Category Archives: Random ramblings
My views on mainstream music
April Writing Challenge (sat in drafts until May!) – Your views on mainstream music
Hmm well this could take a while. One problem with mainstream music is that it’s just so….mainstream. I’m not even going to start on Coldplay because the last time I had a rant about them on Twittter my Klout decided Coldplay as one my specialist topics!
I would like to think I was quite open minded when it comes to music. Yes my preferences are of course metal/rock/grunge but I am not one of those people who will only ever listen to one genre and poo poo the rest. I love musicals, I’m quite partial to 80′s music, 90′s old school house and boybands!
HOWEVER (note the capitalisation!), maybe my age now dictates this is how I should think but a lot of the music in the charts today is utterly sh*te. Sometimes me and him indoors flick though the music channels just to watch in disbelief that some tracks are considered music. I’m far from a prude but I also think the music industry has a lot to answer for with the videos that are now shown. Interestingly, and though I hate to admit I agree with him on anything at all, Cameron has recently spoken out about how music videos are far too sexual.
David Cameron stepping up plans to issue age certificates for raunchy music videos
We were watching a girl bands countdown type show the other day and in the 90′s yes they were still gyrating around but doing so wearing much more material. I’ve worked with young women and men and I’ve seen the changes first hand. How the girls dress, how the boys treat them as sex objects and depressingly the girls vying desperately for their attention. It’s a lot for them to try to live up to the images they see, not just in videos but in the media in general. I would welcome a clampdown on some of these videos or at least a curfew. It’s not always just visually obscene but it’s the lyrics too. If I had a little girl there is no way I’d let her watch or sing to some of the songs that are out these days.
Wow, check me out, liberal Stace has gone all Mary Whitehouse! Shh don’t tell anyone! ; )
Stace x
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April writing challenge written mostly in May : p
I said I’d do this to write more often for the April writing challenge but only did a couple so here’s them all, written on one day in May!
1) Five ways to win my heart?! Well if you won my heart I would be dead. What sort of a competition is it??
2) I feel strongly about…having a heart that cannot be won in some sort of sick competition.
3) A book I love… Time Traveller’s Wife
4 ) Bullet my whole day…
Sunday (so far)
- Woke up man with a cup of tea
- Spoke to my cousin on the phone
- Popped to Tesco with man
- Ate pancakes made by man
- Made bread
- Spoke to my Mom on the phone
- Watched man cutting wood and banging making our new wardrobes
- Ate aforementioned bread with naughty cheese
- Sat in bed revamping blog whilst watching man work hard as above
- Wrote this post
5) Things I want to say to an ex... I quite like you because you score me 8 but Zs and Qs are better.
6) My views on mainstream music. I wrote this a few weeks ago but it’s still in my drafts. If I have published it it will be here. If not I haven’t yet.
7) Five pet peeves… Dogs that poo, dog owners that let their dogs poo, dogs that jump up on me, dogs that bark too loudly, dogs that slobber. I don’t mind other pets ; )
8) What I ate today… See here, I actually did that one.
9) How important is education? Srsly lyk sooooo important. Lol. Lmfao.
10) Put your music player on shuffle and write the first songs that play I did this too! Look here.
11) My family… consist of people who are related to one another and they are all ACE.
12) Five guys I find attractive Guys? What a funny word G U Y S. You know when you look at a word and it looks weird? Guys. Anyway. I don’t know many Guys. Guy Pearce used to be Mike in Neighbours although I preferred Brad.
13) My opinion on my body and how comfortable I am with it … My body is a temple. I am very comfortable with it as I am in bed and bed is comfortable.
14) What I wore today… Jeans, Stone Sour hoodie, knickers, socks. No bra because it is against my religion to wear one on a Sunday.
15) My zodiac/horoscope and whether it fits my personality… I am Leo. Apparently this means I am a lion. I have hair like a lion. So it must be true.
16) Something that I always think ‘what if’ about …What if i win the lottery?! I could go on this Mayhem festival cruise, that’s what! It WILL happen.
17) Something that I am proud of … I stopped being a lazy bum, did Couch to 5K and ran my first 5K Park Run yesterday.
18) A problem I have had… Once I couldn’t decide whether to have a Mint Aero or a Crunchie. Tough times.
19) Five items that I lust after… Design your own Converse, RIP tickets to Download festival, tickets to Mayhem festival cruise, a new projector, a new laptop.
20) My fears…The usual, anyone I love going to heaven.
21) How I hope my future will be… happy and healthy.
22) My academics… How boring. I did GCSEs and A Levels. I didn’t go to Uni because I liked home and I worked hard in my chosen field instead of writing essays about it.
23) Something that I miss…School
24) Five words/phrases that make me laugh…Pamplemousse, Blants, Floccinaucinihilipilification, I’ll have the cream of sum yung gai. I’m a poet and I don’t knorange.
25) Something I’m currently worrying about… getting this post finished before Silent Witness.
26) Things I like and dislike about myself I like my general loveliness and I dislike my teeth.
27) A quote I try to live by… A simple quote I’ve recently heard. Never give up, there’s always a way.
28) Somewhere I’d like to visit… Hampton Court Palace
29) Five weird things that I like… Scabs, peely sunburn, smooth surfaces, pygmy goats, the DALEK man on last night’s Britain’s Got Talent.
30) One thing that I am excited for… getting our new living room carpet next week.
That was a big ‘un!
Thanks for reading.
Stace x
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Writing more often!
Inspired by my friend Kathryn‘s post I’m going to try and do a few of these in April so I get a few more posts on this here site. I’m not going to do them all, or in order but maybe just pick the odd one when I feel like it. Why not do it too?
http://allfivehorizons.co.uk/2012/04/02/writing-more-in-april/
Stace x
Follow me on Twitter @StaceInspire
Guinness Balti at Bay Leaf, Digbeth
Last night I met with Aftab Rahman, part owner of Mint in Yardley and now owner of Bay Leaf cafe and restaurant in the Custard Factory, Digbeth. We were meeting to discuss using Bay Leaf as a venue for a Twitter course for local businesses and community groups.
Of course while I was there for the first time I couldn’t pass up an opportunity to try something off the menu. I overheard a customer commenting on the ‘epic’ Guinness balti he had just polished off. On the eve of St Patrick’s Day I had to go for this too and can only describe it with the same word. EPIC! It was really good. As I’ve been good with my healthier eating and running recently I didn’t want to ruin all my hard work but Aftab assured me that unlike some baltis you get in other places they do not use lots of oil which you could definitely tell. They use all authentic ingredients and never use food colourings. No bright pink masala here!
Aftab also founded Legacy WM to promote cohesion in the commmunity. He has published a book called Bangla Food Journeys which as well as having yummy recipes you can try includes stories from generations of people from the Bangladeshi community in Birmingham, their journeys and lives here, and the food they love.
You can follow Aftab and Bay Leaf on Twitter to keep up to date with the latest offers and events @AftabRahman and @BayLeaf6 and see the Facebook page here.
So if you fancy a fusion of Brummie/Irish/Bangladeshi cuisine get down to Bay Leaf and try the Guinness balti sharpish or something else from their great menu.
Stacey
Follow me on Twitter @StaceInspire
I am an 18-24 year old male!
Very amused! Google thinks I am an 18-24 year old male. You can see why below. I’m thinking all the Skyrim sites I’ve been visiting may be contributing to it!
You can see your own here. How accurate or inaccurate is it for you?
This is what Google came up with for me. . .
Your categoriesBelow, you can review the interests and inferred demographics that Google has associated with your cookie.Arts & Entertainment – Music & Audio – Rock Music – Metal (Music)Arts & Entertainment – TV & Video – Online VideoArts & Entertainment – TV & Video – TV Shows & Programmes – TV Dramas – TV Soap OperasArts & Entertainment – Visual Art & Design – Design – Graphic DesignComputers & Electronics – Software – Multimedia Software – Desktop Publishing – FontsComputers & Electronics – Software – Software UtilitiesGames – Computer & Video GamesGames – Roleplaying GamesPeople & Society – Social Sciences – PsychologyYour demographicsWe infer your age and gender based on the websites that you’ve visited.
Age: 18-24Gender: Male
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Things you shouldn’t post on Facebook according to ME!
After reading this post from Jeff Bullas ‘Things you should not share on social media’
I’ve come up with some of my own in particular…
Things you shouldn’t post on Facebook according to ME!
ANY copy and paste statuses
Most are pointless, some are sickly, some are just a front for racism.
If you have something to say, say it in your own way. They’re like a modern version of a chain letter trying to guilt trip you into posting it on.
Copy and paste this if you love your child/mother/father/brother/sister/nan/dog/cat etc etc.
Obviously if you don’t copy and paste it you are a cold heartless b*st*rd with no feelings. Erm… actually no. I love my family and friends very much. They know this because I am there for them and I also tell them.
Copy and paste this if you know anyone who has been affected by cancer/depression/the common cold etc.
I don’t want to sound unfeeling on this but if people truly give a sh*t about an issue then why not post up a link to a site with information or ways you can donate to the charity? Why not write a note or blog to say why this issue is important to you and why you are raising awareness of it? I care rather too deeply for the plights of people in worse situations than myself. In no way do I think that copying and pasting something into my status will help anyone. Instead I work, share and promote the causes that are important to me.
Copy and paste this if, like me you’re a racist who can’t articulate your own words.
You know the ones. They usually involves some ridiculously inaccurate Daily Mail statistics about immigrants or how our NHS is failing because of Polish people blah blah blah. If you have a valid agrument and have checked your sources fair enough but really, try harder or just don’t post anything at all. Failing that just change your profile picture to Hitler and be done with it.
Copy and paste this if you have no ability to think for yourselves. . . You get my gist.
Over-lol-ing
Now I like to laugh out loud in real life. The occasional typed lol is fine (although I am a haha-er myself) but WHY WHY WHY do people insist on using it as a punctuation? Rather than a full stop people type lol at the end of statuses or comments even when it does’t make ANY sense to whatsoever. LOL.
Just had gammon and chips for tea. LOL!
Took my car for an MOT. LOL.
Broke my leg today. LOL.
NOOOOOOO! Not LOL.
Minute details of pregnancy, childbirth, babies’ toilet habits….
I love babies, I love that some of my Facebook friends are happy to be pregnant. However, I do not need to hear about every symptom they experience from conception to birth. Even more so I don’t want to hear about placentas, the state of their child’s nappies when they do arrive, potty training fiascos or similar. The odd scan picture and a few pics after the birth for us to aaahhh at is cool. One of my Facebook friends would post a weekly picture of her little (VERY cute) baby boy and it was nice to see because you could see how he changed and it didn’t become boring as it was not complete timeline bombardment. Had she posted an update every time he had a poo that would be different!
Relationship issues
People who feel the need to live their whole relationship good and bad via Facebook. Warts and all (in fact I wouldn’t be at all surprised if people did post pics of their warts an’ all!). Now occasionally I may post a comment on my beloved’s Facebook and he on mine. Occasionally. If we want to tell each other we love each other we can do that at home. If we want a row we can use our voices to adequately convey our feelings. We do not feel the need for everyone on our friend’s list to know about it. OK so we do occasionally poke each other for fun too but that is also private!
Racism
A sure fire way to get unfriended. No more explanation needed.
Countdowns
42 days until I go on holiday – Repeated every day until said holiday.
Only 196 days until Christmas! I’m starting my shopping today.*smug face* - SAD!
Wishing your life away
Urggh, Monday morning, roll on Friday.
Is it the weekend yet?
It nice to have things to look forward to but Facebook seems to be full of miserable people who just constantly wish their lives away. Live for the now. Yes Mondays can be rubbish but life’s what you make it. If EVERY week you just moan that it’s not the weekend then you need to be reviewing what you’re doing with your life. Get something mid week to look forward to, change your job, sort out your relationship, whatever. Embrace every day. Life’s too bleedin’ short. And if you’re having a bad day deal with it, get help from those you love but please, don’t bring us all down too!
Hangovers *yawn*and Booze Bores
It usually goes something like this…
Can’t wait to get wasted on Friday.
Having a few before we get to the pub.
Incohererent status full of typos.
Oohh why do I feel so terrible. I’m never drinking again.
REPEAT. Every week. Get a life or get some help.
So that’s my rant done for now. LOL. ; )
Stace x
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Christmas 2011 and New Year
A round up of Christmas and New Year, mainly just to get me back in the blogging zone….
Christmas Food
I made cupcakes, peppermint creams and ginger biscuits. This year it was my family’s turn to have us but we cooked Christmas din dins this year to give my Mom and Stepdad a break. It was great. I prepared a lot of the veg the day before. We made turkey with lemon and sage butter with streaky bacon and Topside of Beef. I made Delia Smith’s bread sauce which turned out well. For pud we bought a Sainsbury’s Taste The Difference Christmas pud and Ban made a chocolate and raspberry ganache tart inspired by the one Michel Roux Jr did on Masterchef.
Presents
We had some very helpful monetary donations from various family members which we have put towards a new fridge freezer and wallpaper for our living room. Not usually one for branded products I seem to have developed a longing for all things Joseph Joseph. We now have the indexed chopping boards , Preparation bowls set and Fold flat grater. I love the bright colours.
My River Cottage Everyday cookbook will keep us in new recipes for a while and there’s enough Thornton’s Continental left in the house to delay Slimming World for another week. Still on a kitchen theme my brother bought us a pestle and mortar which we’ve been after for a while and I’ve had an addition to my collection of Letraset Promarkers.
People
Ban’s brother Richard lives in Chicago and he came over for a week over the Christmas period. We spent Christmas Day and evening with my family (see Games below) and Boxing Day with his Mom and Dad, brothers and two nephews Sam and Tom who had a crazy amount of presents as always. My favourite was the Harry Potter night bus. I REALLY want some Harry Potter LEGO.
Games
Christmas wouldn’t be the same without games. On Christmas Day we played Rapidough and had a good singalong to traditional songs like Tenacious D Tribute, haha! On Boxing Day we played Top Gear board game with our nephews and then the more grown up Cranium which is quite hard. On New Year’s Eve my little cousin Becky bought her new games Pass The Bomb and LOGO’s to play. At our friends new year party we played Dance Central. I’m more of a head banger than a dancer but it was a laugh. Just imagine me trying to dance to MC Hammer and Britney Spears. Thankfully it’s not on YouTube yet.
Oh and before I forget….Skyrim! I bought it for Ban hoping he’d like it but I’ve been sucked into it too. Awesome.
TV
Doctor Who
A nice heartwarming episode and for a change I didn’t have to hide behind a cushion.
Eastenders
Pat’s dead! David Wicks came back though. Bonus.
Sherlock
Clever and brilliant. Best thing on TV.
Erm.. anyway that’s about it for now. I’ve written something at least.
Happy New Year everybody!
Stace x
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Metal gigs weekend December 2011
After months of waiting, these two gigs were finally upon us.
Trivium at Wolves Civic – Friday 2nd December
On arrival I looked on with my confused face at Ghost whose lead singer seemed to be dressed as a scary Pope. Never one to judge a band by it’s cover (see also The Defiled) and coming from a huge Slipknot fan it would be silly to do so. They’re music was quite good but I didn’t catch enough to fully get them. I need to take time to listen to them but due to their name it’s a bit difficult to track them down. Googling Ghost wasn’t very helpful!
In Flames were ace and just what I needed to get going. I’ll be checking out their latest album for sure.
Trivium kicked off with In Waaaaaaaaaaaaves, the title song of their recent album.
They played Departure from Ascendency which was a first I think. Matt Heafy still looks too young to be that good but he still is. Gutted I missed out on Corey’s pick which landed right next to me but was quickly snapped up by someone younger and more sprightly than me.
Machine head – Sunday 4th December – Birmingham NIA
A big group of me and my mates got together to go to this.
Where's Wally (Stace)?
Some of my boys. (Bro Ricky 2nd left, my man Ban far right).
After catching half of the mighty Devildriver we retreated to the bar whilst Bring Me The Horizon were on. To be fair their music was good, the screamo vocals were not our thing at all though. I fail to see the point in people who watch the supports just to moan about them. Seems people try too hard to be cool not to be cool. You could see the older metalheads jeering or putting ther fingers in their ears. A bit unnecessary I thought. They obviously have a big following and as I often say I would rather our ‘youth’ get into (versions of) metal like this than be at a some charty shit pop band.
Anyway, onto Machine head. We’ve seen them loads of times, maybe into double figures now and they are always awesome. A good mixture of songs old and new. Stand outs from the new album were of course Locust, I Am Hell and Be Still and Know was good for a singalong. I always get very excited at The blood, the sweat, the tears live.
You can see some photos from the gig here courtesy of Danny’s Concerts Captured.
The best thing was despite messing my neck up at Trivium moshing all night to Machine head seemed to stretch my neck back into place and I was fine in the morning. Bargain.
So on my to do list include trying to find some Ghost to judge them properly and getting the In Flames album.
Cheers for reading.
Stace x
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Veggie week seven day challenge
After being inspired by Hugh on his River Cottage Veg programme we decided to try and go veggie for a whole week. We often eat meat free meals anyway but we set ourselves the challenge to see if we could do it. (We had to overdose on fillet steak on Saturday night before we commenced though!)
These are the meals we had.
Sunday – Butternut and sage risotto
Monday – Roast vegetable couscous with feta cheese
A Stacey throw together special. Roast peppers, onions and tomatoes, make cous cous with a nice stock (I use Knorr veg stockpot), mix it all together, crumble feta on the top (in my case 4 syns worth). Job done.
Tuesday – Sweet potato and spinach dhal
Wednesday – Veggie sausage casserole
I cooked leeks, carrots, butterbeans, a squirt of tomato puree, smoke paprika and veg stock on the hob while the Cauldron Lincolnshire sausage were in the oven. When they were done I cut them into bite size pieces and mixed it all together before serving. I quite enjoyed the Cauldron sausages, peppery and herby and I didn’t really feel pork deprived. *Insert your own joke here!!*
Thursday – Spinach & Mushroom Lasagne
Just my usual recipe, I used fresh spinach, dried wholewheat lasagne and made a mushroom sauce with some Light Philadelphia. Virtuously resisted having garlic bread with it too.
Friday - Hot-crumbed baby mozzarella, beetroot and potato salad recipe
This was niiiice. I’m not much of a salad muncher preferring hot food but you can’t go wrong with hot melty cheese. As usual I got a bit excited with the chilli flakes but it did great for my winter sniffs.
Saturday – Veggie burgers
These were much tastier that I imagined they would be, I could’ve eaten the mix on its own. Next time I won’t use honey though as I prefer a more savoury taste. So filling I ate them on their own with no buns.
All in all we did well. A couple of bacon cravings but it’s definitely made me realise we could eat even more meals without meat. Let me know of your own favourite veggie recipes.
Happy eating.
Stace
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