HMV now has a reward scheme (like Boots) in which every time you buy something you earn points with which you can spend on the HMV Pure website. Well, one of the prizes was a BAFTA package which included 2 tickets to the Award Ceremony, bed and breakfast in the Strand Palace Hotel, dinner at Christopher's in Covent Garden, a walk down the red carpet, VIP Drinks before the show, and a place in the grand stand where you can see all the guests arriving.

Well, Dan had enough points for this so at 8.50 I was on the website and the link had disappeared so I thought they'd gone early by mistake. But I kept refreshing the homepage and at 9am, the BAFTA prize appeared so I clicked, added to basket and checked out. I did it soooo quickly and I was shaking cos I was so nervous. The order went through and we got the confirmation email but didn't believe we'd won it. Until an hour and a half later Dan got a phone call confirming we'd got the package and they would ring soon to arrange travel (which is also included!)

I can't believe it! I'm so excited! So even if my dream of becoming an actress doesn't come true, at least I can say I've been to the BAFTAs!

I bought my dress yesterday, it is a full length silky black and white dress. Also bought a black pashmina to go with it and a cute little black bag with a bow on it.
Can't wait!!
You can see the package details here: http://pure.hmv.com/Exclusive-Product/Walk-the-red-carpet-at-the-BAFTA-Film-Awards/invt/f091000119

Hello all!
Firstly I'd like to apologise for my lack of communication over the last few/more than few months and to say I missed talking to you guys a lot. Unfortunatley my health has been going down hill and I've had a lot of work to do as was in my last year at Uni. I've now graduated (woo!) and am doing my Masters in English Literature.

Basically, I've decided to do my Masters Thesis on Gender in Vampire novels/film/tv. And specifically the way the dichotomy of victim and predator has changed. i.e. the way that vampires are no longer stereotypically masculine and the way the females have changed from being passive victims.

And obviously, this is my perfect way in to doing Buffy for one of my chapters. And who better to ask about episodes than you guys?

Does anyone have any recommendations of where Vampires/Scoobies break out of gender stereotypes?

For example, I'm thinking of focussing on Angel because of his two personas and how one adheres to masculine stereotypes and the other is a more rounded character. So I'd like episodes which show his two sides. (Examples from Angel would be good too!)

And then any other episodes which would be good to analyse. Any with Buffy being really strong (I know, easy right?!)

I'm so excited about this topic, great way to watch loads of buffy and angel!

Thanks a lot guys, it'd be much appreciated!

xxx

Last week, we went to a fancy dress party - the theme was 80s cartoons. So at the last minute, Dan decided he wanted to go as Optimus Prime (his childhood hero!) I'd already decided to go as Penny Crayon (if you don't know who she is, look her up. It was one of my fave cartoons as a kid.) We had two days to do it, and this is what happened. We looked on the net for inspiration but most of the costumes said they took weeks to make and they were ridiculously intricate. We just wanted it to vaguely look like OP! So this is how we started:

Step One - get a big pile of boxes of various shapes and sizes.

Step two - take a large box and put a hole in the top to put your head through.

 

Step three: me in a box!

 

Step four: cut out arm holes. Find two oblong shaped boxes and cut a hole in the bottom of each to put your arms through.

 

 

Step five: Feet! Get two more oblong boxes to fit over your legs. Cut a flap in the bottom so your toes can poke out. Then get a piece of card and shape around the box so it is square. Cut the sides so that it is flat to the ground.

 

Step six - Wheels. Get a long strip of card and make it into a cylinder, cut a circle and stick on top.

 

Step seven: Paint!

 

Leave to dry, then paint on the details. I'm sure you can make it better than mine, but mine was done in 2 days so needed to be quick!

Step eight: paint cat. (She rubbed up against the windows!)

 

Step ten: Try on!

 

Step eleven: Add Optimus Prime voice changer helmet and Penny Crayon to complete outfit!

 

So it took about 1 and a half days, and cost about £10/$20. I think that's pretty good going!

I had my last exam today. Sooo...I've finished my degree! I'm so proud of myself. I have no problem saying that. I worked fucking hard over these last three years. I just hope it pays off. I can't wait to sleep in tomorrow morning. Dan took me out to lunch after the exam and I bought a crappy book (P.S. I Love You!) Summer is going to be sooo good. Just hope it doesn't go too quickly so I can make the most of it!

WOOHOO!

Helloo everyone!

I haven't posted for like...ever ;-) because I'm very busy with uni and when I'm not I'm resting. But just wanted to come along and say it's M.E Awareness Week so please spread the word or visit www.ayme.org.uk to make a donation or have a look around!

M.E is a very debilitating illness that I have had to live with for over 7 years. It's not fun and I have learned to live with it, but it is still very misunderstood. The more people know about it, the more research will be done to try to find a cause and hopefully a cure.

Thanks for reading.

On other news: finished 2 exams now, only one left and I have finished my degree - how scary is that?!!?

lucy xxxxx

I am soooo excited about the Serenity Complete line up. Summer Glau has just been announced as the headline guest. Along with those already announced: Adam Baldwin, Alan Tudyk, Jamie Bamber, Mark Sheppard, W Morgan Sheppard and Nicky Clyne. I just reeeeally hope it stays like that and none of them cancel at the last minute!

 

xxx

In no particular order this is my list of books to read this year, so far. A lot are on my course. Should be able to reach 50 quite easily I hope!

The Amber Spyglass - Philip Pullman
Tom Brown's School Days - Thomas Hughes
Maurice - E.M. Forster
Sons and Lovers - D.H. Lawrence
Death of a Salesman - Arthur Miller

Paddy Clarke, Ha Ha Ha - Roddy Doyle
Fight Club - Chuck Palahniuk
The Prestige - Christopher Priest
Brokeback Mountain and Other Stories - Annie Proulx
News From Nowhere - William Morris

Herland - Charlotte Perkins Gilman
We - Yevgeny Zamyatin
Brave New World - Aldous Huxley
Nineteen Eighty Four - George Orwell
Woman on the Edge of Time - Marge Piercy

The Ice People - Maggie Gee
Never Let Me Go - Kazuo Ishiguro
Oryx and Crake - Margaret Atwood
Pop Goes the Weasel-  James Patterson
Orlando - Virginia Woolf

The Well of Loneliness - Radclyffe Hall
The Passion of New Eve - Angela Carter
Written on the Body - Jeanette Winterson
Trumpet - Jackie Kay
The Wasp Factory - Iain Banks

The World's Wife - Carol Ann Duffy
Middlesex - Jeffrey Eugenides
Dark Tower: Drawing of Three - Stephen King
Labyrinth - Kate Mosse

Break No Bones - Kathy Reichs
Chameleon's Shadow - Minette Walters

Yes, it's time for one of those blogs again!! I went to Collectormania 12 today. I met Jewel Staite for the second time - she's still lovely!

We ended up walking past WH Smith where there was a big group of people. We then saw a sign saying Michael Palin was doing a book signing, so we bought a copy of the book and got to meet him!

He was so nice, I said I wanted to travel as much as he had and he said it doesnt solve all of life's problems but it does help! He signed the book for my mum and I got him to sign a copy of a Monty Python collection for me
This is my stalker picture - took a photo of MP through the bookshelves. Love it!

Can't believe how lucky it was! Amazing!

I started my diet this week and so far I haven't faltered! I've eaten no chocolate, drunk no cake and eaten lots of fruit. And I'm bloody hungry!! I think that's why I 've put on so much weight. I get hungry all the time so I snack a lot and for some reason no matter how much fruit/veg I snack on I don't seem to be full for very long. I eat a lot of carbs. Wow, I just realised how dull this is... Lol. Sorry! Anyway, hopefully I will be able to lose at least 8lbs *preferably more* and get my nice flat stomach back!!

I've been ill for the past couple of days, which sucks because I'm tired enough as it is, without having to deal with sickness as well. Got to keep going though. If I stop, I don't think I'll start again, sooo back to work!

Oh and just noticed you can now tag photos on myspace. I wondered how long it would take for myspace to do that. Facespace anyone?

I really should stop going on forums, but they are often a good way to find out information about events/movies/tv shows whatever. But recently I've been going on a couple of convention forums and all I get from them are grief. Why is it, then when people sit down at a computer screen, they think they can talk to people however they like? Most of these people probably wouldn't dare speak to someone like that in real life, so why do it online? If I make a simple comment or say I'm disappointed that 2 guests (in this case, Adam Baldwin and Sean Maher) can't appear at a convention, I have every right to do that. I am simply airing my feelings and don't expect to be told that I shouldn't be disappointed and that the replacement guests are brilliant.

There are so many people who go to these conventions thinking they're 'best buds' with the organisers and that these organisers are on some high pedastal where they can do no wrong. It doesn't work like that, they make mistakes just like everybody else and when they do, they need to be told in order to make things better in the future. If you constantly keep your head stuck up somebody's arse telling them how great they look from the inside, all you're going to get is shit. They're not going to turn round and thank you for being there.

So all you people out there on these forums that think you're opinion is the last word, keep your mouth shut!

Disclaimer: I do not think my word is the last word. Except when it is. Like now. Ok. Done. Honest ;-)