Archive for July, 2008
July 28 2008: Use Twitter? You’re a Twit.
Filed under Online with 21 Comments
It seems like everyone and their grandmother are signing up for Twitter. Personally, I can’t quite see the point in letting people know that you “just woke up”, “getting ready for work”, “had a sandwich for lunch”, “going to bed”, “bleeding from the vagina”. Well, perhaps the latter. Everything else is simply irrelevant information that makes you a twit.
I can see the point however, in twittering philosophical thoughts and humourous experiences. “Wondering about point of life”, “crossed new r’ship toilet boundaries”, or “booger size of golf ball in my nose” work well for inciting thought or amusement in others. What a pity that most Twits use their account for the former reason. It’s almost as bad as those who blog about the minutiae of their days, right down to the “Today Sally told me that Mike liked me, but I wasn’t sure how to respond because I still have a crush on Tim”.
Of course, having said all this, I’m probably going to end up signing up for an account sometime in the next month. Hypocrisy, thy name is Amanda.
July 27 2008: Jingwen’s Competition #5
Filed under Online with 5 Comments
What It Is
A competition run by yours truly, in order to give current, and potential, readers of Jingwen a tangible prize. Prizes will differ from month to month. Some may only be suitable for a certain demographic, others will be gender and age neutral.
The Prize
This month’s prize is a copy of Sarah Rayne’s new novel, “The Death Chamber”. Amazon reviewers have awarded the novel five stars, and said:
From one of the best opening chapters I’ve read in a long time right through to the final page, the author takes the reader on several exciting and enthralling journeys spanning more than four generations. There are wonderfully diverse characters, from the loathsome, Dickensian Ketch to the 21st century Georgina, via charlatan mediums and a contemporary TV crew researching a documentary. Spanning it all is the brooding malevolent presence of Calvary Gaol and its evil execution chamber. Throughout, the pace is pitched perfectly. On several occasions when I thought the tension couldn’t increase, it’s ratcheted several more notches, and then the author changes gear with remarkable dexterity. I believe this is Sarah Rayne’s finest work yet.
Please note that this is not a second-hand copy, it is brand-new and sparkling! Like the previous month’s prize, it was originally a prize I won in an online competition. However, as I’m not generally a fan of crime or thriller novels, I thought I’d pass the prize onto someone who is.
How To Win
You will need to email me at acchamanda@gmail.com with:
- Your full name
- Your postal address
- A URL (if applicable)
- Your favourite crime/thriller novel thus far, and why.
You will also need to comment on any entry on this blog between the 25th of July 2008 and 24th of August 2008 in order to qualify for the draw.
Summary
The winner of this novel will be drawn randomly out of a hat on the 25th of August 2008. You will be notified by email. The winner will also be announced on this blog. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to address them here in the comments for this entry. Spread the word, and good luck!
July 26 2008: I Smell Like Meat
Filed under Body with 13 Comments
I have to admit, I’m a creature of some disgusting foul habits. Like, right now? I haven’t showered for forty-eight hours, and I’m pretty certain I smell like I haven’t showered for forty-eight hours. If I’d only been sitting around at home on my laptop…yeah, not showering for forty-eight hours isn’t an issue. When however, that forty-eight hours involved:
- Seven hours of work
- Two hours of shopping
- Four hours at a Korean BBQ place for dinner
- Seven hours of work
…it’s a fairly dire smell emanating from your pores that greets people ten steps before you do.
If anyone’s ever been to a Korean barbeque place, you’ll know exactly how much it smells. Ever been to a normal backyard barbeque? Now, imagine standing ten centimetres away from that barbeque for four hours straight, soaking in the smells of smoke and cooking meat. This isn’t a smell that can be masked with a spritz of perfume (though believe me, I tried). Rather it’s one that you will still be able to catch a whiff of a week later after you’ve washed your hair three times and after you’ve washed your clothes a dozen times. It’s pervasive, and it does not leave.
And right now? That’s what I smell like. I think it’s time to get myself off the Internet and into a shower.