UK Parent and Lifestyle Blog – Travel | Kids Tech | Slow Cooking
I love Autumn! Not because it’s my daughter’s birthday, our Anniversary and then my Birthday but because the weather starts to cool down and I can bring out my Big Jumpers, Leggings, Scarves and Boots.
There’s nothing more comfortable in my opinion! Plus, it hides the lumps and bumps also know as muffin tops!
Disclosure: Thanks to Zalando for my lovely new jumper and scarf! I’ve worn it three days in a row now.
I’ve been waiting for ages for Netflix to come to the UK. My family uses it in Canada and its brilliant being able to stream videos with the touch of a button. So, when I heard an ad on the radio for it, I raced home and signed up even though having to register using my Facebook details annoyed me.
I was really thinking this was when my AppleTv as going to come into its own. For those of you who aren’t aware what it is it’s a small wireless device that allows me to stream content (music, videos, etc) from my PC to our TV, I love it, but getting content can be a bit of a struggle unless you’re willing to fork out £9.99 to buy films from iTunes.
The Netflix service is excellent in itself; it was easy to set up and when you compare the price of renting a single film from iTunes (£3.49) a subscription for £6 a month for unlimited films seemed like a bargain.
B-List Movies
But sadly, the content is very poor; I didn’t recognize many of the movies/TV programme nor was I inclined to watch many of them.
So, in the end I didn’t feel it was worth the monthly charge and cancelled it before I started accruing charges.
Fingers crossed the content improves and if it does I will be one of the first to sign up again.
Is Lovefilm any better?
In the meantime, Lovefilm is trying to compete and has launched their own streaming service, so I thought I’d try it out. It’s £4.99 a month and the content is much improved. However, I’m not able to stream to my TV.
I didn’t realise before I signed up that I wouldn’t be able to do this via my AppleTv. I’d cracked how to use Airplay to watch content via my iPad, but sadly the Lovefilm App prohibits you from doing this with Lovefilm films. The sound comes through but no movie. I would love to know why.
Come on guys sort it out!
I find the whole situation frustrating, I can see that the technology is available to offer a service that I want and am willing to pay for, but we have two companies that are offering services that are substandard.
I’d love your thoughts on this.
You know the feeling when you’ve been away from home for a while and you start craving things from home, like your own 
bed and some of your favourite foods. As a Canadian living in the UK I’ve had this feeling many times over the last 10 years. In addition, now that I tend to use the internet more and more for recipes I often come across North American recipes that have ingredients that I can’t find here.
Last week I came across American Soda, thanks to a tip-off from a twitter mate, who stock American products and deliver nationwide. I was like a kid in a candy shop! I didn’t know where to start. They have everything from Ding Dongs to Hamburger Helper! Sadly, I couldn’t find any Cheese Whizz which is one step away from Styrofoam.
The service was excellent and the prices/shipping are reasonable. I wouldn’t do my weekly shop there but I now have a stash of a few of my favourites in the cupboard for those homesick moments.
I’ll definitely be shopping there again. If you have any North American friends it would be a great place to buy them a slightly unique gift
Even if you don’t fancy shopping there it is worth a look at some of the weird and wonderful things we eat. No wonder obesity is an issue!
Disclosure: I received £20 worth of products in return for this review
My husband does make me laugh sometimes. As most of you know he’s a bit of a Luddite, a person who fears technology, which I don’t mind as this means it keeps him off my PC and Twitter. Plus, he’s happy because he can watch whatever he likes on the telly. A few weeks ago, he was asking about all these squiggles that people leave at the end of text messages. It took me awhile to work out what he was on about. Oh, you mean smileys! ;-)
I have to admit when I started using Twitter a couple of years I didn’t know what they were either; but after a quick trip to Google I worked it out and now use them all the time I think they’re essential as so much can be taken in the wrong way.
As the lovely, kind, and animal loving Kathryn @crystaljigsaw will contest to, she made a comment on Twitter earlier in the week, which was completely taken out of context and quite frankly blew up, leaving her very distraught. I don’t think the use of smileys in this case would’ve helped but it does show how easily things can be taken the wrong way.
As 93% of communication is non-verbal (eye-movement, facial expression, hand-gestures) which isn’t possible with most forms of online communication excluding SKYPE of course, so, sometimes smileys are imperative as they allow you to set the tone of your message. They allow people to know you’re being sarcastic, happy or cheeky.
Here are a few of my favourites:
;-) Wink
:-) Happy
:-O Surprised
:-s Embarrassed
:-( Sad
:-p poking tongue out
:-/ Unsure
:-x Kiss
And I’ve seen some very clever ones?
@-]—– I couldn’t see it at first but it’s a rose!
I’m sure you have some better ones. Someone once sent me one of Harry Potter. It was genius. Do share.
And these were courtesty of @iaingilmour today! Too funny, and yes he is bonkers.
:-o==> man playing trombone
:-)8 boobs
(:-( trouble on Pancake Day
:-[ Dracula
8-O naked and just sat on leather chair
q:-( child with saucepan stuck on head
:-^# bird in nest
:-(~ sorry darling this hasn’t happened to me before
[:-)X= Fred Astaire (top hat and tails)
0 Melted Snowman
z:-) Harry Potter
:-[)> Frank Zappa
‘”:-( child with untreated headlice
:-D<=3 thank you darling for being patient with me
%-s cross eyed
]:-)> devil incarnate
I woke up this morning to find a case of cyber infidelity in my timeline involving two of my married followers. Not surprisingly, the wife is very hurt and understandably so. I won’t go into the details because it is a private matter even though it was posted on twitter. However, I do have strong feelings about it.
I’ve often joked about being on twitter for a year and a half and no one has ever hit on me. On one occasion I joked about lack of saucy messages in my DMs and you guys responded with a plethora of DMs (ketchup, mustard, relish, etc). A few people have tested the water but I always fend them off saying I’m happily married.
I believe that a thought is just as bad as an action. The biggest test is if the other person involved would be hurt if they read the messages. If so, don’t do it!
I’m no saint. Prior to meeting my husband I was in a relationship for six years and towards the end I cheated….even though we were technically on a ‘break’ (Ross and Rachel style). In hindsight, I’m grateful for it happening as it told me that things weren’t right and I ended it shortly after that. On a side note I discovered he had cheated as well, with one of my mates. We’ve both moved on and are both much happier.
I know people do it for a number of reasons, if they are not getting what they need at home, feeling insecure, lacking attention, etc.
Is it harmless fun? I’d love to hear your thoughts.