Just to let you know that...

...Here. Come join me :)

Always One for Self Discovery...

I was prompted to partake in this personality test...and here is my outcome. Not sure I agree with it in it's entirety...but that's the Leo in me...always sceptical.

Apparently I'm an INTJ :

11% Introverted
12% Intuitive
1% Thinking
44% Judging

Didn't realise I was so judgemental! However here is the write up...Mastermind eh?

All Rationals are good at planning operations, but Masterminds are head and shoulders above all the rest in contingency planning. Complex operations involve many steps or stages, one following another in a necessary progression, and Masterminds are naturally able to grasp how each one leads to the next, and to prepare alternatives for difficulties that are likely to arise any step of the way. Trying to anticipate every contingency, Masterminds never set off on their current project without a Plan A firmly in mind, but they are always prepared to switch to Plan B or C or D if need be.

Masterminds are rare, comprising no more than, say, one percent of the population, and they are rarely encountered outside their office, factory, school, or laboratory. Although they are highly capable leaders, Masterminds are not at all eager to take command, preferring to stay in the background until others demonstrate their inability to lead. Once they take charge, however, they are thoroughgoing pragmatists. Masterminds are certain that efficiency is indispensable in a well-run organization, and if they encounter inefficiency-any waste of human and material resources-they are quick to realign operations and reassign personnel. Masterminds do not feel bound by established rules and procedures, and traditional authority does not impress them, nor do slogans or catchwords. Only ideas that make sense to them are adopted; those that don't, aren't, no matter who thought of them. Remember, their aim is always maximum efficiency.

In their careers, Masterminds usually rise to positions of responsibility, for they work long and hard and are dedicated in their pursuit of goals, sparing neither their own time and effort nor that of their colleagues and employees. Problem-solving is highly stimulating to Masterminds, who love responding to tangled systems that require careful sorting out. Ordinarily, they verbalize the positive and avoid comments of a negative nature; they are more interested in moving an organization forward than dwelling on mistakes of the past.

Masterminds tend to be much more definite and self-confident than other Rationals, having usually developed a very strong will. Decisions come easily to them; in fact, they can hardly rest until they have things settled and decided. But before they decide anything, they must do the research. Masterminds are highly theoretical, but they insist on looking at all available data before they embrace an idea, and they are suspicious of any statement that is based on shoddy research, or that is not checked against reality.

I must say the last paragraph is freakishly true...go on...have a go, it will give you a big head for at least half an hour. What is even more frightening...is that the chosen Career for this type of brain is in Computer Programming! Scary stuff!

I Saw Sparks

After witnessing a rather terrible car crash in the early hours of Saturday morning...something inside me was crushed. I cried, there and on the way home... and it made me think of someone. This song is for them.

Vicious Circles...

I was thinking the other day about re-naming my blog...Money Matters...or Sophie the Spendthrift or some such a name...because I appear to have become entirely obsessed with the green stuff...or purple, or orange, or in my case, mostly copper (let's not even mention the red). It's funny because I realised that being an obsessive compulsive, on just about everything, I have my waves of obsessing over different things. I pick up one 'must have' and then drop it again for another. I believe this derived from being spoilt as a child. It is a shameful habit of mine, and almost impossible to shake off. Anyway, the first and foremost obsession is of course the never-ending, sickeningly annoying and also a tad frightening issue of Marriage. WOW. Marriage...that's like what parents do and stuff, you know...be married and all...and here I am, almost 25 grand years of age thinking about Marriage?!!! I tell you what, I wouldn't be if it wasn't for the 13th friend on facebook to have recently changed their relationship status to 'Engaged'. Jealous? Moi? Of course I bloody am. In the 10 years since puberty struck it's evil gong, I have only been single for 2 weeks (no messing around and crying there then) yet I am becoming increasingly petrified about being left on the shelf. Yes, it's fine to have a boyfriend, it's all good to say you've been together for two years and yes we have rabbits and a house and blah blah blah....but getting the guy to actually put a ring on your finger (knowing full well you'll want to choose it given how fussy you are) and swear that he wants to be with you for the rest of your lives?? That is no easy feat!!! Yet, people are doing it all the time! All over the place, women are managing to secure themselves lovely, perfect husbands in boxes. Well, this jack-out-of a box, isn't too happy about it.

Moving on after feeling left out, I focused my mind on other objectives that make me happy...buying things. After New York (I decided not to blog about NY as my sister did a far grander job on this matter than I could ever have managed) I have hardly spent a penny on myself. Instead I have been saving like there's no tomorrow...and what for? a car. A brand, spanking new, bloody 09 number-plated car. Recession Sophie? Credit Crunch? Nope, that's cool, I will happily carry on living in my mad dream world of 'Oh it's ok, I can afford it...I'll just use my savings'. Well, reality has bitten me, right on the lambda probe (some part of my car that has been replaced recently - speaking of which, my car has had so many parts laden on it lately, it wouldn't surprise me if it had turned into a Fiat 500).

Car = no holiday with girly friends. No holiday with girly friends = no holiday this Summer. No holiday this Summer = no tan. No tan = pale skin, hollow eyes, pasty complexion. This lot = no husband anytime soon.

Um, suggestions?

Best singstar songs discovered after Chardonnay (which I never drink...must have been desperate or M&S had an offer on):
Fix you, Coldplay and Run, Leona Lewis

Daftest thing I did this week:
Drink a bottle of Chardonnay on a Monday night. Ouch.

Thing I am loving more than ever right now:
The Weather!

Did someone mention New York?

Well, they have now!

'Tomorrow, tomorrow! I love 'ya tomorrow, it's only a day away.....'

Yes that is correct, myself and my equally as mad, spendthrift of a sister, are going to The Big Apple (although I would prefer to refer to it as The Big Grapefruit-seeing as I can't eat apples). We are donning our coats once again, (only been back in the cupboard five minutes) packing our shoes, clutching onto our Mulberries, and cashing in our savings all for the love of cupcakes and cosmopolitans.

This will be my first visit to NY, and hopefully not my last, as we are only going for 4 days and I can't quite imagine how we're going to fit it all in, especially since getting up at two in the afternoon in Hong Kong was somewhat frequented. Anyway, we shall do our best, or rather I will do my best: to get her to go in the shower first seeing as applying Johnson's Holiday Skin puts her behind me in the race with routine necessities. I am of course taking my beautiful D90 with me, and thankfully not the 50mm f/1.4 lens I have finally been outbid on through Ebay, seeing as that would have reduced my spending money by approximately 98%. You will of course all look forward to the photos on return. For those of you who want the lot, here is where to find them.

Onto more pressing matters, I would like to use this opportunity (whilst I have such a captive audience) to plug my latest venture. Yes, another one. This one involves building websites for people with little to no computer skills, who need a website for their wonderful business. I am nearing completion on Reharmonise, a fantastic health and well-being site, promoting acupuncture and herbal medicines. Look no further than this lady, she is fantastic and I have the holes in my back to prove it.

Songs recurring on my skipping cd player:
Soundtrack to Black Snake Moan - amazing album/film

Food I have mostly been eating:
Caramel bars, those new adverts saying 'I've still got it' are some of the first to actually work on me

Clothes I am in desperate need of:
Jeans, despite having 17 pairs, I just don't like any of them anymore.

'The House that Dad Built...'

As it has been an almost 2 year struggle for my parents to realise their dream of building their own house, I felt it was time to pay homage to their hard work and relentless efforts, by showing the house so far...

The basement corridor
Outside with door to basement

Rear view from foot of garden

Standing in the dining room looking at the lounge
Just some nice Oak

Lovely bit of rusty metal :)

My mini! And the garage

The swimming pool

View from Master Bedroom

View of top floor (so far)

Spring has Sprung!

Updates for you:

So, to mark what I am calling the first official Day of Spring, I thought I would upload the very first photo taken with my D90! It's not perfect by any means, nor shot in RAW so the quality isn't as it should be...but as quoted from Toy Story 2.... 'You can't rush art'.