New Experiences #29 - #32
W/C 9th April 2012
New Experience #29: My First Ben & Jerry’s
I scream, you scream, we all scream for Ben and Jerry’s.
Until this week I had never tried the juggernaut of the frozen world that is Vermont’s Ben & Jerry’s ice cream, but by Saturday evening had tasted three of its many flavours:
- The super moreish Cookie Dough, which was a little too rich for my delicate pallet
- Some crazy Half Baked mix which, following my post Easter Egg binge, was just too chocolaty
- And Fairly Nuts; my favourite of the three because I can’t resist a crunchy almond
Rating: 3/5 Although horrified at the price of this pudding, I was very pleased to see that the company supports Fair Trade. Not a particularly momentous new experience, but a very tasty one.
New Experience #30: Free Gig At The WMC
The Wales Millennium Centre is an architectural pin-up. The darling of Tourist Board adverts and the highlight of the Cardiff Bay area, it’s the most famous armadillo in the UK. Known principally for putting on large-scale operas and musicals, it attracts the suited and booted for well pricey, and usually well good, entertainment spectacles.
Yet it also offers divertissement for the common man to enjoy on its free Glanfa Stage in the foyer. Local talent regularly comes along to play but until last week, I’d never been down to listen.
That is until my favourite Welsh band Little Arrow were doing a set at the venue and I trekked across the city with Gareth, who is seemingly ever present on these blogs, to music it up on the cheap. And soon enough, we were both enjoying the thoughtful lyrics and chilltastic melodies of our folky favourites float around our nation’s opera house, without touching our wallets. Great stuff.
Rating: 4/5 A fantastic way to engage the community and celebrate local talent in a public building. I recommend keeping your eyes on the WMC site for future free gigs. I would have given it full marks but our favourite band member, the bassist, wasn’t there. Yes, we are super (sad) fans.
New Experience #31: An Angry Email
Following their condemned attempt to plaster “Not Gay! Ex-Gay, Post-Gay and Proud. Get Over It!” over London buses, I joined the angry backlash towards Anglican group Core-Issues, via an email. I sent my thoughts to the group, who offer a ‘de-homosexualising’ counselling service to gay Christians, as I needed to vent my anger at their hideously homophobic ideology before I fell off my chair. “The right thing to do as humans, and indeed Christians, is to encourage people to feel comfortable AS THEMSELVES” I ranted, and made full use of capitals throughout. I was polite yet forceful, well considered yet clear and certainly calmed down a little after pressing send.
It’s an email I wish I didn’t have to write in 2012.
Rating: 3/5 Of course, they haven’t replied. I might call them up next week.
New Experience #32: Robin Hood On High Street
The Robin Hood Tax campaign is calling on the government to impose a 0.05% tax on all high-level financial transactions in order to raise tens of billions of pounds for tackling poverty and climate change at home and abroad. It’s so very simple and although our First Minister Carwyn Jones has recently come out in support of the idea, very few of his political colleagues in Westminster have.
In support of the campaign, myself and other Oxfam volunteers hit High Street in Cardiff to publicise a petition which we want people to sign to keep the pressure on our government to take a little off the rich to help a lot of poor people’s lives.
I was given the Robin Hood costume and gradually got into the role, receiving much attention from passers-by in my dazzling green attire. “It’s Robin Hood!” people shouted, to which one confused man replied, “Where’s Batman?” Classic.
Rating: 4/5 It was all good fun for a very worthwhile cause. Please sign the petition here.
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