Angelina Update

It seems that The Fuggers agree with me about Angelina at the SAG Awards.

Hooray! Maybe I can get me an alternative career when I need it as a fashion commentaire extraordinaire?

D-Day for Project Winter

1. Nobody killed me and took the news with good grace.

2. I leave for St Anton tomorrow!

3. I finally realised it does not matter what the team in Paris do - I cannot control it.

No blog for a few days - I shall be skiing in St Anton where it has been snowing AND the sun is reputed to be shining!!

Why do they do it?

I always wonder why successful actresses feel the need to pose naked in magazines as a way to receive validation. Do they want to be judged on their talents or on how they look? Can they have both? I'm not sure. How many male Oscar nominees have you seen draped over a couch with no clothes on? The day that Sean Penn, Brad Pitt or Leo di Caprio feel it is OK (or even necessary) to pose naked in a magazine and get good film roles, well, then we will have real equality.

So, in the first of an occasional series, I shall mark the low-water mark for heretofore serious actresses who choose to bare their flesh to promote a movie. I find it sad. First case for the prosecution, Kate Winslet in December's Vanity Fair.

Elegant but Boring

Angelina's yawnsome outfit at the SAG Awards. It is worthy of a "Fug" or "Fab" from the Fuggers but it has passed them by (for some reason)

Australians All Let us Rejoice for we are young and free!

1. My boss remembered I was supposed to be on holiday and that it was Australia Day - the latter unprompted!

2. Australia is 221 years old today.

3. I finally finished Breaking Dawn. It is kind of sad that the series has ended but Stephenie Meyer has left the door open for more books even though she denies it now!

Agnetha And Frida - Reunited on Stage!

I will thank them always for the music.

Rumer Willis

Officially, I now have a soft spot for Rumer Willis. She has a hard role model to live up to in her mother. Not only is Demi Moore a famous actress, a beautiful woman who defies age and conventions, but she also is married to Ashton Kutcher.

Now, Ashton Kutcher is not my personal idea of male eye candy. But I get that Rumer "kind of freaked out" when Demi first told her about Ashton. Pictures of Ashton were on Rumer's bedroom walls. On any normal level, it would be hard for a young girl to cope with her mother suddenly going out with the Hollywood hunk who has been plastered all over her walls and daydreams. Not many girls will ever have experienced that kind of feeling. So I am going to give Rumer a break - she deserves it.

Another Weekend, Another Oscar Movie

1. Frost/Nixon; it has been a long time since my intellect has been so thoroughly stimulated at a film. Great acting!

2. The low-key ambiance of Kasbah.

3. Pulling out my ski kit in anticipation of Wednesday. It is exciting just packing my bag in readiness to go.

I can't stop

I love all these Obama photos. Such a nice family. Malia Obama glued to her digital camera is surely the greatest thing ever.

One Man Guy by Rufus Wainwright, Martha Wainwright and Teddy Thompson

I discovered this clip on Last.fm while surfing through various tracks of the Wainwright clan. I really like this song of Loudon Wainwright's and this is a nice performance of it.

Saturday Morning

1. The crispness of the frost on my car at 7.15 this morning.

2. The saltiness of the bacon, perfectly cooked but still somehow moist.

3. Pyjamas.

Nightingales

1. Paul McCartney sitting at the table in the far corner of the restaurant.

2. The beautiful lighting of the room and the view over the square.

3. Having dinner with L&N, it was too long since I had seen them. Magic night, I hope I see them again soon.

Today's Beautiful Things

Happy Day :-)

How to be English

This is quite cute.

Slumdogs

1. They call it a feel-good movie and it was; Slumdog Millionaire was terrific.

2. Walking across the Common afterwards and we saw stars in the skies. Cannot remember the last time I saw stars in the sky over the city.

3. The comfort of the seats at the cinema - it is my new local discovery, cannot believe I have never been there before.

Complicit

1. Saw Richard Dreyfuss in the round in Complicit at the Old Vic. He was good and we had brilliant seats in the front row - it was all I could do not to sing the theme tune to Close Encounters of the Third Kind whenever he stomped past me.

2. My grilled sea bass cooked to perfection.

3. The lift home because it was raining.

No heating

1. After 2 failed attempts, nice woman at Customer Services who tries to get me an appointment to have my boiler fixed.

2. K's slice of birthday cake. Yum!

3. Drinks after work with my favourite team.

Salad!

1. The salad I ate at Pret was nice - lettuce, butternut squash, goats cheese, beetroot, lentils, roti, hummus. Interesting and tasty.

2. I wore my favourite shirt. Nice rose colour that automatically puts colour in my cheeks.

3. The stretch in the back of my calves following my work-out. Loosens everything up.

Golden Globes

Yes, I think we will be laughing. I know Megan Fox (whoever she is) was trying to show us how deep and intelligent she is by having this tattoo done but I fear all she has done is emphasis her vacuousness.

And what was with Kate Winslet referring to Angelina Jolie as "the other one" when she won her award for Best Actress? Weird.

Roll on Oscars - it shall be interesting!

Cohiba!

1. The delicate ladylike Cuban cigar waiting for me on my desk when I arrived this morning.

2. The feeling as the central heating gradually warmed my cold feet.

3. Booking the tickets to Abu Dhabi!

Cadbury's Fingers

1. Cadbury's Fingers are crunchy with a taste of milk chocolate - not too sickly, just perfect for my tastebuds.

2. The scene in What Women Want where Mel Gibson is pitching the ad to Nike. The lone woman pounds the road lost in her own time and own thoughts: "No games, just sports".

3. The bright sunlight brings out the deep russet red of the brick in the houses in my neighbourhood. I really like it here.

Something to Consider

Love

1. M&D dropping everything to drive to see if I am ok because they had not heard from me.

2. The taste of my first cup of coffee.

3. The vivid orange of the dust jacket to Wallpaper's Pocket Guide to Amsterdam.

Lips are Turning Blue

1. Sing for Absolution by Muse.

2. The colour and texture of a Savoy cabbage.

3. It is Friday and I can wear jeans to the office.

New Life

1. J told me she is expecting her first baby. The non-drinking at K's concert and a few other things I have observed along the way now start to make sense!

2. I found out J2 is getting married, she found out over Christmas. More happy news.

3. The glow of the setting sun looking down Conduit Street

Ray of Light?

1. The prospect of finding a solution to my Project Winter nightmare.

2. Lunch with B at the Running Horse. She was so upbeat despite the fact that redundancy for S is looming. Positive outlooks on life are everything.

3. All the emails from the ex-crew at the almer mater, everyone is so keen to meet up on February 5 for a reunion.

Champagne!

1. The flock of birds flying in unison over the common

2. Seeing Claire from The Apprentice on the tube. I always like a good star spot!

3. The bottle of champagne from my boss that awaited my arrival into work this morning.

Kids eloping to Africa to get married

This story about two kids eloping to Africa to get married deserves an honourable mention - I love their foresight in bringing a witness with them. A Truly Fantabulous Tale :-)

Back to Work

1. Snow falling as I leave home for work.

2. The bracing warmth of my first hot cup of tea.

3. L's deep pink cashmere scarf - it looked terrific on her!

Time to go to the Cinema

1. Discovering the Wi-Fi features of my new ipod touch and watching youtube on it while lying in bed.

2. Hugh Jackman.

3. The white sheepdog being taken for a walk around the city streets in the crisp evening winter air.

Quiet on the Oxford Front

1. Clear blue sky and chill air - a perfectly rare beautiful winter's day.

2. The smell of the lemon/lime scented hot towels at Groom.

3. The bright orange light of a black taxi cab "for hire".

Running at Last

1. The feeling of putting on my shoes, running kit and filling my water bottle - I have forgotten how much I love the anticipation of going running. Almost as good as the elation I have once I have finished.

2. The exhilarating punch of cold air on my face and the stretch of my legs as I begin to run for the first time.

3. A good looking rugby type with a big smile on his face openly checks me out as we run past each other.

It's only day one and I have not been running for months - can't wait to get out again tomorrow!!

Why I Like Genealogy

I have been interested in tracing my family tree ever since I was a little girl. My grandmother used to tell me stories about her father's boyhood in Ireland, his passage to Australia and their life in turn of the century outback Queensland. These tales caught my imagination more than any book; that world seemed so exotic and magical.

Since then, I have always wanted to know more about my family's roots. One of the advantages of living in England is that I have had the chance to visit many of the places where my ancestors came from before emigration to Australia. My family tree is much larger now than I ever dreamed possible as a child. I think I have a convict ancestor but I do not know for sure... it would be wonderful to find out if that really is the case!

This genealogy article caught my eye: who would be King of the USA if George Washington had been a monarch instead of a president? Click here to find out. I have to say, Mr Washington does not look very inspiring. Lucky for America it has Barack Obama instead!! :-)))

January 1st 2009 - Let's start again...

OK - First Day of a New Year, time to revisit this blog and post my new 3BTs.

1. Waking up knowing it is Thursday and I do not have to go to work for another 4 days. Bliss just lying in bed and finishing my book.

2. Discovering these photos of babies celebrating their first birthdays by covering themselves in cake. Simple but effective and funny.

3. Chopping vegetables and thinking about my new healthy lifestyle. I feel calm - and that is a beautiful thing.