Sites I like
Volvos: they're boxy but they're good
Has anyone seen the latest Think! campaign on TV? Just when you think they couldn't get more shocking, some clever sod thinks up something even more attention grabbing that just makes you stop whatever else you're doing and just gawp. Makes you think... more than Big Brother does, anyway.
Another ad I find quite striking and engaging is the one for the new Renault Scenic where the car acts like a dog, desperate to be let out and wagging its rear wiper. It must be very tricky to come up with something new in advertising these days, but the people that manage it really do get everyone talking. There must be a DVD of all time classic adverts available somewhere, surely?
Posted on June 30, 2004 | Comments (0)
Everyone's a winner, baby
Just to prove that I'm a fickle woman and flattery will get you (pretty much) everywhere, first choice of free Bond DVD goes to Mark for the totally awesome image you will see if you click on the linky below for more. Second choice goes to Nayf for this wee gem of a tale...
When I were a lad, me Mam and Dad always used to take us along to t'tuppence ha'penny theatre in Burnley to see the latest Barry Bond play (this were before they invented the word James). It were grand - we used to hide behind us seats when the baddie came on stage, we'd cheer when Barry Bond used his special stingray glasses to kill the henchmen, we'd wolf-whistle at the girls in their bathers - got a slap round t'head from Mam, but Dad usually got it worse - and we'd throw us popcorn in th'air when Barry Bond finally won t'day. We'd always have change from thrupence to get a bag of chips on t'way home, buy the latest George Formby record and pay off the mortgage, so it were a special treat for us all.
Nowadays, o'course, it's all gone... "high-tech" and expensive - it costs you tuppence ha'penny just to get the popcorn! - and I've no idea what DVD is. I thought that's what me Nan got when she went on that h'aeroplane to Tenerifeey. So I wouldn't have a clue what these disc things are. Anyway, to cut a long story short, I need some new insulation for the loft, so any old boxes'll do - if you can send one of them my way it'd be reet appreciated, like.
Always did think you were a reet fit bird,
Respectfully yours,
Nathan P Weston
P.S. Tell that Jon Topper I want me lawnmower back. The blinkin' cheek.
The one that's left will be winging its way to Dragon - partly as thanks for a rather dapper photo of him doing his best secret agent impression, and partly so that Chris gets left with Die Another Day... should he want it. Mwahahahaha!
Posted on June 28, 2004 | Comments (11)
I've been expecting you
You guys rock! I've had a nice stressful day of meeting the general public and enrolling them onto courses at work, after only an afternoon of training on Thursday, and I get home to find a little flurry of competition entries waiting for me. I have someone who is clearly in the lead for first choice of DVD at the moment and it will take something truly special to beat that entry, I can tell you.
I thought it was worth pointing out at this stage, however, that blackmail only works if you actually have the polaroids in your posession. I won't bore everyone else with the story except to say that, if Topper tells you "er, you don't wanna look at those photos", you should probably listen to him. Just ask Chris. Scarred for life, eh dude? ;)
Posted on June 26, 2004 | Comments (8)
Competition time
Seeing as a few people are keen to get their hands on me discs (oo er), I thought I'd give them away to whoever can best impress me with their creativity and wit. I want you to email something to convince me that you deserve to receive one or more of my excess Bond - sob stories, dramatic photos, dirty jokes, blackmail... whatever you think will work. Obviously, that is fine for From Russia With Love, You Only Live Twice and The World is not Enough, but I think anyone wanting Die Another Day will have to email me creative plans for its destruction. I really did only buy it and Moonraker for the sake of completing my collection.
Email entries to Qdivision at this domain by Monday, if you please. That is all.
Posted on June 24, 2004 | Comments (0)
Mi chiamo Lorraine. Sono Inglese.
Despite never having been to Italy and not planning any visits there in the near future, I decided to sign up for a five week course in holiday Italian. Whether I'll be able to remember any of it long enough for the phrases to be actually be useful is anyone's guess, but I have already made one fatal error. When entered the room for the first time last night I had to make a snap decision on who to sit near. There were a group of women who looked like they'd probably start talking to me, a group who could turn chatty at any moment, and a couple who were too busy talking to each other to notice anything else. I sat near the couple for some much neaded quiet time before the teacher turned up, but this meant that there were spare seats and anyone who has ever taken public transport in the mornings will know that the empty seat next to you is usually an invitation to odd balls. It is always best to sit next to someone rather than on your own as then you can choose your company. It is because of this simple error that I ended up sat next to a young lady who attempts to pronounce Italian words with all the panache of Emma from Big Brother. Our group also consisted of a bloke (one half of the aforementioned couple) who, when talking about work, wanted to know the Italian for "I work as little as possible", and an obviously gay guy (not camp, but the clothes screamed it) who seemed to know far too much for an absolute beginners class. It's going to be a long five weeks.
On the plus side, I went to the Trafford Centre to buy an Italian phrase book but got drawn in by the HMV tractor beam and ended up with all 20 James Bond movies on DVD in a nice metal box. I now have four duplicate DVDs that it's not worth me selling on eBay or Amazon - does anyone want From Russia With Love, You Only Live Twice, The World is not Enough or Die Another Day?
Posted on June 24, 2004 | Comments (6)
When in doubt, post a list!
The Observer Music Monthly has devoted an entire issue to the 100 greatest British albums of all time. I was a bit surprised by the finished list, compiled from the top tens of a great many music biz types, but was not at all amazed at how few of the list I actually own as it was quite old/rock-based in places and my tastes are a little more... eclectic. Of course, that and the lack of bloggage recently just means that I had to come up with my own British top 10 out of the CDs in our house. Any lists you want to lob back at me in the comments would be gratefully received.
1. OK Computer - Radiohead
2. Violator - Depeche Mode
3. The Wall - Pink Floyd
4. Behaviour - Pet Shop Boys
5. Absolution - Muse
6. Distintegration - The Cure
7. Mezzanine - Massive Attack
8. Technique - New Order
9. Music for the Jilted Generation - The Prodigy
10. This is Hardcore - Pulp
Posted on June 20, 2004 | Comments (10)
Strange
Writing used to come so easily, but now it's taking photos that occupies my spare time. I've finished all the coursework for my evening class and have spent the rest of the night scanning pics for my lomohome. If the direct link is working, you can get to it here, but otherwise you'll need to head over to www.lomography.com and search for lipstick-lori. There's some Motor Show photos in there too which I may get round to putting on this site too.
Posted on June 16, 2004 | Comments (1)
My weekend by Lori, aged 29
Friday - Attended the launch event for this summer's Cow Parade Manchester wearing a cowboy hat and totally failed to mingle with the North West's cultural elite. Instead, spoke to a lovely lady from the council who took a photo of me and my LomoManchester chums with our cow, City Life Exposed (which can now be found in the Triangle shopping centre, fact fans). Then, rediscovered The Pet Shop Boys' Discography en route to Welwyn Garden City.
Saturday - Trained it into London and made our way to our hotel, the location of which brought to mind a quote from Ab Fab's Patsy on being told she could'nt do the food shopping at Harrods: "you can't expect people who live in Knightsbridge to eat out all the time!". Met up with Topper's sister for lunch and a quick gawp at the London Eye before they headed to Covent Garden to get drunk and I disappeared off to Tate modern for a quiet meeting with Edward Hopper. Was trying to take a photo an hour for LomoManchester but, in retrospect, going to a gallery where photography is forbidden and then to a cinema was probably a bad move. After more food, Topper and I greeted our admiring public on the balcony of the Odeon in Leicester Square (well, we admired the public from there, really). Was seriously impressed with the leopard print seats and general glitz of the place... and Harry Potter was good too.
Sunday - After stopping off in Leicester Square again (the views are markedly different between Saturday night and Sunday afternoon), we went in search of the lovely Pix. A cute creature I spotted adorning her sofa (no, I don't mean D ;) gave us the idea of dragging Lyle to The Bear Factory to record the voice for a sweary bear. I bet he could clear the place of customers with just one recording! After discussing shoes, the universe and everything, we headed home.
Monday - Neeed sleeep.
Posted on June 14, 2004 | Comments (3)
Everything changes?
Inspired by Adrian's post that included a 10-year-old photo, I tried to hunt down one of mine. Unfortunately, I couldn't find very many so you'll have to make do with my student ID card photo from that year (compare to the webcam if you forget how I look now)...
Posted on June 08, 2004 | Comments (5)
By the way...
I love this site (thanks Razorhead)! It told me I look like a cross between Claudia Schiffer, Salma Hayek and Nicole Kidman. See here for proof. Wahey!
Posted on June 06, 2004 | Comments (9)
Predictable? Moi?
Much as I hate talking about cars... oh, OK, you've got me there. That's a bit of a lie, but I just want to blog about Top Gear again. Please? It was so good tonight! Richard got struck by lightning but drove away from it fine in his undamaged Golf, Jeremy got an XKR very sandy, and Johnny Vaughan broke the Suzuki Liana. I have to admit that the email from a dominatrix suggesting Hammond becomes her "dungeon bitch" kept me smiling for hours, even whilst I waded through the mountains of spam comments I have accumulated in the last few days. Damn you Google, it's your fault for letting them in through the back door. As it were.
And what is it with that long-haired primadonna, in that programme I don't watch (honest), getting all huffy about two girls snogging. I thought that was every straight man's dream. Maybe I just live in some strange alternate 'porno' universe, but I really think he's a bit wierd for that.
Posted on June 06, 2004 | Comments (8)
Beauty is... in room 1.06?
In a day when I was expecting to hear people say things like, "your hair looks a bit darker. Have you coloured it?", I was surprised when no one mentioned my transition from tart blonde to dirty blonde. Instead they kept coming out with gems like "I still prefer the whips", and, "If we come in on Monday and Kitten is invigilating every exam, we'll know who to blame"! I suppose any job can do peculiar things to a person's mind after a while. Working for a newspaper meant that any big breaking news stories instantly made me think of revising print figures, and a visit to the newsagent was an exercise in self-restraint (must not tidy pile of Guardians or check all have mags), but now I have a different set of quirks developing. When an advert for the EMA comes on the telly, I start to think of how much more work we need to do before the registers can be automatically generated, and now the word beauty is beginning to develop an entirely different meaning. Rather than conjuring up images of pink sunsets, Rodin sculptures, Jude Law and the Aston Martin DB9, the first thing that enters my head are the words 'vocational qualification'. It's official - my brain is a strange place.
Posted on June 04, 2004 | Comments (1)