Tuesday, February 15th, 2011
It’s so rare these days I that I get good customer service that when I do, I walk around in a bit of a haze afterwards thinking ‘what just happened?’ I was greeted, I was helped and, hold on a second, did that sales assistant just make conversation with me? And look as though they were actually enjoying it? Wonders will never cease! The very notion of ‘service’ is a lost art in this country, mainly because everyone thinks it’s beneath them. But it’s often overlooked that we as consumers have to take responsibility for our part in these interactions.
I’m speaking of course, as a former shop girl. I worked in retail for years, flogging everything from shoes to saucepans. It is, quite frankly, soul destroying. It’s all you can do to get out of bed in the morning, never mind not punch every rude customer in the face. Everyone looks down their nose at you because you’re a mere ‘shop girl’ – you must clearly have failed at life. Obviously it depends where you work – there are some retail establishments where you don’t count down every second til home time and work can be quite fun.
Let me be frank about why customer service in the UK sucks:
Tags: bad service, canada, customer service, fashion, Japan
Posted in fashion | 19 Comments »
Tuesday, September 8th, 2009
So Long Canada from Muireann Carey-Campbell on Vimeo.
Tags: canada, Farewells, UK
Posted in video blogs | 9 Comments »
Wednesday, July 22nd, 2009
Ahem…*taps mic* is this thing on?
I have an announcement to make: I’m moving back to England.
This Brit is fleeing to the homeland y’all.
There was a time when I never thought I’d say that. But I’ve come to realise, as it turns out, homesickness is a pretty darn hard thing to fight.
My gypsy blood has had me galavanting around for almost 6 years. I started on this journey when I left university and got on a plane bound for New York City with no idea what the hell I was doing. I spent a year and a half there flying by the seat of my pants, living hand to mouth, marveling at the disproportionate amount of crazy people and overall, having the time of my life. Talk about a learning curve.
From there, Japan came a-calling. And I went, neglecting to learn a lick of Japanese beforehand. It’s a whole other kind of learning curve when you can’t even speak the language. And it makes for some ridiculously comical moments.
At the end of my year there, I decided to move to Canada and Toronto has been my home for almost three years now. I have loved it (nothing beats the summer here) and I have hated it (nothing beats the winter here. Seriously, if anyone finds my nipples that froze off in the harsh winter of ’08, please return them to me).
I went home this past Christmas, having not been home during Yuletide for three years and it was like being wrapped in a big bundle of love. My family is officially the coolest family on the planet and my old time friends came out and reminded me of things, places and jokes that I’ve missed.
When I landed back in Toronto, my reasons for being here just made less and less sense. I’m in a job that doesn’t have anything to do with my career goals, just to keep a roof over my head (and it doesn’t even do that very well. Luckily, I have a delightfully understanding transsexual landlady/man). I have no family here and due to the harsh winters, you end up basically hibernating for four months of the year. I’ve been trying to fight this feeling of something not quite clicking for a long time, convincing myself that I have to stick it out and I can’t keep moving. But then I realised, who said I can’t? It’s my life and I write the rules up in here!
So, a few weeks ago, I called my parents and I wasn’t even sure I was going to say it, but before I knew it, I said ‘I think I want to come home.’ And once I said the words, it was like a giant weight just lifted off me.
I handed my notice in at work yesterday and in mid-September, I’ll be on a plane back home. Home. *sigh*
And for once, it feels like the right decision.
I started this journey at 22. I’m now 28. Older, definitely wiser and with some incredible memories and irreplaceable people who’ve come into my life and will hopefully stay in it. Who knows if England will be my last stop on this train. I go where the wind takes me. And right now, it’s blowing me back home.
But my real reason for leaving….I just can’t stand the way North Americans say ‘aluminium.’ I mean Jesus, get it right!
Oh and don’t worry, I may be on a different continent, but this blog will continue to be in your face every day no matter where you are in the world.
Tags: canada, personal matters, the brits, travels
Posted in life | 12 Comments »
Monday, January 7th, 2008
I feel hurt and betrayed by you.
You know how hard it’s been for me to put aside my sexy knee high stilettos in favor of your sturdy grip. It’s taken time for me to accept that, during a hardcore Canadian winter such as this, it may not always be possible to put fashion before function, as I love to do.
It took me so long to find you. In a sea of heinously unattractive snow stompers, you were by far the best of a bad bunch. Your woolly lining kept my toes snuggly warm and you even came somewhere close to being fashionable. But, after dancing on ice more than a few times in my high heels, it was your grip that made me want you so much. With you on my feet, I could once again stride with pride.
Haven’t I been good to you? That leather protector cost me a pretty penny and I doused you in it lovingly. I put you on the rack with all my other shoes, to make sure you don’t feel left out. I know those stilettos can be hard on you sometimes, but don’t listen to those skinny bitches. You’re not fat. They’re just jealous of the way you handle the streets.
And this is how you repay me?
Why is it, that despite all my love for you, when I strode out of my house this morning into a blustery snowstorm, a few strides in, you decided you didn’t want to play anymore? You gave way beneath me and I tumbled to the ground. Did you think that snow, combined with the ample puffiness of my down coat and the fleshy padding of my hips would cushion my fall? Truth be told, so did I, but you know what’s underneath snow, Winter Boots? Concrete, that’s what. And as the purpleish-brown bruise on my fleshy hip can attest, concrete ain’t no joke.
I try to remember our good times; the way I can fearlessly march through puddles, the way you laugh in the face of sub-zero temperatures and always keep my toes toasty warm, the way you make that crunch sound on a fresh snowfall.
Oh Winter Boots, I’ve never been able to hold a grudge. Look, it’s the New Year. I’m going to need your help for at least another couple of months. Why don’t we put this unfortunate incident behind us? I don’t think anyone saw me fall and that bruise will heal in time (my ego on the other hand…). What’s say we start over? If you want, tonight I’ll spray you with the leather protector – I know how you love that. But if there’s another slip up, I can’t promise that the sexy knee-high stilettos won’t be snapping at your heels.
Deal?
I look forward to walking with you tomorrow.
Bangs
Tags: boots, canada, winter sucks balls
Posted in fashion | 1 Comment »