Update, work, beautiful people, almost sex

[smokingboot]

Work just phoned me to offer me today's day show, cos someone has had to pull out. I would need to be there in half an hour, unfortunately as it's in London and I am in Manchester I'm not going to make it.

I have lost an awful lot of money over the past couple of months by not being there when they offer me these extra shifts. Guess it's a good sign that they do, but I'm afraid they'll stop offering if I'm never around. Fneh. I suppose the way to look at it is that the extra money I would get if I lived in London would swiftly be eaten by my living expenses.



It's been good. I still forget when I'm attached to the mike and drop it everywhere but problems with earpieces have faded since I bought my own. Work colleagues are very pleasant, some too charming for anyone's good and some gifted in that kind of way that makes one feel awed and shy. One of our producers acts like a puppy, jovial and somewhat hapless, and we all joke and we all get used to being jokes in each other's eyes. Then he lets me see one of his films, shortlisted for some prize or other, and I am astonished by the sudden revelation of the guy's intensity of vision, his craft and his talent.



The presenters are golden skinny girls with bright light eyes and blonde hair and white teeth. Here I am, a brown girl with freckles (nobody, but nobody has freckles like mine) and white skin and not so white teeth. I have lost weight, due to exhaustion and much running around but whenever I see my profile, my chunky wee neck and ghastly overbite, I wince and wish I was more conventionally pretty. One of the producers laughed when I said that. "You don't do anything else conventionally' he said 'Why start now? You do all right, mate.'

In Manchester, male friends call you Babe, female friends call you Babe or Hun. London, the producer boys rather bashfully call you Mate. The presenter girls are much more forward. I have mentioned shiny new friend before, he of the dark blue eyes and slightly nervous twitch that happens when you walk in, after which he controls his fears, to an unending background chorus of 'Hi Handsome!' and 'Hey Gorgeous!' and 'You look like an angel today, doesn't he girls?' Don't know why it is OK for XXs to do that, while the XYs are stuck being understated and telling you that you are, er, looking really pretty today, or that, in the words of one, 'Your eyes are green aren't they? Hazel green. These idiots don't know how to light you.' I was half waiting for him to say, 'Stick with me baby and your eyes will shine like radioactive limes...'

There's a lot of sex at work. No, not real sex; people trying hard not to think about sex; people trying to think about cameras and lights but that means eventually looking at someone and the more you look the more you think...and of course, some techbod is always fiddling with your neckline cos that's where your mike should be parked if you are doing it right. I am always doing it wrong. Not on purpose you understand.

Comments

[smokingboot.livejournal.com]

I thought you were near the wild and wuthering beaches of Sussex?

Scenery makes up for a lot, especially if one wants to create. We are near some lovely stuff, peaks an hour away, lakes two hours away, moors 10 minutes drive...and out there in the wilds the sunsets are beautiful and the winds roar through one's head. But in the end everyone goes home to a little brown house among little brown houses, and watches the telly or plays WoW.

Guess the same happens in London, only there are more options to play with.

[hybridartifacts.livejournal.com]

Well-our scenery is very green-but basic-we live on the weald (a long, low hill), with two other long hills-the downs, at either end. If you like vaguely green bumps with the odd tree dotted about its ok. The cottage industry of landscape painters here really has no challenge-paint a horizontal green area (the ground) with another one above it (the downs) then a blue area (the sky). If you go to the beeches its ok (only its a grey horizonal area, with a blue-grey one above it and then the sky). Brighton used to be an interesting place, full of wonderful little bookshops and quirkiness, but gets less so every year. I still like it (the pier is wonderful and tacky and makes a good subject), some decent places still being there thankfully, but somehow the golden rule in the part of Sussex I actually live in seems be don't be interesting, or do anything interesting, just work, sleep and pretend you are posh and educated.
London has a lot to offer-but its a day trip for us and a bugger to get round sometimes.

Are you from W.Sussex....

[the-lore.livejournal.com]

Hi,

As one of Debbies old mates (being of the London calling), may I ask if you are speaking of the same West Sussex ...

If so, perhaps we can get Debbie to introduce us, as I guess there are lots of us pretenting to be posh and educated.

ttfn
Lore

Re: Are you from W.Sussex....

[hybridartifacts.livejournal.com]

It IS the same West Sussex-Haywards Heath to be exact (and there lies the problem-Haywards Heath is, well, depressing). I pretend to be posh and educated as well-born in Essex and disguising it rather well (though not deliberately). Sometimes Sussex makes me a wee bit cynical, but it has its gorgeous and interesting bits.
I see from your profile that you are a LARPER-while I have never been into LARP myself, I am a very ancient hand at RPGing (*cough*since 1976 or so).
That Howard David Johnson link in your journal is proving interesting browsing btw-thanks for that.
I have not met Debbie in person-in fact so far there are only a very few people on LJ I have actually met in person. I have no problem with changing that though :) Where abouts are you?

Re: Are you from W.Sussex....

[the-lore.livejournal.com]

So you are in the sunny Hayward’s Heath for these parts you are almost in the centre in town. Have you seen the mad … http://www.thisishaywardsheath.com/ website if you have a black sense of humour…

A quote:-

“Just like popular American theme parks, the most important thing you must remember about Haywards Heath is that you won't be able to see and do it all in one day. Unlike popular American theme parks, people that work in Haywards Heath are allowed beards”

So stop being depressed about Hayward Heath!!!! It’s not so bad!

We (Steve, 2 cats, 1 greyhound and ME) are in the not so sunny in Midhurst!!!! Linked to Hawards Heath by the famous A272!! J

But that all said, West Sussex does have some pretty spectacular views, some nice beeches and you are never far away from a pub or a tea room.

On LARP….

1976 !!! Wow you are a foundation of the Larp world!!!!

Me, I start in the mid eighties not even a teenager, being thrown around as a scout by one of the Treasure Trap gangs. Since then I have role-played at the various establishments including… Mill (Afraid, lost in my memory banks), Legion of Dreams, etc/etc. Sadly, I’m now in semi retirement due to probably a mix of lack of energy, vision, laziness, etc… Are you still adventuring?

Surely you must have met the lady Debbie at a LARP event?

ttfn
Lore

Re: Are you from W.Sussex....

[hybridartifacts.livejournal.com]

lol-yes I have seen the notorious web site for my town. And its all true. OUr only claim to fame is that Brett Anderson from Suede went to college just down the road from me-and once said the best about Haywards Heath was leaving it.
The amazing and majestic A272 is indeed a wonder of the civilised world. Midhurst looks quiet-is it?
I remember Treasure Trap-I saw the first ads for the place and some of us wondered if it was worth checking out-but we were so into pen and paper (or more accurately, talking a lot) that it seemed to be too much effort.I have never actually LARPed at all (closest I have got is murder mystery games) but still do RPG (mostly vampire these days). Being able to sit down with a cup of tea while you play in a cosey room wearing your own clothes is now force of habit for me...I think that perhaps one of the drawbacks of LARP (from an outsiderish point of view) is that it does seem to take quite a lot of energy in comparison to pen and paper RPG (and even that sometimes takes a bit too much at times).
Thinking back-wasn't treasure trap the first LARP? I dont think anyone even thought of doing LARP back in '76/77! Or am I wrong on that? I think you either played D&D (waiting for the DMs guide to be able to make sense of the new advanced rules comming out), Traveller, or I believe Bunnies & Burrows (which I never tried).
:)

Re: Are you from W.Sussex....

[the-lore.livejournal.com]

Midhurst is very quiet and I like it. I love the countryside being born in North London, and my jobs keep me very busy.
I’ve always been a LARPer as the groups I’ve roleplayed with, tended to only meet on events although there was a time when I played a superhero style tabletop campaign.
Actually I guess TT was the first, SCARY! Now I feel truly old! Although I definitely think that you should do at least one event (ask Debbie as she is in the know of where the best sport can be found).
So from your journal you are an artist?
ttfn Lore

Re: Are you from W.Sussex....

[hybridartifacts.livejournal.com]

I did a superhero tabletop many years ago-but mostly play (well, DM), vampire, Coc, and home brewed games these days (and of course I started with D&D). I seem to recall Treasure Trap changed its venue at some point-I know when it started they used a castle (or perhaps it was an area under the castle, Im not too sure-I think it was in Cheshire or something).
And yes, I am indeed an artist. I do some fantasy/sci-fi-but mostly just odd stuf from my imagination. I have been painting for years and apart from that and rpgs am pretty much useless for anything sane and normal.

Re: Are you from W.Sussex....

[the-lore.livejournal.com]

I remember selling D&D in a games shop I worked in!!! In fact I briefly remember as playing if the shop was empty.
The original TT closed as the castle, and a number of splinter groups opened but not with the same crowd.
So you are an artist? have you managed to generate enough funds to make this your full time occupation?
I liked your web site, but I can find no paintings :(
Have you been to Midhurst?
ttfn
L.
ps. Sorry about the delay in getting back to you I often get sent on business trips!

Re: Are you from W.Sussex....

[hybridartifacts.livejournal.com]

There used to be a shop in Brighton where they seemed to play even when the shop was full...
I so wish I had generated the income to work full time as an artist-its rather hard to do-but I am working on it. Right now I do a bit of web design to keep some extra funds flowing. Plus Im horribly poor.
Thanks re the website-though it doesn't say much for the design if you can't find the paintings!
Try:
http://www.hollinghurst.org.uk/CurrentExhibition.htm
http://www.creative-eclectic.co.uk/darkrise.htm
or even in my journal (which is full of the blighters).
I have not been to Midhurst-Chichester a couple of times, but not Midhurst.

Re: Are you from W.Sussex....

[the-lore.livejournal.com]

I know... I am never sure how I started such a foolish career followed for my sins for working refing LARPs. This feels like years ago! (Well it was) I can never work out how I got so tired and boring.

I am afraid I couldn't find the paintings... BUT art is something I like talking about in bohemian cafes... How about you?

Arr the lifestyle! You should visit chichester (not saying they are arty, you are more likely to bump into Miss Marple)....

But, The council are very good a art sponsorship and I often find loads of £5.00 events where you can prance around being fabulous!

Sorry Debs, we must be filling up your journal by now?

ttfn
L.