Tag Archives: women

Love and Facebook

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Heartbroken men take four weeks to change their Facebook status following a break-up – while women do so almost straight away, it has emerged.

The majority of fellas (63 per cent) “prolong the misery” of updating their profile from ‘In a Relationship’ to ‘Single’ for a month or more, while some (eight per cent) fail to do so at all.

If and when they do, only a third admits if they were dumped – and even fewer (15 per cent) reveal the reasons why.

Women, on the other hand, tend to ‘go public’ within a few days, often with a new description and photograph to reflect their “happy single” status.

The study by new dating site ALovingSpace.com was based on a survey of 1,000 unmarried 18-65 year-old male and female members across the UK.

It found that male respondents generally coped with splits far worse than women, and were more likely to bottle-up their emotions and “present a tougher front” to pals.

Almost 20 per cent of female respondents, on the other hand, admitted they had or would change their social media profiles immediately – often in order to hurt or humiliate their ex-partners.

A spokesman for ALovingSpace.com said he was “not surprised” about the results, which appear to overturn the widespread assumption that women are more vulnerable after a break-up.

“On the face of it, men are the tough talkers and the ones who present a tougher front but that is just societal conditioning. Behind the façade they hurt just like women, but because they suppress their emotions it ends up hurting even more,” he said.

“Our research appears to suggest that men are hit the hardest by relationship break-ups and, as a result, prolong the misery of telling the world about it on social media platforms such as Facebook.

“Women, on the other hand, seem to see things in a more positive light, viewing a break-up as an opportunity to move on and find someone who they are more compatible with.”

Earlier this year, disagreements about money was named as one of the biggest causes of relationship breakdowns in the UK.

Figures showed that just under 60 per cent of single people blamed money for the split, compared to 21 per cent for infidelity.

Some 17 per cent said they had fallen out of love, and 15 per cent said work had got in the way of their relationship.

A spokesman for AlovingSpace.com – which adapts ancient and modern wisdom, including psychological astrology, to help members find a partner and become more self-aware – said a “significant proportion” of relationships break down because couples enter into “shallow” partnerships based purely on looks and “compatibility”.

He added: “Don’t get me wrong, compatibility is nice because it provides a measure of comfort. It’s a component we consider carefully when matching our members. However, it really has very little to do with self-awareness and good relating. Lots of people are completely compatible on paper but when it comes to being in a partnership it doesn’t actually help them at all.

“There is no question that relationship breakdowns cause an immense amount of heartache for all involved. The purpose of ALovingSpace.com is to minimise this heartache by making it incredibly simple for people to meet a new partner and giving them the tools to help them better understand themselves and each other.”

Eco Presents For The Ones You Love

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With all the shiny techno toys around, we’re all probably a bit geeky once in a while. But if you have the genuine article on your gift list – someone who’d camp out overnight to get the latest iPhone or who could expound at length on every minor character in the original TV Star Trek – then these snazzy gadgets could bring a teary smile to his – or her – face. Frost got the people from energyrethinking.org to give our readers some gift ideas.

Ten Top Eco Gadget Gifts For Geeks

1. Enviroplug This mobile phone energy saving adaptor fits between the charger and the powerpoint, notices when a phone is fully charged and turns off the useless “vampire drain” of power into the charger. It can save up to 90% of the energy wasted by the charger and about £50 a year.

2. Motion-Activated LED Outdoor Light Very cool, bright solar powered light only switches on when it senses someone about. So the solar charge it has built up all day lasts much longer. And what a surprise to a would be intruder. The five LED bulbs are rated for 30,000 hours.

3.Standby and Remote Starter Kit Leaving devices on standby wastes money, and contributes to carbon emissions. But sometimes, the on off switch at the wall socket is difficult to get to – hidden behind furniture or under beds. Plug in up to 3W worth of devices to this clever standby socket and then turn the power completely off or on by remote control.

4. Ecobutton You’re on the computer and you get an important phone call, or get up to make a cup of tea, or to accept a package for a neighbour. While you’re away from your desk, your computer is still eating up electricity and pumping CO2 into the environment. With this handy USB device, you can put your computer into sleep mode with the touch of a button. And when you wake it up, the Ecobutton software tells you how much money and CO2 you’ve saved, today and to date. Have a look to see how it works:

5. Solar Briefcase It’s called trickle charging. This solar charger looks like a briefcase, but open it up and it’s a generouse sized, two panel solar charger that can produce enough power to top up a car battery while you’re off on holiday, or provide winter maintenance power for a boat or caravan.

6. H2O long life Atomic Clock We love this water powered atomic alarm clock. It runs on water, with perhaps a dash of salt – something to do with electrolytic activity. It displays date, day and temperature, as well as time and is adjusted to the Atomic Radio Signal every day. It’s rated for a refill (a splash from the tap) every two weeks, but some users have reported it still runs perfectly at least a month after filling.

7. H2O Shower Radio The water rushing through your shower powers this H2O radio. And in case you get carried away and take a longer shower than you should, it has a shower timer that fits in line with the showerhead to remind you when enough is enough. And you can still keep singing along because it builds up a charge and continues to run for quite a while. If you want to wait until next year, they’re planning a model that will tell you exactly how much you are spending on your shower.

8. Ventus Spin EcoMedia Player Wind up technology just keeps getting better. Your favorite geeks can listed to all their favourite music, watch dazzling movie clips, tune in to popular FM radio stations, thumb through photo albums, and read text files for up to 45 minutes on the charge from one minute of winding. Plus it will charge a mobile phone. For a longer charge, plug it into a USB computer port for 55 hours of play time.

9. Solar Powered Digital Tyre Pressure Gauge The PowerPlus Pelican Solar Powered Digital Tyre Pressue Gauge helps you maintain correct tyre pressure – essential for safe and fuel efficient driving – even in the dark. It includes a tyre tread depth gauge and a back up battery for a brighter read out at night.

10. Stirling Engine Kit A Stirling engine uses low temperature heat differentials on a volume of gas in an enclosed space. That’s the science part; your Geek will get it. This Stirling Engine kit comes flat packed and it’s almost entirely made of cardboard, except for some laser-cut aluminium and a few PVC ball bearings. It’s fiddly to assemble but will run on a cup of tea or a glass full of melting snow. A really interesting example of engine power without internal combustion.

Eco Christmas Presents for Him http://www.energyrethinking.org/lifestyle-leisure/10-eco-gift-ideas-for-him/ and Her http://www.energyrethinking.org/lifestyle-leisure/10-holiday-eco-gifts-for-her/


10 Green Festive Tips for Christmas

Men as clueless as women when it comes to car maintenance

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Women have always relied on good old dad or their other half to fix their cars, but new research by Unipart Automotive has revealed that four in ten men are as clueless as women when it comes to car maintenance.

The poll revealed that half of women have always avoided garages to resolve any car problems as they felt intimidated because of their lack of car knowledge. A further three quarters felt at risk of getting ripped-off by mechanics who blinded them with jargon.

But research reveals millions of men feel exactly the same and also feel susceptible to being conned as their understanding of cars is so poor.

It emerged that after popping the bonnet millions of men struggle to identify where the screen wash is located, how to check the oil and change a light bulb.

Staggeringly some men couldn’t get that far – as the study found 19 per cent don’t know how to release the bonnet on their car, and this is something my friend with an Infiniti can confirm (Infiniti G37’s are known for their reliability but are very hard to tune when they do break down).

Unipart Automotive, which polled 2000 men and women in conjunction with National Car Care Week, found one in five women could competently change a tyre and three quarters of females could check their oil.

But a third of men who completed the poll also wouldn’t know where their jack was or how to top up the car with water.

They also fail to fathom how to correctly check the tyre pressure, change a wheel and replace windscreen wipers.

It also emerged that one in ten men never bother to get their car serviced or get their vehicle check online and a further 12 per cent only get their car serviced when they can afford to.

Two in five respondents said an MOT and servicing was the same thing.

One in ten men said the first thing they would do if they broke down was to ring their wife, 13 per cent said they would panic and 16 per cent said they would ring their dad for help.

Stuart Sims, general manager, marketing services for Unipart Automotive, says: “These results are worrying as they suggest many drivers are not checking the roadworthiness of their vehicle. The more advanced cars have become the less adept consumers have been at maintaining them.

‘’Modern vehicles are computerised and many motorists don’t tend to tinker with their cars like they did say twenty or thirty years ago.

‘’Having said that, every car has an engine, brakes and tyres so there are plenty of simple checks that need to be carried out to ensure cars are safe and run efficiently.

‘’It’s important both men and women know the basics when it comes to their cars and keep on top of regular servicing and repairs.’’

More than a third of men (36 per cent) and half of women say they never give their car the ‘once over’ claiming they’re too busy, totally inept or the car is new so it doesn’t need it.

Alarmingly 16 per cent of men have driven a car whilst knowing it had bald tyres, compared to only one in ten women.

A third of both sexes regularly drive with no screen wash and one in ten men have even driven their car knowing the brakes were in poor condition.

It’s not surprising then that four in ten men admit to being lazy when it comes to caring for their car.

Although half of men said they were better at dealing with car trouble than women.

It’s no wonder when 20 per cent of women who took part in the study said that they refuse to fill their car up with petrol and insist their other half does it.

Four in ten men that were questioned during the study said they would much rather pay someone to take care of their car than do it themselves.

Tim Ferris, Unipart Car Care Centre Panel chairman says: ‘’It’s alarming that so many motorists, regardless of whether they’re male or female, are not carrying out any checks themselves and combining this with no servicing.

‘’Cars need to be serviced regularly and in accordance with the vehicle manufacturer’s schedule to ensure that the vehicle is running safely.

‘’Car servicing is something that needs to be included in the household budget and should be considered as much of a necessity as paying the gas or electric bills. An independent garage such as a Unipart Car Care Centre can be significantly cheaper than a franchised dealer, saving motorists a considerable amount of money and making an annual service affordable.

“A local, friendly, independent garage that is trustworthy and reliable is really important to instill confidence in the motorist, especially women drivers who have a greater fear of being ripped off than men.

“Another advantage of a good quality independent garage network is that the vehicle’s warranty isn’t invalidated if the motorist doesn’t go back to the franchised dealer from which the car was bought.

Furthermore, Unipart Car Care Centres offer the only nationwide guarantee in the country on both parts plus the labour it takes to fit them.”

The study found that two thirds of women said they had no idea what servicing entailed and so did 52 per cent of men.

TASKS BRITS COULD COMPETENTLY CARRY OUT

Female Male

Release the bonnet 84.33% 81.83%
Find the dipstick 72.71% 73.62%
Check the oil 72.87% 75.24%
Change the oil 15.83% 38.36%
Locate the jack 47.89% 67.03%
Locate the spare wheel 65.55% 68.24%
Change a tyre 21.08% 56.39%
Top up screen wash 68.66% 70.39%
Top up air in tyres 56.25% 67.70%
Recharge your battery 16.31% 44.41%
Topping up with water 57.84% 64.87%
Replace a bulb 17.66% 48.18%
Check your headlights are working 59.90% 64.47%
Replace your windscreen wipers 26.41% 51.01%
Check the engine coolant 22.99% 47.51%
Check your brake fluid levels 17.10% 42.26%
Check your shock absorbers 3.98% 19.92%
Check your brakes 16.15% 29.21%

Recession Delays Women Having Babies

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The recession is having a direct effect on birth rates, with one in four women being forced to delay or reconsider having a baby, according to the 2011 Red National Fertility Report.

The results, published in Red’s October issue out on Tuesday 6th September 2011, shows the effect the recession has had on women trying for a baby – from how much they would be prepared to pay in order to conceive, to postponing motherhood due to redundancy and the rising costs of living. The report surveyed over 2,500 Red Magazine readers aged 30-45.

Key findings include:

· The recession has resulted in a 25% drop in babies tried for, with 10% of women saying the recession had made them postpone trying for a baby, and 15% saying they’d decided not to try at all.

· Baby prices have dropped more than house prices – with the average amount women would be prepared to spend to conceive dropping from £15,000 to £12,000 – a 20% drop in just 12 months. * The average house price is down 2.65% from July 2010 to £163.981 – Halifax House Price Index.

· The percentage of women who would be prepared to spend £50,000 to guarantee them a baby has dropped even more dramatically from 10% to 6% – a 40% drop over the same period.

· Following increased financial pressure on the NHS, when it comes to offering free IVF, 62% of women don’t think it should be available for anyone who wants it – up 17% from 2007 (45%). This suggests that when funds are tight, fewer women perceive having a baby as a right for all.

· Due to lack of IVF on the NHS, 61% have paid for IVF privately, with only one in five getting all their treatment for free.

Sam Baker, Editor-in-chief of Red Magazine, said of the findings: “This report provides an incredible in-depth view on the effect the recession has had on women’s baby plans.
The comparable figures show that the last year has hit women and their families hard, with many having to postpone or reconsider trying for a baby.”

Brigid Moss, Red magazine’s Health Director added: “Fertility treatment can be expensive, and this report shows that fewer people have been able to afford it, while the NHS provision for fertility treatment remains a postcode lottery. The report shows that having problems trying to conceive and treatment is also stressful, too. Both of these factors only add to the stress of someone who’s having problems trying to conceive.”

THE REPORT IN FULL:

MONEY

· The recession has resulted in a 25% drop in babies tried for, with 10% of women saying the recession had made them postpone trying for a baby, and 15% saying they’d decided not to try at all.

· Baby prices have dropped more than house prices – with the average amount women would be prepared to conceive dropping from £15,000 to £12,000 – a 20% drop in just 12 months.

· The number of women prepared to spend over £50,000 to guarantee them a baby has dropped even more dramatically from 10% to 6 % – a 40% drop over the same period.

· Due to lack of IVF on the NHS, 61% have paid for IVF privately, with only one in five getting all their treatment for free.

· A staggering 100% of women surveyed would, or have, cut back on school fees to pay for fertility treatment. 94% of women say they would cut back on all aspects of their lives to pay for fertility treatment if they needed it (includes holidays, eating out, pensions, savings, health insurance, clothes and selling possessions).

· Most women paying for fertility treatment have said that the money came from savings (88%), but 17% received a gift or loan from their family, 13% took on extra work and 13% put fertility costs on their credit card.

· 23% would consider moving / down-grading their house to get free NHS IVF provision to help them conceive.

· 17% of women who need fertility treatment have been prevented because of the costs, and 12% said the recession has directly prevented them from having treatment or more treatment.

GOVERNMENT POLICY / NHS

· Following increased financial pressure on the NHS, when it comes to offering free IVF, 62% of women don’t think it should be available for anyone who wants it – this is up 17% from 2007 (45%). This suggests that when funds are tight, fewer women perceive having a baby as a right for all

· 74% of women believe the government should ensure women are provided with three free cycles of IVF on the NHS.

· 95% think it’s unfair that there are different NHS IVF provisions depending on where you live.

· Nearly 60% believe that women should be given IVF on the NHS even if they have a child with their current partner, rising to 90% if they have a child from a previous relationship.

· BUT 62% don’t think that IVF should be available on the NHS to anyone who wants it.

SUCCESS CONCEIVING

· 23% of the women asked have had problems conceiving.

· For those who have had IVF treatment, 38% have only had it once, and 10% have had it more than five times.

· When it comes to the success of IVF, 45% got pregnant and had a baby, 31% didn’t conceive and 5% conceived naturally.

· 18% would consider going abroad for treatment if provisions were not available at home.

STRESS

· Fertility treatment is more stressful than the recession – 59% found it more stressful than dealing with financial concerns.

· 40% find the process more distressing than the ending of a relationship.

· Three in four (71%) found it more stressful than moving house.

· Nearly two thirds (62%) found fertility treatment more stressful than being made redundant.

· A third of women (36%) said that fertility problems made them depressed with 2% even signing off work due to stress / mental health problems.

· Nearly half of women(47%) said their husbands found it hard to cope when they were not getting pregnant.

EGG FREEZING

· 27% of women have considered freezing their eggs for the future.

WORKING WOMEN TAKE FINANCIAL CONTROL – BUT NEGLECT TO PROTECT THEMSELVES

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o Nearly half (46%) of working women describe themselves as the main earners in their family

o 44% of all working women state they are responsible for making the family financial decisions and over three in five (61%) raise money discussions in the household

o Yet over two million working females have no savings accounts in place

Almost a century after women asserted their right to vote, a new report from protection specialist, Bright Grey reveals another step forward in equality by highlighting that almost half (46%) of working women currently describe themselves as the main earner in their household. But its not all good news as the Women and Protection report* also suggests that women are actually less likely than men to have financial back-up should they suddenly be unable to work.

The ‘Women and Protection’ report – which examines the financial role of women in the household today – reveals that women are not only increasing their earning power but they are also gaining a stronger financial voice in the home. Over three in five (61%) working women state they are the most likely to raise money discussions in the home, compared to a lower 57% of working men who state they would raise them.

When it comes to crunch time, working women are also just as likely to make the financial decisions in their household with nearly half (44%) of all working female surveyed stating they predominately make the financial decisions in their household – compared to just over half (53%) of working men who state they would make them. Almost three in five (59%) of married couples say they consult each other on all financial issues.

Women are the family financial hub – but fail to financially protect themselves
Multi-tasking continues to remain a skill for women – even if they are at work all the time. In fact nearly three quarters of working women (72%) say they pay the bills, compared to two thirds (66%) of working men. A similar figure (71%) of working women in the UK do general day to day household budgeting, such as sorting home insurance compared to just 59% of working men who state they are responsible for this. Half of working women (50%) say they are responsible for longer-term financial decisions such as buying life insurance or organising a will.

Yet despite females bucking the traditional trend of males being the financial decision-makers it appears they are failing to financially protect themselves as over two million** working women (16%) say they do not have a savings account. Meanwhile, over a third of working females (35%) say they do not currently have a pension in place, compared to 30% of working men.

In terms of protection insurance products, over half (53%) of working women admitted that they have no life insurance cover in place, a product that is aimed at protecting their families in the event of their death. Over four in five (84%) working women do not hold income protection products, while a similar number of working women (78%) do not hold either a critical illness policy or private medical insurance (81%).

Roger Edwards, proposition director at Bright Grey said: “As earnings levels even up and the level of financial responsibility in households is more equally divided, women could be putting themselves at risk by not protecting their income – especially if a household is dependent on their salary.

Taking online accounting classes can be a great first step in really understanding financial matters.

“Bright Grey is calling for women to have adequate financial protection in place for themselves and their families. By buying a protection product that pays out if they are unable to work due to a serious illness or disability, women can ensure they protect both their household income and current lifestyle. There are various affordable protection options in the market, and it is critical that women in the UK who are increasingly running their household finances are protected.”

Damien Hirst donates picture for The Warrior Programme Annual Fundraising Dinner. {Art}

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Celebrity support aids the fundraising efforts of the Warrior Programme, the charity dedicated to helping serving and ex-service men and women who have been affected by the psychological trauma of war. Damien Hirst has donated a unique proof print ‘Big Love with Diamond Dust’ to help fund the programme which has helped over 400 people get their lives back on track, since the charity launched in 2007.

Other celebrity support at the dinner includes John Boorman, Film Director and his children Charley Boorman and Katrine Boorman, John Illsley of Dire Straits,and Jeanne Marine, Bob Geldof’s partner, who will sing at the Gala Dinner tomorrow, Tuesday 30th November at the Royal Hospital, Chelsea. Damien Hirst’s wife Maia Norman and his mother will be at the event. Both Jeanne and Bob attended the Gala Dinner in 2009, with other celebrities, which raised £75,000 towards The Warrior Programme’s goal of £1m before 2012. The Prince of Wales has written the Foreword to the event programme.

“Before Warrior I had two choices: one was to live; the other one to die. Now I have a hundred choices.”

Tom, Warrior Programme participant.

Picture credit:
Photographed by Prudence Cuming Associates

© Damien Hirst. All rights reserved, DACS 2010

Where goes the Sisterhood?

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Every Wednesday, for a few weeks now, I have been in pain. Not through an exercise class, but through watching those awful, bitchyl ‘women’ on the Apprentice. It’s excruciating TV at it’s most excruciating. The embarrassment, the disappointment I have in them; it’s actually almost too much to bear. The women I know do not act like this. The vast majority of them anyway.

Which leads me into the million dollar question: Where goes the sisterhood? I am an actor (They don’t like it when you use actress, I really don’t care), I am also a business women, a writer, a daughter, a friend. I do not have an actual sister. I am over expecting women to give me a hand up in my acting career. In business, maybe. In writing, very probably. I have had advice from other female writers. But the acting? No, there is far too few roles. They put so much pressure on us to be young and thin that it feels like we end up hating each other. The patriarchal society wins again – but only because we let it.

Which is a shame, as I think one of the reasons that I have the luck to be a working actor is because of how I relate to other people. I have given advice to a lot of women wanting to be actors. Both younger and older. Some of them do not even know what Spotlight is. For the non theatrical amongst you, Spotlight is an online directory of actors. Most castings come through it. If you are an actor who is not on Spotlight, success is about nil.

I can’t say I have felt the same back. I mostly feel that the more successful I become, the more other women hate me. Not just jealousy, I hate jealousy but it’s forgivable- No, actual hate. They hate me for being younger than them, thinner or for having a better agent. I did a bit part in a very popular show recently and one of the main actors, a female, incredibly famous, some might say an institution, was so horrendous to me I questioned my life choices. Why spend your life on a film set with assholes? I could be travelling around America, doing aid work, writing a book. But, no, I am having lunch when a millionaire, far more powerful than me, who is trying to get me to move from the seat I am on because she wants to sit there, and then huffs off with her cronies when I refuse. It’s Mean Girls – with middle aged women.

Then there is the younger women, or the ones my age. I went an audition only to see a (now ex) friend. It was the third or fourth time I had seen her at an audition in a few months. She looked horrified as I walked in the door. Loudly exclaimed: ‘Oh, YOU’RE here. You’re at EVERYTHING. ‘ and then stalked off. She then preceded to bitch about me to every other women there. I had no idea what she was saying, but none of them would talk to me. There is a bitter sweet end: I got the part.

All of this reminded of me of a quote that I recently read: ‘With men it’s their enemies that tear them apart, with women it’s their friends.’ It’s depressing because it is largely true. I have a young playing age. I still get cast as teenagers. And nothing is more cruel than a teenage girl. Except maybe an ageing actress.

I was recently told on a film set that: ‘You will not be beautiful forever, you will lose your beauty, everything will leave you, you will have nothing left. You will become just like me.’ by a mad foreign actor. I doubt I will end up like you love, as I am not bitter and full of hate. Thanks anyway.

This is not to bring all women down. I got my start in writing through females. I have had advice and friendship. I have an amazing circle of female friends. But it took until my 20’s for that to happen. And sometimes I learn the worst of them. I grow up amongst men. The women I tend to not get along with are sensitive. The male ego is more fragile, but sometimes it seems that you can’t say anything to a women without her taking it the wrong way. All my female friends are laid back, down to earth, genuine people. I love them dearly. My life would be grey without them. I am aware of my luck.

So what do the women of The Apprentice have to learn? That they are holding themselves back. Melissa Cohen blamed the two men on the boardroom who were ‘picking on her’ for her swift exit. Her lack of self awareness was astounding. She was fired because she deserved to be. Unless women stop fighting with each other, stop being competitive and bringing each other down, this will always be a man’s world. Because, after all, should we really be fighting against sexism and each other?

Catherine Balavage

Actor Interviews: Leoni Kibbey

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Frost: How did you get into acting?

Leoni: I was blessed with creative, ambitious, intelligent parents and three siblings. As a family we loved to play games (card games/board games/puzzles/outdoor games/rounders). I guess acting is just an extension of my love of ‘playing’. My Mum is a jazz singer.  We lived for a while in the Lake District and used to watch her at Sunday lunchtime jazz shows, I was in awe. I was a bit of  a shy introverted child, Mum was a bit concerned until she came to see me sing in school and said I came alive. My first taste of theatre was in a local production of The Sound of Music at the age of 7 – playing Gretl, my audition was the speech at the end of Michael Jackson’s thriller “darkness falls across the land etc..” think they thought it was weird but cute. I adored the process then, the buzz of being backstage and being given the responsibility of learning lines. I wasn’t a ‘starlet’, even at a young age I took my work seriously as well as of course having a massive load of fun behind the scenes (Nothing changed there). I was always involved in local theatre groups growing up and after A-levels went to Mountview Theatre School. That was 12 years ago now. Tempus Fugit.

Frost: How do you manage to juggle a successful acting career with being a successful casting director?

Leoni: Let’s just say life is intense.  I work a LOT.. I like to be busy and I think my careers compliment each other and give me a good insight into the industry. I am a creative person as well as a business woman. In terms of how I mentally and physically manage it. The pressure can get to me, especially whilst trying to be the best Mum to my daughters. I do sometimes feel like I am working three full time jobs and have to keep a check on my physical and mental health and listen to when my body needs to rest. I try to squeeze in some exercise into my schedule and I take time out doing things I love & seeing people I love. Some people say there may come a point that I will have to choose between my careers but in the words of my Mother “Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t do something” .. and right now both careers are working for me. The casting helps me provide a good life for me and my girls and any acting roles I take are a total bonus.

Frost: What do you love about your job?

Leoni: I am my own boss and can be in control of my own career and time. I get to be creative. I meet loads of lovely people. Every day is different. One of the directors I work with always brings a huge bag of Skittles to meetings…

Frost: Do you have any advice for actors?

Leoni: Never get bitter, particularly about your agent. Be proactive, be positive. Work very very very hard. Get a showreel. If you stop enjoying it then don’t do it.  Do email me but as I get hundreds of emails a week from actors I can’t usually reply but I do look at all emails.  Sounds cheesy but be true to yourself. Networking is great but don’t force things – best to be friendly than to seem desperate. You get out what you put back in. Always go with your gut instinct. Don’t get cosmetic surgery. Floss. Use Sunscreen.

Frost: Who is your inspiration?

Leoni: My Daughters, Mum, Sisters, Brother, Dad, Edith Piaf, Annie Lennox, Kathy Burke, Judi Dench, Lady Gaga (random selection of cool people) and all my closest friends and colleagues.

Frost: What’s next?

Leoni: I’m constantly asking myself that. I’ve been offered a nice acting role in the feature Jack The Ripper, Whitechapel 1888 playing Mrs Swanson, the lead detectives wife.  I’ve co-written a short film which I am trying to pull some funding together for. I’ve just booked myself a session to record a new voice reel, and I am casting commercials, a Channel4 shoot and several feature films at various stages of development . The most recent film  I have taken on is a feature adaptation of an award winning novel and I’m tying up casting for Sure Fire Hit, the British Action Movie with Chris Noth (Mr Big from Sex & The City). However I’ve just realised I’m taking my daughters on a much needed holiday to Disneyland Paris during the premiere of SATC2 so won’t be attending that!

Frost:Is it harder for women?

Leoni: YES. Mainly due to statistics of there being more women acting. But I don’t think about it because you can make up a thousand excuses for why your career isn’t going the way you want it to go.

Frost: What does your average day consist of?

Leoni: Wake up, give kids my full attention, get them ready for school, school run, pop to a morning exercise class, back to the office at home – calls, emails. Sending out offers, chasing agents. A client may call with a new breakdown for a commercial or stills shoot, or perhaps to discuss a new feature.  Send out the breakdown, Stick a load of washing in the machine, cuppa, snack, tidy myself up and dash into London for meetings, reading a script/answering emails on the blackberry while on the way to London,  meetings..  maybe a quick commercial casting as an actress, sometimes I’m back in time to collect the kids at 4pm and then take my business calls/send emails while making their tea..homework and then kids bath and bed – stories.. my favourite time of day when we relax and I get to read their favourite books like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, back to the computer to review suggestions for my breakdown the calls to the US to chase offers on feature films, update my acting CV,  watch Glee, print off my short film script and make some edits, have a chat to some friends online/phone. (Or often I stay in London for showcases, screenings or networking events) .. plan the next day, play a bit of the latest Professor Layton on the DS or read a bit of my book and then crash.

Frost: Did having children affect your career in any way?

Leoni: Yes. In a very positive way. They gave me back my focus.