2014 Round Up

It turns out I went on holiday by mistake on a blog hiatus by accident. I'm still not sure I'm back yet but hopefully I will be back properly soon reader. In the meantime I bring you this meme offering because I do find it a useful and interesting way to look back on the year:

Friday Find

Artist Removes One Letter from Famous Movie Titles and Illustrates the Results

Oh Bother, Where Art Thou?

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Beauty and the Beat

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The link says it all really- they definitely brightened my week, reader so if you haven't seen them yet I'd encourage you to click.

Thoughtful Tuesday

Softness is not weakness
It takes courage to be delicate in a world this cruel
-Beau Taplin

Thoughtful Tuesday

You're not obligated to win. You're obligated to keep trying to do the best you can every day.
-Marian Wright Edelman

Friday Find

It could be because it’s been a long week or it could be because I’ve not been very well this week so I’ve spent a lot of time alone under a duvet but this video of Lincoln, an orphaned red panda filmed in January as he left Lincoln Children’s Zoo for a zoo with more space, made me so happy this afternoon that I just couldn’t wait to share it with you reader:

First "Our Zoo" now "Our Girl"...It would appear that the BBC is turning into a northern great aunt.

Thoughtful Tuesday

Those who wish to sing always find a song - Swedish Proverb

Friday Find

Autumn brings many treats and here in the UK one of them is the return of 'The Great British Bake off.' The generally warm and fluffy bake-off show has it’s moments of “drama”, for a couple of examples just type Custard-gate and bin-gate into google (or your search engine of choice reader). In the words of current contestant Martha: “I never thought I’d care about it to the point where I’d cry over an éclair” For Today’s Friday Find then I’m pleased to share with you this fun Bake-off themed parody song:

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Altogether now... Ready, steady, Bake

Thoughtful Tuesday

Via

Saturday, 13th September, was Roald Dahl day. Like many other children, I have fond memories of curling up with Dahl’s books so here’s some wisdom from the man himself:

Watch the robin especially because it always flies low, and you might see a nervous young Minpin perched on the feathers having its first flying lesson. And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don't believe in magic will never find it. -The Minpins

Friday Find

This video by comedian Paul Gale reveals the 'real' reason Starbucks employees spell your name wrong. Suddenly it all makes sense:

Thoughtful Tuesday

Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns.
- George Eliot

Friday Find

The Find I most want to share with you today reader is my current favourite tumblr -"Why Are You Still Single?" It provides answers one can give ‘to that most ridiculous of questions’.

 The answers up to now that I love the most are:

• ‘I could tell you, but then I’d have to kill you.

                                                              …

                                                                No, really.’

• ‘ I can only marry someone worthy to carry on the secret royal bloodline.

                                                    …I’ve said too much already.’

• Dating is difficult when you’re a time traveler.
   [If they ask, “ARE you a time traveler?” just give them a really weird look and say slowly, “There’s no such thing as time travel.”]

Special mention too for:

• ‘I’ll always be faithful to my first love: the sea.’

And

• ‘No one has correctly answered my three riddles.’ 

Thoughtful Tuesday

Today's quote is not actually one I chose because it particularly made me think but it is my absolute favourite thing I've heard today and it brightened my day so I wanted to share it with you reader.
 My friend's little boy went back to school today and when he came home she went through the typical mum routine of asking how his day went, this was his reply:

'I looked after a new kid today. His name's Thomas' [then he looked at her to clarify] 'He's a boy, not the train' [returns to sticker book]

Thoughtful Tuesday

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Friday Find

I'm sure reader you have seen the video of the Oz cast of The Lion King recently bursting into song on a flight, well not to be outdone the Broadway cast have submitted their own flash mob on a New York City subway car.
  
I found it interesting noting the passengers reactions, particularly those who are pretending nothing is happening.

Thoughtful Tuesday

No soul that seriously and constantly desires joy will ever miss it. Those who seek find. To those who knock it is opened.
                 -CS Lewis

Friday Find

Ok reader, I'm sure everyone and their mum's already linked to this, but it is so good:

 *Clicky*New boys on the block: Your guide to the Kings of the Downing Street catwalk*clicky*

Thoughtful Tuesday

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Thoughtful Tuesday

Pour yourself a drink, put on some lipstick & pull yourself together
- Elizabeth Taylor

Thoughtful Tuesday

For a seed to achieve its greatest expression, it must come completely undone. The shell cracks, the insides come out and everything changes. To someone who doesn't understand growth it would look like complete destruction
-Cynthia Occelli

Thoughtful Tuesday

When a train goes through a tunnel and it gets dark, you don’t throw away the ticket and jump off. You sit still and trust the engineer.
― Corrie ten Boom

Friday Find

Do you ever have those days reader, where you wish you owned a T.A.R.D.I.S or a DeLorean (and a guarantee that your meddling wouldn't have too great implications for the fabric of space and time) and could just go zooming off for an adventure?

Today’s Friday Find is the perfect pick me up for a UK based me with itchy feet and lack of funds… Instantaneous travel and you won’t even need your ruby slippers… just click here for a virtual tour of the Smithsonian museum.

Ever wondered what would happen if two of Hugh Jackman's worlds collided reader? Here it is. Late to the party as usual but just in case you're like me reader and have been meaning to watch it later, when I have time to google it, tomorrow, here's the video of Hugh Jackman performing 'Wolverine The Musical' for BBC Radio 1 'The Matt Edmondson Show':

 

 If you prefer your superhero musical with added puppet action there’s this spectacular parody from Glove and Boots. It’s even got cameos from Spider-Man, Hulk, and Multiple Man in full chorus mode:

 

Thoughtful Tuesday

A little nonsense now and then is relished by the wisest men. - Joseph Addison

Thoughtful Tuesday

“Be very careful how you talk to yourself. Because you are listening.” — Pat Cadigan

Thoughtful Tuesday

Don't bother to give God instructions; just report for duty. ― Corrie ten Boom

The last couple of days I’ve been quite enjoying the coverage and fan photos popping up of Benedict Cumberbatch at Oz Comic-Con in Adelaide. This morning I came across this little gem taken from an article by Sosefina Fuamoli in her review ‘10 Things We Learned from Benedict Cumberbatch at Oz Comic-Con Adelaide’:

 BC on his Oscars experience… 
First question out of the gate was something akin to ‘what possessed you to photobomb U2 at the Oscars?’ Apparently, an old friend of Benedict’s suggested he do it for shits and giggles and so…he did it. “I didn’t do it because I needed the publicity…I did it to make my friends laugh back home and all of a sudden, it was on the news the next day!” He praises Ellen DeGeneres‘ work as the Oscars host, though reveals in the same beat that she’s probably partly responsible for his drunken state seeing as she loaded him and other actors up with mini bottles of vodka on the red carpet before the ceremony even began. “Ellen DeGeneres or ‘Ellen DeGenerate’ as I called her by the end of the night…” 

You can read the full  article here

Thoughtful Tuesday

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Ooh look! It's nearly one o'clock and I'm still awake. I can do anything I want. Anything. I'm a grown up. What shazzzzzzzzzzz zzzz zzzz

Thoughtful Tuesday

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- A.A. Milne

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Thoughtful Tuesday

Sometimes your only available transportation is a leap of faith. -Margaret Shepherd

The weather outside is frightful so time for something delightful…on my plate at least. Seriously the last couple of days have been so cold. Ok, Ok yes the crisp blue skies like the one this morning have been beautiful reader and I know it’s still winter (and a mild one compared to last year or the problems recently in America) so I don’t want to whinge but I am looking forward to spring.
In the meantime then comfort food and what better than the humble pie? Well I am northern (occasionally it’s good to embrace the stereotype). Plus I have been looking for an excuse to bust out the winner of my most adorable Christmas present this year- My very own ceramic pie bird, Mine is very similar to this one from Amazon:

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My grandma used to own a couple of beautifully crafted bird pie funnels and it conjures up all sorts of nostalgic memories of being allowed to help in the kitchen and of happy family Sunday meals at my grandparents house.
Hmm just have to decide on a filling... What about you reader? What's your favourite pie filling? Are you a savoury fan or do you prefer a sweet treat
Now my little buddy and I are off to bake.

Thoughtful Tuesday

Face your deficiencies and acknowledge them; but do not let them master you.
Let them teach you patience, sweetness, insight...
When we do the best we can, we never know what miracle is wrought in our life, or in the life of another.
-Helen Keller