Posts by Robyn Gallagher
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Do you like what we've done with the place?
Why, yes, I do rather!
While the site was down, Russell tweeted the names of all the people who've contributed Speaker posts. It was a bloody impressive roll call and made me excited to think about future contributors to PA (I've heard rumours...)
I love the combining of PA and PAS. It makes sense, and even now in its early days, it just feels right.
And I am pleased that I can now entoot my user profile by adding my Twitter name. (And I can toot posts, complete with PA's custom URL shrinker!)
Nice one!
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Oh, and around midday on Thursday, something special will be happening to this website.
It's about time!
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I have a theory that because politicians and people who work in politics tend to be massive political nerds, they tend to only read political blogs and therefore have the idea that most blogs are political.
While it could be argued that politics informs every aspect of our lives, that fact is that most blogs are not overtly political and do not contain inflammatory content about sensitive issues.
I've been blogging for over 14 years and have never (knowingly) incurred the wrath of an MP. It's not hard to avoid.
This all suggests that Simon Power needs to expand the range of blogs in his feed reader.
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What are dictionary protocols now?
I once did a vanity google and found mention of my website in an OED newsletter. It was a light discussion of using online sources for dating new words.
Evidently my use of miserabilistic in the late '90s had encouraged them not to consider it as archaic!
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The Topp Twins, Untouchable Grills An early public service song promoting barbecue safety, featuring a 12-minute yodelling solo/fry-up. Jools and Lynda performed this on an ACC-sponsored tour of motorcamps in the early 1980s.
DD Smash, Devil You Grow A controversial song commissioned by Watties to make it "uncool" to grow vegetables at home. The song alluded to carrots being devil horns, but ultimately failed due to the large number of Satanic Dave Dobbyn fans.
Punk Frost, The Chills In the mid-'80s, Martin Phillipps took on some jingle-writing work, penning this song for a home hair-bleaching product. The contract was cancelled when the client complained that Martin's disastrous experiments with frosting his own hair brought the product into disrepute.
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Not as bad as "ladyfriend": a term usually used by wives.
I love "manfriend". It's either that or the Steve Gray-ism "current root".
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Amy is my "wife" for the reason that the word encompasses everything you need to know about our relationship
But the one thing it doesn't encompass is that you've deliberately chosen not to get married.
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Radio seems much more suited to multi-tasking: you can get updated on the day's news while going about your ablutions, making breakfast etc.
Newspapers aren't suited to multitaking either, but plenty sit down and read the paper as part of their morning ritual.
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Bullshit on the claim that the term "stark naked" came from Freda Stark. That term predates the exotic dancer by centuries, yo.
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mescaline salad
You can get that at the supermarket these days? Awesome!
The staff at Kapai cafe always ask me if I'd like "mescaline" in my sandwich. They never give it to me, though, and my salads seem to end up full of green leaves.