"All vegans have been there - if you're vegan, you know the situation well. Perhaps it's at work. Maybe it's with friends or even family. You sit down to eat, quietly ordering a salad or the ubiquitous (and so very tired) grilled vegetable entree, and some observant dinner companion notices that you're not chowing down on the chicken smothered in cream sauce and butter topped with bacon, or whatever the heart attack Atkins-approved special du jour is. You are keeping to youself, completely quiet and proper, and suddenly, in that moment of omnivorous realization, without any work on your part, you're turned into the militant animal rights activist, earthy weirdo, and transcender of all that is good and righteous in the world.
In short, you've become The Vegan Freak."
... The opening lines of a book which has been sat on my bookshelf for a while now. I can tell you every word is true. All vegan's will testify to having gone through this moment, which is usually promptly followed by a chorus of "What do you actually eat?" Yet, when you reply with a list of foodstuff as long as your arm, no one quite seems to believe you. I've taken to directing those non-believers to the famous book "Diet for a New America" which not only demonstrates how easy it is to become vegan, and how sustainable the diet is, but also spells out many harsh truths which today's society is inclined to shy away from.
The truth of the matter is, a lot of people seem to acknowledge that humans shouldn't consume animal products, but no one wants to talk about it. Now, I'm not one for preaching, but I prefer it when people practice what they believe to be right and wrong. I'd much prefer you to think it right to consume animal products (and explain your reasons for it) than continue to needlessly kill them because you like the taste but can't bear the thought of what you are actually eating. Be honest with yourself, that is all I ask.
I'm well aware that the world isn't going to simply turn completely vegan. However, if you become vegan at the age of around 20 (I did at 18) and you stick with it, you personally save 2000-3000 animals from the slaughterhouse in your lifetime.
I feel quite good about that.
Much cruelty-free love.
CC.
Monday, 15 November 2010
Wednesday, 10 November 2010
Flirting with London...
I'd forgotten how much I love that city. Even spending just an evening there, as I did on Thursday of last week, you can feel the London vibe creeping through your veins...
My collegue and I had a wonderful train journey down there - meetings on the train are always best, I find - you have more of an opportunity to talk things through. Of course, an extra bit of entertainment was provided by the Virgin Pendolino, with it's fantastic tilt mode on full whack as we steamed around the corners.
We arrived in London a little early for the launch party we were attending, and so our new mission was to find a cafe to sit in for a while and kill time. It was the cafe which we found that really reminded me of my love for this fantastic city.
The Union Theatre and Cafe - housed in what seems to be a garage just off one of the streets that leads from Southwark Underground, this quaint little cafe with it's theatre at the back is the perfect example of what London has to offer - the arts, lit up by fairy lights in a determination to show everybody that they are there, and that they deserve to be. The chairs and tables didn't match, and the doors were left open so that you could hear boy racers pass in their cars on the street, blasting hip hop as they went, but that was the beauty of it - you could watch all of London go by from this cafe, and perhaps watch some of their stories in the theatre behind you. Perfect. I'd love to return to that establishment one day, and take in a play while I'm there.
I'll "flirt with London" as Devina puts it :)
Much Love.
CC.
My collegue and I had a wonderful train journey down there - meetings on the train are always best, I find - you have more of an opportunity to talk things through. Of course, an extra bit of entertainment was provided by the Virgin Pendolino, with it's fantastic tilt mode on full whack as we steamed around the corners.
We arrived in London a little early for the launch party we were attending, and so our new mission was to find a cafe to sit in for a while and kill time. It was the cafe which we found that really reminded me of my love for this fantastic city.
The Union Theatre and Cafe - housed in what seems to be a garage just off one of the streets that leads from Southwark Underground, this quaint little cafe with it's theatre at the back is the perfect example of what London has to offer - the arts, lit up by fairy lights in a determination to show everybody that they are there, and that they deserve to be. The chairs and tables didn't match, and the doors were left open so that you could hear boy racers pass in their cars on the street, blasting hip hop as they went, but that was the beauty of it - you could watch all of London go by from this cafe, and perhaps watch some of their stories in the theatre behind you. Perfect. I'd love to return to that establishment one day, and take in a play while I'm there.
I'll "flirt with London" as Devina puts it :)
Much Love.
CC.
Wednesday, 3 November 2010
Inspirations...
...not as abundant as you'd like are they? And I'm not talking about a beautiful summer's day that inspires you to write a poem, I'm talking about people. These days, you get sick of hearing young girls claiming that Miss Katie Price, aka Jordan, is their hero. Hardly an inspiring woman if you ask me.
Having said that, the lack of inspirations in everyday life make it all the more noticable when you finally come across one. This is exactly what happened to me yesterday. I met a woman who commands every room she walks into. The kind of person who you have a conversation with an instantly want to be like her, you wangt to have the same power that she has over people.
This woman offered to help me. And she will be doing so for a year. That's what is truly inspiring about her. She's got where she wanted to be, yes, but she's going to make sure others do the same as well. Now that, especially in such a competitive industry like the arts, is extremely rare, and I've made a pact with myself to make sure I follow her philosophy on teaching others for the rest of my career.
And to top it all off, this woman was absolutely fabulous and a true rock chick.
That's me in 30 years, I promise you.
Much love.
CC.
Having said that, the lack of inspirations in everyday life make it all the more noticable when you finally come across one. This is exactly what happened to me yesterday. I met a woman who commands every room she walks into. The kind of person who you have a conversation with an instantly want to be like her, you wangt to have the same power that she has over people.
This woman offered to help me. And she will be doing so for a year. That's what is truly inspiring about her. She's got where she wanted to be, yes, but she's going to make sure others do the same as well. Now that, especially in such a competitive industry like the arts, is extremely rare, and I've made a pact with myself to make sure I follow her philosophy on teaching others for the rest of my career.
And to top it all off, this woman was absolutely fabulous and a true rock chick.
That's me in 30 years, I promise you.
Much love.
CC.
Sunday, 31 October 2010
"You're Beautiful and so Blasé.."
... one of my favourite Placebo lyrics. I've not long since received their new "REDUX" album which, along with a remastered version of their "Battle for the Sun" album, contains a bonus disc with 10 tracks - the latest single "Trigger Happy Hands", and various completely new and re-worked versions of older songs. Add to this a special addition t-shirt, with original artwork and a handwritten message from Brian Molko himself, explaining the origins of the song "Trigger Happy Hands", this box set makes for a fantastic collectors item.
It was with Placebo's last special addition that I became a music collector for by favourite bands. The rather large "Battle for the Sun" boxset was something from a collector's wildest dreams, with 2 discs, 2 DVDs, exclusive picture books, 2 vinyl records and a limited edition poster.
One of the DVDs documented Placebo's concert in Angkor Wat, which they did to raise awareness of human trafficking. The gig took place outside a cathedral, and so the band had to produce a set list which they could play almost half-acoustically. The result was a show which was almost a mixture of classical music and rock music, something which I personally adore, being the Artistic Director of a performing arts company which aims to mix styles in such a way. In some tracks, such as "Black Market Music's" "Black Eyed", Molko's voice comes across as almost gospel-like. A truly stunning show.
Placebo have provided their fans with exciting special additions and DVDs for as long as they have been able to. It's fantastic to see bands who like to give something back to their fans in such away.
On another note, it's great to see a new energy in the band ever since Steve Forrest joined - It's a firm belief of mine that every drummer should kick the crap out of the drum kit!
For more info on Placebo, please go to their website at www.placeboworld.co.uk
Much love.
CC.
It was with Placebo's last special addition that I became a music collector for by favourite bands. The rather large "Battle for the Sun" boxset was something from a collector's wildest dreams, with 2 discs, 2 DVDs, exclusive picture books, 2 vinyl records and a limited edition poster.
One of the DVDs documented Placebo's concert in Angkor Wat, which they did to raise awareness of human trafficking. The gig took place outside a cathedral, and so the band had to produce a set list which they could play almost half-acoustically. The result was a show which was almost a mixture of classical music and rock music, something which I personally adore, being the Artistic Director of a performing arts company which aims to mix styles in such a way. In some tracks, such as "Black Market Music's" "Black Eyed", Molko's voice comes across as almost gospel-like. A truly stunning show.
Placebo have provided their fans with exciting special additions and DVDs for as long as they have been able to. It's fantastic to see bands who like to give something back to their fans in such away.
On another note, it's great to see a new energy in the band ever since Steve Forrest joined - It's a firm belief of mine that every drummer should kick the crap out of the drum kit!
For more info on Placebo, please go to their website at www.placeboworld.co.uk
Much love.
CC.
Friday, 29 October 2010
Millenium
Stieg Larsson's Millenium Trilogy has to be by far the best set of books I've read in a long while. More twists and turns than a new theme park ride.
The heroine, Lisbeth Salander, is like no other - small, private, tattooed, she appears to most as one of society's rejects, when in fact she has the most exquisite mind. Her genius is beyond compare, and the lengths she will go to in order to have bad guys taught their lesson are astounding. Teamed with journalist Mikael Blomkvist, a seemingly iresistable older man, Larsson leaves his readers begging for more.
The first book in the trilogy, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, hooks you into the world of Swedish magazine Millenium with a dramatic plot line and stunning bouts of character development. Just when you think you know Salander and Blomvkist, the second book, The Girl who Played with Fire, pops up to prove that you really didn't. Besides which, the twist towards the end of this second installment actually had my eyes popping out of their sockets. As for the third book? Well, just like a complicated court case, I think it's better if you discover every aspect of that one by yourself.
I truly reccommend this beautifully written trilogy.
Much Bookish Love.
CC.
The heroine, Lisbeth Salander, is like no other - small, private, tattooed, she appears to most as one of society's rejects, when in fact she has the most exquisite mind. Her genius is beyond compare, and the lengths she will go to in order to have bad guys taught their lesson are astounding. Teamed with journalist Mikael Blomkvist, a seemingly iresistable older man, Larsson leaves his readers begging for more.
The first book in the trilogy, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, hooks you into the world of Swedish magazine Millenium with a dramatic plot line and stunning bouts of character development. Just when you think you know Salander and Blomvkist, the second book, The Girl who Played with Fire, pops up to prove that you really didn't. Besides which, the twist towards the end of this second installment actually had my eyes popping out of their sockets. As for the third book? Well, just like a complicated court case, I think it's better if you discover every aspect of that one by yourself.
I truly reccommend this beautifully written trilogy.
Much Bookish Love.
CC.
Tuesday, 26 October 2010
A bit of Nostalgia for you...
I just had to share this with you guys! Remember boyband A1? "Summertime of Our Lives", "Ready or Not", constant winking at the camera, tank tops, and that cute one with the curtains?
Well, they're back! In Norway, anyway, after having been the Norwegian entry to the Eurovision song contest. They've just released their 4th studio album over there, but what's really cool is that I found this song on the internet - A1 singing Lady Gaga's "Pokerface". It's fantastic - have a listen...
Much Love.
CC.
Well, they're back! In Norway, anyway, after having been the Norwegian entry to the Eurovision song contest. They've just released their 4th studio album over there, but what's really cool is that I found this song on the internet - A1 singing Lady Gaga's "Pokerface". It's fantastic - have a listen...
Much Love.
CC.
Saturday, 23 October 2010
You're the Boss
Some old cogs are turning. Some new ones too. Alongside my fabulous position of Trainee Producer, dance and writing are returning to my life in a big way, and I'm so thankful that I'm able to do all three. I truly believe that I have some very special people in my life who should take some credit for this.
I've been extremely lucky to have had a couple of rather inspiring employers in my time, who've always done all that was and is possible to make sure that my dreams come true. In fact, one of my previous employers continues to get me involved in various different opportunities, for which I am eternally grateful.
However, despite how much they have helped me over the years, one lesson which they have never neglected to teach me, is that of self sufficiency in the arts world. If you have a dream in this industry, you need to learn to be your own boss. Fast. Don't let those who run auditions get under your skin, and don't give anything to agencies until they prove that work is waiting for you. Go out there and find your niche, find your own work, and work hard at it. There are many examples of industry professionals in Manchester who do just this. Unfortunately, their hard work and passion is not always recognised.
Luckily for me, I've worked with two arts organisations in the City now, and both of them put hard work and passion on a pedastal like no other employer. Such is the heart and soul of this city.
Much love.
CC.
I've been extremely lucky to have had a couple of rather inspiring employers in my time, who've always done all that was and is possible to make sure that my dreams come true. In fact, one of my previous employers continues to get me involved in various different opportunities, for which I am eternally grateful.
However, despite how much they have helped me over the years, one lesson which they have never neglected to teach me, is that of self sufficiency in the arts world. If you have a dream in this industry, you need to learn to be your own boss. Fast. Don't let those who run auditions get under your skin, and don't give anything to agencies until they prove that work is waiting for you. Go out there and find your niche, find your own work, and work hard at it. There are many examples of industry professionals in Manchester who do just this. Unfortunately, their hard work and passion is not always recognised.
Luckily for me, I've worked with two arts organisations in the City now, and both of them put hard work and passion on a pedastal like no other employer. Such is the heart and soul of this city.
Much love.
CC.
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