Arf.

Ok, forget the raise.

Remember when I wrote about a certain elderly lady that was reaaaaaally annoying and weird? Who's eyeliner I tattooed ?

Well guess what, she came back and it had completely fused under the skin.

(actually, I'm not even sure I wrote about that lady in question, I forget since I write on impulse on everything and anything)

I had had this sneaking suspicion that something was going to go wrong with her tattoos because

a) she seemed like just the type

b) her previous tattoos had already fused

c) she's an alcoholic, she takes pills (she took 2 during the tattooing session)

d) she's mutilated her skin with a butt load of surgery + injections

e) we'd recently changed our ink and we'd had some negative returns on a few clients

f) the shit just had to fall on me.

When I heard she was coming I did the only thing I could think of that would prevent the shit from hitting the fan : I hid.

And I'm glad I did.

My boss took pics of her eyes to show to me AND to the ink manufacturer. If I hadn't cried before I would've started to.

My. GOD.

Words can not describe. It was.. immonde. I felt so ashamed, guilty and panicked even thought everyone tried to tell me that it was not me, it was the ink.

(it was also the client but hey, clients are never to be blamed)

I was waiting to be yelled at because I felt I deserved it, but no, it didn't happen. My boss just called the manufacturer and yelled at them.

I mean, had it been my boss or anyone of the girl that tattoo, the result would've been the same.

It's just that it was me. And I can't help thinking that there must've been a way to prevent the disaster. I just feel like blaming myself. It won't help, it won't undo the damage or make me feel any better. But I deserve it.

Putting that aside, we managed to transport the new futon in and the old one out.

I decided to call our futon "Futon" (clever huh?) since I'm deeply in love with it.

Well Olivier is too, but Futon is male so he's MINE.

Well I have to share him, but he's MINE.

I still love Olivier, sure. But Futon is MINE.

It's so soooooft.. and it's so THICK! It's like 5x thicker than the ancient lame excuse for a futon !

It's looooovely. mmmm.

Love it.

I'm going to Finland in April :) Just for a quickie. We'll see who I have time to see since I want to see EVERYBODY! Hope I'll see the ones that I want :) Hope I won't see Tuulevi or I will go insane.

I miss my mommy.

My Nightmare Before Christmas figurine is nowhere to be found. I still have like 1 week before I can contact PayPal for a reimbursement. Argh.

Oh and I forgot to say in my last post that I went to a fitness class last Friday and my muscles still ache today.... yuppii.

Insomnia.

I've been having trouble sleeping for a few weeks now - him and me BOTH.

I don't know if it's due to the weather, subconscious stress or anxiety.

What I do know that our current futon should be thrown out the window, shredded and burned.

It's Olivier's, aged 3 years and since it's not of the bestEST quality, it's kinda HARD an uncomfortable.

In December we went to check out some futons and there was one that we really liked. It was - of course - the most expensive one :D Go figure.

We decided to wait for the sales because we have strong backs and what's a few more months of suffering compared to years of great sleep? (hopefully, would be shit to have paid 380€ for 45kgs of disappointment)

So Olivier paid for it last Monday via internet and today we're supposed to go get it. Well he's supposed to go get it with the work van and I'll just have to help him carry it in. Up two stairs (the lift is out of order, gee, who'd've guessed?) and onto our bed. 45kgs.

He thinks just by ourselves it's doable.................... I think I'll call some of his rugbyman-friends.

And I hope our bed'll support it's weight - and ours !

Putting that aside, I'm facing a dilemma. I spoke to a colleague I consider a good friend. She works mainly with our boss and knows a lot of things going on in our job. We were talking and she asked me how much I gained. When I announced my monthly pay, she immediately told me to ask for a raise. She told me that she knows stuff and that I should ask for at least 200€ more.

I answered that since I signed my CDI last July, it was a bit too early to be asking for a raise. She promptly disagreed and ordered me to go ask for the raise.

Since I work as a make up tattooist, it is clear that I bring in a bit more money than others, but I don't consider myself entitled to more money than some. In my eyes make up tattooing isn't as hard a work and for example Electrolysis. I love what I do. The girls that work in electrolysis don't especially adore what they do.

Sure, I have more responsability and pressure on my shoulders in what I do but still..

I don't know.

Olivier thinks I have the right to ask for it but he understands that it's not easy.

I was thinking of asking for a raise like next July.

Maybe I will, and I'll ask for 300€ :D

hihihi.

Oh how life would be easy then.................. not that it's difficult now.

For me it would just be really comfy.

Jejejjejeje.

I'd love to hear your opinions on it if you please. Throw me a bone here, I have no idea if anyone even reads me :D Thanks in advance for the one(s) who take(s) the time to comment.

Permanent make up

Ok, here a few pics of what I do.

I might put up more.

So this young girl -as you can notice- has no eyebrows or eyelashes. She lost all her bodily hair due to a rare disease. Nothing leathal. She was adorable and a pleasure to work with. I did her eyebrows first and then she decided after a few months that she wanted her eyeliner done too. :) Courageous. In the first pic I've drawn the line she wants using a normal make-up pen.

The second pic shows what it looks like right after the tattooing.

And here's the same thing, just a different angle. See how the eyelids swell up?

Here's another girl. I did her eyebrows, she came for her retouching session. Just after I finished with them. I'm a bit disappointed with the picture quality... hope you get the idea nonetheless.

And finally a tattoo designed and realised by yours truly, in the nape of my colleague. :)

Sigh.

Ah.

Work is starting to look up.

Since my chat with Maud on Monday, I feel so much more relieved, I no longer have this burying feeling that I know would end up with a panic attack. (it came pretty close)

Since then, I've regained trust in my abilities (also thanks to my colleagues and their support) and everything's been going smoother.

I had a young client yesterday who had had her eyebrows done by me. When I saw the result, I actually didn't believe it was my work. I don't have a huge belief in my work (even thought my clients are happy and so am I) so that really lifted up my spirits. She too was really satisfied with my work that I just had to take a picture of her eyebrows :D

They just might end up on our website ;)

Oh I bought EasyTones ! :D

I haven't received them yet, but 3 of the girls at our workplace use and recommend them. So I thought hell, why not. I enjoy walking so if I can manage to eliminate a few more calories by wearing weird shoes, why not ?

On another note, I received my cute Alice Crocs and my adorable Mellow Yellow boots !

I just need to enlarge the latter ones since they are a size too small and quite tight. I

have big fat flat feet so it's hard to find comfy shoes..

Oh well. Guess I'll just pop them in the freezer and see what happens ;D

Oh töh suffering in order to be beautiful....

I had a horrible week at work..

90% of my clients came for permanent make-up.

85% of them were horrible.

Wednesday I was so shaken up, my heart repeatedly skipped a beat and I trembled. Just to say how affected I was... They can be so nasty when all you want to know is what they want and like.

A colleague saw my stress and forced me to go late night shopping with her. I was tired but it did me loads of good even if I didn't find anything..

So today, my day off, I was going to just waste away in the comfort of my home when I decided I'd just regret it. So I called my bank (something I've been avoiding for 2 weeks now), called my hair dresser and scheduled a rendez-vous for later that day and decided to do a little shopping.

So I put on my brand new boots and headed to La Défense.

It's a 30 minute walk.

After 10 mins of walking I was cursing myself.

I managed to get to my hair appointment 5 mins late and sighed of happiness when I was able to sit down.

After my hair done, I ran (limped) to the pharmacy to buy Compeed-bandages. I still had to walk till 4 Temps to put them on to ease the pain. A 15 min walk of utter pain.

By the time I had found the restrooms (I had to wait 10 mins for the cleaning lady to finish her rounds before getting to use the toilets) and had regained a normal walking style, my feet were aching from the snug fit of the boots.

I decided it would go away because pain is psychological and headed to the shops.

I only did a tour at Accessorize and Auchan (for 0% fromage blanc) and decided that my heart had fallen to my feet.

I had no choice but to "give in" and take the train home. When I finally closed the front door behind me I kicked off my shoes and sunk on the couch. Oh the hurt.

Oh the pain.

At least the shoes should be molded to fit my feet after 5 hours of walking.

I HOPE.

I bought Mellow Yellow Black Grease low boots and Crocs Alice ballerinas. Just thinking about the ballerinas made my feet feel better. aaaah~~..

On another note, I got my Oogie Boogie statue ! The one I mentioned in "This is going to cost me". He is beautiful. Magnifique. Better than I hoped. Wonderful ! :D I'm so lucky I won him.. haa~ :)

Sunday, lazy Sunday

So yesterday was our long awaited "Soirée mélange : Fête de Noël + 3 anniversaires!".

The evening started great !

Everyone had brought stuff to eat, truthfully TOO much stuff to eat, so we ate and drank, cranked up the dance music in the beauty salon and gossiped.

Once everyone had arrived, we exchanged the gifts. So everyone's gifts were put in a basket and randomly, one by one, we drew a paper with a name written on it from a bag. The person who's name you got gave you one of the presents she had purchased.

So I got a book, chocos, a chocolate candle and shower flower :D

Once everyone had done admiring and thanking for their gifts, I had an announcement to make.

They take me very seriously when I announce something because I seldom say a word.

I told them that since I loved them all very much, I had bought each of them a separate gift. :)

I then offered the gifts and there was laughter, crying, hugs and kisses ^^

The crying part surprised me :D

(it wasn't me)

We then cleaned up the place and headed for the club for the 90's party!

I can't begin to describe how good it felt to dance :D

My colleagues saw a new side of me and I bet I'll be hearing about it during the coming weeks ;) Hehe.

All and all, it was fantastic.

We have to do it again :D

For the first time I got to go to a club and dance for my chéri. He seemed to enjoy it. He didn't stop telling me during the evening that we need to buy a 90's compilation CD if the music has this effect on me ;D

Today I will clean up the house, eat, sleep and laze around while chéri plays rubgy with the boys. I should maybe cook dinner for him for when he comes home...

Remorse.

I am so dead.

Eating can be such a kick in the head sometimes...

Yesterday I ate... too much.

After having eaten 5 muffins (they were small, ok?) and 2 choco covered waffles (they too were quite tiny) I already started to have a head ache.

I left to town to eat with a friend and ate 3 lakritsipatukkaa and quite a few pieces of salmiakki.

The sugar high was quite extraordinary.

We went to eat sushi. It was really really good.. rice.. mmm. I couldn't even finish my plate.. Weird.

After that I left to find gifts for my colleagues. I found nearly everything I needed.

The gifts were really varied. Hope everyone will be happy with what I bought them.. hm.

At the same time, I'm not obligated to offer anything extra, but I really feel like offering :)

Whilst shopping I ate a whole tablet of white choco with nuts and nougatine crunchies. Oops....

At home, Olivier had prepared stuffed red bell peppers (mmm), and a potatolambpeacheese-dish. It wasn't bad, but we both agreed that it really didn't have any "goût".

Before eating the lemon pie he had prepared wednesday using his love, ....I had to go say hi to the loo. On my knees.

The pie was ok, flan-like but ok. :)

And today I slept until 11 a.m, met Oliv' at the Gare de Val d'Argenteuil, tried on jackets at New Look, got myself some jammies, tried on a corset at H&M for his pleasure and did our grocery shopping in zombie mode. I ate for the first time today a half an hour ago. I'm baking choco cakes for tomorrow.

Yay.

Old fart

Yay !! From today on I shall dread wrinkles !!

Huzzah ! I can eat anything I want today (I've already eaten 5 muffins baked by my chéri long ago. He baked a ton and since I couldn't eat any, he left me some in the freezer knowing that TODAY I was allowed to indulge myself in sweet sweet gluttony.)

In today's program we have :

-lazing around

-getting up

-finding wrinkles on my face

-meeting a friend for dinner at 1 p.m.

-checking out a nice jacket at New Look

-finding gifts for co-workers

-going to the bank to rant and rave

-coming home

-lazing around

-eating

-waiting for Olivier to prepare me a feast (he already make the entrée and a lemon pie for dessert yesterday. He was cursing all evening in the kitchen)

-feasting

-going to bed LATE

-hopefully not running to the toilets because of over-eating

-sleeeeping

All in all, NICE.

Yesterday was nice at work, slow, but nice.

I had the "chance" to run to a posh snob hôtel to do a manicurie for a French actress. Real diva she was. Was upset that our beauty salon didn't have Chanel or Dior nail polish. I almost saw a wrinkle forming on her botoxed face. The effort was tremendous I bet. Hell, maybe she even moved a face muscle, it was pretty hard to tell with that thick layer of make-up on her face.

After her brown nosed male hair dresser friend had run to get her the "REAL ROUGE" de Chanel, she giggled faintly : "Oh darling, you actually went to get it, you're such a doll, thank you."

She was getting her make-up and hair done while I was applying fucking Rouge de Chanel on her pretty little nails. I'm used to working in not-the-best-of-conditions so I managed it pretty niftly. Maybe I'll post a pic of her polished nails if I ever find the article and if it even SHOWS her nails. We'll see.

Tomorrow it's dodo, groceries, a visiting New Look for the jacket.

I have to prepare 2 cakes for Saturday, one for here (Olivier is eating with friends) and one for work. I decided I wanted to organize a combined birthday parties and Pikkujoulut with my collegues. The idea is that after work we stay a bit to eat, drink and exchange small Christmas gifts. Now everyone buys 2 small gifts for like 5€ and wraps them up. Then we put all of them in the bag and everyone picks out 2 gifts at random :)

I decided to offer small gifts for everyone. I already have 4 gifts, I still need to buy 8. I have till Saturday. I need to find gifts that suit each persons tastes. And then some junk for the rest :)

I like giving useful gifts. And I like giving them to people I like.

Ta.

I think I'll go eat a chocolat covered waffle now.. :D

Happy New Year !

Yay ! It's a new year ! We still have 1 year left before the world ends ! (Thanks Mayans)

So what can I say ?

New Year's was nice. We left for Bretagne with my Finnish friend on Friday. I had trouble waking up in the morning (5 a.m.) since I had trouble falling asleep the preceding evening.

We managed to jump in the train and off we went with a bullet train.

We discussed various things during our 4 hour trip and I must say that it's pretty comfortable and not at all awkward speaking with him. I'm a pretty open person so I can talk about almost anything, but sometimes with certain people you have to stay vary about what you say.. I was glad to see he was not one of those people. :)

Of course, they came 25 mins late to meet us at the train station. And then they wanted - of course - to drink a coffee before going home. Olivier knows me well enough to read the signs of storm from my face, but he was for naught. Poor baby, I'm a bit hard on him sometimes..

Once they finally were coffeed-up and ready to go, we still had 45 mins of driving to do.

We were pretty tired, but me managed to go do the groceries. And we went to the flat and everyone went to take a nap :D

Hunny was quite cutesy, claiming that he had missed me :) I missed him too.

So the evening party had a dress code. Masquerade :D

I decided to wear my authentic kimono I had once been gifted by a in-love-colleague. So I threw on my make-up and went to drink.

Now for the last +3 years I've hardly touched alcohol. First because of my year of CAP + work = no free days, no free time, secondly due to my BP internship (school+work leaves you dead and anti-social). Sure I've had a few beers now and then, even a couple of ciders in Finland, but it had been a while since my last drunken state. I drank cocktails, beer, rum, vodka, cider, hell I even drunk almost a whole bottle of Bailey's by myself. And be not mistaken, I'm a fast drinker.

I was sure I'd fall asleep before midnight and have the hangover of my life but something weird happened.

After midnight, I noticed Olivier missing. I found him dead asleep in his bed (his condition was used to take explicit pictures) and I went to sleep like around 3 a.m. Before that I had dragged chéripie to the toilets so that the goo he was spewing would go in the toilet and not in the bed.

In the middle of the night I woke up, threw up and went to bed.

In the morning I woke up, threw up by force and went to bed.

At 2p.m. I woke up with Olivier. Boy was he in a bad state.

I felt pretty good. Tired, but good.

I spent the entire day sleeping and cleaning. I refused to go bowling with the others just to be able to stay home and just rest. And not leave my friend alone :)

So Sunday we cleaned the house and left. We took the train while the others left by car.

We slept :D

Once back in Paris I proposed that we go see Le Sacré Coeur since he had not yet seen it and it would save him the trouble the next day. So we hopped in the bus and then dragged my luggage up to Sacré Coeur where we could admire the night view of Paris. At that point I started to be pooped and was more than relieved once we finally got home.

Olivier and P'tit Chat were still on their way with the car. I put a chicken in the oven, made rice and waited patiently, starving.

I was quite impatient by the time they arrived to I forced them to be quick serving themselves :D It was bliss afterwards. I went to bed around eleven, dreading the following work day....

_____________________________

I've heard of hangovers coming late, like on the following evening, but 2 days late is just plain ridiculous.

I was DEAD at work. Tired. Out of my mind. Head-ache. Nauseous. Tired.

I tried boosting myself with coffee and I even napped during my lunch-break.

Luckily my first make-up tattoo client was also my last so my hand was less shakey than it had been in the morning.

Take-away hangover. Who'd known ?

_____________________________

Today was interesting. I had a client in make-up tattooing, for the eyes.

Now I was briefed by both Domi and Môd, telling me how extravagant she was.

And boy was she a genuine Christmas tree.

My GOD.

Good thing I'm patient..

Madame was half deaf, half blind (luckily, the mess she was when she left..) and quite vulgar.

Overweight, over-make-up tattooed, HUGE rings and jewellery, bref, a sight to see. (Domi calls her "The Christmas Tree") She was also slightly drunk (told me openly that she had drunk quite a few glasses before coming - and it reeked on her) and popped some shady pills during the treatment. And Lord was she loud.

I was NOT proud of the result because

a) what she wanted was horrible (what she already had from past tattooings was horrid and diffused under the skin)

b) the ink diffused ever so slightly under her skin. I hope it goes away.

We recently changed the brand of ink we use and it's happened on 2 now 3 of our dozens of clients that it diffuses slightly under the skin.

The horror.

I seriously hope it goes away but Madame thought it pretty.

I'll prolly write about this again in a future post.... keep this in mind when it happens........