During the week work was well, there, ah users, yes we asked for this thing and signed off the design and the prototype but it’s not actually what we wanted, what we actually wanted was that other thing. 3 days more work.

Decided to sub to Star Trek online, yes it’s a bit more pew pew and less drama than Trek, but often after work I really do feel the need to blow things up.

Arrive home on Friday with just a little more photographic gear (light stand and a bracket) to find a lovely hand written note from the Fancy Dress shop, they explained they tried to deliver my chainsaw, but I wasn’t in, so I could collect it from the store tomorrow. Even the handwriting was good. Only problem I paid extra (8-9 quid extra) for Saturday Delivery and Friday isn’t actually Saturday, so that’s why I wasn’t in to receive it.

Saturday, Magic Theatre tonight, not doing the hotel thing, as public transport worked OK last time. Want to look good for the the Theatre and the photoshoot and so need to save my face, so no Helena that morning (no its got nothing with staying up late blowing up stuff in STO :)) . Instead tube it over to Camden to get my Chainsaw. The shop have it there, no problems, I explain the Friday/Saturday thing but they say the mail order operation is actually a separate cooperation and I’ll have to take it up with them. Well I can’t really get mad at a shop assistant, it isn’t his fault, so I take my chainsaw and head home. Via a few detours around the markets of course

Get home just before lunch. So lets have a look at this saw, hrm, not bad, not totally unrealistic, a tad flimsy and a little shorter than I hoped though. Its got batteries in it though, if you press the button it makes a good chainsaw noise and the rubber blades spin around to Only real problem is it has big stickers on it advertising the fact it can make chainsaw noises and spin the blades around. And the stickers are the sort that don’t want to come off. Manufacturers of the world, please,please, please make your stickers stronger and your glue weaker, yes I know they can perform valuable marketing function, but when we have made our purchases we would like to be able to remove them cleanly. 15 minutes with some warm water, soap and a pan scourer got them off in the end.

Light lunch and just a little Trek and well I better get ready for this evening. Ok I had 6 hours before I had to go out, but you shouldn’t rush these things Think more hair has grown back on the face still it comes off easily enough, though there’s big lump on the left of my chin that’s taking an age to heal. Cover it all up with concealer as per.

Right on with the outfit, think I have the knack of getting into it now. The dress actually has a big bow on the back that you have to remove to get into it. Both times I tried the dress on previously I accidently pulled out one of the buttons that hold the bow in place, had to have a little sewing session on the previous Monday to fix that. Also fixed one pair of work trousers and reattached to buttons to a coat. If I lost weight I wouldn’t have to have done that.

Dress on, petticoats a gogo, lets take some pictures.

Call that first one Deconstructing Gender, trying to be sort of arty and failing. Set it up with 2 speedlights bouncing of brollies left and right, with some pinky gel on them and another one in a softbox just left of the camera. I’m still not convinced by that softbox, reckon brollies give a softer light, so I guess more camera shopping is needed. But that will be the last, honest.

Take quite a few really, with different props, trying to get a flattering look, which is hard with my increasingly saggy face, But tis still a fun outfit to pose in. Must work on expressions to, my default stern gaze/pout doesn’t really suit it. Also the little pink box hair grips I had didn’t really work out either.
Photo’s finished by 7, we are still on time. So how are we going to get all of this to the Rivoli, even my biggest coat can’t contain the Petticoats, so they come off, as does the lacy gloves and arm thingys, heels too, all into a rucksack, big camera, big lens, grip and strobe on a rope into the camera bag and money, Oyster and keys, emergency makeup and lollipops go into the little Hello Kitty bag. Surprising how much you can fit into that little thing. Oh yeah, Lolipops, I had a plan, if anyone didn’t want me to take their picture I would ask them again in a twee cutesy voice and offer them a lollipop (I’d been to the pound shop and bough a bag of them, yeah the pound shop, I could of gone to the 99p shop, but I thought, No, this is the Magic Theatre, only the best for them) and try and persuade them with a mixture of humour, bribery and/or embarrassment But in the end I didn’t try this, was to much of a wimp.

Lets go then, big coat covers most of the dress, but you can still see some pink bits and I have the white stay ups still on and as the Barbie doll hair (cover it up a little with a hat), so erm I’m not exactly inconspicuous, so erm this could be an uncomfortable journey. Cept it wasn’t, nobody seemed to pay me any attention at all, perhaps I’d ventured far enough into OTT to stop negative reactions, or then again its Saturday night, anything goes in Islington, spot someone painted green boarding the tube. Worst bit was the walk to the tube station, but that was just because it was too cold (and my stay ups didn’t want to stay up). Get to Victoria in plenty of time, so buy a cookie (I’m slipping into character aren’t I) before boarding the train. Hey I can use Oyster on the train now, no faffing around getting a ticket required, nice.

Arrive at 9, Darren spots me in the queue and waves me in. Except its not Darren, its Sophie, nice to see you at last Sophie, you look very natural. Right lets get the full outfit back on and have a little drink or two before getting the camera out. Dress up and touch up lippy then mince over the dance floor (this outfit makes you do things), get my drink and try and find a few familiar faces, hrm, there’s a few people I recognise but don’t really know, but ah Susan T, sitting alone, so I sort of invite myself to her table.

Tis a bit quiet for 9 hope it will fill up, and a little cooler than normal, a few people are even cold. Well it is January, but this outfit seems to regulate temperature well, not cold or hot all night, makes a change. Chat to Susan a little, get the latest gossip (the Treacles have split, again). Seems quite a few faces won’t be coming, other commitments, January blues etc, oh well. But do spot a couple of others I know, Lexy and Alison and Philipa and Penny get there later. So not a good turn out on the Roses front, but the place does actually seem to be filling up, it might not be a quite night after all, time to get the camera out.

But after I got the thing out and did a couple of test shots (thanks Susan and Lexy) the entertainment came on. Out compare …. Sang for us, we had an unconventional burlesque performance from Blanche DuBois and and accordionist erm erm erm, who gave us a very unusual rendition of I will survive.

Not sure the acts went down that well the audience, the entertainment is always a bit of a mixed bag at the MT though. But after they finished the compare got up and mentioned it was a bit cold, but people could warm up by dancing, and the he handed over to the DJ. And you know what, people did dance, in fact the dance floor filled right up and stayed busy all night Actually the Rivloi had filled up quite a bit now, not as busy as III or Halloween, but it was nicely full it, wasn’t going to be a quiet night after all.

Right lets get some shots in.

Thats not nearly all of them, for the rest hit my Flickr stream. Used the SB90 on the TTL coord, generally I took 2 or 3 quick shots of everyone, with the light in different directions and kept the one I liked most. And that was inevitably the one with the flash pointed right up doing a ceiling bounce, it lit up the room and gave the pics far more warmth than the direct flash. Trouble is the ceiling over than dance floor is rather high and even the mighty SB900 hasn’t got the juice to illuminate everything after a bounce like that, so the camera had to bump up the ISO a bit. Its The D700 is rather good at high ISO, but you still get a little noise over ISO1600, but I felt it was worth it to improve the ambience. Pics around the bar and the bit at the back fared better as the ceiling was lower and the ambient light brighter (the dance floor is very dark).

Interesting mix of people, as I said a few familiar faces missing, but plenty of new ones, some really got the dressing up thing (and a few who didn’t) the dance floor is still busy and there’s a good few who can properly dance. Notice one GG really dancing away, she knows how to move and so does her dress dress, its got a long flared sort of 50’s skirt on it (Possibly from Vivian of Holloway?) and she has even more petticoats that I have on under it, it really spins around and moves following after the dancer, its almost part of the dance itself. I think I mighthave to get one these dresses…

Put the camera away after a bit, need a break and a drink, time has been flying, its getting late already. Have a bit of a dance, bit of a chat, an recognised by a couple of people, from Angels or Flickr, I try my best to make conversation, but as you know, not my strong point (as is remembering names :(). Also have a bit of a pose, a couple of cameras are pointed my way so I oblige. Get a few complements on the outfit to, from a range of people, not just the OTT T-girls but GG’s, TS and even men, think it raises a few smiles, and possibly a few eyebrows, its not as creative, glamorous or slinky as many of the outfits on show, but its one of the silliest Also think it prompts a couple of people to even dance (briefly) with me.

Missed a few people so out with the camera again.

Fluffed a few pics on the way, think I knocked the camera into manual focus mode (again), either that or I’m not getting the focus points right. My excuse, well, its dark, I have to work fast, I’m in heels and I’ve had a couple to drink (and er the bottle before I came out…) and well I’m just an ickle girl Nah poor excuses, need to be more careful. One recurring problem is when I light the camera up in portrait the strap often blocks the viewfinder, hrmm, must be possible to do something about this. Again most people are happy getting there photo taken, do get a few looks from people though, perhaps cause I didn’t ask them for a photo? But do they actually care? Me not taking your pic isn’t a snub, honest, I can’t do everyone and not everyone wants a photo either, I try, honest Do get a couple of picky people who want reshoots, end up with a useable one of most of them in the end. Well if the subject isn’t happy with the result, I can’t really use it can I. One pair of girls stood out though, I asked them for a photo in the bar and they went scouting out the best location and actually asked people sitting at tables to move so they could be photographed there as they liked the spot. Just a bit diva if you ask me.

Right camera away again for a last drink and dance. Dunno about everyone else but I’m nicely warm. Time really has flown, always the sign of a good night. About quarter one I decide to knock it on the head, there was the possibility of the after party and so on, but well there’s that long taxi ride home and the long wait to get that taxi, so guessed I better go. Petticoats and heels (OMG even my feet don’t hurt, makes a change doesn’t it) back in the bag and of across the road to the Taxi Office.

There’s going to be a 20 minute wait for the car, bother. And I’m early to (so it would be horrendous later I guess). Wait quietly in the cab office, with a group of others, don’t think I saw most them a the Rivoli, they look to er normal? But they seem to be friendly and engage me in a little conversation. Since they are perfectly friendly, I try my best. Me being a silly tranny in a curly blonde wig doesn’t seem to phase them in the slightest, which is nice.

A free cab turns up in less than 20 minutes and the driver though, not chatty, feels like a safe driver and gets me home efficiently. But £30 for the cab ride, ouch, still I suppose it is still a little cheaper than a hotel room (and cab fares to and from it) (I do rather like the Greenwich Novatel though).

Clean up, bed, lie in on Sunday. Had a vague sort of plan to do a Helena day on Sunday, go to the drawing club etc, but its gone 11 before I’m out of bed and I had photo’s to process and er Star Trek to play.

So overall another good night at the Rivoli, the next one is on the 24th of April, I plan to be there, you to? As for the outfit, silly, yes, easy to wear, no (the waist line is at least 3″ above my own for a start), practical, no (actually its not that bad) and sissy, well sort of. Sissy has all sorts of conations and is often linked to submissive behaviour, force feminisation and various other various fetishes and I think its rather looked down on by the more serious members of the TG community, as its just so not what real women wear and is primarily fetish. But its load of fun and in away, liberating, plus it seems to give others a smile too, people saw the funny side of it all. Also I think this outfit might have another benefit, all rumours I might be TS have now been proven wrong

Anyway its not even really sissy, its Elegant Gothic Lolita, and EGL is an actual Japanese fashion, worn by actual GG’s, not just trannies

I enjoyed my time in petticoats, so this outfit has to go out again, maybe to the Festival of Sins or Torture Garden perhaps. Also maybe, if I’m feeling very brave, outside into the world, purely for shits and giggles (probably mostly me shitting my self and other people giggling) , maybe not for long and probably not Tescos, but hey wait a minute, there’s this little Sainsbury’s Local near the Purple Turtle where the FOS is held….

Next week, back on call, so outings are going to be limited

That was the twitter hash tag for this weekend, not that I really know what one of them is. I don’t twitter, because well it seems everyone else does (or did, its so last decade people :)) and that 140 characters limit. I can’t cope with just 140 characters, I have this need to ramble on endlessly and pointlessly about the trivial minute of my lack of life. Hence this blog. But the others tweated, mostly from their mobiles to fill in the awkward long gaps in conversation that are forced on you if you have the miss fortune of my company

Right on with the rambling…

During the week something weird went wrong deep within the bowels of a system I mostly look after. It was so deep I really couldn’t even look at the problem, so I made as much noise as possible and eventually got people who called other people who called other people (probably in Germany) to sort it out. Had no updates on the system for 2 and a half days, users where getting tetchy and the first answer we got to solve it was to reinitialise the whole thing. That would of taken about a week. Next solution offered was delete one row from a table, which would take 30 seconds. After authorisations from high ups and the necessary thre quarters of a tree of paper was shuffled the offending row was deleted. And then everything worked again. Such is life in IT

Apart from that, we the austerity drive continued, well up to Wednesday, made worse by a final reminder for a gas bill I forgot to pay and a new electric bill arriving on the same day. But I made it, had pennies left in the current account, but I made it. Ate a lot of soup, beans and pasta to save money, but fortunately I like soup, beans and pasta

But Thursday was pay day so I can shop again bought a small case (50% off in BHS), some silver flats (New Look 9 wide) and some white cropped leggings (from Applesnow, small/medium size but still fit). Why well this Friday was another trip to Fenny Stratford, this time for the UK Angels 10th birthday party at Pink Punters and with a possible shopping trip and dinner out with the twitterati before hand. Had planned the outfits, I wanted to wear this thing to PP, a clubbing outfit I put together ages ago but never go around to wearing out. Trouble is I was thinner when I put it together, the dress (a size 12) still fitted, just, but the white denim Capris (also a 12) under it where a problem, I got into them, but only barely, there really was possibility of popping a button (esp cause they where from Primark), so I bought the stretchy leggings to wear instead as they are more forgiving. The silver flats where as a backup to the silver shoes I had (different ones to the photo) as they didn’t fit so well, they crushed my toes a bit and the case, well I’d had enough of manhandling (that doesn’t sound right, womanhandling, no, transhandling? ) a huge case on public transport for just an overnight stay and I really didn’t need the tripod and light stand etc, so got a smaller case instead.

What with work, Star Trek online and getting ready for the weekend I’d been burning the midnight oil a bit all week, felt tired, but no rest for the wicked (well slightly naughty) , Friday and Saturday where going to be long days too.

Friday (had the day off, it felt like Saturday though), bathe/shave etc, I’m still managing to find loose hairs to remove after laser, but a few strong ones have grown back I think, but still It all comes off very easily and not that much makeup is required. Daytime outfit is a white LS tee, greyish denim mini, different shade of grey leggings, black sort of miltary style leather jacket, black almost flat bikerish boots. Hopefully anonymous enough for travelling and shopping. Just managed to pack everything in the case, evening outfit, jeans and a top to travel back in, change of underwear, toiletries and far too much makeup, it was tight, but ended up being far more manageable. And I’m all ready to go, by 10am, which was actually far to early. Noodle around a bit then decide to pop out to a local café for a croissant and a cappuccino, as breakfast was ages ago. Man in shop is polite and puts quite a lot of care into the cappuccino. He doesn’t use any pronouns when talking to me, but then again, he doesn’t use any with the other, obviously genetic, woman standing next to me in the café who was also getting coffee.

Ready to go, check face in mirror before leaving the building, yes still there, at front door, have I forgotten anything, hrm must of,  hotel reservations? Ah, dash back up stairs to get the print out. Right to the tube, walk quickly, still feel I need to rush, new little case is easier that the big one, don’t hit it with my feet as I walk. Tube to Euston, get ticket and bits for lunch (very worth low fat low calorie sarnie and water) and next days breakfast from M&S and settle into a seat on the train. Ah another thing I’ve forgotten, headphones for my IPod, doh (I use it as a web browser more than anything, so I usually don’t have headphones plugged into it).

Train journey uneventful, read paper, time goes by, change at Bletchley, new case much easier to manage on the tricky steps down to the other platform. Off at Fenny Stratford and walk over to the Campanile, taxi passes me on the way and the TDAR pings, not sure why, didn’t see a face. But it was accurate, two girls are getting out of it as I arrive, that’s Justine who I met at Sparkle last year and the other is Jenny, don’t know her but have seen her about on Facebook.

Check in, room not ready (well it was 1:30 and they say check in after 2), so have to wait a little. But not to long, back to the room, dump the case and unload the handbag of the all the stuff I couldn’t fit in the case (flash gun and stuff), check face and brush hair, then back to the bar.

Justine and Jenny are there, so get a glass of wine and chat, another tall T girl walks in, she orders her glass of wine in French then asks if she can join us. She does look familiar, but I still have to ask then name. Linzi, ah of course, We’d met at the Sparkle meal (actually meals, plural, last year and 2 years before that). We all sip our wine (well I guzzle) and chat and wait for the others. There is a shopping trip to central MK planned for this afternoon, but it is a bit of a kitten herd, getting multiple t-girls together at a particular time to do a particular thing is always like this. But Kay, Sophie, Louise and Saffy do turn up and we get going. Hrm, there at least 3 of us in grey tights or leggings with black boots, is there a trend going on or something?

Thing there should be a kitten herding IPhone app or something, you join a herd with other people and the phones send out your GPS position and reminders trying to get everyone to meet up, with it buzzing and bleeping if you are late or move away from the herd. Could be a winner

Into the cars, Sophie has her big 4 wheel drive (which isn’t a Kia like I thought it was) which can fit several of us (the rest go with Saffy) and we are off. Think I even know the way to central MK from the camp by car now, done it so many times.

Shopping with 6 other t-girls, we don’t need a kitten herding app, we need kitten herding pro enterprise edition extreme 2.0 We try to stick together then something catches something eye and they wander off, people walk at different speeds and people get bored waiting for others and so on. I’m as bad, if not worse than everyone else at sticking in a group. Sort of wander off into New Look (it has a magnetic attraction for me), drag Kay along with me, can’t find the Tall section, have a half hearted look at the shoes and eventually find that denim shirt I’d been after (well I wanted the “Tall” version). Got it in a 14 without trying it on, should fit.  Woman on the checkout tells me this branch (a big one) doesn’t have a tall section, oh well. Try shirt on later, it fits, sort of, it’s tight across the chest. I’m getting this problem more and more these days, how have I put weight on up there?  Still I wanted to wear mostly open over a white tee shirt anyway. Shirt has a nice sort of flair at the hips though and make it look like I have some, should just be long enough to wear over leggings to.

We carry on in our sort of haphazard way, heading towards Next as Louise wanted to go there, sort of having a diversion via Priceless shoes and then I duck into Claire’s accessories and oh we do appear to have lost a few, some of the other are heading back in the opposite direction. So thats it, we lost Saffy to Costa coffee (she has a magnetic attraction to that place like I have with New Look). We all go back to the Costa and have a coffee break (I’m trying to be good and skip having an actual coffee though).

Right lets get going to Next, though one weak chocoholic has to duck into Hotel Chocolate on the way (and her name begins with H).

Louise wanted a smart suit and blouses at Next (wonder why Lou :)) but it takes a while, the rest of us try not to look to conspicuous while we wait, fail a shop assistant asks if we need help. Like the look of black crochet net long sweater (to wear over coloured vests) on a mannequin, its not cheap, but hey, just been paid, get one for myself. The other girls complain the store is too warm, its OK for me, but I’m a tad underdressed for January.

Did mention about trying to remain inconspicuous, out and about in the real world and all that, but as usual, Queen of the Amazons in a short skirt here is noticed, get two or three distinctly frosty looks from teenage girls, but that’s about it. The others didn’t report any such attention, guess it helps that most of them only come up to my shoulder, even in heels.

Louise gets her suit. Time has been getting on and we sort of decide to move on and try and get to the restaurant a little early. Well sort of, little detour via a jewellery stand, two clothing shops (that’s just me again), Superdrug, Monsoon, H&M, a cash machine and the Debenhams lingerie department (which as Justine pointed out, started to take on the appearance of a certain episode of Father Ted) meant we aren’t going to get there early.

The others find the cool evening air outside a relief after the warm shops, not me, its bloody freezing and starting to rain, to the cars, quickly. Right to the restaurant then, we are off to the Jaipur, the Indian restaurant in the same building as our usual Thai haunt, the Orchid Lounge. But how to get there? I sort of know the direction, I could walk there, but had now idea how to drive there. Sophie has Sat Nav but doesn’t know the post code. Right lets get the technology out, with our phones we search on the web, check mails and send text messages to get the exact address. In the end Saffy walks over from her car and tells us.

Get to the restaurant in time, starting to rain now so get inside. A few texts and calls are required to try and locate the other dinner guests, we can’t find Petra but manage to get to Clarissa and Kimberly and pass on numbers so they can share a cab. So the restaurant, not tried the downstairs before, but its seems just as friendly. Looks smaller than upstairs somehow though. Menu is a little short on veggie options, unusual, but there’s the Lentil Dahl I fancy, ask them to spice it up a little and it arrives with a nice little glow to it. We skip starters and decide not to do set menus for a change. It’s a nice meal, but I seem to be failing on the conversation front (as usual), concentrate on the food, its what I’m good at, ending up stealing other people’s bread and rice as I can’t stand to see food wasted. Plus I love bread and rice. All those carbs can’t be good for me though.

As I want to get to get back to the hotel with enough time to change and maybe a drink at the bar before hitting the club I grab a waiter and get the bill sharphish. I thought the meal was nice, and with a few drinks and papadoms £25 a head isn’t outrageous (I’m thinking London prices here aren’t I)  Make sure I grab a few of the after dinner chocolates nobody else seems to want (they where for later).

Right back to the hotel, in Sophie’s car. I promised to buy you a drink or two for all the driving Sophie and I didn’t, sorry next time I promise.

Right lets get changed. Oh all those carbs where a bad idea, tight dress shows the tummy bulge (which I had before, so I can’t blame the curry totally).  Bit more makeup, same silver eyeshadow as last week and lots of eye liner, which look OK for a bit but later on most of it ended up streaking down my face. Use the flash gun remotely, perched on the telly and the camera sat on the dressing table to take the pic (who needs a tripod and light stand). Take pictures until I get one that manages to hide most of my flabby jowls, multiple chins and wrinkles.

Right lets get out there. So do I take big cam with the flash and TTL cord? That will mean taking big bag, but I could slip my flats in that (shoes where not comfortable after 10 minutes, not a good sign) too. With big cam I could get everyone’s photo’s and create a nice record for the night. But the big bag would be really heavy and awkward when dancing and these days, Angels is so not about taking pictures these days, rekon some people would probably tell me to F off if I pointed a camera at them. So no, no big cam tonight, pack a hair brush, some blot powder and a couple of twenties into a little sequin clutch bag (matched the dress) and off we go. Big bag didn’t match the outfit anyway.

Wander off to the hotel bar first, there’s one or two t-girls there, but not many I know, a couple I recognised, Jo Angel and Becky Enverite who’d come out of retirement for the night, Lynn the blogger and ah there’s Clarissa again. Say a few hellos then head over the club, Clarissa comes with.

Its either a very quiet night or we are very early, the ground floor is very quiet, but upstairs is pretty full, full of angels in fact. Mange to get a drink and find Lousie, Saffy, Justine, Kimberly, Sophie etc.  Petra arrived later on too, Happy birthday Petra.

Actually although the angels where a bigish crowd there was a group from the Boudoir and I think some PP regulars there as well on the T-girl front.

Maybe it was because I was getting tired and my shoes hurt but I wasn’t really at my best. And my best isn’t really the most fun person to be with anyway, so I struggled at the socialising bit, and even just the dancing like a loon. Did manage to exchange a few words with the #MKANGELS and a few others I’d met before briefly, Becky, Carol, Lucinda and Linzi, but I was hardly the socialite and didn’t mix much. Sorry. I wasn’t blanking or avoiding anyone, I’m just not really good at large social gatherings, especially when there’s loud music on. OK I did brush off someone, a man, an admirer I assume, complemented me on my outfit, I said thank you, but later I was sitting near the dance floor he made his move, I shoo’ed him away and avoided him for the rest of the evening.

Did dance a bit, silly DJ was taking to much as usual, but he managed to stay quiet over Insomnia and Castles in the Sky for my trance fix and later on some cheese came on and I had a bit of jig to Abba and the like

The shoes and the tiredness where taking there toll though, did spend a bit to much time just sitting or standing around, even switched to soft drinks after a couple of vodka’s, didn’t feel like getting drunk. In the end I take the shoes off and go barefoot (not exactly I had ankle highs on) upstairs for one last drink and chat. Feet may of ponged a bit, sorry. Try to get my last drink, “We don’t do lines here” snaps the barman and I have to explain again I wanted a “lime” and soda.

There’s a few left hanging on, Kimberly, Linzi, Justine, Saffy and Jenny are still there, think Louise had gone to bed. Its around 2 and I want to go, Kimberly has had enough to and we both go back to the hotel, guess the others where there till the bitter end.

Wasn’t a bad trip really, nice to meet faces old and new, I was the let down mostly. Though I am getting a little bored of Pink Punters, it doesn’t seem to change much and I like the thrill of the new, will have to give it a rest for several months I think. Oh and the next time I go I’m wearing comfortable shoes, I’ve made the shoe mistake about er 3 or 4 times now, should have learnt better by now shouldn’t I.

Back in the hotel room, change, clean up and hit bed, am out like a light.

Wake around 9, opps, better get on. Shower and shave, 2nd tranny grade shave in a row isn’t half as bad as it normally is, thanks to the laser. On with jeans and black top and the same boots and jacket as yesterday. Makeup is as little as I can get away with (which less these days).

Mange to change and pack (take the Campanile biscuits with me, maybe I should of nicked the coffee too?) in less than 2 hours, woot. Next train is 11:33 though, have a bit to wait. But hey, there’s Louise packing her car, shall I be cheeky and ask for a lift to the station, she said she was going to Bletchley park this morning and that’s virtually opposite it. I was, but on reflection perhaps I shouldn’t have been, Louise isn’t in the best of moods. Actually as well as Louise there’s Saffy, Sophie, Jenny and Justine, they are all off on a group trip to Bletchley park, say hello and wave good bye and share Lou’s car with Saffy to Bletchley park. I play sat nav directing them to the codebreaking site.

Bit of a wait for a train so I grab a sandwich, well its nearly lunch time. Its cold on the platform and I wish I’d brought a thicker coat. Train journey back is the usual uneventful one, bury head in snowboard magazine and we are passing through Wembley by the time I finish it. Tube then walk home, brr its colder than it was on Friday. Drop my case off and look for a warmer coat, can’t find the one I wanted, flat must of eaten it (another thing its devoured) so try on a few, big red one seems to work and its warmer.

No time to rest, shopping to do. The tube and trains to Camden all seemed to be closed for engineering works this weekend so its on the bus. There it is, run for it, catch it, but a button pops of my coat (recover it in time) and my jeans slip down a bit. These jeans are always doing that, I dunno why, they fit tight. Last week I broke a belt hook on them pulling them up and had to sew it back on.

Bus, yeah, off to Camden, yet again, but I had to get the finishing touches to my outfit for the Magic Theatre next week. I’d bought this gothic Lolita dress, remember, but it really needed a petticoat to lift the skirt, also needed a pair of white stockings (or stay ups) with pink bows that matches the dress. Plus I wanted that chainsaw The plastic one I saw on the fancy dress site BTW.

So first stop, my favourite fancy dress shop, but erm, no chainsaw, well not the one I wanted, the one they had looked really naff. Bought a machete instead, well a plastic one with painted on blood. I really wanted something nasty to contrast the over cute outfit and the machete was the best I could find. The shop also has tutus and petticoats, but neither seem right, too short. I’d been searching online for petticoats, doping my research, and most do seem to be either very short tutu like or very long for big skirts, a 20” maybe hard to find. Leave with just my plastic machete, well covered up in plastic bags.

Tour a number of vintage places looking for Petticoats, but can’t find anything that would work. Try a Rockabilly place (they do big skirts) and a couple of corset shops, no nothing right. Eventually go back to Sai Sai, the Gothic Lolita place where I got the dress. And they have just ticket, in fact they remember me and the dress I bought. Well I say just the ticket, I’m not sure if its quite poofy enough for what I want, but get it anyway, it’s the best I can find.

Tour a few more places, looking for the stockings, find a pair, white with pink bows, but not quite the right shade of pink. Well its near enough this will do.

Am getting cold even in this big coat and am still feeling the effects of the long week and the late Friday night, better get on. Still I think I have everything I need, it’s not perfect but it will do. Also its been a quiet day as far as reaction goes, apart from one guy mentioning “Drag Queens” to his girl friend in a very geezer accent as I passed, there wasn’t much directed my way. In fact I’m not 100% sure the drag queen comment was about me anyway (humor me here).

Walk down towards the centre of Camden, well I can just look at a couple more shops, that Gothic shop I like, hey doesn’t it have a downstairs bit that’s a bit more punk/rockabilly? It sure does and they have petticoats and on the end of the rail there’s this perfect white one (from Hell Bunny), its better than the one I had hrrmm, I want it, it will work better, so I had to get it, I can even wear it with the other one underneath and get the required poofyness ) Sold.

Then there’s may favourite tights and stockings place, and guess what, they have lots of white stockings (well hold ups actually) with bows and that one there is the right shade of pink, better get that them to. The other pair will just have to be a backup. So now I have 2 petticoats, 2 pairs of stockings and a blood stained machete. I’d also picked up a very cheap little white tutu (just in case), a tiny pink hello kitty shoulder bag (cheap, but very badly made, think it’s a knock off), a pink hair rose and some pink bow hair grips along the way. Definitely shopped out now.
Go find bus back to Islington. As wait to cross road a van has to slam on his brakes to avoid a man running across the road. The van driver sort of looks around after having trying to get a “Did you see what that idiot did” reaction. I would have been more sympathetic to him, if it wasn’t for the fact he had been driving with a mobile clamped to his ear and that probably why he didn’t react to the pedestrian earlier.

First bus is to full, wait 2 minutes, next one has a seat, phew, back to Islington we go, seated. Its not really late, but I’m cold and tired. Decide to get a drink somewhere warm before getting the bus home. End up in the Pitcher and Piano at Angel with a glass of Rose, well its warm, quite empty mid afternoon and has free WiFi

Last bus of the day home. Get bottle of wine and some snacks from the shop and think about dinner, had very in stock, so better get something. No, sod that, I just want hot food now, missed out on my post night club chips on Friday (still think that’s a missed business opportunity at PP) so to hell with the diet, go into the chicken shop next door and order a large portion of chips. Guy serving is smiley and helpful, but his colleague says something to him in a language I don’t know as I leave. If it was on the line of “That’s a bloke mate” I wouldn’t of been surprised.

Home, finally, that’s it. Feet up, eat chips with wine and boot the PC. Check my sites and start up Star Trek, the beta ends soon and I wanted to get to Lieutenant rank before it finished, as then you can requisition a new ship. But after a short while there server crashed. Dam. It was about 7 and |’d finished the wine by then, was feeling a little sleepy anyway, so I’ll just rest my head… boom out again.

Wake around 1am, fully dressed and made up still, doh. Deslap, clean up and dress for bed, but no I’m to awake. The Star Trek server is still down, dam. Decide to go looking to see if I can get that chain saw  anywhere else, I still want it. Little bit of a dig and I see its still on Escapde’s web site and its listed as in stock and they can do Saturday delivery, oh well better order it, do a quick spywear scan and get out my plastic.

Noodle a it and finally get back to bed. Sunday, lie in. Little bit of Trek and get my promotion (server is still unstable, doesn’t bear well for launch), pub lunch, little work on the photo’s, laundry and have to login to work to run a couple of jobs. But find a little time to try on the full outfit for the Magic Theatre, takes longer than expected as I can’t find the bag my bag I put all my gloves in. Much rummaging around is done, but I find them eventually, but on they way I find the box my long Hot Hair wig is in, Yes! I didn’t throw it out after all The full outfit is rather outrageous, but even with both petticoats the skirt isn’t as lifted up as much as I’d wanted. Perhaps I want to much, I wanted it virtually horisontal. Still it’s a silly thing and I dunno, when wearing it, these rather silly thoughts start to go through my mind, the clothes maketh the man/woman/tranny sometimes, a character might emerge. The Magic Theatre could be interesting… If I mange to figure out a way to get there in this on public transport.

Midweek is livened up by the acquisition of a key to the Star Trek Online Beta. It’s technically the “Open” Beta, but its only open to preorder customers and those lucky enough to grab one at the various website give a ways. I got the later. Also got give a free smoothie from a give away at the station

First problem with STO, downloading the 7gb’s worth. It seemed unless you stump up for a full File Planet account there isn’t enough bandwidth around to supply it at normal speeds. Ended up getting a on a bit torrent and even that was very slow, it took 24 hours to DL. Next problem, actually logging in, due to the sever instability and the sheer number of people trying to play it, it can either be very laggy or just impossible (server is full). But finally on Saturday morning I got in and got moving with my first character, a petite Tactical officer with pink hair with her first starship, the U.S.S. Gagarin (I should of called it the U.S.S. Tereshkova shouldn’t I).

Now I did have some plans for Saturday, bit of a lie in then get read and go out, to the pictures, have a meal out and then on to a club. Started to get ready around 8, bathe/shave etc but got into STO after that and sort of lost a few hours… next minute its 6pm. 

The game is erm, I’m holding passing judgement on it for a bit. You do get to be a Starship Captain and have a crew and fly around and do away missions and stuff, but well it doesn’t quite feel right. One thing is most missions basically involve blowing up other starships (mostly Klingon/Orion). I’ve only got to level 6 and probably blasted more ships that Saturday afternoon than they get through in an entire TV season on Trek. Though the starship combat is a bit more involved than the average MMORPG hack and slash, much more manoeuvring is required to get most of your phasers to bear on and present your strongest shields to the enemy and then working on making a gap in their shields to send photon torpedo or two through. On top of that there energy management and special skills and so on. It can be quite involving even at low levels.  Plus the game will automatically group you up with other players in the system to do missions, so you are often flying in a little fleet, whereas most other MMORPGs these days you seem to spend much more time solo. So space combat is pretty good, there’s ground combat to with your away team, that’s more conventional. Trouble is the whole morality/ethics/Dipolmacy/problem solving/exploration sides of the Trek shows seems very limited in the MMORPG There are also quite a few bugs still, the user interface is a little confusing and game balance can seem very off at times.

Nerdy wittering out of the way, back to the plot. Getting ready, shaving went very well, probably because there is much less hair to remove. During the week I kept finding lots of totally loose hairs and removed them, some even you could squeeze like a blackhead and they would just pop out. I reckon in many places there’s as 80+ % of the hair gone, the only dense path now is a little bit on the bottom left of my chin (think they missed a bit) and the top lip (but that’s down at least 50%). What I didn’t realise is how many white hairs I have (must be getting old), these won’t be touched by the laser, but then again, won’t show as shadow. So the 2nd laser session has worked really well, and I’m now looking forward to the third one (probably in March) to clear up the stragglers. Still have a few blemishes to hide though, but these are healing to, hopefully will be clear by next week.

As I said, I geeked out till around 6 then started to get ready. During the week I’d done the maths and figured I could afford that top/dress from Oasis after all, so I went to a branch and found one in 14. It was mostly black though, I thought it was a lighter colour, oh well. Was in Ian mode at the time (went after work), girl serving asked who it was for, I wimped out and said it was for a friend. I had intended to wear this clubbing at the weekend, but had an extended dressing up session on Wednesday to check what went with it and eventually went with a different top entirely, I found on I’d never worn before at the bottom of a case that worked better. I also found a packet of sweets and a magazine I thought I’d lost. Good. What I can’t seem to find any more is that long Hot Hair wig  I bought last year, last time I wore it was at PP in December, now I’m pretty sure I didn’t leave it in the hotel, so it must of got back to my flat. Trouble is it was probably stuffed in a plastic bag and I might of threw it out with the rubbish I will have to have a really good hunt around for it. I will be a real shame if I’ve lost it, it cost quite a bit and if you got it right, looked quite nice.

Get dressed and have a little bite to eat then makeup. Little concealer on the blemishes and just a thin layer of foundation is required Even my neck required very little, this used to be a hard area to get really smooth so I had to cover up with slap, but now there’s much less hair it all works better.

Go a little mad on the eyes, heavy black liner and silver on the lids. Wanted to do silver eyeshadow (I’d been watch Lady GaGa makeup tutorials on You Tube you see…) I had one tub of 3 silvery grey eye shadow colours, but I couldn’t open it, think some nail varnish remover got splashed on it and its melted the lid on shut. But I did find a little tube of silver gel eye shadow I got with a special offer from Boots. The gel eye shadow is a bit messy to apply, but gave a nice strong colour, need more practice with it though. Think I like the results, plus it should be fitting for the club.

Have a little photo shoot after getting ready, a little red and orange gels on the side speed lights to brighten the thing up a little.

Photos took a while, have to get moving now, swap the 35 f2 for a 50 1.8 on big cam and pack everything up, time is getting on, the club said the band would be on at 10 so I want to make it for that.

Outside the flat, glad its got warmer, it must be oh, nearly 6 degree’s now Had rained a bit too but that had stopped as well, bit of a relief from the snow and cold. Had a coat and a hat on over the outfit, but still there was quite a bit of leg on display. Hey there’s my bus, I rushed but it left the stop before I could get near. Hey there’s another one I can use, the !&(&*^*&% doesn’t even stop. Bother! Sign says next bus is 11 minutes away, so decide to walk to the next stop. There’s a couple of chavy looking girls waiting there already so decide not to linger, walk to the next one. Still have 5 minutes to wait before the bus arrives. Wait quietly watching the world go by, seems my look, short skirt, fairly dark tights and ankle boots is about right for Islington Saturday night, as I wait I spot several GG’s sporting it as well (though most where in there 20’s). Bus gets here eventually, ride to Angel, then walk to the club. Well the pub, the club is in the upstairs room. Get there for about 10:10. Girl on the door and the cloak room is a little dizzy, but we sort it out and up we go. Band hasn’t started, phew. Get a glass of wine and a seat and chill for a bit. In fact it doesn’t start till more like half past. I must learn that 9 time out of 10 acts on in clubs almost always start at least half after the time advertised. Trouble is if I go by the rule, and turn up late, that’s going to be the time they play on time.

Oh yeah forgot to mention the club, its BEDSITLAND again, that one I went to a couple of times last year, on at Lexington on Pentonville road (yeah London). Why well I sort of had the option of going to a TG night where there would be a few familiar faces, or the Gypsy Hotel, but I just sort of fancied going out for a dance to shinny electro pop and its quite cheap and local. They usually have one band on these days, this time it was Mechanical Cabaret, dark electro pop… no I’d never heard of them either, but that’s usually the case on club nights like this and often it turns out well.

Band comes on eventually, just two guys, one keyboard player who spends the night behind his array of keyboards and modules and a singer who plays keyboards a bit to. Manoeuvre around to get a few angles, trying not to get in peoples way. The singer is a bit of a rock star, he puts on a proper performance, he notices the camera a few times to and gives it a pose. Shoot full manual (well not quite, I used auto focus), well I’d been shot here before and knew what the light was like.

Some of the pics are a bit soft, but dunno a couple seems to work. Put my camera away after a few numbers and shimmy along to the tunes. The band are pretty good, especially like “Disbehave” :) 

After there set I gab another drink to cool off, big bottle of pear cider, made better by the fact the DJ puts on “Enola Gaye” So what now, last time the dance floor really took off after the band, but its rather slow starting this time. But it does sort of pick up and I take to the floor several times, dance on my own, no one seems to want to dance with me, but sort of used to that, and I’m not the only one, a few other people dance alone, they just sort of get lost in the music doing there own thing and finding there own shapes.

Did sort of feel a bit invisible there, I was the only T-girl there as far as I could tell, and perhaps people just avoided the weirdo. But I didn’t feel that strange and it was a fairly diverse crowd, gay/straight/lesbian some dressed down, others right up, in fact there was quite a bit of gothy PVC in evidence, I was almost underdressed. Did spot a couple of people I recognised from the Festival of Sins, but was to shy to say hello.

The music and the dance floor picked up, got to go a little crazy to a few favourites, esp enjoyed Kim Wilde’s “Kids in America”

Did say I was invisible didn’t I, well sort of. It was around 1 and I was just having a breather with a Vodka and Lemonade on a seat near the bar when a GG I’d never seen before comes and sits down beside me and practically hugs me. We chat for a bit, well try to, I really struggle to make conversation when there’s loud music on. Also she’s quite drunk. Think I managed to gather her name was Kirsty. Music changes, Paul Hardcastle’s 19 comes on, I like this so drag Kirsty on to the dance floor. Turns out she’s not a Paul Hardcastle fan. We dance and try to talk a little more, she’s there with her friend who’s celebrating her 30th. We dance  abit more more, music changes a couple of times then something she likes comes on, Lady GaGa. Her taste in music is a little more modern than mine. We sort of hug a little bit again to.

Now I’m in a bit of a pickle. Yes a genetic girl has actually come on to me, which is amazing. But this does sort of point out I didn’t pass at all, she’s hetro and she see’s a man, all be one in a skirt. She’s also drunk, not paralytic, she’s stable enough on her feat, but enough to slur her speech a bit and affect her judgement. I do not want to take advantage of a drunk woman who has a huge case of the vodka goggles. I also don’t fancy her. Trouble is we don’t seem to have a lot in common, talking to her is difficult and well, the looks, she isn’t bad looking I suppose, but she’s on the short side, a plainish face, thin eye’s and well, awful dress sense. Do you go out to and Electro/synthpop night on your friends birthday in a shapeless brown knee length shift dress and a cream cardi? OK I’m being rather bitchy and mean here, sorry and it’s not like I look any better, I am clocked by drunk people in a dark room. But then perhaps I was reading far to much into it all perhaps she just saw someone a little unusal and just wanted a chat and maybe a dance, nothing more. I’m so fucking useless with people Losers like me really can’t afford to be too picky if we ever want to hook up with someone or even just find new platonic friends.

We where sort of drifting apart after a few dances anyway, she saw me looking at my watch which isn’t a good way to impress someone is it, guess she realised what I was thinking. I said I had to pop out and would be back in 5. I went to the loo for a bio break and to touch up the makeup. Couldn’t see here when I got back. Carried on dancing. Think I saw her briefly later, she was with her friend and I think she had found a proper bloke to talk to.

Few more dances, its getting late now and my feet are starting to protest and I’m flagging to. These ankle boots have about a 3 to 4” heel, its manageable but not for hours on end and I’d been in them for over 4 hours. Best call it a night, I’m on call anyway (had things to do on Sunday, but I shouldn’t be called on Saturday night). One last mad dance to Duran Duran’s “The Reflex” and I get my coat, leaving about 2am.

No rain, good, back to Angel and the night bus via Chapel market. Guy outside a bar says “Hello” as I pass, ignore him. Stop for chips, well dinner had been rather light as hadn’t got much in and I had been dancing a lot. Guy serving in the Kebab shop gets a look at me in the light and stops him self from using a pronoun. Walk back to the bus munching my chips. There’s a bit if a wait for the bus, but it turns up eventually and there’s just one seat left on the top deck for me. Get home by 2:30sih

By the time I’m cleaned up and ready for bed its nearly 3:30, out like a light. Don’t manage to get out of bed again till 11:30. Another pretty good night at Bedsitland, good music, accepting, cheap and local plus an unusual encounter. Will return for another, but not the next one, I’ll be on holiday then.

By the time I’m fully awake, had erm its lunch now isn’t it, (have cheese on toast in the local pub with a pint) and done the first batch of work stuff its nearly 4. Right back to Star Trek online. Except I can’t. The server is full, the USA has woken up and filled up the server. I read the developers underestimated the demand for the game and didn’t have enough server capacity, more hardware is on the way but that will take a while. So no more Trek for me on Sunday, I try again a few times but still can’t get in. So just process the pics, do more work stuff, play a little Champions, another bath and back into bed, think I was out of it for about 11 and a half hours…

This week, on Friday there’s the big Angels do at PP, with shopping and dinner with the usual gang planned for before hand. Though if the night out turns out like the forum there might be tears…  On Saturday there’s a load of stuff I need for the Magic Theatre outfit, so big shopping session is in order. Might not even make 11 hours awake next Sunday

But to be honest I haven’t done much to write about, but I’ll waffle on about what little I did anyway. Back to about the December 22nd, when I published the last post, off work and free to do, er more Christmas Shopping and general faffing about, a day and a half to sort out things before I had to go visit the Family for Christmas, suppose I could of sneaked in some Helena time, but just didn’t get around to it. Managed to get presents, spoilt the Nephews a little (5 year Nephew number 1 is really into Starwars at the moment :)) and even book my holiday before departing for darkest Lincolnshire (I typed Lincolnshite there at the first, Freudian slip?). Oh yea holiday, I’m off to Saalbach-Hintergleem in Austria at the end of February with my snowboard, place looks like its has a massive quality of fine Pistes to play with, though it could do with a little more snow right now,

Christmas with the family, stayed with my parents and visited and got visited by the siblings and their families and ate and drank far to much, usual really. And there was the usual awkwardness about me being the only singleton, I tended to leave the grown ups to talk and go play with kids and/or cats and dog, spent most of Christmas day building Lego kits. Big news was my sister announcing another was on the way, her 2nd. Not a bad Christmas really and it was a white one

I can cope with my family for a short while, so was out of there on Sunday, whisked home by surprisingly efficient public transport.

Monday, had sort of planned to have a Helena day, but by the time I was out of bed and defuzzed it was gone lunchtime and I just couldn’t find the energy to get made up went to town en bloke instead and ogled snowboard kit instead.

Tuesday, after yesterdays failure at doing much I had to try and do something, so I packed my board and went to Milton Keynes for a few runs. Place was a mad house, its definitely the snow dome silly season at the moment, they didn’t have any free slots till 1:30 (I had arrived around 10:30), fortunately they let me stash my board bag there while I went shopping to kill the time. Kind of promised my self some new snowboarding boots so I went off to find the shop I got my first pair from as think they had a better range and service than the shop in the snowdome. The Shop, the BBC (Bucks Boarding Centre) isn’t in central MK, its in a little shopping precinct off to one side about 40 minutes walk from the dome, I didn’t have a map and hadn’t been there for nearly 3 years, but managed to get there surprisingly easily. My sense of direction is quite good, but this is technically a male trait isn’t it.

Service and range where as good as I remember and I came away with some K2 Darko boots, simply because they fitted the best. The black with lime green laces and fur trim isn’t exactly subtle though. Back to the snowdome via the shopping centre, well he got new boots, so she should have some to make up for it, Cept there wasn’t anything much I fancied (apart from these absolutely killer over the knee boots, virtually thigh boots in the sale at Top Shop, but they only ones they had where size 5) , back to the dome, via an almost deserted Revolution Bar for lunch. Change into my body armour and baggies and hit the slope, it wasn’t quite as busy as I’d feared, but was still rather full and as usual they closed off a quarter of the slope for Tobogganing. wasn’t really a particularly progressive session that. But I did get the new boots

Wednesday, and the laser returns. Had booked into Renew Medica in Barnet the previous Tuesday for my 2nd laser session. I’d been recommended Barnet over Muswell hill by Louise so thought I would give it a try. Took a while to get there (right out at the end of the Northern Line), but I still had a bit of time before the session, eventually find a nice old pub to eat in (Barnet appears to be short of these and I had to hunt for one) and have a couple of pints of liquid anaesthetic. The place isn’t busy and I order food, but it takes ages to arrive and I have to bolt it before dashing to the clinic. I was 5 minutes late but they didn’t seem to mind.

This clinic seemed a little less formal than Muswell hill and we got started right away. More power this time, I think it was between 24 and 26 (Still les than most people have) most places and we did the whole face in one session. It was not a pleasant treatment, pain threshold was reached a couple of times, I was clenching my fists and grimacing with some of the jabs and there was plenty of burning hair smell. But the girl doing it, Natalie seemed very thorough and friendly (She was also young and attractive which sort of helped…).

Feel rather singed and warm after the treatment, but the endorphins start to kick in (its always after, why can’t you do this during?) and I started to feel a little floaty. Take a long bus ride home (well as far as Holloway and walk the rest). Check my face in the mirror when I get in, its rather red, but yes, ejected hairs lying on my face, another good sign

Thursday lie in bed all morning, then go out and have a sushi lunch and see the new Sherlock Homes film (its er OK, but not exactly true to the books) and play Champions online (my new game, downloaded off Steam, only about 8 quid, my old PC couldn’t cope with it, but the new one doesn’t break a sweat even on max detail, OK game, really fun character creator). Oh its New Years Eve isn’t it, well I can’t put make up on so soon after laser and I didn’t know anyone else locally who was going out anyway, so stay in alone. As usual. Fall asleep before midnight too. One of these years I’ll actually go out on New Years eve.

Friday, New Years Day, or National Hangover recovery day for many people. More family visits, went to brother who lives in London and his family, parents where there to. Had dinner and built a model Snowspeeder for Nephew number 1. My face was still rather red and blotchy, and a number of big spots had appeared but no one mentioned anything.

Saturday, right lets do Helena, its 60 hours after laser and that should be enough time. Cept it isn’t shaving is horrible, my face looks like a warzone afterwards, blood everywhere. I really shouldn’t of done that, I should of waited longer. I would of needed to dunk my head in a bucket of concealer to cover up the mess, didn’t think that was a good idea, decided to spare the face any more abuse and go out in Ian mode.

Still wanted to go shopping though, so of to Camden. Had a plan to look for Outfits for the next Magic Theatre, and I also wanted another pair of thigh boots, matt black with a small platform, either no lacing or back laced, for an outfit for the Festival of Sins. I’d found a pair I liked on the net, but would rather buy them retail, see what they are like first.

Toured the boot shops and Goth places in Camden for a bit. One place had some new Lip Service stuff, all very nice, but nothing quite right for me, and there was the black gothic satin blouse and big skirt I liked, but well I did black last time. In the boots shops only one had approximately the same boot I had seen online. I asked the guy if they had size 10, no but we have a 9 and they fit generously, let me get you one to try on… Wait a minute, he doesn’t mind me trying on black high heel thigh boots in bloke mode? In fact he seems quite keen… Oh well, might as well. He goes to check his stock, but returns empty handed, seems he doesn’t have a 9 after all, just an 8. Suppose boots like this are often bough by TV’s and DQ’s I guess and he’s used to it. Carry on shopping.

The little Gothic Lolita place in the Stables Market had closed down, which was a bit sad, I’d got several cute things from there. But wait, what’s that, it hadn’t closed down, it had just moved, to a bigger premises further down. In fact there are 3 Gothic Lolita places around Camden, all quite close to each other, I suspect they are simply all outlets of the same shop (this seems to happen a lot in Camden, you often see stalls with exactly the same stock as one you saw just down the road). Back to the Gothic place, look around, it has a larger upstairs section and hey, quite a few more styles in Extra Large. XL here appears to be about a 14 and they just fit. There a couple of interesting punky leather jackets and these over the top frilly lace trimmed dresses with bows (pink and white and black and white) . Mind goes wandering, they might just work…. It is rather “Sissy” but I could turn it on its head with the right makeup and props… It could just work, well at the Magic Theatre anyway, maybe not for popping out to the supermarket. Bloke in the store spots me looking at the dress. Want to try it on he asks? Another bloke asking if I want to try on feminine clothing when I’m in bloke mode? I guess like the boot place they must get a lot of Tranny customers. I decline, it would be just to embarrassing like this. Ask how much the dress is though, £59 he says, oh that’s actually less than I though it would be (It’s quite a complex garment). I know this place only takes cash and I don’t have that much on me, better get to the bank then.

Why do people queue outside a bank in the cold when there are machine inside no one is using? Inside the bank, better just check the balance, what with Christmas presents, the laser treatment, that new Cop Copine dress, the snowboard boots and the Holiday it had been an expensive month (thought the holiday was 250 less than I expected, but the hotel is only 2*). Oh that’s less than I though I had, oh well, its still enough to, Oh shit, I haven’t paid the rent and council tax yet! Bugger I’m poor No new dress or boots for you missy.

Take out some cash anyway, but that’s for groceries and to get me through the weekend. Walk down through Camden towards the west end, mostly just window shopping, and to get some exercise, Christmas overeating and drinking hasn’t helped my waist line. Find myself on Oxford Street, well I’d just though I’d see if those boots I saw in Top Shop MK where available in the big Oxford Street Branch. There weren’t, but I couldn’t afford them anyway.

Did look in a few of the touristy shops that do shoes though as they often have some New Rock and fetishy type boots. And one place did have some thigh boots close to what I was looking for. I was still concerned about funds, but I asked about sizes anyway. Are these available in size10 I asked? No the biggest we currently have is a 9 replied than man, I can order you 10 or you can try on the 9’s… That’s the third time today that’s happened. In the end I do actually try the 9’s. I can get them on (can fit 9 sometimes, but rarely in this sort of style and heel) but they are rather tight and I wasn’t sure the boot was quite right anyway. Left the store empty handed. Are London’s retailers getting so used to trannies that they don’t mind you trying stuff en-homme?

Have my fill of Oxford street and Soho and head home empty handed. Sunday is sort of a non day too, lazy and still a little sore from the shaving, I did want to go to the drawing club, but not as Ian, so stayed at home, more Champions. Couldn’t even be bothered to do Laundry.

So that was my Christmas Holidays, some Family time, a laser job and not a lot else. Bit of a waste really.

Back to work on Monday, bit of shock getting up early after nearly 2 lazy weeks. Also am now on a diet and austerity drive (well austerity till payday anyway). Get quite a lot done in 2 days and impress the boss by delivering stuff on Tuesday afternoon. Weather forecast on Tuesday looks bad, (well bad for getting to work) heavy snow, take laptop home incase.

Snow does come Tuesday night, but you are in the UK you knew that. Work from home Wednesday (skive most of the afternoon) buy a full weeks of shopping at Tescos just in case and find work has advised people not to come in on Thursday and Friday. Those days sort of merge together, get plenty done in the peace, but I’m sort of confined to just one room with the good heating, it all gets a little weird being in one room for so long. Do leave the flat a few time, though only briefly to the shops around the corner (and managed to do a laundry session on work time :)). On one trip I have to help an elderly gent, he had slipped and couldn’t get up and was shouting meekly for help, a bunch of teenage school kids down the street where ignored him. I had to pull him up and help him down the slippery pavement to his flat. I held his hand, perhaps I should have held his arm. The snow in London wasn’t really that bad, we had it easy compared to the rest of the country, so I could of got to work I think, but well, any excuse to not go into the office.

By Saturday I was a little stir crazy and had to get out, and this time I was going to go in Helena mode, no excuses! The face had been playing up in the week, quite a lot of spots had appeared, I always break these and clean out the yuk, but there a bit of redness and skin damage that has to heal afterwards. But as well as the spots (folliculitis made worse by the laser treatment) I’d noticed many hairs where not properly rooted, experimenting I tugged on a few, some wouldn’t budge, but some just slid out. In fact rather a lot just slid out or just sort of snapped off. These where the hairs where the laser had killed the follicle. I ended up spending rather a lot of time in front of the mirror during the week giving a little tug on every likely looking hair on my face with some fine tweezers. Quite a lot came out, my cheeks must only have 20% of the original left, the neck and chin 50% or more in places (its patchy) and every some came out on the upper lip. The laser has had quite an effect everywhere (apart from a small patch on the bottom left of my chin that might of just been missed).

Back to the plot, Friday night/Saturday morning was absolutely freezing, don’t sleep well, so up early very hot bath and lets try the razor again. Its not nearly as bad as it was last week, but I have quite a lot of blotches and blemishes that need a lot of makeup. Over do the shading a little and have to try and correct it with even more powder. When the blotches heal perhaps I can get away with just a single layer of studio tech, the reduced hair density means much less cold blue/grey shadow to cover).

Dress, oh its too cold for a skirt, thick tights, jeans, flat boots, thin top, sweater dress, big coat, hat, gloves scarf. I’m so covered up the resulting affect is I think a bit more androgynous than usual, its certainly not overtly fem. Still its should be warm and anonymous.

Out around lunch time, I’m not really hungry though. Bus to Angel to stop at the bank, have to monitor the funds carefully at the moment. Bank is shut due to the bad weather conditions! Suppose they had the same idea as me, any excuse not to come in, but the reality was it hadn’t actually snowed much for 36 hours.

Might as well go to Camden then, that branch of the bank might be open, and I can get there on the warm tube, the wind outside is bitterly cold. Camden branch is open, phew and people are still queuing in the cold to use the outside cash machine. Check statement on the machine, inside, gawd its got worse, the Laser clinic hadn’t charged me till this week, I’m even poorer than I thought. But, I’d done the maths, I need so much to get to work and eat, and the bills are now paid, so that does leave me just enough to get THAT dress. So I do. There’s a girl serving in SAI SAI this time, Eastern European I think with a large amount of piercings, I again decline the offer to try the dress on (to many layers to remove) as I still reckon I can fit it, but we do have a chat about the sizing of the garments (a lot of customers want larger sizes…) and clubs to wear them in, turns out she’s a fan of Torture Garden and says she sees a lot of their outfits there.

The outfit does need a few more accessories, white stockings with pink bows, a Petticoat under the skirt to pouf it up and perhaps new hair (I’d spotted some OTT wigs at another place earlier), but all that will have to wait till after payday. Also have to want to get a chainsaw… Well I wanted to turn the thing on its head, do the old good girl gone bad thing, but taken to an extreme, cute pink and white sissy little girl with a blood soaked serial killer chain saw but not a real chainsaw, there’s this quite realistic looking plastic chain saw with blood splats (for Friday the 13th costumes I think) I’ve found on the net.

I did try on the outfit when I got home. Its got a really small fiddly back zip that sort of gets stuck on the seams when it goes past the skirt to the back. Probably because its to tight, I really only just fit the dress :(. Thing is, its not my waist that the problem, its my chest that’s to big (without boobs too) and the fact the dress is cut for a shorter GG so the waist line is about 3″ to high and sits on my rib cage (my usual problem with tailored garments). I got the zip up eventually. First tried it with a black wig, that looked cute, but the curly blonde wig was even cuter, a white stocking (I’ve lost the other one) my double strap black courts worked well on the legs (will have to buy a new pair), and although it came with these white arm gaiter things, replacing them with these white lace long gloves with huge cuffs I already had looked even better. I think I have an outfit. It’s totally OTT and will probably loose me any Trans credibility I had (but theres not a lot to loose), but I’m going to do it, what the hell What it really does need though is a short (20″ or so) very very pouffy white petticoat to lift the skirt right up. That’s going to be a bit hard to find.

I did say that dress would loose me all trans cred, well I suppose, but I did go out an buy it in broad daylight, in bad weather, in completely normal and practical clothes and as little makeup as possible and not attracting any attention and interacted with people. Or so I thought. You see many of the food places in Camden offer little bits of food as free samples to passing customers, as I passed one Chinese food place the woman working there called out in a friendly manor “Try a piece of chicken Sir” . That’s why I hadn’t been attracting much attention, people where just seeing a bloke, not even one trying to present as female

Potter around the market a little more, stop in the Proud Gallery as I kind of hoped their bar would be doing food but it doesn’t look like it. But they did have an exhibit of photographs of Debbie Harry. She’s one of my idols, so I stayed and browsed. Some of them, phew, I just so want to look like that. I also took a few photo’s photos of the photo’s, but then I got told off for doing that, so I left. Me bad.

That’s just a picture of the wall, not the photo’s themselves OK?

Was lunch time now, wanted somewhere inside that was warm, but also very cheap. Wander around a bit, cross the very slippery footbridge over the icy canal and find myself in a place called the Earl of Camden (Think I’d been here a couple of years ago, with oh, her). But it wasn’t busy, looked OK and I could get a sandwich, chips and a drink for five fifty. Food was fine and the portion generous Pub was warm too, was a bit of a shock to get back in the cold.

So what to do next? To be honest not a lot, no more shopping, I wandered down through Camden towards the west end. There’s this little park near Morning Crescent, its not used much as far as I could see, and it still had a plenty of snow, so I stopped in there to get the picture of the day.

Carry on into town, past Euston (and that shop). Have my last little browse around the shops at the Brunswick, Ow wow New Look now carry a grey batwing top/dress that’s identical to the one I wore to dinner in MK last month, they must be following my fashion lead And wow again, there’s that top/dress thingy I liked in Oasis, and its in the sale, down to £25 from £55 and in my size. Normally would of snapped that up without a thought, but not today. If I’m good all week and eat beans and soup maybe I can get it next weekend. Maybe, if its still there.

Cold now, and bored of not being able to shop I want to go home. And to be honest I was starting to get a little self conscious, got a couple of funny looks and a group of girls exclaimed “Oh My God” as I passed them. Go find my bus home in Holborn. Get some bread and some pop at the shop near the bus stop to go with dinner.

Spend the evening playing a little online and well having a sort of dress up session, with that new dress and a few other items. Only a few items, most of my clothes are kept in suitcases in my kitchen (I’ve run out of wardrobe space), and my kitchen was to cold to spend much time in.

Sunday, another lazy day, spend most of it in bed again. But it’s a warmer day and the forecasted snow doesn’t really materialise. Not a lot happens really, spend a bit of time searching the web for petticoats.

So what with the cold, the lack funds and my general levels of apathy, it’s not been a great recently. But payday is only 10 days away, and I may just be able to sneak out to a local night out next weekend.

BTW
The blog has been using up its monthly band width allowance recently, last couple of the day of the month you might see a band width exceeded message. This goes away on the 1st or the 2nd as the quota is restored. I don’t think this is due to too many actual real people reading, its spam bots, since I opened the comment system (You can now comment without logging in now, but all comments have to be moderated) the amount of spam hitting the site has gone up 5x. The spam filter is keeping the awful spam comments away, but every time a bot reads the site it uses up some bandwidth I might have to think about changing the hosting.

Managed to deliver the complete first version of the thingy I’ve been working on for ages to my management on Thursday, technically ahead of schedule. Phew. That’s the bunny that’s being keeping me working late the last few weeks. With that out of the way I had Friday off.

But Friday was just to get stuff done, spent the morning doing laundry and tidying stuff up in my bombsite of a flat and the afternoon Christmas Shopping. Yeah I know, if I was a real girl I would have had all my Christmas shopping done by now, but well I guess I’m not. Had to do it in Ian mode to Still it was fun to spoil by nephews Have to say I was a little disappointed by Hamely’s though, bit over priced and still didn’t have everything I wanted.

Right back home and the third task set of the day, working out what to wear for the weekend It was going to be an all girl weekend with a trip to Milton Keynes, a meal out and dance around in Pink Punters, er almost exactly like last year. Managed to get a few things together, sensible and warm (I hoped) jean and sweater outfit for daytime, that little grey dress I got last weeks with a pair of grey boots I got ages ago and a tiny little black off the shoulder dress I go way back in August for the club. Also ended up packing about 27 other bits and pieces just in case, always like to have a backup and well there’s no point not filling the suitcase.

My cold had been going down all week, still had a bit of a sniffle. Problem is blowing your nose tends to remove a fair chunk of the makeup, so Helena time with a cold is always a bit tricky. And then there was the weather, I love snow, you might have guessed, but the most of the South East of England (well the transport system anyway) seems to go into a panic if they see 2 snowflakes. But central London had appeared to have missed most of it, there wasn’t much around and no more was forecasted, so fingers crossed it will all be OK.

Saturday morning. Lie in a bit, then bathe and defuzz, that takes a bit to long (basically cause I just like lying in a hot bath) and get razor bite on my chin so its all a bit of a rush to get dressed, made up and get everything packed.

Leave the flat at 12:36, train was at 13:13, should just be enough time, but well things can happen. I didn’t want to leave it to chance, (and the next train was 14:13) so almost ran to the tub station, towing a big heavy case and in low heeled boots. Handles on wheelie cases are always to short for me, and I end up hitting my feet on the case, its very awkward, but actually running with it seemed easier somehow. Plus it kept me warm, brrrr.

I’m going to invent a wheelie case handle extender, a little aluminium frame that clips on the handle and makes it longer, that will reduce the angle, moving the case further from you and stop your feet hitting the case, maybe if it had an offset in it to, to make the case follow to one side… Hrmmm

Station, right we are still on time, but no arrgg delays on the line. But fortunately there’s a train on the platform as I get there. Tube is packed and its rather warm, but for a change that’s almost welcome. Still have 15-20 minutes when I get to Euston, that should be plenty of time, but I still have to get a ticket and lunch and so I’m still in a bit of a panic. Ticket from the machine, remember its Fenny Stratford this time and a Tuna Baguette and soft drink (over £5 for that!) from the Upper Crust place and down to the platform and the train. Find little section all to myself and flop into the seat, relief. And I still have 10 minutes before the train leaves, doh, all that panicking for nothing.

Train ride is nice, sun is shinning, everything is white and pretty in the snow and the shuffle is playing the right tunes on my Ipod. Train gets into Bletchley on time and remember to use the lift this time. Well half the way, the platform to the little branch line doesn’t have a lift, have to be careful on the steps, it’s still a bit slippery.

Noisy little train chugs over to Fenny Stratford and we are here, almost. As I alight the guard in the train offers to help me with my bag Brrr chilly, lets get to the hotel quickly. Reception are friendly and informal, they have my booking no problem and its at the special offer price of £25, can’t complain at that can I.

So chill for a bit, unpack, get a coffee, take a photo? Nah lets go shopping. (Ok I lied I did take a pic)

I asked if any of the others I knew coming on this little outing wanted to go shopping in the afternoon (especially the ones with cars…) , Louise said she and Sophie were, but they where planning to go early, at 1pm, so I was a bit late for that. But Lou did say she would text and she hadn’t. Hrmm, Well to be honest a big shopping centre (like the MK one) on the last Saturday before Christmas would be heaving with people, no fun really. Decided to just pop to the nearby retail park instead.

Off we trot, car bips me as it passes, for some reason I just turn and wave. It some shaven headed bloke in an old Peugeot, I really don’t think I know him. Why did he bip? Why did I wave? Cross the canal, it’s partially iced up and rather pretty (well I thought it was), take a pic

Er where’s my lens cap? Search my bag, no not there, er er, left it in the hotel? must have, damm. Its only 1 minute down the road, better pop back. As I head back I see a woman on the pavement. She’s wearing strappy heels and thin tights and a longish coat. Heels and thin tights at this time of day, in this weather, she must be trans…. It turned out to be Kay Denise, whom I’ve seen before at these PP soirées. Chat, she’d been up here for a couple of days already, just to get away from it all. We spot Sophie’s car in the car park ad Kay tells me Louise is still en-route, so they haven’t obviously gone shopping.

Back to the room, er, where is it? Ahh there on the window sill, found the lens cap. Right back to shopping, fire off a couple of texts to Sophie and Louise, but I don’t hold up much hope, and times getting on anyway, so back to plan A, nearby retail park.

Get bipped again as I head towards the shops, I turn to look, but then I guess they got what they wanted, someone shouts “It’s a Bloke”. Guess they where trying to get my attention that’s all. I was dressed down, trying not to be noticed, but I was, easily, from a distance. Possibly one reason for that is the lack of other pedestrians about, this is deepest car land. Ignore any futher bips after that. Lowered my mood a bit that.

First shop is a warehouse sized branch of Matalan. Ohh Shoes… can’t find any wide fitting, but I reckon there regular sized ones are quite generous and they look good, I can’t decide If they are shoeboots or gladiators, but what they hell, black studded leatherette with a platform and skyscraper heel, classy The right one fits, just but the left won’t zip up, damm I know my left foot is bigger than the right, but its not usually this bad. But that could be the problem, the left is a 7 not an 8. Scour the shelves for a pair of 8’s, eventually locating them on the top shelf, so high even I needed the little step ladder. The left one does fit, just, comfort is marginal though, but, oh what the hell, I want them and I think they will work with my evening outfit better than the shoes I had with me. Pick up a little packet of gel pads to go with them, think I’ll need them. Pop the pack of gel pads in the shoe for safe keeping.

Right what else, bra, that’s what I need, a black 38b with nice straps (outfit is off the shoulder you see), one I had with me was 36b and 36 is over tight on me these days. Find one that will do, nice double strap too. Right we are on a role That’s a nice skirt, a grey pleated one, but they only have 8, 10 and 16. I’m feeling lucky and pick up the 10. But I better try it on to make sure, off the changing rooms. Ok I’m not that lucky, it’s not no stretch and won’t go over my (admittedly augmented) hips. No skirt today.

Queue up to pay, might of got the odd look from the other customers but the young lad on the checkout is perfectly polite. Realised he forgot to charge me for the gel pads (£3) when I’m 10 metres outside the store, oops.

Check phone, missed 2 texts, oops again. Sophie was ready and waiting in the bar. I tell her I’m at the shops already, sorry Sophie. Next stop Tesco’s, as I need to use the cash machine and get supplies for this evening/breakfast. Tesco’s is heaving, pickup some water, more water (I’m feeling very thirsty, this cold is dehydrating) pastries, juice, crisps and a tiny little bottle of wine. Peruse the clothes in the upstairs bit, that grey leather military style jacket is very cute, but erm, erm, no, not today. Pick up a pair of cheap gloves instead, as I’m bound to loose the ones I have with me.

Takes ages to pay (people are struggling with the self checkout machines) , and time’s been getting on, right just stop. Over the road to Baranto, as well they have shoes, in big sizes, but only have stores in out of the way retail parks, so are rather hard to visit if you don’t have a car. But I’d been lucky with shoes at Matalan, and apart from a pair of silvery sequin courts that where a maybe, they didn’t have anything that caught my eye. Right back to the hotel, greater on the door at Next notices me as I pass and gives me one of those smiles.

It’s almost dark and very cold by the time I’m back at the hotel. Its gone 4, but I have to be ready for dinner by 6:15, preferably earlier if I want a drink. I had to change for dinner and the makeup needed a little work and pictures had to be taken so I couldn’t hang around. Take a snap of my travelling outfit, really just to test the lighting and stuff (Yes super vain herr brought big camera, a tripod, remote and 2 speed lights with here). Room is a touch on the small size, but find an angle and light positions that work OK.

Right out of that lot and into the dinner frock. Also repowder face, New York Apple on the lips and a little glittery Urban Decay “Sin” on the eyes.

Boots are can be pulled up over the knee, but won’t stay there and those are the good Wolford tights, think I’ve ruined them already Skirt’s a bit short too… (yeah even for me) but it will have to do. Perhaps it’s a bit much for dinner, but what the hell Its around 5:45 before I ready, pop a little leather jacket on just in case it gets to cold.

Louise had called me whilst I was getting ready, she, Kay and Sophie where in the bar having a drink. So I was a little surprised when I got there and found no one I recognised. Er where had they gone? There’s another group of girls in the bar, I don’t think they are part of our group, but I guess there’re with the Boudoir. I’d heard the Boudoir dressing service was having its Christmas do at PP tonight and I recognised one of their signature makeup jobs. I asked if they had seen my friends, and they said they had gone back to their rooms to change for dinner? Ahha, so they went for drinks before getting ready, naughty.

I don’t want to sit alone, so I return to my room and try and call/text them. It takes a couple of attempts but get through in the end, yes they are still getting ready, but won’t be long. Wait here or the bar? Er well I need a drink, bar then and there was this token in the room for a free drink

Cept the free drink is only if you buy a meal in the restaurant. Oh well, buy a glass of Rose and introduce myself to the Boudoir girls (really didn’t want to sit alone). We chat, mostly about MMORPG’s though But a few familiar faces start to appear, there’s Lucy, Sophie, Louise and Kay who was now very red (I mean was wearing a very red outfit). Other new people appear and introductions are made.

Doesn’t take long till the Taxi’s to come, have learn’t my lesson from previous trips, if I want crackers at the Restaurant, get in the first cab 4 of us pile in and the very chatty cabbie takes us to Jaipur. Gawd, cabs in MK are cheap aren’t they.

Dinner goes quite well, same sort of arrangement as before, busy myself trying to gather what set ,emu’s people want, slot in a veggie on for me. Over to the table usual mixed starters, wine, food in the middle of the table, T and G girls nattering away and just the odd photo.

During the nattering I find one of the girls thinks I must be TS (she is BTW), why, becuase I accessorised my outfit… Think it really takes a bit more than that hun. Wasn’t concentrating when the food is brought out (thats so unlike me) and thus can only really identify one veggie dish when we start, but that’s enough with the rice and all the starters and crackers and stuff. Always the sort that wants to get things done I’m sort of the one organising the collecting of cash for the bill, well times getting on. Another pleasant meal at the Orchid Lounge, I can’t complain about the place at all, but well I’ve done it about 4 times now and its always fun to try somewhere new once in a while.

Taxi back to the Hotel is there, jump in the first one again. Driver isn’t chatty in this one be he gets us there. Right, quick change again, into the club outfit. That dress is barely a dress on me, but well, its pink punters isn’t it, should be OK. Think new shoes do work well with it. Have to redo the makeup a little, most of my lippy must of ended up on the dinner.

I think the pics of the grey outfit worked better. Right club time, take the coat? no its just a quick dash, Take big camera, nah, I’d just end up taking pics of coloured lights, done that before and nobodies interested in them anyway. But better take flats, these shoes aren’t the most comfortable.

Outside, oh, its snowing, festive I suppose, but I’m so not dressed for it. Totter at top tottering speed over the road, passing Philippa and Penny on the way. No time to stop and chat, its COLD!!!!

As usual in the club I’ve lost most people, so do what I usually do, wander around, having a little drink and have a little dance every now and then. First drink was vodka and lemonade, well that’s what I asked for, I think I got vodka and water with a slice of lemon, it was undrinkable. Music in the ground floor is picking up a bit, sort of old hands in the air trance anthems, Ian Van Dahl’s Castles in the sky thats sort of stuff, normally I love this sort of stuff, esp played loud on a dance floor with lights, lasers, smoke and stuff. But it was ruined this time, DJ Knob head kept talking over it, the dull monotone DJ wanted to keep giving “Shout outs” to random people and telling us who soon the RnB will be on. When you are trying to get lost in music, someone turning it down and talking over it really ruins the moment Only 3rd rate wedding disco DJ’s talk in my book.

Tried going up stairs for a bit of a chat, but the fire was rather warm and I dunno the music wasn’t doing it for me in basement. Sat around for a bit, I must of looked really miserable, two blokes tried to cajole me on to the dance floor, I moved away. Later on another chair a girl sitting next to me turns and says I looked really pissed off. I wasn’t really, just was a bit tired, the shoes hurt and the dancing wasn’t happening that’s all.

Retire upstairs after a bit again and find Louise and co and we get a corner away from the fire. Put my feet up and rest my eyes a bit, might of been close to nodding off, amd nudged awak and told I really better should be turning in. I guess I should of been, its was around 2 am I think. But one last dance please? Change into my flats and head down stairs. But hey I like this, cheesy pop’s on again and the DJ isn’t talking do the wrong steps to the Timewarp and have fun for a couple of numbers, getting a bit of a 2nd wind. Even head down stairs for one last try and hey the musics good and those girls on the poles really know what they are doing and Oh, its DJ stupid blabbering away again

Time to go now I think. It must be well below zero out there, but it doesn’t seem that cold really, must have a vodka/wine jacket on. The infamous ditch in flats is no worries too. Catch up with Louise and Kay as they are heading in too, and we pose for a couple of silly pics in the snow.

Night night girls. Back to the room, makeup off and oh dam packed nothing to sleep in, dam (I don’t like sleeping in the raw actually) but triedness takes over and I’m out.

Sunday, up a little late, showered and try to shave, its a touch messy. Minimal makeup, jeans, sweater, flat boots and leather jacket on. Pack everything up, once last check around the room, ah, yes nearly forgot the shower gel. Better check under the bed too, always loose something under that, whats that? it’s not mine.

Guess another T-girl (and I think it had to be T) lost them in the same room. Check out and how am I going to get to the station? walk, no to cold, train doesn’t run on a Sunday, there’s noone I recognise around to cadge a lift off, so taxi?

Call for a cab and 2 minutes later it turns up. To the station I ask, yes he says, good. put my case in the back (he tries to help, but I was a bit bigger than him). Central station wasn’t it? no Bletchley, oh OK. Roads are a little icey but we get there in good time and its only £3.50. Didn’t think it would be that cheap, must remember for next time. There’s a train in 5 minutes to, result

Waiting on the platform I get a text saying to expect a black Vectra to pick me up in a minute. Er, but I’m already here and the cab was a blue Peugeot (and it was the right company) . Then I get a call from a cab controller saying the cab is outside the hotel and where was I? I try to explain I’m already at the destination, we asks me to put the driver on, but he was long gone. When he hears this he puts the phone down on me. I think I must of nabbed someone else’s cab, me bad I guess I’m not popular with that cab company now either.

Train arrives, only 4 coaches and a stopper, but there’s enough room for me to have a double seat to my self. But not for long, it gets fuller and fuller, but the time its at Watford its rush hour packed, hunker down with my book and Ipod, don’t appear to be attracting attention.

Its a relief to get off at Euston. So now what, er lunch that’s what I’m hungry. Pop into The Rocket, a pub near the station, its a little odd, a little grubby, but sort of has a comfortable studenty vibe to it. I rather like it actually, only problem in it can be getting a seat sometimes. But not this time, nice comfy sofa at the back, my book, a pint of Fruli and fish and chips on order. Takes a while for the food to come, guy bringing it looks towards the bar and says “She was around the corner” . I guess I was a little out of sight and they had to look for me. But it was a definite “She” and that wasn’t being addressed at me, which raised a smile.

Food is OK, beer is nice, but they’ve put football on the telly, some ugly blokes are droning on in some sort of prematch blabbering, paint drying would be more exciting, decide not to stay for a 2nd drink and tube it home.

So what to do with the rest of the day? Christmas shopping, film? neither, in the end I just faff witht he pictures for the rest of the afternoon, the free trail of Paint shop pro had run out so I’m downloaded a trail of Photoshop elements. But its cold and I would like to read a little more, so just one last little trip out. On with a big coat and walk over to Islington and a pub to have a glass of wine or two and a quiet read. Well the pub is cosier and comfier than my flat is. Plus its called “The Library”. Stop by the shop on the way home for some mushroom soup and a little bread.

Back to work on Monday, but only for a day and a half.

Well that’s it really for Helena until after Christmass, have a merry one everybody

I wanted to wind down a bit before Christmas but work isn’t letting up, more late nights. But I did have another day off to use on Wednesday.

Went up to Hemel Hempstead snow centre, because I saw they where running an adult snowboard coaching session in the afternoon. The snow wasn’t great, the place was very crowded (er why aren’t all these kids in school?) and the lifts queues bad, but actually I think it was a good session. There was 2 of us in the session with an instructor, got some pointers on my turns, I need to add a bit more back foot pressure to stop my toe to heel side turns washing out and I need to be a little more aggressive about my edge to edge transition a speed, especially going to heel side. After the turning we went over to the learner slope and did some flat land freestyle stuff, just basics, but it was really useful, I’ve never been shown how to Ollie do presses and 180’s etc properly but I think I’m getting it now, I think I’ve found my board’s “pop”, what I thought was a rock solid plank is actually a bit of a pogo stick andI’m beginning to be able to use properly , managed to do some tail presses  too. Have loads to practice on now, so more trips to the domes is in order. Now I’ve found I can actually do a bit of this stuff on my stiff all mountain board, getting a softer park board has moved down in priority. Did fall a bit and I was exhausted by the end of the 2 hours session mindst. Also I broke a nail, bah.

Friday, another long day, into the office at 8:20am, sandwich for lunch, out at 7pm. Made worse by the fact it was the office Christmas party and most people buggered off at 3pm. But I never go to the office Christmas party, large social gatherings, in Ian mode, are very difficult and not pleasurable. Took ages to get home too, so by the time I’m in and sorted stuff out its almost time for bed. Damm and I really need to do a little shopping and checks on my outfits for Saturday and Sunday.

Lie in a bit on Saturday morning, needed it. Bathe and shave, dam there a couple of nasty spots and I cut my chin. I’m not looking my best, these long nights play havoc with my diet, to much junk and booze and my skin is playing up to Now tonight it’s the Festival of Sins and I decided to reuse my Lady Marmalade Burlesquey outfit. It takes a while to re find all the pieces. Damm, all the suitable pairs of stockings have ladders new ones are in order, the lace gloves I have are in a poor state, so must replace them (I seem to have lost the last pair I bought too) and if I want to wear the long hair, it really does need a hair grip, a Black rose one, and none of my (many) black rose hair accessories (even the ones I  bough the week before) have a grip, they all have  band or a pin, so yet another rose is required. Can’t really do the corset up fully either, dam, it’s the junk food Plus I’ve run out of toothpaste.

By the time I’ve found/checked/tested everything its almost lunch time. I have a small shopping list as well. Do I want to makeup and go out in Helena mode? Well that will take another hour or two, cutting into my time and the out fit is so complicated with the lace body that getting into in made up is difficult, so erm, ermm, well I’m out in Helena mode this evening and Sunday, so lets just skip it for now. Yes I am just a tranny, I have my needs, I don’t need to be physically presenting Helena every spare moment, just some of the time, though the thoughts about it are never very far away.

Right out in bloke mode then. First stop is the costume shop in Islington, ah yes, black lace fingerless gloves, cheap too, and (as I found out later) fit nicely. Result. 2nd stop, Cop.Copine. You see I’d spotted this dress in the window, black (of course), off the shoulder, with a sort bow/ribbon detail at the chest and sort of half baggy, half tight fit. I liked it a lot, and it would be something I could wear, so it was going to be Helena’s Christmas present (Ian could get the snowboard). Into the shop, find it ok, ah it comes in sizes “1″ and “2″, oh, I tell the girl serving “she’s about a 14″, what size is this, pointing at the “2″, oh that’s a 12 she says, I’ll see if it comes in a “3″. It didn’t but eyeball sizeometer says yes and it’s a stretchy material anyway, so let’s do it. Make out it’s a present for a girl friend ( I wish) and make sure I can take it back if it doesn’t fit. She wraps it up very nicely and says that will be £155 please. Ouch! I didn’t think it would be that much, but there was no price displayed and its sort of one of those places where if you have to ask, then you can’t afford it. New Look could knock the same item out for £30 I reckon.  Stick my card in the machine anyway. New snowboard is looking less likely by the minute. 

Tried it on later. Yes it does fit, phew. But its rather complex, inside its got an elasticated strap inside it that I think meant to go around your chest, just under the bust line, so it will hold its self up and sort of give an empire line, and then there’s another strap inside that limits how far you can pull it down. I guess this is all to make sure the baggy and tight parts stay where they should and to let pretty slim young things wear it bra less.  All this extra structure in what looks like a simple garment is quite unusual really even the little ribbon detail on the chest has a little silver chain in it. I suppose all this detail is what justifies the price.

It would have been nice to go in Helena mode to get it, but I suppose trying it on with all the structure would have been awkward with a face full of makeup and my shoulders would of have to have been hair free, so in the end Ian mode was more practical. So now I’ve got my designer dress, where am I going to wear it ? Orchid Lounge next weekend?

Back to the plot, pop into a pub for lunch, fish finger sarnie and chips is probably was probably to much. Am asked to remove my beanie in the pub! What am I, a hoodie? I’m over 40+ nerd hun.

Right Camden next, train arrives at the station as I do, more good luck. Trawl the hosiery places for the right pair of stockings, my favourite has a couple of maybe’s but nothing is must by, but one place in the Canal side section has some sheer ones with black bows on the bows match the ones on my skirt and corset, to have to get them. Roses, bows, laces, gawd I’m practically going sissy. They also have a rose hair accessory with a grip, its not perfect but will do and some black garter belts with yet more lace trim. Hrmm, the outfit always needs a little extra lace around the top of the sleeves, to match the corset, I’ve tried a few things in the past with bits cut from gloves or stockings, but they never worked well. Would these work? They certainly look right, but if they are designed to go around the thigh, maybe they will be to big for my arms. But I’m feeling lucky, get 2. Tested them later and they worked perfectly, giving me that “caught in an explosion in a lace factory” look I was after Not sure it it fits the theme of Immorality, but I guess it might raise an eyebrow.

Have plenty of time, wander around the markets a little more. Ah that, a grey off the shoulder sweater dress I spotted last time I was here, £25, of sod it, we are spending money, get it. Find it’s a little on the tight side around the waist when I try it on later, it only came in “Free Size” so I guess I’m at the upper limit. Still its not unwearable  and its actually about the right length for a mini dress on me (I.e. only just covering up the bits :)) and so I can make use of it. Came with a necklace as well

There’s about a 1000 Santa’s walking though Camden, singing “What do we want, Christmas, when do we want it, Now!” Well that’s not something you see everyday.

Finish my tour of the shops, picking up veggie sushi for dinner, well I has to keep it light. Train is delayed going back, there goes the luck, so I just read my book. Dam, near the end, its getting good. When the train finally gets me back to my neighbourhood I pop into a local bar just to finish it. Eric Brown’s Bengal Station novels are recommended.

Home, try on my new clothes, check the mail and websites start to get ready for the evening, don’t have to rush for a change. Right about now there would have been a photo session, but since I’ve shot this outfit a couple of times already, it wasn’t worth doing it again. Ready by about 8, didn’t want to leave till 8:30 so hang around for a bit. Put some of the lace and roses in my bag, pack my little camera and put on my big coat and its off to Camden again

Got a bit cold hasn’t it, brisk walk to the tube station and get a seat on the underground. A GG sits opposite me and gives me that little “I’ve clocked you” smile, but that’s really about it for reaction. Change to the Northern line and get to Morning Crescent on Time. In the lift up from the platform there’s another girl, Trans? Well the hair is a big wiggy, there’s a fair amount of make up on too but I can still see a shadow on the top lip, but she’s very short, dunno. We sort of notice each other, she must of clocked me. Wonder if she is going to the same place as me, hrm, unlikely, her out fit is regular Saturday night mini skirt and boots and I’m off the Festival of Sins. We go different ways out of the tube station.

Right, over to the Purple Turtle, hrmm no goodie back this time and £8 to get in, dam must of missed the 9pm entry by a minute (still its 52 quid cheaper than the Rubber Ball that was on the same night). Inside, into the rest of the outfit, seems to all be still there, but argg, little hole in the left stocking, I don’t even seem to be able to get one wear out of sheer stockings. Need to dump the coat, but the cloak room still isn’t open and its after 9.

Get a drink and wait for the acts to start, But its not long before Kimberly finds me. I’d had a couple of messages from girls saying they would like to come down to the FoS, actually originally there was 4 coming down, but Saffy had to stay home and Louise apparently drank to much wine that afternoon, so that left Kimberly and Rachel. Kimberly I know, but Rachel was a slightly unknown quantity, never met her before. Am always slightly nervous about meeting new people, I didn’t help that I’d bigged up the FoS on Angels. I hope people weren’t going to be disappointed.

Rachel arrives soon also, gawd, so young, I wish I had the necessary to get out in and about in my 20’s. We chat and drink a little (chat a little cause I’m the queen of awkwardland) before the acts came on and thank goodness, the cloakroom opens.

First acts is a rather unusual rock meets string quartet collective called BirdEatsBaby. Not 100% convinced, to be honest, OK, but not rocking my world. Pictures are rubbish, it took a while to find settings that worked on little camera. I haven’t managed to pluck up the nerve to ask for a photo pass at the Festival of Sins so I can bring my big camera, as since I’m just an armature snapographer I’m not sure I qualify anyway.

After BirdEatsBaby there’s a bit of a gap before the next act, try to talk to the girls, dance a bit (OK er I like the music, but its kind of exactly the same tunes as last time), get my photo taken in the photo booth (am waiting for the results), steal bon bons from the plates of sweets lying around and general make a nuisance of myself.

Oh but there is the crucifixion and the drinking of the blood of the fallen icon …

Well girl tied up with tubes on her arms to a cache of booze and strange bloke shouting “Desire” a lot they handed out straws to drink the blood with. I lost mine, so went and stole one from the bar. The blood is rather strong, er no change that, its very very strong, that’s a lot of alcohol in there. I’m not a drinker of neat spirits normally, so this came as a bit of a shock, I only mange 2 sips.

I chatted to one of women who put the whole piece together later outside whilst getting a breath of fresh air, apparently the “blood” was mostly neat vodka (I think there was a little absinthe in there too), they used it neat because if it was too easy to drink the first person up would slurp the lot and they only had so much. The straws where for hygiene reasons, but I pointed out not many germs are going to survive in that concentration of alcohol

Next band on was Viktoria Modesta, the same Viktoria I saw at Corset and Diamonds a few weeks ago, but she seems to have found a guitarist now. Actually I think this was a better performance than CnD, the sound was beeter and she had more room to move. Is she wearing the self same Pretty Polly Mock Holdups I was wearing last week?

Young men with very loud electrical guitars rocked us next. And they where loud, Until I wake rocked the joint, ears where ringing till next morning. I did refrain from head banging though. well I had to, my hair would go flying.

I must annoy people, yes I’m tall and I want to get pictures, so I move to the front, but even then I usually can’t make it, so I have to lift the camera up above peoples heads (Lucky its easy to use little camera one handed). But even then some people don’t seem to like even it, on person even tried to move my arm down. So after a few pics of each act I moved back, in one case I tried to wave people forward in front of me to the gap I’d just left, but sometimes they wouldn’t go. Bah What can you do, people want to be so “English” and not move towards the front as that would look “pushy”, but then again they seem to expect to have a completely clear view even if they hang back. I can’t win, even with little camera and not being at the front.

We had a little fetish demonstration going, same pair as last time. As usual I found BDSM not to be particularly
exciting to look at, I struggle to see the appeal, but hey, what ever turns you on.

Nara Taylor and her topless (male) friend gaves us quite a different act next, with Opera (proper opera singing here), fire eating, a bed of nails, broken glass and knife juggling, with a bit a theatre thrown in, all in a dark and fetishy vein. It’s a fine performance and you have to admire the skill of both the performers.

Last act was a fashion show by Am Statik, some rather fine latex couture modelled by some actractive young women, Seems to have to take a lot of pictures of this

Entertainment went on till about half one, gaps in between well, I tried to talk to a few people, danced a bit (noone really wanted to dance with me though)  and drank a little (switched to soft drinks after a while). Can’t complain really, good night for me. Outfit proved practical enough, well almost, corset stated to become a bit unbearable after a couple of hours so I loosened it off  But an hour after that I wanted to tighten it up again, weird.

Also managed to have a little girly moment in the loo. At previous FoS I’d had a couple of “Whats that bloke doing in here” sort of looks in the ladies, but this time, for a change, a couple of girls engaged. I was checking my hair and makeup when one girl asked if I could see a spot on her nose (yes, but it was very faint) and asked if she could borrow some powder to cover it up (obviously knows trannies always carry a load of makeup). I’d actually forgot the studio fix, but had some semi opaque MAC blot powder she could use. Another, whom I’d earlier praised for her dress (rubber halter neck with a sort of animal print) asked if she could borrow a hair brush. After sorting her hair she told me all about the dress and where I could get one like it,. But, its not for me, only a very young, pretty and slim thing like her could carry it off. Also praised another girl who had a magnificent corset and sort of hoop underskirt thing one, only to find it was Nikita Saibier the Corsetiere, dam, I sure she was blonde that last time I saw her. Not big things to most I guess, but the acceptance and trust shown in a female environment was a bit uplifting.

The entertainment finished past 1:30, time to call it a night. Kimberly and Rachel agreed and we got our coats and headed off into the night. Kimberly was going to walk back to Euston where she’d left her car (Euston is about a mile away from the venue), but I showed Rachel to the Mini Cab office so she could get a cab home. Me, well chips beckoned, nearby takeaway servers me with indifference and I go back to get a cab. Its not a long wait as they chucked a group of rowdies out the office. Cab driver calls me “Man” but I suspect he calls every one man (I regularly hear school girls around my way refer to each other as man, and in fact end almost every sentence with it). Well that’s my excuse. We discuss Islington speed bumps and speed limits on the way back. It’s not a cheap cab ride, but its quick and efficient. I pay him and retire to my flat, tired. Its nearly 3 before I get to bed. Another good and varied night at the FoS that. And the T-girl count at the venue was, as far as I could tell, about 6, gawd, its practically scene I hope Kimberly and Rachel enjoyed it, they seemed a little er I dunno, but they said they liked it.

Sunday, woke around 7:40, checked my mail on my IPod and er fell asleep again. Had a very odd dream about walking home from a club of all things. So exactly how I ended up (in my dream) in a small town on the California coast is beyond me. My dreams seem to make perfect sense when I have them, but when I think about them afterwards they are always total surreal nonsense.

I woke after the dream and checked the clock,. OMFG its 10:14. I have to be in Covent Garden, dressed properly for 1pm (and it will take half an hour to get there). That doesn’t leave me long to get ready and  I haven’t got an outfit prepared, ARRRGGGGG!

Scrape face as best I can, that Tea Tree face wash makes a good shaving foam. Then try and dig out an outfit. It’s a daytime do in a restaurant, with the UK angels, so OTT is out of the question. Eventually settle with a polo neck (hides the scraggy neck) and a little black skirt, skirt is a touch short, but woolly opaque tights make it a bit more modest. Though these days, for an Angels do, I really should of worn jeans. Try for minimal makeup and fail, far too much powder goes on.

Make it out the house for half twelve, that should give me enough time if the buses are OK. Cept they’re not, the right bus takes ages to arrive and its seems to manage to hit every red light and need to wait at every stop. Frustration, I hate being late. Jump off at Holborn, need to use a cash machine, spent to much at the FoS. Nat West machines are down, oh why? It’s turning out to be one of those days. Fortunately Sainsbury’s next door has one and there’s only a small queue.

Ohh, its cold again, walk quickly to Seven Dials, where’s this restaurant, ah there, walk in. Its got a big hall way before the restaurant proper, I’m about to text to see where people are, but a waiter comes around the corner and says “Hart Party”? yes that’s me. Guess I’m easily spotted as being one of a T* group then. But then again, as I find out as I round the corner, the fact is that  the Hart Party is the only one in the Restaurant. Ok that’s just me trying to make me feel better

I’m almost the last to arrive and I’m the local girl… But there’s a seat for me, its warm and there’ve already ordered some wine

I recognise Jess, Clarissa, Alinna, Saffy, Louise of course and Rachel from last night, but the rest are new faces to avatars. Just wish I could remember all the names me bad, as usual.

It’s a Moroccan restaurant, Souk Medina, tables are low and the food is sort of Taginey, they ask who’s a veggie, I put my hand up, but admit to eating fish, so they bring me extra fish dishes, a Calamari starter and a Fish Tangine. They are OK, I’m not the biggest squid fan in the world though, perhaps I should of said I was pure veggie. But there’s humus and pita and couscous and feta and various veggie dishes plus baklava for desert, so no  hunger pains here Me and Clarissa share the red, every one else is on white or driving, well more for us

We chat and eat, its all rather pleasant, and the restaurant staff a polite and efficient enough (aprt from getting the bill). It’s a good meal really, the Angels web site can get a little erm “heated” at times, but face to face, with food and wine, its far more civilised. It’s nice to catch up with Jess and Clarissa whom I haven’t seen for a bit.

I did have my camera with me, but there are no pictures. Well some posts on the thread on Angels implied they wouldn’t be welcome, so I didn’t try to get shots in. Angels is so not the tranny site it used to be.

Lunch takes a while, but we get there in the end, actually am surprised its still daylight when we leave :). A few have to rush, but 6 of use have a little more time, so more drink? Where, well there’s a pub almost next door, so why not. More wine and I’m getting a bit sleepy. People have to move on, in the end there’s just me and Clarissa and a quarter bottle of wine left. C puts that in her bag

It is dark now, but we just have enough time to pop into Forbidden planet on the way back, I leave Clarissa at the tube station and go to find my bus. Nearly nod off on the bus, but manage to wake just in time.

Rather nice that, lazy boozy meal in good company. Many thanks for putting it together Jess

Monday, the little sniffle I’d been having has turned into a really bad cold still have to work till 7 though. Work from home Tuesday, to stop infecting my office and to try and fight the cold. Work till 7 again

But the end is in sight, next weekend should be all go in PP
If I can fight this cold off and the forecasted very light dusting of snow towards the end of the week doesn’t shut down the whole south east of England

Work, Work, bloody work, far to much of it, was the first to arrive at the office and the last to leave a couple of times during the week :(

By Friday I was getting on top of things and managed to pop to town at lunch time, where I found that pair of boots in New Look I was looking for, in size 9. Mock crock killer heel platform ankle boots, my plan was to look for these in Helena mode on Saturday, but experience has told me that if you see something you really want, thats available in your size, its best just to buy it there and then, regardless of current gender presentation, you might not find it again. Smuggling them back into the office unnoticed was a little hard though, they only gave me a small thin bag and it had a Big New look Logo on it. If they suspect anything about me at the office they are keeping it very quiet though.

By Friday afternoon I’d gotten everything I need to get done and I manage to get out about 10 minutes early Got a little section of the carriage to myself on the way home (often possible when you do the anti commute) and tried the boots on (in Ian mode). Yes I can get into them and even walk ub them, in a moving train no less. But just figure they would be agony after 5 minutes walking, the fit is narrow you’re right on your toes, there’s no arch support. Gel pads might help, but I have a feeling these boots will be for photo shoots only.

So it’s the weekend again. Well half a weekend, I was still on call, and had a list of things to do on Sunday, so its just Saturday for fun.

Up just after 6 on Saturday, owww, needed a lie in really, but if I’m going to get to the shops early I better get a move on. Bathe, shave, dress and makeup and am ready around 9. Woot, early for a change. Outfit was pretty plain, black low heel boots, grey opaque tights, denim mini, grey sweater and a black coat. Mini skirt was a size 10 and I got into it :) Cept it’s a Primark size 10, that’s 12-14 every where else, and I guess its ment to fit the hips, but on me it’s on the waist and fits like a tight pencil skirt (its not that mini). Forgo bum padding, mine own looks big enough as it is. Quick pic on the stairs.

Suns come out, perhaps it might not rain today? Pack brolly just in case anyway. Outside, brrrr, cold, put some gloves on and wander towards the tube station. I hope I’m dressed plainly enough not to get noticed, I’m not staring at anyone and my boots only have a tiny heel. So when young man passing me in the park smirks  “How’s it going, DUDE”, that doesn’t feel good, he spotted me and I’m sure he didn’t even get a proper look at my face. A male jogger also spots me also, he says “Alright” and was maybe going to following it up with something witty, but he was out of ear shot by the time I guess he thought of something. That sort of thing does nothing for my confidence, commented on twice 5 minutes from my flat, when dressed down and everyone is sober, bugger Feel rather self conscious now, is every on staring at me? what have I done wrong today? Possibly the gloves didn’t help, they where cream, contrasting with the rest of the outfit, strong contrasts do get you noticed, and the walk maybe not right, to much, to little? these low heels and the tight skirt don’t help getting the motion right. Tight skirt too, maybe that’s getting me 2nd glances from the men. Yeah probably all that, but mainly cause I just look like a bloke in drag :(

Try to hide a bit on the tube, stand with my back to the rest of the carriage. Change to the Central line, try to flow with the crowd, on the train, there’s a seat, plonk myself down lower head and close eyes.

Feel a little better by the time we get to Shepherds bush. Why Shepherds bush, Westfield shopping centre of course. Today is the big VIP (Very Important Pedestrian) day in the West end, so that will be mad, figure Westfield might be quieter.

There’s a formation of what look like chuggers on the approach to the shops, dodge one, but then realise they are just giving away stuff, turns out they are working for Google and the are giving away advent calendars to promote the Chrome browser. Free stuff position myself so I get offered a calendar from the next one and get my stuff. Normally I wouldn’t be that interested in an Advent calendar, but these had chocolates in them The only thing better than chocolate is free chocolate

Take a lift up to into the shopping centre itself, I normally take the stairs or escalator, but there’s mirrors by the lifts, I need to see what’ wrong. Hrmm I just sort of look my usual self, nothing better or worse. Perhaps it’s the light, I think I look better under diffused artificial light rather than strong directional sunlight.

Out the lift, oh there’s Wolford, didn’t know they had a standalone here. Thinking about it I could do with a really nice pair of glossy black tights for the weekend after next, so it’s worth a browse. I’m they only customer (its only just gone 10 so they must of just opened) and the sales assistant wants to help, I say I want black and shiny around 20 Denier, and she shows me some samples. I go with the 20d Satin Touch, pay and the assistant puts it in a cute little bag and wishes me good day. Madam’s all they way I might add. Nice little retail experience that, though when you are paying £15 for one pair of tights you would hope the service is a little better than Primark. Wolford tights are rather special though and I can simply feel the quality improvement over my normal Primark and BHS faire.

The tights, the chocolate, the experience in getting them and the fact I do not seem to be being noticed by the other shoppers all goes to lift my mood considerably. Plus its really quite pleasant in the shopping centre at this time of morning, there’s not many people, its warm, light and airy, its all clean, neat and tidy and the shelves in shops are all full. I really should make the effort and get out of bed early more often.

Cruise around the shops for a bit, There was a couple of small nick nacks I had to buy, but apart from that its just a browse. Though I do have to remind myself that my flat is overflowing with clothes, shoes and boots at the moment, so clothing purchases have to be limited to stuff I really want, need and have a place to wear them. So eye’s off all the glittery party stuff young(at heart) lady. Buy some black gloves and a little hat in H&M but leave it at that really, do look around New Look, Next, Dotty P, M&S, Anne Summers, Top Shop, Zara, Oasis, Pull and Bear and er well pretty much everywhere really. More free chocolate in M&S, samples of these little truffle things that where gorgeous.

Spot some absolutely killer boots in Oasis, black leather stiletto thigh length, yes stiletto thigh length boots that could be fetish wear in a mainstream high street shop. They look beautifully made and even at £120 probably worth it. I ask what sizes them come in, we go up to 8 replies the shop girl. Kind of expected that, don’t reckon they would be a generous wide 8, so oh well.

Pick up some Zardoz not wax in Ellis Brightman, its stuff to put on my snowboards base to make it extra slippery. Have a glance at the boards, still thinking about that park board.

Times getting on and I did really have a few things on my shopping list. Get shampoo and bubble bath in Super Drug, with a little chrome heart necklace and a packet of sweets. Was starting to feel hungry, breakfast was a piece of pita bread at 6am.

Now the other thing I wanted was black roses, fabric black rose hair accessories. I’m going to wear my burlesque “Lady Marmalade” outfit again next weekend, accessorised by black roses,  but I think I lost one or two on my last trip to the Festival of sins (In the all black outfit) , so I need some replacements. Claire’s accessories, where I got them the first time, has a range, but none is exactly right, all a little to big. Try a few other places (Accesorize is well hidden in Monsoon) but can’t find any better, so I return to Claire’s and get 3 (One for the hair, one for each wrist see).

Right, got what I came for, and it’s definitely lunch time now but the shopping centre had filled up and so I really didn’t want to eat there, so back into the outside. Have a glance at a couple of pubs nearby, but no, bit groty, but hey there’s the market over there. Markets are always worth a look and I’m sure I actually need some white leg warmers for a particular outfit I want to wear to the Angels do in January and markets are good for that sort of thing.

Wander through the market, looking at this and that, no white leg warmers in sight (its all neon colours), but still worth a gander. I didn’t realise there was so much, it’s a bit labyrinthine under the railway arches. Some of the traders call out to me as I pass trying to get me to look at there stalls, but its all very polite and still Madam all the way When I got home  found I already had some white leg warmers anyway.

Other side of the green now, one or two bars are sort of maybe for lunch, but nah, not right. Keep heading east, pass the old shopping centre, the older little one that appears to have been decimated by Westfield (the market doesn’t seem to have been affected though). One shop the little on does have that Westfield doesn’t is Peacocks, so pop in. Try on a couple of pairs of boots in there, can get them on, but they are sort of pull on over the knee boots that look a bit baggy and just not right. Staff are to harassed by other customers to really notice me.

Right shopping is done, lunch is the priority now. Decide to skip Sheppard’s Bush and walk over the roundabout to Holland Park. Might be a “touch” more expensive, but I dunno, feel like treating my self.

Find a pub near the tube station called The Castle, looks nice in a shabby ish sort of way, not to full. Squashy leather sofas and a food menu that isn’t half bad. Plus it’s as cheap as the Shepherds’ Bush places, result Barman is a little standoffish but I order by glass of Rose and a Falafel wrap (skip the side of chips for now) and settle on a sofa around the back with my book a while.

Food takes a while to come, but its not half bad and the new Eric Brown Bengal Station book is rather good to. Can’t stay here all day, bio break, then carry on towards Notting Hill, picking up a little chocolate bread stick thingy from Pauls on the way.  Was planning to get the tube from Notting Hill, but decide to get the bus to Marble Arch instead, well I might as well have a look at this VIP day on Oxford Street, there are sometimes special offers and the like.

Its raining when I get off the bus, oh joy and in total defiance to the general economic doom  and gloom about, its totally packed. But its all still fairly jolly even with the crowds, cold and rain there are a few things going in the street, people in costumes handing out leaflets (15% of in La Senza today only, hrrmm). Don’t feel like trying to fight my way through the shops, so I just follow the flow up to Oxford Circus.

Tube home, might as well. Nearly fall asleep and almost miss my stop, Wander home in a reasonable mood, got a few things and sure there where a few comments and looks early on, after that plain sailing. Tired now though, been on my feet for hours, fortunately those cheapo biker boots from Shoe Zone I had on are good for walking in and my feet are not killing me for a change.  Pick up some wine from the local shop and retire to my flat. Its cold, dark and wet and I’m rather tired, open my wine and ponder what to do with the rest of the day.

Normally in my blog this is where I write I couldn’t be arsed to go out and/or fell asleep in my makeup. But not tonight. The Gypsy Hotel was on tonight in nearby Dalston, and several times this year I’ve planned to go there and just failed, usually because I just fell asleep. So I deliberately didn’t make plans to definitely go (so not to put a hex on the thing) , it was always going to be a spur of moment thing. Wine was nice and so was my veggie curry and I had the fire on, so all was warm and content inside and it was cold and wet outside. So there’s no point in going out is there, but well I could always try a few outfits on that I could wear if I did couldn’t I?

Played around with a few skirts and such and rediscovered a tiny little tartan mini with a lace slip built in I bought ages ago, so cute this with a black top was good, and with those mock holdup tights every so slightly naughty. Perhaps it was the wine or just tranny in me, but I really liked this look, with a leather jacket and some bling, it was sort of cute with attitude and those mock holdups could give a flash of stocking top with that tiny skirt, well not a real flash, I was still covered up in nearly opaque tights, but well you know.

So what to wear on my feet with it, those new ankle boots would be to much pain, so I dug through my boot collection. One of my big chunky New Rock Goth boots fell into my hand, these are normally the sort of thing sported by tall pale guys with jet black hair and who wear trench coats even in summer, but I’ve seen girls in miniskirts wear them too, well in Camden anyway. Yes it has to be these. Leg warmers to pack out the calf a little and we have an outfit Sort of mixes cute and flirty with don’t fuck with me, I like the juxtaposition of opposites. Also noticed on the bottom of the boots it said “Anti Aqua planing”, well that’s unusual for boots, but with the weather we have been having, could be useful

A picture has to be taken.

Actually I took 30 odd, but didn’t want to flood Flickr, but it was such a fun outfit to pose in So I have an outfit I like (Total tranny moment going on here), better go out then. Pack up my black bag, bring big camera? oh all right then and defo need the brolly.

Dam have a little thing to do for work, first problem, laptop won’t connect to the VPN, arrggg. Call to operations sort this out, we get there eventually, I had my firewall changed mid week and certain necessary bits of config to go with it at there end weren’t changed when they should. That sorted, but bloody job I have to run won’t. Call boss, he wrote them dam thing. He says leave it till tomorrow, its not vital. Oh well. Doing work whiled dressed is always a little weird, I look like her, but have to speak like him.

Work, pictures and various bits are sorted and I’m ready to go out again around eight thirty, brrr cold, this skirt is to short for December nights, so no, I’m not walking to Dalston, get bus instead. It takes a while to turn up, but gets me there in the end. I don’t seem to be attracting any attention at all, even in this get up, perhaps I just look scary, or perhaps I’m a bit pissed and don’t realise it, you see I finished the bottle of wine before I came out (White Zinfandel, lovely).

Bus is much warmer, and there is a stop quite near the club. Down into the Boudior Bardens Boudoir) , pay my money and er am I early? Its 9 and the website the entertainment started then, but it’s pretty deserted and there’s no band on. Have I got it wrong (as usual). The girl who takes the money explains the first act is actually on at 9:30 and they sometime get quiet nights. Oh, could be a trip out for nothing then get a glass of wine (more!) and sort of noodle around a bit until the first act comes one. Hide in a corner for a bit, mess with my camera for a bit, play a couple of games on the pinball table, stroke a dog, time passes.

The first guy on is a Banjo player, Black Jack Barnet, who has a kick drum built into his suitcase we works with one foot and a tambourine on the other. The Gypsy Hotel can never be accused of pandering to mainstream tastes. But he’s rather good and can play his Banjo. He ends the set with Mini the Moocher, you know, from The Blues Brothers, with the same audience participation  Hiddy Hiddy Hi, Hoddy Hoody Ho, HeeDee HeeDee Hee etc. Me join in, try to stop me Actually the place has started to fill up now and I’m not just a sad tranny singing along on her own, everyone joins in

Actually Jack says Hi after the set and wonders where he can get the pictures, I thank him for the Blues Brothers moment and point him at Flickr.

After Black Jack, there’s Mat Fraser, a comic and singer, he’s a good singer, though his comedy was a little erm challenging, as well he did make a point of his condition (which was due to Thalidomide). But nice, comfortable, normal, straight isn’t the Gypsy Hotel’s message and possibly why I feel OK there, even though I’m seem to be the only TG in the room, as they say on the Facebook page, they are “attracting an audience of all ages, walks of life, races, shapes, sizes and mental issues!”

After Mat there’s a band, er well it maybe a band backing a singer, anyway they are called Emily Breeze. Bit of a country vibe I think with a touch of inide thrown in. The singer is very photogenic.

 Atlas Muz does a Burlseque turn next, she’s Miss Coney Island 2006 no less. This isn’t cute pretty burlesque, again things are getting a bit twisted, a well chosen act for the night. I’ve seen a fair bit of Burlesque over the last couple of years, each place that shows it seems to develop its own style and themes, Burlsque at the Magic Theatre, Corset and Diamonds and the Gypsy Hotel are all very different.

 
DM Bob and Silky T give us a session of sleezy blues/Country/Rock and Roll.

The place was rammed by now, couldn’t get to the front, so the pics had to be taken holding the camer up high  in live view mode. A few peoples heads got in the way, sorry.

Julie Atlas and the Fraser and Mat do a double act next, as (there title) “The Freak and the Showgirl”, pasties and pants come off and well it all gets a bit strange. Set to the sounds of Dixie I think this performance would be illegal in 39 states. The first pictures is a pic is a little adult.

The 2nd from the finale is, er, Not safe for work, actually its not safe for anywhere, in fact you might go blind if you look at it.

Last act I saw was the Tiguana Bibles a sort of indie/country cross over.

OK its now just got to late, to loud and tiredness has found me again, must be about 1am, perhaps, the Tiguana Bibles are stll playing, but I’d have to leave. There was another act after, Bijou Noir, I think she was performed at the last Magic Theatre, she was good so it was a shame to miss her turn, but no just had to go.

Out into the night and the cool air is a bit of a relief. Rains stopped to. Home, bus? Hrmmm bus is 24 hour, but pretty rare at this time of night, might as well walk it, I’m not cold. But need stuff for breakfast, ah there’s an open 24 hour shop, grab some pita bread for toast and stuff. Chips, well I suppose, its traditional, get chips and pita from a Kebab shop on the way and make my way home, went the shortest route, down mostly residential streets, they had street lights, but it was still a little dark and deserted, perhaps I should of stuck to the main roads? But I get no bother, think these boots scare people off.

Clean up and crash around 2. Work calls me at 8am Sunday isn’t much fun, little break for a pub lunch and a read, but its work and laundry and hanging around and more work and more hanging around and it doesn’t finish till gone 11. Now I need a another weekend to recover from this one.

Get to bed. Work calls AGAIN at 3:37am, noooo, but I can bat this one away, it’s definitely NOT my problem this time.

On call shift finishes at 9am Monday morning and that’s the last for this year (OK I might have to cover this Friday), Ya Hey! Also have more holiday days to use up, so its short weeks from now till Xmas, plus there’s there’s lunches out, 2 big party nights, snowboarding, shopping and all sorts of not bloody work from now on till January

Bit late with this sorry, work arrgggg!!! Had to interpolate a few thousand figures from the spread sheet from hell, its finally been done, but my head now done also.

OK last week, work, well there’s still lots of it, but to be honest if its vaguely interesting, its better doing something that trying to just look busy doing nothing. But I do have a few holiday, having not having a summer holiday, after carry over and Christmas I still had a few days to use up before the end of the year, so Wednesday last week, day off and trip to the Dome

<<<<< WARNING : Gratuitous Snowboard Geekery ahead >>>>>

Took my plank up to Milton Keynes to see if it had improved, well snow was good and it wasn’t crowded for half the session, but then it got busy and there was tobogganing, so little room and lift queues :(  managed to practice my carved turns and switch ridding a bit and tried a few little jumps and flat land stuff like 180’s. 

Trouble is I think my thing is to big and stiff (mind out of gutter please, I meant my snowboard) for free style, I just don’t have the muscles to olly or butter it, though then again, I think it’s the stiffness that makes it such a good carving board, so I’ve been thinking about getting a really soft park/jib board to use in the Snowdomes instead. After a couple of hours on my board I popped out to dome to The Snowboard Asylum next door and borrowed a Bataleon Evil Twin demo board, I was actually after a Signal Park but they didn’t have a demo in my size, but the ET is still a respected freestyle stick. The Evil twin is softer than mine, its much easier to do flatland 180’s one, pretty easy to ride in general and I managed to do the worlds smallest wheelie and nose press on it. But I’m not convinced by its triple base thingy, I still think I prefer a conventional one, they feel more “edgy”, sharper and less loose, though triple base does have some advantages, esp on rail and generally stopping you catching an edge and its not that soft. So not going to get the ET, but I will keep looking at these thing.

Also tried to do a rail, the approach felt to fast to do it straight (yes I am a big girlie wus) so side slipped towares it then tried to ride it with the board perpendicular to the rail (there is a technical term for this but I’ve forgotten it). First attempt I slid off to one side, no harm done, but on the 2nd I leant back to much, the board slipped, it went up and I went down. Hit my arse on the rail, ouch, the hit just missed the padding in impact shorts, so double ouch Decided not to try the rail for a 3rd time.

<<<<< END OF : Gratuitous Snowboard Geekery >>>>>

Pick up a pair of shoes the way home from MK, well you have to maintain a balance

Thursday, Ow, Ow, Ow everything feels stiff and I just can’t get out of bed. Pull the laptop into bed with me and email work saying I’m working from home. I didn’t work very hard.

Friday, how hard is it to get a drink in this town?

Saturday, the weekend Corset and Diamonds in the evening, but daytime er I dunno, need to scope out the venue (its at a new place) and there’s always shopping. Was planning to do this in girl mode, but by the time I drag my self out of bed and fully defuzz its, bugger, lunch time

Change of plans, since I want to be ready in plenty of time and do a photoshoot, figure its not worth changing now and going out, so its out in bloke mode Walk/train/walk to the new venue for CnD, The Hobby Horse in Hoxton (well more Haggerston or Dalston if you ask me), just over half an hour, hrm, but that’s a lot of walking and I was in comfortable shoes. Maybe rethink the route?

So there’s the place, hrmm, doesn’t look much from the outside and I can’t see a Mini cab office or Kebab shop anywhere nearby. But find these about 10 minutes up the road, so it should all be doable.

Have a very nice home made fish cake from a local chippy for lunch and have a sweep of the shops at Dalston/Kingsland, but nothing stands out, I was looking for a particular pair of boots in New Look but the little branch there doesn’t have them Shopping isn’t a much fun in bloke mode anyway. Walk home

Plenty of time, time for makeup and putting on my undies. Since I’m wearing a faux retro dress for CnD, it makes sense to wear faux retro undies under it doesn’t it So on goes my What Katie Did bullet bra, big knickers and suspender belt. And while I’ve go that lot on, and have time, why not a few pictures

Messed around with photoframes in Paint Shop Pro afterwards. Also put a corset on to try and get a little more figure, I wasn’t planning to actually wear in under the dress though. Hrmm, should of worn gloves, my arms just to flabby and blokey and horrible. Face ain’t great either.

Right on with the dress, even though it’s a 16 its hard to do up, this is because I reckon its waist line is cut 2-3 inches above my natural one (its designed for more er “average” girls) so the narrowest point is actually sitting on my rib cage and this retro material has absolutely no stretch But does up with a bit of a tug.

Shoes, hrmm, my nice double strap black courts don’t look right, look around, ah there you are, find my pair single strap ones I hadn’t worn out before. Bit of a risk wearing unworn new shoes to a fancy night out (made this mistake a few times haven’t I) but I had a good feeling about these, plus the heel was only about 2 and a half inches.

Right more photo’s

Look a bit heavy in a few of them, reckon its that dress’s waist being in the wrong place that does that (no nothing to do with booze and pies, honest :)). Again play with the the chessy photo frames. Also find the Clarify and Glamour filters to add a bit more contrast and soften the skin tones a little.

Ready now, timing was, well, just about right, pack everything up to go. But do I want to lug big cam, grip and 24-70 lens to CnD? Er no. Lazy. Comprise, no grip, 35mm f2 lens and SB900 on the TTL cord, lighter and fits in the big handbag. Improvise a wrist strap for the flash, works well.

Ready to go, oh bugger, its pouring down. Off with the fascinator and gloves, on with the big leather coat, wooly hat and brolly. Pack flats in my bag just in case. Right lets go.

Decide to get the bus, less walking, less getting wet. First one turns up quickly, change at Dalston, gawd its pouring down, dash to the other bush shelter to wait for the connection. 2 minutes later a long bendy bus turns up, think this one will get me closer to the venue. But only think, little unsure. Get a seat, but being a bendy bus there are seats facing both ways, feel a couple of lads on the bus are staring at me

Think this is the nearest stop to the venue, er well I want to get off anyway, was little uncomfortable, but in my haste I miss the pavement and put my foot right in a puddle by the kerb Got a wet foot now, oh well, lets get there, everything else is getting wet as well. Totter off, huddling under by brolly to the Hobby Horse. There was probably a closer bus stop.

So here we are, Oh its not to bad inside, bit shabby chic instead of run down, though it’s a touch on the small side. Its just gone 9, my usual arrival around then for CnD and at other venues they where already organised, but this time it was a bit shambolic. There’s no one on the door, the musical acts are still doing sound checks, they are putting up a pole for the Burlesque performers, moving the furniture around and so on. Apart from the acts and people doing stuff its pretty light on regular punters. Did I get the time wrong? Can’t even see Monica, the promoter.

Oh well, make the most, there’s no cloakroom, but the barman lets me out my coat and brolly on a hook near some stairs. Right, lets find a mirror and try and make myself respectable. There’s a mirror in the loo, which is rather small, nowhere near as good as the Priory, but any port in a storm. Hat off, hair sorted, makeup checked and, oh, buggger where’s fascinator and gloves? Dam, left them in the flat and after all that fuss to get them.

Make the best with what I’ve got, get a glass of red to warm me up and settle into a sofa to wait until it all gets going.

Chaos slowly becomes order as the wine goes down. Monica does turn up in the end as does here friend who sets up the door. I pay her my entrance fee, suppose I could of dodged it, but that wouldn’t of been right.

Louise turns up to, actually I wasn’t expecting her to come, but got a message on facebook in the afternoon indicating she was going to make it. But me bad, I sort of abandoned her, when things started moving I got my camera out and didn’t really see her again. Sorry Lou. Make it up to you in MK in a couple of weeks.

Things started moving, people started turning up and the acts started performing, first we had a saxophonist Daisy Coole giving us some mood music.

Tthen Kitten Von Strumpet did a Film noir inspired with a bit of FtM performance.

It was good turn and I got some good shots. Too good infact, apparently I was in the way and blocking other people’s view, being tall, fat and at the front, a couple of people had words with me afterwards. They where polite, but I felt if I did it again they wouldn’t be so nice. Was extra careful not to get in the way again. Being told off sort of put a another bit of a downer on the evening.

I did spend most of the evening photographing, but as the place filled up it got a little hard to move, esp trying to keep unobtrusive. Some pictures worked, some didn’t, think flashing them directly worked better, as it got a sort of shadowy effect with an under exposed background. Though this does only tend to work in the younger prettier ones, us old farts need as much light as poss to hide our wrinkles.

(loads more pics on my Flickr Stream)

More acts, another musician, singer song writer Tiger Lilly Girl and guitar. She was pretty good, but struggled with the sound, there where technical problems and towards the end of her set people sort of drifted off and started talking among themselves. She wasn’t to pleased about this, but at an event like this music is sort of background, it’s a club not a gig as such, so I guess that sort of thing will happen, sorry Tiger.

Corset and Diamond regular WORLDMISSTRESS (always in capitals) did a turn, again getting into theme with a dead body and a phone to the police Not bad, but not her best one if you ask me.

3rd Burlseque turn from, Ginger Blush was pretty impressive, great dress, my pictures didn’t do it justice. Not exactly film Noir Midst. Rather underexposed the pics and had to try and recover them in post.

3rd music act was Viktoria. More poppy this one, with a sequence/live keyboards backing played by a young  person (a fairly gender ambiguous person I won’t demean by lableing, but they did have a great jacket) Veronkia has a sort of Lady Ga Ga thing going on with the outfit I reckon, looked good though, and great hair and makeup too. Music was fine though a erm a tab forgettable though, so much so that I’ve er mostly forgotten what it was really like, just pop I guess.

Miss Katy did her usual compare thing to, bit of a game and the usual costume contest, and possibly the best lap dance ever. Normally these lap dances of her’s are really more comedy and the birthday girl who gets it is often quite embarrassed, but tonight, the very pretty girl in the red dress er “lapped” it up, she seemed very confident. 

The flash liked Katy’s dress and I didn’t think it was to bad either though one fashion tip, sheer to waist tights

Last burlesque act was Chiqui who did Private eye to pole dancer, and WOW could she use a pole, quite the athlete.

So that was it really, apart from getting in the way taking photographs, I gulped a couple of drinks and maybes had two sentences of actual conversation Danced a little to, there wasn’t much room to move but I think the music the DJ had on was better, bit more poppy old faves instead of obscure trendy stuff. But over all not a great night out really.

Think I’m a bit burnt out on CnD, its getting rather samey, and there are to many photographers. Every one had a phone or compact, plus there was 3 others walking the floor with SLR’s and a pro with hot lights who set up a photobooth. The other photographers had offical passes and quickly got the good positions by the edge of the stage when the acts came on (had to crop them out of a lot of shots), actually I felt I a little intimidated by them. There was really too many of us, all trying for the same shots in the small crowded space, getting in the way, so I’ve decided that if I do go to the next CnD (not sure yet) I won’t bring big camera and try and be more sociable instead (OK thats going to be difficult ).

Time to go, rain is still chucking it down. Pack up, recover hat and brolly, change into flats and wave bye to a couple of people. Walking in the rain when you feel a little depressed or/and felt you where out of order isn’t so bad, it can be, I dunno, atonement, so I trudged back towards home in the wet.

Pass a couple of faces I recognise 100m from the bar, WORLDMISTRESS and her friend in the gold dress, they ask directions to Camden, well it’s a few miles and not this direction, well er the Canal is the most direct route, but at this time of night, nah best not suggest it, walk them towards the cab office I found that afternoon instead. Hope they got home safely.

Continue towards home, still raining, but doesn’t matter, took about 45 minutes, but I did stop on the way for chips, as usual. By the time I’m home, cleaned up and changed its 3am, crash.

Sunday, up late, little trip to town then back home to do laundry and over 250 pictures to sort out. Cut this down to a more manageable number and start plugging away.

Next week, I’m on call, no excitement is planned, I might even get my Saturday ruined as well but after that it should plain sailing and plenty of fun till January

Busy busy most of the week, not unpleasantly busy though, some interesting things to do, well for the first half. But that meant late nights and long hours and that lowered my ability to resist junky food and booze. I had a fat week

But the weekends here and after last week’s reduced girl time, I was determined to make up for it. Up a bit late on Saturday morning, Dragon Age (my new game) and wine the night before the cause so its like lunchtime before I’m ready to go out. I drowned a spider who had got into my bath, felt bad about it, aren’t I supposed to be a sensitive vegetarian?

Outfit was nothing fancy, black sweater, black skirt, black leather jacket, all easy to coordinate and to break it up grey leggings. Well I’ve seen the sort of combo a fair bit recently and its plain and practical. Boots where the new biker style ones, barely any heel, so should be comfy. No time for a proper photo, its off to the train. Oh its blowy out and rain is forecast, pop a hat on to keep the hair under control.

Right, lets pop to Camden, had a couple of items to get for the Corset and Diamonds outfit next week, a fresh pair of seamed stockings (these are one use items with me) and a pair of short black satin gloves. I did have a pair of these, at one time, but one had gone missing, such is the way with me and gloves.

Train to Camden, oh one of those new ones. Lunch? Er not hungry yet, lets start looking for those gloves. Spot something worth photographing though, but am a little slow to get the camera out before it disappeared .It was a Bentley sports car, finished entirely  in mirror chrome, now that’s some one who wanted to be seen flaunting their wealth..

Satin gloves proved hard to find, loads of places (I went everywhere I could think off) had long opera gloves, but only the good hosiery place near the Electric Ballroom had the short ones, phew. They had the right stockings too, it’s a great little shop.

Right that’s Camden done, lunch? Ok, head towards town looking at various places before ending up in a place called The Blues Kitchen. Think its new, sure there used to be a pretty grubby pub here before. Its serving brunch, I order Eggs Royal with a glass of Chardonnay from the very cute and smiley young waitress. I have to force my self not to look down her top when she bends over to speak to me. Food and wine comes quickly, but erm are you sure this is Chardonnay, it tastes erm a bit odd, but drink it anyway. Eggs are nice, sauce could of done with being hotter though, don;t think american sequeezy mustard is the normal condiment to have with this dish, but I think it worked. OK bite to eat and good service, not exactly cheap though.

Starting to rain now, glad I have the hat. Go find a  bus to take me to Oxford Street. Find one going to Regents street, near enough. Its pouring down by the time I get to the West End. Out bus and over into the shops. Its Oasis, not one of my usual places, but there Christmas season stuff looks nice, fancy a particular black off the shoulder top with sort of metal stud like things on the front. It takes forever for me to find it in the shop and, ouch, £65, yeah that’s why I don’t shop in Oasis very often. Maybe wait till the sales.

Dash into Topshop a few doors down after.

Mission to the West End was really for tights, specifically the Aristoc Wet Look tights I’d read about on the web, and figured the department stores down here sould have them if any one does and if I can’ find Aristoc ones, surely there would be something similar. I fancied wet look tights, as I tend to find wet look leggings don’t seem to stay up on me, have to keep pulling them up, perhaps tights would fit better? Anyway, Top Shop doesn’t have anything similar, but it always worth a look around girl central. Seams sequins are huge this Christmas season (Christmas is a sub season of the Autumn/Winter fashion season that usually runs November and December and consists of party clothes in the fashion biz). Sequin jackets, top, dresses, leggings, yes, but hotpants…? Can’t see them flying of the shelves.

Oxford street is its usual Christmas madhouse (and its only November). So that’s this fancy new criss/cross over pedestrian crossing, seems to help the people congestion around Oxford Circus a bit, but that probably due to the fact they removed the barriers. Can’t see why it cost millions though.

Start going through the department stores, no wet look in BHS, but there’s some ankle highs I was after. Reckon I got sir’ed by the girl on the till:(  Can’t find the tights I want in John Lewis, House of Fraser, Selfridges, M&S (black silk PJ’s, hrmmm maybe) or Debenhams (which is packed) Would you like a free 10 minute makeover Madam? asked a woman in House of Fraser nice offer, but I had to turn it down, well I suspected the free makeover doesn’t include beard shadow cover.

Shopping can be frustrating some times, the crowds and the rain doesn’t help either. Try to attract the attention of a sales person on the MAC concession in Selfridges, but its just so busy, I can’t help. I was looking for a replacement cremestick lip liner in a dark red, I used my old one up, but the way MAC seems to work is if you can’t get a sales person, you can’t get a product as its all in draws and stuff. Try the Clinque and Benefit concessions (which are no where near as busy) but neither of them have a dark enough red. No one wants to spray me with smellies either.

Felt a bit down by now, but carried on to Marble Arch, just for a peak in New Look and Primark. Both are heaving, there’s not a lot in Primark I fancy, but there are some nice boots in New Look, alas, not in my size though.

Right what to do? Can’t find these tights, but still need that lip liner (for CnD again), go to the MAC standalone in Carnaby, its always quieter? Well tis cold and its damp, but I suppose it’s in the direction of home. Stop in Zara on the way back, as I spot a lace top I like the look of in the window. Zara have two guys handing out long plastic bags to people with brollies on the door. That’s clever, let us bag up our brollies so they don’t drip in the store. Can’t find the top I spotted in the window in Zara, par for course, it’s a hard shop to find anything in, the layout is so random. But I spot a nice top, just a simple long sleeve poloneck, in a few colours, but its just long enough for me to wear as a dress I reckon. Size, er they have medium and Xtra large, well it’s a stretchy material, so I reckon even fat girl here can get into the medium. Buy one, oh go on its only a tenner and they have them in red. Trying it on later (sans makeup), yes it does fit and its just long enough to cover the bits, tis rather figure hugging though, have to wear control pants under it to keep the lumps and bumps from being seen.

On to Carnaby, extremely camp young man in MAC who address me as Darhling (I suspect that’s how he refers to everybody :))  helps me find a lip liner, its not quite as dark as I wanted, but it will do. Pick up some Studio Tech NW20 foundation as well, I need to go back to winter colours. The MAC girls in the shop have heavy back shadow on their eyelids with a splash of bright copper, its looks great, might have to try that look sometime.

Have a little trawl of the shops in the area, including Nikita Sabier. One or two nice corsets, esp a military styled one,  but I just don’t need another corset right now, and since I bought the PC last week I should be careful with  high ticket items.

Walk through Soho to Shaftsbury avenue, its late now, wet and dark, need to get home. Fortunately the right bus turns up in one minute and there’s a seat for me too but then it spends the next 10 minutes stuck in traffic and even when it does move its slow going. Driver, bless is heart decides to terminate the route very early and chucks everyone out on Rosebury avenue, into the cold and rain, oh what a lovely man.

Walk up to Islington, hungry now, I’ve got some food at home, that £10 M&S deal, but I don’t fancy that, what do I fancy, curry, that’s what I fancy. Dash through the rain up Chapel Market to the cheap all you can eat Indian veggie place, they seat me right at the back and one of the guys Sir’s me as he opens my beer But the food is warm and comforting, limit my self to 2 plates worth. Other guy serving is friendlier and wishes me a very Apu’ish “Come again” as I leave.

Right back to the bus stop, its still raining. Bus doesn’t terminate early this time and home we are. Its getting on for 8 before I get home and I still had places to go. Change into a more clubby outfit, cannot find the top I wanted to wear so outfit is made up on the spot, keeping to the black and grey theme, it’s a black vest, a grey off the shoulder top I really should have ironed, a tight wet look shirt, grey opaque tights and black mid calf boots with a 3″ or so heel, and the same leather jacket I was wearing before. Think it looked OK. Reason for the change, well Bedsitland was on again tonight, that synthpop night I went to in Camden months ago. The night had relocated in the passing months to one of my favourite bars, the Lexington on Pentonville road, but other commitments had stopped me attending. But tonight I was free, so Bedsitland it was. Cept it was cold and raining and dark, did I want to go out again? Yeah, I suppose so.

By the time I’d selected my outfit, touched up my makeup and did the usual faffing around it was time to go, no time for a photo again Rain had got worse as I tottered over to the bus stop.

By the time I’d got to Angel the rain was coming down in buckets and there was a 10 minute walk from here to the bar. Walk under the covered bit towards the tube station, even with the brolly it was bad out there. Spot a GG walking towards the station as well, she was young, tall and blonde, and wearing the tightest, tinniest little black dress, black tights, black leather jacket and heels like she was born to, 5 star gorgeous. When I spot a woman like that half of me want to meet her and the other half wants to be her, sigh. But shouldn’t stare at young women on the street, it creeps them out. She goes into the tube station and I have to carry on down the street anyway.

Rain gets worse, by the time I’m on Pentonville road it’s a cloud burst and the water is running of the pavement the brolly keeps the worst of it from my head, but my tights are soaked, this wasn’t the night for a mini skirt, no option for it, have to run. In the rain, in heels. Its not elegant or demure, but sod it I’m getting soaked here. Cars passing must have had a laugh.

Make it to the bar, legs are soaked through, but the rest is dry enough, I was carrying my bag with its precious cargo (my camera, which is, Oh yeah, rain proof) up high under the brolly. Pay my fiver and go up stairs to the music venue bit.  I’ve been in the main several times but its my first time up stairs. Not a huge venue, but there’s a stage and a dance floor, a bar, some seats, a DJ booth etc, what more do you need. Its not that full either, but more and more people are coming in from the rain.

Nice glass of red to warm me up first I think. Oh shit, she’s on the bar… You see I went in the Lexington in boy mode on Friday evening on the way home from work, for a quiet pint and chapter or two of my book, and the same barmaid was serving then. She smiley, but doesn’t appear to remember me, phew.

Get my wine and find a seat, just sip it and bop along a little to the music and drying out before the band comes on. The headline (and in fact only) band of the night was “A Terrible Splendor”, nope as usual I’ve never heard of them, but I had a good feeling. Warm up a bit, deposit my very damp brolly in the cloak room and get ready for the music. Band comes on a little late, 10:20 or something, which well these sort of events aren’t on a strict time table. They are a boy and girl, he sings, so does she a bit, and plays the keyboards. They are pretentious fey aesthetes, but in a nice way, in the right way, the look and act goes with the heavily 80’s influenced synth music and the whole style. The throwing rose petals into the crowd and doing announcements in English and German all added to the image. Yeah, I enjoyed that

Shot a lot of pics, but try not to get in the way. End up shooting full manual, even the ISO, so I could get the light, stage lighting was a little dark, but I didn’t want to flash them. I mean use the flash on them.

At the end of the set they give a bow and are presented with a bunch of Roses, sweet. The girl from the band takes a couple of the red roses from the bunch and throws them into the crowd, one lands very near me (hey I had my hands full with the camera) and since no one else claimed, it, I picked it up. My first rose It didn’t survive the trip home in my handbag very well though.

Right that’s the band over and done with, though I like the Lexington there was only one band, which is a pity, the Camden nights had 3 bands on. Warm now, still had my jacket on you see. Get a bottle of cider from the bar, the girl working there seems to be run of her feet, the place has really filled up. What I expected to do now was just have a cool drink and head home, but as I sip my pear cider (though a straw, natch) something that didn’t happen last time, did, the dance floor fills up. Well, er, do I have to leave? Not really, let’s have a boogie Plonk my jacket in the cloakroom and take to the floor in my own, “original” style and it all, as Justine says, gets a little messy A few faves come on, especially enjoy a remixed we Fade to Grey and Ladytron’s Playgirl.

Even manage to chat a little, a girl who’s a friend of the band asks me what I think of them, two very camp guys say hi, air kiss and want to know if I’m on Facebook, and there’s a girl called Nicky I’d seen at Festival of Sins I said hello to. For me, that’s socialising I was clocked, but gender bending/androgyny is a part of the sythpop aesthetic I suppose, so in a way, I fitted in, even though I was probably  the only tranny in the room.

By one I’m pooped, even with a Vodka Redbull to try and keep me going, heels didn’t help though. But all the dancing dried me off :)  One of the better nights out that, nice bohemian crowd, LGBT friendly, dressy up to, guys in suits and complex hair and not one but two Bettie pages strutting there stuff on the dance floor and music I can dance to or just enjoy. Suppose I am old enough to remember a lot of it from the first time round though. Note to self, attend Bedsitland more often. I keep saying this about certain nights out, but I really want to do this one again. But not the next one, it clashes with the Festival of Sins in December

Pick up stuff from cloakroom and head home. Oh thank goodness its stopped raining, totter down Chapel market (again) towards Angel and the night bus, stopping at a Kebab shop for chips on the way.

Night bus takes a while to turn up, but it gets there in the end and we are home, tired, feet sore and ears ringing, but happy.

Lie most on Sunday morning. Get up eventually, weather is miserable, not sure I want to go out. Drag a razor across my face, few cuts, but that Tea Tree face wash I got after the laser treatment works well as a shaving foam. Faff around looking for something to wear, play with that red dress/top I go the day before with some wet look leggings I wore the week before and some lace up ankle boots. Think I really do need some new really OTT black killer heel ankle boots, those ones aren’t quite right. Take a photo or two of this outfit, well its been a while since I did a really posed shot like this.

But that outfit isn’t really daytime, swap the top for a long reddish orange sweater dress I’d forgot I’d bought, look for some plain leggings to go with it, can’t find them, but there’s some old black jeans, they’ll do. Pair the jeans with some low heal calf length boots, and swap the hair for the shorter one and I think we have a basic daytime outfit, add black coat and hat cause it is the middle of November..

What with the late start and the photo’s its gone two by now. So what to do today, well it looks like the rain has stopped and there’s a little sun, so go out, yeah I suppose, but where, shoe shopping for those boots? I must stop shopping, I have to much stuff as it is, so what else, well the drawing club is on again, its moved to Sunday, could be a more cultural (and cheaper) way to spend the afternoon, yeah, maybe, pack my drawing pad and pencil in my bag just in case.

Wander towards town, ah there’s a bus to Old Street, jump on, guess I’m going to the Drawing club. Not really had lunch, didn’t even have much breakfast (its was a Chocolate soufflé, well, its all I could find in the fridge that would work and it was < 300 calories), off the bus, find somewhere for a bite before the drawing club, hrmm, I was running late as it was, nah, so just grab a cheese roll in a shop near the bus stop.

Roll isn’t filling enough, so get a piece of focaccia bread at a fancy Hoxton Deli, fills me up. Hrmm, carb overload. Get to the Joiners Arms around 3:20, not to late, but not to early.

They recognise me from the last time and, I guess, know my name from the photo’s I popped on Facebook. Play my monies, get a drawing board, a biscuit and glass of red and find a spot. Think is busier than last time, even this early. Get a chair on the opposite side to last time, not sure if this was a good idea, get some glare off a light near the model. The model, is a bloke again, more heavily built than last time with good muscle definition. He does tend to look around the room though and in a couple of poses he’s directly in front of  me which slightly less comfortable (yes he’s naked). The 5 minute poses are hard, try to dash something off, but its not great and usually I can only do a small part of the body, like the head etc, feel a little more relaxed doing the longer 15 & 20 ones.

Place gets busier, they move things around a little to accommodate everyone. There’s live music for a bit to, a girl plays er a sort of round thing? I can’t really describe it, its sort of percussive and IMHO a bit to noodly. I kind of preferred the Aretha Franklin and Dolly Parton they had playing on record (well iPod probably) in between live sessions.

Grab a 2nd glass of wine in the break, Oh no cake, guy who made them tells me they didn’t rise this morning, pity.

2nd model is a girl, Sophia I think, which is a nice change. She was young, very pretty and smooth skinned, slim but with feminine curves, but little muscle tone, so its more concentrating on the lines and curves with her, a different drawing experience to trying to capture the man’s musculature. Again the really short poses are frustrating and I prefer the longer ones.

The organiser, er , should get his name, asks if I have my camera and could take some pics, as it happened I did and obliged.

Again I didn’t take pics of the model on purpose, they where there to be drawn, not photographed.

Drawing take so much concentration, I don’t really feel the time pass, but I do feel the warmth, they have the heating on for the models benefit, so in my sweater and jeans I’m a touch overdressed. The 2nd model finishes up around 6:30 and so I reckon its time to go, another good afternoon, not sure my drawing has improved though.

Busses look scarce, but I’m in the comfy boots this time, so wander back to Old Street, stopping for cash at the machine. No buses around here either, but its not too cold, so I just end up walking back to Islington, to the little Sainsbury’s to pick up some more wine and a few bits and pieces. Remember the Salad cream I forgot to buy on Saturday. Guy on the checkout might of said Sir to me, quietly, its not been a good weekend for passing

Bus home from there, sort pics out, eat dinner, watch Top Gear, bath, bed.

Next week its Corset and Diamonds as I said so expect far to many photos

OMG to busy to do a proper update cause I er normally write them at work when I should be working, sorry.

Potted version of this weekend…

Work, bah, nasty  little man who was obviously a traffic warden or a guard at a concentration camp in a former life causes merry hell with my work on Wednesday and Thursday. Friday Work from home, do a a little but mostly get ready for a night out with the Angels. Think I like my outfit, grey sweater dress, wet look leggings and new grey ankle boots look good, it deserves a photo. Cept camera remote won’t work  And I actually think that dress is a little more brown than grey in good light. Take timer shot instead.

Its Friday the 13th isn’t it. My PC dies too  sob its got half my life on it, it won’t stay on for more than 30 seconds, fuck, theres the last 10 years of my life in that box. And  OMFG trouble comes in threes, the camera remote, the PC and What next?

The plan, after much kitten herding was going to meet the Angels at 8pm for a meal then a club in Kensignton, but Carissa says shes’s bored on Facebook so I go and meet her at 7 (I was ready early anyway, cause I wasn’t able to take a photo). Its a wild and wet night, but the tube gets me there on time, but I wish the man almost leaning (actually nearly sitting) on my legs respected personal space a bit more.

We meet up and head to the nearest place for a drink and a chat, which turns out to be the pub almost opposite Gloucester road tube, its packed, but we sort of steal a place near the table where they store the condiments and cutlery and broken chairs and have a chat over a glass of wine, trying to not get in the way of the bar staff. 

8, back to the tube station, (am almost run over by BMW driver crossing the road) to meet Petra (who isn’t Olga anymore, must get that right), Louise is going to meet us at the restaurant, and Jess is in a Taxi running late (which is normal for Jess) so the 3 of us head towards Med Kitchen. My wet look leggings wont stay up and I have to keep adjusting them all night.

Jess and Lou meet us at the restaurant, we talk, we eat, we drink wine   Its an OK mid range chain restaurant, not bad food (though the starter selection was a bit weak) and reasonably priced. Fries could of done with being hotter though.

After dinner we head across the road to Opal, an upmarket club/bar thingy where Monica, the girl who runs Corset and Diamonds promotes a night. She’s’ not there but we are on the guest list and are waved in. Down the stairs and its sort of like the Bat cave meets a Lounge bar, quite groovy really. We chat for a bit, dance a little and there’s another glass of wine  Monica turns up, but the club, er I dunno, its not happening, maybe it kicks off later (and it was 11 already)  its rather quiet and a bit dead  But the company was nice, lovely to see you all again.

Loose my lens cap for the camera  that must be bad luck item 3. Leave around midnight to make sure I get the last tube. Its hard work not to fall asleep on the train, OMG how much wine have I drunk. It was hard staying awake sitting down, the 15 minute walk up hill afterwards was just painful, just trying and put one foot in front of the other took all I had. Home, just wipe most of the makeup off and crash.

It wasn’t that late, my ankle boots weren’t agony (unusual for new ones with a 4″ heel) and I didn’t drink that much but it seemed to take it all out of me.

Saturday and its wet and wild. Good news, found the lens cap. Bad news, PC is still dead  To be honest its 5 years old and has been on its last legs for a while, it has issues and struggled with a lot of modern software, esp photo tools and games, it was even below minimum spec for some, though it is 5 years old, thats like 90 in PC years. But its sort of has sentimental value, I won it in a computer graphics competition ( I came 2nd) . So what to do, new one? or replace component, it could just be the PSU that’s gone, but it could be the mother board, and that would mean new board, new CPU, new ram, new cooler etc. Think about it.

Now am I going to get this stuff. Weather is awful rain and wind, I have serious nerd shopping to do and I still feel quite delicate. Sod it, Tottenhamcourt road and boy mode 

I’ve been told the difference between TS and TV is choice, TS don’t have a choice, whereas TV can choose not to present as female. This is true, but on the flip side, if I present as Helena, I have to do the whole thing, wig, shave from hell, heavy makeup, wig, padding, breastforms and feminine clothing, I can’t just slob it as I wouldn’t appear female. But TS on the other hand after surgery, hair removal, hormones, own hair or fancy hair system  etc do have a choice of sorts, they can’t not present, but they can present as a slobby female, no makeup, no wig, baggy clothes etc. I don’t have that option, its full on or nothing. So when I can;t mange full on, I pretty much have to do male

<<Note the rest of the blog is sad geeky PC stuff, if you are looking for Tranny time, best come back next week>>>

First stop camera shop where I got the remote, and Oh its just a flat battery, £2.59 and I have a new little battery and a fully working remote. Good. Now its just the PC.

Desktop PC’s seems a rare thing these days, its all laptops and I don’t want one of those, I like I big tower case with room for expansion and change. Plus I’ve always found laptops to be unreliable, slow (esp the hard disks), have no expansion/replacement capability and the quicker ones run very very hot. Of the desktop or tower PC’s I can find are ultra basic models, there was just one high end model, a HP with I7 and bluray , but that was thirteen hundred quid and I wasn’t sure about the graphics card it had was good enough.

Well that was the case in most of the shops anyway. But then there was YoYo tech, just off Tottencourt Road They mostly sell PC components, but do sell a some ready built systems as well, or well according to the website build them to order. But these where high end “enthusiast” PC’s with top components and flashy lights. One of these? well they get good reviews and where in budget, but er dunno. Anyway I had to move some money from savings anyway to buy one.  I really wanted a PC now, and if they had to build one it would take 10 days  So what was the other option, get a new PSU and hope it fixed the old thing or just get new comments, build a new PC and plug the old ones hard drive into (but I’m rubbish with hardware and would totally fail at a DIY job). Decisions, Decisions.

It took a while to find an open bank where I could rearrange the funds, and via a detour to Forbidden Planet for a new book, ever longer to find a nice pub to have lunch in. Every pub seemed to packed with people watching Rugby, bah. Eventually find one where there still a spot to sit and read and had nice food though. But even that one had Rugby on as well, some people ask me to swap tables so they could get a better view of the TV (television) , I oblige, no worries, I’m not interested in men fighting over an oddly shaped ball, but then they buy me a pint as compensation for moving, which was er nice, guess rugby fans aren’t quite as mean as football fans.

Right, er slightly loosed up by a few pints I made a decision, I head back to Yoyo tech, if they have any machine in stock I’ll buy it. Do they? er yes, any of those machines over there they have running demo’s. Ok I’ll have that one. Its big and its black with blue lights, its called a Water Dragon cause its water cooled. Yep Water cooled, with an over clocked quad core Athlon processor, 4gb Ram, 750gb disc (yey plenty of room for photo’s) good graphics card, a bluray drive and it glows blue.  This beats many of the servers I use at work, hell it beats the spec of some of the Big Iron Unix boxes and mainframes I’ve used in my time, I have the POWER! They have to burn some driver disks for me (Dell this ain’t) and box the thing up, takes a while, then I struggle the thing into a taxi (it weighs a ton) to get home.

Home, boxes runs all right, ADSL modem won’t talk to it, wrong drivers for Windows 7, But work gave me a router, use that? try to, it won’t connect, talk to man from Mumbai whose name almost certainly isn’t John Wilson on the phone for ages trying to fix it. He can’t, but after a read of help files and some experiments I get it working on my own. Yey we have Wifi in the flat  This is good for the new PC, but does also mean I can use the work PC on with it as well without disconnecting my PC and use my it with my Ipod Touch. In fact I can now use the the Ipod on the Loo or in the Kitchen or even in Bed to surf and check my mail. Dam that’s good, surfing the web under the duvet, why didn’t a get a wireless router years ago

New PC is on the net , but its virgin, none of my files are on it, hundreds of photo’s and files are sill on the old PC, years worth of content creation I want to keep and would be heart broken to loose. Remove the hard drive and a DVD rewriter from the old one (well new PC only has one optical driver and I like at least two) and try to fit them to the new one. And can’t. Old PC is IDE and new PC is all SATA. Bugger. Little research, and it looks like I can get an enclosure for the old hard drive and connect it to the new one via USB for not to much. More shopping to do, install and play Dragon Age for the rest of the evening instead, max detail and no slow down, the old PC struggled on medium detail in the fight scenes. Then I realise I’ve lost my new book

Sunday, have work to do, I’m on call, but manage a quick trip to town for a IDE to USB enclosure and a Veggie Sunday lunch at a nice pub near Euston I’d found the day before.  Popped back into YoYo tech as well to retrieve my book, I’d dropped in it the excitement of buying a new PC.

Back home, old drive in the enclosure, and plug it in, fingers crossed. Works perfectly, to my surprise, all old photo’s etc copied over to the new machine no trouble. Right we are back, oh I do need the photo software though, NIkon and Phase one stuff goes on no trouble and F*&^@%*K me NX2 is fast on the Water Dragon, its gone from pain to pleasure. But Photo paint won’t work. My trusty old copy of Corel Photo paint 8, which I’ve used for graphics and photo editing for the last 10 years (its Windows 95 vintage software) and can use in my sleep doesn’t like Windows 7, it crashes bugger I need new image editing software (I can’t let you all see me real face can I) I’m trying trial version of Paint shop pro and Photoshop elements, but I dunno, they still don’t seem to match Photo paint in some ways, but I can’t really afford a full copy of photoshop now either. A consequence of all this is those pics I just posted where virgin, no photo editing at all, yikes thats what I actually look like.

So that’s it, back to cooking on gas on the new PC (well 90% there), works a bit of a pain though and I have to do some on call stuff. And I miss Helena time, the weekends not the same without her day and gosh there’s some lovely stuff in the shops at the moment.

This week, busy, busy busy, but actually have a few proper techy problems to solve, not politics and procedure for a change, working on those is actually enjoyable.

Coming weekend has to be all girl though, I’m getting the little twinges, boy/girl balance is out of wack.