I'm a monochrome work of art

Why yes I do realise this is a rather pompous and self important title, but it's true, and it pretty much sums up the most exciting parts of my day so far in an odd roundabout way!

First off, I did it, I bought a load of clothes just because, you know what, screw you hippies, I wanted to! Yes I got what I needed...mainly tights because I managed to rip holes in all of my other ones when I decided I wanted to grow my nails out again...and some new brassiers...but I also treat myself to some new black jeans because it's been years since I had a pair of black jeans and I already have a perfectly servicable pair of blue ones. I also got a black and white stripey t-shirt, partially because I think black and white stripes are simply the best...

Ben got Sky Sports which means I get more Newcastle!

...but also because they're very much in fashion at the minute and can be worn with my black jeans. Hear that? I'm fashionable! And then I topped it all off with a nice pair of earrings featuring black butterfly's. Mind you, I had gone in with the intention of getting something more colourful, but hey, like I said, black and white is fine by me!

As for the work of art, I got accosted by a very nice pair of young gentlemen on the bus stop while I awaited my busly chariot into town to do all of this shopping business. They were filming 30 second portraits of local people for an art installation that's going in a new community centre opening up in December on Townsend Lane. 30 seconds is really a very long time to be stood still grinning/grimmacing stupidly into a camera, but hey. I shall have to go in and see if I can spot myself when it's all opened up.

So yes, today I am a monochromatic work of art! And very happy too that I took the time to actually do something with my hair and face before venturing out, and wore my nice coat, because I wasn't going to ^_^;;

Also on my adventures today I treat myself to a mini organiser so that I can try to juggle all of my commitments when I'm away from the computer and haven't got my google calendar to hand, the augmented edition Deus Ex as a present for my Benjikins (last one in the shop because I'm a boss) a new bright red lipstick (It goes well with the black and white stripes look, you see) and a black eyeliner (because my other one was worn down to a stub!), a whole bunch of orange scented soap and a new folder for my ChildLine portfolio which is very much not monochromatic and is very bright and cheerful indeed.

Some would call it "Kawaii"

I could of course have bought out the entireity of Paper Chase's stock, but I don't think my pay would have stretched that far.

After my super duper shopping trip of awesome treatness I came home and joined Weight Watchers as planned, and so I shall hopefully be able to let you know how that goes. The interface isn't very well done I have to say, and they could use a few tips from MFP, however I think I'll probably get used to it. I'm going to stick to the plan like....sticky jacks stick to cardigans...and then if I'm not seeing any great improvement at the end of the 3 months I've bought myself I'm going to cancel and try the Just Slim plan that Rebecca over at Weight Wars has been raving about. That said, my sister in law announced today that she's lost 4lb at WW so it must be good for something! I just can't bring myself to believe my daily points allowance (54!!!!) considering I've been eating WW frozen ready meals that are only 6 points each. You never know, I may be under eating too much!

Anyhow, ciao for now my little bloggies. I've got to go and get ready for another evening at the work place. Thank God that next week I have all my days off and only one evening shift (I think!)

Premature excitement

I know it's sad, but Ben was talking about his novel he's currently writing and I got thinking about NaNoWriMo and came up with my concept for it, and now I'm completely ridiculously excited about it...even though it's not until November! It's in my day zero list to both win and complete NaNo at some point between now and the end of the 1001 days...which gives me three shots at.

Let me explain what I mean by both win and complete it...for those who don't know what NaNoWriMo is, it is a challenge in which you write a novel of at least 50,000 words in the month of November. You don't need to finish the story, but to qualify having "won" NaNoWriMo you have to have written the word count.

I've entered NaNo about four times in the past, but the first few times I entered late and gave up after a couple of days. Last year I planned for about two weeks in advance and started on time. I hit the target of writing 50,000 words by the 30th November, but despite careful planning I didn't actually complete the story, so I won it but never completed. I was writing a high fantasy, a nice bit of escapism, and planned on writing the follow up this year. After NaNo however I had written myself out and never went back to it, and then the computer it was on kinda died....even if I wanted to finish it I couldn't, because I don't have a copy of it.

CHAMPION!!!

So this year I'm determined that I shall win it again, but actually finish the damn thing too. This years offering isn't a fantasy, more a sci-fi/horror, something along the vague lines of a dystopic future but not since it's in a kind of parallel universe...I have some trepidation over the originality of the premise, but since I've only ever written for fun and not for publishing I'm not really that bothered because this is going to be rather fun to write. More careful planning I'm sure will ensure I actually finish it off too. Ben thinks I shouldn't wait for NaNo and just write it now anyway but where's the challenge in that? :p

Hurry up and get here, November!

Oh, it just occured to me that since we own a laptop now I might actually be able to attend one of the local write ins this year....ooooooooooh!!!!!

In other news I decided to empty out my "wardrobe" today and chuck everything that was either too big or small or too frumpy and ugly and not my style or that had been repaired a few too many times. It was quite an eye opener; I've reduced my otoman that was too full to lose properly, and plastic crate that was overflowing (Ben has the actual wardrobe to himself as he has a lot of work shirts that require hanging, and we don't have room for a second wardrobe for myself) to the otoman being only half full, and a hook over the door to hang a couple of skirts, my one remaining party dress, good blouses and workshirts off of (which take up very few hangers and so hang nice and inconspiculously off of the back of the living room door). I knew I had a staple few items of clothes that I wear on a regular basis, however I didn't realise I had so few of them.

I did have a plan whereby I would gradually replace all of the old clothes in my wardrobe with new ones as I earned the money to treat myself with each month, however I think I actually need to beef it up! I do have enough things to see me through a week, if I am very diligent in keeping up with the laundry and don't have a really cold spell. If for whatever reason I had to go away for a couple of weeks I'd have to pray they had laundry facilities because I definitely do not have enough clothes to see me past one week, and if it turned cold (which it is not want to do in August but just saying if it did) I'd be up the creek without a paddle. Next months priority buys are jumpers!

But enough of my prattling on about clothes and novels you'll never read. I've gotta be up earlyish for ChildLine training in the morning, so I bid you farewell and goodnight and shall be back on Monday :)

The Hat of Power...

I've been feeling a bit uninspired with regards to blogging recently, though that's not to say I haven't been on and tried to write. Every time I sit down it seems to lead to a massive personal rant about genuinely insignificant things that have been ticking me off. But then something happened yesterday and I cannot help but mentioning my astonishment.

The thing that happened didn't happen to me. In fact it had nothing to do with me. It happened down in London and was broadcast via the BBC right into my television set. The thing that happened was...

 When the Princess first stepped out of the car the feed cut back to the Queen in the Abbey, and I couldn't quite bring myself to believe what I'd just seen...I wondered if it was a trick of the camera angle but...did she have a pair of antlers on her forehead? When she later reappeared on the camera, and showed her profile to the world, my worst fears were confirmed.

I'm not a fashion expert, you can ask anyone who knows me well. But whatever is or isn't in fashion, some things just don't look good. There's no doubt this extravagent piece is expertly err...sculpted...but with the greatest respect to Beatrice (because hand on heart, I love the royals, I love everything about them and I love watching them go about their perculiar little lives and wouldn't wish any of them ill) I would sooner imagine that particular little motif (I say little...it's bigger than her own face!) as a piece of plaster molding on the wall of some great and extravegant palace. God knows it's the right colour for it!

There are bigger problems in the world than the poor taste in headgear that seems to plague this poor princess (who has a bit of a reputation now for wearing everything but the kitchen sink on her noggin) but I do have to wonder...what were you thinking? Didn't you know it's rude to try and upstage the bride?

I also wonder whose idea was this. The milliner responsible for the eye catching creation was one Philip Treacy, who kitted out 36 guests with their headwear including Mrs. Beckham. She apparently had a hand in the design and it was rather sleek and elegant considering the event (a royal wedding is just prime candidacy for the wierd and wonderful in hat wear after all.)

I mean just look at it...it's a world away from that monstrosity gracing Beatrice's forehead (and it is her forehead, just how it passes for a "hat" per se is also beyond my fashion retarded brain). There can only be one conclusion...that she herself must have said "I want something that sticks from my forehead like a pair of antlers".


Well anyhow. Other than that I quite enjoyed watching the wedding yesterday and wasn't the Bride just lovely? According to my sister, mum kept going on about how much her wedding dress was like mine but to be fair I had a full lace overcoat as opposed to Kate's short bolero type thingy....All I can say is...I'm the wedding hipster, I was wearing lace over my dress before Kate Middleton :p

Getting dressed

Thursday, February 17, 2011
What do you think about dress codes? Do they make sense in school, restaurants, or places of business? Why or why not?

I think dress codes are absoloutely fine, I don't see anything wrong with it. People may say that "oh, my right to wear what I like is enshrined by law" but when it comes to private property then the law be damned, apparently, and I don't see why not in this case. We have a right to self expression but if I've paid to see a film I'm gonna be pissed off if someone starts using their phone, and would expect said person to be asked to leave. Works on a similar kind of principle.

We all have uniforms to wear, for example to work. Here in the UK a school uniform is usually compulsory, or at least given as an option. It's used as an equalizer, and so jewellery etc is also usually restricted (although this is also for health and safety and to stop the school from coming under fire when Princess looses her grandmothers wedding ring. And yes, I knew girls at school who wore the wedding and engagement rings inherrited from grandparents if they could get away with it). It's also used to instil a sense of pride and belonging. This is similar to a work uniform, though that is also usually used to proect a certain kind of corporate image. Often it also serves a practical purpose. In my last job, it was ties and shirts for the guys, though women got a bit more free reign, but when I was a carer, of course, it was nursing tunics and disposable aprons.

So the reasons are many but are themselves uniform accross the board. It's when we get to dress codes in places of leisure and recreation that things can become a bit of a pickle. A few years ago, so called "hoodies" were all over the news, youths in hooded tops clogging up the streets of Britain and ultimately at the root of all of our anti social behaviour problems. So most "respectable" places have a ban on hooded tops, though this will be backed up by protestations of "if they cause trouble, they can't be easily identified by security camera" which is fair enough. But how then do you explain a pub with a ban on trainers? It will let trouble makers run away faster? Nope, it's the image they portray.

However, we do live in a society of double standards. A while back I read in a news article that there was outrage that an elderly gentleman was asked to remove his hat upon entering a shop which had a ban on hats. He would not, and thus was asked to leave. Not so long ago, my family went for a meal and on the door was a sign "no hoodies" however my dad has always used a hooded fleece top as a means of keeping warm if he's just ducking between buildings and there's no point in wearing a full out coat. He was not, however, asked to leave or remove the offending article.

Some people will be sticklers for the rules, but some people will see why the rules have been applied and use their common sense...it was quiet, that day in the restaurant, and I'd like to think we were obviously not the trouble making type, so the waitress used her discretion...

That said, despite that incident working in our favour, there have been pleanty of times when we've been turned away from a bar because someone didn't wear the correct footwear or trousers, and on the whole I think if we're going to have dress codes, they should be stuck by. Are they a good idea? Well I think there is the possibility of people taking it too far, but I've yet to see it, and until I do, I don't see how any harm can be done by them.