it is entirely unoriginal, but i hate having a cold. for the past week i've felt constantly tired and really uninterested in anything other that the adventures of meredith grey and my duvet. and i've gone through about three boxes of tissues. my nose even looked bright red and someone pointed it out in a meeting. which was a bit shame. but hello, like i could help it.

on friday afternoon i got home from work early - about three pm - and slept until seven then watched tv for two hours which was exhausting and i had to go back to bed. and yesterday i went out for a party planning brunch (btw: my party is going to be AWESOME. you should rsvp already) and i had to sleep for two hours to recover. after which i only had the energy to make chocolate and banana muffins and watch grey's anatomy. somewhere in there i managed to get enough energy to go to hide a surprise gift for my mother at mum and dad's house. and i am possibly underestimating my level of sloth yesterday. yet i was still exhausted.

so it has been such a surpise that today i managed to do some housework and go on a fact finding mission to porirua. on my fact finding mission i also soaked in some culture at pataka where the contemporary samoan art exhibition was choice but let's face it: i spent more time in the gift shop. due to my new found energy i even managed to talk myself into buying a present for myself. a felt tiki brooch.

then i went to save mart where i also managed to convince myself that one day soon someone will invite me to an 80s party. and so i bought myself a dress that would make cyndi lauper green with envy...

it is hard to tell, but it is lace and has puff sleeves. and a bit of a ra-ra skirt. if an eighties party doesn't present itself soon i may just introduce it to my everyday wardrobe. or start a goth rollerskating dance troupe. it is a truly versatile dress.

so, anyway, now i'm home from porirua and while i could obviously go a nap i actually think i will survive without one. meaning i may well and truly be close to recovery. after a week. gosh darn, colds suck.

so i bet you have been hitting refresh on my page for the past two days in the hopes that i would update you on my friday night as princess (her royal highness) diana and the belle of the ball. if that is the case then, my friend, TODAY IS YOUR LUCKY DAY.
so firstly i made an appearance as diana, princess of wales and queen of hearts. i wore wig, here pictured, and tiara and bow around my neck. the bow was because i looked at photos of diana circa 1984 and they always involved a bow of some kind. i am pictured here with an anonymous friend who came as a lady of the evening. her hair makes mine look more feasible some how. anyway, highlight of the diana period of the night was giving out heart stickers as a form of branding. you had to be special to get one. and it filled my heart with glee when there were speeches and most of the key players were wearing my brand. i now know the pride the coca cola executives must feel when coca cola sponsored sports teams take the field.

but unlike the coca cola executives, who can probably wear whatever they like, i had trouble with the tiara. every time i moved it fell. so i gave up. and gave it to a man as a present. and i stole his hat. and as you can see i freakin' rocked it.

but the nylon texture of my hair meant the hat kept slipping off. so the 'bank robber' or whatever period was short lived.

then i entered my final dress up phase of the evening.... paris hilton. i got into character by drinking pink drinks, putting on lots of lip gloss and thinking i could have a singing career. if there had been a car near by i probably would have driven badly (but not on a public road or anywhere near people, cos hello, there was vodka in them pink drinks).

i also kept hugging people in this phase. and trying to get scandal out of friends and colleagues. with very little luck by the way. although there were drinking games and as a bystander i learnt lots of boring but scandalous for civil servants confessions. i pretended to be shocked. i have seen the simple life and i'm sure that is what paris would do. also like paris i chatted to the barman about his job. see how the other half live and what not. but this picture suggests none of that, except perhaps that there was vodka in the drinks...


anyway i wanted to go dancing. so i rallied the troops but basically hunger outweighed dancing and so i got a burger and what do you know? burgers make you tired. so wellington has yet to see paris pole dancing at the mirror bar. but, you know, maybe next week.

oh my god i wasn't going to post it but now i'm so excited about it i have to tell you about how i'm going to a party tomorrow night and about how i will quite likely be the BELLE OF THE BALL.

the details are as follows...

why will you be the b.o.t.b?

in part because of my great social skills but mostly because of my AWESOME COSTUME

a costume party, what is the theme?

the theme has somehow become irrelevant. it was meant to be that you went as something starting with the letters P, H or D. my costume covers ALL letters, but like i said... themes are so irrelevant when your costume is this awesome.

could you be over selling the costume?

no.

how much did the costume cost you?

well, in terms of costs incured this week the honest answer is NOTHING. it is like i have been building up to this event my entire life and little bits and pieces i have collected over the years all seem to fit together so nicely. that said i may need some blue eyeliner to finish off the costume.

blue eyeliner?

yes, but according to some cost cutting article i read all the eye liner in the world is made by two or three companies. so you may as well buy the cheapest brands. with that in mind i will probably spend $2 on eyeliner. the bonus being i will own blue eyeliner. which will mean that my work wardrobe will get a little pizzazz.

pizzazz? are you going as a misfit?

god, that is a great idea. but no. actually, damn, that really is a good idea. i wish i hadn't already committed to this costume.

don't worry, the costume will be great....

that's true. and plus i don't think i could pull of zebra stripes and fluoro hair. however, i can pull off a blonde wig. BIG TIME.

you're going as a blonde?

exactamondo.

can you reveal your identity?

ew... maybe.... i mean, it is not like many of you will be there.

so, who will you be friday night, homeperm?

tonight matthew, i will be PRINCESS HER royal HIGHNESS DIANA. queen of hearts.