I don't normally do this..

I read a blog called The Jammy Blog. It's brilliant..you should all go and read it from time to time (link at the right hand side)..

While reading it today, I came across a post of thiers that had a link to an item that was on sale on ebay. It's a must read! Read all the way down so you dont miss the updates.

I've also borrowed (dont want to say stolen. So we'll stick with borrowed) a link to a site posted here. The site is called random rant. Funniest shit I've read in a long time! Check out these links, guys. You wont be disappointed and I urge you all to visit The Jammy Blog at some point in your day!

get the message?

Ever get a day where you feel like just telling certain people to go fuck themselves? I've been like that the whole day. It's just a shame they aint around for me to actually say it to them.

Oh well. Another day, maybe.

yet again..

Here I am changing the blog look. I ended up hating the last one with a passion. It's taken me some time but I've got this one working. Made the text bigger in places so that it's easier to see but I'm not really finished with it!

I notice that it's kind hard to see the different posts made on the same day (does happen) and I'll work on that. I'll work on making the post topic a different colour too. It'll all come together at some point.

I've added it (unfinished) because I want your views on what to change and stuff, and then I'll work on it. Be honest too, please =)

ZX Spectrum

Somehow, the topic came up in chat about consoles and then I remembered a very old computer that I still have and that (dispite all odds) still works. That computer is a Sinclair ZX Spectrum.

The Sinclair Spectrum was one of the most popular European computers of the 80's. Two models were launched: one with 16 kb RAM and one with 48 kb RAM. I dont remember which model I have. I'll be checking that when I set it up in my new house (which I hope is very soon)

My dad, mum and myself would spend hours playing chuckie egg 1 and 2. Those were good times! My dad bought me a ghostbusters game but I cant remember what happened during playing it. I dont remember much of the games apart from Horrace Goes Skiing. You would have to make sure Horrace didnt hit the trees or get run down by cars. I would always get killed by a car. There's a list of some games for the Spectrum here. Anyone else ever heard or owned a Spectrum? Let me know

Reality check

As most of you know, I'm now my dad's full time carer. After Mum passed away last year, we discovered Dad had a "silent" heart attack and two small strokes, one of which affected his memory. So our family (and doctors) decided it would be in Dad's best interest for me to take care of him full time. It's not so bad, in ways not as difficult as caring for Mum was. I do a lot though, I make sure Dad has his medication twice a day, I cook all his meals and make his coffee (we really don't want him using the stove etc, he may forget that he's turned it on, which he has done in the past) and if I do want to go out, I make sure he's set for the day. I take care of certain aspects of his personal hygiene also, which I can tell you is quite difficult for a woman to do, I have to shave Dad's beard once a day, and never having to do that at any time before, is quite a task. He gets swollen feet too, that's a side effect from the heart attack, so I massage his feet for at least an hour each night. There's lots more things I do for him, but in general, I just make sure he's OK.
I've often thought of getting a part time job. It's not easy living on a carer's pension. Example, last week I went to buy badly needed new underwear, $90 later I was saying to myself...what the fuck? These are things we can't live without. I rarely buy myself luxuries, so a part time job would have been ideal. Just a couple of hours a day, nothing major at all. Just so I can have a bit of play around money, and save for emergencies, all that stuff.
Well, today sure blew that right out of the water. My dad had his first full blown asthma attack. He's been complaining of shortness of breath for the last 4 weeks or so, the doctor put him on a puffer, he's never really had any major problems until today. He went for his shower and he came out 5 minutes later and nearly collapsed. I managed to get him on his bed and give him his puffer, I called his doctor straight away and they called a locum out. Luckily the locum was free at the time, so he came straight over, and fixed Dad right up. But I can tell you, it frightened the living shit out of me. Mum's illness I could always cope with, but Dad's never had a sick day in his life. 22 years he worked in the same place with never a sick day to his name. Now I know for sure I can't leave Dad on his own while I go out and work. I could never forgive myself if something happened to him while I wasn't home.

New Look

I couldnt wait any longer. I give to you...The new look Online Storm!

If you have any questions about things, ask away but I think it should work just fine. Enjoy, guys!

Ok guys!

It didnt take me two days like I first thought.

I need you both to go here and let me know what you like and dont like. Also if you want any links added on the right, or if you have anything you want added to the blog roll. Cheers, my dears.

Few things..We'll need to keep a few things small. Like if you want to post a pic, pick the small option. On clicking the comments link, you'll notice it doesnt open in a little window (like it does on here)..Dont worry. When you click to post a comment, it'll open that little window. When you click the blogger icon, it opens in a new window. If you want me to change that, I'll try. Most links will open in a new window now. If not, let me know which ones and I'll get to editing them. um...You'll notice the blog banner, rock banner and the clocks are all mising. I dunno if I can add them yet. I'll have to sit and fiddle about. If we don't like the template and stuff, I'll search for an new one. I want your honest opinions on it. Tell me on gtalk or here (if I'm not online)

2 days and counting

In 2 days time, we'll have a new template on here! Finally found one we all like. I'm in the motions of editing it but I'm having a problem. The template doesnt have the right code for allowing the comments to open in a little window and there's no code to support back links (like we have on here). Blogger gave me the codes when I tried to enable these options, and I added them but they aint working for some gay reason. So, I'll need to tweek them OR ask for the help of robert.

I'll need a couple of days to add all our links and get them just right, to get this comment and backlink thing fixed, change some fonts and texts. Wish me luck!! OH, and if you have any other links you want to too add to the blog, let me know! Cheers

back to basics

We're back to boring template time. For some weird and unknown reason, the last style we had fucked up big time. Was it my fault or Bloggers? That I cant tell. It couldnt have been something I did because I've not touched the template, or anything else for that matter, for about 2 weeks. Last thing I did was make a post!

I removed all the stuff I had added..so that I wouldnt lose any of it when I changed template. I picked a template, republished and it looked like it does now. I went to edit my desktop post and when it republished, the template was gone! Only two words occupied that page. I've changed template about 4 times now, spent ages getting more annoyed. I've lost count at how many times I republished this blog. The template is finally working and I'm assuming it's all bloggers fault. I'm not impressed in the slightest!

I'm now going to spend time looking for a new home for our blog. I'm getting really annoyed at how much things fuck up on blogger. I'll keep your posted!

desktop

As usual, here I am posting my new desktop pic.

I've gone with the 24 theme. Seeing as I love 24 so much, and it's an added bonus that there's a extreme close-up of Kiefer's face on it!!

I swoon everytime I minimize my mirc =)

My DVD Review: Paradise Lost: The Child Murders At Robin Hood Hills and Revelations: Paradise Lost 2

The story:
The award winning Paradise Lost films tell the horrifying true story of the West Memphis Three, the notorious American murder case in which three Arkansas teenagers, with a penchant for black clothes and heavy metal music, were accused and charged with killing three 8-year old boys in a Satanic ritual.
Fraught with emotionally charged testimony, allegations of coerced confessions and a lack of physical evidence, the sensational trial prompted many to claim the teenagers were wrongly convicted in an atmosphere of "Satanic Panic".
The filmmakers spent over seven years capturing these shocking events as they unfolded before their cameras, with unprecedented access to all involved in this real-life human drama.
As an international movement to "Free The West Memphis Three" gathers pace and the three convicted men continue to serve out their sentences (with alleged ringleader Damien Echols on Death Row) difficult questions still linger: are the West Memphis Three guilty of sacrificing three eight-year-olds to the Devil, or are they victims of a modern-day witch hunt? Was justice served, or are the real killers still free?
With the release of both landmark films together for the first time ever, it's time to make up your mind.

A good friend of mine recommended this documentary to me. I was going to hire it out but no one round my area had it. So I took my $40 I had saved and went out and bought it. Best money I've spent in a long time. I sat and watched both DVD's in one sitting. I think the first DVD was over 2 hours, the second near on 2 hours too. I was hooked though.
I didn't know anything about this case. So I went in with an open mind. I sure came out of it differently. I can't see any possible way how these 3 teenage boys can be convicted of this crime with no evidence? The only thing was the "confession" of Jessie Misskelley, who has an IQ of 72, and it's said in the documentary that people with low IQ's are subject to giving false confessions because they are easily influenced. There is no forensic evidence of these boys comitting murder. Because they wore different clothes, listened to the wrong kind of music, read horror novels, studied Wicca, they were condemned. To me, that is wrong. It points to someone else doing the murders, but as not to spoil the story for those who haven't seen it, I won't say who it is.
My friend also directed me to a website devoted to the West Memphis Three, which can be found here. It shows all the updates, how you can help in freeing these innocent boys, who are now men.
It's a great documentary. If anything it delves into the american court system and it shows the injustices that can happen. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Just a thought...

As most of you know, I practically live in wwe chat. I quite like it, relieves the boredom sometimes. But if any of you (any of you that don't know me) frequent other chatrooms...do you find this also? There's a particular person that just overtakes the room. No one can get a word in edgewise, no one dare speak about anything they're not interested in, no one dare speak when they're there. Or you get totally ignored by the other chatters that usually greet you, because this person is there. When they finally do leave, the whole chatroom goes silent. You could be chatting to people, but when he/she comes into the room, it's like you've disappeared off the face of the earth. And God forbid if you interrupt the conversation this person is having with another. You might as well be dog shit in the street.

I call these people "chatroom saints". They can do no wrong. They're always the centre of attention. People will sign into chat just because they're there. People will fall over their own arses to talk to them. Am I jealous? Not at all. I wouldn't change the way I am for popularity.

Yawns...

This no sleep malarkey is getting to me. I've not had a decent night's sleep in weeks. More so the last few nights. I've had too much on my mind and I sit there wide awake most of the night, thinking. No matter what I do I just can't seem to clear my head. Sleeping pills worked one night, but I don't want to become reliant on them. Sometimes I just wish I didn't get so damned emotional about things. It's stupid really. I usually switch off quite easily. But, stupid things keep ticking over in my mind. I wish I didn't have to deal with this. Why can't my life go back to normal? I hate this waiting, not knowing shit.

I was gonna defer to another subject but I think I'll just make another separate post. See above.

Oscars: Results

The 78th Academy Awards took place on March 5th, held at the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles. The surprise win of the night was for Best Picture, which was won for the movie Crash. In January, I listed a selection of nominees and asked for people to vote who would win. You can see it here.

Here are the results of that selection (winners are in bold):

Best Picture
Brokeback Mountain
Crash
Goodnight, and Good Luck
Munich
Capote

Best Director
Steven Spielburg - Munich
Ang Lee - Brokeback Mountain
Paul Haggis - Crash
Bennett Miller - Capote
George Clooney - Goodnight, and Good Luck

Best Actor
Philip Seymour Hoffman - Capote
David Strathairn - Goodnight, and Good Luck
Heath Ledger - Brokeback Mountain
Joaquin Phoenix - Walk the Line
Terrence Howard - Hustle and Flow

Best Actress
Dame Judi Dench - Mrs Henderson Presents
Felicity Huffman - Transamerica
Charlize Theron - North Country
Reese Witherspoon - Walk the Line
Keira Knightley - Pride and Prejudice

Best Supporting Actress
Rachel Weisz - The Constant Gardener
Michelle Williams - Brokeback Mountain
Frances McDormand - North Country
Amy Adams - Junebug
Catherine Keener - Capote

Best Supporting Actor
George Clooney - Syriana
Jake Gyllenhaal - Brokeback Mountain
Paul Giamatti - Cinderella Man
Matt Dillon - Crash
William Hunt - A History of Violence

I got 3 of the results right. Luna got 2 and Daniel got 1. You can see the full list of winners by clicking here and there is also other links on that page to view the amazing dresses worn on the night. One of my favs? Charlize Theron. She's hot!!

Day 1

I've just had my last cigarette. I've decided to give up smoking. I can't justify spending $65 a week on cigarettes anymore. Not just that, but I've noticed I'm coughing a little bit when I wake up in the morning. I remember my mum doing the same thing when she used to smoke.

I know it's gonna be hard, I'm already dreading the cravings. But I think with me, its not the nicotine I crave, its the action of having a cigarette. I light up when I'm on the computer, I have one after meals. But half the time I don't even realise I've had the smoke. It'll burn away in the ashtray most of the time. So yeah basically its the action. If I can break that (somehow) I think I'll be OK.

People have suggested I use gum, patches, lozenges to quit. I don't see the point in it. I can't see how a piece of gum or a lozenge will help my hands from reaching for a cig. And isn't that just going from one addiction to another? I'll just try my best going cold turkey and see how I go. I may not succeed, but I sure will give it a good try.

7 days and counting

I don't have Sky TV and because of this, I can't watch season 5 of 24 without a little help. I've been getting the help from someone in chat (Reggie). Even though he hates 24, he takes an hour out of his sunday evening (2 hours the past 2 weekends) and records 24 on disc for me. I can't thank him enough!

24 is aired here on a sunday night but I don't get the disc till the tuesday. Which I don't mind at all. Means I can watch CSI and then CSI Miami, then I can watch 24! Makes for a great tuesday night. The reason of this post? You're about to find out...IT'S KILLING ME THAT I HAVE TO WAIT A WEEK TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS! It's the same for everyone else but why is it that every episode has to end at a good bit?! It's gutting. It was the same with Lost (I have 3 months left before series 2 is on my TV) It's taking everything in me NOT to read a spoiler site for 24 (like I did for Lost) The only reason why I'm typing this is because I'm trying to stop myself for opening the site I found. GODDAMNIT! Someone fast forward time for me. It needs to be next tuesday already!!