belle de jour - 01.09.2004

Sundown is the start of Rosh Hashanah. I'm afraid, darlings, the time has come for me to go. When this blog started it was with no expectations. I've never lived my life to a plan aside from enjoying myself and have (for the most part) enjoyed doing this.

mercredi 15 septembre
Sundown is the start of Rosh Hashanah. I'm afraid, darlings, the time has come for me to go.

HT Image

When this blog started it was with no expectations. I've never lived my life to a plan aside from enjoying myself and have (for the most part) enjoyed doing this.

All things pass. For instance: Harts the Grocer, I am saddened to note, are now Tesco Metro. But that is the way of things. I'll miss this. The time will never be right to finish the diary - so I am ending it now.

Doors have opened and I'd like to see where they go. Other doors close, but as my mother said when I was 10 and tennis conflicted with piano on Thursday afternoons, you can't do everything you want to do. So my plans to be elected to Parliament, win a Nobel Prize and make the finals at Wimbledon are on the back burner for now. As book and telly projects progress, I'll come back to link - and I will let you know if the site is going to be moved.

If I could add one thing, it would be this - don't ever turn down pleasure because you were afraid of what other people might say.

// posted by belle @ 9:52 AM

mardi 14 septembre
Preparation is like gas; it expands to fill the space allotted.

When I had more appointments, and they came at shorter notice, I was always almost-ready. Reasonably maintained; trimmed, waxed and manicured; closet organised and shoes lined up, stockings rinsed, handbag packed; I could be on my way within forty minutes.

Now there is more lead time before an appointment, and not very many appointments at that. Two days ago someone made arrangements to see me tonight, and I've been panicking ever since. Hair? Legs? Shoes? Now it seems like there are a thousand things to do, and not enough time to do them in. Which is odd, because when I go out tonight I'll look identical to how I would have given only an hour to prepare.

I even woke earlier than usual this morning, to deep-condition my hair and check my dress was clean, pressed and ready to go. I spotted the clock in the kitchen when I emerged from the bathroom - it wasn't even time for breakfast yet.

Hurry up and wait, hurry up and wait, as the Boy used to say.

// posted by belle @ 1:17 PM

Another record day for the Inbox...

So well read yet so ignorant ? ... Anyway what did Christ do for the first 30 years of his life ?
What, you think I know from Christianity? You're the pedant, honey, you tell me. I'm not the sort of person who thinks ignorance is a virtue, but then I can't really be expected to be au fait with the mythology of a religion I don't follow - you dig?

This should help narrow down the field of possible subjects I studied, for those who are interested; clearly theology and comparative religion were not on the curriculum.

Another charming respondent adds,

Them what knows say that Joseph of Arimathea got as far as fair Albion; all the secret cults (templars, masons) reckon Jesus survived crucifixion. The Koran says clearly that he paid for someone else to be nailed. Some nutty documentary claims he went to Kashmir. And Romans were occasionally exiled to England, as being a most God forsaken spot.

How silly of me not to have realised. Jesus going to Albion = reasonable; Jesus going to Kashmir = nutty. Now pardon me whilst I snort derisively. The same correspondent signs off:

So there.
Well done mate, you've really gotten one over on me. Does that make you feel better? I've really had it with you people. You know who you lot remind me of? The fellow on the Simpsons who works in the comic book store.

Ooh, here comes another:

Really surprised however that you're slating Jerusalem - official anthem of the Women's Institute. I would have thought given the expensive education and appreciation of the finer things in life, you'd be the ideal member.
Aside from being a Jewish prostitute, I suppose I would make a grand addition to the WI. They are not unfamiliar with getting their kit off after all.

A contrary view puts his 2p in:

It's an incitement to revolutionary violence, something they tend not to dwell on at the proms.
Nice.

Someone else adds,

My understanding of the poem is that its a piece of early socialism, that Blake is talking about building jerusalem - a sort of utopian vision - amongst these dark satanic mills.
A lovely thought, but I think that reading was rather lost on the folks wrapping themselves in the Union Jack.

// posted by belle @ 9:11 AM