Sunday, 4 February 2007
Pump it Up
Rach lent me her Ministry of Sound work out video yesterday so I thought I’d have a go at it today. The dvd has the crew from ‘that’ Eric Prydz video dressed in varying degrees of very little with perfect hair and perfect makeup and inane grins. Despite closing the blinds (surely a sign of sordid goings on at 10am on a Sunday) I still felt completely ridiculous and collapsed with giggles on more than one occasion. However, it was a pretty good work out so I’ll persevere with some of the more un-ali-like moves, although I will accept that while I may get hot while exercising I will, unlike the girls in the video, never look hot while I do it!
Cuddles
I had lunch with Tessa yesterday and met the gorgeous Caitlin Cliff–Reid at last. What a little munchkin! You really can’t beat cuddles with a 2-month-old on a Saturday afternoon even if they do puke up on your jeans. Ah -- tick-tock, tick-tock- call the hormone disposal squad quick!
Guilt
It always intrigues me that people feel guilt in varying degrees. How is it that I feel guilty for taking a day off work when I’m actually sick whereas others can pull a sicky to hang out with mates seemingly without any remorse at all. I had to leave work early last Monday as I could barely speak with my laryngitis but I felt so awful about it that I actually took some marking home with me and then the next day I felt so at fault for calling in sick again.
Do we guilt-ridden have an enlarged area in our brain that sends out disapproving messages about what we do? Is it the tellings-off and disappointed glances of our youth? Was it the brimstone and hell-fire preached from the pulpit? Or is it that some people just have this uncanny knack of making us feel guilty? Or maybe it is not guilt at all but just the control freak in me that is convinced that things will fall apart completely if I am not there. I still won’t be pulling a sicky anytime soon but I think perhaps I will lighten up on myself a little.
Do we guilt-ridden have an enlarged area in our brain that sends out disapproving messages about what we do? Is it the tellings-off and disappointed glances of our youth? Was it the brimstone and hell-fire preached from the pulpit? Or is it that some people just have this uncanny knack of making us feel guilty? Or maybe it is not guilt at all but just the control freak in me that is convinced that things will fall apart completely if I am not there. I still won’t be pulling a sicky anytime soon but I think perhaps I will lighten up on myself a little.
Saturday, 27 January 2007
Challenge Ali
Forget Challenge Anneka I have entered into the hardest weekend of my life! I have laryngitis and have been told I need to rest my voice and must try not to speak for 3 days. The doctor clearly does not know me and has no idea how hard this is – especially as I had a rocking weekend lined up – but have cancelled like the good girl I am. I’ve had a bit of a movie fest, but as you can tell the urge to natter has overtaken me so hence the hectic blogging – sorry.
So I think I will rate weekends movies so far:
1. Hitch – love it. I have to say Will Smith is damn fine in this one – great lines, super smile – and it would be nice to think that guys would ever go to such lengths to get a date with a girl. Where are these men?
2. Vanity Fair – Always going to be a hard one as the book is so fantastic – but very enjoyable. However, the lovely Reece Witherspoon is perhaps a bit too nice to play Becky Sharpe – she wasn’t quite bitchy enough for me.
3. Uptown Girls – wasn’t overly sure about this one when I read the back – and Brittany Murphy doesn’t exactly scream ‘must see’, however, I was surprised to have a tear in my eye at the end and several giggles in the middle. And of course Dakota Fanning rocks – hope she can escape the child actor curse and become an untroubled adult.
4. The Break-Up – Well have to say the funniest bits in this movie were the occasional Russian voice over from my dodgy MBK copy of this movie. I know it’s meant to be a comedy but it is sooooo sad. The things people do to each other. Makes me glad to be single.
5. Reign of Fire – the title says it all really – Dragons taking over the world and Christian Bales dodgy british accent – never going to be a winner. But still the gorgeous Matthew McConaghey still manages to look attractive despite the bald head and wild beard.
Well that’s it so far but it is only Saturday evening and I’ve got to get through another silent day. So I’ve got a little collection of romantic comedies donated by Rach to get through. Can’t wait!
So I think I will rate weekends movies so far:
1. Hitch – love it. I have to say Will Smith is damn fine in this one – great lines, super smile – and it would be nice to think that guys would ever go to such lengths to get a date with a girl. Where are these men?
2. Vanity Fair – Always going to be a hard one as the book is so fantastic – but very enjoyable. However, the lovely Reece Witherspoon is perhaps a bit too nice to play Becky Sharpe – she wasn’t quite bitchy enough for me.
3. Uptown Girls – wasn’t overly sure about this one when I read the back – and Brittany Murphy doesn’t exactly scream ‘must see’, however, I was surprised to have a tear in my eye at the end and several giggles in the middle. And of course Dakota Fanning rocks – hope she can escape the child actor curse and become an untroubled adult.
4. The Break-Up – Well have to say the funniest bits in this movie were the occasional Russian voice over from my dodgy MBK copy of this movie. I know it’s meant to be a comedy but it is sooooo sad. The things people do to each other. Makes me glad to be single.
5. Reign of Fire – the title says it all really – Dragons taking over the world and Christian Bales dodgy british accent – never going to be a winner. But still the gorgeous Matthew McConaghey still manages to look attractive despite the bald head and wild beard.
Well that’s it so far but it is only Saturday evening and I’ve got to get through another silent day. So I’ve got a little collection of romantic comedies donated by Rach to get through. Can’t wait!
Massacre
Its mayfly season so as you are waiting for the skytrain or strolling along sukhumvit there are literally thousands of mayflies buzzing around any light. They’re not a huge annoyance although it is a bit icky when one accidentally flies down your top and gets squashed. However, I do like to keep my apartment bug free. That is until the arrive of Magnus who opened the balcony doors to pop out for a fag and let in about 80 of the buggers. Carnage. There was no way we could shoo them out without doubling the amount that came in so unfortunately the spray had to come out. But to my horror this only caused their wings to fall off and led to the little critters crawling wingless around the floor. Gross. A spot of impromptu morris dancing later and my gleaming white tiles looked like a truckers windscreen on a long-haul journey.
A Youthful Complexion
Aargh. My daily moisturizing cream has just run out. Not too much of a problem you would think – just pop out to boots (yes I actually have 2 in walking distance!) and get some more. But no it turned into a right palaver. Although they did have my usual brand it only came with WHITENING. If I wanted to be pale and pasty I would still be living in England. And while I do not sunbath at every given opportunity, I wear factor 50 and sit in the shade, I do like my healthy glow. I am not going to try and diminish this on a daily basis. A look at every variety of moisturizer confirmed my worst nightmare – yes they all had whitening. I had two options: a) look like a prune b) turn a ghostly shade of pale. But never fear help was at hand! A helpful assistant was able to go to the stockroom and find me a jar of (contraband?) non-whitening cream – phew.
It always entertains me that we brits are so eager to get tanned while our asian counterparts are desperate not to become darker. We had a fire drill the other day and all trouped out as necessary onto the football pitch. We western teachers were soaking up the rays while the thai department were huddling in the pitiful bits of shade or were cowering under folders held above their heads. Well I guess they will age better than we will!
It always entertains me that we brits are so eager to get tanned while our asian counterparts are desperate not to become darker. We had a fire drill the other day and all trouped out as necessary onto the football pitch. We western teachers were soaking up the rays while the thai department were huddling in the pitiful bits of shade or were cowering under folders held above their heads. Well I guess they will age better than we will!
Security Measures
Having got used to seeing military on the street after the coup security measures have again increased after the New Years Eve bombs. Bags are searched going into shopping centres, soldiers (with guns – which never ceases to freak me out) ride the skytrain, vehicles are pulled over and searched and there soldiers once again in evidence at major intersections. I have to admit that the (albeit undemocratic) government are taking the threat of further bombs very seriously.
It may be a London thing but bomb scares and bombings have been, if not part of everyday life, then certainly an accepted part of living in the city, right or wrong. Its not that I have been dismissive about the bombs or the threat of further ones but I haven’t been brought up to cower in my apartment and not get on with life. After all I’m more likely to die from my fridge catching fire - or allegedly those glade plug ins (you have been warned). Bangkok, on the other hand, has not had the same history of London and some of my Thai assistants have indicated their fear of going out and are naturally worried about what will happen next. It has been hard to quash their fears without sounding flippant about what has happened, but hopefully they will become less anxious as time goes on. The very visible security measures can only help.
It may be a London thing but bomb scares and bombings have been, if not part of everyday life, then certainly an accepted part of living in the city, right or wrong. Its not that I have been dismissive about the bombs or the threat of further ones but I haven’t been brought up to cower in my apartment and not get on with life. After all I’m more likely to die from my fridge catching fire - or allegedly those glade plug ins (you have been warned). Bangkok, on the other hand, has not had the same history of London and some of my Thai assistants have indicated their fear of going out and are naturally worried about what will happen next. It has been hard to quash their fears without sounding flippant about what has happened, but hopefully they will become less anxious as time goes on. The very visible security measures can only help.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
