Watercooler Sub Zero: Ice Capades

I'm really into star anise lately, which reminds me my pickled plums and chutney will be ready.

The only whiskey I have is Laphroaigh, though. Bit of a waste, but oh well.

And one of these to serve it to me. In bed.

http://alexjamesonline.tripod.com/alexbedlogo2.jpg

(if that doesn't post, link here: http://alexjamesonline.tripod.com/alexbedlogo2.jpg )

Ah, Tripod, you suck.

get one half bottle of McAngus Offie Skotch.

I am always surprised by how many people are on anti-depressants. If they're so easy to get why am I not on them? The best years of my life (like about 15 of them) have been frittered away being "glum."

Mitya, I think the problem is that in many cases mental health problems are extremely difficult to diagnose. Maybe it was simply bad choice of words on yr part but if you are simply "glum" then it doesn't sound as if you need them. With me it I had several months of extreme tiredness, feeling that my life was pointless and going nowhere and sudden moodswings when I would get very, very angry for no apparent reason, but it wasn't until I threw myself in front of a moving vehicle (which thankfully slowed) and my mate grabbed me by the shoulders and said "What the **** do you think you're doing? You need help and fast" that I finally went to the doctor and demanded it. What I've found out subsequently is that a far greater percentage of the population suffer from such problems than I'd ever suspected and (perhaps leading on from that) people are generally very supportive when they hear that you've been suffering in this way.

See, I've been getting very tired lately. I often feel that my life is going nowhere - but that's because I'm in a dead-end job on an industrial estate in a backwater part of the country, and I have trouble holding down a relationship for longer than a fortnight. Mood swings - been having those for years.

There is more than a slight difference between "feeling glum" and feeling like you want to throw yourself (or other people in my case, which was what finally drove me to get help) in front of trains. And therein lies the rub.

I am decidedly Ill (bad headcold which has now settled in my chest) which is making everything seem worse than it normally appears.

And my mother taking me to task for my "terrible drinking" (i.e. having one hot toddy when I got home, and another, 3 hours later, after a meal, before I went to bed) isn't helping.

But I am determined not to feel like death today.

That's hardly a drink problem.

Unless its a not enough drink problem.

I cracked open some IKEA Boss Glogg (Bøssa Glögg). Tastes like brandy with raisins and cinnamon.

My mother also hysterical that "you have been drunk every night since I got here!"

She got here on Saturday. I did not drink on Saturday. On Sunday, I had a single beer while I was making dinner. No drinking Monday. Tuesday, two hot toddies. Yes, terrible drinking problem! Sheesh.

Boss Glogg. Weren't they a NYC noize band?

Oh! Also, something I'm sure someone on this thread knows.

There *is* a Doctor Who box set of the David Tennant series out now, isn't there? I cannot imagine that this would not be marketed and packaged up for Xmas.

If there is, I might go and brave the Xmas shopping at lunchtime to go and get it.

Yes.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Doctor-Who-Complete-Box-Set/dp/B000FFL702

You can also get it in a limited edition shiny Cyberman head!

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Doctor-Who-Lenticular-Exclusive-Amazon-co-uk/dp/B000GB5OWW/ref=pd_sbs_d_h__1/202-8724019-5075007

Well, I don't need a cyberman head, as it won't fit in my video box. But the regular one, I shall nip out at lunchtime and purchase. Hurrah. Maybe if I'm lucky I might pick up Series One if it's on sale. I imagine a clued-up shop would have a deal on both of them.

That's what I'm doing for Christmas settled, then. I don't mind if there's no transport if I can hunker down and watch an entire series of Doctor Who on DVD.

I'll try and remember to burn off Torchwood and Robin hood for friday.

I want to know i Torchwood is any good before I buy it.

Who am I kidding? It's Dr. Who, of course I'll buy it. Especially if it's metrosexual Captain Jack.

I'm not so sure about Robin Hoodie, tho.

Torchwood is (whisper it, cos I'll get beaten up) not very good. Too much shagging, not enough aliens.

OK, that's kind of rub. The whole thing about Dr. Who was that any adult watching it KNEW that the Dr. and his assistants were shagging away like rabbits behind the tardis doors, but it was never overtly shown or stated. The sexual tension was much more interesting than actual sex.

As it almost always is.

i think I am the only person left watching torchwood, and I'll have to admit that it has gone a bit naval gazy in the second half of the series. Good for 10pm on sundays though.

Ooh good, I like naval gazing.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/drama/totheendsoftheearth/images/photogallery/340x255/anderson.jpg

his topcoat is styled perfectly for gazing of the naval

I quite liked the Alien Eye On Ebay episode with the dead bloke following them around, most of the rest I've seen have been a bit rub.

I liked the alien eye one too. I also really liked the one where Suzy came back. Fairies one was OK, the one about the couple with the makeshift abbatoir was appalling, and I can't even really remember the rest.

(I haven't seen this week's yet)

Just don't do any spoilers, please... I still haven't seen a single episode.

Should I have another mincepie? Why not.

I'm baking some more on thursday night so we can have some on friday (also to send as xmas presents to people etc.)

This was a very shallow sugary mincepie.

I wonder where my mum hid our mincepies! We bought two packets. I liked the Taste The Difference Brandy flavoured (coz, you know, I'm an alcoholic and all) but my mum perfered the ordinary kind which I found too sweet.

But of course home made ones are the BEST OF ALL!!!

Mince pies and Christmas puddings and Christmas cakes are HORRIBLE!

(I don't like raisins and sultanas and currants and things like that, which kind of takes the edge off Christmas eating for me)

I used to think that way, Ailsa. I *hated* raisins and anything that had them in. I'm not sure what got me over that hatred. Maybe I just outgrew it. Maybe it was Ed soaking his raisins in SO MUCH BRANDY and we all know that brandy makes everything better.

Brandy butter covers a multitude of sins.

I'd rather just have a glass of brandy (don't tell your mother, she'll have me locked up in the Priory).

You terrible alcoholic! Think of your liver! It runs in the family, you know!

Do you think having a bad chest cold would be enough to justify a glass of brandy just now for medicinal purposes?

(I'm pretty sure my liver's irredeemably knacked already))

Well, last nights Xmas party.. (Is this the right thread or should it be the other one? anyway..)

It had changed location/date several times, but settled on a greek restaurant in't stockbroker belt. We'd been told it was Chris Tarrant's favourite place and he often is there. Oh. Right. Good.

So anyway, yep. he is. Now, why should he happen to be there on a given night? He's not doing a standup/cabaret, so he either owns or joint owns the place, or he has some sort of 'I'm a celebrity, feed me for nothing' deal which pulls the punters in. Dafter things happen.

So, anyway, We're doing the usual eating/drinking/dancing/loving (actually, not that last one, went into bedsitland my only home for a bit there) and look up to see CT doing the Conga around the place with many others to "agadoo". Which is what you'd make up if you going to make up something plausible. Add to that, some time later we click that CT's guest tonight is Paul McKenna, and we see him later dancing badly to "Don't you wish your g/f was raough like me" which is almost (but not quite) the weirdest party night out involving celebrities I've been to.

McKenna probably hypnotised them into doing the conga.

These kinds of things just remind me of going to see the caged "celebrities" in the zoo.

Yesterday was PBW's birthday. I did not know that. Freaking Saggitarii, I should have known. Also, he's younger than I thought. Jesus.

'Kinell! HMV can be expensive when things aren't on sale.

£60 for the Doctor Who box set. But, at least I have it in my hot little hand. And it was the last one.

And got a bunch of other CDs, too. Gilbert and Sullivan (Pirates and Pinnafore complete), John Tavener, Lloyd Cole - Donovan and Dylan because I know it's music my mum will actually like, as opposed to just putting up with.

Excellent.

I should rip some of this to my work 'puter first.

Oh, and take the price tags off, even off mine own stuff, so my mum doesn't shout at me for spending too much money. Even though everything that wasn't Dr. Who was massively on sale.

£5 for Bringing It All Back Home! Best Dylan album evah! (If you are not PBW and therefore stupid and irrational on the subject.)

Can I borrow the G&S at some point?

Of course you can. I'll bring it on Friday, in fact.

super super xposty (sorry very busy today)

Maybe it was simply bad choice of words on yr part but if you are simply "glum"...

Yes, bad choice of words on my part (i.e. supermegaunderstatement) and *no* intent to offend anyone. My only point being that for most of my teen and adult life people have commented on or asked why I am depressed (or complained about it), meanwhile sometimes it seems like everyone else and their dog are "on" something.

Now back to discussions of Dr. Who boxed sets...

Yes, my lovely "Original issue CBS vinyl, perfect condition"... (xpost the Bob album)

Oh, are they knocking out the SACD versions for a fiver now?

Kate, mums will always shout at their kids for perceived overspend - especially mine with her fancy 'only schmucks pay retail' ways. It goes: "Ican'tbelieveyoupaidsomuchforthat IsawitforabuckatCostCo."

Ailsa, brandy, honey and fresh ginger in a glass topped up with boiling water is STEP ONE to shifting a cold. STEP TWO involves a trip to an Indian food outlet: think Jalfrezi or Dupiaza - somehow chili, garlic and onions help too. I trust you will find this agreeable, or at least more so than sinking a bottle of Actifed.

It's a Sony music 2003 version.

(I had an older CD version, no idea what happened to it. My parents had a beat-up vinyl one.)

x-post

What I don't understand is...

Lloyd Cole - Rattlesnakes (plus 4 bonus tracks) - £5
Lloyd Cole - Rattlesnakes Boxed Version - £10

Like, what kind of mug do you think I am?

I completist mug, one of them has a box!

Suzy, I had the remains of a lamb dopiaza for my lunch, having had the largest takeaway in the world delivered on Monday in an attempt to feel better.

A quick trip to the drinks cupboard shows that I appear to have finished off the brandy. Bah. I have some honey rum left instead, so am now drinking that. Oh noes, I am a terrible alky!