About Me

My Photo
Predencia
A few years ago I decided to start a new career as a performer. I used to be a biology teacher but couldn't face walking around in a white coat all day teaching children who didn't want to learn. Actually it wasn't so much the children as the system cause I think all children want to learn - they just don't all want to learn in schools. Anyway I now work as a Life and Executive coach. Work is perhaps not the right word because it never feels like work. I just love to see people grow and change. I love it when they peel of the layers of limiting beliefs and find their true self. And I make some great frends in the process. I've re-discovered my writing and have published two poetry books and now working on 2 CDs, a novel, a book of short stories and talking to someone about a collaoration on a film script. That should keep me busy for a whild. Oh and I do bellydance.
View my complete profile
Monday 28 April 2008

Bare bodies on South Downs


Saturday is one day I'll not be forgetting in a hurry. Its not everyday that I have to get up at 4.15 a.m. to get a coach from Birmingham to Firle is Sussex for a bare body extravaganza. I always knew it was going to be interesting but it surpassed even my expectations. There were only 15 of us on the coach from Birmingham so I assumed that the recruiting of the expected 450 people must have come from nearer the event - other wise we were going to be very thinly spread indeed. A couple of our party seemed to be still on whatever they were taking the night before and already I was questionning my sanity. One guy I was chatting to said he travels around the world taking part in naked installations - I was obviously among experts (or at least one).


Three and a half hours later we were being ferried up to the Downs by minibus as the track was too small for the coaches. Hardly any expense had been spared by the ITV crew with the massive white tent, the carpetted floor, breakfast (bacon and sausage baps for the meateaters and danish pastries for the vegetarians) I was moved to ask 'where is the protein in danish pastries' but was advised not to ask that on camera for the first of what proved to be many an interview to camera throughout the day.


The rehearsal was thankfully fully clothed and I was grateful to have been cast a a left finger. I'm not sure how the guy who'd been cast as the penis tip felt but he fulfilled his position admirably. I have to confess that I felt very confident throughout the day - until it came to actually taking all my clothes off and putting on the boiler suit in which I would make my way back out onto the Downs when I began to feel a little anxious.


Panic didn't really set in until the order to ditch the boiler suits and take up our positions on the grass so that we could be filmed from the helicopter came. What I hadn't actually bargained for was that we'd also be filmed by the crew on the ground. I have to confess that after a few minutes of lying in the beautiful sunshine with my eyes closed (funny how you think that if you close your eyes no one can see you) I began to relax a little - and by and by even plucked up the courage to give an interview to camera - completely starkers!! Well, how liberating is that. I'll never view my body with quite the level of secrecy I did before. I have been at my most vulnerable and survived. I guess it helped that there were over two hundred other naked bodies around. I bit of a surprise for the ramblers walking the South Downs Way. What they must have thought when the turned the corner to see naked bodies spread out all over the ground with camera people weaving in and out of them. A helicopter overhead, and Trinny and Suzanna standing naked hugging each other in the middle of a field.


It was all quite uplifting and liberating really. But the best part of the day for me was the service provided by the delicious Butlers in the Buff. (See photo) Very fitting for the event. The shows go out on June 3/4/5 not sure of the time yet but will post a reminder.
Friday 25 April 2008

The Great British Body


Call me mad if you will but tomorrow I'm off down to Sussex to take part in Trinny and Suzanna's Great British Bare Body photoshoot. For those of you who don't know Trinny and Suzanna are currently filming a new series to be broadcast on June 3/4/5 in which they are looking at what constitutes the average British body. A think as most of us know it's not the kind portrayed in the magazines and music videos. Thery've been conducting roadshows across the country and asking Joe and Jane public to come and be weighed and measured. I went to the one in Birmingham. (Thanks Adrianne for coming with me - glad you had a good time). They had about six stations of nurses weighing and measuring, not just the usual vital statistics but head and neck circumference, leg length, hand span, and foot length. (I was given some helpful tips on cup size which I have taken with huge improvements). I was curious about the scan machine which I was not invited to use and was informed that it was to check the correct functioning of the internal organs of people who had lost a lot of weight very rapidly or who had been grossly overweight at one time.


They also had someone testing people for the fat gene. I didn't need a test - I have it, I just know - I just manage to keep it well muzzled. On Tursday I had a call from ITV to ask if I'd mind being interviewed by the social historian working on the show (they were trying to see if there are hereditary factors dertermining peoples shape, size, and in my case longevity.) They were interested in the fact that the female side of my family go on a long time. I have an aunt who died a few years ago aged 105 and another who is currently 96 and not looking like she's off anywhere anytime soon. My own mother died last year aged 92 and only then I think because she got bored. As you can also guess there is also an issue of late fertility. I was interviewed on camera so you may see me on one of the show in June.


So how is it mad to be going to Sussex tomorrow? Well, they are going to be doing an ariel photo of a male and female body made up of about 450 people. One will morph into the other - but they want to shoot them bare, yes - naked. 450 naked people making up one man and one woman. It should be a laugh. I've checked the forcast and thankfully it looks like sunshine and about 14 degrees C. I'll let you know how it goes.
Sunday 6 April 2008

Where did March go?

I can't believe it's April already. It seems like just a few days ago since it was February and March has just disappeared in a blur. Too many things happening. Thanks to all of you who came to see Veronica's Room. I hope you were impressed with my Irish accent - my son said it was a bit Irish/Jamaican. What do you think? I was hoping to get a few pics to post - especially ones of me as the elderly Maureen but they didn't come out too well. Look out for a film clip on the website soon. Soo much to do!!

I'm trying to catch up with everyone but the day job was rather hectic last month and looks like it will continue into this month. Also I'm starting my NLP training tomorrow which won't be completed till mid May; and have started rehearsing for 'See How They Run'. I also had a problem accessing my blog but will endeavour to keep up to date.