Whilst making idle chit-chat today (like you do) I remarked on how it had been another crazy week, “just like all the other crazy weeks” – I do, I say things like that. I then got to thinking – why am I always so crazily busy all the time – what’s changed because my life never used to feel so swamped by the sheer amount of stuff I had to do / needed to do / wanted to do? (I have a sneaking suspiscion it has a lot to do with the internet).

Carrying on with this train of thought I realised I either couldn’t or didn’t want to give up any of the things that are currently on my long list of things to do (incidently, have you checked out ‘ta-da‘ – it’s a great way to keep lists online) so the plan now is to be more efficient.

List of ways to be more efficient:

• spend less time in bed (con: need to sleep to live, also is lovely)
• become ambidextrous (con: don’t know if it’s even possible to teach yourself something like that)
• do more de-cluttering (note: first on list to go – all stuff ‘decluttered’ last time but put back)
• think of more things for this list

Do you have any ideas for my efficiency drive? Seriously, I need help…

My ‘big’ computer has been poorly of late (hence the low profile and updates via my phone… soz about that). So whenever I’ve been procrastinating within reach of my little laptop (i.e. 99.87% of the time) I have often been turning my attention to YouTube. You know how it is, you don’t need me to tell you. One link takes you to another and another and the next thing you know it’s three days later and you’ve watched every flash-mob known to man and seen more cute kitties going crazy with cardboard boxes than is strictly necessary.

Anyhoo, the point I am trying to make is that during this highly-productive use of my time I have stumbled across a particular video which I thought was really great, so then I watched all the videos on that channel, then discovered a whole genre of video blogging that I never really knew existed but that totally has my name written all over it. Honestly, am I really the last one to find out about this? It’s like finding a tribe of undiscovered pygmies living at the end of your garden – hard to believe they’ve been there all this time without registering on my radar at all.

So, to the subject matter of these videos. Not pygmies (I’ll save that for another day), the subject is… make-up and beauty products!

You’re making a face now aren’t you! Now, I know this isn’t everyones cup of tea (particularly if you’re a boy) but personally, ever since I was a teenager any money that didn’t get spent on cameras or film got spent (and still does) on make-up. Seriously, I’ve had to have my Boots loyalty card replaced because of overuse (that’s not even an exaggeration – I’ve told you a million time, I just don’t do that).

I’m not an especially girlie-girl… apart from the make-up. I only own one skirt and I can’t walk in high heels at all.  There are many reasons why I’ve had this life-long love affair with make-up (but mainly it’s all about point #1):

1. I look like a potato if I don’t refine and define (hey, that rhymes).
2. No one need ever know I have a gazillion spots, huge pores, dark circled-eyes like Kung Fu Panda or a nose so shiny you could see your face in it.
3. It’s fun! I get to be a bit artistic and look a slightly different every day.
4. I live in hope of a secret elixir that will give me the radiant glowy skin that would make Angelina Jolie herself weep. Weep.
5. If my face looks OK maybe people won’t notice the rest of me (wow, that’s a bit deep and psychological – see, this is the power of make-up)!

Now don’t worry if this isn’t your thing (although if you’ve read this far I can’t help but think you must be a teensy bit interested) I’m not going to down camera and jump to the other side of the lens and turn beauty-blogger anytime soon (although there might be one or two little mensh’s of things I am loving). I did though feel I should share this discovery just in case I wasn’t the last person in the whole wide world to dicover it.

So, who’ve I been watching?

The one who got me hooked: A Model Recommends. Ruth Crilly (you’ll know the face when you see her) is an international model and recommends all sorts of make-up and beauty products and passes on pearls of wisdom from all the professionals she meets in her work. Genius! Pretty, funny, talented, engaging, AND extremely likable (honestly)! I’ll warn you now though, you’ll become addicted and probably need to start selling vital organs/old dvd’s to pay for your next fix of concealer.

Lisa Eldridge is a totally gorgeous, superstar make-up artist with tons of experience doing the make-up of celebs. She really knows her stuff and the videos are fabulously made. I feel hypnotised watching her videos – so calming. Lisa, I think you’re amazing…

 

And there’s not just YouTube – Sali Hughes does great articles and videos for the Guardian on health and beauty and is also, awesome!

Oh my goodness, there are so many more – every language, niche, and style is catered for. I can’t imagine ever buying a beauty product again without typing it into YouTube first and having my mind blown away with every type of review, tutorial, demo of it.

I can’t stop, I am off to powder my nose (I really am)! x

Dear 2011, so far I am liking you. You’ve given me a gentle start of lazy days at home taking it easy, the odd venture out to the forest to chase ponies with my camera, reading Sherlock Holmes stories on my new Kindle, lots of (mostly bad) TV, and of course all the lovely choccies.

“Hey, you, wake-up, I want to take your photo!”

“That’s much better, now give me a little smile… “

A week or two in and it got a tad more challenging; back to the office with no Quality Street or naps to keep me going and I have to say – it was tough going!

So, yes. A new year – hoorah! I’ve pick a word as my mantra for 2011 – having just one word is easy to remember and a handy nagging reminder for whatever you are up to. My word this year is ACTION.

Honestly, I bore myself with the number of plans and ideas i come up with in the course of… a day. From small things like planning what to have for dinner in the evening through to big things like what I want to be when I grow up. When it comes to thinking, talking, projecting, deliberating I’m up there with the greats (honestly, if you need someone to brainstorm, gimme a call)! I am, however hopeless at getting the ball rolling. So, I am saying it now and I’m saying it loud: expect more balls to be rolled in twenty-eleven!

How about you; any resolutions or exciting plans for the year ahead?