You may have noticed I've had a layout change. I've always had issues with my blogger themes ever since I started blogging, and even though I got better at changing things myself, I decided I am just not good enough at design to ever be completely happy with what I can come up with on my own. So I bought an easily customised theme from etsy, had a little play, and voilà! I may not be able to use Photoshop very well, but I can cut and paste code like nobody's business. I've also added a blogroll because sharing is caring.
I'm really happy with it, I feel like it looks more like a 'real' blog (if that makes sense?). It makes me excited to write more on here (although I think I'm doing pretty well so far this year - but then again it is only January).
Song of the Day: On My Side Leighton Meester
Showing posts with label blogging. Show all posts
Showing posts with label blogging. Show all posts
I'm on a roll...
I think I'm starting to get the hang of organising my blog posts. The outfit photos in this post were taken last week some time, and I took some more today for a future post. It's just always useful to have photos stacked up and ready to go so that when it comes to days when I post, I have far less to do. It's nice to have options on what I want to share as well.
The weather definitely seems to be improving. We're getting days that are dry (for the most part - we still seem to be getting a daily rain shower), and even sunny. I'm really looking forward to not needing a coat as well, even though I do really love mine!
It was pretty windy when I took these, I almost had a Marilyn moment with my skirt. Luckily no one was around, and I was in my own garden rather than a public place. Skater skirts aren't the most convenient for windy days - must remember that for next time.
The weather definitely seems to be improving. We're getting days that are dry (for the most part - we still seem to be getting a daily rain shower), and even sunny. I'm really looking forward to not needing a coat as well, even though I do really love mine!
It was pretty windy when I took these, I almost had a Marilyn moment with my skirt. Luckily no one was around, and I was in my own garden rather than a public place. Skater skirts aren't the most convenient for windy days - must remember that for next time.
Hat: Dorothy Perkins
Coat: H&M
Scarf: Gift (Dorothy Perkins)
Top: Dorothy Perkins
Skirt: River Island
Boots: Dorothy Perkins
I have a lot of stuff from Dorothy Perkins apparently...
Song of the Day: Sympathy by The Goo Goo Dolls
Starting Afresh
Believe it or not, this is my very first post on this particular part of the internet. I had two blogs; one which just had general ramblings, and another which had outfit posts and wishlists and stuff like that. Posts on both of those gradually became few and far between and I knew the main reason for that was because of the hassle of having two blogs. Also, I felt like I'd pigeonholed what I could post on either of them because of how specific the blog names were (Useless Ramblings was one and Emma Wears was the other).
I debated just starting a new blog and leaving the old ones where they were, but when I really thought about it I realised that I didn't want to be occupying that much space on the internet, and I liked the idea of just incorporating all my old posts from both blogs into the new blog and just carrying on from there. So a new blog but without having to do another awkward first post introduction (even though it kinda feels like that's what I'm doing now!)
Initially I thought it was going to be really unnecessarily complicated and tedious trying to transfer posts from two blogs into a new one, but when I finally decided to sit down and look into it (which was today) I found that it was incredibly easy and quick, so I went for it. It took me a while to think of a name, but in the end I went for 'Pieces of Me' which I thought was appropriate because I can put absolutely anything I want on it. Even if it is the name of an Ashlee Simpson song.
Anyway, in a couple of weeks I'll be deleting the old blogs completely, but in the meantime please bear with me over here as I make a few tweaks and get it just how I want it. If you're interested, please do follow along with bloglovin' (or google friend connect, if it still exists - I'm never quite sure!)
I hope that everyone who celebrates had a very Merry Christmas and I wish you all a Happy New Year - here's to 2014!
Blogging thoughts
So the last time I was here, it was July and we were experiencing the best summer we've had in years in the UK. Now, it's the middle of October and winter is fast approaching.
I don't know what happened to be honest. I just lost all motivation and inclination to blog anything. Also because I have another blog as well, I felt like I couldn't update one without the other. I think that I probably don't blog consistently (despite my good intentions) because I have two blogs and it's hard to be organised enough to keep on top of things with both of them.
I've been thinking about maybe starting a new blog which combines both of my original blogs together and then just deleting the old ones. The only trouble is, I'd want to import all (or at least most) of the posts from both blogs into the new one, and I don't think I'm tech-savvy enough to do that. Although I'm sure it can be done, I'll have to look into it. I just feel like I kind of want to start again (but without really starting again as I'd still have all my posts from both of these blogs, just in a brand new space, if that makes sense!) Anyway, these are just some thoughts I've been having, so stay tuned as I may be making some changes and moving to a different space of the internet, haha.
This outfit looks better in person than it does in pictures which is annoying because I actually really like it. Never mind, you can just take my word for it. Also, I'm wearing my new glasses (well they're not that new anymore but they haven't made an appearance here because I've been absent for so long!).
I don't know what happened to be honest. I just lost all motivation and inclination to blog anything. Also because I have another blog as well, I felt like I couldn't update one without the other. I think that I probably don't blog consistently (despite my good intentions) because I have two blogs and it's hard to be organised enough to keep on top of things with both of them.
I've been thinking about maybe starting a new blog which combines both of my original blogs together and then just deleting the old ones. The only trouble is, I'd want to import all (or at least most) of the posts from both blogs into the new one, and I don't think I'm tech-savvy enough to do that. Although I'm sure it can be done, I'll have to look into it. I just feel like I kind of want to start again (but without really starting again as I'd still have all my posts from both of these blogs, just in a brand new space, if that makes sense!) Anyway, these are just some thoughts I've been having, so stay tuned as I may be making some changes and moving to a different space of the internet, haha.
This outfit looks better in person than it does in pictures which is annoying because I actually really like it. Never mind, you can just take my word for it. Also, I'm wearing my new glasses (well they're not that new anymore but they haven't made an appearance here because I've been absent for so long!).
Jumper: Warehouse
Dress: New Look
Tights: H&M (I think)
Boots: ASOS
25 facts, 11-20
Here we go again...
11. The only pets I have ever had were two rats when I was about 11 or 12. The were called Tyke and Bounty, and they were adorable, even though they chewed everything in sight. Bounty always used to breathe quite fast and one day I got home from school to find that she'd died, I'm guessing of some kind of respiratory problem. Tyke developed a tumour some time after that and we took her to the vets to get it removed. She used to chew through her stitches though (gross). Anyway, soon after that we moved back to Saudi so gave her to my cousin to look after, and they had to have her put down because her tumour grew back. We never got another pet, although my parents now have a cat at their house in Saudi which is annoying because they never let me get one. Typical.
12. When I was about 3 or 4, we went to Kenya on Safari. I don't remember much about it, but at one point we were having a little picnic lunch, and a baboon wandered over and stole my lunch. This is no word of a lie. It was all very upsetting (I hate to miss a meal). Apparently it targeted my particular lunch because I was the smallest.
13. I am deathly afraid of geese. They are Satan's creatures. I've had my lunch stolen by a goose also, actually. Well, I threw my hotdog at it because it was chasing me. It was very traumatic though, I don't want to talk about it, haha.
14. I used to go to ballet lessons when I was younger, and apparently I was terrible (cheers for the support Dad haha). We had a show and I actually had a solo, but I was the old lady who swallowed a fly or something (I don't remember how the dance went) so I didn't get to wear anything pretty. I think my parents had to suffer through a few dance shows before I decided it wasn't for me.
15. I have trouble telling the time on watches with no numbers, unless it's 12, 3, 6 or 9 'o' clock. Speaking of watches, I have the worst luck with them, I manage to inexplicably break them. We went on a Caribbean cruise once and my dad bought me a really nice watch while we were on the ship and I think I'd only had it a couple of months when the the fastening clip broke or something. I think I've managed to break two watches bought for me by my dad actually. I hope he doesn't think it's anything personal!
16. I am of the opinion that I have the best taste in music ever. Obnoxiously so. If people don't like songs that I like...well, they're wrong.
17. I'm absolutely convinced that I will win the lottery one day. I figure that someone has to win every week, and it might as well be me. It's definitely going to happen. You'll see.
18. We went on a family holiday to the Maldives when I was younger and we stayed in a little cabin kind of thing over the water, so we could climb down this little ladder and we were straight in the sea. I remember this holiday for two reasons: 1 - that I dropped the little people from my Polly Pocket into the water and lost them forever, and 2 - my brother pretended he got attacked by a barracuda. What a comedian.
19. Whenever I go to a place that has an Aquarium, I have to go. I love them.
20. As I discovered last year, I am not that good with roller coasters. I'll go on them, but will most likely have my eyes shut the whole way round. Oh, and Oblivion is horrible, it literally made me feel like I was going to turn inside out.
See you next time, if I can think of 5 more things about me!
Song of the Day: Closer by Tegan and Sara
Currently reading: About three books honestly. I kind of stopped reading You Had Me At Hello for a while because it wasn't moving as fast as I wanted it to, and I started reading Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince instead. Now I'm also reading Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater on my Kindle, which I'm already racing through, and guess what, it's a trilogy! It's pretty good so far although pretty similar to Twilight I guess, just with no vampires (but extra werewolves). At least the protagonist isn't anywhere near as pathetic as Bella. That's my next two books sorted anyway!
11. The only pets I have ever had were two rats when I was about 11 or 12. The were called Tyke and Bounty, and they were adorable, even though they chewed everything in sight. Bounty always used to breathe quite fast and one day I got home from school to find that she'd died, I'm guessing of some kind of respiratory problem. Tyke developed a tumour some time after that and we took her to the vets to get it removed. She used to chew through her stitches though (gross). Anyway, soon after that we moved back to Saudi so gave her to my cousin to look after, and they had to have her put down because her tumour grew back. We never got another pet, although my parents now have a cat at their house in Saudi which is annoying because they never let me get one. Typical.
12. When I was about 3 or 4, we went to Kenya on Safari. I don't remember much about it, but at one point we were having a little picnic lunch, and a baboon wandered over and stole my lunch. This is no word of a lie. It was all very upsetting (I hate to miss a meal). Apparently it targeted my particular lunch because I was the smallest.
13. I am deathly afraid of geese. They are Satan's creatures. I've had my lunch stolen by a goose also, actually. Well, I threw my hotdog at it because it was chasing me. It was very traumatic though, I don't want to talk about it, haha.
14. I used to go to ballet lessons when I was younger, and apparently I was terrible (cheers for the support Dad haha). We had a show and I actually had a solo, but I was the old lady who swallowed a fly or something (I don't remember how the dance went) so I didn't get to wear anything pretty. I think my parents had to suffer through a few dance shows before I decided it wasn't for me.
15. I have trouble telling the time on watches with no numbers, unless it's 12, 3, 6 or 9 'o' clock. Speaking of watches, I have the worst luck with them, I manage to inexplicably break them. We went on a Caribbean cruise once and my dad bought me a really nice watch while we were on the ship and I think I'd only had it a couple of months when the the fastening clip broke or something. I think I've managed to break two watches bought for me by my dad actually. I hope he doesn't think it's anything personal!
16. I am of the opinion that I have the best taste in music ever. Obnoxiously so. If people don't like songs that I like...well, they're wrong.
17. I'm absolutely convinced that I will win the lottery one day. I figure that someone has to win every week, and it might as well be me. It's definitely going to happen. You'll see.
18. We went on a family holiday to the Maldives when I was younger and we stayed in a little cabin kind of thing over the water, so we could climb down this little ladder and we were straight in the sea. I remember this holiday for two reasons: 1 - that I dropped the little people from my Polly Pocket into the water and lost them forever, and 2 - my brother pretended he got attacked by a barracuda. What a comedian.
19. Whenever I go to a place that has an Aquarium, I have to go. I love them.
20. As I discovered last year, I am not that good with roller coasters. I'll go on them, but will most likely have my eyes shut the whole way round. Oh, and Oblivion is horrible, it literally made me feel like I was going to turn inside out.
See you next time, if I can think of 5 more things about me!
Song of the Day: Closer by Tegan and Sara
Currently reading: About three books honestly. I kind of stopped reading You Had Me At Hello for a while because it wasn't moving as fast as I wanted it to, and I started reading Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince instead. Now I'm also reading Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater on my Kindle, which I'm already racing through, and guess what, it's a trilogy! It's pretty good so far although pretty similar to Twilight I guess, just with no vampires (but extra werewolves). At least the protagonist isn't anywhere near as pathetic as Bella. That's my next two books sorted anyway!
25 facts about me, 1-10
So this '50 random facts about yourself' thing has been doing the rounds on loads of blogs lately and I figured I may as well join in. I'm only going to do 25 though, because 50 just sounds like a ridiculous effort. The facts might not even be that random, just things you might not know about me. They won't even be all that interesting. Bet you can't wait to read this now!
Song of the Day: Here's Your Letter by Blink-182
Currently reading: You Had Me At Hello
- The first gig (well, concert) I ever went to was Bryan Adams with my parents and brother at the NEC in Birmingham. He was awesome. Since then I've only seen Boy Kill Boy, and then I saw Feeder when they came to my University's May Ball. So yeah, I'm not really a big gig attender. I do love music though.
- I lived in Saudi Arabia from the ages 2-10 and then 13-16, so 11 years overall because my parents got teaching jobs out there. It was a really great place to grow up which sounds weird to everyone unless they grew up there too. My parents still live there now (which gives me free reign of our UK house except when they're back for holidays). So I guess I have the unique experience of still living at home but not technically living with my parents.
- I hate tomato ketchup with the burning passion of a thousand fiery suns. As a waitress, I come into contact with the nasty stuff on an almost daily basis so I'm used to it, but I still find it revolting. Clearing plates with ketchup smeared all over them is my least favourite thing about my job.
- I'm a sucker for creature-feature type films. Jaws is my favourite movie, but I also love things like Anaconda and Lake Placid. Last night I watched Piranha, the one with Kelly Brook in it, and it was amazing - total rubbish obviously, but amazing. I don't know why I'm drawn to these types of films, I think maybe I just like that they don't take themselves too seriously.
- I am the jumpiest person ever. This is something that the boys at work have been enjoying immensely ever since they realised, by jumping out at me from behind fridges when I walk past, or sneaking up behind me and just hovering there until I turn around, making me jump out of my skin. I'm ridiculous in scary films.
- I passed my theory test second time, and my driving test third time. I'm ok with this because I beat my brother who passed fourth time.
- I always get nervous before making a big purchase for myself, even though I know I have enough money for it. I was like this before buying my GHDs a few years ago, and last year with my iPhone. I kept going online and adding it to my basket and then chickening out. I don't know why, but buying expensive things like that makes me feel guilty even if I really want it, but I won't think twice about spending money on clothes.
- I have never broken any bones (touch wood!) and have only been to hospital once, when I was little because I got quite dehydrated and had to go on a drip.
- I don't think I will ever grow tired of reading/watching Harry Potter. It's such a good story and is now just synonymous with my generation. I've been to the Harry Potter Studio tour which was fantastic, and I really want to go to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios in Orlando. One day...
- I was in Sydney over Christmas and New Year when I was 19 and I got to do the Sydney Harbour Bridge climb and see the fireworks on New Years Eve, both of which were incredible experiences. If you ever get a chance to go, I would definitely take it! I'd love to go back.
Song of the Day: Here's Your Letter by Blink-182
Currently reading: You Had Me At Hello
Early bird
I'm finding it really difficult to get back into the swing of blogging regularly after Christmas. Work has been busy - much busier than I expected at this time of year - and I spend most of my free time feeling pretty exhausted. I need to get back into a routine, but then that's pretty much the story of my life, constantly looking for a consistent routine!
This morning I had to go into town for a 9.45am sight test and contact lens check up. I always like to get appointments like this out of the way as early as possible because then it leaves me the rest of day to do what I want with. I've been informed that I have become slightly more short-sighted (booo) but that I get a free pair of glasses as part of my easy-care package (yay!). I'm planning on heading back next week when I have a bit more time to pick out some frames.
But anyway, while I was in town I could pick up a few bits that I needed (and also a dress from Primark - it's well worth going first thing in the morning before the masses have descended and made it a total mess!) and I did my food shopping for the week. All that and I made it home before midday. This afternoon I made double chocolate chip cookies for the first time ever and they are seriously yummy.
My point here is that getting up earlier, even on days where you don't have to, will probably make your day much more productive and thus make you feel less crappy. So that's my helpful hint for the day. Not that you asked for one.
Oh yeah and apparently we're supposed to get more snow this week? There was a little bit on the ground this morning but if we get a repeat of last months I will actually kill someone. Well, not really, but I'll be very unhappy.
Song of the Day: Not Giving In by Rudimental feat. John Newman and Alex Clare
Currently reading: You Had Me At Hello by Mhairi McFarlane. So far it's your typical romance type book but enjoyable nonetheless. I think next I should try and read something more taxing. It's so much effort though!
This morning I had to go into town for a 9.45am sight test and contact lens check up. I always like to get appointments like this out of the way as early as possible because then it leaves me the rest of day to do what I want with. I've been informed that I have become slightly more short-sighted (booo) but that I get a free pair of glasses as part of my easy-care package (yay!). I'm planning on heading back next week when I have a bit more time to pick out some frames.
But anyway, while I was in town I could pick up a few bits that I needed (and also a dress from Primark - it's well worth going first thing in the morning before the masses have descended and made it a total mess!) and I did my food shopping for the week. All that and I made it home before midday. This afternoon I made double chocolate chip cookies for the first time ever and they are seriously yummy.
My point here is that getting up earlier, even on days where you don't have to, will probably make your day much more productive and thus make you feel less crappy. So that's my helpful hint for the day. Not that you asked for one.
Oh yeah and apparently we're supposed to get more snow this week? There was a little bit on the ground this morning but if we get a repeat of last months I will actually kill someone. Well, not really, but I'll be very unhappy.
Song of the Day: Not Giving In by Rudimental feat. John Newman and Alex Clare
Currently reading: You Had Me At Hello by Mhairi McFarlane. So far it's your typical romance type book but enjoyable nonetheless. I think next I should try and read something more taxing. It's so much effort though!
Photo Friday
It's Autumn, therefore it's really pretty outside.
So I guess I just officially implemented Photo Friday which means so far so good with regards to my schedule. Autumn and Winter are my favourite seasons, not that I don't like Spring and Summer but I've never minded being cold, and I like layering and hot drinks and blankets and sitting in front of the fire. Not to mention Christmas. Also the colours of the leaves are so pretty this time of year. Unfortunately they're also falling off the trees pretty rapidly which means I'm going to have to rake them all up soon, I'm sure that will be a fun job for me.
Song of the Day: Daniel by Bat For Lashes
Currently reading: We Need To Talk About Kevin
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| Gross looking mushrooms growing in the garden |
Song of the Day: Daniel by Bat For Lashes
Currently reading: We Need To Talk About Kevin
Lately...
My blog schedule is kind of coming together. I know that I'm going to be posting on Mondays Wednesdays and Fridays. Friday is going to be photograph based, and I'm going to call it Photo Friday because it's pretty much alliteration and therefore sounds good. I haven't thought of anything specific to do on Mondays and Wednesdays, but rest assured, I'll be delivering some sort of content on those days! But anyway, for today, here's a little, 'what I've been doing lately' to keep you going.
Reading:
Honestly? Christmas magazines, recipe books, blogs, but not a lot else. Which is ridiculous because I am supposed to be doing a book challenge (that I set for myself, might I add). I don't know what it is but lately I just haven't really felt like reading which is a shame because I really do love to read. I think part of the reason is that there are books that I quite want to read which aren't on my list, and I know that reading them will make me feel guilty, and that's making me resent my list of books still to read. I think the first thing I need to do is finish We Need To Talk About Kevin and then I'll see how I feel after that. I'm stuck in a reading rut and I need to get out of it.
Watching:
Game of Thrones. I feel like I'm kind of late to the party with this one, but a friend got me onto it and I am hooked. I haven't read any of the books (now there's a surprise) and honestly I don't think I'll bother, I'm just enjoying watching it. I've also been watching Nigellissima, Nigella Lawson's current show on the BBC. I used to love Nigella, I love the hilarious phrases she uses to describe what she's doing and how things taste. Plus her hair is always so perfect. But on this latest series she suddenly seems so incredibly smug. Not that she hasn't always been smug because she has, but now she's even smuggier (that's totally a word). It still hasn't stopped me watching though, I'm a sucker for cookery shows. Oh, and last night the new series of Tool Academy started so I'll be watching that. It's so bad but I just can't look away.
Movie-wise, I've seen a couple of new to me films. I finally watched Princess Mononoke the whole way through. I love it, it's so fantastically weird. I also watched Leon: The Professional for the first time, that's pretty good.
Listening to:
There's a song from one of the Google Chrome adverts which I'd been wanting to purchase for a while but didn't know what it was. Then I remembered I have Shazam on my iPhone and so that pretty much solved my problem. So anyway, the song was Velvet Elvis by Alex Winston, and it's awesome, but I bought the whole album (King Con) because it is so good. I've also been listening to The Civil Wars a lot.
Looking forward to:
Christmas. ChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmas.
Making:
Lists and plans and cookies.
Reading:
Honestly? Christmas magazines, recipe books, blogs, but not a lot else. Which is ridiculous because I am supposed to be doing a book challenge (that I set for myself, might I add). I don't know what it is but lately I just haven't really felt like reading which is a shame because I really do love to read. I think part of the reason is that there are books that I quite want to read which aren't on my list, and I know that reading them will make me feel guilty, and that's making me resent my list of books still to read. I think the first thing I need to do is finish We Need To Talk About Kevin and then I'll see how I feel after that. I'm stuck in a reading rut and I need to get out of it.
Watching:
Game of Thrones. I feel like I'm kind of late to the party with this one, but a friend got me onto it and I am hooked. I haven't read any of the books (now there's a surprise) and honestly I don't think I'll bother, I'm just enjoying watching it. I've also been watching Nigellissima, Nigella Lawson's current show on the BBC. I used to love Nigella, I love the hilarious phrases she uses to describe what she's doing and how things taste. Plus her hair is always so perfect. But on this latest series she suddenly seems so incredibly smug. Not that she hasn't always been smug because she has, but now she's even smuggier (that's totally a word). It still hasn't stopped me watching though, I'm a sucker for cookery shows. Oh, and last night the new series of Tool Academy started so I'll be watching that. It's so bad but I just can't look away.
Movie-wise, I've seen a couple of new to me films. I finally watched Princess Mononoke the whole way through. I love it, it's so fantastically weird. I also watched Leon: The Professional for the first time, that's pretty good.
Listening to:
There's a song from one of the Google Chrome adverts which I'd been wanting to purchase for a while but didn't know what it was. Then I remembered I have Shazam on my iPhone and so that pretty much solved my problem. So anyway, the song was Velvet Elvis by Alex Winston, and it's awesome, but I bought the whole album (King Con) because it is so good. I've also been listening to The Civil Wars a lot.
Looking forward to:
Christmas. ChristmasChristmasChristmasChristmas.
Making:
Lists and plans and cookies.
A plan. Kind of.
So I have a gameplan with regards to my blog. I'm going to make a schedule for it. And I'm going to stick to it. I realise that may be hard to believe if you were around for my failed photo challenge and my doomed book challenge. Nevertheless, this will work. I have a good feeling about it.
I don't quite know what this schedule will be at the moment, it's a work-in-progress, but as soon as I've finalised it I'll let you know. I'm thinking it'll be something like I'll post on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, although what kind of things I'll post on each respective day I'm not sure yet. I think this will be good for me and good for my blog to have some kind of structure and encourage me to be more organised. Before I was happy to just update my blog as and when I felt like it but doing that is meaning there are often huge gaps between posts (which you've probably noticed) because it always feels like I've posted more recently than I actually have. For instance I thought I had written my last post about a week ago when actually it was on the 3rd of October. Oops.
So anyway, that's my plan and hopefully I'll have my new system up and running by next week. Fingers crossed. In other news, I've been poorly sick with tonsillitis and the most horrendous cold, so I've been at home surrounded by tissues and watching Game of Thrones (I am officially obsessed).
Song of the Day: Zoom by Last Dinosaurs
Currently reading: We Need To Talk About Kevin, although I haven't progressed any further with it than last time. Sigh.
I don't quite know what this schedule will be at the moment, it's a work-in-progress, but as soon as I've finalised it I'll let you know. I'm thinking it'll be something like I'll post on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, although what kind of things I'll post on each respective day I'm not sure yet. I think this will be good for me and good for my blog to have some kind of structure and encourage me to be more organised. Before I was happy to just update my blog as and when I felt like it but doing that is meaning there are often huge gaps between posts (which you've probably noticed) because it always feels like I've posted more recently than I actually have. For instance I thought I had written my last post about a week ago when actually it was on the 3rd of October. Oops.
So anyway, that's my plan and hopefully I'll have my new system up and running by next week. Fingers crossed. In other news, I've been poorly sick with tonsillitis and the most horrendous cold, so I've been at home surrounded by tissues and watching Game of Thrones (I am officially obsessed).
Song of the Day: Zoom by Last Dinosaurs
Currently reading: We Need To Talk About Kevin, although I haven't progressed any further with it than last time. Sigh.
Hi
So you may have noticed my unplanned absence from blogging. But honestly, sometimes things happen that you don't really want to talk about, or feel like you shouldn't talk about, but when that's the only thing you can even think to talk about, sometimes it's better not to talk at all. Does that make sense? Good. Moving on.
The idea of blogging again after such a long time has felt pretty overwhelming because not only had I not written anything personally, but I also hadn't read any of the blogs that I follow since the beginning of September. Now that's a lot of blogs. I kept putting off logging into Blogger and Bloglovin' because I knew there would be a lot to read, and the longer I left it, the worse I knew it would be. But yesterday I spoke to my mum and she reminded me that the last time I had blogged was the middle of August or something. So I decided to fix that today.
I'm already excited about Christmas. Online websites have already added a Christmas section with gift ideas and trees and decorations, making my inner 5 year old squeal with delight. I'm working Christmas Day this year, which I'm surprisingly OK with. Last year I was dead set against working it (which worked out wonderfully because I didn't have to), but the more I thought about it this year, the more I realised that it really wasn't a big deal - I'm sure my family will be nice enough to wait until I get home to eat! Plus the tips will probably be pretty good.
Talking of work though, I've started to get increasingly annoyed at customers who think me and the other waitresses are the same person. Last week I took the meals out to two ladies who were sitting in the section of another waitress, so I hadn't served them at all up until this point. So I put the meals down and one of the ladies asked if they could order more drinks, so I said yes, and then she said, "We'll just have the same again, please."
So I said, "I've got no idea what you've had I'm afraid, I'm a different person." I said it with a laugh and a smile, but the lady was very apologetic which made me feel quite bad. But to be honest, the number of times I've been confused for another waitress is ridiculous. And it's not just a case of two of us looking quite similar, as it's several different people that I have been confused with. And I know other waitresses have had similar experiences. I guess that when some people go out they don't really pay too much attention to you as a person, which is pretty rude considering you're trying to help them have a good evening. Oh, and another work annoyance is when customers assume that every single member of staff knows what's going on with every single order that has been taken. The other week I had literally only just got into work, I hadn't taken any orders yet, and a lady came up to the bar and said, "Have you forgotten about my coffee then?" I'd never even seen this woman before.
OK that's my work rant over, and hopefully I'll get into a better blogging routine soon.
Song of the Day: Long Division by Death Cab for Cutie
Currently reading: Technically I'm reading We Need To Talk About Kevin but I haven't picked it up in ages. Oops.
The idea of blogging again after such a long time has felt pretty overwhelming because not only had I not written anything personally, but I also hadn't read any of the blogs that I follow since the beginning of September. Now that's a lot of blogs. I kept putting off logging into Blogger and Bloglovin' because I knew there would be a lot to read, and the longer I left it, the worse I knew it would be. But yesterday I spoke to my mum and she reminded me that the last time I had blogged was the middle of August or something. So I decided to fix that today.
I'm already excited about Christmas. Online websites have already added a Christmas section with gift ideas and trees and decorations, making my inner 5 year old squeal with delight. I'm working Christmas Day this year, which I'm surprisingly OK with. Last year I was dead set against working it (which worked out wonderfully because I didn't have to), but the more I thought about it this year, the more I realised that it really wasn't a big deal - I'm sure my family will be nice enough to wait until I get home to eat! Plus the tips will probably be pretty good.
Talking of work though, I've started to get increasingly annoyed at customers who think me and the other waitresses are the same person. Last week I took the meals out to two ladies who were sitting in the section of another waitress, so I hadn't served them at all up until this point. So I put the meals down and one of the ladies asked if they could order more drinks, so I said yes, and then she said, "We'll just have the same again, please."
So I said, "I've got no idea what you've had I'm afraid, I'm a different person." I said it with a laugh and a smile, but the lady was very apologetic which made me feel quite bad. But to be honest, the number of times I've been confused for another waitress is ridiculous. And it's not just a case of two of us looking quite similar, as it's several different people that I have been confused with. And I know other waitresses have had similar experiences. I guess that when some people go out they don't really pay too much attention to you as a person, which is pretty rude considering you're trying to help them have a good evening. Oh, and another work annoyance is when customers assume that every single member of staff knows what's going on with every single order that has been taken. The other week I had literally only just got into work, I hadn't taken any orders yet, and a lady came up to the bar and said, "Have you forgotten about my coffee then?" I'd never even seen this woman before.
OK that's my work rant over, and hopefully I'll get into a better blogging routine soon.
Song of the Day: Long Division by Death Cab for Cutie
Currently reading: Technically I'm reading We Need To Talk About Kevin but I haven't picked it up in ages. Oops.
Writer's Block
I've been suffering from Writer's Block lately when it comes to my blog. Occasionally I'll think of things that would make great blog posts, but then I never know how to start them, or I'm not in the mood, or I feel like I can't quite form a coherent opinion on whatever subject it is I wanted to write about in the first place. And then I read Suzy's post about a recent article on Jennifer Aniston's anti-aging regime, and the pressures put on women by the media to look good, and all of that got me thinking about self-esteem.
I've never thought of myself as a particularly self-conscious person. Don't get me wrong; I'm still a girl, and when I was 14 and 15 I never thought I was pretty at all, and was constantly comparing how I looked to how my friends looked, and thinking that no boy would ever want to go out with me, etc etc, you know the story. But when I was 16, I finally got a decent(ish) haircut, I got contact lenses (which I had wanted for ages), and I generally just gradually began to feel more comfortable in my own skin. Pretty much ever since then, I've never been overly worried about my appearance. Sure, I still have days when I don't feel like I look that nice, but I think everyone has those days, and it doesn't really bother me anymore. In that respect, I feel incredibly lucky because I know of people who are cripplingly self-conscious about their appearance, and no matter how many times they're told how gorgeous they are, it doesn't really matter, because that kind of validation first and foremost has to come from yourself.
I definitely wouldn't want to go back to how I thought of myself when I was 14 years old, but self-esteem isn't just about how you look, it's also how you feel about things that you do. English was always my best subject at school, and I loved creative writing. I would sit at my desk with my hand-me-down laptop and write all sorts of silly little stories, or chapters of a book never to be written. And a lot of the time they'd never really go anywhere, I probably wouldn't show them to anyone unless I was particularly pleased with it, but I was confident enough to just stop over-analyzing everything I was writing and just...write. But now, at 23 years old, I can't remember the last time I wrote something that I didn't delete shortly after. I can't remember what it felt like to be able to just write without constantly stopping to re-read everything. It's annoying because I know that that's the only way I'm going to get better, but now I just don't feel confident about my writing, and I worry that I'll never be good enough. And isn't that what self-esteem is? Just feeling good enough?
However, if past experiences have taught me anything, it's that I won't always feel this way. Although I don't feel confident in my writing right now, I do feel confident that this feeling will pass, and that at some point in the (hopefully) not too distant future, I will be able to sit down and write, and just see where it takes me.
Song of the Day: Go Your Own Way by Fleetwood Mac
Currently Reading: It
I've never thought of myself as a particularly self-conscious person. Don't get me wrong; I'm still a girl, and when I was 14 and 15 I never thought I was pretty at all, and was constantly comparing how I looked to how my friends looked, and thinking that no boy would ever want to go out with me, etc etc, you know the story. But when I was 16, I finally got a decent(ish) haircut, I got contact lenses (which I had wanted for ages), and I generally just gradually began to feel more comfortable in my own skin. Pretty much ever since then, I've never been overly worried about my appearance. Sure, I still have days when I don't feel like I look that nice, but I think everyone has those days, and it doesn't really bother me anymore. In that respect, I feel incredibly lucky because I know of people who are cripplingly self-conscious about their appearance, and no matter how many times they're told how gorgeous they are, it doesn't really matter, because that kind of validation first and foremost has to come from yourself.
I definitely wouldn't want to go back to how I thought of myself when I was 14 years old, but self-esteem isn't just about how you look, it's also how you feel about things that you do. English was always my best subject at school, and I loved creative writing. I would sit at my desk with my hand-me-down laptop and write all sorts of silly little stories, or chapters of a book never to be written. And a lot of the time they'd never really go anywhere, I probably wouldn't show them to anyone unless I was particularly pleased with it, but I was confident enough to just stop over-analyzing everything I was writing and just...write. But now, at 23 years old, I can't remember the last time I wrote something that I didn't delete shortly after. I can't remember what it felt like to be able to just write without constantly stopping to re-read everything. It's annoying because I know that that's the only way I'm going to get better, but now I just don't feel confident about my writing, and I worry that I'll never be good enough. And isn't that what self-esteem is? Just feeling good enough?
However, if past experiences have taught me anything, it's that I won't always feel this way. Although I don't feel confident in my writing right now, I do feel confident that this feeling will pass, and that at some point in the (hopefully) not too distant future, I will be able to sit down and write, and just see where it takes me.
Song of the Day: Go Your Own Way by Fleetwood Mac
Currently Reading: It
Birthdays
I've had the kind of week that feels like it's going ridiculously slowly but in actual fact it's not and all of a sudden it's over. I think I've woken up everyday this week and thought to myself I am definitely going to blog today but then something always came up and I ended up not doing it. Anyway, I've got a busy week coming up again because of work, and it's my birthday on Friday and Daf is taking me to the Harry Potter Studio Tour on Thursday. Excitedexcitedexcited.
Speaking of my birthday, I was on bar last night at work and I served a couple of guys and one said, "How old are you, because my mate thinks you're about 13." Fan-tastic. Needless to say they were surprised when I told them I was going to be 23 on Friday.
In other news, today is my bestest's birthday.
Happy Birthday Soph!
Song of the Day: Dance Wiv Me by Dizzee Rascal feat. Calvin Harris & Chrome
Currently reading: On The Road. I may have not picked it up since I last blogged...maybe.
Speaking of my birthday, I was on bar last night at work and I served a couple of guys and one said, "How old are you, because my mate thinks you're about 13." Fan-tastic. Needless to say they were surprised when I told them I was going to be 23 on Friday.
In other news, today is my bestest's birthday.
Happy Birthday Soph!
Song of the Day: Dance Wiv Me by Dizzee Rascal feat. Calvin Harris & Chrome
Currently reading: On The Road. I may have not picked it up since I last blogged...maybe.
A good day :)
So yesterday was full of surprises. Well, it was full of one surprise at least. The lovely Suzy from Eeep I'm A Blogger recommended my blog along with a bunch of other blogs! It made me feel super awesome, so a big thank you to Suzy (whose blog you should be reading, by the way).
In other news, I've temporarily stopped reading A Clockwork Orange and moved onto On The Road by Jack Kerouac because A Clockwork Orange is incredibly difficult to read, despite not being very long. As I'm very behind schedule with my book challenge, I don't want to spend too long on one book when there are others that I can get through much quicker.
And in even MORE news, remember that time when I failed my 30 day photo challenge? Well I've done another photo for it, because I am determined to finish even though my 30 days are well and truly over.
Movement:
Twirly dresses are the best.
Song of the Day: Blood by The Middle East. If you only do one thing today, listen to this song. It makes me feel a little bit sad but also incredibly hopeful at the same time. If you've seen the movie Crazy, Stupid, Love you'll probably recognise it from the end of that. I've been playing it on repeat.
Currently reading: On The Road by Jack Kerouac
Day Five: Faceless self-portrait
Just the one today.
It's weird that I was able to stand outside in the sunshine with just a cardigan for warmth when it was snowing yesterday. What is going on? Anyway, I have set up a side blog called Emma Wears Things which this photo also features in today. It's a personal style blog, I've wanted to do outfit posts for a while now but it didn't really seem to fit in with what Useless Ramblings is all about. So if you like style blogs, by all means come and take a look; if not, it's probably not for you. It's very, very new at the moment, so I'm still a bit awkward in front of the camera. Honestly I'm just trying to convince myself I don't look like a tit. It's fun though!
Song of the Day: This Is Your Life by Switchfoot
Currently reading: I Dreamed of Africa. Still. It's The Hobbit all over again.
It's weird that I was able to stand outside in the sunshine with just a cardigan for warmth when it was snowing yesterday. What is going on? Anyway, I have set up a side blog called Emma Wears Things which this photo also features in today. It's a personal style blog, I've wanted to do outfit posts for a while now but it didn't really seem to fit in with what Useless Ramblings is all about. So if you like style blogs, by all means come and take a look; if not, it's probably not for you. It's very, very new at the moment, so I'm still a bit awkward in front of the camera. Honestly I'm just trying to convince myself I don't look like a tit. It's fun though!
Song of the Day: This Is Your Life by Switchfoot
Currently reading: I Dreamed of Africa. Still. It's The Hobbit all over again.
Maintenance
I'll be back later with my photo challenge, but this is just a quick one to say that I'm doing some maintenance on my blog so the layout might change a few times until I get it looking just how I want it. I thought it looked nice before but a bit plain maybe, so I'm trying to get it looking just right. Bear with me!
I am still bad at reading
I still haven't finished The Hobbit. The problem is I've only been reading a chapter or so before I go to sleep, and not every night, so whilst I am technically close to finishing, I'm not getting very far by rarely picking it up. Come on Emma, sort it out.
Daf and I went to see The Hunger Games yesterday, I'd really recommend it, it's so good. Probably one of the best book-to-movie adaptations I've ever seen, whilst at the same time not being confusing for anyone who hasn't read the book. (Although if you haven't read the books you totally should).
I've got a little photography challenge in the pipeline for April which I'm pretty excited about, plus that would mean that I would blog everyday in April. Anyway, I'll say more about that when I've finalised everything about it.
Song of the Day: Broadfields by Young Guns
Currently reading: The Hobbit
Daf and I went to see The Hunger Games yesterday, I'd really recommend it, it's so good. Probably one of the best book-to-movie adaptations I've ever seen, whilst at the same time not being confusing for anyone who hasn't read the book. (Although if you haven't read the books you totally should).
I've got a little photography challenge in the pipeline for April which I'm pretty excited about, plus that would mean that I would blog everyday in April. Anyway, I'll say more about that when I've finalised everything about it.
Song of the Day: Broadfields by Young Guns
Currently reading: The Hobbit
DIY gift tags
Mondays always feel like Saturdays to me because I work weekends, so I've had a nice relaxing day, spending the morning in town doing a bit of shopping and the afternoon making Christmas gift tags out of the Christmas cards we got sent in 2011. I meant to do it as soon as we took the cards down, but I put them in my old room which I hardly ever go into, and I forgot about them. Until today.
Sure, they're a bit wonky (apparently I can't cut straight even if I have a line to follow), and some of them are odd sizes, but I like them. They're rustic. Now all I need to do is find a hole-punch and some string, and I'm all sorted in the Christmas gift-tag department.
I spent a bit of time sorting out the layout of my blog yesterday. I added picture links to my Flickr, Tumblr and Twitter accounts and put them on the right sidebar. My Twitter account is brand new because I deleted my old one a while ago as I never really used it and found it a bit overwhelming, but I'm giving it another go. If anyone's interested in following that, feel free! I'm super interesting!
Finally, I've discovered the webcam on my laptop, which might possibly make me really vain, or just make me start to really hate my face. I'm not sure which one yet.
Sure, they're a bit wonky (apparently I can't cut straight even if I have a line to follow), and some of them are odd sizes, but I like them. They're rustic. Now all I need to do is find a hole-punch and some string, and I'm all sorted in the Christmas gift-tag department.
I spent a bit of time sorting out the layout of my blog yesterday. I added picture links to my Flickr, Tumblr and Twitter accounts and put them on the right sidebar. My Twitter account is brand new because I deleted my old one a while ago as I never really used it and found it a bit overwhelming, but I'm giving it another go. If anyone's interested in following that, feel free! I'm super interesting!
Finally, I've discovered the webcam on my laptop, which might possibly make me really vain, or just make me start to really hate my face. I'm not sure which one yet.
Hello from my webcam
I think that's all for today then folks. I will be back soon. Probably. Maybe.
Song of the Day: Hey Ya by Obadiah Parker (originally by OutKast)
Happy Birthday, blog
Today is the first birthday of my blog. And to celebrate, I'm going bowling later. (Although to be honest, it's more of a coincidence that I'm going bowling on my blog's birthday - my blog can't come with me). I haven't been bowling for about five years or something so I'm excited. However I can get ridiculously competitive sometimes and can see myself sulking if it turns out that I suck at bowling and I lose.
It's going to be great.
I've added a new page in the sidebar bit over on the right somewhere which will keep you updated on my 30 books target, if by any chance you're interested in my progress. So far I've read the whole Hunger Games trilogy, so that's 3 books done so far. I think I'm on track. Daf's currently reading The Lord of the Rings and has been giving me condescending looks because he's reading an 'intellectual' book whilst the font in my book is apparently too large to be considered anything other than a children's book.
Here's a photo of some of my 30 books. I don't actually have all 30 at the moment, I think my parents have some of them in Saudi.
I hope you're impressed that I've managed to write a blog post more than two sentences long. Also, I'm bringing back song of the day.
Song of the Day: 1996 by The Wombats
It's going to be great.
I've added a new page in the sidebar bit over on the right somewhere which will keep you updated on my 30 books target, if by any chance you're interested in my progress. So far I've read the whole Hunger Games trilogy, so that's 3 books done so far. I think I'm on track. Daf's currently reading The Lord of the Rings and has been giving me condescending looks because he's reading an 'intellectual' book whilst the font in my book is apparently too large to be considered anything other than a children's book.
Here's a photo of some of my 30 books. I don't actually have all 30 at the moment, I think my parents have some of them in Saudi.
I hope you're impressed that I've managed to write a blog post more than two sentences long. Also, I'm bringing back song of the day.
Song of the Day: 1996 by The Wombats
Follow by email!
For anyone who reads my blog and wants to follow it but you don't have a google account thingy, I've added a *follow by email* gadget which means you just enter your email address and then whenever I update my blog you'll get an email letting you know. At least I think that's how it works. So if you feel so inclined, you can do that. Or not, no pressure. (DO IT NOWWW!)
