Minipop Invasion

What are Minipops?

Well, they’re tiny cartoon versions of people and characters.

The minipops have taken the internet by storm and are becoming increasingly popular. The fantastic images showing the cartoon version of last year’s Eurovision acts were created by Ben Morris in 2011.

Clearly being incredibly popular, Ben decided to create new ones for the entrants in this year’s Eurovision. If you know what the people look like then you will agree that they truly are amazing!!!! So true to life.

Ben got the idea to create the icons after attending the 2010 contest in Olso. He said “While admiring one of the official merchandise stalls outside the Oslo Telenor Arena, I had the notion of creating a range of Eurovision mini pop icons”. Ben had already created icons for the cult TV show Doctor Who. You can the whole story behind Ben Morris and his ideas here on the ESCInsight site.

Ben now has quite a following – The minipop icons have their own Facebook page. It’s worth a look, for sure.

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Last year, Blue represented the United Kingdom in Eurovision. Following their photoshoot for Attitude magazine, Ben Morris decided to undress Blue for their own ‘stripped’ Minipop picture. Take a look at the video showing how they were made below. Amazing stuff!

Defriended

Not much to say really on the topic… Except this:

1.	defriend
	1. To remove someone from your Livejournal, MySpace, Facebook, or other social networking site. Doing this is often seen as a passive-aggressive move, telling the person without telling them that you no longer want to be friends. It’s also commonly a response to drama. Defriending someone often causes more drama. There are sometimes valid reasons for doing this.

That’s the definition of ‘defriending’ from Urban Dictionary. I think it quite hits the nail on the head.

We didn’t have these issues before Facebook. But, finding out someone’s not interested in being friends because they’ve removed themselves on FB is always gonna be a shocker.

Communication Status: Out of Order

I am barely coping!

I’m not at home as I type this.

Broken!

It’s all broken.

I didn’t mind last Thursday, to begin with…

Then came the weekend…

Then came Monday…

It’s Tuesday now and I’m going through ‘cold turkey’.

My internet – television connection and phone connection are all out!

OUT!

No more!

Nil connection.

How can I blog? How can I Facebook?

I’m having to talk to people. I’m reading books… I’m getting all the jobs done that I never got around to.

My poor little ‘One Life’ blog is suffering though. I like to be prompt with my replies.

Sorry peeps!

So, keep your fingers and toes crossed that the magical engineer can fix everything tomorrow!

I’ll be back – As that Austrian guy once said.

I mean Arnie – not that other one!

Wild Swimming

Once quite a common activity, enjoyed by many, swimming in lakes, rivers and the sea was enjoyed by people from all walks of life. With industry, pollution and worries about health, wild swimming decreased – but now it’s coming back stronger than ever.

Taking the plunge.

The water in rivers, lakes and beaches around the UK are cleaner than they have been in hundreds of years. ‘Wild swimming’ as it has now been named is taking off as a craze across the country (possibly even world-wide).

I hadn’t heard the term before and laughed when I read an article in The Guardian (online) by Tom Cox, who said:

I’d initially been a bit sceptical about wild swimming. I saw it as a slightly over-egged term – a bit like describing lawn mowing as “wild vacuuming” – that got dropped into the conversation by trendy people in Hackney who would never actually get around to doing it. However, a leap into the bracingly cold waves on the Suffolk coast can shove such reservations to the sidelines astonishingly quickly.

Many people have asked how they can network with local wild swimmers, to share places, arrange outings and generally organise for fun. There are numerous groups of Facebook. Just search for Wild Swimming. Whilst reading about the craze I discovered some useful places to get further information.

Wild Swimming: Site dedicated to all things involving outdoor swimming places.

The Outdoor Swimming Society:  The Outdoor Swimming Society believes that it’s time British swimmers had more fun. In the early 1900s there were river swimming clubs all over the country, but outdoor swimming died out as indoor pools came in.

Time to join in guys. Whip those clothes off and go for a wild swim of your own.

Viral Internet Crazes: Planking, Owling, Teapotting, Horsemanning and more.

A few months ago I blogged about ‘Planking’ (with my Planking: 10 Things You Didn’t Need To Know About It post). I thought it was funny. I wouldn’t try it, but it seemed light-hearted humour with a short shelf life.

Oh, how wrong I was.

Aside from the ‘planking death’ in Australia, and the many near misses, it has become increasingly popular. There are hundreds, thousands, possibly even tens of thousands of photos of people planking all across the internet. I have yet to pose myself. I think I’m far too busy to be caught up in such viral crazes.

It gets worse.

Not only do people continue to ‘plank’ on cars, streets, in over-head compartments (yes, I’ve seen it too many times now)… They also plank on other ‘plankers’ (for want of a better name).

Planking has now been joined by a whole host of new crazes: Owling, Teapotting, Headless Horsemanning and Tombstoning.

Stay with me. Don’t click away before you have been ‘enlightened’.

I expect you may have heard some, possibly even most of them. If not, let me explain:

Owling: First documented in July 2011.

Definition: ‘Owling is a variation on planking in which a person squats “like an owl”‘. (Wikipedia).

Okay. It doesn’t quite seem as impressive as planking. I Googled it. Again, I was met with thousands of images of people trying it. Admittedly, the guy in the pictures some have good balance to do that. But, it’s not great. Moving on…

Teapotting: Started shortly after planking. Who cares when…

Definition: Teapotting is one of the many variations of planking that arise shortly after planking went viral. Teapotting consisted of bending the arms in a shape of a teapot in reference to the children’s song “I’m a Little Teapot”.

I’m sure the kids I teach would love this craze. Simple. This girl went to the Great Wall of China and posed like this. Oh the shame. In years to come, when she is regretting it, her photo will still be circulating the internet. A craze may be for a week or two. The photo online is for life.

Headless Horsemanning (or just Horsemanning): First done in the 1920′s! (Seriously?)

Definition: Horsemaning involves posing two people so that they appear to be a single body with a detached head and is a revival of a photography fad popular in the 1920s.

I do think that this one looks pretty cool – If it’s done properly. I found this website, dedicated to people trying it. Check it out. Some are quite funny. I cannot believe that this craze started over 90 years ago. So, the younger generation are not to blame. Phew! Oldies – you have yourselves to blame for this one.

Tombstoning:

Definition: The practice of jumping into the sea or similar body of water from a cliff or other high point such that the jumper enters the water vertically straight, like a tombstone.

*DO NOT TRY THIS. Seriously dangerous. I’ve read some grim stories about people who’ve done it and been paralysed from hitting rocks beneath the water. Is an internet craze really worth that? There is no way I would jump off rocks like that.

All these crazes seem to be fuelled by the need to have something funny for Facebook, Twitter and other social networking sites. Are people craving something new? Are they really that desperate to have something to upload to their sites? Well, clearly I couldn’t resist adding something about them all to my blog.

What’s next…. I just discovered this photo. Are there no limits?

I hope you’ve discovered something new today.

Well? What are you waiting for?

Which one are you trying first?

I have the answer to everything. Well, sort of…

I’m so glad that I asked for some questions on my blog last week. I’ve had some great responses. I widened my question-search a little wider with the use of Facebook and Twitter. Thanks to all those who helped. Your questions and responses are below. Don’t expect anything profound. It’s light hearted reading. Here goes…

This was me. Deep in thought.

Kiwidutch was first to respond with the ice-breaker question:

If you had total freedom of opportunity to really follow one of your passions and leave a lasting legacy behind you that benefited the city/country/world, what would you do and what would your legacy be?

Okay – I need to draw a deep breath before answering this one. Talk about starting with a toughie! If I had total freedom of opportunity to follow a passion it would involve children. I’ve always wanted to work with children, so that part is already coming true. I’d like to be involved in developing schools (I used to think that I could only do this in the UK, but since working overseas I realise it can be done anywhere). With enough money and support I’d like to develop education and opportunities for children all over the world. The Jamie Foundation: providing hope for the future….. I’d hope that the children would be the lasting legacy.

Image from Wikipedia

Ashley with her cheeky 2-in-1 questions:

If you could go back in time and change one thing, what would it be? Why? Oops…… Looks like there’s 2 questions here. Don’t mind the why then. It could be anything, of yourself or the world history.

Cheeky Ashley indeed sneaking in two questions. Time travel: A dangerous tool to have, but one I would love. On a personal level it’s tricky to choose. All the things that have happened in my life, both positive and negative have helped to make me the person I am today. I would possibly choose that my grandparents had not died when I was a baby. I never knew them and I would have loved to know them.  In world history: I would choose that Adolf Hitler had never been born.

Picture from Google.

Terri (pushing it with three questions, but because it’s Terri I’ll allow it….)

My questions for you:
1. When are you coming to Vegas? Would love to meet you!
2. Do you have any pets?
3. If you have dinner with one famous person, who would it be?

Ah Terri, three questions (naughty).  So, Q1 includes an invite to Las Vegas? Wow, you never asked me….. Haha. I would love to come over to USA and see more of the sights. Would love to meet my first blog friend too.
Q2 Pets: I do indeed. I, well I should say we….have two cats. Fudge and Cooper. They are adorable. I miss Eddie terribly, he was Fudge’s brother but was knocked down by a car outside our house when he was 18 months old.
Q3 Dinner: I would throw all sensible invites out of the window and invite……Alex Pettyfer. Of course it would be for the high-brow conversation…..

"Hello Mister Dinner Date!"

Sarsm (my happy WordPress friend):

My question is: If you could visit 5 countries in the remainder of your lifetime – which countries would you choose and why? (can be somewhere you’ve been or somewhere new)

The travel question (yay!).I’ll choose 5 countries that I have never visited.
Japan: I have always wanted to go there. I’d love to discover more about the country as I really don’t know that much about it. I had friends who lived there, but never managed to go.
China: The future super power of the world. China has so many wonderful things to see. How could it not be on my list?
Brazil: I want to visit Rio de Janeiro. Oh to stand at the foot of the Jesus Christ statue and look out at the coastline. Immense!
South Africa: I’d choose any African country to visit (having not been there). I want to travel through Africa by train, do the safari and experience something entirely new.
…..and the last one……. This isn’t easy…..
Australia: I want to see the Great Barrier Reef. That means diving, which I’ve also never done. But I would find it so exciting and invigorating.

Who doesn't want to go here?

Helen C (Work colleague and Twitter friend).

If you were to make your favourite three course meal, what would the courses be?

Food question – Yum!
Starter: An set of amuses to begin with. 3 shot size glasses each with different tiny soups. I always love that for starters.
Main Course: Duck. It’s my favourite meal. Not the crispy duck, although I adore that. It would be roast duck with a fruit sauce. Carrots (mashed with orange and brown sugar) and potato gratin.
Dessert: Warm chocolate and fudge cake, drizzled with extra hot chocolate sauce.

Okay, now my mouth is watering.

Lekker!

Chris S (Fellow Actor, world traveller and blogger).

How do I make my blog as good as yours?

8 months of practise and watching ‘what’ people are reading. The blog I set out to create has continued to evolve since Day 1. People don’t always read the blog posts that have taken the most time and effort. It’s all about keeping with the readers I suppose. ‘Know your audience’.

WordPress - the place to be.

Liz J(Work colleague, friend and IT whizz).

How do you see the handheld device in five years?

Seamless technology that has replaced PCs, mobiles and other technology. Used in schools, homes and in the wider community. Will it work by finger? Will the mind be controlling it by then? Will they indeed be ‘handheld’ at all?

Using handheld devices.

Louise G: (Work friend and glamous puss).

If you could have dinner with anyone, living or dead, who would it be and why? X

Living: see above answer. Dead: Diana (just because).

Diana, Princess of Wales.

Liz J: Back for more…..

If you could invent something really handy what would it be for?

I would invent a fool-proof system for ensuring the fairest possible outcome in the Eurovision Song Contest.  That would be really handy eh?

Ah, yes ESC. Who could forget it?

I hope you enjoyed reading the questions. Did I get all the answers you wanted? Feel free to share or to ask me more questions in the comments section below.

6 months of blogging. 6 things I love about it.

It’s been 6 months. How can it already be 6 months since I sat behind my laptop and created ‘One Life’, my WordPress blog?

It’s been a rollercoaster of a ride but I’m sticking with it. I love the surprises. Here’s my list of 6 wonderful things that I love about my first 6 months of blogging.

1. I love sitting at my laptop and reliving an experience. Whether I’m writing about a recent trip away or about something funny that I have seen - It’s great to write about it. Somehow I feel it captures the memory and makes it more permanent. I do have a bad short-term memory and so it’s not such a bad thing. Plus, it’s always funny to hear what others think about what’s been going on.
   
2. Making friends via WordPress and Twitter. The people I have connected with via WP and T make me smile. They comment on my posts and give great feedback for making it better. (Special hi to Terri, Terri, Jamie, Ashley, Melissa and thesinglecell).  I’ve added great blogs that I enjoy reading to the Blogroll on my sidebar. They really are worth checking out. Some of the people who I have connected with have become borderline stalkers. Online stalkers though……and I love it. If you too want to follow my blog then you can subscribe. Equally you can click to stalk follow me on Twitter on the sidebar.
   
3. Condoms are more popular than I ever though possible. It’s quite unbelievable, but it’s true. ‘Condom’ is the most popular keyword used to bring people to ‘One Life’. Ah, yes………I did blog about them a while back. Here’s my most popular post about condoms.
   

   "Oh, that's just made everything in the world seem better".

4. I follow the locations of people reading ‘One Life’. I don’t have secret tracking devices out watching you all 24-7, but I can see on the world map where the readers are from. My biggest audience by far is the United States (howdy)….. Oh sigh, that’s poor, but I thought it would be better than mentioning ‘tea’ (coming from a Brit that is)…… Talking of tea though, I posted about tea and it’s very popular. Tea and its magical properties. If you haven’t read it then take a quick peek.
5. Lists! I love the lists. I created a list of things to achieve/do/experience in 2011. Lots of other blog friends have created a 101/1001 list. It will take them ages to achieve – but what a thing to do. Look, this post is just another list.
   
6. The best bit about WordPress and blogging is find out that I’m not the only one…… I’m not the only one who does stupid things, has a bad memory, forgets things, loses things, says the wrong thing……. It’s a relief. Let’s all give each other a big blog hug.
   There, didn’t that feel better?

Planking: 10 things you didn’t need to know about it.

Planking is a popular craze that has been sweeping the globe. Admittedly, it takes little or no talent to achieve, so it probably explains why it’s popular with idiots morons creative people students…… I really can’t decide (I think I’ll stick with idiots*). Here is my useless list of the 10 things you didn’t need to know about Planking.

What a planker!

1. The game is also known as the Lying Down Game (how very imaginative). It does however describe the ‘game’ in a nutshell.
2. How do you play? It is an activity consisting of lying face down in an unusual or incongruous location. The hands must touch the sides of the body, and having a photograph of the participant taken and posted on the internet (preferably facebook.com) is an integral part of the game. [Definition taken from Wikipedia].
3. It’s particularly popular in Australia and Asia. I have lots of readers over there. Hi guys, Do you all like Planking?
4. I called them idiots* because on 15 May 2011, Acton Beale, a 20-year-old man, plunged to his death after reportedly “planking” on a seventh-floor balcony in Brisbane, Australia. He was the first known casuality of the Planking craze.
5. Planking has it’s own website. Can you believe it? It really does and you can find it here.
   

   How did she get there?

6. Social Networking is such a vital part of the craze. You can be part of the Planking Network if you feel like giving it a go.
7. I have friends on Facebook who have tried Planking. I didn’t know whether to admit it – but it’s true. The question is….. Should I give it a go?
8. Tumblr has a great selection of photographs of people Planking. Some really will make you laugh.
9. It is claimed that the game, which has been described as “Parkour for those who can’t be arsed”, was invented by Gary Clarkson and Christian Langdon in 1997 and first became popular in North East England (That’s where I’m from – Oh the shame).
10. I found another blog post about the craze. Worth a read. Here’s another great post about planking.

Viral Internet Crazes: Another crazy post about them here. You’ll be amazed.

 

Mexican teacher protects class during gun battle.

An amazing teacher posted a video onto Facebook showing the scenes when she calmly protected her class whilst a drug cartel gun battle went on nearby.

The video, posted below, has taken the internet by storm after it was discovered by local news.

Class teacher, Martha Rivera Alanis can be heard asking the children to lie on the floor and stay down. “No, my love, nothing is going to happen, just put your little face on the floor,” she tells one girl.

During the shoot out there were 5 people shot and killed at a nearby taxi stand in Monterrey.

The teacher has since received an award for her bravery by the state’s governor.

What an amazing teacher!

Sometimes I just need a stamp (dis)like this.

Perfect for any office, home or workplace. I would love to go through a pile of bills and stamp them [dislike] then return to sender. How refreshing it would be.