Why was I so afraid to complain to my taxi driver? Too much time spent in Ireland
The kind of promise you know you're going to break as you're speaking it into existence.
Just like you beg St Anthony to help you find a lost earring that just fell to the floor and turned invisible on the way down.
You'll start going back to Mass, you'll always put your shopping trolley back and just generally be a better person if he locates it.
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Only to fall back being a garbage human once the item is in your hot little hand.
This definitely would be the last unnecessary taxi fare handed over when there is perfectly good public transport in Sydney where I live now.
But I had a fresh blow dry, it was raining, I was in full TV suit-and-heels regalia. This was my only way of getting to work on time. I might be losing money on the fare, but I was investing in staying employed.
We got a few hundred metres down the road when suddenly the driver announced he needed to pull over.
I immediately asked if he was okay, did he need medical attention, what could I do to help?
I ran through the possibilities I needed to ready myself to confront.
What if he was having a heart attack? Did I remember anything useful from that first aid course I did 10 years ago other than how to put drunk friends into the recovery position? Should I do CPR chest compressions to the beat of Stayin' Alive or the Another One Bites the Dust? Who even picked these songs with potentially the most insensitive names given the situations requiring CPR?
Were we being pulled over by the police? What if there was actually just a massive spider in the car that just flipped out of the sun visor and into his lap? God, could I actually be any more useless in this situation?
Luckily for both of us, it turned out to be none of these things. He had stopped because he had seen a cafe and wanted to get a coffee.
He'd be back 'in a minute' he told me, his seat belt already unbuckled. His hand on the door. The meter still going.
'Um, sorry, actually would you mind not doing that? It's just that I'm going to be late for work and that's the reason I got a taxi in the first place. Sorry,' I squeaked out, trying to keep my voice as calm but firm as possible. Probably achieving neither. He sighed and put his headphones in.
As we drove on, I flip flopped between feeling like an awful mean weapon who wouldn't let this poor man who was probably driving all morning get a little cup of coffee or that he was just being a chancer, stopping on his paying passenger's dime when they were rushing to work.
Given this was the second time this had happened to me in the last three months with two different drivers, I gave into a quick mental spiral. Do I look like a soft target? Do I give off the sad, sorry vibes of a person who won't mind being inconvenienced?
This hasn't happened to anyone else I know, so clearly I must be giving off the signals of someone whose boundaries are as porous as a J Cloth.
When I told my colleagues what happened, they asked me 'if I went off on one?' (gave out stink to the driver).
'No, I felt guilty for not stopping while stewing in annoyance that he'd even asked. Then I gave him a good rating,' I replied.
They shook their heads in disbelief. The internal debate wouldn't have happened on their watch. They would have set him straight. That's why they're all probably much better at their jobs than me.
'You've spent too long in Ireland,' one wise (Irish) friend advised. 'You're afraid of not being seen as sound, so you go along with things and simply let the resentment harden or you get the guilts.'
Which was probably a) true and b) cheaper than paying a therapist to work that all out. Either way it's saving me money.
I won't be getting a taxi again for a while. I can't risk showing my face to the poor man whose morning coffee I ruined by having to go to work.
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Irish Times
21 hours ago
- Irish Times
Why was I so afraid to complain to my taxi driver? Too much time spent in Ireland
I had just jumped in the taxi, swearing to myself that this would be the last one I would take to work this month. No, this year. The kind of promise you know you're going to break as you're speaking it into existence. Just like you beg St Anthony to help you find a lost earring that just fell to the floor and turned invisible on the way down. You'll start going back to Mass, you'll always put your shopping trolley back and just generally be a better person if he locates it. READ MORE Only to fall back being a garbage human once the item is in your hot little hand. This definitely would be the last unnecessary taxi fare handed over when there is perfectly good public transport in Sydney where I live now. But I had a fresh blow dry, it was raining, I was in full TV suit-and-heels regalia. This was my only way of getting to work on time. I might be losing money on the fare, but I was investing in staying employed. We got a few hundred metres down the road when suddenly the driver announced he needed to pull over. I immediately asked if he was okay, did he need medical attention, what could I do to help? I ran through the possibilities I needed to ready myself to confront. What if he was having a heart attack? Did I remember anything useful from that first aid course I did 10 years ago other than how to put drunk friends into the recovery position? Should I do CPR chest compressions to the beat of Stayin' Alive or the Another One Bites the Dust? Who even picked these songs with potentially the most insensitive names given the situations requiring CPR? Were we being pulled over by the police? What if there was actually just a massive spider in the car that just flipped out of the sun visor and into his lap? God, could I actually be any more useless in this situation? Luckily for both of us, it turned out to be none of these things. He had stopped because he had seen a cafe and wanted to get a coffee. He'd be back 'in a minute' he told me, his seat belt already unbuckled. His hand on the door. The meter still going. 'Um, sorry, actually would you mind not doing that? It's just that I'm going to be late for work and that's the reason I got a taxi in the first place. Sorry,' I squeaked out, trying to keep my voice as calm but firm as possible. Probably achieving neither. He sighed and put his headphones in. As we drove on, I flip flopped between feeling like an awful mean weapon who wouldn't let this poor man who was probably driving all morning get a little cup of coffee or that he was just being a chancer, stopping on his paying passenger's dime when they were rushing to work. Given this was the second time this had happened to me in the last three months with two different drivers, I gave into a quick mental spiral. Do I look like a soft target? Do I give off the sad, sorry vibes of a person who won't mind being inconvenienced? This hasn't happened to anyone else I know, so clearly I must be giving off the signals of someone whose boundaries are as porous as a J Cloth. When I told my colleagues what happened, they asked me 'if I went off on one?' (gave out stink to the driver). 'No, I felt guilty for not stopping while stewing in annoyance that he'd even asked. Then I gave him a good rating,' I replied. They shook their heads in disbelief. The internal debate wouldn't have happened on their watch. They would have set him straight. That's why they're all probably much better at their jobs than me. 'You've spent too long in Ireland,' one wise (Irish) friend advised. 'You're afraid of not being seen as sound, so you go along with things and simply let the resentment harden or you get the guilts.' Which was probably a) true and b) cheaper than paying a therapist to work that all out. Either way it's saving me money. I won't be getting a taxi again for a while. I can't risk showing my face to the poor man whose morning coffee I ruined by having to go to work.
The Irish Sun
4 days ago
- The Irish Sun
Sydney Sweeney's ‘good jeans' advert isn't racist – it sent stocks surging… could it spell end of woke commercials?
LEANING over the hood of a classic car, actress Sydney Sweeney smoulders for the cameras. She turns around, leaving the lens to zoom in on her behind, which looks pert in a comfy-fitting pair of denims. 9 Sydney Sweeney smoulders for the cameras 9 Sydney oozes sex in comfy-fitting pair of denims 9 Sydney's American Eagle ad netted the clothing company $400million in just one day as its stock soared And the voiceover tell us: 'Sydney Sweeney has great jeans', before the beauty drives off and the brand name American Eagle flashes on the screen. Simple? Yes. Game-changing? Absolutely. There is no doubt Gone is the virtue signalling that underscores so much advertising today. READ MORE ON CELEBS Instead, this new campaign is selling exactly what it says on the tin. Woke messaging, and woke backlash, be damned. The results over the past few days since the ads first dropped have been monumental. With just a few saucy clips and some accompanying sexy shots plastered on billboards across the US, the jeans brand has reclaimed its Noughties' selling power. Indeed, just 24 hours after launching the promos, American Eagle's stock price had surged by ten per cent, netting the clothing company $400million in just one day. Most read in Celebrity It had also reminded us — definitively — that sex sells, and 'woke-vertising' is a thing of the past. In other words, woke is officially broke. The brand's chief marketing officer Craig Brommers has called the campaign their own 'Super Bowl' — which they've timed to coincide with the back-to-school period over the next few months. Hollywood bombshell unrecognizable as she transforms into boxer for new movie – can you guess who? Lapping it up He said: 'We really wanted to cut through in culture. It will signify to our audience that this is something different, unique, special and a big moment for us.' Yet even with all its efforts — including a 20-storey high, 3D billboard in As well as the massive spike in stock price, elevating it to a $2billion company, it has also drawn a line in the sand when it comes to woke advertising. Granted, the ad did, unsurprisingly, get backlash from some snowflakes and corners of the internet. According to Taking to social media, she said that praising Sydney, in this context, makes for 'one of the loudest and most obvious racialised dog whistles we've seen and heard in a while'. Focus on genetics Another TikTok user likened the focus on genetics to '1930s Germany'. Despite the vocal complaints, the proof is in the pudding and, as far as After all, this campaign is unabashed and unapologetic in its pursuit, offering us a throwback to 'the good old days' when ads were innuendo-laden, often un-PC and selling sex at all costs. It may not be particularly deep, but it's far more authentic than the performative social, political and cultural lecturing that has been clogging ad campaigns in recent years. Meanwhile, It is a niche the actress has been carving out over the past year, in addition to her soaring acting credits, and it's one that hinges on her undeniable sex appeal. We really wanted to cut through in culture. It will signify to our audience that this is something different, unique, special and a big moment for us Craig Brommers Make no mistake: this isn't a sexual object who is being exploited for the cameras. Sydney is smouldering, proving to consumers that she is in full control. In another clip for the brand, the 27-year-old wriggles on the floor, filming herself with a hand-held camera. Again, she is playfully selling sex and brands — and consumers — are lapping it up. It's what makes her such hot property, enabling her to keep nabbing critically lauded roles, including her Rather than being cheapened by that persona, though, Sydney's success is rocketing and she has a reputed net worth of $40million, plus she is making companies millions. 9 Sydney tinkers under the car bonnet in jeans ad 9 Sydney is smouldering, proving to consumers that she is in full control According to brand expert Nick Ede, the genius is in Sydney's USP. 'She's a modern-day sex symbol,' he tells us. 'I think what's great about her is she owns herself and she owns the way she looks. 'She's a bit like Sabrina Carpenter. They both own their sexuality, and it's up to them what they push and what they don't push.' The genius is, by knowingly owning her sexuality — and cashing in on it — Sydney is empowering herself, and empowering other women, too. She is also putting her money where her mouth is, having struck a deal with Surely that is far more worthy than any woke-tinged ad campaign could ever be? She's a modern-day sex symbol. I think what's great about her is she owns herself and she owns the way she looks Nick Ede As Nick explains, Sydney knows full well what she is doing and she is in on the innuendo. It is something she proved earlier this year, following her tongue-in-cheek partnership with soap brand Dr Squatch, which saw her release a range of soap made of her own bathwater. Again, the messaging was overt, unapologetic, cheeky and displayed Sydney's greatest, ahem, assets, with a knowing wink to the camera — while playfully mocking the 'dirty little boys' who lusted after her. It is also something the actress is well versed in after debuting as the hyper-sexualised character Cassie in Euphoria in 2019. She has since learnt the art of capitalising on her sex appeal — last year wearing a T-shirt with a slogan that read: 'Sorry for having great tits and correct opinions'. And judging by her ad campaigns' continued successes, she is clearly striking a chord with punters who have grown increasingly tired of the 'woke' ads all over social media and TV. In the past year, Sydney has also struck million-dollar deals with Seduce audience The implication is that, with her old-school, sultry branding and her modern self-awareness, she is the ultimate saleswoman. Let's remember, dating back to the It reached its peak in the Eighties and Nineties when — whether you were selling dishwashing liquid, shampoo or chocolate — you were aiming to seduce your audience. Just think of Or who could forget the orgasmic-sounding commercial for 9 Eva Herzigova stopped traffic with her infamous 'Hello Boys' billboard ads for Wonderbra in 1994 9 The sultry Cadbury's Flake ads featured lingering shots of a woman in the bath as she seductively bit down on her chocolate bar 9 Brooke Shields in the 1980 Calvin Klein campaign The suggestive marketing didn't stop there. Indeed, models such as While fellow model And we still blush at the thought of those very sultry ads for Subtle, it was not. As for jeans, they've always sold something a little dirtier than denim. Think of Forty-five years later, the world of advertising is back to where it started, with an added level of playful awareness — but it had to take a few detours along the way. In recent years a plethora of brands embraced the so-called 'woke-vertising' of the moment — a trend where a political or cultural lesson emerges as the centrepiece of a frivolous campaign. 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The Irish Sun
5 days ago
- The Irish Sun
‘So loved already', declares mum-to-be Terrie McEvoy as she prepares to welcome second child with ‘glowing' baby shower
IRISH influencer Terrie McEvoy has shared snaps from her cute baby shower - and it had the most adorable theme. The star and her husband David Fitzpatrick, who she married in in 2019, recently announced they were expecting their second child together. 3 Terrie McEvoy glows in newly shared snap from her baby shower 3 Terrie had a paint and prosecco themed shower 3 Terrie and her husband posed for cute snaps at the party The happy couple are already parents to their three-year-old daughter Sydney . As their due date steadily approaches, the pair decided to throw a baby shower with their nearest and dearest. The beauty guru shared snaps from the wholesome day on her READ MORE IN TERRIE MCEVOY The Irish star captured a photo of a long table full of her closest friends and family all sitting and painting. The ladies looked happy as ever as they all smiled and held up their prosecco glasses. Terrie was a vision on the day as she opted for a stunning stone-coloured maxi dress with a dropped waistline and bardot-styled top. The style queen also had her brunette hair styled in a gorgeous up do. MOST READ IN THE IRISH SUN The mum-to-be was glowing as she posed for pictures with her hubby and their little one. David sweetly put his arm around Terrie while she held her daughter's hand. Katja Mia enjoys trip to France The doting mum also posted a snap of herself snuggling Sydney in their kitchen during the party. Later on, Terrie managed showcased a selection of the group's final paintings - and fans were been left shocked at the artistic skills. Terrie showed off her hidden talent as she managed to paint a squirrel that looked almost lifelike. The Dublin native couldn't help but gush over the magical day spent with her loved ones. SPECIAL DAY She wrote in her caption: "A house filled with love and laughter today for my baby shower! "We count our blessings every single day for the incredible people in our lives! Thank you all so much for making it so special, especially for Sydney and for those who couldn't make it, we love you tooooo! "You are SO loved already baby boy!!" And fans all flocked to the comment section to swoon over the star's special day. Katie wrote: "This is so beautiful!! SHOCKED at your hidden talent." Christina said: "Gorgeous photos Terrie!" Shauna added: "Sorry, since when are you a professional artist?!! WOW!!! And you are gorgeous as always." Chris penned: "Ah, brilliant, congratulations, it looked like a lovely day." And Claire remarked: "Absolutely beautiful Terrie, you're glowing so much."
