Susan Lily New Music


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Saturday 26 November 2011

Fashion and the Modern Man


We’ve had beards back in fashion for some time now and I must say that on some men the hirsute look absolutely rocks!  Once upon a time the goatee was the choice of facial sculpting and still is in some parts.  Every time I see one the historian in me comes to the surface cos they were TOTALLY IN during the Elizabethan times.  Goatees along with white ruffled lace collars (the bigger yours was the higher up you were in society), hosiery, pantaloons and codpieces were the fashion of the era.  Quite masculine in its own sweet way since the size of the codpiece represented how highly one thought of oneself (well that’s what this woman is gonna believe he he).

What I would like to see come back in fashion is the aforementioned codpiece.  Heck, we women have suffered enough with low cut bras, pointy ones, squish-em-together-so-you-have-a-front-bottom-on-ur-chest bras and don’t get me started on shoes lol. 
How great would it be girls, to instantly assess the attributes of the candidate by the size and decoration of his codpiece.  I mean, men never lie about “what lies beneath” and so we would gain a better idea of what we would be taking home to meet mum and dad.  Here’s the great thing guys; you wouldn’t have to utter a word.  All you would have to do is stand proud and loud with your masculinity on show for the world.

I really think this codpiece caper could really take off.  There would be specialty shops in Chadstone and Knifepoint where you could be custom fitted or purchase off the rack estimations.  There’d be the show-off glittery ones for the guy  “who has it all” and wants more.  There would also be the practical ones with room for small change, a condom, and the car keys.  Apple could make the i-codpiece and suddenly men could be talking to their groins to answer phone calls and it would make receiving and sending of a text message an absolute delight.  Heck, maybe we women would have to stand in line and wait for the i-codpiece battery to run out before we get a look in.

With a codpiece phone you would be able to highlight your best feature by talking to it and having it answer you back.  It also gives you a valid excuse for touching yourself in the groin when you hang up or call.  Ringtones for your codpiece could be “the bad touch” when you’re available for women, “asshole” when u want a night with the boys, and your footy club theme song during a game. 

A word of warning girls, if the guy you meet has the Angels “am I ever gonna see your face again?” run!  Don’t look back! 

The Grand House – Part 1


Inside the grand house a woman stood, shotgun in hand.  It was aimed carefully at the intruder’s groin. 

 “Go on,” she barked. “Just move and see how far you get.”  

“Meredith, honey.” He pleaded, extending his hands palm up. 
“ Don’t do this.”  

Her gaze, once fixed to where her gun was aimed, slowly rose up to his face.  It was a handsome one, darn it!  Not a pretty boy, more like a real man with that rawness and virility she liked.  The gun, still aimed and cocked, didn’t sway one iota.

“Why are you back?” she yelled, slight trill to her voice.

Silence.

“You told me to shoot you if you ever did.” She cried. “Heck, EVERYONE told me I should shoot you if I saw your ugly mug again.”  Oh, but it wasn’t ugly, she mused.  He was still beautiful just a whole lot sadder and tired than she remembered.


To be continued.............

Saturday 19 November 2011

Hippo Bathday to me

Getting older is one of those things we can’t change unless the big man calls us upstairs.  There’s some comfort to be had in some of the good things that change as we age.  I’m not bothered as much these days if someone doesn’t like me or my opinions.  I am grateful for my experience and the lessons I’ve learned.  The mistakes I’ve made have shown me a new path and the ability to engage with the right people rather than the wrong. 

Another thing that has changed is my attitude to how the opposite sex views us.  There was a time when I was more than a little offended when a guy spoke to my chest when all I wanted him to do was acknowledge that I had a working mind.  Nowadays I find my inner voice screaming “look at my boobs!  Talk to my chest!  For god sake, why are you looking at my face???”  I guess we secretly want to be considered desirable no matter how old we are.

The only thing about getting older I’m not sure I like is that if I want to gaze into a man’s eyes I have to hold him further away so I can focus.  It’s a tragedy of major proportions that will continue to a time when a man whispering sweet nothings in my ear will be just that... nothing.  Oh well, I don’t look my age and I don’t act it, feel it nor live it.  I am just simply proud to make it to another birthday.

Saturday 12 November 2011

The Darker Side of Fame


I can tell you from experience that when you have more than one person talking to you at the same time it’s not an easy thing to work with.  Our brains aren’t made to disseminate information coming from so many angles.  It’s easy to become stressed and anxious; want to escape from what seems like a barrage of enquiry.  When fame takes hold of an artist (e.g. music) suddenly EVERYONE believes that the artist belongs to them lock, stock, and barrel.  It seems the normal expectations of manners and space are no longer applied.  So it’s no wonder that there are sensitive souls who succumb to the darker side of this.

Do we have a responsibility to assist those of us who are less able to handle things like fame?  Amy Winehouse is not the first young person to self-destruct yet we seem to be standing on the sidelines watching it rather than becoming active.  In days gone by cultures had a protocol which was adhered to strictly.  It was for everyone’s good as it promoted consideration for others and responsibility with power.  One of the saddest things about western culture is that it feels like it’s only here for the “good times”.  When things aren’t working to our advantage we look around to lay blame elsewhere and deny any knowledge of the tragedy unfolding.

Sad really.  Of course the old saying “you can lead a horse to water, but you cannot make it drink” is true here.  If the person at the centre of this does not feel worthy, no amount of cajoling will work.  Unless the self-destructive person becomes aware of their own behaviour they will never believe another’s opinion.  They will mostly feel the person is being a killjoy to what they perceive is their happiness.

Everyday there are those who decide their life isn’t worth a jot and quietly go about removing themselves from the census form.  Why do I say “quietly”?  Very rarely is a suicide ever printed on paper, delivered on radio or part of a TV news bulletin.  It’s unbelievable that those who kill themselves and others on the road are made public whilst those who might have been helped are the truly forgotten people in death too.  

Only the famous seem to perish publicly.

The Bigger Picture

It’s not how well things go when you are spending your money; it’s the attitude you are faced with if something goes wrong.  A purchase of expensive boots saw me with an accidental size difference from foot to foot.  Somewhere along the fitting of my boots the sizes went a bit amiss.  I just thought it was my feet since my left foot is bigger than the right.  It wasn’t until I had worn them for a few days and had noticed the size difference on the tongue that I realised it wasn’t my feet at all; one boot was a size 6 and the other a 7.

To be honest with you I was predicting a “tough titties” kind of attitude when I called up the store.  Instead, I was treated like a close friend.  The store manager was aghast that this had happened.  When I arrived back there all I wanted was the right sized shoe.  What I got was a completely new pair of boots and a gracious apology from the staff.  That was 8 years ago and not only am I still wearing the boots but I can remember clearly how wonderful the staff and management were to me over that incident.

I did go back too.  I purchased a second pair of the same expensive boots in a different colour.  

I’ve also checked online and the store is still there.  Why wouldn’t it be; it’s the attitude that keeps them going.  They have seen the bigger picture and so have their loyal customers.

Friday 11 November 2011

Freedom Of Choice

The call to ban smoking from alfresco dining areas is indeed an intriguing one.  I feel sorry for smokers losing just that little bit more public space to puff in.  Playgrounds, sporting fields and other outdoor public meeting places are already mooted for bans and some councils are now on the lookout to shame those who light up near people eating outdoors.  It’s kinda cruel isn’t it.  Most of the alfresco dining is on the street front which means that carbon monoxide smoke is also coming from the automobiles rumbling down the streets as well. 
Will there one day be a panel to answer to like McCarthy had in the 1950’s?  Will known associates of smokers have to sign a declaration every time they are in the presence of an active smoker?  Perhaps there will be “dob in a smoker” campaigns whereby a resident will be able to call a number if someone strolls past their house smoking a cigarette.  Who knows, we could soon find ourselves living a sort of Elizabethan era again where smokers have to create false walls in their homes so they can have a smoking place just like the Catholics had for worship.
It all seems rather draconian to me.  Whilst councils and pressure groups are focussed on campaigns like this people are still doing MORE acute harm to each other sans a cigarette and a lighter.
Yeah sure I know that there’s nothing nice about a mouthful of food mixed with a passive waft of cigarette smoke (it’s not nice with car fumes either).  I don’t like it but I accept that we non-smokers have total control over the inside now.  If I want to eat alfresco I cop it sweet there may be an active smoker in the midst.  After all, they are people too.