And talking about strength....

India’s Pink Gang, the largest women’s vigilante group in the world, shames abusive husbands and corrupt politicians by going door-to-door clad in electric pink saris and wielding sticks called laathis—the same sticks used by local cops when patrolling their beat. Recently, they’ve gained political clout by winning seats in the panchayat elections—the equivalent of American municipality elections.

For further information: http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2011-02-26/meet-the-woman-behind-indias-pink-vigilantes/?cid=hp:mainpromo7

Stregnth

I follow a beautiful person both inside and out named 'Kandee Johnson' who is deeply passionate about her work, herself, her family and life itself. To me, she is one of the best people in the world, as she has survived A LOT of accusations and judgements with positivity and glee for the future. She has recently shared a very personal 9 months of the journey of pregnancy through video and posts everyday of new information to help other parents and girls like me who are scared and unsure about the whole process.

In my mind I thought she was almost perfection in the way she handles everything and coming through it with the same amount of passion, and of course if I was able to see this over a screen then surely everyone else could. Surely.
Recently she had been getting a blast of anger and false accusations, completely destroy ing her trust of the internet and people who visit her blog. Today it got too much for her as she wrote a blog entitled 'saddened' and that title in itself shows how the comments have affected her. In this blog she describes some of the comments she had been getting like threatening the life of her newborn, which is quite frankly disgusting, because even if the accusations of Kandee were true threatening the life of a 2 month year old child is NOT acceptable. It made me made however she concludes explaining "Please know that I do not hate or wish any bad things upon any of the people behind any of this...if anything I wish these people could be a friend..so they would know truth...and maybe I could fill their life with a little more love than what they have." I think that sums up herself in a little nut shell. I wish I will be able to, one day, get the strength she carries herself with everyday, because no one deserves what she is suffering with at this very moment.

Here is the blog post:
http://kandeethemakeupartist.blogspot.com/2011/03/saddened.html

and I would like to add I am very sorry if you are learning about this wonderful person in a time of utter sadness, but please look through her blogs and just find out for yourself just how great she is.

Humanity.

I'm a thinker. I often spend hours thinking and just overall think too much. Most of my thoughts go down to an endless line of wanting to help, to change to world and just get a world where everyone can walk out of their homes and not worry or fear what may happen next. Whether it's political war or bullying I think all the prejudice and hate should be and could be controlled and hopefully gone one day.

Of course, everyone who is a thinker knows, some thoughts can go in bad ways, where you become hopelessly apathetic to the world and its outcome. Let's just say to those who don't, sometimes you need to see humanity in the world.

I found a site called 'Care2.com' with a tag line 'Make a Difference'. I've longed to help another as many ways possible but my age has stopped me from doing anything, however on this site age is not an issue. The site holds every area you can think possible from racial to sexual issues to the environment and health laws. The reason I got it was to help women at first. I was really annoyed by the lack of respect and equality in United Kingdom (where I live) and knew it was even worse almost everywhere else in the world, and I REALLY wanted things to change. The peitions were endless, the discrimination was unbelievable. I speant a whole day reading and signing the petitions, in anger and disgust. However the best part was when you get an email back. An email saying something has been done, and that email regained all the humnanity I needed.

Now, I'm not saying just join for that, because everyone has different strong views and passions, and like I said the site offers a range of petitions and news (which isn't shown on television), just go and discovery something you can change and help.

I must say about the other parts of the site such as the blogs about successful achievements and ideas that work. Such as this blog:
http://www.care2.com/causes/animal-welfare/blog/homeless-youth-help-homeless-animals/
where homeless people and animals work to help one another and like the blog says it's "is a win-win!"

but also making you aware of laws and policies that aren't successful and need attention which are missed in the everyday news, such as:
http://www.care2.com/causes/health-policy/blog/women-ignored-in-heart-device-studies/

I think everyone should have an account on this page as it turns ignorance into knowledge and understanding. Please go and have a look!

RANT ALERT.

I’d like to believe Terry Richardson is ‘the most prolific and compelling photographers of his generation’ which the fashion and art industry would like us to absorb without consciousness, but I think his work is quite frankly what anyone who has his equipment could do (and they would take quite frankly more respectful and dignified images).

I know everyone who knows this ‘photographer’ knows about the sexual allegations.. well that’s what I thought.. too many times you put in his name and you see compliments of the highest level and remarks such as ‘he is so unique’ but for those people out there - pick up an I-D magazine and perhaps even a Vogue and you will find a handful with photos you could swear Richardson done.
I am really sorry if I’m coming over as disrespectful and normally I will construct a better argument - especially when it comes to art and pieces of personal work - however I don’t think abusing models for ‘fun’ and to ‘get the relaxed’ makes his work ‘impressive’.

I’ll just let this source sum it up before I get a little too angry: “A Jezebel source said that Richardson “is tolerated because the fashion industry folk are just sheep. There are only a handful of photographers who have the power. […] “[They] are tacitly giving their approval that whatever he does is OK.”

photobox.co.uk

This website has really helped me this week!
I thought as I was already talking about porfolio drama, I should probably share what made it a load easier; which I must say was this website.

Of course, this is because I am a media and photography student, I needed some magazine covers/posters and photographs printed asap for a low amount of money because, well I am a student!

I had heard of this site through a photographer but I was a bit worried about the timing and prices I had seen, but I thought I'd go through the process just to get an idea. I ordered 12 a5 gloss prints (which came to 24p!) and 6 a4 gloss prints which came to roughly £5 which is realyl extrordinary. The shipping was 1st class coming to an extra £1.25 and they gave me the 12 prints free as I was a new customer - good service eh?

Well , it gets better. The next day I come back from college and there they were sitting on my bed printed and shipped already!! The quality is mind-blowing and I just can't get over how quick it was - I was expecting 2-3days, not 12hours!

Seriously, don't panic and just look at this site!
I'll try to take some photos of my portfolio with the photos in as soon as I can!

Portfolio Drama

I think all creative A2 students out there have been or are inthe position of stuggling in a mass panic to get their portfolios ready.
I am going through this now and luckily the panic lasted 2 days and now I'm fine knowing all I have to do is stick down all the collected work.
However, now I'm starting to think about the interview, and it's getting me in a little mess - especially going with my own work (photographs/films and scripts) I feel like I'm having to give them a huge part of me and the idea of rejection after this will really hurt. Gosh, it's like I'm talking about a relationship here!

I do think the demographic this is aimed at will understand though, and I hope you all well in your portfolios and interviews.

My first interview is this tuesday at London College of Communication - which is my first choice, so there's no easing me into this process! What'is/was yours?

Boyle

So if you didn't know, Danny Boyle is directing Frankenstien at the National Theatre. (you can read about it here: http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/theatre-dance/news/frankenstein-draws-slumdog-director-danny-boyle-back-to-live-theatre-1875461.html

And I am now going to brag about how I have tickets to go see and tickets to his talk about putting it all together. That's right my friends, I'ma see him in the flesh. ajkiojwetij.

I really can't wait - unfortunaley I'm seeing the production with my English class which is most probably the most unbearable class put together, howevermy best friend Korinne will bring much joy to the situation so it don't really matter :D The talk I'm going to is with my Michael, Korinne and her +1 so it's a completely different atmosphere! Plus we were really lucky because it was almost sold out by the time we got our tickets!

I have to wait 'till March but there will be an uncontrollable rant all about it on here afterwards.

A new website I found last year, around october, is full fo adorable rockabilly and vintage inspired clothing. On my journeys through Camden market a new store opened coloured in cutesy pastels and splattered in dresses andknitwear. Luckily there was a sale and my aunt bought me this red and black Paige Dress which we fell in love with. I also recieved a 20% off which just inspired me to go on their website and I bought loads of new dresses!

Two of my favourite dresses are these:

This is a gorgeous empire, polka dot dress named 'Paige dress dot flock' which comes in a variety of colours. This was actually the first dress I saw and bought in Camden - me and my aunt fell in love with straight away!

The next is a turquoise empire dress with really pretty detail over the bust. I actually bought a dress size a little smaller then my own and it fits so brilliantly it makes me feel rather slim and curvy!

I also bought a sweetheart neckline cherry dress which was on sale for only £10 which I snapped up faster then the other two put together.

Anyone who enjoys pin-up or vintage-inspired wear should really visit: collectif.com plus the people there are so sweet so if you want to visit the store (which is always fully-stocked with sale items) visit Camden stables and it's one of the first shops on the corner (:

It's been a long time - again.

It's been a rather long time since I blogged here and I'm ever so sorry for the neglect. Since the last blog I have started the god-awful journey of universities and A2; the coursework is overloading the personal time, the sickening gut feeling whenever you log into your hotmail to check on universities has commenced and the teachers becoming paniced and restless has begun. Thus 2011 hasn’t been too great, but then again it could be worse.

A particular piece of work (which can bee seen here: http://a2emilyjanecurtin.blogspot.com/) has taken a lot out of me, both emotionally and physically. I think I spent two weeks straight working on it and trying to get through my two other classes, and as soon as the deadline was approaching I spent a week on about 4 hours sleep – I wasn’t even behind mind you! Trying to please my media tutor is near impossible, extra work was added almost every day and it still wasn’t enough and I’m not sure if even it is enough now. I must add this treatment has only been given to me, lucky right? Most of my class was a lot further behind and I don’t think ever caught up with the deadlines and that was never a problem. (Sorry that this has turned into quite the rant) I figured however, that I knew I done as much as I possibly could and I actually had the pride to say I tried to my absolute best, and I suppose that settles the conscience.

I would change the subject to a much happier one to add a lighter feel to the ending of this blog, however it seems lately my time is spent with all work and no play and so I haven’t really been up to much within these couple of months – even my Christmas was spent ill in bed due to sleep deprivation and really bad flu! Gah, how apathetic! Oh, actually I have got tickets for my best friend, her sister and my boyfriend and I to see a speech given from the award-winning British Director Danny Boyle in March about his new play adaptation of ‘Frankenstein’ (which I am also seeing with the school in February) it’ll be a breathe of fresh air! Furthermore, my best friend and I have planned to go up London a little earlier on the day of Frankenstein to do some shopping and cheer us up which I think will be the highlight of these few months!

Again, I apologize for the apathetic nature of this post! In the near future I hope some positive will happen in my life that I may have to brag about on here for a bit!