Long day...

Sorry for delay in writing anything decent. I'm still drafting an article on equality, which is consuming my time a little, I need it to be right. I am however attending a UNISON equality conference next weekend in Liverpool, so watch this space...

Also check out the Stonewall's 'FIT' DVD by clicking on this blog title... It is an amazing non preachy video about homophobic bullying. It's an even gayer Skins... Check it out... Lets get this video in our schools and in our workplaces before the Tories bring out some new section 28 equivalent.

Let's unite and fight hatred...

Will blog more in depth tomorrow...

Hay Fever...

One of my colleagues asked me to write about hay fever.

Now I'm not a hay fever sufferer, so I will compare hay fever to a chronic condition I do suffer from... Having to shave!

Shaving is irritating, it's inconvenient, it hurts, it's sore, it never gets easier. It just gets worse. For me it is also, like hay fever, a seasonal problem. When it comes round to that time of year when you really should have a shave... The suffering begins. The itching, the stinging, the rash. Oh it's awful...

I can't imagine being both a shaver and a hay fever sufferer... Oh lord no.

To all my brothers and sisters around the world who suffer from both conditions... MUCH LOVE!

Bad Hair...

There is never a bad hair day in my book...

I tell a lie! ... I used to have bad hair days, and then I woke up ad began to give a shit... Say about 2 years ago. I have really thick, wiry, and dry hair naturally. No matter what supplements I take, vitamins, diet changes, expensive salon treatments, my hair is still incredibly difficult to manage.

The secret my friends is finding a great stylist. My hairdresser Andrew is a god. I have no idea how I lived without him. If you get the right cut, style, etc, it is really quite simple to have great stylish hair. Hair that also takes very little time to sort out in the morning.

My own personal tip for men is to get some small baby straighteners. These are so easy to use and reduce straightening time in my own experience from 30 minutes to 5 minutes. Seriously. It also helps to have hair that is professionally thinned out and styled.

Check out the website above to choose a style. I love this site. One of my personal favourites. Click on the blog title to go there.

Salon shampoos are also a lot better than high street products. They are more gentle and really do work. After washing my hair for for a few months with Aveda products, my virgin hair was gorgeous compared to before. I would heavily recommend Aveda Dry Remedy if you have dry, thick, and damaged hair. It smells great too. Use protection on your hair too before straightening.

Enjoy your hair, go crazy, be inventive, be brave...

England...

Whilst a team of men were kicking some ball around in South Africa, I think they came from England actually, I was making New York style cheesecake and vanilla cup cakes.

During half time (The 15 minutes between putting the cheesecake in the oven and starting the cup cake mix) one had a delicious cup of tea and enjoyed the hot weather for a bit. I took a look at all the facebook updates and realised that England playing football really is a big deal for almost everybody. Girls that have never enjoyed a game of football in their lives, girls I know for a fact this is the case as they are my best friends, are writing obscenities about the ref or the players.

Why do people begin to enjoy something and really get involved in something once national pride is involved. If I had a penny for every time I have heard somebody say 'I don't watch football, but I watch the england games", or 'I don't watch football, but England's game is important'... People, If you don't like football, just be honest with yourself. You are not a traitor to Queen and country if you don't watch an England match.

I really believe that many people go along with watching 'the match' as they are scared to death somebody will question their 'loyalty'. Oh please... Again this is all male politics...

Today was the famous 'Courtyard Party in Leeds', Last month when I went to this fabulous party I queued for over 2 hours to get in... However because of the football, this party was dead. I know this because my friend posted a photograph of the courtyard where this party is held, and there was one person there, just one person.... Normally a pumping party, lots of fun, very little trouble, great music and crowd. When I think of the amount of people that would have much preferred to go to this party... Why or why didn't you???? Are you stupid? Missing out on the northern social event of the year for a game of football, even if it is England...

And what is with all these silly football songs like 'Vindaloo"? What a crock of shit... This is what 'Britishness' is. It's working class, common, curry eating, fat men... It really is, it is so depressing... A fat man in a video, singing about vindaloo, and this is a famous football anthem... OMG. And all these people who laugh along with it, GET A LIFE...

Do some baking or something... Go for a walk, go to a fabulous party and just be loud and gorgeous all night...

Do what is in your heart... Question everything that you do! Question why? Question question question! Always do the thing that will make YOU happy, ignore national pride, other peoples thoughts and feelings, ignore other peoples beliefs. You only get one life and you need to make it your own! So snap out of this coma and LIVE!!!!!!!!!!!

Zachary Quinto...

Beautiful! Need I say more...

One size fits all...

I bought an extra small shirt in River island and it fit me fine. I bought an extra small shirt in Topman and it was far too tight!!!! Can we have a universal size index!!!!

All those who are a 30 inch waist and find that a 30 inch waist pair of jeans does not fit, please see your MP. I am serious, we need to get our priorities right... Just think of the valuable hours waisted each year in returning crap fitting clothes.

All the boys and girls out there who love to shop, WRITE TO YOUR MP! We need a universal size index that all shops can conform to!!!!

You know I'm right!

Conditions of freedom...

Why are some people free and others not...

What were the conditions that granted freedom to some people in the world and not to the rest of the world. Why is it okay for me to be gay in this country but not for somebody in Jamaica for example? Is it capitalism that made homosexuality acceptable? Is it religious descent?

Regardless of the conditions that had to be met for such liberty, why are there global inconsistencies in meeting these conditions of liberty? Geography? Poverty? Wealth? War? Colour? Ethnicity? Climate?

Is it a combination of these factors? Food for thought? Comments much welcome...

This is indeed a topic I will return to.

Ball Games...

Well I like ball games, but not the sort you would automatically think... ahem sorry for being crude but it's true. In fact sex is the only ball game I like. England were playing in the World Cup today, was I interested? Was I bollocks. I have always hated football. ever since I was a young child and my father would make me watch football for hours in silence, I couldn't laugh, or play, or do anything. I just hate football.

At work today the England game was played on the telecasters around the entire office. It's not possible to avoid football. It's everywhere. Not only was I crap at PE at school, I am in fact the least patriotic person in the UK. I really don't care if people take offence. Did you know St George was an immigrant from Lebanon looking for work? I bet you fascists out there didn't know!

We are a global community, we are all brothers and sisters, human beings. Why do we need Nation States to separate ourselves? Nation states are imagined communities. They don't physically exist. They exist only in thoughts, fleeting electrical signals between neurons. They have no mass or substance. They are mere thoughts, dreams, hallucinations. Oh I feel an idea for a thesis here...

I also hated PE at school. What torture. I always ran away from the ball at school, but still trying to pretend I was really into the game. Then the ritual humiliation of being whipped by wet towels, having my undies stolen, only to be found wet in the showers... What a horrid time. I remember once throwing a ball backwards whilst playing rounders. What a disaster.

And of course 'the gays don't catch. Not a stereotype but FACT. We do not catch balls, keys, or whatever is being thrown our way. The only thing we like to catch is the odd envious glance at our new fab Westwood shoes.

My rant is over for today, but I feel fuelled into doing some research on this national bind we have in our heads. Hmmm?????

Melting...

I love hot weather, sunny hot sweaty weather is the best. However, today for some reason my body was rejecting the heat, it didn't like it. My head was saying "phwoarr it's gorgeous", and my body was saying "I give in, really I do, this is all too much"... Talk about a double bind, a nice recipe for anxiety there. It was all remedied with a nice cold shower.

The non smoking is going okay, I have cleaned and tidied this evening, despite the heat and my "oh poor me in the office all day long" lethargy... I find the anxiety brought on from nicotine withdrawal quite motivating, it's making me incredibly productive. The energy I have is amazing, even though my body does ache. Actually i was gardening this weekend and pulled my bum muscles quite bad...

Lot's of talk about anxiety today. We're all anxious, anxiety keeps us all going... Those with too much anxiety take prozac to level it out, like myself... Those with very little anxiety are... in receipt of JSA I should imagine. Oh that's a bit harsh really, as trade unionist I should know better than to make fun of poor people. Touching wood as we speak...

Beginning...

I thought about keeping a diary, but I get really bad pain in my hand when I hand write now, how many of us can say they actually spend time writing with a pen in hand? I had to write a speech by hand last week as I had literally 20 minutes to prepare... I'm still sore.

So... I decided to blog about my adventures in the city. From work to play, to time at home, to reviewing books, to my relationship... I'm a bit of a exhibitionist, definitely not a private person... Here goes...

Long week last week after going down to a UNISON conference in Bournemouth... Had my mouth gagged shut by gaffer tape for a photo shoot with the LGBT self organised group, which was lots of fun :-)

Got a brand new tie for work tomorrow, think it looks quite flash, just need some Jackie O shades...