8.53 am Sitting at my desk, I'm feeling anxious. Been working on a Valentine's campaign for a client most of the week without much success. Trying to place some luxury lingerie in Valentine's Gift Guides but am met with stony silence. Except for the offer of a paid for advertorial. Seek advice and solace from my PR community group and send out an SOS cry for help.
9.10 am At least I can still smell and taste my coffee. While sipping it I scan the news. A headline makes me sit up with a jolt - Seeing Red - sore, itchy eyes can be early coronavirus warning sign. Oh no! Noticed my eyes have been quite red lately. Is that it? Have I caught it? or maybe have just been staring at my screen too long waiting for a positive response from a journalist. Just one, a single one?
10.01 am Careful what you wish for. A reply from an editor pops into my inbox. These are lovely, but sorry, we don't promote sexy items. OMG! Maybe my press release is too racy? Are the images too daring? Tweak it for the nth time. Thought I'd been very careful to strike the right balance, giving it a sexy but tasteful tone. Surely it's appropriate for Valentine's Day?
11.06 am Lost amongst all those frilly knickers, lacy bras and silky pants, I completely forget client A is on shopping channel. Though I see invoice of all products sold on air the same day, I usually watch her and send a congratulatory message after the show.
Not possible today though. Partner works from living room and is in a strictly confidential conference call. Works on a specially encrypted laptop issued by a top governmental department.
That's the nearest I'll ever get to being a Bond girl, I guess.
And he's particularly grumpy today.
11.35 am Some replies to my SOS post start flooding in. Have I not realised no interest in Valentine's this year? that living with your partner 24/7 during lockdown has led to a sexual recession? That unsexy is the new sexy this year?
Plain, no-nonsense, comfort whities are in, while sexy lingerie is so last year! I'm told.
That sounds pants to me but am grateful for the input. It also gives me an idea.
12.30 pm Change press release with a different angle aimed at features editors this time. Our sex life might have taken a nosedive, but give it a boost on Valentine's Day with seductive lingerie, I suggest. Or if single, self-gift these gorgeous undies to make you feel empowered through sex appeal?
Spend most of the afternoon mailing feature desks.
3.02 pm Must give myself a break from knickers and pants and embark on my daily online course of social media marketing. But five minutes into hearing all about SEO, Cost Per Click, backlinks and such like, an email pops into my inbox. At last it's from the fashion editor of a high circulation national paper. Yesss! Can I send some still life cut out images? Immediately email client to ask for these. She doesn't know what they are, so I send her some sample images.
3.40 pm Get a request from editor of an online magazine for free samples to review before inclusion in her Valentines Gift Guide. What? Maybe a silk sleeping mask from the accessories collection? No, the request is for a silk nightdress. Knickers to that!
But desperate times call for desperate measures, so email client with some trepidation. To my surprise she agrees. But no news on the much needed cut out images. No point getting my knickers in a twist just yet, I guess.
5.35 pm. Realise I haven't been out for two days and done no exercise at all. It's now dark and raining. Leave it for tomorrow.
6 pm Time to watch the news. As a news junkie, I've had to rein in my lockdown addiction. Though Mr Grumpy and I are of opposite political persuasion, we usually get on by teasing each other and laughing about our differences. But tonight the news isn't much in alignment with his political leanings. He gets even grumpier. A glass of wine would be so nice! But we're on the 3/4 diet to fight against expanding lockdown waistlines, and today it's one of the fasting days. Only 500 calories allowed. So supper is a meagre affair.
8.35 pm I'd planned to dye my hair as hairdresser's been closed for weeks. But then I remember last time I did that during first lockdown, it had taken me five and a half hours! Then hairstylist charged me double to fix the colour as I'd made such a mess of it.
Leave it for tomorrow. Watch Call My Agent on Netflix instead
11.10 pm Am so hungry that I decide to go to bed early. At least tomorrow I can eat what I like.
Mr. Grumpy has to work late.
11.35 pm Drifting off to sleep. Silky, lacy knickers and bras float in front of my eyes.
Padded bras, balcony bras, bralettes, thongs and pants in ruby red satin, forest green silk.....
Oh yes. And a large plate of yummy spaghetti.
Well, tomorrow is another day..... Or is it?
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