BBC wouldn't use Shani Wallis as a judge on "I'd Do Anything"

For those of you who don't know Shani Wallis was the actress who played Nancy in the 1968 film of "Oliver", and "I'd Do Anything" is the BBC's new show where they are searching for actors and actress's to play Nancy and Oliver in the new stage production by Andrew Lloyd Webber.

I was surprised to read on the Daily Mail's web site (post title is a link to more detailed article) that though she asked the BBC they declined her request to be judge. She also wants to come over here (she now lives in the US) and be coach for the contestants, but the BBC insist they aren't going to use her.

I think this is very stupid of them as she'd be a great asset to the show, I have no desire to watch it but hearing she was involved might have just tipped the balance into making me. It would have added another dimension to the show and shown the contrast between musicals as they are produced today and how they were then.

I can't believe how popular shows like pop Idol and X Factor are anyway, they exposed how fake and manufactured pop music had become and people lapped it up and have even bought the music of the artists created by them. Now it seems they are doing the same with musical theatre, they've done it to "Joseph" and "The Sound Of Music" now "Oliver" is getting the treatment. Hopefully they will expose how bitchy and competitive the world of musical theatre is, with millions of people fighting for only a few hundred jobs .

Tabitha Finds Warm Place To Sit

I wish I could be that happy just to have found a soft warm place to sit, she's sat on the end of the bed and the sun is shining through the window making a small area of warmth. Domestic cats have such an easy life I hope I'm re-incarnated as one, one who has a good owner and doesn't end up on the street that is.

We're lucky to see the sun at all we had rain then hail then sleet on after the other earlier. The weather appears to be improving now finally anyway so hope fully I'll be able to get out for a walk later.

Happy Ostara/Spring Equinox.

Spring is here Ostara has begun and though I can't feel it yet (it's freezing here and about to start raining by the look of it) Some seeds I've planted are coming up and the days are finally getting longer.

This year I've Planted some catnip and some chilli's that I intend to grow indoors as I no longer have a garden (though I might be able to persuade the property manager to let me put some catnip in the garden.)


There's a Picture above of what it looks like so far quite a few seedlings have come up I'm pleased. Only trouble is watering them with a sprayer seems to knock them over, it hasn't damaged them though so I'm not too worried. When they are bigger I will transplant them to their own pots, I've found lots of information on harvesting it from my friends on mylot and this about it's magical properties in "Cunninghams Encyclopedia Of Magical Herbs":

Powers:Cat Magic, love, Beauty, Happiness,

Magical Uses: Given to your cat, catnip creates a psychic bond between the two of you. It is also intoxicating to the cat.
Catnip is used in love sachets, usually in conjunction with Rose petals. If you hold catnip in your hand until it is warm, then hold anyone else's hand; they will forever be your friend, as long as you keep the catnip you used for the spell in a safe place.
Grown near to the home or hung over the door,catnip attracts good spirits and great luck. Catnip is also used in spells designed to enhance beauty and happiness.
Large catnip leaves are pressed and used as bookmarks in magical texts.

Fascinating stuff I can't wait to harvest some and hang it above the door for some good luck, apparently you can start harvesting it when it's foot tall and if you leave the plants they re-grow
so I'll end up with an all year round supply, brilliant for the cats.

Out of control Back Log at The Brit Blog directory.

I didn't log in to the admin console over at Britblog for 4 months and guess what, neither did anyone else! So we now have A Back Log of over 1000 blogs waiting to be reviewed, I've done about 100 today but will never get it down on my own so if you are an editor please log in and review a few blogs or if you would like to become one please leave a comment here and mark will get back to you.

My Sunday Blessing- Nicotine Replacement Therapy

I've been trying to quit smoking for ages now and have currently gone 5 days without smoking using nicotine patches and gum, I keep relapsing but am determined not to now. I've decided to write about NRT today because I would never be able to do it without it as everyone around me still smokes. I'm lucky to have a local stop smoking service too where I can go and get my carbon monoxide levels measured and get my gum and patches once a week, this helps too as it inspires you to not relapse when you see how much poisonous gas has gone from your blood since you quit.
I just found on Mylot a lady called Rhianna who's quitting as well and has started a blog dedicated to it called "The Quit Club" a good idea and a somewhere all us quitters can go for inspiration and to give our own tips and advice on how to cope without nicotine. Anyone who's reading this who has already quit please visit the blog (the title "Quit club" is a link if you click it) and share any tips you have. I think Rhianna is quitting without any patches or anything which is brave, though I've advised her to go and get some sort of NRT as it really helps in the first few weeks.