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redfiona99[Error: unknown template qotd]
Opinion has been known to vary between Scary Spice and Nick Cave.
I don't see the similarity myself.
~~~~
A fuller description of my misadventures (and the fun I had) in Sheffield will be forthcoming once I sit down and write it.
Instead, and I am aware it's not as much fun, have a rant about the whole business of trying to buy a property.
Hi, my name's Red, and I'm the idiot who is trying to buy a property of my own, on the principle that rents in Birmingham are ridiculous*. As I'm single, I am looking for a flat. Now, I'm aware that on cruises and in hotels, being single makes my existence an expensive luxury, but I didn't realise the same went for housing, because all the flats I'm looking at have something called a service charge attached. Something which, in the ones I've looked at ranges from £600 a year to £1200 a year, which, okay, is less than my rent but when you add it onto a mortgage, the council tax (which also runs to ~ £1200 a year), the electricity bill, the water bill, the internet bill, the life insurance premium for the policy you have to take out if you want a mortgage and little tiny things like food and clothing, definitely adds to your basic cost of the house. Add to that that a number of flats are just over the £100,000 stamp duty threashold, so if I buy them after March the Government's stamp duty relief will no longer apply to them so there'd be stamp duty to add to the cost as well.
The really annoying thing though is that there are 2 bedroom houses and flats that are cheaper or the same price as the 1 bedroom ones and the estate agents keep suggesting these because I could 'rent the other bedroom out'. Now, this would be fine and dandy if I wasn't presently glorying in having my own space quite so much. I have spent the past 7 years living with people who are not my family, but who I've known before they moved in so I didn't have to worry about turning up in filthy jammies at 2 in the afternoon. Right now I can wander about wearing nothing and not having to worry about when I do my washing up so long as it gets done. It's a little bit of bliss, and a little bit that I do not wish to give up at this time.
Also, one of the PhD students would want to move in, and that's just a little bit ... odd.
The other reason is that I feel I'd be taking away the space from people, say a family, who need the extra bedroom.
* those of you reading this in Cambridge, London or Oxford are allowed to laugh at me at this point. They're nowhere near as bad as yours and yet I am still complaining.
~~~~
Impact:
It's a terrible thing when Bubba Ray is the best thing about a show, but once again, he is.
The Kazarian and Daniels vs AJ thing appears to be being dragged out by TNA, although I think Twig will enjoy the promo.
The Knockouts and the X-division were the best matches as per usual.
~~~~
Attack of the Incredibly Belated Book Meme - Day 27 - The most surprising plot twist or ending
Don't worry, I shan't spoil anything.
As a reader of detective novels, I read a lot of things with twists. I've discovered I like them more when they're, well not signposted, but not totally out of the blue. Little Mrs. Fairfax, the eighty-year old postmistress, turning out to be the ravening axe murderer is taking it a bit far (although I suppose she works in customer services so one wouldn't blame her), but her poisoning awkward customers with arsenic in the envelope gum I could live with.
Too many writers try for shocking twists, except, if you've got the opening chapters and only one character isn't occasionally being suspicious, your readers know he or she is going to be the murderer. We're not stupid. There was a book I read at Christmas where I guessed the murderer within the first three chapters. This isn't intended as a boast, I think everyone would for that very reason. Admittedly, it was a first time author, and, since there's now a whole series of these books, I'm assuming they got better.
I'm more forgiving if I'm actually enjoying the book, and to me, the sign of a good twist ending is when I'm willing to read the book again, even without the surprise factor. For example, I know the twist for 'Murder On The Orient Express' before I'd ever read it, but it's still the Christie I re-read the most.
Day 1 - The best book you read last year
Day 2 - A book that you've read more than 3 times
Day 3 - Favourite series of books
Day 4 - Favourite book in your favourite series
Day 5 - A book that makes you happy
Day 6 - A book that makes you sad
Day 7 - Most under-rated book
Day 8 - Most over-rated book
Day 9 - A book you never expected to love
Day 10 - Favourite classic book
Day 11 - A book you hate
Day 12 - A book you used to love but don't any more
Day 13 - Favourite writer
Day 14 - Your favourite book by your favourite writer
Day 15 - Favourite male character
Day 16 - Favourite female character
Day 17 - Favorite quote from your favourite book
Day 18 - A book that disappointed you
Day 19 - Favourite book turned into a movie
Day 20 - Favourite book where the romantic aspects are important
Day 21 - Favourite childhood book
Day 22 - Favourite Book You Own
Day 23 - A book you wanted to read for a long time but still haven't
Day 24 - A book you wish more people had read
Day 25 - The character who you can relate to the most
Day 26 - A book that changed your opinion about something
Day 28 - Favorite title
Day 29 - A book everyone hated but you liked
Day 30 - Your favorite book of all time
Opinion has been known to vary between Scary Spice and Nick Cave.
I don't see the similarity myself.
~~~~
A fuller description of my misadventures (and the fun I had) in Sheffield will be forthcoming once I sit down and write it.
Instead, and I am aware it's not as much fun, have a rant about the whole business of trying to buy a property.
Hi, my name's Red, and I'm the idiot who is trying to buy a property of my own, on the principle that rents in Birmingham are ridiculous*. As I'm single, I am looking for a flat. Now, I'm aware that on cruises and in hotels, being single makes my existence an expensive luxury, but I didn't realise the same went for housing, because all the flats I'm looking at have something called a service charge attached. Something which, in the ones I've looked at ranges from £600 a year to £1200 a year, which, okay, is less than my rent but when you add it onto a mortgage, the council tax (which also runs to ~ £1200 a year), the electricity bill, the water bill, the internet bill, the life insurance premium for the policy you have to take out if you want a mortgage and little tiny things like food and clothing, definitely adds to your basic cost of the house. Add to that that a number of flats are just over the £100,000 stamp duty threashold, so if I buy them after March the Government's stamp duty relief will no longer apply to them so there'd be stamp duty to add to the cost as well.
The really annoying thing though is that there are 2 bedroom houses and flats that are cheaper or the same price as the 1 bedroom ones and the estate agents keep suggesting these because I could 'rent the other bedroom out'. Now, this would be fine and dandy if I wasn't presently glorying in having my own space quite so much. I have spent the past 7 years living with people who are not my family, but who I've known before they moved in so I didn't have to worry about turning up in filthy jammies at 2 in the afternoon. Right now I can wander about wearing nothing and not having to worry about when I do my washing up so long as it gets done. It's a little bit of bliss, and a little bit that I do not wish to give up at this time.
Also, one of the PhD students would want to move in, and that's just a little bit ... odd.
The other reason is that I feel I'd be taking away the space from people, say a family, who need the extra bedroom.
* those of you reading this in Cambridge, London or Oxford are allowed to laugh at me at this point. They're nowhere near as bad as yours and yet I am still complaining.
~~~~
Impact:
It's a terrible thing when Bubba Ray is the best thing about a show, but once again, he is.
The Kazarian and Daniels vs AJ thing appears to be being dragged out by TNA, although I think Twig will enjoy the promo.
The Knockouts and the X-division were the best matches as per usual.
~~~~
Attack of the Incredibly Belated Book Meme - Day 27 - The most surprising plot twist or ending
Don't worry, I shan't spoil anything.
As a reader of detective novels, I read a lot of things with twists. I've discovered I like them more when they're, well not signposted, but not totally out of the blue. Little Mrs. Fairfax, the eighty-year old postmistress, turning out to be the ravening axe murderer is taking it a bit far (although I suppose she works in customer services so one wouldn't blame her), but her poisoning awkward customers with arsenic in the envelope gum I could live with.
Too many writers try for shocking twists, except, if you've got the opening chapters and only one character isn't occasionally being suspicious, your readers know he or she is going to be the murderer. We're not stupid. There was a book I read at Christmas where I guessed the murderer within the first three chapters. This isn't intended as a boast, I think everyone would for that very reason. Admittedly, it was a first time author, and, since there's now a whole series of these books, I'm assuming they got better.
I'm more forgiving if I'm actually enjoying the book, and to me, the sign of a good twist ending is when I'm willing to read the book again, even without the surprise factor. For example, I know the twist for 'Murder On The Orient Express' before I'd ever read it, but it's still the Christie I re-read the most.
Day 1 - The best book you read last year
Day 2 - A book that you've read more than 3 times
Day 3 - Favourite series of books
Day 4 - Favourite book in your favourite series
Day 5 - A book that makes you happy
Day 6 - A book that makes you sad
Day 7 - Most under-rated book
Day 8 - Most over-rated book
Day 9 - A book you never expected to love
Day 10 - Favourite classic book
Day 11 - A book you hate
Day 12 - A book you used to love but don't any more
Day 13 - Favourite writer
Day 14 - Your favourite book by your favourite writer
Day 15 - Favourite male character
Day 16 - Favourite female character
Day 17 - Favorite quote from your favourite book
Day 18 - A book that disappointed you
Day 19 - Favourite book turned into a movie
Day 20 - Favourite book where the romantic aspects are important
Day 21 - Favourite childhood book
Day 22 - Favourite Book You Own
Day 23 - A book you wanted to read for a long time but still haven't
Day 24 - A book you wish more people had read
Day 25 - The character who you can relate to the most
Day 26 - A book that changed your opinion about something
Day 28 - Favorite title
Day 29 - A book everyone hated but you liked
Day 30 - Your favorite book of all time
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no subject
Date: 2012-02-01 06:14 pm (UTC)