-3PO and R2-D2 aren’t involved in some capacity, as they were my favourite parts. Which also worries me, because although they are driods does that not class them as robots too? I’m confused. I might have to make a hierarchy system for robots now.

You know what word isn’t used enough? Nicompoop.

Although it really doesn’t lead to a fist shake of anger, but if you say, Blast! What a load of nicompoop. You can get away with a fist shake as everyone knows uttering of the word blast must be accompanied by an air fist shake.

Fact.

looking for a smile like mine

I overdosed on arrowroot cookies.

Yet in doing so I realized they go really well with bananas. Not so much with Cherry Coke.

I’ve become obsessed with Wherefore Art Thou, Elvis? by The Gaslight Anthem…I have no idea why it just gets my wrists twirling. I’ve been dancing around my flat today with it on repeat. I kind of have to dance because its been raining hardcore here and my room is a flooded.

I’ve also been listening to the new Girl Talk album Feed The Animals, which Will has been chronicling very well over at the New & Used Records Blog. There are more rap songs mixed into the songs then I’m used too but it definitely makes for interesting listening. Its a challenge to try and pick out all original songs. And its also hard to pick an individual track, it runs much better in a full stream but here’s a taste - What It’s All About.

Yesterday I had a 40 minute window between engagements with friends, it was still early evening so I made my way to the park, and nestled myself against a tree and started to re-read God Bless You, Mr Rosewater. I love the opening line: “A sum of money is a leading character in this tale about people, just as a sum of honey might properly be a leading character in a tale about bees.”

Do you have a favourite opening line from a book?

There are so many famous ones, for instance, “It was a dark and stormy night; the rain fell in torrents – except at occasional intervals.” (Paul Clifford)

I just mentioned this book the other day, but From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler: “When I was 8 years old I wanted to run away from home.”

I’ve always been a fan of an admission of sorts as an opening line.

I always tap the lid of a pop can three times with my fingernail before opening it.

or

When no one is looking I throw pebbles at squirrels.

For example.