Sounds Like My First Time (Ann Summers Party)

This time last week my living room was filled with girls, lingerie and a lot of lube. No, my house wasn't hosting a huge orgy, we were having an Ann Summers party.

For those of you who don't know, Ann Summers is a lingerie/sex shop. It stocks everything from bras and pants, hosiery and teddy's (the sexy body suit, not the cuddly toy), to role play outfits, vibrators and whips.

I was a bit skeptical at first - worried because not all of the crowd we had gathered knew each other and plunging in with the sex talk might be a bit awkward, worried that no-one would buy anything and the poor woman who runs the event would have had a wasted evening (they work off commission), worried that we wouldn't all fit in to our tiny living room - but it was such a fun evening.

Admittedly it was a little awkward at first, but as our wonderful rep Kay talked us through the products she had brought along the jokes started flowing and the atmosphere eased. When she brought out lube for us to try that (allegedly) 'makes it feel like there's a man down there', the evening really kicked off and we were laughing the rest of the night.

Hetronormativity aside, it was a great night - passing round the vibrators and prodding each other's noses with Ann Summer's trade-mark rabbit ears was a particular highlight. It was so nice to have a room full of women confidently talking about their sex life, no-one trying to 'one-up' anyone else. It was so warm and accepting, and a really nice space to be in.

And at the end of the night, loads of us had brought something (or won something in the 'Bitch Raffle'), and one of our friends has even booked Kay for another night! If you're looking for a fun night in with the girls (no boys allowed, sorry!) then I'd really recommend it. It's completely free (the hostess actually gets a slice of commission if they sell over £150 worth of products) and there is no pressure to buy anything.

I've linked to Kay's facebook page if you're in the Norfolk area and are interesting in booking your own night with her.

On Putting Myself Out There

About (just over) a month ago I was dumped. There’s no getting round it. I felt (and still do feel) all the things you’d normally associate with being dumped – unwanted, unattractive, unsexy. Lots of ‘un’s. If you want to read any of my creative responses to being dumped, examples can be found here and here.

One of the main causes of our break-up was our lack of communication about how we really felt. I’m not talking about opinions on what movie we wanted to watch or what food place we wanted to eat at, but on what we actually felt about, and for, each other. There was a number of reasons on both sides why we never really communicated this (vocally or written), but one of the main reasons on my part is my shyness.

I have always been and will always be shy about my emotions. I’m usually an exceedingly happy person, but when I have other emotions – more personal emotions – I’m not really sure what to do about them or how to share them. I’m getting better and I’m learning, but it’s a long process.

I am not looking for anything new. I spent two very happy years with my ex, and one month isn’t long enough to re-adjust to a life that he’s not in. That said…

The other day I was out clubbing with my housemates, and whilst waiting at a bar a couple of guys struck up a conversation with me because they thought I was friends with their friend – the girl I happened to be stood next to at the time. I wasn’t, but we kept chatting whilst waiting for drinks, and at the end of it I got one of the guy’s numbers. Admittedly the situation was more that his mate wanted to set him up rather than the guy himself looking for a hook up, but nevertheless. I text him my number, got my drink, and thought nothing of it.

A couple of days passed and I remembered the guy. I remembered I had his number. I remembered thinking he was interesting, and he had a cute accent, and I was interested in getting to know him a bit better. Normally, this is the time old Vicki would wait for him to text (which is actually what my housemates encouraged) but new Vicki couldn’t really be bothered to wait around for that to happen. So I text him, and asked if he wanted to meet up for a coffee sometime.

The feeling after I pressed send was amazing. I was so proud of myself. It didn’t matter to me what his response was – at the end of the day he’s just a guy who I don’t know and probably will never see again – but the thing that always had held me back in the past, the fear of rejection, wasn’t there. It felt good. I’d even go so far as to say that I felt powerful.

Ultimately nothing came of it: he replied and let me know it wasn’t a good time for him at the moment, and I responded letting him know if his situation changed then he could text me.

A couple of years back the remarkable Rosianna made a video titled ‘Ask Out Your Barista’ in which she gave sage advice for final year uni students (of which I am now one). I always wanted to be that girl – the girl confident enough to put herself out there and not care about the consequences. Now, in some small way, I think I’m getting there. And I’m so proud of that. It’s also made me more prepared to do things like this in the future, if only for the boost of self-confidence (empowerment?) it gave me.

If you’re in a position where you think you might be interested in someone or want to know them better, ask them for a drink. From my very limited experience, it’s a much nicer feeling to know where you stand than it is to pine over someone and worry that what you might say will ruin something, be it a friendship or relationship. And you never know, they might just say yes.

On Having the Painters In

Having the painters in, shark week, Aunty Flo is paying a visit, all of these are euphemisms for ‘that time of the month’ – periods. For those of you who don't have periods, don’t stop reading, this is must know information. Obviously, the discussion below will contain references to blood, so if that is something you are really uncomfortable with, why not pop over here. 

For those who don’t know (and worryingly whilst education in the UK is pretty good about the menstrual cycle worldwide it’s not so sharp), for just under one week every single month the majority of women in the world aged between about 11 and 50 will have their period (where the lining of the uterus (which has been building in preparation for a baby) is shed through the vagina). I say the majority, as there are some women who will never experience a period, or who experience periods for a little bit and then never again, and there are also some men who experience periods.

Sometimes a period will come and go no problem, other times it will feel like your uterus is trying to forcibly remove itself from your abdomen. Menstrual cramps are essentially like birthing cramps, and can sometimes be painful enough to cause vomiting (one girl even mistook appendicitis for menstrual cramps). Obviously, this can make it very difficult for some women to live a normal life, particularly as most societies try their best to avoid the topic of periods (which is why I want to write a bit about them today). I'm quite lucky in that I very rarely experience cramps, but I almost always feel bloated during my period, and the weeks before and after I usually have either a vastly increased or vastly decreased eating-drive (ie, not hunger, but I either feel the need to eat a lot more or a lot less than I would normally).

Some contraception’s can help regulate periods – for example, contraceptive pills can make periods lighter and maintain the monthly cycle, and for some people the implant can stop periods almost all together. For me, my periods were almost always irregular (meaning a worrying couple of weeks around the time my period was due whilst I waited for the tell-tale blood spotting) and lengthy, so a more regular and lighter cycle was an appealing option, and it’s what I now have.

There are also various different methods of keeping clean during that time of the month. The most popular by far are sanitary towels (a nappy-like material that sticks to the crotch of your pants – they come in various absorbency levels and should be changed at least every eight hours) or tampons (a cotton stick which sits at the back of the vagina with a small string attached to it to help it get pulled out – and no, as one boy asked me back in high school, it doesn’t feel like you’re walking around with a penis in you).

Most women use one or both of these options. The advantages of towels are that you can clearly see when you need to change it (ie, if you’ve got a heavy flow and need to change it every three to six hours rather than every eight), however depending on absorbency it can be quite thick and bulky. Plus, if it has wings (which wrap around the underside of the crotch of your pants to help stop leaking) then when you take off your trousers it is obvious you are wearing one. The advantage of tampons are that they are almost completely unnoticeable (both to other people and the wearer), although once again if you need to change them more regularly you have to guess when you need to change it. Both tampons and towels are disposable, so they have a lot of plastic waste, and tampons in particular have a greater risk of toxic shock (a result of the sterilisation process and the fact they sit against the cervix, holding any bacteria there as well).

However, there are other options. My personal choice is the Mooncup (although there are other similar options available). It’s a small, silicone cup which sits low down in the vagina (reducing the chance of toxic shock). Again it’s an eight hour change cycle, but because it forms a suction with the vagina you don’t need to worry about it leaking. When you do need to change it, you simply tip the contents down the toilet, rinse it out with a light soap, and re-insert. If you’re in public toilets where it’s not entirely appropriate to walk around with a bloody cup in your hands, you can just wipe it out with toilet paper then rinse it at the next opportunity. Once you notice your cup is empty at the end of the week, you sterilise it by boiling it in water for ten minutes, then it’s ready to use next month! A more comprehensive video about this can be found here.

Obviously, this isn’t an option for everybody – you need to have a certain degree of comfort with your body and blood, but everyone I know who uses it love it. It reduces waste and, although it’s a bigger one off payment, overall it’s a lot cheaper than buying tampons or towels as it lasts up to two years. As well as this, in the UK female sanitary products are classed as ‘luxury items’ meaning they are susceptible to tax, and if you want to join the petition to stop taxing periods, you can sign here.

So, there you have it. I’m fed up of living in a society where the subject of periods is avoided and seen as disgusting, when for most women it is one of the most regular experiences they will have for the majority of their life. I’ve given you my recommendations, and if you do want to try out a Moon Cup, you can buy one here (although I do suggest you check out the other alternatives to find out which is best for you). Let me know your experiences, both with periods and talking about them. You can comment below or tweet me @VickiMaitland.

Body Image

TW: Anorexia, Bulimia, Eating Disorders.

(side note, Laci Green expresses a lot of these views a lot better than I do on her YouTube channel, Sex+. A couple of really good videos can be found here and here)

'Tis the season for bikinis, and lately I've been thinking a lot about body image, societies relationship to body, and my own personal relationship to both food and my body.

Body image can mean a lot of things: the way your body looks, the way society views your body and the way your body looks to you. And although this might sound the same, these can often be vastly different. For example, a person may be 20 stone, feel beautiful and love their body. However, sadly society would perceive them as ugly and fat. Equally, a person may be 8 stone and hate their body, even though society would view them as having a perfect figure. These situations are specific to weight, but when you add proportions, age and gender into the mix, this becomes an even bigger mess of opinions and generalisations.

The way the human body is viewed has changed a lot over the course of history, particularly in regards to 'beauty' (ie, what we perceive to be the perfect body). I'm going to talk specifically about women in this post, not only because I am one so I understand society and its relationship to my body (as well as how my female friends and family feel about their body image), but also because what is considered beautiful in women is more exclusive (not only to each era but female perfect is an exclusive concept) and more widely discussed in the media (think tabloids, gossip mags and adverts etc).

So, let’s start from a sort of beginning. Being on the larger side used to be attractive and considered beautiful. If you look at any old painting of a women you'll see she is larger stomached and smaller busted than a pin up today would be. (You can see images photoshopped to more modern standards next to the originals here). There is a very simple reason for this: women who were larger were not only wealthier (they could afford fattening foods) but were also healthier (again, because they had a better, wider, fuller diet). It all came down to reproduction: you wanted the best chance that when you get a women pregnant she will give birth to a healthy child who will grow up in a well-off family.

Then something shifted in our culture. People became wealthier as a society, so they stopped looking to women whose bodies could support a family. Instead, the fashion industry became the go to for information of body type and its relationship to beauty. Since the end of the second world war, this image has fluctuated between two distinct types - the ironing board and the hourglass.

The ironing board refers to women who are tall, slim, with small chests, waists and hips, so their body essentially goes straight up and down (think Kiera Knightly).

The hourglass refers to women who are tall, slim, with larger chests and hips than waists (think Marilyn Monroe or Christina Hendricks).

You'll notice that both associate beauty with being tall and slim - this is because fashion designers produce stock sizes for their models and want to show their clothes off so they look the best. They believe their clothes look good on taller, slimmer people.

Anyway, so society fluctuated between women of these two sizes between 1920 (ish) and the late 1990s (for example, 20s flappers = ironing boards, 50s pin ups = hourglass, 80-90s androgyny = ironing boards). Now, there is a pretty decent mix of the two, often combining in a woman who had a fuller bust but a flat stomach and tiny waist (Rosie Huntington-Whitley, Jourdan Dunn or Miley Cyrus spring to mind).

So all this is going on in society, with women with these figures being placed in the spotlight, whilst women of other figures are ridiculed. This is known as fat shaming - a phrase which commonly refers to when larger women are discriminated because of their size, but I am also going to use it to describe the same effect on women who are thinner. The former type is much more common, and images of women with these figures (in particular the ironing board figure which is arguably more coveted in the fashion industry) can often end up being a trigger for mental illnesses and eating disorders such as anorexia or bulimia. Women are told that they need to look a certain way and can feel a lot of pressure to conform to these standards of beauty.

Needless to say, this is wrong and bad. Not only that, but these perceptions of beauty and many of the arguments that support them (specifically health arguments) are often false. The most important thing is that you love your body, no matter what shape or size. For the UK the average dress size is 14-16. However, women still feel the need to conform the images shown in fashion magazines depicting 'size 0' (UK size 4) models.

The fashion industry are taking baby steps to acknowledge their role in the perception of beauty in society (there is a fabulous article by a 'plus size model' here, in which she discusses the pressures of being a model and the semantics around the term 'plus size'). But they are only baby steps.

Now, most of this post has been about beauty generally. I'm going to try and articulate something I have been coming to terms with recently: my own perception of my body image and my relationship with food.

Overall, I quiet like my body. I'm about 5ft 5" and weigh somewhere in the region of 8.5 stone. On BMI charts I sit around the 19-20 marl, which is healthy for a girl my age, height and weight. This doesn't mean I'm 100% happy with the way I look though.

I am a victim of the 'flat stomach' desire. I want a flatter stomach and I know I can get one. I feel 10 times bigger than I was last summer (despite the fact that the guy I'm seeing says I haven't changed and my mum thinks I look the same) and I know I'm a lot less healthy. I've been eating more and exercising less, it's really as simple as that.

I used to be able to brush off feelings of unhealthiness, go on health kicks and feel better about myself. But this time, I've really sunk into a rut, thinking that everybody around me is so much thinner and prettier. I shouldn't aspire to be thinner. I know I'm healthy, and I know a lot of people want my body type. I also know I'm unhappy in my skin, so I want to change that. However, this feeling of general unhealthiness as for the first time highlighted to me my own relationship with food. Which is by no means as healthy as I'd like it to be. I categorize foods into good and bad. I reward myself with food, as well as deny myself it. I count calories obsessively.

Now I know this is ridiculous. I know that if I acted on many of my food feelings I would end up becoming seriously unhealthy, and part of me worries that it's only because I've got my mum feeding me that I eat proper sized portions at all (too bigger portions in my eyes, but I eat them because she gives them to me).

This has been a huge realisation for me. I've started to do more exercise and eat more regularly (ie, cutting out snacks and eating larger meals). So that feels better. I've also started to go for walks more regularly, to get myself up out of my computer seat and into the fresh air, which always makes me feel healthier anyway. I'm going to try not to worry about my tummy in my bikini on holiday, and sort out any issues I have afterwards.

So, mostly I'm feeling good. However, society and its relationship to the female body is still hugely flawed. I might do another post this week on ownership of the female body, because as I've said it's something I've been thinking a lot about recently.

Best Wishes, 

xx

If you suffer from any of the issues mentioned, and would like to talk about it, you can visit your local doctor, visit http://www.youth2youth.org.uk/common-problems/self-image/ or http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Anorexia-nervosa/Pages/Getting-help.aspx

Beauty: Product Reviews (Volumizing Powder and Rimmel Polish)

Hey gang.

So after my last, rambling, boring, self-indulgent post, I thought I better do something a bit more useful/interesting, so here's a couple of quick little reviews.

1) Schwarzkopf Got2be Powder'ful Volumizing Styling Powder (£4-ish) Ok, so this is advertised pretty much constantly on E4, and I'd heard some good things about it, so I thought I'd pick it up and give it a go. I really struggle with flat hair - my hair is so fine and thin it doesn't really have any texture to it at the roots, and because its long and curly it tends to get all it's body around my chin - the result of which leaves me with 'triangle issues'. I had some high hopes for this product - and was disappointed for a number of reasons. Firstly, you can only apply it when your hair is dry. I hadn't seen this note when I bought the product, and if I had I probably wouldn't have bothered. It is impossible for me to style my hair when it's dry - it turns into a wispy mess. Every time I've used the product I've just felt frizzy, which is something I've been trying to avoid my whole life. Secondly, the texture. Whilst it definitely gives body to my roots, its feels disgusting and dry in my normally shiny hair. I hated it. If you pour it into your hands, as directed, it also leaves them feeling sticky, and it's really hard to wash off. This said, when I have used it, it has definitely boosted my volume, and has been useful if I'm heading out and don't have time to wash and dry my hair. 2/5 sunbeams.

2) Rimmel I Love Lasting Finish Nail Polish (£2.99) I'd been looking for an orange nail polish for a while, and when I picked up 200 Orange Your Life thought I'd found a great one. Under the shop lights it looked perfect, however, when I actually put it on at home, it was a lot pinker and a lot more neon that I had anticipated. Whilst it's still a great, fun, summery colour, it wasn't what I was looking for. A few days later I was serving someone at the kiosk when I spotted their nail colour - and immediately had to ask where they'd got it from. Lo and behold, it was from this exact same collection, in the colour 705 Tangy Tangerine. It was the perfect colour - light and summery, a nice peachy orange. The only problem I have with this range is the application - its very streaky. I'm not the best at applying nail polish anyway, so I have real issues with this. Also, for a lasting finish nail polish, it doesn't really last for longer than a day before it starts chipping. Again this could be because it's very hard to apply it evenly. Overall, however, I give it 3.5/5 sunbeams. I almost gave it a 4 but the application really let it down.

Hopefully I'll get the chance to write a couple more posts this week before I head off to France for a fortnight!

Best Wishes

xx

Beauty: Skin Care Routine (Face)

Hullo, so I thought I might try something a bit different and do a beauty style blog post - just to see how it goes. I'm a huge fan of beauty vloggers and stuff like this really interests me, so I hope you find it interesting too!

I thought I'd start off with a basic skin care routine - or in other word the daily stuff I put on my face. My routine is pretty much the same morning and night, so this shouldn't be too long.

Firstly, I'll just tell you a little bit about my skin type. I tend to err on the oily side of the skin spectrum and my skin isn't particularly sensitive - so I can do a lot to it. I also have a condition which causes the skin cells on my cheeks (as well as my upper arms and occasionally thighs) to be over reproductive, leaving my with lots of tiny goose pimple bumps on my skin. When I was little, the doctors told me to be extra gentle with my skin and moisturise it lots, but when I turned 10 they changed their minds and told me to scrub it a lot to wear off the skin. Since I've started doing that it's a lot better on my face, but is still pretty bad on my arms. It also makes my skin redder than normal (again this has subsided). Its a pretty common condition (I know a couple of people who have it) and it doesn't really effect me anymore, but when I was little I used to hate it. I'll try to find out the name of it, but you'll know if you have it.

Anyway...

As soon as I get up in the morning I go and get a drink. Now, I know this doesn't really sound like a 'skin care' thing, but I find that when I am hydrated and drinking lots of fluids my skin is generally in a lot better condition - it's got a nicer glow to it, is less greasy and not as prone to spots. Next up, I wash my hands thoroughly - if I'm about to be touching my face I want to make sure I'm not putting loads of germs etc on it that may have accrued on my hands overnight. After that I dampen my face then exfoliate using Clean and Clear's Exfoliating Daily Wash. This comes in 150ml tubes for around £3 (but I tend to buy it on offer - usually 2 for the price of 1 or something similar) and I've seen it in pretty much ever health/beauty store and all the major supermarkets. It's a pretty standard product. I personally really like it because it's got very fine micro-beads in it, so its gentle enough for everyday use but still gets right into the pores to help clear them out.  I probably wouldn't recommend doing this everyday if you have dry or sensitive skin, as although it is gentle it does dry out my skin quite a lot (which is what I want from it, but you may not). If you want an exfoliant which doesn't dry out your skin I'd recommend Olay's Smoothing Face Scrub - I use it when I run out of my other products and I never have to apply moisturiser afterwards.

Once I've rinsed that off, I apply a small amount of Clean and Clear's Blackhead Clearing Cleanser to a cotton pad and rub that in all over my face - focusing on my forehead, nose and chin (aka the 'T-zone'). When I was little I never used to wash my face as I didn't really suffer from acne, however, this has left me with a few black heads on my nose (and I'm very wary of them forming in other places too). Blackheads are a lot harder to get rid of than spots, and this treatment is the only thing which appears to make them less visible. It comes in 200ml bottles and is around £3.50 (but again I buy it when it's on offer). Both these products last a really long time, so I never have to buy them that often. I use this every day, and I rub very vigorously, which leave my skin feeling tights and tingly. I like this sensation, however it can also burn a bit when you apply it. I don't mind this, but if you've got dry or sensitive skin (again) I'd avoid this. 

Both of these products dry out my skin, which is good, however, dry skin causes the skin to think kit needs to produce more oil, which is not what I want at all. To combat this I use Olay Complete Care Daily Fluid for normal/oily skin from their Essentials range. I love this moisturiser. It is so light and soaks into your skin really quickly and easily, so it doesn't leave you with a claggy or greasy feeling at all. Not only that, but it also is SPF 15, so I never bother putting sun cream on my face. I'm naturally quite tan anyway, so this just helps from the harmful UV rays. As it says, its technically a fluid not a moisturiser, which I think is why it is a lot smother and lighter to apply than other products I've used. This is more expensive, around £6 for a 200ml bottle, but as you only need a penny sized amount everyday use it lasts for ever!

On my lips, I use Palmer's Coco Butter Formula Moisturizing Lip Balm. This also has SPF 15 in it, as well as Vitamin E, and it leaves my lips feeling really good - which I need when spring is as rotten as it has been this year! My lips tend to dry out very easily, so I always carry this around with me to re-apply during the day. It doesn't soak in that quickly, but I love rubbing my lips together with it on! It also smells really good, and is totally tasteless. (Its around £2 a tube).

I apply any make-up on top of this. I'll usually wear eyeshadow, liquid eyeliner, mascara and lipstick.

At night, my routine is almost identical. However, before I begin my routine I'll remove my make up first. When I wear foundation this is a little different, but for my daily make up removal I use Simple's Kind to Eyes Nourishing Eye Make-up Remover Cream. This is essentially a gentle moisturiser which I apply to a cotton pad and rub gently on my eyes. It works so much better than all the other make-up removers I've tried, and it never stings or causes my eyes to water. It's also really good for removing waterproof makeup. I'd highly recommend this if you've got sensitive skin, its very gentle and moisturising. It costs around £4 for 100ml, but Sainsbury's normally do really good deals on it (I got 2 for 1 on it). Plus it lasts. I also use this to fix any make-up errors I make, it's got a really fine dispenser, so I just apply a blob to a cotton bud (or Q-tip, which ever you prefer to call it) and wipe of the mistake. Simple! (Pro-tip: If you run out of eye make up remover, you can always use regular moisturiser, but be very careful not to get it in your eye - very stingy!)

So there you go, my daily skin care routine! Let me know if you enjoyed reading this, want more information on any of the products (i.e, links about where to buy them etc), pictures of the products etc! as I said, I really enjoy reading these and writing it was super fun, so I think I'll do a few more of these. If you really don't want to read anymore of these then let me know, and if enough of you object, I might make a separate beauty blog. 

Best Wishes! 

xx

ps. I'm gonna attempt BEDA this month, as well as NaPoWriMo (more of them later), so expect to see an extra lot of me this month!

They See Me Haulin', They Hatin'...

Why hello there!

So it was my bonny old birthday yesterday, so I thought I'd share with you what I got!

1)


 

Dictionary of Literary Terms
 and Literary Theory (Penguin, 4th ed.)
ISBN: 9780140513639
Andrew Heywood, Political Ideologies:
An Introduction (Palgrave Macmillan, 5th ed.)
ISBN:9780230367258

Both of these books look like they're going to be really useful for my course. Right from the beginning every single lecturer I've had has told me to get my hands on a good literary dictionary, so I asked for one for my birthday. For those of you who don't know what a literary dictionary is, it is basically a cross between and dictionary and a reference book, which allows it to give really in depth definitions of literary ideas (for example, the definition for novel is 40 pages long - going into its etymology and its history), so it should be very helpful for my course. I used the 4th edition of Andy Heywood's political ideologies in the second year of A level politics, and from what I can tell, the only difference between this edition and the 4th is this version has colour (well, blue rather than grey) and occasionally pictures of particularly influential people. (If you are interested in getting a copy, I recommend either the 4th or 5th edition, the 3rd doesn't have word definition boxes, which are incredibly helpful). My course has involved a lot of politics - or rather the need for a broad view of political moments in history, which this book covers within it's overview of ideology. It's very well written, clear and easy to understand.

2)

Zara Ethnic Print Shirt (Medium)

Sorry the picture is on the side, I uploaded it vertically, but it doesn't appear to have worked... Anyway, the shirt is very light weight, almost to the point of being see through. It's in a soft cotton, and has a long torso (it covers my butt). I had to get the medium because I find Zara clothing fits tight on my shoulders and the sleeves tend to be half an inch too short. Really looking forward to some warmer weather so I can frolic in it, as it would look cute tucked into jeans or loose over shorts. Bring on summer!!

3)

My friends got me this 'Cake Pop' tray and recipe book! It looks adorable and I can't wait to get baking!

4)

They also got me this tea-bag tin filled with tea! All the tea is herbal (i think) but they haven't told me what's what. It smells divine though! A gorgeous mix of ginger and peppermint and yum yum yum! It almost smells like Yogi Yogi Chai (a tea I had in a cute little tea shop called Chai Ovna in Glasgow's West End), which was the most delicious tea ever, and once I've finished working my way through these, I think I'll probably invest in some and put tat in there instead!

5)

I'm very much looking forward to wearing these banging earrings! As you can see they were from New Look. I'd write more, but I really moustache... Hahahaha... must dash, moustache, geddit?!?

6)

Love the animal prints on these hair clips! Hopefully they'll look really sweet with my Pocahontas style summer dress!

7)


Rimmel Vinyl Gloss in Crystal Clear, Avon Super Shock Mascara in Black,
 Avon  SpotLight Moitsure Shimmer Gel, Avon Nailwear Pro in  Golden Dream
 and Avon Super Shock Eyeshadow Crayon in Icicle and Surf.

Can you tell one of my mates in an Avon rep? I can never afford to buy Avon make up, so I'm super chuffed she thought to get me some! I love it! I can't wait to try out the Rimmel gloss either, I'll be so shimmery if I wear all these together! Hopefully I'll review them once I've given them all a whirl!

8)

FCUK Little Indulgent Box containing body spray, body wash,
body polish and body cream, as well as a body polisher,
 all scented with their 'signature' scent.

My Mum's best friend never forgets my birthday and always gets me lovely gifts - this year was no exception! I am super excited to try out all this stuff - especial the body polish! I'm wearing the body spray at the moment (I think I'll wear it as a perfume rather than a spray) and it smells so floral and fresh - it's lovely. Again, I'll hopefully have a review up in the near future...

9)

Last but not least, EBO! My wonderful sister got me this card game and I cannot wait to play it! The premise of the game is that you are a Time Nanny and you got and kidnap babies who turn out to be evil when they grow up (ie, Hitler), but because they're evil babies, its not quiet as simple as you might think. There's a play through on Team Hypercube's YouTube channel (www.youtube.com/teamhypercube) that should be very helpful, so I'm going to give that a watch in a bit.


That's all folks! I had a wonderful Birthday, and hope your days were just as merry and love filled as mine!

xx

Ch-ch-changes and spreading some love

So, since its Valentines, I've been thinking a lot about how much has changed in my life over the past year.

This time last year I woke up, hungover, next to a rebound guy on my best mates sofa.
This time last year I was heartbroken.
This time last year I was the most stressed I have ever been.

Suffice to say this year has been a hell of an improvement.

I woke up to my phone buzzing at the ripe hour of 7.20am (it was a text from my boss) and spent the day writing an essay. Ok, maybe not a huge improvement then. But I'm not stressed and I'm getting taken out by the fella tonight. So things are looking very much on the up.

It's hard at times like this not to reflect on the past, what the year has brought. Which is what makes it so hard if you're someone who is affected by being single on Valentines. My past V-day's ain't been that good. As I said last year I was hungover and alone, the year before that I was avoiding the guy i was with and broke up with him the next day. Before that I didn't have boyfriends. So, this is a first for me.

I just wanted to spread the love a little. Wherever you are, I hope you have a wonderful day, and whether or not you celebrate St. Valentine, I hope it's filled with love.

If you're missing out on some lovin, I recommend you watch this video, it always causes my heart to burst a little http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0QVQSZA9zSk

Love You Bye

xx

Show-girl-cowboys, Illness and Uni

Got a lot to cover this post so let's get cracking, eh?

I went to see Father John Misty perform last Wednesday. I safely say it was simulatneously one of the sexiest and strangest performances I've ever seen. He stood on stage dressed like a chic cowboy (light loose-fit blue coton shirt tucked into jeans with a large-buckeled brown belt) and sung folky/country/blues, but he performed like a lack-lustre 1930's show-girl. It was... strange to say the least. But so sexy. Somehow. Just trust me on this.

I went with a couple of my friends for one of their parents birthday's. His dad bought us a drink, as did his dad's friend. (Side note: Hot Spiced Cider is delicious. It tastes of Autumn and is beautiful) His dad's friend was drooling over the fact that both me and my lady flavoured friend liked tequila AND had transport. It was funny.

The next day I had a horrific cold. I didn't feel that ill, but I was coughing all over the shop.

It hit me on Friday. I spent all day in bed, feeling very sorry for myself, and watched the entire Lord of The Rings trillogy. My thoughts on this were as follows:

1) Frodo is annoying. Sam should've had the ring (although that might just make him annoying too).
2) They should've ditched Pippin early on (although I loved him in Return of the King).
3) The parts with Aragorn and Legolas and Dawrf whose name I can't remember were my favourites.
4) Need I say more?

- Sorry if this post feels disjointed. I'm talking to my friend at the same time and keep getting distracted -

ANYWAY

Now onto slightly more sombre matters. Uni. For the first time I've properly felt as if I've been missing out on stuff by not living on campus. Everyone is looking to get houses together and I just don't have that solid group of poeple I've been living with, so it's a bit more awkward for me. It's not like I don't have people I'm tight with, but they live with people so the chances are they have an idea of who they want to live with. I'm sure I'll figure it out, it's just hard. Especially seeing everyone's pictures of themselves in their flats and I'm stuck at home. The bus journeys have started to take their toll too. Just. End of term syndrome I think. I hope.

Sorry how rubbish this post was...

TTFN xx

The Girl Sitting Opposite Me In The Library Looks Like The Spit Of Jennifer Lawrence

I don't know how anybody expects me to concentrate...

Reasons Why I am a Massive Girl

It's strange how things happen sometimes. Little coincidences that kind of feel like more than just coincidences, even though that is all they are.

On Thursday the guy who I have this "thing" with went to Copenhagen to visit his brother who has just moved out there for the next two years. The next day I get a text from my ex, giving me his new phone number. Now that in itself isn't all that strange - the text was just a mass text, not an attempt to re-kindle lost romance.

But then today happened. I get a text from a guy who I was seeing briefly (we went on walks together, the pub occasionally and I went over to his house to watch a movie once). Now that *is* strange. We didn't end on the best of terms (he had just got out of a really big relationship when we started seeing each other so didn't really want a relationship, but all the signs he was giving indicated that he was up for one. I wasn't ready for another relationship, but he didn't really understand that. I asked him if he was messing me around and he said yes.) but because we got on well, we kinda kept in contact. By in contact I mean once or twice a month one or the other of us would text and we would make small talk about what we were up to or how we were - by no means a close friendship. For the past couple months, I've been the one getting in contact, but today he text me. For all intents and purposes out of the blue. Our last exchange of texts had essentially been me saying that we couldn't go back to how things were four months ago, as I had started this thing with my friend. So it was a bit strange that he text me. Nice, but strange.

Now, I am fully aware that this is all a massive coincidence. And yes, Freshers is soon so the chance I will meet new people (new guys?) is on the cards, and the guy with the thing is away and we aren't an actual couple, but... really?

So. Just being a massively stereotypical girly girl. Sigh.

In other news, one of my best friends left for Uni today! We had a lovely meal at The Bell and girly chats. She will be sorely missed - and if by some chance she stumbles upon this little corner of the Internet: GOOD LUCK HONEY!!

TTFN! xx

Just Finished: Flappers and Philosophers (Kindle edition) by F. Scott. Fitzgerald. Rating: ****
Currently Reading:  The Pilgrims Progress (Kindle edition) by John Bunyan.