Sunday 27 February 2011

Saturday 26 February 2011

Why we can learn a lot from the Masaai

I’m just going to say it. As far as I’m concerned, if you haven’t been watching ‘Human Planet’ you might as well be a little bit dead. This programme is stunning, and for anyone that cares at all about what happens in the world beyond our sight, unmissable. From the tribe of people that spend their lives on boats, with no nationality, whose children’s eye’s have already evolved to focus better underwater, to the birds eye film of as-yet undiscovered Amazonian tribes, it never fails to amaze.

One of the most surprising stories was that of the Masaai warriors, who faced with hungry bellies, and opposed to spending days hunting, regularly steal their dinner from ravenous lions. Forget brave, this was a display of balls unequalled by anything I have ever seen in my life. Three skinny men hide behind a bush and watch as upwards of fifteen lions fight and snarl over the corpse of a zebra, and when these men feel the moment is just right, they stand up. They look at the lions, and when they’re sure all the lions are looking back at them, the men start to walk, slowly, towards the zebra. Ridiculous. This is unreasonable to the extreme. And yet, astonishingly, one of the lions runs, and seeing this, the others peel away, one by one, to hide, and watch from the bushes. Fifteen kings of the animal kingdom watch as three skinny men steal their meat and walk away.

Clearly, swagger can do a lot. I’ve taken this as a valuable lesson. My boss is an intimidating man, but since watching this episode I’ve started to tell him when there are problems, rather than nod and shuffle away when he has a little outburst, I’ve started to talk back. And sure enough, having done so, I’m reaping the benefits. Monday morning I’m asking for a pay rise.

Now I appreciate that a little blonde waitress showing a little more bluster to her boss hardly replicates the animal kingdom, I’m just saying that there is a lesson to be learnt here. If we ever want to eat dinner, we have to stand up to our lions. And if possible, steal theirs.





Monday 14 February 2011

Love.

I think it’s in general agreement that Valentine’s day is ridiculous. If yours is a truly loving relationship why should it be celebrated on just this one roses and teddy bears day of the year? How can a box of chocolates and a heart decorated mug exemplify days, months or years of affection and trust? The cynicism surrounding the 14th of February is hardly a minority affair.

We could easily apply this logic to Weddings, Christmas and Birthdays. But we don’t. We start saving with Christmas schemes in January so that we can show our love in December. So why is Valentine’s so absurd to us? I’ve had enough of hearing how Clinton’s invented the entire thing for profit, who actually cares if they did? If a card the size of a child and pink fluffy hearts are enough to make someone’s day, I’m all for it.

And yes, Valentine’s for the singleton might not hold such allure, but I can honestly say that my love extends far beyond what I feel for the man in my bed. It would be difficult to go through life without feeling love for those around you, my girls, parents, brothers, and if I’m honest I have an unreasonable amount of affection for my cat. So today, instead of bitching on about consumerism, I’m going to wish everyone I love a very happy Valentine’s Day! Even if it cost's me an extra bowl of cat food.

Sunday 13 February 2011

Friday 4 February 2011

Money.

The beautiful Jessica modelling some bits and bobs I'm selling, go have a looksie.


Thursday 3 February 2011

Sex.

As far as I’m concerned, Rihanna can do no wrong. I think the video for ‘Rude Boy’ can only really be described as perfect, and I literally cannot control my own limbs whenever ‘what’s my name?’ comes on in a club. I think she’s a genuinely talented woman, with an individual sense of style and a magnificent bum. So maybe I’m a little too biased to write anything at all objective about the woman, but I’m going to anyway.

In case anyone hadn’t heard, there has been quite a bit of controversy about the video for her new single ‘S&M’, surprisingly enough it features references to sadomasochism, bondage, and lots of sex. But no more so then many pop videos past and present. Sex and some of its more risqué elements have been an inspiration for high fashion, art and music for decades, so why should this not extend to music videos? It’s not even like it hasn’t before.

I wonder where this fear of sex comes from; we are living in 2011, decades after the development of the pill and female sexual revolution. Sex controls almost every aspect of our lives, so why on earth shouldn’t that be portrayed in what we create? In March of last year Terry Richardson, a photographer known for his overtly sexual images, faced multiple allegations of misconduct and exploitation. The facts however were incredibly difficult to obtain, due in no small part to a ridiculously predisposed media force.

And it’s a shame. Our bodies and our sexuality are gifts. With a weighty history of political and sociological change to bring us to a point where we need not be afraid of them, where in almost every aspect, we can do what we want with them. It’s not only our privilege to show the beauty in them, it’s our duty.



Tuesday 1 February 2011

Words.

‘The King’s Speech’ was really very good. Aesthetically, aurally, and intellectually pleasing, thought-provoking, witty, and most significantly, very moving. Safe to say I liked it. Particularly the moment King George VI hurls his voice at his speech therapist, “because I have a voice!” What a beautiful little sentence. The emotional investment in this film pays off when we see George take control over his voice, the culmination of which is a speech to the public that is deeply powerful. Because that’s what our voices do really, when used in accordance with our emotions, and co-ordinated with our intelligence, when they do what we want them to, our voices give us immense power.

Push this theory a little further, and it begins to encompass the world around us, politicians, activists, teachers, playwrights, singers, artists, kings, queens and reality TV stars, each and all are trying to make their voice heard, make it clear, so that the muddled ideas in their skulls become beautiful, become clear and obvious, so that we all wonder why we didn’t think it first. Our voices are power beyond belief.

A certain arrangement of words as opposed to another can be the difference between a slammed door or a silly argument, a vote for left or a vote for right, a successful salesman or a poor one. Without power over our voices, we rapidly lose power over the world around us.

And so it is to be expected that there are those who would misuse this power. The energy and tenacity with which Hitler spoke to Germany was enough to convince thousands of his cause, and thereafter deny thousands of their voice. To be refused the ability of speech, through dictatorship, censorship, or condition, is to be rendered powerless.

I watched ‘P.S. I love you’ last night, (a massive mistake, wept like a baby). It was hardly a masterpiece, but it was another film about words, and the power they encompass. When our voices are taken away, when we feel we’re not being listened to, we can feel isolated. But when we are able to share our voice, to make it clear and unaffected, we’re never really alone.



'The Contortionist's Handbook'

This book is an absolute treat.

"When you're in love, your brain secretes endorphins into your blood. Organic morphine leaks out of a gland in your skull, feels like a low-grade opium rush. Some people confuse the two, the head rush and the love. You think you're in love with a person, but you're in love with a syringe. You're high and hooked, and soon comes the more, more, more: marriage, career, mortgage, children, school, it's harder and harder to feel that rush."