The Long and The Short of It

Having just had my very long hair cut off to become very short, I'm absolutely loving the following new freedoms...

1. No more de-tangling, blow-drying (there's an extra 40 mins a day), styling, flicking, swinging and re-doing my hair.

2. Being able to swim anywhere anytime without worrying that I will ruin my recently ghd-straightened mane. I might shower more often now too. My hair is dry in five.

3. My baby can't pull it out in large clumps.

4. I can rediscover things like earrings, make-up and eyebrows, because all I have now is my face.

5. Sleeping better- you can actually feel the pillow on your head, without the sore bump of a pony-tail or hair strewn all over the place.

I've also lost a half a kilo without exercise or diet- this haircut has given me wings.

Crying is the New Black

It seems that celebrities and pollies have finally cottoned on that the public like to see a little emotion in our leaders, but are these tears real or crocodile...?

1. Julia Gillard - After being criticised for showing no emotions during the floods, immediately after gave a teary speech with the Australian flag in Parliament. yesterday she got a little choked up when addressing the Americans in Congress. This should counter-balance the hit in the polls the carbon tax brought her. Sincerity factor: 2/5

2. Anna Bligh - Got the trend started when she went from zero to hero in her emotional, "We. Are. Queenslanders," speech that inspired her State to soldier on and regain their pride. Sincerity factor: 4.5/5

3. Nicole Kidman- Cried abut something on 60 Minutes but had to loudly state, "I can't believe I'm crying on 60 minutes," which I think she assumed would be a great sound bite for the promo, and it was. Sincerity factor: 1/5

4. Kylie Minogue- Cried on Sunday Night with Molly Meldrum, seemed teary from the get go, is probably just exhausted as well. Sincerity factor: 3/5

5. Oprah Winfrey- Cried on her last interview, I couldn't believe how long it took a crew member to hand her a tissue. Wake up, sound guy, the Queen's mascara is running. Sincerity factor: 3.5/5

Everyone cries on The Biggest Loser, My Kitchen Rules and The Farmer Wants a Wife. But what's wrong with a few tears anyway?

Why I Don't Love Russell Brand

His books are rife with his shady dealings, lying, cheating, stealing, etc, here are but a few...

1. When he moved in with his Doctor girlfriend, he secretly got a key cut so when they broke up he could go back and steal stuff from her and did. (Booky Wook)

2. He cut his drugs with other dodgy meds and then sold them to his close friends, using a toilet seat to mix the concoction.(Booky Wook)

3. He took a girlfriend with him to shoot Losing Sarah Marshall, then figured he might be able to get into Kirsten Bell's pants, so tells his girlfriend to bugger off. (Booky Wook 2)

4. Tries to be a "character" by doing stupid things like letting a mouse live in his hair, self-harming and getting arrested then trying to charm the police with whimsical banter and impeccable manners. Staggers around like a less endearing Captain Jack Sparrow.(Booky Wook)

5. Was a total sex addict and massively arrogant egotist. Can he really change? I think I'm going to have to change my "Free Katie" t-shirt to "Free Katy."

Why I Love Russell Brand

1. His two autobiographies, Booky Wook 1 and 2, are truly engrossing. His voice comes through strongly, unlike most "autobiographies" were the ghost writer is so present your house becomes haunted for the duration of the read.

2. He has great taste in women, okay, so he has had a great taste for all women. But now he has narrowed it down to some wonderful women. For example, I dig his wife, Katy Perry, I dig his idolisation of Helen Mirren and after reading his booky wooks, I dig his beloved mum, Barbara and nan.

3. He is brutally honest about himself and other celebrities in his books, even though he admits to some horrible stuff that could make fans turn on him. (See next blog)

4. He made it big from being poor boy out in Grays, Essex, with largely unhappy childhood. He has managed to stay clean and sober after being total alcoholic and crack addict.

5. Wrote and recited a beautiful poem for his nan at her funeral, as published in Booky Wook.

Aussie Workaholics

They say Australians work too hard in relation to the rest of the world. I'd say it's true of these over-achievers and I can think of many more. But on their pay packets it's hard to be too sympathetic...

1. Dannii Minogue - Previously shadow-dwelling Danni has finally been given some opportunities and she's taking every one. Whilst being pregnant and having her first child she has also managed to co-write a book, design her Project D fashion label, judge/mentor on British X-Factor and judge on Australia's Got Talent. The Minogue work ethic has always been an inspiration. No-one can stop Kylie either. Carol and Ron must have been hard task masters.

2. Grant Denyer- As well as travelling around Australia, getting up at the crack of dawn to do the weather every morning on Sunrise, he also hosts The Iron Chef (did that get axed though?), races cars, has a baby on the way and channel 7 whack him in anywhere whenever anyone else needs some time off. They always give him those one-off hosting gigs like Carols in the Domain.

3. Charlie Pickering - He co-hosts The 7pm Project live five nights a week, is a teamster on Talking About your Generation, goes to Afghanistan to investigate and has a new book out. He has even found the time to get his tonsils out this week. Enjoy that compulsory bed-rest!

4. Andrew O'Keefe - Hasn't seemed to have missed an episode of Deal or No Deal in 15 years, plus does Weekend Sunrise live both Saturday and Sunday, puts up with Samantha Armitage and does charity work for the White Ribbon Foundation. I saw him in a live theatre sports show once too. He must have had an idle afternoon to fill.

5. Kyle Sandilands - Love him or hate him, but as a worker you'd rate him. From hosting his radio show ( apparently from a secluded booth in his LA mansion), to hosting/mentoring on Australia's Got Talent and being a producer and scandal maker, it seems Kyle was left with no time left for lovely Tamara.

Television families you don't want to relate to

1. The Bundys - Married With Children

2. The Connors - Roseanne

3. The Munsters - The Munsters

4. Bob's - Bob's Burgers

5. The Beverly Hillbillies- The Beverly Hillbillies

Worst Television Husbands (part 2)

1. Frank Costanza- Seinfeld - too foul to contemplate.

2. Dr Trey McDougall - Sex and the City - from the impotency to changing his mind on having kids, Trey looked perfect on paper but was anything but.

3. Homer Simpson - The Simpsons - as Selma notes at Pattie's wedding to Sideshow Bob, that she's the "only single girl left in the family" - then spots Homer devouring serveral platters of food and concludes, "could be worse."

4. Eric Forrester - The Bold and the Beautiful - still in the picture despite having affairs with Brooke, Lauren Fenmore, Jackie M, Donna and probably countless models around "Forrester Creations" behind Stephanie's back. Plus has bushy grey caterpillar eyebrows.

5. Dr Ross Gellar - Friends -  Ross has every intention of being a good husband. However, he manages to say his ex-girlfriend's name at his wedding to Emily and marries Racheal later drunk in Vegas and lies about having it annulled. As for his first marriage, he should have asked if his wife were gay first.