This week's Listography looks your Top 5 Most Commonly Used Websites.
You know, the ones that appear on your Google homepage or at the top of your bookmarks bar. The ones that you click into daily without even thinking about it.
Here's mine. The fact that they are all blog related and not one shopping site features is quite concerning and will have to be remedied very soon.
1. Blogger Dashboard.
Want to look behind the scene at Kate Takes 5? No? Well tough luck:
Actually my Facebook Page has been sadly neglected as everything has been going to my Kate Takes profile by mistake. Damn Facebook confused me and pretended I was set up correctly. I think I've outsmarted it this time though...
I realise that this is a pretty sad list. Now I need you guys to help save me and show me some great new sites. So, what are your Top 5 Most Commonly Used Websites?
Join in by writing your post on your own blog and then coming back here to linky up. And don't forget to visit some of the other entries too.
Now, time to close down Blogger and start exploring.
This weeks Listography is ushering Christmas in the best possible way.
My lovely blogging friend Alma from These Precious Things is hosting it and she's chosen Top 5 Christmas Songs to get you in the mood. She's picked some corkers but there's plenty more to choose from. I mean - she's missed out Cliff Richard and The Cheeky Girls for goodness sake.
What was she thinking?
So if you fancy ramping up the Christmas Spirit pop over to Alma and listen to some of her favourites before choosing your own Top 5 Christmas Songs and then linking up with her.
Famous in the 70's for his high kicks and alter ego of a mild mannered janitor, Hong Kong Phooey has to rate as one of my Top 5 Cartoon Characters.
Now who can remember the theme tune?
2. Top Cat
To be fair it was actually Benny the little blue guy that was my favourite, but Top Cat has a special place in my heart, and after all it was his show.
3. Bod
I LOVED Bod. Looking at the small bald guy now I kidda wonder why. Did he even speak? I can't really remember too much about him but a quick check of Wiki gives the following mind nudge: The character of Bod is a boy who lives in a town with Aunt Flo, PC Copper, Frank the Postman and Farmer Barleymow. Each of the characters have their own theme music performed by Griffiths which is heard when they appear. Clearly I was a lot easier to please back then.
5. Ivor the Engine
This was a real toss up between Ivor and Dillon from Magic Roundabout. Obviously my attraction to stoned out individuals started early. Ivor pipped him to the post though simply for nostalgic reasons - those remastered Magic Roundabout episodes kind of ruined it for me.
So that's my Top 5 Cartoon Characters from my youth. What are yours? To join in write your post on your own blog and then come back to linky up below. Hopefully I haven't scared you off with my ancient choices...
But before we get started - what exactly is a gadget? Freedirectory.com defines a gadget as:
1. a small mechanical device or appliance
2. any object that is interesting for its ingenuity or novelty rather than for its practical use
Stephen Fry recently listed his Top 100 gadgets for Channel 4. He started with a karaoke machine and ended with a firelighter. Really Stephen? Really? A karaoke machine?
Well I think we can do better than that. So get your thinking caps on (now there's a gadget) and get your list of Top 5 Gadgets Ever written so that you can come back here and linky up.
Here's mine:
1. Washing machine. I know - such a middle-aged housewife's choice. But without it I'd me nothing more than a middle aged housewife at least the beloved washing machine allows us to leave the house.
2. Computer \ Laptop Doesn't really need an explanation does it?
4. Music player Whether it's the record \ record player, tape \ tape player, cd \ cd player, iPod or whatever comes next bring music to the people has to be on the list.
Ok so mine may not be the best in the world ever but personally speaking they are so don' t be dissing my list.
Now all you need to do is write you Top 5 Gadgets list and come back here to put your details in the linky below and visit some of the other entries.
And whether you choose to take part in this weeks Listography or not you can still enter the competition! The lovely people at iLuv UK are putting together a Christmas Travel Bundle for one lucky winner. The bundle includes:
2 x Foam-Padded
Neoprene Sleeves for iPad.
·1 x iEP314
Earphones with flat wire. Ergonomic sound isolating design.
·1 x iAD217ITL
International Triple USB Power Adapter Pack for iPhone or iPod. Triple USB
ports to charge up to three devices at once. Charges your iPhone / iPod or any
other USB devices with AC adapter.
·1 x iCB107
5-way Splitter for iPad or iPod. With remote and volume control. Connect up
to 5 headphones to your iPad or iPod.
·1 x iCC796BLK In-Car Windshield Mounted
Charging Kit. Charge Smartphones and any other USB devices. Rotating bracket and adjustable neck for easy
viewing. Perfect for GPS
applications and hands-free navigation while driving.
Some of the devices on offer: iphone not included!
To enter simply follow iluv on Twitter www.twitter.com/UK_iLuv and then send the following tweet: ‘I’ve entered @katetakes5
#listography competition to win a Christmas Travel Bundle from @UK_iLuv.’
Not on Twitter? Then leave me a comment to say that you've joined their Facebook page instead www.facebook.com/iLuvUK.
New here? Don't want to miss any future Listographies? Then sign up for my email alerts here!
This weeks Listography is simple but with a very wide scope- Top 5 Random Things I like.
Just one word of warning though - random is not 'I like chocolate' - that's just not going to cut it round here. However 'I like chocolate sauce with my chips' is getting a bit warmer.
My own Top 5 Randoms are:
1. Swimming in the rain.
2. The smell of petrol.
3. Bacon sandwiches with mustard. Yes that's right - I said mustard!
4. Not talking to anyone but myself for 24 hours.
5. The plip plop of two Solpadine hitting the water. 'Hope in a glass' as my sister says.
To join in and list your Top 5 random things you like simply write your post on your own blog and then come back here and linky up below, and don't forget to visit some other randoms on the list. Easy peasy.
New here? Don't want to miss any future Listographies? Then sign up for my email alerts here!
Well we all had them didn't we?
'High School' crushes that we would stick to our Homework Notebooks or cover our bedroom walls with. Some deeply embarrassing, some that have stood the test of time.
This week's Listography is all about owning up to your famous teenage crushes. So here are my Top 5 Famous Folk I Used To Fancy.
1. James Dean
Lets start with the cool one shall we? Well yes of course I knew he was dead but that didn't stop me. I had the posters, the pictures, I even a James Dean pocket watch for Godsake!
James Dean. Still Gorgeous
2. Michael J Fox
Hmm. *puzzled face*
MJF as Marty McFly
I think it began with Family Ties and moved on with full force once Back to the Future came along. My friends and I used to pour over each others sticker albums jealously coveting the ones we hadn't yet got.
What the hell was that all about?
3. Mark Owen.
Well come on now - who could have known that it would be Gary that stole the Take That crown?
Photo Credit: Last FM
(And yes I may have moved on from the 'teenage' stage by this time...)
4. Matt Dillon
Rumble Fish, The Outsiders, Drugstore Cowboy, Singles - there was just something about Matt.
Now look back through the list and spot the odd one out!
If you'd like to join in with this week's Listography it's very simple. Just write a post on your own blog and then come back here and add your post's url to the linky below. Then pop over to a few of the other entries and have a good snigger at someone else's expense.
Thanks to everyone who took part in last weeks Top 5 Toys for Christmas Listography.
I've decided to leave it open for one more week so get your posts in and get your vote counted.
Next week I will be compiling the definitive list of Toys for Christmas as voted by Parent Bloggers! If you want to know more you can read the original post here. Otherwise just linky yourself up below.
If you do I'll let you you know what's currently at number 1...
So me and Ms. Nickie Typecast were chatting the other day. And somehow the conversation went from The Breakfast Club, to the MADs, to my disastrous Debs date of the 1990's (typical Nickie conversation really).
It wasn't really that disastrous, it was just that I'd been working all summer in the States and by the time I got home for the Debs all the good 'uns had been already snatched up. So I resorted to sitting in a pub whilst my friends threw out names to me of possible candidates. Finally someone mentioned someone whose name a) I recognised, b) didn't make me come out in a rash, and c) I hadn't had 'a situation' with before. It took a while let me tell you.
So I asked the guy, he accepted, Cinderalla did go to the ball, and Prince Charming turned out to be not so charming and if I remember correctly spent the night chatting up someone else. (I wasn't interested in him you understand - it was purely a matter of manners. Though I've just had a look through the old debs photos and I've got to say I can't really blame him. This was pre-GHD's after all).
Anyhoo....whilst shootin' the breeze about bad dates of the past Nickie and I decided that really it would be rude not to do a Listography on the subject. And what better person to host it than Ms. Typecast herself.
So head on over and read about her Top 5 Worst Dates Ever, I can assure you it will be, erm, interesting to say the least.
And after that you too can relive the horrors of your past by joining in. In no time at all you'll be gazing lovingly at your partner picking the dirt out of his toes across the sofa and thanking God for your lucky escapes.
This weeks Listography is inspired by a story my good friend Emma told me yesterday called her 'I Am A Very Hairy Man' story. It involves chamber-maiding, a hoover and well, a very hairy man. Remind me to tell it to you sometime.
Anyway, I'm quite sure none of my worst jobs will live up to that experience *shudder*, but here they are anyway:
1. Washer-upper.
Working in a local pub \ restaurant wiping the slops off plate after plate of leftover dinners. I did it a couple of evenings a week whilst I was still in school and would be depressed for the whole day running up to it. Eventually I worked my way up to the dizzy heights of 'Dessert Chef' and then the holy grail of Waitress. And then I was fired for my 'attitude'. Attitude? What attitude? Well FUCK YOU Mr. Spendless.
2. Very Bad Waitress, Malta
I should have known not to enter into the catering industry after my last fiasco but the options are few and far between when you've only got a holiday visa and are in an unknown country for three months. The name of the place was Snoopy's which will give you a good indication of the calibre of the joint. Unfortunately the owner thought he was running The Ritz and expected his poorly paid, illegal staff to pull out all the stops. On one of his visits to ensure we were adequately slaving away he stopped me and mentioned that I wasn't actually a very good waitress and would have to improve if I wanted to keep my job. Desperate to impress I mumbled in agreement and then watched him walk down the wooden stair case to the floor below. 'Best get on with it then' I thought to my self and started vigorously wiping down one of the tables. Which is how I managed to knock the large bottle of ketchup off the table, over the balcony and watched it smash at said owners feet. I am forever in debt to the lovely English girl who rushed down the stairs and into his furious face apologising for her mistake. Phew.
3. Technical Support, Dublin.
My first 'proper' job. Having been trained for about three weeks I still knew no more than my first day there. I had no idea what the difference between the EPROM and the Flash Memory was, whether a Kilobyte was bigger than a Megabyte or what to do when a motherboard blew up. On my first week on the phones a man called up needing to be talked through fitting his new memory inside his base unit. With my Team Leader listening in and guiding me through we were making progress, albeit slow. After about an hour the man understandably lost his patience saying 'Look, I haven't got all day here, could you just put me directly onto the guy who's talking you through all this?' I handed my headset over. The shame.
4. Fruit picking, Australia.
Sounds romantic doesn't it. Well it aint. It's bloody awful. 6am starts, back breaking work in the hot sun, and weeks of living solely off asparagus, tomatoes, cherries or whatever it was that you were plucking from the ground or branch. At the end of about three years hard labour you were handed a purse with five gold coins, four of which the farmer then took back for bed and board.
5. Norwich Union, Bristol.
I actually a had a few great jobs inbetween all these - in fact I went from earning a fortune and living in Knightsbridge to earning a pittance and living in Bristol via some time out in Thailand (or as the Irish like to say Thigh-land). Bristol was a stop gap before heading off on our next jaunt to New Zealand which would be our last big trip before coming home to settle for 'awhile' in Ireland (that was about 10 years ago now). Anyway, when my boss in Norwich Union found out what I had been previously doing in London she looked at me aghast. 'But what the hell are you doing here?' she asked. I couldn't really answer that question and shortly after handed in my notice. I still love Bristol mind, just not if I have to work in Norwich Union.
Right, that's my trip down memory lane. All good character building stuff I'm sure you'll agree. In fact I've been training my own kids for when their turn comes.
Now it's your turn. I bet you can't beat the I'm A Very Hairy Man story but I'd like to see you try. I may even reveal it in it's entirety next week (if I'm allowed).
You can link up in the linky below, or if you're new here take a look at the Listography tab at the top of the page. And don't forget to share the love by visiting some of the other entries.
Now off you go and finish scrubbing those toilets.
Which is lucky as she's minding him this week. Coincidentally Mother Porridge is also one of my favourite bloggers - she never fails to raise a smile and at times reduces me to snorting out my tea through my nose.
Most attractive.
So anyway...all going according to plan, by the time you read this I will be shoulder to shoulder with @chritinemosler and @nickie72 and @jenhowze as we take on the Save the Children's Blogging 101 Workshop in London. I'm only slightly terrified but I've got my survival kit containing a bottle of Rescue Remedy, a hip flask and a get out of jail free card just in case.
I'm also counting on Nickie being more nervous than me which always helps.
So if you want to jump on over to MotherPorridge's Listography I'd be delighted. Hopefully I'll get to add my own post and visit yours once I'm home on safe soil again.
Anyway, I've taken his theme and run with it. Here we go...Top 5 Things I did this Summer.
1. Baked some birthday cakes.
For the first time I tackled something more challenging than a chocolate cake with smarties on top. And pretty chuffed I am too:
2. Went to Cybermummy.
And had a great but overwhelming time. Read about it here.
3. Had some lovely family days out.
4. Went on my first trip away without the kids.
(And just about lived to tell the tale.)
5. Went on a last minute trip to beautiful Wales
(Ok so maybe that one shouldn't actually be in the Top 5 but I thought it deserved sharing)
Over to you guys now. Take a look through your photos and remember the Summer. You'll be surprised at what you've forgotten about and how much fun you actually had (though not if you were in Wales of course).
Here's the linky to add your details to - just don't forget to add the url of your actual post not just your blog.
Da Bo Ti.
(Big thanks to Penny at Alexander Residence for babysitting Listography last week whilst I was away. If you haven't read all the inspired Seasonal Survival Tips do so immediately. I mean - who doesn't need a Teasmaid and a large shot of gin before tackling back to school antics?)
After the whirlwind of last weeks Listography I feel like there's just no living up to all those Guilty Pleasures. I mean, how on earth am I supposed to top sixty entries of soul baring secret embarrassments?
The answer is of course that I can't. So rather than feeling like The Stone Roses after releasing their amazing first album and then collapsing under the weight of expectation from the masses - I'm going back to basics with.....
Listography - What we got up to last week.
Easy non?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
The lack of imagination and words in this weeks Listography has nothing whatsoever to do with my three day weekend hangover. Truly.
Nor does it's lateness.
So now it's your go - you can sum up your week in words and pictures - or just pictures if you're incredibly lazy or hungover - then come back and post your url in the linky below.
I'll be coming to visit you as soon as I climb out of this pit of despair that I willingly threw myself into not once, not twice but three times in a row.
This weeks Listography is a humdinger - even if I do say so myself. Which of course I do.
I can't take all the credit for it though. The reason it came about was because the lovely Reluctant Housedad was sharing bragging to me about the fact that he was going out for a sumptuous dinner on Friday night and was then cooking Wagyu steak on the Saturday night. Without thinking I admitted that I had just had Super Noodles for dinner (barbeque beef in case you're wondering). And would you believe it? Mr. Recipe Shed himself admitted to having them for lunch just the other day (chicken curry flavour in case you're wondering).
So it seems we share my guilty pleasure no. 1.
[I am presuming that everyone knows what a guilty pleasure is but for the uninitiated it's basically something that you shouldn't really like but you actually do. Like fancying Harry Styles for instance. Ahem. Who said that?]
So to continue with the rest of my Top 5 Guilty Pleasures:
2. Home and Away.
Watched since the original Tom and Pippa were in it. Yep, remember them? Along with foster kids Bobby and Frank (who married each other - until Roo came on the scene), Steven (geek) and Carly (married an army guy). And if you remember them you probably remember Lance and Martin (local dumbos), Angel and Shane (teenage runaway and local bad boy), and Blake and Karen (bad kids on the block).
I realise I've lost most of you by now but it's too late - I'm on a roll. The great thing about Summer Bay was nobody had actual real parents so introducing new youngsters to liven things up was never an issue. Ok, ok I'm gonna park this one here but if you remember anymore don't be shy in coming forward.
3. Singing along to Camp Rock.
Not cool.
4. Guys with eyeliner (guyliner?)
Hey, don't judge me until you've looked at this:
And where it all started:
5.Dawson's Creek.
I know, I know, I know.
Hmm....so overall it turns out I have shit taste in TV.
Well I think that's enough from me for one evening. Over to you guys now.
New around here? Make sure you sign up so that you don't miss my weekly Listography!
So this week's Listography is Things I'd Change About Myself.
Well to be more specific - characteristics I'd change. (Lets save looks for another day shall we?)
Now I know we're all almost perfect but I'm sure we can come up with one or two improvements that could be made.
These are mine.
1. Find a sense of direction.
I could get lost walking up my own driveway. Husband doesn't understand it at all. He was born with an inbuilt tracking device. The first time I brought him back to Ireland to meet the family I got lost driving the 40 minutes from airport to house - a route I'd probably taken about 358 times previously. Despite never having set foot in the country before he took over the driving and seemed to guide us home with no more than his natural antennae and the position of the sun. I'd settle for being able to walk out of a shop in the right direction.
2. Be more touchy-feely
I'm not much of a hugger. I'm not one of those people who naturally bound up to you with a big hug and a kiss. In fact I have known to even feel uncomfortable when my own sister put her arm around my shoulder and left it there a little longer than I felt was necessary.
3. Be more patient.
I get too cross too quick these days. I need to remember how to laugh when I come downstairs and someone has tried to create a jam and Cheerio collage on the kitchen wall. Well maybe not laugh exactly...
4. Be a better housekeeper.
I could honestly spend hours cleaning my house and it would still look like a bomb site. In fact I've often spent a whole day sorting and tidying and husband has come home and not even noticed. Then again he didn't notice that time I went on a two week strike either.
5. Be more spontaneous.
Unlike the other ones listed I actually used to have this - but having kids sucked all my spontaneity out of me. I'm aiming to get it back. I think. Suggestions welcome - I may even take you up on them. Just give me a couple of days to get used the idea first.
So now it's time to write your list. Write your post on your own blog and don't forget to come back here and add your details to the linky below. Make sure you add your post's url not just your blog's so that people can find you more easily.
And don't forget to visit some of the other lovely Listographers!
Oopsy. Little late with Listography this week but only because it's a Bank Holiday weekend here in Ireland. So maybe in fact I'm not actually technically late....?
No, I don't think it works that way either.
Anyway, this weekend we had our first family trip to the cinema. The youngest is Cars crazy so seeing as we've all been subjected to that movie about 154 times we thought we might as well all be in it together from the off for Cars 2.
We spent the first ten minutes of the film gazing adoringly at our soon-to-be-three-year-old-boy as he stared wide-eyed at the huge screen - not quite believing what he was seeing.
After ten minutes however it seemed that he did in fact believe it and was now more interested in the drinks, popcorn and sweets that were doing the rounds with the other two.
40 minutes of climbing up, climbing down, swapping seats, falling over, spilt popcorn, lost shoes and some stern talkings to later he finally settled down and watched the rest.
Suffice to say we won't be doing that again for awhile.
So back to the task in hand - what else could this weeks Listography be but Top 5 Movies for Kids?
1. Finding Nemo
I never really liked this film until one of them latched onto it and did the usual 'I must watch this movie until either my eyes fall out or I drive Mum to tears'. I finally grew to love it. Lucky that.
2. Cars
Same with this one but the more you watch it the better it gets. Not sure the same could be said for Cars 2 but time will tell.
3. Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
Just perfect. I love love love it.
4. Toy Story
Another predictable classic but when it's this good what do you expect?
5. Stardust
It's a bit of a Marmite movie but I've gotta say I love it. In fact I'd love to see more of this type of movies being made for the pre-tweens but sadly it seems Barbie and High School Musical have taken over.
So that my list. I'm looking forward to hearing about some other good ones so write your own Top 5 list on your own blog and then come back here to link up.
