Give up my grad degree in exchange for a real relationship.
Be less intellectual, if it meant I could have a chance at something emotionally fulfilling.
Because:
My mind is full, but my heart is empty.
My education enriches me, but does not love me.
**********
Did you know Merserene has a Blogger Blog too? If you liked my eye candy, wait till you see her shiny things. I am so tempted to nickname her "Magpie". So toodle off to Transmissions from my Mind
and feast your eyes! Not to worry, it will load in a new window.**********
So I went to Soho for my mask today. They had a lot of pretty jewellery there made using Swarovski crystals, with similar prices as Butler & Wilson, only a little less girly-girly and more grown-up. Except for the blinging keychains and rings. Those sorts of things at B&W were more authentic and French and yummy, if you know what I mean.
This little shop called OMYGOD on Frith Street had a decent selection of nice, affordable papier-mache Venetian masks starting at £24. The one I wanted fitted perfectly without a ribbon or a stick. Shiny black lacquer with a delicate design on one side only...of Swarovski crystals. Which begs the question, How much?
£120
I said "Oh my God."
The assistant chose all the smaller, narrow ones for me. There was a nice gold one with a central airsprayed area in green and scattered glitter scrolls and curlicues. Some of the traditional Arlecchino (Harlequin) ones were even a little too narrow! And I suppose if you get a trad one like that it doesn't really have to match the outfit. I don't know....
But do look at these masks, aren't they beautiful? (Also a new window.)
Anyway, in the end I settled on a black matte one, probably the cheapest in the shop, and had him remove the ribbons and put on a stick for me, thus making it a lorgnette style mask. (Lorgnette is the French term for opera glasses. Opera glasses are dainty little specs a lady would grasp by the handle with her silk-gloved hands and hold up to her pretty eyes, all the better to see the opera with from her red velvet loggia. A loggia, or loge, is....never mind...this huge tangent is already big enough.) Then I rushed off to John Lewis with designs dancing in my head. Straight to the Haberdashery department, of course.
I might become a beading freak. I got Swarovski crystal and sterling silver beads of various sizes - including enough to make myself a bracelet and a ring, since I cannot find any to fit. Also got a little reel of nylon thread and a couple of clasps for the purpose.
If I get good at this...well...it's "eBay, here I come!", but don't hold your breath yet.
None of you know I won a mask-making competition in high school. I got the blue ribbon in the regional French Cultural competition. It was a whole-face mask encrusted in sequins: the top half was the Stars and Stripes (needed the head space for the stars, and anyway in the US the flag has to be on top) and the bottom half was the French flag. Red, white and blue feather plumes came out of the eyes, and there were two bells hung on tassels on the sides. I mounted it on a black background. ["Plumes" is such a stupid-looking word.]
My mother kept it on the wall beside my certificates and awards for about 14 years. Every now and then we might find a sequin on the floor, or find a bit of coloured feather floating around on the tiles, but it survived quite well.
I think she threw it away when she moved out of the house.
I wonder what she did with my 2nd place poster....It was HUGE. A gorgeous American eagle, draped by the flag, surrounded by countless world flags under the slogan Help your country: learn a foreign language. My dad did the immaculate lettering because by then I'd had a wart cauterised on my palm and couldn't work. Hehe, I remember him writing an English paper for me while I dictated, and when I turned it in my teacher nearly died, his writing was so neat!
Oh cool. Now I know where I get the pride in my handwriting from....I'm always yelling at my mother for scrawling, bless her ;)
Hey look, I just did free thought circles! Been months since I did that. And don't look at the time, I just can't go to bed...
...One of those days...
Oh wait, should I have got the white mask instead??? It's OK, I won't freak out if you say I should have, I'll just shrug my shoulders, say "Eh, the black one is [insert justification here] and proceed to decorate it.
Nite nite. Or rather, good morning. Enjoy the freezing fog on your way to work.
This little shop called OMYGOD on Frith Street had a decent selection of nice, affordable papier-mache Venetian masks starting at £24. The one I wanted fitted perfectly without a ribbon or a stick. Shiny black lacquer with a delicate design on one side only...of Swarovski crystals. Which begs the question, How much?
£120
I said "Oh my God."
The assistant chose all the smaller, narrow ones for me. There was a nice gold one with a central airsprayed area in green and scattered glitter scrolls and curlicues. Some of the traditional Arlecchino (Harlequin) ones were even a little too narrow! And I suppose if you get a trad one like that it doesn't really have to match the outfit. I don't know....
But do look at these masks
, aren't they beautiful? (Also a new window.)Anyway, in the end I settled on a black matte one, probably the cheapest in the shop, and had him remove the ribbons and put on a stick for me, thus making it a lorgnette style mask. (Lorgnette is the French term for opera glasses. Opera glasses are dainty little specs a lady would grasp by the handle with her silk-gloved hands and hold up to her pretty eyes, all the better to see the opera with from her red velvet loggia. A loggia, or loge, is....never mind...this huge tangent is already big enough.) Then I rushed off to John Lewis with designs dancing in my head. Straight to the Haberdashery department, of course.
I might become a beading freak. I got Swarovski crystal and sterling silver beads of various sizes - including enough to make myself a bracelet and a ring, since I cannot find any to fit. Also got a little reel of nylon thread and a couple of clasps for the purpose.
If I get good at this...well...it's "eBay, here I come!", but don't hold your breath yet.
None of you know I won a mask-making competition in high school. I got the blue ribbon in the regional French Cultural competition. It was a whole-face mask encrusted in sequins: the top half was the Stars and Stripes (needed the head space for the stars, and anyway in the US the flag has to be on top) and the bottom half was the French flag. Red, white and blue feather plumes came out of the eyes, and there were two bells hung on tassels on the sides. I mounted it on a black background. ["Plumes" is such a stupid-looking word.]
My mother kept it on the wall beside my certificates and awards for about 14 years. Every now and then we might find a sequin on the floor, or find a bit of coloured feather floating around on the tiles, but it survived quite well.
I think she threw it away when she moved out of the house.
I wonder what she did with my 2nd place poster....It was HUGE. A gorgeous American eagle, draped by the flag, surrounded by countless world flags under the slogan Help your country: learn a foreign language. My dad did the immaculate lettering because by then I'd had a wart cauterised on my palm and couldn't work. Hehe, I remember him writing an English paper for me while I dictated, and when I turned it in my teacher nearly died, his writing was so neat!
Oh cool. Now I know where I get the pride in my handwriting from....I'm always yelling at my mother for scrawling, bless her ;)
Hey look, I just did free thought circles! Been months since I did that. And don't look at the time, I just can't go to bed...
...One of those days...
Oh wait, should I have got the white mask instead??? It's OK, I won't freak out if you say I should have, I'll just shrug my shoulders, say "Eh, the black one is [insert justification here] and proceed to decorate it.
Nite nite. Or rather, good morning. Enjoy the freezing fog on your way to work.
21 comments:
Hey, come on now. Being educated and intellectual is not a sin, or a unattractive, or whatever you're trying to get at saying what you did. I'm coming to realize more and more every day that everyone has a body, but not everyone has a soul. That you think and that you care makes you an infinitely better person than those that never care about anything.
I see you put that at the top and tried to get us to forget about it by the end by talking about happy things. I'm capable and willing of reading way too far into statements like that.
why did u buy a mask? I'm up late with allergies....
Jiali, I believe that mask is for Olivia's fancy dress ball!
LOL @ "magpie" comment. :D
Blogger has been acting up lately...people's pages won't load and it ain't just mine!
The lorgnette sounds classy!
I got quite a few Swarovski crystal/AB jewelry off of ebay. If you do decide to sell, you must let me know because I'll rush right over. I love people's original designs!
-merserene
oooh.
Hey that deleted one was me, sorry! Was being a miserable sod, lol!
I can't really add to what Randis said, so just read that bit again because I agree entirely, I know how you feel! (except for the intellectual bit of course, lol!).
Black is definitely the way to go, goes well with the outfit and it'll set of the decoration better.
Randis - you smartie-pants, I did put it at the top so you'd all forget about it.
I know you get it because you probably have the same moments.
M - Hmmmm, does that stand for "Magpie"? Hehe!
When I was on eBay I was amazed at how many people sell their own creations. It's so inspiring!
Matt - I'll let you into a little secret - all comments are emailed to me so I got both of 'em ;)
I have had to settle for this black mask, even though I found prettier ones online last night for better prices! Oh blast!
Oooh, Jia Li! I forgot to tell you, one of our old friends is coming back! Can you guess who it is???
I have an Idea...
Ooops! Well apologies for the down in the mouth element of that post, I'd just rolled out of bed and identified a little too strongly and at the time in the morning, pre-coffee I tend to let it flow lol! Mattertainment(TM) is now fully functional again! :-p
I am sorry youre feeling so lonely Olivia, wish I could suggest something cause been there done that. But alas nothing springs to mind. Jeeves & Wooster is on tv on Living TV is you have sky. Bertie usually makes me smile. (I am home with a fever at the mo feeling rotten)
Actually its on ITV3 sorry
Matt - oh it wasn't that bad, but it was very true.
Rox - thanks. I guess it happens to the best of us at times, and this is my first.
Sorry to say I have no Sky or Freeview. I'd planned to get the latter for Xmas as they have given me a new TV, but I can wait a few more months.
I cunningly installed a digi card in my PC so have freeview on the computer so have saved space. that's my good idea for the year!
Smart move!
No, "M" is certainly not for "Magpie." :D (What an awful name it would be in real life!)
My dear, it will work out. You are one complete package with education and intellect; unless you're telling me people dislike you for such wonderful qualities, they should never be traded off! (Even if they did, that just means they're ignorant...)
-merserene
No, M, generally they like these qualities, but they can be a bit of an obstacle...I just need to soften them a bit and nurture the other side.
Liv, pumpkin. Are you saying I am stupid because I'm happy in love? As are my parents? He he he
Seriously though: the two are not mutually exclusive.
Some would say intellect and emotion are both needed for the completion of character.
Rebecca - nooooo I am just frustrated!!!
You're cute, witty, and smart as a whip, and you've happened to meet the right person who appreciates your particular balance of qualities.
Well no, actually, he was hoping to find someone who would cook more and talk less. But now he's stuck with me.
I was hoping to find someone who would cook more and talk less too so I won.
It's been ages since I had 20 comments...
Rebecca, be thankful he was flexible enough to compromise on a few ideals in order to keep you!
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