This is not my... Story
01/02/06 - It's WEDNESDAY - woohoo
30/01/06 - All by my self... don't wanna be....
27/01/06 - Fashion and a really sore bum
26/01/06 - I've fallen in love...
Background to This is not my...
01/02/06 - It's WEDNESDAY - woohoo
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Which means that there is loads of new fun stuff on the site.
Feel free to look round and explore!
Have fun. |
You may not know, or realise but we update This is not my... on a weekly basis.
We decided on doing this mid-week and so, from here on in it will be updated on a Wednesday. (Though my meanderings on this page, the Debates, Angel or Devil and the Quote will be updated each day.)
Anyhow - sections that have just been changed and you may not have seen are:
Intrigue: Articles about anything from Angel's in New Zealand to Ethical Sex. (Feel free to get in touch if you want to write anything for this section by the way!)
Entertainment: This is split into five parts, with Films, Books, Theatre, Events and Music. (As above for Books, Theatre and Music.)
Focus: Each week we highlight how brilliant a section of companies in the directory are. Have a read through and then go and take a look at the great directory listings.
News Comparison: Spotlight on different issues around the globe and how they are perceived in the world press. So far we have focused on Zimbabwe and Burma. Today we look at the latest regarding Nepal and the Maoists.
(My Mum is volunteering in an orphanage there next month. Rather than being concerned about her safety though, most people who know her are concerned about Nepal! Apparently if anyone tries to threaten her she plans to sit on them.)
Horoscopes: Despite the fact that we are utterly unqualified in anything metaphysical we thought horoscopes might be fun. Week one was 'have a good day' scope, week two 'chat up line' scope and today it is 'word dare of the week' scope.
And - erm - that might be it. It seemed like so much more when I was loading it up!
To be fair there is loads of other stuff on here as well but I will explain that another day as I am sure that is quite enough to be getting on with.
Hope that some of you have got further along the road to a sustainable electricity supply too.
By the way I chose Good Energy as they will actually give you 100% renewable energy. If you sign up for the green tariff on some other plans this may just mean that some money is put aside for research into green energy. Still a good start but not as immediately effective.
Going to keep it short today as there is so much other new stuff to have a look at but tomorrow I am off to visit my friend at The Hub in Islington and also spending the evening in the Duke of Cambridge trying to remember how to be a bar lady.
Very exciting!
Will have loads to tell you about on Thursday.
See you then x
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It is.
Despite all attempts to stall and a discussion about the dangers of not cancelling standing orders* it did only take 5 minutes to change my electricity supplier! |
Well almost.
To be exact it is not yet changed and wont be for 3 weeks but it is now out of my hands and being organised.
Good Energy will get in touch with my current supplier to arrange the switch. I will need to sign something to approve this but to all intense and purpose it is pretty much done.
So, if you have 5 minutes, get on the phone.
You too can sleep well tonight knowing that you are saving two tonnes of carbon a year and that, once Greenland melts, you will be able to smugly say 'I told you so' to everyone who doesn't use renewable's.
Though, I suppose, if we encourage everyone and every company we know to switch now to avoid the melting / global flooding, that might be better still. We could be like Jehovah's Witnesses and go round everyone's houses... we'd get lots of cups of tea! (Or you could just send everyone you know the link to this page...)
Ooooh just heard on the radio that it was national croissant day today (30th)- and am really really excited as, on the way home last night, I realised I didn't have any bread for breakfast so bought myself - yes - a croissant!
Wow. Who'd have thought it. I never eat croissants. My friend Penny would call it synchronicity. (We should never have let her read that Jung book...)
Anyhow - I am sure you are as excited about that as I am but back to the electricity and some facts with which to impress your friends / grandmothers / people you meet on the bus.
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"The primary energy consumption of Europe is 119 quadrillion British Thermal Units" (The Physics Factbook)
- If "everyone on earth consumed as much energy as U.S. citizens currently use, worldwide energy production would not have to go from 316 quadrillion BTUs to over 1,900 quadrillion BTUs" (www.ecoworld.org)
- I am putting these facts in as they have the word 'quadrillion' in them.
But all is not lost - there are energy conserving measures we can now take. (A ten week plan perhaps?) It is just that we do actually need to take them now.
Not should.
Need.
I am going to stop before I start getting preachy - without even the hope of tea and cake - but just bear in mind that, of the half a million homes in the UK that could - right now - be using 100% renewable energy, only 17,000 are. Unless you get on that phone...
Anyhow - other than the excitement of changing the electricity today I also made my first newsletter as Ollie isn't here to do it.
Therefore, for all of you on the mailing list tmrw, please ignore the fact that it is in the wrong font, the wrong colour and could have been done better by anyone undertaking a school project.
If you aren't on our mailing list - please feel free to get on it so that you don't miss out on this fabulous opportunity to witness my first attempt at Photoshop. Don't all rush at once now...
(We - thankfully - only send one out once a week so don't worry about getting inundated with stuff if you do.)
I also got an email from a nice lady at www.onelifelive.co.uk asking if we want to exhibit at their event. As it costs more than £2.50 we can't but it doesn't seem to be crazy expensive so if you are reading this and think you would want to exhibit - give them a call.
Brilliantly they offered instead to run a competition on here later for tickets - so watch this space if you want to go along.
(If you can't be bothered to read the link above it's an event about leading the best and most enjoyable life ever - so basically an event about fun stuff!)
Anyhow - it is now today and I woke up really early.
Hope that you didn't have any such distressing experience. That you managed to sneak a bit of a lie in. And that you are now feeling fresh, relaxed and full of the joys of spring.
Despite the fact that it is still winter and cold.
Hmpf.
(Might go back to bed for a bit so I stop being grumpy!)
Promise not to be tomorrow x
(*Well I thought it would just stop... I was young...)
30/01/06 -All by my self... don't wanna be...
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Despite the fact that, I will now be able to keep all the doors closed, lights off and putrifying vegetables out of the fridge, it is a sad day.
La has gone on holiday. So has Ollie.
Be gentle. |
Being an optimist I was determined that the site would be up and running by now and so opted out of the ski trip some friends were planning. La and Ollie (such little faith) are though currently flying around on bits of wood up mountains.
I can't claim to be too much of a martyr, though, as I did make them stay up till 2 on Saturday to finish loads of work before they went (such crazy fun nights round here I tell you) which means that we are actually more organised than we have been in weeks!
As they aren't here, though, I needed to find someone new to play Angel or Devil with. Luckily my friend Soph happily agreed - either that or she was too hung over to object!
Now, I have to confess at this point that the 'accessory making from unused items around the home' I promised to do on Friday has not taken place. I apologise but hope to be able to redeem myself by incorporating this creative endeavor into the Angel or Devil challenge for the week.
When Lara and Ollie return we plan to run around London in various costumes of Sophie's design (something I am not sure was decided upon in a moment of full complete mental clarity).
So, I thought that by challenging Soph to see who could create the most exciting item from 'unused items around the home' I would not only be able to complete my belated promise but give her some valuable practice in budget designing.
(I also knew that she would refuse the other suggestions of giving up drinking or walking to work - especially as I would have a bit of an advantage on the 'walking to work' one!)
Anyhow - with Government scientists today highlighing grave concerns about climate change and the projected melting of the Greenland ice sheet - it is even more worrying that last weeks Angel or Devil showed how hard it is to break energy wasting habits. So I spent some time compiling us a:
Ten Week Plan to Energy Efficiency
I'm going to start it here but it would be brilliant if you wanted to do it too.
Week 1 - Changing electricity suppliers
Thought this one might be good early on as, if we are still wasting energy in other ways, at least the energy we are using is sustainable.
I'm planning to call up Good Energy this morning. Switching takes 5 minutes if you have your supply number - which should be on your last bill. (Even if you don't have your supply number if you call up for this today you will have it by Thursday and still have time to swap by the weekend!)
If you are feeling a bit more ambitious why not look into solar power or try to set up your own wind farm? My Dad is a farmer. I have plans. He doesn't know about them yet. It's possible he might object...
(There are details of wind and solar power in the energy section on here if you want some more information.)
Anyhow, apologies again for managing to create nothing out of anything over the weekend. In fact I wasn't able to get up to much creating or adventuring (aside from an, all too public, demonstration of ballet moves on the tube on Friday night*)
I did manage to read a bit about the World Social Forum (absolutely not because I am nosey and there were big pictures of a pregnant Angelina Jolie on the front of the paper...) and erm - I'm not sure what else really.
Anyhow - sure you had much more fun. Not as much fun perhaps as... changing your electricity supplier though?
Best find out.
I'll let you know how it was for me...
*It is possible that casual observers may not have realised the wierd protractions were an attempt at ballet.
27/01/06 -Fashion and a really sore bum
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Bit of a cliff hanger yesterday - my first foray into the world of fashion.
Many of you were probably wondering:
'Will she be spotted? Should Kate and Naomi fear for their position on the catwalk...?' |
Lucky then that it was a debate rather than a show and that, for the benefits of the site, I kept a low profile to avoid the talent scouts...
Well - that or the fact that I was hidden by the towering giantesses all around.
Actually, you wouldn't have noticed anyone in the midst of the most incredible accessorising ever. I didn't know you could get away with wearing limes outside the caribbean? A whole new world of foodstuff adornment has been opened up...
Ooh by the way - any men out there - this place was rammed with stunning, compassionate, intelligent ladies. There was a ratio of men to women of about 1/10.
Where were you?
You are definitely missing a trick here!
Anyhow - back to the debate. The whole initiative was started a year a go by Labour Behind the Label. Recognising a desire amongst design students and graduates to use their skills in a positive way, they created a working group to focus on: 'Fashioning an ethical industry'.
I.e. to provide practical ways of changing an industry that has been built to create profit, to the detriment of human rights and the environment. This ideal is something that we should, of course, strive for in all industry.
What makes the clothing industry so vital though is that it involves 1 billion people and so directly affects a sixth of the global population.* The knock on benefits of improving the clothing industry are therefore phenomenal.
However, despite the vast numbers involved in creating our clothes we don't at present have much information about them. When it comes to fabulous bargains most of us just feel lucky to find them! I guess we hope that, as we live in a country with labour laws, they will have been made properly.
Sadly, they very rarely are.
Katherine Hamnett, one of the panelists on the debate, explained that over the years she had realised the startling truth that the industry has literally been 'getting away with murder'.
A few years back she became aware of the inherent problems of clothing manufacture (death, pollution, slave labour - you know - that sort of thing). She tried to change it but came up against absolute opposition.
So she pulled the plug. If she wanted to ensure the supply chain of her products she had to risk commercial suicide, walk out of all the contracts she could not terminate and set up on her own.
But even for a lady with such a huge name in the fashion world it has been massive struggle against the system.
It was the same for Abigail Garner of Gossypium but she too has managed to fight for her organic clothing to be made - and to be made well. These ladies are proof that it can be done.
And as they pointed out, "the industry has to sell but the consumers don't have to buy."
I did economics at school - briefly, I have no idea why, as I am terrible at anything with numbers but anyhow I did and the one thing I grasped was the theory of supply and demand.
As Isabel Losada pointed out when I spoke to her, if no one is buying a product it will stop being supplied. Simple.
Roland Mouret used the debate to explain that he saw huge problems in the world all around him. Yet, instead of running from them, or assuming that someone else would take responsibility he asked the question, "What can I do myself?".
A fantastic attitude.
My first (somewhat blatant) suggestion will be that you check out our list of fabulous clothes shops making fair trade and organic products. If you do it is highly probable that the law of karma will mean you win the lottery, find true love or receive a deluge of unexpected gifts... (ok - maybe not highly probable...)
Anyhow, debate wise, there was a lot more said - it got quite heated - the man from the standards agency turned up - there was talk of ethical pants and steps for the future - a display with people in masks and outfits where you could see the top of their bottoms and then... to the pub.
Simon and Natalie from Plain Lazy helped me deconstruct the nights event... i.e. we talked about the problem of China having no unions for a few brief moments before it degenerated into the worst impression of a Texan I have ever had the pleasure of witnessing.
So - a fun night and great too as the room was ram packed with people all clearly interested in trying to do something to change the industry (fun that is aside from the fact that this meant we had to sit on the floor and get numb bums).
Now - it is early on Friday morning and I have forgotten to promote this. I am trying to read through it quickly but if it is spelt wrong, reads wrong or is generally wrong I apologise - leave me in ignorance though. At least till I make some coffee.
Have an amazing day and crazy crazy weekends.
See if you can avoid buying anything made unethically by checking out the shops on here or simply accessorising with fruit or other items you find round the house!
Actually that sounds pretty fun - I shall use the weekend to create examples to show you!
Did I mention I am highly uncreative?
Should be interesting...
*I'm not sure of the source for this figure but it was noted by one of the panelists and if the industry goes from the cotton grower up to those working on our high streets it seems entirely feasible - I will try to track it down though!
26/01/06 -I've fallen in love....
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But not with a man.
Not with a woman either for that matter.
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It was early - well ish. It was cold. I was off to Hammersmith and The Gate.
For anyone who doesn't know, The Gate is a fabulous vegetarian restaurant. My friend Ollie (not our This is not my Ollie but another one) cites it as his favourite restaurant in the world.
Ollie is a man who would consume a steak in a matter of minutes.
(The other Ollie, that is...)
You have to be in the know to get to the Gate. It is quite tricky to find and disguises itself both as a wall and a church. Once you do get there though, you find yourself in a gorgeous old studio. Light streaming through the huge windows.
I arrived to the sound of music blaring and loud crazy voices emanating from the kitchen. Handily, I also arrived just in time for coffee.
Aldo had told me to "bear in mind that lunch is much quieter than dinner" - in which case I can't imagine what it must be like at dinner! (Mind you, my past experience amounts to two weeks in the kitchen of the Sydmouth donkey sanctuary. A place so quiet old ladies fell asleep into their cream teas!)
Anyhow - it was a hive of industrious activity, spotless, exciting and full of attractive men.
All good so far.
Most impressive though was the wide trays of bright juicy peppers, vast pans of bubbling sauces and freshly chopped mushrooms.
My vitamin deficient body took one look at the scene and I fell in love. Yes, it was a strange occurrence, but I was full of longing for the slowly marinated aubergine!
Yet, just as I realised I was staring a bit too intently at the array of delectable produce, the blow came. I was not to be allowed to help in the kitchen.
I was welcome to loiter - with or without intent - but could not assist for reasons of health and safety. (I think someone may have read yesterday's 'burning oven food' comment - damnation.)
However, never one to wallow over misfortune (exes aside) I decided that I would turn my attention to The Gate's cookbook instead and the pictures of delicious creations held within... and then see which ones were on the menu!
Yes, after my offers of help were politely declined time and time again (I honestly would have been happy to clean the roof) I was instead invited to stay for lunch. This was exciting and worrying in turn. What to choose?
It was a close run thing. Holloumi kibis, Shitake mushroom and pumpkin laksa, mushroom strudel or aubergine schnitzel? Ok, maybe not THAT close. It all looked amazing - but the aubergine was always going to win.
By this point I had watched as the marinated aubergine yuminess had been laboriously transformed into an incredible layered masterpiece of mozzarella, basil pesto, roasted red peppers and plum tomato's.
I am not a restaurant critic. Nor a food expert but if you need more encouragement to hot foot it here than my comment that 'it was utterly delicious' check out some other reviews.
One of these mentions that it is "probably London's best vegetarian restaurant".
So there you go.
(By the way, in case you're dubious about my motives for this effusive food excitement - I don't get paid - it just was actually wonderful - especially for someone whose staple diet has become a mixture of different chocolate based items!)
Anyhow, I am now back home entirely satiated and feeling healthier than I have in days. So thank you very much to everyone there for being so lovely and for helping me hold off the scurvy a little longer!
Now I have to get a move on and head back out. Have an ethical fashion show to get to....
Well - technically a debate on the future of ethical fashion but that is almost the same!?
Still - better go and put on my best outfit (jeans and a jumper again then).
Hope your days are magic.
Very excited. See you tmrw x
This section will be a daily, well - Monday to Friday daily, editorial. (Have to keep some time aside to keep up the ritual wine drinking / dancing as if being chased by bees.)
I promise to make it my mission to investigate something each day on exciting forays to find new stuff, fun stuff, ethical stuff and anything involving break dancing men with extremely toned physiques.
Let me know if you think of something I should go and visit or if you have any great ideas or information. (Any dodgy suggestions will be politely declined... or not so politely, depending entirely on what they are!)
For today, though, please just have a look below to find out how this whole thing came about. I hope that you are having a lovely morning.
See you tomorrow,
Susie x
Background to This is not my...
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What is this site all about?
Well, as all good ventures do, it started in the pub with the ominous words "I know, why don't we...?" |
What was different, though, was that it still seemed like a good plan in the morning (and somewhat less injurious than trying out extreme ironing, the other suggestion...)
Anyway - once again we had been supping beers and putting the world to rights when someone mentioned the unmentionable, despite our disaffection with the state of the world, none of us was actually doing anything positive to change it.
Whether this was complacency or apathy, who knows - but we were definitely leaving it to others to make decisions and take action for us on issues about which we felt strongly.
We live in a free society, but often things seem to happen as a fait accompli. The war in Iraq, ID cards, the fact that we will eventually succumb to watching some of Big Brother no matter how hard we try...
And we just go along with it. But that is ok, right? I mean, we aren't exactly encouraging the abuse of others - are we?
Ok - so maybe my new top might have been made under less-than-perfect conditions and I suppose that means I am supporting those conditions, but - I have to buy something to wear, so what other choice do I have?
And that was the problem. What - and where - are the choices?
So we decided to investigate. Surely in this free society we have other options; we just need to know how to find them.
So we went online. There are some great directories already for ethical and/or environmentally friendly products, but for us these didn't go far enough. We were on a bit of a roll and decided that these products deserved more active promotion.
We wanted to make as many people as possible aware of the practical things they can do to live life in a better way.
So on this site we will provide information about easy, positive and ethical consumer choices. These are choices that won’t necessarily cost you more, either.
In our directories you will find environmentally friendly and ethical companies and products across the following categories:
Clothes
Energy
Food and Drink
Health and Beauty
Home and Garden
Office
Recycling
Restaurants
You will also find debates, downloads, fun stuff and plenty more to lure you back to the site on a regular basis.
We’d love you to get involved with some curious antics to keep important issues in the public eye – and provide us with much entertainment and amusement at the same time.
So - take a look. Explore… investigate… probe away.
We hope you like it; we hope you use it.
