Since both Katy and Elyse have tagged me to do this meme, I suppose I better get my butt in gear and do it!

1. List five of your favorite bands/artists.
2. Choose three songs from each band/artist.
3. If you can find a link to listen to the song at Last.fm or YouTube, post it!
4. Tag five people.

Firstly, five favorite bands. I don’t know if I can pick just five since I adore music, but I’ll try!

1. Marilyn Manson
2. Nine Inch Nails
3. Franz Ferdinand
4. Placebo
5. Darren Styles

Bit of a random bunch, eh? Darren Styles is a bit of a recent discovery, and isn’t my “type” of music in the slightest. In fact it’s far from it, but there’s something about him that I love. Marilyn Manson & NIИ are the obvious choice, but I prefer their back catalogue to their most recent offerings. Franz are just the best Glaswegian band in the world and I could listen to Brian Molko and co for ever on repeat. Just don’t make me do it please!
I’ve also just noticed that I’d quite happily sleep with the lead singer of each of these bands / artists. Fantastic.

1. Marilyn Manson
1. Coma White - YouTube
2. Doll-Dagga-Buzz-Buzz-Ziggity-Zag - YouTube
3. Disposable Teens - YouTube
2. Nine Inch Nails
1. The Hand That Feeds - YouTube
2. We’re In This Together - YouTube
3. Closer - YouTube
3. Franz Ferdinand
1. Take Me Out - YouTube
2. I’m Your Villain - YouTube
3. Do You Want To - YouTube
4. Placebo
1. The Bitter End - YouTube
2. Infra Red - YouTube
3. Pure Morning - YouTube
5. Darren Styles
1. Come Running - YouTube
2. Save Me - YouTube (Nitelight version) - YouTube (original mix)
3. Disco Lights - YouTube

It seems everybody on my links list has already done this meme. So I tag anyone who actually wants to do it. Yeah, I’m rubbish like that.

I’ve been so darn busy these past few days I’ve not even had the chance to come online this year really, aside from catching up on some Twitter stuff. Apologies, but Happy New Year everyone!

New Year’s Eve in itself was a very quiet affair for me and the boy. Our friends came over to the boyfriend’s house and we played MarioKart all night, nearly missed the change of year completely because we were so engrossed in the game.  Oh well. At least we spent the night indoors, warm and with the people we wanted to be with. I ended up staying awake until gone 5am so my body clock is a little screwed up now. I’m not sleeping til late and then getting around 3 hours sleep before having to get up for work, it’s not a good thing. It’s getting to the point that I’m wandering around work in a daze come 3pm and living on Relentless.

This stuff is evil. Actually, it’s not. It’s a definite life saver. I got this case in work for £3 yesterday. That’s 12 cans that usually sell for £1.50 each for just 25p a can.. I’m hyper because I’ve drank so much in the process of trying to finish my Management Training Program which is due in this weekend. Completely finalized. I’m tying together bits that are missing just now plus I’ve got one more module to finish, and it’s taking forever. But at least then it will done, complete, over… and I’ll be in line for a promotion. Hopefully.

In other news, I’ve switched from web host from VoNetwork to Dreamhost. No reason other than Dreamhost were running a fantastical promotion and I fancied me some major web space for my various projects. Of which I seem to have aquired a lot recently. Firstly, there’s my Project365 (which ironically I haven’t re-set up on this host), my photography domain to keep my words and pictures separate, web hosting site (which is majorly run by my friend but that’s an other story…and an other online identity that won’t be associated with me), various fanlistings and a new project in the pipeline. Plus my jewellery business, of which the WordPress installation hated being updated and I need to start from scratch again. Oh well.

For now, I’m going to update some stuff around the web, buy my mother her wine of the month and kick back and relax for a few hours before starting on my MTP again…
$

Hopefully, you’re seeing this. That means I’ve sucessfully switched hosts to Dreamhost… I know I’ll regret this at some point though.

So tomorrow is Hogmanay (for all you non-Scottish readers, that’s New Year’s Eve).

That means that this is the last time that I’ll post here at AFS in 2008 (tomorrow I’m working til 5pm and then going straight to the boy’s house). I can’t believe how quickly 2008 has flown in to be honest, I don’t know if it’s because of the problems that I’ve had with work over the past couple of months, or simply because myself and my boyfriend have been happier than we’ve ever been (touch wood). I simply don’t know why but it does seem like it was only the other week I was trying to arrange Hogmanay 2007.

So much has changed for me in the last year. I can drive (although not legally as I’ve yet to pass my test…but I can actually drive), I’ve had a wage increase, I’ve moved the store where I work and the world hasn’t come crashing down around me, I’ve gotten myself a bit of a social life, I’ve made new friends, got in contact with old friends, had the haircut from hell, lost weight and cut down on chocolate and sugar in my diet.

In 2009 I’m going to become an ‘aunt’ as my best friend’s girlfriend is expecting their baby in February, I’m expecting a promotion within 6 months and, depending on the economic climate, to move out at some point in the next twelve months. I’ll also finish my project365 on Christmas Eve 2009.

Site wise, I don’t think much has changed to be honest, other than I now use IntenseDebate for my comments. I’ve been posting more regularly and trying to write more about what’s going on with me rather than the internet. I’ve made something like $420 in paid advertising over the course of the year and it’s something that I’m going to be keeping on the site…it’s essentially money for nothing and it pays for my hosting and eBay splurges.

I’ve been in the process of writing my own theme for about 5 weeks now, I no longer can just sit and code away to my hearts content until it’s finished. I miss those days. But I’m using a theme just now that I think I like. I think in 2009 I’m going to get into web design again. On top of becoming a better photographer.

I’m not one for making resolutions, but next year I’m going to try my very hardest to finish one task before I start the next. It drives my boss mental, and to be honest it annoys me too. Aside from that? There’s not much I want to change that’s within my control. I guess I just want to be happy next year…and that means getting my promotion and passing my driving test!

I hope everybody has a great night tomorrow night and that 2009 brings everything that you want it to!

A few weeks back I blogged about how I was on the lookout for a new pair of glasses, since I’ve had mine for a couple of years now and although I love them, they are getting a bit worn out and in need of an update. I’ve been scouring the internet looking for websites that sell cool glasses in my quirky style (my current frames a bit emo and two-tone. And awesome beyond belief) and I wish I’d come across Zenni Optical before Christmas, because their Holiday frames are so cute!

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Abbi, originally uploaded by Melissa Gray.

Hope Santa was good to everybody!

I myself was delivered a fantastic Nikon D40 which I’m absolutely obsessed with already. Although I’ve got a feeling that my little dog Abbi will get annoyed with me photographing her all the damn time

Also, I’ve started doing Project365 now that I have a decent camera (eh, I always have.. my point and shoot is a Samsung D75…) over at 365.ashesfromstars.com

Hope everybody is as happy with their presents as I am!

I can’t help but love Christmas adverts a little more than I should. I get a bit too happy to see them at this time of year, you could say that I look forward to them more than the day itself. But I’m a sad case, I have geek overload when it comes to cool adverts!

Anyway.. I know it’s time to start Christmas shopping when I see these hit my TV screen! Enjoy.

Classic Irn Bru Christmas advert. I love all Irn Bru adverts and this is no exception.

Well, it’s not Christmas without a Coca Cola ad, is it?

This is for Argos, and although it doesn’t show any Argos products it’s a winner in my book.

John Lewis’s advert from last year. It’s better than this year’s attempt to be honest.

Spice Girls selling out to Tesco.

It appears that I only fancy Richard Hammond when he’s surrounded by cars, not selling fish for a Northern supermarket!

Woolworths… only because Wooly and Worth will never see the light of day again.

I will go back to being a geek in secret now…

I’ve spent the last god knows how long browsing the forums over at 28dayslater.co.uk, drooling over pictures of derelict steel buildings, old cinemas and random unused places around the world that urban explorers have gained access to and taken some amazing photographs of.

And it’s made me want to do it again! There’s a few places around where I live that are lying empty and I’d love to have a peek behind the boarded up windows before the buildings in question are torn down, to be lost forever. I think it was seeing the St Enoch centre is such a state of demolition that made me jump onto the forums and trawl through the posts that I’ve missed since the last time I was there.

Hopefully I’ll have some of my own photos to post soon.. if I don’t chicken out!

Ok, I can’t believe that it’s Christmas next week. It only seems like yesterday that it was Christmas last year. I don’t know if it’s because of where I work or not but it seems to come around so quickly and each year it means less and less to me. This year for instance? I haven’t asked for anything really. Sure, I’m getting a DSLR for either Christmas or my birthday, but aside from that? Not even asked for a pair of socks!

I do, however, know what my mum’s bought my two brothers. The lucky sods. The youngest brother has got himself a Macbook (which he’s sitting using just now, sitting next to me. Fair, much?) and the other one has an xbox 360 and 4 games. Not sure why, he barely uses his Wii but I’m sure I’ll be taking over the xbox like every other console we own between us!

Going on this theory, I should be getting my camera but as money’s tight I’m not placing any bets on it. To be honest at the moment I’d be happy with a 10 week travel card!

I’ve (luckily) finished my Christmas shopping for everybody, bar a few things that I need to pick up in work on Saturday. It’s wiped me out funds wise, but I’ll probably just get money for Christmas anyway. I wish I was 12 again and was excited about the big day!

What about you? Are you sorted for Christmas yet? (that includes putting the Christmas lights up Rhys!)

Since my little brother is down from Benbecula for the holidays I decided to take him out for the night since I don’t see him that often. I decided that we were going into Glasgow to George Square for part of Glasgow’s WinterFest celebrations. Tonight, along with the outdoor ice rink, was a free gig by some local bands who were competing to play at the Glasgow Hogmanay party. The band that we stood and watched were actually really good but Jason was getting bored so he insisted that we went a wee wander around Glasgow.

Which was boring beyond belief since every single shop was closed. Saying that, the work that they’re doing on the St Enoch center was awesome. It’s weird to think that the big gaping hole above the old Argyle Street entrance is where I used to work and now it’s just.. well, bits of concrete.

Uploading some (rather rubbish) pictures to Flickr just now. Wish I had my new camera already, taking night shots with my P&S is rather hard as it’s rubbish!

So, a wee night out doing nothing but listening to a band cost us £20 in train and bus fare plus a McDonalds, cigarettes (from me), a bottle of Irn Bru and a can of Rock Star for me. I downed it in one and it made me dizzy as hell.. since I haven’t had taurine in my system for about two weeks!

Now I’m cold (feet anyway..my wellies let me down!) and will probably have a sore throat tomorrow. Bugger.

1. Do They Know It’s Christmas? - Band Aid
2. Driving Home For Christmas - Chris Rea
3. Happy Christmas (War Is Over) - The Fray
4. Fairytale Of New York - Pogues and Kirsty McColl
5. I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everday - Wizzard
6. Merry Xmas Everyone - Slade
7. Jingle Bells - Puppini Sisters
8. Not Tonight Santa - Girls Aloud
9. Santa Baby - Kylie
10. All I Want For Christmas - Samantha Mumba
11. Baby, It’s Cold Outside - Tom Jones and Cerys Matthews
12. Thank God It’s Christmas - Queen
13. Last Christmas - Whigfield
14. Frosty The Snowman - The Charms
15. Last Christmas - Cascada
16. Christmas Wrapping - Spice Girls

If you happen to be shopping in a Spar in the south side of Glasgow, I’m sorry… I was forced to make this CD but I did make it as bearable as possible!

Well getting in the Christmas mood now!

After goodness how long of not going out, ever I seem to be doing it a lot recently. Which I’m rather happy about. Take this week for instance, on Thursday night I was out with people from work which was a fantastic idea at the time until I realised it was nearly 3am and we started work at 6.45am! Friday during the day was spent half asleep and drinking a lot of Rock Star just to keep me awake. Not going to repeat that again.

Tonight I’m going down to my friends house. We were supervisors together in my old shop so it’ll be great catching up with him, missing working with him and talking random rubbish. It was his birthday during the week so am going to drop off his birthday present and do some serious catching up. No doubt he’ll end up getting me drunk which will not be good for anybody involved, I just don’t do drinking very well at all. I’m blaming him for the change in my taste in music, I’m listening to Clubland 14 at the moment.. what!? I’m a rock chick for goodness sakes. It’s due to him constantly playing Clubland CDs in work that I’m so into dance music these days. I use the term dance very loosely mind you, it’s just chav-tasticness at it’s cheesiest.

I’m really wanting to go to London to see Lou as well, or maybe it’s more to do with the fact that she practically lives in Beach Blanket Babylon and it looks gorgeous. And the small matter of who (used to be?) the executive chef there! Lou is an old friend that I know from way back… from GirLand.com. Gosh that takes me back. Anyway she’s living in London, is a fashion student and I’m generally 100% jealous of her life! We’re going to do a joint DITL just to see exactly how different our lives are, even though I know that they’re about as opposite as you could get. Interesting to see the results I think!

Eek! Running late, I need to go get ready to go out, and make sure that my new UGG boots from UGG Knightsbridge actually fit. They’re going to keep me nice and toasty tonight waiting on the bus!

I will try rather hard not to post an entry later if I’ve been drinking, but usually I can’t help myself posting rubbish that I think is amusing at the time…

Things that I could become obsessed with at the moment:

1. plurk.com
2. Metropolis on Facebook
3. Live Messenger (which will always be MSN in my eyes)
4. The fact that Bebo is now catching up with every other social networking site in terms of design and usability.

But for now, sleep! I should have the winter/Christmas theme up tomorrow after work.

I’ve gone from updating nearly every single day to barely managing to get online at all! Sorry, this is what working in retail at Christmas does to you, you work your ass off all day then come home and fall asleep in front of Lipstick Jungle!

Yesterday in store we had our quarterly director’s visit. They went really, really well as far as I’m concerned. You never know what they’re going to be looking for or checking so it’s a bit of a gamble…you know, wither you have this in stock or that advertising on the shelf. Obviously you should always have things in stock and have advertising on products but it’s not always possible… whatever, the manager and I got a compliment saying the shop looked better than ever and we briefly spoke about my move to that shop so all was good.

Now that the shop’s up to the standard of getting compliments from operations directors, I really want it to stay that way. It’s far too easy to let things slip and have a mad rush getting things back on track for visits.. why can’t it be like that all the time? I’m on a mission to make sure that the place stays as tidy and clean as possible - all the time. It won’t be easy, but who ever said it would be?

In other amazing life-of-Mel news, I’ve finished my Christmas shopping. Woohoo! I did 99.9% of it online, at about 3am last Friday. It’s still to be delivered, wrapped and whatnot but at least I’ve done it. And on a pretty tight budget to be honest. I’m impressed with myself on that one, since I always spend way more than I mean to because I just have to get everything that I think the person will like - no self control when I’m shopping what so ever.

What else have I been up to? Hmmm. I’ve started talking to my ex-boyfriend again, after not seeing him for about 4 years. Well, I don’t even think we spoke to each other then. I had gotten my job back in TK Maxx for Christmas and was sitting in the break room, talking to my manager about what I’d been up to since I left. And guess who walks into the break room? Yeh - my ex-boyfriend. Seriously think that was the single most awkward situation of my life, ever. No, actually working on a till right next to him was and trying not to laugh probably was! Anyway, I downloaded MSN messenger again after a life time of not using it, and could only remember about 4 email addresses of people that I used to talk to and he was one of them. It’s been interesting catching up!