Good for a Free Meal

Dating recently, has been somewhat interesting.

Getting back on the wagon, takes effort. Don't get me wrong, emancipation is 100% fantastic, but why are there so many obstacles to overcome to get a decent date. Do we still have to trap a man to get one? Push them pull them around

There have been a number of off-the-peg internet-assisted dates, where, as a male friend would say they are "good for a free meal". I try to deal with the guilt of this (as postmodernfem), channel it and use it for the better.

1. Redhead Northern Man: featured non-ironic stonewash bootleg (before they were due to come back into fashion) jeans, short-sleeve pale crumpled shirt that was slightly see-through and his fair haired freckled arms didn't suit atall. *shudder*

2. MiddleClass Junior Lawyer Boy: on the underdeveloped side of slim, used his glasses as a social prop, waving them (and his umbrella) around to reinforce his arguments. This was one of those dates where you both talk, but neither really listens to the other, and it just becomes some sort of epic test of intellect/name-dropping conversations.

3. Cat-loving Gardener Bloke: this one is sensitive, chivalrous and sweet. But haven't got to the bottom of his sense of humour yet. Slightly concerned that sarcasm doesn't feature highly on his radar, and for me it's a must. I need a challenge.

Whatever the type, men are available, with or without baggage. Perhaps I need a Capello Index (where footballers are rated according to skill/perfomance) to measure up potential? And we continue....

You do good things, good things will happen to you.

I think I believe in Karma. Cause and Effect. Basic and Brilliant behaviour.

Moving house has done wonders for me recently, and can't believe I didn't do it sooner.
It's made me wake up to the standards that I set for friendships, how I behave towards my friends and what I'm prepared to accept in terms of behaviour.

And it seems that I too quickly and naively assume that living with people equates them as friends. Wrong! They can still fuck you over like a mugger in the street.

Living in a new house with new people has opened my eyes to this. Currently struck down with a vile chest cold, the girl I know least in my new house offers to go out and get me medicine and make me feel better. Selfless behaviour = good karma.
Whereas old housemates are no longer in touch, and don't reply to messages. It makes me think these were friends of convenience, and when living together became inconvenient they simply moved on; taking their gifts and the time I'd invested in them along. Can't get that time back, and that's what annoys me the most.

What's more, I have kind of remembered that lust opens your eyes to things around you. Just seeing a boy that you meet in a bar, a few times, on random dates totally lifted my head up. I realized I'd been walking around staring at the street for far too long. Am I scared of something? That someone will look and talk to me?

The funny thing about Karma is, when the boy went off the boil and he decided to sod off skiing, his football team began a series of awful humiliating defeats. But I suppose Buddha wouldn't approve of gloating in someone else's misfortune. Is it possible that Buddha is a Chelsea fan?

Life is too short to invest time and effort in relationships that give nothing or near to nothing in return. Give something good and a good friend will return it.

Here endeth the sermon.

This Spring I shall be mostly wearing.

All clothes from the wonder that is *COS*

Cake of Kings

Regard 'Galette de Rois' complete with the King's crown awarded to the lucky person whose slice has an inedible toy in it.
Filled with frangipani and absolutely delicious.
Our lovely french designer brought some back for us all.