Obsessed.....

I'm obsessed with my hair. Always have been. Don't know why. I'm sure I've blogged previously about my penchant for changing my style. I've got friends that haven't changed their hair much in decades other than perhaps opting for a bob every now and then or a different colour. Why can't I be that content?

My current 'crisis' has occurred as the last time I visited the hairdresser she chopped a lot off my locks which had taken months and months to grow. In the last 6 weeks it doesn't appear to have grown even half an inch and just won't style properly. Now this was reinforced when I saw my brother last week who said 'love the lego hair'. I said 'have you been reading my blog?' to which he replied that he didn't even know I did one but could I send the link! This was the final straw of a week of much hair wailing, driving the boyf completely insane and being quite rude to a friend on Facebook who innocently asked if I looked like Carlos Tevez or kebab shop boy Darryl from Coronation Street.

So I'm contemplating going back to short hair again as it's much easier and funkier. When my hair doesn't look right then I don't feel right. Last night I trawled through my celeb mags looking for inspiration - Rhi Rhi, Posh, Sarah Harding, Frankie from the Saturdays, Kelly O....but I'm scared. If I go for the chop what if I regret it? Someone who reportedly is regretting her latest style is Posh. I've read today that she thinks it ages her, she doesn't belive Dave when he says he likes it, she hates waking up in the morning with it all sticking up and he just wakes up looking perfect, she can't style it herself so relies on professionals to make her look good. Apparently she's considering extensions and is even using a special shampoo that will make her hair grow quicker. I actually think she looks lovely as this pic shows but who knows what her next style will be. In the meantime I've got a week to decide what to do with my mop. Watch this space...

Celeb Spot!

It's been a while since I've spotted a celeb but last Saturday, on my birthday trip to Covent Garden, who should we see but Duncan Bannantyne of Dragons Den fame. Well to be honest I didn't see him properly, the boyf pointed him out but by the time I realised all I saw was his back as he sped off down Long Acre.

Your Saturday night starts here!

No not with Strictly or even X Factor. It’s Hole in the Wall with the delicious Dale Winton and skin tight tin foil dressed ‘celebs’ making shapes either singularly or as a team to pass through the wall otherwise they end up in the drink. Like Dale’s previous cult viewing programme Supermarket Sweep (LOVED that, even had the cassette single), Hole in the Wall is fast becoming compulsory viewing on a Saturday night. The teams are captained by Darren Gough (former Strictly winner and cricket played) and the extremely lovely Anton du Beke (of Strictly fame). If you haven’t seen it yet make a note to watch it this week.

Dog in!

I’ve got a new favourite TV programme – Dog Borstal. It’s fantastic. As the name obviously suggests they take dogs in severe need of retraining and turn them into perfect animals in the space of a few days. It amazes me how quickly they can turn around some really awful behaviour. I particularly love it when they shout ‘dog in’ when a new dog is being banged up. It’s the only programme that Flyn the Wonder Dog watches. He, of course, doesn’t need Dog Borstal even though he is still up to his usual cheeky tricks.

Last weekend he went to the dog sitter for the day to reacquaint himself with them before his mini break there this weekend. Unfortunately he chucked up in their spare room (luckily all over his blanket). Apparently they’d taken him for a nice walk into town and he’d managed to eat some mouldy bread and knock a display of cuddly toys over in the market.

On Monday I took him for a walk through Central Park in Chelmsford. All was going well until I noticed he hadn’t caught up with me. It’s not unusual. He often wanders off but will eventually come back when called. Unless that is he’s found something to eat – I spotted him with his nose in something. Ran over and he was eyeball deep in a tub of Tesco tomato pasta. He was not happy when I dragged him off, face stained red. He stunk of tomatoes all day and then promptly gave my mum a nip on the foot later when she decided to ‘stroke’ him with her foot whilst he was chewing his toy. Maybe he does need Borstal after all.

That was the week that was...

So I made it to the end of the week relatively intact. Despite it being extremely tiring there were some good things about it namely the people. I met a very nice Orthopaedic Surgeon whose day I made by giving him a M&S muffin (he had salvaged some biscuits out of the bin and I said I couldn't let him eat them). Talking of food Thursday lunchtime I managed to scoff a humongous portion of chocolate sponge with custard - not chocolate custard as advertised unfortunately. The only downside was my stomach then growled constantly throughout my last interview. Never mind.

A smooth flight back to Stansted, a crazy cackling taxi driver home, a brief hour with the boyf and the dog and then it was bedtime. I had to be up just after 4 am to head off to London. Now I'm an early bird but this was pure torture. It felt sooo wrong. I fuelled up on black coffee at the station and 2 hours later we were in Ealing. Unfortunately we were at the wrong hospital so we had to make a last minute dash across the large site to the correct venue.

We rewarded ourselves after our meeting with hot drinks and chocolate pastries from the in-house Costa before trekking back across London and home to eventually relax. The only signs of trauma from the week are my tired eyes, some killer spots and an empty purse (having forked out a good £70+ on taxis during the week).

So now I'm home and I'm 'nesting' and slowly beginning to feel more like me. I've been cleaning and baking (rock cakes) and it's just soooo nice knowing I've not got to go away later today. In fact I've got 2 days working from home as we aren't allowed in our office whilst some new desks are installed. Bliss!

Ewwwwwww.........

Don't you just love The Sun? Today's paper offers up a positive orgy of celeb news. Kerry Katona's nipples are going to turn black and drop off (bleurgh!) if she doesn't stop smoking...Peter and Katie/Jordan are off to the Maldives to eat, sleep and have sex (no comment) and Amy Wino has a new hairstyle - a curly bob. I was surprised they hadn't come up with a name for it like the Pob (Posh bob) or the Kob (Kate Moss bob). Should it be called the Cob (Curly bob)? To accompany her new 'do' they published this extremely flattering picture of Amy. Lovely. Now I've always wanted to get that 'V' around the tummy area but not if I end up looking like that. And that string vest...

Tyne-tastic!

I've just been out for a run around Newcastle and it was absolutely fantastic!! Alan, our concierge at the Premier Inn (and a veteran of many a Great North Run and London Marathon), had previously advised me that it's not safe to run in the mornings as it's too dark and not safe (tramps). After a relatively early finish today I thought I'd make the most of the opportunity to go in the evening but Alan said it was too cold and he wouldn't go out. I decided to defy his advice, got changed and slunk out of reception telling him I was going for a 'power walk'. When you've been inside all day it's soo nice to get out in the fresh air, no matter how cold, rather than go straight from hotel to hospital and back again. Also I've managed to be really consistent with my training for the past 3 weeks and I didn't want to start making excuses.

I walked through the town centre past the huge Eldon Square shopping centre to St James' Park home to Newcastle Football Club for those that don't know! It's a very impressive stadium. I did 10 reps up and down 66 steps outside the ground before setting off on a run through China Town, past the outdoor ice rink at Times Square (I sooo wanted to have a go), down to the Quayside along the Tyne, across the Millennium Bridge and back to the hotel. I was totally buzzing! I didn't feel cold at all and it's given me a much needed boost and enabled me to post a happy blog for once!!

Footnote: Today was actually a much better today. Warm office, company from colleagues for most of the day, apple crumble and (cold) custard in the canteen and a great football chat with my taxi driver on the way home who had the strongest Geordie accent ever.

Cold, cold, cold...

So here I am back on Tyneside and boy is it cold. It’s beyond cold. It’s absolutely freezing and I am soooo not prepared! Even the hardened Geordies are wearing hats and gloves! Our flight yesterday was a bit bumpy and the whole process a little rushed. No sooner had we cleared the laborious security then we had to run to the gate as they’d announced it was closing. Naturally once we got there it was a 15 minute wait in the lounge. I was a bit annoyed as it meant I’d had to bypass Starbucks and the duty free goodies.

This morning we all went our separate ways to the 3 different hospital sites. On the taxi ride to my destination I passed the start line for the Great North Run bringing back lots of fond memories of my mum doing Portaloo line management.

I’ve been like the Lone Ranger today. I definitely got the short straw in all respects. Whilst Uncle Ken was being feted like a King having his own personal office on a different site, I spent a very long day sat alone in a room with no heating and no access to hot drinks (the rest of the team got afternoon tea!). I longed for my fingerless gloves, several extra layers, my hot water bottle and home.

I thought hot food might offer some solace. Perhaps the very small canteen would have apple crumble and custard? I was there when it opened and opted for my ritual jacket spud and cheese. I only ate half as it had a bit of a dodgy taste putting me off the jam roly poly and custard. Once back in my ‘office’ I scoffed a handful of almonds (meant to be good for circulation) and did some of the exercises I’d seen on GMTV this morning to stop old people from getting cold in the winter.

On a more positive note I did interview someone today who, although he sooo didn’t want to talk to me and flicked a rubber band throughout our meeting, was actually very kind. He knew I was on my own and said he didn’t like to think of someone on his patch feeling lonely and I was welcome to pop into his department at any time for a cup of coffee…

Early start tomorrow so I’m going to snuggle down in my mahooosive bed now and try and get warm.

Back...but not for good

So I didn't conclude my Birmingham story. The conference dinner was actually a very nice evening. Being the 5th of November the menu had a firework theme and the pudding was particularly good. The highlight of the evening (apart from some of the shocking outfits) was these 3 guys masquerading as waiters who sang Nessun Dorma. When they hit the top note they triggered fireworks that went off in the centrepiece of our tables - fantastic!

The first speaker on the final morning was Sahar Hashemi who co-founded, with her brother Bobby, Coffee Republic. She's written a book called Anyone Can Do It and she was fascinating. In a strange coincidence I'd bought Look magazine to read in my room and it contained a feature on 'Books that Changed my Life' and Sahar's was one of them. Worth a read!

So I'm home but only extremely briefly. It feels really cruel...I'm off to Newcastle in a matter of hours and I'm trying to be positive but it's soo hard. We were all drained after events in Birmingham and I think have hit an all time low. Tempers are frayed and you can tell people have really had enough. We knew this fortnight was going to be the hardest period but it doesn't make it any easier to manage. I feel like I haven't had a weekend. The washing machine has been going into overdrive and the house is full of wet clothes. I haven't even got enough pairs of dry knickers to last the week! The dog is suffering from separation anxiety and being very clingy and I think even he's depressed. We were meant to make the most of my Dad not working today and meet up with him for a walk with the dog and a coffee but that's had to go by the wayside.

The Newcastle schedule is quite gruelling with 8 am starts and 7 pm finishes and up to 4 people per interview slot. I get home about 8 pm Thursday night (fingers crossed no delays) and the week is finished off with a 4 am start Friday morning to head off to Ealing to give an early morning presentation...my working life has got to change and soon. I feel like the Littlest Hobo...and on that note I'd best go pack.

Posh (Frocks) and Becks...

So day 2 in Birmingham. It didn't start great as I woke up with a bit of a headache but headed out into the drizzle for a run and felt much better for it. Breakfast was DIRE!!! Honestly a Premier Inn breakfast is sooo much better. I missed my porridge and tasty toast. Here it was a crazy scrum for low grade food - stray baked beans floating in the watery scrambled egg and the toast was plain soggy...

Things improved once we hit the conference - good speakers, the lovely Ed Stourton doing a fab job chairing proceedings and a productive stroll round the exhibition. I even got to have my photo taken with David Beckham!! Well a very realistic lookalike......it's sadly the closest I'm ever going to get. It's also been nice catching up with people we've worked with at the various hospitals round the country but it ain't 'arf tiring...

Following on from yesterday's 'Saturdays' look I spotted someone else today wearing purple/berry tights and one woman in red opaques - brave! It's obviously catching on. Girlfriends if you haven't already got a pair get yourself down to New Look this instant!!

On one of the stands the Director of this company told me I was the absolute double of his ex-girlfriend from California who works in the music biz - someone called Betsy Anthony-Brodey. I don't know if he was hitting on me or not...anyway he told me to Google her and this is what she looks like. Does anyone else see a similarity??!!

Tonight it's the conference black tie dinner. It's usually ok-ish. It's an opportunity to get dressed up. Tomorrow is the final day. We're running a workshop - I'm meant to be co-presenting but haven't a clue what I'm doing so am bricking it a bit. Hopefully people will be too hungover to pay much attention. Anyway I'd best go and get my posh leopard print frock on...

Birmingham Blues...

So here we are in Birmingham. I like it here. I think this is either my third or fourth visit. We're here to work (of course) but this week it's slightly different - it's the annual conference. This is usually the highlight of the working year, almost a reward if you will, as you get some time out to network, learn new things but best of all have some fun with your colleagues. We've had some really good times in the past. Birmingham is chocker with great nightspots and we've danced on podiums, round poles and on tables in most of them usually surviving on very few hours sleep a night.

This year it's got a very different feel to it. For starters we're missing someone. It's not the same without him....It's no fun. I feel bereft. Like Claire without H, Salt without Pepa, Milli without Vanilli. It's also different as we're beyond weary of being away from home, hotels, travelling - we're basically knackered, so partying is completely off the agenda for most of us. Tonight I literally had to drag myself out of my hotel bed to be sociable over dinner with colleagues. It's still much, much later than I'd anticipated on being back in my room but I'm sober (only person that didn't touch a drop) and hopefully I'll feel refreshed in the morning. Some people, on the other hand, have been quite raucous company at dinner and have headed into the night in their best moleskin...

So the conference itself has felt a bit flat so far. None of the usual inspirational 'wow factor' speakers, the same exhibition stands touting their wares offering giant chocolate fountains to gorge from or free gonks to stick on your computer. It's sooo flat that during the first keynote speech someone in our row fell asleep and could be clearly heard snoring. Not someone from our organisation I might add...

I was hoping to head out for a run tonight but had to retire to bed with a bad head so I'm planning on going out in the morning if I hit the sack soon! I printed off from an internet running site a 5 mile route along the canal but I don't think it's very safe. The pathway isn't very wide and even one tiny slip and I'd be in the soup almost Soap Opera stylie. So instead I'll stick to the safety of the streets.

My final thought for tonight is my accommodation. After spending most of my year in Premier Inns I am staying in a 3 star (I think) hotel. It's nothing swish, hardly a luxury spa, but makes a change. I'm on the 13th floor - it has like a zillion rooms. Mine has 2 mahoosive double beds for some reason and it has an amazing view over Birmingham. It's also slap bang opposite one of the most popular nightclubs (that I would usually be falling out of in a few hours time) and next door to an 'exclusive gentleman's club'. On that note I'm going to pick a bed and get some sleep. Goodnight!

p.s Forgot to say check out the video for The Saturdays fab new single 'Up'. Today I was totally channelling their look sporting my trusty black shift dress from GAP together with some berry/purple opaque tights. Fantastic!

Help, advice, views, thoughts...

OK so I need your help with a couple of things. Firstly and most importantly seeing as I've been given the fantastic opportunity to run the London Marathon in April 2009 I thought it only right that in doing so I raise some money for charity. I don't want to make it onerous, after all we're in a recession, so all I will be asking for is a (Pixie) pound in total per person. What I would like your help with is deciding which charity. I don't want to run for one of the more obvious ones as they do so well out of this and other events. I've got a couple of charities I'm thinking about supporting (MIND and Essex Coalition of Disabled People) but if anyone out there has one they feel particularly strongly about then let me know.

Now my second issue is Runners World (in partnership with Lucozade) are offering a once in a life time London Marathon prize for 6 lucky readers. The prize includes a personal training plan, stacks of Lucozade goodies, a state of the art Garmin 405 (like running sat nav which tells you how far you've run, how fast etc.), entry into all the FLM warm up events, the opportunity to write about your experience in the magazine and online, overnight accommodation at a top London hotel the night before the race and best of all sessions with Liz Yelling our very own Olympic Athlete. I would LOVE this prize like you wouldn't believe. If getting into the marathon was the Golden Ticket then this would be like the tour of the Wonka Factory and leaving with with an everlasting gobstopper.

To enter, in no more than 250 words, you have to give a brief bit of background to your running, your expected marathon finish time and why you deserve the prize. I've written my piece over and over and it still doesn't cut it. On Friday night there were 893 entries...I waded through over 200 and they all said things I would say. Someone even used the Wonka Ticket analogy. Some of the more avid forumites have got Obama style support so how can I make my entry stand out from the crowd? I have till Friday to submit it...any ideas most welcome. You will be rewarded in Lucozade!!!

Another One Bites the Dust...

Another celebrity couple that is...according to today's NoTW Simon Cowell and his girlfriend of 6 years Terri Seymour have split. Thought we hadn't seen her for a while! As compensation he's given her a super expensive house and is helping her adjust to single life...meanwhile the gossip mongers have it that he's back with former love Sinitta - did you see them kiss at the NTAs? Reportedly she's split with her husband too.

Over to Cowell's hit show X Factor which went all disco last night. I LOVE disco! Fabulous songs, men in tight pants on roller skates and great outfits. Rachel was a bit ropey and probably did deserve to be in the bottom two but her version of MJB's No More Drama was right up her street. She was a bit moody on the Xtra Factor over on ITV 2 though (congrats to Holly Willobooby who is pregnant - the boyfriend feels like she's cheated on him).

Little Diana REALLY has to stop this hand thing though it's getting extremely annoying...

X Factor more than ever this series (or should I call it season) has turned into a UK version of American Idol. The staging, the celebrity masterclasses (Will Young was excellent) and last night, for the first time, they lined them all up on stage in a line 'a la Idol' at the beginning of the results show. Dermot is now officially the UK's version of Ryan Seacrest. Talking of Dermy I think he's really got into his groove in this series and is doing a fab job.

Next week is Mariah week.........I'm looking forward to that. Wonder how Daniel will do.....

p.s Simon - call me......

Bunny Break Up

So some MAJOR news has totally passed me by until today for some reason. My favourite 'Girls Next Door' are no more! Now there have been rumours for some time about Hef's 'No. 1' girlf Holly Madison and the illusionist Criss Angel (who is famous for having dated Cameron Diaz) but now it appears they are more than just rumours. Pictures this week show some heavy tongue action going on between the two.

So Holly and Hef have called it a day. It is quite sad (no really) because they did come across as being really in love. Apparently Holly's desire for marriage and kids was the deciding factor as Hef made it quite clear that both were a no go for him despite them (unsuccessfully) trying IVF earlier this year. This left Holly quite depressed - something Hef only realised recently when she said it was over. He claims he thought they were going to spend the rest of their lives together and he was 'road kill' for a couple of weeks after the break until his reliable PA Mary told him there were girls queuing outside the Playboy Mansion. Of course there are! They see $ signs and want their own reality TV programme too!! So whilst Hef and Holly try to remain friends and still have a working relationship he's moved in 19 year old twins (he did triplets once before) to be his next girlfriends....

Over on this side of the Atlantic former Atomic Kitten Jenny Frost is the face of the new range of Playboy Lingerie. She recently visited Hef at the Mansion but I don't know whether she made him 'Whole Again'!!!

Pumpkin Pah!

So we were all stocked up for the trick or treaters last night. I'd coughed up a fiver for a bag of 50 mini (being the operative word) Cadbury choc bars from Tesco in anticipation - we have a lot of kids round our way. Yesterday afternoon I began to panic that it wouldn't be enough as me and the boyf had 'dipped' in to them considerably. I had visions of masked hoodies pelting our house with eggs when we refused to answer the door because we were out of treats.

As it was we had one group of 4 mini witches who politely took one choc bar each and that was it! We were advertising our wares with our jack o'lantern (that was meant to be pumpkin risotto but there just wasn't enough flesh in it) and lots of candles so I don't know why more kids didn't knock.

So all in all it was a bit of an anti-climax and we're left with a bucket full of unwanted sweets (despite having a mini binge last night).