bleah
Mood:  lazy
Now Playing: KRS-One
Topic: Stephen Says
It's my team building day today. Where we try to build. As a team. you know, team building? Previously, this has led to nothing but destructon. Looking forward to it.
It's also going to be a theatrical drama for human development style thing out in Greenwich park which will be interesting all in and of itself. At long last, that which I studied is coming home to roost.
Should I survive the day.

Cake cake cake
Mood:  hungry
Now Playing: Marvin Gaye
Topic: Elisabeth's Entries

All day in front of a computer...where's my brain?

So we kind of went back on the no-drinking thing for 4 days, and we ended up in the pub last night. I was almost tempted to smoke...which I've given up for good since Dec. 2005.

But it's almost like, once you break one rule you've made, it's so easy to break more. Why is self-discipline so hard?

So in 24 hrs, we'll be boozing it up in Greenwich, really not contemplating that question.

It's still chilly in England-where's spring yo?

Optional
Mood:  flirty
Topic: Elisabeth's Entries
Hello from Flirtville, UK. It's Tues. evening, we're home from work and have eaten dinner, there are dishes to do, and lunches to make, and I'm feeling flirty!

Stephen's back from his sleep-in shift at work. We're not drinking at all this week (I mean the next couple of days) because we've a piss-up in Greenwich to look forward to on Friday.

Stuffed peppers for dinner and books to read for dessert. I've learned how to spell dessert now. Which is an achievement for a 24 year old.

Thought for the day: If you had 2 bananas, which would you eat last?

Yay! Our First Organic Veggie Box
Mood:  celebratory
Topic: Elisabeth's Entries

We just received our first delivery from Abel & Cole of an organic fruit & veg box. We've got local organic celery, lettuce, onions, potatoes,
courgettes, plums and non-airmile oranges & pears.

Not to mention a bottle of bio-laundry detergent!!

Wheee

Bye Bye Body Shop
Mood:  happy
Now Playing: Daniel Barenboim-
Topic: Elisabeth's Entries
Here is a copy of a letter I am sending to The Body Shop with the pieces of my "Love Your Body" customer card:

April 16 2006

Mrs. Elisabeth Allin
31 Dorchester Court
Oriental Road
Woking, Surrey
GU22 7DN

To Whom It May Concern:

I have been a customer of the Body Shop for eleven years. I have always relied on the Body Shop as a trustworthy alternative to other cosmetic companies for many reasons. I was first attracted to The Body Shop because of its position on animal testing and recycling/refilling of the plastic bottles. In addition the products seemed more natural and reliable than other leading brands.

Through the years I’ve heard rumours that the Body Shop, while not testing its products on animals directly, doesn’t actually exclude ingredients that have been tested on animals. Yet, due to the quality of the products as well as the fair-deal campaign, I believed I was purchasing a more ethical product.

I also enjoyed using your products. Please check my “Love Your Body” customer number 600403622. I happily used up the 8 purchases on my first card and enjoyed the resulting free gift. I have now used my second card twice. But as you can see from the enclosed contents, I will never be using it again.

What’s the straw that broke the camel’s back? The Body Shop selling out to L’Oreal.

I believe people like me are getting very tired of multinational corporations dominating the market, and blurring the lines between their own competing brands. I now find myself going further and further underground for my cosmetics, clothes, food and holidays as a result.

Just to give you an idea of what kind of customer you are losing, here is a current inventory of The Body Shop products in my bathroom that I will happily use up and never repurchase:

1. All in One Face Base 03 *
2. Almond Oil Conditioning Hand Wash
3. Aloe Vera Daily Moisturizing Lotion SPF 15 *
4. Brazil Nut Moisture Mask
5. Camomile Gentle Eyemake-up remover
6. Enhancer (silver) from the Colourings range
7. Hemp Body Butter
8. Lemongrass deodorizing foot polish
9. Lip Butter *
10. Lip Palette
11. Warming Mineral Mask
12. Lip Scuff
13. Corrective Prebase 04 White
14. Mascara VO2 *
15. Eye Definer 05
16. Blush
17. Eyeliner-Bright Blue (Liquid)
18. Corrective Prebase 02-Green
19. Eye shadow
20. Eyeliner smudger (tool)
21. Foundation Brush
22. Mini hair brush
23. Decorative bobby pins
24. Perfume Oil-vanilla *
25. Tea Tree Oil (10ml) *
26. Home Fragrance Oil (Tropical Crush)
27. Shea Body Butter *
28. Mango Body Butter *
29. Foot exfoliator pad
30. Body Brush

*Indicates a repeat/regular purchase

In addition I have purchased from time to time products from your For Men range, as well as your gift packages.

My suggestion and purpose of writing this letter is to suggest some changes you could make to win customers back:

1. Offer a fair-trade, organic range that is toxin free.
2. If you must stick with L’Oreal, then I suggest that you are seen to be putting pressure on their purchasing and manufacturing habits.
3. Offer a recycle/refill point at ALL your stores for your product containers.
4. Embark on high-profile fair-trade and environmental conservation campaigns.
5. Consider introducing a do-it-yourself range where customers are invited to purchase the raw-materials to make their own ethical cosmetics, and perhaps offer workshops in select branches.

Until something changes, I will actively campaign against The Body Shop.

Thank you for your time, I hope I haven’t wasted it.

Sincerely,


Elisabeth Allin

<<<

I've also done a Toxic Inventory of all the cosmetics in the house, and it's not a very pretty picture. But perhaps more on that another time.

Happy Easter!

Spring Low, Sweet Haricot
Mood:  lyrical
Now Playing: Norman Kember on BBC4
Topic: Elisabeth's Entries

Norman Kember, the English ex-hostage is speaking on BBC4 of his whole "ordeal" in Iraq, and frankly, he sounds like a misguided but disturbingly well-intentioned fellow. The way he's speaking sounds as if he's describing a holiday, as if it was no big deal. He agrees he was probably naive, but this was just what he had to do. And when asked about difficult parts of his peace mission, like say the kidnapping, or Tom Fox's last words, he simply says "Oh, I can't remember." "My mind must have just shut off" and then laughs. There is definitely something odd about him, and slightly irresponsible.

I'm expressing the above opinion only because it's an about-face from my opinion only a week or two ago. There was a lot of criticism in the papers after his release and I recall hotly defending his actions to Stephen (who agreed with me). I thought it was important for civilians and peacemakers to try and repair damage where perhaps the military and governments were too overstretched to handle.

I thought, who cares about the cost?, its good that people have such strong convictions, and are brave enough to put themselves in danger to help others.

Only now, Norman Kember truly sounds like a selfish Christian who was not interested in helping anyone, but rather was interested in talking to them, and showing Iraqi's the strength of his faith and to demonstrate that not all Christians hate them. Even better, how would you like to be a Christian yourself? Imagine how content that would have made Mr. Kember feel? To have risked his life, having proven indisputably the strength of his convictions, and then to have a trophy to bring back: "Look, I lead x amount of people to the Lord!" Hallelujah.

Meanwhile, what the Iraqi people need least is more religion. They require less division and confusion. What I wish Norman Kember had said he went to Iraq to do was to help Iraqis, perhaps rebuild their communities (bring a nice injection of western cash, instead of western religion). He could have used his interaction with the Iraqi public to help steer the government in the right direction. A well-intentioned peace activist is not inspiring. A peace activist who actually creates peace is something awe-inspiring.

Instead, he's achieved nothing and yet would do it again (without getting kidnapped of course).

>>>>RANT OVER<<<<

Stephen's making yummy potatoes and we'll probably end up in the pub somewhere today. I'll drink to world peace, I assure you.

Mmmmmm....
Topic: Stephen Says
The Vice guide to the English breakfast.

PS-
Topic: Stephen Says
Jeeze, is this really as exciting as it gets around here?!?! Elisabeth's in bed by ten and I'm puttering around until i'm tired enough to join her. I'm looking forward to her justification (read: excuse) for it.

I gave cocaine tea a try today. Dried cocoa leaves in a tea bag direct from South America. Either it took a really ,really, really long time to kick in or it was the 2 coffees that I had after it that finally kick-started my day. Either way, if you're going to pay 50p for drugs, I don't think that you should expect too much to come from it...

Meanwhilem, it's Good Friday tomorrow. Why don't y'all tell me what's so damn good about it???

duh duh do dah do
Mood:  lazy
Now Playing: Of Montreal - The Sunlandic Twins
Topic: Stephen Says
E's in the kitchen making cookies & trying to perfect a cookie recipe. We've been making our way steadily through all the wine my dad sent us for my birthday. The South African is, by the way, really standing out against the French wines, I must say.

Spring is in the air & the weather's getting warmer and it's nice to be able to be outside amongst the daffodils and just relax - work-wise, it makes life alot nicer. Apartment-wise it means nice, fresh air wafting through the room.

Things are pretty relaxed, all said. E's off for 4 days and I've got the weekend off, myself so... could a spring clean be on the menu? Probably not. Nonetheless, things have been much less hectic than they have been and that suits me just fine.

I'm looking forward to when all the beer gardens open up.

A few bullet points
Topic: Stephen Says
Some stuff:

-Don't Look Now was really good. Weird but good and E&I are still trying to figure out what on Earth was going on in it.

-Our tickets to North Carolina are booked - we arrive on June 28th and leave July 6th - and E&I are looking to, on the beachhouse week, go to Charlottesville for a day (it's only 4 hours drive, after all) estberg siblings, are you interested?

-And finally, THIS VIDEO (There's also a transcript) was almost too embarassing to watch. Almost.