Paul Ross to eclipse sibling?

Do you ever feel that your house is missing a focal point? I did, so I purchased a lovely mirror with an oak frame and it now sits proudly in my living room above my fireplace. Oh, if only I had waited one week. Had I been more wise, it would not be a mirror that has pride of place, it would be this.

That's right, it's the definitive 20" canvas print of superstar television presenter, Paul Ross. My brother stumbled across it on Amazon whilst doing some last minute Christmas shopping. Read the product reviews and you'll bee ROFLing for a long time, I guarantee it. Here are some of my favourite comments:

"If you only buy one 20 inch canvas print of Paul Ross this year, this is the one to get."

"My friend was so grateful he gave us the exact same print as an early Christmas present!"

"Such is the power of the exhibition of the Ross that I've recently quit my quite good job in order to tour the 20" Ross around the UK next year."

"I can't believe the nerve of Amazon allowing this for sale after all those calls to Manuel. And if you're reading Paul, isn't it about time you and Russell both apologised publicly. It's been weeks now."

"This is NOT a portrait of Eamonn Holmes. I made this mistake and words can’t begin to describe my disappointment when I tore at the packaging to expose Ross."

And so they continue...

Kicking about town

Nice and cheap evening in London after work yesterday. It started off in the uber-trendy area of Hoxton, where I had been invited along to a swanky launch party for the new range of Kickers shoes. Yummy free cocktails were flowing, and I also got to see a cool Kickers-inspired stop-frame video (made by Lovebite) for a CSS remix of the Chromeo track 'Fancy Footwork'.

Next year they're launching a new shoe that you can colour in yourself, which is a pretty neat idea, although I never could stay inside the lines.

After having our fill of complimentary nibbles, we headed sarf to Brixton where we watched Biffy Clyro absolutely rock it up with an immaculate set, culminating in millions of sparkly ticker tape bits floating onto the crowd, and singer Simon Neil literally launching himself head first into the mosh pit for the crescendo of their closing song. Sod the drums - I now have a new career goal: rock violinist.

Hallepoojah

I’m annoyed! The Jeff Buckley version of Leonard Cohen’s ‘Hallelujah’ is one of my favourite songs of all time. But now it’s been turned into a commercial vehicle for the X-Factor.

Don’t get me wrong, I watch X-Factor as much as the next person, but do the hoards of parents buying the single for their kiddies’ Christmas stockings even know what the song is about?! It’s blatantly about the birds and the bees!

And it’s all very well joining Facebook groups to try and get various versions of the same song to secure the Christmas Number One slot, but the rights to all versions of the track are owned by Sony BMG, so even if people download the Cohen / Buckley versions instead of Alexandra Burke’s, they are still simply lining Mr Cowell’s already-golden pockets – grrrr!

So in my warped and twisted mind I feel the only way to display my loyalty and respect for the song is simply not to listen to it ever again. Problem solved.

Gee, sore

Muchos entertainment on the train last night. A twenty-something girl and her parents were heading home after the theatre, when some tall, dark-haired dude jumps on the train just before it pulls away. The girl goes BRIGHT red and there is obviously some history between the two of them as they embrace awkwardly, and he knows her parents, and they all chat politely until he hops off at the next stop.

The girl is obviously in shock, and it unravels - to the eager ears of the whole train carriage - that he is a former boyfriend who dumped her and they hadn't seen each other or been in touch for quite some time. To add another layer of embarrassment for the poor lass, it is also revealed that the ex in question is a former member of a successful and well-known pop-opera quartet who have since split up (I don't want to name them just in case they have google alerts set up, but you can probably work it out from the title of this posting...)

Tons of respect to her though - she was obviously extremely flustered by the situation, especially since her parents witnessed it. But she dealt with the subsequent barrage of questions and ribbing from random train passengers when the full awkwardness of their encounter came to light with good humour. But that poor girl!!

Mustard-keen??!!

So I was reading the Independent today (£1???!!! - thank goodness I don't have to pay for it) and I made a rather pointless observation in two articles. That is, both articles contained a phrase that I had never heard before: 'mustard-keen'.

I'm sure this is not an unusual turn of phrase, it just so happens that I've never heard it before. But the fact that it was in pretty much the only two articles that I read in the Independent today freaked me out. Just a little. Or perhaps reporters at the Indy are MESSING WITH OUR MINDS....

Proof.

Unexpected day off

We got evacuated from the office yesterday and have no idea when we'll be allowed back. Apparently, water cascading onto the electrical system does not make for a safe working environment. We have no access to e-mails or anything - shame! My crisis mode kicked in nicely, and I helped to put together an emergency telephone pyramid so we can quickly keep each other updated on the situation given the lack of e-communication.

Unfortunately the nature of my job means that I for one can actually still do some work from home. However, I guess I mustn't grumble about being paid to sit in my new flat today, reading all of the newspapers whilst catching up with the Loose Women and Quincy's latest passionate plight.

Now I'm looking forward to a nice cosy and wholesome weekend in the countryside with my fab friends. The wellies are already packed, so bring on some sogginess!

It's been a while...

...In fact, it's been a whole bloomin month. Busiest month ever though. For one week of it I was in Dubai to visit a friend (amazingly weird place, lush weather and the best steak ever!) and the rest of the time I have been buying a flat. I am now in said flat. Aren't I grown up?!

Some funny tube announcements from the last few weeks or so that I would like to share (*in fab cockney accents*):

"Ladies and gentlemen, Balham underground station is closed. Water has SOMEHOW managed to make its way down to the station from street level, plunging it into darkness."

"Please mind the closing doors, this beast is now ready to depart."

Oh, and another one from a well spoken driver who sounded like he should be a local radio DJ. Can't remember what he said, but it definitely involved the word "thus", which made me chuckle. Oh the tube, how I miss thee!