Worm's World

To Everyone, Merry Christmas. Hope Sanata brought you presents and everything is lovely. Exciting news to follow in the new year but I'm reliably told breakfast is ready so. -Have fun xxx

HowManyOfMe.com There are: 31 people with my name in the U.S.A. How many have your name? Not really a surprise. Read Freakanomics and check the chapter on naming children. There's a list somewhere on the 10 blackest names for girls in Californiaq, and in, amongst the myriad of spellings of Jasmine Nia's there at #6. Party went well last night, drank too much and now paying pennace for it by having to type fiddely numbers into a giant spread sheet and apply some formuals to it (and you all thought my job was just fun, fun, fun!!)

It's cold and windy outside. Uni seems very quiet and I've just looked at the clock and noticed it's well passed elevenses. Maybe Greg would like a hot chocolate...

Oh, and I brought this t-shirt from the sale at Howies . It amused me more then any t-shirt I've seen recently, and with the ultra relaxed dress code at Staffs it's nice to have something that doesn't have Nintendo mushrooms or geeky gaming / coding / film refences. Also, the people at Howies are lovely, and describe themselves as " Cardigan Bay's 3rd biggest clothing company. " I really promise this is the last thing I'll buy myself before Christmas. I've even started cursory christmas shopping. Any requests, ideas etc drop me a line, or alternitivly just link me to your Amazon wishlist.

When I finally get around to making breakfast I'm going to start making Plum Pudding in time for Christmas. Most surprised to find it doesn't actually have any plums in it! I should have guessed really. I suppose figgy pudding doesn't have figs in it either. Stupid English language and it's silly confusing names.

Well - that was a successful shopping trip! Not only did Tesco's have Cauldron sausages (Linconshire AND Cumberland - I stocked up, alas still no sight of all those other exciting flavours) but there was a continental market so I had chance to buy obscene amounts of lovely cheese, nice bread and have a kangaroo burger and a glass of Hungarian mulled wine for lunch. In keeping with the continental feel - I found Jeans!!!! - finally. This has been a bit of an on going hunt - it actually took a large part of yesterday's shopping up as well. I no way does this mean I'm turning down Hannah's kind offer of rooting through her soon-to-be-cleared-out wardrobe but I finally found a pair of well cut, thick, normal wasted, sensible coloured jeans - under budget no less. Zara came out tops, a size 12!! £10 and a size smaller then the runner up Esprit 'star cut' jeans - whatever star cut means. Gap almost won me over but I get confused in Gap, I still don't understand ...

OOh - veggie sauasges update - according to Cauldron the do loads of exciting veggie sausages - but why do they all come in packs of 5? It's really annoying!! not to mention the fact I'm hard pressed to find any of them in Liverpool!

It's really cold - that's my main excuse for not updating anyone recently - oh, and I've been busy! Work's Fab, everything else is groovy. teh gorum meet / shopping trip went well and Pete's comming home later to cook Sunday dinner (If I get off my butt, get dressed, brave the artic winds and buy veggie sausages that is. I might have a proper hunt for Cauldron Linconshire sausages and not Quorn Bangers.

Posted: Oct 11, 2006 8:48 PM - on the Rhydfelen MySpace page if you can believe such stuff exists and that I'm a member of it While back in Ponty I visited Rhydfelen after it was abandoned and boreded up, but just before the recent fire and increased security. Here is my photoessay of the old place. Nes I ymweld ar hen Ysgol Rhydfelen tra'n adref ymhontypridd ar ol iddo cau lawr ond cyn y tan mawr yn y neuadd ar cynyddiad mewn diogelwch. Dyma fy ysgrif photographiaeth o'r hen le. It was like a scene from the pianist! http://www.twmdesign.co.uk/prints/ffarwelrhydfelen/ I don't think about Rhyd all that much, mostly happy times but certainly nothing I would change. It's very sad to see it in this state - like a bomb went off. If any one ever needed reference for post-apocalyptic environments here you go.

A slow start but a productive day over all. 3 trips into the Center, dropping off stuff for charity shops each time and finally reclaiming the hallway. Framed the last of the art that needed frames, brought some cheese, brought a new washing up bowl and some beer for Pete and finally the 747's debut album . After the Fratelli 's album it's a bit of a let down, but that's only to be expected really. I'm in a bit of a domestic goddess-y mode, so dinner tonight will consists of home made beetroot and Lancashire tart (with home made puff pastry) and less domestic goddessy chocolate brownies I brought from the lovely deli on Stanley Street. Joe's visiting tomorrow so I have to make some effort into tidying the flat - but first, a little bit of the Sims!

Wooh! The Living room's done. All pained and sexy. Sumptious would be the ideal word I think. To your left you can see te ultra funky, very retro-cool clock we found in Quiggins fopr £15 it needed a new mechansim but easily done) bear in mind your lucky to find something to cool for less then £100 in a concept living store and everything else is just a little on the dull stuff, even the retro inspired thingsy - we're sutibley chuffed with it. As you can see the lovely turquoise colour (oriental jade - by Wilko's) all finished and lovely. We've moved some stuff around and we've got some new art to go up (Thanks to Alex and the Chinese Properganda Ministry). Not much else - finally been to a dentist, still no hot water / shower but contracts copme through / been sent off for my job. Tomorrow is my first day of teaching a class... wish me luck :]

It's been a busy week! I'm getting used to Stafford, we've only done enrolments in the last week, the real teaching starts on Monday. I'm very excited and incredibly happy. - Thanks everyone for all the good wishes. I still don't have a desk or a computer but these things are in the process of being sorted out - I'm promised as much. Not much else really - it's odd to have weekends off and slightly sad I've no one to play with! The boilers doing strange things and the shower's a death trap so I do at least have things that are needing my attention. The plumber should be around later to sort out the former of the rpoblems and hopefully Castle Estates are in the process of sorting out the latter - they didn't sound overly concerned though - more midly irratated I'd informed them of this on a Friday afternoon. It's not like I went into their offices a couple of months ago with pictures of the dripping shower and said I'd like to have it ...

Best Music video we've seen in a long time

I had a phone call from Bobbie at Staffs yesterday ... ... Did I still need a job ... Did I want the joy I very nearly almost got ... Could I start next week? So, I'm a lecturer at my old uni on the computer games technology degrees. I don't have to move, I know the people, the place, It's exactly what I want to do!!! I'm ecstatically happy. I start a week Monday!!!

Bounce, Bounce, Bounce, Employment (sort of) I've been asked to join FACT's team of Media Art Facilitators as a freelance. So well paid, undependable work , but with a very funky title. Now have CBR check - great stuff. If I can just work out with a Schedual D number is, and push any 'A Scanner Darkly'* connotations out of my mind I'll be sorted. *We saw this last night - it was very, very, very good.

Yesterday was a very sad day indeed. All it took was a little spell of hot weather and we lost another two fish :( No sooner that we say hello to Vince and Darnell, but say goodbye to the beutiful Adolf and the less beautiful but still majestic Ulysees. Adolf has been sickly for about a year but Uly had been the picture. They died within a few hours of each other. We're keeping an eye on the tank to make sure it's nothing contagious before we buy new ones. It was a very sad day indeed.

Life's happily ticking along .. nothing else to report really.

We've got new fish!!! Wooh!! Now the tank is under control I'm please to announce the arrival of Darnell and Vince , the new fish. Darnell is the silver one with the urban ammo colouring and Vince is the Calico one.

You'd have thought with almost 150 books on food and drink in the house I'd have a recipe for Lemon and Poppyseed muffins. Typical! New bowl for the Kenwood Chef turned up, PimpThatSnack T-shirt on it's way, lovely new cook books added to the collection. If no one wants to employ me I might just start making enough biscuits to sell at the local farmers market.

Hafs-a-Palooza approching an end - Final Ceremony (Party) to come - I had a lovely birthday. Thank you everyone for the cards and pressies. The Deadwood Soundtrack is playing as I type and I'm wearing my shiny new Buccanners top. My Kenwood Chef is on the way, cunningly colour coordinated to fit in with Typhoon's Diner Blue vintage range. Didn't really do a lot for my birthday, work got in the way so I'm planning a bit of a BBQ / Garden Soiree when Joe comes up to stay in a few weeks. In other news I've 2 interviews next week for stuff and another looming in August.

Stuff to do today: #1 Check post fpr invites to Interviews #2 Put washing on #3 Have lunch - Pete made me sandwiches earlier #4 Start on mound of laundry #5 Start clearing stuff out of the campervan #6 Attempt to make giant lemon muffin

How to make a Wormella Ingredients: 1 part intelligence 3 parts courage 5 parts leadership Method: Add to a cocktail shaker and mix vigorously. Add a little emotion if desired! Username: Personality cocktail From Go-Quiz.com

Well if nothing else all this job application filling in has given me a eye for a good form to fill in. Currently in the post / along the digital airwaves are application's for jobs at: Plymouth college of art and design, Huddersfield Uni, Warrington Colliegiate, Liverpool Community College, Leeds Met, Uni of Central Lancashire Salford uni I'm sure there's more. I have a feeling my application wouldn't be welcomed at the newly re advertised swansea post so I'm not bothering. They passed their chance up on me last time so no 2nd chances for them - fools! Wonder why they rejected everyone else.

Sad news from the dwindaling fish tank. Bye bye Damien. He was fine this morning, a little bit sluggish and with evidence of very nasty tail rot. The problem with this hot weather is any kind of illness just spirals out of control before you can do anything about it. He was fine this morning. I just had a look before I headed off to work and he was on the bottom of the tank, on his side, no moving. He didn't fight when I pulled him out so I buried him outside not far from Gilbert. The tank is looking very empty now, and I'm keeping a watchful eye on Ulysees and Adolf.

Hafs-a-palooza gift ideas update EcoCentric Have just got thier online shop in order - there's some very lovely stuff in there.

Tonight we're going to sacrifice the first bit of veg ever to grown in the flat. We've a mexican night planned and our sole ripened chilli is going into it. Thats it there, on the right of the picture in case you hadn't guessed. we've got loads of green ones growing nicely, but this is the first proper red hot one. We're proud anyway.

Hafs-a-Palooza 2006 Ok, so it's a little over a month before my birthday but I can tell everyones getting excited about it already, and why wouldn't you, I'm Great!!!! well, ok, a few people have asked what I would like for my birthday, so here's a list and some links. As ever, my Amazon wish list is up-to-date - Yes there are more cookbooks, and I know everyone says we have enough cookbooks but the list is only covering gaps I think are in our library. There isn't much in the way of priority ( I want it all ) I'm still a big fan of vouchers: H&M, Peopletree , or indeed anywhere else you think I might like. We don't buy so many DVD's any more but HMV or Virgin Vouchers are always welcome. There are a few slightly strangers requests. WestCountry Wormaries sell a worktop sized wormery That would let me do some recycaling / composting at home. Etsy also has lots of pretty, funky home made things that are pretty cool. An old friend from school has star...

Gilbert the fish was found dead, at the bottom of the tank this morning. It's a bit of a shock, didn't think he was ill, but never mind, there you go, that's fish for you. It's all my own fault, I put off giving them a proper clean until I had a bit of spare time (mainly this morning). he couldn't have been dead long. He's now buried underneath some bull-dog daiseys out the back. I've no idea if he would have liked it but I thought it was pretty. The wright stuff had a pet psychic on, who would read your pet if you e-mailed a picture in. Pete suggested I send in a picture of Gilbert to test her! Save for Gilbert's sad dimse the rest of the fish look happy and the plant life is thriving in the flat. all the herbs look good, the chilli plants are in flower and Spike the cactus has another new growth thingy. I'll update the household page with up to date pictures. In other news... my orthopedic insole things came on the same day I brought some pretty ...

Your Scholastic Strength Is Innovating You are the master of new ideas, techniques, and ways of looking at things. You are talented at structuring thoughts, decision making, clarifying, and making deadlines. You should major in: Marketing Psychology Desgin Cognitive Science Economics Photography What Should You Major In?

Didn't get the Stafford Job Didn't mess up the interview like I did Swansea Came 3rd so I'm first reserve ... and there's still a glimmer of hope I only have to bump off one person and the job is mine!!

Updated Portfolio avilable here

Phone charged, check DS charged, check Degree Certificate & stuff to say I did my MA but JMU are slow at sending out certificates, Check? Bit of teaching material I may or may not show, Check Presentation and supporting documents, check So why does a job interview at Stafford seem to make me much more nervous then any other job interview I've done? Well, I'll let you know how it goes, wish me luck!!

Fairly productive day - the spare room looks a bit better now anyway - cleared loads of stuff, freecycled the old, old PC that kind of thing. Now to sort out the giant mound of laundry in the living room!

I'm back from France - in case you hadn't noticed

I've just realised it's a Tuesday night - which means CSI is on (and I've not seen any of the new series). With Pete not back till 11 I can clean the kitchen, tidy up the living room, watch two blissful hours of un inturrupted CSI and then be all domestic godessy when he comes home and cook him supper. And talking of domesticcy goddessy ness - check out the new hair... ...

Dear world - today is nice and sunny, which is lovely. Had a very nice few days relaxing and there's a really good feeling in Warrington because observations are over and it's Easter next week - YEAH!!! Thanks mam for sending up the collection of stuff from my childhood, according to school reports I've always been a swot. I'm thinking it might make a better impact then the certificates for my degree or my masters - it shows consistency and commitment at any rate!!!

Stafford are looking for a Lecture in Computer Games design, it would be rude not to apply! - Oh well, I've been meaning to look up Bobbie for ages!

It's snowing again - great - like we haven't suffered enough!!! Thankfully it's not actually sticking ... yet! I have to go to work in this later :( Worse still I brought a summer dress yesterday - a vintage blue and white Chinese silk shirt dress (I'm that cool and funky I've managed to tick off every one of this seasons trends in one go, and still give money to some starving orphans as well!!!) I just need to get a belt to go with it now. Talking of work - it seems I might be offered some kind of permanent position at the card shop - obviously my visual display skills with the mothers day bags won them over. Warrington's looking up as well - We're starting to interview for the games course next week - and we're still getting interested parties, with ace grades as well. You'd need a B, at least, in Maths GCSE to get one, and some art would be nice as well. It's sad to think I wouldn't have got onto this course!!! Still, everything is lookin...

As you can see - the snow has returned with avengance. Good thing I still have my funky ski jacket hangning around - which now benifits from looking cool and in fashionable, as well as being warm and cosy. That wss £10 well spent when I was 15!

I case you were wondering, and I was starting too, I didn't get the job at Swansea. let down by my inexperience at presenting and lecturing. Ho Hum, not really unexpected. back to searching and hoping. Mind you they seemed very disorganised, not really a good sign - wonder who they did pick or have they gone with advertising it a fourth time?

Swansea went well - I'll let ytou guys know what they decide when I know. it was lovely to catch up with everyone I had chance to catch up, busy old time but did at least feel like a proper break. Now I'm just trying to wrok out if throwing up my breakfast equals an inability to make it work tonight. stupid 24hr bugs - must be the universes way of telling me to stay home and mnake Welsh cakes.

Oooh a day off, and I've every plan to spend it carching up on Neighbours, playing sims and tackeling the washing up for last night's Spanish feast. I might get around to watching Aloha from Hawaii at some point :)

Ok, I know I should be doing work / tidying the bedroom but I logged into my Yahoo account for the first time in ages and found myslef paying with the avatar function. So Here's my little Rygby fan me, all ready for Saturdays game (even though I'm in work and will thusly miss it) Anyway - the knock on effect is that I no want to play sims...and not do housewifely things.

I haven't forgotten you lot at all, I've just been busy ... busy and cold..... mainly cold (grrr winter).

Purple Lamb Banana Sorry - I ment to post this the other day. He's quite a striking shade of purple in a funky matte style.

Well, happy new year everybody! I'm back in work, which is nice and a pleasent relief from mooching around the flat / volunteering. Anyway, in a diversion tactic form washing up / putting alundry away I've updated the site a little - a few more pictures here, some up to date info there. As a break from tradition I didn't take loads of pictures over Christmas, but there's some family convergance picture and a few from Halloween. Thats it really, suppose I better put the laundry away - I can't keep putting ti off as amusing an idea as that is. Make it look like I've done something worthwhile since I got back from college and before we go off to the theater.