Bits & pieces from the fringe
'I was feeling insecure. You might not love me anymore. I was shivering inside.' - John Lennon, Jealous Guy.
So yesterday was a great day. Cake, presents, cards, lots and lots of email and facebook happy birthdays. How come those facebook happy birthdays are so cool?
It was fab fab fab. We had a little party at work and I was surprised at the generosity of my colleagues - I got Brain Age for the DS.
So I get to see how old I really am! Shall I tell you when I'm done? Maybe it will be TOO shocking for words. I might be 94 instead of 34. The family surprised me with some really pretty earrings. Tomorrow more fun is planned. Tell you later.
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I have an evening dress with a halter neck and a low back for a party next week. But alas, no boobs to fill it and no suitable bra.
So this afternoon I'm going to be stuffing myself into various kinds of contraption-like bras to try and find one that can be adjusted so that the straps don't show and has a little bit of padding to help the, uh, A cup, look like a B.
Does anyone else get completely confused with those 'I'll be a halter, no I'll be a cross-back, no I'll just be strapless' bras? What about the see-through straps? I was always taught no straps ever, but it seems like those are ok? Opinions?
Being athletic has disadvantages. See the reference to the A cup above. I'm going to try one of those gel-filled bras. There's no-one to take my clothes off and be disappointed so it's not like I can't do it, right?
Sorry to the guys who read this. It's just one of those things. Sometime in your life the hot date that you spend all night chatting up is going to take her bra off and be flat-chested.
The trick is not to look too disappointed and not to say 'Oh, but I like small breasts' or 'wow, you have real boobs' or 'sorry, but I'm a boob man' and then get up and leave. It's better just not to say a word. So there, etiquette lesson over and back to the shopping.
I need some shoes. Jesus, do I need some shoes. I have heels, but this is a floor length black chiffon dress and it really seems to need a shoe with a bit more class than my Hush Puppies boot-pumps which look a little like these. I'm still jonesing for some 6 inch stilettos, but maybe it's time to be sensible.
---------
The gym has been so hard this week. I burnt myself on Tuesday so I cancelled my personal trainer session. Wednesday I ran a lot of intervals, 45 second sprints at 12.5 km/h alternated with 1 min walk at 7 km/h. It was fine and I enjoyed it.
Thursday night's training session was probably the most difficult session I've had in a while. My girlfriend just started training with me with the same trainer and so the capacity was there to have a really great training session but I really had no motivation. This is the first time I've lacked motivation in about 8 months. Scary.
Today wasn't much better. I went in. I did my training, but I didn't get that endorphin rush which is the push that makes me really want to go and do it harder, better, faster. Now I'm tired and I didn't get my kick and all that effort seems a bit worthless.
-------
Talking of getting your kicks from sport. Did you know there's a reason girls hang around so much on certain types of equipment in the gym? I did not!
Go read, and then I'll see you in the queue for the roman chair. According to my trainer you can also have a good time with the power plate, the abductor machine and the hamstring curl. Maybe I'm just not doing it right. Think I need to go practice some more...
---------
I was talking to a friend of mine who is getting divorced and where the situation is getting really freaky and painful. It made me wonder how people do this to each other? It's like getting married and then deciding you don't like each other and want to split up turns you into fierce bitey animals that want to watch the blood run. Another friend I talked to yesterday already has the divorce finalised and the blood is still running. It's so sad.
----------
Last night at the work New Year Party, which I probably shouldn't have gone to, I got talking to some other Zimbabweans.
Did you know that I had not seen another Zimbabwean in Holland until this year when I started working in my current job? There is one other one there, and subsequently, the other Zimbabwean everyone tells me about all the time, as in 'Have you met so-and-so, she is also from Zimbabwe?' actually had an interview with me. How is that for coincidence?
So we stood in a little Zimbabwean clique and talked about politics, the 'situation' and the way things are. It was probably a bad idea to do that, but talking about the 'situation' is for Zimbabweans a bit like talking about the weather is for Europeans.
Which reminds me, why is it automatic that when you come from some small third world country that people immediately think that you will get on with everyone else from that country? I have had countless offers of invitations to 'meet so-and-so from South Africa - you'll get along great!' just to find out that you have absolutely nothing in common and no connect at all.
Please people, we don't say 'oh wow, I know another American, you guys will get along great!' Assumptions!
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This week I've been reading and reading. This was some of the good stuff:
Neil wrote about big bottomed girls. Neil, I loved you before. Now I love you more and more.
Chloe wrote about Kurt Vonnegut's rules for writing. I like her images too.
Christine is telling us 100 ways to be delighted. This is a good one. Overload on delight while you can.
Maria told us about a guy with a bag. Not just any old bag though.
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And now, the sun's shining, the sky is a funny colour. Oh look, it's blue! The birds are singing and I'm 34.
I feel the urge to shop. See you!
So yesterday was a great day. Cake, presents, cards, lots and lots of email and facebook happy birthdays. How come those facebook happy birthdays are so cool?
It was fab fab fab. We had a little party at work and I was surprised at the generosity of my colleagues - I got Brain Age for the DS.
So I get to see how old I really am! Shall I tell you when I'm done? Maybe it will be TOO shocking for words. I might be 94 instead of 34. The family surprised me with some really pretty earrings. Tomorrow more fun is planned. Tell you later.
----------
I have an evening dress with a halter neck and a low back for a party next week. But alas, no boobs to fill it and no suitable bra.
So this afternoon I'm going to be stuffing myself into various kinds of contraption-like bras to try and find one that can be adjusted so that the straps don't show and has a little bit of padding to help the, uh, A cup, look like a B.
Does anyone else get completely confused with those 'I'll be a halter, no I'll be a cross-back, no I'll just be strapless' bras? What about the see-through straps? I was always taught no straps ever, but it seems like those are ok? Opinions?
Being athletic has disadvantages. See the reference to the A cup above. I'm going to try one of those gel-filled bras. There's no-one to take my clothes off and be disappointed so it's not like I can't do it, right?
Sorry to the guys who read this. It's just one of those things. Sometime in your life the hot date that you spend all night chatting up is going to take her bra off and be flat-chested.
The trick is not to look too disappointed and not to say 'Oh, but I like small breasts' or 'wow, you have real boobs' or 'sorry, but I'm a boob man' and then get up and leave. It's better just not to say a word. So there, etiquette lesson over and back to the shopping.
I need some shoes. Jesus, do I need some shoes. I have heels, but this is a floor length black chiffon dress and it really seems to need a shoe with a bit more class than my Hush Puppies boot-pumps which look a little like these. I'm still jonesing for some 6 inch stilettos, but maybe it's time to be sensible.
---------
The gym has been so hard this week. I burnt myself on Tuesday so I cancelled my personal trainer session. Wednesday I ran a lot of intervals, 45 second sprints at 12.5 km/h alternated with 1 min walk at 7 km/h. It was fine and I enjoyed it.
Thursday night's training session was probably the most difficult session I've had in a while. My girlfriend just started training with me with the same trainer and so the capacity was there to have a really great training session but I really had no motivation. This is the first time I've lacked motivation in about 8 months. Scary.
Today wasn't much better. I went in. I did my training, but I didn't get that endorphin rush which is the push that makes me really want to go and do it harder, better, faster. Now I'm tired and I didn't get my kick and all that effort seems a bit worthless.
-------
Talking of getting your kicks from sport. Did you know there's a reason girls hang around so much on certain types of equipment in the gym? I did not!
Go read, and then I'll see you in the queue for the roman chair. According to my trainer you can also have a good time with the power plate, the abductor machine and the hamstring curl. Maybe I'm just not doing it right. Think I need to go practice some more...
---------
I was talking to a friend of mine who is getting divorced and where the situation is getting really freaky and painful. It made me wonder how people do this to each other? It's like getting married and then deciding you don't like each other and want to split up turns you into fierce bitey animals that want to watch the blood run. Another friend I talked to yesterday already has the divorce finalised and the blood is still running. It's so sad.
----------
Last night at the work New Year Party, which I probably shouldn't have gone to, I got talking to some other Zimbabweans.
Did you know that I had not seen another Zimbabwean in Holland until this year when I started working in my current job? There is one other one there, and subsequently, the other Zimbabwean everyone tells me about all the time, as in 'Have you met so-and-so, she is also from Zimbabwe?' actually had an interview with me. How is that for coincidence?
So we stood in a little Zimbabwean clique and talked about politics, the 'situation' and the way things are. It was probably a bad idea to do that, but talking about the 'situation' is for Zimbabweans a bit like talking about the weather is for Europeans.
Which reminds me, why is it automatic that when you come from some small third world country that people immediately think that you will get on with everyone else from that country? I have had countless offers of invitations to 'meet so-and-so from South Africa - you'll get along great!' just to find out that you have absolutely nothing in common and no connect at all.
Please people, we don't say 'oh wow, I know another American, you guys will get along great!' Assumptions!
-------
This week I've been reading and reading. This was some of the good stuff:
Neil wrote about big bottomed girls. Neil, I loved you before. Now I love you more and more.
Chloe wrote about Kurt Vonnegut's rules for writing. I like her images too.
Christine is telling us 100 ways to be delighted. This is a good one. Overload on delight while you can.
Maria told us about a guy with a bag. Not just any old bag though.
--------
And now, the sun's shining, the sky is a funny colour. Oh look, it's blue! The birds are singing and I'm 34.
I feel the urge to shop. See you!
Happy Birthday, blog-style! Hope you find the shoes you seek.
We also get told there are South Africans we'll get on with and then we find, not.
Ah, busy times here so I am late. But congratulations on your birthday; many happy returns.
thanks for the link and compliment.
people assume I will get on with other greeks when i am abroad too. but one of the reasons i go abroad is because i don't want to meet any other greeks.
Happy Birthday Ash, may this one be your best.
Charlotte, glad that someone else has the same experience with the 'you'll get along fabulously with ...' I didn't find the shoes, but I'm still looking :)
Chloe: You have it there in one perfect sentence. Going abroad is not the time to embrace your fellow countrymen.Thank you so much for the birthday wishes. This year will be my best ever :)
Thanks Marjolein! It was a great birthday :)