Hi folks.

Feist - I Feel It All

I apologize for my once-a-week posting, but, there's a lot going on at the moment; most of which can't be talked about. A lot of it is because there is far too much cross-over between my "real life" and my "online life", and although the whole "neighborhood only", "friends only", "friends and family" settings on VOX are fantastic...if I feel like I need to constantly downgrade, upgrade and kick people out of my neighborhood just so I can have some expression and release...I can't really decide if it's worth all the effort or not.

There are all of 2-3 people that I can really talk openly and honestly with about all that's going on at the moment, and for that I'm grateful - but I truly do miss being fearlessly open online. Of course, I always had my boundaries (no personal family talk, no airing out my dirty, marital laundry online) but I've felt all muted and censored lately. There's nothing wrong with having to watch what I say, as I know I'm making the right decision, but I just being able to FUCKING TALK.

It's like, there's so many companies and organizations and bloggers and journalists that I just want to rage on about...but I'm in such a vulnerable position I can't really afford to piss anybody off.

Does that make me weak and subservient to The Networking Gods? Or just smart?

Does anybody else feel like the Internet is just claustrophobic lately? It just kills me that I used be in this fantastic little bubble where I could slag off some idiot journalist who did something shitty and laughable one minute, and now I do the same thing and realize that we have 8 "mutual friends" on Facebook and follow the same people on Twitter and have high music compatibility on LastFM. SERIOUSLY?

Am I losing my balls or and caring too much what others think? I wish I had the clarity to know for sure at the moment.

I have a feeling it's just this awkward transition period that I'm in the middle of. Or maybe it's that fucking Mercury Retrograde everyone on here is always banging on about. Can I blame it on Mercury? Is he retrograding at the moment? What does that even mean?

Thanks to everyone for their job suggestions and concern for my ability to afford food in the next few months. I really am okay, and I've accepted the fact that a Magical CEO is not going to email me and offer me the most fantastic blogging job of all time that allows me to work from home whenever I want, and get paid £500 a day AND get paid ON TIME!

The Universe is leaving me to figure this out myself. I'm up for the challenge, it's just just a shame my mojo is only running on half power at the moment.

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Dear Internet/Silicon Valley/San Francisco,

Hi! It's me. Cate. CupCate. Of the London CupCates.

Here's the thing, homie...

I was made redundant at my job last week.

I'm there for another month, as I've agreed to do some very limited freelancing work on ye old Dollymix in June, and then after that, I'm broke, I mean, 100% open and available for new freelancing work.

Shit like this happens when you're freelance. The economy's bad at the moment (so I hear) and things are looking a little dull over here in the UK blogging industry. For example, please observe what happens when you Google "UK Blogging Jobs":

NO I DIDN'T MEAN BILLING!

Yeah. I know, right?!

While there are no hard feelings and I understand that the company I worked for for the past year and a half "feel that we can no longer pay your incredibly inflated salary and support your extravagant lifestyle", it still sucks.

It sucks like...

...when you know you're in a relationship that is eventually going to end because either one of you doesn't want kids and/or you haven't had sex in 3.5 years and although you didn't want to marry the guy or even get a cat with him, when he looks at you over over half melted Jamba Juice, and says, "You know...I just don't think this is going to work. It's not you, it's me. It's been great, "

You're sort of relieved because you know how it's going to end, but then it just sort of pisses you off that HE BROKE UP WITH YOU and he gets to keep the apartment and YOU'RE THE ONE who has to start Googling BLOGGING JOBS and thinking about how you're going to be able to afford your next root canal...or something.

Does that make sense?

So, that's how I feel. I understand, I'm cool with it, I see how it's better for both of us in the end...but finding enough freelance work to float me for the next few months is my main concern at the moment.

I'll dress up like this if you need me to.

But like...Silicon Valley? Could you maybe SHARE all of the work you have with the rest of the world? Does blogging REALLY need to be done in an office? Can't you just fly me out every couple months, give me a free laptop or something, and then let me get on with the blogging from London? It really will benefit you in the long run.

Please, let me explain how.

See, while you're sleeping, I'M AWAKE. You're site will be guaranteed to have fresh content on it by the time you and all those returning visitors go back to your site first thing in the morning. PLUS, how IMPORTANT and SERIOUS will you look by having INTERNATIONAL CORESPONDENTS??

TRES. IT WILL LOOK TRES/MUCHO/A LOT IMPORTANT.

So, all I'm saying, San Francisco, is that you're very wealthy. You've got a lot of blogging jobs, but it would be better for you if you just shelled out the cash to pay some hot ass bloggers in sterling and let them telecommute from London Town.

Just think! I can get you all the latest news on what drugs Amy Winehouse did last night, who Russell Brand is boning this week, and what Heather Mills is lying about lately BEFORE all of your other US based bloggers. Time is on my side! You're 8 HOURS BEHIND ME. Do you know how many hits you could be getting in those 8 hours!?!?

TRES. YOU COULD BE GETTING TRES HITS.

I know I'm American and all, but all this means is that I know shit about TWO cultures! TWO! How many do you know about? It's probably like one and a half. I can talk about Richard Hammond and Miley Cyrus with equal ease. If you want me to be British, I can be British! I sleep with a British guy on a regular basis! I'll even lie and say I like Marmite. I'll throw in random 'u's in my spelling.

Liouke Thious

But in all seriousness, Silicon Valley...San Francisco...California...The United States of America....

We have some fine bloggers in the UK.

But!

There is only ONE in particular that has not only participated in a rather bland, awkward debate over WAGS live on Sky News, and managed to become a sex and relationships expert for Yahoo just months before they fired thousands of people, and (AND!) was misquoted in a grid about feminism in The Observer Woman, complete with an unflattering embarrassing photo.

Where the hell else are you going to find those kind of qualifications?

I may not be whorish enough, *ironic* enough, or have a strong enough love for cocaine to be a part of Gawker, or perhaps friendly and perky enough to be a part of Sugar....but god dammit, I am all for settling and deal with disappointment and low pay very well.

Please. CALL ME.

Cate
xx

PS. In all seriousness, if you have any blogging or freelance writing work done, please get in contact. PM me or my email is in the links on the side. Please? I'll send you a photo of my bra.

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We definetly put petrol in our diesel car. Just waiting to fork over £130 so they can flush out our fuel system. Fuuuuck.

Oops...

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This is as close as I could get to the Mona Lisa

So, instead of just giving you a link to my Flickr account, I thought I would just upload all of my good photos from Paris here. It turns out there are quite a few, so, please feel free to just ignore them if you so wish.

Paris was a beautiful place, and we (for the most part) were blessed beautiful weather. However, around day 3 of being in Paris, we started to realize how very close to home we were, and to how very, very tired we were. Iain caught a fever, and for some reason being locked up in a hotel room in Paris for hours and hours at a time wasn't so bad.

Iain slept, I watched an entire first season of Weeds on my laptop and ate tons and tons of Babybel cheese and the most fantastic little coconut cookies I've ever had the pleasure of putting in my mouth. Also? I discovered the most delicious sangria that was sold IN A BOX and cost less than 3 euro and was 7% alcohol. HELLO.

My favorite part of Paris: has to be Montmartre

My favorite thing in Paris? Breakfast - they believe in eating half a baguette first thing in the morning...HELLO.

My favorite memory: at Montparnasse Bienvenue station when Iain decided he wanted a Twix, but the machine fucking wasn't working, so he pressed in the code to get a Snickers instead, and when he reached in to grab the Snickers, he found a handful of Twix, too. We laughed all the way to the next train stop.

Best thing to eat: A Croque Monsiuer with an Orangina, and then a citron and sucre crepe...mmMMmmMmMm.

Least favorite memory: dealing with the asshole staff and the asshole tourists in The Louvre. Here's a hint, if you're a tourist and you want to see the Mona Lisa up close - YOU WON'T. Why? Because there are millions of other people who want to see it. If you would like to take a picture of it, YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO. Why? Because there are

The best business card holder EVER.

Favorite purchase? I bought waaaaay too many postcards with nifty things like this and this on them, but I bought a business card holder at one of those little sidewalk tourist shops near St Germain with what looks like a topless French prostitute smoking a cigarette. It's pretty much the best thing I've ever bought.

If you missed all of our fantastic photos from Tokyo, they are here.

I'd also just like to take this opportunity to thank the fantastic people at Six Apart for giving us the opportunity to see the world in a way we never dreamed we'd be able to see it. Thank you to all of the people who took time out of their busy work schedules to not only meet up with us, but to get drunk and do karaoke with us. Also, an extra special thank you to Ayako who did such a kick ass job of showing us around Tokyo. I miss Japan already, and Tokyo was my favorite part of our trip.

And, for the record, I totally squealed and jumped up and down when I saw the Eiffel Tower for the first time. (And I nearly squealed when we saw the Moulin Rouge. I'm such a Moulin Rouge fangirl, so, this was very cool for me.)

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Miss Piggy

Why, hello there! I'm here to ask a favor, but I'm happy to say, it's a favor that may win you something nifty!

My only requirement for this favor is that you're a lady, and that you enjoy the Internetz.

It's easy, it's painless, and it will take you less than 5 minutes. And! AND! You don't even have to take off your clothes. Sweet, non?

So, here it is. A quick little online survey that will take all of five minutes, and if you so wish, you can enter yourself into a competition to win a free iTunes or Amazon gift voucher. Easy peesy.

To get started, simply click the overly large, overly bold link below.

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I have always wanted to come here, and finally, I am here at last!

Bal de Moulin Rouge

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J'dore...

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Our flight for Paris leaves in two hours! Yay!!

In Copenhagen

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Two very white people at a Buddhist temple

I'm slowly but surely running out of ways to express how amazing each things have been here in Tokyo.

The time we spent yesterday in Shinjuku Gyoen National Park, sitting under the cherry blossoms was incredible - and I am so pleased to report that today was even better.

Ayako from Six Apart's Tokyo office took us around today, and I have to say, I don't ever think I could ever thank her enough. She not only went with us on a Hato Bus tour of Tokyo Tower (which is 333 meters off the ground - my lucky number and the time I was born) and the Sensoji Temple - but she also took us out for a Kushikatsu lunch, and then on to Roppongi and to the National Art Center.

I cannot tell you what a massive difference it makes to have someone show you around, help you out with the language, and help explain what it is your eating (and how to eat it) makes. Ayako, from the bottom of my heart, thank you. This has been one of the best days, and I will never forget it!

The Sensoji Temple is AMAZING and we're actually thinking of going back again tomorrow afternoon to take some more pictures, and spend some more money on over priced souvenirs. The atmosphere is so amazing that you almost don't even notice how crowded it is, especially on a weekend.

I have so much to tell you, and so any Western tourists to complain about but for now, I think we need some rest. Jet lag, you win. Okay? YOU WIN!

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The fabulous Ayako from Six Apart's Tokyo office is showing us around today!

Touring Tokyo

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