Challenge #34: No caffeine for a week

Addiction: Compulsive physiological and psychological need for a habit-forming substance.

Sadly, I think this challenge has been the most difficult so far.

It's interesting because so many look down on people with addictions, yet everyday millions of people 'need' to have their morning coffee. That is addiction, my friends. And giving up is painful.

Literally painful. The first day of my caffeine free week I thought I was dying. Splitting headache, irritable, tired. I was Miss Crabby Pants with a headache on top. And no amount of painkillers numbed the pain. (And yes, I do acknowledge the fact that I used one drug to get over another drug...)

The second day was the same. And the third. By the fourth day my sanity had started crawling back into my brain. By the fifth I was almost back to normal.

Actually, I should probably admit that this challenge has lasted two extra days because on my second day I bought and consumed a drink without thinking. Iced Tea. Despite the fact that I doubt 'Black Tea Extract' has very much caffeine in it, I decided that I needed to do the two extra days to really deem this challenge complete.

So I guess the question everyone is asking is: when are we going for coffee? Well, not any time soon. Addiction, of any sort, is not anyone's friend. So I'm keeping the coffee for special occasions for the moment.

Tea? Now that's another story. That's not really an addiction... It's a national past time!

Challenge #52: Watch 'Withnail and I'

This challenge stems from a hamster named 'Jeff Wode'.

Intrigued by this name, I soon discovered that he was briefly mentioned in the film, 'Withnail and I'. And so I decided that I needed to see this classic British film.

Set in Camden (although I recognised none of the scenery), two out of work actors, Withnail and Marwood (what is with the names in this film?!), decide to go to the country for a break from their non-existent work lives.

That's about all there is to the film itself. There is also the weird 'Uncle Monty' who pays a surprise visit and spends most of the time hitting on Marwood (who doesn't do a very good job a repelling his affection I don't think). They drink a lot and Withnail goes off on ridiculous rants. Also they have no wellingtons so they wear plastic bags on their feet. Genius idea!

Highlight was definitely the 'Jeff Wode' part, an athlete who was taking anabolic steroids and probably has "huge balls" according to Withnail.

A fairly easy challenge to complete really, but I think if it wasn't a challenge I would have switched the film off very soon after the famous 'Jeff Wode' part. I'm sure there was some deeper meaning, but Sunday evening is not the time to find one.

Challenge #18: Listen to a new album everyday for a week

I set myself this challenge because I often buy or acquire albums and then fail to listen to them in their entirety. It was an interesting experience listening to one band or artist without skipping tracks. I usually just have my entire library on 'random' so this seemed like what normal people do when listening to music.

Day One: Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds
There's been a lot of hype about this album, mostly because of Liam Gallagher. He's been dissing his brother saying he's the less talented one. And everyone who's heard the album have said that he's wrong. And also a douche. I tend to agree... Pretty good album really, it'll end up on my rotation I'm sure. Has a very Oasis feel to it. Obviously.

Day Two: Crowded House - Woodface
Aussie band or Kiwi band? I know the Finn bros are Kiwis but apparently the band was formed in Melbourne... Anyway, there's something Aussie about these songs, maybe it's just that I grew up listening to them. Sitting on the train, watching London rush by seemed a contradiction.

Day Three: James Morrison - Songs for you, truths for me
Uplifting love songs I guess you could say... This kind of album tends to make me reminisce about past loves and when the song finishes I suddenly wonder why I was remembering someone who was clearly an idiot. I could take this guy or leave him though. Nothing original or particular brain exploding here.

Day Four: Tim Minchin and the Heritage Orchestra
The only problem with listening to this album is the fact that it makes me giggle. Not that I have a problem with that, but it does mean looking a bit deranged on the train. No one smiles on the train. Everyone is sleepy and on their way to work and probably had to run for the train like me. So grinning like an idiot to musical lyrical genius lines like "only a ginger can call another ginger ginger" doesn't really work. But it was totally worth it.


Day Five: Best of R.E.M. 1988-2003
One of those bands that I clearly know but never really knew. I.e. just about every song on this album, I already knew and thought, "Ahh, that's who plays this song". Man on the Moon: awesome classic. John Stipe has an interesting voice, very expressive I think. Almost a little haunting. With a career spanning so many years, he's obviously doing something right!


Day Six: Don't Bore Us - Get to the Chorus! Roxette's Greatest Hits
Yeh, girl power!! This made my Saturday morning trek to Earl's Court that much more enjoyable... When "It Must Be Love" came on, I very nearly regaled the entire street with my own rendition... 


Day Seven: Radiohead
What I'm about to say will make it obvious that I'm not cool. I don't really get Radiohead. I think they are one of those bands that all the cool music kids love and I just think... Whinge whinge whinge. Not so much the lyrics, more his voice. Don't get me wrong, there are some songs I love by Radiohead (i.e. "Talk Show Host" from R+J). "Paranoid Android" is another good un. But I doubt that this album will be making a regular appearance on my playlist... 

Challenge #42: Send a genuine Valentine

The thing about Valentine's Day is that it's bullshit.

I've always believed that V Day is all about Saint Valentine. I remember being told that he was a rocking dude who secretly married people in love who weren't allowed to be together and then ended up dying (martyred) for it. Where all the pink and red hearts, corny cards and chocolates came from I'm not sure. Probably from the gift shop industry.

For this blog I decided to beef it up with some research, rather than just making wild claims based on something I THINK that I know. Turns out that no one really knows which saint is the 'real' St Valentine, as there are three known possibilities. My version is based on a legend that Valentine married soldiers (when Emperor Claudius II banned marriage because he thought single men were better soldiers).

It is also worth noting that the Pope took Valentine's Day off the official saints day register in 1969. Is he trying to tell us something?

So basically what I'm getting at is... Valentine's Day is bullshit.

Not the idea of celebrating love. That should be celebrated. But why do we need a designated day? And why does everyone always associate it with romantic love. Not everyone has that. But everyone (I hope!) has someone that they care about, a friend, a family member, a work colleague. Shouldn't we be celebrating our endless capacity to love lots of different people in lots of different ways, rather than one individual love that can't be shared with anyone else?

Anyway, with this all in mind I set out to complete my challenge - to send a Valentine. I ended up sending four. One to a boy who will remain anonymous and three to my mates.

The process of writing a real Valentine is not one I've been through for quite a few years. In fact, I think I've really only sent Valentines to my boyfriends, not to people I had a crush on. I do remember the stress of V Day in high school, waiting to see who would get a rose and who would be among the losers who didn't. I had many crushes in high school but I can't recall sending any a Valentine, even though I could have done it anonymously.

So this was quite a difficult challenge for me, to think of what to write and put it down on paper. Nothing sappy, because that's just not really me anymore. (I say anymore because I vividly remember writing many love poems when I was a teenager). I found it easier to write the Valentines to my friends, with the ease of knowing that everything I wrote would be accepted, appreciated and never rejected.

Although, that being said, who rejects a Valentine? Surely, even if you don't like the person, it's nice to know that SOMEONE would like to snuggle you?

So, challenge completed. Do I still think V Day is bullshit? Yes I do. Will I send another Valentine next year? Most likely. Will you be the lucky receiver? You will just have to wait by your mailbox to find out...

Challenge #14: Make Something

Some people paint, some draw, some write poems, some sew. Some people buy a kit from a shop in Keswick, Cumbria so that they can pretend they are actually genuinely creative.

So it was with the help of this kit that I undertook the challenge to 'Make Something'. The something being a knitted purse.

Knitting always reminds me of being a young-un and being taught by my mum. When she first showed me how to knit I marvelled at the way her fingers created stitches out of thin air, deftly working the wool around the needles. I couldn't believe that whole stitches could be created from one piece of wool, it was like a secret mum magic.

I always needed her to cast on for me, and cast off. This was still the case but as she's on the other side of the world, I utilised that amazing resource called 'YouTube' to remind myself how to 'cast on' and 'cast off'.

As I knitted I couldn't help but wonder why there wasn't a cat tugging on the other end of my wool. Growing up with cats, I was used to always having a knitting tug-of-war with one of them. I'd start to knit and it was like I was knitting with catnip. I would suddenly a have tension on my wool that wasn't actually required. I guess to them it was a game, the ball of wool rolling around on the floor, asking to be chased. They'd always find me, no matter where I hid.

Now I just need to find myself an appropriately gangster knitting name. Purl Knits? Gangster K? Knitty G?

Challenge #43: Make Eton Mess

Eton Mess. Britain's answer for people who can't make Pavlova.

The recipe is as follows:
- Crumble up meringue
- Whip cream and spoon over the top
- Top with berries

And that's it. It's the most fool proof dessert you can construct without just pulling it out of the packet.

Admittedly, buying pre-made meringue was a bit of a corner cut, so I'll probably have a go at making meringue once I get my hands on some electric beaters. Until then, I'm happy with my typically English approach (i.e. if you can buy it, why make it?).

So this was an easy challenge, and delicious!! It's worth noting that I did use vanilla yoghurt instead of cream so hopefully that doesn't make this effort null and void.

Challenge #46: Make up a secret handshake

Every secret society needs a secret handshake.

I'm not in such a society, however I don't think that precludes me me from having a secret handshake.

While others spent New Years Day hungover, comatose or mostly dead, my friend Alix and I had a productive handshaking think tank. To make our handshake truly 'secret', we added in sound effects that only true 'members' would know.

Of course, a few hours later, we had forgotten crucial elements of the shake.

Thankfully we recorded it for posterity.