RAFW!

I just worked till 9pm the other night and all yesterday (that was a public holiday) to do the seating plans for 2 out of the 5 shows we are doing for Rosemount Australian Fashion Week that kicks off Monday. It will be exciting and i have not had the huge responsibility of doing a show this year which is nice. But i am doing all i can to help my team who have been slaving away for weeks. Though staring at an excel document for 8 hours can really do your head in.

Looking forward to the shows, look out for Hotel Bondi Swim, Therese Rawsthorne, Stitch Ministry, Ruby Smallbone and Lee Mathews, as they are our shows.

Will update you on the week...

Tooth

hey, went and saw a new dentist. Who was so nice and had this great team in Woollahra. Quoted me $1600 for the entire job and also said the guy i saw was a total shark and known to overcharge. Pity i am on this side of my $850 before finding that out, but i needed my tooth put back in. Anyhoo after fashion week, i will start my root canal therapy and then have a new chomper. I think i will call it Ploppy.

Good outcome!

Hard Candy - Full review

"Whose ya mama?"

This is not the album I expected, somewhat a relief and a disappointment at the same time. Madge has not lost any of her sledge hammer subtlety nor her love of a good boogie. This album has tweaked layers and interesting twists, From the slurpy Candy Shop, where she invites you to get sticky fingers in her candy box, to the closing electronic Notre Dame of a song in the Gothic Voices, this album is like nothing Madonna has claimed before.

The outstanding tracks are: Give it 2 me that charges like a bull in a lingerie store, and enjoys every dirty moment. The hypnotic Heartbeat and Miles Away are the most ballad-like tracks, but they still have a thump to keep the neighbours annoyed. The Beat Goes On and the utterly awesome (!!) Dance 2Night, are guaranteed dance floor anthems. Mining classic 70's disco, complete with the handclaps, bells, whistles and Justin Timberlake's Bee Gees style 'Aahhs'. While the wonderfully titled The Devil Wouldn't Recognised You, is a classic mournful and dark Madonna track.

This is a good album but like real candy, the satisfaction is short lived and leaves you wanting more. Madonna has created some of the strongest albums in her career in the past ten years, but Hard Candy feels slapped together and slightly short on the life we expect from a Madonna album. Bad tracks include the overlong and slightly undercooked Incredible. Strangely enough feels like it needed a few more sessions through the Madge-a-tron to make it work. Spanish Lessons is another raiding of the Latin cupboard that M spent alot of the 80's in, this time it just sounds dated. On the upside she embraces her inner M.I.L.F, growling "If you do your homework, maybe i'll give you more". I am grateful that the utterly awful Ring My Bell, a bonus track on the special edition CDs, did not make it to the final album. it would have tipped the scales into crapdom. Without it Hard Candy teeters safely on the good side of things.

I was quite concerned that Madge would get lost in the forest of R&B try hard, Hard Candy is not a bad album but we have come to expect more after the tour de force that was Confessions On The Dancefloor. The tracks rattle the teeth and it is really hard not to wiggle when she hits her groove, but it feels too top heavy with the Farrel and Timberland production, and Madge ends up like guest on her own album. The climax of the album ends with a bell tolling, which I am sure this not accident, and is a reference to the expectation that she will now that she is almost 50 she will (or should apparently) pack up the decks and knee length boots, to make toilet roll covers. I get the feeling, for her, this album is a staunch middle finger to all those doubters.

I do not agree she should retire, she has so much more to give and more ground to cover but its disappointing Madonna does not seem to care as much anymore. Hard Candy is a modern album that ticks all the mainstream boxes, but over time may melt into a sugary blob when compared to her previous collaborations. B-

'All i want for xmas is my front tooth'

Well, i have bad karma or something this year. Just as i am getting over the hospital event, i was sitting down this Sunday to a tasty BLT and my fake front tooth fell out! I was horrified, in a sub hysterical tizzy i hence forth found a 24/7 dentist and went and paid $850 to have the tooth fixed back into the yellow stump. I then found out the problem was much bigger than a bit of super glue, the issue is i have an infection in my gum due to a bad root canal when it first happened. You see it was 7 years ago in NYC and i slipped on ice and smashed out my tooth. I was living in London and sans insurance, so i found a dentist who stabilised the tooth for my flight home. Unfortunately it was not done well and i have ended up now with an abscess. So now i am looking at out about $4000 worth of work to clean out my tooth, new root canal, reconstruction of the post and a new porcelain cap. Suffice to say i was quite upset, but now realise i have to do it or my tooth will keep popping out to say hello to my sandwiches. So i am going to see a dentist tomorrow for a second opinion and search for dentists with long term payment plans so i can get it done ASAP.

Bit sucky but hey at least i do not have a brain aneurysm!

How not to work out...

Starting again

Ok, went back to training again yesterday and I felt like I had been out of it for 4 months. I was so tired and weak. Its a strange feeling that your body has slowed down when the brain has not, I guess that's illness and aging. It will take me a while to get back to the place I was pre-illness but I am determined to do so. Last night I was talking to my friend Jennifer in NZ and realised I still have not computed the whole episode and she was surprised I went through most of it alone and so quietly.

This was not so surprising for me as it was bad timing that 99% of my friends were away for Easter, my mum was in NZ and I am single. So to me I had no other choice but to do it alone. I have to admit it causes some pangs of hurt when I think about it but I think those pangs are tied into my overall feeling towards the whole event. I was never going to crawl into a ball and fall apart over this, and to coin a common phrase: what has not killed me has made me stronger.

I have to admit that I went back to work too early, but I had no other choice but too. The project I was working on was at a critical pre launch stage, and it needed all hands on board. But now I feel like I need to take some time to crunch the numbers and breath. So I may ask my boss for some time off in the next months after Fashion Week. That being said I am not naive that a holiday will wipe the slate clean but I think it will help. But I am assured the effects of the past few weeks will show themselves for a long time to come and has, maybe in a small way, changed me forever.

When Brains Attack!

As i have alluded to I had a major health scare about three weeks ago, I was admitted to hospital just before and again during Easter. I was training and had just started it, when I got what was the worse headache I have ever had in the front of my head. It was like an explosion. Suffice to say I could not stand and my balance was all screwed up. So I went off to hospital and was admitted for CT scans and a lumbar puncture (which was horrible, where they put a huge needle in your spine). The doctors thought I may have had a brain aneurysm and needed to test me for all and sundry to make sure was not going to drop dead.

I was let out of hospital the next day but went straight back in two days later as one in 100 people have adverse reactions to the lumbar puncture. Including inability to stand, ultra sensitivity to light, hideous nausea and the most horrible headaches ever. So I was admitted to the Neurology ward for three days. They had to do an small procedure (with another huge needle) on my back to fix the problem but then I had to do heaps of other tests including one with radioactive iodine which felt like I had pissed myself.

It was so scary but I did not realise how much until I got out and just was devastated due to the stress and worry. It was not pretty.
The neurology ward was just horrific, I was directly opposite a guy who was a vegetable and had half his skull missing. He use to wail and moan like some animal into the middle of the night. At that point they did not know what was wrong with me so I was terrified I would end up like him.
They finally figured out it was some type of reaction to stress and over exercise, causing all the blood to rush to my head and cause what my neurologist called a “thunderclap” headache and the reason I had been turned into a human pin cushion is that the symptoms I had matched a sub orbital aneurysm (AKA possible killer bleed).

So after all that scariness it was a rather simple explanation, but it has taken me ages to recover. I lost about 6-8 kgs, had panda eyes and was quite shell shocked and emotional for a while. Its only now I can exercise again and am feeling better. I went back to work too early as i had these events to finish, but i was very slow and unable to respond very fast to people and questions. It was weird, like I was wrapped in cotton wool.

So it was a really traumatising time, very lonely as well, but feel interestingly Zen afterwards now. On the bright side i was overwhelmed by the support I got from co workers and friends alike. So that is really it for me, I am just glad to be ok.

Grounded and not liking it.

Hey, I am feeling very up and down in terms of emotions since my recent health issues. As a result I am grounded for any hard exercise for a while. I did a bit of a work out yesterday and now feel exhausted, also due to my lack of proper sleep for a couple of days as well. So I feel like I look tired and am a grumpy troll horror at work/home, worthy of a trip to the dungeon. But in my defense I have gone from working out everyday, to nothing, feeling like I have no energy and am so panicked about ruining all the hard work I put in at the gym. My trainer is saying slow down (which I hate doing and hate even More being told to do it) as my body has had a 'shock' and needs to rest psychically and emotionally. He is right though...

I will have an early one tonight then try some more exercise from Thursday. Its very frustrating to go from feeling so strong and healthy to feeling weak and down. I will be busy with work all next week and be away, so hopefully the week after I can start anew with training etc..

It may sound weird, but to me fitness is freedom. Strength gives you the chance to try anything you wish - hence freedom. Now I just feel locked in a cage, with grumpy James for company.

Guess who is coming to town.....

Yay! 2nd of April! I am going with my Friend Alex on Wednesday. Should be awesome. Will take loads of pictures. now all we need is a wee visit by Madge and the Hard Candy Tour!

Rough week

I am been quite ill this past week and ended up in hospital being tested for some really frightening things. I am OK, have more tests but the hard core deadly stuff has been crossed off the list.

I am still dealing with the whole shock of it so forgive me if I do not write about it yet. Its still stings alot. rest assured I am fine and healthy though i have to par back my fitness program and try to manage my stress levels for a while.

Comments

I have disabled comments on this as i keep being spammed. If you are the one person who reads this, you need to become a member of this blog before you can comment. Soz

Mancrush: The bear conclusion

It is funny how things come together to give you the resolution you need to a funny situation. You may remember back in the heady days of 2007 I had a major crush on the trainer at the gym. Well that progressed to no-where town, the lingering looks over the cross trainer remained but with no follow through. Not without trying though, a couple of stuttered words and a few head dives into the changing room went an approach was aborted at the final second. I ended up being a bit frustrated with it, I was going to bash my head against a wall but I already did that by accident.

But things happen to end things for you, this week I had two friends come into town Susan from London and Robert from Los Angeles. On Saturday night Rob and I went to Slide, and as we walked through the sliding doors I spied the trainer propping up the bar. Finally! I thought. So after Rob and I got drinks I went up and said ‘Hi’. My heart was in my nostril as I tried to act all cool, but due to his monosyllabic answers and disinterested demeanor I was getting the feeling I may as well be covered in dog poo.

So I returned to my friend and we were going to finish our drinks and leave the trainer in his box. Until the trainer came up and asked us to go to a club over the road, my eyebrows with my deflated hopes.
We went over the road and arrived at the funniest party I have ever been too, as we slipped between the leather curtain Rob and I realized we had arrived at a leather bear party. The room was surging with hairy, half naked men mostly over the age of 45. Rob and I stood against a wall, holding our beers like they were decent protection from the sweaty mush. Not unlike a pig pen.

It was then I saw the real reason I was getting no where with the trainer, he had whipped off his shirt and was promptly molesting a 50 year old hairy leather bear. Rob and I were astounded. At that point, shame weighting down my head like a paper weight, I ran across the room hoping for a teleport machine to take me away from this leather encrusted nightmare. It was that point I ran into a 21 year old who promptly made out with me on the dance floor. I know, crazy! Let’s just preface that with the fact I had been drinking since 5pm, so a tad bit fast. But in my defense, the 21 year old was cute and I had just wasted months on a guy who would have more fun at Taronga zoo than with me so it was rather well timed to take my mind off the utter humiliation of miss reading a situation so badly.

Oh well..just dreading returning to the gym today. But give me a week, it will be fun. I guess I have learned to sort out these situations before they out last their use by date. Oh and never go to a leather bar again.

Stuck in the middle

I was out last night as a mate from Los Angeles was out and we went to this Brazilian Party at Slide which was out of control, i had not been out of the scene for ages so i took the opportunity of Mardi Gras and the people it brings out of the woodwork. I really did not see anyone, but I felt really quite sad at one point.

Thinking "here i am again, still single and searching a room for a face". Not that there is anything wrong with it but i felt like the past few months have taken to me to a place in my head, that I feel a bit odd being back in a crowded room feeling like i am 'hookering' myself to a potential somebody. Once again I am over analysing this, as always, I feel like i am the healthiest and most confident I have been in years, so I really want to a relationship to stuff that up again? My friend Robert asked if i was single to which i muttered yes into my maxi sized G&T, "Ahhhh" he said, "That's why you look so good. Being in a relationship ages you". I am not entirely confident with this statement as he has been through about 5 relationships since I met him and he still looks the same age. I have had one major and a few short brain fart relationships and now feel cyrogenically frozen with a sign around my neck 'to be thawed out when he finds a nice guy'. Am I bad to hope he hurries up as winter is coming and its cold in my freezer.

How come I become so deflated by a room full of people? Maybe I am just a person who will never meet anyone. I know i just said the love equivalent of the C word in church, but they must exist, yet they are these people are not spoken of, like tax loop holes and dandruff on shoulders. I guess to think that you possibly could never meet someone scares the hell out of us, it drags up images of dying alone with a plate of roast pork on your lap in some dive and not being found for 6 months. So understandably it is better to ignore the fact. I'd rather eyeball it and see what i am scared off, then maybe it won't be anything to fear after that. That's not quite working yet...

New Album, New Look

I just found this, it is the first image from the shoot for Madonna's new album "Hard Candy", out late April. Its pretty cool, shot by her current photographer collaborator Steven Klein, and judging from the past it could be the theme for the new album including part of her new look. Even if not, it's pretty cool anyhoo. Never guessed she would do 'oiled up athlete/boxer girl' , but its works. Her mesh undies are quite see through. This is also used for the cover of an upcoming issue of UK Dazed and Confused. Bring on April I say!

Sydney Storms

This bashed us last night. Once in 20 year storm

Noosa, sore muscles and a one big ole party

Just got back from Noosa on Sunday, which was nice. Noosa is very cool, spent 5 days lying about in the sun which was hot - 40 degrees on one day! Took a 4wd truck over to Frazer Island, what an amazing but very strange place. It is one huge 170km long sand dune in which this ancient rainforest has grown on. Pretty amazing, though the bumpy roads almost made me lose my breakfast. I have already had enough of vomity tourist trips this year thanks. I got sick before I went away but the sun and surf solved that, I think the sickness may have had something to do with the epic night out I had for my friends wedding. I was really happy to be back home in Sydney though, got a bit restless for my own bed and home.

Now I am back, I have been hitting the training pretty hard. Have two PT sessions a day a week and then still going 5 evenings a week as well, last night I thought my legs were going to turn to jelly and I was going to face plant into the Kings Cross fountain. I do feel fitter and I am starting to look like it, I think. It is hard, you are always starring at yourself everyday so it is hard to tell really. But I was aching something wicked, especially today after all those squats, dips and step ups teamed with sprinting. At least our trainer is a bit of eye candy while you collapse nose first into dog poo after 40 push ups.

Marde Gras is on Saturday and off to a pretty fun looking "Gay Bash" party on the night and I will take a couple of million pictures for you. Not paying $200 to go to the crap after party. I do not understand how the price of the tickets is justifiable. The party has no imagination to it, its so cookie cutter and dull. Same old rooms, all playing the same old crap music to all the pill'ed up shirtless throngs. Boring! What ever happened to the creativity of it all? Any ideas let me know.

I will add some Noosa pics soon.

Caught in The Ivy...

Hey, had a great night on Friday at my friends wedding in Watson’s bay. Such a great night, ended up at the new Sydney bar The Ivy dancing away till about 4am on the Astroturf dancefloor. Such an amazing place, a real mix up of French Country, 60’s Pastiche, early 70’s Latin modernism and Miami inspired open walls and ceilings. Just awesome. Not sure how the semi indoor/outdoor thing will work in winter but who cares. Very fun and there was a three headed shower in a big fake camp flower bell over the dance floor.
But due to my late night antics I have come down with a horrible cold. So feeling a bit sookie as I could not go to my Trainer today.
BUT I am off to Noosa tomorrow for 6 days. Yay! Can’t promise I will update this during my stay there, but will after. I am off to blow my nose.

A bit fed up

So tired and a bit fed up today, this week has been crazy what with work (all the stresses involved) and all the training I have been doing - I have felt really drained. it is a friends Nic and Kate's wedding tonight which will be fun, but for some reason I brought the heaviest present in the land which I struggled to work with this morning.Not making my mood for the day very good. I am, though, off to Noosa on Tuesday for a few days which will be fun. I hope the weather improves, it has truly been a miserable summer this year for Australia.
At least we have lots of water now! Silver lining, silver lining. Sigh…

My 31st Birthday

Here is a pic from my birthday. I had such a great night with my friends, very fun and about 20 cocktails of various shapes,weights and girth. You can see right down my shirt in this picture. eeerr oops...

Personal Trainer

Sorry kids, 2008 has been a real ‘rocket up the butt’ year so far and not in any fun way either. I have started my personal trainer now which is pretty amazing. It is great to know how much more you can improve on and get better at. I did not want to be cosmetically strong but actually strong so hopefully this cross training approach will go well.
I have been going pretty hard, as I have the trainer during the day twice a week and then still going to the gym 4/5 nights after work. So I have been feeling quite tired and sore but it is all good.
More and better updates soon
J