21 December - Work & Gifts

C. friend with great job in fashion takes me to leaving do for colleagues who're escaping to go design shoes somewhere else. I do vaguely remember the 30 decade as one where it still made sense to me to try and get a better all around situation or one where I could make may mark. I don't know why these people are leaving? Want more money? More power? Fewer artistic restrictions? A faster path to the top? Who knows, but can't be much else. It's all very lively but am astonished that they are all women bar a few gay men. Never worked in that kind of gender mix myself.

C. has been ill and therefore down with the flu which she gets when she stops the manic work travelling. She's asking me how to break away and move into doing my boring kind of job as all she meets is gay men (ie no straight possible partner) and suffer way too much stress because of deadlines etc. wow! A while back she told me she aimed for a more exclusive fashion brand and I applauded but I guess her window of wanting the top job vs quality of life is diminishing year on.
Didn't really manage to give any constructive advice.

As for gifts, I am intolerable of stuff now. Only like what i want not what other people want to give me and very unchristmassy style am inclined to want to say give me the cash I'll get it.
Nobody likes that but as I also go round trying to buy a few well aimed gifts I cannot help but think that if they just told me what they want it would be so much simpler. This is not so much my fault but consumerism. Everyone has everything. I keep saying give it to charity give mine to charity but nobody wants to do that much. But truly it's a great way. Help someone else. that's what we should be doing or am I mad? It should be kept simple.. books, music, things like that. Nobody should want all the novelty shit that comes out, or the handbag they can buy themselves... Any suggestions? You all know by now that I hate bath products being given to me.