I’m proud to announce that I’m a rockin’ blogger. You heard me right folks, I’m rockin’. (Without the ‘g’, because am cool like that.)

And my friend Lara has even presented me with my first ever blog award to prove it.

Not only is it my first time presented with something, it’s also my first time getting to dish it out to others. [Being the nerd that I am, I'm not actually sure which is more exciting!]

Laurel @ Sass Attack – She’s gorgeous, she’s funny and she’s sweet, what a combination. Heidikins @ Heidi’s World – You have no idea how much I love this girl, love love love. Aimee @ Old Guys Dig Me – I’ve already proclaimed my Aimee-adoration, so there.
Julie @ WTF have I done? – I swear she’s my blogging twin, just much, much prettier. Bitch!
Jen @ Operation Pink Herring – She’s awesome, with her kitties and her house and her wall.

But you know, deep down we’re all rockin’ bloggers. That’s me, ever the fence sitter.

Peace out, ya’ll.

[Puts on rockstar glasses and dances around like a loon.]

*This post title dedicated to my favourite songsters, him & her. Rock on, my friends!

I’ve always said that one of my pet hates is people who have no common sense, which is really pretty snotty of me considering I’m not exactly the sharpest tool in the shed.
[Ask my family, they'll concur on this one.]

I think I’ve become better at being logical over time, but I still have my moments. Sometimes though, I feel it’s not just me; that things are made difficult on purpose, when there is no real need for them to be.

Like why I can’t figure out how to get songs off my Ipod and loaded onto a computer with no Itunes library on it, without obliterating them into nothingness? [Yes, I'm worrying about this a good six months before it has even become a problem, so what?]

Like why I’m working my arse off, yet losing a third of my salary to tax, of which I receive only a pitiful amount back? [How the hell does anyone afford to move out in this country?]

Like why all the foods that I love to eat and crave like crazy are always fattening, and why I can have one bad weekend and gain over two kilograms? [Bugger. Shit. Fuck.]

After some fruitful searching of my own, I’ve discovered some books on the subject. Perhaps it’s high time I learn some more, because I’m feeling a tad overwhelmed.

DO COLD SORES HURT LIKE A BIG ZIT?

[Yes, capitals were evidently very necessary, because this question is SO IMPORTANT.]

My answer?

Well, sure. I guess they do hurt like a big zit. But they can also hurt like a little zit. You know, those ones that are tiny and barely visible to the naked eye, but make your face ache? I’ll be getting a few of those after this weekend’s junk food binge.

[Seriously, folks, I did not have a cold sore the other day. I just split my lip! And it's better. No herpes in sight! Do you have any idea how many cold sore hits I'm getting? Crazy.]

Got a little spare time on your hands?
Feeling like you need to er, spruce up your image a little?
Over-active sinus and/or throat glands got you down?

I’m pleased to inform you that I have found a way to combat these worries. Just follow these simple steps, and you’ll be on your way to looking as cool as me.

Step 1 — The Diet:
Diet? What? Raid your pantry and see how much food you can ingest before your stomach starts making gurgling noises that leave you concerned & running for the bathroom.
[Optional: Nutella is low GI, so eating it straight from the jar is perfectly acceptable.]

Step 2 — The Clothes:
It’s all about comfort. Over-sized jumpers, daggy trackies and pink fuzzy socks are all the rage, especially when paired with clompy house slippers & five year old dressing gowns.
[Optional: Throw blankets from your bed around your shoulders for added comfort.]

Step 3 — The Hair:
My two words for you are these, messy & bun. The greasier, the better! Simply take hair, shove into bun and tie back. Simple, easy and completely hassle free.
[Optional: If you're keen and have already showered, simply slick back wet hair as above.]

Step 4 — The Image:
Throw away that lippie, be gone with the foundation, it’s time to let it all be natural! Red noses are replacing red lips, dry and cracked lips are so fashionable, and once only runway models could sport eyes ringed with black and vacant expressions.
[Optional: Stay indoors. If you must venture outside, big black sunglasses are a necessity.]

Step 5 — The Health & Wellbeing:
Sharing is caring! Spread your germs as far and wide as possible because you know what they say; misery loves company! Why be sick on your own, when you can bring others down to experience it with you? Your friends will love you for it.
[Optional: Sniffing pepper induces sneezing, for optimum germ spreadage.]

Come hang out with me, now please. No, really. I am the epitome of cool, indeed.

Seeing as though tomorrow is the official beginning of the two weeks of winter school holidays, it’s only fitting that my brain has shut down already. Therefore, I’m borrowing the lovely Janet’s idea, and keeping today’s post short and simple.

Love: Being on holidays. This term at school has been exhausting, and I’m drained. As fast as it’s going to go, it’s two weeks that couldn’t come soon enough.
Hate: That I’ve come down with the flu, for the fiftieth time this year. My immune system really needs a gigantic kick up the arse.

Love: That Jase is a sweetheart and puts up with my lack-of-sleep / flu induced / female hormonal whinging sessions, and still loves me.
Hate: He’s leaving. In 32 days. Which only leaves four weekends.

Love: It’s my birthday in exactly one month. Close enough, anyway. Start planning now!
Hate: I’m going to be 23 and I’m still not engaged yet. (It’s all part of “The Plan”, which I’ll have to discuss at a later date, my clogged sinuses aren’t letting me think clearly today.)

Love: I found a way to watch my Region 1 Felicity DVDs, which is cause for celebration.
Hate: That place is on my mum’s computer, which is just not the same as watching in bed.

Love: My two rabbits are finally living together in the same cage. No hair pulling, no biting, just two rabbits squished together for warmth with the occasional grooming session going on. Needless to say, I’m completely and utterly chuffed with this development.
Hate: That when I head overseas next year, I’ll have to leave my babies behind. Tis sad.

Love: I have an initial phone interview with a UK teacher recruitment agency sometime this week. (The goal is to get a block set up before I leave the country, ready for January.)
Hate: Alyndabear + Talking to strangers = Rambling, nervous pauses & fake laughter. Ack.

Love: This weekend I squeezed back into non-stretch jeans that I haven’t worn in four years!
Hate: I’ve consumed more calories over the past three days than I have in the last month. (Looks like the skinnier jeans won’t be fitting for long!)

Feel free to leave your own love/hates in the comments, and be sure to stop by and pay Janet @ Love is Blonde a visit, if you don’t already. Have a great weekend, folks.

I’ve already dubbed the latter half of 2007 as being a pretty average time frame, despite the fact that it hasn’t even happened yet. My other half is going to be thousands of miles away. I have two full terms of schoolwork to do/teach. Ideally, I would like to lose another ten kilos in that time as well, which means a shitload of exercising and staying away from pizza. Not sounding too crash hot, in my humble opinion.

But things are starting to look up.

I have fabulous friends who I’m planning to stalk lots. (They don’t actually know this yet.)
I have a hefty amount of reading to do. (I’m a nerd, and start back at Book 1 every time.)
I have a few movies I’m interested in seeing. (Anyone want to come? I’ll shout popcorn.)
I even have a music concert that I’m going to attend. (They better not play after I leave!)

Now, if only I win the lottery between now and January, I’ll be cheering.

It’s been a couple of months since I lost my Bella-Rabbit unexpectedly. (sniff)
It’s been a couple of months since I grew tired of watching Lucy-Bun look lonely. (sniff)
It’s been a month since I bought Jason a bun named Ricky-Ricardo for his birthday. (ha!)

You might have remembered my worried posts from a couple of weeks ago. My two aptly-named bunnies, Lucy & Ricky, hated each other. They’d be fine for the first few minutes, but then I’d be greeted with teeth gnashing, foot stomping & tufts of fur flying.

Things were looking pretty grim in the Alyndabear Bun Mansion.

Until now.
I finally possess photographic evidence that I am not a completely useless rabbit momma.

They’re not being quite so evil anymore. But I’m holding onto the t-shirt, just in case.

Ricky: I’m in ur food bowlz, eating ur pellets. (And feets! Check out his feets!)
Lucy: Move over bitch, I’m hungry.

Warning: Please read the following notice before proceeding any further with this entry.

[You may want to give this post a miss if you're not in the mood for reading a post where I waffle on about television shows. It's in your best interests.]

Most people that frequent my blog know that I’m a trifle obsessed with collecting DVD boxsets. I don’t bother watching much television when a show is currently screening, but you can bet money that I either a) own, b) am in the prospect of owning, or c) plan to one day own that show in boxset format. (My obsession used to be shoes .. now this .. I think they’re both just as bad as each other.)

The first television show that I owned was bought as a gift for a birthday, a couple of years ago: The original CSI. That was it; I was hooked. Then I discovered EzyDVD and the lure of free shipping, and it all went downhill from there.

Here’s a current list of the shows which I own, in no particular order.

CSI (1-5), House (1-2), Grey’s Anatomy (1-2), Dawson’s Creek (complete), Charmed (complete), Roswell (complete), Will & Grace (1-4), Felicity (complete), ER (1-7), Nip/Tuck (1-2), Supernatural (1), Without a Trace (1), 24 (1-3), Gilmore Girls (1-6), Smallville (1-4), Party of Five (1), Buffy the Vampire Slayer (complete) & The X-Files (complete.)

Say it with me now: NEEEEEEEEEEEERD.

Since I’m such a collector, I’ve made a number of observations about my favourite shows. And being such a kind soul with too much time on her hands, I’d love to share them.

Observation #1 – 24
I would hate to be an actress working on this show. I mean, the show is great, they probably make a fortune out of it, but imagine wearing the same outfit & hairstyle for the entire series? It’d make me a trifle miserable, I think. I’m back at Season 1 (which I’ve never seen before, I started at about Season 4 when it was free-to-air) and it’s a lot less .. fabulous .. than the current series. Jack looks MUCH hotter now. And I miss the Jack Sack.

Observation #2 – Felicity
When I was in New Zealand, a big electrical storm hit my area. My el-cheapo $30 DVD player was fried in the process, and I was thrilled to recieve a new, more expensive model as its replacement. Yeah. Thrilled. For all it’s perks (It plays videos! And dvds! On one remote!) it is not multi-region friendly. Meaning that even though I finally own all of Felicity thanks to Amazon, I can’t even watch the bloody things. I don’t know what happens after Season 1, which of the boys does she choose? (If you tell me, I may hurt you.) Shit, Bugger, Crap. The verdict: Flashy isn’t always better. I miss you el-cheapo!

Observation #3 – The X-Files
It’s still just as spooky as it was when I was 12. I’m just saying.

Observation #4 – Gilmore Girls
I can only watch this show in small doses. Rory pisses me off way too much, and I still stand by the fact that those two girls should be huge giant porkers what with the amount of junk that they consume. So not realistic and/or fair. Whores!

Observation #5 – Dawson’s Creek
Seeing what an annoying drama queen Joey turns into, it doesn’t surprise me that she’s turned into an annoying trophy wife. And even though I was always a fan of Pacey hotness over Dawson hotness? Dawson is looking mighty fine in Season 6.

Observation #6 – Buffy the Vampire Slayer
They should never have canned this show. How could they leave it like that? And Spike! I loved me some Spike action. I would have happily kept watching this show, if only for the fact that SMG’s hair is always really, really pretty.

Observation #7 – CSI
There is still a part of me that secretly wants to be a forensic scientist. I blame this show. Oh, and Nick should never have shaved off his hair in Season 5.

Observation # 8 – Roswell
I’m secretly in love with Max, years after the show was axed. Sigh. What a dreamboat.

Observation #9 – Charmed
I still get excited whenever I see the intro to this show, because the last time we were in LA, we did a tour and actually saw the external of the house they base the Halliwells in. (We saw the set of Stars Hollow as well, but we were more interested in stalking Noah Wyle at the time of that particular tour.)

Observation #10 – About Me, Myself & I
I put off watching my favourite boxsets until absolutely last. Like the X-Files, for example. I looked for these babies everywhere, before I ended up purchasing them cheaply from an Asian country (my boxes have pretty symbols all over them, and I have no idea what they mean!) and now that they’re here? I refuse to watch them. I’ll save them until I have watched all of the rest of my DVDs, so that they’ll be special. You see? I’m a nerd.

In case you were wondering, my next television conquests are going to be Angel (1-5), ER (8), CSI (6), Melrose Place (2) & 90210 (1 & 2). I have such classy tastes, don’t you think?

I’m a good cause; feel free to donate!

(Oh, and if you have any suggestions on shows that I’ve missed, feel free to share.)

In the middle of a procrastination session last night, I stumbled across a blog rating quiz on Carrie’s blog. Being the charmingly innocent blogger that I am, I decided to be brave and give it a go. (What? I’m a sucker for memes.)

I’ve written my fair share of er, ranting blog posts. A lot of these posts have been er, less than positive ones. And yep, I’ve used my fair share of er, less than polite expressions in the afore mentioned blog posts. I figured I’d be at least PG-rated, like all the cool kids.

Ha!

I am more innocent than I thought. This blog is G-rated, bitches. (Hee!) Apparently, the blog rater believes that ’suck’ is more of a swear word than a certain other rhyming word that starts with the letter F.

I do have one complaint.

Why the (beep) is my new domain blocked by the Department of Education here at school? Pretty poor if you ask me, especially since you can view all of my old Typepad entries – and they contain content that is ONE AND THE SAME. Bah!

Today started out like any other day.

I unwillingly got out of bed, stumbled around in the dark looking for another jumper to put on, made myself a hot chocolate and snuck onto the computer to check my email. I spent the next hour happily distracted emailing Aimee, bringing out the old “I don’t WANT to go to school today” whinge and pretending not to notice what the actual time was. Comfy as I was, it was time to get ready so off I slouched to the bathroom.

I don’t know what it was that made me do things differently this morning. Maybe it’s end-of-term-itis or something. But instead of showering, I decided to brush my teeth first. What’s so eventful about that, you ask?

(Other than enlightening you all about my dental hygiene habits, that is.)

As I opened my mouth to stick in the toothbrush, I split the corner of my lip. You know, that part in the middle, to the side of your mouth, where your top and bottom lip join.

Yeah. That part.

It’s the most painful thing I’ve experienced in a long time.

Post laser eyeballs? Meh. Slamming my finger three times in the same drawer last week? Meh. Shin splints when trying to run? Bah. They’re nothing!

As for my mouth, damn. Who knew I used it so much? (No dirty references intended.)

Talking hurts. Smiling hurts. Opening my mouth to yawn? Heck, no. Add the fact that my tongue keeps sneaking out to touch it and that it looks like a big festy cold sore, and I’m sure you can imagine that I’m not a happy little vegemite.

Anyone have a paper bag to share with me?