Recommended Reads

Hello poppets.
It's Wednesday!
It's Wednesday!!
It's Wednesday!!!
Do you know what that means?
It's time for recommended reads!
Yes, poppet, it's that weekly segment where I show a couple of things I've seen online that you might like. That's basically it.
So... Here are my links, I guess:

• This one is cool: Adventures to add to your bucket list! How many of these would YOU actually do? Some look a bit intense.
• Starting a band? Don't have a name? Here is an article on how to name your band.
• Are you a university/college student? Here are ways to survive university/college when you have no money. 
• Another money related one, but this is for my beautiful artists out there. This is an article on how to get a mortgage as a freelance artist. 

Time For A Holiday

I'm starting to think about taking a little holiday somewhere. Next month I want to go back to the town in which I attended university and in November I'm thinking about going abroad somewhere nice. If I do, expect some cool travel articles and reviews. If you have any recommendations for cheap holiday destinations in Europe, let me know in the comments.

I think it's about time I go somewhere nice. Unfortunately I've not been able to book any time off over the summer holiday period. That said, I think I'm going to book some holiday time off after the summer period. By that time, summer holiday rates will have gone down and I'll probably be able to do a cheap week away somewhere sunny. I desperately need to get away.

Are you going away anywhere this summer?
Where?

Recommended Reads

So, once again, it's time for recommended reads.
if you don't know what that is then clearly you're new here, but welcome anyway. Here we essentially share a few things we've spotted around the internet lately and share them with YOU, the reader, in the hopes you'll enjoy them too.
Hey - it beats playing Candy Crush for hours on end...
Here are our picks for the week:

• Here's a nice little article on what writers like to use to write and how they physically write their work. 
• 28 Things Anyone Who Has Ever Worked In A British Pub Will Know.
• Here's a list of brilliant young adult novels that you can appreciate regardless of age.
• As a Scot it pains me a little to share this but here is a collection of internet browser searches about Scotland that will illustrate how people think of Scotland. 

Summer Bag Packing Tips

Are you going on a summer holiday/vacation later this year?
This summer there are going to be many people heading off on their first holiday away without their parents or any supervisors. This is an exciting time but it can also be stressful as you begin to plan things on your own for the first time.

For many there's the panic: Do I have everything I need for this holiday? Have I packed everything that I need?

I thought I'd help out so here is a basic idea of what to pack for your holiday before jetting off. When you're young and new to travel we sometimes end up packing way more than we need so these are just suggestions, you may not need every item. Travelling and packing light will make the trip easier (and maybe even cheaper) so try to balance having enough AND not having too much.




Clothes

• Going somewhere warm? Consider packing beach wear and lots of light clothing with a few thinner cardigans/shawls in case the evenings are cold
• Going somewhere cold? Make sure to bring layers to keep warm - include scarves and hats
• Don't forget underwear and socks. Let me tell you that's a holiday ruiner right there.
• Shoes - try to have a few different sets of shoes to suit your various needs. Maybe you'll want heels for a night out, flip flops for the beach, trainers for hiking etc.

Beach Holiday?

• Make sure to pack towels and swim wear. Also anything you or your family need to swim - goggles, floatation devices
• Sunglasses and consider a sun hat to shade your eyes and face
• Sun cream/sun tan lotion/burn lotion
• Hair ties - if you have long hair, a simple hair tie can keep hair out of your face when you swim and minimise tangles.
• Beach bag to carry your essentials
• A good book

Bathroom items:

• Deodorant
• Toothbrush & toothpaste
• Shampoo
• Face-wash
• Moisturiser
• Conditioner
• Shaving gel/razor
• Insect repellant/insect bite cream
• Body wash
• Perfume/cologne/body spray
• Any of your usual hair care/styling products
• Make up
• Sun tan lotion/burn lotion/heat cooling spray

Other good items?

• A camera to document your trip. 
• Currency for your destination
• Guide book if your destination is new to you
• A phrasebook or a list of good local phrases for the holiday
• Hairbrush 
• Passport - obviously.
  
• Phone and phone charger
• Your travel insurance/travel details.  A good thing to do is create a little folder of all the information that you need for the trip to stay organised. Perhaps even create a schedule of the trip to keep yourself on track.
• Plasters
• Travel adaptors to be able to use and charge your appliances
• A plastic bag or two to put dirty laundry into so you can clean the dirty clothes once you return home
• Paracetamol
• Hair dryer or straighteners

Just think: what do you need every day? What can you afford to leave behind? What troubles could you run into and what could help or prevent them?
Have fun on your travels - stay safe too.

The Great Contiki Challenge!

So as this blog goes up my team and I should be in London registering for the Great Contiki Challenge 2014! It's basically a massive scavenger hunt around the city with plenty of potential prizes and a big party at the end of the day. I'm so excited. I'm hoping it'll be a fun but crazy day.

My team mates and I are participating under the most ridiculous team name. I've no idea why they let us keep it. Expect a full review of the experience and maybe even a vlog. It should be really good.

You can follow the events via the hashtag #TGCC14 - I hope you're rooting for us!

Travel Writing Scholarship

On Friday I'll find out whether or not I was accepted for a travel writing scholarship that I applied to. If I won then I'd have the opportunity to spend almost three weeks in August travelling with all expenses paid and learning about the art of travel writing. It's that form of creative non fiction that I feel I could really get into. I cannot wait to hear who won though I'm sure I've not won. There were probably so many applicants from all over the world so the odds aren't really in my favour. All I can do is hope that they noticed and appreciated my application. I tried to put myself out there with a real sense of enthusiasm and interest in a less popular destination.

If I did get it then that would be an absolute dream. It would be an amazing opportunity.

Keep your fingers crossed for me, guys...

Late Night.

Another late night.
Of course, I'm up writing. I'm up writing an article which, if all goes well, will end up in the local newspaper which would be utterly marvellous. I want to get everything done and out of the way before tomorrow. Tomorrow I'll go to work, do a seven hour shift, meet up with an old school friend for coffee and then embark on an almost six hour journey. It's going to be a very long, tiring day tomorrow so I'm preparing for an insane amount of caffeine but the day after should be fun.

I'm looking forward to stopping off in all my favourite Yorkshire places, my old haunts. I'm looking forward to cheap pints of beer, pizzas in my favourite bar in all the world, maybe walking past our old apartment with my partner and buying books for £2. I've honestly missed Yorkshire so much. I'm not sure if I'll ever live there again but the memories I have are fond.

I still have to pack for tomorrow. I never like packing to go away. I never quite know what I need to pack and I can't say I enjoy it. I always manage to leave something behind. I also want to tidy up a little bit so I have a clean home to return to.

2013 Favourites

Favourite films of 2013:
- The Great Gatsby
- The World's End
- Gravity
- About Time
- The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

Favourite songs of 2013:
- The Fox by Ylvis
- Sinners by Lauren Aquilina
- Thrift Shop by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis ft. Wanz
- Spring Break Anthem by The Lonely Island
- Siren Or The Sea by Carice Van Houten
- Someone Like Me by Ylvis
- Roots by Orla Gartland
- YOU. ME. BED. NOW by Carice Van Houten
- Only Teardrops by Emmelie De Forest
- Bird by Anouk
- The Good Life by Anouk
- kill by iamamiwhoami
- Same Love by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis ft. Mary Lambert
- y by iamamiwhoami

New bands/songs/artists I've discovered and enjoy:
- A Fine Frenzy
- Lauren Aquilina
- Molotov Jukebox
- Carice Van Houten
- Anouk

Favourite Album of 2013:
- See You On The Ice from Carice Van Houten

Favourite Books I've Read in 2013:
- Trumpet by Jackie Kay
- The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
- The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
- Fevre Dream by George R.R Martin
- Does This Baby Make Me Look Straight? by Dan Bucatinsky
- The Book of Human Skin by Michelle Lovric
- Wildthorn by Jane Eagland

Favourite new TV shows:
- Masters of Sex
- Orange Is The New Black
- The Tunnel

Biggest achievements of 2013:
- Landing my first publishing deal
- Becoming a blogger for The Huffington Post
- Graduating from university
- Setting up this blog and getting it to the point where it stands this day.
- Completing my first short anthology of poetry.
- Taking part in NaNoWriMo

Favourite memories of 2013:
- Graduation Day

- DJing for my partner's birthday party. I hadn't done any sort of DJ gigs for so long and it rekindled my love for it. I spent most of the evening indulging in music banter with two other guys with plenty of requests.

- Doing a whirlwind road trip to Whitby with Julia, Vief, Becka and Yuki and making a lot of women jealous when William Control chose to get a little close with me and wrapped his fingers around my neck and sang to me. I mean...how many people can say they've been strangled by a famous singer?

- Getting off my bus and seeing my partner again after weeks of being apart in a long term relationship. In 2014, however, that long term relationship will go back to a normal, close-dwelling kind of relationship.

- I got to see Siouxsie Sioux, one of my all time idols, perform live. I was so close to her. It was truly magical.

- Sharing a birthday party with my good friend Julia. The theme was zombie Disney and people came as zombie versions of Disney characters. I particularly loved Inkley in a rather stunning zombie Cruella Deville costume. It was a fun evening and, near the end of it, Hannah and I found ourselves drunkenly criticising Legolas. That was a fun night. This year I also went to a party at a small mansion where there were tiny dogs walking around in little tuxedo suits. It was adorable - a totally extravagant party, almost Gatsby-like in the sheer grandeur of the night. That was another good moment: seeing dogs dressed up as fancy people.

- Just being able to spend time with my family. Even when my father was in hospital there was this wonderful sense of togetherness. We'd be laughing and poking fun at my Dad about his surgeries and he'd joke right back. This year, and every new year, I become more and more aware of how truly awesome my family is. I'm enjoying just spending time with them. My parents are my dear friends, my sister is now blooming into this really rad young woman. I'm proud to call these people my family. I've also got a really rad partner who, all year, has supported me through the ups and downs, through the stress of university and through moments of great depression and anxiety. I'm very lucky for the people around me.

- Writing and beginning work on completing my B425 List.

- My trip to Kavos with the girls from uni (particularly the last night with Charlie and Claire's birthday outing, but I loved being curled up by the pool with the sun above me and a book in my hand. There was also a particularly memorable moment that involved nudity, roof climbing and a hijacked fishing boat)

- The moment when I found out that I was going to be a published author, seeing my chapbook anthology of short stories had been accepted. Also I don't want to forget that I also submitted an anthology of poetry which made the long-list. The fact that it was even considered and then made the long list must mean it's good enough to seek publication for. I'll make my poetry a big personal project of mine next year.

So that's a rough round up of some of my favourite aspects of 2013. Thank you for letting me share them with you now and through a year of blogging. I'm sure there are things I've forgotten about but I can safely say that this has been a wonderful year and I'm very thankful for all the good that it has brought to me. I hope that 2013 was good to you and that 2014 is even better.

Happiness.

I often try to post a little personal post on Sundays because, although I try to create helpful posts and interesting articles from time to time, this is a personal blog that I started to express and share my feelings. So here I am to express my feelings, the most positive feelings I've felt in some time. I can honestly say that I'm so wonderfully happy about everything going on in my life right now: I'm dating someone wonderful, I have a supportive and loving family, I'm soon to be a published author with the release of my first chapbook, I'm working towards my dreams even further by working on a NaNoWriMo project. I have a rough plan of where my life is going over the next few years. I've experienced some very intense depression over the years which has meant things haven't always been easy. The fact that things have, and still are, falling into place means that I'm filled with a happiness. It's like I've reached self actualisation. I'm utterly content at this stage of my life and I guess I just wanted to share and document that positive flow of emotions here.

I hope you're doing well and that, in time, all your positive dreams come true.

New Zealand: FOTC style.

As I begin to plan my upcoming trip to New Zealand, I can't help but think of the silly posters Murray has of New Zealand in his office from the show Flight of the Conchords:

 

Adventure Buddy Application

Now that I'm starting to plan future trips I found this and wanted to share it with you.
Do you think I can use this to find a Fellowship to take the Ring to Mordor?

Recommended Reads

Another Wednesday means another recommended reads post, so let's keep this short and sweet.

Here are my recommendations for the week:

• Earth At A Glance is a beautiful blog of stunning pictures from around the world. Warning: may fill you with an uncontrollable sense of wanderlust. 
• 300 Seconds - a series of lightning talks by women, for everyone. Be inspired. Learn something new. Meet. Chat. Engage.
• Twitter The Comic
• LGBT Laughs - a tumblr devoted to funny stuff for the queer community.
• A Game of Thrones character is RE-CAST. One actor leaves the role and another is brought in.

Recommended Reads

Wednesdays come, Wednesdays go - but not without recommended reads.
Here are the picks for this week:

• Totally Useless but Awesome Facts
• Amazing Home ideas for any fans of interior design out there.
• I Long To Travel The World - a blog full of stunning travel photos from around the world. Total scenery porn.
• Neil Gaiman @ Tumblr
• Now something a little different - a recipe! Tofu with ramen noodles - a healthy meal where the pictures alone have me drooling...

One More Step Along The World I Go...

Hello, dear readers.I am officially back from my holiday to Corfu. It was a wonderful experience to be able to take time to relax and make memories with my friends. Then I went on to my university graduation ceremony and am now a university graduate with a BA Hons degree. I am a Bachelor of the Arts. That sounds pretty darn awesome to me. Now that I'm back I'll be getting down to work and creating some new posts for you on here and over at The Huffington Post. However I'd like to share an updated list of places where this blog has been read from. I may have missed some in my absence, but this seems to be the most definitive collection of the wonderful places I've been read from. As per usual I'm eternally thankful for my readership and still get excited whenever I pick up views from a new country, especially one I've never been to myself.



Countries that have viewed my blog:

United Kingdom
South Africa
United States
Germany
South Korea
India
Finland
Argentina
Puerto Rico
Bulgaria
Greece
Sweden
Mexico
Turkey
Romania
Serbia
Philippines
Japan
Canada
Netherlands
Spain
Chile
Switzerland
Italy
Ireland
France
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

Travel Tips

So you want to travel?
So do I.
Very soon I'll be jetting off to Kavos in Corfu and upon my return I'll finally be planning my trip to New Zealand that I've been hoping to do for about half of my life now.
These are some basic things to consider for anyone heading off on their first holiday over the summer.

• Try to book your holiday in advance. It's better if you do so not too far from the fly out date, but not at the last minute either. If you're going somewhere new then you want to do a good deal of research on where you're jetting off to before you go. There are also plenty of things to sort out beforehand. 

• Make sure your passport is still valid and if you have to apply for a new passport then do it about a month before travelling unless you need more time on the passport before travelling so as to avoid any holiday rush. Some travel companies want you to have a certain matter of months on the passport before travelling so always check these things. 

• Sort out some decent travel insurance before you go to cover you in case of lost luggage, injury, cancellation fees etc. You can usually find it for a cheap price if you compare insurance rates online in advance. 

• If you're going somewhere in which the native language is different to yours try to brush up on a few basic phrases. Good phrases to learn are things like "How do I get to/find ______", "How much is this", "Please/Thank you" just to get you by. It's only polite to know at least a little bit of the language rather than expecting everyone to accommodate your native tongue. Why not look into some free basic language courses?

• Make sure to change some money into that of the local currency. Go a little over budget just in case. Research where you're going and get a feel for the place and what there is to do there so you can budget for all the things you'll want to do whilst there.

• Consider any location specific needs. Are you going somewhere hot? Then you may want to consider sun tan lotion, light clothing, an empty water bottle to fill whilst away to stay hydrated. Going somewhere cold? Make sure to bring lots of insulating clothing.

• If you've never travelled before, try to do so in a group so that you can plan together and help each other out on your adventures.

Recommended Reads

Don't you know how the game is played, reader?
It's Wednesday.
Here, every Wednesday, I give you stuff to look at, watch and read on the internet.

Obviously this is a scheduled post as I'm off gallivanting around Corfu probably cuddling turtles and swimming lots. There is a slight travel theme in the recommended reads this week to match my current state which I hope you enjoy. Maybe it'll inspire you to go travelling soon or get you looking forward to future holidays. Either way I fully endorse travel because it somehow has this strange ability of putting life into perspective.


Here are my recommendations:

• I Long To Travel The World - this is simply a blog with beautiful pictures from places all over the world that sparks up that feeling of wanderlust inside most of us. This blog makes me want to travel further abroad and explore places I'd never even considered.
• Ever heard of canyoneering? I hadn't, but after seeing this video I'd consider it. It looks pretty fun.
• Cruise Critic - if cruises are your thing, why not read up before booking?
• CrankyFlier.com - for those who travel but are, you know, a bit grumpy about it all.
• Le Fooding - a wonderful French food blog discussing Parisian restaurants and gastronomic experiences in the city.
• Why not click here and go look at booking your own holiday?

Holiday Packing

Are you going on a summer holiday/vacation later this year?
This summer there are going to be many people heading off on their first holiday away without their parents or any supervisors. This is an exciting time but it can also be stressful as you begin to plan things on your own for the first time.

For many there's the panic: Do I have everything I need for this holiday? Have I packed everything that I need?

Here is a basic idea of what to pack for your holiday before jetting off.




Clothes

• Going somewhere warm? Consider packing beach wear and lots of light clothing with a few thinner cardigans/shawls in case the evenings are cold
• Going somewhere cold? Make sure to bring layers to keep warm - include scarves and hats
• Don't forget underwear and socks. Let me tell you that's a holiday ruiner right there.
• Shoes - try to have a few different sets of shoes to suit your various needs. Maybe you'll want heels for a night out, flip flops for the beach, trainers for hiking etc.

Beach Holiday?

• Make sure to pack towels and swim wear. Also anything you or your family need to swim - goggles, floatation devices
• Sunglasses and consider a sun hat to shade your eyes and face
• Sun cream/sun tan lotion/burn lotion
• Hair ties - if you have long hair, a simple hair tie can keep hair out of your face when you swim and minimise tangles.
• Beach bag to carry your essentials
• A good book

Bathroom items:

• Deodorant
• Toothbrush & toothpaste
• Shampoo
• Face-wash
• Moisturiser
• Conditioner
• Shaving gel/razor
• Insect repellant/insect bite cream
• Body wash
• Perfume/cologne/body spray
• Any of your usual hair care/styling products
• Make up
• Sun tan lotion/burn lotion/heat cooling spray

Other good items?

• A camera to document your trip. 
• Currency for your destination
• Guide book if your destination is new to you
• A phrasebook or a list of good local phrases for the holiday
• Hairbrush 
• Passport - obviously.
  
• Phone and phone charger
• Your travel insurance/travel details.  A good thing to do is create a little folder of all the information that you need for the trip to stay organised. Perhaps even create a schedule of the trip to keep yourself on track.
• Plasters
• Travel adaptors to be able to use and charge your appliances
• A plastic bag or two to put dirty laundry into so you can clean the dirty clothes once you return home
• Paracetamol
• Hair dryer or straighteners

Song of the Day: Heartlines by Florence + The Machine

Today, for rather exciting reasons I'm not sure I want to discuss yet, this song is majorly important to me. I'd really appreciate it if you could take a moment in listening to it with me.
Enjoy,

Kavos

I've just been out doing chores in the garden. I came in as big, grumpy rain-clouds began to edge over the sky. Then I remembered next week I'll be in Kavos. 

Kavos is a town in the Greek island of Corfu. Whilst there I'll be soaking up as much sea, sand and sun as possible and taking some time to relax before my graduation ceremony the week after. I'll be heading off with some lovely ladies from university and we shall be letting our hair down to celebrate results and whatever lies ahead for us.

There's a lot to do before I head off. Over the next few days I'll be excited as I begin to pack and consider any last minute information ahead of the trip.

I'm really looking forward to this as it has been years since I went abroad. I remember when I went to Mykonos around 5 years ago. We arrived in the early hours of the morning as the sun was rising and all I wanted to do was get into my bikini and swim in the pool. The poolside was totally empty, reflecting the slight purple hue of the morning sky. Though Kavos is known as a heavy party town I'm hoping to do a lot of reading and relaxing during my visit.