The big reveal...do I have a Royal connection?

Happy Monday everyone! Smile, don't be grumpy. Now I was on call over the weekend and while it was not too hectic I did have to complete a lot of paperwork on my cases. So today's post will have to be a short one. But don't worry I shall be back to regular posts later on in the week! On Saturday I gave out pre-Oscars blog awards to some lovely lady bloggers (see here). As part of the meme, I had to list 5 things about myself, 4 of which had to be bold faced lies. I then asked you to guess which of them was the one true statement.

Here are the 5 things I listed.

1. I went swimming with turtles in Barbados.
2. I am really a triplet, but my parents gave the third sister up for adoption.
3. I used to play hockey in high school and was selected for the National Girls Team in Trinidad.
4. I met the Queen at Buckingham Palace.
5. I was signed up to a modelling agency when I first arrived in the UK.

For fun I even tested DH (Dear Hubby) on this and to my utter amazement he got some of them wrong!

Anyways here are the falsies!

♥ Number one. I tried to swim with turtles in Barbados. However I was let down by the tiny little fact that I cannot swim! Or float for that matter! (yes I come from an island and your point is? My parents tried but could not stand my hysterical screams at swimming pools or beaches). I almost drowned poor DH as even with my floats on I panicked and then grabbed him tightly around his neck. The lifeguard on the catamaran saved me us and I was taken back to watch the turtles from the deck :-(

♥ Number two. I thought this one was a very obvious lie (maybe I was mistaken)! My parents love having a big family (even though we made them broke) so this was never going to happen. It was always just CP2 and me although unlike my 4 other siblings we appeared almost simultaneously.......

♥ Number three. Ummm, playing hockey? Really? Have I not mentioned my complete aversion to sport or anything that involves me breaking a sweat? And hockey sticks are hazardous to my health. They (PE teachers) tried to force me to play in high school and I promptly got a doctor's note saying I was allergic to something (don't know what but who cares? I had a rash of unknown origin). I missed PE for an entire term! Reeeessssssssuuuult! My dad has never forgiven me for this..........hahaha.

♥ Number five. Those who suggested being signed up with a modelling agency as the truth are too kind ;-) I have been approached by several people weirdos before but as far as I was concerned they were stalkers. Why? Because each time the supposed 'scout' owned three mobile phones, tried to invite me back to unknown or dodgy parts of London and was Nigerian (I know you know I speak the truth. Just saying it like it is)!



So by default the one truth must be.................

Drum Roll please!

Scroll

Scroll down again

Do you find this annoying?

Well ok then........ 



You better believe it! Prince Phillip was really quite charming.



Yup so there we have it! I quite like Queen Elizabeth although I have less time for the other hangers on. I missed my chance though. This was the opportune time to convince the grandparents that I was perfect for William (haha, when pigs fly!)

Well done Louloudorset and Philofaxy Steve for guessing correctly (Steve tweeted the answer). Unfortunately I don't have any prizes but it was definitely fun.

Bring on the Royal Wedding extra bank holiday! And enjoy your Monday (do pick your jaw up off the floor). I am a Caribbean princess after all.......... 

PS Happy birthday to my best friend M!!
PPS If you want more truths check out my 30 Days of Truth posts here.

This is not an Oscar but.........



What is this??? Don't get me started.

Beggars can't be choosers. Ok so the lovely Sarah from Sarah's blog tagged me for this awful meme award here. Yes, I know. It is horrendous. It also looks nothing like the Oscar Statuette that I was expecting for Best Director in the short film category (for my sequel to When Harry met Sally). I am sooooo disappointed! I was even planning on doing a Gwyneth (and sitting next to Brad Pitt)! Anyways here are the rules...


1. You must proudly display the absolutely disgusting graphic. Arrgh I despise this and you know that I hate cats (especially since one decided to use our newly gravelled front lawn as a potty last summer).

2. You must list 5 things about yourself and 4 of them must be bold-faced lies.

3. You must pass this award on to at least 5 other bloggers. Don't all step back at once! haha.

4. If I fail to follow any of these rules it seems that I will be hunted down in my bed and snuffed out! Yeah right! You are welcome to try!

Here are the 5 things about myself. Which do you think are false? Post the one true statement in the comments. No cheating now if I have already told you the answer!

1. I went swimming with turtles in Barbados.
2. I am really a triplet, but my parents gave the third sister up for adoption.
3. I used to play hockey in high school and was selected for the National Girls Team in Trinidad.
4. I met the Queen at Buckingham Palace.
5. I was signed up to a modelling agency when I first arrived in the UK.


And here are the lucky bloggers (you don't have to post it if it is all too embarrassing!) Note that I also forgot how to count! Thanks girls for making my blogging experience so delightful :-) It will be worth your while to check them out. In no particular order of fabulousness the award goes to.......
 
Modern Musings
 
Leia's Delights

Trinkets and Tea
 
Positively Prettyful
 
Girl in Maths
 
RePsych
 
Paper Pens Ink
 
Globetrotting Cacti
 
The Fabulous Life of the Not so Rich and Infamous
 
Paper Rush Blog
 
Life Well Planned
 
Yvotchka's Daily Truth

Planet Millie

Let's drink tea and get laid
 
And this is what I would have worn if you know I HAD ACTUALLY BEEN INVITED TO THE OSCARS. I am not bitter though. Wait, is that my phone ringing? Brad, Colin, here I come!!!!!  


Pretty in Pink



Electric in Electric Blue!

No longer Hermione but a real style queen!

Damn I forgot that I am on call this weekend! :-( Anyways I hope you check out the amazing (and now award winning) blogs I mentioned. Who are you supporting for Best Actor/Actress/Picture at the Oscars?

Have a great weekend.

Reader Question: What planner is right for me/How to stick to one planning system?

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Hello everyone
Welcome to my first ever reader question post and I am so excited to share this with you (with permission from the wonderful reader of course). This email landed in my inbox about 3 weeks ago. Here is what the lovely Kathleen had to say.....

Hi Caribbean Princess,
I found your website via Plannerisms blog. I love your website, your outlook on life, and the cheery disposition you have! I have been going 'round & 'round about whether or not to purchase a Filofax Adelphi Personal, or a Week Date planner, and was wondering if you could give me some insight on both.

I am an undergraduate English major from the U.S., and will be graduating in May, then (hopefully) I will be off to grad school in September. For the past three months, I have been back and forth with Franklin Covey, ultimately deciding that their systems are not for me. I am not sure of the reason, but as I explained to Laurie over at Plannerisms, I have always had a very difficult time buying a planner and sticking with it for more than a few months at a time (okay to be honest weeks). But, I am sick of wasting my money on things that I either am fortunate enough to return, have to recycle, or gift to a friend.

Do you have any advice on what planner might be right for me, and how to stick with one planning system?

Thank You,

Kathleen

Now of course I was only too happy to help. And I love getting other people organised just as much as doing it for myself. It was almost like being a proper agony aunt! This was my response......

Hi Kathleen

Thanks for the lovely compliments. It is always nice to know that people are reading and you have made my day :-)

I think it would be sensible to get a planner that can work for you now as an undergrad as well as in the not too distant future when you go to grad school. The aim is to keep it simple, as that is the only way that it will work for you. Here are some hopefully useful steps.

1. Make a short list of what your planner needs to do for you. If there are many sections, you will be better with a filofax. If you just need to record your schedule or you have lots of recurring weekly and monthly events then the weekdate may be better.

2. To be productive remember you only really need two things, (i) somewhere to record your appointments, meetings or class schedule (time and location) and (ii) a to do list. The to do list can be weekly, with a daily breakdown but identify your MUST DOS which should not be more than 3 things (limit 4) to stop yourself getting overwhelmed.

3. Think about your diary inserts if you choose a filofax. Is a week on one page, week on 2 pages, ok for you? I need to be able to have a broad overview of my week so I like week on 2 pages. Or do you also need to keep a more detailed daily calendar (day on one page, day on 2 pages may be better). Keep it as simple as you can. Remember there are also year on view, 4 year planning inserts (I find this useful to record my on calls or put IMPORTANT dates such as vivas, exams, holidays).

4. Read the following posts to have an idea of how I have used mine. I have just started a PhD fellowship and so I have needed to tweak my planner from dealing with mainly work and one day a week of research to full time research while I still have service projects, teaching and other stuff running. Apologies if you have already read them.


My lovely Adelphi Filofax
This is about my Adelphi- the original set up when it was mainly for work. I supplemented this with post it sticky notes of my weekly to dos.

Filofax vs Weekdate
This is a comparison of the Filofax and weekdate photos for you to see the size, thickness etc

I need your help. How should I organise a PhD planner?
I asked  for help on how to organise a PhD planner, read the comments section as readers gave extremely useful tips

Choosing a PhD planner- Option 1 The WeekDate
How I am currently using the weekdate (along with my Adelphi) while I wait on new diary inserts for the filofax. I have to admit that it is working fine for me as the weekdate is light but I would prefer just one planner with everything. I have also discussed the pros and cons of the weekdate


Ok I hope that is helpful. Take your time and think about it carefully (but don't procrastinate too long!). Remember the planner has to suit your needs and it does not have to be complicated. I have attached a useful filofax template from DiY planner website (http://www.diyplanner.com/) that you can adjust to use for your weekly class schedule

Other recommended reading
♥ Reader needs advice: Filofax in graduate school by Philofaxy. Don't forget to read the comments section for helpful hints.

You will be pleased to know that Kathleen purchased a beautiful magenta personal sized Adelphi filofax and she has kindly agreed to share pictures with me in the future to show you how she organised it. I am very excited (yes this sort of stuff excites me, sad but true). Go Kathleen!

Also if you have any questions on any of the topics I blog about please get in touch. No stalkers or weirdos please! I am happily married (although DH may disagree). Haha.

Have a great day!

The Filofax Gourmet Gift Box

Hello lovelies

Question-What is better than unwrapping a new filofax?

Stumped?

Answer- Unwrapping a new filofax that's free because you won the filofax Gourmet Gift Box in the Philofaxy Valentine's day quiz, that's what!!!

I am soooooo trying not to gloat here! And not succeeding as you may have noticed. hehe. Anyways this lovely gift arrived for me last week and needless to say I was delighted (I had been feeling quite stressed recently and so it was nice to receive an unexpected little treat). Also I have NEVER WON anything in my life that did not involve several rounds of gruelling interviews so 20 minutes on a Saturday afternoon was a complete doddle!

The Gourmet Gift Box has been reviewed in detail in the following posts so check them out if you want all the gory details.

♥ Filofax Gourmet Gift Box Review
♥ Sex and the City planner

I just wanted to capture the newest addition to my filofax 'collection' (yes I consider myself a 'collector' now), share some gratuitous pictures (of course) and summarise the main features.

Summary of main features

♥ Filofax personal organiser- The Domino organiser is included in cool slate or juicy grape. I got the grape (yay!) which is a lovely colour and goes with my lavender travel domino filofax.

♥ Lifestyle diary and papers- This includes inserts to balance work and play with outfit planners, party planners, takeaways, shopping lists and a little black book.

♥ Filofax mini organiser pen- This is polished chrome and fits nicely into the pen loop.

♥ Gourmet Society Dining card- You get 12 months free membership with the Gourmet Society which could possibly save lots of money on restaurant bills nationwide. I cannot wait to start using this!

If purchased individually, these items would cost around £111 (£23+£18+20+£50) for those who want to check the Math! However it costs only £35 on the Filofax UK website so a great deal really!

Disclaimer (Filofax UK does not pay me to promote their products although maybe they should. However if they decided to gift me the Amethyst Personal Deco for a personal review I would not decline and be eternally grateful! Hint hint.......)

On to the pictures! Enjoy :-)

Gratuitous Photos (click to enlarge)

Lovely gift box. I will probably use to archive my old diary inserts.

Look at all the goodies. Who says that good things don't come cheap?

Beautiful grape colour.

I would love to be able to purchase a pack of just outfit planners! Come on Filofax UK!

This diary insert (week on one page with notes) is giving me ideas for my PhD planner.

Little black book!

Inside of little black book.

That's it for now! I love it! What do you think? 

PhD Planning 101- How to add structure to an unstructured day



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Did this picture make you smile? I hope it does not actually represent any of your days!! However I should admit that I can quite easily fall into the above pattern on a weekend if I am not careful :-) So I have been meaning to post on this topic for a while. However I got sidetracked with directing movies and running a dating agency!

Before I started public health training, I worked in a hospital environment which was extremely structured with respect to ward rounds, clinics, on calls. It was an extremely hectic, jam packed schedule and sometimes I didn't even have time to catch my breath! The move to academic public health specialty training required a shift in my way of working (and thinking) as I was now in an office based environment. Although some projects had very short turn around times, others involved months (and years) of commitment. Also, there was no one looking over my shoulder all the time and I was free to organise my time (or do nothing) as I saw fit. Even though it was a bit of a culture shock for me at the beginning, I really thrived in the new environment as I really enjoy being in control of my time and my life (academia is as close to being self employed as I will probably get). I know that some people really hate a lack of structure and find it overwhelming. So hopefully these tips will be useful for those who work in academia, work from home, or are self employed....

GENERAL TIPS

♥ First, think about this quote by John Maxwell

"The secret of your success is determined by your daily agenda. What you become is a result of what you do today"

I think this is crucial as I don't know anyone who has become successful by wasting time. I am not saying that you should not make room for spontaneity and fun (or else you will be productive and very unhappy), but remember that wasted minutes turn into hours, which turn into days which are lost forever.

♥ Think about what works for you and motivating factors!
You will need to ask yourself a few questions for example.. When are you most productive? What factors motivate you? Is it passion, the thought of rewarding yourself with a treat at the end, the pride of doing excellent work, your reputation, meeting deadlines etc?  It is worth thinking carefully about these questions. Let me give you an example. I am not a morning person and I am not fully alert until 10am. I usually use this pre 10 o' clock time to respond to emails, sort out any relevant paperwork and admin, organise references, check literature search updates, write down my 3 MUST DOs for the day (if I haven't done it before) and think about how I am actually going to do them. I know I like to work to a high standard as this gives me satisfaction. I also think about the bigger picture and how the tasks will benefit me in the short and long term. Will it make me a better lecturer? Will it make me better at writing papers, using statistical software or presenting? This usually inspires me to get the job done.

♥ Ensure that you have a proper workspace
This is important especially if you are spending long hours at a desk. Make sure the space is appropriate, there are no distractions and that you have good lighting and comfortable seating.

DETAILED TIPS

♥ Plan your schedule
Currently I am using my Adelphi and my weekdate planner. Use something that works for you. It is a good idea to put down rough estimates of the time needed for each task.

♥ Get rid of distractions.
As soon as I complete the tasks above, I close my internet browser and switch off my mobile phone. If something is urgent, people will usually leave a voice message, email or call me on my office phone so I don't worry about missing anything crucial. I also make sure my desk is not cluttered as this clouds my thinking and that I have a full bottle of water to keep me hydrated.


♥ Aim to complete your most difficult task when you are most productive.
I tend to start with the hardest or most complicated to do item on my list. This may be organising a literature search for a systematic review, writing the methods section on a paper, obtaining results from my statistics package. I don't usually have lunch until 1pm (as I keep fruits on my desk to snack on). I will take a couple of short breaks in this time period (5-10 minutes to check email, make a phone call, chat with office mate etc).


♥ Take a bigger break!
I usually bring packed lunch (more money for clothes shopping), unless I am treating myself. I use this time to go and chat with colleagues, read a book or journal, or catch up with my favourite blogs. My lunch breaks alternate between 30 minutes and 45 minutes. However if I am feeling super productive and I am really into what I am doing I will eat a sandwich at my desk and save the bigger break for later in the afternoon.

♥ Switch to another task.
I think it is a good idea to start working on a second task to liven up the day and make it more interesting. I may decide to work on a presentation or tutorial in the afternoon to prevent myself from getting fed up of the first activity. Depending on my schedule I will go back to the first task afterwards.


♥ Schedule meetings at the beginning or the end of a day (but not on a Friday afternoon at 4pm!)
Meetings can break up your work flow so I like to get them out of the way first thing (as it forces me to become alert earlier) or later on in the day so that I can devote my most productive hours to my MUST DOs.
 
♥ Wind down time
I use the last half hour of the day to 'wrap things up'. If I am going to be out of office or working from home the following day I make sure to print bulky outstanding papers (so I don't need to use my home printer), directions, save all files in two locations etc. I will also respond to any new emails in my inbox.  

What other tips do you have? The next PhD planning 101 post will cover To Do lists. Enjoy your day!

 Further reading
1.Are you supposed to be working?
2.Distracted focus by Girl In Maths
3.Time ManagementGuide.com
4.Task and Time management with your filofax
5.Just what the doctor ordered: advice for coping with stress

Alphabet soup...... for some Friday fun!

Image. Yes I realise this is NOT soup! But it has an alphabet and it is cute.....

I saw this meme on Shazza's blog and I thought it was interesting so I decided I would do it too :-) I am such a follow-fashion!!! Anyways here we go.....

A- Age- 18. Yes seriously..........

B- Bed size- Double. Unfortunately my bedroom isn't big enough for my Super King dream :-( Sigh.......the downside of new build houses in the UK!

C- Chore you hate- Cleaning the bathrooms or the toilets...... Before I got someone to help out they were DH's jobs. hehe. I like doing the dishes by hand (and listening to music loudly) so I never ever use my dishwasher.

D- Dog's name. I don't have one. But the neighbour's rabbit comes into my garden regularly..... Wait did that sound rude???? DH just got something called a Rovio (wi-fi mobile webcam), so I treat it like a robotic pet!

E- Essential start of the day item- my phone alarm or I just won't wake up! I am not a morning person.

F-Favourite colour- I am a purple and pink kind of girl!

G- Gold or silver. Platinum! Well actually silver is ok.

H- Height- 5 ft 5 inches I think. I have a height superiority complex. I always think I am taller than I actually am. It annoys me that I am the shortest in my family and that DH enjoys calling me 'Midge' while patting me on my head!

I- Instruments you play- Back in Trinidad I played the piano (up to Grade 6 Trinity College of Music), the steelpan/steeldrum (double tenor) and the recorder (which used to make the dogs howl).

J- I am a public health doctor and epidemiologist.

K- Kids- none. I plan on stealing borrowing one of my twin nieces.

L- Living arrangements- I live with DH (until he eventually decides he can no longer bear the trauma or stand the drama. Then I will put him in the garden shed).

M- Music you love. All types from hip hop to alternative. Nina Simone is on repeat.

N- Nicknames. My dad calls me something that rhymes with Lazy. DH calls me something that rhymes with Poppins.

O- Overnight stay in hospital. Yes, on several occasions for major operations. I think that being a patient made me a better doctor. I am a rubbish patient though as I always try to get discharged early!

P- Pet Peeve- Work-shy people who don't take pride in their jobs. In the UK they call them jobsworths (read here)! Oh and rudeness winds me up too!

Q- Quote from a movie. Doubt (2008).


Father Brendan Flynn: You have no right to act on your own! You have taken vows, obedience being one! You answer to us! You have no right to step outside the church!


Sister Aloysius Beauvier: I will step outside the church if that's what needs to be done, till the door should shut behind me! I will do what needs to be done, though I'm damned to Hell! You should understand that, or you will mistake me.

Oh my, how I LOVE this sister! If that isn't real girlpower, I don't know what is...

R- Right of left handed- Right handed.

S- Siblings- 5 including my fraternal twin sister (my parents are Catholic)

T- Time you wake up- 6-6.30 am during the week and 10am on weekends! I am NOT a morning person! It makes me grumpy! Schedule a meeting with me before 10 at your own risk. Note all the exclamations! You have been warned!

U- Underwear- what is up this question? Think Bridget Jones, not Sisqo.

V- Vegetables you dislike. Brussel sprouts. Had one for the first time in December 2003. I am not quite over it as yet.......(shudder)

W- Workout style- I hate exercise (and getting sweaty) but we do own an exercise bike which I rarely never use. Ignore J above.

X- X rays you've had. Chest.

Y- Yummy food you make- Barbecue chicken and Trinidadian style stewed chicken.

Z- The best place to visit. Pigeon point beach in Tobago.

Happy Friday and if you also decide to do this meme please post a link in the comments! Did anything surprise you?

TGIF!!

Agony Aunt yourself: Advice on coping with stress



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Now I have always secretly been fascinated by agony aunts (not to mention the people who actually write in to them). You know the ones I mean, let me give you an example (fictional of course)...

"Dear Caribbean Princess,
My husband is running out of patience....He says that I have an addiction; one that he can no longer cope with. 'Why do you need another one?' he says.... 'Don't you have enough? You cannot possibly use all of them!' Recently he gave me an ultimatum. He said I had to choose between him or my beloved......... filofaxes. But I don't know what to do? Can you help me? Please?" ~ Desperate and disorganised.

To which my response would have been...........

"Dear Desperate and Disorganised,
You can always find another husband. However there is absolutely no excuse for being disorganised! I wish you all the best. ~ Caribbean Princess.

You get my point! Anyways in the last few weeks, I have been feeling a bit overwhelmed at work. Now usually I enjoy working under a little bit of stress, as I thrive on a good challenge and it negates the fact that I am a naturally lazy person. I like to have a variety of projects, I am good at multi-tasking and I am usually very pleased when I deliver a completed product to my 'usual' high standards ;-) 

However I am not a machine, and lately I have increased my academic workload (PhD, teaching, supervising etc) while trying to complete a big chunk of public health service work on improving the uptake of immunisation rates. My already ridiculous commute also became more onerous with conferences, tutorials, project management and travel for immunisation interviews in far flung corners of the region. Also, there is a lot of uncertainty in both of my working environments, due to 'cuts, cuts, cuts' and while my job is safe (due to my fellowship) I am acutely aware of the fact that other people are not so lucky. Actually as I have written it down, I am not surprised that I have been heading towards burn out (while turning into a grumpy old woman! Sorry DH).

So what am I going to do? Well I have decided to 'agony aunt' myself with the following tips.....

♥ Identify the problem. It is obvious that I need to reduce my workload to maintain 'quality'. Therefore while I focus on doing the immunisation interviews and transcribing that information, I will have to cut back on PhD related work. There is no budget for the project so I am unable to pay someone to do the transcription. Since I cannot move house (DH and I work almost 40 miles in the opposite direction), I shall work from home, a minimum of 1 day a week (maybe even 2 days) without feeling guilty as my home office is better kitted out than my actual office.

♥ Think positive. I am usually a glass half full kind of person anyway.There are lots of good things in my life that are not work related and I need to remember that. I need to stop 'overthinking' though and focus on the present instead of thinking about the future all the time!

♥ Relax. I am yet to find any kind of physical activity that relaxes me (I will continue looking).  However these Relaxation techniques from MIND are very helpful. Playing Cee-Lo Green's 'Forget you' on LOUD is also strangely cathartic!

♥ Get enough sleep. I am not a morning person but I need to be up at 6 am on most days. This means I need to go to bed earlier (even if I am not feeling tired) so that I can still get my 8 hours of beauty sleep!

♥ Laugh! My research area is morbid. I cannot and won't change that as it is important and I enjoy it. Recently blogging has been my main outlet for my 'odd' sense of humour (more recently I have written some crazier posts but they made me happy and hopefully made you smile too). Laughter is the best medicine. And blogging is cheap therapy!

♥ Go with the flow! I have a tendency to be over organised (surprise surprise). Sometimes it is ok to let things slip, transfer that to-do to another day and just let go! I need to remember that!

♥ Just say 'no'. I need to get a T shirt with this and wear it to work! Repeat after me, "No, No, No!!!!" Or as my Dad said on the weekend, "Don't be the donkey that everyone loads up until its legs are buckling under all of the weight." My dad is a wise man. I will listen to him.

♥ Remember the big picture (see the forest for the trees)! I am really passionate about what I do and I really do feel I can make a difference. However if I am burnt out then I will not be of any use to anyone, including myself!

Further reading (these are really useful guides from the MIND charity)
1. Relaxation
2. Managing Stress
3. How to assert yourself

What tips do you have for coping with stress? Please share and enjoy your Wednesday.

Happy Valentine's day!! And my lonely filofaxes find love ♥ ♥ ♥

 This is how I used to feel about Valentine's day..........

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But then I met DH (Dearest Husband), fell in love with the iPod he bought me and got married as my student visa was no longer valid in the UK. Anyways, I now enjoy Valentine's Day and although the cynic in me knows it has been created to get us mere mortals to spend money after Christmas, I have to admit that the celebration of love is not necessarily a bad thing. So now I feel more like this..............

Aww, sweet isn't it? I love tatty teddy! So DH and I already celebrated V-day last night with a lovely dinner at a cute little restaurant in Oxford, as ummm, you know I actually have to work today. I also knew that a fancy dinner would be the last thing on my mind after my 4 hour daily commute!! However today is an important day, as I get to reveal to my filofax family, well only for the ones that participated in the lonely hearts dating agency, who their prospective partners are. They (and you) must be sooooooo excited so let's get on with the Vday matchmaking!!! If you missed those posts, you can check them out here and here. Not all of my lovely filofaxes found a mate, as some played by the rules while others didn't (Chameleon I am talking about you!), but all's fair in love and war.......

♥ Posh Panama found love and exclusivity with another Panama (ivory) courtesy of Alison Reeves.

♥ Mini Finchley had two Urban suitors courtesy of Karensa and Ellie Virtue. Ellie's Urban even emailed the following love letter..........

"I am a personal sized Olive Urban living in a houseful of singles, my owner is single, the dog is single and I too am single. However, while surfing the web on Sunday I fell ruler over notepad in love with you Fiona. Yes you, Fiona mini Finchley. My outer zipper pocket started ... and I have not been able to forget about you since that first sight when I caught a glimpse of your plush leather, your contrast stitching....

So, about me. I am a clean shaven city guy. Ich kann Deutsch und Englisch spreche. I look for a woman who enjoys leafing through me, turning my pages with care. Someone who wants to link rulers with me and hang together in the handbag. You will be my best friend and I feel we could compliment each other very well. My dark, manly green and your feminine pale green, your petite figure and my well built strong exterior.

Anyway, if you feel the same, email me


xoxoxo
Urban Mervin"

How romantic....... Methinks DH could learn a thing or two from this Urban!!  

♥ Age was just a number for Botanic thanks to Alannarama's red personal Butterfly. Another love note was passed on, this one short and sweet.......

"Dear Botanic,

As you so rightly said, age is just a number. Though young, my flighty days are over, and I'd love to try settling in your branches ;)


Yours, Red Butterfly"

♥ My red pocket Butterfly flew away with Girlinmaths' personal Siena.

♥ Raspberry Chameleon changed her colours with Girlinmaths' Brown Personal Classic. Raspberries always go well with chocolate, no? So a perfect love match! Thanks for pointing that out Butanben!

So folks there we have it. Thanks to all those who participated. The lonely hearts dating agency had a 56% success rate (more than 1 in 2!) and I have some very delighted filofaxes. Maybe I should leave my day job. The others had a singles party and watched the recently released romantic comedy that I directed When Harry Finsbury met Sally Finchley as after all you can't hurry love.........

Happy Valentine's Day :-) How did you celebrate? With friends, family, someone special? Please share.....

When Harry Finsbury met Sally Finchley (2011)............

Running time: 2 minutes

Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance

Keywords: Love, Friendship, Filofax

Rated R: This film should not be seen by anyone under the age of 18. Some scenes of a sexual nature may be considered inappropriate.

Harry and Sally first meet and it is love at first sight. Will anything get in the way of their passion?

Director: Caribbean Princess

Writer: Philofaxy Steve

Stars: Miss Finchley and Mr Finsbury

A tale of love at first sight..........

Once upon a time Sally Finchley was walking down the road when she set eyes on Harry Finsbury. Their eyes met ...... It was an instant attraction.

They ran and embraced each other.

Holding hands, he pulled her close......

They fell backwards onto the surface with passion.

However, as a modern filofax, she preferred a 'superior' position.......

They spent all afternoon trying to untangle their rings.

The End

Disclaimer- The brevity of this film must be blamed on the surprising lack of funding received from U studios for this project. However when it is nominated in 2012 for an Oscar in the 'Best Random' category, we will endeavour to make a sequel (which will undoubtedly be better than Sex and the City 2 and all of the Twilight movies).

Happy Sunday and early Valentine's day! Remember the lonely hearts filofax dating agency (see here) closes today at 2pm GMT.  Hope you enjoyed the film! Please leave your reviews in the comments :-)

Update 14/2/11 See which filofaxes found love here!

Inspirational Fridays: Love is all around us........

Love and cupcakes!

From Captain Corelli's Mandolin
"Love is a temporary madness. It erupts like an earthquake and then subsides. And when it subsides you have to make a decision. You have to work out whether your roots have become so entwined together that it is inconceivable that you should ever part. Because this is what love is. Love is not breathlessness, it is not excitement, it is not the promulgation of promises of eternal passion. That is just being "in love" which any of us can convince ourselves we are. Love itself is what is left over when being in love has burned away, and this is both an art and a fortunate accident. Your mother and I had it, we had roots that grew towards each other underground, and when all the pretty blossoms had fallen from our branches we found that we were one tree and not two." -St. Augustine

I absolutely love the previous description. I don't think it could have been said any better! As Valentine's Day approaches I wanted to share some links and articles with you before the weekend. Here we go with some lovely links............  
 
♥ Ladies: Settle for the Best, by Cynthia Occelli.
 

"Remember you are not too old, heavy, poor, or fill in the blank to attract a good man. Let go of life draining men, Invest in yourself, it's the sexiest thing to do. Don't settle for less than a man worthy of you!"

   

♥ It's Friday and I'm in love......... with whom (or maybe I should say what)? Guess you have to read to find out!

♥ How do you cope if the person you love is thousands of miles away on deployment? Enjoy one of Yvotchka's daily truths. Trust me, you will become completely hooked. I am!!


♥ I love Celestine Chua as I think she is just an amazing young woman. For anyone dealing with heartbreak at this time, maybe her story How I Moved on From A heartbreak and the rest of the 5 part series on Moving from Relationships will be helpful.

I thought I had finally found my soulmate and began to fall for him. I thought I could finally start writing my love story. Little did I expect I was in for a heartbreak later on.

♥ Some of my own truths:-) What do you love about yourself? Has someone made your life worth living? Self love is important as how can one be capable of loving others if you have no love for yourself?

♥ As far as I am concerned, love and friendship go hand in hand. Do you agree?

♥ From Salon, Does "friends with benefits" work? Personally I don't think so. Someone will eventually get hurt!

As non-relationships get the Hollywood treatment, I'm not alone in thinking they suck in the real world.

♥ What about if you are single? Being single is not a disease and I spent 78% of my life as a single woman because I never wanted to have a relationship just for the sake of it. So chin up, have fun and read this article Being Single on Valentine's Day: a survival guide.

♥ Did you know that filofaxes get lonely? Mine did so I had to start a singles dating agency for my lonely hearts filofaxes (read here and here) .

♥ Last, but not least for all you crafty types, here is a link to some wonderful valentine's day printables and tutorials from Kind over matter. Enjoy!!

What will you be doing to celebrate Valentine's Day? Please share. Also don't forget to help out with the filofax lonely hearts dating agency before Sunday 13th February at 2 pm :-))

Have a wonderful day!!

CP's dating agency for 'lonely hearts' filofaxes part 2

Love in raindrops

Lovelies, due to the overwhelming interest in the lonely hearts filofax dating agency (see part 1 here), I am featuring 4 more from my filofax family. It is sweet how excited they are and I expect that I will not be dealing with any kind of rebellion or unrest in the near future (especially as I have purchased yet another filofax for which I have no use!)

Without any further delay lets move on to the profiles. Remember to click on the titles under the images for more details on the individual filofaxes!

Spotted delight!
♥ Superb pocket Spots seeks a fun loving filofax who is happy, honest, has integrity while being considerate and loving. Someone with a sense of adventure, or who wants to explore the world would be delightful! Sexy European filofaxes are desirable as speaking a second language is an absolute MUST. Whisper to me the words of love...... je t'aime, Ik hou van jou, te amo.........

Spots

Take flight....
♥ "Love is like a butterfly, it goes where it pleases and it pleases wherever it goes. Love is like a butterfly, hold it too tight, it'll crush. Hold it too loose, it'll fly."

Beautiful Butterfly filofax desires independent, traditional filofax to fly along the edges of life with me. I have travelled the world, but there is so much more to see and I would like to do it with a bit more style. Fellow butterflies are most welcome although others are welcome to reply. I am open to all possibilities.......

Butterfly

Charming Chemistry.....
♥ Classy Raspberry Chameleon Filofax seeks attractive mate with positive outlook on life. I am stylish, sophisticated and lovely... What else can I say? My photo speaks for itself. I never get bored and would need someone with great energy who is happy and fun to be with. Get in touch and welcome to the beginning of the rest of your life!

Chameleon

Inspired living
♥ Marvellous pocket Metropol desires an inspirational filofax to walk life's path with me. Love, humour, passion and romance can be ours to share. I can be naughty as well as nice! I love to spoil and be spoiled. Hopefully we can make the most of our lives together!

Metropol

So friends, remember that if you own a desirable filfofax, please post a link to your blog post or flickr picture in the comments section with an explantion of why you think your filofax is suitable BEFORE Sunday 13th February at 2pm GMT. You can also tweet me @CPrincessUK (including #filofaxsingles in your message), email or leave a message on facebook. Don't forget to name the filofax that you are interested in from the above beauties!

Have a wonderful day!

Update 14/2/11- See which filofaxes found love here!

Introducing.. CP's dating agency for 'lonely hearts' filofaxes

That little thing called love

Friends, we have a problem. It has been brought to my attention that my filofaxes are unhappy........Why? Because I have too many and some of them are feeling unloved and underused as they sit on my library shelf all day. Also, as Adelphi has informed me, a few are not very happy with the 'female' gender that I have assigned to some of them, quoting that gender is a state of mind and a social construct which specifies the social and culturally prescribed roles that men and women should follow. Ok, nuff said. Now this is the UK, so before they form a union on me and things get really difficult, I have decided that it would be a good idea if I start a dating agency to try to sort out my lonely hearts filofaxes before V-Day arrives (see part two here).

Now of course, this has created a great deal of excitement among my filofax family, so much that I may have to do a second post, as I will only highlight 5 today. Adelphi has said that she prefers to focus on her career for the moment, and has decided not to take part this time. However, I think that she is just being cautious and may change her mind if any of the others are successful in finding a mate.

Here we go. Please click the titles under the pictures to read more details (where they have already been featured).

Exclusive and fabulous.......
 ♥ Posh Pocket Panama Filofax is searching for a luxurious, quality filofax who knows how to enjoy the finer things in life. Exclusivity is important to me, for example fine wine, fine dining, fine cars and travel to exotic locations. I believe that decadence is good for the soul. Real leather filofaxes with deep internal pockets are encouraged to reply. Please note that 'scrubs' and time wasters will receive absolutely no love from me.

Panama

Musically gifted
 ♥ Spirited Pocket Songbird wants a fun, fit and happy filofax to get to know, spend time with, visit theatres and galleries. I am easy going, kind and caring and I have a beautiful voice. I am open to all colours and sizes so get in touch and hopefully we can make lovely music together :-)

Songbird

Strong and athletic
 ♥ Beautiful Personal Pink Finsbury seeks long term relationship with similar, must lay flat on first date.... oily skinned Kendals need not apply. Slimlines are also not my scene... I need a real Filofax not something that has been on a diet, give me those 'big rings' any day. Yes, for me, size really does matter, so I am looking for A4s or A5s only please!

Finsbury

Age is just a number...... 
 ♥ Mature retired Personal Botanic seeks companionship with vintage types such as Ascots and Dundees.... A filofax who ONLY has eyes for me and can make me laugh are important qualities. We can relax, share some life experiences and get to know each other. No pressure! Let's see what happens. Remember age is like fine wine, it only gets better with time!

Botanic

Small is beautiful.......

 ♥  Marvellous Mini Finchley (jade green) seeks love and romance. I am small in size but big in personality. I am smart, beautiful and sensitive and my leather is delicious. I prefer a filofax who shares my views on love, family and friends and is ready to begin an exciting new life with me.

Finchley

So friends, can you help me out? Are any of your filofaxes lonely? Or looking for love maybe in the wrong places? If so, please post a link to your blog post or flickr picture in the comments section with an explantion of why you think your filofax is suitable BEFORE Sunday 13th February at 2pm GMT. You can also tweet me @CPrincessUK (including #filofaxsingles in your message), email or leave a message on facebook. Don't forget to name the filofax that you are interested in!

Have a lovely day! 

Update 14/2/11 See which filofaxes found love here!