Men are Bad?

I had an email this morning in my inbox from G. He had written to me that he was in Germany last week because his dad passed away and that he is flying back there on Tuesday to attend the funeral and sort things out.

Why would he write that to me? To me that is a personal thing, Your father's death. Why would you write that to a woman that you spent three days trekking with in October unless you felt a connection?? I think we can agree that is not really flirting.

He has a girlfriend.

Am I mad? Tell me something that will put it all in perspective.

A friend recently asked me what I would have written on my tombstone. I thought about it and have decided. I would have on my tombstone, "she laughed a lot". Not the most profound of statements but it suits me.

Friday night I saw the film 300. It was fabulous. If you get the chance you must see it, but realise that is is completely over the top.

It is the white fit masculine Spartans against the dark effiminate evil Persians. And the lines were written to match, "Freedom isn't free" and "We fight against mysticism and tyranny". I need to look into it, I think the script could have been penned by George Bush's speech writer.

Then Saturday, I met one of my friends for a pub lunch at Elk in the Woods in Islington, a bit pricey but very cool. We had a nice meal, too many glasses of wine and a celebrity sighting. Brett Anderson, the lead singer of Suede sat next to us. At one point, a woman at another table took out her mobile and pointed it our direction and snapped photos. My friend, Julie, quite ignorant of who she was sitting next to, said "I think that woman is taking our photo". I then pointed out it could be the rock star next to us. Hee.

Saturday night was the organic pub for my friend's birthday dinner, Duke of Cambridge. It was okay but I still find pub and organic a little weird. (Organic hand soap in the toilet?!)

Today, I have work to do and I am flying to the US on Tuesday so most likely it will be a relaxed day filled with some packing, writing and nail polishing. Riveting stuff, eh?

The Gossip
I think that they might be worth some of the hype they are getting. Very fun.

(image of my head of bobbing to the beat)

Today I went to a roundtable discussion on the role of involving men in implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1325. I thought it was an interesting topic and there would be some experts with some valuable insights. It wasn't. There were people talking as part of the panel but they were just off base. Some didn't seem to understand what gender and participation are and kept referencing hiring women judges or training women to be better peace negotiators. Everyone seemed to miss the point of the gathering and that was to talk about involving men.

It felt like one of those conversations that does not ever truly happen because people don't understand the question or don't know the answer. For example, this scenario.
"Let's have a discussion about whether we like peanut butter sandwiches" said the first person.
Second person responds, "I like tuna".
First person, "That is fine. There is nothing wrong with liking tuna. The question still remains about peanut butter".
Second person, "many people prefer tuna".
First person, "Fine but that still doesn't address peanut butter".
End of conversation.

That was pretty much how the discussion was today.

An amazing website to check out. An artist makes life size sculptures complete with real hair and clothes. They are fantatic sculptures but also important is the story that each character has. Here is the Oracle.

To seek out Zoga and benefit from her wisdom, one must traverse a jungle and face one's deepest fears. Some go mad. Some perish altogether. But those who find the Oracle become enlightened to the true meaning of their own lives.

Cleansing in Guatemala after Bush leaves.
During President Bush's visit to Guatemala this week, he was escorted to Iximche, an ancient Kakchiquel Mayan holy site which is the center of continued ritual practice today. Mayan peasant activist Juan Tiney, who is the head of Guatemala's Coordinating Council of Indigenous People and Campesinos, says Mayan priests have decided they're going to have to purge the site of Bush's bad vibes:

"That a person like (Bush), with the persecution of our migrant brothers in the United States, with the wars he has provoked, is going to walk in our sacred lands, is an offense for the Mayan people and their culture."

(...)Tiney said the "spirit guides of the Mayan community" decided it would be necessary to cleanse the sacred site of "bad spirits" after Bush's visit so that their ancestors could rest in peace. He also said the rites -- which entail chanting and burning incense, herbs and candles -- would prepare the site for the third summit of Latin American Indians March 26-30.

Cannot wait to start traveling again. I head to the US for a friend's wedding at the end of March, return to the UK where hopefully my house will be sold and then on to the Philippines. YAY! I cannot wait.

Views out my window for the next month.

So disturbing...

Rice containing human genes approved by USDA
For the first time, the USDA has granted preliminary approval for large-scale planting of an engineered food crop that contains human genes.

The rice from California-based "pharming" firm Ventria Bioscience was designed to synthesize a human immune protein. The crop will soon be cultivated on 3,000 acres of land in Kansas, if the USDA finalizes its approval after a public comment period that ends March 30.

Coverage: TransWorld News, Food Business Review Online, High Plains Midwest Agricultural Journal, About.com.

Originally found on www.boingboing.net

Well, this weekend was quite a long one. Drinking on Friday, Saturday, and ahem...on Sunday as well. Just a little.

My friend is a brilliant British producer and tonight was the premier of his film, Becoming Jane, in Leceister Square. He was heading off with some of his family and friends for it. I spent most of the afternoon helping my friend get ready. We straightened her hair, applied make up, fussed over clothing and jewelry. It was a lot of fun and my friend looked spectacular as she headed out the door.

They will have a lot of fun. (Slightly envious)

I have blogged about it before but I love the gallery Roq La Rue in Seattle. It is devoted to what they describe as the Lowbrow/Pop Surrealism art movement.

I have never been but often visit their website to look at the artist offerings. The current exhibit which runs until the 3rd of March (today) features David Ho, Femke Hiemstra, and Ronald Kurniawan.

Above is one of David Ho's paintings.

The next offering is March 9th 2007 - Lizz Lopez and Luis Sanchez

At a dinner party last night with people from various countries but particularly Kyrgyzstan, Thailand, and South Korea, mentioned to me a website called alllooksame?
It is a site that tests your ability to distinguish between the cultures of the Japanese, Korean and Chinese. The first of the tests even challenges your ability to tell apart faces.

Is interesting. I found the architecture particularly challenging.

I know it is not everyone's cup of tea but I love this creation. I love the juxtaposition of the knitted jumper and the full latex boot. I love it. I just keep thinking about what a cool image it is. Don't worry, I am not about to recreate the look myself. But I am sure stranger things have been seen on the streets of London.

A model presents an ensemble as part of the Fall-Winter 2007/2008, ready to wear collection by Turkish Cypriot fashion designer Hussein Chalayan, in Paris.

Paris Fashion Week. Fabulous Darling, simply fabulous! Darth Vader's sister.

A model presents this creation by Japanese designer Junya Watanabe for Comme des Garcons's Autumn/Winter 2007

"Luke, I am your aunt"

YAY! I am back.

Okay, so they blocked the cookies at work so I can no longer blog at work, but I have gotten around that by using a laptop at home. Hurrah!

Much has happened in the over two weeks since I have written. Firstly, I moved. I moved out of my house and moved in with two of my friends, two fabulously gay Italian men. It has been nothing short of brilliance thus far. I am loving it. From the late night chats over wine to the morning coffee, it is has been so nice.

Where is that dreadful husband you ask? It is his turn to mind the house and the things that go with that. He pulled one of his usual stunts. On the day I moved out, he begged me not to go saying that he thinks perhaps he does want the family and the kids. I am not falling for that one again. I left.

I am so happy and pleased.