Wednesday 29 February 2012

Talkin' Bout my Education.

Good morning!

I have just read an article on the Independent through Facebook that a few of you may have seen before, entitled 'Why I wish I'd dropped out of university'. For those of you who haven't read it, take a butchers: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/education/education-news/why-i-wish-id-dropped-out-of-university-634053.html

After reading this, I actually got a bit riled up. Like this journalist, I also study English Lit, and have minimal hours (8 a week). However, what this article fails to say is the amount of work that goes with an English degree. I am currently reading 4 novels a week, and have 4 essay deadlines and 4 presentations in the next few weeks. Granted, this probably isn't considered a lot when going out into the world of work, but it is going to count towards a degree which will help me with the career I choose. So small hours, but was he actually doing the reading needed?!

Furthermore, I also work 3 days a week as a music teacher. Having a job does make reading time difficult, but I wouldn't be without it. We are paying a lot of money for a university education, but I'm doing something about having to pay for it when the big scary student finance bill comes in. More importantly, my job keeps me sane. There is only so much you can take in about Salman Rushdie in one go (trust me) so do something else that you enjoy! Join a society, go out with friends, join a gym! Ok, so the gym isn't the best one, but at least it would give you something to do!

If I was only doing 8 hours a week and diddly squat else, I could see where this guy was coming from. But there are so many opportunities as a student that you won't get at any other time in your life, enjoy it whilst you can! Being a student doesn't have to be all about going out and having too much vino collapso (as I have discovered through a recent allergy to wine *sob*), but I'm still a social bunny, just with coffee instead!

Let me know what you think about the article, and to all you students out there, enjoy it in your own way. I may sound like a bore with my abnormal student lifestyle, but I'm loving it.

And I'm serious about Salman Rushdie. :). X.

Thursday 12 January 2012

He doesn't look a thing like Jesus. But, he talks like a gentleman-like you imagined , when you were young.

Oh heyyy...

I felt I should share a horrible, horrible feeling I had this evening, as I feel my experience may benefit others.

I had a sudden, terrifying realisation.

I am, in fact, growing up.

This realisation has been established through a list of facts I have established. I have a job, I pay rent, I have a car, people now ask me 'and what do you do?'(which generally ends in a conversation something like this - Me: 'I'm a student' Seemingly-Interested-But-Just-Being-Polite Person: 'Oh, right...' *takes a step back*), I drive to parties and now have to say 'not for me thanks, I'm driving,' and I have started getting soap and moisturiser for Christmas.

Although this may seem like stating the bleedin' obvious, it is actually quite scary that I no longer get homework or write a Christmas list. This getting older business is a bit of a realisation, and although I haven't started using anti-wrinkle cream, I have realised life now comes with responsibilities. But, this mustn't be seen as a bad thing. If someone gave me a Barbie for Christmas I would not be happy, but the keys to a nice car/flat? Not massively practical to a 6 year old, but thank you very much at 19! And the best bit? No one is going through it alone! After having a chat the the other day with a friend about how we can't go out the night before work as we have to be in tip-top condition for the next day (I'm a music teacher, she's a Hollister babe-slightly different reasons for looking ok for work the next day. She has to look like a bombshell, I have to make sure children don't eat paper), we realised that without our jobs, we would not appreciate the value of money, be better with timekeeping, or realised how wonderful Saturday mornings off are, not having to get up at the crack of sparrows.

So, a word of advice to you lovely people out there. Next time you have to get up and go to work/go to the library/ pay a bill/ unwrap that pot of M & S moisturiser you really don't need and makes you steel like an old ladies boudoir, just be thankful we are no longer learning spellings/trying to tie shoelaces/ flipping through the Argos book to find useless crap to put on your Christmas list.

And when I need to hit the anti-wrinkle cream, please someone just tell me. Ta. :). X.

Thursday 13 October 2011

My Lovely Lady Lumps.

4 months since my last blog?  That really is terrible!  I have been a very busy bee, but really have no excuse!

Whilst having a clear out of my bedroom at home (my mother will argue it was not a clear out, more of a re-arranging) I found a presentation board I did for my A-level art, with a picture on it like this:

Yes, my friends, this is a giant pair of 6ft knockers.  Granted they look like they're falling apart (to quote my art teacher 'you can't really paint, or draw, but your ideas are good!'  Slap. In. The. Face.), but they are, without a doubt, boobs.  And, I know you can't tell this from looking at them, but they are squishy (anyone in my A level art can vouch for this, having all had a grope).  The secret concealed within them, however, is a small lump, which can only be felt by having a good old feel.  The inspiration behind these wonders was a charity called CoppaFeel!, which promotes young women aged 18-30 to check their boobs regularly for any abnormalities.

When she was 22, Kris Hallenga was diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer.  There is no stage 5.  But instead of resigning herself to be beaten by the disease, she set up CoppaFeel!, had a mastectomy and won a Pride of Britain Award for her inspirational work.  I'll say it again.  SHE WAS 22.  That's only 3 years older than I am.  But she fought, and set up this amazing charity that supports young women, and contiunues to grow.

Almost 50,000 people are diagnosed with breast cancer each year in the UK. That’s one person every 10 minutes.  I'm fairly sure everyone knows someone who has either been affected or knows a family member/friend of someone that has been affected by this disease, myself included.  1 in 8 women will be affected by breast cancer, but the sooner it's diagnosed, the sooner it can be treated.

If, like me, you were shocked by this statistic, then there is something you can do.  Keep checking your boobs (men, this is where you may be more than happy to step in), and check out the website:
http://coppafeel.org/
This isn't just a charity promotion, and I don't want to freak anybody out.  If checking your boobs becomes part of a regular routine, you could help yourself in so many ways.  Having known people affected by this horrible disease, the more we can do about it starting from a young age, the better.

Oh, and one more thing - the next time someone tells you that you're not very good at something, think about my giant boobs.  I got an A.  Yah.  Boo.  And Sucks to them.  ;). x.

Monday 27 June 2011

You'll do anything for a dime, looking for the golden lie.

Forget Audrey Hepburn, Forget Bette Davis.
I want to be known, just for being famous.
I can't act, I can't dance, I can't sing, can't you see?
But I'm young and I'm pretty and that's all that you need.

Yes, these are indeed Scouting for Girls lyrics.  Despite their use of the same four chords again in this tune, the lyrics actually struck a note with me (music pun! I'm just far too cool) What has happened to real talent?  I'm not going to lie to you, I'm a sucker for crap television.  I did indeed watch a good hour of Keeping up with the Kardashians yesterday, and in this hour I discovered that Kim has a bad reaction to Botox, Kendall tricked her mum into thinking she was smoking and that their dog had to go to the vets.  That was an hour of my life that I'll never get back.  But did I turn it off?  No I did not.  I watched intently (whilst icing a cake to perfection) ignoring the little voice in my head asking my I would waste 60 minutes watching someone else leading a life far more glamorous than my own.  But we are all suckers for reality entertainment.


In a survey taken in 2000, 70% of the population said they watched reality TV on a regular basis.  And that was before The Only Way is Essex.  That figure will have soared since, with the likes of Real Housewives of New Jersey, Made in Chelsea (do not get me started) and Jersey Shore slapping their audiences in the face with their wonderful personalities and charismatic behaviour (if you didn't notice this was dripping in sarcasm then you're going to struggle with most of my writing).

But, what phases me the most, is how these programmes are labeled as 'reality'.  When was the last time you were Vajazzled?  Or you found yourself on a fantasy island attempting not to be unfaithful?  Reality. Shows. Are. Not. Real.  To throw you an example, about a year ago I was having lunch with a friend and we were flicking through Heat magazine, when she found a picture of a star from The Hills, and exclaimed 'she's such a bitch!  I HATE her!' as if this woman had actually personally attacked her.  We laughed about it afterwards, but it made me realise how suckered in we can get to these programmes.  Through clever editing and (yes, believe it or not) scripting, the audience feels as if we actually know these people and are involved in their 'lives'.  I use this term loosely, as people do not actually live like this.  Sorry, I know it's hard to hear, but these programmes are not real.  You just have to watch Made in Chelsea at their poor acting to understand how scripted and set up these programmes are.

And as I have said, I'm no angel when it comes to avoiding these kind of programmes.  I for one love My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding, but when watching reality TV I just want you to think about one thing - it's not real!  And I don't mean to be patronising (sorry if you read it that way!), just to say that the next time you see someone from TOWIE (see, I know it's acronym!) or another television programme on the front of a magazine or by their camera crew after being 'accidentally' caught sunbathing topless, just realise that getting 'em knockers out probably wasn't an accident.  Ha.

x

Tuesday 17 May 2011

We can be heroes.

I'm officially a terrible blogger.  I apologise sincerely for my absence - I blame essays, illness and work!

So I was telling my friend how creatively stumped I am at the moment.  Literally I've had no idea what to blog about.  And then, whilst in another conversation with another friend, BAM.  My creativity hit me.  We were discussing 24, and he asked me, in a very jokey, mocking fashion (thanks for that Ryan) if Jack Bauer was my hero.  Now, this got me thinking.  Who are my heroes?  I have just been looking at the TIME magazine list of the world's most influential people in 2011, and can quite honestly say I would not describe any of them as heroes.  So who would I put up there with the likes of Spiderman and Wonderwoman?

I'll put it out there that although I'm a celeb gossip freak, I would never describe a celebrity as a hero.  They're human, same as you or me.  Money or power does not make you heroic.

No, the people that are my heroes are the people you don't realise how much they mean to you until you really think about it.

Take my friends.  One of my best friend's boyfriend's is out in Afghanistan at the moment, and the strength and courage she shows every day, not knowing what's going on is amazing.  Although we don't always see eye to eye, what that man is doing is heroic.  She is one of the most beautiful, strong people I know, and I love her very much =)
Another friend has had a crap time at home.  It's not my place to say it, but hot chocolate at my house has always been a way to solve things, and this person knows they are welcome for it anytime.
On a lighter note, there's my coffee buddy.  My creative inspiration, and always there for a cupcake!
My music buddies.  Man we had a time!  And although it probably didn't go as well as we would have liked, we did it.
Art girls.  I can say no more!
Oh and Ryan you have to go on my list, you have been the creative inspiration behind this blog, and your punctuation astounds me (=P)

Then there's home.  I cannot literally describe how amazing my family are.  If I can encourage anything, keep talking to home.  I know when you go to uni and get a job and stuff home can be at the back of your mind, but there's always time for a cup of tea!

If I haven't mentioned you in person, then I do apologize, these peeps are just examples.   But I will say one thing.  All of you have something a little bit heroic inside of you, and just take a minute to think about this.  It's not who rescues us from the burning building, it's the call we make before we're rescued.

Oh, and another thing - if you want a batman costume, go for it.  No one will judge.  ;).

xxx

Tuesday 15 March 2011

Dum dum dum Duuuuum. Dum dum dum Duuuuuuuuuum.

So I went to a concert at the Albert Hall last night (la de da!) for a Radio 3 Comic Relief classical music evening.  They played one of my favourite pieces, Nimrod by Elgar, and I can honestly say it gave me goosebumps.  I know what you're thinking, what kind of student goes to a classical shindig on a Monday night, is either extremely sad or needs a jacket to stop her getting chilly, and why on earth is she telling me this?
Well, I'm about to make a statement.
I LIKE CLASSICAL MUSIC.
There.  I said it.
And no, I do not sit around on a Friday night with a glass of port in my smoking jacket listening to Wagner (the composer, not the X factor guy), nor do I claim to adore Tchaikovsky (or know how to spell his name - thank lord for Google), have posters of Pavarotti or even have a box at the Royal Opera house (shock.  Horror.)
And there is also a phrase I don't understand - 'I don't like classical music'.  Where would we be without it?  Can you imagine not trying to sing the old British Airways advert (mooore commfort...) or indeed watching the X Factor without singing the EE EE AAH AHH doomed beginning?  And films!  Imagine watching a film, or even something on the television, without the music.  Jaws, for example.  That shark is out there somewhere, and you know it's coming.  Da dum.  Da dum.  Da dum da dum dadumdadumdadumdadum!  You might not even notice the music, but how rubbish would the films be without it?  Granted only a small number of people could sing Brahm's Symphony no. 3 in F minor (don't worry, I can't either), but I bet if I asked you to sing The Star Wars theme tune, Indiana Jones, Harry Potter, Jurassic Park, James Bond, The Great Escape, Mission Impossible (the list goes on) you could do it!
My music A level buddies will tell you that it's no mean feat when a composer writes a piece of music in an attempt to move, scare, or delight you - the amount of dissonances (horrible clashy notes), changes of key or instrumental techniques we had to study and analyse as to why they gave a certain effect was enough to drive us mad (and you only have to meet us to know it succeeded), but the effect when a piece of music is written so well that it can cause any form of emotion is amazing.
Classical music does something that mankind struggles with - it can portray emotion that cannot be put into words; it can describe a scene, feeling, or moment in life through some wood and bits of metal.
So next time you're browsing for something to listen to, give it a try.  You won't like all of it i can guarantee you (John Cage is DEFINITELY not everyone's cup of tea!), but here are a few websites to give you some recommendations:
 - http://www.kickassclassical.com/classical-music-popular-famous-best-top-100-list.html - a good list of some that you'll already know, even if you don't know the names!
 - http://www.halloffame.classicfm.co.uk/300-251 - the Classic fm Hall of Fame 2010, 300 top pieces voted for by the listeners, some gorgeous pieces on there
 - http://www.last.fm/music/+tag/classical - good for some composers to have a looksie for.

And don't forget your smoking jacket.  ;).

x

Monday 21 February 2011

Stop. Right Now. Thank You Very Much.

Hey hey!

So this one's a bit less serious, am not feeling a big rant about personality defects or crap like that, due to the fact that (and I'm not afraid to say it) I am currently singing VERY loud to Aerosmith.  Steven Tyler, you legend.  So this gets me thinking, how AMAZING was the 90's?!  This is random I know, but seriously, can you imagine not having Alanis Morissette telling us that these things she claims are ironic are just bloody unfortunate?  Or wishing that every time Buzz Lightyear jumped off the bannisters to the smooooth voice of R Kelly that he acutally would fly?!



Music:     Ok, so there are the ones that I grew up with in my little pop princess ways - The Spice Girls giving us girl power whilst managing to look oh so very masculine in god-knows-what-they-were-thinking outfits, Britney Spears for just being the coolest teenager we all 'knew' and Christina for her HEEEEEYYYYAYAYAYAAY thing that she could do with her voice.  But then there was some brilliant non-pop stuff - we had Green Day breaking through with Basket Case and Good Riddance (a song that the opening few bars just make me smile as I know what's coming), Blink 182 for pop-punking us out and us fudding loving it, The Offspring for still not getting a job and being utterly fly (for being white guys), and the Prodigy who kept Smacking their Bitches up and causing outrage.


Films:     well the obvious one for many is Titanic (which I can honestly say I have never seen the whole way through) and the other is Forest Gump (which I am ashamed to say I have never seen either - so if anyone wants to lend it to me to fulfill my film education then I'd be grateful =P)  For me, as a complete Disney baby, there was Aladdin, The Lion King (and don't lie to me, I know you've tried to sing the opening lines from Circle of Life), Toy Story 1 and 2, Beauty and the Beast, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Pocahontas and Tarzan etc.  And if you were never given Disney as a baby I do apologise, but as a kid who could have recited the script of Beauty and the Beast to you on demand, that was my era!  But there were some other fab ones too - Pretty Woman (one of my mum's absolute faves), Jurrasic Park (scared me to death but I loved it), Mrs Doubtfire (possibly my absolute favourite film), the Bonds (Pierce Brosnan will always be my Bond!) Goldeneye, Tomorrow Never Dies and The World is Not Enough, Four Weddings and a Funeral, Schindler's List, American Beauty, Space Jam (come on and do the slam, and welcome to the jam... and how amazed I was at how they got Bugs and Michael in the same place), Notting Hill,  Se7en, Babe, more Star Wars, Apollo 13, Shakespeare in Love, the list goes on!



Television:     Sex and the City, Friends, ER, Family Guy and many others all premiered in the 90's, and we can tell they are still loved by all!  Kid-wise we've got The Rugrats,, Goosebumps (anyone else terrified of this?!) Hey Arnold, The Powerpuff Girls, Johnny Bravo, Blue Peter, the Simpsons, The Wild Thornberrys, Pokemon, and many more!

So if there's anything I've missed (which there definitely will be!)  then let me know what you think!  Oh, and a closing statement.  Kids, WE HAD HEELIES FIRST.  Nuff said.

x