pop culture temperature

HOT

Madrid Fashion Week putting in place guidelines for keeping insanely skinny models off the catwalk

Upcoming sci-fi Clive Owen/Julianne Moore flick Children Of Men, based on the fabulous P.D. James novel

Scarlett Johannson

Photoshopping obsessions

NOT

London Fashion Week not following their Madrid counterparts

The Pope's inflammatory comments about Mohammed....not very tactful

Madonna's new haircut

Kate Bosworth

london weekend

The weekend is never long enough, especially when the weather is surprisingly good, like it was yesterday. My flatmates Anne and Felicity joined me to go lay in the sun in the park down the road from us, and we lay in the sun and watched some people nearby get questioned by the police. Ahhhh, clean and safe, that's Shepherd's Bush!!
On Friday night, I met up with Rosie and Steve after work for dinner. We ate italian, yummy. Very awesome to see some UC graduates in London, I miss so many people, and seeing them eased that ache a wee bit.
Saturday I met up with Becs (the curly haired girl from the pictures from the other day) and we went to Portobello Markets, which were amazing. I could have spent loads of money on stuff there and still seen stuff I liked. We oohed and ahhed over jewellery, and clothes, and food. An easy way to spend five hours! We then met up with Rhiannon for a drink in Notting Hill (she is the girl in the pictures wearing a red check shirt).
Saturday night I stayed at home with Anne and Felicity and they ran riot. They are some of the funniest flatmates I have had, will have to get some photos off Anne from one of our nights out on the drink to post on here to see what I mean.
Today: back at the office. My cards said that I might have some progress in both work and love (we have been reading each others cards in the flat, all a bit Carnivale) so it will interesting, hopefully a 'proper' job comes in being for me. I've applied for so many but I'm not as employable as I'd hoped! O well!!
London is quite a majestic city. As I look out the window by my desk (yes, I am doing this at work naughty huh!) there are buildings of brick, of glass, some church sprires poking up above it all and the scarily identifiable London Eye, which has, I opine, taken over from Big Ben as the Londoners icon of choice (although the Gherkin is running a close second). My flatmate Corey works at the Gherkin and I am hoping to get him to take me up there for a view of the city one weekend.
One other thing.....if this isn't a pain to people, I am holding a 'picture amnesty' whereby you can send me something either kiwi or a photo of you so I can put it up on my wall in my room. I didn't bring anything to remind me of home and now I want to decorate. If you do this, I will send you a postcard. Sweet deal? Pretty unimpressive I know but hey lets make this blog even more interactive. Since random people can access this I don't want to post up my address so if you want to participate then email me or comment asking for my address and if you are cool enough I'll send it to you via the www. Andre, if you still reading this I know I still owe you for the last competition I haven't forgotten and will post that out asap if you email me your address!
So people, let the fun begin! just something thin is good cause that will go on the wall and is cheap for you to send.
Do I have anything else to say today? Hmmmmm. Nothing springing to mind. Stay cool

hi, it's josie from the national treatment agency...

So my job today has been okay. I have been going through the surveys returned and fixing them up so that the scanner can read them alright. People who are undertaking drug treatment are given these questionnaires to fill out and then they send them back to us. I am helping get them sorted so that the 'real' employees can write a report about it all. The questionnaires are funny and highlight how much about drugs I don't know! I don't know about the risks of sharing injecting water, or what a sharps bin is that you can get free from your pharmacist, or drug dealer apparently. On the first page the person has to sign it to say they understand this is a study, but underneath the line to sign it says you don't have to give your real name. I have had many returned from Ben Dover, but also John Doe and Desmond Tutu filled one out. Who knew he was receiving drug treatment services in England. The sad responses are the ones from young girls who are injecting heroin or 50yr old me addicted to crack cocaine. Heartbreaking. Intereresting. I work for the NTA.
Last night I got a call from Rosie! Yay!
Above is a picture of the tower at the V&A, I think it's called the Aegean Pillar, it is actually one pillar but for putting this cast copy in the museum here it's in two pieces I studied this in classics in 7th form but do I remember? no, I was too busy talking to Donna (the teacher) and mucking around with Natalie. How you managed to get a schol in classics I'll never know Natdog cause I know how much we mucked around (and were stared at by our stalkers, you know who I'm talking about). Both the photos on this page aren't mine, I found them on someone elses blog, so thanks to that person. I will put some of mine on here as soon as I figure out how to get them on here.
To everyone: I have massive pangs of guilt that I haven't done a better job of keeping in touch. I know this doesn't make up for it but I have just been so caught up in trying to settle in and not get homesick too much that I haven't had much time. I would love to hear from everyone and will answer individual emails.

****Later in the day.....I'm still here at work, with the white noise of photocopiers, phones, typing and murmuring surrounding me. There is a Tim, and a Dawn, and a guy who is sooo much like Gareth. FREAKY! The new series of Extras starts tonight here, so cool.
So news here in London - there's an epidemic of cocaine here, Tony Blair is battling to maintain leadership over his party after refusing to name the date on which he'll leave his post and Baby Spice, aka Emma Bunton, will be in the new series of the British Dancing with the Stars, which they call Strictly come dancing or something. There are free newspapers in the morning and the afternoon, which are not too bad, and makes the commute on the gross tube more bearable.

hello!!

hello everyone! been super busy, and having a good time. I am currently at work, I have been temping at the National Treatment Agency for Substance Misuse where I try out different types of heroin....nah jokes I really am helping out with a research team project. This place is just like The Office! freaky!!! good to get some cash in to the hand though.
So what have I been doing? Went to the V&A, which was awesome, they had casts (lifesize) of classical stuff, like Michelangelo's David, and the Aegean Tower. Cool. Also a great display about 60's fashion. Very cool.
Crystal and Nathan have left, which is sad, but their leaving party was heaps of fun. Haven't got any photos from that but will do at some stage I hope. My flat is going well, have been enjoying it. Sam McDougall came and stayed for a week and a few days, it was cool fun and we went to some markets and did Sam- friendly stuff, which didn't include shopping and sunbathing! Ha ha.
I went to this gig of an Aussie band called the Presets, at a little dark, strangely cool bar in Soho called Madame Jojo's. Here are some of the photos from that night! sorry i have been so long in getting on here it is just harder now I am not living with internet access.
I am working right beside the London Eye. It takes me about 40 mins to get to work, it's all very cool to be here.