Jubilations!

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And here!

Run Run Run

Inspired, in part, by the London Marathon 2012, I am running the Bupa London 10km on May 27th with my sister. We are running for Cardiac Risk In The Young, in memory of my friend Marion.

https://www.justgiving.com/Rosie-and-Gen-10km-for-Mio

Have a read of our page and if you can spare a dime, any donations are much appreciated!

Marion passed away whilst running along the beach of Reunion Island in April 2010 and is sorely missed. Having run 2 half marathons last year I feel very grateful I am able to do this.

Many thanks x

The Big Mama

Mum's are rather fab and without them we wouldn't be here! The same goes for life-giving Mother Earth. Like we have Mother's Day, today is Earth Day.

If you weren't running the London Marathon (you probably will need this moment to stretch/bath/cup-of-tea-yourself silly and think about what an achievement you just completed), perhaps you can take a mini moment to think about the beautiful amalgamation of rock and ocean and biodiversity that was here before us, that puts up with us living on it and that we take for granted.

Go girls!

I'd just like to take a short moment to BIG UP International Women's Day (#iwd) and also Vivienne Westwood's Ethical Fashion Africa collection, aptly sloganned 'THIS is not charity, THIS is WORK'.

The message is clear: empower women to create their own livelihoods in an environmentally sustainable way and it will bring positive benefits to the whole community.

Like a good vintage wine...

For some it may seem fairly obvious, but has anyone noticed how ALL THE S/S (and even A/W) 2012 TRENDS POINT TO VINTAGE?!

From the glitz, glam and twirling tassels of the 1920s ‘GreatGatsby’ flapper style, to the mid-calf pleated skirts and whimsical blouses in beautiful pastel and candy shades echoing 50s silhouettes; to me this cries ‘Oh hello most excellent and unique vintage classic!’

It’s been all over the catwalks from Prada to Louis Vuitton, and is mirrored to the max on the mass-produced high street, but what could be better than a second hand and/or vintage version, which has stood the test of time and is here to tell tale to all who view its awesome adornment ability on none other than YOUR elegant body.

Whether you go for a block-colour boxy coat, or indeed floral print leggings if that’s your thing (I was only little but can recall clinging onto my mother’s brightly patterned legs in the late 80s and early 90s), then you know vintage makes sense.

I love low-waist pyjama bottoms, although I am not sure about wearing them when out and about. Sportswear is here to stay, for now, thanks to you-know-what-event in the big smoke this summer. I am also intrigued by the ‘under-the-sea’ theme and all this lace, the frills, the sheers- they point to prettiness, romance, and nostalgia....

Haven’t tried second-hand or vintage before? Go on, give it a whirl! In London, I would head East. I am a big fan of Blitz and Rokit as well as other stores on Brick Lane and the vintage stalls at Spitalfields Market. I bought some Chelsea boots from second-hand store Carousel and have hardly taken them off since. I often walk past (and on more than one occasion per week- into) Paper Dress Vintage- last week there was an absolutely amazing black and gold sequin dress reminiscent of the art-deco high-glam era.

Why go for revival, when you could get the real thing? It is better for the environment and you can turn heads in a truly unique piece. If ever there was a time to go vintage, it’s now. 

Be Someone, Do Something!

One line which struck me from the film ‘The Iron Lady’ came from Thatcher’s own mouth (well, Streep doing a very good job of impersonating Thatcher anyhow) and it went something along the lines of: “(sigh) it seems as though nowadays everyone is trying to BE SOMEONE. Whatever happened to trying to DO SOMETHING?”

I would argue that both are necessary and not mutually exclusive components of progress. ‘Being someone’ implies being known, recognised and praised for doing more or doing better when compared to others. At an individual level, whilst a little competition and ambition is certainly healthy, there is a line which, when crossed, immerses the culprit into a sea of arrogance. Professing and boasting that one is better, without adequate evidence or reason, would also amount to crossing that line.

Why do we do this? Everyone has heard the phrase ‘fake it until you make it’. Indeed, this can work professionally in certain circumstances where an air of authoritarian confidence can give the impression of expertise, helping one to get ahead; when in actual fact, there is a need to develop that expertise. If this person is up to the job and works hard to prove that they can successfully achieve what they claim they can, then the initial ‘faking’ could be seen as means justified by the end outcome. That person is now recognised as ‘someone’ who has achieved ‘something’ positive. Overall, a positive thing, I would say, providing that that ‘someone’ has not trod on others’ heads to get to the top.

At a corporate level, this cannot happen. In sustainable business, it has long been known that those who profess to environmental credentials which turn out to be untrue, or exaggerate their positive social impact, will get caught out. This, known as ‘green wash’, can ultimately result in high costs in reputation damages. If a business wants to be recognised among and outside of its competitors as a shining green beacon with ethical credentials far superior to others, then faking it will not cut it. Whatever the reasons for trying to be the most sustainable it can be, a business which does new things first and sticks its neck out to stand out from the crowd can set an example for others to follow. What’s so bad about that?

One such business, which claims its actions are in line with the ‘screw business as usual’ concept, is the Virgin Group. They have recently launched ‘The Big Red Box’; a concept whereby anyone can contribute their ideas to what they believe sustainability is, by hypothetically placing that item or phenomenon into an illustrative big red box. In the accompanying video, Virgin’s CEOs describe how business plays a powerful role in driving change and the global brand of Virgin is in a unique position to challenge the status quo. However, words are not enough. To demonstrate the difference they are making, the CEOs, which include at least two women by the way, aim to demystify sustainability and make it real by physically showing on the video how the heat from the chillers in their gyms drives the water for the showers, which in turn drives the water for the urinals. Virgin trains sell back energy to the National Grid and are training their drivers in ‘eco driving’. They recognise that they are at the beginning of a difficult journey, but take pride in setting an example, as from now on every new business and start-up is going to have to incorporate sustainability into their business plan from the beginning. In the business world, it is a good idea to get on and do something towards sustainability, and shout about it along the way.

Telling positive stories and celebrating achievements are not always akin to unduly boasting, but rather are things to be proud of and may well inspire others. So there you go, you can both be someone and do something, but perhaps the doing something should come first...

Get some perspective...

London can make you feel claustrophobic if you stay too long without a break in a place where you can see a bit more than a small rectangle of sky when you look up.

Wherever you are can feel a bit like that if you stay too long. There are many ways of taking a step back to look at the bigger picture and answer some of life's unanswerables: why am I here? What does it all mean? What is my purpose? A walk, looking up at the stars? Or, if you are at least 43.7% geek, you may enjoy this!