Out of touch with reality

For the first time in seemingly ages I sat down and made a 'date to watch' with my tv. Two programmes in the schedules had caught my eye BBC2's 'Britains Youngest Boarders' and the much publicised 'Seven Days' on Channel 4, which was much lauded as the next big thing.

Working in tv, I had a feeling these were going to be water-cooler programmes, Twitter, Facebook and office chatter would be encircling the documented doses of reality like hungry vision vultures. I'm not deemed a 'creative type' and I do tend to be shunned from any conversation involving great creative debate however I've always enjoyed this genre of programming and it's fun sometimes to attempt to get my viewpoint heard amidst the academic critique and so settled in for a night with my ancient telly.

The tender troubles of homesick boarders at Sunningdale tugged at my maternal instincts and I've vowed if I ever had the financial means good schooling yes but boarding no. The young charges were engaging and quirky, their characters very defined from the moment we were introduced to them. I didn't catch the end of the programme, an ill timed paternal phone call drew me away with a promise to iPlayer later on, if anything to ensure young Hathers was ok and they'd all gone to bed after brushing their teeth.

My attentions then turned to Channel 4's latest social experiment 'Seven Days'. I was filled with anticipation it looked so great. I was bitterly disappointed. I felt no love for the majority of the characters, there was no engagement, no pull, no interest.

From pretentious whiney 'IT' girls who really didn't need anymore attention, blonde stereotypical interior designers and a property mogul who looked like a dread-locked Ronnie Wood with a creepy kitty shrine tomb swimming "pond" in his house. Where did they get the contributors? I noticed there was a casting credit whom I felt may have searched their own address book for people to appear. I felt like Channel 4 had totally missed the mark. Some of the characters I did want to see more of to gauge any sort of lasting connection potential, were all cut short.

I tried to give feedback on the much publicised webpage only to get the message that it was experiencing 'unprecedented' volumes of visitors. My, my Ch4 I wasn't born yesterday a hugely publicised programme which encourages the public to comment, critique and influence the contributors and you didn't expect that many hits? False modesty is so terribly earnest.

My hopes of a series akin to the BBC's late 90's epic 'Paddington Green' were totally dashed. There were no great characters such as Jackie the transsexual and Harry the wigmaker. I don't really care what the people of Notting Hill are doing day to day. I'm not sure I can bear to watch another episode, peer pressure might convince me. But for now I'd rather you give me Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts interpretation of West London, or I'll pop along to Portobello this weekend to absorb the real residents.

Vegetable virtuousity

I'm not what you'd call trendy, I do own a couple of Cath Kidson items yes, but I'm far from the Primrose Hill or Hampstead set. I wear Converse Allstars, love polaroids and have heavy rimmed specs and a 1950s fringe, but I'm really not a hipster. So why did I come under so much fire for ordering an organic veg box delivery?

Seriously, the comments I have been subjected to today were something quite bizarre; from 'oh that's a bit posh' to 'living beyond your means, £10 for 3 apples and a potato'. What, what what?!! I live a pretty frugal existence to be honest, I'm the Queen of the bargain hunt, buy most of my wordly possessions on ebay and get a shiver of joy when I see the bright yellow glow of a reduced sticker in the supermarket. If I could survive solely on £1 Iceland HotDog pizzas without gaining my own gravitational pull and my skin mirroring said pizza I'd be a very happy bunny.

Anyways, frugal and healthy living prompted me to reorder my small mixed fruit and veg box from Abel and Cole. £11 is all it costs for the little package of earthy smelling organic joy to appear on my doorstep this morning. It was like Christmas opening up the box to get to the scrumptious contents.

Along with the delicious contents I had a small tastefully printed booklet advising me about the Autumnal produce. Apple rarebit sounds amazing I have to admit.

But why the discrimination? Does organic produce still have a poncey stigma? Personally I feel so much better eating something which hasn't been frozen or engulfed in chemicals so it'll last for a month in my fridge. Not to mention the fact fresh fruit and vegetables taste oh so different. The difference in cost at the supermarkets has certainly become marginal, so it really can only be the social and moral leanings.

To be honest I really don't care what my box detractors think, I'm very happy with my muddy potatoes and cartoon style bunched carrots in fact I'm off to rummage in my veg box now. Nom!

Inspired by a cornucopia of creatives

So I've finally done it, I've taken the plunge and made myself a second blog. For a while I was known as 'The Motor Muppet' which whilst a fun pass-time and I certainly enjoyed documenting various motoring events and accompanying anecdotes, life goes on, times have changed and my motoring interest has waned a little (although I'm still very much a petrol head and indulge whenever my fancy takes me).

So what next? I'm surrounded by a mass of creative and inspirational people on a daily basis, working in media it's difficult not to trip over someone who's made a fabulous web-site or popped out a portfolio of photography to die for, and whilst I'm not really in the same league I do have the occasional brain fart and out pops something random or surreal, I might see something on my travels or something bizarre will happen, or I'll obsess about something all of which I'd like to share.

I recommend reading this blog with a cup of tea and something sweet, preferably a jaffa cake or a custard cream.