Hubble bubble

Entertainment news: Dr Seuss is to write the biography of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. 'Cocks in Socks' will be out next summer.

(ok so Dr Seuss is probably dead but I never let accuracy get in the way of a good joke)

And so to the spooky season. Last night I went for a meal and a classical 'pops' concert at the Bridgewater Hall with my mother. The reason? It was a concert of Sci-Fi themes. Also Sprach Zarathrusa (pardon any dodgy spelling), Things to Come, the obligatory Star Wars bit, the premiere of the Red Dwarf concert version theme, Ghostbusters, Superman, and even an orchestral version of the Dr Who theme. All were fab. Some of the stuff you wouldn't think would translate well into an orchestral rendering, particularly Dr Who, but somehow it worked. In fact they should use this version for the new series theme. What was most fun was to see some of the geekier orchestra members really getting into it. Most of them were a bit po-faced but two cellists and the two double-bassists at the back kept grinning at each other and were obviously really enjoying it. Good for them.

Just got home in time to watch Most Haunted Live which comes from one of my fave haunts (tee hee) - Clitheroe and Pendle Hill. Derek sensed an alien in one house. Has he been watching too many episodes of The X Files I wonder? Even Countryfile this morning was from Pendle Hill. Popular place this time of year.

To enter into the spirit (ha ha) of Halloween I'll relate a couple of my own spooky experiences.

The theatre I'm a member of has its own resident ghost apparently. I've been going there for the last 5 years or so and had never previously sensed anything despite occasionally still being in there at 6am at an after show party (a group of us young 'uns would get the beers in and play hide and seek in the pitch black til the early hours). One evening - it must have been 12 o clock or thereabouts - at an after-show drinkie about a year ago, a small group of us were gathered at the main entrance waiting for a chap to check everything was locked/lights out etc so we could leave. The staircase to the balcony and props room was facing me and just for a second I thought I saw, out of the corner of my eye, the back of someone walking up them. I quickly looked up to where this person should have been but there was no-one there. There was no way he (I got the impression it was a man) could have disappeared round a corner as there wasn't time. I didn't say anything to anybody as I just thought I was hallucinating. Maybe I was? Or did I see our ghost?

More convincingly, earlier this year I visited an old hall North of Bolton called Turton Tower - a lovely old half-timbered building with a 13th century pele tower in one corner. The tourist season had only just started so the hall wasn't particularly crowded and I entered one of the upstairs rooms alone. It was the dining room I think and situated in one corner of the pele tower which is the oldest part of the house. I could hear a knocking noise coming from the furthest corner so I went over to investigate. I didn't think anything of it. It could have been caused by anything - creaking floorboards, pipes etc - so I wandered back to the other end of the room where there was a garde-robe (medieval toilet). Just as I got there and stood at the door, poking my nose in, I got a tingly feeling down the back of my neck as though I'd sensed someone behind me. I suppose it must be the feeling people get when they say their hairs are standing up. Anyway, I knew no-one had entered the room and that I was still alone. Slightly spooked I moved to leave the room but on reaching the entrance I decided to go back and see if the same thing happened. It didn't.

When I got home I trawled my numerous ghost books looking for the story of Turton Tower. Before I went I'd assumed the ghost was of a man, probably a soldier or something, as I couldn't remember the story properly. Well, the ghost was actually of a woman who reportedly walks into one of the upstairs rooms and disappears.....

..... into a garde-robe in the corner.

Waaaaaahghhh!

Rock Chick

Ok, have to make this a quick post as I'm running out of time on my ticket.

Yesterday I was browsing the racks of CDs in Sainsbury's and happened upon a compilation called 'Rock Chick' supposedly filled with seminal female rock anthems. Indeed, Pat Benatar and Patti Smith were on there (although the Benatar track was 'We Belong' which is one of her least rock-y tracks) but also on the CD were Natalie Imbruglia (???) and, get this, Celine fucking Dion!? Celine Dion rock? My arse! Who the fuck compiles this shit? Where are Heart? The Donnas? Hole? Evanescence?

Admittedly the number of female rock bands/singers there are would probably only fit one CD but surely that's not enough justification for putting Celine Dion on there? Acgh!

Deck the halls

Ok I'm going to risk being pelted with rotten tomatoes by talking about Christmas. I usually hate the fact that the festive season starts in September (how I swore when I saw a stand of santa shaped Lindt chocolate in our local department store a few weeks ago) but yesterday my mum took me to see the new Xmas displays at a garden centre near Warrington. Dear God, if you think the displays at Selfridges and Harrods were good wait till you see these. Twinkly lights, trees and tinsel as far as the eye could see. Each tree was decorated with a theme. There was a Moulin Rouge tree decorated with red and black baubles, ribbons, small boots and handbags (I kid you not), dangly bits, glittery bits etc; A music themed tree (gold with glittery musical notes; a wine themed one (with real wine bottles and burgundy deccies)... the list goes on and on (including an orange and blue one that wouldn't have looked out of place in a drag queen's living room). Lots of household stuff too - festive table settings, candles, crockery, boxes... I know it all sounds tacky but apart from the orange and blue tree it was all in the best possible taste. My mum treated me to a cone shaped decoration - one of those glittery things shaped like a Xmas tree but not, if you know what I mean. My brother was a bit lax with the deccies last year so I've wanted something festive but easy to store and put up in my room. I felt so Christmassy that I could've sworn it was December already. The cynical old me was gone albeit probably temporarily.

Elsewhere the job situation is looking a little more positive. We now know who the new contractors are and there's some deal in the works for them to take on the existing admin staff. Still have no idea where I'd be based though if it all pans out. Panto rehearsals are continuing apace though the costume lady was talking about putting me in a leopard print bra top. Me?.....in a skimpy bra top?.....with my reputation? (and my current waistline).... I don't think so!

Oh and a very happy birthday to the building the theatre is based in as some time this week it is 100 years old. We had a celebratory slap up meal at Mrs Miggins pie shoppe, or Smithills Coaching House as it's better known, and boy do they feed you there. So not much success on the diet front this week. Must keep thinking about that bra top - that'll spur me on.

Like a rollercoaster

This week has had its fair share of ups and downs. Transco announced on Monday that it was shutting its Bolton office and pretty much everyone would be losing their jobs. Which is terrible obviously but I felt that my own job was secure since I actually work for one of their contractors now. What did piss me off though was the way they gave briefings to all their own staff (fair enough) but didn't invite any of the contractors or even have a seperate briefing. They either forgot or just didn't care that it affects us too. I mean, the whole reason we're based in their office and not one of our own is because they have various software systems we need to use that we otherwise don't have access to. So where and how am I going to do my job?

By yesterday it was starting to seem like this was a moot point. The company I work for is allegedly breaking their contract with Transco and so I may be out of a job in the New Year anyway. So far its all rumour and gossip but these things have a nasty habit of coming true. Shit.

So last night I consoled myself with beer and chocolate (and Haribo Starmix). Suddenly it all seemed better ;-) No point in really worrying until I know for certain and in the meantime I'll carry on looking for something else. It'd be nice to work in Manchester again. I've really missed the atmosphere and travelling will be marginally easier this time. We'll see.

Rehearsals have started for this year's Panto. How quickly it comes round. This time I'm principal girl which will involve wearing a grass skirt and flashing flesh. Ulp. I've got a lot of it to flash. Must make more of an effort with the low carb diet. Nice to see a few people who I don't get to see that often though and my social life is due to pick up pace again. There's already a meal and a bonfire party planned. Cool.

What a dork!

Travelled to London again this week. I'm spending so much time in the capital lately I might as well move there. Well, I would if I could get the right job...anyhoo. I went down to watch one of my heroines, Marcella Detroit (or Levy as she's now calling herself), in concert with a chap called Carlos Guitarlos at The Borderline. Bloody hell it was an amazing gig. Both of them are musical geniuses and he plays the guitar like a demon. It was mostly blues and rock 'n' roll stuff but Marcy also performed an acoustic version of 'Stay' - Shakespears Sister's biggest hit. Abso-bloody-lutely marvellous it was. My word, she has a voice. I plucked up the courage to say hello to her after the gig was over and she was packing up her stuff. What a spaz I made of myself though. It went well enough at first - told her the gig was amazing - but then my shyness took over and the English language deserted me. I couldn't think of anything else to say. Bless her, she tried to help by asking me where I'd come from etc but I just burbled incoherently, thanked her again and made a run for it.

I also took time out while I was in London to see the inside of Temple church and the British Museum. Drooled over the Sutton Hoo treasure and other marvellous displays of shiny old things (no Patrick Stewart though) and was gobsmacked by the hugeness of the Egyptian (and some Greek) sculptures on the ground floor. How on earth did those collectors get such stuff out of the countries? "Ooh, look at that Nereid temple over there. I'll just slip it under my jacket...." The mind boggles.

Been mooching round the farmers market in Manchester this afternoon. Bought some lovely stuff. Genuine black pudding slices, some French garlic soft cheese (on tasting it I almost orgasmed on the spot) and a sundried tomato loaf. Mmmmmmmmmm. I also partook of a sausage sandwich but don't tell the other lesbians or they'll have my guts for garters.

And I must mention The L Word whilst I'm on the sapphic subject. I can see the resemblance to Sex and the City but as someone somewhere said, it lacks the sense of humour. Still, who needs the funnies when you've got the delectable Shane? (dribble)