Another thing I hate is when I'm walking behind somebody and they either stop suddenly, so that I cannon into them, or they turn around and see me and jump, because they didn't know I was there.  

I've been told by some people that I should wear a bell around my neck, so they wouldn't be startled and others tell me to "stop sneaking up on them".  I don't sneak!  I do walk quietly, but you'd think that was a crime, the way some people go on about it.

While I was walking along at uni the other day enjoying the cool autumn air and the sounds of birds everywhere, I was struck by a noisy group in front of me: they weren't listening to the birds or looking at the changing colours in the tree leaves, they were talking at the tops of their voices about, of all things, the royal wedding.  

Now, I've got nothing against the wedding, I'm sure the couple are quite nice if you got to know them, but I HATE all the hysteria going on about it.  You'd think nobody had ever gotten married in the whole history of the world prior to this.   I just can't understand why people are so interested in this social contract between two people to the exclusion of everythign else.  

Alison (hoping we can maybe get back to what passes for "normal" now that the couple have actually gone off on their honeymoon...)