spring cleaning

I’ve been tidying up around here. The about section has been re-written using the traditional lazy blogger’s fall-back, ’50 facts about me’, and the features section has been updated. A new section has also appeared – network – this is a place where I can store details of the other sites I’ve done that are hosted by blogjam, like the one about kittens, the one if you need violin lessons in London, and the one about my sister’s time in Iraq.

24 Comments

  1. You’ve never had a headache? Are you sure?
    What happens when you’re hungover?

  2. I didn’t get hangovers either until recently – and when I do it’s de-hydration and a general lethargy – still no headache.

  3. You may be single but you’ve got bouncy shiny hair and that’s good as well.

  4. Such a small world, we have a few links !
    I live in Leicester + been at De Montford many times, I did a Superchunk on XFM this year and I’ve met Damon Albarn too (as well as other famous people but I’ll leave the name dropping to you !). Just found your blog, thought I’ll comment, it’s late, just rambling !

  5. flatsharing student

    i think this is a brilliant bogsite. I also like the lemon, its very refreshing to look at. kinda feel like i want to eat it. sorry. i’m hungry now.

  6. flatsharing student

    links don’t seem to be working? any idea why?

  7. I hate to be a lurker, so I’m letting you know that I’ve been enjoying reading your blog.

    It’s interesting to see that the Detroit Cobras made your music list. They play within easy walking distance from my house, but I’ve never seen them because their songs get stuck in my head. For days. I live very close (too close according to my insurance agent) to Detroit, and they play at the Magic Bag in Ferndale (where I live).

    Anyway, have a great day and I’m going to get back to reading.

  8. i wrote about mark knopfler and then read your facts. i loved it, you are very colorful, but simple and down to earth!! that is righteous. if you have time drop me a mail. i may be treminally ill and they tell me i have little time, but i feel that i have more time than i know what to do with. isn’t that ironic. janet pinkerton

  9. why don’t you go to brighton, the best place in the world
    and what was you grandfathers name who played in goal for brighton.

  10. I just read your “self inflation” page. That’s a good list! You’re a good writer.

  11. How you’ve retained singledom with the rare combination of kittens, food, football, South African wine and The Cure is beyond me!!

  12. i like your photos of your cooking – fab!
    yeah the name-dropping is a bit much i agree – but hey! i guess it gets your blog traffic up :-)

  13. I think you sound great. Everyone needs a name-dropping friend so they can name drop about them. You can be mine if you like?

  14. oh this made me laugh.

    have to confess that I checked out the kitten site – bless. even worse, I forwarded it onto another kittentragic. can i request the recipe for your white chocolate cheesecake? I may consider going out with you if you do…

  15. I love this biography. It tells you the most important things and doesn’t smack of name dropping at all. Check myspace for that….look at me with doggy subpar indie five minutes of being next big thing…will only leave picture up if I find other people who care.
    P.S. Don’t you need to modify that North Korea bit :)
    P.S.S. It’s also inspiring to list all the naughty things one has done. My friend Brian here would have to be writing until next June.

  16. de Montfort. With a ‘t’. Every listing for gigs you ever see has it listed as Montford. It’s not Montford with a ‘d’. It’s Montfort with a ‘t’.

  17. Don’t bother ringing Mark E. Smith. I live VERY close to the guy and like all genius, he has clay feet (as well as no teeth and a speed habit). The Grapes in Prestwich is his chosen pub & every night timerous Fall fans seek him out only to be told to ‘f**k off’. Nice guy!
    John Peel famously said ‘I can’t die yet, there will be a new Fall album soon’ which proved to be a bit unrealistic. No, there are 3 people famous for Prestwich. One is Mark E. Smith & The other is Nico. One IS dead, one SHOULD be dead. The third one is the poet ‘John Cooper Clarke’ who lived with Nico for some time. Now HE is a gentleman. OK, a smackhead, but a true gentleman…

  18. I’ve never had a headache either. It bugs me though, it just doesn’t seem healthy…

  19. I was at Toyah’s gig at Leicester in 1982 as well.

    Small world – I wouldn’t want to paint it though!

  20. I’m a chef and caterer, you know. Cough up the cheesecake recipe, Kittenmaster.

    • You\’ll have to convert all the measurements from UK to US, and I don\’t know if you get digestive biscuits in American supermarkets, but here it is:

      200g digestive biscuits
      90g butter, melted
      150g white chocolate, broken
      200g mascarpone cheese
      150g caster sugar
      4 eggs, separated (discard 2 whites)
      568ml carton of double cream
      6 leaves gelatine

      Instructions
      Put the biscuits in a plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin. Stir in the melted butter. Press the mixture into the base of a 24cm springform, loose-bottomed tin, sides lined with greaseproof paper. Press the biscuit mix into the base. Chill while you prepare the topping.

      Put the chocolate in a bowl over a pan of just-boiled water and leave to melt. Whisk the cheese, sugar and egg yolks in a bowl until smooth.

      Gently warm 100ml of the cream in a small pan. Turn off the heat. Add the gelatine. Leave for 5 minutes to soften. Whisk until smooth. Set aside.

      Lightly whip the remaining cream until it holds soft peaks, then fold in the melted white chocolate.

      Whip egg whites till stiff. Set aside. Stir the gelatine mixture into the cream cheese mixture. Fold in the cream and chocolate mixture, then the egg whites. Pour over the biscuit base. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

  21. Why do you have such a nice comment for the chick from Blur? As a female, the “C” Word is just as offensive as the N word to African Americans. I was enjoying your blog till I saw that comment. sorry just my 2 cents. I guess I can go crawl back under my rock now.

  22. Digestive biscuits in the USA are called: Graham Crackers!