This isn't just an interview

It's a postpositivist mixed methods grounded theory interview.

This aspect of academia really pisses me off. If I'd wanted to learn about postpositivism, I'd have done a sociology degree, not a computing one. All I wanted out of this was to be able to use a computer well enough to get a computing job and I didn't get that. Getting rid of the old polytechnics for vocational training - another stellar decision.

Cheap thrill

This probably won't mean much to most of you but seeing as I've given up MakeupAlley for Lent, I have nowhere else to crow. I actually spotted a Sleek Rose Gold blusher in the wild and had enough money left over from the week to buy it (yes, I know they only cost £4.29 but times are tight).

I've been wondering a bit about the point of life recently, given how unrelentingly horrible all the big things in life are and I've concluded that frankly it's about shopping and eating cake. If I eat enough cake, I may manage to ensure that I don't live long enough to run out of savings. Result!

Well, that explains a lot

I just ran a chunk of my chick lit magnum opus through this and apparently I write like...

HP Lovecraft.

What do you get?

What?

Obviously, you only have to look at the current political scene in the US to know that science is good and anti-science is bad but nonetheless, the following gave me pause. Paraphrased:
"recent research in the US showed that chickens fitted with red contact lenses showed..."

Well, it doesn't matter what it showed because frankly anything that involves fitting CONTACT LENSES to chickens for crying out loud cannot really be that important can it?

What's in the box: 1. Pass the coathanger

The first service I tried from the vouchers* that came in the box was a Shavata brow threading and tint session. I wasn't really looking forward to this - I get my brows waxed periodically, which hurts and I'd been told that threading was a whole world of pain beyond waxing. Nor did I think that tinting was going to end well but as my brows are now white in places, I decided to risk it. And they really needed attention - when I'm stressed I have minor tricho symptoms and my brows take the brunt. Thanks to the dissertation hell I am extremely stressed at present.

The treatment took place in Harvey Nichols in full view of passing shoppers. In fact the threading barely hurt at all. I felt a little bit like one half of a velcro pair - it was prickly but very fast and far far less painful than either wax or plucking. I was very pleased with the shape too - natural but a lot tidier.

The tint I was less sure about. The dye was only left on for a minute or two and when I left the store it looked fine - a shade darker than my natural brow colour and nice and even but nothing extreme. However it can't have been removed properly because it continued to develop and half an hour later I was full on Joan Crawford and not very happy. I was told to use clarifying shampoo to strip the colour out and repeatedly washed my brows over the course of the next few hours. Overall it still looks a bit harsh to me if I'm not wearing makeup.

The combined service would have cost £35 if I were paying for it. I will consider threading again if I  ever feel financially flush again although it is considerably more expensive than waxing. The tint I think I'll pass on.

Before/after

* V. has already used a London only voucher for a Rene Guinot facial and reports that it was 'lovely'.

Don't let the door hit ya

It strikes me that a key strength you need to be a successful CEO of a major bank, especially in the current economic climate is good judgment*. Public whining about having to give up your bonus because of media and political pressure does not display good judgment in the current environment. Ergo, you are lacking one of the key strengths of a good CEO and you hence do not deserve a bonus.

I interviewed Stephen Hester once, I can't remember what for but it was before he was at RBS. Pretty much everyone I've ever interviewed has managed to be charming and polite, however stupid (or indeed to the point) my questioning. As I've said before, Fred Goodwin, even Fred Goodwin, was quite delightful. My abiding memory of Stephen Hester was that he was quite the most unpleasant, arrogant, rude man I'd ever spoken to.

*And I do not believe that this, along with the other requisite properties, is the sole preserve of a highly select few people.

Bargain

I've just dropped the Kindle price of The Trouble with Toyboys to 99c. Go on, you know you want to...