‘A photograph is a secret about a secret – the more it tells you the less you know’ – Diane Arbus

I’ve been to get ‘me air dun’ tonight – there are two very obliging hairdressers in the town where I work that are open every night until 9pm. I suppose that their stylists (well, the ones I saw) don’t go out until we go to bed so to work ‘til nine isn’t a problem for them.

It occurred to me that there is a huge gap in the style market for women like me. I felt so uncomfortable in there, with the rampant dance music and a bunch of ‘kids’ eyeing themselves up in the mirror as they scurried around looking after customers.

The experience wasn’t all bad – the young chap who cut my hair seemed to know his stuff and seemed to know how to make it work for me. I was pretty pleased with the outcome even though I now feel like a skinhead in relative terms.

While I was in the hairdresser, I was flicking through a magazine – one I thought aptly titled for my own state – Dazed and Confused. Unfortunately although I related to the title very much, I couldn’t relate to much of the content because it was clearly aimed at people half my age (oh GOD – I sound like my mother - sorry Mum!).

But, I saw an article about a photographer called Diane Arbus and the quote at the top of this seemed very apt for my pic of today, which I took much earlier in the day.

The door is clearly very neglected and in need of a good coat of paint. It’s clearly heavy duty so on the outside of something that at least once was precious. It’s obviously made of wood and painted black. But, why is it so neglected? Who has allowed it to decay in this way? Why has it not been opened for ages? What is it guarding? Will it still open? What will happen to a person who dares to enter? Was the paint once shiny not matt? Who lives there?

All of this is for me to know and for you to guess at. It’s a secret. It’s a secret about a secret. Have I got above my station? Probably!

Last year, I took what I regarded at the time as a somewhat lazy pic - you know, dull day, feeling grotty so instead of any real effort, I did what had been in the back of my mind for just such a day and it started a cult! I didn't realise at the time the draw of seeing into someone's private world. I had my friends sending me their pics and a whole raft of pbasers joining in! The year before I was getting the best of both worlds - Cornwall and footie!!!