Ruby Velour

I have been thinking about my blog lately and how I do not write here as much as I'd like. It's not as if I don't have a lot to say (because I do) but because I'm never quite sure what I should be writing and whether or not I sound stupid, boring or irrelevant. So there have been many times where I have started to write then scrapped it, thinking I need to write some lavish big entry that's all clever and thought-provoking and going to be linked-to by everyone on the internet.

Well as I was reading Obnoxious Owl today (a newly discovered and instantly loved blog by a loud and proud Saffa-Aussie) I realised I was doing it all wrong. Almost nothing of what I say in real life is thought provoking, in fact most of it involves angry ranting, fist shaking, witty commentary and general nonsense. So why is that not translating here? WELL MATIES THAT IS GOING TO CHANGE! I am going to write here more often, daily if possible, and it will be a mixture of what I have already been doing combined with more angry rants, witty observations, more silly commentary and general hilarity that I like to fill my regular, daily life with anyway!

Starting NOW! It's a new year soon and so I ought to make some resolutions. Well I don't have to and actually never have before but I feel the need to this year because this was NOT my year at all and 2010 sounds like a damn fine to start resolvin' some shit.

Be honest, up-front and communicate a LOT more.
I am notoriously bad at this. I bottle things up until I get some serious rage happening and blow up at the wrong people. I had a huge explosion last night about something that had been building up for many months, if I'd nipped it in the bud like a sensible person then I would have saved myself a lot of grief and as for last night, a lot of tears. I also need to stop with my lying and be honest - mostly with myself. Lies are like poison and I've been poisoning myself an those closest to me for a long time now. It's gotta stop!

Get healthy, get fit and lose weight.
Oh yes, that ol' chestnut. This year I got really fit and a hell of a lot healthier. Unfortunately that does not automatically mean weight loss. I wish I could come to terms with my body shape/size but I can't so I want to shed a few kilo's in 2010 and maybe even go down a dress size. I won't do the starvation diet thing like in 2008 where I did lose a lot of weight (god I got hot) because clearly it didn't last. It's all about hard work and changing your lifestyle and I will achieve this in 2010!

Get a fantastic new job.
In 2010 I plan to get a new job where I will be happy. This will mean either something along the lines of my previous job but with a better work environment and more potential for development and career advancement, as well as a snazzy job title (I found a few ad's for jobs that fit this criteria and am super excited) or else a job that pays well, treats their staff excellently and keeps me sane. A job that fits all of the above would ROCK MY WORLD!

Stop abusing my credit card.
Holy shit I am the WORST at this. I'll stop using it for ages then BAM I start again and lose all control. In 2010 I vow not to use it unless in dire circumstances. I will not keep it in my purse and will keep it locked away for absolute emergencies only. I will also pay it off as quickly as possible too so that I will have one less debt hanging over my head.

Spend less, save more.
I have ended the year with a spectacular amount of spending but I need to cut down. I know I will never, ever stop my excessive shopping but I can curb them and make compromises. No new shoes unless I am willing to get rid of a pair I have at home. Likewise with clothing. I need to use that money and save it up because I wnat to travel next year - Japan again and maybe the USA/Canada if I am lucky!

Take more photos.
I don't know why or when this happened but I've stopped taking photos and it's so sad! I used to be the queen of excessive photos and now I barely take any and rarely find myself cropping up in anyone elses either. This is ridiculous! I need as much photo evidence of my good looks and youthful vigor as possible while I still got it! I also have my new pink Holga camera too, so I have NO excuses any more!

Go to as many festivals and gigs as possible.
I know this directly goes against my plan to spend less/save more but I missed out on alot of festivals and gig this year and I refuse to do so in 2010 because I LOVE them! I've already planned to go to Lily Allen/Calvin Harris/Dizzee Rascal, Good Vibrations (in Sydney), Soundwave, Future Music, Lady Gaga and that's just in January to March!

Until next year, ya'll!

I just found another letter I wrote the other day/week to that stupid mx newspaper, as there's been these recurring letters about the "emo kids that hang around the Queen St Mall". It shit me, because those little turds are scenesters, not emo at all (even if they consider themselves emo, which just makes me angrier). I didn't send it because I don't want to become one of those people who regularly writes in to newspapers each week, but I wnated to post it here anyway. This will make sense to Brisbane folk, but I imagine everyone will have something similar going on in the city:

OK I need to clear up something that's been bugging me: Those brats who hang around the Queen Street Mall are NOT emo's. It angers me that they are known as emo's and that they even identify themselves as emo's. They are actually scenesters. It's infuriating how people have completely ruined the emo subculture by confusing scenesters with a very different and much nicer subculture. Emo's don't always wear black, they don't always listen to My Chemical Romance and their most famous fashion statement were their square-framed glasses, not their skinny black jeans. Emo was sort of like indie/nerd-chic and now it's been cheapened by those obnoxious teen brats. I'm constantly being accused of being emo because I do look a lot like those scene kids. I'm not happy about it, but as I've developed my "style" since leaving high school in 2000, I'm not prepared to change my look because of an annoying new trend. After all, until they came along I was constanly being asked if I was a "goth". God help me for wearing black and being alternative! Come on guys, stop jumping on the "I hate that subculture" bandwagon and quit making assumptions based on a ridiculous (and in this case, wrong) stereotype!

For your viewing pleasure I have created some visual examples:



This is Aleah (aka grittio), one of my besties in London. She is emo, a REAL emo. She never really wore black, wore lots of stripey stuff and note the glasses! And do you see black skinny jeans? In fact, until I talked her into getting some Chuck Taylors she wore Vans skate shoes! Emo is about being a bit nerdy, into indie music and bizarre mullets.



And here's a picture of actual Brisbane scenesters I found on Myspace (not seen: too-tight black skinny jeans). Yes, they are sitting on a bench on Queen St Mall, SHOCK HORROR!

Yeah, there are some similarities, but for the most part these kids are from a completely different subculture to Aleah. They're all about being naughty brats, swearing and being obnoxious in the mall and being "rebellious". Meanwhile Aleah was quiet, rarely swore, would sometimes cry at innappropriate times, but generally an absolute pleasure to be with.

This whole thing probably makes me a lot angrier than it should but you really have NO idea how bad these scene kids are here in Brisbane. Especially because they wear the same crap I've been wearing for YEARS so that now I look like a dickhead emo/scenester. I HATE THEM ALL SO MUCH!