Sunday 12 February 2012

Blog Tag, and I'm It?

Yeah, that's right. Tag.

So, I was just going about my usual Saturday life (laying around, watching The Lion King, fucking around on the internet) when, LO! A new post from Alley at What Red Read appeared across the internet kingdom. So she's been playing blog tag, and tagged me, presumably because I couldn't run away fast enough because that's what happens to me in real life when I play tag (which is never). Anyway, I don't mind because YAY this sounds fun, and it gives me an excuse to blog post on a Sunday which like never happens!

So, the deal is:
1. Post the rules (oh hey, lookit what I'm doing!)
2. Post 11 fun facts about yourself
3. Answer questions from the person who tagged you
4. Make up 11 questions for the people you tag 
5. Tag 11 people (I'm clearly not going to tag 11, especially since Red has already tagged about 5 of the people [that includes herself, actually] I would have tagged. But I'll tag a few, and anyone who doesn't want to play, that's cool, I'll just assume you got away from me because that's genuinely what would happen IRL)
6. Let them know they've been tagged


Sounds pretty easy. Let's go!

11 Fun Facts about me


1. Instead of reading much at the moment, I've been crafting my butt off, for no reason other than I want to make pretty things. By crafting my butt off, I clearly mean knitting whilst watching Weeds and Breaking Bad on Netflix, but hey, that's the same thing.

2. On Thursday and Friday I managed to spill 3 glasses of water, one of which was full and went all over my bed, and meant I had to sleep on the sofa. That's just not normal!

3. I severely want to live anywhere apart from where I do. Right now my number one candidate is Paris (I just watched Amelie) but mostly it's just New York City. Like, you know, all the people who've ever lived in the world. Yeah.

4. I'm obsessed with literary tattoos and I really really really want to get many, although I don't have any tattoos yet. I'm thinking that once I'm done with my whole Stephen King thing, I'll get one of his quotes tattooed on me someplace (I actually found a really really good one yesterday!)

5. I am addicted to Lush products. When I was a student, the majority of my student loan probably went in to Lush stores, and, to be honest, most of my money still does. And about that, I say, Je ne regrette rien! (Seriously, it smells so so so so good!)

6. I regularly daydream about the things I would do to my bedroom if my sister moved out (at the moment, it's turning her bed into a kind of chaise longue and generally having much more space for books). Since she 'doesn't agree' with renting, I'm probably more likely to move out than she is, even though I don't have a job right now. And yet I still dream the good dream!

7. I can only really get fully attached to TV programmes once they've ended forever, which is massively not a good thing because it means there are NO MORE EVER, which is really sad. So far, this has happened with The West Wing, Buffy, Sex and the City... It's really not a healthy thing to do.

8. I am dying to see Damien Rice live! I'm fairly sure the last time he toured was in 2007, only I didn't go because he was playing London on my second weekend at University, which I felt certain I would need to have for 'bonding time'. Since I pretty much hate everyone I lived with that year, I'm so unbelievably pissed off that I didn't go.

9. I have a pretty sizable collection of Converses, which basically began to accumulate after I saw Dave Grohl wearing some on the cover of a magazine. I think I have about 14 pairs, and I'm on my second pair of pink ones and I should be on my third pair of black ones. I also haven't had a new pair for a really long time, so I should really get on that.

10. My favourite story about myself-when-I-was-younger is the time that I sneaked me and my cousin out of nursery when I was about 3/4 because I knew my mum and auntie were in the school hall watching my sister's assembly and I apparently wanted to see them. This makes me think that I was kind of a badass kid, and, you know what, sometimes I miss her! My least favourite part of this story is the bit where nobody shouted at the nursery teacher lady for not keeping a closer eye on us, because, hello, 3/4 years old!


11. When I'm really tired, I talk SO much because I'm physically unable to monitor my own speaking. It's, I'm sure, really annoying to everyone else, but I find it funny because, hey! I'm tired, so everything's funny. This is also the complete opposite to how much I talk when I'm not tired, which is hardly at all.


And now, Alley's Questions (which will be much easier than just randomly talking about myself, I hope!)


1. What's your favourite bookish movie? (movie based on a book, movie with literary tendencies etc)
Right now, I'm thinking 10 Things I Hate about you, just because it's so funny and great and, for once, an improvement on the book! But movies I love that I think have literary tendencies include American Beauty and Rachel Getting Married. OH, and I also think Brokeback Mountain is amazing. So basically I have many favourites!

2. How often do you re-read books?
Now, hardly ever, but it seems like there was a time when I pretty much just used to rotate The Hours-To Kill A Mockingbird-The Grapes of Wrath and a few others, which explains why I have so many unread books. I'm much better now because hey, I have to try and come up with blog content, you know?

3. What's your favourite reading spot?
I really really really love reading in bed, but it is winter right now- so my actual favourite reading spot is somewhere outside on a blanket, basically. And if it's by a river, and there's a picnic involved, then it's basically bliss...

4. Which season is your favourite?
I'm going to say- a really warm spring. So, warm enough that you think it's almost summer, but also with all the beautiful blossoming and baby animals and things. Also my birthday's in April, which doesn't hurt with the spring loving!

5. What's your profile picture?
It's a picture of me! Mwahahaha. But actually, it's a picture of me with a cake made for me by my lovely friend Frances, on my sort of 21st birthday (like, the third part of it). I've actually just realised that picture isn't even on my page though, and the picture in my 'About me' section, is me, in a diner in New York City, with a burger, aka I'm in heaven!

6. What's your ideal meal?
I dislike so many foods, but I also love so many foods- there's kind of no inbetween with me. So, I'd say, some kind of duck pancake starter, followed by an amazing burger and like an oreo milkshake, followed by probably some cheesecake, or maybe just a cupcake. Or, failing that, a really yummy savoury crepe.

7. What's your guilty pleasure TV show, movie, book?
I refuse to accept 'guilty pleasure' as a thing- pleasure is always good! But if you insist- Teen Mom/The Hills, The Lindsay Lohan Freaky Friday, and the Shopaholic series/Sookie Stackhouse books. But I still don't feel guilty!

8. How do you like to spend a rainy day? 
I know reading is the obvious answer here, and I definitely do that when it's raining and like it, but before I settle down to that, I usually look mournfully out of the window for a bit and wish that I could do something else, even though I wouldn't care about doing that thing on a non-raining day. Just call me Mary (... quite contrary...)

9. Do you have any good Tumblrs to recommend?
Why yes, yes I do. Like, Bookshelf Porn, Hot Guys Reading Books, Awesome People Reading, Awesome People Hanging Out Together, and The Word Made Flesh.

10. If you like to cook (or bake) what is your favourite thing to make?
I like to bake anything and everything! I'm rather enamoured by caramel at the moment, because I made it for the first time a few weeks ago, but I generally love making cupcakes, and my favourite thing I've ever made is this rainbow cake.

11. Do you have a big TBR list? Or do you wait until you're done with your current book to buy (or borrow from the library) your next reads?
Oh man... I'm such a book hoarder that it's disgusting, and I have, I think, just under 300 books that I still need to read. Not that this stops me buying more, or going to the library and getting some out. It's a serious problem, and the reason why I'm doing 2 challenges this year that involve reading the books I've already got, dammit! So far this year, I've read zero. Damn.

Now my questions... I have no idea what to ask, so these may be really really boring...


1. If money was no object, where would you most like to live in the world?
2. What books are on your nightstand/wherever you keep the books you're going to read next right now?
3. Do you have any hobbies apart from reading that are really exciting?
4. What is your favourite cartoon?
5. Who is your favourite celebrity crush, if you had to pick just one?
6. What kind of music is your favourite, and which artist would you most recommend to me/anyone?
7. Are you a simple girl or a Katie girl? (For help with this question, see this video)
8. Readalongs: Scourge of the devil, or really really really fun?
9. Cupcakes: anti-feminism, or just tasty little cakes?
10. You're given a ticket for a round the world trip- who do you take with you, and where are you going first?
11. What is your desert island book?

And, now, for the lucky tagees:

Jenn at Booksessed
Kayleigh at Nylon Admiral
Christina at Reading Thru the Night
Frances at Stars in Her Belly
Trish at Desktop Retreat
Hanna at Booking in Heels

No pressure guys, I'll just cry myself to sleep until you all respond (not really. Just, you know, if you're bored, have a little procrastinatory fun!).

16 comments:

  1. I love your blog. Very clever! I have never heard of anyone with a TBR pile that large, but I can empathize. Mine has consistently numbered 100 for the past five years because each time I finish a book, I buy another. It's a sick habit.

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    1. Why thank you! It is a sick sick sick habit, but I've definitely seen other bloggers who have even more books than me to read, if you can believe it!

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  2. Yay for tag :) If you want some more awesome-but-over with TV shows to get into, might I recommend Sports Night, Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip (both by Aaron Sorkin, aka West Wing guy) and Flight of the Conchords.

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    1. Yay indeed! I do want to watch Studio 60 on the sunset strip, cause I believe Bradley Whitford (aka Josh Lyman, the man I would literally marry) is in it/helped to write it? Either way, I'm theoretically into it.

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  3. 1. I am obsessed with the show Downton Abbey. Maggie Smith is my hero and I’m team Sybil Branson. I really want things to work out with them.
    2. I can’t wear contacts. They irritate my eyes.
    3. I want to get a tattoo of the tree in To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee
    4. I love watching The Big Bang Theory because it makes me feel smart and Sheldon is my hero.
    5. I think French Bulldogs are so adorable and I want one someday.
    6. I’ve been playing Darren Hayes’ album Secret Codes and Battleships and the Wicked soundtrack nonstop for a couple of weeks.
    7. I’m a book hoarder mostly because I don’t know what genre I’ll be in the mood for at any given day. I like to be prepared.
    8. I make a lot of lists. It lessens my anxiety.
    9. I wish I lived in the late 1800’s or early 1900’s. The emphasis of the arts in the affluent class makes me so envious.
    10. I have a major crush on Cary Grant. Though see as how he died when I was 7 months old, it’s a little creepy.
    11. I have a coffee mug on my desk full of pens, double point knitting needles, scissors and bookmarks.

    Laura’s questions

    1. If money was no object, where would you most like to live in the world? London. (For about five minutes I kept writing and deleting Paris then London). I think London won out because of the English language. But I think even if I did live in London, I’d spend most of my time travelling around Europe.

    2. What books are on your nightstand/wherever you keep the books you're going to read next right now? Roots by Alex Haley. At The Mercy of the Queen by Anne Clinard Barnhill and my ereader which has a smattering of review books.

    3. Do you have any hobbies apart from reading that are really exciting? I don’t know about exciting, but I love to cook, knitting and writing. I prefer low-key pursuits I guess.

    4. What is your favourite cartoon? Aside from Disney which I never stopped loving, I love the cartoon character Marvin the Martian. His walk is the greatest.

    5. Who is your favourite celebrity crush, if you had to pick just one? Oh god, this is tough. While I normally crush on British actors (British tv is so much better than American tv…) I must confess I adore Jim Parsons who plays Sheldon on The Big Bang Theory.

    6. What kind of music is your favourite, and which artist would you most recommend to me/anyone? I love rock from the 60’s, especially The Doors, Beatles, Stones and Janis Joplin. Maybe I just love gravelly voices? With modern music I love singer/songwriters like Darren Hayes and Jason Mraz. 2cellos has been on my radar lately and I love the classical composers Beethoven, Chopin and Mozart.

    7. Are you a simple girl or a Katie girl? (For help with this question, see this video) I want to say that I’m a Katie girl. Though I am low-key I don’t think I’m boring and I can definitely hold my own in a conversation. I also have wavy/curly hair that is a nuisance.

    8. Readalongs: Scourge of the devil, or really really really fun? Participating in them is so fun! I love it. Planning them is kind of a pain though. (Trying to plan one for April. Ugh.)

    9. Cupcakes: anti-feminism, or just tasty little cakes? Tasty little cakes. How are they anti-feminist? I’ve never heard that before.

    10. You're given a ticket for a round the world trip- who do you take with you, and where are you going first? I think it would be fun to take my friend Dan (we’re both history nuts and would have the best adventures. Though I know I should want to take Matt. We’d probably start in Italy.

    11. What is your desert island book? That is a tough call. Can we work out some kind of book exchange where I get one book at a time? If not, hmm. I would probably pick something along the lines of Anna and the French Kiss. Fun, romance, travel. Quite a good book.

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    1. Yay! I sooo wish you would move to London because we could hang out alllll the time! And yay readathons! And ok, so the cupcake thing is, there are all these women who feministy comment on things, and they say cupcakes infantilise women because we used to eat them when we were little, and so making women like them is like treating them like children (I think, I'm a bit sketchy on the details of this) But *I* say, it's just easier to share them out and stuff, and there's less washing up because no one needs plates like with big cake!

      ALSO we should get To Kill A Mockingbird bro tats! I'm deadly serious!

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  4. This is a bit of fun Laura! I had a whole pile of converse shoes myself, they're so damn comfy!

    I posted my answers on my blog, http://kfmurphy.blogspot.com.au/2012/02/blog-tag.html

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  5. Oh wow, I was tagged! I don't think I've ever been tagged before :) Little too excited here possibly, but I'll do my post this afternoon.

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  6. BUT the good thing about liking tv shows when they're all done is you KNOW they're done and they're not going to get unexpectedly canceled when you want tons more seasons. So that's...that's good. Plus you don't have to wait weeks or months for new episodes.

    And the Lindsay Lohan Freaky Friday is a QUALITY film.

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    1. This is true. But then there's no moooore and that's very very sad. Oh yeah, and the american schedulingness of programmes is MENTAL. Like, I've waited months for a new New Girl, and then there's one, and then there's a weeks break, and I'm just like, WHAT IS UP WITH THAT?! It's insane. I blame Murdoch.

      Dude, right. Jamie Lee Curtis FTW

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  7. Ah, Lush products. I adore the Angels on Bare Skin face scrub and also Buffy body butter - great for winter. Which reminds me, I need to get it out of the cupboard to use on my dry legs. Thanks!! :)

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    1. Buffy is possibly my absolute favourite Lush product- although they have this new thing called body conditioner that makes my skin even smoother than Buffy which just makes me overjoyed! YAY LUSH!

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  8. I have the falling-in-love-with-canceled-shows sickness, too. I didn't watch Firefly until it was kaput...and My So-Called Life...and Freaks and Geeks. And Ugly Betty, come to think of it. I watched Buffy when it was still on the air, so it was a sad, sad, sad, sadsadsad day when it ended.

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    1. I think I watched the last ever episode of Buffy when it was actually on, but I hadn't really watched that many episodes so I was just like 'this is sort of cool, but I don't really care that it's the last one. Now, I would be like NOOOOOOOOOOOO! (and I still kind of am. I need to read the graphic novels, for reals).

      Oh yeah, and I just started watching Breaking Bad and then I found out that the next season is the last one, and I was just like ...Man!

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  9. Thanks for the tag! I'll try to post answers soon, although it might be a bit abbreviated because of time constraints :(

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    1. That's cool! You don't even have to take part if you don't want, so anything you do will make me go yay! :)

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