Getting Up Early

After a break of four years, I've had a hankering to blog again. I feel with a blog, you can at least try and contextualise your writing, rather than writing something pithy or witty on twitter and facebook. Some people are excellent at twitter, and it really suits their personalities, but I am a rambler and need longer prose and sentences or pictures. You find me, four years into a career at the BBC, having worked predominantly at BBC Essex, (have you heard of something called "local radio?!") but I have also ventured to Media City in Salford for 5live and where I am presently, General News Service. We're the part of the BBC that comes with the caveat, "we fix national stories for local radio". Don't get it? Oh well. I've discoverd with news and working at Auntie, there's quite a lot of "getting up early." This is something that does not come naturally to me. I very much enjoy a warm bed and duvet, it's my favourite place in the world. I'm not really sure how many before 5 o'clock starts I've done in the past four year, two hundred? but these are my tips for doing it. 1. Get everything ready the night before. Put it all next to the door. Have your pass / keys / lunch / water / make up bag in place. 2. Cashmere. I very much admire those who can wake up circa 4am and put on a starchy shirt, a cardigan, a little necklace, earings, court shoes, you know the whole "pulled together, I'm a proper woman" sort of look. But it's just not me. When I wake up I want to get dressed into things that resemble bed as soon as possible. So cashmere, yes I know its expensive but you won't regret it, leggings, snow boots, a scarf and a big puffy coat. It's a winner. Overall I'm a massive fan of the "not trying too hard look". 3. Putting your make up on at around 8 o'clock / 9am. I CANNOT face putting make up on before 6am, I feel like my face needs time to "settle" so I just whack on some moisturiser, something that smells divine ideally, Dr Hauschka Rose Cream, as that gives me a boost and then I do my face at work in the bathroom, NOT at my desk. NOT chic. 4. Have a little breakfast to take with you. I love being organised, I love looking after myself. When I was first paid and I was able to fill up my whole fridge with food by myself, it gave me the biggest feeling of satisfaction. I like making banana muffins for myself, or greek yoghurt with honey or porridge. Not a big fan of granola, scared of the sugar content but I need foods that are going to fill me up and keep me going, because early shifts tend to be front loaded. You get in, you start working, there's no easing into it! THERE'S NO TIME!!! 5. When you're there drink loads of water and nice teas. Peppermint or cammomile really help me feel in control. Being dehydrated means I get awful headaches so I try and drink as much as possible without getting weird looks. 6. And finally, if you're lucky enough to have got transport into work, CHECK YOU'VE BOOKED YOUR CAB or check the trains are running. Early morning stress = pre mature wrinkles. The cure for early mornings? I like a nice hot bath, a good plate of nutrious food and a chat with a best friend before going to bed early and sleeping right through. Hard for relationships this one. Maybe, as well as insisiting that a separate bathroom is a must for cohabitation so is a separate bed for earlies, but that's a whole other blog...

I love this story, click here.

Listen to this.

My sister Lydia has Downs Syndrome and so this story is unavoidably personal for me. I did think about making her the topic of my blog, but its hard enough taking criticism for my writing on Obama let alone my own sibling.

Eating my hat

Don't click here.

Hmm yes well, ah, bugger.

Anyway I'm delighted.

Skags

I've just had my first real experience of a crime.

I live in a London basement flat in a good bit of a 'bad area.' Apparently there is a nearby bail house. What's that I ask the police? Oh could I be anymore sheltered?

Crime statistics, the police, skags, I LIVE IN DEVON, what is this tomfoolery you speak of?

I'm sat on my bed, quietly deciding if I should sell my Mulberry bag on ebay for a couple of hundred pounds so I can afford a Mui Mui Tassel bag when outside my very window a similar conundrum is taking place. Namely, shall I break into this house so that I can get my next fix of heroin?

I am amazed at my senses really, my ears were immediately alerted to an alien sound outside he french doors in my bedroom. The quiet movement of something unnatural, the feel of a hand against the wall and a firm push at the door, once and then twice.

I have to whole heartedly commend my housemate on his immediate action in calling the police, no messing about. 'THAT'S IT, I'VE HAD ENOUGH!'

And the police were amazing; for all the stick the Met get in London for various terrorist cock ups, the assistance I received in this house, on this night (Obama has infiltrated my mind) has made me feel safe and protected.

Four police personnel arrived within minutes of us dialing 999, I thought they would think we were wasting their time, er it's London, we've got actual stabbings to deal with love, but they were on the ball and fierce about reassuring us.

Our neighbours have a wendy house for their children to play in, and that was the first place the police looked for the intruder before bolting across the gardens. Next time they said they would bring their sniffer dogs.

Fuck; next time?!

Obama and the Puppy

Puppy over Policy?

When Barack Obama promised his daughters Sasha and Malia a new puppy little did he know that in some circles the new first puppy is more important than Obama's policies. 

For example you can now vote on youtube for the puppy you feel should be in the White House, bearing in mind that the first family do have some special requirements. 

Speaking to the BBC Barack Obama has specified that he would like a resuce dog, 'a mut, like me' while his daughter 'Malia is allergic and so the dog has to be hypoallergenic.'

Playing the waiting game

Malia and Sasha are going to have to wait until January 20th for their puppy, as their Mum, Michelle Obama has said it wouldn't be fair to get the puppy until the big move to the White House. 

It's not just Obama's daughters who will have to wait, if reports about Obama's secretary of state are to be believed Hillary Clinton will be waiting to be appointed come January. 

Clinton and Obama on the same team?

This cannot be true. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama hate each other more than Angelina Jolie and Jennifer Aniston hate each other. As if he will choose her. 

All this speculation is the media equivalent of selling stories during the silly season months of July and August. 

Trawling the internet there is no definitive quote from Barack Obama on who he will approach to be his Secretary of State. 

NBC and The Washington Post have reported that Mrs Clinton was under consideration for the top US diplomatic position because she flew to Mr Obama's hometown of Chicago for 'personal business.'

Neither her aides or his aides would comment on the nature of the visit which took part behind closed doors in his Chicago office. 

In fact, the only person to make any sort of official statement would be ex President Bill Clinton. 

Can you offer any clarity Bill?

Speaking at an economic conference in Kuwait, Bill Clinton said, 

"If he (Obama) decided to ask her and they did it together, I think she'll be really great as a secretary of state." 

"She worked very hard for his election after the primary fight with him, and so did I, and we were very glad that he won and we have a lot of confidence that he can do a good job.

"But she didn't do what she did with the hope or expectation of getting any kind of job offer, much less having this discussed."

"The truth is I don't know," he said. 

That makes two of us then Bill.

EXCLUSIVE - OBAMA'S ELECTION PHOTOS

Some very intimate photos from election night.

You've got to love Sarah Palin

'Off the record' becomes public...



1. She refused help?! WHAT?
2. Republicans are still looking for her to stand in 2012? I hope I'm dead.
3. Knowledgability?! Translation? Fox News is bollocks.