So what’s this Blogshares thing all about? I’ve seen it about on other people’s blogs but not really looked into it in any depth. It’s just that I’ve had a hit from them so wandered over, and I’m listed and I didn’t even register! Very odd. What’s even stranger is that someone’s bought some shares!

I wish I knew how to take a good photograph.

It doesn’t bother me normally, but sometimes when I go and visit du jour or Salopian Tube I get a bit bowled over by the quality of the photography and wish that I could capture images like that.

Part of it is that I haven’t got that good a camera. Not that I’d really know what to look for in a good camera that wouldn’t cost me the earth, but I’m guessing that even my “better” camera (a 3-year-old 1 megapixel kodak which had been surplanted by a new model even at the time it was purchased) isn’t quite going to cut the mustard.

If I’m honest though, it’s basically down to the fact I am a crap photographer. I can see a scene which is truly beautiful, take a picture of it, and then later think “why the hell did I take a picture of that?!” That’s even before I get around to all the usual photography faux-pas like putting a finger in front of the lens, camera shake or shooting into the sun. Trying to compare myself to du jour (a professional photographer who can take a picture of the rubbish on his desk and still make it look good) or Ed (who obviously knows more than a little about the art of photography) is a rather futile exercise.

So, bearing in mind that I’m not suddenly going to become creative overnight, is it really worth spending money on a half decent camera, only for it to become apparent that all the sharpness and clarity in the world doesn’t make up for a dire composition?

Yesterday’s good weather wasn’t completely wasted by me staying in for the washing machine delivery. A friend of mine (Mark) whisked me out for a late lunch (it was meant to be a normal time lunch but the washing machine didn’t arrive until 2.30pm!) in his MG sports car.

I now see why people buy soft top cars. I always thought it was pretty stupid given that the weather in Britain means you get about two days a year when you can use them to their full potential. I take it all back though, and I revelled in being driven around at speed in a flash car in the sunshine with loud music blaring out. As an added bonus it’ll give the neighbours something to talk about.

Today is another glorious day and I’m feeling very lazy. Am tempted to take Akra Jr to the park and buy him an icecream, except he hates icecream so that’s out. Hmm, maybe I should pop out and buy some bananas and some vanilla soft scoop and make us milkshakes in the blender instead.

Well the washing machine still hasn’t arrived yet – they’re running late apparently so I’m sat here twiddling my thumbs.

On the plus side, it does mean that I’ve finished The Two Towers. Wow. I really want to find out how it all ends now but that puts me in rather a dilemma: do I carry on and read Return of the King before I’ve seen the film?

Now, I do understand that many Tolkien fans will think it’s heresy that I’m even considering seeing the film before I read the book, but every film I’ve ever seen *after* the book has been disappointing. I’ve really enjoyed reading the first two Lord of the Rings books after I’ve seen the films as I’ve been able to picture the actors in the place of each character and have actively enjoyed the differences between film and book. I’m worried that if I do it the other way around, the differences will just annoy me and I’ll end up not enjoying either to their full potential.

Biggest problem is, I’m not the patient type. I need to find out what happens! Am trying to stave off temptation by reading a random library book I picked up last time I was there.

Is your rock band not doing so well? Fancy being a dictator of your own country? Feel like showing the rest of the world how a nation *really* should be run?

Try Jennifer Government: NationStates. My nation’s details are:

“The Queendom of Pewari is a tiny, environmentally stunning nation, remarkable for its compulsory military service. Its hard-nosed, intelligent population of 5 million are fiercely patriotic and enjoy great social equality; they tend to view other, more capitalist countries as somewhat immoral and corrupt.

The enormous government concentrates mainly on Religion & Spirituality, although Law & Order and Healthcare are secondary priorities. The average income tax rate is 35%, but much higher for the wealthy. A very small private sector is dominated by the Beef-Based Agriculture industry.

Crime — especially youth-related — is relatively low, thanks to a well-funded police force. Pewari’s national animal is the tiger, which frolics freely in the nation’s many lush forests, and its currency is the pew pound.”

This time thanks go to Sylvia for giving me the link!

Public Transport in Croydon is actually rather nifty. It’s reasonably reliable (no… seriously, I’m not being sarcastic, honest! If you are a Londoner and think London Transport is bad you *really* ought to go live somewhere else in the country, then you’ll begin to value what you have) and almost all the buses and trams now have areas where you can park a pushchair or wheelchair without having to fold it up and struggle on.

This is great. No complaints? Well, not quite. You see, they hadn’t factored in the high population of inconsiderate wankers that live around here. I can pretty much guarantee that I’ll walk on the bus/tram with Akra Jr and despite there being seats elsewhere people will be standing (or sitting if it’s one of those fold down seat contraptions) in the wheelchair/pushchair section. They’re perfectly fit, but they won’t move or even meet your eye as you’re struggling to find somewhere to stand. Then said arseholes glare or swear at you when they decide to leave said public transport because the only place you could find was blocking their exit to the door.

A couple of times a bus driver has refused to move the bus until someone has cleared some space for me, which was sweet but doesn’t really help. All that happens is that I’m then the focus of emnity from all the passengers thinking it’s my fault the bus is being held up.

Next time they’d better watch their toes and ankles. Oh sorry, was that *your* foot I just crushed with the pushchair wheel?

The more observant among you will notice that I now have a “Currently Reading” section down the left hand side. No, this is not attempt at blatant commercialisation – wads of cash don’t get sent if you all click through and buy what I’m reading (at least not to me, anyway). I just thought it would be a handy kick up the backside to get me reading more.

Since Akra Jr has been born, my reading time has naturally been substantially reduced, and I’ve found myself regretting my lack of commitment to carving out some quality book time in my life. I found the All Consuming site (well, they found me – their spider hit the site yesterday due to my links to A Secret Garden and Anne of Green Gables) and thought what a cool idea it was. Many hours of faffing with Movable Type plugins later, and here I am. It’s going to be really embarrassing if the same books are still there for months at a time, so I’m actually going to have to read something. You never know, I might actually get around to talking about what I’ve read too – hence the new category to match.

A small warning though, I have been known to read complete trash from time to time. So if you’re still under any illusions that you’re in for some deep booky type discussions ahead, you might be slightly disappointed.

It has not been a good start to the day. I put on the washing on to the dry setting for ten minutes while folding the clothes to put away. That was when I smelled burning. Admittedly this washer dryer has been on its last legs for a while now, with the last repair being the line drawn in the sand where we said “no more”. However, we had hoped that it would have survived until after we moved.

Poor Akra Jr had a very boring morning while Mummy telephoned around retailers trying to find one which would deliver a new washer dryer reasonably quickly and would unplug/remove the old one and plumb the new one in. Then telephoned a friend to see if I could do some washing at her place (at least do the load that reeks of smoke). Then telephoned the nursery to see if they’ll take Akra Jr slightly early on delivery day so I can be in to collect. Still waiting for confirmation on the last two.

I did try and compensate Akra Jr as best I could by letting him watch videos, eat biscuits and have a lunch of no nutritional value whatsoever (his favourite – supernoodles). Still, I think he’d rather have had an attentive Mummy.

I think Mummy would rather have had a working washer dryer.

Anyway, there is now a nice new shiny AEG L16810 arriving on Thursday morning courtesy of Comet. Question is, do I *need* 24 wash programmes?! What am I going to do with them all?

Doesn’t the Crown Prosecution Service have anything better to do?!

Speeding Ambulance Row

Has anyone seen the recent ING Direct Advert on the telly? Do you know what the music is called? I recognise it but can’t for the life of me think of the name or composer, yet it’s very familiar. It’s going to annoy me for ages if I don’t find out…