A Capital Ramble

So I'm just back from London. What a city. I've never really done it before, and even these last five days seem like a blur so I doubt I've learnt much more. What I do know now is that;

• It gets very hot on the tube/underground/whatever you want to call it.
• I don't particularly like being stuck underground, or crowds.
• The streets are paved with gold (we found £70 on our first night in Soho! Amazing.)
• The Natural History Museum is incredible.
• London is FAR too expensive and big.

Have never spent so much money in my life but completely worth it. 

Oh and of course I saw Muse. And Biffy. Bloody fucking brilliant. 

Crumble

I love apple crumble. It is a great dessert.
Do you know what else I love? That my 16 year old brother has just got home.
Humph.

Be afraid (to ramble)

I'm doing my dissertation on the deconstruction/concept of fear in modern contemporary literature, or something similarly pretentious.

It never occurred to me that reading horror novels for months straight would effect my thoughts so I can only fall asleep after being awake for 20 odd hours so that my eyelids are so heavy that I begin to worry that they will get stuck together and I will never be able to open my eyes and...

Yeah, concept of fear. Stupid idea.

Still, I do manage to sleep. I no longer dream. I'm trapped inside a nightmare than I can't seem to escape and it's no fun.

Yet I continue to read every Stephen King, craving the endings of the stories but finding no refuge in the lack of 'happily ever after.'

Currently reading Bare Bones Conversations on Terror with Stephen King and he has just come up with a gem.

'America has developed this sort of cannibalistic cult of celebrity.'

Not much to do with fear, thankfully, but it rings true in the world we live in and this interview was held in 1980!

I'm trying to build up my tolerance for Pet Semetary supposedly the novel that King didn't want to publish.

Wish me luck.

AW2010 Ramble

Only a quick post to say that I have purchased the latest sanctus libri:

And I am delighted to tell you that there is no need to fear the disappearance of clothes altogether. Hemlines have actually returned, and there is a refined elegance that wasn't so much as lost but obliterated in previous seasons!

There will be more to post on this at some point, I need to peruse through the pages meticulously, giving it the respect it deserves before subjecting it to the growing stack of magazines on one of my many bookshelves.

So far, all I know is that a fellow blogger (how I wish there was a more feminine word) will appreciate the resurgence of elegant eyebrows.

http://beginnersfalafel.blogspot.com/2010/05/eyebrows-have-feelings-too.html

 Until then, tread carefully with your cheek skimming hemlines as they will soon be the ridicule of fashion to come.

Slightly Irritated Ramble

What is wrong with not having a goal in life? Or setting an unattainable achievement? Does this attitude negate your point to life and label you a failure?

These questions have been rattling around my head since the conversation with my house-mate last night. So much so that I have gone for a run and showered and had breakfast by 10am! We were discussing our various backgrounds and how apparently I have yet to cut the apron strings... If only my parents could have heard him! I know that that discussion would have bypassed heated to roasting.

I acknowledge as humbly as I possibly can that I have been very fortunate throughout my life. I have taken note of my behaviour and I accept the fact that my train-wreck attitude has got out of control and needs to be harnessed (unlike Miley Cyrus I hope to God that I can be tamed). I have had to come to terms with my lackadaisical approach to work and employment and even with my own goals in life. What I refuse to accept is that my life is pointless.

Watching The Green Mile the other night with said house-mate I candidly remember screeching, 'his life is pointless' about the character Percy, during the electrifying death of prisoner Del. I had to then explain to my house-mate who, not quite defended Percy's actions but at least his point to life. His argument was that Percy had achieved goals in his life, he had 'done something' with it, even if it included his inhumane treatment of the inmates of death row. I on the other hand said that your career doesn't define your point to life and that anyone else could have done his job and to a higher degree of satisfaction. This character, in my eyes, had no right to life because of his cruelty and the world would be better off without him.

Unfortunately my house-mate has this uncanny ability to make you doubt yourself and my argument was quickly dissipated by his eloquence (he should really consider achieving a career in politics), but after the the rather more drunken, on his part, discussion last night, the point to life is truly dwelling on my mind.

Well... Being  the selfish, egocentric person I am, rather the point to my life.

What do I want to do with my life? Have a career, be a wife, a mother, dedicate my life to religion, the government or volunteer to try and save our crumbling world? The world, as they say, is my oyster. I wish I had less choices, someone to make the decision for me, even if it then prompted me to rebel and discover what I really want to do. Though there is already no doubt in my mind what I want to do, I can't quite pinpoint how to make a living out of it just yet. (Another snippet from my house-mate, that even if all I do with my life is live at home trying to write the novels that I know are inside of me, and even succeed in finishing one or all of them, I still haven't made a contribution to the world unless they are published!)

I know it's ridiculous and unrealistic to believe anything I write could equate to a career - or maybe having that belief would be enough to get me there - regardless, what is so wrong with wanting to live my life for me? Of course I'm going to have to get a 'real job' to survive in this materialistic and money orientated world, but if in an ideal world I could somehow live by my writing alone, would my life be considered to have less point than Percy?

Ciao Bellas Xx

(on a completely unrelated thought, I feel that I should get rid of the 'Bellas' crap as 1. I doubt all of you who read this are beautiful and 2. I'm judging you all as Twilight fans, when clearly Harry Potter is better! So I apologise. Will be changed by the next ramble... )

Summer Ramble

Is it sad that there is nothing occupying my mind, nothing that has made me think in a very long time? I can't remember when I last enjoyed dwelling on a thought...

All that is going round my mind are disposable cameras, the beach, tan lines and Wales. That's a little worrying me thinks... I guess as a Briton I should be thinking about the World Cup, Pimms and holidays - so maybe the tan lines do fit in there somewhere! But I'm so focussed on my own life that the rest of the world hardly seems worth noticing.

And my life? It is pretty much a train wreck. And I am going to do something about it. As of this weekend, or at least next week after I have got this weekend out the way. Because of course Wales is on the agenda for this weekend and that is quite exciting! A whole other country less than an hour away and I get to sit in the car while my little bechdan drives me across the border.

Sheep country here I come! (And hopefully some more interesting material to write about).

Ciao Bellas Xx

Miss Motley's 21st Ramble

A Thursday delight in the mould house to celebrate the THIRD birthday of the month... And of course as it is one of 'my girls' birthdays there has to be a poem, made by me for you.

As I wander around the house
There are remnants of Minne Mouse
A thumping beat of Boom Boom Pow
And mile long eyelashes - wow oh wow.


A scattering of aluminium cans - diet, of course - 
With a hint of St Tropez as she tans.
Surrounded by rice cake crumbs I spy
Her gym clothes from a workout Madonna'd never try.


The first thing I see is not her face or smile, 
There's something in the way, it takes a while, 
To see this Sheff-town beauty in all her glory
As she hides behind many cups of Starbucks coffee.


Her dates with Kelsie are infamous
As are the body-con dresses,
Her love for Rihanna, giant earrings and gingers.
Ever the lady as she gives you the fingers...


This is our Motley, the very best ,
The one, the only, A to the triple S.


Ciao Bella Xx

A long since needed ramble!

Blah Blah Blah

I know I'm horrendous at keeping up to date with all these things. BUT at least I have a photo of my skirt that I (finally) finished... (Then destroyed after climbing a building... But shhhhh).

Clearly a bit worse for wear at this point but never mind that and look at the SKIRT!!

And the jacket which proceeded to get stolen (not lost, STOLEN) that night :c

But I was well chuffed with it.

Currently designing a 1960's kaftan in the same two colours that should be finished in the next month or sew...

But until then, ciao for now Xx

Spring Ramble

Can't believe that three months have been frittered away so that we are almost a quarter of the way through 2010!! Where has all this time gone?

The last semester has been a blur of house parties and sleepless nights. However I am closer to finishing some skirts from my fashion course! No more mindless finger puppets to while away the hours...

But the biggest bugger up is the whole losing my camera thing so no photos to display today... But I'm sure I will somehow get more to put up for your entertainment (you know who you are).

I keep thinking about after Uni... What the hell am I supposed to do? Damn this 'shitty combined honours' that I do!

Until I have something concrete to write I am going to leave you with a simple au revoir and the notion that I need to watch more America's Next Top Model.


Ciao Bella Xx 

Fashion Ramble

Hola Chica.

It's that time of year where we look to Spring and Summer because, let's face it, the Winter and snow has gone on for far too long and we're freezing our legging clad buts off for the sake of fashion. We're looking for new and innovative fashions that are going to give us that hope and inspiration to work through this Winter to see the beautiful, HOT, sunlight at the end of the tunnel. (Here's hoping).

Believe me. We are ALL freezing in this photo... Not quite snowy, but definitely a sub-zero chill/wind factor!!

Well, seeing as I am stranded at home, unable to venture out my front door due to the obscene amounts of snow that we have had to deal with this past week, instead of revising (exams???) I have been trawling through the latest magazines, taking note of the latest trends and forcing myself to believe that summer is just around the corner - give or take a few months.

So as I was faced with the February 2010 edition of Elle I removed my gloves and donned my specs in the hope of better things to come.

I love the new Chanel ad campaigns; Zorro meets a less-than-virtuous milkmaid.

However, I'm not quite feeling the new adverts for Gucci's Spring/Summer 2010,
or indeed Dolce and Gabbana's collection...







It reminded me far too much of last year's Guess ad campaign...

Which in turn I thought I recognised from cocoperez.com...

Nevertheless, finally having a look through something that did not include any sort of poetry or Victorian literature I was more relieved than ever to have a glossy magazine between my fingertips!

As we start a new decade I wonder whether we are going to rehash previous trends, (the '80's are still going strong) or start something new (Alexander McQueen's Armadillo heels)? I'm looking forward to a season where we take our own initiative and are proud inventors of our own trend, and hopefully NOT the Snuggie!

The main designers that manage to catch my untrained eye are the collections by none other than the biggest names in fashion; Chanel, Dior and Versace. They manage to epitomize elegance with a style that our modern world sometimes lacks through forgetfulness. Having said that, Proenza Schouler's daring tie-dye range of fun, wearable, summer surfer chic will be a constant beacon of ideas and inspiration for my own summer wardrobe. Ralph Lauren had a  return of denim, dungarees and 'dustbowl America', whereas Celine had a realist take on a durable monochrome and neutral pallet. In all, I think that this Spring/Summer (if it ever arrives) will be a nod of the head to 2010, a new decade, a new direction and a new sense of hope for the future.

Ciao Bellas Xx

Rambling Birthday

This is just a wee short notice about a 21st Birthday today!!!

As I am ALWAYS broke and have no way of express my love and happiness for a certain lady in my life I thought I would show my love through a wonderful miniblog.

To you dear Kimbers I wish a fantastic 21st birthday and we will celebrate IN STYLE once we are reunited up North. Until then, this is all for you...

I close my eyes and think of you

And Cupsy holding hands.

Add capybara to the mix

And dream of far off lands.

Where curly boys and Jellihags

Reside together and

Making an almost even six,

Are still quite incomplete.

We need a slug and wait, a straw

For diet coke no less, 

And cheese (for some) even bacon

Make the world so much more.
 

Still a pink dressing gown needed, 

An accent like no other,

(Oh no). Throw a horse in the mix

And finally we have a birthday wish.

Very spur of the moment poem which I know makes no sense. But it really was the best I could think of!!

Love to all of you and of course Happy Birthday.

Ciao Bellas Xx

New Year Ramble

Ahh, the first ramble of 2010... Happy New Year!!!

Cannot believe I'm in the second decade of my life now... Where has the time gone? It does not feel that I have been in the UK for 10 years... Though as I try and remember the years passed, actually a lot has happened, and considering there are a lot of days (like yesterday/today) where I tend to sit in my room watching and rewatching Gossip Girl or reading or even a little bit of work (!), it isn't surprising that we are unaware of where the time goes.

I know that new year is supposed to signify a new you. Or at least that's what all the magazines say.

Be thin, this year!

Get the man you want, this year!

Be rich, this year!

Get the satisfaction you deserve, this year!

Be self-empowered, this year!

It's no wonder that we put all this pressure on ourselves in January to be this all new person, better than we ever were before. We all make resolutions, but how many of us actually manage to keep them past the first week? We are human. We are prone to failure and give in all to easily to temptation. I don't think that's something that we ourselves are ever going to be able to change, unless we somehow learn to become something that we are not.

My only new years resolution, is to try and be kinder and more positive. Of course in the back of my head I know that whatever I mentally prepare myself for, I cannot help the inevitable irritation that some people just cannot control. Nor can I control my own anger, counting to 100 more likely to help than counting to 10!

My parents thought I should try give up swearing, which I shall try, at least in front of them.

My friends from home thought that I should try and be less like me, or rather just try to tone down my personality. Not sure whether I will give this one ago, because I like being loud and boisterous.

Up North I'm not quite sure what my friends there would want my resolution to be, probably something along the lines of write more emo poetry/draw with your own blood, all for their amusement of course. But there too, no can do (that's all the rhyming you're going to get from me).

Resolutions are all very well, but there is far too much pressure on the beginning of a new year to be the perfect person. By February we have all resorted back to our old selves and are swearing, stopped going to the gym, kept the pounds we gained over Christmas and are as grouchy as ever. I think that if we lost this notion of a 'new you' over the new year and just took it within ourselves to change when it is right for us then we would all get a lot further on in our resolutions. Or at least there would be less pressure to be perfect from January onwards...

I know I'm not perfect (ish) but there isn't much about me that I want to change. Is that so wrong?

It seems fitting to end this ramble with a quote from Gossip Girl...

You know you love me

xoxo

Ciao Bellas Xx