THE SOFT DISTORTION FILLS YOU UP

My Wednesday afternoon:



I'm not sure that I'm a fan of the guy, but the Hussein Chalayan exhibition at the Design Museum was something short of enchanting. Personally, Dystopian garb, and mini films where women in pure white suits with pure white faces are curled up in balls in womb-shaped carriages and are zooming off into the horizon, don't do it for me. But suffice it to say, I was very impressed with his creative range. Hoodies with compartments for your drumsticks, gowns with flashy bits and lasers, films featuring Tilda Swinton explaining some sort of clothes-washing process, dresses with arm chair collars. WHAT REALLY DOES GO ON IN THAT HEAD OF HIS? I'd like a slice of it, to be honest; to be so misunderstood, or difficult, as the Times says...

Technically, I should be a fan, as I get a sense of Bjork and Michel Gondry in his pieces, and they are absolute personal favourites (who work together!). Surely, they meet Chalayan for tea and chats occasionally. All in all, it was 4 pounds well spent (student price); otherwise, it probably would've gone to a pint of something. And that's as close to the catwalks and Fashion Week as I feel I can afford this time around. Have a look at my top three Chalayan moments that afternoon:

1. I call it the shaved tulle fairy dress. With a few personal adjustments regarding the length, this might very well be in the running for my wedding dress.


2. Certain cultural and festive aspects of the Fall 2002 collection, which really reminded me of some accents in Etro Spring 2008 RTW , but on steroids. I love dangly, jingly, cultural pieces like these, from Morocco, India, South America and thereabouts. It's very hippie-ish and when I'm not feeling edgy and dark, this earthy exotic look is what I tend to go for next.

3. And S/S 2007. Transformers, the Catwalk rendition? My boyfriend (a die-hard Transformers fan), and myself, bowed down to this that very evening when I watched it again at home and shared it with him (Skip to the 2 minute mark for the action).

IN THE SHADOW PLAY, ACTING OUT YOUR OWN DEATH

Japanese Rope Bondage is an exquisite art form that I really admire. With that said, aren't these the most perfect cell phone charms to acquire? SOOO cute! The website I found this on is a whole other level of Japanese Kawaii invasion, what with its glitter text and oddly-shaped stuffed animals with squished expressions, and I think I randomly came across it while doing research on Bondage images for my novel. Don't ask, because I'm actually not in a stable enough writing position to tell.
Today was crazy. Tomorrow I'm going to the British Library to do research, then meeting friends for the Hussein Chalayan Exhibition From Fashion and Back. Then we're going to watch Milk. Honestly, I've never heard of Harvey Milk, but if I list you the characters, you'll see why this will be worth it: Sean Penn, Josh Brolin, James Franco, Emile Hirsch and Diego Luna?? Do I have to list why I love this cast?

-SEAN PENN! I shouldn't have to say more but, I find him oddly attractive, plus he directed INTO THE WILD, that epic, tear-jerking movie about Christopher McCandless, who was played by EMILE HIRSCH! He practically wowed me out of my chair with that one. It's one of the last movies I've seen that had me walking around aimlessly afterward thinking too hard about life and how much there is left of it for me to explore. (P.S. Vampire girl from Twilight and Hayden P.'s partner in dolphin-freeing crime Kristen Stewart is in this, and I like her for some reason).

-EMILE HIRSCH is the next Leonardo DiCaprio; and DiCaprio is actually my favourite actor. So that might make Hirsch my second...I think. Anyway, how could you not have loved THE DANGEROUS LIVES OF ALTAR BOYS, INTO THE WILD, LORDS OF DOGTOWN and THE EMPEROR'S CLUB?

-JOSH BROLIN. Let's put aside W and reminisce over the superb sexiness of his role in NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN. (Still can't believe he died)

-JAMES FRANCO is just hot. (did you know he's the voice of the boyfriend on the phone in INTERVIEW with Sienna Miller?) Ha.

-DIEGO LUNA. Y TU MAMA TAMBIEN, anyone? This holds a spot in my DVD collection, and should in yours also.

Okay, so I think I made my point.

A KISS TO SEND US OFF

Ugh...
So...whenever I feel disinclined to post anything of worth on my blog due to complete exhaustion, I am going to post a random sampling of some of my favourite interiors and images from The Selby, since it seems my collection of his images are forming its own area code on my laptop. Five per unworthy post.

I am so tired.

I was ill today and missed class and got a telling off 'shame-on-you!' style by my very obviously passionate lecturer. This isn't grade school, yuh know! I'm happy with a shrug of your shoulders and thoughts like 'Well, it's your own loss if you don't show up'. Anyways, then I dragged my bones out of bed and into my black mohair zip-up Zara coat and met my friend Tina B. for dinner at a really nice and expensive sushi joint in Paddington. Over eel and cucumber rolls and salmon sashimi, conversation went as such:

Tina B: So, what are you doing for Reading Week?
Me: *sigh* work, I guess? You?
Tina B: I'm running off to New York to get married to my boyfriend. We're engaged.
Me: Oh, okay. At least you're doing something.

Not exactly, but yes, in this day and age, it seems 21 year olds still DO fall in love after 4 months and elope. Whatever floats your illogical boat. And she showed me the ring. It's on the Tiffany's website...

Today I nearly welcomed identity theft through a fake Green Card website. Today I finally got a call from a certain magazine but all they did was ask for my CV yet again! Today I just about set the world record for work experience applications for magazines from here to Lapland. Today I listened to Girls Aloud. Today I petted a GINORMOUS dog's fur after her Chav owner said I should because she's one of the few good ones of her breed and deserves it. Today I did not get bitten or mauled. Today I waited for a bus at midnight in Willesden Junction and had the wrong bus drivers stop to chat me up while they were on duty. Today I wrote a review for a documentary-type DVD series called Kink for Skin Two. Today I searched summer programmes at universities in Los Angeles. Today I scoured Criagslist and Gumtree. Today I took five minutes to allow myself to indulge in a tall iced chai tea latte. Today I did some plotting work on my novel on the tube. And Today my mom called. And now, after writing all this I realised that due to the current time, all this 'today' stuff really happened yesterday. And today is actually the day my father is doing a flight here. Going to meet him for dinner at his hotel near the airport A.K.A. behind god's back. I shall be back in top form soon.

AND YOU WILL KNOW US BY THE TRAIL OF THE DEAD

SEVERAL THINGS AT ONCE BECAUSE I'M BUSY AS FUCK AND WILL BE IN CAMBRIDGE THIS WEEKEND!!!!

FIRST

I have been oh-my-godding all over myself these past few days over this Rick Owens coat. This is like my black sleeveless zipper-less mohair number from Zara, but on obvious steroids, and of course worlds better. I've been meaning to show you a picture of that which my mom got me for my birthday, along with the Topshop Bowler Hat but I am busy writing essays, prospective articles, a novel and things like this (LOL- check it out if jeweled crotches are your thing).

NEXT

I shouldn't have to say anything more about that....

NEXT

I've posted her before (not many girls can make a septum piercing look like you need one) but she's renewed my motivation to get a septum piercing. I've already contacted Manu at Needle FX and it's much less painful than a lower monroe (which I've had), only makes your eyes water and costs like nothing. Also, Panda doesn't seem to mind having to kiss a girl with a bullring so, just maybe that might be happening soon.

NEXT

These girls are absolutely cutting it. Good for them. A lot of blue. I love this colour blue. But what had me most inclined to post this is my girl's BLEACHED HAIR! She knows she owns it. I wanted to do this with my hair but Sweeney Todd style. However, knowing my hair history, my stylist advised me against it somehow.

NEXT
And thank you for visiting my blog 666 times!!! That was yesterday but it's gone past that now. ACE! I didn't know people outside my facebook group actually read me. SAY HELLO IF YOU READ ME! (If I lamely get no reply please don't laugh. At least I won't be here to see it for a while.)

HOPELESSLY DEVOTED

What's the last song you heard/sang?
it might just be one from the Queen of the Damned soundtrack on vampire movie night at Beck's place. I actually haven't listened to music since Sunday. That's gay as hell.

Have you recently become a member of anything?
Wagamama and Total Film

What are your plans for the weekend?
I'm going to Cambridge to see some family. Plus I've never been to Cambridge so...to see things.

Do you ever intentionally vomit after drinking?
Did it once when I knew it was inevitable at some later hour in the day; back when I was ridiculous.

Have you ever called anyone a slut?
Yes. My best friend. It made her cry. She'd never even had sex before.

Does playing a guitar make someone more attractive?
I used to think so; with most instruments, particularly percussion. But I think it was that I wanted to possess the skill myself, which I later did. After that I spent more time trying to out-know the hot guy with my knowledge of their instrument and music, and instead fell for nerds/geeks.

Have you ever finished off the popcorn?
I ALWAYS finish off the popcorn. It is just one of those things I can probably continue to eat hours into it.

Can you fix your own car?
Well, no, because I would have to own one first. But it is a skill, like badass musicianship mentioned above, that I feel I HAVE to possess in order to become increasingly sexier, and obviously increasingly self-sufficient but whatev. When I was 16 I tried convincing my mom to pay for a mechanics summer programme for me. Nope.

Last thing you bought over 50 dollars?
Hops over to currency converter website. Wow. When did $50 becomes £36? Well, GO TEAM AMERICA! Um...nothing. Not even my groceries came up to that. I'll probably spend that tomorrow though.

Do you like the smell of beer?
I had to throw away a very trusty pair of black jeans because of beer-sudsy bar work!

Do you ever get depressed?
I'm on Prozac. Haven't used it in a while though and have sort of temporarily replaced it with mantras and breathing, which seems to be winning.

Have you worn pajamas to class?
Yes. I have cool pajama pieces. I think I will continue exhibiting them from time to time

Can you swallow pills?
Wasn't able to until about 17, when swallowing contraception seemed dire.

Have you ever egged or toilet-rolled a house/car?
Halloween

Have you ever memorized all the dialogue in a movie?
10 Things I Hate About You believing that it would make me transform into Kat overnight, or the night after....or the night after.

Two things you are wearing right now:
a wooden bracelet from the Philippines that Panda air-mailed me for V-day the last time we were bf/gf.; Etihad airplane socks.

Two places you want to go on vacation:
L.A. first to pick up Panda, but the ultimate destination after that would be Mexico
and Brazil

What's for dinner?
I had amai udon and ebi gyoza by myself as a treat at Wagamama

How many beds did you lay in yesterday?
This question makes me depressed

Look to your left; what do you see?
coke can, planner, novel: Reading Lolita in Tehran, a disgustingly large sunglasses collection, My So Called Life complete DVD series, christmas cards, purple paper lantern, digital recorder...

DESCEND INTO A NOOSE I COULD NEVER RE-UNDO

ABSOLUTELY in love with this jewelry by Sabrina Dehoff. It reminds me of two things: skipping ropes when I was a kid (not to mention they are in the neon colours I used to wear..and am now doing again at 20!), and bondage. I'm sold. You can buy them at Creatures of Comfort.

JUST LIKE THE FICTION RUNNING IN YOUR RIVERBED

Yes. It's clear I've been on about books a lot lately. They show up in the last two posts. That would be due to my obviously novel intense and reading-heavy Creative Writing Major. Final year means our lecturers are pelting us with books. There has been no end to the constant reading since summer '08, and frankly, I've gotten way too accustomed to it, devouring 2 decent sized books a week or so. And because, considering my career in writing, it will never end, I added a Currently Reading section on the left.

This book's taking a tad longer than my average few days, what with it being 933 pages long. But this is a read! I mean, the REAL LIFE journey of a writer who escaped from prison in Australia. He was an armed robber and heroin addict whose wife obviously left him, and he lost custody of his kids. This guy runs off to India illegally where he gets into the mafia for which he does money laundering, forging and street soldiering. He deals drugs for tourists, dabbles in the black market, acts in Bollywood films, fights with the Mujahedeen in Afghanistan, and accidentally becomes a doctor for the poor when he is forced to start living in the slums after all his money gets stolen; which then brought about a free health clinic. It's also a love story to India and some chick called Karla. No big deal.

Impossible as it sounds, it gets even better. He wrote this cinderblock sized novel three times after prison guards trashed the first two versions. Wait. He sold the movie rights to Johnny Depp (who will play him in 2011. YES!) because he likes him (Icannotwaitomgomgomg). Wait. And he looks like this. AWWWW I love it.

Check it out, if you're ready and willing to brave the word count.

SLEEP AND FUCK

Now that I've been introduced to Ji Kim's INSANE "sleep" and "fuck" pillowcases by Kiki de Montparnasse, I am on the website like a car on wheels. They're not there anymore, but these incredibles are (the highlight of these of course being those FUCKING leather gloves!!!):

But, as I had to pop in there for research for my fetish feature and while doing work experience with Skin Two (which I still am) I fell in love with Coco de Mer as well. Here are some of my faves from their VERY gorgeous store:

They also have a wicked book selection, some of which I plan to get my hands on at some point, especially the Japanese Bondage one, which I plan to get a fuckin'...doctorate in. Please note that two books from the 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die are on there: 120 Days of Sodom by Marquis de Sade and The Story of O by Pauline Réage. mmmhhhmmm. The Skin Two editor lent me the latter over the holidays. Like I said...literary filth!

I know, I'm turning into a bit of a perv. It's Skin Two's fault, mum!
I'm going back in the office tomorrow.

THERE'S A GAP WHERE WE MEET, WHERE I END AND YOU BEGIN

So I've done fuckall this morning and am heading out tonight for a friend's birthday - bar, dinner, drinks at home type of affair. For some reason I felt compelled to make a list of all the books I've covered so far on the 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die list INSTEAD of gathering quotes from a text for class, because it's just absolutely ridiculous how many titles I've polished over the last few months. And because it's absolutely fascinating how much blog work I can do when I'm lazy rather than course work.

1. Never Let Me Go – Kazuo Ishiguro
2. On Beauty - Zadie Smith
3. Cloud Atlas - David Mitchell
4. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time – Mark Haddon
5. Life of Pi – Yann Martel (posted this to Panda as part of his Christmas package- hope he reads it...before he dies)
6. White Teeth – Zadie Smith
7. Intimacy – Hanif Kureishi
8. The Poisonwood Bible – Barbara Kingsolver
9. The Hours – Michael Cunningham
10. Veronika Decides to Die – Paulo Coelho (I thought I thought this one up first; was going to be my first novel; also best title EVER!)
11. The God of Small Things – Arundhati Roy
12. Memoirs of a Geisha – Arthur Golden
13. The Buddha of Suburbia – Hanif Kureishi (watch this man's every bowel movement -sexy old genius)
14. Love in the Time of Cholera – Gabriel García Márquez
15. Perfume – Patrick Süskind
16. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy – Douglas Adams
17. Interview With the Vampire – Anne Rice
18. The Bell Jar – Sylvia Plath
19. A Clockwork Orange – Anthony Burgess
20. To Kill a Mockingbird – Harper Lee
21. On the Road – Jack Kerouac
22. Lolita – Vladimir Nabokov
23. The Story of O – Pauline Réage (literary filth)
24. Lord of the Flies – William Golding
25. Junkie – William Burroughs
26. The Catcher in the Rye – J.D. Salinger (I'm probably the only one who cared naught for this)
27. Animal Farm – George Orwell
28. The Great Gatsby – F. Scott Fitzgerald
29. The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde – Robert Louis Stevenson
30. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn – Mark Twain
31. Through the Looking Glass, and What Alice Found There – Lewis Carroll
32. Little Women – Louisa May Alcott
33. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland – Lewis Carroll
34. A Sentimental Journey – Laurence Sterne

Wow...pretty lame. I'm SO not well on my way...
I'll do the films one soon.

G- Hi xxx, was wondering if you were planning to review Yes anytime soon?
T-What's Yes?
G-Yes, the organic lubricant
T-Ah, yes. I can check with my colleague Kara who does reviews but I don't think you sent us any to review?
G-It's a young lady, isn't it? I sent some a while ago. I think you may have told me to send it to her. Can you please check?
Me-Sorry, guys. I have never seen, received or taken any samples of lube at Tim's. Good luck finding it.
G-Hi Kara. Thanks for replying. Yes, it's the only organic lubricant in the world to be certified by the Soil Association. Would you like me to send another sample so you can review it for the mag? What's your address?

Don't you wish your work emails read something like this? May not be getting paid, but this is THE BEST work I've ever had! Except...what do I do now?

PULLED ME OUT OF A BONDAGE AND MADE ME RENEWED INSIDE

For some reason, it takes me possibly months to go through all the new collections on Style.com, so whenever I feel the urge to view one I choose a designer on random. I got Preen; whose name I love (yeah, I dunno). These were my favourite looks, namely, those lace down trousers, that skirt, that delicate shawl number, that shredded jacket and that dress (Alexander Wang much?) It would be all the more ace though if those specifics were in black, but I would have the dress either colour, plus bright colours look awesome on dark me.

Meanwhile...

Dear XXXXXXX,

I am writing to confirm receipt of X into our bank account on 5^th January 2009.

As long as tuition fees and accommodation fees have been taken care of, the excess £205.00 can be refunded to Kara.

WHOLEHEARTEDLY welcome, being the only one not on a Student Loan Scheme. And the birthday continues...