All right, my pretties, I know you're thinking that I haven't posted recently because I had a craaaaazy St Patrick's Day here in Paris and I've been recovering ever since, right? Wellllllll, no. I did go out for St Paddy's with a bunch of Irish people and we did go to some Irish pubs, but at a certain point we just got fed up with the crowds and ended up at a champagne bar instead. Not very authentic, but far more relaxing...
Anyway, my absence was not caused by too much partying (unfortunately), but rather because I've been in London and my internet access there was very sporadic and I just didn't get a chance to post. But since I'm mentioning London and since it's late and I just need to post something, how about another Letter from London?
Written somewhere around July 2001
Well, after the overwhelmingly positive reaction to my last letter, I've decided to turn over a new leaf. Yes, I'm ready to become a kinder, gentler Miss K. From now on, I shall be nauseatingly nice, sickeningly sweet and a beam of sunshine in the lives of all those fortunate enough to come into contact with my saintly-yet-humble being. I will forsake malice, spite and cynicism in favour of graciousness, charm and generosity of spirit. People will come from all around simply to bask in the warm glow of my goodness... Okay, did anyone buy that? What, not even for a second? Oh c'mon... Anyone? Friends? Relatives? No one? Really??
Anyway, I don't have a theme for this letter, so here are some random thoughts about nothing terribly interesting.....
New Experiences (A) - One of the many things I like about London is the opportunity to try things that I might not have done in Toronto. For example, I took a ballet class for the first time in my life a couple of weeks ago and thoroughly enjoyed it. For those of you who are rolling around on the floor laughing hysterically at the thought of me doing anything that requires grace and coordination, go right ahead. Your mental picture is entirely correct - I galumphed around the room like a drunken lumberjack, sending willowy ballerina types fleeing in terror, and I made a total fool of myself. Like I said, I had a fantastic time.
New Experiences (B) - Another thing I just tried was floating. Huh? What's that? Well, it's a bit hard to describe, but basically you hop into a sensory deprivation tank and float in water that has about 800 lbs of salt dissolved in it. And that's all: you just lie there in the dark and float for an hour like a cross between an astronaut and an embryo. Question - why? Answer - Because it's quite possibly the most relaxing thing you'll ever experience. Strange but true. Once you get the hang of it, you totally lose track of your body and you just feel like a big ol' head floating around in the dark. I know, it sounds weird, but ohhhhhh, it's soooooo gooooooood....
Music - I've always been a fan of the blues, and it amazes me how well songs from the 1920s translate to the new century. I recently picked up a Bessie Smith CD and really, you'd think she was singing about my life. For example, here are some of the song titles: "Me and My Gin", "No One In Town Can Bake A Sweet Jelly Roll Like Mine"(if you know what she's saying, and I think you do), "Empty Bed Blues", "I'm Wild About That Thing", "A Good Man Is Hard To Find", "You've Got To Give Me Some", and my personal favourite - "Put a Little Sugar in My Bowl". Sing it, girlfriend....
Fashion - Ladies: I hate to tell you this, but London fashion has clearly lost what passes for its collective mind. You can be totally in style this season if you wear any of the following: 1940's floral prints, army camouflage, disco diva, cowgirl, or any combination thereof. I've always prided myself on my eclectic style, but this might be a bit much even for me. We shall see.
Work - I'm currently employed in Hell, which means that I work for the Devil. Yes, the Devil has many names.... Satan..... Beelzebub..... Lucifer.... Stephanie. You might not have been aware that the Supreme Evil Being in the universe is currently incarnated in the body of a petite woman from New Zealand, but now you know. Consider yourselves warned.
Today's Story - I thought I'd share this experience with you even though it has absolutely nothing to do with London. When I was in Los Angeles a couple of years ago, I visited the famous slutty-lingerie store Frederick's of Hollywood (much to everyone's surprise, I'm sure). As I was browsing, the following happened: a young English couple skulked into the store, clearly embarrassed at being there. They approached the salesgirl next to me, and the English girl (who had a huge rack) shyly asked her: "Excuse me, but do you sell minimizer bras?" An ominous silence fell. The ultra-sassy black salesgirl (who had waist-length blonde braids, four-inch fingernails and more attitude than Madonna) looked at her with the undisguised contempt she might have shown for a urine sample and drawled, "Giiiiirl....this is Frederick's of Hollywood. We MAXIMIZE!!!" Hee! Heeheeheeheehee!!!
