Serendipity is a Sparkling Cranberry

Not the name of my next novel, movie or album just one of those moments that made me smile. In the world of Twitter, posts arrive and like some strange manga book you tend to read them from the bottom up. Today the tweets above arrived next to each other I read the bottom one first and just had to giggle at the thought of the frosted cranberries lit up by torch light. I'm not one for starting Christmas early, preferring to emphasise the 12 days that start at Christmas day, but this was a little seasonal canapé for the season to follow. Thanks @williamcooks and @JoWaddell, you are definitely invited to my #12DCP 12 Days of Christmas Party. What nibbles will you bring and what tracks will you add to the Party music for the night; something to get you on the dance floor.

The spotify play list for this post is more abstract than usual click here to listen; as usual the track list will be in the first comment.

Something Completely Different – Party Girl tags

The theme for this week's something completely different is 'Party Girl' in the form of tags. Strange how things come together sometimes; first, I've let myself get sidetracked by a campaign marmite are running with the lure of one of their limited edition marmites as a reward. I haven't entered this tag as a separate entry but you can vote for me here. Years ago in Norwich there used to be a clothes shop called 'Your Granny Wouldn't Like It'; I quite like the idea of a party where the invite is that your 'ma might not like it'; everyone knows that you either love or hate marmite. Actually stop there; people may come here who haven't come across the stuff before. When someone asked me what it was I described it as black goo that you spread on toast. They sent me this link for marmite and road kill sarnies, which made me laugh, as people often assume my foraging includes road kill.

Secondly, I need to invite some more of my twitter lists to my imaginary 12 days of Christmas party [#12DCP]. This time I have added all those on my A-Z list. They are all in the public eye to some extent, but many of them are also on my other lists because the write, cycle, love food or whatever. Most of them are also great twitterers, which makes following them amusing. But how to get the tag to the A-Z listers, now there is a problem. I happened to have been listening to @markglennmurphy on Radio Suffolk when he read out a message from a listener who shared a cat with her neighbour. The cat had arrived at the listeners house today with a tag around its neck saying happy birthday. I also spent part of today at the hairdressers reading that auspicious academic journal 'OK' in which Victoria Beckham had two small pigs in her handbag; apparently the latest designer accessory (I won't comment on the virtue of small pigs as pets other than to say the bacon rashers would be very small and don't ask me to clean her handbag).

Here is the plan; I will hire a small team of fluffy kittens, little dogs and handbag sized pigs; attach the tags to their collars and put them through my A-Z listers cat flaps. I wonder if anyone of them will come. If you are an A-Z lister (or someone masquerading as one), what would you have me add to the playlist for the #12DCP, a track that will make you get up and boogie; also what little treasure will you bring along to amuse the guests?

Any crafters who are up for a challenge, I would still love some party invitation designs for a virtual 12 Days of Christmas Party.

Your Spotify playlist for this post is here and for non Spotify users I will put the details, as the list currently stands in the first comment to this post.

Com Post – How Green are we at Christmas – Invite to the #12DCP & Harlequin invaders

Been at home today - always a mistake; too much time for reflection as the pile of tissues mounts at my side. Bit of a personal challenge this one, self audit looking at how green we are in the lead up to Christmas, as I've asked myself the questions I will be avoiding the difficult ones.

Reduce
Miles	Bit of a mix	I cycle lots but with family all over the country car and train essential
Waste	Trying	Try to buy loose rather than pre-packed so only buy what need Do freeze and use leftovers
Fuel consumption	Trying very hard	Bought an Owl which has been interesting. However one of the towel rails is firmly back on as better than mouldy towels and using the tumble dryer [and I avoid ironing] Buy a green tariff and awaiting quote for solar water heating
Chemicals	Gone very eco	Tend to use ecover/simple/method and co-op 'eco' ranges. Also use borax, bicarb and non chlorine bleaches and washable dusters and cloths
Water	Butts	3 water butts on the go but still not enough
ReUse
Waste	Compost crazy	Shred receipts and use as chicken bedding Bokashi bin for non meat kitchen waste Homemade Wormery – which you can hear working! Wet and dry compost bins Council compost (takes ages to fill)
Cards	Christmas cards	Recycle into the next years cards see my SCD posts
Recycle
Waste	Council bins and village hall bins	Glass, paper, tins – sad that we have to drive to get rid of tetra packs

Clearly I should start with fabric hankies and a copper to boil them in after use!

OK it's not perfect; it is a fairly solid start though. To everyone on my Green & Gardens Twitter list you are invited to the #12DCP and of course anyone else who would like to join in – Twelve days of Christmas party, a virtual party, open to everyone. Call back during the 12 days for all sorts of nonsense. If you are coming, what 'green' thing will you bring? Also choose some music for the #12DCP playlist on Spotify – I will see if I can also blip the tracks for non-spotify users.

Spotify playlist for this post is on a different note. – Audit of harlequin ladybirds on a window frame – Thanks to @flashmaggie who made me aware of this in her post.

Illustration Friday – Crunchy – Plus an invite if you would like to come to the #12DCP Party

Over on Illustration Friday the topic this week is 'crunchy'. I have been travelling so a hastily drawn cartoon contains my idea.

I am planning a 'virtual' party and need your help, if you are an illustrator, designer or otherwise creative see below:

Yesterday I launched the idea for my Twelve Days of Christmas Party and started by inviting my foodie list on twitter to come up with ideas ie what dish they would bring, who their +1 is and suggest some tracks. As well of those that posted comments below some ideas came via twitter; including:

• @goodshoeday a selection of homemade flavoured voddy's and gins and some sourdough bread
  
• @Adnams Alcoholic custard http://bit.ly/5nl64f& Broadside http://bit.ly/8QiUsX our +1 @sarahEgroves play http://bit.ly/Rzlgi
  
• @welovelocalfood a selection of @purelypesto hummus dips and beer from @grainbrewery & Spectrum Brewery
  
• @essexgourmet the V best of 'virtual' well Hung Game, a case of Margaux & a Karaoke machine
  
• @ brockhallfarm  I'm bringing lots of dinky Brockette goats cheeses to your party; semi-hard, mold ripened and not too goaty. And a larger truckle too .  Also bringing some champers, to get the party off on the right, sparkling note.
  

So we have some food, but there is always space for more. We'll leave the foodies for now, sourcing ingredients, exploring recipes and comparing notes and trust them to come up with still more ideas. To help I have been in the West Country testing cider and although I tried Stowford, Bristol Port and Ashton, all good West Country Ciders – I think I like good old Aspall best.

The idea is that for the 12 days of Christmas ie Christmas day to the January 5^th there will be a virtual party running here under the guise of #12DCP ie 12 Days of Christmas Party. A mid-winter excuse for fun, games, confessions and wotnot.

Now the invite to all artists, designers, illustrators and other creatives: This virtual party is taking place in a very large house with lots of rooms, but at the moment they are but blank canvases, could you please come up with some ideas for room designs, great party spaces to create atmosphere. Please leave a comment with a link to your design, also let me know who your +1 will be and any music you would like added to the play list.

The Spotify playlist for the party is growing and can be found here Party

p.s. I was asked about the dress code – please don't come as you are, but come as you would be; illustrations, links to costumes and outfits always welcome.

Party Planning – Please help

December seems like a great time for planning a party, I have set myself a little challenge, to have a virtual Party/Meme on the go for the 12 days of Christmas – of which more later. However, as usual the choices of guests, food, music and entertainment will take a little planning. So, let's start in the kitchen. It has been a good year on the food front, plenty of preserves and liquors have been prepared. The guest list will certainly include all those on my foodies twitter list. If you are on the list please let me know what you will bring to the virtual party, some food item, ideally some drink, which track should I add to the playlist to get you up and dancing and who your +1 will be?

Speaking Melsh or Something Completely Different - The History of the World according to Twitter

In a previous post called "What has Twitter ever done for you?" I had an opportunity for some thank-yous. Now it is time for some more. Many thanks to @MsClara who by way of a Twitter tipoff said that it was possible to win a copy of a book written by her other half @Mitch Benn and @Jon Holmes. Guess what – I won one; a signed copy of the book The History of the World through Twitter. You can safely add this to your Christmas stocking filler list if you like a quick read where you won't necessarily learn anything new but where you will occasionally laugh out loud. I am very grateful to @carltonbooks for sending the book so swiftly; by the way they currently have U2 books on give away if their follower numbers increase; tell them I sent you.

The second big prize recently was a fantastic collection of crafting stuff from the lovely Mel at I Speak Melsh, follow the link; I really did receive all of that and a bar of chocolate. I should add a thank-you to the hamster at this point. I am not quite sure how it happened but I seem to have crept into the world of arts, crafts and scrap booking. For the last few years I have been recycling Christmas cards by sending people back part of the card they sent me the year before and donating the difference in cost to a charity. This year my charity of choice is Water Aid. Above is the first of the cards, using some of the items in the giveaway. It is also my entry for Something Completely Different. This week they have moved away from inchies and on to Christmas Cards, with the colours Red, Green and Gold and the theme Holly and the Ivy. The little mouse has on his holly pjs. In the background is an attempt to print from an Ivy leaf, it didn't work that well. – Ohh well plenty more to tax me whilst I try to improve my skills.

The Twitter Louse – How am I driving?

Today is National Poetry Day. I knitted a square which I hope is now part of the Poetry Society knitted poem. It transpired the poem was Dylan Thomas', In My Craft and Sullen Art. However, as Twitter is currently having a bit of an odd day (about 2 hours behind in messages) it was Rabbie Burns who occupied my mind as I sat at the PC. I thought "Oh what great power has twitter gi us to see ourselves as others see us?" OK, maybe not twitter but those who write mashables and algorithms encouraging us to see ourselves as others see us. Here are just a few (puts heart on sleeve):

• Twitter Grader – currently 94/100
  
• Twanalyst - Personality: popular inquisitive cautious Style: garrulous coherent NETWORKER
  
• Tweeteffect – People come, people go
  
• HappyTweets – I'm pretty happy
  
• TwitterCounter – A graph that grows as your count does
  
• Twitalyzer – apparently I have an astonishingly high signal to noise ratio and am rated low in all other areas.
  
• TweetStats – interesting stuff that shows hourly tweet density
  
• TwitterFriends – a whole host of stats you never knew you needed including your follow cost
  
• Twittersheep – Gives a cloud based on the Bios of your followers (see above)
  
• Twitteranalyzer - A graph junkies heaven
  
• TwitterFriendsnetworkbrowser – Wow – I find this strangely addictive; creates visual networks as you click on each picture that person's network is revealed.
  
  Just to mix my human parasites and poets a little remember: Big Fleas have lesser fleas upon their backs to bite em, and lesser fleas have smaller fleas and so ad infinitum.
  
  
  Please do add comments after the Poem to a Louse
  
  
  To A Louse
  

On Seeing One On A Lady's Bonnet, At Church
1786

Ha! whaur ye gaun, ye crowlin ferlie?
Your impudence protects you sairly;
I canna say but ye strunt rarely,
Owre gauze and lace;
Tho', faith! I fear ye dine but sparely
On sic a place.

Ye ugly, creepin, blastit wonner,
Detested, shunn'd by saunt an' sinner,
How daur ye set your fit upon her-
Sae fine a lady?
Gae somewhere else and seek your dinner
On some poor body.

Swith! in some beggar's haffet squattle;
There ye may creep, and sprawl, and sprattle,
Wi' ither kindred, jumping cattle,
In shoals and nations;
Whaur horn nor bane ne'er daur unsettle
Your thick plantations.

Now haud you there, ye're out o' sight,
Below the fatt'rels, snug and tight;
Na, faith ye yet! ye'll no be right,
Till ye've got on it-
The verra tapmost, tow'rin height
O' Miss' bonnet.

My sooth! right bauld ye set your nose out,
As plump an' grey as ony groset:
O for some rank, mercurial rozet,
Or fell, red smeddum,
I'd gie you sic a hearty dose o't,
Wad dress your droddum.

I wad na been surpris'd to spy
You on an auld wife's flainen toy;
Or aiblins some bit dubbie boy,
On's wyliecoat;
But Miss' fine Lunardi! fye!
How daur ye do't?

O Jeany, dinna toss your head,
An' set your beauties a' abread!
Ye little ken what cursed speed
The blastie's makin:
Thae winks an' finger-ends, I dread,
Are notice takin.

O wad some Power the giftie gie us
To see oursels as ithers see us!
It wad frae mony a blunder free us,
An' foolish notion:
What airs in dress an' gait wad lea'e us,
An' ev'n devotion!

Who is Friday anyway?

I was going to post a comment on Angela Montague's, (another blogger) post about Follow Friday, when I realised my comment would ramble on, beyond a polite length for a comment. For non Twitter readers, Follow Friday is a Twitter 'thing'; on Fridays you post a message containing other users' names, indicating that you have enjoyed their posts and encouraging others to follow them. Then the more I thought about it, the way you do when you repeat a word over and over, the more it took on other potential meanings.

So the classic Follow Friday – might be follow as in 'travel behind', but that seems a little passive, riding in the slip stream, rather than taking an active interest. Of perhaps, 'go after'; but is that too active? Most twitterers dislike the association with a form of stalking. So how about, 'come after'; that just seems like the person who turned up late for the party.

Then there's 'post date, or be later in time'; like Follow Friday isn't as good as first out of the blocks Thursday, but is perhaps better than – sorry I'm late I'll be there in a minute Saturday.

'Adopt: choose and follow; as of theories, ideas, policies, strategies or plans' – oouch potential evangelism or cult leadership, or brutal dictatorship; a world of chanting, posters and blind sycophancy.

'Succeed: be the successor (of)'; so you put someone's name up and suggest someone else takes their place with immediate effect; it won't win you many friends.

In the finish there is Robinson Crusoe's friend to consider, we may all end up doing several laps around that island if we choose to follow Friday.

There are more definitions for follow than I can shake a stick at; if you like a different source for definitions try this http://www.visualthesaurus.com


I may keep my Follow Fridays short and sweet in future, this could blow my mind.

What has twitter ever done for you?

On the one hand:  nothing – because it isn’t twitter it’s the people on twitter (as opposed to the bots and spammers) that really make it work.

And on the other hand: Let’s see - 

•    Given me perspective, actually helped me to decide that it would be better for me to give up a senior management job and bike to a local job, working in the community
  
•    Generated a fantastic design coming in from @flashmaggie for our Expo in Dennington on 20^th June based on the sciapod
  
•     Won a competition thanks to @penelopeelse and @cartoono The Dys-Artist’s Delight - 29 May 2009
  
•     Led to potential involvement with @FoodSafariUK, thinking about cottage gardening, liquors, syrups and vinegars
  
•     Free coffee at Suffolk Show by saying tweet tweet at the coffee stand thanks to the glorious @paddyandscotts
• Encouraged me to take part in a script writting competition - but I will have to put stuff on paper rather than wake up with the plot rerunning in my head at 4.00 am.  thanks to @antoniablue

Actually it’s been a great week if you go to my ‘favorites’ list in twitter you will find many other super people

Please leave a comment - what has twitter ever done for you?  what about the foodsaffari idea?

Ohh and the pigs -  they were at the show and I just love pigs