Autumn 2011
issue 3
Child-free by choice when the biological clock never ticks
Thigh high Banish your wobbly bits with 2 super moves
Have fun From Dusk ‘till Dawn with flirty fashion from Meg & Wally
She’s the Boss Their tips for success!
Gray’s philosophy “Without your health you haven’t got anything!”
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At 72M we’re addicted to networking and we like to shout about what we do and how awesome we are! Our eclectic content is read by fashion bloggers, business owners, mums, models, fitness freaks, fans and friends alike. The list goes on and on... If you have something to shout about get in touch today and see what we can do for you!
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A girl’s guide to
thread therapy How to thread your way to perfect eyebrows
Health wisdom 10 key tips for staying fit for life
Boys don’t cry
photograph by Shane
Liem
Aspiring author and ex-radio presenter Andy Holmes talks life, n ambition and depressio
So you think you know blogs? Past time of the self‑obsessed or big business?
True
h on LA, True Blood Darren Darnboroug ard Branson! and being the next Rich
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Christmas! start saving for world debt and Help reduce the -science’ udo ‘pse of ld wor topic… YOU Our guide to the about our favourite and what they say
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Dresses to
Impress for Less stores.ebay.co.uk/amaras-closet-e-boutique
contents regulars editor’s letter what they tweet
With over 13 years’ experience in the industry Nita has a client base that includes Amy Winehouse, and Melvin Odoom of Kiss 100 Breakfast show
Andy Holmes
Jay Darrell Ingleton
Mbeke Wasame
Jay has been infamously dubbed ‘The awesome kicking machine’ by Chuck Norris. Fitness trainer, marshal artist and athlete, Jay also has hosts his own radio show ‘Kicking back with Jay Darrell’ Mbeke Waseme specialises in Career Coaching, Change management, Curriculum development, project management, and the development of sustainable partnerships and collaborations.
brit on the boulevard
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YOU-ology
36
19
in the closet
26
Winter Whites
7
When the biological clock never ticks
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Classically beautiful with a dash of ‘English Rose’
she’s the boss Female entreprenuers share their dreams, their goals and their tips for success!
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health, wealth & wisdom painted smile thighs; no limits
34
careers
38
Change, it’s a coming your way!
world wise woman
40
Prisoner cell block XX
money matters
seventy2minutes.com Autumn 2011
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Taming the Black Dog
Christmas? Again!
72mEditor@seventy2minutes.com
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The art of perfect nails
features
seventy2minutes with: Amelia Jackson-Gray
10
fashion fixers
HeavenSentBeauty
Questions, comments, queries or contribution ideas?
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page 7
Ex- Radio presenter and aspiring author Andy is the founder of ‘Painted Smile’ and has plans to set up a group in Buckinghamshire to support young professionals who suffer with depression
from dusk till dawn Have fun with your style, whenever, wherever
ask Alex
childfree… by choice
Nita Thanki
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page 10
contributors
fashion & beauty
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am velenia essuscidam velenia essuscid
editor’s letter
The power of 3…
S
Another quarter has passed and so much seems to have passed with it! The death of Amy Winehouse stunned many as did the revelations of phone hacking that led to the demise of the ‘News of the World’. The Greece EU bailout, the downgrading of the US and the struggling financial markets all pointed at further economic troubles. To cap it all off, in the UK, the death of a suspected gangster was hijacked as an excuse to riot and loot, leaving devastation and anger in the wake of, what has been described as, mindless thuggery. You would be forgiven for thinking the world was coming to an end! Yet, despite all this, people have a knack of pulling through. The mainstream press has a shameful ability to ignore the news and sell ‘drama’. Whilst they reported racist chanting amongst ‘Enfield vigilantes’ my Facebook feed reported that friends and family, of all ethnicities, stood together to defend an area they feel proud of. Whilst share values were shaved of large organisations and panic spread in the financial markets my LinkedIn announced promotions, new small businesses and Angel Investors ready to take the risks that
the banks would not. It dawned on me that the world that’s coming to an end is probably the one we’re spoon fed by the powers that be! Which brings me to Issue 3 and the power of 3. Triangulation (big word, I know) has several applications from Trigonometry to Topology, I’m interested in the social science side of things. In a nutshell; If at first you don’t believe, ask, then ask again. Don’t take things at face value, cross check, dig deep and come to your own conclusions. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed pulling this issue together. 72M keeps introducing me to the most amazing people who constantly challenge the way I see the world and my place in it. I was approached by a handful of people wanting to promote their work through 72M but fell in love with Poise Photography, whose photo’s we’ve used for the ‘dusk till dawn’ fashion spread. The England riots had me hooked on Twitter as the popular press misdirected readers with ommissions and poor journalism. The most wonderful thing I witnessed was the unshaking force of British humour. Whether aimed at politicians, celebrities or random Joes the one liners had me
chuckling at a time that can only be described as ‘dismal’. The very same riots prompted some thoughts about the article ‘Maybe baby? Maybe not!’. I wondered about the women I had spoken to who readily chose to be childless as they felt it just wasn’t their calling. I couldn’t help thinking, as controversial as this sounds, that maybe some of the mothers of those ‘disenfranchised youth’ should have paid the same consideration before they reproduced. I also talk to the beautiful Amelia Jackson-Grey about her hollywood dreams, her reaction to the riots and her stint in Entourage. My love for innovation and business leads me to the article on female entrepreneurship as I discuss the trials of up and coming lady bosses. ‘YOU-Ology considers the art of Feng Shui whilst Jay, Andy, Nita, Ray and Alex return with their regular articles to help you prepare for all the things that life has to throw your way! Enjoy.
Dinah
Dinah Sackey, Editor
Autumn 2011 seventy2minutes.com
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what they tweet With Social Media fastly becoming the way local, national and specialist news is shared we bring you the best of Twitter tweets in response to some of the major events that take place during the 3 months before our issues are published!
Salliestweets: In April 2010 Nick Clegg warned that Tory cuts would lead to riots. Now he’s a Tory minister himself he sees no connection.
davidwearing: For those of you who don’t remember the 80’s, this is what Tory Britain looks like
AngryBritain: Don’t worry. It’ll all be over by 9.30am tomorrow morning because Jeremy Kyle’s on
mslulurose: The youth of the Middle East rise up for basic freedoms. The youth of London rise up for a HD Ready 42” Plasma TV
jamesjamesbrown: Wish sky would stop asking parents to make sure their kids aren’t involved. My dad’s rung six times now
For our 1st we bring you the much talked about: #LONDONRIOTS
GaryDunne: I almost wish I felt the whole ‘... you’ll be in trouble when dad gets home...’ thing about Cameron. Obviously, I don’t.
TomBloodyMyers: Carphone Warehouse Balham #londonriots I can only assume their poor contract deals have annoyed people for too long AlanFisher: How can these people afford to throw petrol bombs
BeccaDudley: Seriously what are they doing in #essex? What are they going to do break into sunbed shops and get dangerously brown!?
© iS
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seventy2minutes.com Autumn 2011
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Childfree… by choice Love, marriage, babies... choose which order you prefer. Marriage before love? Many cultures fully accept this. The love will come and, even if it doesn’t, soon will the babies. Babies before love or marriage? hilst a few eyebrows might still rise in disapproval the growing rate of unmarried couples with children in the western world signals a seismic shift in attitudes. It’s reported that as much as 1 in3 children in Europe are born out of ‘wedlock’ and almost 1 in 2 (44%) in the USA1.
W
What of love and/or marriage but no babies? It’s difficult to open a glossy magazine without being presented with yet another celebrity baby. Speculation reaches fever pitch each time an ‘unattached’ public figure finds a mate. Will they get married? Will they have babies? What if they won’t have babies? What if they don’t even want them? Horrific stories of child abuse, or child neglect, and images of ‘feral youth’ terrorising neighbourhoods never fail to illicit the ‘What kind of parent would...’ argument, yet when it came to writing this article I was overwhelmed by the ‘disapprovers’ horrified that a person would choose not to have children. Many questioned the ‘unnatural’ motives behind such a decision but with 6.94 billion people on this planet, and counting, I was more interested in hearing from those that have decided that a childless existence is neither hollow nor immoral. Allison is a Business Systems Analyst for a Fortune 500 company and at 38 years old feels no desire to have children. 1 en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legitimacy_%28law%29
Allison (right) and her sister at their last birthday
I don’t know if it ever really struck me. I have just never really been interested in kids or babies. I hated to babysit when I was younger and whenever I would envision my future it was always just a happy relationship and a great life. I never saw kids, and I am assuming most young women that want to become a parent do see kids when then look to the future, I just never have. Before I married my husband we discussed this decision and he felt the same way. If he hadn’t, we wouldn’t have been able to get married. I would never have wanted to deny him that if he had wanted children. Lucky for me he didn’t and we have a great relationship. When we married, I was 24, and it seemed to be the question we were asked all of the time. Maybe it is because I have never wanted children, but I find it really inappropriate for people to delve in to the why we don’t have kids and then when they find out it is our decision, people seem to think it is appropriate to ask further questions. I don’t go around asking people why they decided to have children. We have nieces and a nephew who my husband and I love dearly and
they love us too. I think there is a special bond between an aunt and a child; it is like being a friend and parent all in one. We are also God parents to a friend’s little girl and my closest girlfriends refer to me as their children’s aunt. I do have to say that there are some people who we know that assume we can’t stand kids and that is not that case at all. I will be blunt and say that I don’t like to be around kids who don’t behave, but really who does? I have heard that my decision is wrong, even unnatural, but I think at this point most people we know, know that they are not going to change my mind. However, early on I often heard “Who is going to take care of you when you are old?” First of all, my mother has worked in a nursing home my whole life – just because you have kids doesn’t mean they will ever come see you or take care of you. Second of all, just because I am not a parent it doesn’t mean I don’t have children in my life that will be around when I am older. I also often heard that I must be selfish because I don’t want to have children. Maybe I am, I don’t know. I love my family and friends and would do anything for them. I have made Teddy Bears for hospice families, donated time to fundraisers and we donate to the military overseas throughout the year, so frankly I don’t think I am. And to be candid, I have gotten to the point in my life where I just don’t care what people think of our decision. The world is a crazy place right now and everyone needs to do what is right for
Autumn 2011 seventy2minutes.com
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childfree… by choice them and stop worrying about what other people are doing. My husband and I have been together for over 20 years, so obviously it is working for us. Hayley Chalmers, 48, recently set up a business making/ selling clothes for petite women (like herself), www.shortcouture.com but before that she was an IT manager.
Hayley, designs clothes for petite women
I’ve never been a baby person and in my early twenties I just couldn’t see a time when it would be right for me. Then one day I just realised that it was never going to be right for me, I just don’t feel that I could deal with everything that children/ teenagers need. I’m not interested in babies and I certainly am not ready to change my life to look after kids. If I had a £1 for everyone that has said you’ll change your mind in a very knowing tone! People didn’t, couldn’t, believe it, especially in my twenties- it was just so wrong to them. I find that as people around me are older now they understand it more. Everyone is understanding now. Possibly now that they have kids they long for my life without them!! No one has tried to change my mind but some people have been quite rude and unpleasant. I’ve heard “well there’s something wrong with you then!”, and “you’ll die alone then”. A lesser person could have been quite hurt! People have told me that it’s selfish, and I point out that having children for ones own desire is actually selfish. My attitude is that if I would not be a good parent then
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I’m doing the right thing. I have to say that I have never regretted it. Melissa Woford is a dispatcher for a large US Midwestern trash company. She manages all incoming e-mails, phone calls, and work orders and handles all incoming communications from 150 drivers. I have never wanted children as far back as I could remember. I started to form very definite thoughts and opinions at about 18. My friends support my decision, most of them understand my reasoning, even if they are parents themselves. They don’t try to force me to change my mind (That’s why we are friends!). My family is mostly accepting. My mother supports my decision wholeheartedly. My grandmother seemed a little disappointed when I told her I didn’t want children. My extended family doesn’t necessarily know, so I am not sure what they think. My colleagues are where I catch the most friction. My co-workers are where I seem to constantly hear “Oh, you’ll change your mind” and “It’s different when they are your own!” No matter how many times I explain my reasons, or FIRMLY state that neither I, nor my husband, wants kids, they still argue.
what you do’), that it is unnatural (we are born to be mothers), and that it is selfish (selfish that I want to be happy and live my life around myself and my husband, instead of a handful of wailing toddlers?). I desperately want to get my tubes tied, and am nervous to start the process. I have heard so many stories of women who were refused the procedure again and again because they hadn’t met some arbitrary standard for age and no. of children. Doctors seem to be much more willing to provide maternity care for an unwanted child, or to keep women on birth control with higher failure rates and more side effects rather than just sterilize a woman. Laura S. Scott is a filmaker and author of ‘Two is Enough: A couples guide to living childless by choice’.
All but one of my office-mates are parents. The other one wants to be, but just hasn’t had them yet (he is still in his early 20’s). They all seem to think that life is just not complete Parenting is the be-all end-all for them, and they want me to feel the same. It got even worse when my husband and I married this past January. The question of when we were having kids came up more and more often. I am constantly told that I will “change my mind” and want kids one day. I would rather change my mind in a few years and decide I WANT them, rather than having them, and deciding I DON’T want them! People have told me that my choice is wrong (having kids is ‘just
seventy2minutes.com Autumn 2011
Motivated by her own decision to not have children she embarked on a project documentary that explores the growing trends behind couples who opt out of parenthood. I was 43 and still had not felt a pang of maternal longing. I was curious to see if there were others out there who felt the same. I also married a man who was ambivalent about kids
childfree… by choice so I wanted to hear from the men too, as most of the previous research on this topic focused on women only. I’ve interviewed or surveyed over 170 people who identify as childless by choice for the Childless by Choice Project. I’ve since spoken to many more through my outreach efforts.
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Prior to doing the research for the Childless by Choice Project, I thought that the urge to procreate was biological and that I was missing some motherhood gene, but now I’m not so sure. After surveying and interviewing over one hundred women who are childless by choice, I think the urge to have children is more nurture than nature. If motherhood is instinctive, then why are so many of us choosing to opt out? I think is has more to do with your personality, temperament, your passions, and the goals you set for yourself. But this theory is challenged by those who are mothers who felt compelled to have children. They describe a baby lust that they suspect is hormonal. I have never experienced this, nor have the early articulators I’ve spoken too, so I can only say that some women feel this and some women don’t. Through my work on the Childless by Choice Project and my reproductive decision-making coaching I can say that is possible to be happy, fulfilled, and purposeful without biological children. You just have to know that this is possible and work towards expressing your true values and building a tribe of supportive family members and friends. Learn more about Laura’s work through her websites: The Childless by Choice project www.childlessbychoiceproject. com/Home_Page.html Facebook www.facebook.com/pages/ Two-is-Enough-A-CouplesGuide-to-Living-Childless-byChoice/98500360688?sk=wall Autumn 2011 seventy2minutes.com
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The end of summer doesn’t have to spell the end of sparkling bright colours, mini skirts and bare skin. Boldly go where lesser fashionistas dare and have some serious fun with your style 24/7, 365 Photography/Direction: Fallon Jones Hair: Zoe Owers Make-Up: Nicola Keeves Model: Sally Paton @ Viviens Models Clothing: Meg&Wally
SHEER MADNESS A sheer shift dress is smart, sexy and great from 9-5 teamed with fashion tights. When the clock strikes 6 let it all hang loose with tousled curls, chunky jewellery and ‘look at me’ make-up’.
Dress: Ruby Smallbone ‘Methodology’ dress $460 Meg and Wally
BARE CHEEK Nude lips and light cover foundation jazzed up with shimmery eyeshadow will compliment your embellished threads. Don’t shy away from brocade, foil and wax treated garments. It’s your time to shine!
Top: LifeWITHBird Magnetic Beauty $145 Meg and Wally
SASSY Señorita Who says that dark eyes and dark lips are a no-no? Show them how it’s done and wear your sassy morning, noon and night.
Multi-colour dress: LifeWITHBird Liquid Sands Dress $395 Meg and Wally
W W W.T H ECR O W N PRIN TS.C O M
the Crown Prints B R ITIS H T-S HIR TS
feature
n the surface Amelia Jackson-Gray is every bit the Hollywood starlet. Classically beautiful with a dash of ‘English Rose’ it would be easy to put her success down to her good looks alone; but behind the glamourous exterior is a warm, intelligent, nature loving woman who ‘deals with’ things as they happen and recognising the opportunities that your personal situation can offer you. Hello Amelia, thank you for talking to 72M Magazine AJG: Hello, how are you? 72m:
I’m good and you?
AJG: Great, thank you. 72m: 72M is about being busy, versatile, and eclectic. Switching from role to role meet the demands that are placed on us. The 1st thing that struck , about you is how versatile you are.
AJG: Thank you! 72m: Certainly. In ‘Outsourced’ you play an Australian… the naughty nurse, ‘The Mentalist’ sees you as the Italian seductress, ‘Heartland’ you’re the Texan ‘cowgirl’ [for want of a better term] and in Entourage we see a classy American… all without the hint of a Yorkshire accent!
AJG: I know. I haven’t had to do that one yet. When I do… 72m: Is it a natural talent or did you have to learn ‘accents’?
AJG: Erm, with the Italian seductress in the Mentalist I was auditioning for some other parts (one American) and I just thought I’d have some fun! The name of the character was Novella and to me it sounded Italian… I spent a little bit of time in Italy… I worked on saying her name a few
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times ‘Novella, ti amo Novella’… it really just came to me and I resonated with it and it worked for that role!
I don’t know if I could play a leading role as an Italian but it was fun and I was surprised when I got the part because the other character I auditioned for was American and, funnily enough, the actress they cast in that role was Italian! 72m: You’ve also taken on a variety of roles that have seen you play the sweet farm girl (Heartland) to the corrupt journalist (Deep Gold). How difficult is it to pull these personalities out of your artillery?
AJG: I really feel that you either resonate with a role or you don’t. There’s some sort of magic in being cast for a role. You either feel the character, understand them and it comes naturally or you just don’t! Happily for me it’s been the case with the roles I’ve played. 72m: So if you ever feel disconnected from a role, or a character, that’s sent to you do you dismiss it or do you try and mould yourself around it?
AJG: You do have to personalise every role as much as possible. If you’re not resonating with a role you sometimes have to work on certain aspects of yourself to find that connection. 72m: On the surface of it you embody the quintessential English Rose and, I can only imagine, that it would be easy to slip into ‘type’. How do you avoid being typecast?
AJG: By working on my craft and not shying away from other areas of my personality that totally conflict with the ‘English Rose’ image. I think we all grow up in certain cultures, situations and families and we’re conditioned in certain ways but as an actor it’s your job to
seventy2minutes.com Autumn 2011
©John Rutlidge
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with: A melia Jackson-Gray
seventy2minutes with: Amelia Jackson-Gray
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sell your emotions for money and access the emotional rainbow. 72m: Are
there any roles or characters that you really want to play? AJG: I’d love to do more period work. I’d love to be a part of a really great historical story. I think stories are wonderful anyway because they help people understand themselves and I think when you add in History it’s just an extra dimension of that. 72m: You’d do it justice. Being in front of a lens brings its own kind of pressures and for an attractive woman attention is forever drawn to how you look. How do you stay body confident?
AJG: By eating as well as possible and staying as healthy as possible. Without your health you haven’t got anything! I’m very passionate about promoting good health, I’m always talking to people about eating habits… 72m: Do you ever feel the pressure of size 0? Mythical or not do you feel you have to conform?
AJG: I definitely feel that pressure but at the same time if I think; if you’re a bit heavier who knows what roles will be offered to you? Who knows the opportunities that it could
Bloody Mary Music Video shoot (2011)
open up, acting wise? Being a size 0 can get you into certain roles but being heavier could open up another world for you that leads to other roles and I’m not against changing my appearance for a character. 72m: That’s
a positive way of looking at it… You’ve also co-produced ‘The story of your life’ which you star in as ‘Lady Jane’. Does acting, for you, lead into producing and eventually directing or was this a one-off project? AJG: I’m very much about creating and doing what I can to help that process come along if I love the project. I love to find scripts that I resonate with and that have a clear vision. I’ll try and get them produced and made and do whatever I can. I’m in Palm Springs at the moment working with a group of friends on an ensemble piece that my friend wrote and it’s very much a labour of love. Everybody is volunteering time and effort because the script is so good. 72m: As a Brit in the US you’ve appeared in some high profile, well known series (Entourage, The Mentalist, Law & Order), you’ve taken on roles in independent projects like ‘Snakes on a train’ and Ruben Cortez’ homage to Lady Gaga’s
Without your health you haven’t got anything! I’m very passionate about promoting good health, I’m always talking to people about eating habits…
”
Bloody Mary and you’re linked to Skeet Ulrich, [How Hollywood loves a celebrity romance!]. Hobbies, work, ambition, relationships; how do you pack it all in? AJG: One day at a time, one bite of the elephant at a time! Whatever comes along I just deal with it. I’ve done a lot of independent parts and as I’ve grown as an actress I’ve become more confident and a lot more selective than when I just needed the experience on camera. I’m definitely choosier with my roles and the projects I attach myself to… being selective at a certain point in your career is a good thing! 72m: So where do you see yourself in 3-5 years’ time?
AJG: I see myself working on roles that are stronger females, more intelligent, more complex… stretching myself more as an actor and mastering my craft. 72m: You’re
a Yorkshire lady by birth but LA is currently your home. I’ve been told you love
Outsourced: Bolloween (2010)
Autumn 2011 seventy2minutes.com
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seventy2minutes with: Amelia Jackson-Gray
“Being a size 0 can get you into certain roles, but being heavier could open up another world for you”
the outdoors too. When it comes to trekking and bonding with nature is it the Yorkshire Dales or the Hollywood Hills? AJG: Oh, that’s so difficult! Both? I love living in California. The weather is always perfect, the mountains are unbelievable… we have mountains and forests that reach the coast and the coast line is beautiful and rugged. The Yorkshire Dales are a whole different ball game! The most beautiful rivers and wonderful moors… fog, peat, heather… all those wonderful things... and bramble picking! All these things I enjoy too. I think nature is amazing I have no preference it’s all good, it’s all wonderful.
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72m: Ok. 72M stands for Seventy2Minutes. Apparently that’s the average time it takes for us women to get ready. So for you, personally the best 72Minutes of your life has been, or will be.
AJG: Finding balance between family and career… all the little moments that come together seamlessly to make those 72 minutes. I’ve been away from England for a long time and I’ve found family here in Los Angeles and it’s all building and just growing and I can’t wait for it to all feel ‘together’. 72m: Are there any other projects that we should be looking out for you in?
AJG: I’ve just been working on a great children’s TV sitcom called ICarly, I’m very excited about that when it airs
seventy2minutes.com Autumn 2011
Keeping up with Amelia www.deepgoldmovie.com Facebook: Amelia Jackson-Gray later on this year. There’s also the film that I’ve been working on up here in Palm Springs [Bleeding Hearts], that’s out next year, it’s an independent feature film that I’m extremely proud to be a part of. A lot of people have come together to make it happen 72m: Thank you Amelia, it’s been a pleasure
fashiona-belles You wear your cool like a badge of honour. Your style is 90% attitude and everything looks incredible on you. You can wear head-to-toe designer one day and charity bargain bin the next and no one would know. Dark colours accentuate your nysteriousness but every now and then you like to kick it up a notch with a sprinkle of rainbow bright colour. You rock!
HAT Beaded flower mini top hat www.accessorize.com
JACKET Black Governor long jacket www.stylebop.com
JEANS Cherry black jeans www.oasis-stores.com
BOOTS Timberland wellies www.usc.co.uk
SOCKS Hunter welly socks www.selfridges.com
BRACELET Black python bracelet www.shopsavannahs.com
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She’s the
expensive when you are only doing small batches. The main obstacle and one I am always facing is that the drinks industry is very competitive and has a lot of money for marketing. However what I do have is a niche and unique product, something a little ‘different’ and this is my advantage.
BOSS
It certainly seems like sisters are doing it for themselves, whether we remain in kitchens or blossom in the boardroom. With the world lurching from economic crisis to economic crisis it’s widely reported that women will be hardest hit. This might manifest in higher redundancy rates, fewer job opportunities that allow for a work/life balance or rising childcare costs. A person would be forgiven for thinking it was all doom and gloom. However, when it came to piecing this article together, I was overwhelmed by the sheer number of women who were ready and willing to branch out on their own in order to create a better future for them and their families. A single group on the professional networking site LinkedIn exposed me to over 3000 women entrepreneurs who we’re actively starting or growing their business. Inspired by their willingness to mutually support each other I contacted a select few in the hope that they could share their experiences with 72M...
Facts Around 30% of all US businesses are majority female owned. Between 1991 and 1996 the number of self-employed women in Canada grew by 44% In 2004, the average level of female total entrepreneurial activity (TEA) rate across the 34 GEM countries varied from 39.1% in Peru to 1.2% in Japan Of the 4.8 Million Small/Medium enterprises in the UK 620,000 are headed by women.
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Claire Hall Owner, Drink It ltd I was an office junior who got demoted to reception in a company merge… www.percys-t.co.uk twitter.com/PercysVodkaTea uk.linkedin.com/in/percystea I produce and sell Percy’s Vodka Iced tea. The truth is I had never pictured myself in business, let alone brewing and blending my own product I had no business experience and had never even thought about it as an option. When I left university I went to work for a PR company in London. I was an office junior who got demoted to reception in a company merge. One of my responsibilities was ordering in the tea and coffee. Whilst drinking a fruit tea one day, I had this sudden thought of ‘this would be so nice as alternative alcoholic beverage, if it had a hint of Vodka/ Gin in it so I researched making iced teas. I then made up a batch of 200 samples at home and went into Soho with some girlfriends and samples. I got a great response and it was then I decided his wasn’t such a crazy idea. There have been many obstacles. I have had to selfteach about Production,
I have had support from The Prince’s Trust, PERA, The Food & Drink iNet, Universities and of course my friends and family are always supportive in other ways! You have to use whatever is around you and if you look you will find... I love what I do, I love challenges and solving them as there is always a way. I have met so many generous people along the way. (But I’ve also met people who will try to take advantage!). I ‘m just getting stronger and stronger and feel very passionate about encouraging other women to start their own business!
Jennifer Boulton Owner, Jennifer Boulton Designs Jennifer enjoys using natural fibres in her work to ensure that the product is of the highest quality… www.jenniferboultonco.uk twitter.com/BoultonDesigns www.facebook.com/ jenniferboultondesigns
Manufacturing, Marketing, Finance and in general ‘business’. I have had
“Jennifer Boulton Designs is based in Fort William in the beautiful Scottish
batches of drinks go wrong, I have outsourced production and learnt its
Highlands. Situated at the foot of Britain highest mountain, Ben Nevis, this is where Jennifer grew up,
seventy2minutes.com Autumn 2011
she’s the boss on a farm in a small village called Achnacarry. She grew up here with her sister, and watched her father shear their flocks of sheep and in turn, her mother would spin the wool from the fleeces. This wool was then knitted up into clothing and jumpers by her mother’s hands. This first-hand experience of self-sufficiency was what ignited Jennifer’s passion for textiles and she studied Design for Textiles, Fashion, Interiors and Art in the Scottish Borders gaining a BA Hons Degree. After graduating, Jennifer returned home to Fort William and completed a one year placement for a knitwear business. After this placement was completed, she was determined to start her own business, fundamentally using the same techniques as her mother’s hobby, but with a modern spin. Having grown up in a family environment where her parents were self-employed, it was always Jennifer’s ambition to be her own boss. After retiring from farming, her father started his own farming and wildlife consultancy business which he runs successfully from home. Jennifer Boulton Designs began trading in April 2011, and received funding from local organisations Highland Opportunity and PSYBT, to produce an ecommerce website and convert a room in her house to a fully functioning workshop. Jennifer’s knitwear is bold and unique and aims to provide an alternative to mainstream fashion. Using mainly wool, cotton and silk Jennifer enjoys using natural fibres in her work to ensure that the product is of the highest quality.
You have to use whatever is around you... and if you look you will find
women, being non-existent in our Region, besides the lack of suitable clothing for women. Here I decided to put my ideas on paper and move forward.I had to start out with very limited capital, basically coming from my own savings. Moreover, I had to dig for the best tailors available to implement my ideas and start producing. The path was very much a trial and error approach. I guess I was lucky enough that the errors were not many and not fatal, nevertheless required tremendous effort and coordination, being alone with no
Dana Hamdan TVPresenter/Actress/ Fashion designer www.youtube.com/ DanaHamdanTV www.dfashionsta.com www.facebook.com/ dana.hamdan.page It all started as I was growing up, and so was my passion for colors, clothes, and fashion. Maybe I didn’t realize that growing passion until I started getting continuous comments on how well I’m dressed and styled and how I’m able to create a stunning & attractive appearance, yet extremely simple-looking and very comfortable. The encouraging comments gradually starting turning into requests for advices on how to match colors or clothes and the type of fabrics to choose for that comfortable feeling ... I started realizing that Ihad a talent that I had to capitalize on and nurture, while reminding myself that this has always been my passion and now could be turning to a business. My first decision to materialize all that and turn a dream into reality was snapping out of my “corporate life” as a TV presenter and joining Fashion Uptodate Academy in Milan, Italy, where I started on the path to carve a career for myself as a Fashion Stylist & Consultant. Everything was more like a jigsaw puzzle just fitting in the pieces together and forming that full clear picture. It’s at that point that I started to picture my own line of clothing dedicated for pregnant
I believe everything comes at the right time and things are meant to be when they are help whatsoever. I started with 2 tailors and worked my way from there. Another challenge I faced was marketing my work. Again, with no help, I established my own Facebook page to market my products and fashion concepts. All in all, it wasn’t easy. I definitely aim to expand my business and capitalize on the success I have touched so far. I aim to launch my own line of “ready-towear” clothes, targeting pregnant women, ladies of all ages, fitting for day-to-day wear as well as evening wear. I will remain faithful to my elements of success and concepts; flexible, comfortable, affordable, fit to be worn for more than one occ asion. I don’t regret the decision for a second. In fact I wish I had realized that this is my path of success even earlier than I did. But I believe everything comes at the right time and things are meant to be when they are. Circumstances and incidents take place to give reason for one to realize his/her strengths, talents and passion and how they can transform that into reality and success.
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she’s the boss
Anne Fotheringham Owner, Baby Mama Bags “In order to be successful you must have the right support network in place.” www.babymamabags.co.uk twitter.com/BabyMamaBags www.facebook.com/ BabyMamaBags My business is called Baby Mama Bags. We are an online store providing luxury pre-packed maternity hospital bags for expectant mothers. By following NHS recommendations and drawing on our own experiences, we aim to take the stress and hassle out of preparing to go into hospital to have a baby. Our bags are packed with the essential items both mummy and baby need for a 48 hour stay in hospital. Now an expectant mum can simply order online, sit back and wait for her hospital bag to arrive, safe in the knowledge she will be getting what she really needs for going into hospital. I had the idea for Baby Mama Bags while I was pregnant. I simply thought “I wish someone would organise my hospital bag for me”. I was overwhelmed by the number of hospital checklists available online, and couldn’t decide which one I should follow. The only way to be sure I didn’t forget something was to take everything I could. As you can imagine, I over packed!
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I was employed full time when I went on maternity leave and intended to return to work, albeit on a part time basis. Fate stepped in and, like so many other people out there today, I was made redundant. It was then I decided to pursue my business idea and work for myself. I invested my redundancy settlement into Baby Mama Bags and haven’t looked back since. I started where I think everyone looking to start their own business should, I researched my market. I thought I had a great idea and product , but I couldn’t be sure everyone else out there would agree. Firstly I researched the baby industry as a whole and was pleased that in the current economical climate, it was still considered a growth industry. Secondly I carried out my own market research. This confirmed what I had hoped and thought – there is a demand for my product. From there I invested in a website, stock, advertising etc. and in 16 short weeks Baby Mama Bags was up and running. There were a few obstacles along the way, mainly with sourcing the right suppliers to ensure my end product was of the quality I desired. The time you sacrifice with your family to concentrate on work were the hardest obstacles to over come for me. Our plans for growth have changed dramatically over the past few months. Initially we looked to raise awareness of our products within the UK market only. n addition to this, we have had an overwhelming request to start shipping internationally, especially from America and South Africa. Our next step is to take Baby Mama Bags to the international marketplace, which sees the next twelve months being a very exciting time for us. In order to be successful you must have the right support network in place. Whether it’s a supportive
seventy2minutes.com Autumn 2011
husband or business mentor you always need someone to talk to and it’s great to be able to bounce ideas off of people when you are in doubt. It has to be said that Baby Mama Bags wouldn’t exist without the help and support of my life long friend and now business colleague, Barbara Borland. What started out as someone to talk to about my idea turned into a realisation that my friend possessed all the qualities and a skill set I did not. We complement each other perfectly and together we have worked tirelessly to make Baby Mama Bags come to life. I have never regretted the decision I made and am continually grateful that I found the confidence to take a risk and go for it.
Anne Clay Owner: Lights Out Blinds “My family and friends has been amazing, they have stood by me every step of the way...” www.lightsoutblinds.com/ twitter.com/LightsOutBlinds www.facebook.com/lightsoutblinds
We often go away for weekends to friends, grandparents etc. When my children were younger they were used to sleeping in very dark rooms and the curtains were often not sufficient when away from home. I was tired of battling with blankets, towels and even bin bags to try and cover the windows. It was my husband that suggested I invent
she’s the boss something to solve the problem, so I did. I played around with some designs and took them to a product design agency. They assessed whether the design would work in practice and made up some professional drawings. I had a prototype made and exhibited on the Launch pad (an area for new products) at the BPA Baby Show for trade a couple of years ago where it was very well received.
The support I have had, from my family and friends, has been amazing! The biggest obstacle I faced was getting the product made to comply with the highest safety standards. This took a lot of time and the manufacturers I initially used informed me a couple of weeks before my stock was due that the product did not pass all the safety testing I had requested. This was a big setback for me as they were not able to rectify the problem in a cost effective manner. I then had to start the process of finding a new manufacturer which delayed me by almost a year. I have just received my first batch of stock and pushing sales and PR from every angle at the moment. The support that I have had from my family and friends has been amazing, they have stood by me every step of the way. The baby industry is really friendly and helpful and I have often called on people further along the line for advice. I don’t regret my decision at all. I have really enjoyed watching this grow from an idea to a product that is now being sold. I am hoping to grow the business sufficiently enough to be my “job” as being my own boss would fit around my family life really well. I have young children and it would be nice to be there for them as much as I can.
challenge yet has been to inspire trust with very few elements in place. It is very difficult to market a new concept online. The internet is a jungle for businesses. There is a real cold war out there. We had to review and amend few elements of our marketing plan to perform.
Precilla Godart Owner “For me, if I were to stop learning, and striving, I’d be as a good as dead!” www.giv-organic.co.uk twitter.com/Givorganic www.facebook.com/pages/ GivOrganic-Ltd/124887967567093 After working many years as an employee, I started to get tired by the lack of flexibility within the corporate sector. I like to think and work outside of the box; I found it hard to do this here. I was surprised to notice how many corporations become rigid and reluctant to change. No matter what position I held, the routines of being an employee became dull. I need passion in my work. Running my own business was a natural path for me. I now feel hugely fulfilled, waking up every morning feeling energized and determined! Firstly, I started with a clear idea of the business model in order to eliminate as many start-up issues as possible. From that point, I studied the market, the customer’s trends and behavior. I then came up with a business plan. The hardest part of the job was to understand the trigger of what pushes our target audience to consume. Once that was understood, we knew exactly which direction to go with the business. The very early stage was quite difficult. We had to convince some service providers to use our services with only few images demonstrating what the website would look like and how it would work. The biggest
We plan to set up new gift experience ranges and to be innovative in terms of the services we provide. The catch words are ‘creativity’ and ‘uniqueness’! Today, our focus is on Christmas as it represents more than 30% to 35% of the annual turnover. We couldn’t have gone so far without the support of our providers and suppliers. Having the right people around is absolutely critical. Running a business is, above all, a huge adventure! Working with a mentor is also crucial; to learn from other people’s mistakes and have the right guidance in place. I have absolutely no regrets regarding my choice to become my own boss. So far, it has been the most fulfilling experience I have ever had. For me, if I were to stop learning, and striving, I’d be as a good as dead! Being at the top of a business is a permanent learning process. The human experience is amazing. I’ve come across so many amazing people that are creating their own path to success.
Having the right people around is absolutely critical
Autumn 2011 seventy2minutes.com
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she’s the boss NLB Travel after living and working in Rome. My company organised guided tours of the sights in Italy. I was funded by The Prince’s Trust and was featured in The Mirror in the business section where Lord Alan Sugar gave advice to start-up companies which was fantastic.
Natalie Louise Brown Director, Inspired Dreams “All I know is that I’ll keep trying, keep doing my best and keep moving forward ” www.inspireddreams.co.uk twitter.com/timewithnatalie www.timewithnatalie.com I am the founder of the Inspired Dreams (ID) brand which incorporates ID Media, ID Fashion, ID Education plus other companies. I have recently launched my new Oprah-style TV chat show ‘Time With Natalie’ aimed at educating and inspiring women to succeed in life.I worked in finance for 10 years in London for a number of accountants and banks but being a creative woman with an interest in media/music/fashion I always knew my destiny and path in life would be found in these areas. I had always been a bit of an entrepreneur at heart and knew one day I would have a go at running a business. Using my entrepreneurial skills, I began a career in property and ended up starting my own property company which owns and rents a number of houses in the UK and abroad. I have now stepped into the media world which is something I’ve fallen into by accident. My original start in business began whilst living in London where I started my own travel company called 24
I faced many obstacles when starting my company because I didn’t really know much about business so had to learn everything from scratch. I knew I had to write a business plan, so I managed to get some help with that and also the legal/financial aspects. It was also very challenging trying to market to my customer. I remember paying about £1500 on advertisements in The Guardian. It was alot of money at the time and this was before the internet was created! I didn’t really know what I was doing but ended up learning as I went. I have had some fantastic support from family and friends and the encouragement I get from people who watch the show is great. I definitely feel that I am on the right track and it’s just a matter of perseverance. Nothing comes easy in business. You have to work hard and just keep pushing and moving forward. I don’t regret my decision one bit. It is alot of hard work and I find it difficult to switch off. Sometimes I’m working through the night and always thinking of news ideas and new ways of doing things but that’s why I enjoy it. I get to be as creative as I want to be. All I know is that I’ll keep trying, keep doing my best and keep moving forward!
Nothing comes easy in business. You have to work hard and just keep pushing and moving forward.
seventy2minutes.com Autumn 2011
Melanie Jones Owner “Don’t beat yourself up over passed opportunities leave that job to other people” www.melaniejonespr.com twitter.com/melaniejonespr www.facebook.com/pages/ Melanie-Jones-PR/176502549040114 Like Nike – JUST DO IT! I plunged myself into my business after consulting people on how to go about theirs and being offered several jobs due to this. Dwelling on the ‘ifs’ and ‘buts’ you will let self-doubt and fear overtake you. In the first month of incorporating was offered to work on a project that involved millions. I was panicking and I wasn’t ready. A dear friend put things into perspective for me and said, ‘this is just one of many opportunities, breath, take your time and make sure you do what you are already doing – getting your foundations right.’
Valentina Kordi Life Coach “Working for myself can be challenging and frustrating sometimes” www.valentinalifecoach.com twitter.com/valentinacoach www.facebook.com/pages/ValentinaWork-Life-Coach/216021908426906 My coaching program is a combination of personal work experience and professional tools used to create a tailor-made program for each client to bring desired results such as higher levels of achievement, job satisfaction, better career opportunities , skills improvement, stress level decrease and work & life balance… Working for myself can be challenging and frustrating sometimes. But the satisfaction I get from my job’s outcome of helping
she’s the boss other people and having the freedom of choice about what my next business steps are, are worth all the feelings of uncertainty I feel sometimes and all the hard work I put in my business daily.
Juliet Parsons Absolutely Fabulous Life “Don’t do it alone; surround yourself with others who have big dreams like yours” www.absolutelyfabulouslife.com twitter.com/AbfabJools www.facebook.com/juliet.parsons For me, the thrill of being my own boss is about being in control of my life, here today, and creating the future that I want. One piece of advice I would give to any business woman ‘in development’ is don’t do it alone: surround yourself with others who have big dreams like yours and work with a carefully chosen ‘’For me, the thrill of being my own boss is about being in control of my life, here today, and creating the future that I want. One piece of advice I would give to any business woman ‘in development’ is don’t do it alone: surround yourself with others who have big dreams like yours and work with a carefully chosen.
Marla Nelson
Coulson Macleod
Director, Enterprise Solutions
Owner
“My business has social/ethical aims and is about making a differenceincreasing access, inclusion and diversity in enterprise”
www.coulsonmacleod.com/ twitter.com/CoulsonMacleod www.facebook.com/CoulsonMacleod
www.linkedin.com/in/marlanelson twitter.com/WomEnterprise I love the flexibility of having my own business, the buzz of new business and securing new contracts, and ultimately making a difference in my own way. I launched my business (Enterprise Solutions) January 2010 after having worked as a practitioner/ lobbyist/advocate/policy influencer on the Women’s Enterprise agenda... My clients are predominantly Government Agencies, and non-profit Enterprise Support Agencies who are tasked with making sure their client base is diverse and reflective of the communities they serve. I’m a specialist in targeting client groups who tend to be under-represented in enterprise; namely women,young people, black and ethnic minorities.
Start small. Create and run your business in your spare time until you get to the point when you know it will be successful. Your new venture will be your passion so it won’t feel like regular work. That’s not to say it won’t be hard work, or stressful, or tiring, but the sense of satisfaction that comes from your first sale is immense and will drive you harder to get your next sale. When I started up Coulson Macleod it was a side business. My partner and I also run a graphic design business so we took our existing skills and passion for design. We started with no investment and we’re now sold globally. I believe passion is everything.
Your new venture will be your passion... it won’t feel like regular work
Thinking of starting your own business? The extraordinary thing about the women who shared their experiences with 72M is the fact that every one of them is an ordinary woman. Mother, employee, wife or friend; each represents the kind of woman we encounter on a daily basis. There is nothing short of inspirational in their pursuit of entrepreneurial independence and if you have been inspired here are afew tips to get you on your way.
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You think you want to be your own boss but you don’t know exactly what it is you want to do… Before signing up to the nearest ‘get-rich-quick’ scheme ask yourself why you fancy striking out on your
own. Is your current manager a nightmare? Do you feel undervalued? Do you see what your boss is doing and know you can do it better? Before you give up your 9-5 or remortgage your house try it on for size. Volunteer in your chosen industry, take a taster course to boost your skills or simply do some background research. If it turns out that your desire to go it alone is true start making plans!
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Don’t give up the day job... not yet anyway! It’s constantly highlighted that 50% of new businesses fail in their 1st 2 years. Being your own boss is simply not that easy. Your 9-5 will ensure that your basic needs are catered for until your business is strong enough to take over. A plan,
of any sort, that gives you personal insight as to where you want your business to be in 3,5 or even 10 years time will provide focus for your efforts and assurance to those around you (think bank, investors, spouse) that you haven’t lost your mind and you do actually know what you’re doing.
3
Ask for help. Whatever your chosen line of business you are not the first to strike out on your own, nor will you be the last. Join a networking group, seek free advice from legal and financial experts or tap into the wealth of websites set up to guide you through the muddy waters of being the boss. We started with these two: www.businesslink.gov.uk www.sba.gov
Autumn 2011 seventy2minutes.com
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ask Alex
I
The Alex Experience
n this edition The Alex Experience brings to light a perspective on the power of three that touches on who you are, where you have been and, perhaps, where you are going “How now, my hearts! Did you never see the picture of ‘we three’? “ What does one less memorable lament, from the clown Feste in William Shakespeare’s the ‘The Twelfth Night’ from a multitude of better known quotations, and uttered by a fool no less, offer a reader of The Alex Experience? Western consumption culture makes rare a person who does not think in terms of ‘getting on the ladder’, ‘the next step’, ‘promotion’, or the ubiquitous striving to become ‘successful’. Success is a word from the Latin “successus” meaning to advance, which in turn is from the late Latin “abante” meaning ‘from before’. The process of succeeding, succession, means a sequence in which one person after another attains a birthright, title, throne, or estate. A life long game of snakes and ladders then, you go about your business waiting for a ‘turn’, but this system only persists because you think it into being and long have you made manifest the invisible bars of this prison. Institutionalised you have become, hardened only for survival, not for growth, ascendancy or for being. Success in this sense is the decorating of your cell in the process of acclimatization to a life spent in the ‘bastille’ known as the hierarchy. The prodigy of Shakespeare then, whoever Shakespeare was, by the body of work alone in and of itself, demonstrates the concept that all
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of Shakespeare went into every line, nay every word, so much as every word goes in turn to make up all of ‘Shakespeare’, the part in the whole and the whole in each and every part. This being evident in the expression of a person unanimously hailed as a genius, that uncluttered, unaffected salience of the human being, a benchmark life, a standard bearer, that in the very grand testament to this, is it not staring you in the face that an alternative system to the one that you live by exists, that you too might know this exceptional life? This alternative to the way people unthink themselves daily into grinding toil; an alternative to ‘insignificant little me’, a way of thinking, of living and of being where each and every individual entity is an equally significant part of a beautiful whole, that the whole be inevitably vital within every single individual. Is it not actually so already? Ladies and gentlemen I present to you the wholarchy, for “… did you never see the picture…” before? For those who would now reach for a search engine to discover a movement that entreats a lifestyle born of a similar idea, understand this is no ‘Wholist’ article, nor do I espouse collectivism of any kind. The one exception to prove this rule being the ‘we three’ that Shakespeare points to in his picture. There is little doubt that you will know them already, though they go by many names depending on your point of reference. For any fan of George Lucas’ Jedi, they are knowledge, ‘the force’ and self discipline, for an existentialist they are the umwelt, mitwelt, & eigenwelt, a Christian knows of
seventy2minutes.com Autumn 2011
the Holy Trinity, the three highest spheres of light in the Kabalah are; Keter, Chochmah & Binah, a physician could point out to you the hypothalamus, pituitary & pineal glands in the brain, for the Satanist; Satan, the false-prophet & the antiChrist, for a Freudian; the super-ego, the ego and the id, for the Taoist; the three pure ones, for the Hindu; the timurti of Brahmā the creator, Vishnu the maintainer & Śhiva the destroyer, for movie lovers; the good, the bad & the ugly, in the pre-Celtic tradition; the triskelion. I could continue.
You may instead choose to refer to this phenomena as Rod, Jane & Freddy, but why does it exist in so many variants in perpetuity? What if, as to a wholarchic existence, they are a part of each and every individual? What if they are components for experiencing life? What if these are expressions of the self, variously named and known for every unique individual member of the whole and are conceived to enable composition of the rich tapestry of the reality of experience, of coming into being, of being and of ceasing to be for the greater whole to experience itself? Consider then that you are already a success from the instance you began your being. The more you are distracted from this and the more you lose touch in favour of only your human aspects, those of your biology, of material existence, of the ‘5 sense reality’, the greater your divorce from the miracle of your self and isn’t that the very marvel worth taking a moment or three to stop and remember Ready to experience the insights of Alex? Email ask@seventy2minutes.com
am velenia essuscidam velenia essuscid
Painted Smile
health, wealth & wisdom
At the ripe old age of 31 and 2 months I’ve finally had the balls to live by myself again…
D
ear reader, I have an interesting dilemma. My brief is to write about matters relating to depression, the black dog and how I hide my true feelings on life behind a Painted Smile. However at present I’m delighted to report that I haven’t been depressed for some time, the black dog is tied to a manageable leash and any smile you see on my face is genuine. In fact, I’ve already clicked on the ‘Word Count’ feature on my computer, something I remember doing at university when I’d already run out of things to write, knowing full well that I’d not even come close to the word limit. But fear not, I’m a writer so something will emerge and what I’d like to focus on is some of the everyday ‘normal’ things that my depression has prevented me from doing in the past. The point being that the older I get, the longer I stay on my medication and become a more confident person, well the easier those simple ‘hard’ things become. I’d like to take you back first to my trip to New Zealand in April 2009. My first proper time abroad and a massive step, luckily I had a good friend with me to hold my hand, not quite literally but there were times when I’m not sure what I’d have done without him. Such as one occasion in Dunedin when I remember being too scared to walk into a shop to buy a newspaper. Looking back I’m not sure where this anxiety came from, and it wasn’t as if there was a language barrier to contend with. But it took all my effort to shuffle in, pick up the paper and mumble to the shop assistant in the kind of monotone that wouldn’t have got me a career on the radio!
Heading further back in time but closer to home, and my first attempt at living on my own. I’d done house shares, lived with a girlfriend, but this was just me in a one bedroom studio flat in Yeovil. I wasn’t seventeen, in fact I was twenty-three, with plenty of life experience, work experience and had done plenty of grown up things by then. But the whole living on my own idea was one that I couldn’t really hack, being alone with my thoughts. Never has Worcester and my parents seemed so far away and I remember ringing my Mother in tears on a few occasions.
You are not alone
”
Living alone can be as daunting, for
many, as it is exciting. For those who suffer from depression the fear of
isolation can cause anxiety and stress. There are many online resources that share advice and tips from those who have experienced, or are experiencing, depression. Although none claim to be professionals their insight and ready support are great if you want to express your anxieties but feel you cannot speak
I lasted about six months before leaving the radio station, taking a pay cut of several thousand pounds, to return to the sanctuary of my family back home.
to those around you (because they won’t understand). More improtantly, with a combination of 4000+ members, it is a true indication of how you are not alone. www.depressionforums.org
Now though, at the ripe old age of 31 and 2 months I’ve finally had the balls to live by myself again. It’s early days but so far I am loving my own space and as I’ve been around Buckinghamshire for over a year, I have a suitable support network should anything go wrong and plans to invest in a sturdy SAD lamp, should the winter cast its normal shadow on my mood.
www.depressionforums.co.uk/dpf www.takethislife.com/depression
See, I told you I’d find something to write about! Next time I’ll have plenty more support for those who take solace in my words but are still further down the toughest journey in life.
With every year of my life, I’ve gradually shed the skin of my past and the situations that led to my depression. Similar to an alcoholic I take things day by day and will always be a recovering depressive in my eyes, just one trigger away from being back in the mental mud. But I’ve never felt stronger than I do now or happier, and even if it means I have less to say in this column, well I’m sure noone will begrudge me that!!
“
Feeling down and living on your own?
So here I am, stealing from the great Dr Frasier Crane in wishing you all ‘Good Mental Health’.
by Andy Holmes To keep up with Andy add him on Twitter as @ PaintedSmileAH or watch his video posts on YouTube as hufc2008. You can contact him about his work with Buckinghamshire MIND via paintedsmilebucks@gmail.com
Autumn 2011 seventy2minutes.com
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fashion & beauty
O
ften clients ask how to achieve longer lasting results to the application of Nail Varnish. Here are my Top Tips on how to achieve the best results. Nita x
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seventy2minutes.com Autumn 2011
hard ass nails
File your nails to the deired shape
Push push the cuticles back gently using a plastic hoof stick with a soft rubber edge
Buff away any rough edges using a finer buffer.
Apply your Cuticle Oil & massage into cuticles. This helps promote circulation to the root of the nail and encourage nail growth.
Wash
Don’t
HeavenSent Beauty “Nita is the owner and creative director of HeavenSent Beauty, a prestigious salon in Hadley Wood, North London.
go too close to the cuticle as flooding varnish into the cuticle will cause any polish to lift and chip away from the nail as soon as it dries.
Seal the very edge with the polish by sweeping the brush across the end of the nail. This will reduce nail varnish shrinking from the tip of the nail and help to make the polish last longer.
Repeat these steps used for base coat, with two coats of your desired colour. Always ensure you seal the end of each nail.
She has worked in the beauty industry for over 13 years and is passionate about working with clients from Top-to-Toe to look and feel their best. Her well established client base includes: Amy Winehouse, Rickie Haywood-Williams & Melvin Odoom of Kiss 100 Breakfast Show/MTV.”
your hands thoroughly using a hand wash, ensuring that nail dust & cuticle oil is completely washed away & dry your hands & nail plate completely dry. Any trace of oil will cause your nail varnish to lift immediately.
tel: 020 8440 8893 www.heavensentbeauty.com
Use a base coat. Always. As it prevents staining of the nail and is the perfect preparation to allow the nail varnish to fully adhere to the nail. I recommend Duri Rejuvacoat. It is a fabulous Nail Strengthner/hardener and base coat. Currently the Top Nail Hardener on the market.
Load load the brush, when applying; with enough polish to glide over the nail easily.
72m tip
Finish your polish with a good top coat. I recommend Seche Vite or Poshe Top Coat. This will give your varnish a high gloss finish, giving it durability and protection from chipping.
Nail extensions (false nails) look nice but can cause damage if they’re not applied, or removed, correctly. If you’re a fan of the falsie give your natural nails some rest from time to time. Treat them to some professional pampering, let them breathe and even if they don’t grow into the diva talons you covet love them for the little beauties they’ll eventually become! Autumn 2011 seventy2minutes.com
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B brit on the Haruptatincim hitist eum rem boulevard
rit on the oulevard
I’m coming up now to the end of my 5th year in LA, and happy to say it hasn’t got any less exciting, any less interesting, and familiarity hasn’t bred too much contempt. It’s been a fun summer (yes we still differentiate in a place of year round sunshi ne) and August’s approach to Labor Day (after which apparently you should not wear white) has been satisfactorily exciting...
On M ond ay...
I have an evening date planned despite my letharg y (I’d completely over-partied the whole weekend at the 6-man competition in Manhattan Beach... picture beach volleyball and several players from the LA Lakers, and an NBA all-star) and there really is only one thing to do on a Monday night in Hollywood, and that’s going to see Steel Panther at the House Of Blues on Sunset Strip. We head over to catch this pseudo -comedy rock troupe who, complete with shaggy perms and way too much spandex, belt out rock classics from the 80’s greats, along with their own originals such as ‘Asian Hooker’ and ‘Community Propert y’ (the propert y in question being his man-parts). Deliberately politically incorrect, this gig never fails to amuse, and tonight was no exception with even Dane Cook jumping on stage to help with vocals, and Corey Feldman moonwalking in Jackson get-up before lending a song.
On We dne sdaThey...
I am enjoying happy hour at Olive on Sunset with my friend Kelsey, hearing about her new party staffing company Quench LA, and the various reality TV show offers circulating
32
it, I get a call from my agent and a need to cut my pinot grigio short and head home to pack – I have a flight to New York the next day to shoot a print campaign for Microsoft for their new Office 365 product. It’s always a pleasure to travel with work, and I convince the production company to extend my stay a few more days to catch up with some east coast friends and business. I arrive, check in at the trendy Maritime Hotel in the meatpacking district , and head out for dinner in Hell’s Kitchen with my actress/ NYC partyhost friend Sally. Over a couple of dirty martinis and some fab French food at Marseille, we talk about Sally’s cult Naked Painting Party, where a bunch of new Yorkers show up, strip down, get drunk and paint each other. We try to figure out whether this successful concept could translate to LA, but decide that whilst inhibitions are not really the problem, Angelenos are too worried about who sees them doing what, too scared of photos circulating, too flighty to stay at the same party long enough to get painted, and too reliant on their car to get drunk enough to get naked. Thanks to the beauty of Facebook check-ins, my LA-based friend Miles (the guru behind the world’s first web drama LonelyGirl15) joins us and gives his input, but after a few more fancy cocktails I can’t remember what that input may have been.
On Sat urd ay..e,.rainy
Brunch in Union Sq, a massag afternoon beers at the pool of the Thompson LES hotel, and topped off with a fantastic evening dinner for a film Producer friend’s birthday at new hotspot Beauty & Essex, on the lower east side. This unique restaurant masquerades as a rundown pawn
seventy2minutes.com Autumn 2011
shop from outside, but making your way through the collectibles and trinkets leads you to an atmospheric and glamorous bar area, followed by several restaurant rooms all uniquely themed with intricate and elegant decor, whilst maintaining a fun and designer atmosphere. Future planned reservations are definitely recommended – this place was packed – and my recommendations are the Kobe Beef Carpaccio, Roasted Bone Marrow, Grilled Cheese & Tomato Soup Dumplings, and seared Ahi. A great all round dining experience, although the music can be a little too loud for intimate conversation. A nightcap at the very intimate (read: tiny) Blue Ribbon bar finished us off, prior to a Sunday jam-packed with unexpected culture...
The Tue sda y...
was a sombre comedown, I sat in a cafe watching back to back videos of the emerging London riots, not understanding how this could possibly be my countrymen. Ashamed of being British from those committing, but proud of the British camaraderie that assisted the clean up and defense. An evening cruise on the Hudson river, looking at the beautiful lit Manhattan skyline, Statue of Liberty, and the gaping hole where I once admired the twin towers put into perspective that you can’t be at war with your own community, trashing your own neighborhood, shitting on your own doorstep. There are far greater threats out there. My morning 10 mile run to break in my new K-Swiss took me past the construction of the new World Trade Center, a great reminder of America’s spirit of brushing off and carrying on.
brit on the boulevard
ond ay... An othe r man ic M coffee shops, LA is a place of constant meetings – at restaurants, bars, hiking trails... Everyone wants to meet and talk , some to plan and execute extraordinary things, others I’m sure just to make themselves feel busy. But if you have to do meetings, then at least do them somewhere fabulous. Friday’s sunset meeting at my favorite rooftop in LA, the members-only Petit Ermitage, was extremely fruitful, as I was asked to be the LA Ambassador for the Global Party, a major worldwide charity event thrown simultaneously at 80 of the world’s most elite venues. My job? To find and host the LA one. We toasted my new position with dinner at NYC restaurateur Sean Macpherson’s new place Il Covo, a quaint and romantic Italian spot, with sumptious decor, recipes and patio dining, followed by drinks at the dark and moody Roger Room, a celeb favorite.
r... The We dne sdaatytheafte Palihouse
Some more birthdays... A night (Moustache essential) and The Spare Room at the Roosevelt, complete with vintage bowling alleys (and look out for the barroom games hidden in the tables, and the photo-booth hidden in the bookcase) set me up nicely for some Thursday night bar-hopping, which took us from The Edison downtown, situated in the first power plant in LA with original effects and their famed 35c martini, to a private Malibu-sponsored special event with performance by Brit Taio Cruz. A fun event, but even the free-flowing Malibu cocktails didn’t distract from Mr Cruz’s terrible miming ability – you have to at least pretend the microphone is near your mouth Taio! The big movie event of the moment was The Help, so a screening of that was definitely in order. Hotly tipped for an Oscar nod, with a dramatic buzz around Tinseltown, this heartfelt story had all the trappings of a modern classic, and an equally interesting back story. The writer/ director, Tate Taylor, a long-time friend of ‘Andy’ in my series ‘Andy & Chaz’, bought the option to the unknown book that his friend wrote years ago. A multitude of publishers turned it down for years. Then one picked it up, the book was a hit, and Tate helmed the movie, keeping a lot of control over creative decisions and casting, including hiring his friend Octavia Spencer. A really nice story of hard work, Hollywood success, a great eye for talent and reiterating that he who holds the propert y makes the deal.
Au gust go?! Wh ere did my prepari ng for the LA version The next few days were spent of The Global Party, and packing for my upcoming trip....where I had no idea what was in store for me!
It all began with a random Facebook friend request from a beautiful Turkish girl. I said “Hey have we met?” and the reply said “yes at Elton John’s Oscar party” and a photo was sent as evidence. The conversation that transpired culminated in an all-inclusive hosted trip as a Hollywood guest of Istanbul Fashion Week, alongside Matt Dillon and stylist to the stars George Blodwell.
ember A September toandrem Singer; Demet
And so, thanks to Turkish Model Lee Oger, I kicked off the month of September flying business class into Istanbul, where I was met at the door of the aircraft, whisked through security VIP style, into the back of a black van, by three serious looking fellows in sharp black suits. I probably shouldn’t have watched the Liam Neeson film on the plane... Fortunately for me, when we arrived at the luxurious House Hotel in Nisantasi, to a wine and fruit reception, I was formally introduced – my personal host (who usually works for the president), my personal chauffeur, and my personal bodyguard. Bodyguard? This would be interesting... I was whisked off for a traditional Turkish meal and local beer at Su’ada restaurant, in the center of the Bosphorus river, right on the dividing line between Asia and Europe. 45 minutes of sleep time in the hotel, and I was back on a flight to London, where I had some business to take care of a for a week: some home stuff, film finance meetings, and the worldwide launch of The Global Party. As the LA ambassador, I was an official guest at the Natural History Museum, amongst Sir Richard Branson, the Saturdays, Lily Cole and others. Barely time to sleep and I’m back on a flight to Istanbul, this time for longer than 12 hours, to take part in the fashion week festivities. Again, my hosts were extremely courteous and planned, and my five days took me from front row seats at D Kaprol’s alien themed accessories show to private dinners at amazing restaurants . Back in LA, it was still all go... the Global Party, one of the last to be held across the world.Rushing around delivering some last minute invitations; beautifully presented boxes, the actual ticket a silver key-ring called Key2lux ury. These keys cannot be bought, are held by people including Madonna and Beyonce, and give benefits such as free champagne at the Dorchester. Our LA party was something special. Once again the champagne was flowing amd the music was great. An all round successful evening for a good cause.
“
”
at However, after all th decided excitement, my body e to come down with th tober! shingles... bring on Oc
Autumn 2011 seventy2minutes.com
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health, wealth & wisdom
thighs
Firmer Tighter Leaner Jay Darrell is a celebrity fitness trainer, a martial artist and an athlete with over 12 years’ experience in the fitness industry teaching a variety of classes at all the major commercial health club chains as well as blue chip corporate fitness gyms. Jay Darrell has been nicknamed ‘the awesome kicking machine’ by Chuck Norris! Contact Jay: jaydarrell@talk21.com www.jaydarrellingleton.com www.facebook.com/jaydarrellingleton
A
re you looking for firmer, tighter, leaner thighs...?
The answer is probably, most certainly, yes! Try out this routine and you will be on your way with commitment and patience. Whether you’re using the gym or the outdoors you want to be doing some kind of power walking/jogging/ cycling for 30 – 45 minutes! If you go to the gym you have the added choice of group fitness classes which will last between 30 mins to an hour... But make no mistake some kind of cardio has to be done like it or not! Add to the cardio workouts bodyweight exercises and light resistance but high repetition exercises and you have the formula for those firmer thighs, leaner muscles and sexy shape.
Lunge Great exercises to firm those thighs are lunges! These can be done with your bodyweight only but are more effective with hand weights or a barbell/body bar... Lunging forward hits the quadriceps (front of the thighs) and glutes (butt)! Lunging diagonal hits the adductors (inner thigh) and glutes... Lunging backwards is my favourite as it hits the quads beautifully!
Step up Stepping up and down on a bench or a step is also a very effective thigh firming exercise, Focus on one leg at a time and use hand weights for a better work out.
Repeat If you’re after lean muscles aim for high repetitions (12 to 30), 3 to 5 sets and full range of motion of an exercise; either with your bodyweight or hand weights/ exertubes/barbells/body bars!
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seventy2minutes.com Autumn 2011
Eat If you want to reduce fat, review your diet and increase your intake of protein, reducing your carbs and eating only quality long term energy carbs like wholemeal pitta bread and brown rice. Mixed with your cardio workouts and lean muscle recipe you’ll be on your way to the firmer better you! Aim to workout 3 to 5 times a week at least and remember you need to come out of your comfort zone to get those extra results... I call it a good pain as you will benefit from it later on.
health, wealth & wisdom 10, 20, 30 Repeat to increase the intensity and the impact
FORWARD LUNGE Firm the thighs and glutes in one perfect lunge. Keep your back straight, abs tight and knees at a 45 degree angle, Carry 3-10lb hand weights holding them in front, down by your side or, for increased intensity, pump your arms back and forth in a rowing motion. Make sure your knee doesn’t pass your toes when lunging or you could harm your joints
SIDEWAYS LUNGE Attack the inner thighs with a side lunge. Keep your form and hold on to those weights! Make sure your baclk is straight, your chest is high and your abs are tight. Don’t tuck your butt in, push it out. After a few repetitions you should feel the muscles in your thighs and your butt burn! To increase the intensity lunge deeper so your thigh is parallel to the floor and your stretched leg is closer to the ground.
Step ups In your house, in the gym or even in the streets. Step ups will tone the thighs and compliment your lunges. When you’re out on your weekly run find an incline or a step and throw in some reps for good effect.
Vegetarian or vegan? If you follow a healthy diet which includes beans, lentils and legumes the chances are you’re getting plenty of protein, however, you can still add tofu or meat substitutes (e.g. Quorn) to enhance your recipes!
TIP: Measure up
A ll p i c tu re s a r
e © i S t o c k p h o t o. c o m
Healthy balance Don’t be afraid to eat. When you’re working out your body needs the extra fuel! Eat wholefoods (nuts, grains, pulses, wholemeal bread/pasta) and don’t skip meals! Don’t deprive yourself but exchange sweet treats for fruit and alcohol for low sugar.
The measuring tape will be your best friend... sometimes the scales have to be locked away for you to achieve the results you want! It’s no secret that muscle weighs more than fat so there may be a period when your weight stablises or even momentarily goes up. Don’t throw in the towel! As long as you’re eating well, drinking plenty of water and working out frequently you’ll soon see the results.
Autumn 2011 seventy2minutes.com
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YOU-ology Define your space Feng Shui is the practice of adjusting your physical environment to compliment the natural flow of energy, or ‘Ch’i’, around you. Feng means wind/ air, Shui means water. The ancient Chinese believed that these elements acted as intermediaries between Heaven and Earth, fundamental to our survival and possible to harness in order to improve our health, wealth and wellbeing.
It’s all about S
ome believe that knowing yourself is the key to health, wealth and happiness but the path to selfdiscovery rarely runneth smooth.
Are you affected by the waxing of the moon? Do your hands hold the secret to your past? Is your name the reason why you love being the centre of attention?
1. D raw a rough floorplan of your home, room or office space. 2. Find directional North (N). Either use a compass for greater accuracy or the Sun, for an approximation. Mark N on your floorplan. 3. Superimpose the directions of the Pa Kua, as shown above, onto your floor plan.
Feng Shui can be quite complex so take the following samples as a taster to what you can expect if you decide to delve deeper...
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Before you scoff wait a minute! We’re going to test drive a few of these for you. Over the coming issues
The Pa Kua
CH’I: The ‘cosmic breath’ or ‘life force’, thought to flow through the human body and the earth, only leaving us when we die. Feng Shui aims to improve the flow of ch’i, magnifying its positive strengths whilst diminishing the build up of bad energy that might impact negatively on you and your prospects. Ideally, to harness the benefits of good Ch’i, the natural landscape should aid the flow of energy. Sharp bends, straight roads and rapid waters are all thought to scatter or waste good ch’i whilst meandering curves , secret gardens and hidden ponds can accumulate it. Feng Shui takes into account the fact that modern living might not bestow us with these natural gifts so there are techniques that allow you to learn how the placement of a mirror, water feature or ornament can improve your chances of promotion or even enhance your family life. THE PA KUA (or Ba Gua): An octagonal shaped symbol that is used like a compass to identify the spaces in your home that correspond to certain life goals. It consists of eight trigrams (consider these symbols derived from Ying and Yang), 5 elements, 4 cardinal directions (N, S, E, W) and 4 inter-cardinal directions (SW, NW, NE, SE). Once you have determined which corners of your house correlate to the sections of the PA KUA you can then apply Feng Shui techniques to improve the aspects of your life that you feel might need a little boost!
There are many beliefs out there that promise to offer vital insights into your person, suggesting that once revealed [these insights] will give you the tools necessary to navigate your existence or fulfil your destiny.
seventy2minutes.com Autumn 2011
Your Personal Magic Number To enhance the Ch’i in your environment you can go as far as determining yout personal lucky number. From 1 to 9 each Kua number has it’s own specific octagan that is shaded according to the directions that are lucky, or unlucky for you. The guide on page 37 teaches you how to calculate your personal Kua number. You can add this knowledge to your new understanding of your home and decide which department of your life you wish to enhance.
YOU-ology we’ll take a closer look at everything from stichomancy to rumpology. We promise to keep an open mind (honest) and let you judge for yourself. This issue we introduce you to the world of Tarot cards and tarot readings. We discover that there is a wealth of information out there
YOU-ology
on the WWW and realise that this article is just the tip of the iceberg! If Tarot resonates with you and you think there’s something in it continue where this article ends, get a professional reading or learn the meaning of the cards yourself but, most importantly, explore, discover and enjoy!
How to calculate your Personal Magic Number The process for calculating your Kua number is different if you are male . When these differences occur the letter ‘M’ has been used to indicate what to do. 1. A ccording to the Chinese calendar find out your year of birth. If your birthday falls between 1st January and 20th February deduct 1 year from your natural birth year (this accomodates for the Chinese New Year so you don’t need to do this if your birth date does not fall into this time frame). For example; if you were born on January 4th 1977 your Chinese year of birth is 1976. 2. A dd together the last 2 digits of the year of your birth (7+6=13) 3. I f the total is greater than 9 add these 2 digits together (1+3=4)
Each Kua number has it’s lucky and unlucky directions. The intention is now that you know what yours may be you can use Feng Shui to play down the natural bad luck you might experience in some sections whilst boosting the natural good luck you’’ll have in others.
If we continue with the 9 from the previous example you can see that a ‘9’ will find their greatest prosperity in the East (Family, Big Wood] and their least fortune in the South West [Marriage, Big Earth]. To diminish their poor luck when it comes to Marriage the 9 should try no to place too much of an emphasis on the portion of the house that falls into this direction.
4. Add 5 to this number (4+5=9) M Take this number away from 10 (10-4=6)
Unlucky directions Accidents/Frustrations Mischief quarrels Bad fortune Least fortune and success
The result is your Kua number.
seventy2minutes.com revealed! There are many books on Feng Shui and the sheer amount of information can be intimidating. After a long weekend spent studying the basics it turns out that my personal number is 3. This means that my most favoured direction is South [Fame, Fire] and my least is North
Lucky directions Mild good fortune Health Relationship/Family Great fortune and success
East [Knowledge, Lesser Earth]. To capitalise on my lucky direction I can place symbols of Fire in the South portion of my house (the colour red, a candle) in order to increase the flow of good Ch’i and thus maximising the potential of success and great fortune in fame...
TIP: Many practitioners feel that Feng Shui used incorrectl;y can be as damaging as it can be good. If paying for a consultant seems too far fetched for you, but you still feel drawn to this art, do your research first and take your time to discover how to make your environment work for you!
Autumn 2011 seventy2minutes.com
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health, wealth & wisdom
Mbeke Waseme
is a qualified Coach and NLP practitioner with extensive managerial and supervisory skills. With international work experience of Cameroon, Ghana and Jamaica. Mbeke specialises in Career Coaching, Change management, Curriculum development, project management, teacher trainer and the development of sustainable partnerships and collaborations. Mbeke offers SKYPE consultations – MWaseme
C
areer change is definite. It will happen! Careers, and the progression within and outside of them, have also changed. So, with the possibility of change ever present, how can you be proactive and career proof yourself in this climate? Here are five tips to help you in this current climate.
1.
What does permanent mean?
Many years ago, there were areas of employment which were seen as ‘safe’ and that safety stemmed from the fact that they provided what people called ‘jobs for life’. A job for life would have been with organizations like the NHS, BT, The Post Office, and The Civil Service and within the Education sector. These jobs often offered further training and internal progression and I know many people who served within these organizations for 20, 30 and 40 years of their lives. Today, in the twenty first century, you may be offered a position and you may sign a permanent contract. However, if the agenda of central or local government changes, a global threat detracts funds from local services or your organization looses funding, you may find that your permanent contract comes to an end with little to no redundancy payments attached.
2.
Training
Are you trained, skilled and up to date in your particular field? IT has changed so many industries and regardless of your age or your experience, the chances are very high that there has been innovation and developments within your field
due to technology. If you’re in the education sector, what are the buzz words and models of learning which are being developed for children, young people or adults? Know your stuff! In the medical industry, how has technology improved afterbirth care for new mothers, with the built environment, what has technology added to improve the developments of homes of people with say physical disabilities? Training is necessary and if you can access this in your place of employment, capitalize on these opportunities. If you can’t, then pay for it yourself and know that you are investing in you.
3.
Network Strategically
Career change can be worrying and it’s good to speak to people who have made the move into new careers, developed hobbies into careers and who are moving their paid roles into self employed ones. There are numerous networking events which are advertised in shop windows, local newspapers, on social networking sites. When I first started to attend networking events, I went to a wide range in different geographical locations. I attended morning, lunchtime and evening networking events. However, after feeling quite networked out and in, I decided that I needed to be a lot more strategic about this activity. Strategic networking is where you look at the outcome from your networking event and see if the venue, attendees, agenda and even the refreshments, fit with what you aim to get from it. If yes, go ahead and book your place. Some events are ‘free’ and others levy a small charge. Always ask yourself if the event is worthy of your time and money.
seventy2minutes.com Autumn 2011
4.
Be properly prepared for the worst
If the announcement comes that your job is about to come to an end, think of all the opportunities that are waiting for you! If you want to change career, you should have been planning by following stages 3 and 4. This means that you should have been researching, training and networking actively in the field or the fields that you want to move into. Research proves over and over again that knowing the right people and investing in those relationships, will hold you in good stead when you need them. Calling on someone only in your time of need may send out the wrong message that you have no regard for them generally. However, five minute calls and friendly emails sent regularly, will lead to relationships that have much more substance.
5.
Fear
False Evidence Appear Real = FEAR We don’t know what it would be like to do another role, be a CEO, work abroad, become self employed or create a product. For many, any change instills FEAR and as Fear is False Evidence Appear Real., a lot of people are giving a lot of energy to the unknown! Look at your options, weigh up what the risks will mean for you and for your family and make your decision based on that assessment and not on your FEARs. Try something new! Try something once! Go on! The career, skills and experience that you’ve built up over the years, will always be there. This means that that solid foundation remains for you to return to it… if you want to!
Your career can be like a game of snakes and ladders You’ll always have ups and downs
We’ll teach you how to play. twitter.com/MbekeWaseme www.linkedin.com/in/mbekewaseme
health, wealth & wisdom
P
WorldWiseWoman
rison. Not a pleasant place by any stretch of the imagination, but with popular celebrities gracing the cover of magazines with their mug shots it’s easy for the foolish to be fooled into thinking that a prison term involves sharing your designer shampoo with your cell mates, 30 days of introspection, an opportunity to shed a few unwanted pounds (think of the stress) or a chance to plug your harrowing tale with your fans/friends once you’re released. The reality for almost half a million women around the globe is far less ‘Hollywood’. Official records state that there are over 430,000 women in jail around the world ; 195,248 are in the USA (with African-American women making up the largest proportion of inmates). Although it’s widely acknowledged that violent crime is on the increase the main causes of incarceration are theft and drug trafficking but these are not the most shocking statistics. Women have been jailed for killing abusive husbands, fleeing marital captivity or simply refusing the advances of influential men. The sad truth is that, although criminal behaviour should not go unpunished, many of these women have little to no education and little to no chance of escaping the cycle of ‘crime and punishment’. Sadder still is the fact that in some countires these ‘criminals’ are never tried in a court of law, are detained indefinitely and can be subjected to the most barbaric experiences.
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In the UK 71% of women in jail have no qualifications, 70% suffer from 2 or more mental disorders and 50% ran away from home as children. In Afghanistan many women are imprisoned for ‘moral crimes’ such as running away from their husbands, alleged adultery or marrying without consent from their families. In Brazil it’s been reported that women prisoners are often detained with men leading to systematic rape and sexual abuse. In South Africa 143 children occupy jail cells with their mothers. This has been as high as 300 or more. Children can stay with their mothers from birth until 2 years of age when they are then placed with a suitable family member or into state care. In Australia a survey of female prisoners, conducted in 2005, found that 88% claimed to have experienced abuse as an adult or child. In Russia there are a reported 69 000 women and 846 babies and children in prison colonies and pretrial detention centres. With limitations on ‘wash days’ hygiene is cited as one of the biggest problems. Want to know more? www.prisonstudies.org www.prisonreformtrust.org.uk www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21951744/ns/world_news-americas/t/officialsteen-girl-gang-raped-brazilian-jail/#.ToS_BuyKJBk www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?reportid=88509 www.hmprisonservice.gov.uk/assets/ documents/100047CEinternational_review_of_womens_prisons.pdf
seventy2minutes.com Autumn 2011
health, wealth & wisdom
Mon£y Matter$ Spend smart not hard
I
n issue 1 we brought you some snappy tips to help you save money for your Christmas shop (issuu.com/72m_magazine/ docs/001101_72m_magazine_ ad_1_). From Ebaying your unwanted goods to storing up points on loyalty cards we gave you 5 of our best so you could enjoy a debt free Christmas this year. Now if you didn’t catch issue 1, or you flagrantly ignored our advice (shame on you), it could be that Christmas is quickly approaching and you’re short on cash, stuck for ideas and reaching for that credit card you swore you wouldn’t use. Wait, and don’t be tempted to post your gold in a conspicuously marked enveleope emblazoned with ‘CASH YOUR GOLD’! All is not yet lost. Maybe it’s time to get back to basics. Christmas is not about a display of your wealth, whether you actually celebrate the idea behind this holiday or not, it’s a break away from the chaotic, a pause in the rush of your day to show some appreciation for your nearest and dearest. So put away your plastic, back away from the jewellery box and be prepared to get dirty!
DIY! Back in the day, before there were big shops that delivered stuff to your door ready-wrapped and signed from Santa, people (like you and I) made things themselves. Oh yes. Whether it was a basket of baked treats or a snazzy knitted jumper, someones bare hands went to work and created a gift worthy of an M&S theme tune and those who received these hand made goodies were terribly grateful too! Cookies, woolly hats, framed photos of the kids or heartfelt ditties; nothing is beyond your D.I.Y capabilities. Here are some of our favourites!
And that’s the way the cookie crumbles
of course... not because you simply love chocolate...
You don’t have to be a Nigella in the kitchen to whip up a batch of colourful cookies, we certainly don’t expect you to lick the mixture off a wooden spoon suggestively! All you need, for basic cookies, is butter, sugar, egg and plain flour. If you want to get creative throw in chocolate chips, fruits, nuts or, for adults only, some rum. We found some excellent cookie recipes on these sites;
Picture this... Do you have children? Cute family pets? Quirky collections like Lego cities or classic cars? Great. You can give the gift of fond memories!
www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes www.joyofbaking.com www.allrecipes.co.uk www.nigella.com (Check out the totally chocolate chocolate chip cookies).
The trouble with truffles (is that you always want more...) For the chocolate lover in your life give the gift of chocolate! To make delicious truffles the key ingredient is good quality cocoa. The better the cocoa the better your treats will taste and don’t think that good quality= expensive brand names. Aim for a cocoa content of 70% plus and experiment with ingredients like pistachio, raisins or liquer. Yummy! Try these sites for some easy step by step guides; www.videojug.com www.jamieoliver.com www.goodtoknow.co.uk …and don’t forget to make a trial batch... for quality control
There are rafts of free software on the internet that will allow you to stylise your picture so you don’t have to invest in expensive, professional photo editing products. Simply take a picture of the object/person/animal in mind (cute outfits are compulsory) apply the style that suits your fancy (think black and white, sepia tone) and get it printed! You can go as far as making the frame yourself, especially if you have children as they will love this! Be creative and think outside the normal ‘photo frame’ box. Collect sticks from your garden or local park, use material from clothes earmarked for the charity bin or simply glue to canvas, decorate and go. These website gave some great tips on making your own frames; www.activityvillage.co.uk www.ohhappyday.com/2011/09/ diy-make-your-own-picture-frame …and these offered free photo editing software; www.photoscape.org And now that you’ve cobbled together what could potentially be the best gift basket (ever!!) hand deliver them to your loved ones and watch them beam as they realise you’re also giving them the most precious gift you have... your time.
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