Mobiles on springs

It's official; spring has sprung in Melbourne. For a start my pollen allergy is rearing its unattractive head, while allegedly the sun actually shone for two hours straight in Victoria's capital; the birds were atwitter and I'm sure somewhere rabbits were hopping about and doing whatever it is rabbits do. But the real proof that winter was drawing to a close was the Motorola Melbourne Spring Fashion Week launch (try saying that after a couple of glasses of champoo) - a call to arms for fashionable types to get their clobber sorted for the season's events, not least the Spring Racing Carnival.
Personally I came away feeling a little embarrassed, having sneezed with the regularity and volume of the Melbourne Town Hall clock throughout proceedings. As the new face of the festival, Jessica Farrell stepped onto the catwalk accompanied by a bevy of juggling white faced mime artists (this year's theme is the partnership of fashion and art) I was convulsing in a corner while trying to suppress the trumpeting issuing from my nose.
That was the least of my worries however; I am now re-thinking my mobile phone choices after Motorola's speaker mounted a convincing argument that these handy bits of technology are for making fashion statements rather than phone calls. Apparently instead of dialling a number I should be wearing one... preferably in brushed gold effect casing adorned with designs based on Nefertiti's lingerie, or something. I feel self conscious about my mobile at the best of times (I am one of those people who studiously ignores theirs when it rings on public transport rather than have people I've never met before hear my plans for the weekend) but now I don't think I'll be able to be seen out with the bloody thing at all, because...well... it's a grey thing that looks like a mobile phone. Am reluctant to part with it though; the morning alarm plays a tune reminiscent of a bunch of pixies playing jazz standards on helium. Fantastic.

:Failure to Launch
While Melbourne's fashion crowd watched Jessica and her fellow models swinging into spring, things were going less smoothly in Sydney, where our dear editor was attempting to get a look in at the Avid Drones collection launch. Having regularly given this high tone event copious space in our humble organ, Ms M was perplexed not to have received an invitation. On informing Avid Drones of this, AD's PR machine swung into action, concocting an ingenious tale about the invitation being 'lost in the post'. A likely story. I understand all ended well, but really have to wonder what some PR departments are there for. Clearly their role does not involve keeping the press informed of AD's activities (even the glitzy fluffy ones). Call me old-fashioned, but I thought that's what PR departments did. Heck let's face it; I am old fashioned, just look at my mobile phone for God's sake.