Wednesday, September 20, 2006



Another weekend, another DVD for a fiver. I'd seen this movie before, probably on TV a few times and for the first time when I recented it from the library. So when I saw it for £5 I had to have it, it's from 1990 and not exactly well known...the type of movie I go for since it's quirky and a bit rough, and when you can find it for sale, as cheap as chips, as they say here. It's a bit of beauty and the beast, a bit of a moral tale about not conning the INS, and a bit of a romantic comedy but without a happy ending, well, kind of. Overall, I give it 7 out of 10 stars. I think there could have been a bit more character development and closure at the end.

Sunday, September 17, 2006

I'm a Frappacino!

You Are a Frappacino

At your best, you are: fun loving, sweet, and modern

At your worst, you are: childish and over indulgent

You drink coffee when: you're craving something sweet

Your caffeine addiction level: low

Saturday, September 16, 2006

Socks in the Grass


Socks in the Grass
Originally uploaded by Anglophile in Essex.

When you're unemployed you find yourself keeping busy doing random things...

Tuesday, September 12, 2006

Melinda & Melinda



I got this movie on Friday when Pete and I went to Chelmsford for my NI number interview. It was only a fiver, which was why I bought it in the first place. Oh, and it said it was similar to Sliding Doors. Well...as a Woody Allen movie it was as to be expected. I give it 5 stars out of 10. I wish it had more closure, and the acting wasn't wonderful. But Will Farrel was funny in it, so it was kind of worth the money and time I spent to watch it.

Friday, September 08, 2006

My first American Expat Rant

Things that annoy me about England:

1) People asking me why I moved here from Florida, and calling me stupid for doing so. Sorry, but those individual's only (if that) experience of Florida is a holiday in the sun for a fortnight. I lived there for 19 years, so I believe I have the upper ground on my judgement of the state. And, as a relatively intellegent person (university educated and all that) I think I can make my own decision on where I want live.

2) People asking me what I think of England. Every single person thinks they're the first to ask this very original question. After they discover I've been here at least ten times previously, they realize they are less innovated than they thought.

3) Rude shop assistants. I was given the evil eye at WH Smith's last week, I'm still not entirely sure why.

4) "American food." HP, the company that makes brown sauce has an "American sauce" which seems to be a combination of Ketchup and BBQ sauce. I'm not entirely sure what it could be used for, and I'm not curious enough to buy it. I love when things are called "American" when they bear only a slight resemblance to those things actually in America. MIL and I found Lipton Ice Tea at Sainsbury's right? I got it home and it takes like lemon water (apparently its pretty much diet ice tea so maybe thats why).

5) Calling things by their brand names or by color. The usual culprated that everyone knows: a vaccuum is a hoover, tape is sello tape etc. But Ketchup is red sauce...and people use it as a substitute for tomato sauce on spaghetti (WTF?)

6) Colo(u)rs in general: What I call mauve (pronounced MO-ve here) isn't a dark pink, but rather, a light purple. A beige color that I call universally "tan" is "coffee" and tan means brown.

7) Wimpy Burger: Its one of the few actual British fast food chains. Its not very good, and is the first example I found that british food is actually plain.

8) People telling me how I should look for a job. (This is by people who a) don't have jobs usually or b) haven't had to look for a job in 20 years).

Wednesday, September 06, 2006

Today I was called a housewife...

Today I was called a housewife, at the local doctor's office. Yeah, it was exciting. The doctors was pretty uneventful, it was my check-up to be able to complete registration with the local GP. Gotta love the NHS, it was weird going out of there without signing a bill or paying them anything.
In other news, the job hunt it slow. I wish I had an occupation to put on things other than erm "housewife." That term just makes me think of 1950s. Other than that, I'm adjusting pretty well to life here I think. I wish people called me more, it seems I'm the only one calling anyone to keep in touch. Oh well. Looking forward to the weekend since Pete's off work on Friday...but we have to go to my National Insurance number interview, so not all that exciting really. Guess that's it from me more now. I have yet to complete my emigration story about moving over...maybe I'll get around to that tomorrow ;)