Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Rainy days

the thing about love is...

...No-one can do it for you. No-one can tell you how to do it, find it, keep it... it just happens. Sometimes it lasts, sometimes it doesn't.

I'm an avid magazine reader, as most people who know me would be able to tell you. Since the humble age of 9 or 10 when I was reading Dolly or Girlfriend or another such pre-teen magazine that a friend had snuck to school that day. I was transfixed on the pages that told me how love happens, how to find it, how to flirt, etc. Then I became a teenager. Every rule and regulation and idea on how to make conversation, flirt without seeming like some kind of emotionally disturbed invalid or any other advice counted for nothing. After smiling, trying to initiate physical contact (which, by the way, freaks most people out when you try to touch them when you're talking to them) and every other little gem thrown my way, I realised something... it's all fake.

The people who write these articles in any magazine, whether you're 10 or 100, are probably in stable relationships and have forgotten what it's like to pine for someone's attention... OR they're just as clueless as you are. Let me say something, loud and clear, there are no rules on how to fall in love.

When I fell in love with my partner, I wasn't looking for it. I wasn't dolling myself up, going to some kind of meeting place and hoping to find true love. In fact, I was so over the idea of being with anybody (after being screwed around one too many times) that I didn't want to know anyone who wouldn't be a good friend. I met him through a friend. A friend who had a huge thing for him so, in typical female fashion, I dismissed any idea of romantic encounters and carried on with my life. She ended up dating someone else and we ended up planning to meet, purely as friends, to go to the same rock concert.... no-one wants to go to a concert alone, it sucks.

We hung out during the day, got some lunch, went exploring around Sydney (I'd just moved there and he was from Melbourne) and had no expectations of eachother. As it turned out, there was some kind of chemistry there. At literally the last minute before he had to go back interstate, he asked me if I wanted to fight the statistics of long distance dating and have a go. I said yes without blinking. The reason I didn't even have to think was simple- I had so much freedom for those last few days, I had no pressure to behave a certain way or ask what 'we' were or do anything at all except enjoy each moment and work out what was happening later.

We're still together now. We still love eachother and, like most people who live together, we do have arguments about mundane things like housework... but we're also supportive, ambitious about things separate from the relationship and we give each other space. There still aren't many rules for our relationship, except for the obvious "don't sleep with anybody else" and "don't take drugs" (not that either of us do, but just as a constant reminder on how craptastic they really are). I think that the lack of structure, the lack of ideals and goal and rules and everything else before you've even met somebody is pretty much the secret to being happy.

Being single is awesome. You don't have to answer to anybody (except, maybe, your parents or roommates) and you're free to see your friends when you want, male or female, and just generally be selfish and do things that you wouldn't do in someone else's company. Being in a relationship is awesome... but only if you're happy together and both of you are willing to make an equal amount of sacrifices. Don't go out looking for love like you're hunting a baby seal, be selfish for a while longer and don't dismiss someone who does like you if they don't make your ideal list of what a prospective partner should be like. Unless it's something dangerous, obviously. Live each moment without rules and see where you end up, you might enjoy it.

Thursday, April 22, 2010

SMEE by Samie Lee


One of my most delightful friends from my old hometown of Adelaide is the beautiful miss Samie Lee, an up and coming fashionista who is planning to release a clothing and pajama line as well as her range that is currently selling on her Etsy page, SMEE by Samie Lee.

Born at the very end of the eighties, she feels she was born in the wrong era, and that maybe she was born 30 years to late. With a great love of vintage clothing and modern art her style can only be described as unique. She would like to make her mark on the fashion industry but has trouble keeping motivated with her sewing. At the young age of 20 she has achieved everything she wanted to achieve and is now looking for bigger and better things.

Her loves include; Seth(Her Gorgeous Son), Lex (Her Soon to be Husband), Art Galleries, Shoes, Coffee and friends.


She's also a great blogger and writes about her life, her loves and her designs as she is working through them and designing for both of her ranges.

So what is SMEE? It's a children's range featuring some adorable hand made dolls that my good friend has slaved over making. Each one is 100% handmade, meaning they are all individual, one-off unique pieces that are great not only for children, but for doll collectors or people into something a little bit adorable and a little bit different to take into their lives and decorate in their homes. They're cute, cuddly and absolutely adorable. Best of all, each doll has their own individual name and life story... and, being soft and cuddly, you don't have to worry about embarrassing incidents like accidental decapitation or your small child choking on any snapped off limbs if they're a little bit rough with their toys.

Here is the first doll in the range, Anna Sue:


Anna-Sue loves reading books and drinking copious amounts of coffee. She never goes anywhere without a hat and will always be there when you need her. She also speaks fluent french.

Recommend ages 3 and up.
Roughly 40 cms tall.
Every doll is different so they may not look identical to the ones pictured.
Handcrafted from all new materials.
There will only be 50 dolls of this style available.
Price includes postage within Australia. Please contact if international shipping is required.


You can buy Anna Sue and other designs by Samie Lee on her Etsy page, As well as on her website: http://samielee.weebly.com/

Please drop by her website sometime and take a look. She's an interesting and funny writer, a great designer and just a lovely person.

You can also follow her on twitter: @Samielee13

Th-Th-That's All, F-Folks!

More polyvore

Modern Day Jasmine
Modern Day Jasmine by kittencaboodle featuring Lanvin shoes


If Princess Jasmine lived today, it's pretty much a guarantee she'd be one of those pseudo bohemian socialite types. After all, she's sixteen, a princess (read: incredibly wealthy) and would probably hang around with the brat pack.


the lioness
the lioness by kittencaboodle featuring Valentino shoes

This is a Lion King inspired set. I understand that they're lions, not people, but I wanted to give off the same vibe and earthy colours that you see in the film and the stage show.



Captain Hook
Captain Hook by kittencaboodle featuring Juicy Couture jewelry

Peter Pan inspired. Again, I wanted to get more of a vibe than an actual copied look per se. I would never dream of trying to recreate tinkerbell, bless her tiny soul, but most people tend to leave Captain Hook alone... what's wrong with him? He's a stylish guy!

Beauty wishlist, 2010

Beauty products I would LOVE, 2010:


Shu Uemura false eyelashes.



MAC Studio Fix Fluid Foundation (SPF 15) in NC15.
I've used MAC foundation in the past... for some reason, it is the only brand with the exact right shade for my skintone. Most foundations are too dark, not that I'm especially pale, but they seem to assume that every female on the face of the earth is using fake tan/bronzer or they just have too much orange or pink pigment and I look strange >_<


L'oreal Studio Secrets Anti-Redness Primer.
I -love- using a primer. It's like the secret step that suddenly made me smack my head against a surface and go "Oh! THAT'S how you do it!". I'm currently using a Natio primer, which works very well, but I have an uneven skintone and acne scars, etc. Green concealer can be a pain in the ass if you put too much on, so I'm curious to see if a green-tinted primer would work any better.


L'Occitane Ultra Comforting Mask.
An absolute favourite of mine. I buy a tube of this once a year and save it for stressful days or special occasions. It makes your skin feel -divine- after has absorbed, etc. and it's really soothing.


MAC blush in Pink Swoon.
Again, another favourite. I've had mine for almost 2 years now (you'd be surprised how much use you can get out of this!) because it's actually a lot pinker than what you'd expect. It's the perfect dolly pink shade and makes your skin look like porcelain. Mine's almost completely gone :(



MAC liquid eyeliner in Boot Black.
What can I say? the blackest black eyeliner you can buy.


Estee Lauder Beyond Paradise
This perfume smells like heaven. Better than Angel, it's literally like you're in a tropical paradise. Yum.


Lush Snow Fairy shower gel.
Pink bubblegum-scented goodness with glitter sparkles. Shame it's only around at Christmas.


Lush soap in 'Bohemian'.
I love citrus scents. This is the perfect soap for me, it makes your skin feel soft as an infant's and smells like lemon meringue pie.


Shu Uemura Moyoco Anno Cleansing Oil.
Ok... so, a quality product which I already love AND limited edition manga illustrations on the bottle.
Any questions?


Shu Uemura makeup brushes.
My own set of brushes is getting a bit old now, a lot of them are synthetic and were part of Christmas or Birthday presents from a few years back... when I -do- get around to replacing them, I'll be spending my moneys on THESE babies :D


THIS Bobbi Brown eyeshadow palette!


MAC lipstick in Morange.
Is it red? is it orange? it's.... uh.... both.



Places in the world I'd rather be


prague! it looks like a fairytale even now!! I could be a princess and live in a castle... maybe.


Paris:
I have family in France (mum's family are french and portuguese) but I've never had the chance to go, despite the fact I have citizenship.
I know that Paris is a bit of a tourist trap, it's dirty, it's expensive, it's confusing, etc. BUT I'd love to live there -temporarily- and get some artistic endeavors done.


Denmark:
Some of the greatest fairytales were written and/or set here. It seems like the sort of place that dreams are made of.


London:
some of dad's family live in London (immediate family, my aunt etc.)
I'd a) like to visit them and b) love to live in such an amazing city as far as music, fashion, art, etc. goes.




TOKYO.

As long as I could remember, I've always wanted to go to Japan, Tokyo specifically. The idea of a metropolis where you could so easily lose yourself, the diversity of the different people and districts, the culture clash from everything I've seen before and the birthplace of most of my favourite things. When I was little, I used to wish I was Japanese or half Japanese. This dream is obviously unattainable and I've become more at peace with my own background (after all, being half french, half british and living in Australia makes me kind of an international woman of mystery XD) but it's still a huge goal to live in Japan for at least a year, so I have time to see all the things I want to see and soak up the culture, the sights and everything else before I have to leave again. I'm applying for jobs at Tokyo Disney as a Disney princess and I'm also hoping to get work teaching English in Japan. It's also the best way for me to make an impact with music, my fashion ideas and the other goals I have in store for my life. The biggest setback, obviously, is taking my 1 year old along with me and being able to find a safe place for her to live in a country I know nothing about other than my anime knowledge (when it comes down to it). Also, without family nearby, it would be very hard to have someone always available to watch her. Still, someday when she's a little older, this will become a reality.


Here's hoping.

A little more about December 21st...

My birthday has great significance in the Mayan calendar... apparently, that's the day that the world will end in 2012 (worst 23rd birthday ever, right?) I got bored and looked up other people born on Dec 21st as well as any festivals, etc. on that day.


Aoyagi Ritsuka (from Loveless)

Being one of my favourite characters in one of my favourite manga series, I find it kind of amusing that we share the same birthday... though he's a little younger than I am ^_^;;

"Voiced by: Junko Minagawa
Ritsuka is twelve years old and the protagonist of the story. He was named after the lunar day "Rikka," which fell on May 5 in the year 2005. His "true name" is Loveless, although it is yet to be seen on his body as the other teams' names are. He enjoys taking photographs and "making memories."
In the first volume, the story alludes to an abrupt change of personality occurring in Ritsuka two years prior. It is seen often through flashbacks, when his mother beats him and denies that he is truly Ritsuka and that he is actually someone else in his body. Before this change, he was a popular, yet academically average student; presently, he doesn't get along with his classmates, and he purposely points out their faults. In contrast to this, he is the perfect student. In addition to the personality change, he suffers a loss in memory. The cause of these drastic changes is still unknown, although he has regular therapy sessions to determine why."

From the Loveless wikipedia page.



Frank Zappa, musical icon.

"Frank Vincent Zappa
[1] (pronounced /zæpæ/; December 21, 1940 – December 4, 1993) was an American composer, electric guitarist, record producer, and film director. In a career spanning more than 30 years, Zappa wrote rock, jazz, electronic, orchestral, and musique concrète works. He also directed feature-length films and music videos, and designed album covers. Zappa produced almost all of the more than 60 albums he released with the band Mothers of Invention and as a solo artist."

"Zappa was a highly productive and prolific artist and he gained widespread critical acclaim. Many of his albums are considered essential in rock and jazz history, and he is regarded as one of the most original guitarists and composers of his time; he remains a major influence on musicians and composers. He had some commercial success, particularly in Europe, and for most of his career was able to work as an independent artist. Zappa was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995 and received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award
in 1997."
From the Frank Zappa wikipedia page.



Jane Fonda, actress, exercise guru, feminist icon, writer, model.

"Jane Fonda (born December 21, 1937) is an American actress, writer, political activist, former fashion model and fitnessguru. She rose to fame in the 1960s with films such as Barbarella and Cat Ballou and, excluding a 15 year hiatus, has appeared in films ever since. She has won two Academy Awards and received several other awards and nominations. She announced her retirement from acting in 1991, but returned to film in 2005 with Monster in Law, and later Georgia Rule, released in 2007. She also produced and starred in several exercise videos released between 1982 and 1995.

Fonda has been an activist for many political causes, one of the most notable and controversial of which was her opposition to the Vietnam War. She has also protested the Iraq War and violence against women. She describes herself as a liberal and a feminist. Since 2001, Fonda has been a Christian. She published an autobiography in 2005 and currently resides in Atlanta, Georgia."

Again, from her wikipedia page.


Joseph Stalin, tyrant XD

"Joseph Stalin (born Ioseb Besarionis dze Jughashvili in Georgian or Iosif Vissarionovich Dzhugashvili in Russian patronymic nomenclature; 18 December 1878 – 5 March 1953) was the General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union's Central Committee from 1922 until his death in 1953. In the years following Lenin's death in 1924, he rose to become the leader of the Soviet Union.


During the late 1930s, Stalin launched the
Great Purge (also known as the "Great Terror"), a campaign to purge the Communist Party of people accused of sabotage, terrorism, or treachery; he extended it to the military and other sectors of Soviet society. Targets were often executed, imprisoned in Gulag labor camps or exiled. In the years following, millions of members of ethnic minorities were also deported. "



There are also a whole bunch of musicians, politicians, etc that I can't be bothered posting because they're not that relevant to today.


Holidays and observances on December 21st:

Did someone say 'cake'??




Black Forest Cupcake Recipe

Ingredients
15 oz (425g) can pitted cherries (sweet) in syrup
4 oz (100g) bittersweet (dark) eating chocolate - coarsely chopped
5½ oz (165g) butter - coarsely chopped
11 oz
(11/3 cup, 295g)
superfine(castor) sugar
2¼ fl oz (¼ cup, 60ml) cherry brandy
5 oz
(1cup, 150g)
all-purpose (plain) flour
2 tblsp self-raising flour
2 tbls cocoa powder
1 egg
Decoration
6 fl oz (2/3 cup, 160ml) thickened cream, whipped
2 tsp cherry brandy
4 oz (100g) block of bittersweet (dark) eating chocolate
Method
1. Pre-heat the oven to 335oF (170oC).
2. Line a 12 cupcake pan, with cupcake papers.
3. Drain the cherries and reserve the syrup.
4. Take ½ cup of cherries and ½ of syrup and process in a food processor, until smooth.
5. Cut the remaining cherries in half and reserve. Discard the remaining syrup.
6. Place the chocolate, butter, sugar, brandy and cherry puree into a saucepan. Over a low heat, stir until chocolate has melted.
7. Pour into a large bowl and allow to cool for 15 minutes.
8. Whisk in sifted flours and cocoa.
9. Then wisk in the egg.
10. It will be runny - but that is correct.
11. Divide the mixture evenly between the cake cases. You will probably find that you fill the cases close to the top (don't worry, they don't rise a lot).
12. Bake for 40-45 minutes until firm to touch.
13. Allow to cool for a few minutes and then transfer to a wire rack.
Decorate
1. Allow cakes to cool completely.
2. Mix the brandy into the whipped cream.
3. Top each cake with some of the remaining cherry halves.
4. And top this with some of the cream.
5. Using a vegetable peeler, scrap along the side of the block of chocolate to create curls. (You made need to clean the peeler from time to time.) And decorate the top of each cake.
Notes
Makes 12 cakes.
Allow to cool slightly and serve with extra Raspberries and
whipped cream.
























































































Recipe from http://www.cupcake-creations.com/black-forest-cupcake-recipe.html

Image from: Yumsugar.com

Disney Love

I've been watching so many Disney films with the tiny lately. I love them more than she does, I think. My favourites would be:


Aladdin.
Probably the least angsty recent Disney film, not to mention the most watchable, regardless of age.


The Lion King.
loosely based off hamlet... awesome in itself. The actual story behind this film and how it was made is equally amazing as the film itself. The animation is beautiful, the songs are catchy and the storyline (though it is pretty dark for a kid's movie) is awesome.


Peter Pan.
I'm a big fan of the older Disney movies, to be honest. While they're a little slower in pacing than the newer ones, the music is divine and the characters are usually incredibly likeable... though some characters, dialogue, etc. would no longer be deemed politcally correct now and they would never be able to make the same films now... take Alice in Wonderland, for example. The main character drinks from an unmarked bottle, eats a stranger's food and talks to strangers constantly, something they're no longer allowed to portray or condone in children's films because they don't want to encourage this behaviour. Peter Pan is also interesting because the character designs of the lost boys are clearly an inspiration for Maurice Sendak's Where the Wild Things Are.


Cinderella.
My favourite point? the evil cat called Lucifer. Pure gold. Also, I love Cinderella's singing voice, it's such a great part of any film from that era, the actors could SING!


Mary Poppins.
The video of Mary Poppins was my 1st Christmas present after we moved to Australia. I watched it so many times that the sound has gone from the tape. I have friends who can't STAND julie andrews, I'm not one of these people. Also, Mr Banks looks so much like my dad that it's quite scary.


The Aristocats.
There used to be a run-down old drive-in near one of the houses we lived in during the early 90s. This was the 1st time I saw The Aristocats and I fell in love with the songs and little Marie, possibly the cutest AND most annoying kitten to ever live. My parents apparently met the author of the original book when they were in Greece on a holiday. Apparently, the original story was not so child-friendly and it was a lot longer, the movie covering a small part of the overall story. He didn't seem terribly pleased about the way the film turned out but, frankly, none of the Disney versions of the original fairytales are particularly accurate... so either don't give them the film rights or you can suck it in.


The Little Mermaid.
Awesome soundtrack, awesome characters and just one of my favourite fairytales anyway. 'Nuff said, really.


Lilo and Stitch.
Ok, so generally, I'm not a fan of any Disney movies made after the mid 90s, but this film really touched me. I think it's adorable, I LOVE the music and (I think) it has a really sweet storyline.



All images, characters, etc are the property of Disney.

Recent Polyvore Sets.

So I've decided that I'm going to do themed sets on Polyvore, outfits that describe a person, not just clothes that look nice. Here are a few recent ones:

Veronique


veronique
veronique by kittencaboodle featuring Carvela shoes


Items in this set:
RACHEL GILBERT WOOL BEADED SLEEVE BABYDOLL DRESS, 95 GBP
Black Hold Up Stockings With Black Bow - Tights - desireclothing.co.uk, 5 GBP
Carvela Athena Court Shoes, Turquoise, 3, 100 GBP
Treesje 'Studded Stone' Front Pleat Satchel, $395
BCBGMaxAzria - Elite Glitz Watch (Gold/Turquoise) - Jewelry, $200

She sneaks out to read classical literature in the park on her lunch break, drinking home made hot chocolate from her thermos flask. She collects vintage soft drink bottles and places them on her mantle like works of art. Her vinyl collection is piled up in orange crates on her bedroom floor, her clothes litter the back of her chairs and other furniture because she never bothered to unpack. She feeds the cats of the neighbourhood and watches 60s james bond films on her nights off, eating thai food from its container. She cuts out panels from old comic books as her fashion inspiration and applies her makeup at the MAC cosmetics counter.


Mikki


Mikki
Mikki by kittencaboodle featuring Lulu Guinness umbrellas


Items in this set:
Figurini tank top med print, 480 DKK
BN087-37509 Pink Jacket, 425 GBP
Shiny Rats leggings, 1.250 DKK
Converse Sneakers Neon, 65 EUR
Red Admiral Butterfly Pin Brooch, 6.50 GBP

She hasn't made her bed since 1997, she's been sleeping on friend's couches ever since. The only sunlight of the day she sees is the sun rising as she stumbles home every morning. She goes to nightclubs just to look at the pretty lights. None of her friends remember her natural hair colour unless they look at her regrowth, it's permanently some kind of dayglo colour. She doesn't have a boyfriend because it means she'd have to stay at home on week nights. Her favourite things to do are sing out loud while she walks down the streets, sprinkle the goo from inside glowsticks on busy intersections so cars leave brightly coloured tracks and cuddle under her umbrella... even when it's not raining. She likes to eat sushi and listens to bikini kill on a daily basis. She doodles butterflies on every surface she sees, including the walls of public toilets, and ties a permanent texta around her neck for when the opportunity arises.

Chloe

Chloe
Chloe by kittencaboodle featuring Dorothy Perkins shoes


Items in this set:
White basic pleat shirt, 14 GBP
Grey Fluid Chambray Jacket, Vivienne Westwood Red Label, size: 10, 455 GBP
Herve Leger Stretch pencil skirt, $455
Deborah Marquit French Lace Boy Brief, $125
Deborah Marquit French Lace Garter, $115

By day, she works as a secretary in an accounting firm. She wears a lot of grey, looks to the floor and hides behind her non-prescription glasses as she makes coffee for her coworkers and clients. Her friends like her because she's a good listener but they leave her home on Friday nights when they're out clubbing. She has to work overtime anyway, she says. None of her friends or family have been to her home since she moved out... what they don't realise is her 'overtime' actually consists of watching Gone with the Wind and reading Jane Austen novels in her boudoir, wearing nothing but her louboutins, thigh high stockings and lacy underwear and drinking champagne. Her house is covered in vintage Vargas prints.She's secretly taught herself the art of twirling those nipple tassles she bought 'as a joke' on the way home one night and spends hours on the phone, flirting with a long line of male suitors as she twirls her no longer perfectly tied back back raven coloured hair into the wee hours of the morning before she pulls herself out of bed, pulls on her grey disguise and heads back into the office.




And now, here are a few other random sets:





let's go on a date
let's go on a date by kittencaboodle featuring Tory Burch bags




mini break
mini break by kittencaboodle featuring Chanel sunglasses


Do you have a polyvore? If so, send a set this way!

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Omegle

So I decided to try Omegle today.
Basically, I don't have a webcam and the idea of video chatting with randoms on chatroulette scared me a little. Also, I remember the good old days on yahoo chat when about 90% of the people on there were prowling for sex and I was an innocent 11 year old seeing what it was all about and being horrified.

Like formspring, I have mixed feelings about the idea of random people talking to me, asking me things anonymously and being powerless to identify them because they are, in fact, anonymous. I also really don't like sexual advances on the internet... there's a time and a place in my books and unless I'm already dating someone, I won't be engaging in steamy conversations with them online.

After tentatively clicking that I wanted text chat and not video, I was off. The first person I spoke to was nice enough. I'm assuming a male, he said he was from the US. I explained it was my first ever conversation on omegle and he gave me some advice: "be prepared to be disappointed with about 98% of the conversations you have on here." He also told me that a fair few people don't speak english very well and to avoid internet slang beyond 'lol' or anything else that is used pretty universally. We had a chat about greek food for a bit (he worked in a greek restaurant, apparently) and then he got a phone call and logged off.

The next person started the conversation with 'I am a hungry dragoness and I want to eat you'. Not a bad conversation opener, huh? I laughed (aloud) nervously and typed "in a dungeons and dragons kind of way or in the sense that you will actually devour my flesh and throw my body off a bridge?" she responded that it would depend on how yummy I am with a little wink smiley. I stared at the computer for a few seconds too many, apparently, and then she disconnected.

The next 3 people disconnected the second I typed "hi". After that, there were a few (i'm guessing teenage) boys who wanted to know my age, gender, where I was from and if I wanted to engage them sexually...... I clicked disconnect. A few people later and I'm speaking to a lovely guy from the US. Apparently his name is alex and he's a bit tipsy from a few after work drinks. We chatted for a good 20 minutes about life, what it's like where we're from (without either of us giving away things like age, where exactly we lived or anything creepy like that). It was his first day too, apparently, and he was just bored and not looking for any kind of sexual advances. Phew. After 20 odd minutes, I accidentally pulled my USB internet modem out of my computer. Oops. I took it as a sign that I should talk to somebody else and reconnected.

After that, a few more sexual prowlers, a man who specified that he was only interested in talking to me if I was a muslim female of a certain age group who would be his girlfriend, and a high school girl from the US again who was talking about the trials and tribulations of her final year of school (bless her. The end of schooling sucks!) and, oops, I accidentally pulled out my internet modem again. It's plugged in right next to my laptop's power cord and when I take out the power cord, goodbye internet.

All in all, I can understand the collective horror of parents everywhere who are worried about their teenage daughters being exposed to sexual deviants. Then again, from the people I did speak to, apparently these girls are just as likely to BE the sexual deviants who scare the unsuspecting public. If you speak to somebody interesting, you feel a little sad if you disconnect, but you also feel very fulfilled knowing that there are other people out there who you can genuinely have a conversation with. Also, I liked being able to ask people what their way of life was like and being able to explain my own, knowing that it wouldn't be another 'same old' conversation that you would have with the person who lives around the corner from you.

It's also highly addictive because you're so intent on speaking to someone who is not a complete creep that you're compelled to keep looking in the hopes that you meet someone interesting. One day, maybe I will muster the courage to use chatroulette, but for now I think this was adventurous enough for now. Who knows, maybe if you give it a try you may actually talk to me one day.

The thing about body image is...

Hi there, so it's a new first post and a new day.
What's one thing that pretty much every women's magazine is likely to cash in on? BODY IMAGE! Sure, we're all insecure but the fact that there will always be a heated debate on whether a 'real woman' has curves, is too skinny, too fat, too weird.... well, it makes a lot of money. Do you blame them for bringing it up? As you can guess, a few magazines in the merry old land of Aus have just had their body image specials, all landed conveniently around the same time (but then again, most are owned by the same publishing company so that may explain a little more as to why).

Here is my stance on body image, so be prepared for some tough love.

You're not a real woman just because you have curves and an ass. You're not a real woman just because you're pretty and skinny and wealthy and manage to look like a nymphet when you're nearing forty. Want to know what makes a real woman? ACTING like one! That doesn't mean you can't still enjoy yourself or go out for a few drinks after work with your friends (I say this, yet I don't actually drink myself... go figure!) or wear divinely sexy clothing... it means that you're old enough to know better than to assume that you're going to -look- fifteen for the rest of your life. You're not going to have the same metabolism after you hit 25 or again after you have kids. Don't kill yourself trying to fit in all that exercise and organic, healthy food that barely lines your stomach. Embrace the fact that you are and look like a woman. Ask any man what they think is attractive and they'll say 2 things. 1) Curves (an ambiguous term which is a bit of a lifesaver for the male world... do they mean they like you with a little extra to grab on to or do they mean a defined, tiny waist, voluptuous breasts and a round ass? the answer is probably both) and 2) Someone womanly. This doesn't mean one of those pre pubescent looking faces that grace the catwalk and cosmetic ads, more a Guess model who seems to appear like they're 25+ and is divinely confident of that fact.

Most women see Marylin Monroe as an epitome of beauty. She was beautiful, talented and definitely did not look like a starved thirteen year old.... so why don't we aspire to look like her rather than, say, that tiny waif like creature we see wearing head to toe Dolce and Gabbana? In fact, look at Angelina Jolie. Most men find her ridiculously sexy, with good reason. Does she look like she's still in high school? No? then what are you worried about if you don't either? She's a woman. She has a face that resembles and adult. She has a body that resembles an adult. Sure, it's her job to be thin and attractive and have a gruelling exercise regime, but it's the same thing as working in an office and having to wear business attire... it's your job.

The other thing I should point out is that the actresses models and singers of the world get paid to be attractive in a conventional sense. They probably don't want to spend hours a day in front of a treadmill, doing some kind of yoga exercise they can't pronounce and eating nothing but 'healthy' (meaning: tasteless, unfulfilling, restrictive) diets. I'm sure that most of these people would love an icecream sundae as much as the next person would. Feel better now? I sure hope so. It's not your job to be superwoman and defy time, gravity and your physical abilities or cooking skills. You probably don't make as much as these women do (they can afford a personal trainer, they can afford plastic surgeons and they can afford to get their photos airbrushed... though all of these things would also be taxable expenses for them as it's in the job description and it makes a hell of a lot of money for said personal trainer/plastic surgeon/photo retoucher) Their jobs are also not the typical 9-5 jobs. They work incredibly hard throughout certain times of the year when they're shooting/recording/modelling and then have months of downtime in which they're meant to work on their appearance in order to gain more work when it comes up. They also may want to, you know, see their loved ones once in a while... something we get to do every day in most cases because we get to go home on nights and weekends.

Some people are naturally skinny. Some people are naturally not. Some people are naturally tall, short, dark or fair... it's not something you can help all the time. Once you're sure that you're healthy (again, not meaning a size 0, but able to walk up a flight of stairs, get about your daily business and not get sick every 5 minutes) then you don't have to try to achieve some kind of scary body shape because, I'll let you in on a little secret here, it won't make you happier and it won't make you a better person. Just a hungrier, more tired and more resentful one. Nothing's more unattractive to anyone than a grumpy, constantly tired woman who you can't even take out for dinner because it goes against her diet rules to eat anything that isn't made in some kind of secret, expensive ingredient.

While we see these people in the papers every day, they never say to us "You would be perfect if you looked like me." They're also not "real" people to the average reader of any magazine. When did any of us last catch a coffee with little Vicky Beckham or stop for drinks with Beth Ditto? probably last week in that dream where we saved the world from seal hunters on the planet Zutron. Some people are naturally skinny. Some people are naturally voluptuous. Add some exercise and, yes, you can look any way you'd like, but at what price? We're so caught up on looking young that we assume that a 28 year old will have the metabolism of a fifteen year old and if not, they should try to attain that body shape. I think the real issue is that we try to be that undefined age of 'young' for too long and are bitterly disappointed when we don't look the same at 30 that we did at 20, that we don't look the same at 20 that we did at 16 when our hormones, our lifestyles and our faster metabolisms meant that we didn't look like complete morons in tiny shorts or sparkly tops. My point being? you can't be 16 forever... and it's great! You can get married, join the army, win the lottery (because you're old enough to buy a ticket) and having a 'cheap drink' no longer means drinking fruity lexia in the park with your closest friends and hoping the cops don't walk past. No more pimples or worrying that the cute guy in the year level above you thinks of you as a 'little sister' figure. Embrace the fact that you're a woman. You don't look like you're doing something illegal if you wear sexy lingerie or stay up past 10 on a weeknight.

I'd rather be a 'real' woman for being past the age of puberty, rather than worrying whether or not I gain weight if I eat that extra slice of cheesecake. That's what being a 'real' woman is, being an adult and knowing better than to sweat it over petty things. Take note, everyone, and enjoy yourselves.

Actually, if you are reading this, I'd also suggest you pick up a copy of this week's Grazia in Australia (issue 86, which is available until April 26) as you can see some of this article in the opinions page. Now, go out and get some fresh air, eat some real food for lunch and have a wonderful day.