One of the mysteries of life

Why do people go mad for sales? They are basically (on the clothes side) little bits of tat that no one wanted to buy during the year. Soon as a couple of quid is knocked off people queue for hours for them. However I must admit for electrical/jewellery the sales are worth it.

I went around the whole of Bluewater today and braved the mahoosive queues on the road to get in. Completely missed the turning on the A2 cos i didn't think the traffic would be so massive and by the time I saw it it was too late to get in! Bloody motorways would have been okay on a normal road. So I decided to go to Dartford initially instead, didn't know where I was going so that was fun. Then got to Dartford and that was just as jammed so decided to turn around and go back to Bluewater. Went the back way so got there reasonably quickly, well I say quickly but probably faster then it would have been the other way.

Couldn't find a space of course because it was rammed so after 45 mins we parked on a layby in the overflow park. Went around all my usual shops in Bwater and found nothing of interest, only got 2 things a cardi and a star necklace and earring set. Think I'll stay at home next yr!

Ooohh another competition win!

Yesterday on Christmas Eve I received a letter from recorded delivery. Inside were two tickets to Cheltenham race course for New Years day. Quite a nice little competition win I must say but I'm not quite sure if my mum will want to go. Will she wont she? Plus it's a two hour drive, i'm sure i'll let you know if I do potter along to the event!

It's Christmas!

So Christmas time has finally come around and it ISN'T snowing. What a surprise... In fact it is sunny, as I said before we had Christmas weather a week too early. Bah Humbug! For Xmas I got Wii games: Rabiids Go Home, Babysitting Party, Movie studios party and thrillvilles off the rails, make up, jewellery and earring set, Olay smellies from my aunt (who gives the same stuff every year lol), more olay stuff from my mum, a Mr Men t shirt, more smellies, a alarm clock, I did get money for my sat nav so technically that was a xmas pressy too, a DVD, a photo globe, some books and a photo ornament. I also got a scarf from the neighbour, some bangles from my cousins and £20. To be honest I get most things as I go along in the year so there was nothing I really wanted, but alas it is nice to get some little pressies! yesterday I bought myself two new tops and a coat so every week is Christmas for me. Lol.

Merry Christmas all!!

My trip to Edinburgh

Hello everyone I'm back from my trip to Scottyland!

Having to wake up at 5am was quite a hardship as getting up early really isn't my thing, and I feel that getting up when it's still night outside is just wrong!

Alas I managed it and we left at 6am, having to catch 3 trains before we even got to Heathrow. I don't know if any of you have ever used the Heathrow Express but it costs £60 for a return journey. Can you believe that? They must be making a mint, seriously where do they get off?! Considering a 50 min trip to London Victoria from Chatham costs just £23 for a return on peak that is a hell of a lot of money. Still if you can why not eh?

The plane took off on time and everything was just dandy. The Fraser suites were very nice indeed with a double bed, ensuite bathroom, couch, widescreen tv, nice view of the city, microwave, fridge, toaster, hairdryer, ironing board and iron, storage space, table, ipod dock and alarm clock were included. Also musn't forget the complimentary milk sachets in the fridge :) lol. We also got a free breakfast as part of the deal of the prize my brother won. We had free passes to most of the attractions in Edinburgh and went to the Dungeons, Camera Obscura and the Loch Ness 3D exprience in the first day. The dungeons were cool, but the history seemed a bit basic, did enjoy the torture talk tho! The main part of the Camera Obscuras feature was closed because there was no daylight and the Nessie experience was interesting, the 3D was pretty good too.

On the second day we explored the Winter Wonderland but I sadly couldn't find Santa's reindeers which would have been quite fun. Walked past the huge tower where you could see the whole of the city but with 279 steps it seemed like too much hard work. So off we went to Dynamic Earth which was closed... bit of a cheek when it didn't even say that in the guide book. Next we tried the Butterfly and creepy crawlies centre, that was open and it was nice to see a few of them. Then we went back to the city, had a Maccy D's, and went on a tour of the most haunted underground vaults in the UK. It was interesting how they were found as a student in the 70s only discovered them when he noticed a hollow spot on his wall. He knocked it through and found these huge tunnels. The tour guide was either very jumpy or putting it on, i wasn't quite sure but she often seemed to hear noises and stuff. One room scared a load of wiccans off as they sensed a evil spirit, and another had a rather gruesome story. Back in the 1800's living on the streets was made illegal so all those without a home came underground to live in the vaults. They chose this one particular room because it was so large and one day there was a fire above on the streets. They thought they'd be safe down there because stone doesn't burn but what they didn't quite realise was Limestone was a great conductor of heat and so they slowly roasted to death. They say now there was this poltergiest that lived in this room, caused by the fear and emotions of these paupers who couldn't get out because the heat sealed the door shut. It apparantly doesn't like women so women are put in the safer corner where the spirit is weaker and the men on the other side. It's also supposed to intefere with electrical equipment but I left my phone on and it didn't do anything so who knows! lol.

It was a interesting experience though. Later we went for our three course complimentary meal at the Wee Restaurant. Unfortunately it was out of town and cost loads on taxi fares but the meal was nice enough. The next morning we woke up to a ton of snow. Pretty typical for the day you're flying home eh? We got to the airport and the plane was delayed, the time slowly pushed back till 5 hours later we finally boarded the plane and left. Saying that however I wasn't too bored as I read through two newspapers and started on finishing my book. It really is amazing how the UK can collapse with a bit of snow when countries like Siberia and parts of America who gets tons of it just get on with it! Madness.

Woohoo i'm off to Scottyland

Hi ho hi ho it's off to Scottyland I go!

My bro won a trip to Edinburgh a couple of months back and we're finally off to Edinburgh for our 2 night stay in a 5 star Fraser Suite hotel with a complimentary 3 course meal and free entry to all attractions in the city. Not bad for a competition prize eh?

I'm sure I'll post a few pics when i'm back.!

In the meantime do keep reading x

Our White Christmas came one week too early!

I posted recently about hoping for a White Christmas, I think it heard me but got its dates wrong... Now the weather forecast is claiming that the weather will warm up by Christmas day.. in just a week! Bah humbug! Bloody useless weather !

Anywho in South East Kent we have quite a bit of snow and as usual it brings the country to a standstill (everyone agree with me to say pathetic?) anyway there are flurrys up to your knees and this little blizzard caused a hell amount of disruption to the roads last night.

I myself took a trip up to Sittingbourne when there wasn't a flake on the road, four hours later and the world was coated in a blanket of white. Having only driven for three weeks this was my first experience of driving on the snow and yes it was fun. Sittingbourne's roads were absloutely amazing compared to the M2 which in my opinion is bloody disgusting! How useless are our gritters? they knew it was going to snow and do they grit it? nooooooooooo! So I had to sit on the M2 for half hour while a load of twits dug out a lorry or something. But the snow wasn't even thick at that point so I don't quite understand why they had to do that? During that time my car started to overheat and the red STOP sign kept flashing. Not what I wanted to see really!

We did start moving eventually and I drove home at 20mph the rest of the way.. lol. It was quite surreal with the rules of the road forgotten as everyone drove in single file, feet apart to avoid smashing into each other. At times your car did a bit of skiing which was a bit hairy but I got through it lol.

Just as I was coming to the roundabout not far from my home some idiot had stopped by the entrance of the roundabout and my car chose that moment to slide, I stopped just inches from them. Wouldn't have caused much damage but still.

What should have taken 20 mins took about 1 hour 45 mins, ooh don't you love driving in the snowww! lol.

White Christmas?

Gosh its so cold this year... maybe we'll get snow at Christmas who knows, the temperatures are low enough. The notion of snow at Christmas is a funny one though as back in the day the calendars were completely different to how they are now. So what was 'December' then was actually February 'hence the snow.' However it is every child or grown childs dream to have a white Christmas, who knows?!

I bet the bookies are already putting odds on.

On a side note, my car is so retarded during winter it sucks. Got out of work today, tried to start my car and it did... nothing. GRRR!!

So I kept trying for ages and still nothing, connected up this battery thing that usually kick starts it and.. nothing. So I sat there for about half hour freezing my tits off, occasionally turning the key to no response etc. I had phoned my dad by this time and he was coming to help out, so I decided to get out the car and voila, the key fob worked. Got back in and it started. Why is technology such as a bastard!?

Prize winner!

Today I received another prize through the post. Yet another Daniel O'Donnell pice of merchanise. Oh what joy! Still the CD album sold for almost £9 so a DVD of his tour will be sure to sell for more?! lol.

I wonder when the decent prizes will start flooding in? On a side note my freebie bid has got off to a decent start with a reply from Greggs, enclosing £2 worth of vouchers. How very kind of them!

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mylot user profile

The BlueBell hill ghost!

Having witnessed what appeared to be a accident on my way home this evening (lots of traffic building up, sirens everywhere) I did a search for accidents on Bluebell hill. I didn't find anything, as it turns out the accident was on a West Malling road (i believe so anyway) but it did bring up the case of the Bluebell hill ghost.

It is a interesting story that consists of phantom hitchhikers and small children that run out into the road and then disappear. Apparantly it all started mainly with the November 1965 car crash involving a lady on the eve of her wedding and three friends. It also stems back to historical times when the road didn't exist and it is the ghosts of the soldiers that you see.

I find it all very interesting and I'm just wondering do you believe in ghosts? Have you ever seen one? Comments welcome!

Bored outa my skull!!

So we're onto Week 2 of the new job and today I was given nothing to do by my managers. They were in meetings all day and I did as much email checking and sorting as I could possibly do. I checked their calendars and tried .. and failed to keep myself busy.

Such a boring day. You'd think having nothing to do would be great but it's not. Also having your own office has many downsides such as little social contact. Oh well! :(

Got some tasks to do tomorrow so I'm praying a new day a new chance to keep busy and feel important!

Kathy's tip for the day

Ideas on how to get freebies you really want

If you are like me and love getting free stuff you could always try writing to the companies whose products you really love. This way rather then applying for freebies you see online of which may have run out by the time you enter you are freewinging it - congratulating someone for providing a service or product of which you found useful and getting something in return. By writing to companies first you are almost guaranteed a response - especially by mail, (less so by email a lot of the time) to congratulate you for your custom. You may receieve a full size product or vouchers towards money off etc.

It's the perfect way to get a freebie you actually like!

Alternatively it always pay to complain too - companies fear losing your business and offer to replace the item or replace the item and give you money off vouchers too. Try it - but make sure your item is really broken first!

Just as a side note I was writing a couple of thank you letters the other night and I found it extremely difficult to get the postal addresses of many make up brands, especially Max Factor. I found this very strange and a bit odd.

Another competition win

The other day I received a email saying I had won another prize! This time it was a dinner jacket from the designer site Brook Tavener click to see what I won. With both the jacket and the suit trousers it comes to the combined total of £185 woop!

Now as soon as I get it I will be taking a visit to Ebay... I really hope it sells well, it's definitely worth the money!

Tims' in the limelight!

In my determination to give my cat the exposure he deserves he finally got featured in the December Newsletter of Sixtyplusurfers. Seeing as he is 11 years old he fits in well here. Check it out!

And so the working life begins...

So I've been at my new job a couple of days now and I have to say it's not too bad. These last two days I've been mostly shown the ropes, introduced to people and sat in on meetings. I've had to do minutes too which I have never done before so that's a bit of a experience. I don't know what she thinks of the minutes I've typed up yet but I'm sure I'll find out soon enough!

I've only met one of the managers I'll be managing the diary of so still got one to come, but she seems nice enough. Everyone seems friendly but there's not really anyone my own age which has been pretty much the same whereever I go. The staff room also appears to be pretty dead at times as hardly anyone talks. Oh well. There's not much point driving to the town because all the faffing around with the car parks means your lunch break will be over before you know it and walking takes half hour there and back so you might as well stay! Plus I usually get boxed in anyway lol.

Going to a conference tomorrow, gets me out of the office, should be interesting.. lol

How to be a successful blogger!

If you enjoy writing you should consider blogging as a outlet for your words of widsom. You must remember however if you want to make some sort of income from your blog you should be aware that it takes a lot of time, patience and resilience to get to a stage where you make anything worthwhile. Firstly you should pick the kind of platform you wish to base your blog on. You can go for the free blog sites such as www.wordpress.com, www.blogger.com, etc or you can produce your own website with your own domain name on a server. The latter does cost money but it offers you a free platform to do whatever you want with your blog, for example you can put as much advertising as you want on it. If you really don't have any knowledge of html or how the internet scripts work however you'll probably be better off sticking with the free websites. When monetizing your blog you should first consider what site you're going to register on, for example Word Press is not a fan of ads such as Adsense and Google will block you for trying this. (I know from experience.). Blogger on the other hand is Adsense friendly and you can set up a account through the site.

Once you've decided you want to set up a blog you should think of what topic or niche your blog is going to be about. Is it going to be a personal blog or will it be work related, ways on making money, pet tips, horse riding ideas etc. It's your blog so only you know what you want to blog about! The idea is to find a topic that will appeal to other people and will want to make them read what you've got to offer. Another good thing to remember are key words. These are notable words that people type in search engines when looking for something that may bring up your site if you have the right words available. For example if someone is looking for 'Ways to make money', and you have included these key words your site may appear as their results. Once they've clicked on your link you've gained yourself another reader.

When you first start off blogging its very hard to gain readers. For a start no one knows about your site or what you have to offer so you have to be the one that promotes it and tells them. You should first register on every search engine you can think of, there are sites around that do this for you so you should type in something like submit to search engines in Google and you'll get a list of sites with this service. It's all free so you don't need to worry about paying for anything. Social networking is a vital tool in today's Internet driven world and friends and family are the first visitors on your list. They know you so they're going to be more likely to pay you a visit and you never know they may end up coming again. Promote yourself on every site you can think of such as Twitter, Facebook, Stumble Upon, Digg etc. Tell them what you've written and why they should visit. Another option is to create a fan page on Facebook and invite all your friends, then post your updates in there. Posting a summarised article of stuff you've written is a good idea to post on article sites such as Ezine. Make sure you follow this up with a link to the full post in your blog though! Lastly you can try Directory listings, but this is a very time consuming procedure that doesn't guarantee any traffic (visitors). At the very least try submitting your site to the higher page ranked directories as this gives you useful back links.

After a couple of months if you've preservered and have posted many interesting blogs, you will soon have a little fanpage and you will hopefully be growing in readers as the months go by!

It's a date!

This Thursday just gone I went on another date with a guy I had met online sometime. Probably from Faceparty or something like that. I thought he lived in Dartford at first and I couldn't remember how old he was haha good aren't i! Turns out he was 21 and lived in Herne Bay not Dartford. Still don't know where I got the Dartford idea from. Anywho he drove down on Thursday night and we went to my local the Sherwood.

On first impressions he wasn't too bad looking, friendly enough, nice eye lashes lol. We seemed to get on well enough and he asked a lot of questions, unlike the last one whose only interest was himself. Bit of give and take is always good huh!? lol.

I usually find guys I go on dates with really aren't funny at all. This one I must say had quite a few amusing anecdotes about times he was drunk. Such as trying to pee in a mates drawer, wardrobe and trying to get in bed with his mates parents. Brilliant lol.

I've decided to see him again as we got on and he amused me, although the only downside was when he laughed his eyes kinda diseppeared. Mmm.

He's okay...

But ever so agitated..

If you had read the post just before this one you'd know my poor little kitty had to have a op to remove his eyes because Glaucoma ravished them. He came home from the op this evening but he seemed so anxious and unable to stay still. I think it may be because he obviously can't open his eyes anymore and maybe trying to. I guess not understanding is the worst thing possible. It was that option or putting him down and as his body was fine we chose not to. Hope it was the right choice and that he adapts to it soon! :|

My poor kitty :(

My cats been suffering with his eyes for a long time and has been pretty much blind for about a year. This morning my cat knocked into him and he screamed so loud, the sound was horrible. His eye had bulged out of the socket, was so red and bloody, it was horrible. It really did look like something out of a horror movie. He was so quiet after that as well and kept pacing which is really unlike him. We took him for a emergency appointment and she said he'd glaucoma for a while. The only 2 options were to take the eyes out (he couldn't see anyway) or put him down.

Me and my mum love that cat so we decided to do the op. He won't be in pain anymore and he couldn't use his eyes anyway. Be so weird seeing him like that though :(

Hope he's okay :(

At last... a car!

After a year's torturous wait since I passed my test in November 2008 I have finally got a car!

I got my job this month and as I finally had the money to run the bloody thing I was desperate to get onto the band wagon of the car searching. Only my dad needed a contract before he even believed I had a job. S O F R U S T R A T I N G!

In the end it took Kent County Council Personnel department two weeks.. yes two weeks to send me a email with confirmation of the job details. Why did it take so long? god knows but in my personal experience all personnel department are as about as efficient as a chocolate teapot.

What do they do to get that kind of backlog? It's beyond me but I got it in the end and once my dad believed me we could look for cars!

The first garage we went to was shut on a Sunday. Very annoying. It was only small but still! Then we went to one in Maidstone, this one was open but only one guy was there so we couldn't do any test drives. The only car in my price range was a Peugeot 206 1998 edition. It had done a lot of miles (117,000 :O) but it had been well looked after and looked really nice. If you ask me it doesn't look ten / eleven years old. My dad wanted to put a deposit on it but the guy didn't know how to work a card machine. What did he know other then how to read a book?

We came back on Monday, took it for a test drive and decided to buy it. This little Peugeot 206 will be my first car :) I really hope it doesn't keep breaking down on me or anything, can't afford that! The garage did say they'd pay up to £500 expenses though, although I would prefer it not to come to that lol. I'm sure I'll post pictures soon !

Hello again

It appears I have another follower! It now stands at 9 woop woop lol but I checked my google Analytics and I appear to be going down, down, down in numbers of visits over the past three days. NOT GOOD!

I have done everything to promote my little blog, spreading the word on Social Networking sites (good old Facebook, and Twitter) posting in forums and posting ads. I've also been posting on every directory that has a page rank of at least one. And still the numbers go down :s. Hope they pick up soon!

Do post your comments and let me know what you think of this site!!

p.s If you type in you frustrate me in Google I appear at number 2!

Competition winning really does rely on lady luck

Tips to winning competitions

When you go to enter a competition it is obviously because you want to win the prize. However it can be very frustrating when you enter several competitions to find you're never really getting anywhere. The first tip I have is the most important one:

• Peservere - Rome wasn't created in one day or a couple of weeks and winning is really a odds game - don't give up!

I personally enter many competitions, they say a serious compter enters around 30 a week but I am pretty certain that is nowhere near enough to really win much. Unless you're incredibly lucky that is. If you're meant t win something you will regardless of how many you enter but as I'm sure you're aware the more you put your name down for the better your chances. So if you have the time instead of aiming for 30 competitions a week go for as many as you can possibly fit in. But make sure you still have a life at the end of the day!

There are many different competitions with varying outcomes, for example small prizes like CDs, DVDs etc and larger prizes like holidays, large cash prizes, cars etc. Clearly the better the prize the more entries the competition will receive so don't be disappointed if you don't win that new Audi TT Roadster as there were probably around 9-10,000 entries alone. Look for the smaller promotions, more unique companies etc that are offering prizes as the likelihood is less people would have heard about them and you will have more chance of winning.

If you're willing to put a little towards the entry cost of your competition there is a very high chance that there won't be as many entrants due to this. Decide whether the prize is worth the entry fee, in comparison to free competitions, or whether it's just that you want a easy way to win something. Even with a entry fee you are not guaranteed a win!

Sign up to reputable website and magazines newsletters, that way you will be informed of the competitions before everyone else. This doesn't mean that the promotion will close any sooner but you will get notified of more comps without having to lift a finger.

There are some competitions that I come across that allow you to enter daily. This of course ups your odds dramatically and if you persist you may see yourself with that win very soon. Alternatively you can get your friends, family etc to get involved in the comp for you. Another way to get more entries is to recommend the comp to friends or family but this is usually specified in the comp itself.

If you enter lots of competitions you can always keep a record of what you've entered, but if like me it's hundreds you may be better off waiting for them to contact you - if you win - because they will. Winners will get notified either by telephone, email or post for smaller items such as DVDs.

So to summarise winning competitions is a odds game there is no doubts about that. However your chances of winning a typical competition is so much more in your favour then say winning the National Lottery that has the odds of 1 in 14 million chance. The more you enter the more likely you will win something, that is the best tip I can give you. Whether it is a DVD or a holiday to the Bahamas only lady luck can decide!!

To get started try The Prizefinder

p.s if you don't believe people actually win check out my win list.

Na na na na Batman!

All the hardwork I have put into competition entering has finally paid off as I have won you guessed it a Batman DVD. I've no idea who from as they didn't send a letter but I have a idea that it's probably this Sci Fi Online site.

However as I'm not all too keen on watching the animated series of Batman I am selling it on Ebay. If you're interested do check out the Batman Ebay link.

I am slightly miffed that I haven't won more but then I console myself with the fact that a lot of the competitions haven't closed yet so I'm sure the wins will be rolling in soon! lol.

Before this I did however win, I say win but i'm not quite sure if they gave them to everyone, two tickets to the Glamour convention in London. They were worth about £20 so guess that was worth winning. Then I won a £5 voucher to personalised engraving, and ordered myself a engraved cat frame. It came today, very nice looking but I broke the back latch trying to secure the bloody thing!

I will keep you updated! lol

Love Comes Knocking now Live!

After a lot of hassle my Ebook website Love Comes Knocking is finally live. I can't tell you how much bother it was trying to find a free Ebook cover creator. They're just not out there! The best is a script for photoshop called Actions... but I don't have Photoshop :(

So I made do with this other 3d box creator.. imagantively named 3D Box Maker. Lol. This is what I came up with in the end.. it's not perfect but hey it's better then nothing!

So what do you think? If you enjoy reading rom-coms then do go and take a look at my website. It's selling for just £1.99 so not a bad deal!

Comments welcome!

Dating marlarky

If you read The Dating Game you would know that not too long ago I went on a date with a guy. He seemed quite cute and I thought I'd see him again, although I admit he did talk far too much about himself. It's good to do a bit of give and take isn't it and I really don't recall him asking me many questions! Plus he was pretty skint as he didn't have a proper job so he would always have moaned about money, and god don't men do that enough with a full time job!

Anyway after that first date he text a bit at first but then that tailed off and he really didn't seem interested. I know when a guys interested and it's not acting like that. So I ask are you still interested and he's like oh yeh of course, I'm just a bit skint at the moment. Mmmmm heard that one before!

Number one excuse from a man - I haven't got any money - lol

Anywho we had arranged to meet one week after the first date and he came up with the most creative excuse 'I have to pay for my elderley cats vet treatment cos my mums skint'. Of course. Lol. We didn't really talk much after that, his phone was broken for a while and didn't really talk online. Then I suggested meeting up again and he said yes, so I arranged it for this Thursday. And then he txts me yesterday to say he had been seeing a old friend for about a week now. Why didn't that surprise me! Men are all the same, a bunch of tits. lol.

I'm not too bothered really, who would want someone whose only interest is themselves..ehhh? I had quite a few messages off Plenty of Fish yesterday too.. one was cute but his profile was a bit conflicting.. says he lived in London and his location said Kent and said his jobs the army.. hope hes left ! lol

Why is it so hard to let go?

If you've read swimming for the future you will know I am taking swimming lessons. I have done around two rounds now and still haven't quite conquered the task of swimming. I know that we were all born with the ability to swim but we are also born with as bilinguals with the ability to learn every language under the sun. You lose that ability and it's harder to get back as a more fearful adult.

I would love to just let go and go for it like some of the other people in my class but I haven't quite got to that stage yet. It's really frustrating (and expensive) to keep going for lessons but it does give me more confidence, gets me out the house and increases my confidence in putting my face in too.

It would be great if I could wake up one day and suddenly be able to swim but in the meanwhile I guess I will keep on trooping!

Are any of you learning something new? comments welcome

A useful shopping list for you all

To help you maneouvre around my blog a bit easier to find the much needed top gifts for Christmas 2009 I will put them in a useful little list below:

Hot gifts for women
Hot gifts for men
Hot gifts for babies from 0-12 months
Hot gifts for children

Happy shopping!

Top ten requests to Santa this Christmas

Looking for gifts for other family members?
Hot gifts for women
Hot gifts for men
Hot gifts for babies from 0-12 months

As part of the What to buy at Christmas collection I have written a handy guide for the top ten toys to buy for children this christmas.

With their letter to Santa written, the carrot left for Rudolph, and cookies and milk on the side every little child in the world will be expecting their dreams to come true on Christmas day. Whilst it is impossible to buy everything they want (unless you're a millionare) one much desired present will keep them quiet for the rest of the day. To find out what the top ten toys for boys and girls in 2009 are keep on reading!

Click on the links to find out more and buy the product if you like it!
Bakugan Battle Pack by Spin Masters

The Bakugan battle pack is perfect for every little boy who wants to save the galaxy. It is suitable for up to two players or as a accompaniment to any current Bakugan sets. It includes 6 Bakugans, 6 metallic cards and 6 ability cards along with 2 collector cards that are unique to this pack. Each player can expect a little surprise or two along the way!

Battle Strikers Starter Set by Mega Brands - Dragonblaze

The battle striker ‘Tsunami’ is the next generation of battle tops, engaging little boys of 6+ in rip-roaring floor action. The power of control will be in their hands as they attach their striker to the turbo launcher and rev the speed up. Use the controller to launch your ship and engage battle against your contender.

Ben 10 ALIEN FORCE Planetary Powder by Bandai

Rev up every Ben 10’s fans imagination with the Ben 10 Alien Force Kevin Levin Action Cruiser. This unique role-play toy brings the action full circle as 5 years after Ben wore the Omnitrix he is forced into action when Grandpa Max goes missing. Boys can join Ben, Gwen and Kevin to find new half-alien allies and stop a secret highbred invasion. The toy is a cool Action Cruiser just like the one in the show, in which the green muscle car is packed with lots of surprises. Players can really get into the action as they start battle and shoot the DNA alien capsules. Their favourite scenes from the show can be recreated or they can make up their own stories with the figures included and those sold separately.

Bendaroos Mega Pack by Spin Master

Bendaroos are the amazing new craft pack without any mess. With the flexible building sticks children can draw, craft, transform and decorate almost anything. They can be bent and twisted and stuck together all without the need for glue which I’m sure will make them seem a lot more appetising to parents! They can be stuck to any surface and reused again and again which makes for a Christmas present that will never really go out of use. Children can create jewellery, doll furniture, clothing for actions figures, craft pieces etc. The list is only as long as the imagination! The set features 400 coloured sticks, a cut n join tool, 2 double-sided templates and an instruction booklet.

Go Go Pets Hamster by Character Options

If the child you’re buying for has always wanted a pet but hasn’t been trusted with one GO GO Pet Hamsters is the next best alternative. These interactive realistic looking hamsters are artificially intelligent so they talk and move around their habitat. There are 4 to collect so you could buy all 4 and they will be happy for hours.

S1 GX Racers Tightrope Terror Playset by Flair

Do you know a little boy who wants to be ripping around the track like Lewis Hamilton? The GX Racers Tightrope set will give them a taste of danger in the safety of their own home. Using patented technology the cars are designed around the power of the Gyroscope and the Ripcord that allows for extreme speeds and unbelievable stunts. The Tightrope Terror track showcases the terrifying stunt where a car roars across a tiny tightrope. The stunt can be performed reasonably close together or at any two points in the room to make it incredibly awe inspiring. The set is of course the perfect addition to any stunt set.

VTech Kidizoom Multimedia Digital Camera by VTech

The VTech Digital camera is the perfect first camera for little people. With integrated games, camera taking facilities, a 4cm LCD screen, and the ability to link it up to the TV or PC it is the ultimate all in one digital gift. The camera is extra sturdy so it will withstand the inevitable knocks and drops it will get from being thrown or dropped by little hands. Photos can be edited using the creative workshop and games can be played on the move or when linked up to a TV. It also has a SD feature so more memory can be added, as the 16mb slot will probably fill up quite quickly. The front of the camera is interchangeable so it can be customised for either a boy or girl. It also includes a carry strap, CD, and cables to both the computer and TV. With these features this camera is the perfect Christmas present for any little boy or girl.

LEGO Games Minotaurus by Lego

The Minotaurus game by Lego is an innovative new design that uses Lego in ways never seen before. Get the whole family involved as children and adults sit down to a game that is decided by the bouncy rubber dice. No two games will be the same as you lead your heroes to the temple where the evil Minotaur lives, beating your opponents with cleverly placed blocks and hiding from the monster. Play to find out who will be crowned the Lego champion!

Monopoly City by Hasbro

Monopoly city is a twist on the original properties board game. Build from scratch to create a city of 3D properties that will make your fortunes grow. Develop buildings such as stadiums and skyscrapers in such a way that you can maximise your property price and bring your opponents down. Be cunning and place unsightly looking buildings near their territory and watch as their empire flat lines. Monopoly City is a great strategy game for older kids that even has a deal button.

Princess Peppa Pig Peppa's Palace by Character Options

Do you know a little one who loves Peppa Pig? If so the Peppa Pig Princess Peppa’s place is a toy fit for a princess literally. The palace includes a dinning room and kitchen on the ground floor. Upstairs there are 2 bedrooms, a playroom and more. The palace is covered in pretty décor and comes with many unique accessories such as thrones for a King and Queen, beds, table and chairs, oven and cauldron. The toy even folds out to reveal a banqueting hall and many more surprises. To protect Peppa Pig and her royal family there is a specially designed guardsman. The toy is the perfect way to encourage imagination and bring Peppa Pig into the home.

Sylvanian Families The Caravan by Flair

Even the Sylvanian people can go on holiday with the new Caravan set. Featuring a moveable side and roof the caravan opens up to reveal a fully functional home within a caravan. It has a well-equipped kitchen, shower room and seating area that have realistic items such as a sink, stove, drawers, cupboards and even a fold out ironing board. Seating can also be folded away to make a double bed and there are two further bunk beds on the roof. There is also a small shower room for the little Sylvanian’s to get cleaned up in! The set comes with 25 amazing accessories and is perfect for keeping little ones busy on Christmas day.

Transformers - Revenge of the Fallen - Demolishor by Hasbro

If you know a child that loves Transformers, the Voyager Demolishor will prolong the movie experience. With Voyager Demolishor they can wage battle while waiting for the Decepticons to lead them once again. With Mech Alive spinning gears in robot mode, this monster is ready to fight. It can also be transformed into an excavator with a working shovel in vehicle mode.

Me and my kitty posing for pics

In the little bit of time I had before I went to the Job shop today I took a few pics with my little pussy cat Tim. He's a old chap, about 11 years old but I love him to bits. He hasn't had a easy life with illnesses galore like cystitus, cancer and having to have loads of teeth out cos they were all rotting and now Feline Uveitus which has made him lose his eyesight. :(

He was being really affectionate and loving today though, makes a change from scratching me to pieces when I try to put him down!

Check out a few pics:

Scary dreams

Last night I had a rather vivid dream that my front teeth were so wobbly they were about to fall out. It seemed so real and really horrible. So horrible that I was even contemplating going to the dentist in my dream as no one looks good looking like they've done ten rounds with Mike Tyson.

The dentist scares me as I hate opening my mouth to strangers, especially for prolonged periods. To be honest I'm much happier going to the docs then the dentist. Doesn't help that when i was watching the 2002 World Cup I tried to put a apple in my mouth (not my brightest moment I admit) and I do believe I pulled my jaw slightly out of place. Now every so often it aches for a day or so and keeping it open for ages doesn't help matters.

So yes I've not been for quite a few years, I would go if I have severe dental pain but I don't so I can stay as far away as possible from the dentist. I guess visiting the dentist is another of my fears!

Dentist = pain and scariness

So anyway I looked up what this dream could mean and some of the results weren't pleasant reading. It could mean a loss in the family if you look at it from a Greek meaning, anxiety, loss of power and feeling inferior as the teeth are very powerful things and of course worrying about a dental issue. Meh. I'm sure it's just a dream!

Do any of you have strange episodes like this where you wake up and remember and think it really did seem so real?

Comments welcome.

What makes us fear something?

Fear is a funny thing.. why do we fear things?

I believe it is to do with our subconcious where we remember what went wrong in the past and how it affected us thus not wanting to go near the associated 'fear' anymore. For example in the past when I was a little girl  I went to Butlins and one night I ate a hotdog followed by crisps followed by popcorn. That night I was sick (unsuprisingly) and for years after that I didn't touch popcorn. I find it odd how I blamed popcorn and not the other food items, but it did affect me for quite a long time. I didn't fear it exactly but I didn't want to risk eating it in case the same thing happens as I guess I kinda fear being sick. So that's where it all links up! It's the same with other food i've had in the past such as a Subway when I was ill in 2006 (not touched it since) and a KFC that was left so long it clearly wasn't right and made me ill (not touched a KFC since 2007). However I am going to try KFC again one day soon as it did used to taste so good when it was cooked right..

My other fears are of the unknown - dying and I really don't like people in masks for some reason. Can't quite figure out the mask fear but I guess maybe that's too linked to the unknown. It's funny how if you think about it everything links neatly together.

What fears do you have and why? Comments welcome.

Is it just me or have I seen you before?

The sense of small world syndrome you get from dating sites

I'm not afraid to admit it I go on dating sites, mainly because of the lack of opportunity in the big wide world. Clearly people are losing out on a big chance when they don't chat me up (lol). Anyway I can't say I've had too much success out of online dating but I do get a few dates out of it. I've just joined a new, rather large and well advertised dating site properly. I've been on there a couple of years but never actually really joined if you know what I mean.

Anyway browsing through the ads near my area I can't believe how many people i've seen before. It seems that even though we may think we are alone in feeling single and unwanted we really are not. I've seen someone from work, my own brother, people I've seen on other dating sites (a lot of them) and so on. It's amazing how the Internet can bring so many people together isn't it!

Comments welcome!

Photo shoot pictures

As promised here are some of the photo shoot pictures from Saturday's shoot. I think they came out pretty darn well, better then before anywho. Check em out and let me know what you think!

My thoughts on today

I got my Advent calender from Thorntons this year. I tried to get one from there last year but I left it so late that by December they'd all gone. So I had to make do with a plain Jane calender. I'm not quite sure why I buy them sometimes because I get so bored with chocolate I don't eat half of it.. I think i ate about 9 chocolates from last years. Guess I just like the novelty of things!

Plus I do like Thorntons chocolates...

I've not done too much today, mainly competition entering and I went to the local town earlier (where I got me calender!). I feel a bit down about the whole writing thing, like i'm trying to get my manuscript printed but I send out a letter and they just send it back saying no thanks.. one agency didn't even return my sample chapters cheeky gits! I just send them on to the next lot lol. It's sooo hard and costs so much money it really is difficult to keep optimistic about making it. I can't afford self publication and to be honest I think it's a waste of money unless you have thousands more for marketing. It's like the saying you can take a horse to water but you can't make it drink... hmm. I didn't buy much from town, not been paid yet so I will go on a splurging spree when I do..only 4 days! lol.

I am also very jealous of the two Euro Million lottery winners... it even influenced me to buy two tickets, and they've gone up to £2 ! I thought the shop keeper had ripped me off. lol. Such extortion. I hope it won't be like the crane machines where once someone's won, no one else will win until the 100 losses are up.. mmmm.

I also found out Sarah Michelle Gellar has a baby now.. i didn't even know she was pregnant! How out of the loop am I lol. I thought I knew everything about celebrities, but she is American. They annoy me anyone flaunting their riches in our faces.. grr

Hot gifts for Christmas 2009

Looking for gifts for other family members?
Hot gifts for men
Hot gifts for babies from 0-12 months
Hot gifts for children

Buying a christmas present for a woman can be unknown territory

Unlike men women like a much wider range of things.. shopping, make up, clothes, DVD's, being treated, compliments, Tiffany jewellery etc so you would think that would make us easier to buy for right? Wrong - women can be extremely picky and have their heart set on a gift that if you don't buy will leave her devastated till her birthday. Or next Christmas if you're lucky. Like men however every woman is different with different hobbies, tastes and ideas of the perfect present. It is up to you the present buyer to figure this one out. To help you along the way here is the list of what I believe are the ultimate gifts for Christmas 2009.

Spa day

Every woman loves to be pampered and a spa day is the ultimate Christmas gift. Watch her face light up as you present her with the voucher of luxury, entitling her to one day in one of the best spa's you could afford. She will get pampered, massaged and get to chill with a glass of champagne - all thanks to you.

Lingerie

If you're going to consider buying a lady lingerie you have to consider two things; 1. Make sure you know her size; and 2. Don't at any point buy anything that is slutty. Women like to feel like sexy godesses's and stylish lingerie is the perfect way to achieve this. If she's having a bad day or has a interview to attend a nice, well fitting set of underwear will make her feel a million dollars even if no one gets to see it. Think of a style that is feminine but sexy, something she would like to wear and most of all something that is practical enough to wear everyday.

Jewellery

There is nothing women like more then a bit of bling. Dainty little diamonds set in silver or gold will always get a reaction of joy. At the heart of every woman is a magpie that wants to buy as much sparkly jewellery as the eye can see. When you think of jewellery think of something classy; most women will have a ton of costume jewellery so you should think outside this bracket. The more established, pricier items are what a woman lacks - and these make the perfect Christmas present. Many women love Tiffany jewellery or you could think along the lines of heart shaped diamond jewellery Get your thinking caps on and delight your loved one.

Perfume

I for one am a big fan of perfume, so much so that I have 30 bottles of the stuff. Now perfume can be hit and miss - some women love it - some have bad reactions and can't stand the stuff but it still is one of the top ten presents for Christmas. With one spritz of perfume a woman can be transformed into a gorgeous smelling beauty, where everywhere they go people will remember them by their smell. There are many perfumes around so you won't be stuck for choice but if you get stuck you could always ask the lady (or man!) at the counter for their opinion or try the testers. I would however personally recommend Gucci Flora It is such a gorgeous smell the lady in your life will love you for it!

Electronic gadgets

Women love electronic gadgets as much as men but they don't brag as much about it. If you want to surprise a lady friend with something electronic think of something that is useful to her. Remember if she's already got one she's not likely to want another unless of course it is of a better spec. Think Ipods, Nintendo DSi, Digital Cameras, Digital Photo Frames, GPS or if you really want to splash out a Lap top computer.

Kitchen Equipment

Buying a woman something for the kitchen may result in a argument - if it's the generic pots and pans that show little thought and care. If however, you start to think outside the box and buy a gift that is both thoughtful and useful you may strike gold. Everyone enjoys high quality, gourmet style meals and now you can transplant the restaurant experience into your own kitchen. You could consider buying top of the range utensils and equipment, cookbooks by celebrity chefs and of course gourmet ingredients. It will of course help if the lady actually enjoys cooking.

Chocolate

Chocolates may seem like the easy option but i'm not talking a box of Milk Tray here. The Chocolate of Month Club is a whole new way to experience chocolate. Each month the lucky lady will receive a selection of gourmet, handmade chocolates that will last her for the whole year. With the ability to buy gift memberships this really is the ultimate present that should end up in every girls stocking.

Stationery

You may be raising your eyebrows at this one but to be quite frank every woman uses stationery in their day to day life be it writing a cheque or at work. It is a practical, useful gift that can be very special if you think it through correctly. The idea isn't just to pop down to your nearest Poundland and buy the smartest item you can see in there, the idea is to buy something that is special and will last. You could try engraving her name on the pen or buying pretty stationery that she'll be delighted to use every day.

Handbag

Every woman needs a reliable handbag that is both smart and stylish. You may wonder why women spend so much on one handbag but that bag becomes a style icon that is appreciated and commented on for years to come. She may even sacrifice going out or buying clothes for that special bag. You don't have to go that far but buying a stylish, Designer Bag will put you in her good books and make her love you (I promise!)

Art and Ornaments

Arts and Ornaments are a lovely gift for any home loving woman. When you consider this type of gift you should first analyse what style of home decorating they already have. Your gift will need to match that or it will probably end up in the back of a cupboard somewhere, even if you did mean well. If the style is contemporary think Modern Abstract if it is traditional you could try a nice photo that reminds them of the simple things in life.

Now you've checked through the whole list you're probably wondering what one would suit the most. Just think what you think they would like and you've got the perfect present in the bag. In case you're looking for the ideal present for the man in your life just click through.