Frump to Fab - Summer Solstice Sizzler

podperson

Morning all,

Mooloo - good luck for court next week, am sure it will go fine. Interesting that your counsellor mentioned your surroundings, just goes to show it's more professional accepted then you think to consider how your surrounding affect your mood/attitude etc.

tru - welcome back :jsounds like you're getting back on track already, am very jealous of everyone's declutterings - so need to sort out my house but just seem to have no spare time at the moment

Bitsy -hope the back's feeling better today x

Maman - you are probably right, have been overdoing things a bit lately so makes sense it's showing on the outside as well

LL - glad your coffee meet up went well, the gym/personal trainer sounds like a good plan. Hope OH's assessment goes well.

evilsquid - hun, for a start if the girl was recognising you from school then you must still look fairly similar - ie young! :rotfl:plus just because someone might still look tall and thin then it doesn't mean they're doing well in their life. Hopeyou have a great weekend in Paris - am quite jealous

Anyway, rather an annoying morning, have had to move offices to the tiny back one so have been moving things all morning and since I'm still really coughy anyway the dust etc has not been helping. In brighter news though OH texted me to tell me my camera has come this morning, am excited now, hope I like it when I open it Am meant to be photographing a band tonight so hope the cough eases up a bit by then.

LameWolf

maman wrote: »

Apparently, the drivers turned down the union recommendation or something but they have until the weekend (I think) to announce any strike action. But I suppose it'll lead to more panic buying.

Thanks for the clarification; all I had to go on was what S had told Mr LW.:o He didn't have to queue for petrol last night, thankfully; but I dare say there will be queues today, so I'm glad he filled up the tank (it needed filling in any case, btw, not panic-buying);)

I'm afraid I'm still not doing very well with the fabbing on the outside; but I like to think that by making all our food from scratch, using good ingredients (I get beautiful fruit'n'veg from the market) I'm fabbing us from the inside. Does it count?:D Mushroom risotto tonight, btw.;)

It's c-c-c-cold today; I've had to find a thick cardi, and put on legwarmers and my neoprene fingerless gloves!:eek: The last was after discovering my fingers to be so stiff that just tearing a sheet of loo paper off gave me an "ouchy" moment! (Sorry if TMI):D Not a very fab look, I grant you, but I'll go for warm over glam any time, specially when I shan't see anyone til Mr LW comes home!:rotfl:

podperson

Hi guys,
Could you give me some opinions on this? OH's cousin owns a business that does videos of houses to sell them, usually very expensive, fancy houses. Apparently he has a lot of business on at the moment, is expanding quite rapidly and is looking for more staff - mainly photographers and dslr film people. OH thinks I should add him on facebook and ask him direct if he can give me any work. I'm feeling a little uncomfortable about that as I've met the cousin twice in the 12 years have been with OH (one of which was at his own wedding!) and since that was the only two times OH has seen him as well they aren't exactly close. I'm just worried it would across as 'we're kind of family, so even though we never speak you should give me a job anyway' - or am I just massively overanalysing??

Bitsy_Beans

Friend turned up with her kids for coffee and chat. All (relatively) quiet here for a moment as they have now gone.

Just taking a moment to enjoy a cheese and onion chutney sandwich, chutney and bread HM, I love my HM bread so much nicer than shop bought. Sad thing is though as the loaves are small keeping this family in bread is a full time job :eek:

Anyway LW I heartily agree with you taking care of the inside too with cooking from scratch. I don't cook every single thing from scratch but probably at least 85% of it which I am happy with. Sometimes life's too short not to use an oven chip for convenience

Podperson oooh exciting that your camera has arrived, enjoy using it. Re the cousin, I would just mention if he needs any assistance you are available and leave it there. If you don't ask you don't get

Evilsquid thin and tall does not = happy. For example look at the likes of Victoria Beckham, Cheryl cole etc, both thin (too thin but that's just my opinion) and yet they don't look much happier than the next average woman. Despite being über skinny have had husbands cheat on them Your school friend might not have changed physically on the outside but she might be miserable as sin on the inside and have a terrible home life. I speak as a woman who has compared herself with others (and inevitably come up short) and am slowly realising whilst some parts of people's lives look great by comparison there's aspects that aren't so great. You have no one else to compare to other than yourself xxxx apologies that was a bit of a sermon

Hugs and spoons to those that need them xx

evilsquid1603

Bitsy_Beans wrote: »

Evilsquid thin and tall does not = happy. For example look at the likes of Victoria Beckham, Cheryl cole etc, both thin (too thin but that's just my opinion) and yet they don't look much happier than the next average woman. Despite being über skinny have had husbands cheat on them Your school friend might not have changed physically on the outside but she might be miserable as sin on the inside and have a terrible home life. I speak as a woman who has compared herself with others (and inevitably come up short) and am slowly realising whilst some parts of people's lives look great by comparison there's aspects that aren't so great. You have no one else to compare to other than yourself xxxx apologies that was a bit of a sermon

Hugs and spoons to those that need them xx

podperson wrote: »

evilsquid - hun, for a start if the girl was recognising you from school then you must still look fairly similar - ie young! :rotfl:plus just because someone might still look tall and thin then it doesn't mean they're doing well in their life. Hopeyou have a great weekend in Paris - am quite jealous

Thank you both

i think it was mostly because i realised that when she last knew me i was suicidally depressed and had anorexic tendencies in an attempt to gain some control back in my life so i was the lowest weight i'd ever been. (although, the only things said to me at the time by all my friends were "omg you look amazing!!!! have you lost weight??!!! WOW!" helpful!)

made me feel better thinking in that time I've managed to sort myself out, get 2 degrees compared to her one, ran two 10km races and represented the country by going on the international air cadet exchange.

Rosetta92

Podperson - I agree with Bitsy. Get in touch and offer to help. But perhaps rather than facebook an email or phonecall would be better. If he's swamped with work he may not have much time to spend on social networks just now. The cousin may be pleased to have a relative involved - often more reliable than a stranger. Do you have a portfolio of work you can show - those hotel pictures you took last weekend sound relevant to the type of pictures the cousin would be looking for.

Also, as you do pictures of events etc which may not be his type of work even if he doesn't want you to help with his business he may sometimes be approached by a customer that he can refer on to you.

Even if you don't work together just now its a good idea to build some contacts in a similar line of work to your own - and he'll know that as family you may be able to pitch in at short notice if someone lets him down.

One other thought, just because its family don't accept anything less than a fair market rate for your work.

Good luck.

podperson

Thanks guys, I've friend requested him on facebook so will see if he accepts. I don't have a phone number for him, haven't seen him in over 3 years and the only email I have would be through his company. He did put a post actually on facebook that he was looking for more staff so I suppose looking at it that way he might be more keen on getting people he knows in rather then strangers. As Rosetta said, am going to try and get the hotel piccies finished off either tonight or tomorrow so then if he does come back to me at least have something vaguely relevant that can show him.

dannie

Hello everybody,

Thanks for the previous posts. Today I read websites about the home as your sanctuary (mentioned by Mooloo) whilst riding the exercise bike. It does seem that my rooms represent my life; some aspects maybe better to be rid of or at least improved? Additionally, trying to eat "healthier" and do some more decluttering tonight.

lessonlearned

Hi Everyone

Just a quickie - good advice there PP about the cousin and the photography - definitely contact him. A relative is a relative and most people would prefer to deal with someone they either know or who is recommended rather than take a punt on a complete stranger.

He might expect mates rates which is fair enough. I think a discounted rate for a friend or relative is acceptable. However, I agree with Rosetta don't undersell yourself or go too low with your prices just to get the work.

OH was an IT Contractor/Business Advisor. He always used to say it was dangerous to go too low with his rates. He used to say the more people pay for advice the more respect they show you and the more they listen to you.

The Millionaire Boot Camp Guy in London said exactly the same thing.

Both OH and the Boot Camp Guy were serious professionals who were at the top of their game. Rosetta is right - go too low and they will not think you are a real professional and they might not want to risk giving you the job.

Evilsquid - I too agree with others who say your friend may be tall and thin but that's not the whole story. Never judge a book by it's cover. And ................just look at what you've achieved.

Your degrees, your sporting prowess, representing your country - my goodness you should be proud - that is phenomenal - far more than I've ever done.:rotfl: You've absolutely nothing to feel embarrassed about or ashamed of. So she's tall and slim - just lucky genes that's all.

Scratch the surface and who knows what might be underneath. Even if everything in the garden is roses - that may not last. No-one can have a perfect life or at least not all the time anyway.

"Into each life a little rain must fall".

OH and I had a great life - we were living the dream.

We had struggled financially when we were younger but that was behind us. We were fit and healthy, our boys were healthy and doing well, we had great careers and profitable businesses, we travelled and had fun, we owned a holiday home in Spain and had money in the bank and were looking forward to our new lives in the sun when we semi-retired. OH became ill and the rest is history............

Don't torture yourself by comparing your life to theirs - you just never know.

OH not too good again. Have requested a GP visit to see if there is anything untoward going on or whether it's just tiredness .....

WelshWoofer

Hello ladies!
Just had a quick whizz through your news....
LL - hope the wheelchair expedition went well?
Pod - there's no harm in asking is there? He can only say no if he doesn't want to?
Evilsquid - we think you're fab - don't doubt yourself and worry about what others may think - you are healthier and happier than the last time the woman saw you - so things are looking up! (and you have a much better CV!)

Well the decorating is in full swing and I've come home to a bombsite! I'm actually sitting on the bed as I can't sit in my living room - sofas all covered in dust sheets, everything else shoved out in the conservatory and horror of horrors no telly! (also shoved in the conservatory and dismantled from the sky box etc).
The house is sooo quiet as the first thing I do when I get in is put the telly on for a bit of company. I'm marooned upstairs until they finish (which is hopefully tomorrow). One positive - the colours are exactly the same as those in the new curtains - you can never tell can you until they're actually on the walls. It will look nice when its done but it awful now:(
Think it will be a takeaway tea tonight as there's nowhere to make or eat tea(my excuse anyway!). LW I agree that fabbing can include food - you are what you eat and all that!

As I'm confined to upstairs I have no excuse for not doing a bit of fabbing tonight (defintely need it) - so I'll have a nice long bath, defuzz, do a face and body scrub and sort out my nails.
I'll also try watching some "telly" on the Iplayer thingy later. There's a few things I've missed so there should be something available to watch. Oh, and an early night wouldn't go amiss either.

The dog spent the day at my friends house with his dog while we were both in work and appears to be knackered - he normally sleeps all day and looks like they've been keeping each other company - so he's tired out after his walk and will only need a quick trot around the block later.

INSET day for me tomorrow so an easy day with no kids - good job after this week, its been manic! The carpet is being done on Saturday so with any luck I'll be able to put things back to normal and have some order to the chaos by Saturday evening - famous last words.

Right I'm off to investigate a very healthy delivery pizza for tea (sorry ladies!)