LittleWitch

Hi everyone I'm planning my husband's 30th (it's a surprise!!), and was looking for a function room to hold around 50-75 people, in the Woodseats/Millhouses area, for Saturday 30th July. I am on a very strict budget, so the cheaper the better! I would preferably like to be able to sort my own food, to keep costs down, but would possibly need a DJ. Can anyone help?

I work in a bank, and one time we had a very scruffy little urchin girl thing come in with a fiver that had been torn down the middle, demanding we change it for a full one. She didn't even bank with us!! No doubt five minutes later she would have gone into the bank next door and handed over the other half for another full fiver. We shooed her out.

Not really the point, but when I was learning the violin when I was little, it was known as resin rather than rosin. But this was in South Wales. It was a little round amber coloured disc in a cardboard box, and I used to love the smell it gave off when I ran my bow over it. Ahhh happy memories!!

It's up to each individual to decide whether to opt for needle or machine piercing, but in all the hundreds of piercings I've done on ears, I have never seen blood squirting everywhere - not even a tiny dot of blood, so I'm not sure what's going on there!! The earrings used are 9ct gold, with very sharp ends to enable them to glide through the ear (a lot of customers said they didn't even feel it) and the butterfly back is most definitely NOT pushed against the back of the lobe, as the ears need room to swell and settle, and if the butterfly was flat to the back of the lobe there would be a real danger of it becoming embedded (a hospital job, when that happens). Every customer is told NOT to push the butterfly against the back of the lobe for this reason. The staff are firstly trained on specially made foam ears to make sure they have the technique correct, are given full training on hygene and aftercare, and then have to pierce a minimum of ten earlobes whilst being watched continuously by the manager (and with the consent and full knowledge of the customer) before completing the course of training and achieving their certificate. They have to check every ear for moles, keyloids (little sacs of oil that result from earlier healed piercings), scars or scabs etc, and will not pierce if any of these conditions are present. The earrings are all individually sealed in sterilised, autoclaved packaging, and are only removed and placed into the instruments just before the piercing takes place. The instruments are checked and sterilised before and after every piercing, and if found to be unsatisfactory (i'e mechanism slightly sticky etc) they are replaced immediately and the old instrument sent away to be destroyed. Many people prefer going to a tattoists and piercers where they use needles to pierce, which is their choice. The reason so many people use claire's accessories and similar that use instruments to pierce with the actual earring rather than needles, is the speed of the piercing, the incredibly tiny risk of contamination, and the fact that keeping a fussy ten year old sat in a seat when they can see a needle coming towards them is more than most parents can deal with. But definitely opt for needle piercing for the top of your ear, as the hole should always be as tiny as possible to enable swift healing. Hope this helps with any concerns about ear piercing at claires. They honestly do know what they're doing!! I am not looking to start a big piercing war here, just thought it would be helpful to present the facts.

I used to be manager at claires accessories, and can assure you that every girl piercing has had full training and has passed a certificated course in ear piercing before being allowed to pierce the general public's ears. They don't use needles, piercing instead with the actual earrings, so there is no chance of cross contamination from other people. They wear gloves, and use hospital grade antibacterial hand wash and instrument wash before and after each piercing. If you are still unsure, pop in and ask a few questions - or better yet, watch a piercing being undertaken. Every Claire's Accessories has to be awarded a certificate from the local council saying that they are liscensed to pierce ears too, so have a look at that. You'd be surprised how many places that offer piercings dont have that certificate.

I have an intense irrational fear of giant moths. When I was a bit younger, I used to go to cornwall every year with ex on a camping holiday (fantastic times!) and without fail, every night on the late night dash to the loo before zipping myself up in my sleeping bag, I would get into the cubicle, shut the door, sit down, look up, and there on the back of the door would be this huge bohoemith (sp?) of a moth daring me to try and get back past it. It would always take me ages to pluck up the courage to reach for that door handle and get the hell out of there, just incase it decided to take that moment to leap for my face. Scarey.

I used to think the tram was great. However, now I'm pregnant, it's awful. Despite being quite obviously heavily pregnant, last friday evening I was on the packed tram, and, despite every single person who was sat down staring at me for the whole 25 minute journey, not one of them offered to let me sit down. AND I got punched in the back of the head as some great hulking retard got off the tram. Remember how hot it was last friday? That was the worst 25 minutes of me life. So all I can say is - if you ride the tram and it's busy, FFS give up your seat if someone looks like they need it more than you. Incidentally, about 3/4 of the people sitting down were business men in suits with briefcases. They were obviously too important to be gentlemanly.

Ugh, I work at crystal peaks, and from the looks of 75% of the shoppers/shoplifters there, I would think it will be turned into a massive jobcentre/get your benefits here superstore.

We use ASDA, and although the delivery people are very friendly, it irks me that the fresh foods like milk and bread and yoghurt always seem to be just going out of date when I get them. When I go into the supermarket, I always select items which will last for at least another four or five days in the fridge, not to have to eat them as soon as I get home. That annoys me.

My bread went off too. Milk was fine, tho. I was just making a lovely sandwich when I discovered the mold. Must say, I DID consider trying to scrape off the mold, but thought better of it and chucked the lot.

I cant believe the amount of retards who STILL leave their phones on in the cinema - mostly kids - you can SEE their bloody screens lighting up the darkness! "Text text text - I'll die if I don't text at least once every five minutes" the blown eggs mutter. I throw my popcorn at them.

I designed my own tattoo when I was 14 (it's a cartoony dragon, but not cutesy ). I carried it around with me every day in my purse for two years, looking at it every day. When I was nearly seventeen, I knew that I still wanted it, so I took my design to the tattooist, and he copied it onto my hip. Ten years later, I don't regret it one bit. It wasn't an impulse (unlike my friend who came with me and spontaneously decided to get Little Miss Trouble tattooed on her hip the same day - wow does she regret that now!!). It always amazes me the way some people are so blase about tattoos - they don't seem to realise that it's a lot of pain for something that's going to be with you forever (unless you cover it or laser it). So all these girls with rose buds on their shoulders, and young lads with *shudder* bulldogs on their arms etc, surely cant be thinking straight when they get them done. I believe a tattoo should mark a significant moment in your life, and that every time you look at it, it reminds you of what you've been through to get where you are today, and the person you've become. How can a bulldog smoking a cigar do that?

Also, if you're female, is there any possibility that you are pregnant? At all - no matter how unlikely? I had same symptoms in december/january, but thought i was just a bit ill, - didn't think I could possibly be pregnant, as me and OH always use protection. My first baby is due in september.

Is there blood in your stools or urine? Pain when you pee? Inability to move around normially or easily get from lying down to standing up? Feeling of fever or extreme drowsiness? Appearance of bruising on your abdomen. Tenderness when touching abdomen? Any of these symptoms, go to your gp asap so they can check you out. In the meantime, drink plenty of water (cooled boiled if poss), and rest. Phone NHS direct first of all to get their opinion - they're very good and will ask you lots of questions about your symptoms. NHS direct: 0845 4647 Good luck!!

Attic recording studios is fab - they have some fantastic equipment and know their stuff. Always busy tho, so book in advance!! http://www.atticrecordingstudios.co.uk/