Alyson Said What?

Folks, I had such a rough winter. I'm pretty sure 2016 was a bastard-and-a-half for everyone, and it certainly was not going to go out without a fight for me. This included multiple A&E trips for multiple family members, an ambulance ride in the middle of the night for one, and finally me having to be signed off sick from work for two weeks over my birthday. The good news is that everything is fine now. More than fine, even. Why? Because everyone is alive and well, and I'm pregnant! Phil and I had our little guy pretty young by our generation's standards. We decided from the get-go that we wanted to have kid(s) young and be done young, to get the full benefit of having started relatively early. So, at the beginning of 2017 we decided that we would like to have one more kiddo, and went for it. The first trimester was rough (let me tell you: 12.5 hour shifts are Not Fun with morning sickness), just as it was with the little guy, but I'm feeling more like myself agai...

It's the most wonderful tiiiime of the yeeeeaaaarrrr! Seeing as today is National Pumpkin Day, I thought I'd made a little post about a super fun activity I went to last night. Madame Tussaud's held its first ever pumpkin carving workshop, so obviously I had to go. Halloween isn't as much of a 'thing' here as it is back in the States and I'd be lying if I said I don't feel deprived. So thirsty for the spook. So thirsty. That being said, I definitely feel like the Halloween spirit (hur hur hur) has been getting stronger in the U.K. over the past few years. Fake cobwebs and tinsel skeletons are popping up in more shop windows, and people seem to have realised that costume options go beyond Sexy Devil and Sexy Witch. This fun event at Madam Tussaud's is another example of how Halloween is catching on. Love it. When hubs and I arrived, we were ushered into a concealed side entrance of the building with the rest of the workshop group, taken up qui...

When I was last in my native Los Angeles this past August, I had the immense fortune of being able to attend the Guillermo del Toro exhibition at LACMA, sensibly named At Home With Monsters. It is a stunningly curated exhibition of items from his own personal collection of artwork, ephemera, costumes, and other macabre and enchanting treasures. Normally, these fascinating things are kept in del Toro's second home, which he has named Bleak House, after the Charles Dickens novel. At LACMA, the works are organised by themes such as death, the afterlife, and magic, rather than by chronology. I was moved by the amount of love that del Toro obviously puts into his acquisition, display, and maintenance of the pieces shown. If I took away anything from the experience, it was a newfound respect and tenderness for the man: A boy fascinated by the more strange and dark aspects of life, his love affair with cinema, and how he grew further into these things rather than out of them. Be still, ...

It's been quiet here - I know. Life threw me a few of those curveballs it's famous for and I've been focusing on coping, with varying degrees of success. For the most part, I'm ok, and trying to run with that.  My trusty laptop recently bit the big one, so that's made it even harder for me to feel motivated. Blogging from my phone is a bit of a pain, but I have the mental energy to write again and there are things I want to say. So here I am doing my best. Look at me go.   I'm in the process of cooking up a few important posts: a few fluffy makeup reviews (House of Beauty! More from Shiro! Sleek!); a review of my first 7 months working as a registered nurse in trauma, and my recent move to intensive care; a post on my thoughts on and experiences with bullying in nursing; issues faced by bisexual people in both heteronormative and queer spaces; and maybe a recipe or two.  In the meantime, keep up with me on Twitter-twatter @AlysonSaidWhat.  If you'...

Indie makeup brands excite me. I love seeing people use their own creativity to inspire others to get creative with their own empowerment. Does makeup really do all that, though? I think so. As far as frivolities go, it's a small thing that can have a big impact. It can light a small spark of whimsy within the mundane cycle of everyday life, and it can make absolute magic, turning mere mortals into whatever fantastic creatures they dream up. For both extremes, it comes down to having fun. And enjoyment is what makes life bearable. So! Shiro Cosmetics is an indie brand based in Portland, Oregon. The products they create are inspired by pop culture and the ephemeral dream/nightmarescape of the Internet. Perhaps what Shiro Cosmetics is most famous for are the cheeky puns used to name products and collections, most notably a whole range based on Nicholas Cage engaging in activities ranging from churning butter to doing the Charleston in a speakeasy. Aside from being hilarious and f...

Anyone who knows me is probably aware of my penchant for bright lipstick, especially red - the more obnoxious the better. My personal makeup look is generally simple and neutral, making whatever ship-directing lip shade I happen to be wearing the main focus. Since I started my nursing career, I've had to tone down the lips a lot - it's just not appropriate to rock my best pillarbox pout in the hospital. This means I've had to venture into foreign territory: pinks and nudes! Never one to turn my nose up at drugstore makeup, I picked up a tube of L'Oreal Paris lipstick in a shade called Jlo's Nude. It's part of the Color Riche Collection Prive. Jlo's nude is a dainty, earthy nude that leans ever-so-slightly pink. The formula is super moisturising and has a subtle shine.  One risk for this type of formula is the amount of slip. I've not been wearing it with any lip liner, but fortunately haven't run into any issues with feathering.  ...

Over the past month I've had the pleasure of being filmed and interviewed for two documentaries. The first was for web feature production company, Buttergun TV. The film will be aiming to break stereotypes about Jewish people as part of a wider anti-bullying movement. I was particularly honoured to star in this documentary as someone having to cope with living with the rising antisemitism and virulent anti-Israel attitudes in the UK. Director Joshua Hine and producer Joshua Fineman (double-trouble Joshes!) want the film to focus on personal qualities other than 'Jewishness', not to detract from the importance of Jewish identity, but to dissolve stigma. Too often when people discover that I'm Jewish, I'm met with statements such as: 'But you don't look Jewish!' 'But you're so hard-working!' 'You're not rich, though!' or even - wait for it - 'I don't believe you!' Queue me wanting to scream. As much as I ...