Life Under The Duvet

I can't sleep! Arrgh!

2008-02-23T04:15:00.000Z

The title says it all really! I have to be up early in the morning but I can't just get to bed. I am going through a manic spell at the moment which is not helping my insomnia. I am worried because I have been feeling like this for a week. I haven't felt like this since I started taking my medication back in September last year. I am worried, too, that my tablets are no longer having the desired effect.

I have even drunk a cup of Horlicks! Nothing doing! I'm going to sue them.

God isn't life wonderful!

2008-02-14T16:22:00.001Z

Today I am having a high spell and the whole world looks chuffing amazing! I feel wonderful and so happy and ecstatic! If only every day was like this. But I know its not. Hey-ho. I'll grab today with both hands and scream for joy because its so bloody wonderful.

Jesus wants me for a sunbeam

2008-01-23T17:54:00.001Z

Well he's getting chuff all from me

The snow was wonderful....for a while

2008-01-04T22:03:00.001Z

There was very heavy snowfall here last night in Belfast. I think it caught every one unawares because it wasn't forecasted.

It started around 6pm and continued until the wee hours of the morning. It was quite magical. Sitting inside with a cup of tea and a biscuit is the best way to see snow fall. I even ventured out to throw a snowball.

When I went to bed I kind of thought it would have all melted away. It normally does and this part of the country isn't famed for its snow. I had to go to the dentists this morning and I had to trudge through the slush and compacted ice on the pavements. It really was vile. There were huge puddles everywhere especially when you stepped off the kerb.

Then this afternoon it started raining. Heavily. I got soaked through and was frozen to the bone. Not nice at all.

Bah

2007-12-29T15:05:00.001Z

Cringlemas is over. Go fuck yourselves :D

Its mad out there!

2007-12-28T15:40:00.001Z

As I was spending Xmas at my friends house I decided to let what food I had run down so none of it spoiled. I ventured out of the door this afternoon to Tesco and it was heaving! Was there a national emergency I missed out on or is rationing due to be reintroduced? I swear people are buying more now than they did before Xmas. Where has all the food gone and where the hell do they get the money from?

Also had a wee check on the sales and there is bugger all out there. All I picked up was 2 curtain poles for half price and 4 pillows. I thought there would be some nice clothes at really good prices. There weren't and I am distinctly underwhelmed.

Merry Xmas dearies!

2007-12-25T00:29:00.000Z

I hope everyone who reads this (and everyone who doesnt but bloody well should) a fantabulous Xmas!

I am unbelievably tired

2007-12-20T14:19:00.001Z

OK, I know I am a night owl and detest mornings with a passion but surely this is taking the biscuit? Was up til about 2am watching Blackadder on UKTV Gold. When I went to bed it was nearly immediate sleeping. But what time did I wake up and get out of bed? 1330!

Its madness I tell thee!

My laptop has arrived!

2007-12-19T11:04:00.000Z

Squeeeee!

I'm as excited as those women in that Boots adverts!

Fairytale Of New York

2007-12-18T16:16:00.002Z

BBC Radio 1 has decided to edit this song. God knows why! So here it is in its unedited glory.

Countdown to the Strictly final

2007-12-18T16:16:00.001Z

Well its nearly here - the grand final to Strictly Come Dancing 2007. I am more excited about this than Christmas!

The finalists are Alesha and Matt but they couldn't be more different. Alesha has been the runaway favourite for nearly the whole series. She has excelled at both Latin and Ballroom and has embraced both styles from the beginning. As a front runner she has been under so much pressure from the judges and the public. The Judges have demanded perfection from her more so than the other contestants which may not be entirely fair.

Matt has had weeks of excellence and weeks of disaster. He can pull it out of the bag as seen by the first perfect 40 for his Waltz last Saturday. But he lets his nerves get to him and this is when he can crash and burn as seen 2 weeks ago.

My money is on Alesha to win but it really is too close to call.

Its both fun and scary when I feel like this

2007-12-18T13:52:00.001Z

As you may know I have a bi-polar disorder. I am a manic depressive if you will. The tablets I am on remove the peaks and the troughs of my mood and kind of level me out. When I am depressed I don't go out of the house, feel low and sullen and lethargic and keep to my bed. When I am manic I feel high and happy and fizzing with energy. I laugh and talk to myself and the TV and can spend quite a bit of money on crap.

Yesterday was when I started feeling happy. And it is continuing today. I feel extraordinarily happy and joyful and feel that nothing can bring me down. But I have uncontrollable bursts of manic laughter and talk to myself. That scares me. I don't know why I do it and it disturbs me.

If I could keep the happiness and get rid of everything else I would. But my psychaitrist says that is not possible.

Both moods are becoming less and further apart and soon I will just be boring old mundane Jack.

Cranford

2007-12-16T23:27:00.000Z

Just watched the last episode and I felt myself filling up at the end. "A fine close weave" - couldn't have summed up the residents of Cranford better myself.

Rhydian should have won!

2007-12-16T13:41:00.001Z

Hello dearies!

Flicked over to TXF for the last 10 minutes or so of the results show. And Leon won. Noooooo!

TXF is car crash TV and so Rhydian should have won. He is an egotistical twat who can't sing. I had thoughts that if dear Rhyd won TXF would come to an end. Alas my dream will not come true.

Muller Corners - manna from heaven

2007-12-14T21:08:00.001Z

Dont'cha just love 'em?

Just had the strangest conversation...

2007-12-13T13:22:00.001Z

Hello Dearies!

Just off the phone from an Indian call centre trying to flog me a mobile phone. I was doing nowt so I decided to play along.

The first 20 minutes were spent telling this man that the phone and plan he was offering was crap. It was a K770i on a mix 'n' match plan for £27 a month. He tried to extol the £3 monthly saving I would make but he wouldn't listen to the fact that I had unlimited texts and 600 minutes for £30 a month. A damn sight better than the Three plan.

He then passed me onto his supervisor. Matthew Jones was his name. He changed the phone to the much nice K850i and changed the plan to what I am on now with Orange. I agreed and he told me he would pass me to the Verification team.

"This is Matthews Jones. I am from the Verification team." Rather bizarre I though. He's the same guy! Could this call get any stranger? After he verified the details he passed me onto the despatch team. "This is Tim Smith. I would just like to confirm your details." It was the same bloody guy! He works in 3 departments and has 2 names!

Needless to say I laughed then hung up

Do Tesco not know who I am?!?

2007-12-12T17:47:00.001Z

We all know that Tesco know everything about everybody because of the Clubcard. They track everything you buy and know all from your inside leg measurement to what age you lost your virginity.

Every so often when I shop there I get till spits - extra coupons with your receipt. I got one last week for Always Ultra panty pads!

God knows what they want me to do with it.

I've only gorn and bought one!

2007-12-12T13:47:00.001Z

Hello dearies!

That's right peeps. I bought my good self a laptop yesterday afternoon and it should be with me within a week. I'll probably get freaked at having to pay for it and send it back.

I'm looking forward to being one of those people who takes his laptop everywhere (planes, trains and automobiles) just so he can play Solitaire on the move.

Thinking about getting a laptop

2007-12-11T15:59:00.001Z

I already have a PC (duh! ) but I am seriously tempted to get a lap top too. My flat is teeny so to have my PC in the living room takes up a huge amount of room. The only other place to put it is in the spare room but then I can't watch TV at the same time!

Should I? Shouldn't I? Its one to ponder.

A chavless Jezza!

2007-12-10T12:20:00.000Z

Was up early enough this morning to watch Jeremy Kyle only to find him being all worthy and serious! What the hell?

I demand my fix of fat chavs in leggings with bad hair and jewellery from Elizabeth Duke!

It was Strictly sinful and a Variety of errors

2007-12-09T22:31:00.001Z

Tonight's SCD was an absolute travesty. What on earth are the Great British Public thinking of putting Alesha in the bottom two? People always believe that if they do well with the judges they are safe and therefore do not vote for them. This always put them in the bottom two and then into the sing/dance off.

Matt Di Angelo flopped both his dances. He didn't finish the first and he forgot his routine. Why do people insist in giving a sympathy vote? Its a dance contest - not a bloody personality contest. But then again, Fiona Philips and Kate Garraway had a good stay and it wasn't anything to do with the foot work!

Been flicking between Top Gear and the Royal Variety tonight. TG was, as ever, fantastic. The RVP was bloody awful IMO. Russell Brand was funny and Dame Kiri Te Kanawa can sing. But everything else was tedium in the extreme. Paul Potts? Bugger off back to Carphone Warehouse you freaky toothe creature. In the past it has been something to watch. This year it was like Chinese water torture. I felt for HM The Queen. God knows how she did it. And Kate Thornton - go back to your tree hole and preen yourself. You can't present for toffee!

A new phone with a new start!

2007-12-09T17:56:00.001Z

Hello dearies!

My phone began doing rather bizarre things yesterday. Telephoned Orange (kept on hold for 25 minutes ) and got put through to a charming young man. Asked me a few questions and told me a new phone would be with me today. "Sunday?" says I, "Yes!" says he. Lo and behold come half past three this very afternoon a man from TNT arrived with my new phone. Huzzah!

What a few days its been

2007-12-04T14:09:00.000Z

Sunday evening was find until about 10pm. I was struck with the trots and stomach pains. Suddenly became very tired and went to bed. I couldn't sleep, got a fever and all night I was up and down to the toilet to vomit and poo. Repeatedly. It was horrific. It didn't leave me much time to get to the toilet! Even when I drank a glass of water it just came back up! Yesterday was mostly spent in bed. I had a bowl of cereal and just drank the rest of the day. I sweated like a hoor and today I feel like someone has punched me in the kidneys. Vile vile vile.

But on the positive side I have now been 2 weeks cigarette free. Hurrah!

Elgar's Nimrod

2007-12-01T20:04:00.000Z

Watched this on BBC HD. It really is such a moving piece.

Third patch is on

2007-11-22T13:07:00.000Z

And its still itching to buggery for the first few hours. Anyway, here's some light music to while away the hours on Duvet FM

Love Don't Let Me Go

2007-11-21T13:27:00.000Z

Angie was wrong! And the 2nd patch is on

2007-11-21T13:24:00.000Z

Last night our esteemed BBC NI weather forecaster Angie Phillips said the rain would miss us today. Bollocks. Its been pishing down all morning!

And the patch is still itching. Bizarre how I may be allergic to nicotine patches but I can smoke cigarettes fine!

And the Xmas tree is up. Lights on 24/7

Yay!

Xmas half way over

2007-11-20T17:55:00.000Z

This evening I wrapped all my Xmas presents ready to be put under tree. And I am so tempted to put the tree up. Just to give me something to do really. I could be having a cigarette but apparently they are bad for one's health. Pish flaps!

The patch is on

2007-11-20T14:28:00.000Z

This morning I stuck the first nicotine replacement patch on. And its itchy! Probably because I am being infused with nicotine goodness through the skin.

So far so good.

To amend or not amend...

2007-11-19T17:25:00.000Z

...my Sky sub.

Currently my subscription is as follows:

Entertainment and Movies half price until March 08 - £19
Sky HD sub - £10
Sky Broadband - £5
Sky Talk Line Rental - £10

Total of £44 a month

I have been toying with removing my HD sub (only ever watch BBC HD really and C4 HD begins soon). This would lower it to £34 a month. Then come February I can lower my general sub to £16 a month with just the Variety Mix.

also today, I was prescribed nicotine patches. I am hoping to give up smoking after 10 years. Finger's crossed y'all!

UPDATE:
Just rang Sky and the HD sub is for 12 months until "April" even though I only got the HD in September. More oddness. Looks like I will have to wait until my 12 months half price is up come February/March.

Let's hope I get some drugs

2007-11-19T14:05:00.000Z

Trip to the doctor today. All I am hoping for is some sleeping tablets so I can get back to normal, sleep at night and not feel tired all day.

Third "pirates" film arrived today so that will be good to watch for an hour or three. Just hope it doesn't go on too long and I get a numb bum. Watched "Silver Surfer" this weekend and it was dire! thankfully it was short - only 80 minutes long.

One Hundred and Eiiiiiiighty!

2007-11-18T18:03:00.000Z

I am all about the darts. Watched them yesterday and today on the BBC (not like the fake darts on ITV which means bugger all) and I am hooked! I just love the way the referee announces the scores, the audience participation and the introduction to the game - Lets! Play! Darts! Its so camp its unreal.

Been shag tired all weekend. Spent nearly all of today in bed! Its scary my friends. Seeing the doctor tomorrow anyway and will utter the famous words, " I'm thinking about giving up smoking." Its not the financial side that worries me. Its just that every time I have a smoke I need to go back to bed and sleep for an hour! Its very bizarre.

Question of the day Number 94

2007-11-17T13:22:00.000Z

Why is my stubble ginger and my hair brown?

Photos from London and Birmingham

2007-11-16T18:24:00.001Z

Buckingham Palace

The Globe Theatre

HMS Belfast

Made me laugh!

Storm Troopers atop the Aquarium

The London Eye on the Thames

Parliament from the South Bank

The Bull Ring

Freemasons - Uninvited

2007-11-16T16:38:00.001Z

I absolutely love this tune

Its been a strange sort of day

2007-11-16T16:32:00.000Z

Went to Tesco and bought a fab green military jacket for only £20. Came back home to find a Sky bill, TV Licensing and my credit card statement. My bank accidentally cancelled all my direct debits so I am having to pay them all manually.

£65.66 for Sky

My credit card was overlimit. I paid for my car rental with the wrong card but Ulster Bank mysteriously let the transaction go through any way just to charge me a fee of £12. Telephoned them and they refunded the charge but I was told most sternly this would be the one and only time.

£58.75 for Ulster Bank

TV Licensing wants to know why my direct debit was cancelled. "Go fuck yourself" I muttered. Set that up again.

£192 left in my account all of which is overdraft! But I've bought my new clothes, my Xmas tree and decs and I'm not making dinner this year - its Jenni's turn. Huzzah!

When is the right time to hang your Xmas decs?

2007-11-15T19:19:00.000Z

I have put a few bits of tinsel up and the welcome sign. But no tree.

I have been sorely tempted to get the cellotape out and wrap my presents but I fear its too early. I havent even got the cinnamon air freshner plugged in yet!

How good was Police Academy?

2007-11-14T14:34:00.000Z

Mark

2007-11-13T15:17:00.001Z

This is Mark. From Birmingham in case you were wondering. He's my best friend and the kind of guy you would like to hug and give a manly bum slap to.

Mannequin - REMIX!

2007-11-13T15:16:00.000Z

Today is a vile day

2007-11-13T15:13:00.000Z

I'm too nervous to go outside. What's that all about? Furthest I could go is the garage for a packet of cigs. Any further and I'd be a bumbling mass of jelly. I just want to stay under the duvet and sleep til this feeling passes; but that's never going to happen is it? The world just is not that kind.

There is a reason why vile is an anagram of evil.

An under the duvet kind of few days

2007-11-12T19:44:00.000Z

Can't believe this is my first post of the month. Its been a while so maybe I should prefix the title with "occasional".

The last few days have been spent locked away from the big scary world and under the duvet. Its much safer there I can tell thee. It meant missing Pamlar and Jenni's bday. Although that was mostly to do with my poor fiscal standing. Perhaps the threat of actually going out on a Saturday night sent me into a tail spin. Who's to know?

I just need solitude from time to time. Its refreshing and just quite nice not to have to bow to the whims of friends and answer texts and phone calls.

I am giving major thought to moving to Brum again. I do like it over there. But the logistics and the higher cost are major obstacles to overcome. Will be visiting there at the end of the month again. Mark wants to go to the Car Is The Star museum in Keswick in Cumbria. As long as he's happy!

My ipod is annoying me

2007-10-29T20:03:00.000Z

For some reason it would not sync properly. When I tried to delete songs they would not delete. So I tried a restore to wipe everything off and start from scratch. Wouldn't buggery restore. So I had to download some utility to wipe everything and am now halfway through a 47 minute re-sync of all my music.

Bloody modern technology. Its all arse gravy.

The fear of going out

2007-10-27T14:45:00.000+01:00

I cannot stand this medication I am on. It zombifies you. You sleep for 12 hours and when you wake up you automatically feel tired again. Sleep is the only thing that makes the day pass and is the only high point of my day. 12 hours at night and then a nap later on. Can't be normal - can it?

When I was away I did not take my tablets and I felt fine. I was high as a kite and terribly giddy but I like the way it makes me feel. Sometimes, however, it frightens me or puts me on edge. When I have my maniacal laughing fits and random chats to the TV I know something is wrong and know I should be taking my tablets. But I can go out without fear and mostly feel very happy.

But then there are the lows which must follow the highs. When you can't open the curtains or get out of bed without feeling pain. When you hate the world and yourself and start asking unanswerable questions about the state of your life and why you are the way you are.

I am back on the tablets but today I cannot go out.

Sorry.

Back from my UK jaunt

2007-10-24T16:07:00.000+01:00

Been in Edinburgh and London and Birmingham this past wee while. Will update and post some pics soon

Daily Singings

2007-10-14T12:25:00.000+01:00

Not so much singing as swing-your-pants-while-eating-a-cream-bun

Not-so-easy PCI card

2007-10-13T13:17:00.000+01:00

My PCI card arrived today and here's me thinking "faster speeds and it'll be a doddle to install". Was it hell as like. The manual says "slide into the space" - more like force it in with brute strength. And then getting the damn thing to work. In the first slot the PC recognised the card but I couldnt connect to the internet. In the 2nd slot it seems to connect to the internet fine but the signal strength is low.

What you get for a £5 I suppose!

Daily Singings

2007-10-13T13:16:00.000+01:00

Alcazar - Sexual Guarantee

A general whinge

2007-10-12T16:52:00.001+01:00

This bloody postal strike is getting on my tits.

2 weeks ago my phone became water damaged so I rang the insurance company. No problem. Send it off with £30 and it will be fixed in a jiffy. Letter came back - "you did not provide proof of purchase". I didnt have proof of purchase to provide anyway! Rang Orange to get one and they sent a letter out. Got it 3 days letter. Posted it off on 4 October. Bloody strike for a week. Didnt get the thing til this morning!

And it takes 7-10 days to fix the phone!

Can I get a loan phone? Can I jacksie.

/rant

Bitter Lemon - its manna from heaven!

2007-10-12T12:51:00.002+01:00

This last wee while my legs have been as irritable as hell. Feels like my skin is crawling off them. Then I discovered Schweppe's Bitter Lemon. Not only does it remove stubborn stains from your toilet but it relieves the leg pain. All because of the quinine.

Its a modern marvel I tell thee!

BANG! And the pain is gone!

Daily Singings

2007-10-12T12:51:00.001+01:00

Nothing today folks

2007-10-11T11:33:00.001+01:00

My head is sore and I'm bloody tired.

Tomorrow perhaps.

It still feel like summer

2007-10-10T14:22:00.000+01:00

All of this month (apart from yesterday) has felt like summer. Its been wonderful actually. Came out of Sainsbury's today and it felt like a June day. The sun was shining and birds were singing - all is right with the world.

Must learn to dry clothes thoroughly before wearing though. Put on a jumper with damp sleeves this morning in a rush to get out. Was sitting on the bus with the sun beaming in through the window. The smell of fabric conditioner would knock out a bull mastiff!

Daily Singings

2007-10-10T10:09:00.001+01:00

Donna Summer - Last Dance

Spare buttons

2007-10-09T10:38:00.000+01:00

Every shirt I buy (and some trousers) all come with a little bag with spare buttons. What the hell are the point of these? Do people collect them and number them and keep them in a little drawer? Or do they keep them attached to the shirt in case a button pops off? They are bloody annoying.

Daily Singings

2007-10-09T09:41:00.000+01:00

Charlene - I've Never Been To Me

His first pre-budget

2007-10-09T09:37:00.000+01:00

Since Alistair Darling became Chancellor he has been fairly invisible. Today, however, is his moment in the limelight when he delivers the Comprehensive Spending Review and Pre-Budget Report.

Look out for public sector cash restraint and a Dick Turpinesque thieving of Tory policy ideas.

Daily singings

2007-10-08T11:33:00.000+01:00

I love music (especially camp and cheesy pop!) so everyday I will try and post a video of one of my favourite songs or groups. If you want one posted put it in the comments.

Can he dodge the questions?

2007-10-08T11:23:00.000+01:00

Woke up this morning and the news channels are buzzing about Gordon Brown's monthly (?) news conference. It will be interesting to see how Brown handles the questions of real journalists unlike the gentle touch of Andrew Marr.

Adam Boulton looked decidedly pissed on Saturday and so did Nick Robinson. I expect they will savage GB and one question will not be enough no matter how hard he tries to keep order.

Should be interesting!

UPDATE: Well that was dull. All that I heard was vision, vision, vision, change, vision. And Adam Boulton came across very disinterested. The TV journos were keen to pin him down on whether or not the polls changed his mind - GB did not like that. The press all went off on their own. And was this the first time GMTV was represented?

Who'd of thunk it, eh?

2007-10-07T17:25:00.000+01:00

Oh dear Mr Brown

2007-10-07T17:05:00.000+01:00

What kind of a state has Mr Brown gotten himself into? From what i can gather his flying monkeys hyped the media up and spread the election rumours. Now he called the whole thing off denying he started the rumours and denying it had anything to do with opinion polls.

Bollocks.

GB is a control freak so he ALLOWED his minions to start the rumour mill turning. He rearranged parliamentary statements, brought forward public meetings and his trip to Iraq and hoped the Tories would be caught on the hop and in a tizz.

What he didn't bank on was the Conservatives becoming unified, a tour de force speech by David Cameron, actual policies and a big poll bounce.

This led to him asking Andrew Marr to come for tea on a SATURDAY AFTERNOON to explain why he would not be calling an autumn poll and it had nothing to do with him in the first place. It was very exciting TV for a Saturday afternoon but not so good for the country. He put party politics before serving the nation.

Something a Prime Minister should never do.

why not make a start

2007-10-07T16:49:00.000+01:00

Ever since i was disagnosed as being bipolar I have been keeping a mood diary. Which is like a blog. But private. So I though - why not make it a proper blog. So I have. Ta-dah!

Anyhoo - its my first blog and I'm not sure how to make everything work just yet so it will properly look like the work of a primary school child for now until I press the fancy buttons have a good nose round.