That’s Stella

I was avoiding phone calls all Saturday. I turned my cell phone on silent and tried to get some sleep. I’ve got a nasty cold and couldn’t get a wink of sleep all night. Anyway I see my cell light up and see it was a private number calling. How mysterious. I let my voicemail get the call, but I couldn’t bare the mystery and minutes later I retrieve my voice messages and it’s a familiar voice…

Hello Stella. Guess who’s back in town!

The familiar voice on the other end was none other than one of my best friends from London, Mr. Right! That sneaky so and so! He slipped into Perth without telling me – I love it! I love surprises! He lived with me for a month in New York and I stayed with him in London two years ago – and that was the last time I saw him. We always managed to keep in touch, even if it was half yearly phone calls.

I caught up with him today over a hot chocolate and yummy food in Mount Lawley and I have to state the obvious and say it is SO good to have him back even if it is only for a few weeks. It’s like he never left.

Anyway other than surprises, I have to share with you another one of my favourite things in this funny world of ours…

I took a sickie from work and was taking an afternoon nap when my slumber was rudely interrupted by the shrill of our phone. I answered the phone and it was a telemarketer claiming they could slash my phone bills in half. I said I wasn’t interested and hung up. My mom came home and I had a winge about the unwanted phone call and said
“I’m so sick of people trying to sell me shit!”.
My mom said “Right.. and this is coming from someone in advertising”.

My friends and I had a big night out a few weeks ago. But I went home early and a few of the boys continued on into the night and dropped a few pills. Anyway in the morning we all met up for brunch. I picked up the lads and upon deciding where to head for brunch, my sidekick boy at work, who is regularly into his ‘substances’ as he likes to put it says
“I say we go to that new organic café. These new organic cafes popping up around the city are fantastic because you know, people these days are just putting crap into their bodies. It’s ridiculous”.
And after he said this, I laughed so hard.

What do these two situations have in common?

That my dear friend is irony.

And you gotta love it!

Last night my girlfriends and I were having drinks at a bar in the city. The place was packed with men in suits. We bumped into an older man we were familiar with in the ad industry. I’ve dealt with him before and introduced him to my girl friends. I really should have known better then to acknowledge his presence because he has a reputation for being an arrogant asshole. He was greasy and sleazy and blew cigarette smoke into people’s faces. I came home last night desperate for a shower to cleanse myself of his greasiness. I cringed every time he invaded my personal space and whispered in my ear or drew circles on my back with his palm. It disgusted me and despite not giving a shit about him, I was still painfully polite and moved away from him with subtlety every time he got a little too close for comfort

Ewwwwwww……

Things have already started progressing with Mr. London. Today we spent the day playing a game of email ping-pong. I couldn’t help giggling like a school girl every time I read his emails, and it made my day at work so much more enjoyable. I have to state the obvious by saying, I am REALLY looking forward to seeing him. But I’m really wary of jinxing the potential that could be there? I have to be honest and as say that as stupid as this sounds, I can totally see something happening. But he seems so great – why doesn’t he already have a girlfriend?

When I was 14, I met my first boyfriend at a Jebediah/Living End gig. I remember that as soon as I laid my eyes on him, I thought “He’s hot… I am totally going to go out with him!” and sure enough, something like a few months later we were officially girlfriend and boyfriend! We were completely incompatible. And we must’ve looked so weird together. He was strikingly tall over 6’ and I was (and still am) 5’3.

A year later I was at another gig and instead, the guitarist up on stage caught my eye and I was quite insistent on getting to know him. Months later he was picking me up after school and laying on my bed – eating cookies and being completely innocent of course! (Actually, this was the moment when he finally told me he had a girlfriend)

But man, back in the day I was such a go-getter!!! Anything I wanted and set my eyes on, I went for it and got it! Boys, jobs, friends…Sometimes it took a bit work, but I was always a winner. I was so daring and confident and believed in myself and thought I was fabulous. When I was 14 I never remember thinking I wasn’t pretty enough or smart enough or good enough?

WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED TO ME!?!!!???

I start my two weeks full time paid internship at one of the top advertising agencies here on Monday. Everyone keeps asking me if I’m scared, but I couldn’t be more excited! However, I am now in a desperate rush shopping for business wear. I use to love wearing business suits and sky high black stiletto shoes, but ever since working last year in New York my business dress sense has fallen off the face of the earth.

The dress code in New York was “stylish” - they didn’t care what you wore as long as it looked good. The CEO and Vice Prez would come to work in Lacoste or Penquin polo shirts and ripped Diesel jeans. Some of the girls would wear ugg boots (which is far from stylish at a work place) but would make up for their fashion sin by flashing around their Louis Vuitton bag or Balenciaga tote. Designer jeans were a must. Luckily they’re my weakness and I didn’t have to bare horrified looks like some of the other girls did when *gasp* they had the gall to wear a pair of jeans with a $50 price tag. It was completely shallow.

I do admit though, I loved that being in New York you had a good reason to up the ante. Anytime I had this crazy clothing concoction in my head, I would justify it by saying “Well, fuck it! I’m in New York!”. Once I wore white MOON BOOTS, teamed up with black patterned stockings and a Marc Jacobs black and white POLKA DOT skirt during a SNOW STORM and the whole day the CEO was completely in awe, so much so that he asked me to finish work early so I could accompany him to the ABC studios for a TV appearance to represent the company.

So when I came back from New York and had to go back to work doing marketing for the government here, it was painful to have to go back to business suits. I ended up getting away with wearing casual wear and justifying that I had uni classes after. But now… it’s a new beginning and it’s back to business. Starting Monday at 8am.

I was close to piking on Pat’s gig at the Hydey. There were so many birthday parties last night. But I justified choosing Pat’s gig because I hardly ever see him and turns out an old friend of mine I use to work with on radio was headlining the gig and I haven’t seen him since my 18th birthday. It turned out to be a huge reunion like night. Memories and people from the days when I was an indie kid and sported pink flamingo hair and donned crazy little outfits came rushing back. I’m still an indie kid at heart tho. My work buddy is still the nice guy that he is, but seems to have mellowed out. Then there was a girl I use to be really close to. She’s in a “fake band” (she said they can’t play instruments or sing but get up on stage and pretend to play music) and is completely self absorbed! It was painful talking to her. I just don’t know how she could warrant being so far up herself. I’m sorry, but being in some phony band and on the dole does not make you the bees knees.

During the night I had pangs of regret for leaving the scene. To be completely honest, they were fun days. But then again, I could have been having all these feelings because I hadn’t seen so many good looking guys in once place for a LOONG time. Every second guy was some cute indie boy. Check shirts. All star sneakers. Black skinny leg jeans. Cowboy shirts. 80’s vintage sweaters. Aloofness. And FLOPPY HAIR. Awww…

Pat’s band was pretty impressive. Loud. Catchy. Strokes influenced. The whole night I was intrigued by his drummer. He is absolutely stunningly cute, but he looked familiar and I just couldn’t put my finger on who he looked like…. This morning I finally realised he looks like Andy Samberg (check out the David Letterman clip – v. funny story).

After drinking too much beer, we went to The Moon Café and shared a chocolate pizza and fries with aioli sauce and played Monopoly. Argh! I’m completely addicted to Monopoly! When we finally left the Moon at around 2 in the morning, we decided to go buy some sparklers and headed to Kings Park, fired them up and ran around the park overlooking the city.
Good music, cute indie boys, fries, Monopoly, sparklers and views - now THAT is my kinda night!

Back in the day when I was working in the music industry and I worshipped the ground rock stars sauntered upon and I was young and naive and very stupid, one of my many crushes was Mr. Amazing - he shall remain anonymous and innocent for now.

Years after I quit the industry (it was bitchy and hardcore and stressful and I developed anxiety attacks) I started forgetting encounters and stories and goss back from the day… Till today I was reading an article about Mr. Amazing and about how his latest album stinks and how he’s started a family and got married and yada yada yada… He said something about loving his new life and this triggered off my memory of how I got over Mr. Amazing.

Mr. Amazing was touring Australia and he gave me tickets to one of his shows. His friends knew I was keen on him, but despite being his friends, they still warned me off him. I went to his show with Ana (who’s always been a great partner in crime). So we’re at his show, and there’s hundreds of people (majority are screaming women) and luckily Ana and I nab this perfect position with a great view, till 10 minutes into the show, a couple of barely legal girls in front of us start making out and feeling each other up in front of everyone! ARgh! Awkward!

After the show, Ana and I are escorted backstage whilst Mr. Amazing is next to the stage busily signing CD’s and shirts, etc. Ana and I are hanging out in his dressing room and… well… we’re a little bit naughty and being nosey and going through his stuff.

We’re playing his guitars and… argh!! I cringe when I think of this, but Ana finds this black book on his dressing room table. She opens it up and finds it’s his diary!!! Mr. Amazing has a DIARY!? Now, remember we’re young and stupid and a little toasted from drinking so much, so we are posed with an ethical dilemma, but brush off our consciences and decide to take it in turns to have a peek at his diary, whilst the other watches the door for him. It’s no girly diary. His book is full of his ramblings and AAA passes from other shows and photos. It’s pretty… well… amazing! We get a good 20 minute look before getting paranoid and putting his diary back in the exact position we find it and decide to just chill out on his couches. Chill out? Well that was impossible. I was as giddy with excitement. Ana and I quietly discuss that after she meets Mr. Amazing, she’d go to the after party with the support band and I’d meet her there so she’d give me some lone time with him.

Well… we spoke too soon. Minutes later, we hear footsteps and giggles coming towards Mr. Amazings dressing room door. I’m getting all fidgety quickly adjusting myself on his couch trying to look cool… Well, imagine my shock and heart break when Mr. Amazing stumbles into his dressing room with two girls - wildly making out with one whilst grabbing the other girls hand leading her into the room!!! Ana and I are gobsmacked when they stumble in and realise the two girls are the two lesbian exhibitionists who were making out in front of us during his show! Son of a bitch!!!

When they realise Ana and I are sitting there in his dressing room, well… THAT was awkward. No one said a thing. Mr. Amazing went white. Ana and I were still sitting on his couches contemplating what to do. The room was silent. Ouch it hurt bad! I was the first one to make a move. I gracefully got up off the couch, Ana did the same, I walked towards the door, I waited to let Ana walk out first, then I slammed the door behind me. It was the end of my crush, the start of spreading the word about what had happened and the last time I ever saw or spoke to him.

So today I’m reading this article about him, and wondering if this is really all in the past for Mr. Amazing and I secretly hope and pray for his wife and bub that it is!

1. Returning home to New York
As soon as I landed in NY, I went straight to my friends, Rob & Tiongs apartment in the East Village. I could direct the cab driver exactly where to go. Everything looked the same. After a year away from home nothing had changed and I still remembered exactly where my favourite Chinese restaurant in Chinatown was, my favourite store in Soho and the correct subway exits to take. How awesome to return to the West Village to live and have one of my best friends from Perth live with me for a month.

2.Meeting new friends
Bonding with my New York Jewish men - Katzy & Bornstein.
Meeting uber talented stylish net friend – Miss. Tiff
Joining a new group of 20+ friends later in the year
Meeting my best uni girl friend – Miss. Andrea

3.Winning Best Ad Campaign Pitcher
Kicking boys asses and working hard and being rewarded with my first job in an advertising agency. My competitiveness and strategic thinking and constant stressing paid off.

4.Hide & Seek in Times Square
During New York fashion week, my colleagues and friends and I were invited to a few fashion shows as part of work. We started off the night playing a game of hide and seek in Times Square, running around and losing each other in the sea of lights. Following the game, we attended the fashion shows but missed out on the front row goodie bags with Dior glasses, etc…

5.Date with Doves
I scored free tickets, backstage and VIP passes for the Doves gig in Perth from their cousins. My date and I had a VIP viewing section to watch their show, and at the end of the night the band manager yelled at Metropolis Security who wouldn’t let us backstage. After the show we drank beer with the lads till the wee hours of the morning talking about how Velvet Underground was the best band on earth.

1.Leaving New York
It killed me to leave New York. I spent my last day with my NY fling Bornstein, having a waffle breakfast and strolling along the East Village river together. On the way to JFK, I sobbed uncontrollably, listening to the Garden State soundtrack as I left Manhattan, and constantly turned around to see the city skyscrapers disappear.

2.Saying goodbye to friends
Having to say goodbye to Katzy and Bornstein – men I had seen every day during my time back in New York.
Saying goodbye to my best uni boy friend as he left to go home to Scotland.
Farewelling work colleagues I had grown to love in NY.

3.Sick in London
Spending my days in London sick. Not going to the Tate and being able to enjoy the city as much as I wanted to. Being a drag… to myself!

4.Realising real friends
Letting go of people who were dragging my super group of friends down.

5.Sacrificing a night out with The Hives
One of the best and worst moments. I sacrificed a huge night out with The Hives (free tickets and a boozy night with the Swedish band) when I realised that my advertising career was more important than rock and roll. I had grown up.

According to my iPod Play Count reading…
In order is my top 20 most played songs in 2005…

1. Caring is Creepy - The Shins
2. Coming In From The Cold - The Delgados
3. Uncle Pat - Ash
4. The Only Living Boy in New York - Simon & Garfunkel
5. Don’t Panic - Coldplay
6. Blue Eyes - Cary Brothers
7. Untitled - Interpol
8. Since I Left You - The Avalanches
9. Two Hearts In 3/4 Time - The Avalanches
10. Y Control - Yeah Yeah Yeahs
11. In The Waiting Line - Zero 7
12. Punky’s Dilemma - Simon & Garfunkel
13. Maps - Yeah Yeah Yeahs
14. Neighborhood #3 (Power Out) - The Arcade Fire
15. Sea Songs - Doves
16. Neighborhood #2 (Laika) - The Arcade Fire
17. Let Go - Frou Frou
18. Sometimes - Ash
19. Your Hand In Mine - Explosions In The Sky
20. Molly’s Chambers - Kings Of Leon