The Question: Why do you blog?

'The Question' will be a series for this blog where every so often, I'll post a question in the title, accompanied by a short post. Its main purpose is to get bloggers and readers talking and sharing ideas. They may be controversial, funny or just plain weird. Each of the posts will be labelled so that if you want quick access to all 'The Question' topics you can find them in the topic list in the right column of the blog...

Today's question is: Why do YOU blog?

I've always wondered about this. Why do people blog? What are your motivations for starting and maintaining a blog? There are many different reasons why people choose to blog. Commercial? Professional? Passion for a subject that you want to share with other like-minded people? If I look at my first blog post I wanted this blog to be a series of observations and opinions about a number of topics, particularly life as a law student. A means of getting things off my mind...Now, nothing much has changed. Though, I have tried to steer the blog away from angsty posts about pining for a guy called Leo and now just moan about my lack of a legal job!

So, what are your motivations for blogging?

F*ckbook in the spotlight (Part 1)

This post has been a long time coming so I guess I should probably explain the title. The woes do not relate to my own personal life but that recently more and more news stories are cropping up relating to Facebook. Whilst most of us recognise that it is a social networking site of significant relevance to society, could it also be just as harmful?

I like the fun of facebook just as anyone who is a member does, though I am interested in the number of reports and stories with this internet phenomenon at its centre. So here are a list of categories with links to articles you might find interesting to read.

Facebook Bullying
A shocking trend amongst teenagers and adults alike, I'm sure, is to resort to bullying for whatever reason, online. This is just one case of many reported in this country (UK)
Teenage girl is first to be jailed for bullying on Facebook

Crime

Vigilante justice in the form of setting up a facebook group in a bid to launch a hate campaign against an innocent man accused of being a child killer.
David Calvert is still not Jon Venables
The comments really have to be read in the above article.

Are these two instances of inmates with Facebook profiles/ access evidence of a lenient penal system? From their prisons, these inmates are able to terrorise victims on the outside world...using Facebook.
Inmate in Facebook death threat
Violent Criminal boasted of Facebook from prison


Children and Safety fears
I for one do not believe Facebook is suitable for children. Or young people under 16 to be exact. I'm sure that there are other networking sites such as Bebo, Myspace or whatever else they are called which are more suitable if your children have the need to be like everyone else and have an online profile and identity. I'm not sure younger users appreciate just how open their profiles and information are on Facebook and how easily a sexual predator could create a profile for the purposes of appealing to and grooming a young impressionable teen or pre-teen. Children using Facebook in my opinion is another case of kids trying to be grown up before their time...with fatal results.
Facebook threatens to sue Daily Mail
Police criticise Facebook safety after Ashleigh Hall murder


Relationships
From personal experience (though nothing critical) I know first-hand how damaging facebook can be to insecure or controlling partners (or indeed ANYONE) in relationships. Checking the others' relationship status or posts on their wall and the many often incriminating photographs attached to someone's profile can lead to many an argument and has done. I think that it is ridiculous to broadcast your relationships, open to public scrutiny to the world and have seen many a 'friend' in a relationship change their status to 'single' after having it as 'in a relationship' and having to answer a barrage of questions about their supposed relationship break down. Just. Don't. Do. It.
Remember this story?
Marriage end 'Posted on Facebook'
It amused many people to no end, least of all the couple involved...

It is interesting to read about the fact that Facebook could be playing a part in relationship breakdowns and issues and even more shocking is that the article below states that an unmentioned law firm suggested that one in five of petitions they processed for divorce had mentioned facebook.
Facebook fuelling divorce, research claims

Then there are the reports that in the US, more and more formal court documents are being served via facebook which you can read about below. (This is just one report and there are several online)
Facebook- the future of service of process

Employment issues

Finally there is the news that increasingly, employers are checking the facebook profiles of their prospective employees and as the attached article shows, even resulted in one teen losing her job over it.
Teenage office worker sacked for moaning on Facebook about her 'totally boring' job

Is it just me or is Facebook becoming less fun? I still do like the fact that I can get in contact with friends in St. Lucia or abroad. I appreciate that a lot of my friends and colleagues like to use it to show off to friends at how good they can pose in photographs. I have been guilty of having stupid photos on my profile in my time, though recently, I have not been frequenting the site as much as I used to...

The choice to join is yours... I'm seriously considering terminating (for the second time, the first being due to the Spanish Inquisition I was subjected to about my profile) my account after all of these stories.

CBC

xx

I wonder whether I should update this post from time to time (or post part (2) or (3) as appropriate) because I'm sure Facebook won't be out of the news, positive or negative, for a while to come!

More on Venables, F*ckbook and David Calvert

Good morning www. This post is a day late but after logging onto F*ckbook this morning to check my messages, I noticed that one of my 'friends' Mr Lit. who is particularly interested in law and criminal justice had created a group to entice crazy Venables hunters and then changed the name of the group. It was a joke but was shocking that it attracted 54 angry members, trying to take justice into their own hands. Sad. Good on him for doing so...hope he didn't get into trouble!

I write this post in response to a news story of David Calvert, who is being targeted by members of the public who are accusing him of being Venables. A series of Facebook groups had been set up to name him as Venables and launch abuse at him. How stupid can people be? It is widely reported that Venables (whatever his new identity) is in prison, therefore how can Calvert be Venables? It just seems that logic, common sense and all that goes with it have gone out of the window in this case.

However, there is a more serious underlying message to all of this. Should Venables' anonymity be upheld at the risk of innocent people being under threat? Clearly Calvert is worried for his safety and that of his children. So is keeping Venables' identity out of the public domain more important than the safety of a family who has (supposedly) nothing to do with proceedings?

I personally believe that without putting Venables and the fairness of future proceedings at risk, as Calvert says here perhaps a statement that he is not Venables would be a start. Simplistic in my explanation I realise but I really do think that this might be necessary to prevent a full blown 'witchhunt'. However, how do you protect against pure stupidity?

*tumbleweed rolls past*

So today, I feel exhausted for some unknown reason. I haven't been working or doing any exercise. Hmm...

Till next post,

Stay legal

CBC

xx

"Unagi is a state of total awareness..."

"...Only by achieving true unagi can you be prepared for any danger that may befall you..."

Today I am in a semi-unagific state. I am hitting the job search from a different angle today.

Unagi

CBC

xx

Return to Foyle's Philavery: Bavardage

As you may or may not know, I love books and words and love unusual words in particular. Therefore my beloved Foyle's Collected Philavery set is making a reappearance, emerging from its dusty home on my bookshelf, after my previous 'Oculolinctus' post.

Today's words are:

Blabagogy: a criminal environment
Great word for use in a legal context.

Flabellation: the act of fanning, particularly in the context of keeping fractured limbs cool
Who knew there was a word for this?

Groak: to look or stare longingly, especially at someone who is eating
Probably more appropriate for use in the Caribbean and in particular St. Lucia where often it is joked that one can cause an eater's food to drop from a utensil or their mouth, simply by staring at them.

C'est tout.

A Bientot,

CBC

xx

Sugar Cane, Venables and Dirty Laundry

Good morning readers,

This post will be a bit of a collection of weekend antics and news stories I have come across through my husband to be, Matthew Wright (I SO am not attracted to him in any way...it's because I often refer to his talking points. I just wanted to point this out).

So on Friday night, in a bid to catch up with the girls (and lift my dampened spirits), I headed over to Sugar Cane bar in Clapham Junction for a few cocktails and chat. Tasty drinks, yummy food and fun tropical decor made this a really pleasant night out. I'd love to go again.

On Wrighty this morning, there were several interesting talking points as per usual. The most interesting for me I suppose was that of the child killer Venables, and whether it was naive of officials not to anticipate reoffending. You can read a report on the alleged child pornography accusations made against Venables in the Times Online here.

I'm not sure I can comment on the matter as I don't think that I have been able to formulate an opinion that isn't contradictory as yet. I do think that his childhood offence meant that he had a propensity to commit further offences of a similar type BUT I don't think that the media should be speculating about the offence he may or may not have committed. An interesting point was made in the article that discussions of Venables' alleged crime could jeopardise future legal proceedings and that if his past was revealed, it would be impossible for him to have a fair trial. Some would argue that the horrific crime he committed in the past excludes him from 'fairness' though on the flip side, this could affect public faith in the criminal justice system if proceedings are prejudiced in this way (by revealing his old identity and past convictions).

Sorry if that made no sense, I just have so many thoughts whizzing through my head on this one...

So onto a more light hearted find from the Sunday Times, Camilla Long, a Guest Contributor to the 'newspaper' wrote about why couples fight or argue in public. Especially when on public transport, this can be rather unsettling and slightly irritating for other commuters. It's almost like those people who insist on telling their life stories LOUDLY on their mobile telephones for the entire bus, train or tube (overground) to hear. Is this for attention? Because undoubtedly, people (especially myself) will often pretend not to listen but cave in eventually because their iPod battery chose that moment to die or that they're bored of staring listlessly out of the window, at the floor, or if on a tube, at the crotch of the person standing over you or into the eyes of the perverse looking man (or woman) undressing you with their eyes.

'Coupley' fights can be amusing sometimes. Thankfully I haven't seen many but the most extreme and shocking one I did see was a man pushing his girlfriend up against the window of H&M Oxford Street shouting in her face about money or something equally as trivial (as trivial as money could be in the 'current climate'. Sorry for the flippant remark!), much to the obliviance (is this a word?) of the self-absorbed shoppers there!

You can read and giggle at Camilla's article here.

That's your lot for today. Till next entry, enjoy the sun and frost.

CBC

xx

Edit: I have been reading the law blogs and come across a post about Venables with lots of commentary which anyone interested might find informative so read the Magistrate's Blog!

Shhh...

...my name is CBC and I am a nail polish addict. I'm not sure if I've ever mentioned or alluded to this in any of my posts but there you go...it's all out there. Now I have stumbled upon the blog of someone who is ever crazier about nail polish than I. If you aren't into nail polish and such then I know that this will seem a little weird. But Scrangie is like nail porn!

I'm not sure that this blog is the right place to post nail swatches but don't be alarmed if you do see a photo or two of nail related stuff on here, now that the secret's out. It's not law related but it's certainly part of CBC!

Till next entry,

CBC

xx

New month. New challenges

Hello www! As it's the first of March today it's a great day to post and reflect on the previous month and the month to come.First of all, I just wanted to tell you about the latest manifestation of my Japanese interest: Wasabi flavoured Pringles! I know this sounds crazy and slightly disgusting but if you are a fan of Japanese flavours like myself, you will find this a welcome snack.While plodding around my nearest Tesco store on my lunch break on Saturday, I stumbled wearily across a new offer on new Pringle flavours for 99p. On closer inspection, there was one labelled 'Fiery Wasabi'. Crazy CBC grabbed a tin and headed back to the bookshop. Once you've scoffed quite a few in succession and give your lips a lick, the crisps do taste remarkably like wasabi and really do pack that mad wasabi punch! My new crisp love...

As I have started on a wasabi note, I might as well talk about my dismay to waking up one morning and finding seaweed scraps strewn all over the kitchen floor. On looking into my sushi supplies, I find that three of four of my packs of 10 seaweed sheets had been ripped open and crushed. For some reason which I cannot comprehend, my 'father' has ripped open three identical packs because he was looking for something to eat. He knows that this is one of the few things that keeps me happy but he destroys them all even when he did not even know what they were in the first place. Intelligence personified!

The month of February has been a bit of a rubbish one when it comes to making progress with job applications. Everyone I have chased up has either been out to lunch, away from the office or sick. No one has bothered to get back to me. I've been so close to giving up. I feel like I'm in a vicious cycle of applications and rejections or blatant disregard for the fact that the name on the application which probably took the sender HOURS to complete is an ACTUAL person. I just can't wait to get out of this rut. I really want to do something to help people who had gone through a similar thing as myself in the future. It just makes you think that as a reasonably educated individual, if you aren't capable of getting a response to an application then would you really have wanted to work for such a company in the first place? I do however appreciate that where there are thousands of applicants for very few positions, it is sometimes difficult to respond to all of them. In this case I think firms/companies should have some form of automated 'receipt of application' process in place so that they need not waste time sending responses out but every application sent receives an automated email. That way, you don't end up with a generation of depressed, demotivated and unemployed young people who have given up on life simply because they waste their time on job applications which don't get acknowledged (that is not to say that every application should be a successful one- that'd breed complacency). Just my two (sometimes over-emotional) cents...

So onto March, there are a few positions I have applied for for which I am remaining optimistic though I am seriously considering Mc Donalds as a short term solution. In all seriousness I'm still remaining upbeat and keeping the apps going.

Off to get some dinner and rest my eyes. Last night I somehow managed to read a book in about 2 hours. Tonight may not be as productive...

CBC

xoxo

(less than) Wacky Wednesday

Hello www,

I trust that you are all well? This is short a post to let you know that I am still alive as I haven't blogged in a week or so. Today is a less than inspiring day for me compared to the one I had on Monday with AW! Fun times...

At the moment I am listening to my new Alicia Keys CD and I'm loving it! One of my faves is called 'This Bed' because of the beat and because it makes me WANT to dance.

Enjoy,

CBC

xx

Sterilisation for women addicted to drugs and alcohol?

Good ole Wrighty has alerted to me a very interesting topic of conversation this morning. Put simply, there is an organisation in the US which offers a cash payment for the sterilisation of and provision of long term contraception to women addicted to drugs and alcohol because of the long term negative effects on children born in these circumstances.

It appears that this discussion has arisen out of a recent BBC Radio 4 broadcast which you can listen to here (very compelling listening!)

So what do you think?

Is a $300 payout to an addict a fair offer? It seems that these women will be motivated by the money which Project Prevention offers them and make choices which, in their state of mind are not fully conscious. Listening to Barbara Harris, the founder of the organisation, I get the feeling that her heart is in the right place and that she is genuinely concerned about the welfare of unborn children of addicts as she is an adoptive parent of four children of a Los Angeles addict.

However, it has been argued that she appears to be playing God, deciding which sectors of society are 'good enough' or 'socially undesirable' (as quoted by Fergal Keane) individuals to produce children. The argument (and her critics) has even gone as to far to argue that she is an advocate of and supporter of the theory of Eugenics preaching Nazi ideals.

Too far?

What about the addicts?

The Wright stuff panel argued that perhaps the focus should also be on the addict mothers and their rehabilitation. They pointed out that while it may be honorable of Harris to think of unborn children and the medical and financial implications involved with caring for these babies, that the mothers ought not to be essentially 'baited' by $300 which they would probably use to fund their habit thus not tackling the issue from the origin. Harris said when questioned about the financial incentive,

"...We know the money is the bait... We know the money is what gets them. We know in most cases that they're probably going to spend the money on drugs but that's their choice. The babies don't have a choice."

The babies don't have a choice. She's right. Going with one of the central prinicples of the law involving children, the best interests of the child are of paramount importance when considering decisions which could have an effect on a child's life. Does this apply to unborn children?

Where does the funding come from?

As hinted at in the interview, some of this funding comes from individuals or extremist organisations who have a racist outlook on things and think that black people have a more relaxed view on contraception and child rearing. However, according to Harris, the views of the donors is not what the issue is and she will continue to accept donations from whoever provides it, as the overall purpose overrides the issue of where the money comes from. Is it not surprising then that she is accused, of being racist as accepting donations from racist or extremist organisations may be seen as condoning their views? As one half of a bi-racial couple, it could be said that she is not racist but she fails to recognise how the acceptance of certain donations could be viewed by the public.

An organisation called 'National Advocates for Pregnant Women'(NAPW) which works to protect the rights and dignity of pregnant women and those which are most vulnerable due to ethnic background, low income or drug abuse, contains commentary and testimonials on the Project Prevention ideas and one commentor and former addict said,

"... thank goodness I had not met Project Prevention founder Barbara Harris when I was in active addiction, because I may have taken her up on her offer and missed out on the beauty of having children."

(see further comments and information here )

I think that Project Prevention and its proposals sound like a reasonable idea(in some cases) but feel that more focus should be more on rehabilitation and therapy for these people as simply by not having children, will not work to resolve the drug addiction...

I find this so interesting and would be interested to hear what others have to say so feel free to comment!

CBC

xx

No man is an island

Hello folks!

It's late and I've been thinking about posting all day so have finally succumbed and here we go! I've been feeling strangely lonely over the past few days and this evening in particular. I don't know if thats because I've been watching episodes of the Vampire Diaries back to back or what it is...I then had the strangest compulsion to speak to one of my brothers and make sure he was okay a few minutes ago. Hmm, I've been a bit funny today.

Today I managed to send a couple of applications for paralegal jobs and one volunteering position off so I feel like my being reclusive today has not been in vain.

What a load of drivel. I apologise. I am in the strangest mood. I'm neither psychic nor able to predict the future but I get the strangest feeling. I'm sure all will become clear in the coming days...

Till next entry,

CBC

xx

'The Catcher and the Fly'...

...I can scarcely keep my mouth closed and my eyes open (my mouth being the catcher and the rest is self explanatory...no?) Thus forgive the inevitable drivel which may emerge from this post www. I wanted to post to acknowledge the death of JD Salinger over a week ago. His most famous work, 'The Catcher in the Rye' is not something I have read or at least I can't remember reading it but working in a bookshop, it is a book I am asked about so often, it feels wrong not to know the story. I am also very interested in reading and catching up with some of the classics I was NOT forced to read at school so I may just read it when I have dented my 'To Read' pile at home....

That said, referring to an earlier post I made about Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, (no stone is left unturned here) I have finally read the book, enjoying it thoroughly! I have laughed out loud on the London Underground at parts of the story (mostly the zombie invasion and sexual innuendo) though I'm not sure what Austen would have made of this adaptation! I bought the deluxe heirloom edition (and feel rather posh for doing so dahlingss) complete with paintings of vital scenes in the story. Nice!

So whilst the catcher is getting through those flies, I had better hit the hay, make hay while the sun shines, to be honest, it's not you it's me (to use as many cliches and overused phrases as I can in my tired state)

Good night!

CBC

xx

This is why the entity of 'celebrity' should be dissolved...

A man visibly upset at the prospect of losing access his children is probed for public scrutiny (and sick delight) Makes me feel ill. I feel for the children.

CBC

xx

Frustration...

A week at home after losing my full time job (for a weekend one) and already feel like I'm losing my mind. I need a job so badly, if not just to get me out of the house away from a bad situation. I really can't take it anymore. The money of course, would be an added bonus...

Another quiet day...

CBC

xx

Lock up your daughters! Chain up your sons...

Yes, this is my third post of the day but I am really in a posting mood today.

I just came across this story about a Chinese Father who chained his son to a lampost outside a shopping centre to prevent the child from being abducted. Far from being outraged, I actually think that looking past the crude means of restraint, this works for this poor family who is trying to earn a living AND whose four year old daughter had been abducted weeks prior. To Western eyes, this may seem like child cruelty but as child abduction is a big worry for the family, this is a solution. It was also reported that the family could not afford childcare. It is very easy for me in my 'so called' cushy life to point the accusing finger and question why the child was not left with relatives but we do not know the entire situation.

I think that the story was perfectly summed up by a commentor, Adrian Wright who added,

"Who should babysit for the poorest in the world?"

Sad but true.

The story and photograph are taken from: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article7014172.ece

Hey Diddle Diddle...a Castle and a Fidle(r)

I am intrigued by a story I heard on (surprise surprise) the Wright Stuff. By the number of mentions I have given that show, Matthew, I'm sure you owe me some money in advertising by now! (I accept Paypal :D)

Anyway, I digress...

Robert Fidler, a farmer from Surrey, spent two years building what can only be described as a CASTLE hidden behind some straw bales (for what reason we can't be certain) has now been told that it is to be knocked down as he did not have planning permission of some sort to erect it in the first place. Take a look and read of the story here and you will see that this is no shabby mess we are talking about! So putting the matter of permission aside, would your opinion of the plight of the building change if it was an eyesore? I don't think it should be demolished but maybe Mr Fidler ought to be fined? Why spend precious money knocking it down and rendering a family homeless?

Hmm...

CBC

xx

Cakes and Mistakes

Hello Readers!

I trust that you are all well, whatever part of the world you are in...

I'm having a quiet, stay-at-home day today where I don't plan on leaving the house and probably not my bedroom either. I feel a little withdrawn and unsociable today so I will be doing just that. I've just been pottering around my room, watching YouTube make-up tutorials and haven't done much job hunting for the day (yet). When I eventually snap out of it, I'll probably do a little cooking and tidying up and probably a little ironing too. I just don't feel in the mood for much today. Didn't have that great a night's sleep last night either...maybe it's because I couldn't get to sleep thinking about a certain someone/situation for some UKNOWN reason. And I don't mean my mother either...I really don't understand why.

LEO

Maybe it's because we exchanged friendly, catch up emails before Christmas about where we are with our lives, careers etc and then when, at the start of the New Year, I replied to the conversation thread (on good old FACEBOOK...grr) he deletes his account and disappears off the radar. Nice (one) I'm not saying that's the reason, but I guess it has been playing on my mind to some extent...

(Edit) And now, as I type this, I've got some random off the street person in the place where I live (I won't call it home), changing my more-than-capable father's DIRTY bed linen (while he sits and watches and plays helpless). Nice. (two)

I apologise if this is too much information www, I just had to get it off my chest.

But hey-ho! Everyone has their quiet days right? Oooo! I completely forgot that I had the new Alexander McCall Smith book to read so I will be visiting Mma Ramotswe in Botswana sometime today also! Very much looking forward to that.

Yesterday I had a second attempt at my marshmallow and choc-chip muffins and they came out great! I think the mistake I made on my last attempt was that I had overbaked the muffins, though still in- keeping with the suggested time in the recipe. What I had not considered was that I have a fan oven and sometimes cooking in this type of oven requires less time...So I halved the time and hey presto! Moist, yummy muffins...The reason I have been cooking a lot of sweet treats lately is because I've never been great at preparing desserts or cakes in the past and always would prepare savoury things. However, on realising how easy and cheap cakes and sweet things are to make, I've become hooked. Also, at the bookshop, to raise some money for charity, we are planning to have a 'Cake Day' where one person bakes cakes or some other sweet treat and we have to give a donation before getting our greedy mitts on the goods! If it happens once a week or month, by the end of 2010, not only will be have raised some good money for charity but I'll also be the size of a small horse...all for charity's sake!

So I'm feeling considerably better now at the end of this post than I did at the beginning and I'm going to go to a few job searches and apps (ignoring the banging around going on in the next room) and then start seasoning and marinating my chicken wings for the roasting they're going to have this afternoon!

Till next entry,

Stay on the RIGHT side of the law (and off Solicitors from Hell !)

CBC

xx

13 Year Old Rapists? Whatever next?

I know that this is a relatively new story which I originally heard from the newspaper round-up section on the Wright Stuff. I haven't posted much legal content recently and this story really interested me so I felt the need to comment. If you haven't read or heard the story you can find a report here. In summary, a 13 year old boy was convicted of raping a 20 year old female and was sentenced to only 3 years because of restrictions related to his age and the fact that he apologised.

Sorry?! 13?

I do understand that minors under a certain age are subject to different sentencing guidelines that adult offenders but 3 years seems a little inadequate. According to the article, "By law, anyone under 18 years old faces a lesser sentence for rape than an adult, and for those aged 14 or under the term is reduced further..."

I do not have the guidelines to hand but I would hope that this would be proportionate according to the severity of the act because as one of the commentors on the article suggested, Khan is potentially 'one of the rapists of the future' and if he is capable of such a disgusting act at his tender age then the thought of what he would be capable of as an adult is frightening. It also seems ridiculous merely to reduce a sentence fitting a crime committed simply because the offender comes below a certain age bracket. I fail to see how 3 years will be sufficient to make Khan see '...the error of his ways'.

However, the judge in this case, Judge Glenn has removed a restriction on the publication of Khan's name because of the severity of the offences committed. He said,

" In this case I believe there is a legitimate public interest in naming this offender. It may prove to be a deterrent to others."

Oh right. Am I the only one that thinks that the fact that Khan is only 13 is a sad reflection of the changing nature of the values of the youth of this society for the worst? I don't know how simply 'naiming and shaming' will act as a deterrent for others.

Sorry doesn't seem to be the hardest word...

What do YOU think?


CBC

xx



Soundtrack to this post(Song I was listening whilst I was writing...the lyrics coincidentally, are unfortunate in relation to the subject matter): 'Cloud of Stink' by Biffy Clyro




Quoted from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1246195/Boy-13-raped-woman-friends-jailed-just-years.html

"It was the most mournful pee I've ever had in my life..."

I'm watching Russell Brand's Ponderland on love and this fabulous title comes from a woman describing meeting the love of her life...you couldn't make it up.

I went to the Japan Centre again last week and to my delight, there are now TWO different stores: one for food and another for literature and culture. I was low on sushi ingredients and so went to stock up on rice, seasonings, wasabi and soy sauce. However, something shiny and sharp caught my attention. A thing of beauty. A Japanese knife! Now to some that might seem a little scary. I haven't suddenly turned homicidal. It's just that after a while of roughly cut sushi, having neat edges seems like a dream!

*sigh*

Additionally, I seem to be cooking a lot more in recent weeks. Like for example, a lovely friend at work made some chocolate fudge and shared this (a whole SKIP-LOAD) with me. After SERIOUSLY gorgeing on the fudge, I nabbed the recipe and last night, attempted to make some. For a first attempt, it didn't half turn out bad www! So I spent my Friday evening making fudge. In my pyjamas...I fear I may have aged 20 years for 2010! Good grief!

I must say I am embracing the "F**k it" philosophy this year. Eff it need not mean that things which need to be taken seriously aren't. It just means that insignificant things in relation to the 'grand scheme' aren't turned into bigger things than they need to be. Also moaning about any and every thing which are not in one's control will not be happening in CBCs world this year. (I will endeavour not to www...) So saying that, I must have a problem but I just do not get the current obsession of some of my peers with the opposite sex, dating etc. Now of course a lot of this blog has been about my romantic feelings towards certain people, unrequited feelings and just men in general. I do look after the 'Popular Psychology' section in the bookshop and also read a lot of relationship books out of interest. However, I am a bit annoyed with some people who can barely walk a few feet down a street without assessing which men in the vicinity are attractive, interested in them and with whom they see potential. Forgive me for not giving a flying fuck! Sheesh...

So enough of the ranting tonight, I am off looking for jobbies and keeping optimistic despite feeling utterly shafted by the bookshop. Tut...onwards and UPwards

CBC

xx

Tonight...

...tomato soup was just enough.

Happy 2010 Readers!

Hello www. I realise that I'm about 22 days late but better late than never... right? No? Ahh well, I'm just a bad person aren't I?

I'd just like to say thank you to all readers for your comments in the duration of this blog. I haven't given up on the blog and neither have I given up on law. I have merely taken some time away to deal with more pressing matters which I may have mentioned on my previous post. Now, for 2010, I am still searching for a training contract or some form of work experience but I have some new goals:

New job
New house
Save Save Save
More writing(!)

I've been sending applications when I can though I'm finding it tiring working the erratic shifts I am doing at the bookshop (which I am still loving!) Actually, as I mention the bookshop, I am currently reading 'Pride and Prejudice and Zombies'. I've been reading it for what seems like an age now but my justification is that I'm savouring every moment of the zombie invasions and culling! LOVE!! *in sing-song mock operatic voice*

Today I had a day off from work so I spent some of the day trudging around in the rain buying ingredients for my chocolate chip marshmallow muffins! They turned out better than I expected though I may have cooked them a little too long as the marshmallows seem to have all melted! Och...at least that will save me money on Tesco/ M&S lunches.

"But CBC, " you say, "...whatever happened to Leo? Mr Literary?"

Dear readers, I am currently disinterested in men, relationships, dating at the minute. Maybe I should leave that subject there for the time being!

I probably should go for now as I don't feel like I'm making much sense. Goodnight for now till next entry

CBC

xx