Wednesday 14 March 2012


Word of the day:  Paraphernalia (noun)

Equipment or apparatus.

The word news reporter’s use when they don’t quite know what they are talking about.
“The scene of the crime was covered in drug paraphernalia” is what they would say when looking at a homemade bong, thinking “what on earth do you do with this”.

It sounds amazing, and can be used for a vast amount of different situations. For example, my friend walked into my room today and stepped on a thumb tack and screamed at me.

“You need to tidy this place up, look at all your shit on the floor! My foot is bleeding now!”

To which I replied, “it is not shit, it’s general student paraphernalia, plus I know where all the thumb tacks are on the floor so I never step on them”

I think using the word of the day helped win my argument with regards to cleaning my room, and let’s be honest most student rooms should come with a warning saying “enter at your own risk” and all guests should be made to sign a disclaimer, stating that all the occupant of this room will not be held responsible for any harm or damaged to guest who enter of their own accord.”
This would save me a lot of time, explaining why I haven’t tidied my room in ages.  I am also looking for people to help me tidy my room. Any volunteers …. Didn’t think so.

Tuesday 13 March 2012


Word of the day: Bodacious   (adjective)

Bodacious: A combination of the word bold and audacious. Something outstanding and remarkable.

I was listening to the radio the other day and Nelly Hot in here came on. I was thinking, this is  a song that reminds me of my childhood. Then I listened closely to the lyrics.

“I was like good gracious, ass bodacious”

Bodacious, I don’t use that word enough, so I decided to make it my word of the day. Bodacious it’s got a hippie vibe to it, and whenever I hear someone use that word I automatically picture an middle aged man with long wavy hair held into place with a make shift Alice out of a old bandana , wearing a rainbow coloured vest; open with no shirt on, ripped jeans and flip flops. I think we would all love to see Nelly dressed as a hippie.

Then I remembered that I used to run around at the age of ten singing "good gracious, ass bodacious” … slightly inappropriate for my age, but it was the 90’s, so we’ll let that slide.
 When I used bodacious in a sentence today it was in a much more appropriate context than Nelly’s use of the word.

I said “I wish I was a hippie.”
“Why?”
“That way I could describe everything as being bodacious, even if it’s not and get away with it.” 

Monday 12 March 2012


Film: Bel Ami
I recently watched the film Bel Ami ( good friend in French), directed by Declan Donnellan and Nick Ormerod and staring the Uma Thurman, Christina Ricci, Kristen Scott Thomas and Robert Pattinson.

Whilst it was refreshing to see Robert Pattinson in a movie where he is not shinning in the sun, he was still brooding as ever. Pattinson plays the part of George Duroy, a poor young solider, struggling to make anything of himself in 19th century Paris.  Just back from the Sahara Desert where he was stationed, he meets an old friend Rousset, portrayed by Colm Meaney in a bar. Who unlike Pattinson, is doing rather well for himself, as “Paris is filthy with money”.  He invites him to dinner at his house and offers to buy he some appropriate dinner party attire. It is at this dinner party where Pattinson is introduced to the films three leading ladies.

All three women take an immediate liking to the dashing young solider, offering him any help they can to better his situation. This help is not limited to what they can offer him between their thighs, displayed by Pattinson’s graphic and sometimes comical sex scenes. 
Bel Ami did not blow my mind, but it was saved by the Kristen Scott Thomas’s and Christina Ricci’s performance. Thurman commanded screen presence but was not always entirely convincing with her accent.

If you are a fan of period dramas then you will enjoy this film, if you are a twilight fan, after hanging your head in shame, you should go see this movie just for Pattinson’s Ass shot. 

Sunday 11 March 2012


The Sun … on Sunday

The Murdoch Empire, being the fountain of originality that it is, has decided to fill the hole left by The News of the World on Sunday with … The Sun on Sunday.
The unspringing decision to add an extra edition of The Sun to replace The News of the World on Sunday was published today.
The feature stories of the first addition consisted of Frank Lampards’s uncle (via marriage, no relation) being exposed as paedophile , Claims that X Factor judge  Tulisa, “beds” Mark Wright from TOWIE and a world exclusive of the  “first” male mum. This is the news that The Sun feels is necessary for people to read about over their Sunday breakfast. At least the audience who used to read The News of the World want to read about the comings and goings of Cherly Cole’s social life over there eggs and coffee.
The editor of the Sun on Sunday is Dominic Mohan, who is also the editor of The Sun. Selected by none other than Rebecca Brooks.  Hopefully Dominic will not follow in  the footsteps of his predecessor and cause a scandal that catches the attention of the entire country.

Good look to The Sun on Sunday, let’s see if it they can last more than 42 years.

Tuesday 6 March 2012


The Sheldon Cooper effect

Like many, I have fallen in love with the Big Bang Theory, more specifically Sheldon Copper. His use of alternative words, not in majority of the average person’s vocabulary, has inspired me to expand mine.
Every day I will be posting a new word and using it in a sentence in everyday life. I will post peoples reaction to the use of the word of the day. People’s reactions may vary depending on how high the word is on the Sheldon-scale.
Today’s word is brobdingnagian: a being of tremendous size; giant.

Brobdingnagian was used in a conversation when discussing when asked where I lived, to which I replied. “I live in a brobdingnagian house with 19 other people opposite the common”.  I then explained what brobdingnagian meant as they had a confused and dazed look on their face.
“Brobdingnagian, is that some kind of special design for a house?”
This is why more people should watch TBBT( The Big Bang Theory) and follow Sheldon’s example. You should learn something new every day, no matter how small or trivial you think it is. If you haven’t learnt one new thing at the end of the day, you’ve just wasted a day of your life.

Learning a new word is just one of the small things you can do to transform yourself into a better person, ... Well more Sheldon like.
Plus “what’s life without whimsy?” 

Thursday 1 March 2012


Film: Nine
Have you bought something, put it down in a safe place, and then forgot where you left it for it to never be seen again.

Well this happens to me often, I pretty sure it’s got something to do with the fact that half the content of my wardrobe is on my floor.

I bought Nine on DVD at Christmas, yes Christmas, and I found it this week in my room behind the radiator, don’t ask me how it got there.
Still in its original wrapping I was eager to watch it, providing it still worked.
Nine, directed by Rob Marshall, who also directed Chicago, with an all-star cast with the Judi Dench, Marion Cotillard, Nicole Kidman, Sophia Loren and Daniel Day-Lewis. I was expecting a lot.
The film had qualities of Chicago, which was to be expected, but also reminded me of Moulin Rouge. The sixties style injected with an Italian flare made for great costumes, especially with some of the raunchier numbers, I’m referring to Penelope Cruz’s solo at the beginning of the film.
The plot was very basic; it’s about a struggling director trying to balance his mistress, wife, the press, the public and keep them all happy. Hopefully this isn’t a cry for help from Rob Marshall. Insert a musical number to substitute for an aside and that is general plot of the whole movie.

Although it did not blow my mind with the plot, I really enjoyed the music numbers; they were exciting, passionate and sexy. Combined with a high grade of acting from an all-star cast I would recommend Nine for a light movie choice, perfect for a movie night. Where you aren’t really paying attention to the movie, but you’ll quite down for all the songs in-between drinks.