Strictly Wrong

Tonight's Strictly Come Dancing was disappointing on more than one level. Not only were most of the dances uninspiring, with strange choices in music and costume, but neither of the couples in the dance off should have been there at all.
It is about time that the public started to vote for the dancing and not the funniest dancers. It is obvious to almost everybody that Craig is consistently the worst dancer. He seems to believe that he is a brilliant dancer and is clearly deluded. Someone needs to point this out to him. Bad dancing is ruining this show. He should have been in the dance off with either Natalie, Phil, Ricky Groves or Chris.
I was quite surprised when I first saw Ricky Groves, as I thought he was looking quite handsome. He should have left his jacket on though as it would have covered up those awful arms!
And Zoe's costume was terrible with the triffid stuck to her back!
the highlight of the evening was Ricky Whittle, yet again, with his amazingly good quickstep, which deservedly earned them a 39/40 mark!
Oh, and can I just say, though they have produced some great music in the past, I am not a fan of the Bee Gees performing live. I didn't like then when I saw them at the Radio 1 road show back in the early 90's and I still don't. As I said, disappointing.

Slipping

Somehow today I have slipped into a downer. I couldn't find any new clothes to treat myself to today (apart from a much needed lightweight jacket) and just found myself wandering around Oxford Street with no particular aim. I then forgot to go to Superdrug which was where I was going to get some essentials. Even seeing Bradley James and Angel Coulby from the television series Merlin in Forbidden Planet did nothing to improve my mood.
I've just got back now and the fact that it is not even 17:00 and it is getting dark is depressing me even more.
I have no plans for tonight and realised that I have never been to a Halloween party in my whole life. I haven't been to a party since my sisters wedding last year and before that it must have been over 3 years since I'd been to any party.
I'm not helping my mood typing this so am going to stop and search for something to take my mind of my downer.
Any ideas?

Blogger Problems

I don't know if it is Blogger or my computer. The other day I couldn't post pictures on here as, whenever I tried, my internet connection would crash. I managed to fix that, but now I find that I can't paste any information onto my postings, meaning that I have to copy information over (taking time I sometimes do not have). I am just wondering if anyone else is experiencing problems or if I need to rectify it by getting a man in to look at my (computer) workings!!

No To Hate - Candlelit Vigil

I am feeling slightly guilty that I did not attend the canlelit vigil in Trafalgar Square last night, I was just feeling too tired. The vigil was organised, in just 2 weeks, to remember all victims of hate crimes, and the venue was chosen as it was where Ian Baynham was attacked by a group of teenagers leading to his death in hospital 2 weeks later.
I would like to congratulate the organisers of the event and hope that it can make a difference.

BBC News reported on the vigil:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/8316646.stm

Last Day As "The Boss"

Yesterday was my last day filling in for the manager at work. I'd had Thursday off for my Optimax appointment and went back in yesterday morning to find that the night supervisor had rearranged all of the manning I had sorted out at the beginning of the week, not knowing what I knew.
I had been told that 2 of the guards would no longer be on site from the end of this week and so had to arrange their shifts to be covered. I had managed to do this, but couldn't tell the guys why as the 2 in question had yet to be told what was happening to them.
I had to spend another couple of hours sorting the manning out again, and found that I couldn't change some things until the contract manager phoned in the late afternoon to confirm that the two had been told their fate.
On top of that we had a lift break down, just after maintenance had left for the day (everything goes wrong in this building after 17:00, I'm sure that the maintenance department must sabotage it that way, just before they leave!).

The new manager, who is due to start on Monday, came in for a brief visit today. I was not impressed. He had a really weak handshake and incredibly clammy hands. He seemed quite timid and not at all confident. Let's hope he was just being reserved, as he needs to come onto this site and kick some ass. Some of the guards have just got so lazy and need someone to keep them in line. I tried giving them hints to this during my 2 weeks, but I didn't have the authority to really whip their butts. Let's hope that this new guy can, or that I get a new job very soon.
I'm off for the weekend now, back in on Monday to Wednesday to help orient the new manager, and then off for 12 days. I can't wait.

31st October

LGBT people born today:
1876 - Natalie Clifford Barney - US Playwright / Poet / Author - Died 2nd February 1972
1888 - Napoleon Lapathiotis - Greek Poet - Died 7th January 1944
1896 - Ethel Waters - US Singer / Actress - Died 1st September 1977
1940 - Craig Rodwell - US Activist - Died 18th June 1993
1942 - David Ogden Stiers - US Actor / Musician
1956 - Bruce Bawer - US Literary Critic / Author / Poet
1964 - Frank Bruni - US Food Critic
1972 - Gordon Sloan - Australian Reality TV [Big Brother] - Died 13th September 2007
1978 - Inka Grings - German Footballer
1983 - Adam Bouska - US Photographer
1986 - Brent Corrigan - US Model / Porn / Actor

And those who died:
1976 - Eileen Gray - Irish Designer / Architect - Born 9th August 1878
1989 - Georgi Partsalev - Bulgarian Actor - Born 16th June 1925
1996 - Marcel Carne - French Director - Born 18th August 1906
2001 - Lee Calvin Yeomans - US Playwright - Born 13th June 1938

30th October

LGBT people born today:
1853 - Louise Abbema - French Painter / Sculptor / Designer - Died 10th July 1927
1930 - Timothy Findley - Canadian Author / Playwright - Died 21st June 2002
1948 - Claude Janiak - Swiss Politician
1951 - P Craig Russell - US Comic Book Artist
1953 - Arthur Dong - US Director
1962 - Rex Harrington - Canadian Ballet
1968 - Jack Plotnick - US Actor
1971 - Grant Robertson - New Zealand Politician

And those who died:
1968 - Ramon Novarro - Mexican Actor / Hate Crime Victim - Born 6th February 1899
1990 - Craig Russell - Canadian Female Impersonator / Actor - Born 10th January 1948
2004 - David "Sinders" Morley - UK Pub Landlord / Survivor of Admiral Duncan Bombing / Murder Victim - Born 3rd October 1967

Defying Gravity

I saw a trailer on BBC1 the other day for a show called Defying Gravity. I knew nothing about it, but the trailer made it look like it was a comedy, and an unfunny one at that. Yesterday I saw it on BBC iPlayer, had nothing else to do so I thought I would check it out. I'm glad that I did.
I am not sure yet if it is any good, I think it may be one of those shows that comes into its own half way into the series (which is unusual for an American show, as those impatient tv-execs normally don't give slow-burning good shows time to grow). The reason I am glad I watched it is because it has given me this weeks man to obsess over:

Ty Olsson

Ty is a guy whose name keeps coming to my attention and for a different reason each time. I saw him first, that I recall, in X2, as an overweight, unattractive and dumb security guard. I thought nothing of him then. His name next came to my attention when I was researching 9/11 this year. I was checking out all the actors who had portrayed Mark Bingham in the four films about Flight 93. Ty was one of these guys and I was interested to see that all four actors (the other three being Cheyenne Jackson, Jason LeGrande and Gil Kolirin) were very attractive men, the pictures I saw of him showed he had lost weight, especially around his face. Now Ty has once more come to my attention as one of the stars of this new series. I am going to keep watching and hopefully there will be a bit more action, some revelations about the mysterious "Beta" and a whole lot more half-naked shots of the incredibly sexy Ty (who, by the way has converted weight, in X2, to muscle in Defying Gravity!). Sexy!

p.s. I can't find any pictures that do him justice, so if you know where there are some, please let me know.

29th October

LGBT people born today:
1881 – Russell Cheney – US Painter – Died 1945
1958 – Ann-Marie MacDonald – Canadian Author / Playwright / Director / Presenter / Actress
1959 – Nicole Conn – US Director / Producer / Screenwriter
1968 – Karin Giphart – Dutch Author / Poet / Singer

And those who died:
1677 – Charles Coypeau d’Assoucy – French Musician / Poet – Born 16th October 1605
1961 – Guthrie McClintic – US Director / Producer – Born 6th August 1893
1992 – Richard Hall – US Author – Born 26th November 1926

Maxine

I was waiting all day at work to hear how my sister's operation had gone today. Maxine went into hospital last night as she was due to have a hysterectomy this morning, though it wasn't confirmed what time she would be having the operation. I waited and waited all day for news but didn't get any. In the end I resigned myself to thinking that she had had her operation cancelled or something, but when I got home I chatted to my niece, Mikala, on Facebook and found out that she had indeed had the operation and was now recovering but was still under the anaesthetic. She will apparently be in hospital for 5-7 days, but hopefully I will hear tomorrow how she is doing once she wakes a bit more.
She was having the operation as a mostly preventative measure, my other sister having done the same a few years back. Both felt it necessary as my mum had died of ovarian cancer, and had previously also had a hysterectomy. Let's hope that it is wholly successful for both of my sisters in the long run as they have lots of people around them who could not do without them.

28th October

LGBT people born today:
1856 – Anna Elizabeth Klumpke – US Painter – Died 1942
1909 – Francis Bacon – Irish Painter – Died 28th April 1992
1915 – Karl Lange – German / US imprisoned by Nazis for homosexuality
1920 – Florence Klotz – US Costume Designer – Died 1st November 2006
1937 – Walter Capiau – Belgian Presenter / Politician
1939 – Andy Bey – US Musician / Singer
1943 – Fran Winant – US Poet / painter / Activist
1967 – David Binder – US Producer
1969 – Derek Hartley – US Presenter
1971 – Peter van der Voorst – Dutch Producer / Presenter / Columnist

And those who died:
1972 – Mitchell Leisen – US Director / Costume Designer – Born 6th October 1898
2007 – Joe Herzenberg – US Politician / Historian / Activist – Born 25th June 1941

Frustrated

Today was a fairly uneventful one until around 17:00. This is the time that most things seem to kick off at work. "Why?" You may ask! Because this is when everyone has gone home!
We have a 5-strong maintenance department who all start at the same time, have ciggie-breaks at the same time, lunch at the same time and leave site at the same time. None of them are on over night or weekend shifts. A ridiculous situation for a working 24-hour building (especially considering some of the issues outstanding since before the refit was started!). But what do I know? I'm only security (and I've only been on this site for almost 3 years, so what could I possibly have to contribute to the conversation?).

Frustrating!

27th October

LGBT people born today:
1466/69 – Desiderius Erasmus – Dutch Theologian – Died 12th July 1536
1930 – Larry Townsend – US Author – Died 29th July 2008
1941 – Gerd Brantenberg – Norwegian Author / Teacher
1959 – Brian Pockar – Canadian Figure Skater – Died 28th April 1992
1977 – K8 Hardy – US Artist / Performance Artist
???? – Derrick Stanton – US Porn / Actor / Activist

And those who died:
1941 – Georgette LeBlanc – French Singer / Author – Born 8th February 1875
1988 – Niek Engelschman – Dutch Actor / Activist – Born 12th November 1913
1988 – Charles Hawtrey – UK Actor – Born 30th November 1914
1992 – Allen R Schindler Jr. – US Naval Petty Officer / Hate Crime Victim – Born 13th December 1969

26th October

LGBT people born today:
1900 – Karin Boye – Swedish Poet / Author – Died 24th April 1941
1946 – Holly Woodlawn – Puerto Rican Drag Queen / Actress
1953 – Keith Strickland – US Musician
1954 – Ben Brantley – US Theatre Critic
1957 – Glen Murray – Canadian Politician
1963 – El-Farouk Khaki – Tanzanian / Canadian Politician / Lawyer / Activist
1971 – CJ Madison – US Porn
1971 – Anthony Rapp – US Actor

And those who died:
1989 – Mabel Hampton – US Dancer / Activist – Born 2nd May 1902
1993 – Alexander Wilson – US / Canadian Author / Horticulturist / Activist – Born 25th May 1953
1999 – Rex Gildo – German Singer – Born 2nd July 1936
2001 – Kris Kovick – US Author / Cartoonist – Born 10th September 1951

What We ALL Fight For

Thanks to my friend Ronan who highlighted this video on Facebook. I'll let this man's words say it all:

Remember - You Are Special To Someone

I received an email today, one that I had got before, and like the first time it made me cry again, just a bit. It went like this:

"One day a teacher asked her students to list the names of the other students in the room on two sheets of paper, leaving a space between each name. Then she told them to think of the nicest thing they could say about each of their classmates and write it down. It took the remainder of the class period to finish their assignment, and as the students left the room, each one handed in the papers.
That Saturday, the teacher wrote down the name of each student on a separate sheet of paper, and listed what everyone else had said about that individual. On Monday she gave each student his or her list. Before long, the entire class was smiling. 'Really?' she heard whispered. 'I never knew that I meant anything to anyone!' and, 'I didn't know others liked me so much,' were most of the comments.
No one ever mentioned those papers in class again. She never knew if they discussed them after class or with their parents, but it didn't matter. The exercise had accomplished its purpose. The students were happy with themselves and one another. That group of students moved on..
Several years later, one of the students was killed in Vietnam and his teacher attended the funeral of that special student. She had never seen a serviceman in a military coffin before. He looked so handsome, so mature. The church was packed with his friends. One by one those who loved him took a last walk by the coffin. The teacher was the last one to bless the coffin. As she stood there, one of the soldiers who acted as pallbearer came up to her. 'Were you Mark's math teacher?' he asked. She nodded: 'yes.' Then he said: 'Mark talked about you a lot'
After the funeral, most of Mark's former classmates went together to a luncheon.. Mark's mother and father were there, obviously waiting to speak with his teacher. 'We want to show you something,' his father said, taking a wallet out of his pocket 'They found this on Mark when he was killed. We thought you might recognize it.' Opening the billfold, he carefully removed two worn pieces of notebook paper that had obviously been taped, folded and refolded many times. The teacher knew without looking that the papers were the ones on which she had listed all the good things each of Mark's classmates had said about him. 'Thank you so much for doing that,' Mark's mother said. 'As you can see, Mark treasured it.'
All of Mark's former classmates started to gather around.
Charlie smiled rather sheepishly and said, 'I still have my list. It's in the top drawer of my desk at home.'
Chuck's wife said, 'Chuck asked me to put his in our wedding album.' 'I have mine too,'
Marilyn said. 'It's in my diary'
Then Vicki, another classmate, reached into her pocketbook, took out her wallet and showed her worn and frazzled list to the group. 'I carry this with me at all times,' Vicki said and without batting an eyelash, she continued: 'I think we all saved our lists'
That's when the teacher finally sat down and cried. She cried for Mark and for all his friends who would never see him again.

It got me to thinking about how ignorant I, we all, can be when we are feeling down. We can feel as if no one cares. All we need to do it think about all those people who do care and who do think about us. They may not be around all the time, but they are still there. Even those who have died are still there with us in our memories and etched into our personalities are traits from these people who we cared about and who cared about us. We take the best of them with us.

Here are the people I care about most and some reasons why I care about them:
My Mum: Because only since she died have I realised all that she sacrificed for her children and grandchildren. Because, despite her faults or maybe because of them, she was still the strongest person I have ever met.
My Dad: For bringing me into the world, even though sometimes I wish I hadn't been. For being such a good role model that he helped to strengthen my mum, my sisters and my brother to help them cope after he was gone.
Lynn: For providing a great example to me and to her children, of hard work, honesty, a caring nature and common sense. For expertly yet unwittingly taking up the mantle of family matriarch when my mum died. For raising four wonderful caring children in a difficult world.
Maxine: For coming through her troubled teens and emerging eventually as a strong woman who cares passionately about her family and friends. For raising a wonderful daughter sometimes on her own.
Kevin: For taking care of me when he was a teenager, because, while mum was working there wasn't always anyone else to do it. And for fighting for his country for which all the family is immensely proud of him.
Mikala: For learning not to make the same mistakes as her mother and for being a wonderful mother to 3 beautiful girls. For making me feel loved when I see her.
Arron: For making making me feel cool again when he was a young teenager, as he was into a lot of the same stuff I still am into. For not being embarrassed to hug me when he sees me still.
Joe: For being an amazingly caring and generous guy.
Connor: For his sporting aptitude.
Molly: For her loving and enthusiastic personality.
Adrian: For making my sister happy and for being such a good role model to his kids and to me.
Abigail: For her inquisitive and talkative nature which is infectious.
Jacquie: For making my brother happy at last and for helping to raise my beautiful niece.
Lee: For finally making my sister happy again. For bringing his family and hers together to make a greater whole.
Courtney, Keleigh & Hannah: For giving me 3 more reasons for my continued existence, to help see them reach their full potential.

Craig: For sharing his friends with me and allowing me to stay over so often. For encouraging and enabling me to become my own person finally.
Alexis: For being my substitute big brother, teacher and friend, and for allowing me to share his home when I didn't feel that I had one. For still being there when I need advise and a shoulder to cry on.
Francis: For being a great friend and providing me with advice and support when I need it.
Tim: For providing me with great company. For making me feel less like a geek. For providing my life with a bit of excitement. For introducing me to new friends.
Dean: For being an exciting and energetic personality that is much needed in my life. For always being honest with me, no matter what. For his encouragement and enthusiasm.
Richard: For being exciting and excitable. For not being afraid to show emotions and for giving me something to focus on when I needed it.
Mike: For his constant interest and support, in and out of work. For helping me become as much "one of the lads" as I am ever going to become.
Gab: For being a caring individual and the best friend I've never met!

There are many other people I could include here who have provided me with great examples in my life, and I am sorry if I have neglected to mention you here. And, strangely, thank you also to the people who provided me bad examples, showing me how NOT to live my life (especially you Bill! You are one person who showed me many things that I never EVER want to be!).

Love Alex

25th October

LGBT people born today:
1879 – Fritz Haarmann – German Serial Killer – Died 15th April 1925
1894 – Claude Cahun – French Photographer – Died 8th December 1954
1929 – David McReynolds – US Politician / Activist
1953 – Fenton Johnson – US Author
1953 – Muffin Spencer-Devlin – US Golf / Actress
1957 – Arthur Rhames – US Musician / Singer / Composer – Died 27th December 1989
1962 – David Furnish – Canadian Director
1980 – Aiden Bay – Mexican Singer
???? – Buddy Jones – Canadian Porn

And those who died:
1882 – Emma Stebbins – US Sculptor – Born 1st September 1815
1913 – Frederick Rolfe – UK Author / Artist – Born 22nd July 1860
1980 – Virgil Fox – US Musician – Born 3rd May 1912

If I Had Gone Out Tonight, What Would I Have Seen?

Strictly Losing Interest

I am not sure what it is but this year's Strictly Come Dancing just doesn't have the appeal of the previous series'. I think it may be that I am not particularly enamoured of the group of celebrities, or that I don't think enough of them are taking it seriously and not trying hard enough, or it may just be as shallow as the fact that there are not enough sexy guys on it this year.
I can't mention the fact that I am losing interest to my flatmates though as I struggled to keep "possession" the remote today when they three of them came up from the pub to watch X-Factor only to find that I was watching the dancing. I got daggers from Penny, nothing unusual there. Alex, who doesn't like X-Factor either (or Strictly) mentioned that there were people who wanted to watch X-Factor, but I stuck to my guns and carried on watching Strictly. Jessica was kind enough to explain that it was fair enough as I was in front of the television first. She and Penny went to watch the screeching in her room. I was still left feeling slightly guilty though, which is bloody stupid as I pay to live here too!

There was nothing particularly spectacular about tonight's show though. Chris managed to remember his routine, as did Laila. Jade and Ali were the best two performances of the night and Jade still ended up in the dance off with Jo Wood. She obviously had nothing to worry about as it was inevitable that Jo would be the one to go of the two.
One very funny moment was when Alicia Dixon was commenting on Phil Tuffnell's dance and his determination to wiggle his arse in every dance. She said, fairly innocently, "We all like a bit of bum action!" I was pissing myself laughing.

I was a bit worried about Brucie's health though, he kept losing his place on the autocue and seemed a bit lost. I hope he is alright, he is getting on a bit.

I shall almost certainly keep watching the rest of the series, but I will not worry about staying in or getting home from work in time for it. And let's hope that the terrible celebrity dancers (Craig, Phil, Natalie and Ricky Groves) all begin to improve from next week. PLEASE!

24th October

LGBT people born today:
1869 – Caroline Spurgen – UK Literary Critic / Lecturer / Author – Died 24th October 1942
1904 – Moss Hart – US Playwright / Director – Died 20th December 1961
1933 – Neal Blewett – Australian Politician
1933 – Ronnie Kray – UK Crime Boss – Died 17th March 1995
1934 – Paula Gunn Allen – US Poet / Literary Critic / Activist / Author – Died 29th May 2008
1958 – Mathilde Santing – Dutch Singer
1960 – BD Wong – US Singer / Dancer / Actor
1969 – Emma Donoghue – Irish Playwright / Author / Historian
1970 – Raul Esparza – US Actor
1972 – Van Darkholme – US Porn / Actor / Director / Photographer [or 4th October]
1979 – Renee Pornero – Austrian Porn
1980 – Zac Posen – US Fashion Designer
1981 – Tila Tequila – US Model / Singer
1984 – Damon Phoenix – US Porn
???? – Erica Wheeler – US Singer / Songwriter

And those who died:
1942 – Caroline Spurgen – UK Literary Critic / Lecturer / Author – Died 24th October 1869
1957 – Christian Dior – French Fashion Designer – Born 21st January 1905
1990 – John Sex – US Entertainer / Performance Artist – Born 8th April 1956
2002 – Harry Hay – UK / US Activist – Born 7th April 1912

Feeling Paranoid!

I was feeling a bit paranoid today as it began to feel like the other supervisors were conspiring against me. I don't know if you recall, but back in March I covered the former security manager when he was suspended? Well back then one of the other supervisors would normally have covered the manager's shifts, but had been off at the time and so I was asked to do it. The next shift this other supervisor was due to work he didn't turn up. I thought at the time that it was a bit petty. Also that week the maintenance bloke called in sick and I wasn't feeling paranoid then.
Today I found out that the same supervisor has called in sick for his 4 shifts which were to begin on tomorrow morning! Coincidence? He claims to have swine 'flu! Also today another supervisor went sick a couple of hours after I was forced to advise him that he could not park his car in the car park tonight. So he isn't in for his last shift of this set tonight and has also said that he won't be in for his next set of shifts starting in 5 days! How does he know that he will still be off sick then? The only other supervisor, discounting myself, has refused to cover any shifts for his 4 off-days, which I would normally accept as fair enough, except that he normally grabs every overtime shift that he can and has moaned recently when overtime was taken off him by our employers to accommodate a second set of guards.
So, we had 8 shifts to cover, plus 2 shifts that the unhelpful (as opposed to sickly) supervisor had failed to cover when asked to do it on Tuesday and Wednesday!
None of the other guards that we can contact were available or willing to cover these shifts and I was getting really paranoid that everyone was resentful at me for getting to cover the managerial position that I am. After a while I got over it. The manning issues are not my fault. It is not down to me at the end of the day to cover the positions, that is why we have a scheduling department. And if the guys are unhappy with me doing this extra work for nothing, then if they can't have the balls to tell me to my face, then fuck 'em! I stopped stressing about it a few hours ago and left work at my allotted time without a second thought, other than to record my experience here with you all.
I may get calls over the weekend to help out the inexperienced guys covering the supervisor positions, but that is okay. I can then explain to them that it is not me that has put them in this unfortunate situation, it is their colleagues.

I am disappointed though, as during these two weeks, when the old manager had gone and the new one had not arrived, I wanted to get together in person with the other supervisors, and the guards too, to get a consensus of what everyone thinks should be happening on site and, by the time the new guy arrived, I wanted to have all the best-practice solutions that we came up with in place so that we could impress him with what a good team we have!
That will not now happen and anything new that I do implement, which will stem from my own idea of how things should be, I will rightfully claim full credit for as it is work that I will have done, mostly unaided during these two weeks.

23rd October

LGBT people born today:
1893 - Jean Acker – US Actress – Died 16th August 1978
1896 – Lilyan Tashman – US Actress – Died 21st March 1934
1918 – Paul Rudolph – US Architect – Died 8th August 1997
1923 – Ned Rorem – US Composer / Author
1925 – Manos Hatzidakis – Greek Composer – Died 15th June 1994
1928 – Bella Darvi – French Actress – Died 11th September 1971
1945 – Maggi Hambling – UK Painter / Sculptor
1951 – Michael Rupert – US Actor / Singer / Director / Composer
1953 – Cole Tucker – US Porn
1965 – Augusten Burroughs – US Author / Screenwriter
1966 – Superstar DJ Keoki – US DJ
1971 – Matthew Williamson – UK Fashion Designer

And those who died:
1935 – Charles Demuth – US Painter – Born 8th November 1883
1994 – Andrew Kopkind – US Journalist / Presenter – Born 24th August 1935

Disappointment

I was really disappointed with one of the supervisors today at work. He blew out today and even though I realised yesterday that he was not totally switched on, I didn't quite realise until today how little work he actually did.
He is the youngest supervisor there at the moment and a bit immature and unprofessional, but I know, if he focused that he can do the job well.
It is difficult getting him to realise that work is a serious business. I am worried because if he messes up then it could affect the whole security team. We have been getting a fair amount of praise since the client moved in, but there are also a couple of people who want to make their names with the client and their own companies. These people have set their sights on the security department to be the stepping stones for their promotional aspirations and have already started sniping and picking faults on every single thing that the team do and have even begun to think that they can tell the facility manager how to manage the security team. Big mistake.
If this supervisor does mess up more than he has already then he could really muck things up for himself and for the rest of us. We are all deserving of a pay rise, which should have happened when the client moved in, but have to prove ourselves constantly to maintain what we have at the moment, let alone getting more. We have had to struggle with our employers up until now, just to get the rights that we were owed from when we transferred over from our original company, so it will be even more of a struggle to get extras. We aren't even being provided with the tools needed to do our job properly, yet are still managing to pull it off. If one person makes a mistake, especially a supervisor, it could prove disastrous for the whole team.
I need to find a way to make this guy take his job seriously and pull his weight fully, at all times. I just hope that I can manage it without pushing him the wrong way and making him not care at all. He needs to be chastised for doing such an appalling job this week, but encouraged because I think, if he took it seriously and thought of it as a career and not a job, then I think he could be really good.
Let's hope that I can keep my cool and not release the frustration that I felt with him today and can just provide the right push for him. I know I can be a pretty good motivator, it is one of my strengths, but only when I care enough and until this week I haven't really cared. I hope that I care enough now and that he takes note of this and responds to my attempt at nurturing him. On top of the fact that I know he has the potential to do the job I want to encourage him and turn his performance around because there are very few options for alternate supervisors should he stumble and fail. And all of our jobs are still officially classed as "at risk" by our employers.
Here's hoping that I handle it properly. It is probably the most pressure that this step up has put me under so far, the rest has been, dare I say it, fairly easy.

22nd October

LGBT people born today:
1844 – Sarah Bernhardt – Dutch / French Actress – Died 26th March 1923
1870 – Lord Alfred Douglas – UK Author / Poet / Translator – Died 20th March 1945
1925 – Robert Rauschenberg – US Artist – Died 12th May 2008
1935 – Delmas Howe – US Artist
1938 – Sir Derek Jacobi – UK Actor / Director
1943 – Robert Long – Dutch Singer / Presenter – Died 13th December 2006
1946 – Claude Charron – Canadian Teacher / Politician / Presenter / Author
1955 – Bill Condon – US Actor / Director / Producer / Screenwriter
1959 – Mark Shaiman – US Composer

Not On Such A High

I knew it wouldn't last long!
My bubble burst today, well slightly, when I found out some information that I maybe shouldn't have about some of my co-workers.
As a supervisor I liaise between the guard force and management concerning various matters. One of these things is wages. One of the guards came to me with a wage query (something which we have to do regularly with this new security company). The guard was one who had come over from the new client's old building. He was one of a small group who transferred to this building once all the client's staff had moved and the old building was no longer being used.
By the time they had moved across, almost all the hard work had been done (getting a building site up and running as a working occupied building). The guards who were already on this site, myself including, were told that we would not be getting a pay rise for probably at least a year, despite out dramatic rise in duties and responsibilities.
I have just found out that this guy, from the other building, is on more money, as a guard, than I am on as a supervisor (or as an acting manager come to that!). It shouldn't bother me as much as it does, but the fact is these guards have been able to pick and choose what hours they want to work, what shift patterns and what duties they want. All the staff who come from this site originally have been lumbered with the rest and lost all of their overtime, practically halving some of their take home wages! Half of these new guards are people I would not want to work with ever again, because of their lack of professionalism and ability, poor appearance, lateness and all around lethargy.
I am really not happy about this and will be mentioning it to my boss tomorrow when she is back from her day away to one of the client's northern offices.
It has certainly ruined the high I was on since Monday afternoon. I'm almost tempted to tell them to stick their secondment! Almost!

21st October

LGBT people born today:
1884 – Claire Waldoff – German Singer / Entertainer – Died 22nd January 1957
1917 – William Dale Jennings – US Author / Activist – Died 11th May 2000
1948 – Scott Smith – US Activist – Died 4th February 1995
1953 – Peter Mandelson – UK Politician
1955 – Fred Hersch – US Musician
1958 – John C Goss – US Artist / Author
1961 – Mark Finch – UK Actor / Film Promoter – Died 14th January 1995
1968 – Trev Broudy – US Actor / Presenter / Model / Hate Crime Victim 1972 – Saffron Burrows – UK Actress / Activist


And those who died:
1556 – Pietro Aretino – Italian Author / Playwright / Poet – Born 20th April 1492
1969 – Jack Kerouac – US Author / Poet / Artist – Born 12th March 1922

Who's The Boss?

Just thought I would share something good for a change, I know I'm normally moaning about everything so thought this would make a nice change.

For those who haven't read my whinging up until now:
When my current employers took over the contract I work on they replaced the existing security manager (who was competent, but no where near professional enough for the client's requirements). The guy they bought in until they could interview for a permanent replacement was useless. He can't operate email, seemed to have no idea how to behave in a corporate environment, and was even more racist, sexist, size-ist and homophobic than the last manager. He pissed everyone off with his attitude and lack of ability, and that includes the security department, the client and every other department too.
He was taken off site yesterday even though it is still 2 weeks until the permanent guy starts. They asked me to fill in for him.
So, I am currently the head of the security department for a multi-million pound security contract, for a client who have been going for over 60 years. Not bad considering they asked me.

I know it is only temporary, and I don't think I would want the job permanently anyway (having lost respect for all security companies over the last 3 years, I don't want to work for any every again!), but it gives me a brief opportunity to get the site running as I think it should and to get things for the security team that have yet to be provided. At least then, if I still can't get another job, things will be better for me and all the guys when I return to my supervisor position.
I am relishing the challenge at the moment. Maybe I will even change my mind about staying in the industry, if I enjoy the whole 2 weeks and don't fuck it up!!!! It could be the boost to my confidence that I need.

I had a meeting with the head of facilities today, who is effectively my boss on site, and she said she was very happy that I had agreed to step into the position. I also think that I impressed her with my ideas and knowledge when we were discussing various security matters that I wanted to get changed or clarified.

All in all, I had a good day today (on the first day in this new position) and think that I have enough to do to keep me interested for the whole of the 2 weeks. We shall see whether I am still feeling positive come Friday of next week! Miracles can happen.

20th October

LGBT people born today:
1854 – Arthur Rimbaud – French Poet / Anarchist – Died 10th November 1891
1892 – Eoin O’Duffy – Irish General – Died 30th November 1944
1921 – Hans Warren – Dutch Poet / Author – Died 19th December 2001
1926 – Edward Douglas-Scott-Montagu [3rd Baron Montagu of Beaulieu] – UK Politician
1927 – Allan Horsfall – UK Activist
1963 – David Sanchez Camacho – Mexican Politician
1964 – Bo Summers – US Porn [14th November ????]
1975 – Kyle Bradford – US Porn
???? – Bruno Diaz - ?? Porn

And those who died:
1983 – Peter Dudley – UK Actor – Born 21st June 1935
1994 – Robert Medley – UK Artist / Teacher – Born 19th December 1905
2008 – James Gleeson – Australian Artist / Poet / Author / Critic – Born 22nd November 1915
2008 – Pat Kavanaugh – UK Literary Agent – Born 31st January 1940

More from Moir

Jan Moir has issued a statement to respond to the complaints about her article about Stephen Gately's death.

She says:
"Some people, particularly in the gay community, have been upset by my article about the sad death of Boyzone member Stephen Gately. This was never my intention. Stephen, as I pointed out in the article was a charming and sweet man who entertained millions.
"However, the point of my column-which,I wonder how many of the people complaining have fully read - was to suggest that, in my honest opinion, his death raises many unanswered questions. That was all. Yes, anyone can die at anytime of anything. However, it seems unlikely to me that what took place in the hours immediately preceding Gately’s death – out all evening at a nightclub, taking illegal substances, bringing a stranger back to the flat, getting intimate with that stranger – did not have a bearing on his death.
"At the very least, it could have exacerbated an underlying medical condition.
"The entire matter of his sudden death seemed to have been handled with undue haste when lessons could have been learned. On this subject, one very important point. When I wrote that ‘he would want to set an example to any impressionable young men who may want to emulate what they might see as his glamorous routine’, I was referring to the drugs and the casual invitation extended to a stranger. Not to the fact of his homosexuality.
"In writing that ‘it strikes another blow to the happy-ever-after myth of civil partnerships’ I was suggesting that civil partnerships – the introduction of which I am on the record in supporting – have proved just to be as problematic as marriages.
"In what is clearly a heavily orchestrated internet campaign I think it is mischievous in the extreme to suggest that my article has homophobic and bigoted undertones."

Ahhh, the poor little old lady thinks that the mischievous poofs are picking on her!!
You would think that an intelligent woman, as she is alleged to be, would know when to just shut her mouth!
Apparently no one has actually read the article! Personally, I did find it difficult to actually find the full article as I was desperately trying to avoid fuelling Daily Mail advertising funds by clicking on their website to see it. But, when I did find it, I could not help but read the whole article in my disbelief that anyone could be so vile, in the press in this day and age. It kept me going until I reached the anticipated punch line of her bad taste joke. Unfortunately there was no punch line, just a punch at a dead man and his family.
Her comments on Civil Partnerships were meant to convey her thought that they are proving to be as problematic as marriages? This comparison seems to have been missed by everyone, probably because it was not mentioned or even hinted at. In fact she does quite the opposite. In her original article Moir states that "Gay activists are always calling for tolerance and understanding about same-sex relationship, arguing that they are just the same as heterosexual marriages" then says, "in many cases they are." "In many cases" implies that the rest (most cases?) are nothing like heterosexual marriages.
Let's just hope, for her sake, that someone has a quiet word in Ms Moir's ear and tells her to shut the f*ck up before someone sets the Lesbian Avengers on her.

Part-Time Promotion

The temporary manager at work today confirmed that he was going to another site from tomorrow, something which I had already guessed from what the area manager had told me on Friday. A couple of hours later he went to a meeting at head office and never returned.
I got a phone call about 40 minutes before the end of my shift from the area manager to confirm that I would be the acting temporary manager for 2 weeks. It is however, at the same hourly rate as I am getting now, and an hour less each day. So, effectively I am going to be worse off each shift that I do. I don't mind though as this will look good on my c.v., I get to go home early and it gets me out of my next set of night shifts.
I was going to cancel the temporary manager's pass and take great pleasure in it, but I will leave that honour to tomorrow's day supervisor who hated this guy the most. I'm sure he will enjoy that!
We all, at work, now have to work together for the next 2 weeks to get the place running exactly as we want it to run, so that the new manager, who starts on 2nd November, won't have anything to change! (Though, knowing how some managers work, he could just change some things for the sake of it). Lets hope that I am up to the task!

19th October

LGBT people born today:
1921 – George Nader – US Actor / Author – Died 4th February 2002
1932 – Robert Reed – US Actor – Died 12th May 1992
1945 – Divine – US Drag Queen / Singer / Actor – Died 7th March 1988
1948 – Chester Biscardi – US Composer
1948 – Greg Malone – Canadian Impressionist / Actor / Politician
1950 – Patrick Cowley – US Record Producer – Died 12th November 1982
1954 – Andy Humm – US Journalist / Presenter / Activist
1962 – Alvaro Garcia Linera – Bolivian Politician
1968 – Blake Harper – Canadian Porn 1976 – Roland Dane – Hungarian Porn / Director

And those who died:
1915 – Christian Wilhelm Allers – German Painter / Printmaker – Born 6th August 1857
1950 – Edna St Vincent Millay – US Poet / Playwright – Born 22nd February 1892
2008 – Richard Blackwell – US Journalist / Fashion Designer / Fashion Critic / Presenter / Artist / Actor – Born 29th August 1922

Responding to Hate

On October 16th 2009, the Daily Mail newspaper in the UK published this article, about the death of Stephen Gately, which was written by Jan Moir. Please read first and then see my comments after:

The news of Stephen Gately's death was deeply shocking. It was not just that another young star had died pointlessly.
Through the recent travails and sad ends of Michael Jackson, Heath Ledger and many others, fans know to expect the unexpected of their heroes - particularly if those idols live a life that is shadowed by dark appetites or fractured by private vice.
There are dozens of household names out there with secret and not-so-secret troubles, or damaging habits both past and present.
Robbie, Amy, Kate, Whitney, Britney; we all know who they are. And we are not being ghoulish to anticipate, or to be mentally braced for, their bad end: a long night, a mysterious stranger, an odd set of circumstances that herald a sudden death.
In the morning, a body has already turned cold before the first concerned hand reaches out to touch an icy celebrity shoulder. It is not exactly a new storyline, is it?
In fact, it is rather depressingly familiar. But somehow we never expected it of him. Never him. Not Stephen Gately.
In the cheerful environs of Boyzone, Gately was always charming, cute, polite and funny.
A founder member of Ireland's first boy band, he was the group's co-lead singer, even though he could barely carry a tune in a Louis Vuitton trunk.
He was the Posh Spice of Boyzone, a popular but largely decorous addition.
Gately came out as gay in 1999 after discovering that someone was planning to sell a story revealing his sexuality to a newspaper.
Although he was effectively smoked out of the closet, he has been hailed as a champion of gay rights, albeit a reluctant one.
At the time, Gately worried that the revelations might end his ultra-mainstream career as a pin-up, but he received an overwhelmingly positive response from fans. In fact, it only made them love him more.
In 2006, Gately entered into a civil union with internet businessman Andrew Cowles, who had been introduced to him by mutual friends Elton John and David Furnish.
Last week, the couple were enjoying a holiday together in their apartment in Mallorca before their world was capsized.
All the official reports point to a natural death, with no suspicious circumstances. The Gately family are - perhaps understandably - keen to register their boy's demise on the national consciousness as nothing more than a tragic accident.
Even before the post-mortem and toxicology reports were released by the Spanish authorities, the Gatelys' lawyer reiterated that they believed his sudden death was due to natural causes.
But, hang on a minute. Something is terribly wrong with the way this incident has been shaped and spun into nothing more than an unfortunate mishap on a holiday weekend, like a broken teacup in the rented cottage.
Consider the way it has been largely reported, as if Gately had gently keeled over at the age of 90 in the grounds of the Bide-a-Wee rest home while hoeing the sweet pea patch.
The sugar coating on this fatality is so saccharine-thick that it obscures whatever bitter truth lies beneath. Healthy and fit 33-year-old men do not just climb into their pyjamas and go to sleep on the sofa, never to wake up again.
Whatever the cause of death is, it is not, by any yardstick, a natural one. Let us be absolutely clear about this. All that has been established so far is that Stephen Gately was not murdered.
And I think if we are going to be honest, we would have to admit that the circumstances surrounding his death are more than a little sleazy.
After a night of clubbing, Cowles and Gately took a young Bulgarian man back to their apartment. It is not disrespectful to assume that a game of canasta with 25-year-old Georgi Dochev was not what was on the cards.
Cowles and Dochev went to the bedroom together while Stephen remained alone in the living room.
What happened before they parted is known only to the two men still alive. What happened afterwards is anyone's guess.
A post-mortem revealed Stephen died from acute pulmonary oedema, a build-up of fluid on his lungs.
Gately's family have always maintained that drugs were not involved in the singer's death, but it has just been revealed that he at least smoked cannabis on the night he died.
Nevertheless, his mother is still insisting that her son died from a previously undetected heart condition that has plagued the family.
Another real sadness about Gately's death is that it strikes another blow to the happy-ever-after myth of civil partnerships.
Gay activists are always calling for tolerance and understanding about same-sex relationships, arguing that they are just the same as heterosexual marriages. Not everyone, they say, is like George Michael.
Of course, in many cases this may be true. Yet the recent death of Kevin McGee, the former husband of Little Britain star Matt Lucas, and now the dubious events of Gately's last night raise troubling questions about what happened.
It is important that the truth comes out about the exact circumstances of his strange and lonely death.
As a gay rights champion, I am sure he would want to set an example to any impressionable young men who may want to emulate what they might see as his glamorous routine.
For once again, under the carapace of glittering, hedonistic celebrity, the ooze of a very different and more dangerous lifestyle has seeped out for all to see.

I am currently feeling a bit remiss as I have yet to comment on the disservice that has been done, by Daily Mail journalist Jan Moir, to Stephen Gately, his grieving friends and family, and the many thousands of fans and supporters of the recently deceased singer.

I was made aware of this hateful tirade in the Daily Mail a couple of days ago thanks to at least 3 friends on Facebook. Not being a regular reader of any newspaper let alone this one, I may have missed this attack if not for the outcry of protests by many thousands of people on Facebook, Twitter and even Jan Moir's "fellow" journalists. I have been trying to find the right words to describe how I feel about it and why her opinion, to which she is entitled, should not be published in a national newspaper thus leading the world to believe this is what this newspaper also believes and endorses.

There are several issues I have with Ms Moir, but mainly it is her blatant anti-gay stance that rankles me. Never mind the fact that she has alluded that Stephen Gately's grieving mother is delusional in her beliefs over the cause of his death. Never mind that she doubts the competency of the Spanish coroner who stated that the death was from natural causes. And never mind that she seems to feel that any death is nothing more than an inconvenience, "like a broken teacup in the rented cottage."

Kicking a man after he has died, Ms Moir criticizes the Irish star in various ways:
Stating that he wasn't a competent singer – "even though he could barely carry a tune in a Louis Vuitton trunk."
Criticizing the way he came out – "Gately came out as gay in 1999 after discovering that someone was planning to sell a story revealing his sexuality to a newspaper. Although he was effectively smoked out of the closet, he has been hailed as a champion of gay rights."
Criticizing his "abuse" of the newly granted right to allow gay people to celebrate their partnerships in a Civil Union – "Another real sadness about Gately's death is that it strikes another blow to the happy-ever-after myth of civil partnerships."

In response to these attacks I would answer that:
Despite being extremely distasteful to critique a man who has only just died, I will allow her opinion of Stephen's singing ability. Everyone is entitled to have differing tastes, something which Ms Moir does not seem to entirely accept in others. Our differences are what make us unique. Her saying that he could barely carry a tune is, in my opinion, wrong, though even I noted sometimes he had his off days. Don't most singers? Don't most people? Was this article written on one of her off days? Who knows? I've never read any other articles by this award-winning journalist to compare it with.

Her condemnation over the adulation he received after being forced to come out is not acceptable though. A persons sexuality is not something that should be forcibly disclosed unless the said person is being blatantly hypocritical (i.e. a gay politician speaking out against gay rights issues while denying their own sexuality), even then I am still undecided as to the right anyone has to disclose a personal detail such as this.
Stephen could have denied this "accusation," or he could have attempted to ignore it, though this would have been virtually impossible. Instead he confronted the issue head-on and was rewarded by the response that the public loved him even more for being honest about his personal life. I'm sure that this must have been a relief to him despite him possibly not being ready for such a confrontation at that time. He was in a new relationship, one that ended 3 years later, during which time he suffered depression and an addiction to prescription medication said to be caused by the break up of Boyzone the year after he came out. I'm sure the new and intense spotlight on his personal life could not have made things easier for him at this time though. Despite all of the issues he was dealing with, Stephen did become a champion of gay rights, however reluctantly. Just by turning up at an event organized to highlight the lack of equality LGBT people still face in this country (and on this planet), he helped generate the publicity necessary for these events to become more successful. He was a young face, a star popular with young and old people alike, a person that young people could empathize with and feel helped to represent them and their feelings. He, for a time, was the face of young gay Britain, a necessary role to reassure the next generation that, whatever their sexuality, they could be accepted. Ms Moir's article though enforces the attitude that acceptance is conditional on every other aspect of your life conforming to her (the public's) ideals and opinions. That, however, is not acceptance, that is merely tolerance.
Coming out can have many unnecessary consequences even in the post-Ellen era that we now live in. The fact that Stephen acknowledged his sexuality in public should be praised, as it widely was, because he could have faced rejection by his fans and thus by his employers, losing his ability to work in his chosen profession. He could have faced rejection from family, friends and his peers in the industry if those who did not already know his "secret" were not willing to accept him for who he was. And, as unappetizing as it may be, just being out can leave you as a target for certain section of society, for either physical or verbal attacks. All these factors need to be taken into consideration, especially by a celebrity, when deciding on the right time to reveal their sexuality. I find it slightly reassuring that, with each celebrity that comes out, the media storm is becoming less and less intense. These are, in truth, non-stories which the press make into tabloid headliners by sensationalizing the details and reinforcing certain beliefs about sexuality that some people find distasteful.

Most surprising to me, considering her subsequent claim to be a supporter of Civil Union rights for gay couples, is her statement that, "Gately's death is [sic] another blow to the happy-ever-after myth of civil partnerships." Citing the coincidental recent death of Kevin McGee, former husband of Matt Lucas, who committed suicide in the week preceding Mr Gately's death. Her linking of the two was tenuous, being just that both were gay and had at some point been in a civil partnership and both were now dead in some sort of deathly and inaccurate algebraic equation: Gay & Civil Union = Death.

Firstly, the fact that Stephen Gately was in a Civil Union has nothing at all to do with how he died. Neither does the fact that he may or may not have been involved in sex with their visitor that night. What may do though is the fact that he had smoked cannabis as may a possible genetic heart condition. The fact is that Ms Moir seems to be claiming a higher knowledge of medical pathology, and of this death in particular, than the coroner who actually examined Stephen's body.

The overall impression that this article gives to the reader is that Stephen Gately heralded his own death by the choices that he made. Jan Moir alludes that he led a life "shadowed by dark appetites or [that was] fractured by private vice." What, other than his sexuality and choices within that sexuality, can she be referring to? From everything else that is said in this piece, the only conclusion that I can come to, and that thousands of other complainants have come to along with me, is that she is referring to his sexuality and her distaste for it. I have come to the conclusion from her piece that Jan Moir believes that Stephen Gately chose to be, and act, as a homosexual, chose to take cannabis and chose to have a threesome (something which heterosexual people wouldn't do within a marriage) and so it was inevitable that he would (should?) die. Was this the conclusion she was aiming for?

This is a totally intolerable piece of writing that never should have seen print in a national newspaper. The Daily Mail felt shame enough to change her original title of the piece from "Why there was nothing "natural" about Stephen Gately's death " to "A strange, lonely and troubling death," though neglected to edit, retract or apologize for the article's content. Several advertisers with the Daily Mail, in print and on line, have expressed their wish to be disassociated with the article, though I am unaware if any have gone the whole hog and pulled their advertising from the paper. I applaud any that have done, or will do this, as simply moving the advert to another section does nothing to affect the finances of the Daily Mail, which is probably the only thing that will make this type of hate-filled article a thing of the past with them.

As for Jan Moir, I hope that after she is forced to issue a satisfactory apology and retraction, is disciplined by and dismissed from the paper, and then subsequently forced to exit from the world of media, that we do not see her in 5 years time as a contestant on some droll reality show, as seems to be the career choice of almost all disgraced "celebrities."

As another recently departed celebrity once quoted, while playing a gay character no less, Jan Moir "your approval is not needed!"

[Patrick Swayze as Vida Boheme in To Wong Fu, Thanks For Everything, Julie Newmar"]

Strictly Tired

I actually did get to watch Strictly Come Dancing last night on iPlayer, but it meant that I didn't get to bed until well after midnight, so I was really tired today. I must say I do not enjoy the show as much when I watch it on iPlayer, with all the stops and starts because of insufficient bandwidth, it just becomes too annoying and I end up giving up on the whole thing sometimes (it's much better if my flatmates aren't in, I get all the bandwidth to myself).
The show, therefore, was not as enjoyable for me as I had hoped. This was reinforced by the multitude of mistakes and embarrassing dances that were shown.
I missed most of Ricky Groves' dance because I was distracted by his bright orange socks which made his trousers appear to be too short every time they flashed into view.
Ali completely lost the plot of her dance looking lost the whole way through.
Jo was much improved but still slightly skippy around the floor.
I didn't feel that Zoe gave enough umph to her dance, though the judges seemed to disagree.
Craig's dance was just embarrassing to watch. I think it was Alisha who said it was like watching someone's dad dance badly at a wedding.
Joe just was not in tune with the music at all. He just did the steps and didn't worry about keeping time with the music or with Kristina.
Natalie wasn't smooth or elegant at all.
Laila looked like she didn't even know her routine.
Chris lost his timing and seems to be getting worse each week, from an amazingly brilliant start.
And Phil's dance was completely unremarkable, I can't even remember it.
The only bright spots were Jade, who I think is quickly becoming my favourite to win the show.
Ricky Whittle was back on form, getting a 10 from Alisha, though I think he may be too cocky to win the series. "I think I'm in the wrong career, I wanna be a dancer!" I think he has a way to go yet before he could be a professional.

The demonstration dances by the pro's were beautiful again, especially Vincent & Flavia who are always stunning with their Tango Waltz, as Bruce called it (proper name Vals, according to Wikipedia), which looked the same as an Argentine Tango to me. Whatever it was though, it was amazing.
Spandau Ballet performed a reworked version of their classic hit "Gold" which shouldn't be reworked as it is perfect as it is.

At the end of the show, Zoe & James joined Joe & Kristina in the dance off, which was a big shock. Zoe obviously cannot have the public's support, to be put in that position, as she was quite high in the leader board I think, which must worry her for subsequent weeks. In the end though, even before the dance off had started it was inevitable that Joe would be the one to go. And what a relief that he is gone, he was terrible. I really do hope that Kristina gets someone decent next year so she can show everyone that she can teach, instead of just performing amazing feats in front of her celebrity to try and take the emphasis off of their inadequacies! Here's hoping.

18th October

LGBT people born today:
1753 – Jean-Jacques-Regis de Cambeceres – French Lawyer – Died 8th March 1824
1872 – Mikhail Kuzmin – Russian Poet / Musician [or 6th October 1872] – Died 1st March 1936
1931 – Ien Dales – Dutch Politician – Died 10th January 1994
1946 – James Robert Baker – US Author – Died 5th November 1997
1953 – Tim Gill – US Activist
1956 – Martina Navratilova – Czech / US Tennis

And those who died:
1857 – Marquis de Custine – French Author – Born 18th March 1790
1973 – Margaret Caroline Anderson – US Editor – Born 24th November 1886
1979 – Virgilio Pinera – Cuban Author / Playwright / Poet – Born 4th August 1912
1988 – Sir Frederick Ashton – Ecuadorian Dancer / Choreographer – Born 17th September 1904
1994 – Timothy Conigrave – Australian Actor – Born 19th November 1959
2001 – Renee Barrett – US 9/11 victim – Born ??

Disappointment

I am back from work, in fact I got home about an hour ago as my counterpart on the night shift got in early for me. I was looking forward to watching Strictly Come Dancing, which started at 19:15. Unfortunately my flatmate is at home and has decided that he wants to watch some men attempt to drive strange cars around in circles in the rain (i.e. the Grand Prix!). So, given the length of Strictly at the moment, it will not make it onto BBC iPlayer in time for me to watch it tonight and so I will have to wait until tomorrow to see it. By then, I imagine, I will have seen somewhere in some form of media who had been voted off and the surprise will be spoiled (like last week was). Oh well, nothing I can do now, but I am very disappointed! Wish I had bought a new telly for my room already though!