tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40532733926182512792024-03-12T23:35:57.810+00:00i forget to flossI forget to flosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12526462962925675918noreply@blogger.comBlogger42125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4053273392618251279.post-74257535396919624012014-03-07T17:04:00.000+00:002014-03-18T13:21:02.753+00:00Women in Advertising.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I am a woman.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">For anyone who has met me, I hope this doesn't come as a shock. </span>But I find myself thinking more and more what it actually means.<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Not biologically (got that one down thanks), but more in terms of how we as women are defined by those around us, particularly at work.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Before I found permanent, gainful employment in advertising, I pretty much worked every low wage, low expectation job you can imagine. </span>These jobs were always stepping stones, money for clothes, money for travelling, money for uni. At the time I never really stopped and thought about the way I was treated, woman or not.<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">But looking back, it was pretty grim. Chefs pushing up against you in the fridges, leering business men, a boss who put the pretty girls out front, and the kind of hilarious 'banter' Bernard Manning would be ashamed of.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Hardly unique. And the fact that I shrugged it off, knowing I was just passing through on my way to bigger and better things, is now shameful when I consider how many women have no choice but to work in those jobs, with those men. </span><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"></span>Compared to that, women in advertising appear to be having a great time. And most of the time, I genuinely think we are.<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Often presented as a fairly forward thinking, liberal outlet of the media industry I think it is widely presumed we've totally nailed ('scuse the pun) this whole sexism malarkey. </span>But a quick glance around any Creative Department or Boardroom should really make us think again.<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">My colleagues at Inferno posted <a href="http://www.inferno-group.com/blog/where-have-all-the-women-gone/" target="_blank">this</a> article today to celebrate International Women's Day. Turns out we don't have that much to celebrate.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;"></span></span>
<br />
<div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font: inherit; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #999999; font-family: inherit;">"<b>75%</b> of Copywriters and Art Directors in IPA member agencies are male. <b>86%</b> of the Digital Creatives are male. <b>97% </b>of all Creative Directors are male. <b>50%</b> of consumers are women. Something’s not quite <span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">right. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">Compared to about <b>36%</b> of women in all creative media jobs</span>, advertising agencies’ creative departments (and senior roles) are still quite heavily a man’s world."</span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">All of which poses the big question. Why? </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Personally, I don't believe there is any great conspiracy. And I don't believe that advertising is inherently misogynistic. </span>But I am occasionally surprised by the views of the men I work with.<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Take a conversation we had a the pub the other day. Talk turned to the art of successfully selling in big ideas to a risk averse client. </span>About halfway through the discussion, a male colleague suddenly said,<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">"Don't you think clients in senior, executive roles are more likely to respect the opinion of their male counterparts?"</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Excuse me? </span>Do I think <i>what</i>?<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">That our highly capable, hugely experienced senior female employees would somehow not be taken seriously because they have boobs?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Or that we have a group of clients who are all living in 1950, patiently waiting for Don Draper to come and take them through the work like a real man. With whiskey.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Or simply that said male colleague was projecting his own views onto the situation and consequently respects me a little less because I am a girl?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Surely not?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I refuse to believe any of the above. </span>Mainly because if he is right, and any of the above do apply, my job just got a little more depressing.<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">In truth, I think the gender bias in agencies is more to do with the impracticalities of our jobs than the attitudes of those around us. </span>I honestly do not believe that I am less valued than my male colleagues. If anything I think the increase of women in creative jobs has improved the work that comes out of them. It means we are better able to reflect the real world, because our work place does too. A fact backed up by multiple studies, including <a href="http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/2d320562-f52d-11e2-94e9-00144feabdc0.html#axzz2sl3aBecr" target="_blank">this one</a>, suggest that more women in senior roles is actually better for your bottom line.<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">But there are things we could try:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">1. We need better ways for ladies to have babies</span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">We want to have them, and we want to work. Flexible working hours, home offices and less competitive hour bating ("I've done 60 hours and it's ONLY tuesday...") would really help us out.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">2. Mix it up</span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">As agencies, we have a chance to change the mould. Doing a new campaign for a cleaning/home/food product? Try putting a man in it, rather than the ubiquitous chino wearing mum. We tell ourselves we have the power to persuade people, so why not put it to better use? Women, let's bloody represent. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">3. Promote more women</span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I am lucky to work in a place with lots of great senior female role models. And it really makes a difference. Having inspirational, creative women around the place is a good thing for everyone.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">4. Be bossy/nagging/shrewish</span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">To be successful in advertising, particularly in creative, you need to be bullish. You need to be able to push an idea forward and once it is bought, you need to be able to look after it. When men do this it's called being assertive, confident and managerial. When girls do it we are bossy, loud ball breakers. </span>Until we can change the vernacular, I suggest we just get on with it. Someone calls you opinionated? Give yourself a pat on the pack. You've successfully made sure they heard. If anyone has a problem with it, it's their own lack of confidence talking.<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 18px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #999999; font-family: inherit;">"Women who do do well are often those with younger brothers. They're used to annoying young men and simply rise above them. For me, however, the answer is not about toughness as much as it is about technique." </span></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">5. When you get it, don't complain</span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">This one is for us girls. At some point we have to take responsibility for our own choices too. There is no such thing as having it all, so if you do find some sort of a balance, appreciate it. You can't make every lunch, every trip, or every meeting if you also need to be at home. No one ever promised it would all be fun. Don't moan, get on with it, and prove why you deserve a place amongst the big boys. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
</div>
I forget to flosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12526462962925675918noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4053273392618251279.post-75568736888105874682013-10-17T16:01:00.000+01:002013-10-17T16:02:58.130+01:00Modern girls. <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The modern
girl’s manual.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1. Claim
your successes, however small. They are your reward and others will be quick to
take them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2. Dreams
stay just that. Make them realities and live in them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span lang="EN-US">3. The
Shine you can buy and dress up in will fade and tarnish. The real stuff comes
from inside and can’t be dimmed. </span>Be happy and kind and people will stay close in order to feel happy too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">4. Love
your body. Put your hands on your tummy and remember the whole universe turns in there. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">5. Remember
nobody looks stupid when they’re having fun*.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">6. No
fairy tale ever ended “they lived averagely ever after”. This is your story,
make it a page turner. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">7. Don’t
compare yourself to others. It’s like filming your favourite band in concert.
You’ll only see half the picture and you’ll miss all the best bits. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 115%;">8. Love </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">abundantly</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 115%;">, laugh inelegantly, travel extensively and remember, don’t be the
kid that gets stuck at the top of the slide. If in doubt say yes and figure it out afterwards. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">9. Courage
is contagious. Be a little bit brave, every day. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span></div>
<div style="font-size: medium; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">{Written by me, on being asked to write a grownup girl guide manual for the 21st century woman. Sure.}</span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium; line-height: normal;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<br />
<!--EndFragment--></div>
I forget to flosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12526462962925675918noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4053273392618251279.post-48481130672330501512013-10-08T14:53:00.001+01:002013-10-08T15:37:53.400+01:00Decorating. (how to get through it)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl1Ynpw9vjmnTtiMDP-eHSwzZ6-5MCDThAAhsxfhZLEzsV_ArDOW4ZqQG5R9NZblaIFyQMrY1pGhp0OEG7SshUnAWvSOaU8tvLCqs8fahn5C3MZhlhMKKF9XPgQwAwWnHL_I0XCZXkaF8/s1600/Study.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="327" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl1Ynpw9vjmnTtiMDP-eHSwzZ6-5MCDThAAhsxfhZLEzsV_ArDOW4ZqQG5R9NZblaIFyQMrY1pGhp0OEG7SshUnAWvSOaU8tvLCqs8fahn5C3MZhlhMKKF9XPgQwAwWnHL_I0XCZXkaF8/s400/Study.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
So.<br />
<br />
I have given up booze for October. A decision formed in part to raise money for a wonderful charity and to give my poor abused liver a chance to recover (in three weeks it will be completely new!) but ironically mostly because I was a bit drunk when I saw the poster and thought it would be a good idea.<br />
<br />
It's been ok so far. Not life changing or epiphanic - just ok.<br />
<br />
But I have noticed one thing. I suddenly seem to have so much more time. Sunday mornings people... WHO KNEW?<br />
<br />
In an attempt to actually do something useful with these extra hours, we've finally started decorating again.<br />
<br />
To be honest we've been a little lazy in the last few months. Doing up our bedroom turned into such a long, expensive, cold and hugely frustrating 2 months, I think we'd became a bit decor phobic.<br />
<br />
But, in the cold, cruelly sober light of day it turns out there is only so long you can put up with mouldy walls, smelly carpets and tragic curtains.<br />
<br />
So as we dust off the brushes and brush off the dust sheets, here are the three most important things I have learnt so far.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbeC0PcceXxoRCYOPQrw4hkTPxJZKDns-iN5iI_SkXM5wd0MnBCwjmvvn7BAn2qkr4hVvyuvC1WnG-EpaiYFfnfSUPhiCGpJfmdkoDLoMCKfy7q39m1n66_tZ-kyB29PlRjR8JqluDVHY/s1600/Spareroom2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="325" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbeC0PcceXxoRCYOPQrw4hkTPxJZKDns-iN5iI_SkXM5wd0MnBCwjmvvn7BAn2qkr4hVvyuvC1WnG-EpaiYFfnfSUPhiCGpJfmdkoDLoMCKfy7q39m1n66_tZ-kyB29PlRjR8JqluDVHY/s400/Spareroom2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
1. Meet halfway.<br />
<br />
Some people call this 'compromising'. They are the women who loudly proclaim every decision is 'a team effort' while their poor, belittled boyfriend sits quietly picking the fluff off the jumper she bought for him.<br />
<br />
In real life, agreeing on a colour scheme is more akin to brokering a peace deal. My advice? Pick your battles wisely, plan ahead and know your enemy (love of your life).<br />
<br />
Most important of all, once the deal is done... STICK TO IT. Literally. No last revisions, impromptu purchases or finishing touches, unless you're willing to deal with <i>their</i> last minute addition of a 60 inch widescreen TV or signed photo of their favourite football team.<br />
<br />
<br />
2. It's not like the movies.<br />
<br />
So you've got a plan, and you've started painting. It's fun for about five minutes and then you realise that your arms hurt, you're already sweaty and everyone else you know is at the pub.<br />
<br />
It's normally now that you realise the outfit (men's shirt, leggings, hair scarf) you thought was adorably reminiscent of a 90's movie decorating montage, now makes you look like paint covered tranny.<br />
<br />
Your vision of charming paint fights and high fives is disintegrating as quickly as your sense of humour.<br />
<br />
At this point I recommend the following; headphones, minimal chat and a tacit agreement never to take photos of one another mid project.<br />
<br />
<br />
3. You will cry.<br />
<br />
Whatever the project, there comes a point (normally in the middle of the night when you're high on silk gloss fumes) where you both look at each other and question everything you have done so far.<br />
<br />
The walls are patchy, the lighting's weird, you hate the colour and everything is all shit.<br />
<br />
This will happen and it is important you're ready for it. The trick is just to KEEP GOING. Everything is worse when you're tired and fed up, and when all is said and done, you'll never notice the odd mistake.<br />
<br />
Also wine. Wine helps.<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
I forget to flosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12526462962925675918noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4053273392618251279.post-48219888871098773672013-03-18T10:47:00.000+00:002013-03-18T10:48:51.271+00:00Lime pickle {part 1}<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4f1vcJVxfOK8CowrUii31wrgET8VARgcNM3x7lnsqe3qmoWdJpSkTYDkPMPRLtXOSmb_WIqbYa7qBXF6zlnUN9_mqABssud93y78Gsc8ev2pJn9fn-x7uXnFXem9GnFqcQgptJ9r4fB4/s1600/12966437208.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4f1vcJVxfOK8CowrUii31wrgET8VARgcNM3x7lnsqe3qmoWdJpSkTYDkPMPRLtXOSmb_WIqbYa7qBXF6zlnUN9_mqABssud93y78Gsc8ev2pJn9fn-x7uXnFXem9GnFqcQgptJ9r4fB4/s1600/12966437208.jpeg" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">It's Monday and it's cold and I had to use my whole reserve of getupandgo to make it out of bed this morning. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />As in all times of utter despondency I am comforting myself with the thought of food. Lime pickle to be specific. I absolutely love the stuff and have it with almost anything, which it turns out, is kind of an expensive habit.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So tonight I am going to have a crack at making it myself. There are tons of recipes online, but <a href="http://limepickle.com/chutneys-pickles/lime-pickle-recipe.html" target="_blank">this one appealed the most</a>. Mainly for the word quick. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Photos and taste report to follow.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Ingredients.</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-size: 0.9em; margin-bottom: 1.1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
500 grams of chillies (About half and half mixed red and green)<br />
1 kg limes<br />
200 grams chopped fresh ginger<br />
15 chopped garlic cloves<br />
6 chopped fresh curry leaves<br />
4 cups distilled white vinegar<br />
1 tsp turmeric<br />
1 Tbsp salt<br />
3 Tbsp mustard seed<br />
2 Tbsp fenugreek seeds<br />
3 cups vegetable oil (If you have mustard oil, use 2 cups vegetable oil and 1 cup mustard oil)<br />
5 Tbsp vegetable oil</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Prep.</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-size: 0.9em; margin-bottom: 1.1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
Make sure you have sterilised jars and lids prepared for bottling. They must be thoroughly dried</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Method.</b></span></div>
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1. Heat 3 Tbsp of oil in a large frying pan until hot.</div>
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2. Sauté the limes turning them over until their skins are a golden brown.</div>
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3. Dry the limes and cut them into about 6 thick slices and then half the slices.</div>
<div style="font-size: 0.9em; margin-bottom: 1.1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
4. Put 2 Tbsp of oil into a blender, add the chillis, chopped curry leaves, chopped garlic, chopped ginger and curry leaves. Blend to a paste</div>
<div style="font-size: 0.9em; margin-bottom: 1.1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
5. Heat the remaining oil in a pan until hot. Add mustard and fenugreek. Heat the seeds until they pop open.</div>
<div style="font-size: 0.9em; margin-bottom: 1.1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
6. Add the paste, stir and simmer for 15 minutes. Turn off heat.</div>
<div style="font-size: 0.9em; margin-bottom: 1.1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
7. Add the turmeric, pieces of lime and vinegar and stir until thoroughly mixed.</div>
<div style="font-size: 0.9em; margin-bottom: 1.1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
8. Using a slotted ladle or spoon, put the limes into jars, and pour the remaining fluid over the limes ensuring they are just covered.</div>
<div style="font-size: 0.9em; margin-bottom: 1.1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
9. Stir to remove any air bubbles and seal jars.</div>
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I forget to flosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12526462962925675918noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4053273392618251279.post-8604622825379055812013-03-15T16:31:00.000+00:002013-03-15T16:32:18.727+00:00Children of the Stars<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2wLBcIqNblh6bJo98TN7OGksGFQR_P7h-7vuq3dxLNmi_anvtePd_5ltRLs0pMgHPvxXbUZOR_fCwVY5yiobViZUVAVuT440ZnKKzhEkJGzoUfCFSlo6QPNKG0Xt0gIgvgQNkT7nAmSY/s1600/2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2wLBcIqNblh6bJo98TN7OGksGFQR_P7h-7vuq3dxLNmi_anvtePd_5ltRLs0pMgHPvxXbUZOR_fCwVY5yiobViZUVAVuT440ZnKKzhEkJGzoUfCFSlo6QPNKG0Xt0gIgvgQNkT7nAmSY/s1600/2.jpeg" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 3cm;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;">When we look out
into space,</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">we are looking
into our own origins.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: 3.0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Because we are
truly, children of the stars.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: 3.0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And written into
every atom, <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: 3.0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">every molecule of
our bodies <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: 3.0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">is the entire
history of the universe. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">From the Big Bang
to the present day, <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">our story <i>is</i> the story of the universe.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Every piece of
everyone,<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">of everything you
love, <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: 3.0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">of everything you
hate, <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: 3.0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">of the thing you
hold most precious, <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">was assembled by
the forces of nature <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">in the first few
minutes of the life of the universe.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Transformed in
the hearts of stars, <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: 3.0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">or created in
their fiery deaths.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: 3.0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And when you die
those pieces will be returned to the universe, <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: 3.0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">in an endless
cycle of death and rebirth.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: 3.0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What a wonderful
thing it is, to be a part of that universe.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: 3.0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And what a story.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: 3.0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What a majestic
story.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: 3.0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: 3.0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: 3.0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: 3cm; text-align: left;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: 3cm; text-align: left;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's been a year since you left. We miss you lots. xx</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: 3cm; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: 3cm; text-align: left;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">{Words by Brian Cox. Picture from <a href="http://weareallstarstuff.tumblr.com/page/2" target="_blank">here</a>}</span></span></div>
<!--EndFragment--></div>
I forget to flosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12526462962925675918noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4053273392618251279.post-51663195919269258242013-03-15T09:45:00.001+00:002013-03-15T09:45:27.917+00:00Wilton's Music Hall<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Last night I finally made it to <a href="http://wiltons.org.uk/" target="_blank">Wilton's Music Hall</a>, to watch a stage version of The Great Gatsby. To be honest the play was a little hit and miss, but the venue more than made up for it.<br />
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Hidden down a very unassuming alley about 10 minutes walk from Tower Hill*, it's the oldest music hall in Europe and very atmospheric with it.<br />
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They've just finished renovating the main hall and it is spine-tingling good. Plus you can have a drink in the beautiful Mahogany Bar, which has been a watering hole since 1725. Famous amongst sailors, it was claimed that most had not heard of St Pauls, but all knew exactly how to find their way to the ornate Mahogany bar.<br />
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Today they serve really tasty food and a seriously nice glass of red, so well worth a poke around even if you don't fancy a show.<br />
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Apparently you can also rent the whole place for private hire too....<br />
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*Speaking of which, does that view (Tower of London, Shard, the river..) EVER not look awesome?<br />
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I forget to flosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12526462962925675918noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4053273392618251279.post-25528751407305990362013-03-14T18:56:00.001+00:002013-03-14T18:57:26.184+00:00Wisdomosity (and jesus)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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"Looking out of the window at the infinite sky, I prayed out loud...</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
'Dear Baby Jesus, I am sorry for my sins, even though I do not know what they are, which seems a bit unfair if they are going to be held against me. But that is your way. And I am not questioning your wisdomosity. In future, however would it be possible for my life to be not so entirely crap?"</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">{The inimitable genius of<a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/full-frontal-snogging-Confessions-Georgia-Nicolson/dp/0007218672" target="_blank"> Georgia Nicholson</a>}</span></div>
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I forget to flosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12526462962925675918noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4053273392618251279.post-33022746021098636642013-03-14T16:27:00.000+00:002013-03-14T16:33:09.264+00:00When did it become too cool to care?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I am not cool.<br />
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When I was younger this absolutely tormented me. I spent most of my teenage years thinking it was entirely within my grasp.That I was one pair of trainers, one awesome New Look outfit away from nailing it.<br />
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As a dedicated day dreamer I would spend hours planning different scenarios and then playing them out in my head. There would be the party. Me, in a casually thrown together outfit, making witty small talk with everyone and where alcohol (rather than being my enemy) would simply amplify my general air of fabulous <i>cool</i>. I'd imagine going to gigs and actually knowing what to do with my head (seriously people, how do you get it to bob just like that?)<br />
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And boys.<br />
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God, I really would have liked things in that area to have turned out the way they did in my head.<br />
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Fast forward a decade and I have totally accepted I am never going to be able to pull off Oliva Palermo levels of laissez faire. It is quite simply not in my genes. (Or my actual jeans which are super comfy but from Dorothy Perkins).<br />
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And that's ok. In fact it's more than ok, it's bloody marvellous.<br />
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Because it turns out, being cool nowadays, really isn't. Cool that is.<br />
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The clothes we wear are ironic, the music we listen to is cool until someone cares then it's not. We buy novelty gifts, go to clubs we hate and get retro tattoos of symbols that mean little or nothing to us.(Guilty.) We laugh at everything, pre-empting the moment when that too, inevitably becomes un cool.<br />
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Whole industries are dedicated to bringing us more and more disposable tat that we buy knowingly. We're happy to throw out the onesie, (Guilty) lenseless NHS glasses or Spongebob bumbag because we never cared for it in the first place.<br />
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People say being cool is all about expression. But it's not. Cool is copying.<br />
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It gives us a licence to judge everything around us, and then provides us with the perfect defence. Because if you never truly lay claim to an opinion, you remain impervious to attack. </div>
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But the problem with all of this of course, is that if you choose to be actively apathetic, you aren''t investing in anything. You become too cool to care.<br />
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And we need people to invest. We need them to give their true, genuinely held opinions, worries, cares and passions. Because even if caring about things isn't cool, it is still completely essential.<br />
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There will always be a small part of me that will drawn, moth-like, to the call of cool.<br />
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But I've stopped caring about it.</div>
I forget to flosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12526462962925675918noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4053273392618251279.post-23748789734674996662013-03-13T17:21:00.001+00:002013-03-13T17:21:41.295+00:00First world problems<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">From <i>miss manners</i> by judith martin, 1979. via <a href="http://www.lotteandbloom.co.uk/page/index.php?id=14" target="_blank">Lotte and Bloom</a>.</span></div>
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I forget to flosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12526462962925675918noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4053273392618251279.post-50553480170890616552013-03-08T16:13:00.001+00:002013-03-08T16:13:53.265+00:00Neutral Schmeutral<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I am so over neutrals. Pale nails, nude dresses, magnolia walls. No sireee. What we need is COLOUR and lots of it. I have been working on a project for a client and it involves lots and lots of colours. Which is awesome as I basically spend the day on pinterest looking at pretty pictures.<br />
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So far I have learnt 3 things.<br />
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1. Humans can see 2.2 million different colours.<br />
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2. Staring at technicolour moodboards all day, genuinely makes you happier.<br />
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3. Acid Pink is NOT girly. It's awesome.<br />
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I forget to flosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12526462962925675918noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4053273392618251279.post-81224081643690366842013-03-08T13:09:00.000+00:002013-03-08T13:14:09.615+00:00I love Liz<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am hopelessly in love with Tina Fey. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We're talking one of those epic school girl, I want to be her, she's so cool, I think we'd be best friends kind of crush. I recently watched so many clips on Youtube (things were sloooow) that, when asked about my day, I started with the phrase, "Me and Liz...." </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yeah. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I don't know about the rest of you, but 30 Rock was a complete revelation to me. Up to then the only female characters I saw on telly were entirely unattainable. I mean I love Sex and the City as much as the next gal, but even in my imaginary, alternative life my role in that world was always limited as an extra. The only time I ever meet women even a tiny bit like that are models on shoots and everyone knows they are sexy aliens sent to us to sell cars. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But then along came Liz and everything changed. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I watch 30 Rock in a complex state of near hysterical laughter, knicker twisting jealously (she writes it, she acts it, her hair is nice) and pathetic reassurance that I am not the only woman to wear swimwear to work when I<a href="http://iforgettofloss.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/Epic%20fail" target="_blank"> run out of pants</a>. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And if that isn't something to celebrate on International Women's Day, I don't know what is.</span></div>
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I forget to flosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12526462962925675918noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4053273392618251279.post-31475195848967662772013-03-05T11:52:00.001+00:002013-03-05T11:52:31.976+00:00California baby<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Loves. After a stupendous amount of time planning, budgeting and wincing over the price of flights, </div>
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we are finally heading to California.</div>
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I am BEYOND excited. </div>
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I forget to flosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12526462962925675918noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4053273392618251279.post-6018578048550116382013-02-22T12:54:00.001+00:002013-02-22T12:54:53.421+00:00Madrid<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAslyqYZvV0uY2mUIG3J9dTLBZWi4ZqS0DP09NRgHsI7MCTARDnB421yAz_NKdqmSLWbm8o-AVZWpX5rAjqWOqlrl6aL1dJkt67d9laCHKoijquRKbfscxs8OZ9tIvWIRCK5o3Z9etryE/s1600/303406_10150838151448870_1942248823_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAslyqYZvV0uY2mUIG3J9dTLBZWi4ZqS0DP09NRgHsI7MCTARDnB421yAz_NKdqmSLWbm8o-AVZWpX5rAjqWOqlrl6aL1dJkt67d9laCHKoijquRKbfscxs8OZ9tIvWIRCK5o3Z9etryE/s320/303406_10150838151448870_1942248823_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Around this time last year we went to Madrid for a long weekend to see family. </div>
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I wish we were there now. London is too cold, too grey. And on a day to day basis I do not see enough sky. Or squid. </div>
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Definitely not enough squid. </div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #999999;">{Pics by me}</span></div>
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I forget to flosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12526462962925675918noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4053273392618251279.post-81813368322368157832013-02-21T17:41:00.001+00:002013-02-21T17:49:05.968+00:00Aubergine Curry<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><br /></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;">I am not going to make a habit of posting recipes or pictures of food BUT a friend asked me for this and as I was writing it out, I thought I might as well share.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;">At home this was my all time favourite dinner and it was simply called Aubergine Curry (big on creative writing, my lot). </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;">It is actually based on the much more romantically named </span></span><i>Lake palace hotel's aubergine cooked in pickling style </i>by <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Madhur-Jaffreys-Ultimate-Curry-Bible/dp/0091874157" target="_blank">Madhur Jaffrey</a>, but over the years we've all tinkered with it a bit.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It turns out different every time, equally delicious but different, so I am never too fussy about measurements. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It also freezes and keeps really well so it's still a pretty popular staple in our kitchen too.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;">A tin of chopped tomatoes </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;">Tbsp water</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;">1 Tsp fennel seeds</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;">1 Tsp coriander seeds</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;">1 Tsp kalonji seeds (black onion)</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;">1Tbsp ground coriander</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">1/4</span> Tbsp tumeric</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">1/4</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;">Tbsp cayenne pepper</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">1/2 </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;">Tbsp </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;">sea salt</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;">Table spoon of veg oil for frying spices</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;">Extra veg oil for brushing aubergine slices</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;">1.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;">Slice your aubergines into generous 1 cm rounds. Brush them with a little vegetable oil, lay them on a baking tray and bake in a medium oven until they are cooked through and the skin is curling.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;">2. </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;">While your aubergines are cooking, finely chop your ginger and garlic, then add them to a pestle and mortar/mixer with a Tbsp of water and bash up till you have a watery paste.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;">3. </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;">Heat up a decent size frying pan (everything will end up in it) and add a Tbsp of oil until it's hot. Then toast your three spice seeds (coriander, fennel and kalonji) until they release their scent. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;">4.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;">Add your tin of chopped tomatoes, the ginger/garlic mix and the ground spices. Give it a good stir, add a little extra water you want the sauce to go a bit further and then let it simmer away for 15 minutes or so.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;">5.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;">When it's got a bit sticky and everything has cooked together, chop up your cooked aubergines into smaller pieces and mix in gently.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;">6. </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;">Cook for another 10 minutes of so and you're done. Serve with rice or flat bread. It also goes really well with white fish like cod if you fancy a bit of protein (who doesn't?).</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;"><br /></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #999999; font-size: x-small;">{Aubergine by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/40995944@N00/5825456162/" target="_blank">Tartelette</a>.}</span></span></div>
</div>
I forget to flosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12526462962925675918noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4053273392618251279.post-84003822026503507792013-02-21T15:50:00.000+00:002013-02-21T17:47:47.425+00:00Desperation<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF6vQ10e0WZfaa9Qa5yCcwbtxyEkSOGNfYcFQT3Zq76JkULYJPcdjWCBOmWsapQDFdVZQkoeAlFFpl7M5WA-w21V_IdFmPrtaOXKPKpBw6bV924yR5E80xgzBhi7pLj2HBt2VOIsKHsvc/s1600/url.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF6vQ10e0WZfaa9Qa5yCcwbtxyEkSOGNfYcFQT3Zq76JkULYJPcdjWCBOmWsapQDFdVZQkoeAlFFpl7M5WA-w21V_IdFmPrtaOXKPKpBw6bV924yR5E80xgzBhi7pLj2HBt2VOIsKHsvc/s400/url.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #999999; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I was recently asked to write a short article for a creative industry mag. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #999999; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The theme was Desperation.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #999999; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Why do we hide desperation? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It seems a peculiarly British trait. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Want something, but for God</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "MS 明朝","serif"; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS 明朝"; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">’</span><span lang="EN-US">s sake don</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "MS 明朝","serif"; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS 明朝"; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">’</span><span lang="EN-US">t let anyone know how much. </span><span lang="EN-US">Meet someone you like. Pretend you don</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "MS 明朝","serif"; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS 明朝"; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">’</span><span lang="EN-US">t. </span><span lang="EN-US">Feel like your life</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "MS 明朝","serif"; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS 明朝"; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">’</span><span lang="EN-US">s falling apart, that the last, proverbial straw is looming? Keep it
to yourself.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Desperation and advertising go hand in hand. </span>And yet we still deny its existence. <span lang="EN-US">Faced with a bare wall, at 3am in the
morning when the coffee has stopped working and the dubious bottle of
whatever-alcohol-brand-you-last-pitched-for has been cracked open, we will confidently
tell each other that everything</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "MS 明朝","serif"; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS 明朝"; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">’</span><span lang="EN-US">s ok. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">That the three crap ideas in front of us are the best thing we could have done. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
<span lang="EN-US"></span>But why?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Desperation got me a job. Sheer, bloody
minded, torturous desperation. As soon as I gave into it, doors started opening. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span lang="EN-US"></span>Before that it kept me awake during the late night portfolio building of university. It made me knock on doors. Talk to strangers. Go back and knock on the same doors.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">And
now, I watch the friends that kept their desperation alive, get even further.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It keeps you keen, and forces you to make
big, bold and sometimes brilliant decisions. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Desperation inspires brilliant works of
art. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Would Romeo and Juliet have been half as
good if Romeo had just shrugged his shoulders and said, </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "MS 明朝","serif"; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS 明朝"; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">‘</span><span lang="EN-US">Yeah, I</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "MS 明朝","serif"; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS 明朝"; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">’</span><span lang="EN-US">m not that into her</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "MS 明朝","serif"; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS 明朝"; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">…”</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Would the frenetic, passion-infused work of
Van Gogh have been a fraction of its tortured brilliance if he hadn</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "MS 明朝","serif"; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS 明朝"; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">’</span><span lang="EN-US">t been driven by the pure and utter
desperation to be heard?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Put simply, desperation makes you brave. And
perhaps more importantly it makes you honest. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So that is my advice. To my often all too complacent
self and to anyone thinking of a career in a creative industry. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Give in to desperation, see where it get
you.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span>
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
</span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;">{Starry Night over the Rhone, Vincent Van Gogh, 1888}</span></div>
</div>
<!--EndFragment-->
</div>
I forget to flosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12526462962925675918noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4053273392618251279.post-15615180431624315192013-02-05T11:05:00.002+00:002013-02-05T16:19:30.148+00:00Why hello.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz_kI1cJW5abVXrjA61lCq7n5G3wBR6D5OgUsvZNzUAhSoovxwWBTKJTW7dZ7f6VxYNdRqA6_MOLRQNdg5qod6YNaYLN2_iJG8YOufyH2fneX2VI7EAtIfIJ99QNMiySUUnrccQ6kbeKk/s1600/%7Bhello.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz_kI1cJW5abVXrjA61lCq7n5G3wBR6D5OgUsvZNzUAhSoovxwWBTKJTW7dZ7f6VxYNdRqA6_MOLRQNdg5qod6YNaYLN2_iJG8YOufyH2fneX2VI7EAtIfIJ99QNMiySUUnrccQ6kbeKk/s320/%7Bhello.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
I am a big believer in trusting your instincts. I also know that when I force myself to do something, it becomes a chore and I instantly rebel against my own, self imposed rules.<br />
<br />
Which I why I haven't beaten myself up about not posting for over a year. Even though, I really should have done.<br />
<br />
The thing is, when I started this blog I <i>really </i>needed it. It was my, extremely cost effective, version of therapy. And since then, well things got a whole heap better.<br />
<br />
I'm still with the same boy I<a href="http://iforgettofloss.blogspot.co.uk/2011/03/bum-note.html"> wrote this about</a>.<br />
<br />
And I did buy <a href="http://iforgettofloss.blogspot.co.uk/2011/05/moving.html">that flat</a>, and live in it very happily.<br />
<br />
But now I live in a new house, with said boy.<br />
<br />
And I switched jobs and regained some sort of a work life balance.<br />
<br />
So far, so smug.<br />
<br />
But I do miss this little corner of the tinterwebs. Amongst all the pinning, tweeting and instagraming, nothing quite beats it.<br />
<br />
So hello again :)<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
I forget to flosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12526462962925675918noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4053273392618251279.post-65230718161738272812011-12-14T14:25:00.005+00:002011-12-14T14:41:25.087+00:00Delightful things for delightful people<div style="text-align: left;">Why hello there. Hasn't it been awhile? Yes. It has. So long in fact I am sure this is an entirely one sided conversation. Which is sadly not that rare.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>So the last 5 months. Sun, then rain, then more rain. New homes, old friends, new jobs, old stress. Painting, wall papering, shouting at B&Q staff, lusting after g plan, buying ikea, learning how to plumb, floods, fires and many hours on hold. </div><div><br /></div><div>But less of that and more about this. </div><div><br /></div><div><img style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 171px; " src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitjoKafNAP53HYO5MzBVFm1apHp-eBAKzbgwrFrd51rGHkKlyzuDpkmTzqLo1GsQAPpXJVlrFtK6kJJiyf4vfgUxc2sEWG3docShtX81AbjdkRmNIbBAysz52bM3ezNHg0Jcz2hgT3zF8/s400/h_notepads_m.jpeg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5685992401383449362" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">and this...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 353px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjscD5oid_0JublEVnAFr3J5eEDt8snyAedVSL9BojvsGx5IvSEWzTO2Arr6VG7WjqKiAB7QVS0Du5c2ylb4sP_TRJ-cmA036AzcEaoRDpd6jzswAZPLT-kcFoPlspWikQ4GKEcWwnytyU/s400/rec_blue_m.jpeg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5685992196907143378" /><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;">and this!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 353px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQx7e4EEPnyeIysD20ILUHs13X7YXrBbj7yyhuaRtph0iKI8LwB_sTtZKvwC1_KuPlGlhirrFdnnzI1cR2MZBbe79f3TNfCbAcoMHqiv1S9hgsXMwZNDkUQjFvDL0aqU_4Ajg_wfdygg8/s400/coas_dog_3.jpeg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5685991982845213410" /><div><br /></div><div>If I was less of a Christmas mess, I would almost definitely be buying the people in my life all sorts of lovely things from <a href="http://riflepaperco.com/">Rifle Paper Co.</a> I feel quite sure my Dad would love these dog coasters. And quite frankly I am prepared to go and make new dogcoasterloving friends if he doesn't.</div><div><br /></div><div>See you in another 6 months x </div><div><br /></div></div></div>I forget to flosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12526462962925675918noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4053273392618251279.post-91046353051425174902011-05-26T14:20:00.007+01:002011-05-26T14:55:50.150+01:00A lot in a box<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_TbS9xgJcNJL3mMtZr3phvyyXpUbopVD39sV-OQwzpH-tnoyC6_DQ-pVQ-O9eLyzvmanjscI3tYxwZbeVLZtplArCWlOzEX421ezIXTO7M2QKu-QW_Ig7nkdx-50ERIJYFOHxCJoy92I/s400/ALLOTINABOX+Limited+Edition+Grow+Your+Own+Box.jpeg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 300px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5611014963614029794" /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJJKhQQDHwuuy2uA0wmO3Y22Xc9DGsQRG14yvHznJLbPLv7GZnCGoiKunXenGO5-fEYpKriILaJwxsmwVNTsSXmVI0iPVfS6sPoBGG4lFowhjkyMjpP7EVKxXAE1qc1ghpVihrf2zsNUk/s400/William+Morris-pattern+books+from+Paperblanks.jpeg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5611014763051542290" /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTaJ4X8hlwO-VAtryLCn42m6k4zmnYn39h4_f_mh451Nr4GtzH59uWKN3nX8IUn_tNqTWcAaXeCXNopS7QgChQVRwWldbtX7pCz0jXTdhsCKZroNAxm-rGgwNmtInxW1p4UkCcYEY5PhY/s1600/51hZ8ln4NBL._SS400_.jpeg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 400px; " src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTaJ4X8hlwO-VAtryLCn42m6k4zmnYn39h4_f_mh451Nr4GtzH59uWKN3nX8IUn_tNqTWcAaXeCXNopS7QgChQVRwWldbtX7pCz0jXTdhsCKZroNAxm-rGgwNmtInxW1p4UkCcYEY5PhY/s400/51hZ8ln4NBL._SS400_.jpeg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5611015152557912658" /></a></div><div>It's raining outside and work is, well hard work. My life is in boxes and I ran out of clean clothes about a week ago.</div><div><br /></div><div>But then this little bit of green popped up on screen and suddenly I am feeling MUCH perkier.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://www.allotinabox.com/">Allotinabox</a> has everything you need to grow your very own veg patch INSIDE. (At least, I hope it is - I just ordered one and the only outside space I have is near some scary bins). </div><div><br /></div><div>Which is marvelous for people like me who already live in a box.</div><div><br /></div><div>They come complete with a selection of British Seeds and everything you need to grow them, along with <a href="http://allotinabox.com/gardening-blog/">this here blog</a> that is full of tips and info. </div><div><br /></div><div>To be honest I'm more excited by the unbelievably lovely packaging and design of the site (which was how I found them). But that might to do with the fact the last plant I tried to keep alive was taken off me by a concerned relative. Apparently you can love (read - water) something too much?</div><div><br /></div><div>Happy Thursday folks.</div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><u><br /></u></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div>I forget to flosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12526462962925675918noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4053273392618251279.post-74459799291134592152011-05-26T12:02:00.005+01:002011-05-26T14:16:22.528+01:00Rosette making<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw402vu-RJJoxLfFYWJdtn1DW0RNgyYNIBnrFWcQNo5YGmiBA7bX1jLi0Z00EYgM7g8iji9whxzGayQ0oyehD2mXHk6bP_AkV_sjQMq5QrkzybirYUyILoxbrMlelZ1mjS9FcGaX5CliQ/s1600/rosettes.jpeg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw402vu-RJJoxLfFYWJdtn1DW0RNgyYNIBnrFWcQNo5YGmiBA7bX1jLi0Z00EYgM7g8iji9whxzGayQ0oyehD2mXHk6bP_AkV_sjQMq5QrkzybirYUyILoxbrMlelZ1mjS9FcGaX5CliQ/s400/rosettes.jpeg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5610981902788305074" /></a><div><br /></div><div>In my wine soaked euphoria at the prospect of the royal nuptials, I made a whole load of rosettes for our work tea party. I put up a few pics and a couple of people asked for the template, namely the very lovely, <a href="http://abookishspace.blogspot.com/">A Bookish Space</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div>Sorry it's the weensiest bit late. </div><div><br /></div><div>Though still plenty of time before Harry takes Pippa up the aisle. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLKZ_spCBI9XyZwfE-bbDiRZ5q8eBN45Y00rIZ30Kl89OoJQQancWKx_oP6wKUXEhsFvhFm9FikmlQcBAV3dW2lDy2-y_22U-lNyAa8ONM_2CU6hib4nwraCY3EXOrogFSgqKL5xTPz3s/s400/Screen+shot+2011-05-26+at+12.01.58.png" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 282px; height: 400px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5610978712056712530" /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRw67CZQT3qhvqLRHcVJtE6ga2ysF735445JlNoHz3p-K44Ziqw1EMK2YKLaaOQ8HkBkpc_Oo2EFWXzHFOFmvI3XP-bWV39H-pw2PX-0NZMB7gjjtrbnIHFrhqx0W8O13XhFOuuaJNiRI/s1600/Screen+shot+2011-05-26+at+12.02.15.png" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 282px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRw67CZQT3qhvqLRHcVJtE6ga2ysF735445JlNoHz3p-K44Ziqw1EMK2YKLaaOQ8HkBkpc_Oo2EFWXzHFOFmvI3XP-bWV39H-pw2PX-0NZMB7gjjtrbnIHFrhqx0W8O13XhFOuuaJNiRI/s400/Screen+shot+2011-05-26+at+12.02.15.png" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5610978717491005842" /></a><div style="text-align: left;">Download the supersimplehandrdrawn instructions <a href="https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0B64ruxgYmAHwNzRhMzFmZTctYjBkZS00Y2QwLTlmZjMtZGVhNTY2YTJkZDAz&hl=en_GB">here</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">And the template <a href="https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0B64ruxgYmAHwMzdhZGM1NDUtOWM1MS00M2JkLWE5MjAtYTZlMjIyNWM4ZmU5&hl=en_GB">here</a></div>I forget to flosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12526462962925675918noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4053273392618251279.post-42303323845011285082011-05-25T10:09:00.007+01:002011-05-25T11:30:27.393+01:00Can you break a friendship?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhle9vNBC_5ttSsOcjvxYZS9PgaTL-KKem-xmfisXVckLj9yrfYt2HvoI4nnrBLylWHaQlYH14WaRA7gzdIhGcr2SBav7HOaYhoGWlANIHXq3-2ib-RV-T-HZ2AO2fGvziGWLgSOSSYlzw/s1600/girls.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhle9vNBC_5ttSsOcjvxYZS9PgaTL-KKem-xmfisXVckLj9yrfYt2HvoI4nnrBLylWHaQlYH14WaRA7gzdIhGcr2SBav7HOaYhoGWlANIHXq3-2ib-RV-T-HZ2AO2fGvziGWLgSOSSYlzw/s400/girls.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5610598145404978786" /></a><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><span class="Apple-style-span">Maybe it's moving house and the inevitable nostalgia that packing up your life tends to muster, but this week I have found myself pondering friendship.<br /><span class="Apple-style-span"><br />Can you break them? </span>Do they, as common cliche-speak dictates, wither away like plants if you don't feed them enough? And could it be that sometimes, we simply out grow our friends?<br /><br />In this week's Observer, Eva Wiseman asked a very similar question in <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2011/may/22/eva-wiseman-30-years-old">this article</a>. (Read it, it's very funny. And a bit scary sad.)</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span">In her list of 30 questions from a 30 year old, number 6 was...</span></div><div><i><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></i></div><div><i><span class="Apple-style-span">"<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; ">How fragile are my relationships? Have we passed the point where it's possible to lose touch with friends over an unreturned phone call?"</span></span></i></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 18px; "><i><br /></i></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 18px; ">In some ways, I think you do. Pass the point that is. There must be some invisible tipping point, where the balance of breakups, drunken nights out, cat fights and shared experiences outweigh future upsets and you realise that you can weather any storm with someone.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 18px; "><i><br /></i></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 18px; ">They become the people you can pick up a conversation with, even if distance and time get in your way. The people you know you can tell your deepest, darkest scary-as-hell secrets to, and</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: georgia; line-height: 18px; "> who you'd happily drop everything for. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 18px; "><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 18px; ">These are your ISA friends. The ones that provide you with security for the future, that, invested properly in, will look after you for the rest of your life.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 18px; "><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 18px; ">But what about the rest? Your current account mates? ('Scuse the stretched out pun. I am VERY tired). Because recently, I think I have been a weeny bit guilty of not really putting much in the pot.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 18px; "><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 18px; ">There are a million excuses I could trot out at this point. And when I'm lying in bed feeling guilty* about not having called so and so, or for choosing to catch up on sleep rather than with old uni pals, I do.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 18px; ">I tell myself that I work too hard. That I have to prioritise. That I'm too busy just <i>being, </i>to be with anyone else. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 18px; "><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 18px; ">And to cut myself a little slack, most of my friends are in a similar position. All slightly guilty of thinking we're still at Uni, able to pop round whenever, without jobs and kids and partners getting in the way.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 18px; "><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 18px; ">But ultimately, it's just a bit rubbish.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 18px; "><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 18px; ">These are the friends that we should be making an effort with. Because these are the ones that haven't tipped the scales yet. The fragile ones. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 18px; "><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 18px; "><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 18px; ">*I feel guilty about EVERYTHING. It's exhausting</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">{Picture by Helen of me and them and us}</span></span></div>I forget to flosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12526462962925675918noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4053273392618251279.post-693038958378351252011-05-23T14:27:00.003+01:002011-05-23T14:37:15.768+01:00KnobsHappy days! I have finally moved into my half of a quarter of a flat and it's all very exciting I must say.<div><br /></div><div>Precisely 39 seconds after I officially became a *homeowner* I got a little bored of talking about dimensions and council tax and started looking for things to put in said new home.</div><div><br /></div><div>Like these delightful knobs from <a href="http://www.anthropologie.eu/shop-by-category/hardware/icat/hardware/">Anthropologie</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div>Now, the old, non home-owning, Cate would have made a crass joke at this point, but I have decided to put aside such childish folly and instead bask in the magnificence of their lovely knobbiness.</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6aslbBmYkezaNwGIuEeXaBgn3gc4PKXFTLxO8X5zf51qu5FnDklalqYTU7Lkv5Dtgl-Y4qQPOsMtrAOCYk2GQANoAdrzPxoUBM7UBxOVjk4ORVscpvAMSPU4tKj5TH8383Svww_X_U5c/s1600/Marmara+Knob.jpeg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 179px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6aslbBmYkezaNwGIuEeXaBgn3gc4PKXFTLxO8X5zf51qu5FnDklalqYTU7Lkv5Dtgl-Y4qQPOsMtrAOCYk2GQANoAdrzPxoUBM7UBxOVjk4ORVscpvAMSPU4tKj5TH8383Svww_X_U5c/s400/Marmara+Knob.jpeg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5609904842671026850" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgbCAKzAtC8Ah2Esk7zM1DHTb7gBG6Vq2TxRFyzbmEXkKQ6Wyn5JlmbE0KXItAMinzGQGjwRj5QjvGvRVULqn3YpFMV0rmMNAUAHdswZrRvR95u6mVNA40u8bRhHVAZ1jqdycttyFBRTI/s1600/Calico+Owl+Knob.jpeg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 179px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgbCAKzAtC8Ah2Esk7zM1DHTb7gBG6Vq2TxRFyzbmEXkKQ6Wyn5JlmbE0KXItAMinzGQGjwRj5QjvGvRVULqn3YpFMV0rmMNAUAHdswZrRvR95u6mVNA40u8bRhHVAZ1jqdycttyFBRTI/s400/Calico+Owl+Knob.jpeg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5609904839826282658" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvnErmUHLMfkePXwB9zFSja4AoXpBFpYkmrHaP_ATZiFQ6B0QBZqdIAfD-CzvQ64kWjqQCvNGj9ATNdlrCYEBX3478rfVhhD6z5tZli3RQ_WCAz0HdMH1D1i5UKJVAfHKiIXIu_q4eNaY/s1600/Cloisonne+Chrysanthemum+Pull.jpeg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 179px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvnErmUHLMfkePXwB9zFSja4AoXpBFpYkmrHaP_ATZiFQ6B0QBZqdIAfD-CzvQ64kWjqQCvNGj9ATNdlrCYEBX3478rfVhhD6z5tZli3RQ_WCAz0HdMH1D1i5UKJVAfHKiIXIu_q4eNaY/s400/Cloisonne+Chrysanthemum+Pull.jpeg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5609904839932989506" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6iggcKU3CGKRacHuNPrkeAHL5L9TVea87Hx3d7llM7rTW5Y2RxO-Svhr7RKnVNBR4SXqPYeXkZ6pcJg6Ta5k4730Uv77nDBl-VzPiTVCSMd334zxPmFY87e1vK0fEGkhJ51xUQdWAy2o/s1600/Tweet+Knob.jpeg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 179px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6iggcKU3CGKRacHuNPrkeAHL5L9TVea87Hx3d7llM7rTW5Y2RxO-Svhr7RKnVNBR4SXqPYeXkZ6pcJg6Ta5k4730Uv77nDBl-VzPiTVCSMd334zxPmFY87e1vK0fEGkhJ51xUQdWAy2o/s400/Tweet+Knob.jpeg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5609904835830577330" /></a><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>I forget to flosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12526462962925675918noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4053273392618251279.post-31762539985158001862011-05-20T00:23:00.002+01:002011-05-20T00:27:02.464+01:00Temporary hiatus<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFqi_Aa7CN4w1KiCxCNVr01-aH-VzsYgdZ1mI6eADk-bEtLsU2N8gNPp7yAGVA3fVStqb9NopLjqVSMJEX1wxo8XOxQKlriTCksCZIiRvVDqT3xW3SmNEoSJDsw9RMniZbJzYVxIr3VUw/s1600/precise+shop+hours.jpeg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 375px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFqi_Aa7CN4w1KiCxCNVr01-aH-VzsYgdZ1mI6eADk-bEtLsU2N8gNPp7yAGVA3fVStqb9NopLjqVSMJEX1wxo8XOxQKlriTCksCZIiRvVDqT3xW3SmNEoSJDsw9RMniZbJzYVxIr3VUw/s400/precise+shop+hours.jpeg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5608572131756246258" /></a><br /><div>In the immortal, and slightly topical words of Arnie... I'll be back.*</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>*Not because I fathered an illegitimate child. </div>I forget to flosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12526462962925675918noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4053273392618251279.post-80345235441805266202011-05-10T11:14:00.007+01:002011-05-26T13:59:40.039+01:00Moving..<div><br /></div><div><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqFSuLJVAUA-otVU3xph6kvXmixqycDGVaacVtpURgsi3oDTujIzkVjn64O2vo1Ch64oWEwxGR3Ob2rASM962UN_5VUzH3jm_eNe9eXN8LYyN2csY2yzkHY7pQ8siVs5KiTuByqo5mE4s/s1600/photo.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqFSuLJVAUA-otVU3xph6kvXmixqycDGVaacVtpURgsi3oDTujIzkVjn64O2vo1Ch64oWEwxGR3Ob2rASM962UN_5VUzH3jm_eNe9eXN8LYyN2csY2yzkHY7pQ8siVs5KiTuByqo5mE4s/s400/photo.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5605029102902126834" /></a><br /><div>I am buying a house. </div><div><br /></div><div>*gulp*<div><br /></div><div>Well actually I am buying a half of a quarter of a flat, but apparently you still have to fill out just as many forms, talk to just as many 'professionals' and spend just as much time listening to Greensleaves whilst on hold.</div><div><br /></div><div>But it's looking like we might be finally moving in. Which excites/terrifies me rather a lot.</div><div><br /></div><div>It also means that in between my job, <a href="http://youngcreativecouncil.wordpress.com/">this little lot</a> and trying to pack, my time here is pretty much non existent.</div><div><br /></div><div>Which is REALLY annoying because I haven't even told you about my Royal wedding antics.</div><div><br /></div><div>Or what happened when I tried to write a will.</div><div><br /></div><div>And that I'm going on my first proper boyfriend holiday with my shiny new one.</div><div><br /></div><div>Or even about my new completelystupidcan'tbelieveIsuggestedit plan to give up *sob* booze for a whole month.</div><div><br /></div><div>But I will. </div><div><br /></div></div>I forget to flosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12526462962925675918noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4053273392618251279.post-67235746599632102972011-04-28T12:40:00.003+01:002011-04-28T12:44:22.736+01:00Rosettes<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJBDX7X4CNqaKMtR0MLobDAuN8_kO7hnyZi3HivxKGwjdX0dSflXaha4uwEg2Tqitpql5PrNtsare3Qi6kfBtvl3aIZOyv0Xdow2J9W5VMtIWvhe56T9ghEMDQXnLfCBtn1s-Y1wCKx_4/s1600/rosettes.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJBDX7X4CNqaKMtR0MLobDAuN8_kO7hnyZi3HivxKGwjdX0dSflXaha4uwEg2Tqitpql5PrNtsare3Qi6kfBtvl3aIZOyv0Xdow2J9W5VMtIWvhe56T9ghEMDQXnLfCBtn1s-Y1wCKx_4/s400/rosettes.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5600598210000088898" /></a><br /><div>Best way to avoid a looming deadline? Make royal rosettes for the winners of our work bake-off. *wishes she was primary school teacher*</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">{I have got a template if anyone fancies a go}</div>I forget to flosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12526462962925675918noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4053273392618251279.post-76841671314439939082011-04-26T14:28:00.008+01:002011-04-26T15:00:03.836+01:00Posh Nosh<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDEq0UZSG8NZ_qPCe3XU_U-wMBFP7RmyskyQuZCWVQaakA3_LMtEGCqOEWbwioJTmdWcKi-xO4YJP24kVEiVOVSGhDKRiDLk0HFXD2gj8Sy7mH1Ml6kvvg6kb009ZCBU7be2Tqprpd4x0/s400/Street+Party.jpeg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 290px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5599887490845754098" /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Despite bemoaning the up and coming royal wedding to anyone within listening distance, my man friend and I have in fact, been invited to a royal wedding party this Friday. <div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>We shall join a group of equally liberal young things and insist that we are simply being <i>ironic </i>whilst vying for the best position round the telly. </div><div><br /></div><div>It's going to be awesome.</div><div><br /></div><div>And because I don't believe in half measures, I have whipped myself up into a frenzy of patriotic fervour and decided to make some suitably British snacks.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>{Strawberries and Cream cupcakes}</b></div><br />Makes 12.</div><div><br />For the cakes…<br /><br />225g caster sugar<br />210g self-raising flour, sifted<br />1 tsp baking powder</div><div>25g corn flour<br />125g strawberries, crushed<br />12 extra strawberries, chopped into small pieces<br />225g unsalted butter, room temp<br />4 large eggs<br /><br /><br />For the topping…</div><div><br />400g (14oz) full-fat Philly<br />300g (10oz) icing sugar<br />250g (9oz) strawberries, smushed to a purée<br /><br /><br />1. Preheat oven to 180C(160C if it’s a fan)/350F/gas mark 4.<br /><br />2. Line a baking tray with 12 paper (preferably union jack themed) muffin cases.<br /><br />3. Put sugar, flour, baking powder, corn flour and crushed strawberries into a food processor. Blitz until evenly mixed. Add butter and eggs and mix a little bit more until everything is even. (If using an electric hand mixer, cream the butter and sugar first, beat in the eggs, one by one, and add the remaining ingredients and beat.)<br /><br />4. Divide the chopped strawberries between the cases and dollop the mixture in over the top, filling them to about two-thirds full. Bake for about 25 minutes. (They should be fairly moist and bouncy to touch, even when cooked.) Remove from oven and leave to cool for 10 minutes before popping them on a rack to cool.</div><div><br />5. While you’re waiting, make the icing. Beat the philly, icing sugar and strawberry purée together to form a shiny icing. If you’re posh or have a boyfriend who bakes, spoon it in to a piping bag and stand back and admire as he pipes professionally away. You can also just whack it on with a spoon.<br /><br />6. Finish with royal memorabilia. I shall be fashioning miniature Union Jacks with tooth picks, though left over strawbs would look just as lovely.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPf2TD-3lMBS32yQyGJvTekgYAVJm9wQfJhrJAzBXOmFe_bD3XO2HL79xa6xXzss20gfjyPGFaYrwoasS2bJKGnySCh3qXDl6qSsn1P8Lql8P_XquPZbQuA49u-5VehhrZ3_DPbzQSufo/s400/DSC_1048.jpeg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5599889049555032338" /></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span">{Recipe adapted by Ma from many, cake pic from Humming Bird Bakery}</span></div>I forget to flosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12526462962925675918noreply@blogger.com0