City Girl

‘City Girl’ is a title given to the women who work in the financial sector, us young ladies who work our butts off in an often sexist work place. ‘City Girl’ was once a badge that I wore with pride. Once upon a time, to say you were a 'City Girl' it meant that you were strong, capable and ready to fight. There is no point lying about it or tip toeing around the subject. To be a female in the financial industry, regardless of the role you play, you need to grow a pair to survive.

But it seems the term is being thrown around like a loose cannon these days and instead of being associated with head strong women, it’s being associated with airheads of the materialistic variety. It really winds me up that females are not taken seriously. Here is the city is a great example of this. This website is one of the most widely read amongst the city folk and yet it publishes articles like this. A City Girl’s Wish List. How is this article remotely related to the market or what’s going on in the world? Why is such dribble like this on a website that everyone reads? Now I’m not saying that it’s all about burning our bras and dressing like frumps. It’s more the fact that this website seems to advertise that women in the city are nothing more than materialistic sex symbols that float around the office to appease the wondering eye. If I read ‘Sexed-up-secretary’ or anything remotely like it one more time, please don’t hold me accountable for my actions.

This article really upset me. I don’t want this label or to be affiliated with it in any way. Yes I like the nice things in life but Friday afternoon treats? WHO DOES THAT? I don’t like the way this 'City Girl' brags about her shopping conquests and puts women who work in other industries down. I don’t own an emerald ring from Tiffany, I don’t know who Les Nereides is, nor do I waste my money on a purse every week. I can tell you what I do have though; I have no debt, no guilt, lovely bi-annual holidays, a trip to Selfridges once every couple of months and to top it all off I have confidence. I know that I will never drop to that level and become the materialistic airhead. I also believe that maybe (just maybe) if I stick to my guns on this one, my brains will pull me through as opposed to a low cut top and 6inch heels. It’s called self respect City Girl, you should give it a try some time.

Lets Talk About Sex

Ever since I was a little girl I have loved to write. I will write about anything from funny stories in my past to political issues and even in-depth rants about sandwiches. I have 2 characters that go on adventures and help me learn. It’s through these 2 that I’ve explored my limits.

Last night I was watching a documentary about Mills and Booms and the authors that have been published by them. The authors of these 50,000 word heart-bleeding books really aren’t as rubbish as people think. The art of writing crap like that is not something that can be taught but rather you’re born with it. You either got it or you don’t. I found out last night, that I don’t.

So as I sat there watching these women going through the motions of writing these stories, it got me thinking. Of all the things I’ve written, I’ve never written a sex scene. It had never even crossed my mind to write a sex scene so as curious as curious can get I grabbed my note book and attempted to write my first sex scene. As soon as I started scribing the words out I realised it was a lot harder than what I thought. How do you, in words, turn a normal sexual moment that is full of emotion and passion into something fluffy and romantic without sounding seedy and purvey? You really have to twist the lines of reality to get a clean and clear point across.

I called out to the boyfriend,“How would you start a sex scene?” After I belted it out at the top of my lungs, I realised I should have probably explained to him what I was doing first before yelling the question loud enough for the neighbours to hear.
“WHAT?!?! I generally get you drunk and then let the good times roll!” He laughed and came into the lounge to find out what I was up too and what I was wearing.
“Oh you’re writing, I thought you were hinting.” He said with disappointment. He sat down next to me and read what I had written. “It’s rather mushy. Not your style at all, where’s the punchy dialogue.”
I looked down at my work. He was right. That Mills and Booms documentary had got into my head and warped my style into something that sounded like a 1960s soft porn peep show scene. I tore out the page and screwed it up. No point in keeping crap! I started again, this time with more sex and less romance. Once I was done I ran into the Boyfriend's study quite proud of myself. He read my work and then started to laugh and squirm rather nervously.
“You certainly have a way with words. Maybe try less porn star and more loving couple. It’s very… umm… raw?”

I can take constructive criticism. And he was rite. Maybe describing how the sheets got twisted around the bed head in a hot and sweaty mess was a bit too graphic. Not one to give up I rewrote it again. This time instead of describing body parts and how they function in a way that Hugh Heffner would appreciate, I described the couple. Rather than going into the noisy details and the what went wear details, I went into the details of how they felt.

I must say it did feel rather uncomfortable writing about 2 characters that have been with me since my teenage years. It felt like I was prying into their life in a way a friend shouldn’t. These 2 characters had never been here before and as weird as it sounds they had no build up. They went from great friends to fuck buddies in a matter of seconds. I somehow felt like I’d tarnished them. Oh well. I suppose they had to loose their virginity at some point but I never thought it would be like this and then for them to go at it 3 times in one night!

I went to bed thinking of sex and all the ways it’s been dissected by words over the years. From innocent fumbles to rampant pornographic scenes of filth, I came to the conclusion that I’m not ready to write about sex yet. I think I might have my characters buy purity rings and have them repent in the next chapter. No one likes a whore.