Wednesday 29 April 2009

Naked Butlers and Showgirls

Well I am a naught girl aren't I. Not updating this in a number of weeks now.


 

Well all I can say in my defence is "I been busy your honour"


 

Things are moving so quick at Trouble Towers we don't know if we're coming or going sometimes. It's a good job we both have a Blackberry – it beeps when we need to do something so keeps us on our toes.


 

We also had a weekend away in Wales for the passing of my youth. I'm now in the 30 something Bracket – I'm actually 30 but it's a wide bracket so plenty of room to fill.


 

Other good news www.GayCrown.com has now gone live, and will be updated over the next couple of weeks as we get upto more hi-jinks at The Crown in Southport, check out the Gallery to see if your pictured.


 

The weather is lovely today I really should be outside, but as ever the professional, I have been to a Trade Show at Manchester Central…


 

Lots of ideas for new costumes and some ideas for events and the contacts to deal with them all. Met a lovely guy who works as a professional Pap (that's Paparazzi for the uneducated) and he may be attending a number of our events over the next few month's.


 

I also got to have a drink in the Naked Butler Tent – all professional I can assure you, and it gives me an idea for an event that we could run soon too.


 

All details will be published on www.TroubleOnline.co.uk as and when we finalise them so keep checking back


 

On that happy note – I'm going to sign off and do some work.


 

Tra then


 

Whiplash x

Tuesday 28 April 2009

Shock Horror!

Oh dear oh dear oh dear! I've just checked and it's been a week since our blog was last updated! I must be punished, put me over your knee and spank me with an ostrich feather! If that's not your style you can put Ms Whiplash over your knee and spank her with your Dad's slipper, she likes that a lot!

Well what excuse do I have I hear you ask, well quite simply I have been away to a land far far away, a land where men are men and sheep are scared! Yes we took a trip back to the motherland – Wales!

As a result no work has been done on www.troubleonline.co.uk and no work has been done on www.dragqueensuperstore.com either although some work has been done behind the scenes on www.sewwow.co.uk although that site is not live yet, in addition to all that I have started work on another website for one of the venues we regularly appear at…. that will be rolled out soon.

On Thursday last week we collected the feathers on the way to Wales for our new head-dresses, they cost a fortune (almost) but were worth it when we got home on Sunday and put them all in the headdresses – they look amazing, (although are very heavy)!

Whilst in Wales we spent time catching up with old friends, doing some touristy things, and a few other bits and bobs. It was nice to have a change of scenery and get away for a few days, even if not completely relaxing it was a nice break all the same.

This week we have a hectic schedule planned, there are the final finishing touches to do on our costumes for Friday plus a few things we need to do for Saturdays gig too and as usual, there is not enough hours in the day!

On Friday we are at Glitterbomb (www.glitterbomb.co.uk) in Birmingham, it promises to be a fantastic night and is the launch of Birmingham's newest gay night, we cant wait!

As for the bank holiday we're planning a wardrobe review. Basically that means we will be trawling through our costumes evicting those that are past their best or we simply don't like any more. Earmarking costumes for repair or alteration, from sewing sequins back on or turning long gowns into short ones etc and then planning our forthcoming costumes. We have just taken delivery of April's batch and have more or less planned May's batch of costumes but with a few big events coming up we need to plan what we want for those events – this is the fun part of being a drag queen, choosing and designing fabulous gowns – oh the excitement of it all!

Well with all the excitement of our planned wardrobe review my head now hurts, it's swimming with new ideas, colours, hair-do's, shoes, jewellery etc etc…. I think I need a lie down!

Well I'm off to my boudoir for an hour, I'll see you next time.

xXx Bobbie D xXx

Tuesday 21 April 2009

Backache and Hangovers

Well here I am again having a proper whinge. My back is aching like hell today, don't know why, just think it may be poor posture or just a damned uncomfortable chair in the office, either way it's aching!

Woo Hoo newsflash! Those head dresses we were having made, well they weren't ready last Friday when we went to collect them and the costumier has just called to say he's finished them and is on his way to deliver them! Woo Hoo! Cant wait to see the finished article!

Anyways back to hangovers, I never usually suffer with them, but, last weekend I really did make up for it. Whiplash and I met up with some friends on Friday from Wales, we had a few drinks early, (around 6ish) then went home got changed and went out for the evening into Manchester. Well we ended up having a fab night out and eventually went home after the pubs closed at 3am but boy did I pay for it! My hangover not only lasted all day Saturday but all day Sunday too! I have not been that drunk in a long time and don't plan on getting that drunk anytime soon either!

The whole weekend sort of turned in to one big party weekend with us being out on Friday, Whippy's birthday party on Saturday and then Sunday having a a few guest pop in for coffee before they headed home as well as those who had stayed with us at "Trouble Towers! It was lovely to have lots of people about and generally being sociable with our closer friends as usually we're out and about working.

This week is a bit of a mad week, I have 5 days work to cram in to 3 before we jet off to Wales for a long weekend on Thursday, that too will be nice, another sociable weekend catching up with friends and family, we're really looking forward to it now, as a result there will be very little work done on www.troubleonline.co.uk and www.dragqueensuperstore this week but don't fret, I will be back at the grindstone next week!

Well must dash as don't have a lot of time but do have a lot to do.

TTFN

Bobbie Dazzler xxx

Monday 20 April 2009

And I'm back….

Well it's been a few days since I last updated this blog, Bobbie has been keeping you all updated though so not all too bad.

Well since my last update, loads has happened, where to start?

The facebook group for www.DragQueenSuperstore.com is growing daily and we're getting loads of requests coming in for items. We've now photographed the Sequin gowns and they should be on the site within the next few days, They will be going on facebook too.

A big milestone has also happened in my life – well almost

I had the party for my 30th Birthday Party – I'm officially 30 on the 24th April – so any presents you want to send, send them care of Trouble Towers (I'm partial to diamonds!)

There are pictures on the Facebook group of the party, and everyone that attended made a great effort with their costumes so thank you to you all.

Only a quick update today will do some more thinking tomorrow, still a little bit tired from the weekend.

Chat Laters

Whiplash

Wednesday 15 April 2009

Fuzzy Focus

Well here I am again sat at my computer with fuzzy eyes! By fuzzy I mean I am struggling focussing, I don't need glasses etc as I has 6/5 in my eye test, don't know what it means but apparently it means I don't need glasses! I think it's that "too early in the morning to focus" syndrome. I'm now on to my second cuppa so hopefully that'll perk me up a bit.

What I really find odd is that I feel more tired today than on a normal Wednesday and that's after having a 4 day weekend! Yes we did work all weekend but we stopped in bed late in the mornings, maybe I'm just getting old, although I thought older people needed less sleep – in which case it means I must be very young!

I'm trying to think what we actually did on the weekend apart from work, and, to be honest there was very little other than work. We did manage to photograph some of the new gowns for www.DragQueenSuperstore.com they look lovely but al always when photographing sequin the flash flares off the sequin but it's difficult to get enough light to be able to not use flash, still I think we did a decent job of it. They've not been added to the site yet, that'll realistically not get done till the weekend as we have so much on this week that it will be difficult to fit the time in.

We have a trip planned next week to Wales, I'd loke to say purely social but I know already we have an afternoon of "feather purchasing" to do, there's a supplier there of lovely peacock feathers so we will no doubt be buying a load ready for the head dresses we are having made for www.glitterbomb.co.uk which incidentally we will be collecting from the costumier on Friday! Woo hoo! Pics will soon be uploaded to www.troubleonline.co.uk so you too can see how wonderful they look.

Well I think it's time I signed off, the 3rd brew of the day has also now been consumed so it's time to do some work! Until next time.....    

Bobbie D xXx

Monday 13 April 2009

Work Work Work...

Phew! Home now, slippers on and a drink at my side. What a night, it really felt like summer, a great crowd and mad hot! Are gays like tortoise's - they only come out in the warm weather? The Viaduct in Leeds tonight was extremely hot but, as true professionals we worked through it, in the back of our minds thinking... no, not that people are there so we must entertain them but that surely doing a show in a hot bar means we will melt millions of calories off and fit in to smaller costumes!

It's been a busy weekend really. Friday we were at The Crown, not really working though. Saturday we were back at The Crown in Southport, working for real! Well if it could go wrong it did! Whiplash stuffed up the CD for the show so it didn't run to plan, she forgot my props for my numbers so instead of a nice Gentleman's cane I ended up with a mop! Really, it was amusing but not something I'm rushing to repeat, I mean, how much class can a mop have!

Tonight's show was again not without it's problems, for one number I performed the CD stuck and juddered so I sounded like I had turettes! Whiplash was supposed to catch me in a true "Dirty Dancing" styleee for another number but failed miserably!

Overall though it went well, we really enjoyed it and those audience members we spoke to did and those we didn't speak to seemed to enjoy it so all is well.

After 3 days working whilst everyone else is partying you'd think we'd have a day off tomorrow with it being bank holiday wouldn't you? Not a chance – more work for us tomorrow – no rest for the wicked they say, with all this work we must be near pure evil!

Oh, before I go, the glitter bus has had a wash today – the first in months! It looks like a new car!

Wednesday 8 April 2009

There's a change in the air….

The Seasons are changing.

Well hello, it's been a few days since me and Bobbie updated the blog so thought I would find the energy to write something.

We have both been under the weather this week, with Bobbie taking Monday off and me taking Tuesday off. We're both on the mend now slowly, I just think the change of the seasons and the fact we both work in busy offices has made us susceptible to the bug that's going round at the moment – I know my office is like an extension of Boots the Chemist with all the lotions and potions people have on their desks…

It will soon be hay-fever season, which is never good for me either, so will have to start taking the medication now to ensure I'm ok. I must sound a right hypochondriac but I'm not – to be honest I'm not an ill person, neither is bobby, the only problem is when we are ill we're often ill together and get it really bad.

Anyway enough of our problems.

www.DragQueenSuperstore,com is almost ready to go live and items are being added every day so we're doing well with that, I want to launch the site in a really big way but can't think of a way in which to do it. Of course there will be a big enouncement on facebook and on Twitter but I'm trying to think of a much larger scale idea.

Email me if you have any, who knows your big idea could be used for the launch.

Hits on www.TroubleOnline.co.uk are vastly increasing – it just shows that the site now it's been updated is being read – there are more updates to go on so keep checking back.

Behind the scenes our understanding of Google Adwords and web traffic tracking is increasing, and we're studying where all our visitors come from, which in itself is very interesting, when you get visitors from all around the world. It's also interesting to see what web pages the people have come from.

Who knows this could be the start of something big "Trouble Web Marketing Ltd" perhaps…..

This weekend is quite a busy weekend for us. We need to go to Blackpool to collect part of our new costume – Stunning I'm sure. We're also in Southport at The Crown on Saturday Night. And then on Sunday we're over in Leeds at the Viaduct with our show. So Monday will be spent washing, tidying, and recovering from all that.

In-between all this we have loads of other things to do for various other projects, and at some point we have to eat – I have said I will hand in the script this weekend too for Trouble Cooking. It's going to be a few late nights.

Anyway must dash got a meeting to attend – oh joy…


 

Whiplash

Sunday 5 April 2009

Yet another L-o-n-g weekend!

Well bloody knackered today, didn't get to bed till 5ish and then back up 9.30AM!!! Hmmm let alone foundation for covering bags under me eyes I'll need paint! Still I reckon if I accessorised my hand bag with it I could pass for a luggage set! A cunning disguise should I need to step out in public without being recognised.


 

Driving back from Southport last night was almost like a scene from "The Curse of the Were-rabbit"! Driving down the country roads there were rabbits everywhere, a bit like the dodgems really as we swerved all over the place to avoid squashing a rabbit mummy or rabbit daddy under the wheels of the glitter-bus, (surely at 3.30 am the kiddy bunnies would have been tucked up in bed), oh, there's a thought, perhaps they were rabbit hookers and I stumbled upon the rabbit red light district. Hmmm will have to check next week.


 

Today has been hectic and too short a day, not even half of the stuff I needed to do has been done although we have arranged a seamstress for our newest creation which will have it's premiere on bank holiday weekend in May. I don't want to blow my trumpet too much but they will look ace! They may not look the same on us as on the mannequin but I'm moist with an....tic...ip....ation!


 

Well I'm gonna go for now, starting to feel quite ill, sore throat, hope it's not tonsilitus again!


 

TTFN,


 

Bobbie D x

The Girls Interview

Who is the driving force behind Trouble?

Bobbie: Both of us, the reason we work so well together is that we are a team, we each have our own strengths and weaknesses and part of being a successful team is to recognise your own strengths and to allow someone else to help out or take over where you have a weakness.

Whiplash: We just see it as a proper partnership, Bobbie is more creative so designs a lot of our costumes whilst I am more technical so I deal with organising the shows etc also I deal with agents and bookings whilst Bobbie deals with marketing - we really are an all round team.

How do you decide which gigs to do?

Bobbie: That's simple, if one of us doesn't want to do it then we don't do it. We would need to give a good reason but on the whole we work together, as a double act we can't not work together so again it comes down to the partnership and teamwork, yes I know it sounds sickly sweet but that's how it is.

Whiplash: Generally we will both be up for most gigs however Bobbie tends to be more cautious and practical really, she has to drive to and from the gigs so usually has something to say when I book 2 gigs at opposite ends of the country on consecutive nights! Overall though it works.

Who makes your costumes?

Bobbie: Well we make a lot of them ourselves, my mum (Tanja) taught me how to sew so I do ok, I cut corners and don't always quite follow the pattern but we do ok although Mum does help on some.

Whiplash: Well I am only just learning to sew, Bobbie used to make most costumes but now we are busier, we call on Tanja to make more and more for us but she is often busy making wedding dresses etc and also costumes for other "showgirls" she's good to us though and understands our "needs", she will consider most work so drop her a line.

How many costumes do you have?

Bobbie: Oh, well probably more than we would like to admit to as they don't come cheap, needless to say they take up a lot of space. That's with a lot of stuff in boxes and in the attic etc we really should have a sort out.

Whiplash: To be fair we should get rid of some costumes or wear them more, we have so many we have worn once which is a shame when they have cost a lot of money but at the same time it is nice having new outfits.

Where do you get your makeup from?

Bobbie: You name it we try it, we usually get the pro stuff but will try anything from Asda to Versace and cheapo market bargains to Dior, if it looks like a new and different colour then we'll give it a whirl.

Whiplash: She spends more than me, I like to use colours I know and trust and usually end up with Bobbie's dodgy purchases to experiment with, cheap n cheerful that's me as for Bobbie well have you heard, you can't polish a turd!

What are you planning for Trouble next?

Bobbie: Just going with the flow, we'll see what happens

Whiplash : Yeah the TV stuff is looking like a lot of fun and we have a few other projects lined up too so let's just see where it all ends up - maybe world domination or maybe the bingo hall - who knows!

Which one of you is the oldest?

Bobbie: Whiplash!

Whiplash: Hmmm the least said the better!

Our Intro Text

Someone asked for this the other day and I forgot it was on our facebook
site.

It was a cold wet windy night when their paths first crossed, it was a night they would remember for a very long time. It was the evening that Trouble kicked off! Miss Whiplash was working as a chat line hostess entertaining the good gentlemen folk of the British Isles. The shift was quiet and the call numbers were low and Miss Whiplash was onto her 6th Vodka and Coke of
the evening, when all of a sudden out of the blue came a rather random call from Miss Bobbie Dazzler. Miss Dazzler was sat at home watching the X Factor, and had decided to vote for her favourite, after all, every little helps. Being out of credit as usual, she had to borrow a mobile from the Pizza Delivery Boy that had just delivered her 12" Meat Feast. Without thinking she pressed redial and was connected to the Rubber Glove Wearers Fetish Phone Line, and Miss Whiplash.

Miss Whiplash as usual went into her usual patter and listed all her options. Miss Dazzler was both appalled yet intrigued, and struck up conversation with Miss Whiplash. The conversation didn't revolve around gloves but Ms Dazzler mentioned there was a special offer at Tesco rather
than slap me with a wet glove and call me Suzy!

From that phone call came a meeting over Sherry and fig rolls at Ms Dazzlers luxurious apartment overlooking the Manchester Ship Canal. Ideas were tossed to and fro of ways to inject a little laughter, excitement, glamour and sparkle into the miserable and dreary lives of northern folk bringing back good family values and morals it all got a bit much for the pair and sounded
a bit complicated so they decided to scrap that idea and instead looked for a way to fund their vodka habit and give some purpose for their jaunts to the local bars.The name "Trouble" was conceived as just like Ms Dazzler and Whiplash it's the last thing any landlord wants in their venue!

Rehearsals began, for the consumption of large quantities of Vodka because just as day follows night they were sure that within a matter of weeks their fame would be huge and they would be able to retire to a lifetime of lunches and soirees mingling with other celebrities. Well a year on and the list of celebrity telephone numbers in their phones is about as long as... your finger so, the girls are still plugging away spreading joy, happiness, glitter and the occasional bead of sweat to the gentlefolk of Manchester and the north so be sure to check them out sometime
soon!

It's how Miss Dazzler got to meet Miss Whiplash

www.troubleonline.co.uk

It always makes me titter.

W x

Friday 3 April 2009

Whiplash Writes Again……

Well I find myself here again. I have mountains to do but no energy to do it… I finish my day job in 2 hours and it's time to go and unleash Miss Whiplash for another weekend.

Some people ask me how I run through the week 9-5 as little old me and then work around this as Miss Whiplash, I say – "I enjoy it" that's the main thing for me, and I'm sure Bobbie will agree with me. We would definitely give it up when the day came to say we've both had enough and we don't enjoy it any more.

Anyway moving on. We're both looking forward to this weekend. It's going to be hectic but will be fun nevertheless, that and its pay weekend and the sun is out so everywhere will have a buzz about it, which is always nice.

www.Troubleonline.co.uk has a link of all what we're upto for the next couple of weeks.

I had an exciting phone call last night at a pretty late hour but it's all business so it's ok, I have made an agreement with someone who is going to supply a lot of the 'Necessities' to www.DragQueenSuperstore.com so all your Danskin tights, Feather Boa's Dance Shoes etc will soon be added to the site, I also spent a while discussing lace fronted wigs but I'm working on that one…

Anyway it's almost time for me to leave the office and so will sign off until either later this evening or some point over the weekend. You never know I might be like a News at 10 reporter and report live direct to the blog from my Blackberry.

Tra All

Whiplash

Thursday 2 April 2009

Miss Whiplash Media Whore

As I sit here on this lovely sunny day in my City Centre Office I look out on the world and I think – what the hell let's have a cuppa.

All the websites are now coming along very well and the content is being added all the time.

Check out www.troubleonline.co.uk to find out what we're upto over the next couple of months, the diary is filling up quickly. I thought we we're going to be hit hard as entertainers in this 'Credit Crunch' but I'm finding that this is the opposite, venue's are actually booking more acts than usual to try and entice people in, so all good for us entertainers.

Talking of websites, both Bobbie and myself are on a crash course of Web Optimization. We're learning fast how to get our sites ranked up the top of the search engine listings, and our office is piling up with 'How To' guides on Web Profiling, Web Optimization, and how a web SEO becomes the top in their business.

It all sounds very technical, and it is, but it all boils down to a simple thing "If the content of your website is fresh and interesting to others then it will be ranked"

There are of course little things that you can do along the way to help though, and it's these helping hands that I'm learning all about and implementing. I have always fancied studying marketing, and this part of our business has given me the opportunity to look into these areas and use the skills I'm learning – who knows I may go to night school in September and study. Miss Whiplash the Media Whore…

Our facebook following is increasing on a daily basis and we're monitoring we're all our hits come from on the various sites. Our Google advertising campaign is going live in the next few days after weeks of planning.

And you just thought we we're just a pair of drag queens…..

In truth we are just Drag Queens, but we're well marketed, well planned and well publicised Drag Queens…..

I have also been busy today liaising with one of our suppliers in the USA, Stephen. He is currently producing our new jingles that will be appearing all over the place within the next 24 hours, as he says they will be with me no later than 11pm ESB (that's New York Time for those not in the know) so that's 7pm GMT (that's UK time!) Both Bobbie and myself are excited about these Jingles – apparently they are called Drops, and are eager to use them wherever we can.

Another thing this weekend is the rehearsals for Boys in the City a new TV production we're involved in with GTenTelevision It's a mix of Queer as Folk and Sex in the City based in and around Manchester, it promises to be a good watch.

We also have to do the first shoot of Trouble Cooking within the next week or so, so will have to finalise the last bits of script for the opening episode.

All this and performing at the crown on Saturday night (with our new jingles) and a trip to a new warehouse for items for www.DragQueenSuperstore.com and then a wedding Fayre for something we're working on with www.AplusEvents.co.uk

It's all go – I was thinking of asking Mr. Brown and Mr. Obama if they could change the week around, the weekend being the week and the week being the weekend. Now I think this would be a good idea and would be an incredible boos to the economy. More people would have time to go out to clubs and bars more people would go shopping, there would have to be more people in the shops to serve the people so on and so forth… If it's a good idea, just drop Mr Brown an email at Number 10, and tell him I think it's a good idea too.

Anyway I must dash of home, I got an article on Google Adsense to go and ponder over…

Write Soon

Whiplash x

 

Wednesday 1 April 2009

Another day Another Dollar

Well as another day unfolds it gets me thinking about the weekend and what we have in store.

Fast forward a few hours and here I am almost finished in my day job and ready to start working on Trouble

Things in the office today have been hectic, I have been running back and forth between our two offices and to the post office all day – It's lovely and sunny so I don't happen to mind, and besides which the sun brings out the special in people…

I had to drop a package off at another office close to us (very swish office lots of money) and the receptionist didn't see me stood behind the glass door – She didn't see me because she was sat on her chair spinning round and round, she was a little embarrassed when she finally saw me pushing the door entry buzzer – it's days like this I wished I was a courier…

When I finally got back to our office there was another woman stood in front of the automatic slide doors just stood there waiting for them to open. They don't open automatically you have to have a key fob…

Still funny to watch though.

And now am at my desk with a list as long as a long thing to do and one of my team mates has just made a cuppa so all is well.

This evening will mostly be spent completing the draft script for Trouble Cooking our new TV program that we're working on in collaboration with GTenTelevision www.gtentelevision.org if you want to check out further details.

I also have to set up the new Trouble Fax Machine. The Trouble Office has got more technology than you can imagine, and we're all wifi and data compatible with the world (except the Wii I just can't get that to go onto the net for some odd reason….

So there you have it.

I finished my tea break and so back to work.

No doubt I will update later..


 

Whiplash x


 

Poor Abraham Lincoln

They have blinged him up for th G20 summit

The End of another day

Well folks it's the end of another day and again loads has been completed
today.

Work on www.TroubleOnline.co.uk and www.DragQueenSuperstore.com is going
ahead as planned and our presence on the web is growing day on day.

Anyway, I'm off to bed as its going to be a long day tomorrow.

Night Night

Whiplash

xx