I feel like I’m four years old playing "work, work". Of course the main difference is when I was actually four years old and I played "work, work" I was a doctor. The game consisted of dragging around a discarded medical bag filled with the anatomy of various dolls and stuffed animals and looking for "patients" that needed “transplants”. One time I even surgically removed one of my Barbie’s heads, placed it in a glass of water and then in the freezer for preservation purposes. Yes, in retrospect I was a very strange child. Last week I embarked on a very similar game, but in the world of women’s magazines.

Since graduating four years ago I have kind of remained in the student mindset. Sure, I’ve been working, but it never felt like work. I was going to gigs most nights anyway. Opinions built up and turns of phrases began to form in my mind, and I started writing what I thought of these musos before anyone started paying me to do so. Eventually I found myself in a situation where people were offering me money for this service, and I took it. But gigging at night and struggling through a hangover the next day to eloquently put down what I thought never really felt like a job. Even when I took on an editing role. I could still work the hours I liked, as long as the work got done. Last week I started a 9 to 5, Monday to Friday journey. Every morning when I put on my little office outfit and make-up I feel like I’m going through the dress-up box at kindergarten. I can almost hear my mother giggling over her morning toast and saying amusedly “And what are you supposed to be?” “A magazine editor!” I’d say indignantly before surreptitiously wiping the lip gloss (a shade inappropriately named ‘snog’) off my mouth.

As shallow as it may seem, this is where I want to be. For now anyway. I know eventually discussing how hideous that dress is or what’s the best conditioner to use on colour-treated hair is will get old. I know that there are more important things in the world to write about than up and coming fashion designers slash Hollywood starlets slash insert relatively trivial job description here. But the truth is people need this trivia. I was chatting to a social working friend a while back about my misgivings regarding my job and she made a useful point. People like her whose jobs are pretty heavy going need to read the fluff people like me write to lighten the load. That got me thinking and made me feel much better about my position in life. I have no doubt that my time of championing for social change will come, but while I’m building up the strength to do that, this is as a good a service as any to be providing.

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Love and cotton candy
written by Federico, September 07, 2009
Hi my lovelies!!
Hope you are well and loving each other.
Miss you guys and love you.
News? Son of a Thousand Blues signed with Universal and the album will be at the stores from 18th of September.
My son Tau was born on the 24th of august.
See you at the Daisies!!!
Love you guys and keep you in my heart.
Kisses to Zoe and hugs to Zane.
Fede
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sleaazeZA
written by sleaze, September 07, 2009
Shallow? nah I would say your in deep. Deep in that Egyptian river. You are so deep in De nile that even the Pharaohs cant help you now. You should however dig up that barbie doll and put it in formaldehyde, it worked for Damien. Ps I have some new Joost tapes what's your best offer?
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written by Zane, September 07, 2009
Anyone know a good follow-up line to "I lost my wife to a pair of slingback heels"? smilies/wink.gif
Fraser
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written by Fraser, September 07, 2009
For an insight into what it is like editing a tabloid style magazine years later, there is a great boook by an author whose name escapes me. The book, "The Know-it-all" (by A.J. Jacobs, courtesy of Amazon) is the tale of the erstwhile editor of esquire or one of those illustrious titles. He takes a year out to read teh encyclopaedia britannica, from beginning to end. It is a hilarious account of his journey through the 39,000 odd pages.

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