» Fancy Dress

ill-fitting costume
A friend of mine decided to be elaborate one Halloween and dressed up as his battered inner child. He did a good job of the battered part, covered with artfully applied fake blood, bruises and scars, but to signify the inner child part he wore a dinosaur costume he first wore when he was nine. It didn't quite fit anymore and was artfully ripped here and there so he could spill out, which was a nice addition to the battered look. But the crotchal area remained intact... and displayed the worst case of faded green felty-fabric male-pattern camel toe ever. It was truly nauseating to behold, mostly because it looked so horribly painful. Honestly, you couldn't look at it without curling up in empathy. He didn't seem too bothered though, and happily wandered about the party until the screams of protest finally overwhelmed and he was forced to change.
(Wed 18th Jan 2006, 12:55, More)

» Child Labour

white gold
I spent most of my childhood in Canada, where it snows - a lot. My dad would pimp out my younger brothers and I around the neighbourhood as snow shovellers. Blizzards would drop thick wet dumps over a foot deep onto giant double driveways. Our backs would ache, we'd lose the feeling in our hands and feet, our noses would start to run and the snot would freeze inside them. Then go red and fall off. After a couple hours, just before we'd finish, the plough would come down the road and leave a thick wall of slush and ice at the end of the drive. I still associate blue flashing lights with heartbreak and despair. And for all our efforts, we got about $5 each.

But afterwards, the hot chocolate tasted like sweet heaven.
(Fri 17th Feb 2006, 14:55, More)