Woe

Well that's my team out of the World Cup - I got Argentina in the office sweepstake I had been quietly cherishing the hope that they may well win it, but it was not to be they were knocked on penalties by Germany. The Italians are currently stuffing the Ukrainians which is only unexpected in that the Italians have scored more than one goal.

Tomorrow is England's match I don't think I can bear it, it's either going to be an orgy of over the top celebration as England beat Portugal or an orgy of frustration and blame as they fail to make it to the semis either way it's not going to be fun.

Say Cheese

Lifted from Becky's Blog

Let the Canons roar! (and the Nikons, Pentaxes...)

How dumb is this idea to have a Non Photography Day? I don't know about you but I find the idea that we should "Experience life in an unmediated fashion, without anything in front of your eyes. Live in the moment", as it's protagonist suggested in this BBC article, utterly abhorrent.

I like my life mediated. Living in the moment is pants, because (by definition) moments are too short. The world cries out to be captured, processed and the bad bits cropped out!

So, I'm launching a counter-campaign. Join me and let's make July 17th the most photographed day ever! :-)"

It's a work day which is a bit sad but I'll be carrying my camera, will you?

Manbags

Amusing article in the Guardian. I think manbags are a wonderful idea, a sensible solution for the amount of stuff men feel that they have to carry around with them at all times. Get the right bag and I don't think anyone could accuse the carrier of being "wussy". Plastic bags from Tescos do not count as man bags no matter how much some of my colleagues may think that they do.

Grrrrr

I've had one of those niggling annoying days. You know it is possible to injure yourself sneezing, I sneeze loudly and with some force, I've been known to scare birds from fields in adjoining counties. Last night I managed to pull a muscle in my diaphragm and it hurt every time I breathed, fortunately it eased up during the day. Anyhoo waiting at the bus stop this afternoon the bus which was already late, just whooshed past without even making a pretense of stopping. I was not a happy bunny.

And then when I got home the electricity was off! After reporting to electricity network people and double checking that I hadn't been inadvertently cut off all I could do was sit in the gathering gloom reading a book. I was robbed of blog reading time :-0 wonder if I could sue.

I also need a torch.

Sparkle

So yeah we went to Sparkle (website is down at the moment 21:23 25 June 06 so I can't link to it) it was fun if tiring. A lot of it was like any other tranny do in that we met up with friends and I got further along in my "tick off" list of "famous trannies" who I have met. I didn't get a proper chance to talk to every one I wanted to and I woke up with an exceptionally bad head.

Details? We had lunch with Jo Nicholls (her site is also down due to Fasthosts being borked) and Valerie S who came over from Helsinki for Sparkle on Canal Street by the Miss English Rose competition. This contest was looking for "real femininity" although what walking around with a book on your head has to do with femininity real or otherwise is a bit beyond me. Highlight for me was the confusion caused by a man jogging through the book balancing obstacle course wearing a neoprene wet suit and carrying a canoe on his shoulder.



The evening kicked off with Champagne courtesy of Valerie, I should also add that apart from excellent English, a dry and witty sense of humour she is also an excellent host!

Rather than talk here are some photos



On the way



Definitely worth viewing the large version this one.

To quote Ms Curran "I got drunk, it was fab"

And I was, if only for a brief moment of time a VIP


(Edited 27 June 06 to correct my awful English and insert links)

Portugal - Netherlands

It's still only 77 mins gone but we've got sendings off, handbags and bad reffing - fabulous match for the fans of spectacle like what I am.

Bet Alan Green is going puce with outrage if he's commentating on this match.

So Yeah

We are going to Sparkle, the second ever sparkle. The bars of Canal Street will have stocked up on the "girliest" drinks they can think of, the plastic straw merchants will have pocketed great big wodges of the folding stuff then called their wives "Mabel, we can afford that Caribbean Island now. And to think your dad said I would never amount to anything in plastics."

Becky and I are getting ready, well Becky is getting ready I am "tranny wallahing" this involves fetching carrying and scouring the shops of Liverpool for the finest make up wipes (failed - it started raining, I hadn't had my breakfast and anyways I bought makeup remover and cotton wool). Rather than follow the crowd and stay in Manchester on Friday night we stopped at Jess's place last night and we will make our way over shortly.

Sparkle is the biggest transgendered event in Britain there will be literally lots of trannies of all styles in Manchester today if you were to lay them end to end you would get a load of trannies complaining that their outfits are getting muddy.

Right, Becky is almost ready so back to the wallahing.