Now...It should be a sad day as it's the end of the month. But I had to get to work. However, this work means I definitely CANNOT wear my zentai. Remember my rule about authorities??
Yeah, this is an authoritative job I'm going to. And I love working it, as rarely as it happens, it does happen.
So off comes the zentai. Yep, I slept in it. Although I did make a mistake so far as having the electric blanket on..I slept through my alarm!!
I already had my clothes for today ironed and waiting to be worn. I threw them on and the first thing that felt uncomfortable was the fact that...I was wearing pants! (trousers) ...I haven't worn trousers ALL MONTH! It was the oddest feeling ever...being restricted.
Wearing everything else didn't phase me all that much, although putting on my beanie directly on to my head was odd.
To the front door. And whilst I was late and needed to get a groove on! I hesitated....My hand was on the handle and I just stopped for a moment. I realised I'm stepping out into the open for the first time in a month without wearing any lycra...what so ever (except for my base layer vest, but that doesn't count).
I shook off the hesitation, had things to do! BIG breath and I stepped out, and closed the door.
The brightness of everything was the first thing that hit me. So much so my eyes actually hurt a bit (it wasn't even that bright a day! it was overcast!) so as I walked I was pulling my beanie down to try and alleviate some of that.
Next thing was how unbelievably cold everything was! I was in layers and such, but still I think my skin was in hyper-sensitive mode or something! erg!
Still, I got to the tube and headed on out. People were still staring at me. And I don't know why o_O. I'd stare back at them, and they'd look away as usual but I wasn't amused....
I didn't think "grumpy Londonian" mode would resume so damned quickly! I guess being really really tired and unhappy about not wearing my zentai would help with that.
Only 10 minutes late and the rest of the day went swimmingly. Although I did hide during the day to get off my feet for 10 mins here and there.
I got home early evening and sat around in my room. Kinda depressed actually. I looked at that empty black zentai suit thinking, "I don't have to wear you anymore".
Trying to describe what I was thinking isn't going to work, however mr Render described it perfectly:
I think the Zentai situation is utterly fascinating. Because, yes, you were trapped in social conventions, in a golden cage of fashion and dictated rules for how you have to look and appeal in society. Zentai freed you of those issues and trapped you right again into a suit of Lycra, a mask hiding your face and social friction due to people's non-understanding. What a conundrum really O_o
Running on nothing...other than energy drinks. I'm sensitive to caffeine, let's see how long this holds out for!!
Anyway, feeling a bit grotty wearing the same zentai without washing it. But I barely perspire so it wasn't an issue so far as smelling funky was concerned. I guess it's just me...But hey, it's a manic weekend, it doesn't happen (too) often. From home, I headed off to the station (albeit late!) to get down to a full day workshop in East Grinstead for some artists.
On the train I pretty much passed out until the train stopped. I was going to have a "chat with my phone" but forgot.
At the station, I was picked up by one of the artists, and I told her, "look out for a ninja". It worked quite well as she wasn't shocked at all. She loved it and asked questions as we drove to the workshop.
Up the stairs and into the room where the tutor was talking to other students who had all broken conversation and were staring at me. Ursula (the tutor) looked at me with a HUGE smile. I warned her a while ago about this and she asked me to bring my blue zentai as the class was based on colour.
For the warm up she asked me to keep it on (yay) and the other artists found it an interesting challenge to draw this faceless identity that moved around every 20 seconds or so.
As the novelty of being able to model in zentai has worn off, I'm now left with the "normality" of it. I've found that I move and think totally differently when in zentai in comparison to just being naked. I guess the notion of having one's "modesty" covered means there is in fact more freedom to hold more varied poses that otherwise wouldn't be possible without exposing yourself. It's fantastic :-D
The workshop went on, and through the longer poses I was having a hard time staying awake, but did really damn well through breathing meditation, thinking about stupid ideas (the one thing that gets me going is the thought of bungee jumping in zentai) and biting my inner lip.
We got to a lunch break and I decided I NEEDED a power nap if i didn't want to collapse in a heap in front of everyone. If you haven't mastered the ability to sleep near enough "on command" and wake up when you need to. Do it. I slept solidly for 20minutes (dead to the world on a sofa....hehe) and felt a lot better. Not quite 100% but over 70%.
Another model joined me for the last hour and we posed as "opposites" before I was done for that part of the workshop.
I got back into my black zentai (we didn't use the blue one in the end) and was given a lift back to the station. Again, I slept on the train. Not properly, but just letting my eyes rest for a bit. Whilst thinking about the rest of the weekend and what i had to get up to.
My cold was back...I needed to kick it to the back for this weekend, I can't deal with you right now...
So on my way back home before going out again, I dropped into a pharmacy. Now I wasn't actually thinking when I walked in! But, something within me was on auto pilot and I took my headphones off, and my beanie off to expose the hood of my zentai. If I was actually thinking properly, I wouldn't have done that as I would have come to the conclusion that there was no need. I look menacing regardless.
But...BUT!!! People weren't freaked out as a result o_O
Some people stared, some people accidentally walked into me then said sorry (I said sorry at the same time) and the store's security person looked at me but was cool too.
What..?
Anyway, I found some cold remedy stuff (to add to the cocktail of fruit juice and cat's claw capsules I'd been on...but admittedly stopped taking on Thursday because I was "cured" *d'oh!*) and got some more razor heads whilst I was at it as my hair was getting long. 5 days not shaving your head is going to blunt a few blades!
I got to the till and the lady there was all smiley and stuff, apologised for the amount of change she was going to give me as I barely broke a £20 note in what I bought and wished me a good evening. Maybe I've been really cynical in the past, but going into a new shop in zentai without any preconceived notions of probably being kicked out (and rightfully so) has me thrown off slightly!
Back home and I was going to sleep..but I was wired. You know those waves of energy you get when you're "running on empty"?? I think this was wave No. 3. So I idled for a bit, ate some food and packed my bag to go out and be "door bitch" at a private nightclub.
I was working from 10 till 4am. It was fun, and I was working in my zentai. In the environment of nightclubs people aren't bothered so much by the unconventional. Funnily enough, this is true to a further degree when the nightclub happens to have all sorts of people dressing up (or dressing down, to the bare....mininmum), having a door (wo)man who's into what the night is about puts people at ease even more so, than the usual "heavies" we've got to deal with...and poke fun at.
I did slump a few times in the night, but kept on talking to people and vice versa and lasted! All the way till 4. There after, I was initially going to get a night bus (or 2) home. It would take an hour and 20 minutes...
BUT...when I left, it was wet...and cold...and just f**king miserable. With the cold coming back, and being beyond tired I decided to succumb to getting a taxi home instead of being the usual urban warrior I am.
This posed another problem though. I learned from the first outing with the zebra zentai, that you can't hail a cab if you look weird. I was in no mood to entertain people's insecurities so I took my hood down but wrapped my face in my scarf and pulled (all 3) hood(s) down so only my face was exposed.
In the current weather, that seemed to have worked. I got a taxi immediately. Through the layers I asked if he could get me home and off I went. It took about 40mins to get home instead. And I briefly popped into my local corner shop where a bunch of them were messing about, and all smiled and said hello to me when they saw me.
One guy asked, "hey is it over?" I said, "no....Tomorrow though! But it's just really sh*tty out there and my throat hurts and I'm tired...and yeah, not in a good mood" with a smile.
They laughed a little as my voice was insanely croaky at that moment in time. I got some strepsils, and they all said bye.
it's 5am when I'm in bed...I need to be up by 8.30am at the latest!!!
So...Friday wasn't exactly full of exciting things to be doing...during the day anyway.
I stayed home mostly, idling around till the evening where i had to get to a life drawing class to model.
The tutor vaguely knew of what I was doing, but it still surprised him when I came into the room in my zentai. The students were staring something atrocious. It was pretty funny actually. Although, as he was talking to them I just presumed that the zentai would have to be taken off as it was a prescribed class, as opposed to being a "drop-in" class.
Adrian previously informed me about Butoh and I've been fascinated with it for a while now. And will probably do some stuff in the future. Anyway, yeah the lesson went on without a hitch, in my "first" skin.
On the break I was introduced to someone who does Ninjutsu which was interesting as I do like martial arts that aren't conventional, so far as one's centre of gravity is concerned (I do Capoeira by the way). Before going back to the lesson he mentioned that my modified zentai reminded him of some of the clothing worn by Ninjutsu practitioners...namely the ninja aspect of it. Something to look into further!
So, lesson done and back home, I remember I'm DJing tonight. Eep! And I decided rather than using my laptop setup, I'd go for the easier option of burning the music I like onto CD's and go from there. A bit of stressing, and eating...and MR (mr. render...hehe) comes over and we go out to the nightclub.
As usual people were staring with a, "what the f***" look but accepting it anyway. Most of the folks out there were clad in stereotypical wear of the "Geeky" category, as tonight was themed. My time came to play (around 1ish) and from an initially empty space in front of the DJ booth, it became grossly packed out.
I LOVE it when that happens.
I also love the reactions I got from a lot of people who came up to the DJ booth. To see this moving black *shadow* shocked a LOT of people. The girls who came up to ask for random rubbish songs would let a little cry out, then proceed to stand there with their jaws nearing the ground totally transfixed! If I wasn't in between mixing I'd look right at them, but as the light was to one side of me, they couldn't tell if I was looking at them till I waved at them or put a hand in their face.
They'd ask if I had some suitably rubbish song. And I'd just shake my head from side to side very slowly. Normally, they'd continue asking questions to try and get their way but not this time. They didn't know how to deal with me in that situation so they'd humbly smile then run off.
Mwahahahaha!!! It's better than having a no requests sign stuck on your forehead (yeah I did that once)
mr render filmed a few videos of me DJing so once those are uploaded, I'll up them on here :-)
So, onwards and upwards!! It's Saturday morning...and I gotta get somewhere. No I haven't slept yet...
Homeward bound and bouncing like a super happy zebra thing, I go and do some food shopping in the zebra. I had this one guy who wouldn't stop standing right behind me.
I may not be able to see you but having really leery breathing behind you whilst you're trying to shop is REALLY F***ING CREEPY!!!
Anyway, I stand in the cue and no one's really paying any attention, till they walk to a till and look to their right, and look again, and look again :-) but it's not that of disgust, or dismay. Just more of a, "did I see right?!" kinda look.
I got to a till and the guy was really cheery, and I notice he's packing my bags in a special bag. They're one of those reusable bags that you pay a little for with the idea of coming back and using it again and again. I'm totally all for them but wasn't actively looking for one. And I got a nice bag for free. I tell you what, they can hold a good amount without breaking! Unlike other, "lifetime" bags from other places.
Food packed, monies paid, I walk back home and this car drives by, and stops up ahead. As there's a school I'm thinking they're probably waiting for someone. Then I hear a familiar voice:
"So am I ever going to see your face?"
It's that dude in the same red Micra who said I was being unfair at the BEGINNING of the month!! Fair play the likelihood of someone in black zentai and zebra zentai on the same stretch of road being different is slim. But yeah that was, odd.
"Dunno, buddy." I say.
He laughs, "You have a good evening" he says.
"And you".
I get home and chuck food stuffs into their respective places to realise I'm meant to be life modeling in 20 minutes! EEK!!
The artist is cool about it. Phew. But still I hustle to get there...I didn't notice how the weather had turned to an ABYSMAL state indeed!! And I refused to take my zebra hood off and carry on with my "practical" black hood. As such, I found myself in a bit of a puddle-ridden predicament:
I've been sitting for this artist for a while so whilst the zentai was a good talking point, it didn't stay on as there were already 2 previous poses being added to.
Finally, FINALLY, homeward bound!
With the remnants of a cold, today was totally awesome! And it wouldn't have been so without Andy and ZentaiSpot and the fantastic amount of energy and fun they brought to just being a bit random, and brightening up a lot of people's day!
(ZentaiSpot's version of South Bank today is: Here)
So we walk into the Tate Modern onto the second level that overlooks the turbine hall. We walked but a few paces to be greeted with a "jacket filler" of a security jobsworth.
"Eeehhhhhh, What are you doing with your faces covered" he asks.
"we're wearing outfits" I say
"Eeeeehhhhhh, you cannot cover your faces" he says.
"So if I show my face to a CCTV camera or whoever, then put it back on would that be ok?" I ask.
"Eeeeh, No you cannot do that." he replies
By this time Andy steps in. He's worse than me so far as taking no BS from people who are talking utter BS anyway.
"Is your manager here?" he asks, not blinking an eyelid
"UUuuueehhhhh, yes" he responds, confused.
"Well I'd like a word with them please" Andy says calmly.
So this guy gets on the radio and we're all standing around waiting for the security manager to show up.
A lady comes up looking like she just finished sucking out the innards of a very sour lime indeed.
"No, you cannot have this on...why would you want to hide your face?" she says
"I'm not hiding anything, however I just want to know what issue you guys actually have" I say.
"You cannot hide your face" she says
"So what about muslim women who want to visit, who wear full face veils"..
ok...now, you guys need to brace yourself for this response....I had my hood up but my jaw dropped at this when I heard her response:
"Muslim people do not come here, they hide their faces"
I SH** you not!!! I'm glad Andy was there to call her up on that because there was a torrent of rage setting itself up in my mouth that I was taking a moment pushing back down.
"I can't believe that" Andy says, "You mean to tell me that you're openly willing to say that you turn away people with full face veils?? You realise that's discrimination"
"I'm sorry miss but I don't believe you. Have you got your policy in writing?" I pluck up.
She carries on wittering for a few minutes longer, and Andy asks the question again, "Have you got your policy in writing?" very sternly now.
She says no but then tells us to go talk to information if we want to read up on the policy. I had my hood down by this time. I needed some more air to my head I was shocked about what she said earlier! Spot made a stage-right exit to go find a tree :-) whilst Andy and myself moved to the information desk to see this "policy". I put my hood back up to see if the security people were going to try and get the hump.
So we spoke to a lady at information who was lovely, she really didn't know what the policy was so she called the duty manager to come and have a word. Andy and I were still flabbergasted at what the security manager said. Spot came back, smile on face and put his hood back on too. Whilst we waited some more people asked to have pictures with us and there were more smiles around :-)
The duty manager lady comes down and she's AWESOME. Firstly she apologises for the way the security mishandled the situation. She doesn't know what the security manager said to us...She then states that this is in fact a unique situation and she wanted to look at us, check us out before coming to a decision.
We then revealed to her what was said in regards to dealing with women wearing full face veils, and her face did in fact turn a slight shade of red. If that were to go out to the masses, that would be a sh**storm in a teacup me thinks!
She asked us what we were doing, Andy took the lead in explaining that he's a photographer and I'm doing a blog an Spot is a fellow zentai person and we just want to get some pictures.
She took it all on board and then stated what she'd like us not to do. Performances and making people uncomfortable, not photographing other people and the usual following of rules so far as no photography in the galleries. To ensure we didn't make people uncomfortable, she gave us a curfew of 3.30pm which meant we had an hour and a half to take pictures in the public access areas.
I have to take my hat off here to that lady. She didn't have to say yes at all. She could have quite easily have said no, given the excuses and let us get on our way. I would have been happy with that too, but the woman had a little bit of common sense! It seems to be lacking now a days. I mean Spot with his tail and dog ears covered in..well spots; and me wearing a white top hat, in zebra print and really loud clicky shoes. We're hardly going to get up to no good. We just want to stir it up a little and put smiles on peoples faces so far as breaking the norm is concerned!
Anyway, we moved around the allowed areas in the Tate modern without any bother. It's like the high "vis" yellow visors all but disappeared! After the lady told folks over the radios that we were ok to walk around in public places.
We had pictures taken on the escalators, the stairs (sprawled zentai bodies, much), and these walls that had writing on them. Namely Existentialism and Fetish were points of interest. Whilst posing next to the "Existentialism" word, we got a massive crowd around us. I was airing concern as technically what we were doing constituted a performance. And I was right, the lady showed up and said we had to stop. Although - again - she was really understanding and liked the idea I mentioned about having pictures taken quickly, then running like hell to somewhere else so a crowd didn't form.
We apologised, and she carried on. As did we, but more aware of trying not to pull crowds. Not sounding pig-headed here, but do you know how hard that is?!
Still it was fantastic in there. And the hour and a half drifted by like water. We settled up on level 7 for a drink and a chat about stuff then had to face the inevitable walk back to the station...
Unfortunately spot was going westbound and Andy and I east. So we had to say our goodbyes in the station. They're never fun, especially when the energy is still bouncing all over the shop!
Warmer weather!! More of you folks need to come out and do stuff!!
Oh today...today is a day not like many other days...as it's today.
(ZentaiSpot's version of South Bank today is: Here)
8ºC today, so you know there is going to be at least 2 base layers plus the double layering of zentai on top. 4 layers of lycra without even flinching. I was far too excited to even start considering any arising issues that were unlikely to happen.
I packed a waterproof jacket just in case and my top hat in a bag so it wouldn't get dirty on the way. Keys and the like and trotted off down to the tube station.
Walking around in a pure zentai hood was wonderful! Even with the irritation of my eyelashes curling the wrong way or getting caught in the lycra, being totally anonymous without being mistaken for wearing some modified version of a Burqa was great.
Funnily enough, people weren't taking notice as much. They'd look but it was more of a, "oh my!" expression as opposed to "oh my GOD!!! RUUUNNN!!!". I mean there were still some of those, but they were far and few in comparison.
I walked into the tube system and to the platform and stood in my usual place when I heard the sweetest, most infecting laugh emanate from the right of me. I turned my head ever so slowly to see a toddler in her push chair with her hands out looking at me with the BIGGEST grin on her face.
I was stunned!
Usually it's the other way round, but it was amazing! I tilted my head ever so slightly and there it was again! She burst out in this little high pitched giggle that infected her sibling and mother and me after a while. Any movement I made, she'd giggle incessantly until I was completely still.
Even if the rest of the day were to turn sour right now, I wouldn't have cared. To know that I made a little toddler's day by just being different was good enough for me :-D
Still, the tube rocked up, and the mother was going to go further down the carriage but her daughter (the one not in the push chair) asked her to come in through the door I was in. I let them go in first to make sure they got on ok. The mum said thank you. And I perched myself on the other opposing door side as that's where I needed to get out. So the moving and giggling continued till I had to get off. The rest of this carriage didn't know what to make of us right at the top. The mum was smiling, the daughter too, and the toddler in the push chair...and I was making small silly gestures.
There were a few smiles, me thinks :-)
My stop to switch lines comes up and I wave bye. The toddler is still cracking up. I don't want to get off! But all good things come to an end...sometimes.
The rest of the tube ride went without a hitch and I got up at St. Paul's. Now, reading signs through a white and black hood isn't easy! But if you've got no issues about how you're portrayed to "the others" then putting your face right up to a sign board isn't going to be out of the norm. Saying that, I did opt to use a zoomed in Google maps on my phone instead.
Off I trotted to the rendezvous point between St. Paul's and the Millenium bridge.
I sent out a text message to both Andy and Spot about my exact location just to make sure no one was missed.
Sure enough Andy was on the bridge already so walked back up. In the mean time I was standing around and a lot of people were staring, taking photos, waving and the like. Again, not having the "ninja" hood on and being clad head-to-toe in zebra print seems to make people at ease with me.
So Andy finds me first, and we say hi and have a natter whilst he's changing his lens over. A few minutes later I hear him say, "oh look, there's a dalmatian"
Spot is walking down the stairs in his zentai too :-) Being over 10 meters away makes it hard to totally differentiate what's going on, but him in all white and spots made it easy. And I waved ecstatically at him. He waved back and approached where we were.
Little moving crowds would amass by us taking pictures and staring as we said our hello's and I introduced Spot to Andy.
First place Andy spied whilst on the bridge, was in fact UNDER the bridge. The tension cables (massive!) were just asking for climbing. Spot probably heard Andy call me Ms. Kitten a few times (yes, there's a panther *somewhere*) as he directed a few poses here and there.
Even if we were under a bridge, there are stairs either side to get down to river level (and other buildings on the north bank). As a result, as hidden as we were, we STILL attracted a LOT of attention! Andy let folks take pictures whenever whilst getting what he was thinking of too.
I don't know how Spot felt about having a photographer ask him to "pose" but he did really well if he's never done something like that before. Also, I don't know how many base layers he was wearing but he was shaking a wee bit! Even wearing 4 layers the wind under that bridge could be felt after a while!
Onwards! After clamoring over tension cables we walked over the bridge now to the other side of the "bow" in the bridge. Where you had the top of St. Paul's in view and the bridge disappearing into the horizon. Andy had me doing my random "headstand" thing I do (the zebra image of my banner up top is the bottom half of one he took in a studio type setting previously) and Spot was told to sit besides me.
I found that kinda random, and so did a whole horde of school children. It's like they came from NO WHERE! But they came up and asked us loads of questions, "Can you see? They can talk! You're a girl!! What are you? What are you doing? etc." Both Spot and I tried answering as many questions as we could till the teachers moved them along.
Apparently a boy went up to Andy further down the bridge and informed him, "that dog's not very good...he didn't do anything!" to which Andy replied, "I know!!" and the kid nodded in an affirmatively approving manner. Bless.
Once we got a few images (Spot was also given my top hat to play with too) and a few tourists/passer-by folk got some pictures with us, we were going to make our way into the Tate Modern. Not before we were stopped by these two guys...
"Excuse me, what do you think of that girl over there" One guy asked as he pointed to this (I presume) girl with a wig made of long wispy white hair, a terribly loud purple dress and an under garment that looked like it was made of fish net covering her arms and hands.
"Well what she's wearing is a hell of a lot more normal than what we're wearing" I responded without even thinking. There was a general giggle from the other guy, Spot and Andy.
"Do you think she looks lonely?" the same guy asks.
"Nah, she's an attention seeker" I say. Spot and Andy agree.
"Really? What makes you say that" he asks.
We go into this mini convo about what would define loneliness as opposed to someone screaming out for help. Basically if someone is lonely, they wouldn't advertise this through their clothing, nor would they be marching around like their life depended on it.
Satiated with our collective response we carried on and Andy put some money in a homeless fella's lap. Now, here's some twisted irony for you. Not less than 10 feet away is this film student who's probably got the bank of mum & dad & the government funding them, trying to portray loneliness. There's a homeless guy, who probably sits there day in, day out trying to get a few bits of money to keep loneliness at bay for just another day.
Hells yeah! 4 really strong Neurofen (Ibuprofen) and like 10 herbal capsules of Cat's Claw and lots LOTS of sleep. And I'm back to normal! Flu? What flu! Pah!
*winces slightly*
So that open invitation is still out to anyone who's game. I'll be running (walking) riot around St. Paul's down millenium bridge and a few places around south bank like Tate Modern, Royal Festival Hall and probably hang around the London Eye for a bit too.
I'm furiously cutting some additional pattern things before heading on out. A jacket and my tophat in a bag just in case the weather turns bad (but apparently we're good till 4pm, then chances of rain rise fro m 30% to 80%...light showers, in the South Eastern region of the country etc.)
Yeah random. That's how I feel at the moment. Really, really ill. It's like I have man flu....and I'm not a man (I'm a LAAaaaady!!! I do lady's things)
What's worse than having a wet zentai face??? Having a wet cold zentai face, and a nose that won't stop running.
Mmmmm, nice. I hear you say. Trying to shove tissue through the mouth zipper to catch the offending substance eminating from one's nose in public without it looking odd is hard. And well...I gave up and managed somehow, to blow my nose properly on the tube.
Much to a few people's amusement, and others disgust. Hehe.
Other than posing for the sculpture class (they liked having to mould their clay with the sight of a zentai face so they didn't get bogged down with facial details) there's not much that was on in the afternoon...other than...
SLEEP!!
Lots and lots of sleep because I feel like crap.
As you may know I'm now sleeping without zentai (as I normally sleep naked anyway) and i think it's good timing as this cold isn't doing me any favours at the moment.
Super grump!
Thursday's weather report isn't looking all that amazing :( Apparently loads, and LOADS OF RAIN!! and COLD rain at that is on the way...
Onwards and upwards...but it's Tuesday!! I'm slightly anxious this morning. But equally really, really happy. So it's all good.
The double layering has been happening non stop as of late. I think it's definitely a physical security thing! And I think I'm going to have to stop doing it this week. It may be a shock to the system next Monday otherwise.
I'm already dreading the first day I leave the house without the zentai covering my face.
It's all coming to an end soon :-( But I'm trying not to think about it...
Still had to get to work but it takes an hour and for some reason, 3 drops of rain and the British transport system comes to a halt. Or everything is delayed by 20mins!
Feeling quite sad about it being the last week (but happy about future projects I now have in mind) I kinda kept to myself and wasn't really observing anyone.
On the train the ticket inspector came to check my ticket...Then he asked why I was wearing what I was wearing. I was wearing my zebra zentai and my black one but the zebra hood was down. So it looked a bit odd, then really odd when you couldn't see my face.
He's he first to actually make sense, the policy of the train company over Halloween makes sense (ask them to take their hoods off for the cctv cameras, they can put them back on)...
I got to work and that pretty much went without a hitch :-) I posed a few poses in zentai, and the class was split 50/50. One guy in particular really didn't like my posing in zentai, "You can't see the muscles, it's plain". I told him my Granny Smith Apple versus a rotting peach analogy. I think that shut him up :-)
SOoooo...I'd normally say the rest of the day was pretty standard. But it wasn't as I had a kinda "date" thing (what, another one?! I hear you cry...no no, this one's real) in the evening. Hehe.
I'd been speaking to the guy for a while (by speaking I mean EPIC messages that put some of my blog posts to shame(!)) and he was aware of my zentai shenanigans and was really quite intrigued by it all. Which is interesting. As a lot of people have slightly freaked out at just how "random" this is.
So yeah we met up and went to a pub for a drink and chat and such ^_^. And got on really well.
I like the fact that what I'm doing, actually filters out idiots. Those who pertain to want things far from the norm, yet when they are faced with it run screaming to the chairmen of the bored.
On a side note. I now don't wear my zentai all the time at home anymore (my skin really doesn't like the fact that the lycra absorbs my body lotion before it does!) as I'm trying to ease out of this without any psychological "issues"
AND! If you're free Thursday, here's an open invite for a walkabout around Southbank. I shall be around the millenium bridge with a photographer friend. Check the Ayus forum if you're up for it (and some piccies)
Quickie this morning (ohh, I say!) as I have to get a train. Never pretty. I'll be wearing the zebra zentai over the black zentai. Zebra legs and a ninja face...Hmm, interesting expressions on the tube, mabye?
Yep, sacrificing one of my OWN batches of lycra to make this damned dress. Don't worry, I'll be putting the cost of that fabric on the invoice so I can go and buy it again :-)
Yo yooo!!! Late entries as usual over the weekend...
Having slept for 2 hours (it was meant to be 30 minutes. Oh well) I needed my zebra back!! Due to go to The Egg (nightclub), and as the night is called "Wearable Art" I figured I'd not be the craziest thing there.
So I got my stray zebra lycra pieces, quickly pinned them up and went to town with the overlocker. The main body took less than 30 minutes to put together. The Hood was a b**ch to put together, but I didn't care. It was going to be done tonight!
Perseverance is such a good thing :-)
I couldn't be bothered with the arms so yeah, double layering fun! I'm really enjoying the double layering thing (since the bad first experience) but for totally different reasons. There's none of the sensuality going on. Yes there's friction and constriction but it just accentuates what it would feel like if you actually had to put skin on! My blue suit literally "disappears" when I wear it, then "reappears" when I wear something over it. It's a bodily game of hide and seek!
Anyway, I left my place with the hood up and as it was 11.30pm it was dark and the main issue of "pure" zentai hit me...visibility :-(. Being spoiled with my modifications in the black suit means I had to try and adjust to my visibility being below 40%. I managed OK to the bus stop but wanted to hail a cab and couldn't see the yellow light indicator they have on the top of their cars.
I couldn't hail a cab. A) not many drove by B) those that did thought I was mad and wouldn't stop. Bastids! So I got random buses and had to walk a little between them. I got a nice complement from an Italian guy, "Heyyyyyy, sexy zebra womaaann. Love what you're wearing". "Thank you" I said with a grin.
Finally got to the club, and my heart sank for a second. The Levi jeans, the shiny black shoes, the Ben Sherman crumpled shirts...the gaggle of drunk girls arguing with the "door whore" the bouncers standing around like they had better things to do...The sober people standing around in a cue to get into the nightclub all of a sudden feeling totally undressed when they saw me.
HA!!!!
So...I don't think many people took the night's name literally (shame) and it was most certainly going to be a jungle in there. *rubs hands menacingly*
I get in no problem, walk up to the cloakroom and put my beanie, gloves (they had a special corner that cost a bloody pound!! crooks!) and tailcoat in. Time to observer the playground...
First area is a kind of terrace/garden space. Full of people, some started staring at me when I walked down the stairs. This with my hood down, it was odd to try and think of what - if anything - would bother me. Nothing did. I know either way, be it my face or hidden behind zentai, no one's really seen someone like me. Unless they know me already. Some waved and smiled, I returned the gesture and moved on to where music was playing...naturally.
Main room, Awesome bright LED panels on the roof = possibility of wearing my hood without fear of the "darkness". Now, wearing the zebra outfit meant I lit up like a Christmas tree :-) and people were looking, tapping their friends shoulder and pointing at me and loads of smiles. I got a drink (Gin and Tonic, standard) the only drink of the night. And found a place to stand and observe. Mostly to actually see how people move in and out of the room, where stairs are, where possible places to avoid were as well (so when I had my hood up I'd be able to avoid or remember to be more cautious).
So, whilst standing and watching, top hat tucked under my right arm, little shoulder bag under the left and drink in my left hand; this guy starts dancing in front of me and backs up a bit too much. A hand automatically went out to keep him from squishing me. He turned around and started dancing at me, with his friends looking on. I obliged a little and imitated his dancing a little, with all my bits in tow. It's nice when a crowd vibe is on the positive regardless of what you look like.
As we were fooling around dancing, these two girls come up to me with the biggest grins on their faces, "Oh my god!! I love your outfit!! Can I take a picture?!"
"Sure, hang on"
I put my drink and bag down and put my hood up and about to put my top hat on...
The screaming!!...I hit the back of my head on the wall I was just standing in front of they startled the crap out of me!
"OH MY GODD!!! YOUR FACE!!!!! YOUR FACE!!!!! No, no don't take it off! It's amaaaaazing!!!"
So after understanding it *didn't* freak them out, I put on my top hat and they took a few pictures with me. The guy was obviously lost with the music, but turned around and you could hear him say, "F**king hell!" then he started waving at me...I waved back and him and his mates burst out laughing.
A few more people came over and asked to take a picture with me. Thankfully no one had a proper camera, so the LED flash on their camera phones meant I wasn't dazzled for a few moments. They left, and I returned back to idling status with G&T in tow :-)
The music was quite bland (techno always is. For me anyway) so I drifted off upstairs. ARG!!! UV CANNONS!!!! Kryptonite to the white side of zentai, I tells ya! I took my hood off and realised that the rest of the clubs lighting definitely wasn't zentai friendly. A guy on his way to the toilets walked by and went, "Grrrr, sexy sexy!" I didn't hear him properly, but you know when you feel someone's directing an energy at you? I looked back and he was grinning at me, "Oh you KNOW you love it" I didn't really know what to say so being the ever coy lady I replied, "Oh baby, say it like it is!" That seemed to have gone down a treat as he ran off to the little boy's room.
I carried on upstairs and people were literally jumping out of my way due to how the white off the zebra and my top hat (now on my head) were popping in the UV space. A few smiles and waves and...Aww yeah someone's playing some Bmore this is the room for me!
Lighting unfortunately is a tad dire, except for when the smoke machine goes off to fill up the room. I guess I kinda feel like Dare Devil in the sense that I can see f**k all unless there's smoke (rain is his equivalent) in the air to bounce light around on people. So I find a corner, put my hood up and proceed to dance like no one's watching. Then the music changes/DJ's switch over...Meh!!! Time to move around.
The loft space was dead, and the sound system only had mids and horns on them. Basically no bass! which - even if it was meant to be a bar space - is dire.
Back down to the basement room and I'm standing around again. It's nicely smokey now so I put my hood up and look around whilst trying to find a "groove" in the mundane techno/house that's playing.
More people come up and ask questions. You know...it's kinda cool to tell people, "yeah I made these" and see their reaction. In equal measure to the wonderment and amazement you see on their smiling faces. More pictures then this guy..I think his name was Matt, starts chatting to me, but you can tell he's not all quite there. Still, he's pretty coherent and his friends come up to him, say hi to me, then pop off wherever they get off to.
Blah blah blah, and I'm on the dance floor...right in the bloody middle. I don't like dancing in the centre of a dance floor in zentai unless I'm with my friends who can keep a watchful eye out. On my own, I usually have a wall at least 40cm away from me so I know no one can "surprise" me from behind. Still, I danced for a bit then migrated to a pillar.
I took all I could in that room, and in a drop in the music I could hear the Bmore rhythm pounding upstairs. Immediate B-line (heh) upstairs. Hood up, through the UV Cannon stairs of doom into room 2. I think I slightly tripped up once on the stairs but was on a mission!
I found a corner near emergency doors, that was emanating a nice stream of light over me so I could see my immediate area and a bit further afield.
And I proceeded to: DANCE.MY.NUT.OFF
Sweating in double layers is interesting...one layer absorbs the sweat off you, the other one due to friction and such evaporates it. Awesome!
A group of clubbers gravitated towards me and one guy said, "I don't know who you are, but I HAVE to dance with you!!" and dance he did :-) and dance they did! And dance we all did!!!
More of the same from people with regards to pictures, comments and looking and smiling.
As the floor emptied, I just got lost in the music playing (I was here to support my good friend Scally Dan Dan and I think I did a bloody good job!). Limbs all over the place, concentrated breathing through the hood and checking my top hat was still there every now and then.
I think it was 5.30am when I realised, yeah my feet hurt! I tried to dance on a little more...but the insane dubstep-come-electro mess playing through the speakers was distorting a bit too much, and the sound engineer in me was having a hissy fit.
So a glass of tap water as I descended from the heavens to the cloak room. My tailcoat and gloves back in my clutches and off out home...
2 night busses and it's almost 6am on Sunday morning...
My skin is behaving quite erratically today. So shall mostly be nudey in my robe towel again. Maybe my skin's protesting against its second cousin?
But going out later, in zentai (of course!), to a nightclub that's part of the whole London Fashion Week thing. I'm not on it at all, but I have friends who are big on it so being supportive of those who support me is a good start :-)
Yes, posting this a day late but still under Friday...I'm a stickler for order, so sue me ^_^
So, after some jolly good Nina Simone in the morning...and uhming and aahing early afternoon, I finally got my butt outta the house and off to Oxford Street to go and buy stuff.
As per usual people would stare, or people who didn't like the concept would glare then turn away (as you do!?!) then glare some more. Hmmm, lovely London public.
Now, I know in busy places having a "faceless" person walking around even if all they want to do is buy something, can be seen as a national threat or something stupid. But hey, you never know unless you try, right?
So I found Primark with the sole agenda to find a cheap dress to base the design of this camo thing on. I walked in and immediately saw the security guy out of the corner of my eye but carried on walking, oblivious to the sheer panic that must have exploded across his face. I had my headphones on so couldn't really hear much. As people were literally parting way for me (nice!) and closing up quite quickly behind me, it made this security guy's job a bit harder to try and stop me from "infiltrating" the shop or whatever.
Eventually gave up trying to catch up with me and started shouting at me. Again, I barely heard him. Then he grabbed my arm. If I wasn't A) pushing my luck B) in a good mood and C) aware he was trying to get my attention....he would have had a broken nose by then. Yes, I can be a bit tetchy like that sometimes, there's no need to grab people...ever.
He said in an exasperated fashion, "What are you doing?" ..."What?" Again he said, "What are you doing?" I know what he means but my GOD are his communication skills rubbish. "I'm walking into your fine shop to buy a dress" .."No, you can't do that"
"Why ever not?" I tilt my head slightly
"Why have you got that on your face?"
"Hmm?"
"That, on your face! Why?"
"er..social project?" (I actually wanted to give him a smart ass reply but didn't fancy the aggro. Poor guy was stressing as is anyway)
"No, you must take it off?"
"If I take it off, and wave at a CCTV camera for like 2 minutes so you can get the details of my face then put it back on would that be ok??"
"No, it's Primark policy that you cannot hide your face."
(I'm sorry, but BS is it actually written in their policy. And why aren't these policies readily available for the public to read as they're obviously walking onto private property and need to know what's good and what isn't?)
"Fine"
I leave...walk to another shop and there's nothing there either. So, I really need to go into Primark to get a damned dress. Pride is swallowed and in a flash the hood is down and I'm charging through this place trying to find something suitable, pay for it and get the hell out of there.
I hate busy shops like these in "normal" circumstances. Add to that, my face is exposed and well...that panicky feeling is doing a number on me. Further more, the security guy I gave a bit of a hard time earlier for some reason has come ALL the way from his post, to the other side of the store to stalk me. My hood is down but my beanie is on as are my headphones and my collar turned up. From where I stand that's in line of their "policy" and seems so for him too as his constant chatting into his radio must signify his superiors are fine with me too.
Oh lookey, adult onsies!
Anyway, careering through this place trying to get the hell on out of there, I find nothing...Incidentally, people are staring at me with *more* shock/awe than usual. It's not every day you see a slightly androgynous looking person with no eyebrows :-) It then dawns on me that there are EPIC queues for everything! And it's then my frustration/panic-o-meter goes mental and I leave that place, simultaneously whipping the hood back on and crossing the street without losing my stride.
...and breathe...
So, I go to my new found "home" for trimmings and fabrics n stuff and to calm down, and focus on the fact that I need to make a dress from scratch. In I walk and the ladies behind the tills don't batter an eyelid, one of them grins as she notices the concealed zipper on my face that I bought from her only a few weeks ago.
I rummage around for bits and bobs then go upstairs to see if there are any better patterns I could buy for this dress. There aren't. I come back down and get one of the girls to let me pay for the stuff I've got.
"So is that a statement or a protest to something?" she asks.
"Nope...just wearing it for a month, to see how people react"
"Oh, so it's like a performance thing?"
"uhh...no not really. But it's been interesting"
"I can imagine! How've there responses been? I bet people are scared of you!"
"Something like that, yeah. Though most people seem to be bothered by the fact that you can kinda see my eyes"
"You look like you have something to hide!" girl 2 now comes to the counter as she's interested too.
"Ah, but I have nothing to show! What gets me, is how we all think that we have the *right* to see someones face without their permission" I say.
"But that still implies you're hiding something" says girl 2
"Only because that's the way we've been brainwashed to think since day 0. Think about the "peek-a-boo" game? Your face isn't valid to a baby until they see your smile and eyes."
The whole room fills with various "hmmm"ing of approval. I totally forgot there was a room full of people shopping too. Oh well.
"So yeah, to me, it's not an issue. If you want to cover your face...cover your face. Not many people share my view...especially the jobsworth jacket fillers in Primark. Then again the dresses in Primark are shit."
Lots of giggling by the girls on the counter and one lady looking at spools of microweave turns to me laughing and says, "Oh gosh yes".
The conversation carries on, and they're interested in what I've been getting up to so gave them my blog site. At this moment, one of the shop owners walks in to walk up to his office and he looks at me for a long hard minute. The girls are giggling, I'm totally oblivious till I notice they're not looking at me. I look where they're looking and sure enough this elderly gentleman with hair as white as the rays of sun outside looking at me in sheer...terror? I don't know, it was a mixed expression. I was giggling too but said, "Y'alright?!" He broke his gaze and uttered something whilst walking up the stairs.
Apparently he's the guy I need to see in regards to getting my Pfaff sewing machine fixed. And the girls said they think I might have perturbed him somewhat thus making a chat at that particular moment in time, not wise. Fair play.
I bade the girls goodbye, and that Friday feeling was once back with me. Having High Contrast's remix of Hometown Glory playing as I walked down oxford street to a tube station made the psychotic London massive look like a wash of colours. :-)
On my way back, on the tube I'm standing, minding my own business when a father and son come on and stand opposite me. Immediately the kid clings onto his dad and darts in and out of his dad's protection looking at me. I didn't want to scare him so I stayed still. But he carried on. So I waved at him and he grinned and laughed a bit then hid behind his dad again. His dad looked at me and I looked back at him, smiled and shrugged. He smiled back. They got off at their stop and the kid was still staring at me, so as the doors closed I waved at him, he waved back and I put my had over my mouth and "giggled". He giggled back.
Home stretch and I need to buy food (more food than normal) for someone who was coming round for dinner. No problems from the staff as they're pretty used to me now. One problem that I did face was those annoying little plastic bags that you put fruit/veg in. It's hard enough when you've got your normal fingers. It's bad when you've only got your index finger. And lycra makes it neigh on impossible! Still, I managed eventually.
I put a bottle of wine (Pinot Noir) in the basket too then realised...Ug, I'm going to get ID'd (I ALWAYS get ID'd). I grinned and carried on. Got to the till and the guy was grinning at me. "Y'alright?" I asked.
"Yes good thanks" he said smiling
"I bet you don't get this every day?"
"Well I've seen you around the place quite often"
"Yeah, I live around the corner so it's local"
"Ah" He takes out the bottle of wine, "Err..."
I grin. "It's ok, I'll show you my ID and take off the hood, ok?"
He nods still unsure. I show him my driver's license but he still doesn't believe me. (For the record, my license has a picture of me with hair...I now have no hair) I tell him it's me, quote off all the details of the card and he's cool with that.
"Thanks a lot buddy" I said cheerfully as he helped pack everything and put the change in my hand (as opposed to on the counter)
"Have a good weekend miss" he said as I walked off.
Home now, and due to cook up a massive dinner. Unfortunately Salmon fillet isn't lycra friendly...in that it STINKS up the fabric, so the arms were out.
The guest was late, but it's a given as I was late to the dinner party on Sunday just gone. But the food went down well.
Soo...a day spent idling was stirred up as a friend (the lovely Kitty) wanted to borrow my tripod for a second DSLR she's got for a bit. I decided that i fancied a bit of double layerage :-). It's interesting that since my really horrible first taste of full double encasement, I've been ever more fascinated about it. I think the layering of lycra on the body is good, just not my head! Damned sensitive ears!
So I got the two on, and cycled my way to our rendezvous point..and waited. 2 of the folks living in the building with me popped out of the Sainsbury's I was standing outside of and I was somewhere else (probably Deep space 9 or whatever) and Alex waved straight up in my face saying, "alright??" I snapped out of wherever I was and we had a quick natter.
"ah, I've seen you outside now so I know what you're doing is true"
"well yeah!!...I'm wearing the blue one today!!"
"that you are! Looks good, I was telling Mick he should get one!"
Mick looks at me then Alex and grins a little.
I say, "yeah dude, I'll make you one! But it's not your thing really, is it"
We chat for a second more about some ugly constructed monstrosity and how it was likely way overpriced, "oooh, that'll take 8 months and cost £XXXX" ...when it really won't. We say goodbye and they get on their bikes to go on their errands and I wait...
After a quick showing of how my tripod works, and a natter, I'm asked to go down to a tattoo shop a mutual friend has set up not far from where we were. I thought a quick ride to say hi (I'm due for another tattoo at some point...probably when I have a "career" change) would be nice and off I went. The instructions were vague but I figured I'd find the place.
I didn't. And the Raynaud's started kicking in. First in my toes, then the back of my head started doing its thing...then the fingers. It's never this quick to go through its stages, but my fingers were painfully sore once I noticed the inevitable was close and carried on being more so till all I could feel was a dull pain beneath the numbness that had settled in now. I hate it...
So getting quite bothered about this now and not able to find the place I decide to cycle home..But. I'm at kings cross now..and thrice as far away from home than I was initially. AND, I now had to ride up a hill. I actually liked the idea of getting hot and bothered (steady now) whilst riding up it...The generation of heat and such might alleviate the pain in my hands and now, starting in my toes. It didn't. But my blue suit dried off a bit.
Due to the lame feature on my phone of an "activity" button on the wrong side of the phone a chunk is missing...but whatever, carrying on with the de-robing of the blue suit...
So yeah...I'm now under the electric throw, drying out. And still contemplating whether I make a dress from scratch, or go buy one...I think I'm going to buy one...yeah?
But I need to buy a grill, I'm entertaining someone at home tomorrow. (I know! Someone's infiltrating my cave!!! It only happens once in a while, don't worry)
Yes, a bit vague...but I'll explain about the "Beast" later..
I should be doing stuff, like sewing a dress for someone. But Can't.Be.Arsed.
In all honesty! I've been in bed, reading a book, listening to random music, chatting to some peoples online, replying to e-mails (both work related and from other zentai folk) and randomly napping if I so wish...
Yeah, not much to report as my day was spent mostly in the warmth...naked.
However I did have a class in the evening...and thought about showing how my blue suit is put on. But it was still cold from being left out of my "oven" of a room.
Yep...Due to totally forgetting to wash the suit before going to bed last night (It was cold and wet, so full encasement + electric throw on medium had to happen) I am now completely naked under my pink towel robe, whilst my "skins" hang out to dry:
Shouldn't be long now. In the mean time, I'll be working on putting my zebra back together :-)
It's a blue sunny day in London town...and I'll be enjoying the rays from the warmth of my room. Yeah.
Ahh, home from a lovely dinner with awesome friends out in Camden. *rubs belly*
So...first things first, I set off to get to Camden. But was stopped at the door by the sloshing rain outside. Clearly my huge puffy jacket wasn't cut out for that kinda water! So on with the waterproof jacket! Over the headphones and out into the urban wilderness.
The cold/wet/warm sensation on my legs as I hoofed it down to the tube made me smile. It wasn't erotic or anything like that. It's just the fact that I got a sensation for a change (remember I love my skin more than anything that dulls its sensitivity, that includes lycra and latex)
Anyway, got on the tube, no hassle. People staring in confusion or not noticing as they were far too pissed off with the weather to care. And up at Camden where no one ever batters an eyelid to the strange. Camden IS strange (but it isn't because it's fashionable?...you know when something goes around full circle and reaches normality/dullness again?)
I got into the Inspiral Lounge, and promptly found a place with three chairs to "reserve" for the other two when they rocked up.
To "validate" my presence I bought a packet of crisps. The guy at the counter looked at me a few times, then finally said, "can I help you". To which I raised the lightly salted kettle chips and he responded, "ninety five "P" please". I gave him a pound and he put a 5p coin in my hand without uttering a word...just staring at me. I responded with a muffled "Fankmoo".
I think he was confused as to why I was buying food when "apparently" there was no evidence as to how I was going to eat it. This was true for the rest of the people sitting around. Most of them hadn't registered my presence until I de-robed from my outdoor gear and walked up to the food counter. As I returned to my seat they all were unashamedly staring at me. And I sat there, replying to a text message with the bag of chips on a table...just waiting.
...and waiting...
..Until finally, I opened the bag of chips, unzipped my mouth and began to munch contently on the foodstuffs I was shoving into my zip-ridden mouth. Randomly! Some people let out a small sigh of relief, whilst others were still gawping at this black "oddity" that was eating crisps quite contently in front of them as though it were a normal occurrence. It was! Well...for me anyway.
Still, one friend appeared, as drenched as I was and looking at me funny as I was waving emphatically.
"Ah, you're darker than usual! I thought the lights in here were really shit or something".
"no..just in my fully covered zentai instead"
(He'd only seen me on Saturday with the half finished blue zentai and wasn't aware of what I was doing)
Kiss and a hug and we settle down, and he gets me a hot chocolate (yes, I'm a hot chocolate/mocha fiend!) whilst we wait for No. 3 to arrive.
I notice some people still slightly ogling over that I'm now drinking a hot chocolate quite merrily through this zippered orifice and talking to someone who's talking back in an equally normalised manner.
No. 3 arrives!! Moments as she walks through the door her glasses steam up, which is quite amusing as she doesn't know who she's hugging other than the voice. We settle down once again. Most people have resumed their own activities with one or two still glancing over at the "oddness". Then we go up to the counter to get our munch on!
The guy who tendered to my crisps requirement, went into a full blown round of question as to what the hell I'm wearing.
"So, what's this all for?" "I have to say that you totally threw me when you were buying those crisps...I didn't get it." "It's pretty insane! Are you documenting this stuff?" etc. etc. All answered with a smile and suitably honest responses :-)
Although you could see he was freaked out at the fact that ma "pearly whites" were talking to him, but he couldn't see anything else.
Food paid for and going back down to dig into it. It hit me:
"You haven't actually eaten a proper "wet" meal in zentai, in public"
And I got this sudden, "I'm not hungry anymore" feeling rushing around in me. So rather than deal with it internally I state publicly to the other two, "...I've uhm, actually never eaten in zentai in public. I feel like a bit of a dick"
"oh go on...a little messy face isn't going to kill you, you can wash it out if it *really* bothers you" they said, as they were tucking into their plates.
I do love my friends. I know I'm probably really fortunate that the group of people (old and new) I have around me accept that I'm a bit "off/odd" but also push me to be a better person and accept it as I can never be or do "normal"...only for short periods at a time anyway.
So, I say to myself, "c'mon, let's be having ya"...that's not Dutch courage...I'm on the hot chocolate remember!
And it went without a hitch! I had to be a bit more calculated with my portion sizes I'd mount onto the reverse of my fork (yes I eat in a "posh" manner so sue me) because my zipper mouth isn't as big as the gob I was born with. I did have moments where the controlled environment was starting to drive me mad. I just wanted to take off my hood and literally hoover the food (I'm normally a quick eater) but I resisted the urge and carried on! And finished :-)
I was really proud of myself. The other two didn't see it, because I was smiling the whole time anyway as the conversation was far too funny not to. I won't repeat some of the stuff that was said in regards to my zentai but: burqa, burqini, ninja, yelling, stopping, running, more yelling...and other things in "poor taste" were mentioned in various sentences of vast amusement, that would never go down well at some boring "socialite" dinner party event. We'd never go to those unless it was to deliberately stir up the "status quo" on the mundane.
Anyway, bellies suitably full and banter flowing, we decided it was time to go home..and we walked back to the station, a kiss and a hug and went our merry way. I wasn't alone on the tube mind! As one of my friends was going in my direction anyway. So we got onto a tube and sat there chatting away and this really...REALLY intoxicated guy (his face was crimson, his eyes slow to focus and body generally lolling around the place gently) sat directly opposite me was trying ever so hard to focus on me. Frowning like a 3 year old does when he's trying to fit a cube into a circular hole, but to no avail.
No one really battered an eyelid because we were talking. The tube pulled up to her stop and we hugged and bade each other goodbye. At the same time this older gentleman with a walking cane struggled to get on, and impulsively (Momma didn't raise no fool) got up out of my seat and said to him, "please take mine!" poor man looked slightly puzzled but seemed to see that I was genuine and said, "why thank you young lady".
I proceeded to plonk myself in the seat next to the one I vacated and just disappeared for a few minutes into a blank space in my head. That rarely ever happens, so it's nice to be there sometimes.
I walked home with zero incident (as has become the norm now)
Pretty laid back at the Royal Festival Hall...In public, posing for a small group of artists (graphic designers, web designers, interior designers, animators etc.) in zentai.
It was fun, and as ever there were people who hung around to try and figure out what the hell was going on :-)
There was a group of "youths" behind our group who weren't too disruptive, but my God can they stare!
I like weekends like that. Granted the redbull 48-hour mad rush of random sewing isn't a regular feature on the weekend, but it's all good anyway!
No video for the day as I haven't actually left my room (bar the usual necessities). That said, I am going to a cartoon drawing class this evening. Random!!
So, We'll see how that goes down.
Also, I think I'm going to put my zebra back together :-)
Randomly, I had been invited to a dinner party this evening. By a guy I had only lightly been chatting with a few days before. Not due to meet up until the end of the week, he invited me over.
Life's too short to avoid randomness.
I got there, late (my nap over-run) but there. There were a few questions asked, but I did decide to put the hood down (plus what we were eating was...well, it could have been messy). The evening went on and it was actually pretty fun. There was the odd slight look of uncertainty but I don't think anyone did anything about it because we were all having "civilised" conversation so there was no need for unnecessary friction (hehe). That said! the conversations ranged from gender-specific music instruments that make up an orchestra, through to someone having dry ice shoved down their pants and not realising till a few days later.
Odd.
So! Homeward bound, and home at last. Before I decide to pass out from one hell of a weekend...I present you with 6 minutes of absent minded stupidity, and my new zentai suit (without the hood though, hence the silliness that ensues) :-)
5 hours down the road and it's time to get a move on to meet zentaispot at Westfields for a walkabout :-)
My blue suit had dried and Figured it was time to try this double layering thing again as I hadn't finished the hood, it should be too bad. And it wasn't! It actually felt really good.....really good (ruh roh!)
Ahem.
So yes, black suit over blue suit (and a base layer below the blue one just to make sure I'm not too cold), my beloved skull beanie and a scarf and the black and white Dr. Marten's and I'm good to go!
The tube journey was pretty standard with people laughing, looking away, staring etc. I would have said it was like that the whole way, but this one guy was sat diagonally opposite me and was frowning something atrocious! He'd look at me, I'd look at him....he'd still look, I'd tilt my head to one side, He'd realise I was looking at him so he'd turn away but still with this incredible frown ruining his face (hehe). This carried on, until I was away with the fairies and then noticed his hands were moving!
He took a picture of me on his phone and proceeded to write out an epic text message (reflections from a window are great, whilst you can't read anything, a screen of white with a bit of black moving about tells you a lot). When the tube got out to ground level, that was his stop and I presume he sent it as he left the tube. He could have asked, I would have happily been in a picture with him to prove it to whoever he was texting.
Ho hum.
I get off at White City, and walk down to Westfields. There weren't many people around but those who were around would stare, take a picture and I waved at some :-)
So we both started walking around and people would stop and stare, but always smiling :-) zentaispot was definitely in his element and it showed. Kids absolutely loved him and so did a lot of the parents (yes there are still a few who would try walking away).
On the way, there was a bit of a pitstop for spot, and as he walked down to where the toilets were, this one kid ran to the entrance of the hall pointing at spot going, "Bye bye doggie!!...bye bye doggie...bye bye doggie" I was standing right next to him and he genuinely was saying bye. Then as his dad came round to see what he was talking to and the kid turned around to him saying, "the doggie's gone!" with a sad face.
That's got to be the cutest thing I've seen in a while :-)
We carried on walking around, much to the shopper's amusement and it was great that people weren't scared but just enjoyed seeing something different! So much so, that a lady actually couldn't resist holding onto Spot's tail and wagging it a little. She was ever so gentle and really just quite excited over the spectacle and said as much. It was a first that Spot had his tail grabbed by someone.
Moments like those seem to happen when there aren't any cameras running! Ho hum...I decided to turn it on as we reached one end of the center and about to walk back...
Whilst the filming in between left little to be desired...The french guy was well worth it!
Onwards! As we were asked to leave Westfields, we had to walk around the bloody building to get back to the tube station...it was cold but spirits were high so we trundled on, and well, smiling faces put a smile on your face, even if they can't see it!
We were then approached by this guy who had never seen "adults in one piece outfits". He filmed a little bit of us (I filmed him) and had a very short lived conversation.
Followed by more walking, and talking about stuff (including a flashmob run and such)
We finally get to the station and plan our way to the V & A in South Kensington. Whilst on the platform, Spot wanted to say hello to the tube driver, but he was a bit grumpy :-(
Getting off the tube at South Kensington, was pretty busy. There were people *EVERYWHERE*. I know I'm stating the obvious, but seriously...such a small station and such a big amount of people, I almost lost spot a few times! Walking through the tunnel had loads of kids stopping and looking, and us waving back :-) We even had a lady come up out of the blue and asked us if we were performers. We said no. She asked, "then what are you wearing those for?"...."Because it's fun".
She smiled.
"So where are you off to then?"
"The V & A"
"well...I must say, I've never seen a dalmatian at the V & A. And what are you?"
"Just a typical black "thing""
"It's slightly sinister though...like a burglar"
*sigh*
"yes, I guess. I'm lovely really! But wearing black probably doesn't help"
"Well I hope you two have fun"
And off she went. Straight to the V & A as well!
In the tunnel there was the first of many interactive displays. It's a wall of fans, that are activated when you walk by them. Spot and I were mesmerized by this thing for a good few minutes! waving our hands around it and trying to figure out how it worked. I think the people walking by didn't quite understand what was going on. Two excitable people in full body suits looking at a wall of fans..Yeah.
A few yards up, was a security man at stand to do bag checks. We all walked up and out of no where, the guy asks Spot, "So do you get fed Pedigree Chum?"...I couldn't stop giggling. He said it with a straight face initially which got me. Spot was equally entertained and the guy let us in....he couldn't look at us anymore. Fair enough.
Walking to the cloakroom, the people standing around waiting to put their bags/coats etc. in were looking, some would hastily find a friend who was elsewhere and drag them into the hall to look at us. Some took pictures too.
We walked through the main hall and went to the Information Point first to ask them if it was ok for us to walk around. They said it was fine. I did actually call them during the week, mainly in regards to an interactive exhibition and about photography. They said the photography wasn't allowed but they thought what I said I was wearing was interesting.
Lots of kids and people smiling, taking pictures and waving back when we waved at them. Through the various displays, we did find one...
Now. I like mannequins. No not like that! I just find faceless mannequins fascinating. Whilst these were clothed in theatrical attire, I beamed a little bit inside when I saw them.
Following on from that, we found an installation to walk by. Again, interactive but with mirrors!
So we walked around some more, but this time to try and get to the Architecture room (I used to study architecture, so it's a comfort zone for me). And to try and break the cycle of always ending up in the main sculpture room!
It was quiet up there, as it usually is. Although when we walked in, a girl in a little section shouted to her friend, "hey...turn around!" We were walking through them and as this other girl did as she was asked to do, she was startled, to say the least!!. Spot and I giggled whilst walking through. I did say, "sorry, didn't mean to startle you" and she laughed a little as did the other girl.
We moved into the glass room which had all sorts of bendy and colourful glass in it, and a mirror at the end! We walked up to it, and a lady came out from a door...from no where! (or at least it appeared that way) It was a members room behind the wall of mirrors.
As we were walking back, we were approached by an employee of V & A who didn't like what we were wearing.
"oh no, here we go again" I thought. But we stood our ground. The guy asked us to wait so he could get his supervisor (as he had his radio in his hand). We didn't *have* to wait...we could have told him to come find us when he's found his supervisor, but we humoured him for a bit.
After walking around a little bit more, we were all pretty hungry so we got our stuff from the cloakroom and ventured back towards the station. After much deliberation, we decided upon a Starbucks near the station.
The staff at the Starbucks were amused by us. Unfortunately, Spot took his hood off. I don't think coffee stains are a desirable look. I kept mine on though. And the staff looked slightly puzzled as to why i ordered a drink and something to eat with the hood still up.
It has to be said. Drinking through the zip is definitely more enjoyable than eating through it! There were loads of people staring in amusement at the brownie disappearing into an orifice of a black "thing" followed by a swig of tea from a big white mug. As the place was small, people couldn't sit down (although we found a place..and a few people made their way after a few minutes) it was a constant flow of people - mainly tourists.
The day was drawing to a close and we got on the tube one last time. As we came to the stop Spot needed to get off at, we had a hug and really didn't want the day to end - as we were talking a few folks in the carriage had grins on their faces..probably trying to figure out what was going on - but said our farewells and the tube carried on.
Going out in Zentai is definitely a lot more fun when you've got other zentai folk with you :-). Sure for other people they'll find it either funny or intimidating, but essentially we're not doing anything wrong.
You hear that? What's wrong with having a bit of fun ^_~
