Of Bell Ringing amd Marilyn Monroe

TV in UK can be mediocre. What with all the reality tv programmes nowadays. Sometimes watching the upteenth Pop Extra/Pop Idol/Castaway/Celebrity BB, I can cheerfully strangle the person who germinate this idea. Most probably the said person is sleeping in a pile of cash by now.

Now with the success of "How to solve a problem like Maria?", where they search for the singer to sing Maria on stage, we have the show to look for the next Jason and the show to look for the next Danny and Sandy for Grease. Argghhhh... stop it already! Don't let me get started on the search for the next Pussycat Doll.

But I digress.....

Really this post is about the gems you can find in midst of all this tat. I love BBC documentary for its weird and quirky subject matter. The other night I watched a reporter interviewing people who 100% believe they were re-incarnations of famous figures in the past. There was a Merlin magician, dressed in the most outlandish costumes and one who believed he is Father Time, re-incarnated to lead humans to a new dawn in the humankind. So desperate was his belief that he rage and rant against family and the mental health service who was trying to help.

Of course no reincarnation story is complete without one believing she is Marilyn Monroe re-incarnated. As opposed to the other cases, this one was in U.S. and her psychiatrist is more than happy to believe her. To the extent of putting her under trance so that the reporter can witness Marilyn Monroe incarnate. Hmmm.. the fact that the psychiatrist shared the same hotel room + wearing a Hugh Heffner like robe made it so sleazy somehow.

The other programme was all about 2006 Bell Ringing compeition. Who would have thought that Bell Ringing could be a sport? but then if you have climb hundreds of stairs up to the bell tower, jerk a 1/2 tonne bell about and emerge with armpits drenched in sweat, why not?

What struck me is how competitive it was! The lady from the College Youth really wanted to win so bad, you can taste it. And the intense wait for the results and polite bravado at tasting defeat. Oh well... there is still the real ale tent for winners to toast their wins and for the losers to drown their sorrows.

Coupon Crazy

Blame it on that innocuous coupon I found on the net.
I was looking up the infamous Nathan's Hotdog write-up in NY when I saw a BOGOF (buy one, get one free ~ oh how it reminds me of my Cold Storage days!) coupon. Curious, I googled coupons and money off vouchers and lo and behold! Countless sites popped up giving printable coupons, special promotional codes etc. I was hooked!

Apparently some people make a living out of this; even to go as far as going through the garbage bins outside fast food restaurants just to lay their hands on elusive coupons. They then flogged them online and on websites such as eBay.

Just spent the whole morning looking through the sites, trying to find coupons that we can use on our holiday. Like all things on the internet, there is an avalanche of information and you had to sift through it one by one. By the third hour, I became more savvy. Sadly, a lot of the coupons will expire before we are in NY but there is a handful which may be of use.

Like the $10 off $40 purchase at GAP, $5 off $25 purchase at Babies'R'Us and the 11% card for shopping at Macy's

It remains to be seen whether I will used these or not. Knowing my luck and brain capacity, these will probably get left behind in the In-tray at work or fester at the bottom of the luggage. But hey, printing is free at the office!

Now if only i can get some vouchers for the U.K.........

Another disastrous audition...

this one cracks me up everytime