Chit chat with Rachel Christie

28/09/2009

Linford Christie's niece made history when she became the first black woman to win Miss England in July this year. Now the beauty has her sight set on winning gold by competing in the 2012 Games. Krystal caught up with Rachel for a chat.

What's the best chat up line you've heard so far?

The best chat up line I've heard so far is...I haven't ever heard a good chat up line.

What's your advice for a killer hangover?

Drink loads of water and eat lots.

With your busy lifestyle, what does your daily routine involve?

It depends what I have to do on the day. Now it's usually wake up early do an interview and train.

Who's your idol?

Don't think I have an idol but I like Tyra Banks, Kate Moss and of course Naomi Campbell, they're three different characters. In sports I like Usain Bolt, he seems really funny and has a lot of character.

What's your favorite song of all time?

I love any song from Mariah Carey. I think her voice is amazing.

What did your teacher's say about you at school?

God knows what the teachers said about me at school. I think I was a bit of a class clown and I was quite cheeky.

Where's your fave destination?

I don't have a favourite destination at the moment. I need to travel a bit more.

What do you like to eat?

I like all types of food. I love trying new foods from different cultures. My favourite at the moment is Arabic food, but my taste buds vary.

Do you prefer to stay in or go out?

I'm an outdoor person and I'm always active, you wouldn't catch me in front of the TV all day.

What's your most prized possession?

My most prized possession at the moment is my phone and my crown.

What makes you mad?

I get frustrated with people who eat with their mouth open, I think it's disgusting.

If I gave you £500 right now what would you do and why?

If you gave me £500 right now I would use it to pay off my fines.

What three things could you not live without?

I couldn't live without family, mascara and my phone of course...and food.

Real Life: "I was an adult chatline operator"

18/09/2009

Kelly*, 23, was stressed by the ever growing debt she was in. She was working full time, but her salary was not covering the amount she needed so she started looking for a second job. "I needed to make extra cash doing something that would fit around my 9 to 5 job," she tells Krystal. "I didn't want to work in a bar or pub because of the late nights and I had no previous experience. "So I scoured the Internet looking for a job where I could work part-time from home, like stuffing envelopes or data entry. But they all seemed like a scam. Until I came across a job listed as an 'adult chatline operator'." A friend of Kelly's had worked as an adult chatline operator in the past while at university, so after doing her research on the company she applied for the job. "I didn't know I could do it from home. I downloaded the application form and sent it off. Within a week I got a call from them asking when I could do my training." Working as an adult operator meant that Kelly had to do a minimum of 20 hours a week. To fit around her full time job she worked in the evenings, plus a weekend shift. "I will never forget how nervous I was with the first caller. He asked me to do unspeakable things to myself. I felt physically sick. After my first few days I had to question myself, 'do I really need the money that badly?', but I did, so I carried on even though I absolutely hated it."

Kelly also says she was asked to do things that she really didn't want to do. "Amongst the obvious things, callers would also ask me to go to the toilet so they could hear me, which I refused to do, and some even said they would love to, to put it in a better way, excrete in my mouth. Doing the job really did take away any innocence I had left. "I will never forget when one caller said to me, 'if I pay you, will you come and have sex with me?' I said, 'no' and he said, 'why not? You're doing it now'. This made me really think, am I prostituting myself? But I don't think I was because I wasn't physically having sex with all these men, just phone sex and, even then, I wasn't really doing it. I was just moaning and groaning at the right time while watching TV in my pyjamas." Kelly did not tell family and friends that she had a second job as she found it degrading at times. "In the day I was me: a Black, self-respecting woman and in the evening I became a 5 ft 8 brunette called Louise who was up for anything."

Denise Taylor, chartered Occupational Psychologist explains that doing this kind of work can sometimes be hard to put aside. "The work can seep into their every day life and they feel 'dirty' or ashamed by this work. If you can't tell your parents or friends what you are doing it might lead to them thinking that you are being sneaky or untruthful."

Kelly, who did the job for two and a half months, has finally stopped the phone calls after clearing some of her bills. "At this moment in time, I can say that I wouldn't do it again, but who knows what the future holds. Bills don't pay themselves and if I get into a financial slump again, I'll have to raise funds some how." If you are stressed by mounting bills here's some advice from Denise. "Try and cut back on expenditure as much as possible, from less nights out, to perhaps getting a flat mate. The other option is to look for another job.

"People do this from looking in newspapers to see what is advertised or taking a different approach, which is to consider strengths, skills and experience and to approach companies direct telling them what you can do and seeking opportunities.

Jessica Huie: "Do not be afraid to raise the bar. You can do whatever you want."

05/09/2009

Have you ever trapesed around the shops looking for a card for someone special, but can never find it so you resort to buying 'Me To You' cards? Well, Jessica Huie has found the answer.

Colorblind Cards has a range of greeting cards that focus on people of Caribbean, African, Asian and mixed race descent. Realising a gap in the market, and an absolute lack of greeting cards featuring non-Caucasian children and adults, Jessica Huie and her brother, Jethro Huie, launched Colorblind cards.

"I was just looking for a card for my little girl and I realised there was a huge gap in the market," Jessica tells Krystal. "I felt that on a social level, my daughter and all kids should have access to images that they could relate to for their own sense of identity."

Colorblind launched in May 2006 with a range of cards suitable for the whole family. Levi Roots features on some of the designs and all cards cost £1.95.

Having felt the impact of the recession, Colorblind seems to have overcome this and business is picking up again. Jessica said: "I believe in the business so even when things get difficult you have to ride the storm and keep on."

As well as MD of a greeting card company, Jessica has also worked at the pinnacle of the British media with seven years spent under the wing of PR mogul, Max Clifford. She left his company in January this year and now owns her own PR company, JH Public Relations. She is also a columnist for Pride magazine and a mother.

However, juggling all these roles are what makes her life enjoyable. Jessica said that she thrives on what she does because each day is different. "I have always been ambitious and my daughter is my motivation...I enjoy what I do and I am really blessed."

Born and bred in West London, Jessica had her daughter when she was 18 and this made her even more determined to succeed and build a life for herself and her daughter. She is no "quitter".

"Having [my daughter] so young and my family's reaction and society's reaction, it was all a struggle. I started off with absolutely nothing academically, financially and I really just built it all myself."

And that she has. So, does she have any advice for or Krystal readers? "Do not be afraid to raise the bar. You can do whatever you want. In this country we are not as enterprising as our American counterparts, or at least the infrastructure doesn't particularly make for enterprise.

"In America you go to school and they teach you to be an entrepreneur. When here you're taught to think about who you are going to work for...You can create your own destiny and with hard work and research...you can do whatever you want."

by Melissa Allison-Forbes