Friday 31 January 2014

Silver Linings Search: January

So, as promised, here is my first "Silver Linings Search" post for January. A silver linings search is an exercise in positive thinking: the aim is to write down a list of good things that happen to you. Then you can look back on all the good things rather than focusing on the bad.

In creating these posts I hope to remind myself that good things happen throughout the month and we must remember the little things as well as the big things. I hope to inspire you to focus on the good in your day to day life because little good things do happen be it a random act of kindness or a lucky coincidence. In focusing on them we can really push ourselves to feel happy.

So here are some good things that happened to me throughout the month of January:


  • I really began to settle into my new job. I got to know my co-workers and began to slowly become a part of the team. This is kinda nice for me as I'm not usually the best in social situations. In my last two jobs I found it hard to bond with some of my fellow colleagues but here it's much easier. I have also received a lot of positive praise at work which is always nice. My bosses (there are several within the hierarchy) are all so sweet, understanding and supportive unlike those I encountered in previous jobs. My bosses and managers are super supportive. I get loads of perks with my job.
  • I celebrated my sister's birthday with her. We had a day of girly shopping and even I managed to find some clothes. I rarely buy myself new clothing but I found myself two really cute skirts and they were on sale. They each costed the grand total of £3 - awesome! My sister got some really nice pieces too and then we all went out for a lovely dinner.
  • I met two really lovely ladies at work. One had severe arthritis and the other had severe cancer. They were so lovely I almost cried and I don't cry often. I hardly ever cry actually. They were just so nice and so grateful for my help that it warmed my heart. I almost adopted them as grandparents.
  • I got a promotion of sorts at work which will involve a clear interest in arts and culture which I'm pretty excited about. I like taking on new responsibilities and roles in my work.
  •  I also got paid from my new job. Lord, I missed the joys of pay day! My first pay day purchase? Books!
  • I got back into vlogging after a short hiatus. #Oopsy. Earned a few new subscribers too. #Awesome
  • I started singing again. The past few years I've been living in apartment blocks, always too afraid to sing. I felt like a caged bird. I couldn't sing because walls were thin. People would hear and I didn't want to bother them, even in my own shower of my own damn apartment. Now I can sing. I'm warming up my voice and I feel so free.
  • I hit 25,000 page views which is a lovely little milestone to cross.
  • Not long after I hit 26,000.
  • I started my 2014 Reading challenge. I'm going to try and read 30 books this year. To some that may not seem like a lot but university slowly crushed my will to read for fun. I'm now getting back into the swing of reading as a hobby.
  • I bought a ukelele and I'm gonna learn to play it. 
  • I saw loads of great movies. All of them were free to see.
  • I got to spend a lot of time with my lovely partner. We went and saw a lot of movies, we went to the gym together, we had days where we snuggled up and watched movies. It was all rather lovely. Only a few short months and the "long distance" part of our current long distance relationship will be over.
  • I started going to the gym again. I did a lot of swimming and even managed to attend a low impact water aerobics class which was tough but fun. Afterwards my body felt great. I decided to wind down in the sauna which opened my pores and left my face smooth and soft for days after. I'm writing this entry on the 16th and I can say I've lost around half a stone. 
  • I worked on (and submitted) the master edit for my collection of short stories that is set for publication later this year. It was really hard. In fact the night before submission I was awake all night just pouring my energy into working on it and reading it all through one final time. 
  • I was surrounded by family, friends and pets which is always good.
  • I applied for a job as a columnist for an arts magazine publication. It'd be great because I'd finally be paid to write articles. I'd honestly never even considered journalism at all until least year around April/May so I may as well try. I think that broadening your horizons and trying new things will always make life a little more interesting. 
  • My partner surprised me with a few wonderful gifts from a pretty little espresso set since I am, on occasion, drinking coffee again. Some other wonderful gifts were a beautiful old collection of Romantic poetry (but it was the personal inscription inside that I cherish most) and a beautiful bird cage shaped photo frame with a goofy caricature of the two of us inside. I utterly adore it. I never expect gifts. In fact I often feel undeserving. I have a wonderful partner who utterly spoils me sometimes. 
  • Today, on the 17th of January, the bus driver dropped us off at our stop for half the price just to be nice. I have a bad leg so walking is pretty hard after a long work shift. It was a nice gesture, a random act of kindness that made my day.
  • I had days where I just stayed wrapped up in bed, watched movies and took care of myself. I like to have days where I rest and pamper myself. I think it's important to have days of indulgence to ensure we're giving ourselves the best care possible.
  • This month is the first time in a long time where I really realised that I actually enjoy being me. I know now that I'm exactly the kind of person that I want to be. I have spent this month working hard. I've filled my life with ambition and purpose. I am so comfortable and confident in myself and I really think that this is going to be such a great year for me. It's off to a really great start already.
Ok, let's see what February has to offer....

2014 Reading Challenge: How Am I Doing So Far?

So I took it upon myself this year to try and read 30 books within the year and then review them on this blog.
So far I've read Wildthorn by Jane Eagland and It's Kind Of A Funny Story by Ned Vizzini. Admittedly that isn't much. In fact it's hardly a dent in my reading list. I'm going to have to really pick up the pace in February which, with a writing challenge on the cards for this month too, is going to be very difficult. I have several really great books to read so I'm really going to try and get into them over the coming weeks.

Ugh.
Fingers crossed I have time to fit everything into the week.

Song of the Day: Just Hate Me by Pain

"I wish that you could hate me
Then things would be so easy
Just get me off your mind"



p.s If you like Tool then I totally urge you to listen to this.

Thanks.

One thing I've been doing lately is finalising the stuff to do with my short story collection outside of the stories themselves. As a writer I have the chance to put dedications and acknowledgements in my work to thank people who have helped me artistically in some way. Whenever I write a dedication or acknowledgement for my work or elsewhere there's the worry that it'll turn into a full blown Oscars speech. You want to thank people and it's hard not to get emotional. I've thanked my nearest and dearest and those who have helped me along the way but once more I just wanted to pause to thank you, the readers, who support my daily scribblings. It's certainly boosted my confidence along the way.

Thursday 30 January 2014

Quizzle.

Today I have the day off and I'm choosing to chill out for the day and enjoy some time off. In my time off I decided to do another quiz thing. I got this from Zoella's blog. I'm trying to type but my fingers are so darn cold in comparison to the rest of my body which makes writing all of this out slightly harder.



Me... 

Do you have any siblings? 
Yes, I have a sister who I love very much.




How old are you? 

21, going on 22.



What's your height? 

5ft 6 I think?




What's your top/dress size? 
At the moment I'm about a size 14/16. It's tough because I have a large bust which kinda throws off my other measurements. That said I just got a coat that's a size ten.  





Do you have any diet plans/tips? 
I just count calories, eat a pescetarian diet and try to eat lots of foods and meals recommended by nutritionist Kimberly Snyder in her books. It was about 6 months after I started that I found out Tom Hiddleston and I drink the same breakfast smoothie.

Do you workout/How do you stay so slim? 
It's been hard exercising since my knee injury but I swim a lot. I've just taken up low impact aqua aerobics classes. I do a spot of weight lifting at times too. Any movement is good movement. 




Do you have any pets? 

Yes. I have a dog, four cats and a brood of chickens (most of which are rescued ex battery hens)



What do you enjoy doing in your spare time? 

I chill out with friends ad family. I'm a gamer. Sometimes I try to cook. I vlog. I read. I watch movies. I'm a writer too so I spend a good deal of time writing.



Who inspires you? 

My family and my partner, mostly. 



What do you feel is your greatest achievement? 

Earning my first publishing deal and graduation from university. It all happened within a few months and was a truly glorious time for me. To get a publishing deal at such a young age is amazing let alone the fact that it was my first time even sending any work off to a publishers. I suppose I'm very lucky. 



What do you value most in life? 

The people (animals included) who make it worth living.


What is your dream job? 

I'm one of those people who has trouble focusing on one thing. I'd love to be a writer but I'd also love to be a film director and a vlogger and someone who worked with charities and non profit organisations and someone who worked in television and advertising and... Oh God, I don't even know. As long as I can be a writer... anything after that is just grand.



What did you take for your GCSE'S?

Maths, English Literature, English Language, Advanced Science (Double Award), ICT, Geography, Drama, French, Spanish.

Do you make good grades? 
Maths - C
English Literature - A


English Language - A

Advanced Science (Double Award) - 2 B's
ICT - C
Geography - B


Drama - I can't recall if I got an A or a B

French - A*
Spanish - A




What is your ethnicity? 

White, Scottish.



Do you want to get married later on in life? 

Certainly. I wouldn't say it's essential to me as I know it is for some people but based on my current relationship I'd say yes. 



Do you have any phobias? 

Spiders. Flying (I'm not the best person to sit next to on a flight, even if it's short). Heights. 
That said I had to do something at work the other day that my boss was too scared to do because there were loads of spiders and he was scared of them. For some reason I was suddenly able to deal with spiders. 




Have you ever had a near death experience? 
Haven't we all?




Do you get mad easily? 

Hmm.... not really. I can get grumpy about things but I tend to remain chilled out about things. I like to verbally vent my frustrations and then just move on.



Favourite childhood memory? 

Gosh, it's hard to choose. The first thing that came to mind was going to the hospital to meet my little sister for the first time. I'd been an only child for so long and I felt weird but also really good. Being an older sister came with an element of maturity I was comfortably settling into. 


Beauty/Shopping... 


Heels or flats? 
Flats. I'm too clumsy for heels. 




Favourite moisturiser? 

100% Pure/Raw Organic Shea Butter

Where do you buy most of your clothes from? 
Primark

Favourite Shop? 
For what? Or just in general?

Favourite makeup brand? 
MAC.

Favourite drugstore makeup brand? 
Barry M




Favourite nail polish brand? 

Barry M 




What was your first makeup item? 

I remember my grandmother used to give me these cheap, giant make up sets. Nothing was the best quality but I loved playing about with it. It made me feel grown up. Not even sure of the brand.


If you had your own makeup line what would you call it? 
Poet

What are you into the most, if you HAD to choose one..Jewellery, Makeup, Shoes, Clothes? 
Clothes. I like jewellery but I definitely buy more clothes. When it comes to make up I don't buy lots of make up. I stock up on more expensive, good quality items. 

What is your favourite shoe store?
I honestly don't know the last time I bought a pair of shoes so I really cannot answer this question.

At what age did you start wearing makeup? 
Pfft. Probably like... age 10? I don't know. I grew up surrounded by very glamorous women. I just wanted that glamour for myself as well.

Do you wear falsies? If so which brand? 
I rarely do.

Lipgloss or mascara? 
Mascara 

Whats your worst shopping habit? 
I tend to spend a lot of money on bright, bold printed pyjama bottoms rather than actual clothes to wear out of the house. 

Do you have a signature scent? 
I wear the original Christina Aguilera perfume. 

How do you take care of your hair? 
I try not to over wash it so that I don't rob my hair of those healthy natural oils. I also try not to use any heat to dry or style it unless it's a special occasion. I give my hair really long breaks after applying hair dye (which often involves a week or two of really obvious roots) and I use lots of good quality shampoos and conditioners.

Whats the colour of your natural hair? 
Naturally I'm a brunette. Shhh. Don't tell anyone. 

What are your views on plastic surgery? 
Well, if it makes you happy then go for it. Who am I to police your body and what you want to do with it? If it's what you want, then go for it. For some people it gives them a real boost of confidence or fixes a pre-existing problem.

Do you bite your nails? 

Unfortunately so.


Other/Random 



Would you rather grow a beard or go bald? (haha thanks Laura for that one) 
Go bald. I think younger women can really rock the hairless head look. I already have a side of my head shaved. Just look at Amber Rose and how great she looks. I don't think that I could pull off a beard.

If you could know the date you were going to die, would you want to know? 
That I was loved and that the people I loved were going to be OK.

Which five male celebs would be on your "list"? 
  • Nikolaj Coster Waldau
  • Gaspard Ulliel (preferably with his long hair)
  • Jason Momoa
  • Orlando Bloom
  • Lee Pace (but he'd have to wear his Thranduil costume regularly and say "I can wait")
Aaaand my list of ladies:

  • Kate Beckinsale
  • Rhona Mitra
  • Drew Barrymore
  • Liv Tyler
  • Yvonne Strahovski

If you only had 24 hours to live how would you spend it? 
At home with the people that I love. I'm a simple person, really. I just want to be somewhere comfortable surrounded by loved ones.

Do you have a favourite book? 
Ooh. Not sure. I never have an answer to this question. How are you even meant to choose?

Do you watch any american tv, if so what is your favourite? 
Yup. Masters of Sex, Orange Is The New Black, Greys Anatomy, America's Next Top Model...

What is your favourite type of sandwich? 
Subway sandwich: Veggie patties on 6 inch Italian bread with tomatoes, green peppers, sweetcorn, carrots, lettuce, black olives, a butt load of jalapeño peppers and BBQ sauce. Oh baby.

What is your favourite reality TV show? 
Anything that starts with "The Real Housewives Of ______"
I watch The OC, New York and Beverly Hills.
Also I only JUST found out that there's a new season of Here Comes Honey Boo Boo.
I need my trash TV fix.

What wesbite do you visit the most besides youtube, blogger & facebook? 
Twitter

Who is your favourite blogger? 
At the moment I'm really loving Louise Pentland/Sprinkle of Glitter.

Who is your favourite makeup guru? 
Tanya Burr

Do you like photography? 
I do. A New Years Resolution of mine is to get into photography more.

What is your fave style to decorate your bedroom, chic, modern, vintage..etc? 
I suppose I prefer vintage though my room could most generously be called "shabby chic"

It's kinder than saying "a messy shit hole"


Do you like stationary? 

ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?

I HAVE A DEGREE IN ENGLISH LITERATURE 

OF COURSE I LOVE STATIONARY
I DON'T KNOW WHY BUT WE ALL DO.
IT'S LIKE AN UNWRITTEN RULE.


Are you into Ghost hunting? 

Nope

What is your favourite disney film? 
The Hunchback of Notre Dame


Whats your favourite desert? 

Anything chocolatey. 


Do you like swimming? 

I love swimming.


Do you drink juice? 

Yessum


What's your favourite movie? 

Lord of the Rings: Return of the King


Do you eat fries with a fork? 

I don't eat fries. We call them chips. I don't know, I just find them boring and they're kinda stodgy so... just no.


Do you like cookies? 

Of freaking course.


If you could move anywhere, where would it be? 

Venice, Italy. 
It's such a serene place. Even when it rains it's still so beautiful. 


Savoury or sweet? 

Sweet.


If you had to describe yourself as a fruit, what fruit would you be? 
Apple.


Favourite flower? 

I like those white and pink orchids.


Favourite colour? 
Green


Do you drink energy drinks? 
Not since I graduated from university. Ha!


Do you drink coffee? 

I only just started drinking coffee again. Just one cup of black coffee within the day. The rest of the time it's green or white tea.


If you could have a dinner party with 5 celebrities, dead or alive, who would you invite? 
Kurt Cobain, Anne Rice, J.R.R Tolkien, William Shakespeare, George R.R Martin.

I was going to add Peter Jackson but I already invited Tolkien and things might get awkward.


Song of the Day: Ikuinen Virta by Indica

"Mun vuodet vähenee
ne ilmaan ohenee
kuin savu taivaaseen

Mun jälkeeni ei jää
kai mitään kestävää
pois kaikki häviää

Mä hiekkalinnan teen
se vaipuu paikoilleen
ei kestä huomiseen"


NEW LAYOUT!

Well look at this! It would appear that the blog has a snazzy new layout. The new layout is to celebrate my soon to be published collection of short stories. I just thought that the blog had previously been so dank and dark that it needed a reboot. OK, we've only really moved from black to brown but it fits the theme. It's textured like parchment because I'm an author. It features birds because it fits in with the blog title. I think it's gorgeous. I'm still working on it so if there are any problems, glitches or issues then please let me know in the comments section of this blog.
Otherwise...

What do you think?


Who? Where? What?

I'm forever happy to see people all over the world stopping by to read my humble little blog that I started with no major plans for it. Here I am many months later and still raking in views from all over the world.

Here is a list of the countries that have stopped by my blog so far. Thank you for reading and making me feel awesome on a daily basis. Don't forget that you're awesome too:

United Kingdom
Latvia
Guyana

Luxembourg
Guernsey
Bangladesh 

Lithuania
Nigeria

Bahrain
Mauritius
United Arab Emirates
Sri Lanka
Zimbabwe
Pakistan
Macedonia [FYROM]
Singapore
Israel

Colombia
Thailand

Qatar
Nepal

South Africa
Trinidad and Tobago
Georgia
Peru
Moldova

Taiwan
Mongolia
Estonia
Kuwait
Croatia

Slovenia
Saudi Arabia
Portugal

Hungary
Norway
Tunisia
Belarus
Morocco
Poland

United States
Germany
South Korea
Brazil

India
Indonesia
Finland

Argentina
Puerto Rico
Bulgaria
Greece
Cambodia

Sweden
Mexico

Turkey
Romania
Serbia

Philippines
Japan
Canada
Netherlands
Spain
Venezuela
Chile

Switzerland
Italy
Ireland
Egypt
France
Malta
China

Hong Kong (as special administrative region of the People's Republic of China)
Vietnam
Malaysia
Czech Republic
Russia
Ukraine
Australia
New Zealand
Belgium
Denmark
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Argentina

Journalist? Moi?

Tonight I'm currently staying up and working on the final bits for this exciting application for a second job. The job is pretty cool - it's a job working as a columnist for an arts and culture magazine. I'd write an article per week and earn about £100 for that article. I'd be able to officially say that I earned money from writing. It's certainly a nice introduction to earning from writing before the release of my short story collection later this year. I personally really hope that I get this position because, although I hadn't even considered pursuing journalism until last year, it's something that I'm now really excited by.

The application consists of three parts: my CV, a cover letter and sample articles to show them how I write. Hopefully this shall all go well for me as I'd really love the chance to write for this magazine and to have the chance to say that I get paid to write. Keep your fingers crossed for me, guys?

Wednesday 29 January 2014

Finding Mum + Dad: Review + Response

Tonight I sat down to watch Finding Mum and Dad, a show about children waiting to be adopted that was shown on Channel 4 and the parents waiting to adopt children. It was quite an emotional watch. It follows an adoption activity day, the first event of this kind, where potential parents meet children open to adoption in a safe, closed event. It certainly was illuminating in terms of what goes on in the adoption process. If you can watch it online on 4OD then I suggest you do - it's a truly emotive little documentary. I do hope that this show has inspired many people out there to adopt a child. There are so many children around the world in need of homes. Personally I'd love to give birth to at least a child or two and then maybe adopt a child too. It's definitely something I wish more people were open to.
BUT CAN WE TALK ABOUT HOW THE WOMAN WHO PLAYS EMMA ON GREYS ANATOMY, MARGUERITE MOREAU, ALSO PLAYED JESSE IN THE TERRIBLE QUEEN OF THE DAMNED FILM AND I ONLY JUST NOTICED?

Other fans may have probably noticed but I'd been thinking for ages about how she looked familiar. It's just that I only noticed today.

#TFIOS trailer released

It's here! It's here!
The trailer for The Fault In Our Stars has been released.
I've seen it - I got emotional.
I'm really looking forward to this movie as I loved the book.


Recommended Reads

Look guys, it's time for recommended reads!
What is recommended reads?
It's a segment where I post out a few cool things I've seen around the internet lately and in sharing them with you give you some interesting things to look at online rather than scrolling through your Facebook news feed.
So, here are the picks for this week:

I'm a BLURBerring wreck!

Guys, I am so happy I think that I might cry.

I just got to read the blurb for my collection of short stories and it's all starting to feel real. I feel like I'm going to cry happy tears. Sure, it's only a little chapbook but this is such a wonderful first step as an author and I'm so utterly grateful for this experience.

The next stages are getting the final, FINAL copy and looking over the cover. I've had no say in the cover artwork and I'm actually really excited to see how it looks. It's all happening so fast and soon it'll be off to the printers. I'm so happy.

B425 Progress Review

After watching a video of a group of people going 'canyoneering' and abseiling down waterfalls last year I decided to compile a list of things that I want to do before I'm 25. I sat down and I wrote out a list of things I wanted to accomplish over the next few years that I called The B425 list. I've already managed to accomplish a few of the things on the list so I thought I'd show you my progress by crossing out the targets I've completed. 

I totally urge you to write your own list like this. It's similar to a Bucket List but rather than having one great big list of things to do until you die this kind of list has a smaller, set time period and focuses on achieving goals that are relevant to your life in that time. This seems important, as we change and grow, to have aims relevant to our interests. Just as a reminder - these are all for me. If you've got a list of your own or have some cool suggestions, please feel free to comment. 




- Stick with your pescetarian diet (so far I've done this, yeah) and maybe try going vegan for a month just for the experience.

- Make a savings account. Ok, that sounds like a really dull one but in a few weeks I'll be looking for a job and I want to have money to put away for my future that can go towards a deposit on an apartment, paying for a nice holiday, paying off student debt etc. It seems kinda lame, but I feel at this stage it's a sensible thing to do. Even just £10 a week will do the trick, however much I can put in there.

- Stand out in public with a 'Free Hugs' sign for at least an hour just to spread some joy. Maybe do it to raise awareness of/raise money for a charity that helps with mental health.




- Revisit places that made me happy. I want to travel to the islands around my home country, Scotland, and return to some of the places that have brought a sense of inner peace. I want to be the old me that swam in waterfalls, danced til dawn and even skinny dipped in the North Sea. I also want to revisit Venice. I'd return to Venice every year if possible. There's no place ever I've felt more at peace in.

- Finish at least one novel and seek publication for it. Pretty self explanatory but I'd like to be a published writer by 25. Before you say it - yes, I know how tough it will be, but there is no harm in being ambitious. (Ok so I may not have a novel being published but I do have an anthology of short stories on the way so I therefore will be published by the age of 25)

- Try to learn how to make sushi., even just one basic kind.




- Take up a class in something new. Maybe I could do one each year. Maybe I'll finally learn to knit or take up karate. Or both. Knitrate. (Sort of... I mean, I have learned some basic chocolate crafting and learned to make my own bath oils)

- Get back into hiking. Once your leg is healed, try jogging again. (Well, the leg isn't healed but I've tried my best so far)

- Roadtrip. It seems like a dreadfully cliché thing to do but I'm gonna do it... Straight after I learn how to drive and buy a car.





- Act again. I used to be involved with amateur dramatic societies and really enjoyed it. It was relaxing to spend an hour a week playing dress up with your friends and pretending to be someone else. I may also follow in my father's footsteps and attempt to write a pantomime. Maybe I'll direct a play.

- Get in shape. One day I'll probably be acting as an incubator to a human being and that will make my tummy swell to the point I'll have little pink lightning bolt style stretch marks all over. I would like to slim down as much as possible and enjoy a few good bikini years before the whole baby thing. (With this one I've already started losing weight. I've lost about a stone and a half apparently. Very good going.)

- Visit at least one of the following places, at the very least: New Zealand, Australia, USA (preferably for a road trip style holiday), Canada, Spain, Ireland. If you hit more than one, even better. Anything beyond that is just gravy. Also, take more trips/short breaks with friends like Kavos this summer. Find a nice mixture of travelling alone and travelling as part of a group. New Zealand is the most likely at this point in time - but if the changeover is in America, that technically kinda crosses USA off the list for the time being.




- Try your hand at journalism.


- Write some form of fanfiction, just for shits and giggles


- Get a job. Any job. I don't mind what, but I do know that I want to be working as soon as I am done with university. How else am I going to support some of the more expensive entries on this list such as world travel? (Have had two jobs since writing the B425 list. The job I have now is pretty great and comes with perks a plenty.)

- A list I read featuring things to do suggested to write a song and put it out there. I'd like the idea of just recording a couple of songs with friends to contribute to the ever growing monster that is music. I miss singing. I want to get back into singing again, strengthen my voice and my lungs, and record a few songs... maybe even perform them live to an audience.


- Get involved with charity again. Do fundraising or donate each month. Something. In this world it's far too easy to forget these things

- Learn to cook. Ok, I will admit it. My cooking is pretty basic. I've been meaning to try to learn how to cook Chinese cuisine for some time and after university I shall probably try. I'll also look into interesting vegetarian recipes and maybe try to come up with my own. If I write them down I could create a vegetarian cookbook. Ha! Me with a fucking cookbook. It's actually a pretty funny idea. Actually, you know what? I'll try it.

- Try to write a vegetarian cookbook of your own recipes. If no one wants to publish it, which is probably what will happen, start a blog about it. (I've not started the cookbook process but I've begun the research stage and the ideas are rolling along nicely. Expect more news later in 2014)




- Take up some sort of dance class. Come to think of it, future me, you've always been shit at dancing and learning how to move your own body might be good. Ballroom, salsa, whatever.  

- Try to pay off your student debt as soon as possible. Good creddit, yada yada. Weight of debt forever looming until you do, yada yada. You get the point.

- Start writing/filming/creating short films and sketches. These can be for YouTube or to pursue a career in film. Anything! I'd love to direct my own film or TV show that I had written and was therefore there from the point it was created and seeing it through the whole process. (Started YouTube channel, vlogs created and uploaded so I am making some progress.)




- Take up photography. It used to be something that you were so interested in. I'm not saying you have to do a course in it or anything but as long as you can see something pretty, hold a camera and press the right button it could be a nice way to spend your time. (Does iPhone photography count?)

- Buy cheap clothing/accessories and modify them, make them really personal. Like your Bauhaus shirt... but better.

- Read all the books on your "To Read" list. Maybe even do the challenge of setting yourself 50 books to read in a year and get through some of the classics you've neglected, and the books that have been lying around on your shelves for years that you said you'd get around to. (As you know in 2014 I'm doing a reading challenge to ensure I read at least 50 books in a year since university has made me a lazy reader. Watch my progress here on the blog and please feel free to tweet me book recommendations




- Get back into writing poetry, maybe try and get a book of poetry published. Also support current poets and go to more poetry readings.


- Go canoeing.

- Try to learn how to make proper French style macaroons.

- Skinny dip again. Because it's fun and nudity is fun. FUN.





- Go to a gay pride parade or Slut Walk.

- Try to get over your fear of needles and give blood. You're Type O Negative. Not only do you share your blood type name with a band, but it can save a lot of lives.

- See if you can take up taiko drumming. Gotta love taiko drumming. You're shit at instruments but you can probably bang a big drum.




- Take up a sport, even if it's badminton in the back garden.

- Get into weightlifting with Hannah and get physically stronger.

- Take up bellydancing. It's something I've always wanted to do and I've not done any sort of bellydancing since my poor attempt at it on a coach on the way back to Cairo. That reminds me... if I ever get the chance to ride a camel again, I promise I won't scream a second time round. They're wobbly fuckers.




- Maybe try getting involved with the Cambridge Film Festival again. Last time was so much fun and it'd be a great experience.

- Plant a tree. Somewhere, anywhere. Just do it at least once.


- Spend more time with your family and pay for it. Take them out to dinner, do nice things and foot the bill. Lord knows they must have spent a fortune raising you.


- Help your sister revise so she can achieve great results in her exams. I know you were always worried she'd come along and outshine you but you love the little bugger so you really don't mind at this stage if she does.




- Host a themed party. Growing up I was known for throwing big scale themed parties. My Moulin Rouge! themed party was still the topic of conversation when I was leaving the town, about three years after the party itself. I threw three big parties, each having a theme. I'd kinda like to do it again. Maybe not on so grand and house-trashing a scale - that Moulin Rouge! party was great but we were still pulling beer bottles out of bushes years later.

- Get involved with local volunteer work.

- Take up meditation. I tried it in my teens and I probably just wasn't as emotionally mature back then to do it any justice. Even just one or two attempts will allow me to score it off of this bucket list. (I haven't started but I've downloaded some yoga and meditation apps so... that's something.)




- I know I've already discussed cooking, but why not try a cooking challenge? Like in the film Julie & Julia where the protagonist gave herself a year to cook every recipe in the Julia Child cookbook, I'd love to do that. It'd certainly whip me into shape and I could hold dinner parties, maybe get some feedback for my efforts. (I think I've picked out the cookbook that I'll try to work through so watch this space)

- Further explore your family history to better understand your roots.

- Try vlogging.

- Study a language. I've already studied French (A* at GCSE level, and then I took it all the way onto sixth form), Spanish (A at GCSE) and I also did Italian and Japanese (both without exams) and I'd like to either learn and revisit one of these or learn something completely new. Languages were always something I was good at.

- Get a tattoo. Well, this one is optional, but you've always liked them so I figured I'd put it on the list.




- Try yoga. (Like I said, I've downloaded an app. At least that's some positive action towards achieving this)

- Take photos and create beautiful scrapbooks full of memories. We seem to live in an age where having photos is all about putting them up online. Am I the only non-hipster who truly misses old Polaroids? I want to document this ol' life of mine in general, really. Hence vlogging. (Ehh.. I bought a scrapbook?)

- Try taking up art. I used to draw, I tried painting. I mean... why not?


- Go zorbing/zorbballing or whatever it's called.




- Try to climb a mountain - or as high as you can get with your vertigo.

- Get drunk at Disneyland. There. I said it.



So already I can see that I've crossed quite a few off the list since creating it and I'm truthfully rather proud of myself. I personally worried I'd created too long a list when I first sat down to write it but it has proven to be manageable. I'll keep an up to date record of further progress here on the blog and hope to vlog some of the experiences along the way. In the mean time I hope I've persuaded you to create a list of your own.