Blogwatch

This week's new addition to the SWSL blogroll: Spellcnut. Dave's blog was brought to my attention by Mike's homage on Troubled Diva, and mightily enjoyable it is too. I believe he might even be a fellow Northumbrian.

Crinklybee is fast becoming a firm favourite, giving Jonny B's I Don't Believe It some healthy competition in the Makes Me Laugh Out Loud Like A Twat stakes. Most recently Jonathan's been ruminating on the subject of beards: "the Babyliss beard machine started to get temperamental, and would threaten to pack up altogether on you mid-session, leaving you with the sort of comically uneven look not seen since that episode of 'M*A*S*H' where Hawkeye decides to shave the other one's moustache off in his sleep for a laugh. Unless it was Hawkeye who had the moustache, I can't remember. Whatever, it was the type of appearance you can get away with, maybe, if you are a hard-working, hard-partying, and above all fictional frontline military medic in the Korean War, but is less likely to go down well in a departmental meeting in a present-day central Manchester sales office".

Elsewhere: Amanda of collaborative blog The Leither conveys all the thrill of being able to witness local ladies of the night embroiled in catfighting - "Even better were the occasions when a lone teenage trainee pimp foolishly tried to act the hard man with the girls and break them up, I think you’ll agree that there is no better sight in this world than seeing a squealing, Burberry capped Ned being savagely beaten with the blunt end of a New Look platform boot"; following the example set by Nick of Auspicious Fish, He Only Lives Twice has set about posting a track-by-track review of the new Embrace LP Out Of Nothing (this is 'Keeping' - scroll up and down for more) - what inspires such adoration of the brothers McNamara and co I'm still not sure; and Chris of South By South East has been to see The Dirtbombs.

...And finally: happy birthday to Robyn! Whilst I remain envious of your mugs (stop sniggering at the back, it's not rude), £8.95 is rather a lot for something to drink coffee out of. For the time being I think I'll stick with my Steps-emblazoned mug, picked up for a quid in Great Yarmouth. Strangely, I'm not renowned for being classy.