2013 | Clare Lydon

A UK Suntan? Unheard of…

August 28, 2013

In previous years of my life it’s been possible to detect a suntan on my skin – usually pretty faint, but undoubtedly darker than my bog-standard pearly white. Of course, being Irish my skin is of delicate persuasion and so to get to anything beyond my usual hue, I have to sit patiently in the sun for no longer than an hour at a time with factor 20 lathered on my skin – getting any colour is no mean feat. Which is why this year’s suntan has come as such a surprise, being that it’s not only been garnered on these shores but also by lounging in my back garden… Continue reading » “A UK Suntan? Unheard of…”

The Great British Bake Off: Keep Calm And Bake On

August 27, 2013

Tonight is episode two of the Great British Bake Off and the excitement around the country is palpable. Step outside my front door and I can see buses gliding along roads, Iceland full of shoppers, dogs being walked on taut leashes. Of course, this is all about killing time in between episodes. We have to keep up a facade that life goes on as normal but this is a MASSIVE LIE. The fact is that now the Great British Bake Off is back on our screens, life is built around it until we find out who, out of all the hopefuls in the big tent, bakes the bestest cake… Continue reading » “The Great British Bake Off: Keep Calm And Bake On”

The World Of Weight Loss

August 22, 2013

I’ve just finished watching last night’s documentary Welcome To The World Of Weight Loss, which followed a smattering of women and one lone man on their quest to drop the pounds. As someone who’s spent my life sparring with excess lard, it was interesting to watch their journeys and work out whether or not the various weight loss plans were actually working… Continue reading » “The World Of Weight Loss”

Section 28: The Fight Continues

August 20, 2013

Yikes. That was my first reaction when I heard the news on the radio this morning that over 40 schools across the country had dug up the spirit of Section 28 from its rotting grave, dusted it off and declared it back in action once again. A bit of an understatement I’ll grant you, but it was only 9am and I was yet to have my first coffee of the morning, so forgive me. Now the caffeine’s sunk in, my reaction is more OMG WTF? I mean, I know the 80s are all back in fashion again, but surely this is taking it a step too far… Continue reading » “Section 28: The Fight Continues”

Football: The Not So Beautiful Game

August 19, 2013

I’ve been a Spurs fan all my life, ever since Hoddle and Waddle were dazzling with their silky skills at the Lane. I bought my first T-shirt aged 10, went to my first match aged 16, even moved to Stoke Newington so I could walk to games. I’ve also been a member at Spurs for the past 12 years. But lately, something’s happened – I’ve developed football inertia, football ennui. Put simply, I’m just not that bothered anymore… Continue reading » “Football: The Not So Beautiful Game”

My Running Week

July 31, 2013

This week, I have mostly been running. Run, runny run. Granted, I found time to eat, sleep, watch a bit of Homes Under The Hammer in between. But mostly, running. For at least 40 minutes every day. Doesn’t sound that impressive now I write it down. But believe me, when you’re only ten minutes down and you feel like your kneecaps are about to split, 40 minutes is a long way… Continue reading » “My Running Week”

What The Frack Is Fracking?

July 31, 2013

$fracking-PA$

Recently, the news seems to be getting filled up with lots of stories about fracking. “What the frack is fracking?” a friend of mine asked recently. Good fracking question I thought. So I looked into it. After countless hours (approx) spent staring at scientificky computer screens, I have come up with the following… Continue reading » “What The Frack Is Fracking?”

The Ashes Heat Up

July 12, 2013

This week I’ve been watching some Ashes cricket – I’m staring at it right now in fact. Currrently England are teetering on collapse – classic test match cricket apparently, keeping it interesting. Or they’ve turned into the England football team, depending on your point of view. Coming into this Australia were apparently a bunch of mugs, with cackling English commentators predicting they might not even make it to day three. Now they’re wondering if England will make it to day three and not looking quite so smug… Continue reading » “The Ashes Heat Up”

Civil Partnership = Registry Pain

July 10, 2013

Yesterday, my partner and I went to the local town hall to register our intent to have a civil partnership next year. We’d like to have a wedding, but we’ve decided to go ahead with our celebration as planned and not wait around for the government to finally catch up with the public wish for marriage equality. They’re not the most speedy bunch. And neither, as we found out, are the people at the council. Here’s roughly how our experience went…

Continue reading » “Civil Partnership = Registry Pain”

Wimbledon: Grassy, Classy, Arsey

June 27, 2013

We’re now well into the first week of Wimbleton Abbey, and my, the script is way more fast-moving this year. Federer and Nadal have been consigned to the has-beens bin, Tsonga has a hurty knee and oodles of others who nobody’s heard of have slipped out of the tournament on their shoulder, arse or knee, pouting as they go. So where does this leave us? Murray and Robson to win either side of the tournament of course. Yay for media patriotism! Yes, we may have learnt nothing from previous years of hyping up our home players, but here are some things we have learnt this year… Continue reading » “Wimbledon: Grassy, Classy, Arsey”