Smile and the World Smiles with You

If you were in London this morning, chances are it was a brighter commute than most. This morning's Metro lit up the gloomy depths of London's underground system and put a huge smile on my face. No mean feat when I'm crushed against a large man's armpit on the sweltering Central Line.

The cover was the winning design of Metro's 'Win the Cover' competition. You really can't beat a bit of good old fashioned romance, and seeing this genuine proposal* on the front of thousands of newspapers I felt the prickle of goosebumps that weren't just because of the frosty morning.

Turning the paper over was another treat; Sharon Chai from London had designed a page of 'cut out and keeps' intended to bring a smile to the faces of sleepy commuters.

I particularly loved this example of a real life tube announcement:

"Ladies and Gentlemen. I do apologise for the delay to your service. I know you're all dying to get home, unless, of course, you happen to be married to my ex-wife, in which case you'll want to cross over to westbound and go in the opposite direction."

I burst out laughing so suddenly and loudly that my fellow commuters turned and stared and I had a free seat next to me all the way to Oxford Circus.

There was one slight hitch in Metro's plan, however. This morning's cover put me in such a good mood that I decided not to ruin it by reading the (no doubt miserable) news. My Metro remains unopened. They may have slightly shot themselves in the foot there.

So the paper itself may be lying sadly in my recycling pile, but its jacket is now hanging proudly on my pinboard. Since moving in the pictures on my pin board have multiplied at an extraordinarily fertile rate. A helpless hoarder, I collect postcards, letters, pretty bits and sentimental bobs like a hungry squirrel collects winter rations.

I love that my pinboard is not just a reflection of who I am, but a map of the places I have been and the things I have done.

I may be living in a generic student room, but my wall is all Vogue, colour, photos and cards. My memories and me. :)

*P.S And he said yes

Libby