Excuses excuses

Quick moan: I am currently testing. I'm not sure how to deal with the students. They all seem so eagar at first (in fairness my studies are pretty cool) then they are invariably faced with some horrendous illness or "family crisis" preventing them from turning up to their scheduled timeslot. Some of them can't be arsed with the excuses; their appointments merely "don't suit them anymore". Of course I have to smile through and try to re-accommodate them, as it is I who loses out without their data. I'm not sure whether to get arsy with them and risk this. Any advice?

It is amazing how transparent their excuses are nowadays. Headaches and doctors appointments are the worst, especially when students try to feign them to me face-to-face. In these situations I don't feel so guilty about being less than sympathetic, as their acting skills are below par, to put it mildly.

Moon. xxx

Santa on a bike!

As Christmas is on its way, I have been enjoying decoration hunting. For the first time I have the space in my flat for a decent sized tree. I have opted for a (pretty predictable) aubergine theme. However, whilst searching for these delights I have come across some amazing trinkets and tchotchkes. I am a little concerned that I may have begun the search for the naffest christmas decoration ever early. What if the novelty wears off by December 25th? I am reasonably confident, however, that I have only scraped the surface. Keep your eyes peeled (vile expression) for evidence of Las Vegas hitting Gainsborough, and Anglian Way in the fine* town of Market Rasen, Lincs.

Below are a selection of the delights of Christmas, which were found in ChristmasWorldUK in some random place in the Shire. Not sure where.



Yes! It's none other than the highly appropriate Christmas chicken! Disappointingly it wasn't so impressively gravity-defying when on a real head... no matter how tightly you tied the legs.




Is that Santa or some terrifying demon?




Robotic snowoman modelling man's snowsuit.




Phwarrr! Check out the chunkiness of that hot thing! Nice to see that someone is challenging the need for models to be skeletal. I think that "someone" might have been the cashier's daughter. Needless to say I couldn't resist a Santa dress after seeing that.





Mum had a nice time wearing antlers and Rudolf earmuffs whilst carrying some odd... I don't know what. Why would you carry that thing around with you?


And finally, my favourite:



Why oh why oh why?!


Moon. xxx


*hideous

tick tick tick tick, "ooooh"

This week I am angry about: fireworks.

I propose this: that only organised displays should be allowed. On November 5th only. Yes this may be the return of Ms Whitehouse featuring in Stroppy Blog, but there are so many reasons for it. Including:

Shitty little kids (not the nice ones - they are few and far between and they wouldn't play with fire, anyway, of course) mess around with them.

When said shitty little kids play around with them, they injure themselves. And then appear in vile adverts 12 months later with a manky face or something. Ugh. Are they to feature on the infamous ad countdown of the month I wonder?

They are an expense. A dangerous expense.

Finally, they upset animals all over the place. Dogs and cats are petrified. Last night Dave was too frightened to go outside, and tonight Cromwell went missing for hours, and finally returned literally paralysed with fear. Also, hedgehogs are likely to see a heap of twigs and branches neatly piled together and think, "ooh, I might wander over and sit in there. Looks nice." Then a poorly made Guy Fawkes is loaded on top (poor man - we've surely all considered blowing up the Houses of Parliament at some point. Haven't we?!). Hedgehog is comfy. But alas, hedgehog is burned.

Now I know that fireworks are fun, when orgainsed well. And sparklers are ace. But they should be restricted to one night only, and then only in restricted areas.

Who's with me?!

Next week begins the campaign against fun and smiles.

Moon. xxx

PS Don't ven get me started on Hallowe'en!!