Saturday, July 28, 2018

Review: Celine Dion, Qudos Bank Arena 27th July 2018

I normally arrive at shows early, normally a few minutes before the support act takes to the stage but last night I didn't due to travel delays. The support act was Veronic DiCaire who has been performing for just over 20 years. She has been a good friend of Celine Dion's for at least ten of those years and has previously toured with her. I did catch the last two songs and I have to say I wasn't at all impressed with her. She just did covers and was way too cliched. It wasn't a good performance at all.

After her performance there was a short gap before Celine Dion took to the stage and opened with The Power of Love and then 90s hit, That's The Way It Is. After belting at the song she took the time to apologise to the audience for taking ten years to come back downunder and thanked the audience for going to the show. She sounded genuinely grateful that around 20,000 people had attended and grateful for the support over the last three decades.

It was only natural that her next song would be the celebratory, I'm Alive which she delivered with huge enthusiasm and genuine passion.

Of course, Because You Loved Me was in the set list and Dion encouraged the audience to help her sing the last line. She is a total perfectionist and really wanted to get the crowd enthusiastic so paused to rev the crowd up.

At one point in the show she said that she loves to talk as much as she loves to sing and that she's very grateful that she's able to do so everyday.

One cheesy moment though was when she launched into Aussie crooner, John Farnham's Your The Voice, which even though I don't like the song, Dion did a brilliant job of singing. She did the song justice and showed exactly how you sing that song. 

Towards the end of the show she took time to talk about the death of her husband Rene Angeill after a battle with throat cancer in 2016. You wouldn't really expect it but she told a story about how Pink had written a song for her called Recovering to help her through.  I can't speak for other audience members but having read interviews where Dion has spoken about her husband, I wanted her to make reference to his death in the concert so I was glad she opened up about that difficult time in her life. There are some singers who don't open up to the audience and just sing their songs without much crowd interaction. That was not at all the case with Dion and it made it personal, despite being in a crowd of 20,000 people.

After Recovering, she launched into All By Myself. You could really tell that a lot of preparation and planning went into the structure of the show and the song order.

It's always great when singers have an acoustic section and Dion performed a medley of At Seventeen / A New Day Has Come / Unison before having a short break where her dancers and back up singers took to the stage while she went backstage for the fourth costume change of the evening.

The show finished with Love Can Move Mountains/River Deep Mountain High.

As always though, no show is complete without an encore and Dion returned to the stage and didn't say a word. I'd known what was coming because I always look up setlists online prior to going to a show. The arena was pitch black with just the lights from people's phones and the introduction to My Heart Will Go On, which was the entire reason I had gone to the show in the first place. This was an amazing moment, and was just incredible. The encore was the best part of the concert. While she was singing it, you couldn't help but wonder if she was thinking of her husband while singing it. The stage was lit up with imagery related to the Titanic (actual ship, not the movie).

Again, she thanked the audience and left the stage but returned a couple of minutes later and spoke about how it had been so long since she'd been in Australia and that although going on tour is hard, it's even harder to end a show and that she didn't want to end the show right there. She talked about her children and the sacrifices they've made to allow her to tour. She also seemed to genuinely care about the audience and got teary in some parts of the speech. She was the only one on stage. All her back up singers, dances and the band had left the stage, and she then concluded the show with Can't Help Falling In Love.

You could really tell she didn't want the show to end.

All in all this was a brilliant show and the way she connected with the audience and delivered her encores and her powerful voice control and vocal ability is exactly why she has had a career spanning three decades. She is an amazing talent.

I give the show a 4/5. The only reason it doesn't get a 5/5 is because of one or two cheesy moments being John Farnham's Your The Voice and the medley of 90s tunes including Prince's Purple Rain.

Saturday, July 21, 2018

Post Botox injection review

Today was the day that I went to the skincare clinic and got Botox. It was my first time after two years of considering and most of that time spent being really opposed to the idea of cosmetic procedures. I figured that I hadn't really aged and so I didn't need to do anything. I also thought it was fake and pretentious to go in for the procedure, despite so many people doing so.

So how did it go?

Well this morning, I arrived at the clinic and waited in the waiting room for about ten minutes before the specialist came and grabbed me. We then went into the treatment room and spent about 10 minutes talking about what I was in for. Basically those ten minutes were designed to make clients feel comfortable.

After that we analysed my skin and I was asked to tense up the muscles in my face by frowning and smiling. I was asked about what area I was focused on in particular. I said my forehead and around my eyes.

It was recommended that I also get my lower forehead done. That's the part between the eyes where to 11s form, also known as "the 11s". I said I wouldn't do that area today but will go back for it.

I was then given recommended dosages. It was 20 for my forehead, 10 for my left eye and 10 for my right eye. I had thought I'd only needed 27 units of Botox but I actually needed 40. If you don't have enough it won't work and if you have too much you'll look frozen so it was about getting the treatment dosage right.

A few before pictures were taken by the specialist.

The specialist then wiped my face with numbing liquid and asked how I was with needles, which I'm fine with. She then asked me to frown and then relax and when relaxed I was injected. That happened about five or six times. It was over fairly quickly. Probably within 10 minutes max. It may have even been quicker. It really was just a few mild pricks and you honestly don't notice it.

I was booked in for a follow up in a couple of weeks time, which will serve two purposes - the first is to check up on what's been done and the second is to have the second part of my forehead done. I will also be looking at getting under my eyes done and then in the future my chin/mouth area.

I was told I'd start seeing results in about 5 days but I feel like I'm seeing them already.

The thing with Botox is, if you're going to do it, you really do need to do your full face for best results otherwise there'll be a mismatch and you'll have some lines. If you're going to do it, then do it right.

Today's treatment cost $349 and it'll be about the same next time. I'm hoping that I get all areas done in the next visit but it may take a further one after that, and then in four months time I need to get treated again. That's bout the length of time it lasts.

My biggest advice to anyone who is thinking about Botox, do your research beforehand and consider what areas you want done. Also be prepared to need extra units when you get to the clinic. All treatment packages are tailored individually, so a dosage for someone else may not be suitable for you so make the most of that consultation and take their recommendations on board.

For the record though, I draw the line at Botox and possibly fillers. I'm not ruling out fillers for around my mouth and cheeks if that's what's deemed the best option. I'd rather Botox but it's all about what will give me the best results and most youthful appearance.

Again, if you're considering it then do your research beforehand and be sure it's what you really want, but if you are considering it, don't be afraid like so many people are. Some people use anti ageing cream, whereas others would rather go to a clinic once every four months. It all results in the same thing - a more youthful appearance so it's whatever works for you. I personally don't trust creams or think they'll work but I do trust Botox.

I'll post another blog in a few days with some pictures.

Monday, July 16, 2018

Why I've decided to get Botox

I'm the first person to criticise people who get breast implants or lip fillers. I'm the first to mock people who have weight loss surgery and I'm the first to say that people overdo it with cosmetic surgery or procedures.

I have however decided to get Botox myself. It's not a decision I made quickly. A couple of years ago I thought, "yeah I'd get Botox". It was sort of a casual, "yeah I'd be open to it" thing but I have read so many horror stories about people who get addicted to it and I've seen pictures of people who looked better pre Botox than afterwards.

In the weekend though two things happened.

  1. I was having a convo with a friend and commented that they needed Botox. They turned it back on me saying the same thing and I was like, "yeah I'd have it".
  2. I then took a photo and noticed some lines on my forehead that I don't like.
Now before you ask the question, I'm not the type of person who uses products. I have never used anti ageing cream and I don't use moisturiser either. I would rather let my skin work for itself than relying on chemicals or products.

So why Botox and why now? Aside from the two factors I mentioned, it's preventative. You don't actually need to have a lot of lines to have Botox and because it's a relaxer, it means that any lines that do develop will be finer. Of course it does also mean that I'll need to have it 3-4 times a year and that's okay. It's a small price to pay to look youthful.

I got to thinking about why it's important though and why now. I'm not sure how many news stories you read of people who've had cosmetic procedures but you often read these stories about people who've just just lost a stack of weight and then they decided to have a procedure done so I got to thinking about the psychology behind it.

Well it's not actually just the psychology. You may not know, but people who lose weight often look older than people with fuller rounder faces, so when you lose weight and your facial features are distinguished there's an unwanted side effect of looking a couple of years older than while you were bigger.

Then there's the other side of the coin. You lose a lot of weight and suddenly you have a lot of pride in your appearance and want to look perfect. It's not enough that you've lost the weight. You need to look youthful. See when you lose weight you feel and look better generally but lines on your face can hold you back from where you want to be, and that could be another reason why people get Botox after losing weight. It's about completing the image.

 Some people think that you should start getting Botox in your 20s as a preventative measure, others say wait until your 30s or 40s while others believe you should never have it. Personally, now that I've booked in to have it done this weekend, I would be of the group of people who says you should have it in your later 20s or early 30s. It's better to get it before the lines are really sunken in.

It's becoming more and more common for people in their 20s and 30s to get it before they do have a lot of wrinkles. The major thing before you get your first procedure is to know that it's a lifetime commitment. That means once you start you can't stop unless you want the wrinkles and lines to come back.

As for me, I'm having my first procedure done in the weekend. I'm getting my forehead done initially and then after that I'll be getting around my eyes done in another procedure. I like the idea of Botox because it's a quick 30 minute event and then you're done for six months. You don't have to constantly be using creams everyday (and I don't believe creams work in the first place). I like to think I've maintained my youth pretty well but ultimately ageing is unavoidable. You can however slow it down and keep your youthful appearance for longer.

I'll be posting another blog on Saturday after I've had the procedure.

In the meantime I'll leave you with five tips:

  1. Only choose a reputable clinic. Although it's unlikely you'll have side effects, you're better to be safe.
  2. There is nothing wrong with getting Botox as a preventative measure.
  3. Be aware that once you start you will have to continue. It's much like bleaching your hair unless you make a conscious decision to grow out your natural colour (as I have done because I'm naturally blonde anyway and I prefer my natural shade).
  4. Take the advice of your medical professional when you book in for your appointment.
  5. Do your research before you get your first procedure.

Sunday, July 15, 2018

Why Meghan's dad is right that she's being stifled

If you regularly read my blog then you'd know that I'm not the biggest fan of Meghan Markle and that I was hoping the wedding to Prince Harry would be called off. That hope wasn't just because I don't want Prince Harry to be married to anyone, it was also because Meghan Markle seems like a strong person with ambitions and opinions. Like me, she studied International Relations and Theatre at university (specifically I studied Politics and Film, TV, Media Studies and post graduate in Communications - Journalism specialty) so I know her type.

Prior to meeting Prince Harry she had a successful acting career and was a millionaire in her own right. In order to be with Prince Harry she had to give up her old life by quitting acting and moving from America to Britain.

This weekend her father, Thomas Markle said that she was struggling and that it was in her eyes, that she was being forced to be someone she's not, and I have to agree with him.

She may have the world's best designers like Givenchy lining up to dress her but she's not being herself. I've commented on this before so I won't rehash that by posting before and after photographs.

The below photo does show that she's not happy though and that she's faking it, and even though she's an experienced actor, it's easy to read right through it.

Source: https://www.harpersbazaar.com/celebrity/latest/a22147362/meghan-markle-wimbledon-2018-ralph-lauren-prince-harry/ 

It's clear that she's trying to act happy but that she's not.

If her father is right that she's not happy and that she's finding the restrictive Royal Family lifestyle hard then it's only a matter of time before she bails out and decides it's not worth it, just like Prince Harry's former girlfriends did.

In so many ways Meghan Markle is very lucky, being with Prince Harry for starters and never needing to worry about money again, but in others she is very unlucky.

Given she's a feminist with strong political views, it's clear that she is being stifled and no man is worth that. She may love Prince Harry and he loves her but for someone as strong as her she'll lose what he fell in love with, she's already starting to with how she's being controlled by the Queen and her management.

I just hope that if/when that day comes that Meghan's family and friends from her former life are there to pick up the pieces because otherwise she's going to end up very miserable just like Princess Diana.

It is also unfair that certain Royal Family members must behave in a certain way, wear certain things and that they're not allowed regular jobs like she had before. As Thomas Markle was quoted by the Daily Mail as saying, it's archaic and outdated.

It does seem though that he will be there to pick up the pieces if/when it does fall apart, but he's right that Meghan is losing herself, feeling the pressure and stifled. Not being able to express your political views is just incredibly wrong, especially when it's highly unlikely she will ever be Queen Consort. The rules should be more relaxed for Royal Family members who are outside the top 5 (Prince Harry is number 6 at present).

It makes no sense in 2018 that she must behave in a way that is more reminiscent of the 1950s and that she is basically now a Stepford wife who must just look good and not speak out of line.