The Girl Who Leapt Through Time

Recently I purchased this anime DVD issued over here by Manga and was really impressed with it not normally being taken to time travel stories as much as I enjoy sci-fi and anime.

The initial story goes back to the 1970's and has been tackled before but in the opinion of many never in quite the emotional depth of this adaptation and runs like this:

Makoto Konno, a high school girl in Tokyo's shitamachi, realizes she has the power to go back in time and re-do things (what is called a "time-leap") when she impossibly avoids a fatal accident at a train crossing one day.

Bewildered, she consults with her aunt throughout the film, who then implies that she is the protagonist from the original novel. At first, Makoto uses her power extravagantly to avoid being tardy and to get perfect grades on tests, and even relive a single karaoke session for about ten hours. It isn't long however that things begin to turn bad as she discovers how her actions can adversely affect others.

Makoto soon ends up using more of her leaps to recklessly prevent undesirable situations from happening, including an awkward confession of love from her best friend Chiaki Mamiya. Eventually she discovers a numbered tattoo on her arm that counts down with each leap. From this tattoo she realizes it indicates that she can only leap through time a limited number of times. With only a few time leaps left, she attempts to make things right for everyone, but impulsively she uses her final leap to prevent a phone call from Chiaki asking if she knows about time-leaping. As a result, she is unable to prevent her friend Kōsuke Tsuda and his girlfriend from being killed in the accident at the train crossing that Makoto was originally involved in. As Makoto watches the accident in horror, time suddenly stops.

Chiaki reveals that he is a traveller from the future and leapt through time in order to see a painting being restored by Makoto's aunt, as it has been destroyed in the future. While walking in the frozen city, Chiaki hints that his original era occurs after a world wide catastrophe decimates mankind. He then reveals that he has used his final leap to prevent Kōsuke's accident and has stopped time only to explain to Makoto what the consequences will be. Having revealed his origins and the source of the item that allowed Makoto to leap through time, and being unable to return to his time period, Chiaki must disappear. Makoto realizes too late that she loves him as well.

True to his words, Chiaki disappears when time begins again and Makoto is upset. As she tries to come to terms with losing him, she discovers that Chiaki's time-leap had inadvertently restored one time-leap to her: Chiaki had leapt back to before Makoto used her last leap. Makoto now leaps to the moment when she gained her powers, at which point Chiaki still has one remaining time-leap. She reveals everything that he told her in the future concerning his indentity, the ability to leap through time, and his reasons for extending his stay in her time frame. Shortly before returning to his time period, Chiaki says he will wait for her in the future and Makoto replies that she will run toward it.

What makes the film so enjoyable is the portrayal of each character having many layers which adds to the sense of being able to empathize with them throughout the story.

The story is very much bitter sweet because Makoto learns that this power has to be handled with responsibility- changing the past is not so straightforward - and that actions beget reactions as she uses it to make a new world for her friends

I found it very moving.

Love Train

In with this years Christmas presents is this 4 cd long cd box set.
Entitled "Love Train: The Sound of Philadelphia" it is a comprehensive set of hits and notable cuts of PhillySoul that for once isn't tied to a specific record label so does a better than average job of surveying the scene so we get acts like the (Detroit) Spinners and the Stylistics in with the mainstays of Philadelphia Records whose selection doesn't cut off 1976 unlike the 1997 3 cd set but goes to it's last glory days in 1983 with Patti LaBelle's If Only You Knew.
it includes a comprehensive booklet with interviews connected with the music one of which does tackle the UK's fascination of the music of Black America.

Ready girl?

So the season moves ever closer with just a week to run as you put the finishing touches to your card writing, present wrapping and personal deliveries to family such as my aunts who have played an important part in encouraging me to just be myself.

Christmas unlike in previous childhood is set to be a very feminine girlie thing whatever errors the odd relative might make with presents that are suited for a girl, a staring role with mommy in the kitchen making chrismas leaving the boys with the men doing their thing.

I'm to dress very femininely with frills, pinks and no hiding under track pants and the like because I feel so much better for being who I am.

That is the real gift of the year.

Happy Christmas!

Righting wrongs of the past

 

The one thing you don't have much say into when you're younger really is how you are dressed because for one thing you don't actually buy it, at best you'll be taken and then when you are it'll be only to those sections they think  you should chose from.

That never felt right to me as I saw all those girls outfits as I was marched briskly away from them because I really really wanted to wear them and it really put me off shopping and amplified my gender issues cos I wasn't allowed to be me.

One thing about being out of the adult world is today with your encouragement and support the wrongs of the past can be put right.

I can be dressed in short little girl dresses with matching girls socks and shoes, given a dolly or two to carry with me, playing.

Wouldn't it be great to play with others just like you?

Chalet School

Reading is something that is very much linked to my actual childhood  and as an adult little girl remains a preoccupation of mine, loving to read story about schooldays and one series I am currently reading is the Chalet School series number sixty in total by Elinor Brent-Dyer from 1925 through 1960.

Here's a three in one omnibus edition from 1987 from my meagre collection of this series.

Howl's Moving Castle

Today I'm going to talk about an anime I've always liked from 2004 and recently bought

Howl's Moving Castle is based upon the book by britisher Diana Wynne and is set in a magical world of wizardry and spells we follow the adventures of Sophie and her incredibly Odyssey to lift  a witch's curse all while being swept off her feet Howl a handsome and mysterious wizard who kindly offers her refuge in his most magical moving castle.
Howl as a character while being quite enchanting can at times by very childish, self-centred and tormented even while Sophie, is a beautiful but very reserved young woman who is rather mousey and soft-spoken.
She has a sister called Lettie but in the story she only has a small part to play as worker in the bakery and so only shows up in just one scene.
What I love about this is goes beyond the story but to director Hayao Miyzazki brilliant animation and inspirational story telling in  this art form.

Pix edit August 2017 for blu ray edition

Study period

At high school and also at college, I like many of my peers, sat outside studying as we found the fresh air, natural light and space more helpful. Sometimes it might be that we went over our lesson notes perhaps correcting or adding detail to them while on other occasions we might read a text. I was kinda studious like that.
I love this girls dress too.

The School At The Turrets

As the nights start to draw in, it's a enjoyable idea to read a book about an hour before bed time several chapters per night and this is one I read recently.

 I've had this actual childhood being published in nineteen seventy-one by Armada in Great Britain and my copy is a little worn around the spine although the pages haven't started to fall out.
It's a ghost story with a twist being set at a girls boarding school where Ida sees something that almost causes her heart to stop beating for her eyes are transfixed upon a tall figure in white with an outstretched hnad and a stoney stare in her eyes.
This, Ida thinks must be the the 'White Lady' who legend has it haunts the old part of the school turrets.
It's a gripping story.

Walk with me

I was looking at some pictures I took recently and thought I'd share it with you.
Where we live there's this a inland waterway and while there's not much traffic on it now, there often is in the spring and summer.
Be that as it may, one thing I've always enjoyed doing is walking ever since being a child and I find walking in this area quite stimulating as you see a lot of wildlife both mammals and birds plus at this time of your you sure can appreciate the fall as you see it in the trees and vegetation near the locks such as this one.

It makes walking so much enjoyable.

Pinafore dresses

There are some aspects to being a 'Little Girl' you cannot leave behind in my experience.I can't get enough of pinafore style dresses and this one is favourite of mine. I used to wear a lot of them when I was younger and found them to really practical being able to easily mix and match to various tops I had - long or short sleeves - dependent on the time of year.
Also and crucially I find it helps in bringing my mind image of that pinafored little girl in all her boundless optimism   into a physical breathing reality even if the design as with this one is obviously more 'adult' lacking say the charcoal grey and box pleats of the standard little girl pinafore.

This is a bit more like it, mid teen look with deep pleats but with suitable black  tights on very much me but I'd have brogues or loafers rather than those shoes.
Strangely enough I was 'put into tight's' around that age by Mommy (she had so many contridictions!) so if I was being a mid teen in role play I might well opt for tights.

Jennings Follows a Clue

The second story in this series came out in 1951 where Jennings feels inspired to take up the career as a detective with Darbishire as his assistant, trouble needless to say is just around the corner.

The twosome first of all detect the lights being on in the sanitarium when nobody is supposed to be in there which is the catalyst for them investigating it and the laundry room before noticing the school sports cups, to which competitions are due have disappeared!
They see a main of that they believe to be a piano tuner leave the building with them and follow him, breaking school rules into the village going into a silvermith and jewellers oblivious to this being his occupation and that he was to engrave them for the school by permission!
Meanwhile all this detective stuff is becoming something of a distraction  not just to Jennings and Darbishire but within their form leading to a number of mishaps not least being caught having defaced a textbook and not paying proper attention in class which results as did for many of our generation in a lecture and a caning from the Head.
While exploring the sanitarium they get caught by a mysterious person who locks them in a room and after escaping, investigate laundry as they lose a clue to only end up being driven  away as the school sports is taking place. In the end they found out who really stole the cups in time for presenting them.
It's a hilarious account of schoolboy life that could only exist pre internet and cellphone.
The edition I own is the 1967 Collins hardback which keeps this dust jacket.

Tag and Kiss Chase

This was a game I sure remember playing as a kid and no doubt if were socially possible to today I would gladly. The game involves one or more of you chasing other players with the aim of touching them generally with your hands.
Two or more players decide who is going to be 'it' using a counting out game such as Enny Meany, miny, moe and the one designated 'it' then chases the others attempting to get close enough to tag them - a touch of their hand - that makes that person 'it' and so it continues usually to the end of recess at schools.
In some forms it's deemed if you are on or touching a safe are then you can't be tagged cos it's off limits.

There was a form of it I well remember well from primary school 'cos we played it all the time called Kiss Chase.
The main difference is the tag is done by kissing rather than a touch of the hand and typically all of us of one gender are 'it' at the same time and chase the others of the opposite gender until everyone is caught at which point the team that was caught becomes it.
I really loved playing kiss chase between 8 and 11 years of age.

Cosplay

Today I'm feeling liking talking about Cosplay Pronounced, kosupure is short for "costume play", a type of performance art whose participants outfit themselves, with often-elaborate costumes and accessories, as a specific character. The characters are usually sourced in various Japanese and East Asian media forms, including tokusatsu, manga, anime comic books, graphic novels, videogames, and fantasy films. Other sources include performers from Visual Kei, J-Pop,J-Rock, fantasy music stories, novels, and objects from the real world or cyber-space that are often are unique and dramatic.

Cosplay participants ("cosplayers") create a subculture centred around wearing their costumes and re-enacting scenes or inventing likely social behaviour inspired by sources they have chosen. In some circles, the term cosplay has been broadened to include simply wearing a costume, without special consideration given to enacting characters in a performance context.

In Japan a whole district may be seem to be inhabited by the cosplayers and many business support it, supplying the needs.In the west this has been picked up on by the interests in gaming and anime.

This has had an influence on role play with males taking on the roles of females in play - think Second Life. There are a number of suppliers of Cosplay made to measure outfits. The image at the top of this post is of one. Cute, eh?

A great site abut the scene: Cosplay.com -

Stockists:
About Us : Lawrara Cosplay Shop - Japanese Uniform, Costume, Japan School Bag, Candy Sugar, Fancy Pocket, Socks, Gothic Lolita, uniforms, costumes

Wombling Free!

Well none of us of a certain age can forget the Wombles, ecological warriors and cute cuddly creatures from the 1970's and as a child i look forward to watching every episode.

Here's a link to the online Museum:

Tidy Bag - The Online Wombles Museum

This also has links to various currently available merchandise.
There is a lovely two DVD box set in recycled cardboard featuring all 60 original episodes in order which I recently purchased.

School Uniformed Life

This kind of uniform with blazer over blouse tie and skirt was very much a part of my own experience as a child because this was what girls generally wore to school. You cannot help but notice it just doesn't compliment their appearances but it looks very smart as well as defining you a school girl.
If you were in the 5th form (14 1/2  thru 15) or above you could wear tights usually a plain colour such as tan, blue, black or grey instead of knee socks

Of course any part of being a school child included shared interests of which a big one is comics and for me it was the British Comic, the Beano with it's adventures that we shared especially in my boarding school.
Recently it has been celebrating its 70th anniversary with a special soft back magazine edition that I bought back in July and this exhibition.

You, me and the rest of the world.

How we handle our 'Little Girl' side is in some respects down to us but we do need to think sometimes about how being the way we are can impact on others.

For instance some us may just be more at the point of maintaining many of the interests we had from our childhood such as playing with dolls, doing sticker albums and so on and whatever the rest of world may think about this, it just between us and causes no harm.

Some may be more into the look which can vary from what is just 'adult' clothes based on childhood likes, though larger versions of children's clothes to those who may wear oversized school children's clothing as a means of building on how they feel. 

The latter may seem a little odd although in the UK at least middle aged do put on school uniforms - usually high school ones mind - to wear to school reunion discos and social meet ups!

 In that context it is accepted and in your own home what you do is very much your own affair.
Every so often though we read stories of people, generally men, who dress as school girls hanging around recreation grounds or actual schools which attracts the attentions of the local media and host of other people.

Now their intent may not necessarily be to harm any child and for one thing most kids would soon realize this person wasn't their (chronological)  age, however it does cause children especially the 12's and younger to feel ill at ease and in some circumstances distressed even.

Many parents will feel at least a sense of unease at your presence in oversized school pinafore dress, white socks  and pigtails and most would conclude you wanted their child's attention to harm them. In that context it isn't that surprising that your local police department will be called and will expect you to explain yourself.

Causing children to feel this uncomfortable is just plain wrong, may well result in verbal even physical abuse to you from parents and is a extremely stupid AND serious thing to do even if from your point of view you're just placing yourself back at school feeling still that age.

I used to work in child protection not least as a 'Little Girl' I had a great empathy toward the role of protecting children from harm and it makes my blood boil!

Remember being a 'Little Girl' doesn't excuse us from respecting the emotional needs of children and avoiding needless distress.  In fact it ought to inform them!

Nancy at Saint Brides

This month I am going to write a bit about a book which taps into part of me but was even when I was growing up was seen as part of a series that were more in the past more what we'd be handed down or bought second hand.

This copy is the 2002 Girls Gone By paperback reprint.

 Nancy at St. Brides was written eight years on and after the second in this series (That boarding school girl) but in a lot of ways the first proper book in that this is where the main character Nancy makes here appearance as a relatively unschooled 14 year old dispatched to St.Brides  with instructions to be kept an eye on being very ahem spirited which soon shows in the dares she was only too willing to perform and caught out by the Sixth form prefects.
You could say she was impressionable which I was too at this age and this is the the story of her first unhappy term as she gets to grips with school structures, rules and consequences.
Nancy's problems were less the stuff of theft, insubordination, refusal to apply ones self or bullying  but more about what can be seen as maturity or rather the  lack of age appropriate maturity at least in part because she was never really 'schooled' so failed to see how her impulsive reckless side so resulted in one child almost drowning and another catching a serious cold.
For Nancy this lead to the matter of her being 'asked' not because  to return not formally expelled by Head Mistress Miss Cawdwell because she feels Nancy lacks the maturity a girl at boarding school needs. It also leaves the door open for her to return with a clean slate made easier for Nancy making a attempt in her last three weeks to do some good such as doing well in the swimming competition.
It's an enjoyable read not just for her spirit but also how working at channelling her interests starts to pay off.

Jennings Goes To School

It's getting toward the end of August and almost by magic my mind starts slipping back to what this time in the past meant for me.

Part of it meant getting ones equipment and uniform ready to return to school with a  mad dash to the stores and this leads really on to this which I do so miss all of that and one of things I did was read books.
Anthony Buckerridge's creation Jennings and his side kick, Darbishire was the only boys series I read as to a very large extent I read stories about and for girls but what I liked about the series was they did feature memorable characters in situations I could relate to.
This was the first published story although Jennings was inflicted on the Britishers in nineteen forty-eight  on the BBC Children's Hour program, garnering a following.

In the first story we are introduced to the two new boys of Linbury Court School for boys, Jennings and Darbishire, their initial meeting with Mr. Carter just seeing a very average boy in his suit and short pants but it is not long before her realizes his well meant but impetuous nature coupled with an overdeveloped sense of initiative soon leads trouble dispite his more erudite mild mannered companion  attempts at moderating him as they both start to learn the ropes  in their first term.
My copy is a nineteen sixty-two Collins hardback where I'm sure the one I had at school would of been  from the mid seventies edition.

Boys!

My education was at co-educational schools which when translated out of the amazing lexication of the world of Education into plain english means schools that accepted boys and girls as pupils.
We were not perish the thought 'students' at the ripe age of six because we we children and students went to college back then!
That's why strangely enough I'm devoting a page on my blog to a strange species that we shared our time with: The Boy.

 Boys had a certain something different about them.
At that time they tended to be rather more forward, leading things having different sorts of adventures and rather prone to dares.
They had a different uniform too as shown on this picture of a 'prep' school although the colours here have more in common.

 I thought when they were good and made sure they were not covered in mud from playing war games and falling off trees they looked really smart although the boy on left would of been told to pull his socks up literally, not just as a metaphor for getting engaged in his life.
Older boys wore long pants (UK trousers) but boys up to their teens didn't although that was starting to change.

 Personally I loved to see them in their shorts being more practical too for when they played usually with each other in groups.

 Proper shorts for boys were actually lined for comfort and were fairly warm worn with just beneath the knee socks usually gray rather than the white ones we had which probably was a good idea as they didn't show puddle stains.

While I'd of rather of gone to an all girls school, I enjoyed sharing space with them hearing of their adventures and feel we ought to be valueing boys as equals for just being themselves.

Powerpuff Girls

Like most 'Little Girls' I just love sitting in front of the tv watching cartoons with my milk and cookies and of those cartoons that came in the multi-channel age go this one is a favourite of mine originally showing on the Cartoon Network and is so girlie!
A poster is available dimensions 406 x510mm (16x20 inch) for a cool GBP £3.00 from oneposter.com.
The Powerpuff Girls save the day again!

Powerpuff Girls - Fly Mini Poster Poster - buy this "Powerpuff Girls - Fly Mini Poster by Powerpuff Girls" Poster at Oneposter.com. Uk Posters store

Alice Rose

Here's Alice Rose in red and yellow livery. Notice the floral decor.

Caught just after the passengers had disembarked to stock up on food and other provisions.

The Girls at Saint Brides

Reading is a passion of mine and it is not uncommon for authors  to write a whole series of stories that are self contained and over time start again which does make it hard pick a series to work ones way through.
In the instance of Dorita Fairlie Bruce, she actually wrote five whole series so I've cherry picked this the start of the St. Brides/Maudlsey series to work my way through.

 Originally written in nineteen twenty-three and long out of print, this introduces to Island School of St. Brides on Inchmore far away from industrial west coast of Scotland and introduces us to its main characters although it obviously was not conceived as part of the "Nancy at St.Brides" series at the outset as Nancy doesn't make an appearance!
One strong point of this book is the inclusion of a disabled girl, Winifred who was disabled in early childhood and uses a wheelchair which is very rare for the period and how it touches on the idea of integration, talking about the sense of isolation and lack of acceptance showing how in this school and through the friendship with Morag, she emerges becoming very much a part of the school community.
Integrated education is as I know from direct personal experience as a disabled girl is still controversial and indeed for a period many did not have what would be recognized as a (appropriate) academic education.
Because it was written in nineteen twenty-three, Dorita does use the term "Cripple" to describe Winifrid which would jar many today but we need to remember that it's from the German term "Krupil" and one of the meanings of that word is "lame" which medically speaking is true as her limbs are indeed just that as are mine. It also is the case cripple don't acquire the common abusive undertones it did in the nineteen fifties and sixties as did "spastic" both of which went on unofficial blacklists of terms not to be used from the late seventies onward but Dorita in fairness uses cripple with sensitivity.
I judge what people say by what they say and mean never by an 'approved' list of terms.

Rag Dolls

I enjoyed playing with other girls dolls a lot and there was a series that I particularly liked during the 80's.

 This is Heather Hollie

 And here's Hollie Hobbie
I like their simple rustic style and the pretty dresses they wore.

Laputa: Castle in the Sky

I recently brought this anime for my collection

The high-flying journey begins when Pazu, an engineer's apprentice, finds a young girl, Sheeta, floating down from the sky, wearing a glowing pendant. Together, they discover both of them  are searching for the legendary floating castle, Laputa, vowing to unravel the mystery of the luminous crystal around her neck. Their quest it has to be said will not be easy, however for there are sky pirates, secret agents and monumental obstacles stopping them from discovering the truth - and each other. However, Laputa is more than it appears, and some seek to use it for evil.
Director Hayao Miyazaki's love of air travel shows thropugh this anime that I greatly enjoyed.

Edited 2017 from dvd to blu ray edition by Miss J Chan.

Funshine Care Bear

This is Funshine Bear my original much loved Care Bear who lives neatly tucked between the duvet and to who I sleep with.
Funshine was bought back in the 1980's and I guess some with more transient likes just tossed him aside to the dump but I couldn't bear to do that cos he knows all my secrets and brings joy into my life.I religiously watched the series on tv following their adventures.
The caring, sharing world of the Care Bears is what we all need.

Hello Kitty

Okay, some of you know I have a soft spot for cute stuff but I felt like talking about Hello Kitty which is something of an obsession of mine but anyway here we go.

Hello Kitty is a fictional character first created by the tv program company Sanrio in 1974 and registered in 1976.
She has a pet cat called Charmmy Kitty that she was presented with by her parents.

Her friends are Cathy (a Rabbit), Fify (a Sheep), Tracy (a Racoon) and Joey (a Mouse).

Charmmy Kitty has more cat like features than Hello Kitty herself and was presented to her by her papa, George White, Mama, Mary White, her sister, Mimi, and her grandparents, Anthony and Margret White.

Hello Kitty is good at backing cookies, making pancakes for friends, Origami, shopping for friends, buying things and playing tennis. Her favourite food is Apple Pie made by her Mom.

Her hobbies include travelling, music, reading, making new friends (one of her favourite words is "Friendship") and having adventures .Sounds like me!

Several Hello Kitty animated series targeted towards young children have been produced. In the animated films made by Sanrio from 1977 to 1985, Hello Kitty has made cameo appearances in them.

The earliest Hello Kitty animated series known was the American-animated (co-produced with Japan) Hello Kitty's Furry Tale Theatre, which aired throughout 1987. This show was broadcast in the United States on the Family Channel.

The Japanese anime series Hello Kitty and Friends aired on CBS tv in the States in 1991, and also ran onToon Disney. Kitty is depicted on the show as a little girl who lives with her mother, father, and twin sister Mimi, who is identical to Kitty but has different coloured clothes and wears her bow under the opposite ear. 13 episodes were produced, using animation produced as early as 1991.

The show Hello Kitty (and pals) have starred in at least one anime series of their own on Japanese tv. Hello Kitty's Paradise ran for 16 episodes between 1993 and 1994. This version was released in English in 2000. This version, like "Hello Kitty and Friends", also aired on Toon Disney.

Also Hello Kitty and friends appeared in Hello Kitty's Animation Theatre, which had Hello Kitty and other Sanrio characters appearing in their versions of different fairy tales. Available in the U.S. From ADV Films (who also own the video/DVD rights to Hello Kitty and Friends & Hello Kitty's Paradise)

Since her introduction, Hello Kitty has grown in popularity around the world spurning much merchandizing that has been adopted by such personalities as Mariah Carey.

Many American celebrities have contributed to the character's popularity: Britney Spears, Mariah Carey, Cameron Diaz, Heidi Klum, Steven Tyler, Christina Aguilera, Carmen Electra, Mandy Moore, Raven-Symoné, Miley Cyrus, Varla Jean Merman, as well as Paris and Nicky Hilton have all been spotted with Hello Kitty and Bobby Jack goods. Celebrity blogger Perez Hilton was also spotted with a Hello Kitty handbag while doing a video blog with Ross Mathews. Perez Hilton was also seen wearing a Hello Kitty tie on Victoria Beckham's show 'Victoria Beckham: Coming to America'. Victoria commented on his 'fierce' tie. Singer Lisa Loeb, who is marketing the pink Hello Kitty guitar, has admitted to being a fan and has even dedicated a whole album in homage to Hello Kitty named Hello Lisa. 'Scene queens' like Jeffree Star, Audrey Kitching,and Hanna Beth can often be seen donning Hello Kitty apparel.










Well I adore Hello Kitty and have the current pencil case and pencils set amongst others as featured in the picture.
There is mountains of cool Kitty stuff out there, note books, diaries ring-binders for meetings.
The larger branches of any good stationary store such as W H Smiths or Amazon hold good stocks.

Vacation!

Having returned from my vacation, I thought I'd share some pictures of Conway harbour, North Wales, with you all taken on Olympus OM10 film SLR.

The weather forecast was grim - strong winds and heavy showers - but actually it was really sunny and only on the Wednesday was there a one hour shower mid afternoon.It was as well I had my waterproof jacket with me I guess.
This first picture was taken using the Zuiko 50mm lens with polarizer. 

Conway Harbour Aquarium. Taken with Zuiko 35mm lens

Taken with Tamron 90mm

You can take a cruise along the River Conway. Taken with Zuiko 135mm lens

Here are a few more pictures I took of Llandudno where I stayed

Some more vacation pictures - Llandudno sea front showing the War Memorial - done using a cheap digital camera.

Llandudno beach looking toward the Pier and Grand Hotel.
Whenever I go away I always  pack my swimsuit as I love either sitting around or playing on the beach making sand castles and the like armed with a bucket and spade. Being the child I am my school girl attire is always packed when I go away as well as such essentials as camera, sun cream and nivea cream in case I get burnt or cut myself.

I went on the Great Orme so here are a few pictures I took on film

 A restful scene with the hardy Sheep grazing

The original of this was over exposed but I corrected the exposure in Roxio Photosuite

Pictures taken with Olympus Zuiko 35, 50 and 135mm lenses on Olympus OM10 camera using Fuji Superia 200 colour print film.

The Little Girl within takes control

 

A couple of years ago, something happened to me in connection with a major public role I was undertaking outside of work which lead me down a route in life that includes this blog and it's mission.

I was responsible for a large organization that was undertaking several important projects to the community that those who made decisions on wanted but had left me to attend the meetings, met the other parties involved attending their workgroup events and so on at the same time as being the head honcho of their own body.

It also was the case I was involved in local political activity for a good two decades with it's own cycles of meetings, events and so on.

It also is true to say I was becoming increasingly frustrated at the sheer amount of time I was spending - often over 20 hours a week over being tied to my computer and mobile phone from the minute I came from work. It even cut into my vacations too being expect to work from hotel rooms!

As much as I complained about this, there was little effective cover meaning the inevitable meeting clashes weren't covered and the one who was meant to got no cover either!

By this point I had become ill, finding the combination of high demands, lack of effective management of commitments to outside bodies and the best word to describe what I went through was 'a nervous breakdown'.

Something came out during my recovery, my inner child rebelled against it's forced to groan up shadow  kicking it's butt, insisting she wanted her time,she wanted to play in her little girl clothes and chill out on the bed in the evenings.

She fought and won those changes because the little girl within had spunk and courage to make the changes that would set me on a path that would make me so much more happier because when it came down to it, I just a child in a grown up body.

Childhood Dolly Playtimes

Once upon a time, there lived a little girl who played with her girl friends dollies because Mommy didn't give her own but that was okay as they all knew what she was!
They also knew that's what she really wanted to be although they wouldn't say which curiously lead to her developing a love of being with other little girls as she could be herself as she played with them.
I was just that little fairytale ballerina with the short frilly dress on in my head.

Building on being a girl

One of things I love being a girl is the variety of materials and styles we have available so rather than doing ikky boy grab a pair of pants and just pull up, we think about what we would like to wear and how fit fits in with what we will be wearing over it such as our dresses.

Because some of dresses and skirts will be pale or specifically white means we need to have panties that won't show through .

At other times you just might love wearing something like baby pink all with some nice frilly lace and elasticated for a nice smooth fit.

I also do quite love baby blue as well.

Wearing soft satin pairs make me feel really soft and comfortable helping to express my femininity after time when it's been repressed  and I know Mommy loves me in them.

I love being a feminine little girl.