Random Stuff when I can be bothered

Hello all (or more likely hello to the one person who visits this nearly abandoned wasteland of a blog, not forgotten, just too lazy to type anything).

Anyway, after a month or two of totally not bothering, I've put finger to keyboard to pass on a link or two that amused me. They are basically from http://www.i-am-bored.com, a site filled with much goodness and even more WTF!!!!. but enough of filler, on with the links

Pretty funny, the Tarzan doll especially. What were they thinking?
http://www.toplessrobot.com/2008/10/the_7_unintentionally_perverted_toys_that_will_rui.php#

some good, some bad, some indifferent
http://www.cooldesignertshirts.com/2008/09/star-wars-t-shirts-designs.html

Despite looking like it's made from mechano, I want one
http://www.i-am-bored.com/bored_link.cfm?link_id=34213

and finally, old, but still funny
http://www.i-am-bored.com/bored_link.cfm?link_id=33098

There we go, nothing brilliant or unusual, but after a long blog break, I'm easing myself back in slowly, if you enjoyed, good, if not, there are loads of other blogs to look at.

This aint a post about how I really should start (for the record, I manage to brush my teeth at least once a month, sometimes twice if I feel brave), it's more to do with the seemingly ever increasing list of things that you apparently MUST do if you don't want your teeth to turn black, fall out and end up like the lead singer of the Pogues.

When I was young, the advice was, brush three times a day after every meal (not recommended now, as enamel is softer after a meal due to natural acid in your saliva). Then it was brush your teeth and floss, this was followed by brush your teeth, floss and use a mouthwash. I reckon that the real reason that all this tooth pampering works is that after brushing thoroughly, spending ages getting that floss into every crevice and swishing mouthwash around for ages, you don't have the courage to actually eat anything and ruin all that effort that you put into getting the bloomin things nice and shiny in the first place.

I'm not sure what they will come up with next, but there aint a lot that they can add to the teeth cleaning routine that won't make most normal people give up on the whole idea. Personally, I reckon the next big thing that they will try and push on us, will be a back to basics toothpaste with added microfibres for that built in floss while brush affect that also acts as a mouthwash. you can imagine the adverts, take 3 bottles into the bathroom, not with NEW IMPROVED SUPERPASTE (tm).

Opened a tin of tuna last night. Tuna as I'm sure we all know is fish and fish is well known for going off very quickly. So why are the tins labelled "best before 2010"? I am well aware of the benefits of canning, but what other things do you have to do to give a bit of tuna a lifespan measured in years? well, it tastes good, so there can't be to much of a problem with whatever they do to the poor fish so I'll just have to carry on enjoying it.

But in a good way. I may or may not have mentioned that I do home brewing (I'm feeling lazy and can't be bothered to read previous blogs to find out), but yesterday I started another couple gallons of wine, blackcherry and apple. At the moment the fermentation is just getting going, another day or two and the demijohns will be bubbling away merrily. I recently also got a still, it has three uses listed on the instructions, 1) purifying water, 2) making essential oils and 3) producing spirits, of course I will be doing 1) and 2) and NEVER doing 3) . I meant to get the first batch going yesterday, but spent too long doing wine, so will have to do it tonight. Quite looking forward to it as I've done lots of beer and wine, but never anything stronger.

Last weekend, went to a mates 40th party. not going to bother describing what happened as a) you aint really interested and b) while it was great fun and I had a really great time, it probably is not to much different to any party you've gone to (lots of food, drink and friends).

Anyway, since I'm not bothering to describe the party you might be wondering what this post is about, well, it's a quick description of getting to the party. So, get to the hotel where I'll be spending the night and order a taxi. Taxi turns up and I give the driver the address I want, at this point I start getting nervous as the driver doesn't seem to know the place. He looks at the address, recognises the town listed and gives me a funny look and off we go, and go, and go.

For some strange reason known only to my mate, he's started the party in the middle of nowhere miles from his place. After (quite) a while we reach the correct town, and start driving round at random. I may be mistaken, but turning the wrong way up a one way road and doing a quick 180 to get facing the right way is not typical taxi behaviour. After a couple minutes of this he stops the meter as he aint got a clue, this is a first for me, as I've never seen a taxi driver who will admit he's lost ("relax, it's just round this corner" as we pass somewhere for the third time is more usual). Finally arrive though and it was well worth all the pissing about getting there.

Damn all Irish drinking songs, while listening to them I've got though half a bottle of whiskey and a bottle of port, thank god I don't have that many of them (though the wild rover gets put on repeat enough to drive me to drink, appropriately enough)

While watching tv there was an ad break (not really surprising). But then we had the nature of the adds. we had the perfect baby name (1.50 + network charges) and the get your perfect mates name (1.50 + network charge (in this case note the gender neutral term "mate")). Sorry, but how increadibly thick and moronic do you have to be. if you really want a random babies name, pop into your local bookshop, pick up a baby name book and open at a random page, there you are. if you want your mates name (note, gender neutral), then, please, get yourself sterilised as you are too stupid to breed anyway.

I suffer from nosebleeds, well, that's a lie, I've had the bloody (no pun intended) things for so many years that the suffering is well and truly over, now, I just endure them and put up with the bloody (still no pun intended) things.

Over the years I've had all the normal advice, head back, head forward, pinch bridge of nose, stick toilet paper up nose and even cauterisation (which is a particularly vivid childhood memory, after all, it's not every day you get a cotton bud coated in a very caustic substance rammed up your nostril and wiped all over every sensitive mucus membrane you've got).

As you have probably realised by now, I'm currently having nosebleeds, I normally get them once or twice a year for a week or two, this particular episode is being exceptionally trying. No point whining about it though, not like you lot can do much to help me (no posts offering advice please, like I said, had it all before, I know what works best for me by now which is head back, breath though nose and swallow any excess blood)

Ah well, I'll survive, considering that my general state of health is bloody good, I reckon that the occasional (irritating) nosebleed is bearable but still, I could really do without them.

As I was wandering around Oxford, I suddenly heard some seagulls. This was pretty unusual as Oxford is about as far from the coast as you can get in the UK.

Now seagulls are just about the most raucous and unmusical birds in existence (not to mention greedy, messy and bloody aggressive if they think they can get away with it), but I heard them a lot when I was growing up in Devon and all of a sudden I felt very homesick.

Strange really, I aint lived in Devon for about 10 years now, but all it takes is a few birds and I feel like I just left.

Well, A good friend named me (no guesses as to which friend it was, I've only one listed ) and while I'm waiting for something to finish copying, might as well have a go, apparently, the rules are this...

a. list seven habits/quirks/facts about yourself
b. tag seven people to do the same
c. do not tag the person who tagged you or say that you tag "whoever wants to do it"

1: Favourite authors are David Weber, John Ringo, Harry Turtledove and Laurell K. Hamilton

2: I enjoy home brewing and really enjoy drinking the results

3: I live in a shared house and have a nasty habit of expanding to fill all available fridge space

4: Favourite music, Kim Carnes, Crazy in the Night and the last two minutes of g'n'r November Rain

5: Before I started this, I was headbanging to Saxon, in private thankfully as I don't have the hair to headbang in public anymore

6: drivers who do not know the national speed limit drive me nuts. For the record, the possible speeds are 30, 60 or 70. 50 is NOT!!!

7: I'm an Aquarius. Aquarius is the water carrier, why is it counted as an air sign instead of a water one? always wondered about that

So that's part a: out of the way. As I dislike memes like this, I'm going to terminate this particular thread so no b: which is just as well, as my friends are scattered over god knows how many social networking sites.

Final score meme 1, me 1.