Nancy and I have huge amounts in common but I didn’t realise quite how much until tonight.

Not only did I burn my finger while taking the fish out of the oven (there’s a large hole in the oven glove and yes, I managed to find it) but after running the finger under the cold water tap I turned to chop the salad tomatoes and… sliced through the blister.

Ouch doesn’t begin to describe it.

via Nancy and Neil H.

1. Elaborate on your default icon.
Default icon? Um, well the favicon is a pink daisy. Oh dammit, that reminds me that I must replace the Christmas banner rotation tonight.

2. What’s your current relationship status?
Living in blissful sin for the past 13 years.

3. Ever have a near-death experience?
Yes. And an out of body one too.
(more…)

It’s a long story but I’ve been having the devil’s own problem trying to use Thunderbird to download emails from chasingdaisy.com (it’s an add-on domain rather than being the main domain, don’t ask) and I just finally gave in and started using Outlook Express. Which works! But after deleting shedloads of spam I discovered a lovely email from The Murphmeister and three wonderful festive banners that should have been in the competition. Dammit. Dammit. Dammit. Want to see the bruises where I’ve been kicking myself repeatedly?

So here are the banners from Murph and Oz:

I’m not sure I like the implication of this one…
But I love this one
Is that cute or what?

I’m so sorry guys!

The votes are in and congratulations go to non blogging MB for his winning Christmas banner with deliciously cute photos by Aneta B from Poland, or planetka at Stock Xchng.

Second place goes to Jan Zabroda for this wonderful picture of the Magic Forest banner (created for last year’s festivities).

Third place to Lionel for the Mince Pies entry.

Here’s the completed poll and here’s a reminder of the banners.

Thank you everyone!

Is it too soon to have another competition? Oh, I don’t think so…!

1. Go to Amazon (or Flickr or pretty much any website).
2. Delete everything in the address bar.
3. Paste this whole line into the address bar:

javascript:R=0; x1=.1; y1=.05; x2=.25; y2=.24; x3=1.6; y3=.24; x4=300; y4=200; x5=300; y5=200; DI=document.images; DIL=DI.length; function A(){for(i=0; i-DIL; i++){DIS=DI[ i ].style; DIS.position='absolute'; DIS.left=Math.sin(R*x1+i*x2+x3)*x4+x5; DIS.top=Math.cos(R*y1+i*y2+y3)*y4+y5}R++}setInterval('A()',5); void(0);

Enjoy.

[Via]

[Just hit F5 to stop the fun.]

Update

Instructions now in Italian!

…but it’s late-ish on a Sunday night and it just appeared (again) in my inbox. Sasha’s little gift.

36, Quai des Orfèvres and Black Knight.

Black Knight. Martin Lawrence is lovely but man, this film is so very, very bad. It was on late at night last week and we sat in fascination, wondering if it could get any worse (it did). You know those times when you’re too tired to even get up and go to bed? That’s about the only time you’ll be content to watch this. If time travel comedy appeals to you, why not try the hugely superior French film, Les Visiteurs?

On the other hand, 36 by Olivier Marchal is one of the best films I’ve seen in years. Even subtitle-phobic himself was hooked and *gasp* said that if it were on tape he’d rewind and watch it a second time right there and then. A first! It is violent in parts and the ending is a little too neat (can’t say more without giving the plot away) but still, highly recommended.

If you have access to Sky movies in the UK, it’s repeated on Tuesday 9 January at 12:35am - 2:30am on Sky Cinema 1 and on Wednesday 10 January at 3:50am - 5:45am on Sky Cinema 2.

p.s. It seems that a Hollywood remake is on the way with George Clooney and Robert De Niro.

Right, I’m off to put my Miss Bossy-Boots hat on to give wardrobe advice to a friend who’s looking to meet someone special and who thinks that “dressing up” means ironing an old shirt…

Being unexpectedly internetless over Christmas in Wales, followed by the funeral then New Year party obligations has meant another gap and a complete abandonment of the “post once a day” resolution.

So here’s my new, new New Year Resolution for 2007.

A Happy New Year to one and all!