Life Changing Events -after a stroke.

Advantages: None
Disadvantages: May change your life forever.

...I want to write about the day my mother had a stroke. It was a hot August day 2 years ago, and just as she had always done she boarded a train to go to a town a few miles away to have her hair done. I was on holiday in Cyprus at the time, my father was home alone. I must explain that they are both in their mid seventies and have had a long and happy marriage lasting over 55 years. It will always stick in my mind. I was sitting at the table on a sun drenched Cyprus day on holiday, when I got the call to say mum had had a stroke in the hairdressers and was in intensive care. Dad was in pieces, and how he drove to the hospital to see her that day in such a state without me I will never know. By the time I saw her it was three days later, and I knew I had escaped seeing the first few hours when a stroke victim is at their worst. As...

Violet1278 16.12.2009 · Read review
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Review of After A Stroke

Twisted Sista Different Strokes Hair Serum

Advantages: Cheap, did the job to a certain degree
Disadvantages: Didn't smell too good, greasy to the touch

...I recently brought a bottle of Twisted Sista Different Strokes Serum as although I have quite straight and manageable hair, I find the ends get frizzy rather easily, especially in changing weather conditions as we are experiencing at the moment heading into winter. This bit of frizz can make styling a bit more difficult and I wanted to find a product which would combat this small problem and give me sleek looking locks for the approaching party season. This serum is for use on either straight or curly hair and is said to eliminate frizz. The serum comes in a pump action bottle with plastic top. The first thing I noticed when I pumped some into my hand was the greasiness of it. It put me off immediately and I really wasn't impressed. It took a good couple of washes to wash the greasiness off my hands and didn't give me much confidence...

bexx0907 10.12.2009 · Read review
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Review of Twisted Sista Different Strokes Serum

Merry's Stroke of Midnight

Advantages: Meet new characters, more time spent in faerie, Once past the first few chapters a real good paced
Disadvantages: The beginning is slow.

...rereading all the Merry Gentry books to catch up the story as I had just got the two books after A Stroke of Midnight. While reading the first few chapters I thought I had already read this book but realized I had given up the first time. I wish I hadn't given up so easily as once your past the first few chapters the story gets to a good pace and is a real enjoyable read. We get to meet Mistral for the first time in this book, he has taken over Doyle's place as the new head of the Queen's guard. There is some good interaction between him and Merry. We also get to meet Amatheon another guard who helps Merry with the goddess. I also like that we learn more about the sithen which is where the unseelie live. I always love the interaction between Merry and her Aunt, Queen Andais and there is definitely that in this book. Overall a good read...

bohoangel 03.06.2009 · Read review
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Review of A Stroke of Midnight - Laurell K. Hamilton

Room On Fire - The Strokes In Blazing Form

Advantages: The same brilliant music as the fantastic debut; great vocals, melodies, background - all superb
Disadvantages: Not inventive enough to please critics, but this doesn't harm the album.

...builds well, from calm verses into melodic, euphoric chorus. The lyrics are very good, and Casablanca's vocal performance is as good as ever - he doesn't seem to miss a beat all album. Another great track. 9/10 4) 12:51 - The fourth track sees the band in more laid-back fashion, in a similar vein to 'Hard to Explain' from their debut. It is also one of the more inventive songs on the album, with a definitely different sound to it's neighbours. It is still The Strokes, though - there may not be much progression in their sound on the album, but there are glimpses. Short but sweet, and another excellent, if calmer, track. 9/10 5) You Talk Way Too Much - The spiky riffs return on track number 5, as do the passionate vocals and powerful energy. Interestingly, though, Casablanca's saves his more emotive singing for the verses, instead of the more...

jonwebb5 28.07.2009 · Read review
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Review of Room On Fire - Strokes (The)

Stroke Me

Advantages: makes your hair feel silky
Disadvantages: have to leave it on for 30 mins, smell(?)

...I?ve always had a bit of a love-hate relationship with my hair. Five percent of the time I love it, and the rest of the time I hate it! But eventually I?ve come to the conclusion that it?s better to work with what nature gave me than to fight it. Nature, by the way, gave me dull mid-brown not-quite-curly hair which has a tendency to blow up into a frizzy bush rather than fall in pretty waves. Poring over my copy of the Lush Times, I cam across something called The Strokes which claimed to be a pre-wash hair moisturiser for ?bouffy? hair. Could this be my key to sexy, shiny locks? So off I toddled to the nearest branch of Lush to bag myself a pot of this wonder stuff (plus a few more bubble bars as it seemed a shame to miss the opportunity?) The following weekend, I decided to put The Strokes through its paces. I opened...

cuddlybunny 11.09.2002 · Read review
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Review of Lush The Strokes

Stroke of Genius

Advantages: The album cover and that this is the best debut album in ages.
Disadvantages: None - well maybe it is a bit short

...Towards the end of August I found myself in the trendy shopping section of Sheffield (The Forum) looking for a little shop I used to get Peter Werth shirts (fashion victim!) from. This proved fruitless, as it had become a body-piercing studio, so I ended up sat dejectedly slumped downstairs waiting for a few friends. Opposite me was a pile of flyers and one caught my eye (if you want to know why ? check the album cover out!), it was advertising the forthcoming album for a band called The Strokes. I picked it up and looked at it then a stranger came up and said ?they are supposed to be good them?. I asked if they had heard any of their stuff, they replied ?No? and walked off. I didn?t think anymore of this until I picked up a copy of the September issue of ?Q? magazine. Inside was an interview with The Strokes and a review of the album...

scruff 21.09.2001 · Read review
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Review of Is This It - Strokes (The)

The Strokes - Room on Fire

Advantages: It isn't rap
Disadvantages: pessimistic theme and dodgy lyrics

...The Strokes ? Room on Fire October 2003 £7.97 at Amazon Whatever Happened This song tumbles forward on bass, drums and guitar. Interesting guitar kicks in after the second verse with a melodic riff. It has a live quality filled with angst. It sounds cynical and describes disjointedly a nihilistic disappointment with relationships. The exact meaning of the lyrics could only ever be a puzzle without some background explanation. Who wanted to talk ?in ideas for Countdown shows.?? How can we tell? One has a sense that these are the thoughts of an ?outsider? in the true existentialist tradition with his, ?Whose culture is this and does anybody know?? He stands apart seeing, ?Life is in chess,? alone and convinced that his girlfriend doesn?t miss him. She seems to seek fame whilst he wants affection. Reptillia...

FlameDruid 17.09.2004 (18.09.2004) · Read review
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Review of Room On Fire - Strokes (The)

Best 125 4stroke scooter by miles

Advantages: Gorgeous, economic, need I say more!
Disadvantages: Very Nickable - ask Chris evans about his scooter problems

...I have been researching the scooter market for several months now, both in the scooter magazines and on the internet. I decided to buy a powered two-wheeler because I do not have a full UK driving licence, only provisional, and I wanted some transport that I could use with the minimum of hassle. Scooters where the obvious choice for me, because I have always loved their styling, particularly the retro look. Although I favoured Vespas before I stated, I looked around at many different marques before I homed in on the Vespa ET4. Why the ET4. 1. Economy. A 4-stroke engine uses fuel more efficiently, so my running costs would be lower. 2. Low emissions. A cleaner engine that exceeds the European legislation not yet in place. 3. STYLE. Yep. Nothing beats the Vespa look, and although initially I thought I would buy a PX125, I...

assethound 09.07.2000 · Read review
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Review of Vespa ET4

Stroke Me Stroke Me Stroke Me

Advantages: Energetic, Upbeat, Rough 'n' Ready
Disadvantages: Short

...If you read through any of the end-of-year music press of arts/music reviews in the newspapers, you’ll find The Strokes ‘Is This It’ high on the list for Album of the Year. Since the release of their first single – ‘The Modern Age’ – early in 2001, they’ve been hailed as the saviours of rock ‘n’ roll, the best thing since punk etc. etc. For those who don’t know, The Strokes are a 5 piece combo from the US consisting of Julian Casablanca on vocals, Nick Valensi on guitar, Albert Hammond Jnr on another guitar, Nickolai Fraiture on bass and Fab Moretti banging the drums. They’ve been going for several years, but it’s only in the last 12 months that they’ve hit the big time with huge international success and acclaim and a sold-out tour of the UK...

sandrabarber 01.01.2002 · Read review
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Review of Is This It - Strokes (The)

Collection 2000 Fast Stroke Liquid Eyeliner

Advantages: Good price, easy to apply because of lid, lasts all day
Disadvantages: None

...In the past, I have always used a pencil eyeliner to create a thin black line on my eyelid. But this tends to slide off and end up, some how, underneath my eye. I have fairly small eyes so, using eyeliner on the top of my lid, helps to open them up and make them look wider. I decided that it was time to invest in a liquid liner so looked at a few reviews on Ciao and came across this. All reviews gave positive feedback about it and had 4 or 5 stars. So I thought I would give it a go. Seeing as that it is also priced at only £2.99, it wasn't a great loss if it turned out to be rubbish. I brought black but it is also available in blue, brown and waterproof black, which is the same price. One think I did notice when buying this, is that the colour isn't actually stated on the product. The only thing that tells you the colour...

lozzy_lou178 07.03.2008 · Read review
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Review of Collection 2000 Fast Stroke Eyeliner