Adding to the bottom drawer

On Sunday my friend and I are going to sell our wares at a car boot sale. I've been a couple of times before and they're quite fun really, despite the waking up at 5:00 a.m. business!

So this afternoon I went through my stuff and packed a couple of boxes with items that I want to sell during which I came across 2 gorgeous large blue glass plates, a sparkly wine bottle coaster and a set of lovely Maltese prints. It seems like my mother doesn't want these but I do and have stashed them away along with the other 'things for my (future) house'.

Everyone around me seems to be moving into their own places and I can't wait to do that myself and be able to decorate and have a space that's mine - a space that's larger than a bedroom and en-suite effectively.

However it's the interior decorating that I'm really looking forward to :) Because truth be told, I don't know if I'll enjoy living alone in any case!

He said, she said

I'm considering abandoning online conversations over IM programmes unless either absolutely necessary or for quick communication such as confirming a time/place situation, because time and time again I find that they often lead to misunderstandings and unnecessary hassles.

Due to the lack of tone and expression it's very easy to misinterpret messages and trying to explain what you actually meant is another hurdle in itself because you often encounter the same problems. So perhaps I'll give myself a break from instant messaging for a while and see how that goes; after all, if someone wants to get in touch with me they can call!

The art lovers affair - Book Review

The below article is my first book review for The Sunday Times of Malta. I really like the way that it came out and book reviews are definitely fun to do. Right now I'm on to my second one and have started reading the book which promises to get even more intriguing from what I can tell until now...

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The art lovers affair
Giselle Borg Olivier
The Sunday Times, Malta
01 Nov 2009

IAN RANKIN: DoorsOpen, Orion, 2008, 316, pp. â��12 Have you ever wanted something that was seemingly unattainable? Something that was owned by somebody else but they didn’t appreciate it in the same way that you would? Would you risk your future to get...read more...

Tech Tags: The Sunday Times, Malta newspaper Culture And Entertainment

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Julie & Julia

Yesterday evening I watched Julie & Julia at the cinema - don't you just love the cinema when the weather starts getting colder?

I didn't know what the film was about. No, I didn't know who Julia Child was; I never watched a cooking programme before Ready, Steady, Cook! However I really did enjoy the film, possibly because of all the mouth-watering food shots that it included! And also because of the blogging factor - I like films that are aware of social trends.

I think it must be lovely to be able to cook like that and derive such pleasure from it. I don't think it's something that I would particularly inspire to do; however, perhaps if you've got people whom you're cooking for then it takes on a new stance and no longer remains 'the chore of cooking because food is necessary'. One of the dishes that she prepared that struck a chord for me was probably the simplest of bruschetta with tomatoes and cheese - so simple, yet so effective.

I like the idea of various snack foods as a main meal rather than just one plate. Bruschetta, couscous, potato salad, stuffed tomatoes, vol au vents - a lot more work definitely, but more fun!

I love the above picture where she presents of one her dishes to her friends (no that's not a spoiler) because the setting with the fairy lights is just so pretty.

Show me the shops and let me free

The weather's finally changed/changing; timepieces go back one hour today; the days have got shorter - winter has shown its face once again. Not that I can complain when having summer that lasts for approximately six months.

One of the major changes this time round is clothes. Wardrobes always change once the weather changes; however, the in-between stages of hot and cold are decidedly a pain in the butt when it comes to deciding what to wear. Also opening drawers and cupboards to see clothes that you've worn so many times before can be a bit depressing - to go along with the weather it seems! And at the moment I am in the midst of a shopping crave.

I need retail therapy. I want to go round the shops and buy new clothes. I can just feel the shopping lust. I don't get it often given my clothes bartering tendencies but sometimes a girl just needs new threads in her wardrobe. Having said that, feel free to take a look into my online wardrobe and see whether there's anything that you'd fancy owning. I'm willing to sell for very cheap prices - need to make space for new clothes ;)

Production Week

We've entered Production Week for our One Act Play. Lines are learnt, costumes are chosen, entrances and exits are planned. Tonight we set the lighting, Wednesday is our dress rehearsal, Friday we have an audience. Sunday we're judged, and it's all over!

It seems to be a lot of work for just 2 runs but it's worth it. It was a very fun play to be in and we were (and still are!) a very good cast which makes things a lot easier. I actually can't wait to perform it in front of an audience and get reactions to my lines and jokes. My character is extremely humorous so the feedback will be interesting - no feedback will be disastrous!! I'm also interested to hear the judges feedback since this will be my fourth One Act play in five years and hearing critique over the years can be very fruitful.

One positive aspect to rehearsals that I've noted has been the fewer hours that I've spent in front of my PC. Apart from work that is. Since we rehearse in the evenings I don't have the chance to get stuck in front of my monitor and I don't miss it!

Avenue Q

I've been wanting to watch Avenue Q probably since I first heard about it. I still haven't. I was in London last February but didn't have the chance to go to the theatre since I was there for a conference.

The show was meant to close at the end of this year; however, I've just seen their website and discovered that it's been extended until January 2010, which, until now, gives me one month's more chance to get over to London and watch it!

I also really want to watch Wicked but since Avenue Q is likely to close sooner then I'll make a bee-line to the Gielgud Theatre first. Not that I have any plans to go to London, but we'll see - not an impossibility!

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Shades and Shadows of the English Language

I am a copywriter by profession. And because I enjoy writing, I enjoy language and all its nuances. Grammar, elocution, word meanings, synonyms - what most people would call nerdy stuff, I find it fascinating!

In fact I recently download a whole list of podcasts on my iPhone - Grammar Girl's Quick & Dirty Tips. They're approximately 5 minutes each and they deal with a grammar topic in a quick and dirty way. Easy, breezy...

English was always my favourite subject and it was the subject that I won a school prize in, the subject that I got my highest 'O' level grade in, what I chose as an 'A' level and what I continued studying at university (albeit as my secondary area for career reasons).

I recall an episode in primary school when I was about 6 years old; we were working through an exercise on contractions such as didn't, couldn't and were giving the full terminology. It was one of those lessons where you'd raise your hand, the teacher would pick someone and they'd give the answer. In the list there was the contraction o'clock so I raised my hand and gave the answer, of the clock, and because it didn't follow the 'pattern' of the other words and was deemed to be more difficult, the teacher suspected me of having the answers written! I assured her that I didn't, and in fact I did not, which left her suitably impressed, but left a 6-year-old with a lasting memory.

One Act Plays Festival 2009

It's One Act Plays Festival time again and auditions were held last Sunday. Unfortunately there wasn't a great turnout, especially in the male department (which is normal) so there's another set of auditions being held tomorrow. I don't need to audition again but I really hope that we get a reply tomorrow because there are only 5/6 weeks to actually learn lines, rehearse and generally get the play in decent viewing condition, for a paying audience.

There are 5 plays in all, and with not so many auditionees the odds are pretty much in favour of everyone getting a part. Or at least let's hope so! I hope that they'll let us know tomorrow... curiosity becomes me!

It would be really nice to have a play to concentrate on during September, especially since I haven't been involved in anything theatrical this year. Apart from watching plays. And after that there's tennis in October.