My beloved Birmingham

I love Birmingham. I love everything about it. It's a diverse city. A city of fun. A mixing pot of cultures and the shopping is pretty darn good too.
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Two years ago, me and my partner in crime moved from Birmingham to Norwich. Yes, Norwich. Norwich (East Anglia - or as Jade Goody once said, 'East Angular') thinks it's a city, but it's not really. Don't get me wrong, there are worse places to live - though on occasions I need to remind myself of this. It has a nice theatre, I suppose - but it's not vibrant and pretty much everything closes at 10pm. There has been occasions where we have been sitting in a restaurant at 9:30pm by ourselves. To say Norwich is not exciting is cruel - but I'm afraid that's not far from the truth.
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Tonight, me and my man are travelling back to Birmingham for the weekend. I cannot wait to sit in a cocktail bar late at night and not be alone with bar staff sweeping up around my feet. Perhaps sipping on some champagne? - or something equally fabulous?

FYI - the most exciting person we have seen in Norwich is Christopher Biggins in Pizza Express in The Forum. Need I say more.

True Confessions of a Bananarama fan

It's 1986. A year that I had hair (unlike now). A time where I would spend my pocket money on 7" vinyl, pop magazines and mountains of sweets. I was a massive fan of girl group legend 'Bananarama'. I still have a crush on them now. This was the year when they released 'True Confessions' - the album that included the massive global hit 'Venus'. It was a time of innocence. A time where I didn't realise that I would end up being a massive homosexual. The video to 'Venus' featured lots of scantily clad male dancers - but being so young, I barely noticed them. I was far more interested in the girly threesome, their ridiculous dance moves and the high-NRG pop music that was blasting out of my dodgy Sanyo stereo.
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I desperately wanted to be Bananarama. I wanted to be prancing around in pop videos, singing with my mates and having a fabulous time. (Doesn't everyone want that?) I wanted their denim jackets. I wanted to be travelling the world and appearing on charity records with grumpy pop stars like Boy George.
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When I look at the current pop music climate, I wonder where the fun has gone? I miss the ragged edges of eighties pop music. Back in the 80's, there was no high-tech studio tweaking. If somebody sang off-key, that was OK. Pop videos were silly, less glamorous but still fabulous.
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Why do we still like the 'Eighties'? It's simple - it's because the nineties and noughties are less fun.

Alan and Kylie sitting in a tree (but not kissing obviously)

I thought I'd post this sweet picture of Kylie and Alan Carr - the photo was taken when she was a guest on his TV show a couple of months ago.

A few years ago I bumped into Alan in Manchester City Centre. I waved and ran over and we chatted. It was lovely and we said our goodbyes, hugged and went on our way. It was only five minutes afterwards when I realised that I actually don't know Alan personally. I had made the fatal error of assuming that we were actually 'friends' - when the reality is I've only ever known him by watching him on TV. MORTIFIED!

It's been a long time....

Well. It's been a long time since my last blog post. You may be asking yourself "What's he been up to?" Well, I've been busy as you might expect. I've stayed in a fantastic beachside apartment in Devon. I've recovered from an operation. I've been concentrating on work - which has been difficult due to a vast number of business changes and lost opportunities. It's been difficult but music has helped - it's my therapy.

If you follow my Twitter account, you will probably be aware of new obsession with the band 'Hurts' (see photo). Not only do I love their moody electronic pop songs, I also completely adore their styling. I'm not sure who has marketed them, but well done (whoever you are?).

Don't ask me why?, but I kind of hope they are both gays. It may have something to do with my twisted fantasy where both members are my boyfriends (*apologies to my current boyfriend of the last 6 years*).

I've also developed a mini obsession with Charity Shop window displays. My local 'Help The Aged' has a rather fetching display which always make me chuckle. Picture this - there is a large floral sofa in the window. An awkward female dummy (legs wide open) is perched on the sofa, she (ahem) is wearing a hideous (but equally 'amazing') 'pant / boiler suit' - she is also wearing a disco-style comedy blonde wig that was perhaps previously worn by the crazy lycra-clad dancer from 'Hitman & Her' back in 1989. If that doesn't make you want to go in and purchase something, I don't know what will.