Paranoid much?

Me : I really want to get a cat. I'm trying to figure out how to convince M to get one.

Boss: You don't want a cat, they die after ten years

(!!??? First I've heard of this phenomenon)

Me : (Laughing) What, so I should get a dog instead? They don't die?

Boss : No but....just don't get a cat

Me : So this is why you don't have a gf/wife?

Boss : Get a cockatoo, they live for 100 years!

Me : This is how you rationalise your Pet-Free existence....

My Makeup Construction Space

Makeup, originally uploaded by dataceptionist.

I'm lucky enough, in my home, to have a whole second bathroom to myself for my makeup. Ok, we don't call it MY bathroom, or my Makeup bathroom or anything, but its the "guest" bathroom essentially, so gradually I've moved all my makeup in there.

Initially I had just spare hair stuff, and all my spare toiletries and supplies in the cupboards. Then when I did my cousins makeup last year I had to pack up all my makeup to take with me, and it just somehow seemed easier when I got around to unpacking it all, to unpack it in the spare bathroom.

The result, an awesome space for all my stuff to be spread out, without worrying there isn't enough room for M's shaving cream, or whatever.
(Ok, confession, M only really has one small shelf in our main bathroom for his few things also, I've got my everyday stuff taking up loads of space in there too.)

So this is my space. If you click on the photo above, you can find little notes on things in the photo, like the toothbrush cup, full of makeup brushes.

I use this space as my "getting ready" space in general. I suppose if I was a lady from eras gone by, I might have a boudoir for this sort of thing, with a dressing table and tasseled perfume spritzer. I do feel spoiled. It's my mother's fault though, when she redid the bathroom at home, she organised the cabinets so that there was a power outlet inside the cupboard so the hairdryer would always be plugged in (like the "appliance" cupboards in kitchens now with the toaster and kettle). She also had discreet lighting installed above the mirror expressly for makeup application. So, with lessons like these, whats a girl to do?

What would your ultimate makeup space be do you think?

The Unknown Terrorist - Richard Flanagan ****

So, I finally got to read this. After my earlier misstep in reading the wrong book, I managed to borrow it from the library. I was looking forward to it as I'd sort of forgotten why I wanted to read it (hence why I initially persevered with the incorrect book).
I actually really enjoy doing that, it's one of the reasons after I pick a book to read, I don't read the blurb. Its sort of like getting a surprise picked by the best selector possible; yourself!

What would you do if you turned on the television and saw you were the most wanted terrorist in Australia?
Gina Davies is about to find out.
....a fast paced thriller that paints a devastating picture of contemporary Australia.
Five days, three unexploded bombs, and every truth of your life turned into a lie.
What would you do?

The reason I didn't give this book a five, is that it was as if it couldn't quite commit to what genre it wanted to be. In the blurb it claims its a thriller, but it doesn't quite make "Thriller" I don't feel. Almost like Flanagan isn't comfortable joining the ranks of so many thriller and crime writers, he may be portrayed as a fraud. So he holds back just so much as if criticised he could jump back into his own camp and claim he'd never strayed.

I also found it a teensy bit pompous at the start. The language is so descriptive, its almost TOO descriptive, I thought it was trying to hard to describe Kings Cross, and Darlinghurst, and well, Sydney.
Trying too hard to be literary in its approach, not thriller.
What I will say is its a terrifying insight on the hysteria that can grip a city, and the way the media drives it.
Perhaps I enjoyed as as I'm a Sydneysider, as it's been caned a bit by Australian Reviewers, while lauded overseas.
Curious.
Worth a look if you're after something, with wide appeal I think.

4 / 5

News from around the Netscape

Ebay is standing by their decision to change payment method to Paypal or COD only.

Despite a series of forums on the change involving big wigs from both ebay and Paypal's Australian arms, little has been done to allay the fears of users and sellers that its all a big revenue grab.
Big winner from this move is an Australian auction site called Oztion.
Let's hope everyone abandons Ebay for this home-grown version.

An announcement dumping the plan for Free City broadband was quietly slipped in last week in the same edition of the paper as the Sydney Harbour boat tragedy that claimed six lives.

The emailed press release was sent to technology writers but political reporters did not receive it. This came almost a year after Mr Roozendaal said the Government was in the "final approval stage" of selecting a supplier to build the network, which would provide free internet access to anyone within range.
A spokeswoman for Mr Roozendaal said the decision to scrap the network was announced on the day of the boat crash because that was when the decision was made and "because of the commercial nature of the decision" the announcement had to be made immediately.

Yeah right. Dodgy, dodgy practices.

Judge & Jury - Patterson & Gross ***

Andie DeGrasse, an aspiring actress and single mom, is not your typical juror. Hoping to get dismissed from the pool, she tells the judge that most of her legal knowledge comes from a bit part curling around a stripper's pole in The Sopranos. But she still ends up as juror #11 in a landmark trial against a notorious mob boss.

THE JUDGE IS TERRIFIED OF THE DEFENDANT.

The case quickly becomes the new Trial of the Century. Mafia don Dominic Cavello, known as the Electrician, is linked to hundreds of gruesome, unspeakable crimes. Senior FBI agent Nick Pellisante has been tracking him for years. He knows Cavello's power reaches far beyond the courtroom, but the FBI's evidence against the ruthless killer is iron-clad. Conviction is a sure thing.

SO IS THE JURY.

As the jury is about to reach a verdict, the Electrician makes one devastating move that no one could have predicted. The entire nation is reeling, and Andie's world is shattered. For her, the hunt for the Electrician becomes personal, and she and Pellisante come together in an unbreakable bond: they will exact justice-at any cost.

THE VERDICT: RUN FOR YOUR LIFE.

James Patterson spins an all-out heart-pounding legal thriller that pits two people against the most vicious and powerful mobster since John Gotti. Judge & Jury is a stunning feat by "one of America's most influential authors" (New York Times).

Standard Patterson fare really. Good read, not spectacular though. Grisham probably better for a Courtroom drama.

3 / 5

Makeup 101

I think when it comes to makeup, a little knowledge goes a long way. Just a few tips can help your makeup look ten times better. I've listed a few things I've picked up along the way, even if you only used one of them that you don't already, you could save that friend saying something.

Basic rules I follow:

Brushes brushes brushes. Unless you are using it for a specific effect, get rid of the sponge applicator that might come with your eyeshadow compact. Get yourself some quality brushes. It might feel like a waste of $40 for a set, but its really an investment. Trust me.



Always apply creams/liqiuds before powders. This might seem kind of obvious after you hear it, but it also includes eye pencil, which you should do before you powder your face if you're going to set your foundation.
Creams are; liquid foundations, concealers, eye pencil, brow pencil, cream blushes and cream shadows.
Powders are; powder foundations, translucent powders, blushes, eye shadows and bronzers.


Mascara always goes on last. If you've forgotten something on your eyes, its too late after mascara, you'll end up putting shadow in your mascara which will dull it, you'll need to re-apply mascara and it will go all clumpy.

<---Did you know that Great Lash Mascara by Maybelline is apparently the best selling mascara in the world? I've owned about 5 of these and I think they're great. (go Big W/Kmart for cheap prices)

Tip: As you apply your mascara do a slight zig zag motion with the wand as you move it up your lashes, this coats the sides of your lashes and the tops, all in one go. Only do a small motion, enough to hit the "sides" is plenty.

The last thing I can say about basics, is don't be afraid to experiment before you go out for an occassion. Lots of people will say you shouldn't in case you stuff it up, but my philosphy is that if you don't go the whole hog before something you want to look good for, you'll never give it a proper chance at another time.

Who is ever going to think to themselves on a quiet night after work "I might practice making up my face tonight" You've got nowhere to go when you get it right and look gorgeous!
The trick is to just start early, keep your cleanser/makeup remover handy and don't be afraid to take it all off and start again if you stuff it up. I can't tell you how many times I've done my eye makeup and ended up being too heavy handed, so I just take it off and start again. The end result will look better than if you just try to salvage a mishap.

Reasons NOT to drink at work

1- End up trawling Facebook.
1.1 Which leads to....
1.2 becoming nostalgic about old School friends and trying to find them on Facebook
1.3 starting dialogue with old high school friend who just got engaged. (this is ridiculous as if I passed her at the shops I would avert my gaze and pretend not to have seen her)
1.4 Looking at profiles of people you went to Primary School with, and reminiscing. Should I add them?
1.5 thinking about whether I should have been less of a bitch to School Friends, after School finished
*whines* why don't I have many Facebook friends?

Oh that's right, I hate all those people.
Damn wine (from wake next door)

2 Cousin calls, try to monopolise her time with idle chit chat.
She is not interested as she's seeing me tomorrow. Probably can tell I'm pissed. After I tell her. Politely palms me off.

1.6 Still considering trying to find Year 10 crush. Has annoyingly foreign surname though, if I spell wrong I could be here for hours trying.

1.7 Ha. Just found Year 7 "boyfriend".

1.8 Goodness, this girl has almost the entire year as her friends.

1.9 Resent ex friend, she appears to be friends with loads of people

1.10 When did I become such a cow. Was it organic? Or did I hate everyone right away

.... reflecting on life

Just been to a funeral for a work associate who died suddenly last week.

Working out is hard to do

I have two nemeses at the gym. These girls both intimidate and annoy me. My gym isn't a Fitness First type gym. My gym is more of a middle-aged-women-trying-to-work-their-asses-off (literally) & tired-over-worked-business-men-trying-to-get-rid-of-their-beer-bellies. With a dash of oldies-staying-in-shape for good measure.

So, I call these two girls Gym Princess*, and Hard Core Gal.

Due to the general clientele, "we" don't get a lot of Gym Princesses thankfully. But it does mean that they stick out a lot more. You know the type, slim (why are they at the gym?!), snooty, looks like their gym outfit costs half the yearly membership total. What's with the layering of singlet tops in workout-wear at the moment? All the "trendy" Gym Princesses I see (there's a gym in the shopping centre near work too, affluent area, lots of youngish women that don't work) seem to be wearing a system of colour matched and layered singlets. Don't they get hot?

The worst thing is that even though Gym Princess is clearly preening while she's working out, I actually find myself competing with her. If we're on machine's next to each other, I have to make a concerted effort not to look at her screen. I find her infuriating! AND she doesn't seem to sweat. Ever.

Hard Core Gal as her name indicates, goes Hard on everything she does. She's the one that runs at 12, with a 3.5 incline for thirty minutes, then she walks briskly for another 15. Not uncommon for her to be on the same machine almost the entire time I'm at the gym.
Then she switches to the Cross-trainer (aka elliptical) and goes at level 12 for another 20 minutes at 11 km/h, before hitting the bike for 45 minutes at a level of 15 with RPM 95. She's a machine! To her credit, she looks like she's been working her ass off for a while now.

And then there's the Irritating-teenage-boys. They don't intimidate me, just the annoying factor. They move around the gym in packs, roaming from machine to machine, taking up space and laughing. Laughing! Grrr. I had thought this was a school holidays thing, but "the kids" are back at school, and these boys are still coming to the gym (when I'm there Grr)

I think one of the most annoying things about groups at the gym, is that I think working out is a fairly solitary activity. As long as everyone sticks to the rules, it works. I move from this machine after my reps, to that machine over there, and someone else who has been eyeing off my machine slips into where I was, and so-on and so-forth.
These....groups...monopoloise all the machines at once, and they move between the same three over and over. So someone like me, can't break into their little circuit they've created to get my own fifteen goddam reps done.
Bah!

Feeling great about my gym attendance though. Sort of feel....lighter. Not neccessarily losing-weight wise, but in general, feeling good and stuff. Onward and upward!

*I think I may have possibly nicked this term from another Blog, but I can't remember which one, and so, can't remember who to credit.

Not to alarm anyone, but....

Is Vera Wang (R) actually a transgender Man?

I always thought she would look like a delicate china doll, like the dresses she designs.
~
The other thing I find odd, the photogallery I was flicking through for these shots, its like they haven't spent enough money on the images and they've gotten a bad batch where none of the celebs look quite right.

No 1- Mary Kate & Ashley Olsen
I call this one, I'm-supporting-my-sister-through-this-difficult-elfin-time-in-her-life.
She's sort of clinging no?
I love the smile on the normal one. Who hasn't had a photo like this where they're propping up their drunk friend at a party when someone tries to take a happy snap, and they're pretending they're not drunk, and you're pretedning they'er not drunk, but everyone can see they are drunk.
Substitute drunk, for nuts!
(Plus, who knew? The weird one is shorter than the more-normal-one.)

No. 2 Dita Von Teese

No. 3 Posh & Becks

No. 4 - Janet Jackson

No. 5 - Diane Kruger
Hmmm, twichy eyes.....slightly pursed lips...slightly, I don't really want to be here, I'd rather be running away from Troy with Orlando Bloom...

No. 6 - Kate Moss & Stella McCartney*
*thanks Re
Is this a shot of Kate Moss (and friend*) bunching Kate Moss' dress up behind her back? Whaaa....???
~

And hilariously, toward the end they've just given up on captioning them, maybe they don't recognise the starlets? (And THIS is why I don't know who this other person is)
And if anyone can enlighten me as to the actual point of the Metropolitan Museum's Fantasy & Fashion Costume Ball, please do, because it seems like every man and his dog was there.

Makeup: How do you apply?

Have you noticed that women are particularly sensitive about makeup?

Most girls reach their twenties with some version of training, whether it be years of watching Mum in the bathroom before she goes out, or a girlfriend sitting them down when you're 15 and applying peacock blue to the eyelid, or applying that same eyeshadow yourself as a six-year-old in plastic high heels.
I also have no doubt whatsoever that some women reach their twenties without any knowledge whatsoever of how to apply makeup. These women I think end up being self-taught, and you may know some yourself.

I have twin cousins now in their thirties that have still never really been taught how to apply their makeup. They muddle through it of course, I've seen them both in makeup, and its probably a combination of a quick lesson from mum, watching friends over the years and trying it out in the mirror. They recalled being in their teens and their mum (not being a huge makeup person, but having two teenage girls who might be keen) she offered to send them for a makeup course. My mother never offered to send me for lessons in makeup, and I'd like to think I would have leapt at the opportunity (in the manner I would now) had it been offered.
My cousins turned down their mothers offer, and now in their early thirties, probably wish they hadn't. One of these cousins was invited to the Arias last year, and asked me to do her makeup! I was surprised, I haven't done anyone's makeup for quite a while, but its essentially the same as doing your own, just it takes longer. I'd never noticed that she doesn't really wear makeup, and it's because she doesn't trust herself to do it properly.

I think when it comes to makeup, a little knowledge goes a long way. In the next day or so, I'll list some of the tips I've picked up along the way.

What I've noticed though, as I started with, is how makeup is quite a touchy subject amongst women if you want to be critical. Some women, while they may admit to a close friend, that they don't know much about makeup, don't necessarily want the greater world to know that they're a bit clueless. They certainly don't want you pointing it out to them!

Way back when I did my makeup classes, I gradually learnt how to apply, and what to look for etc. It was at this time that it gradually dawned on me that my own mother wasn't applying her makeup "properly". I tried to speak to her about it, and this was my first time where I realised some people simply don't want to hear about the way YOU do it.
Her method works just fine for her, and while she took a few things on board, she's essentially got the same style as before, and who am I to interfere? It works for her.

I find the dilemma of whether to tell someone about their makeup malfunction, akin to the "dress in the skirt" or "toilet paper on strangers shoe" dilemma.
Both of these predicaments, if you saw, you would probably tell the person wouldn't you? But there's a line we cross when we do that. Stepping into this strangers life and telling them something is not quite right, to save them the embarrassment later.
I personally would be mortified if I went out, as a friend did recently, with a foundation line on her jawline. Blend blend blend I think when I do my own. If I hadn't blended properly, I would want someone to step in and tell me, discreetly of course.
Of course the older a person gets, the less they want to hear about what they're doing wrong. "you mean I've been doing it wrong all this time!"
I had my colours done several years ago and there was a woman in the group that loved pink. Now I quite like Pink also, but I wasn't quite so into it at that point. This woman only wore Pink, and mostly it was a baby pink sort of shade, very feminine and she liked it that way.
She was told she "couldn't" wear that shade anymore. It wasn't that she couldn't wear pink at all, but she discovered she'd been wearing the wrong shade all these years (she was in her forties). Pretty devastating for her really.
So back to makeup though, this friend of mine recently had quite the foundation line going, and I just couldn't bring myself to tell her. Of course, I've been told I'm not the most tactful person getting around also, and I didn't want to offend her, and she's a very good friend of mine. So it made me think who COULD I tell? If I can't mention it to my dear friend, what hope do we have?
Why are women so sensitive about the way they do their makeup?

Biggest Losers lovers?

When I saw the headline "Sparks Fly for The Biggest Loser" I naturally assumed it was Michael and Sheridan, who were seen (and promoted) to have "a romantic connection" on the show, including having confronting questions about their relationship posed to them on the show about whether "finding love" had affected their weight loss dreams.
Clearly between the two of them it must have had some effect, because the week it "came out" on the show was Sheridan's last, and then supposedly in heartbreak Michael was out the next week (from memory).
So I was shocked to discover the article was about a supposed romance between Big Garry and Carianne! (one of the twins)
(hey Garry, whats with the Shirt promoting chips?)On a side note, really wanted a woman to win this year, Alison came so close! But in the end it was 19 year old Sam, with a loss of 71kg. Which is a massive effort and good on him.
He'll be beating them off with a stick now!

In yet another ridiculous reflection of how litigous our society has become, two parents have gone to court over where their daughter's 7th Birthday will be held. Dad wants a Maccas party with friends and family, including his new 7 month-old baby, Mum wants a party somewhere else with no family.

The parents have been before the court "a number of times" since they split up early last year.

The judge ruled the father could be with his daughter between 3pm and 5pm on her birthday at the local childcare centre - alone. She said the girl should meet her half-sister sooner rather than later but in an orderly and sensitive way and not at a birthday party.

Michael Taussig QC said if somebody came to him asking to run a case in court about a birthday, he would tell them to see a psychiatrist.
"Unfortunately the Family Court has to deal with dysfunctional people constantly and this is just one example," he said. His suggestion would have been two birthday parties - one with mum, the other with dad.

You'd think they could get their act together enough to work out something as basic as this without it tying up valuable court time. And they only split last year, what hope have they got if they've already been to court "a number of times".

How sad is it that this is what this little girl will remember for this birthday. Me? When I turned 7 I wore a yellow dress and played "Drop the Hanky" in the backyard.

Tom cruise gets desperate to prove he's a normal guy

This is so highly creepy.



*key weirdness'
- Katie saying :I love you: multiple times when she leaves.
- multiuple mentions of Suri. Suri Suri Suri, :See she's real!:
- Nicole Kidman once lived in that house.
- Oprah referring to :Bella: (Nicole and Tom's adopted daughter) like they're best of friends.

There's more to this but its being yanked off all the video sites. I hope you can still view this part!

Welcome to my desk

I bought these cool little desktop things, a little galileo thermometer because I love the colours of them and stuff.

I like that my desk reflects me, with photos and odds and ends of trips M and I have done. Seahorses figurines from Tasmania's Seahorse Aquarium, a soapstone turtle from Fiji.
(Elephant in background is a joke from the castle "it's trunks up")

Ok the biscuits have little sentimental significance.




And this bamboo stick/oil diffuser thing. I have one at home that my mother in law gave me, and I really like it. Its much bigger than this cute little version and its got a lemongrass type fragrance. Very fresh and invigorating.
There were a range of scents for the baby ones, and I ended up choosing Gardenia because I thought it would be pretty. Its ended up being cloying however. Like, choking and gagging, can't get the smell out of my nose.
I've ended up moving it off my desk entirely, to the other side of the room, still not working. Might have to remove it completely.

I don't wanna dance with somebody

Before I met my husband, I used to love dancing. In fact there was nothing I enjoyed more than a good night out dancing. I suspect one of the reasons I loved it so much was that it made me feel quite sexy, and I could pick up like that *snap fingers* when I was dancing (and did).
Of course at the time I told myself, and others, that it wasn't about picking up, it was about having fun. Ha.
Now as an old married lady, I don't go out dancing anymore. After I met my husband and we started dating I didn't need to pick up anymore, so I made a concerted effort to not go out dancing, lest I make a boo-boo. I missed it a lot initially, and if we went out and dancing was on the cards, I was there. Some of our friends are still shocked apparently at us dancing at a wedding, must have been a bit full-on. I can't remember of course, I was smashed at the time (must be why I thought it was a good idea to get down and dirty on the dancefloor in front of wedding guests).

What's weird now though, is that I don't miss dancing at all anymore, and I'm quite happy not to dance now, even when the opportunity presents. I don't even really enjoy it all that much anymore I don't think.
I sometimes kind of find it annoying almost when other girls try to (literally) drag me onto the floor (no no, they are my friends). I still have a few friends that I love to dance with when they're around, you know how some people just get your dance style and you can dance with them regardless of the song? But even so, I'm happy to dance a couple of songs, and sit down. Used to be if it had a beat, I was up. There are still certain songs I almost HAVE to get up if they come on; Yeah by Usher (always makes me think of this certain girlfriend who I used to go out with a bit), Smooth by Santana and Rob Thomas (loved this song in high school), Rock this Party (everybody dance now) by Bob Sinclar, anything by Ricky Martin (*shame*). They all get my feet tapping. Anyone else have songs like that?

Am I getting boring? Too comfy? Perhaps I'm just prudish now?
Whay happened to my love of a boogie? I wonder if its perhaps that I'd just prefer a good chat with a glass of wine in a quiet corner, rather than three shots of tequila at the bar (so you keep your hands free) and onto the dancefloor.
To say "its because you're married" I think is too dismissive, but maybe that's it?

Letter of response to my letter of complaint

Dear Mrs Dataceptionist

Thank you for contacting us about Dairy Farmers Thick & Creamy Light Yogurt. The development of new products is a very lengthy process and is a co-operative effort by our Marketing, Research and Development and Operations teams. Much time is spent to ensure that our new products are pleasing to our consumers as well as being of the highest and consistent quality.

Dairy Farmers welcomes feedback from our consumers as it enables us to gauge our products' performance and acceptability in the market place. Thank you again for your comments.

Thank you again for your support.

Kind Regards
********
CONSUMER AFFAIRS CO-ORDINATOR

Well I thought we were dancing....but no....

The Australian version of So You Think You Can Dance had its finale on Sunday night (27.04). A special episode, 2 hour finale dotted with dance routines and a rendition of Bleeding Love by Leona Lewis.

We watch CSI normally on Sunday night, cutting directly in the middle of the finale. We decided to tape the last hour of Dance, and watch it after CSI. All going to plan until CSI finishes and we go to flip over to Dance.....and discover that we haven't been taping after all.....

*scream*

I tried to be nonchalant, I tried not to let it bother me. What's done is done.

I was spectacularly unsuccessful and have been pouting ever since.

Missed the Leona Lewis song, which I heard people raving about on the radio the next day. Felt like the DJ's knew I'd missed it and were rubbing it in my face.

Rove, after the announcement, raved about the dancing before the announcement.

Missed the "eviction" of one of the girls I wanted to win.

Shit all round really.

I was devastated that Jack won. SO BORING!
The last two American series have been won by carbon copies of Jack, and its always two boys in the last two. Stupid tweeny girls voting. Bah

And did anyone see what the fug Natalie Bassingthwaite was wearing at the after event when she performed on Rove? After considerable effort to bring you this photo in case you missed it-

Some sort of hideous sparkly dress with a white leather wide belt, with buckles at front. Ghastly!?! She looked lovely for the Dance show, a black feathery cocktail dress, quite cute. (you can find that one yourself on the Dance website, or you can see a snippet on the left in the Jack pic)

So, like I said, I just couldn't let this slide.

The ravages of time

Just saw Learner Driver
When did they start giving twelve year olds licences?
Am getting old

Shame- Jasvinder Sanghera ***** (an update)

I read this book a year ago, see the original post here.

I don't feel I truly did this book justice with this review originally. I didn't want to over analyse it, or babble, and I ended up not saying enough.

This book has changed my outlook on the world at large. I've never thought of myself as a feminist, and I've never really focused on the fact that I am a woman in the world. But this book inspired me to read about women in other countries, with lives less fortunate than my own. It made me think about what it is to be a woman in a western country with little prejudice. We talk about the glass ceiling in the workplace and lack of paid maternity leave, but at the end of the day, we're treated with dignity and respect at all times (no when you're gyrating on a table in a haze of tequila induced "Sexyness" it doesn't count that you're not being respected).

I won't say that I've gone native and joined a commune, or that I ran off and joined Greenpeace, but I'm so much more aware than my middle class upbringing afforded me, than before I read it.
There is a whole different world that exists outside western culture, but I think we're all so comfortable we try to pretend it doesn't exist. I don't know if selling all my worldly possessions and moving to Africa is the solution, I don't know if donating 10% of my income to charity is the answer. How do we help in a meaningful way?