So then, what with the holidays and all I've neglected to post.

I've been mulling a post (prompted by Alex) on infidelity - but I'm still thinking about that one.

My lovely friend Jane asks me about the drawback to having big boobs. So then.

I'm 40 years old, and I'm still not sure I have made peace with my breasts. Modesty prevents telling you what size bra I currently wear - but well, I tell people it's GG (for Good God!). It was not ever thus, though.

I was a late maturer, and I didn't really get breasts until I was about 14 and a half. I was 34AA for a long time. From there though, something happpend. They grew. And grew. I first became aware that they were larger than average when I was in a play - a fellow actor (a lady) grabbed one playfully and said 'wow - I like these!'. I also had some photos taken, and all of a sudden I noticed that the costumes were...slightly too well filled out. Funny how I just hadn't noticed.

Of course, being about 16 and horribly shy anyway, this gave me a huge complex - and actually, I think I lived with that for a very long time.

Over the year my body has been different shapes and sizes - I once lost six stone - and I was devastated that despite this I only lost one cup-size. For a long time, as the weight fell off my stomach and hips it sat on my breasts, giving me a comedy 'jessica rabbit' figure. I'm surprised I didn't topple over.

And yes, like many large-breasted ladies, they have been the object of plenty of male attention over the years. I guess I've never really understood why some men have such a thing for boobs. I've had boyfriends who were boob men, and boyfriends who weren't. Certainly one of the watershed moments in any new relationship for me is letting them see my breasts without a bra. Far more significant than anything else I think.

Drawbacks, then? For me, it's always having to wear a bra. That despite the most firm corsetry they jiggle and jump when I jog for the bus. That I always have to check tops are low enough in the neck for them. (If I wear higher cut tops it's a disaster).

That somehow big breasts are still objects of comedy. That sometimes still, and even at work, people will talk to them and not me.

That I still, at 40, call them 'my disability'.

So - here we go. First of the 'by request' posts.

I'm a little nervous, so go easy with me. I'm going to start with an easy one. This one was a request by Tom McRae - one of my favourite musicians. He asks 'what's your favourite journey?'

I do love travelling. I love car journeys and train journeys. I don't like plane journeys, but they're an necessary evil if you want to go further than Europe.

In reverse order, then I think my favourite journeys are:

3) The train ride from London to Truro, in particular the bit through Dawlish.
Cornwall is beautiful, and the five hours on the train on the way down allow you to decompress and destress and nap, if you need to, and read, and listen to songs, so that by the time you're there you've forgotten what made you leave London in the first place.
The reason this trip is so special though, is because of the way the train winds through the countryside then takes you right out onto the beach at Dawlish. It's your first view of the sea (did you ever do the "I can see the se-a! I can see the se-a! sing-song on family holidays?) and it's a promise of what's to come in Cornwall. It always feels strange - this big intercity train taking you along the beach, like one of those old donkeys you used to see at Blackpool, but it's magical.

2) The drive down the 101 from Portland to San Francisco.
It's a long way, alright, but whether you're the driver or the passenger (I am always the passenger!) you are amply rewarded for the miles you put in.
Apart from the variations in temperature (the journey can take you from rainy to hot hot hot then back to breezy and mild) the main joy about this journey is the variety of landscape. It's not just the rugged coastline of the Pacific North West, though that is wonderful, but the fact that you drive through the redwood forest. Unless you've been to the redwood forest you can't imagine how majestic the trees are. They are huuuuge and powerful and lush and inviting. It's completely awe-inspiring. You have to have your photo taken next to them - but the photo just can't show how big they are.
Eventually, you meander through wine country, and you can even stop in Santa Rosa for a late lunch before you drive across the Golden Gate Bridge into San Francisco. Truly - this journey has everything.

1) The journey home. Preferably at dusk. No matter where I've been, no matter what I've been doing, there is something so perfect and wonderful about the journey home. The stretch of the A45 up to our road is grey, tatty, littered with flooring shops and places to get tyres, but it never fails to fill me with happiness. I sit at the last set of traffic lights before our home and know that whatever is troubling me will soon be much better, soothed by my husband and home.

Since putting out the request by email I have been a bit overwhelmed with responses - I clearly have a very kind bunch of people saved in my contact list!

Some really thought-provoking stuff on the list. So many things in email I need to order them into a list and work through them over the next few weeks.

So, I'm really looking forward to this. Thanks, all!

(...and the email has prompted a few interesting email chains, and even a date!)

By request

So, I'm bringing this blog to life. Dusting if off. Checking it has a clean vest. Setting it loose on the world.

It's a reader-generated-content blog though.

What does that mean?

Well, you get to pick the subjects for the blog posts. You email me with a topic. I write about it. You read what I have to say on the matter.

It'll be fun. Honest.

I wasn't quite 10 minutes behind with everything I did today, but almost.

To the office, to meetings in another office, then tonight to another meeting of the local group I'm involved with who are working towards setting up a photography gallery for Birmingham. If you'd like to learn more about it do have a look at the blog here

Dashed out from there to meet gorgeous husband for cold date in large German Market.

He brought along his hat and scarf, which he generously loaned to me (I have left my coat in the office - duh) and we stood next to the carousel, jigged along with the music and ate bratwurst for our dinner. There is something about eating a handful of hot food when it's cold out and watching the people and listening to the music that is very very romantic.

We had a lovely time. On the way back to the car a polarbear puppet waved at me, and such was the happiness of the moment, I waved back.

Tonight I am sitting editing all the photos from my hols. I don't really do a lot of editing - perhaps a little crop there - a bit of auto levels (or just levels), maybe some unsharp mask - but mainly reducing the size of the photos so I can upload them to flickr.

One nice thing is that it's helping me relive the wonderful time we had when we were away.

Holidays. Really not over-rated, at all.

Oh god, if I were to start a post on Things That Annoy me, today's list would be endless.

Maybe I should post about the little things I like, instead.

Today's little thing I like is (or are) the ladies at the sandwich shop just across the road from my office.

When I've got a few moments, or they're not too busy, we stand and chat a while. We talk about our husbands, and marriage, and holidays and stuff. One of them always wants to see what necklace I'm wearing. I'm known there for my accessories. When I wear my necklace with all the buttons on it I have to hide it, as one of the ladies has a button phobia.

Today I went in just before 3pm. They remarked that I wouldn't be able to eat my dins as I was having my lunch so late. We talked about my holiday, and how it's nearly christmas. And the drizzle. Always the drizzle.

Sounds a bit sad all of this - but actually, it's a little bit of happiness in my working day.

Lots of activity around sorting through DVDs and moving them and ordering them and then cataloging them. And then uploading the catalogue. Here, actually.

Still not updating this, so don't get excited.

I made the mistake of opening the Standard on the train back to Birmingham this afternoon. I should know better, really. I can't read it without becoming murderous at the right wing reactionary writing.

Today's paper was full of the Lehman Bros collapse. I was reminded of some writing I read on this topic which appear now oddly prescient.

No, I'm still not updating this blog.

I bought myself some really beautiful roses last night (bright orange and bright pink) and as I arranged them I thought of the one person who would really appreciate the combination. And you should probably look at her blog. What she makes up for in quantity - she makes up in quality.

In other news the maker of some of my favourite records has started a blog. He's a funny bloke, too, so you should look at his new blog, and comment on it. I'm sure he'd probably prefer me to describe him as the very handsome and talented Mr Tom McRae, but life is full of disappointments, isn't it?

No, I'm not planning to continue this blog really, I've got several others (one of which I write in daily).

You can read about my dull, suburban life at my daily blog http://rougeforever.livejournal.com.

In other news. The lady at Mac did my eyemakeup today. I have scary eyeliner!

My goodness.

Talk about a blast from the past. I found this for the first time tonight. Clearly I created it 8 years ago. Never used it. Completely forgot it.

So anyway.

Here I am again.