Things I'm loving this week: week 8

Ironically, I'm far too knackered from an awesome week to blog at any great length about all the people and things that have made it awesome. So some very select highlights...

This week I'm mostly drinking: Old Rosie. Oh yes. The defining drink of my student days is having a bit of a resurgence thanks to the emergence of a new drinking buddy. Old Rosie is a ridiculously strong, still cider that has one of the oddest flavours I've ever tasted. And I adore it. I've not had any for years so to rediscover it this week was brilliant.

This week I'm mostly listening to: the Rihanna and Britney remix of S&M. It's not big and it's not clever but it is so SO good! Today I've randomly been listening to last year's Eurovision entries. I'm not 100% sure why. I'd forgotten how truly dire the UK one was.

This week I'm mostly watching: DVDs. I spent a fabulously lazy day on Sunday watching Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows 1 followed by Toy Story 3. Heaven. And brilliant films both.

Photos of the week: from Matt's birthday night out last Saturday. The photos as a set are brilliant, but these are my favourites:

Chris, me and Matt in Reflex with the CRAZY drunks and least sexual pole dancing ever.

Matt and me in the newly refitted Fibbers. Some of Chris' better camera work.

Josh, me, Chris and Matt peering through the somewhat excessive dry ice. 

Thank You Edge

So I woke up this morning to the news that one of my absolute favourite WWE Superstars, Edge, has been forced to retire from in ring action. Not kayfabe, not an angle, he's actually gone.

This has put something of a massive downer on my day. I know relative to a lot of other people who'll be writing these sort of posts I've not been a WWE fan for that long. But for the 18 months or so I have been a fan Edge has always been one of the main reasons why. You always knew that a match that Edge was involved in was going to be entertaining, regardless of his opponent. He was naturally charismatic and genuinely entertaining - and my god the WWE needs more people of whom you can say that. His finishing move - the spear - wasn't complicated or flashy but it was effective and the build up to it, in all its crazy eyed, hair scraping glory, was just brilliant. I can't really believe we're never going to see him deliver it again.

My favourite match (the Smackdown Elimination Chamber this year) and favourite feud (with Chris Jericho) have both been Edge related. I hate the thought of the WWE without him, but I hate the thought of him being forced out in a wheelchair even more.

This post could go on and on if I sat and spent my entire lunch break writing about all the matches and all the feuds that Edge has featured in that have made me an out and proud WWE fan. But, sadly, the real world beckons. The WWE website has all the details on why he's forced to retire (you don't mess around with a spinal injury) and all the coverage from last night's announcement on Raw. Beware the video of his speech if you're a big softy like me, I ended up sobbing my heart out into my mid-morning tea.

Thank you Edge. The WWE is so much poorer without you.

Things I'm loving this week: week 7, the birthday edit

So I'm another year older. Again. Ain't the passage of time a bitch? Still, thanks to everyone who sent cards, presents, texts, tweets and Facebook messages. Your thoughts are very sincerely appreciated. And it's scientific fact that my friends and family are the best in the world. Scientific fact.

This week I'm mostly insanely excited about: having a social life this weekend. I know, shocking, right?! But I'm so so so looking forward to helping my amigo Matty celebrate joining me in the 25 Club with a night out here in York. York may not have the best night life in the world, but it does have some lovely restaurants (we're going to Oscars) and bars (we're going to many, I imagine) and some so-shit-they're-good clubs. All in all it should be a classic night out. They usually are.

This week I'm mostly drinking from: novelty mugs that I got for my birthday. I have an official new favourite hangover tea mug in the shape of the gigantic Tigger mug I got from Lee. And the Kate Middleton and Prince William commemorative beauty I got from Matty is just too kitsch and fabulous for words. I think both are an excuse to go and buy some ridiculously expensive loose leaf tea from Betty's Tea Room too. Winning on many levels.

This week I'm mostly wearing: new socks. I have a bit of an obsession with socks. Anything that's patterned, loud or bearing an amusing cartoon of some kind will almost certainly find its way on to my feet. I own perhaps two sensibly coloured pairs. Life is too short for boring socks. I am, therefore, one of the few people in the world who is excited by receiving socks as presents. This birthday I got pink leopard print with bows, black with glittery cupcakes and cream with cats. My favourite comic book lettering and penguin print have yet to be topped in terms of awesomeness, but new additions to my collection are always welcome!

This week I'm mostly shopping: for stuff that's not out yet. Pre ordering is one of my favourite things about shopping online and, birthday money in hand, I've been doing a fair bit of it this week. First up are two new WWE t shirts John Cena's latest bright red (favourite colour alert) number and The Miz's new 'I'm Awesome' slogan baseball T. (And, yes, fellow WWE fans, I'm aware of the inconsistency of buying both!) I do love my WWE merchandise. Maybe it's because you can wear it over here and only a very select group of people get the references which is a nice change given the general ubiquitousness of slogan Ts. Consider me a geek if you must. I'm not saying you're wrong, I just don't care. I've also got a copy of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part 1 on its way, pre ordered from Amazon and scheduled to arrive two days before its official release. Amazon pre order is amazing for doing this - I heartily recommend it if you've not used it before.

Things I'm loving this week: week 6

The last of these posts I'll write as a 24 year old. This displeases me.

This week I'm mostly going: back to Wales for the weekend. Hurrah. A multi-purpose trip for mother's day and an early birthday outing for my birthday (which is on Tuesday, a fact which, as mentioned, displeases me) and also some miscellaneous catching up with friends, family and Celt the dog. As a consequence...

This week I'm mostly eating: out. In a move that is good for neither my bank balance nor my waistline I'm eating out every day of my three day weekend, including a birthday meal with my parents at one of my favourite places to eat in the world: The Pant Yr Ochain in Gresford. Thankfully I'm not paying for that one. I'll also - hopefully - be indulging my ever more serious Nandos addiction for the second time in seven days. Epic.

This week I'm mostly forsaking sleep in favour of: WRESTLEMANIA!!!! The biggest event in the WWE calendar and all of my favourite wrestlers (AKA the ones I'd most like to sleep with) are on the card. And it's hosted by The Rock, which makes my inner child - and my inner 'The Mummy Returns' fan - jump up and down with glee. Only downside is having to watch on US time and thus doing a day of meetings in London on a questionable amount of sleep.

This week I'm mostly wearing: the Limited Collection nude lace top I bought in M&S whilst mother's day shopping. I have a bit of a thing about lace tops worn with a vest underneath - hinting at extreme sexiness without actually flashing much flesh. This nude version is super cute but the metalwork on the shoulders and the pockets keep it from being too cutesy. I'll also be reviving my beloved cobalt blue draped fit and flare dress that I bought (from somewhere..?) last year. It's super comfy, flattering and one of my favourite colours too. I'll be teaming both with my favourite (and increasingly knackered) purple satin ballet flats that I bought from Debenhams yonks ago. I'll cry when they finally wear out.
  

Breaking the code of the quickstep?

So in my Dancing With The Stars post last week I said I wanted to see Team Cherico tackle ballroom. This week my wish came true and Chris and Cheryl had a quickstep...

As I've mentioned before, the quickstep is my absolute favourite dance out of the selection that Strictly-type shows tackle. I absolutely love it. I have to admit that I, like Len Goodman, was really fearful about Jericho taking it on. To be honest I thought he would suck at ballroom. Big time.

I don't generally like being wrong, but on this occasion I'm proper chuffed to be. The Cherico quickstep is, simply, ace. The footwork is great, the posture is fab and the music is proper quickstep music. He loses some points for not being in white tie and tails (and slightly creepy facial expressions), but still. I'm really, really impressed. The elimination show is tonight on US TV. If Cherico go, I'll be writing a sternly worded letter. Or something.



In other news, I finished reading Jericho's latest book - Undisputed - this week. It, too, is ace. I can't recommend it highly enough it you're even a casual fan of wrestling. You should absolutely read it if you got the reference in the title of this post. It's by turns hilarious and deeply touching and his writing style is froot*.

*In order to get this joke you must read the book. If that's not reason enough then I don't know what is.

Team Cherico make their Dancing With The Stars debut!

So this week we got to find out the answer to the question 'what happens when WWE and dancing collide on national television?'

Well, the answer seems to be 'good things' if Chris Jericho's first dance on Dancing With The Stars is anything to go by:



Ok so it's a cha cha cha and thus not a proper dance, but I still think this is pretty good, especially for a first dance. I kind of agree with the judges that it was a bit light on content but what there was is done perfectly competently and with the kind of personality most celebs that do these types of shows could only dream of *cough* Gavin Henson *cough*

I stand by my earlier assertion that Team Cherico are one of the couples to watch in this season and can't wait to see more. Jericho doing ballroom in particular intrigues me..!

Also, those muscular arms = hot. Trufax.

Things I'm loving this week: week 5, smelling Guilty

This week I'm mostly ecstatic about the return of: SPRING! How good has the weather been recently?! I am *loving* all this sunshine, it's amazing how much something simple like a bit of sunlight can affect your mood. Being in York in the spring is particularly gorgeous. I'm biased of course - it's scientific fact that York is the best place to live in the world - but look at this photo I snapped today across the road from our flat of the daffodils growing by the walls. It's so pretty!

Long may the lush weather continue!

This week I'm mostly smelling: Guilty. Which is to say, I've just started using a new perfume: Guilty by Gucci. It smells so good! I'm not one for the pretentious descriptions used in perfume ads, but Guilty smells really sexy and grown up. And, as ever with Gucci, has a really luxe bottle. I'm a bit obsessed with it, but am trying to use it sparingly so the bottle lasts longer. I somehow doubt this will work. It never does.

This week I'm mostly wearing: Converse. Nothing new there - I've lived in All Star hi-tops for about the past seven years. But this weekend I got a new pair, perhaps the best pair I've ever owned. The ultimate geek chic shoe: BATMAN CONVERSE! I got them from Schuh (best shoe shop ever) in Bristol and they were the last pair in my size in the shop. Naturally I had to buy them - fate dictated it. I adore them.

This week I'm mostly eating: Waitrose peri peri houmous. My middle class love affair with Waitrose is well documented and since one opened up two minutes from the flat I find it very difficult to not go there and spend all my money every day. Their peri peri houmous is amazing and properly brightens up my lunch break. It even manages to make wholemeal pitta breads taste interesting. Which takes some doing!

This week I'm mostly looking forward to: the clocks changing. Whilst I resent losing an hour of my Sunday morning lie in, the prospect of lighter evenings is very welcome. Especially if this gorgeous weather continues and we can actually go outside and enjoy them!