National Doodle Day!

Apparently the word doodle first appeared in the early 17th century to mean a fool or simpleton which is the meaning intended in the song "Yankee Doodle"!  Screenwriter Robert Riskin invented the word in its modern sense for the movie Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936), Mr. Deeds mentions that "doodle" was a word made up to describe scribblings to help a person think.

Apparently doodling can aid a person's memory by expending just enough energy to keep them from daydreaming, which demands a lot of the brain's processing power, as well as from not paying attention. It acts as a mediator between the spectrum of thinking too much or thinking too little and helps focus on the current situation (perhaps I should stop fiddling with my pen (at the risk of taking my own eye out) in an effort to remain alert and try putting it to paper instead!).

Famous doodlers include;

• Thomas Jefferson
• Ronald Reagan
• Jon Keats
• Samuel Beckett
• Sylvia Plath

I have to admit that I'm a sucker for Google doodles (I REALLY need to get out more!) and was very impressed to find that they have a library of them here ----->  Google Doodle s!

And here are 24 examples of great doodle art!  I did also come across doodle tutorials which I may well pay some attention to in an effort to cultivate this art...

In 2007 during a National Doodle Day charity drive Barack Obama's (then Senator and Presidential candidate) doodle (inspired by the Senate chamber) sold for $2000, nearly triple the second-highest take, a piece by Gillian Anderson, which brought in about $700. Donald Trump came in a close third. Claude Monet drew inspiration for his doodl from his garden in Giverny, Georgia O’Keefe from New York City and the American West. .

The Funniest Thing I've Read EVER (well in a very long time)!

I apologise for the formatting but I've spent a very long time trying various ways to get this to copy directly from facebook but to no avail.

 

1. Bernadette Bradley

is watching charity dingle trim her bush pmsl

1. 1. Like · · Promote

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  Heidi Orange Bernadette Anne Bradley!!!

  10 July 2010 at 00:37 · Like
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  Bernadette Bradley get your mind out of the gutter it was the bush outside her house x

  10 July 2010 at 00:48 · Like
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  Heidi Orange lol, and what are u doin up too at this hour??? Have you just got a load of emails from pops? H x

  10 July 2010 at 00:49 · Like
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  Bernadette Bradley don't know haven't checked. What are you doing up? are you not seeing auntie betty in the morning?

  10 July 2010 at 00:50 · Like
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  Heidi Orange yup, so i thought in prepertion i should get wsankered tonight!!!

  10 July 2010 at 00:53 · Like
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  Heidi Orange i mean wnakered

  10 July 2010 at 00:53 · Like
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  Heidi Orange no, i mean wankerewd

  10 July 2010 at 00:53 · Like
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  Heidi Orange i gioive up

  10 July 2010 at 00:54 · Like
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  Bernadette Bradley have you been out? x

  10 July 2010 at 00:54 · Like
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  Heidi Orange yes

  10 July 2010 at 00:55 · Like
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  Bernadette Bradley where u been? x

  10 July 2010 at 00:57 · Like
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  Heidi Orange kevin and rays getrting a\dvice and trying to drown oyt the cringing voices in my head!

  10 July 2010 at 00:58 · Like
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  Heidi Orange ii was suposed to be ironning tonight!

  10 July 2010 at 00:59 · Like
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  Bernadette Bradley voices in your head? x

  10 July 2010 at 01:00 · Like
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  Heidi Orange hahaha, yes they've been speaking ever since i habed over the LETTEFR

  10 July 2010 at 01:01 · Like
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  Heidi Orange thids morning!

  10 July 2010 at 01:01 · Like
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  Heidi Orange habed = handed lol!

  10 July 2010 at 01:02 · Like
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  Bernadette Bradley i think u have had far too much to drink lol. what letter? x

  10 July 2010 at 01:03 · Like
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  Heidi Orange fuck it, never mind, the rest is rubbish too isn't it?

  10 July 2010 at 01:03 · Like
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  Heidi Orange you wrote this 7 hours ago!q

  10 July 2010 at 01:05 · Like
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  Bernadette Bradley yes did u think she was doing it in the dark? lol x

  10 July 2010 at 01:06 · Like
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  Heidi Orange um, th elletter to a mutial 'friend', and no i just though t it was funny!

  10 July 2010 at 01:08 · Like
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  Heidi Orange do you think eew could mov eto private chat beforW i makie a total tit of myself? hx

  10 July 2010 at 01:08 · Like
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  Heidi Orange oh ffsd! It's not wo

  10 July 2010 at 01:09 · Like
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Waitangi Day!

Waitangi Day is to celebrate the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi, New Zealand's founding document, on 6th February 1840.

It's not a universal celebration as many Maori activists have staged protests (about treaty injustices) over the years. 

Much more info here.

Interestingly London has one of the largest New Zealand expatriate populations and celebrates the occasion with the Waitangi Day Ball, held by the New Zealand Society UK. The focus of the event is a celebration of New Zealand's unity and diversity as a nation. The Ball also hosts the annual UK New Zealander of the Year awards, cultural entertainment from London based Māori group Ngati Ranana and fine wine and cuisine from New Zealand.

Next year I'll be looking to celebrate in style (ok, maybe not as much style as the London Waitangi Day Ball!) with some traditional kiwi food (they love pavlova In NZ apparently - Kevin will be pleased!) and drink and...maybe... a little bit of a Waitangi day Haka!

Try a New Flavour Day!

I tried 3!!

Thank you to Anna for the 'samples' of amazing Pukka teas!

I can highly recommend all 3 of the ones I've tried so far:
Licorice and cinammon
Cinammon, cardamom and ginger
Chamomile, fennel and marshmallow root

It wasn't just me either, I offered them round for other people to taste because, frankly, I couldn't believe how good they were.  Previous experiences with herbal teas have been weak, flavourless and boring (with a horrid tickly aftertaste in the back of my throat) so I was stunned at the colour, strong, deep flavours and lack of horrid tickle!

I'm already planning to order a load of different flavours in the next week or so but may need to rationalise my wish list as even I think 19 packets of tea may be just a tad excessive!

Most Unusual Thing Last Week!

I ordered hot chocolate...and liked it!  In fact, I like it enough to have a second one.

This is not like me at all, I don't have a sweet tooth and generally avoid hot chocolate like the plague.  However, I was doing my usual 'I'm faced with far too much choice to actually make a decision' bit so I thought I'd employ my recently discovered secret weapon in this situation and just order something I'd usually never even consider.

So, I went for the dark (70%) hot chocolate at Bean and Bud, it was divine - the second one with the addition of cream and marshmallows was even better and I should have taken a photo!

National Yorkshire Pudding Day!

Sunday was National Yorkshire Pudding Day!

Apparently there's no evidence that these puddings actually originated from Yorkshire - but, come on, where else could have come up with such a simple, comforting and frankly awesome dish?!

When I used to work nights one of my regular breakfast choices was a bowl of yorkshire puddings and gravy before bed, yesterday I had a couple of yorkshires with a very nice steak pie, roast potatoes, veg and nice thick gravy - then I had a nap!

I don't recall ever making yorkshires from scratch but I'm sure I have at some point in the very distant past - next year I think I'll attempt it, you have been warned.

(The chances of mine looking like this are slim)

Support a Team Day!

This day was easy last year with the impending Olympics!

This year I thought I'd share these recently heard words of wisdom...

"Let's say you were drafted to a team that wasn't your first pick. You know, you don't like the players. You hate the way they play the game. You even think the quarterback is full of crap. The quarterback's a pain in the ass you don't owe a damned thing to. But, it's your team. You don't quit. You don't talk to the press. You don't bitch to the coach. You just, you just go out there every Sunday and you make the blocks and you take the hits and you, you play to win. You show up and you suit up and you play, because it's your freaking team." - Dr Alex Karev, Grey's Anatomy

February Love Mantra!

Thought I'd let you know what it is at the beginning of the month before I write about how epically I've failed it at the end of the month...

I'm supposed to never resist a high five - in fact I'm supposed to initiate them regularly, sometimes even with passers by.

I'm supposed to do ALL the things that make me feel on top of the world and none of the things which make me feel like hiding under the duvet.

I'm supposed to spend time around all the people who make me feel fabulous and endeavour to be one of those people too.

And, yes, I'm supposed to be the love.

Apparently February will be a woo hoo of a month!