I don't really know why I'm writing this post, i only logged in to Blogger to add a link to Kim and Trev's blog and accidentally clicked on 'post' so I thot well while I'm here I will. Except I've nothing exciting to write. Well apart from tomorrow night where we (thicket) will be playing at Campbell College and I am looking forward to that. Was talking to our loyal fan Tracy tonight and she is also looking forward to it! I think I'm writing rubbish only because I'm so tired but feel free to correct me. I'll go and put a link in now. Hi Kim and Trev and future sprog (don't listen to dermo you don't have to call it after him sure mark and claire didn't and they lived to tell the tale...)

Post number 100

Spent the day at Moira today, having fun recording some tracks with my band Thicket for a wee CD, we got five done, maybe they'll get put up on the website sometime soon... I'm really wrecked tho, recording is hard work. I was handing out headache tablets all day and then was halfway down the motorway on the way home and got a headache myself but had no tablets left!! Here's some photos of us setting up, obviously I've none of us playing as I was playing too!

Paul likes keeping his hood up indoors

Jonny changing a guitar string - essential for a Thicket gig that at least one person breaks a string!

Chris felt a bit lonely today in his wee box...

Chad playing away as usual

Chad's capo broke ... this is the replacement!

I don't have a myspace, but...

I don't have a myspace but i copied this survey off someone else's. So here goes - find out something you didn't know about me today.

TELL ME ABOUT YOURSELF - The Survey
Name: Laura
Birthday: 11 May

Birthplace: Belfast
Current Location: in my living room
Eye Color: brown when i'm really happy, hazel (brown and green) the rest of the time!

Hair Color: dark brown it's naturally light brown
Height: 5'5 1/2''
Right Handed or Left Handed: right
Your Heritage: never bothered to find out -except I think I must be ulster Scots cos I say

Ro-ad properly
The Shoes You Wore Today: pumps

Your Weakness: doing things like this instead of working
Your Fears: dangerous animals
Your Perfect Pizza:
chicken and lots of veg and extra cheese
Goal You Would Like To Achieve This Year:
get fit, do Duke of Ed, get my music exam...
Your Most Overused Phrase On an instant messenger:
lol and LOL and cool (with google 'o's)
Thoughts First Waking Up:
NO is it morning already?
Your Best Physical Feature:

Your Bedtime: never before 12, that's for sure
Your Most Missed Memory: lots of things about being a kid and having nothing to worry about
Pepsi or Coke: coke, definitely

MacDonalds or Burger King: mcd's
Single or Group Dates: single i think, don't care that much

Lipton Ice Tea or Nestea: neither. Iced tea stinks!
Chocolate or Vanilla: chocolate
Cappuccino or Coffee? Cappuccino
Do you Smoke: nope
Do you Swear: not unless you count 'crap' as swearing...
Do you Sing: Yes. Lots.
Do you Shower Daily: Yep, but am I really gonna say if I don't?
Have you Been in Love: don't think so

Do you want to go to College: Been there done that got a year and a half more to do
Do you want to get Married: someday
Do you believe in yourself: sometimes, sometimes not consciously but i think unconsciously I have this knowledge that I will be able to do stuff in the end...
Do you get Motion Sickness: not unless I'm reading
Do you think you are Attractive: I don't think I'm hot and I don't think I'm ugly
Are you a Health Freak: I take phases...but they don't last very long
Do you get along with your Parents: most of the time
Do you like Thunderstorms: I get excited and frightened at the same time if that makes sense?
Do you play an Instrument: yea
In the past month have you Drank Alcohol: not knowingly...
In the past month have you Smoked: nope
In the past month have you been on Drugs: nope
In the past month have you gone on a Date: nope
In the past month have you gone to a Mall: yea
In the past month have you eaten a box of Oreos: I don't even know what a box of Oreos looks like...
In the past month have you eaten Sushi: no, but I wouldn't mind trying it sometime
In the past month have you been on Stage: does playin at the youth service count? I suppose it would have if I'd actually got on the stage, but I wasn't goin up there on my own!!
In the past month have you been Dumped: no, and wud have been a bit strange too, to be dumped by someone i'm not going out with...
In the past month have you gone Skinny Dipping: no
In the past month have you Stolen Anything: yep, the wee thing they give you in Oasis to tell them how many clothes you take into the changing rooms. I didn't mean to tho...
Ever been Drunk: no
Ever been called a Tease: no, but a malteeser, that's a different story...
Ever been Beaten up:
Ever Shoplifted:
no...ok so really, how many ways are there to say no?...
What do you want to be when you Grow Up: ha! that's a lovely question, age-wise I am grown up!

What country would you most like to Visit: Iceland

In a Boy/Girl..
Favourite Eye Color:
dark or blue
Favourite Hair Color:
any
Short or Long Hair:
inbetween
Height:
don't care
Weight:
whatever
Best Clothing Style:
I dunno, nice jeans and cool t-shirts

Number of Drugs I have taken:
2 paracetamol today
Number of CDs I own:
not enough
Number of Piercings:
none but I'd really like my ears done
Number of Tattoos:
none but I want one so badly
Number of things in my Past I Regret:
a few

I woke up with a cramp in my leg this morning. Probably caused by going to bed at 3 this morning but the sore leg it created only added to my injuries of a bruise on my leg from walking into a desk, very very sore arms from carrying marking and sore toes from wearing my old school shoes last nite for work! But apart from being a walking accident I'm ok. How are you? I now have a stat counter so I know scores of peole have been to my site, but none of you have left a comment. Please do! It's a lonely life being a teacher, everyone you hang out with wears denim skirts... only joking!

Mama Mia, here I go again, my my how can I resist ya?

Mama Mia was amazing! If you ever get the chance, go and see it! Here are some photos, none of the actual show as we weren't allowed!
The very beginning...
Girls' night out!
Jo and Robin - don't they make a cute couple?
Before it started
A typical Jen and Juls pose ;-)

Jen and Juls arguing about who did the best dance moves in the car...
Jen Flem
Jen and Juls in the toiletten (the Ladies to be polite)
Jo and Robin again - funny how they always seem to be together in photos...
Steph doesn't like getting her photo taken.

I'm going to see mama mia tonight!

Youth service last nite, I really enjoyed it, even though i did go home and work till 3 in the morning! That was worth it though because I was all prepared for my tutor visit today.

Going to see the Abba-ness of mama mia tonite

Youth Night

Tonight was our church's second youth outreach night. There was blackout cloth over all the walls and it looked amazing. The band was also rocking it out, they were called The Reason but they used to be Smallfish, if anyone remembers them... Of course come tomorrow night and you'll hear the best band of all, our very own THICKET ;-) if you don't agree with that opinion, please don't tell me, you'll burst my bubble, or as I said to my mum the other day, stick a pin in my balloon!!. Don't try that thicket link for a wee while, the site's being redesigned, but you can look at our blog or our myspace.

Over and out.

Laura x

Petition - signatures needed!

Who liked Lee-Anne's blog? If you want to join me in the campaign for her to start posting again, please sign your name in the comments section. Thankyou.

Doin' my markin'

Teaching practice over for the week and I've a mountainload of marking to do. I'm not doing that right now though, I'm typing out the lesson plans I scribbled out for last week because my tutor's coming out on Monday. Also trying to plan out next week so I don't stay up until 4.30 EVER AGAIN like I did on Wednesday night.

MY TEAM CAME 2nd IN A TABLE QUIZ LAST NIGHT. My usual place is 2nd last (meaning we don't even get the booby prize) so I'm rather chuffed. I probably should have been in my bed but I slept in till 10.30 this morning to make up for it.

Curl up and dye?

Today is the 100th anniversary of perms. It's amazing the things you learn in school staffrooms. Honestly, I dread to think what perms were like in 1906, they can't have been that effective...

Apparently the man who invented perms burnt off all his wife's hair while experimenting... i wonder did she soon after become his ex-wife?

Have you ever had a perm? Leave a comment and tell us about it

I haven't. But I would like my hair permanently straightened!

My Groovy Weekend...

Well i don't think from today it will be groovy cos i'm teaching the children again on monday and have to work hard to prepare lessons. But on thursday nite I stayed at Julie's and had a cool time. We went to uni, then to McDonald's in Carryduff, then to Jenny's to mind her wee brov and watch Peter Pan (such a good movie!), then to Julie's for her mum's famous (and very tasty) curry then back to Jenny's for yummy chocolate cake (shh don't tell I broke lent) and then back out to Glengormley cinema to watch Lucky Number Slevin which is a brilliant movie! No joking; I know some people out there wouldn't think I'd enjoy it but I really did, apart from the bit where the guy got a baseball thrown in his eye - that was a bit gross!

Went to Indianaland last nite with the youth club, but cried* cos they wouldn't let me in (I'm neither under 12 nor under 5 foot, but I thought I would have at least passed for being under 12!)

Tonight was supposed to be going to Manifest with the yf but since they didn't need me to drive and i have loads of work to do (sob sob) i didn't go. Bit disappointed about that, i really enjoyed manifest last couple of times i went, the band's excellent!

So tonight and tomorrow avo I'll have to do loads of work. Please think about me while you're enjoying yourself.

Thanks,

Laura*

*this is a joke, i didn't really cry.

Hey...just thot I'd make a wee post about...nothing. What have I done today? I've been to uni, that's about it, ooh and went to Foo Kin for lunch. I think that's how you spell it. It's a really cool chinese where you can eat all you can for a mere fiver, of course us feeble females could only get thru one helping so maybe it's not such good value as we think...

Gonna start taking some random photos and posting them cos my wee rambles are getting less and less interesting ... maybe it's just my life... you can decide on that!

Ooh another wee thing - THICKET (you know, the really cool band i'm in) played for the last time ever at REAL youth church, i'm going to miss it, we've played every month since last September and i now know a couple of people. BUT we are playin at Campbell College later this month and also at something in Enniskillen so looking forward to those.

I better go here it's past my bedtime. Please leave a comment if you're passing through, I love reading them, although no more proposals unless you tell me who you are. Oh and mr I L Oveyou...love to know who you are too!

Yesterday I was really excited. I found something i used to eat years ago but haven't been able to find for ages. Anyone remember ready-to-bake croissant dough in a tin? Well I baked them today for my lunch and they were delicious, a little overdone but still nicer than the ones you buy in Tesco (i know i bought this in tesco, but i meant the ready-baked ones!!) Of course once I've been to gay Paris I'll probably think they're not a patch on the originals but hey!

Watch for Ice

It's been snowing for a few days now. I still haven't put the de-icer back into my boot, or my ice-scraper, or even a flask of lukewarm water which would also do the trick! So I have had several experiences of this routine lately:

1. Trying to open up my car and finding that the lock's frozen
2. Eventually unfreezing the lock and discovering that the door is also frozen.
3. Yanking open the door
4. Getting frostbite while trying to clear my window manually (unsuccessfully)
5. Putting on my wipers and trying to squirt on some water (usually frozen)
6. Seeing if I can possibly see for a short distance until it clears itself
7. FINALLY running back into house in a hurry for some lukewarm water OR borrowing workmates' de-icer.
8. Driving off while defrosting my fingers on the 'just off freezing cold' air from my car's blower.
9. Realising my rear windscreen is also frozen and just hoping i don't have to reverse before the heated windscreen makes the ice melt.
10. Worrying about 'Little Chip' turning into 'Big Chip'.

Your Candy Heart Says "Hug Me"

A total sweetheart, you always have a lot of love to give out. Your heart is open to where ever love takes you! Your ideal Valentine's Day date: a surprise romantic evening that you've planned out Your flirting style: lots of listening and talking What turns you off: fighting and conflict Why you're hot: you're fearless about falling in love

What Does Your Candy Heart Say?

You Are Fozzie Bear

"Wocka! Wocka!" You're the life of the party, and you love making people crack up. If only your routine didn't always bomb! You may find more groans than laughs, but always keep the jokes coming.

The Muppet Personality Test

The Rules of Shotgun

Prior to a conversation with friends last night, I was not aware that there were rules to shotgun. This made me curious to what they were so I did a google search.

The front seat of a passenger vehicle, next to the driver, is called the shotgun in an apparent, though disputable, reference to men who rode on stage coaches next to the driver with a shotgun to protect the stage from banditos (highwaymen), literally "riding shotgun." No use of the term is recorded during the actual years during which stage coaches were in use; the first known reference to "riding shotgun" in print occurred on 27 March 1921, and the first use of the phrase in print to refer to automobiles occurred in 1954 when the TV series Gunsmoke became extremely popular, and used the terminology of riding shotgun nearly weekly). [1]

In contemporary tradition, in order to claim that seat, one must "call shotgun" according to a set of standard rules. Today, many passengers consider the front passenger seat to be preferable to riding in rear seats due largely to greater control over leg room, an unobstructed view out the windshield, and better access to the vehicle's stereo and air conditioning system. In the United States and some other English-speaking regions, there is a longstanding tradition — especially among teenagers and young adults — of trying to get to sit in the seat next to the driver of a motor vehicle.

To call shotgun is to, at minimum, yell out "shotgun" while approaching the vehicle. Depending on the situation and group, rules may also be enforced in order for the call to be valid. However, in most cases this is not necessary by virtue of calling "shotgun" in the first place. In some groups, yelling "shotty" or "gunshot" are also acceptable and equivalent. The specific rules are the subject of much heated but good-natured debate, and a number of websites claim to have the official rules.

"Calling shotgun" is also done in situations other than driving a vehicle in which order is important. For example, when playing a console game, it is typical for the loser of the round to give up his controller; the next person to play is the one who called shotgun.
In certain regions the term is called "next".

THE ABOVE CONTENT THANKS TO WIKIPEDIA

Now for the rules...

1. The first person to yell 'Shotgun!' gets to ride in the passenger seat.
2. The word 'shotgun' must be loud enough to be heard by at least one witness. If no witness is to be found, or in case of a tie, the driver has the final word. After all, it is most likely his car. (note: if it isn't his car, and the owner is present, the owner's decision is final.
3. Early calls are strictly prohibited. All occupants of the vehicle (including the driver) must be outside of the building and directly on the way to the vehicle before shotgun may be called. Under no circumstances may a person call shotgun inside a building. For sake of simplicity, a garage is considered to be outside. Parking structures and detached garages are always considered as being outdoors, even if they are underground.
4. The person calling 'shotgun' must be within sight of the car in which he/she will be travelling. (the line of sight rule)
5. A person may only call shotgun for one way of a trip. Shotgun can never be called while inside a vehicle or still technically on the way to the first location. For example, one can not get out of a vehicle and call Shotgun for the return journey.
7. One is allowed to ride shotgun as many times as he can call it, but for himself only. No one can call shotgun for their slower friend, unless the friend has a speech or mental handicap that prevents them from calling it for themselves.
8. The driver has final say in all ties and disputes. The driver has the right to suspend or remove all shotgun privileges from one or more persons.
9. Variations of the word 'shotgun' which are allowed include 'shot' and 'topshop' (ask jen). Variations which are not allowed are 'i'm in the front' (ask jo)


Special Cases
These special exceptions to the rules above should be considered in the order presented; the case listed first will take precedence over any of the cases beneath it, when applicable.
1. If the person who owns the car is not the driver, he/she is automatically given shotgun and section 8 from above applies to them and not the driver.
2. In the instance the driver's spouse, or partner is going to accompany the group, he/she is automatically given Shotgun, unless they decline.
3. In the instance that one of the passengers may become so ill during the course of the journey that the other occupants feel he/she will toss their cookies, then the ill person should be given Shotgun to make appropriate use of the window.
4. In the instance that only one person knows how to get to a given location and this person is not the driver, then as the designated navigator for the group they automatically get Shotgun, unless they decline.
5. In the instance that one of the occupants is too wide or tall to fit comfortably in the back seat, then the driver may show mercy and award Shotgun to the genetic misfit. Alternatively, the driver and other passengers may continually taunt the poor fellow as they make a three hour trip with him crammed in the back.

Survival of the Fittest Rules
1. If the driver so wishes, he/she may institute the Survival Of The Fittest Rules on the process of calling Shotgun. In this case all rules, excepting 1.8, are suspended and the passenger seat is occupied by whoever can take it by force.
2. The driver must announce the institution of the Survival Of The Fittest Rules with reasonable warning to all passengers. This clause reduces the amount of blood lost by passengers and the damage done to the vehicle.
3. Please follow the above rules to the best of your ability. If there are any arguments or exceptions not covered in these rules, please refer to rule 8 in the first section.

Hope these are extensive enough to cover any arguments. If not, I don't know what I could do to help, perhaps refer you to a psychiatrist for taking things too seriously??

Sometimes Tuesday mornings feel just as bad as Monday mornings...

How cute!

Lee-anne is clearing out her room at the minute and tonight I acquired two boxes of hair dye and an eyeshadow (thanks daahling!) I think I'll visit Lee-anne (and Lisa's) house more often! HAPPY BIRTHDAY LISA!!!!!! (the reason I was at their house tonight!)

It has been pointed out that I omitted to include the source of my knowledge of de-lurking week. Ok I first heard about the idea on The Teahouse but, John, I did go straight to the source (can't remember that person's blog address rite now but I'm very grateful, whoever you are!)

Just to clarify a little bit about my last post. I am, believe it or not, a bit of a romantic. I think Pride and Prejudice is the best love story out etc etc. I simply find as a single person that Valentine's Day is a bit pointless. But that's not even what the post is about, I just genuinely thought that these were very funny, and as an aside would cheer up an otherwise pointless day!

Anyway enough of that waffle. How was your day? It's officially de-lurking week, meaning that if you visit a site you have to leave a comment. Simple as that. So go on, what you waiting, what you waiting for? (slightly plagerised from Gwen Stefani - you will forgive me Gwen my mate won't you?)

This made me laugh...

Sorry it's a bit late to cheer up your Valentine's Day, but maybe you'll remember it for next year! Pictures and captions copied without permission from another site. But I have linked, Cap'n!

This just goes to prove to those who want to believe it that Valentine's day is stupid and a waste of time. At the worst it'll take your mind off not getting any cards; who would want to get these ones anyway!

PS i don't really think Valentine's Day is stupid and a waste of time, it only is if you don't get any cards.





Hello, I'm Batman. When I was just a child, my parents were murdered right in front of my eyes. I made a solemn vow that day to commit my life to fighting crime. I've sacrificed my childhood and any efforts toward personal enjoyment. My nights are spent in deadly combat with everything from common street thugs to grotesque psychopaths. What little sleep I ever get is usually interupted by horrible nightmares and my waking up soaked in sweat. I fight a war that can never be won. I strive toward a goal that can never be reached. I am haunted. I am relentless. I am tortured.
Won't you be my valentine?




So sad.
It's the card that says, "I've given up on any hope of real love, and will accept any affection I can get, even if I know it is only in pity."
Just what is the Cupid doing here anyway? Here's your pity, lady! Whack!




How is this read?
We would make a happy pear.
OR
We would make a happy mutant freak with a repulsive, oversized fruit for a head that enjoys sailor suits and pie.
Also, the pear-monster doesn't look happy to me at all.But, then, why should he?




This is the card to send if you want your boy in the armed forces to get relentlessly ribbed by the rest of the squad before he secretly cries himself to sleep over a mix of humiliation and a desperate longing to be back home with his girl.By the way, which war was it that we sent the four-year-olds to fight?




This card reads "Loving thoughts to my Valentine."Above it, there is a picture of two goats ramming into each other with intense violence.If you can make any sense out of this at all, please leave a comment!




"To fall out of love is simply awful."But not nearly as awful as the sight of these horrific, bitter Valentine heads. Valentine's answer to drama's comedy and tragedy masks: angry and sleazy.




To see more of these fabulously ridiculous valentine's cards, visit Cap'n Wacky's site.

In the absence of anything interesting to write, I thought it might be a good idea to write about myself! So here goes...

These are some little things about me you might or might not know, some of my favourites...


My favourite songs in the Whole Wide World:
I can only Imagine - Mercy Me
Angels - Robbie Williams
Let there be Love – Oasis
Umm Bop – Hansen
Staring at the Sun – Rooster
Run - Snow Patrol
Beautiful - Christina Aguilera
Accidentally in Love - Counting Crows


My favourite places:
Glasgow
Anywhere in Scotland, especially Girvan, Ayr, the west coast, Skye, Fortwilliam, Inverness, Aviemore, did I mention Glasgow??
Portrush
Coleraine
Portstewart
Anywhere on the north coast
Bantry Bay (near Cork)
Killarney, Kenmare, Clear Island (goats ice-cream - yummy!), Dingle Pass, Lauragh (yes, there IS a village named after me!)
Anywhere past Larne on the coast road
Anywhere new

My favourite things to do, EVER:
Being on the beach
So, like, going for walks on the beach, beach fires, sandcastle building, beach barbeques, everything really
Being with friends, no matter what we’re doing
Watching Friends and the O.C.
I’ve recently discovered that I like ice-skating (after a five-year gap due to my brother breaking his wrist at this activity) but I have yet to regain my ability to both skate and support myself, (this is obviously only because the ice was wet the night I tried again!)
Reading other people’s blogs
Playing the piano. Anywhere. Any song.
Going to Springsteens
Going to the Cinema
Shopping
Exploring

What I really like:
Pretty things
Hugs
Getting comments on my blog (how sad!)
Nice texts
When someone says or does something really thoughtful (I am blessed with some really thoughtful friends.)
Beautiful literature
Love stories like Pride and Prejudice