Lincoln

I went to see Lincoln at the cinema this afternoon.

I went in pretty much only knowing that he wore a hat, had a beard, abolished slavery and was assassinated.

I left at the end having learnt that he wore a hat, had a beard, abolished slavery and was assassinated.

So that was educational.

Rocket

I was waiting for the bleeding home hub to start working again, but it doesn't look like that's going to happen, and I only have 6% battery left, so super quick iPhone post.

Speaking of super quick, maybe I'll do a review post on my new mascara, the Maybelline The Rocket Volum Express.

Yes, it's fast. Yes, it's clump free. Yes, it give you long lashes. Yes, it lasts a long time.

But what about volume, something that is in the product name? Not so much. I think it's because it's so quick, you can't really work up the amount of volume like you might with other mascaras. The whole clump free thing only really works for the first coat, it's not a buildable mascara. Also, lasting power has its pros and cons and for me, in this product at least, it's a con. The product dries so quickly that you have to work fast to get rid of mistakes. The first time I used it, I did both eyes before I went back to check for mistakes, and ended up having to take the whole lot off and start again ... Which is no easy task. This stuff does not like to be removed.

In short, great for everyday, flying out the door because you're late for work general use ... But time karma bites you in the ass when it comes to taking it off.

Also, I think dropping 'Volum' from the product name would be more apt.

Alarm Clock

I really hate waking up.

I think this literally every time I get awoken by an alarm. I wish I could wake up on time calmly and serenely without something having to wake me up.

I was at school today. I had just left, when I found my car had been blocked in, and was sorting that out when the head teacher found me and pleaded with me to hover for two hours to cover the group's 2 hour art lesson in the afternoon. We made it work despite the fact I had 7 kids to teach and nothing to teach them, mostly because I bullshitted my way through. I just shoved a load of different art things that I could find in the centre of the table and told them to experiment and not think about what they are doing. So we all just played with paints, inks and stamps.

My problem now is do I charge them for the two hours I was waiting around for?

I think I will, its £50. Maybe I won't bill them for my petrol expenses in return.

Watched an episode of Faith this evening. It's a really good series, just wish it was holding my attention more.

Black Hole

I was going to watch an episode of Faith tonight, but some how it's got too late. Which is very odd, as I got into bed at just gone half 10 after having a bath, and now its quarter past midnight and I have no idea where that time has gone.

Sometimes I hate the internet. It is like a black hole for time and productivity.

I'm on episode 19 of Faith. Still have 6 episodes left. I haven't been watching it as often as I would like to. Sometimes because of the aforementioned black hole, but mostly because of my mother and eBay.

I started using my Dad's account to sell things today. From now on, we're going to keep all of their stuff to his account, and mine to mine, which makes sense. I still have to be the one that does all the ebaying though. I've got my phone logged into my account and my old phone into my dad's.

It's pretty much a full time job, this eBay malarky.

Coldplay Brigade

So I was just perusing the traffic sources to the Cake Brigade blog, and found this ...

It's a COLDPLAY FORUM and they talk about MY STUPID BAKING BLOG.

Some Turkey child posted my cupcake logo.

And said she was going to hack me.

She was not sucessful.

It's just weird. I still find it so odd that every single one of my page views isn't some one I know. Or me.

It does amuse me how most of the keyword searches that bring people to this blog are variations of 'TV is shit' though.

Sleep

Double post today seeing as I didn't post yesterday ... although I don't have much else to tell.

Spent a vast proportion of my day sleeping. I don't know why I am so wiped out, especially when it isn't like it was a particulary late night, even if it was an early start this morning. Anyway, I had a good few hours nap, and now, I am snuggled up in bed already at just past midnight ready to go to sleep.

Age is catching up with me, clearly.

Hopefully tomorrow will be more exciting ... and productive.

On the Red Capret

I would have loved to have told you about how the premiere was at the time, but unfortunately for me, I was in no state to blog last night ...

I finished school and bombed it down to London. I was quite worried about the timing, but made it down in record time (in under 75 mins) so I had over an hour to get ready and spend a little time with him. Which was lucky, as pretty much as soon as we met up with other people, we separated and only really saw each other again when he told me we had to leave.

It was really good. I talked to pretty much everyone, and everyone said I looked lovely but I think that's just what people say as a greeting at these sorts of things. Drinks were 4 for £10, which meant that I kept getting rounds brought for me, as well as free champagne ... And I got very drunk. Oh so drunk.

I had a lot of none too discreet conversations, and then I got towed home only to throw up in the kitchen sink ... while his parents watched ... so that was awkward.

Basically I'm feeling a lot of regret today. But I still had a lovely time, I just wish I had been able to stay longer ... and not have to get up at 6 am and drive through central London twice before heading home.

But I just had a nap so it's all good.

Premiere Prep

I had a bath.

I put on a moisturising african shea butter face mask.

I shaved where appropriate.

I used a moisturising african shea butter treatment on my hair.

I washed my hair with volumising shampoo and conditioner.

I had a shower.

I moisturised everywhere ... apart from where my stick on bra needs to stick.

I confirmed that my second student has in fact been cancelled.

I packed my overnight bag.

I decided that I needed a bigger make up bag, but for now, managed to squeeze everything I need into one bag.

I dried my hair with my straighteners.

I trimmed my fringe with a fine tooth comb and nail scissors.

I got into fresh pajamas and settled into my warm bed.

I set my alarm, allowing enough time to do the first stages of my hair and makeup and getting to school.

So, all that is left to be fully ready for my first ever red carpet event is beauty sleep. Unfortunately, that seems a little harder to achieve that everything else.

Tuenesday

Logically (to me at least) it is Tuesday, in that I haven't gone to sleep yet so it is still the same day it has been all day until I wake up and it's another day. However, techincally it's Wednesday, being that it is past midnight, and that means that it is Thursday tomorrow, and that makes me happy.

I have to go into town tomorrow to pick up my shoes for the premiere, as well as try to find a suitable belt for my outfit. I brought some shoes on Monday, some nude heels, but decided that they are too high. So I'm getting some slightly lower, less stiletto-y nude heels instead. I am undecided as of yet as to whether I am going to glue some black lace on to them to make them match my dress a little. Maybe just on the back over the heel. We'll see.

I also want to get Maybelline's new mascara, the Volume Express Rocket one. I've had a few free samples from them in the past, and the other day, they sent me their new mascara brush with a discount voucher. I need a new mascara, and seeing as I have now moved away from Avon, I guess it's time to find a new favourite. I always used to love the original Volume Express, so I have high hopes. Probably should get a a new liquid liner while I'm at it.

So this was an interesting post ... basically my shopping list.

The Miserables

I took my parents to go see Les Mis this afternoon. I was going to go last week, with Rachey and Jon, but Rachey crashed her car and understandably didn't want to go that evening. We stayed in and had Pizza Hut instead.

That means I can't order Pizza Hut again now until March. Sigh.

Yeah, it was ok. I heard a load of stories about people being in floods of tears, and standing ovations in the cinema, and sure, it was good, but it wasn't that good. I didn't cry, my eyes didn't even prickle.

To be honest, I was pretty bored actually.

I've really been struggling to get to sleep lately.

So now is the time to turn my light off and stare at the ceiling for three hours.

Speaking Japanish

Watashi ga eigo de sore o lu koto ga dekinai toki, watashi wa nihongo o hanasu. Watashi no kokoro wa tokidoki itai.

So, I'm still trying to learn Japanese.

I have two audio courses now. The Collins Easy Learning one and the Earworms one. I have the basics down, introducing myself and so on, and I picked up quite a lot anyway from all the dramas.

I got through the first disc of the Collins and got a little bored. It was all about telling someone what my job was, and my career didn't really come up with the examples. The Earworms one is interesting, it's all done with music. It's supposed to mimic how babies learn languages, supposedly.

I really have to get back into using them. I really like being able to understand parts of what Japanese people say. Like, last night, we were watching a documentary on the tsunami, and I could get the gist of what a man was saying before the translator kicked in. Obviously not all of it, but just the odd word here and there.

I want to be able to read and write it too, but I guess I'll start with speaking it and move on to that later. Right before I move on to learning Korean and Chinese.

400

This is my 400th post.

As such, I kind of feel like I should write something meaningful and important.

The only problem is I don't have anything meaningful or important to say.

In fact, I'm making each sentence into a new paragraph just to look like I have written more. I tried to think it was purposeful editing, to make each point stand out, to provide comedic timing ... but I can't even fool myself.

I am also rapidly approaching 15000 page views. Meaning that people have viewed my page 15000 times.

That's a lot.

Especially when over two thirds of those views are from other countries, namely America and Russia.

I really don't know why. I suspect its the pictures showing up on Google.

Kitkat

I was just thrying to think of something to post about. Naturally, I turned to the internet for inspiration.

45 mins later and I realised that I was googling kittens.
 

 I want a kitten. What's more is look ^ .... the kitten wants me too.

Or maybe he was just begging the Duck Division of the Mafia not to kidnap him. 

Clearly didn't work.

Walking the Red Carpet

The web series is having it's premiere next Thursday.

I had pretty much already accepted that I wouldnt be able to make it on time for the screening, as I don't finish school until 3 and the event started at 5, which leaves me a pretty impossible journey down and through central London in just 2 hours.

Yeah. Not going to happen.

So, I had resigned myself to showing up on my own and very late, probably just for the after party drinks, which, bearing in mind that it's mid week, I doubt will go on much past midnight.

But I spoke to the headteacher today, and she reckons we can rearrange my afternoon student (who has yet to show up to a session) to another day, leaving me free to bomb it down at 1. I'll probably have half an hour if I'm lucky to get changed, do my make up and hair, but at least its better than showing up looking like a teacher.

Probably only be 18 hours between leaving and arriving home though, and at least 4 of those will be in a car.

So, I'm going to a premiere!

The Story of a Mug

All the eBay items I posted on Monday after the auctions ended over the weekend obviously started to arrive today. As such, I've had a pretty busy day.

One item, a mug, has somewhat of a saga.

A gift that had never made it from the box, I put up the self proclaimed 'World's Biggest Mug' on eBay. A few days later, person A messaged me asking how much it held, and how he would be in the bidding. He never bid, and the mug went at a price of 99p to person B. Less than an hour later, person A messaged me saying he missed the bidding, but would happily pay £6 plus P&P if the sale didn't go through, and told me he couldn't find a mug like this anywhere. I googled. He was right.

The sale did go through.

My mum packaged up the mug in multiple layers of bubble wrap and cardboard, and we took it to the Post Office. I had charged £2 for P&P, making the £3.50 postage mean I was effectively paying person B 50p to have this mug, but as I made money on the postage of other items, I just put it down to bad estimation.

Today, I got a message from person B, telling me the mug had broken in transit. Obviously, I apologised and offered a refund or trying to claim compensation from Royal Mail. He suggested trying for compensation, but by that time, I had discovered that I wouldn't be covered. I issued a refund, explaining how it was a shame that this had happened as person A had struggled to find a similar item, so the mug was rare.

This was when it got a little strange. Person B was touched that I had refunded him, putting myself out of pocket, and was so lovely about it that I got the warm and fuzzies. He then said, to stop him from feeling guilty, he would happily post the broken mug to person A as a little glue should fix it. I thought 'ah, why not' and emailed A to see if he wanted a free broken mug. He did not.

Thus, I imagine the mug ended up in the bin, and that is the end of it's tragic tale.

Everything in it's Place

It's been a while since I wrote a blog post on my iPhone. But, the Internet has been down most of the evening because we have a stupid BT HomeHub, so iPhone post through 3G is my only option.

Bet you anything that a soon as I finish writing this, the Internet comes back.

I tidied my work room! I actually have room to do stuff now! I have a shelf for beads and embellishments, somewhere for my steamer, a light over my designing table, half of the table for my machines.... the other half is kind of taken up with eBay stuff ... even a shelf for my set kit. Both my on set bag and full kit bag broke on the web series, so until I get new ones, everything is just kind of dumped. It still needs some home furnishing, mostly a rug or carpet of some sort, and a few more plastic crocodile tubs to put costumes in, but it's enough to start drafting.

And we're back to scary.

So ...

So I didn't so much forget to post before midnight this evening ... it was more that I just watched the time go by. And so, I find myself now, at quarter to 2 in the morning, finally opening blogger.

So much for getting up early tomorrow.

You can't even say its because I slept in late that I don't get tired until the early hours of the morning. I was up at 7 this morning, and I didn't exactly get a lot of sleep that night*. I honestly just think that my body is designed to sleep better in the morning than it does at night.

So, getting started on the wedding didn't work out so well. My family and I had a deal about this whole eBay thing. I would deal with the eBay side, my mum would prepare the stuff for posting, and my father would post them. Today, I ended up doing all three. It was pretty much an all day thing.

So now today's job gets rolled over for tomorrow ... and I will do it this time.

*Sounds dodgy. It's not. I just couldn't settle.

Procrastination's End

My eBay career has hit a little snag ... I seem to have used up all my months allocated free listing. Paired with the free listing weekend that has just occurred, this means that I have listed close to 200 items over the past two weekends.

Let me break this down. Every month, an eBay seller gets 100 £0.01 - £0.99 listings. Every so often, they give sellers an extra 100 listings at £1.00 and over. So, I have already used up my 100 99p listings, as well as my £1+ listings over this weekend. I only know this because eBay tried to charge me and I was really confused, and then I noticed the *. So now, I have to wait until next month, or for another free listing weekend in the meantime, which is highly unlikely.

This means that I need to clear my work room properly and start the wedding dress, as I have just run out of excuses.

It's not that I don't want to do it. Far from, it's just that starting a new project, and a new project that is so close to home, is really scary.

I just need to take that first step and get on with it.

Panic

I spent most of today having a super fun social life with kittens and rainbows.

Of course I didn't. I spent it on eBay.

That's not necessarily true, I did also go to my Gran's for a couple of hours. She gave us a massive box of chocolates she got for Christmas, so it was a productive trip.

I was making dinner this evening, when I suddenly got thirsty. I made myself a drink, but then my ear thing happened, followed by the heart thing, and then I couldn't breathe.

I could understand having a panic attack over something to be panicked about, but what do I have to worry about? I was just cooking dinner, it wasn't anything new.

Anyway, so I have spent most of my evening in bed watching crap on my laptop with a candle burning, trying to calm myself down.

Hardcore, right?

140lb

So it turns out slipping into old habits is a lot easier than making new ones. Sorry for the post midnight post again.

My day has been pretty uneventful. My aunt came round again, so I showed her a couple of pictures in a magazine, pointing out that the larger person, who just so happened to be Christina 'I eat what I want now' Aguilera, is closer to my weight than the other, much skinnier people.

Then my parents joined her in giving me a massive diet lecture, saying how I don't eat enough. I would like to point out that this was the day after I had a Pizza Hut (must.cut.back.on.pizza.hut) and while I was sitting there eating shortbread. In the end, I gave up trying to defend myself. They just can't see past meat and crap pretending to be meat.

Got my ticket for the web series premiere today. It's at 5pm. I finish school that day at 3pm. It's a 2 hours and 6 minutes journey, providing there is no traffic, but it's LONDON, there is never no traffic. So I'm pretty sure I won't be able to make it there in time. The question is, do I go anyway, for the after drinks?



PS - Some context ...

A Few Disappointments

Yes, I know ... so much for the whole posting before midnight thing.

Today was OK, half of my research pack seemed to go well, but asking her to design her own costume not so much, which kind of sucked seeing as the rest of what I had planned was pretty dependent on that task. Still, we worked around it and still managed to make something, so all worked out in the end. Then I waited for my next student, which was going to be a start-from-scratch session, only she never turned up. I'm not sure if she rang in and no one told me, but I sat in a room waiting for 2 hours, doodling and wishing my 3G was stronger. I wasn't complaining though, that was £50 in my pocket.

This afternoon, we planned for me to head down to London on Monday night. This evening, he had to cancel because he had work come in. It was only going to be until Tuesday night anyway, but a night and a day was better than nothing until at least next month.

Next month.

I can't help but think how this whole thing would be a lot easier if our lives were more in sync.

Or, if human teleportation was thing.

Catch Up

So, the last two days I have fobbed off proper blog posts by just posting videos. Not that doing that is a bad thing, far from it, they were topical to my days and variety is the spice of life and all that, but now I should probably actually, you know, write words.

Monday I turned up at school for a meeting, to be the only one there, which was awkward. After a cup of tea and a lot of being apologised to, I went home, watched SJM's new music video a lot and proof read the boy's essay. Three times, in fact, almost making me late to see The Impossible, which was so beautifully horrific and well worth a watch. I got home and called the boy, and I don't know why, but it was just lovely. Maybe because he was a little drunk.

Tuesday ... I have no recollection of Tuesday ... OH YES. I got an email late Monday night asking for some designs for a funding pack needing to be finished the next day on the feature. So Tuesday was spent doing a little research and a lot of designing, while listening to SJM's new album, of course, and the evening was spent watching Lego Lord of the Rings.

Today has been quite quiet. I prepared for my lessons tomorrow by making this awesome research pack. It's got a template to design her own costume and everything. My aunt came round and spent the whole time commenting on my weight, so that was annoying. I'm surprised I'm not putting on weight quicker than I am with what I'm eating, but it's not like I'm loosing it. I wish people would stop going on about it all the time, its kind of boring.

Ah crap, I missed midnight.

Lego of the Rings

Lego Lord of the Rings.

That is all.

Break Down

Super Junior M have released their new MV, Break Down.

From SMTown's Youtube

Now with less Siwon.

Super Junior M were the band that got me into Korean Pop music. Which is ironic as they are a Mando Pop unit, but oh well.

I don't know why, but there is something about Mandarin that just seems to sound better to me than the same thing in Korean.

I like Ryeowook's hair. 

Kyuhyun's looks like Quality Street.

Siwon was clearly too busy to get the memo about the stupid hats being a Perfection thing.

Ah, Henry. You so gangster now.

Donghae, Eunhyuk, Zhoumi, just so you don't feel left out.

Chicken

I finally finished listing everything on eBay!

67 items and 2 bin bags .... just another 5 bin bags and a box to sort, photograph and list next weekend ... and probably the weekend after that. Trying to make money and declutter at the same time is hard work.

What else have I got to tell you? Not much, my day has pretty much been taken up by eBaying. I did do an interview though, for the web series. It will come out after episode 4 has aired I think, so that will probably make it in March. Hopefully by then I'll have sorted out my online profile so I can use it as an opportunity to promote myself.

I very nearly set up a page on Facebook today, but chickened out at the last minute. I think that will take a little more courage to do than the other networking sites, purely because so many non-professional friends are on there too.

Going to see The Impossible tomorrow! I can't wait.

I'm going to cry, I know it.

Girly Post - Late and about Make Up

I did tell you that this would happen ... that as soon as I started socializing again, I would forget to post on time.

Went out for dinner this evening with my boss and his wife, so naturally it was an excuse to do my make up nicely and wear a pretty dress.

To be fair, any occasion is a good excuse to do my make up and wear a pretty dress.

I was particularly pleased with my eye make up. Light pink fading to light green fading to dark green fading to black, with black eyeliner, mascara and light pink brow highlight. All powder shadows over a homemade primer or moisturiser and BB cream, blended with my fingers. I don't know whether its just my brush, but I can never seem to get colours to blend as well with an eyeshadow brush.

 

 My eyelashes look ridiculously long. 

I also had a red lip, but couldn't like any of the photos, so you don't get to see it.

It's lasted really well too, and now it's time to wash it all off, I feel kind of sad. 

Oh, and incidentally, the only product I used from Avon was my moisturiser and mascara. See, I don't need them anyway, so there.  

eBay

How to sum up today? I woke up, watched Cocoon: The Return, then started eBaying.

I'm still at it.

I am so sick of eBay. I wish there was a button that you could just press that would do it all for you. Like when you scan a bar code. Clothes should come with bar codes on the labels.

While resisting the temptation to shoot myself purely out of boredom, I also decided that along with being a better, kinder, nicer person, I should also try to swear less. So that's a new New Years Resolution right there.

Right, speedy blog done, now back to eBay ....

Sigh.

Productive

So far, I think I'm doing pretty well at posting my day's blog actually on the day it is supposed to be posted on. I don't know how long this will last, especially when I go back to having a social life, bit still, I'm enjoying it for now.

Today was quite productive. I finally finished moving into my work room, rather than half my stuff being in the garage, ready to sort out the eBay stuff for photographing and listing over the weekend. We even put up curtains yesterday, and found a giant strawberry which I might put on the wall. All that's left is a rug of some sort, a light shade, and some room, and it will be all set for starting on my sister's wedding dress.

I also signed up to a few new industry networking sites. I now have profiles on Film and TV Pro, Stage 32 and LinkedIn as well as being a part of the Film Birmingham database. The next step is to set up a decent website and maybe a professional Facebook and Twitter, or I might just change my name on my existing Twitter. I just want to raise my online profile a little, as well as try to keep my personal and professional lives separate. It kind of concerns me that someone could think to type MBGthree as my Twitter name into google and find this blog ... I'm not sure if this blog is meant to be found, at least not in connection with my career.

I quit Avon .... or rather I rang up someone who just told me to stop making orders and they'll automatically remove me anyway. So that's what I'll do. I could have kept getting the demo and clearance book but I think its probably best to go cold turkey. Remove all temptation. Go outside to buy my cosmetic essentials. The horror.

So yes, worked on improving my future ... AND watched 2 films and a load of TV.

My university course leader messaged me today after I added her on LinkedIn and she said she'd heard through the grapevine that I'd been doing really well. IN YOUR FACE SHITTY THREE YEARS OF UNI, I'm successful now.

Avon Dead Now

Late this afternoon, I wrapped up warm and trundled out into the wet dusk to pick up my Avon catalogues. Having given my customers over a week and a half over the festive period to peruse the books, and with it being a clearance campaign full of savings and special offers, I was hopeful.

I did not receive a single order.

I have decided to take that as a sign, and in the morning, I am going to cease to be an Avon Representative.

It's been 2 and a half years, and while I do enjoy getting and using the products, I am not so keen on the whole being a saleswoman part. It doesn't make me much money, and any pennies I do make are soon put back into the company's pocket in the form of buying products for myself. I was debating whether to re-canvas my area, spend more time trying to get new customers, but seeing as my normally faithful and consistent clientele have failed me so early into the new year, I think I might as well just give up.

I'll just go back to Maybelline, Simple and whatever else is on offer in Sainsburies for all my cosmetic needs. You know, where they have matching shampoo and conditioner *cough*AvonNaturals*cough* and where you can buy something and actually have it when you need it instead of months after *cough*AvonsBadDeliveryTimes*cough. Also so my mum doesn't have to get up at 6 on delivery days.

Twenty Thirteen

You should have expected this.

It is my great honour to introduce, BED 2013! Blog Every Day in 2013. I did quite well last year, at least until the web series distracted me and then I fell out of sync, but this year I have a good 9 months before my next long shoot, so hopefully I will be more successful this year.

Obviously, with a new year comes resolutions. Drink more water, get up earlier, exercise more, help around the house, and be a better person ... You've heard then all a million times before but actually making them is good for the soul ... Or something.

There is a fly buzzing around my room which is annoying me, and a spider outside my door, which I surrounded with anti spider spray so that it doesn't come in. Also, this is the second time i tried to write this post after my wifi died, so I think that sums up today.