The Weekly Wrap Up After The One That Wasn't | Finally Friday

Yes I can hear your cries of 'what about week 4' from here, let's just say it ran away with my ability to stay awake for more that five minutes, and took with it any enthusiasm I might have once been able to muster for learning shorthand. Last week was my first week on the NCTJ course, and the last week's posts probably have already informed you that it took a lot more out of me than I thought it would. I was shattered, more tired than I ever thought I'd be and I actually started this week with the worst cold I've had in ages. It has taught me, however, how to fully appreciate a good cuppa.

According to the pictures above the week has largely focused on food, which would be true. In the morning I'm working towards lunch, in the afternoon I'm working towards a biscuit with me tea and after that I'm working towards dinner. Even when I'm sleeping I'm sleeping towards breakfast. However, I no longer underestimate the power of a Belvita breakfast with a cup of tea at 10am. Definitely something to keep the power light on, at least until lunch time. Mini eggs have arrived back on the shelves, much to my delight. Not being able to get them throughout the year is a serious concern of mine, worrying about when they'll be gone again definitely take up too much of my mind. I've already been stocking up, but the two pictures above are slowly being devoured as I write this and try to revise five units of shorthand.

Shorthand has become a love hate scenario, the marmite of a journalists world shall we say. Words that are stripped to their skeleton and  that are perfectly logical, but still why? It's definitely quicker to write it, if you can keep up with what's being said to you and aren't trying to work out which way an a indicator connects to an n without it looking like a deformed sausage. If you don't get it I wouldn't worry, I'm studying it and I don't get the simile either. It probably doesn't really work but I'm going with it.

Media Law happened for a whole day on Monday. Yes a whole day. Despite feeling like my head was going to fall off (due to serious headache due to flu) it was a reasonable day that went by relatively quickly. The lecturer made the mistake off putting on a video through which, in my ill and over medicated state, I nodded off just a touch. I learned a lot though and despite a few jargonny terms that I was little unsure about, understood it all. I can see I'm going to find it interesting though it's going to be the one with a lot of revision I feel.

I had a little go and doing some simple illustrations for future blog posts over the weekend. (Keep your eye out for the one above in a later post, I bet you can't guess which one?) I'm addicted to pinterest and the typography/illustration sections is one of my favourites so I thought I'd have a go. It was fun, and I'll try it every now and again for a few posts but it's quite time consuming, something that I haven't got a lot of at the moment. I enjoyed it though so maybe some more self-illustrated blog posts to come.

On Wednesday I received a little package in the post. At first I thought I had a stalker, then I recognised my mum's hand writing. First thing you should know about Brighton, when it's cold it's freezing, when it's warm it's boiling. At the moment it's freezing and beyond. I get cold hands anyway, as standard, but I forgot my gloves and blue fingers at the bus stop were becoming my trade mark. So Wednesday I came home to a package from my mum containing my gloves. What a cutie. No more trade mark blue fingers, instead I'm going for girl who can't walk on bus while moving.

So that was my week, a pretty busy one. I'm looking forward to a pretty relaxed weekend, though that's unlikely when shorthand is on the menu. Hopefully I'll be seeing Jack's mum for a coffee and  a catch up and possibly going to the rugby on Sunday if the rain holds off and the ground dries a bit.

Hope you all have a good weekend. I'll be back to do it all again on Monday.

Quick & Easy Everyday Makeup | Thursday Talks

This probably seems a bit out of place to a lot of you as this sort of thing doesn't really fit with the rest of my blog posts. However, anyone who knows me knows that I have a whole cabinet of drawers in my room full of makeup and skincare products, and spend far too many nights, reaching ridiculous hours of the morning, reading beauty blogs and watching beauty YouTube videos. Through all this reading and watching I've picked up a few little tips, though I am by no means an expert, and also found a way of doing make up so that I like the way it looks but also so it doesn't take half an hour in the morning. I spend no more than 15 minutes doing my make up on an average day, particularly at the moment when I have to get up early enough to catch a bus and will not let my make up routine be the reason I get up any earlier.

All the products I use are drugstore products, with make up I haven't found anything in high end brands (apart from the YSL Touche Eclat and Nars Sheer Glow Foundation) that I haven't been able to find good equivalents of in the drugstore. I am a firm believer, however, that when it comes to skincare a couple of high end products can go along way, though my views are changing slightly. You'll never take my Clinique Cleansing Facial Wash from me, no matter what.

My base is very simple. I haven't got time for powders or primers in the morning so I just use a foundation and concealer. As of late, my foundation of choice as been the Revlon Nearly Naked in Vanilla. However, it's sadly come to it's life's end and in a bid not to buy any more foundation until I've used up my stash I'm now using L'Oreal's Visible Lift. Out of the two I definitely prefer the Revlon, it's got a much more sheer finish and doesn't feel too heavy on my skin, which the L'Oreal tends too if I'm not being careful. Once I've used up my stocks I'll definitely be repurchasing the Nearly Naked foundation. On the concealer front, I use an all time beauty blogger favourite. The Collection Lasting Perfection concealer. For £4.19 it's a steal. It has great coverage without looking cakey. It's more of a blemish covering concealer than an undereye, but for everyday quickness it does the job of both just fine. Just be careful not to overdo it under the eyes. However, if you have time to use two different concealers in the morning (I envy you) then purchasing the Bourjois Healthy Mix concealer will be a good investment. I apply all of my base with a Real Techniques Buffing Brush and actually do my concealer largely with my finger.

I don't tend to colour my eyebrows everyday but if I'm going to I only use a Rimmel eyebrow pencil in Hazel after brushing them through with my Eco-Tools brow brush. On my cheeks I use the Body Shop Baked to Last bronzer in the shade warm glow and I apply it wit the Real Techniques Powder Brush. This bronzer is great for paler skin tones. It's not a flat bronzer, so you can't really contour it but the muted bronze shimmer and multi-tonal aspects of it means it blends in easily giving you healthy glow without looking like you've just left the set of Geordie Shore.

My eye make up is super simple for everyday. I change it up occasionally, sometimes I use brown liner, sometimes a cat eye, sometimes neutral eyeshadows but on the whole I opt for a muted purple with a brown line on my upper and lower lash line. Purple is really great for people with green eyes, it really makes them pop. I use a berry toned purple from my Virgin Vie Blooming Beauties Pallette (no longer available but thing Mac Da Bling), almost hinting towards brown so I don't look like Co-Co the Clown, but the purple is still clearly there. I apply my eyeshadow with my finger, unless I'm using more than one colour I don't find it necessary to use a brush. I then line my upper and lower last line using the Eco-Tools eyeliner brush and the darkest brown out of my MUA Heaven and Earth Palette.

To finish I just simply swipe my lips with my Carmex lip balm to make sure my lips are moisturised and top with the I love... lip balm in raspberry and blackberry.

All very neutral.

That's it, simple, quick and cheap. Perfect for when you've got to get out of the house relatively quickly without too much hassle. Hope this helps get your morning make up routine a little quicker and maybe give you some ideas for things you could add or take out. If you've got any tips for me, definitely let me know in the comments.

On Faulks and High Expectations | Wednesday Reads

It's highly unlikely that you're aware of what my favourite novel is. Well, it's 'Birdsong' by Sebastian Faulks, closely followed by 'Wuthering Heights' or 'Looking for Alaska' for anyone who wanted to know. I've found, when talking to people about their favourite books, or favourite authors, that they come to have certain expectations of said authors and this has the effect of either enhancing the reading experience, or a feeling of being let down by an author trusted with giving you an enjoyable reading experience. 

I'm about to tuck into Charlotte Grey by Faulks this week, and I'm a touch nervous about it. It comes back to having so much love for Birdsong that I'm scared Charlotte Grey won't live up to the expectations Faulks has given me. I want, so badly, for every Faulks novel to give as much enjoyment as Birdsong did but at the same time I'm 100% certain nothing will overtake Birdsong as my favourite novel, so this got me thinking is enjoying book necessarily the same as loving a book, and do certain components appear in one feeling and not another? 

Birdsong has, for a reason I can' pin down, become a big part of my life. I'm not going to be cliche and say it's the book that defines me or whatever, cause I don't really believe in the idea of a book being definitive of someone. However, it is a book I love, adore and admire. I enjoyed reading it so much that when I go back to it, which I often do if I'm feeling a bit tired of reading and am in a bit of a slump, I get the same excited, nervous feeling I got the first time. So much for not being cliche.

Anyway, I first read Birdsong a couple of years ago when I studied it for my A2 English Lit exam and also for my AS retake. It was the first book I've studied to that extent whilst enjoying it. That was the first clue for me as to how much the book would come to mean to me. If you can tear a book limb from limb with analysis, find all it's faults and still love it then you're on to a winner. I also was fully aware when reading it that the parts set in the 1970's I hated. I didn't enjoy them at all, I felt they interrupted the story and were completely unnecessary. But I still closed the book at the end of the story and loved it. Another clue. 

I can't really explain what I love so much about Birdsong. Faulks' use of language is exquisite, the characters are perfectly constructed and the story is brilliantly told. However, I think when a book becomes your favourite, and you become somewhat emotionally attached to it, it's more than the linguistic techniques, or the character development or any of the jargon-y terms your English teachers use. There's something else in the book that is in play that makes you fall in love with it, and I think it's a very personal thing. It's something you find in it that no one else can find. 

It's for that reason that I believe, once you've found that favourite book, the book that is something a little more to you than the others, it doesn't matter what else you read from that author, even if it's a literary masterpiece, it's not the same. Enjoying a book for it's literary qualities, and even just for enjoyments sake is not the same as what you get out of reading your favourite book. It's for that reason that Faulks isn't necessarily my favourite author, I can't decide that yet, although he is definitely the author of my favourite book. It's for this reason also that I refuse to hold Faulks to the expectations I should have after feeling the way I do about Birdsong. 

I know Charlotte Gray, A Week In December or Human Traces won't have the same feeling as Birdsong did so I won't expect that or it will just ruin books that I could still really enjoy. 

Ticket Choices, So Many Choices | Tuesday Travels

You may remember a couple of weeks ago on Tuesday Travels I spoke about my tickets arriving. In the post I spoke briefly about how I went about choosing my tickets and booking them. It was quite a drawn out experience, mainly because I left getting my visa quite late (you can also read my top tips for getting your visa if you're a bit confused about the whole process) and I looked into every option. I realise not everyone will have the time to do that so I thought I'd give you my top tips to getting the tickets you really want, and more to the point need.

1) Know Where You Want To Land
Not every airline flies to every major airport in Australia. Some fly to Sydney and Perth, some to Brisbane and Sydney some only to Sydney, among other combinations. If you want to land in Sydney for whatever reason, there's no point looking at flights with airlines that only fly to Perth. Check that first otherwise you could spend some time looking at flight options that aren't even available to you.
For me this was quite complicated, originally I was going to fly to Perth and then fly back from Sydney. However, due to constraints on Jack's return flight this wasn't possible so I'm now flying to and from Brisbane. Every time I decided to fly to a different city, the airline I was looking at flying with changed. It's not the simplest of places to fly to as it's so vast you want to be certain that were you're flying too is where you're happy to spend a fair amount of time initially.

2) Shop Around
This probably should have been number one because I can't stress enough how important this is. I booked who I booked through because it was the same travel agent Jack used and it was therefore, simpler for the return situation. However, I did look elsewhere first.
I initially went to my local high street travel agents, this was mainly to get some ideas. I wasn't going with any intention to book but I'm so glad I went. The quote I got for the flights I wanted was £300 more than the quote I got from anywhere else. This is why you should shop around. Don't worry about having to wait a week longer, if you're saving sums of money such as £300 it doesn't matter.
I ended up book with Trailfinders over the phone, but they do have stores across the country. It was really simple and the people I spoke to where brilliant. I'd definitely recommend them. I felt very confident that they knew what they were talking about, and I've contacted them a couple of times since booking and they've been able to find my reference in seconds and sorted my question just as quickly.
STA, however, are also another company I looked at booking with. They offered me exactly the same quote as Trailfinders did and they were just as helpful. They again have stores across the country and are available over the phone and by e-mail. I would recommend, them I just felt more confident booking with Trailfinders mainly due to personal reasons. I also felt the contact I had with them was better than I got with STA.

3) Expedia
If you're not sure which airlines fly to Australia, or which airlines fly to the city of your choice check out Expedia. Great for two reasons. You get all options available to you on one page. Every airline that flies to that city will be there. They're also listed from lowest to highest price so you can find airlines that suit your budget really easily. I wouldn't recommend booking with them as I feel when it's such a long flight and so far away having contact with your travel agent is a must for various reasons. Expedia will also give you details of any stops you will have to make on your journey, so if you want to do a night stop over or just a few hours you'll be able to easily find which airlines offer which.

So they're my three top tips for choosing your tickets. At the end of the day it is personal choice and personal circumstances come into it a lot. However, these tips should cover all bases especially if, like me, this is your first time booking flights for yourself or even if it's just your first time heading off to Australia. It is daunting, let's be honest, it's the other side of the world. But finding the right travel agent and the right airline is really comforting.

I hope these help any of you confused souls out, I was certainly confused when I set out to book my tickets. There are so many choices it's very easy to get lost, but I think these tips should help a little. So, happy ticket buying.

You Run The Day Or The Day Runs You | Motivational Monday

Monday's have a bit of a habit of  being one of those very, not so, pro-active days. You're probably feeling like you want Friday to come around already and the memories of a lazy Sunday afternoon are still firm in your mind. 

However, I find the best way to start the week is in the same way you want it to go. I don't know about you but the best weeks I have are the ones where I'm productive, at that starts Monday morning. There's no point letting the Monday blues take over your day, allowing it pass by with you having grabbed it by the balls and telling it how it's going to work.

Make your Monday as well worth it as you want Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday be. Tick a couple of things of the to do list, make the effort in the morning to have a good breakfast, embrace the fresh air as you walk out the door.

But more than all that make sure you own your day. 

Keeping Organised: Top Tips | Thursday Talks

This week I started an intense course (and when I say intense, I mean I've never been so tired, nor drunk so much black coffee in all my life intense) in journalism training. As a result, I've become super organised. I've manage to keep myself on top of reading, note taking, shorthand learning and the blog hasn't taken too much off a back seat - ok so yesterday's post was a little rough around the edges and crap but there was a post.

I've always been a relatively well organised person. I'm one of those annoying list people, I have a list for everything; what I have to buy, what I have to do, what I have to take places, everything. I keep my filofax permanently in my bag, along with a note book and a couple of pens - you never know what might pop out. So I thought I'd give you my top tips for keeping organised at any time.

1) Get a diary and keep it on you
I'm not saying it has to be an expensive one, just a diary with dates for everyday of the year. Ideally with spaces big enough to write a days worth of stuff in but as long as you can fit in what you've got to do and what time it doesn't really matter. Make sure you keep your diary on you. The amount of times I've written something I've got to do on my hand and by the end of the day it's gone, is ridiculous. If you've always got your diary handy that doesn't have to be a problem. If anything comes up you can just jot it down in your diary. Having a diary and keeping it handy means you never have to worry about missing an appointment, or forgetting a certain piece of paper and you never have to worry about double booking. Super organisational points.

2) Keep some sort of notebook on you
Sometimes not everything is suitable to write in my diary so I keep a notebook on me as well. Again it's nothing special, in fact just an old exercise book that I covered with some pretty wrapping paper. In the notebook I write down things I need to look up or things I need to buy, things that need a bit more space than diary can offer. Again it means if I think of something at 11am I haven't forgotten about it by the time I get home because I can write it down there and then. I also write down ideas for blog posts in it. If you're a blogger this is something I'd advice. That way you never run out of blog post ideas so if you've had a day, or a week, where nothing's come up that you want to talk about on your blog you've got loads of ideas already written out in a notebook and you just have to choose one. The notebook's been particularly handy on my course, throughout the day I find new sources that I can use for stories and so I can just write them down and not have to worry about remembering a name, or a website all day.

3) Wunderlist
A fabulous app that I heard about on Lilly Pebbles' YouTube channel. It's essentially a list making app. As a list lover it's great for me and it means I don't use up 101 notebooks a month writing shopping lists or to do lists (as I write a to-do list every morning, particularly at the moment). It also means it's with me literally wherever I go. On tea break I don't have to carry my bag with me to check what needs doing I just need to take my phone, or when I'm shopping I don't need to carry around an annoying notebook that just gets in the way, I just need to have my phone open on my shopping list. A marvelous new addition to my life, one I suggest if you need to be a little more organised or already are and want to add to that.

So they're my top 3 tips on keeping organised. Not too many so as not overwhelm anyone who's new to keeping themselves organised. They're definitely a good starting point but things that can be developed on to get you as organised as you can be. For me I find being organised keeps me less stressed as everything I need to think about is written down so I don't need to worry about forgetting anything.

I hope you find these useful, if you have any tips let me know in the comments or tweet me!

My Issues With Goodreads | Wednesday Reads

So on Sunday, Leena of JustKissMyFrog, uploaded a video explaining why she doesn't really use Goodreads and it really made me realise why I struggle to use Goodreads in the way it was intended and as often as I should for it to provide the use it's trying to provide.

Essentially Goodreads is a website where you can keep track of the books you're reading, have read and want to read. You can create as many different shelves as you want to categorise all the different books in your life in whichever way suits you. It's also great for readers to communicate, share views and just generally allow reading to be a more social experience - undeniably this is a great quality.

However, the problem for me starts when it comes down to the idea of challenges. I know perfectly well I can read fifty books in a year, I've done it. However I don't really like the idea of reading being competitive so getting to the end of the year and finding I read only thirty five books and Goodreads telling me I failed my challenge wasn't great.

Reading is, and always has been, a stress free experience for me. It's the place I go (with a cup of tea, obviously) to wind down after a long day. Making reading a challenge, or making it competitive, instantly removes the stress free part of reading for me. Now, I know you don't have to set up a challenge and it isn't really a big deal if you meet a challenge, but once you've set yourself a goal you're not human if you don't try and reach it. I set myself a reading goal every year, but this year is the first year I've set a goal in relation to reading that involves numbers. By telling myself I want to read fifty books this year, it feels like something I have to do, not something I want to do. In the past fifty books has just happened and it was easy because it wasn't something I'd set myself up to do. This year it's already harder.

Also the idea of constantly tracking my reading progress takes away the sense of fluidity for me. I don't read a set amount of pages or chapters each night, or each bus journey or whenever. I read what I can when I can, and what I want when I can, whether it's two pages and fifty pages. By tracking my progress it feels more like a race and less like a thing that just happens, perhaps more forced but not really.

I guess the general sense I get from Goodreads is that it makes reading more competitive and generally for me hasn't enhanced any of my reading experiences. Many times it only serves to remind me that too many books have been sat waiting to be read for too long, a depressing thought. I understand completely why so many people enjoy it so much, and although I won't deactivate my account as I do like to see what other people are reading for recommendations, I don't think I'll be using it as much.

As Leena said, it feels like a very surveyed experience. I want to share my reading experience with people because I've enjoyed a book, not because I've finished it and therefore must publish it onto a site, with a very broad review, because I finished on a certain date.

Reading is a very relaxing part of my day, when I get it into my day, and anything that makes it stressful or even slightly unenjoyable is not wanted.

Travel On A Small Scale | Tuesday Travels

Suitcase packing, a long trip, a new bed can only mean one thing right? No I haven't snuck off to Australia early, I've temporarily moved out. By moved out I mean I'm staying at my uncles during the week for the next three months whilst I do a course in Brighton. So I haven't really moved out I've just changed location for convenience. I don't know what you call that but I'm not typing that description out every time we come to it.

I did my temporary, weekday move (does that work or still to long?) Sunday evening after a full on day of packing, walking and eating. I think it was the busiest day I've had in a long time and I could have done with one of my 10am lie ins on Monday morning, but instead I had a 6am alarm set. Oh the joys.

Anyway, all of this is in aid of my NCTJ course (National Council for the Training of Journalists, for more info click here). I started yesterday and despite the obvious, anxious nerves it all went swimmingly. The people were lovely, the course sounds as exciting as I remember, and by the end of the day, no nerves. Success on all fronts. Essentially for the next three months I'll be studying all the key aspects of journalism so some newspaper, magazine or online publication will hire me no questions asked. Yeah, like that's ever going to happen.

Either way it's all been very exciting and I've only done one day. Sure it's all a bit scary and new and the anxious overthinker inside me is screaming 'runaway, it's scary' but I'm enjoying it and focusing on all the positives and all the things I'm enjoying about it.

You may have gathered today hasn't been a travel post in the same way they normally are. But, what I'm trying to get across is you don't have to travel half way around the world to experience new and exciting things, in fact forty minutes up the road does it quite nicely. This isn't going to be how Tuesday Travel's will remain, but the odd one may pop up now and again.

After all, there's only so much I can say about Australia.

No Excuses | Motivational Monday

Last Motivational Monday I told you all that every other Monday would be to motivate me (how very selfish of me)  to get on and progress with my New Years Resolutions.

I did this for the first time two weeks ago now and I focused on my resolution to worry less. I found it really beneficial for me in that it made me more determined to do as I said I would because I knew at the end of the week I'd have to report back here and I didn't want to appear a failure. However, I also had some response from some lovely readers letting me know that they'd found it beneficial as it helped them to focus on worrying less and that they also found it reassuring that they weren't alone in feeling down due to over thinking and worrying. Hearing that response was lovely and I was so happy that it had helped other people as well as myself.

So this week I'm focusing on another one of my resolutions, let me know if helps you with one your resolutions and how you get on this week.

One of my resolutions, the first one I wrote down, was getting healthier and fitter. I was doing quite a lot of running before Christmas and was really focusing on eating as healthy as possible. However, as was obvious, that faded away over Christmas and New Year but now I'm getting back into it.

I've started on the couch to 5k programme run by the NHS which is really great if your beginning running but don't really know where to start. It progressively builds you up from very little actual running (well jogging) to jogging for a full thirty minutes, which in theory works out to be 5k. I did some running before so this first week hasn't been too hard however I've been pairing it with some Blogilates workouts so it's not been that easy and can tell it's definitely going to get harder the further I get into the nine week programme.

This week, you may know, I'm moving to Brighton during the week (coming home and weekends) to complete a fourteen week intensive journalist course. I know I'm really not going to want to come home, pull on my running gear and go out after an eight hour day slogging over text books. But I'm going to do it. I have a goal and I'm determined to achieve it.

I saw the quote on the picture above on Pinterest the other day when scouring through my feed at a ridiculous hour in the morning. It really stuck with me. When you think about it an hour really isn't a huge part of your day and I actually only work out for half an hour - forty five minutes a day so it's even less (2% according to the quote). When I put it into perspective 2% of my day working on keeping myself fit and healthy is nothing and it's 2% well spent.

So this week when I walk in the front door and feel like collapsing in front of the TV with a double chocolate muffin in PJ's, I'll remember that half an hour isn't a long time and it's half an hour well spent. I will carry on with my workouts this week and as the weeks go on and I feel myself finding it easier I'll know it all those half hours, all those 2%'s, have paid off.

Have a think about it. 2% of your day, you could spend it watching Eastenders or you could spend it doing a little bit of exercise.

The Last Week Of No Alarms | Weekly Wrap Up #3

This week has definitely been the busiest since the beginning of 2014, and boy can I feel it. I've been getting into bed earlier and taking a lot more hot bubble baths to soothe aching limbs. I know, however, it's going to be a hell of a lot busier from next week and I won't even have time for bubble baths. So this week as been the last week of no alarms. Next week starts the fourteen week long, intensive NCTJ course (National Course for the Training of Journalists) and with that comes the return of the dreaded 6 am starts. Not fun when you've been hiding under your duvet until 10am for the previous six weeks. It will be like the end of summer holidays again, only without the sun and less of a tan.

So the week began with a reunion with Jack's family who have returned from Australia a Jack down. It was a bit weird seeing them all together without Jack but it was still lovely to see them all and here all about their adventures. They all looked lovely and sunkissed, instant jealousy which was only added to by seeing photos of all the amazing things they've been up to and all the places they've been. If nothing else, seeing all of it only made me twenty million times more excited to get out there in May. It's definitely good to have them all back if only they hadn't had to leave a certain ginger in Brisbane.

This week was my last week at home, as in weekdays. Normally, me and my Dad spend Mondays going on adventures in the local area, armed with our cameras and our costa card. My Dad is definitely the one who really got me into photography and is still teaching me different tips and tricks when it comes to cameras and taking photos. This week we didn't go as far a field as we often do, but we didn't need to to get some awesome pictures of the flooding in the local area that's occurred due to the intense rain and wind we've had recently. We wandered down to Amberley, a very small village past Arundel. The whole village runs alongside the river and as such most of the river banks were sodden and a lot of the fields looked more like muddy swimming pools. It was good to get out in the, very, fresh air and get some photos of it all.

I got a bit crafty this week, which was fun. I decided I wanted to make a wash bag for my travels. I don't have any wash bags that are big enough to hold both shower things and skincare things so in such a predicament it was obvious to buy too squares of material and sew them together, put some shoelaces through and call it a drawstring washbag. Obviously I sewed the word 'wash' on it for good measure and to avoid confusion with a kit bag. My Nana helped me out with this though, I'm not the most apt with a sewing machine, it tends to run away with me and due to my clumsiness doesn't always look so neat. However, my Nana is more than apt with a sewing machine so we came to agreement, I pinned, cut and made sandwiches and she sewed. Results, brilliant. Blog post pending.

The keeping fit and healthy has been going well this week. I'm two runs into the couch to 5k programme on the NHS (interested, find it here) and will do the third one of the first week today. It's going well and can definitely feel it getting easier. It's not been too tricky because I did running anyway but I can already tell it's going to get harder as I get further into the nine weeks. Don't worry I'll keep you updated on how I'm doing. I also did A LOT of walking this week, nearly every day, which has definitely helped. I find walking not only makes me feel like I've done something with my day, even if I haven't, but also helps me clear my mind.

I've also tried out a few different healthy recipes, the first some protein pancakes that I found on one of Gemma of Gemsmaquillage food diaries. They were delicious and super filling. I also broached an omelette for the first time in years. I've been avoiding them due to the texture. I'm a bit of a weird texture-phobe when it comes to food and omelette has always been pretty near to the top of my list of things with weird texture (along with creme brulee and rice pudding). However, I gave it a go cause I'd seem a lot of people tucking into them on food blogs and they looked quite good topped with yummy vegetables and they're very protein full which is a win. I topped mine with tomatoes, mushrooms, peppers, olives and spicy cheese. To my surprise I loved it.

Overall, my week was a good one. I was pretty productive and all resolutions are still on an upwards trajectory. Positive week I think.

So here's to an equally positive weekend, and I'll be back Monday.
Have a good weekend all.

The New Year Clearout | Thursday Talks

So you may remember, a few weeks ago I mentioned in a Friday Wrap Up I mentioned that I'd be spending the day clearing out my room. Although I'm a bit of a hoarder I hate clutter and mess and every so often I just have a massive clear out and general tidy up and for the last few years it's happened in the first few days of the new year and 2014 started in exactly the same way.

As I am a person who hates clutter and mess, I find that clutter and mess, therefore, stresses me out. As someone who gets stressed quite easily anything that will add to said stress is not good. Tidying and clearing out my room, for me, is both therapeutic at the time but also spending time in a more organised, tidy space also helps keep me calm.

My wardrobe, filing cupboard, make up stack and desk were the victims this clear out. My wardrobe will always contain items of clothing that I know I won't wear again, simply because I always convince myself to see how I feel about them next time to clearing out. This time, yet again, I filled another bin bag of clothing but don't worry, they won't be going to waste I'll take the bag down to the local charity shop so hopefully someone else will get some wear out of them. I also cleared through the five lever arch and eight ring bound files of A-Level notes. I ended up freeing up seven files from old notes that I know I'll never touch again. I did keep some purely because I put so much work into a lot of them and couldn't bring myself to throw them away. However, it does mean that I now don't have to buy any folders for the course I start on Monday so economical as well as organised.

I didn't really throw away anything from my make up corner or my desk it was more just a tidy up. For me it was particularly important that my desk was tidy as it is where I do a lot of work and spend a lot of time - planning blog posts, writing blog posts, reading news and working on course stuff. Having it tidy and organised makes it easier to work, everythings where it should be and I don't have to spend half an hour tidying it before getting to work.

Another reason I decided to have such a massive clear out and tidy was because I won't be living at home the majority of the time before I go to Australia. In fact I'll only be in my own bedroom thirty nine more times before I go. Obviously, I wont' want to spend any of that time tidying and sorting so by doing it down it means that I (fingers crossed) won't have to do it again before I leave.

If you are someone who benefits from an organised working and living space than go for it. Don't be afraid to throw things out, but recycle and give to charity where possible. Just because it's not the first week of 2014 anymore, doesn't mean it's too late to get organised. It's still so early in the year and there's still more than plenty of time to set it of to good start. So why not spend this weekend sorting through all the stuff you've been holding onto for years for no real reason?

Reading Resolutions | Wednesday Reads

So two weeks ago I posted about my general New Years Resolutions, they included the stereotypical get fitter, eat healthier blah, blah, blah but also a couple of personal things I want to work on (if you'd like to check them out click here). So if you read that, you may thinking, more resolutions why? Well these are my reading resolutions. If you read any book blogs or watch any 'BookTubers' you may be well aware of this as a thing, but if not these are essentially my reading goals for this coming year. 

So by the end of 2014, in terms of reading I wan to...

1) Finally complete the fifty books challenge. I've tried this the past couple of years but I always forget to update by GoodReads and then can never remember which books I've read. I'm fairly sure I completed it last year, but this year I'm going to make sure I record EVERY book I read on GoodReads, so make sure you follow me there to keep up with my progress.  Though, in a normal year, I'm capable of reading fifty books plus in the 365 days of the year, this year isn't exactly a normal year. Next week I start an intensive, fourteen week journalist course for which I'll be living away from home during the week, after that I have a week of work experience with a newspaper and then I'm off to Australia for goodness knows how long. Obviously I'll read whenever I get the oppurtunity, however, spare time isn't going to a frequent occurrence so I'm not convinced the fifty book challenge will be as easy this year. Hopefully the dreaded twenty four hour flight will give me oppurtunity to catch up. 

2) I have got tonnes of books on my bookshelf, some of which have been sat untouched for over a year. This year I want to complete all those books (Les Miserables included) before I buy any more. This should heavily contribute to 50 book challenge so two birds with one stone? 

3) This one you may already be aware off but I essentially want to finish about 50% of the books on my bookshelf before I journey off to Australia. For a more detailed information, check out my 'To Read Before Aus List' but if you can't really bothered to read a whole blog post about it I'll break it down for you quickly here. Basically, I don't want to take any hard copies of books to Australia due to weight restrictions so will only be taking my kindle, therefore so books aren't sat unread for another year I'm not going to touch my kindle until I sit in my seat for the flight and only read the hard copies on my shelf before I go. Bet you're wishing you'd not read the whole blog post and just waited for that condensed paragraph now. 

4) I've been getting through the 'Song of Ice & Fire' series by George R.R. Martin very, very slowly. I've read the first three but would like to read up to book five by the end of year. They're huge books so this could have a bit of a negative impact on the 50 books challenge but I really enjoy them so want to get on with the series, hopefully before the new series of the TV adaptation (A Game Of Thrones) airs in Britain. 

5) Overall, I don't read a lot of non-fiction. I used to read a-lot in school to support essays at A-Level, but since finishing those lovely exams and pieces of coursework (notice sarcasm) I've barely gone near the real stuff. This year I'd like to make more of an effort to read more non-fiction of any kind, learning stuff, biography stuff, historical stuff whatever it is just so long as it's not fiction. I'd like to read at least five though I'd really like to read more but I feel five is a good start. 

So those are my reading resolutions, remember to follow me on GoodReads for regular updates of my reading progress through the year. I'll also be giving you updates of the before Aus reading list at the end of each Wednesday reads, at present it 0. Good start I think you'll agree. 

The Indefinite Plan As Of Yet | Tuesday Travels

Above, in case you're unsure, is a map of Australia. On it are badly drawn, on MS Paint though may I add, arrows to indicate the very un-concrete, hazy route me and Jack are thinking about taking around Australia. I say un-concrete and hazy because we have absolutely zero idea of which direction we will travel to the places we want to and in what order.

One thing that is definite is that our first point of call will be Brisbane and our second Yamba. You've probably heard of Brisbane, it's a city, it's quite big and it's on the east coast. About five hours south of Brisbane you'll find Yamba - by what I've been told quite a small town. We're only planning on spending a night in Brisbane initially. I land at 7am on the 13th May and so we're intending on spending the day having a wander around Brisbane and then spending the night in a cheap hotel, getting up relatively early and trundling on down to Yamba where Jack is staying at the moment with close family friends who have very kindly said we can stay with them for a week or two to get ourselves sorted for work, at least I'm hoping they have and Jack isn't just keeping his fingers crossed.

From the map you can see the basic idea of where we want to go and the order we think we'll go to them in, notice very loose descriptions to illustrate how loose our plans our.

Essentially, we know we'll be starting in Brisbane/Yamba, we know we want to see Sydney, we know we want to get to Perth at some point, and we know we want to travel up towards Cairns from Brisbane after we've done Perth. Everything is so dependent on money, so until we have some concrete, reliable funds out there we don't really want to set anything to dates. At the moment I think it's going to be a case of me arriving and the first two weeks or so being a very hectic concoction of finding work and setting down our first point of call.

For anyone who doesn't know, Australia is humongous. There is no way on this Earth, that we will be able to travel from one side of Australia to the other, which is what we essentially want to do, in any less than four days. Unless serious lack of sleep and dangerous driving is what we're after, we're not. Therefore we will have to be making stops in between Yamba/Brisbane area and Perth. This is what we've yet to decide. And I have been left with the task of making those decisions. If anyone has any suggestions feel free because I am the worst at making decisions.

Jack has the trip north from Brisbane/Yamba, pretty much sorted. He's already done a bit of travelling in that direction and has picked out a few places he wants to re-visit. We're hoping to go a little bit further north than he has already though, our most northerly point being Cairns. We're also hoping to go diving in the Barrier Reef, a bit of a must if you're in the area I think you'll agree.

At present I think our ideas is to more or less plan it section by section when we come to it. Have rough outlines, but no booking campsites or hostels until we're both there and know exactly what we have in the bank. At present we don't even know when we're coming back, that's how uncertain it all is.

So if there's one thing you can take from this it's that I'm an anxious person doing very well coping with a very unorganised trip of a lifetime.

The Doors Will Be Opened To Those Who Are Bold Enough To Knock | Motivational Monday

So you may remember last Monday, my motivation was aimed more towards myself (click here if confused). I chose one of my the new year resolutions I set out for myself and aimed to get started on it. Last week I chose the 'worry less' resolution, focusing on not over thinking, worrying less and getting less anxious. Overall, I feel I was successful (a few very minor hiccups, but generally more positive). I definitely feel writing it down and setting out to get it done definitely kept me motivated and therefore I've decided to bring a little change of format into Motivational Monday.

From now on, every other week the Motivational Monday post will be about me seeing through my New Years Resolutions (if you're not sure what they are click here) and the others will be a motivational thought to get your Monday, and consequently, week off to a good and positive start. 

I hope you enjoy the new set up, so here we go with some motivation to get you out of bed and get going for the Monday, and again, week ahead. 

So on a Monday morning, especially in Britain with the weather like it is at the moment, it's easy to get up in the morning and feel like the easiest way to get through the day is going to be to sink into the background and not get noticed. However, doing that will not achieve anything. 

Whatever you're doing today, do it to the best of your ability, do it the best you've ever done it. You may not get any verbal praise from another person but knowing you've put your best in will make you feel good. And you never know, your boss, teacher, colleague, whoever, might really praise you for it. It may also be something that will help somebody else's monday go well, and the gratitude they'll have for you will make your Monday all the better.

So today, no matter how much you'd rather pull the duvet back over your head, face the tasks of the day and aim to do them so well that you'll get the praise you deserve for them. 

Bit Of A Nothing Week | Weekly Wrap Up #2

This week has been a bit of a nothing week if I'm honest, and by that I mean I've actually done very little, however as a weekly wrap-up is something I've decided I'm going to do I'll make every little thing I've done sound like a big deal so this blog post consists of more than three lines.

So I started the week ill. Four days into 2014 and I was suffering with mild flu/a bad cold depending on how much of a hypochondriac I was feeling when I was telling people I was ill. Therefore I spent the first half of the week in bed, in the bath or asleep. I did wander down to the seafront both Sunday and Monday to have a look at the waves as Britain was rampaged by freak wind and rain. The sea air probably did me some good, probably, not definitely, not 100% convinced.

Now Christmas is over and eating half a tub of Quality Street followed by a tube of pringles is no longer an acceptable diet I've been back on the healthy eating. I recently discovered smoothie bowls and I'm addicted. They're so easy to make, really filling and really healthy. Basically it's a smoothie in a bowl topped with granola, nuts and fruit of your choice. Green tea has been back on the menu again, however I find the taste of it on it's own a bit yuck so I add a slice of lemon to drown the taste of the green tea. I've also been looking after my skin a bit better. Once I'm in Australia I'm going to be wearing as little make up as possible so I want my skin to be super clear and even as possible therefore I've been wearing no make-up as many days as possible this week. In fact I've only worn it once, when I journeyed into Brighton very over tired and without concealer I could have been mistaken for Frankenstein's monster. I have definitely noticed a difference already and will continue with less to no make up right up until leaving unless it's essential, but expect a blog post on my affordable skin care products in the near future.

I've also been planning ahead a lot this week. I've been filling up my leather bound notebook with blog post ideas a plenty, never wanting to be out of ideas or for content to be poor due to a rushed midnight post on my phone. I've also been doing quite a bit of preparing for the start of my course the week after next. I've been doing a lot of shorthand practice, I officially know the alphabet in shorthand but am still not convinced that dictaphone would be easier than shorthand. I've also been reading the odd bit from 'Law for Journalists' when not reading my pick from my 'before Aus reading list', 'Muddle Earth.' Both have had me intrigued, obviously for other reasons and I'm really looking forward to actually learning something about the law.

Most excitingly my tickets for Australia arrived this week. It all got very realy, I squealed a bit, then cried a bit then fell asleep because I was still ill. For a more detailed, less piecey, account of the tickets arrival check my blog post out from Tuesday.

As well as this at the beginning of the week I made a 'Motivational Monday' post essentially outlining a plan to overthink things less and therefore worry less and be less anxious. Overall I think I've done pretty well with it this week. Apart from Tuesday when, for some reason I can't pin down, I had a mini freak out, I haven't really got myself worked up. When I feel myself beginning to get anxious or worried I've been sitting down, breathing and re-analysing the situation telling myself that it's nothing to get worked up about it and finding a solution. As a result I've been feeling less groggy and a lot happier which is a positive all round. Jack has also noticed the change which I'm pleased about.

So a bit of a nothing week, but I set out to do all the things I wanted and so therefore in my eyes the second week of 2014 was a good and positive one.

So until Monday, keep positive and happy.

How To Host A Successful (sort of) Dinner Party | Thursday Talks

Most of my close friends from high school attend uni for the vast majority of the year and therefore I don't see them all that often. However, as it has been Christmas recently (incase you missed that) they were all back in the good ol' land of Sussex, the land we call home, and so I took the oppurtunity to get my best girlfriends round to my house for a, sort of, dinner party. We're all pretty skint, most of them are students living on student money, and myself and Katrina are both avid travellers, her last year and me this year, and so spend 99.9% of the time poor, therefore none of us could really afford to go out so having everyone to my house was cheap and most definitely cheerful. And here's how we made it so successful.

Invite the people you'd tell anything to, no awkwardness around the table makes the night. Meet my gorgeous friends. All of them I went to school with and spent the majority of my school years larking around with them on the school field and getting away with all sorts of mischief due to having the 'good girls' label, oh if only they knew. Anyway, you're likely to see more of them around this blog, particularly that blonde one at the front. Katrina is like a twin, we were born in the hospital bed next to each other and have been friends ever since, literally, and we definitely consider each other more like sisters. There's nothing she doesn't know. 

Get everyone to bring something and cook something simple. We decided the best way to do it was share the duties of food and drink. Everybody had a different thing to do so that no one was left doing everything and so that no had to spend loads of money to feed everyone and everyone else got away with just bringing their drinks. I cooked the main, a rather scrumptious (if I do say so myself) homemade spag bol, which went down really well. Jess bought along cheese and bacon potato skins and garlic mushrooms for starter, Becca made a glorious gingerbread house for pudding, Katrina bought some snacky bits that went alongside the gingerbread house and Charley bought drinks. Everyone's food and contributions went down really well and it meant I wasn't slaving in the kitchen all evening but we still got a good three course meal and felt well and truly stuffed by the end of it. Well it wouldn't Christmas unless you felt fit to burst after every meal. 

It wouldn't be a gathering without the awkward photo taken by someone stood on a chair. Your other half, your mum, your dad, the pet dog, wrangle in someone else in the house to take a photo of your friends reuniting over too much food and toilet talk pretending to be civilised and lady like. I'm not going to lie it's not the nicest photo of us but it's nice to have a photo where a couple of us aren't contorting our bodies in bizarre ways to fit in the fame because we're using the smashed up front facing camera on Katrina's iPod. 

Once your guests have filled up on food supplied not wholly by yourself, send them on their merry way and face the bomb site. This is tame by other standards of a night around the table with this lot. To be honest I left it to be faced the next morning when the spag bol & gingerbread baby and gone. Either way, ends of crackers, empty bottles and a half destroyed gingerbread house have got to be signs of a good night in. 

So there we are, my four tips for how to host a successful dinner party. It doesn't need to be fancy and posh and you don't need to spend hours sweating over the hob whilst your guests twiddle their thumbs for the night to go down a treat. Invite your closest friends, cook something dead simple and get others to contribute elsewhere, take lots of photos to commemorate and don't be scared of the mess that will ensue. 

Coping With My Reading Slump | Wednesday Reads

Some of you may be wondering what a reading slump is, and this is a very valid thing to wonder. Essentially a reading slump is when you simply don't read at the same rate you normally do. For example on average I read four to five books a month, last month I read zero books. Not a single book. Though may I add this wasn't for lack of trying. Therefore, I was officially (and sort of still am) in a reading slump.

For the last month and seven days I've had absolutely no motivation to pick up a book and read. My TBR (to be read) pile is humongous, and so I am not stuck for choice and I have plenty of books that I am intrigued to read, or at least was when I bought them. But recently, the thought of picking up a book and sitting down and reading hundreds of pages in one go has not been putting the smile on face like it used to and this is something I've had to cope with, as a person for whom reading has always been a pleasure, this has not come easily.

Books, piles and piles of books, have been sat on my shelf, collecting dust and crying out to be read. And I've tried, oh boy have I tried. I've picked up around three books over the last month and not one of them have I finished, one I was close to finishing the other's I think I got two chapters in and gave in. I couldn't do it. I wasn't even bored of the story, or the characters or tired from reading I just quite simply couldn't be bothered.

If I'm honest I've probably had too much on my mind recently to really let myself be submerged in a good book and enjoy it fully so therefore I've been putting it off until my mind was once again calm, or as calm as my mind gets (we're talking the Irish Sea on a breezy day).

This was something that needed tackling, and this is how it is being tackled.

I have selected a book from my 'before Aus reading list' 'Muddle Earth'. It is technically a children's book and is also a re-read so shouldn't be too difficult to get through relatively easily. It won't take a lot of brain power as the language is simple, the story a fantasy and the plot not too mind boggling (though who knows with the mental state I seem to be in at present, though if a child's book boggles my brain maybe a psychiatrist might be in order). So essentially, out of determination to get cracking with the reading list and actually complete it before I fly, I'm starting simple to get back into the swing of it. Slow and steady wins the race, right? Yes that analogy definitely applies here!

As well as this, with my new years resolution plan going well as of yet (see here if confused) this seemed like the perfect time to get back into reading with my mind hopefully a little more at ease.

So, essentially what I'm saying is; although I said I'd keep you updated on my progress with my 'before Aus reading list' (I'm going to abbreviate that soon) in last week's post, I have no updates so instead here is a post where I moan because I haven't read in a long time. Basically a hugely long excuse for nothing more interesting on the reading front.

In Which My Tickets Arrive and I Nearly Have A Panic Attack Over Hand Luggage | Tuesday Travels

So this week was both, and simultaneously, exciting and distressing (one thing you will learn about me if you read my blog regularly is that I tend to over exaggerate). The tickets arrived, exciting, wasn't sure if I was allowed any hand luggage, distressing. Details to follow.

So I booked my ticket to fly from London Heathrow on May 11th 2014 and land in Brisbane International Airport on May 13th 2014 (yes that's two days but don't worry time difference does have it's uses) with TrailFinders, can't tell you when I'll be returning but I'll save that for another post. You may or may not, most likely the former, be aware that my significant other is currently in Australia and this is who he booked with so that was the main reason I went with them as we have to arrange to fly back on the same flight and it will be easier through the same agents and airline. However I did do some shopping around and would definitely advise booking with TrailFinders.

Originally I went to my local high street travel agents and for the exact same flight was quote £300 more than TrailFinders quoted me. Obviously this won't always be the case, but it's worth checking else where before you book anything. I also contacted STA travel  who the visa people recommended. They did match TrailFinders quote so they're also one worth looking into, but for me I felt more comfortable with TrailFinders due to my personal circumstances.

I'm flying with Korean Air, I can assure you not my first choice, but again it comes down to ease of arranging for me and Jack to fly back together. That's who he flew with. They're not the cheapest by any means, so if you're looking for cheap go elsewhere, and again definitely shop around. However, it's a relatively nice flight with a stopover in Seoul so it's not as horrific as it could be. Something to be aware of when booking though is being aware of how and when to check in and also if the airline offer seat reservation, when you can do that. As well as this you also need to be aware of any immunisations you might need if you have to leave the airport during your stopover. I don't have to on the way out but on the way back it's an over night stop over so I will have to enter Seoul to stay in a hotel, arranged by the airline (another thing you should be sure to check, you don't want to get your stopover city and find you haven't got anywhere to stay) so I may need top ups on my jabs.

Anyway, you're probably wondering when I'm going to get onto the hand luggage panic. Well, when my tickets arrived the information only mentioned being allowed one item of luggage. You can imagine my horror and the thought of  not being able to take hand luggage, filled with things I think are essential for a flight, things that probably won't even be touched for the duration of the trip let alone the plane journey. But genuine worry was a thing I was feeling. Where would I put my phone, my kindle, the twenty one tubes of pringles I'll buy after check in? I was immediately on the phone to TrailFinders. Apparently hand luggage is a given and the one piece refers to hold luggage. So I feel like an idiot but the panic is over.

Overthinking Leads to Negative Thoughts | Motivational Monday (sort off)

So today's 'Motivational Monday' isn't motivational in the same way last week's was. Last week I posted a joyful little picture to encourage all you lovely readers to get up, out of bed and enjoy the day. This week my motivation is aimed more towards myself and also to help me achieve one of my 'New Years Resolutions' (see here if you're unsure what resolutions I'm talking about).

The resolution I'm really talking about is number 2 - 'don't worry so much'. Now worrying is something that runs in my family, bloody genes, particularly on the female side, it's not a particularly nice trait, it's certainly not something I enjoy doing and I often find it can ruin a lot of things for me. One thing that I've found really doesn't help with my worrying so much is overthinking. The situation can start of perfectly normal, then all of a sudden I've worked myself up into a frenzy because I've thought way too much into it and over analysed it. 

I've got a very special certain someone in my life at the moment and he's continually telling me not to worry so much, as unfortunately for him (and he'll never no how sorry I am for it) he's usually the one who has to deal with me crying over facetime because I've worked myself up over something ridiculous. I do feel awful afterwards when I realise I've probably made him worry for no reason because I've sent him 46 (slight over exaggeration) messages telling him how rubbish I'm feeling and mainly for that reason, among others, I'm going to sort this out once for all - well hopefully.

This week, and obviously continuing afterwards, but really trying super hard this week, I want to not overthink. I want to remain calm in all situations, breathe through anything that's making me feel stressed, down, or anxious and then carry on as before. It can be done, I know because I've done it before on occasion, but this week it's going to be on every occasion when anxiety is getting on top of me. I hate feeling down and anxious about things and that is one of the reasons I'm doing it obviously, but more than that it's not nice for the people around me when I'm suddenly upset for no particular reason and it's not fair on them.  

So this week hopefully Jack can look forward to a week where we won't have to begin every other conversations with 'calm down', or 'it's okay', or 'stop worrying' and by the end of it I'll feel better in myself. Fingers crossed anyway, I'll let you know on Friday. 

So tips for this week, breathe, calm, relax, don't overthink. 

The First Week of 2014 | Weekly Wrap Up #1

This week saw 2013 end and 2014 begin. I had a wonderful 2013, particularly the last six months of it, but I am glad to get started on 2014 as I feel things could really begin kicking of for me this year and I've got a lot of big things planned that I'm very excited about. But less about this and more about this week.

I had my lovely girlies over for dinner on Sunday for a catch up and a bit of a farewell. Most of them are at uni and might not be home again before I go to Australia so it was a tad emotional but it was nice to catch up. We had a bit of a casual dinner party, but mainly had lots of laughs and fun. Look out for a post on how to hold a successful dinner party later this week.

New Years Eve was relatively quiet for me this year. Due to lack of money I couldn't really afford to go out so I spent it indoors with my family, having drinks and playing games. It was a lovely way to see 2013 out especially seeing as I won't be seeing them as much this year.  We spend New Years day largely cold and wet, due by Dad and brother having signed up for the New Years Day dip in aid of my brother's rugby tour. It was definitely a laugh, but more so cold and wet both on their part and my part. Taking photos in pouring rain was definitely not the best way to spend the first morning of 2014, but it was definitely memorable.

I also purchased some new running shoes this week which arrived yesterday morning, very excited I was. I love them. Their New Balances and I got mine from T.K Maxx for £25, bargain I think you'll agree. Definitely check out your local store or have sneaky peek online if you're thinking of getting some new running gear as they had some great deals.

I also went and bought some fabric yesterday for a project I have in mind which I'll hopefully start next week. It's not so much a project, more a crafty DIY that I'll definitely be sharing with you in the near future. Something a little different for the blog and also something for me to try out.

Today I'm having the traditional New Year clear out. Wardrobes, drawers, folders are all in line for the sorting today. I like having a good clear out once a year, I hate junk and so having a proper clear out is always relatively stress relieving for me, so a blog post about this may be coming up soon also. It will also give me a chance to see what I've got and work out if I need to buy anything new for Australia. I'm hoping not due to limited funds but we'll see.

So that was my first week of 2014, off to a good start and relatively productive. Fingers crossed it continues in the same way. Hope your first week of 2014 went just as well, and I'll be back on Monday, enjoy your weekend.

Resolutions | Thursday Talks

If you honestly thought that the first Thursday Talks after New Years was going to be focused on any other topic other than New Years Resolutions, you have seriously misunderstood both me and this blog. A) I am a seriously lazy human being, you're lucky you even got an image at the beginning of this post, and so thinking of something obscure to post about, especially on the second day of the new year, was out of the question. B) This is a blog aimed at entertaining as many people as possible, and I don't know a soul who doesn't love hearing someone's New Years Resolutions, either to will them on or secretly laughing knowing failure is at the end of January. Either way here are my New Years Resolutions for entertainment of your choice.

1) BE HEALTHIER
It was obvious wasn't it? Who doesn't have this on their new years resolution list. After Christmas we all feel a little like we need to be healthier, but two weeks into January we're not sure it was a good idea. However, this year I'm determined. I was running more towards the end 2013 (and no not towards a free buffet, or away from a mass murderer, out of choice) and I want to re-light that energetic spark, combine it with some bedroom pilates (no I'm not being rude, I mean a DVD or internet series or something), and healthy eating. I will be bikini ready by May.

2) DON'T WORRY SO MUCH
Anyone who knows me knows I have a tendency to over think, over stress and over worry about anything and everything. Not only is, I am sure, infuriating for those around me to have to keep calming me down and reassuring me, it does very little in the way of my own happiness. This year I aim, as every year, to improve further on this. (Yes Jack, if you're reading this, this means in 2012 I was even more of a worrier than I was this year). I will not let things get me all worked up so easily, deep breaths, relaxing thoughts, calm. The way forward.

3) SEE MORE OF THE WORLD (or at least plan too) 
I want to see so many places it's ridiculous. I would go anywhere and everywhere just to soak in a little bit more of the world. I'm already going to Australia in May for goodness knows how long, but with that I hope will come the oppurtunity to see other places. New Zealand and Thailand are top of the list, but as Australia is likely to take up a large part of the year, and a large part of my funds, it may be that this year will just be planning to see more of the world. Maybe Canada, South America, Kenya. Too many places too little time.

4) (Finally) ENJOY MYSELF
As I am an anxious person just by nature, I often find I let things pass me by without really enjoying them, often seeing how things could go badly rather than how well they're going and enjoying that moment. This year I want to enjoy things more, want I'm doing, the company I'm keeping, what I'm experiencing. Rather than focusing on the future, focusing on the now and enjoying that. A bit of a deep one, but an important one.

So they're my New Years Resolutions, hopefully I'll stick to them, I suppose we'll find out next year.

Happy New Year everyone!

2014 Reads (Well Before I Fly To Australia Reads) | Wednesday Reads

So on May 11th this year I fly to Australia for a minimum of three months, and as book obsessed, reading obsessed, whichever you prefer, human being the thought of not taking books with me would be terrifying. However, thanks to the wonders of the twenty first century, though apparently still unable to devise a way of not loosing signal when in a tunnel, weight restrictions no longer pose a threat to readers. Thanks to devices such as kindles, I will be able to take a library's worth of books and not have to worry about it putting my luggage overweight.

However, I have a vast collection of physical books on my shelf, bought and neglected for months that I really want to get round to and not leave to collect dust whilst I'm in Australia. For this reason I have devised a plan. I aim to read about 70-80% of my physical book collection before I venture off to Australia. As it is the 1st January today, that gives me exactly four months and eleven days to read eighteen books. Definitely doable.

So for all who are interested in what I will be reading, in no particular order (don't confuse me for Dermot O'Leary now), here is my 'list of books to read before Australia'.

1) Bill Bryson, The Complete Notes
2) Paul Stewart & Chris Riddell, Muddle Earth
3) John Grogan, Marley & Me
4) Michael Morpugo, War Horse
5) Sarah Addison Allen, Garden Spells
6) Chris Womersly, Bereft
7) Sebastian Faulks, A Week In December
8) George Orwell, 1984
9) Rainbow Rowell, Eleanor & Park
10) Veronica Roth, Divergent
11) J.D Salinger, Catcher in the Rye
12) Sebastian Faulks, Charlotte Grey
13) Sue Townsend, Number 10
14) Cecelia Ahern, P.S I Love You
15) Cecelia Ahern, The Gift (will probably change this one as I don't want to read this when it's not Christmas time)
16) Jane Austen, Mansfield Park
17) Charles Dickens, Oliver Twist
18) Caitlin Moran, How to be A Woman

So that's my list, 18 books long, 4 months to do it in. I think I can do it, I've purposefully chosen largely easy reads as I know I'm going to be ridiculously busy up until my departure date but I'm determined to get them all read before I leave so my bookshelf is ready to restock once I return. I will keep you updated with my progress every Wednesday Reads.

So until next week, let's crack on!

Oh and Happy New Year!