Update On My (Not So) Well-being!

Greetings all!

One of my New Years Resolutions for this year was to post at least one blog post a month. It's only January, but I've posted several in the past few weeks, so I'm rather proud of myself. Although I don't have a lot to say today, I thought a general update on life wouldn't go a miss. 

So I'm officially back in university for my second semester. I came back briefly at the start of January just to sit some exams, but lectures began this Monday so we're officially in full swing. I've gotten two of my exam results back already, and I'm pretty happy with them! I got a 60 in American History and a 78 in American Politics, which is awesome (by my personal standards, at least!).  

But, of course, going back to university means being exposed to thousands of people with thousands of new germs all over again. As a result, I have inevitably been struck down with what I unimaginatively call Refreshers Flu. I currently have case of the sniffles like no other, an astonishing inability to breathe normally and a cough that could be mistaken for a barking dog. But alas; I will survive. (I would make a survival guide or a list of ways to avoid university-related illness as so many bloggers have done before me, but you and I know as well as each other that said list would be full of nonsense that really won't make any difference. Young adults are disgusting and germful. Power through, friends.)

Also, I'm going to try to go home on the weekends a bit less frequently this year, so I can feel more involved in student life. If I'm totally honest, I wasn't completely engaged last semester. Something wasn't clicking and I didn't really feel like a student, but I'm going to try to find my ground a bit more in the next few months. 

On a non-university related note, it brings me joy to say that that time of the year is upon us once more. Tis the season for my life to be consumed with sport for several short weeks. The Six Nations are here. Five long weekends of shouting at the television and insulting the referee, and indeed, anybody in a white rugby shirt with a red rose. For five weeks, English friends, you are scum. (For anybody outside the UK reading this, The Six Nations is a rugby tournament between Wales, England, Ireland, Scotland, France and Italy. National rivalry peaks like nothing you have ever seen before in this period. Outside the sporting world, we tend to get along pretty well. But: This. Is. War.)

So I don't have much else to say, but I'm sure I'll think of something soon enough. Until then, live good lives!

The Internet Sucks!

Okay, so maybe the title of this post is a little far-fetched. The internet is, in fact, an absolutely incredible thing. I would not function in the way I do today without the internet. But recently, I'm becoming more and more aware of how bad this space can be when in the wrong hands. And here's what has brought this on...

Did anybody else see the whole Liam Payne/Tyler Oakley saga on twitter last week? If you have no interest in pop culture or social media, I doubt you did. But put basically, Liam of One Direction tweeted a guy from Duck Dynasty who is infamously homophobic and other such adjectives. In this tweet, he praised the guy's 'family values' which, in any functioning brain, would give an implication of agreeing with his beliefs on homosexuality. Tyler Oakley picked up on this and despite being a fan of One Direction, called him out in a way that was neither rude nor disrespectful. And yet the backlash of him doing this was disastrous. Not only was he scrutinised by One Direction fans to the point of receiving death threats, but he was also called out by Liam himself indirectly, who claimed he was not a 'real/true' fan. And this, my friend, is a shining example of why the internet sucks.

In no circumstance should anybody EVER send death threats or messages that encourage suicide, or any form of self harm for that matter. But unfortunately, the internet has made doing this so very easy by giving everybody a sense of anonymity. You could say anything you want to whoever you want, no matter how cruel or immoral that comment may be. And unless you're in an extraordinary social position, 9.999 times out of 10, there will be no real repercussions for your actions. That's what I hate. I hate how easy it is to become a monster online.

Another example is Justin Bieber's fans. I'm not talking 'people who like his music'. I'm talking the die-hard Beliebers. The way they have been brainwashed to defend Justin regardless of how outrageous his actions are is honestly quite frightening. And all that has happened and is communicated over the internet. But thoughts on Mr Bieber and his whole surrounding area is  a whole other blog post for a different day.

But on a far more positive note, and back to the matter in hand, Tyler Oakley's repsonse to the whole affair has been nothing less than admirable. He took a break from the internet for a few days to allow all the hate to fly over his head, and turned the situation around to make a very positive video for his channel, stating loud and clear that he encouraged nobody to send hate on his behalf or their own. That positivity easily overbears hate. For this, I'm actually thankful for. This video restored my faith in the internet just a little bit.

So, long story short? The internet is awesome when people are nice. When people are hateful and misuse the anonymity, it's a ball of suck.

And that's how I see it. How about you?

(PS. I just hit 300 blog views which, by most standards, is absolutely not a big deal. But I'm grateful, and actually quite surprised, that anyone would take the time to read my thoughts. So thanks, 300 visitors, you made me smile.)

These are a few of my favourite things...

Almost every blog of any kind that I follow has made one of these posts and one point or another. Yes, it's that time in our online relationship at which I share with you my favourites of (more than) several categories. Obviously, some blogs would be more specific about these things but I'm really just a rambler, so the list will be general. The majority of what I talk about is going to be highly recommended by me, so if you haven't checked them out already, I urge you to. They may not be your cup of tea, but hey - they just might be!

Bands/Artists

Without a doubt, my favourite band has to be McFly.

 I share this fact with a great sense of loyalty. They came onto the music scene in 2003 and, with a slight blip (it really wasn't cool to like them in my group of friends, and I can't believe that actually stopped me from listening to them but it did), I've been a fan from the start. 10 years of awesome music, cute faces, hilarious Youtube videos and a lot of ups and downs. I sincerely recommend them if you've lived under a rock for the last decade and have never heard of them. If you like anything from pop to synth to beach to rock, you're going to find at least one album you like.

Lately, I've also gotten quite into the Arctic Monkeys after hearing their AM album which is fantastic in every way possible. I was never a fan before, but that one record has converted me. There's just something about it, man. 

I'm also unashamedly in love with a band called R5. Maybe I should feel a little shame because 18-year-old front man, Ross Lynch is the star of a corny-as-anything Disney Channel show called Austin and Ally. But alas, no shame is to be felt.  Made up of four siblings and a friend, they are the definition of feel-good. I know they don't float everybody's boat (I've tried playing their music to friends who have greeted me with blank, unimpressed expressions) but they simply never fail to make me smile. The fact that they're all gorgeous helps a bit, too.

Youtubers/Vloggers

The list of Youtube channels I am subscribed to is probably longer than my arm. A while ago, I went through a Youtube-crazy phase and... well, I haven't gotten out of it just yet. I could talk about so, so many channels and tell you what's wonderful about them all, but I'm going to condense this as much as I possibly can. 

Zoella. This girl is wonderful. I really don't take much of an interest in beauty blogs (read: I couldn't give one fuck), but I really enjoy Zoe's videos simply because she is so likeable. She always looks fantastic, and she does it on a budget which is something a broke-ass student such as myself can appreciate. I'll name-drop her brother, Joe Sugg (ThatcherJoe) here too. He's hilarious.

Tyler Oakley. King/Queen/Almighty Ruler of Youtube. As far as I am concerned, he can do no wrong. He is flawless, funny, and more importantly, honest as anything. 

ItsKingsleyBitch. Kingsley. This was one of the first channels I subscribed to whilst watching his first Christmas Overexposed Countdown. It's not often I can pinpoint a favourite video on a whole channel, but on this occasion, I can. Overexposed 2010 #7: Love The Way You Lie. I have never ever laughed that much at a Youtube video. Just. Watch it.

Jim Chapman. A more recent discovery. I clicked with his videos right away. We have the same sense of humour, we think the same things, we share a lot of opinions. I want to high-five him just for understanding my brain without ever actually interacting with me in any way.

ItsGrace. Grace Helbig. Another very recent discovery. Unpopular reality: I was not subscribed to DailyGrace. I had no interest. But as the controversy over her leaving MyDamnChannel at the start of 2014 got the Youtube community talking, I decided to subscribe to show some support and absolutely did not regret it. I'm honestly looking forward to seeing her every day in a new video. She is honestly hilarious and I hope her new channel has every bit of the success as DailyGrace did! 

MeanMugen. Here's the wild card. The story is, I follow this guy on tumblr and saw that he was starting a Youtube channel, so I chose to subscribe. Thus far, he has only made three videos on this channel, but I think he's got this down already, and I'm excited to see where this channel goes. Give him a chance guys - make sure to subscribe!

TV Shows

Glee. I'm not even going to try to make you like this show. Either you do or you don't. As an avid fan from 2009, even I appreciate that the plot has fallen apart over the years, as has the continuity and overall standard. Also the songs just sound like covers now, and it's lost its originality. But do you know what? I love it. It's not even a case of liking it any more. I'm in it until the end now, it's like a blood bond or something. 

Pretty Little Liars. Oh. My. God. This show is absolutely incredible. I pretty much marathon-ed the entire three and a half series of it in the space of around two weeks when I discovered it in the summer. I was entirely hooked. If you've never seen it before, the establishing plot is a group of five girls. One of the girls, Alison, goes missing, and the show really begins on the one-year anniversary of her disappearance. I'll say nothing more of the plot because even in the pilot, there's a shock plot twist. Any idea of an upcoming plot you have when watching the show is guaranteed to be wrong. It's so unpredictable, and yet every twist seems to be PERFECT for the plot. Amazing. I urge anyone of any demographic to watch it, and to stick with it. And when you get to the mid-season finale of season 4, you might as well watch the spin-off show, Ravenswood, starring one of the much loved characters of PLL, Caleb, played by Tyler Blackburn.

Teen Wolf. Another new discovery of mine. I had two reasons for starting to watch Teen wolf. Number 1, I discovered the beauty of Colton Haynes and number 2, everybody and their dog on tumblr were talking about it and I felt a bit left out. So I started at the beginning and became obsessed after about three episodes. The second half of season 3 has just started and it is absolutely incredible so far. There's a jump in the acting, the plot, the darkness and it really is amazing. An excellent watch if you're into all that supernatural stuff, or like me, really enjoy looking at beautiful, shirtless men (I'm looking at you, Hoechlin).

Beauty products

As I've said before, I'm really not into the beauty side of anything. I care very little for fashion and what not. As long as I look presentable, I'm not particularly fussed. But I will tip-toe slightly into the pool of beauty vlogging just because I need to share my love for this one product.

Maybelline Master Precise liquid eye liner. This thing is an actual god send. Up until my purchase of this very product, I was never blessed with the ability of being able to use liquid eye liner. I just could not master it. But this product has just made it far easier for me for some reason. It's more of a pen and that seems to help my shaky hand draw on some flicks that actually tend to match each side! It stays on, too, which is very good if you're one of those people like me whose eye make up tends to smudge whatever you do. Highly recommended.

So I think I'll leave it there for now. Maybe I'll save some other specifics for a rainy blogging day with no inspiration. Do check out the things you've never heard of in this blog, because everybody likes to learn. I've been me, you've been you. Bye for now!

Blog Tag: 48 Questions

Okay, so I said I would blog more, so I thought I would motivate myself to begin with a question tag. I basically just searched the internet and clicked the first question tag I saw. If you're feeling bored, or in need of motivation to do some blogging, much like myself, feel free to tag yourself! Here goes nothing.

1. What time did you get up this morning? 

I set an alarm for 10am this morning, which was hugely ambitious, since I didn't get to sleep until around 5:30am due to a culmination of a messed up sleeping pattern, illness and general tossing and turning. So I ended up falling asleep until 12, when my Dad dragged me out of bed. 

2. How do you like your steak?

I like my steak medium-rare. But I'll take it medium. Or rare. Or well-done. Or indeed any form of steak presented to me. 

3. What was the last film you saw in the cinema?

My last trip to the cinema was in November (which is far too long ago for my liking, but hell, I'm a student and I'm poor) to see Catching Fire. I went twice - it was that good. I was looking forward to the second instalment of the trilogy and I absolutely loved it. They really did a fantastic job and, as always, Queen Jennifer Lawrence was fantastic. 

4. What is your favourite TV show?

I won't really watch a TV show unless I like it enough or it to be my favourite, so I have it down to four. The number one spot probably belongs to Glee, seeing as I've watched it religiously through thick and thin since 2009. But last year, I fell head first into the world of Pretty Little Liars and became entirely obsessed. What a clever show! Just when you think you've got it figured out, another plot punches you in the face and you're back to square one on your own little map to -A. So then in turn, I got into the spin-off Ravenswood, which is different to what I expected and to what I would usually watch, but it's equally as gripping and who could ever say no to Tyler Blackburn? And the final contender is Teen Wolf. I only got into that show very recently, but it's really great. It's a little ridiculous now and again, but I love it. 

5. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?

I would probably give a different answer to this question every time somebody asks me, but at the moment, it's Washington DC, or as close as I can get. It's just a beautiful city. It's full of culture, and it's one of the only places state-side to have a chain of Nandos. And to be honest, that's a deal breaker. 

6. What did you have for breakfast?

I had scrambled egg, then beans, then cheese on toast (the order is key). Apparently, it sounds weird to those who haven't tried it, but I solemnly swear that it's one of the best breakfast combinations ever. 

7. What is your favourite food?

My favourite food is chicken, hands down. You can do so much with chicken and it's just so good. I could probably eat chicken of some variety for every single meal and live in content for the rest of my days.

8. Foods you dislike?

Mushrooms. Peas. Fish. Humus. Blue cheese. That's... pretty much it.

9. Favourite place to eat?

I'm feeling the Nandos love right now. Double chicken breast wrap, lemon and herb, chips and coleslaw. Standard. 

10. Favourite dressing?

Farm Foods sell this amazing mint and yoghurt sauce and it's the best ever. I'm also partial to a bit of Ranch, but only on salad.

11. What vehicle do you drive?

I don't drive at all, I haven't even started learning. But my dad drives a Vaxhaul Insignia. It's not too shabby.

12. What are your favourite clothes?

I like nothing more than wearing a vest and some pyjama shorts. But when I'm forced to go out into the world, I mostly just wear jeans. Everybody has a favourite pair of jeans. I like baggy clothes, too. They're just more comfortable.

13. Where would you visit if you had the chance?

The list really is endless. Given the chance, I would visit people over places, and the locations would just be a bonus. I'd love to visit people in Estonia, Sweden, Canada and all over the U.S. But if I were to put the thought of visiting people aside for a moment and just focussed on the places, I would probably want to visit Paris, Amsterdam, Berlin, etc. I always feel urges to go to cities that aren't my own. There's something about a city that appeals to me. I don't think I could stay in a city for good, but they always make for excellent trips.

14. Cup half empty or half full?

I can't really answer this as a general question. My perception always depends on the situation and where I stand in it. For example, if I have an exam coming up, the glass will always be half empty, because I don't want to set a bar for myself that I honestly don't think I can achieve realistically. But if a plan changes or falls through, for example, the glass is usually half full. I'll just make the best of it and work on something new.

15. Where would you want to retire?

If I leave Wales to pursue my life as I've always wanted to, I think I'd like to come back to Wales to retire. It would just feel right. Maybe somewhere on the coast like Aberystwyth.

16. Favourite time of the day?

Night time, definitely. I'm definitely a night bird. 

17. Where were you born?

I was born in Church Village in South Wales. There is no cool story; my mother popped, drove to the hospital and I was born. The end.

18. What is your favourite sport to watch?

The answer is rugby. It is the only sport I like to watch. I've been told that I turn into a rowdy 50-year-old Welshman when I'm watching rugby. I get very emotionally involved and tend to shout at the television. It's even better at the stadium. I love the atmosphere and the shouting and singing. It's amazing.

19. What is your favourite fragrance? 

I wore Kenzo Flower for quite a while, and I really liked that. It was sweet, but not too sweet. It reminds me of palmer violet sweets. But I've recently gone for a change and I'm now wearing Flash by Jimmy Choo. 

20. What is your favourite face cream? 

Honestly, I don't use any kind of face creams or moisturisers or whatever. I know that as a girl, I probably should, but it never really occurs to me to go out and buy some cream for my face. But if that did occur to me, I would probably by something from The Body Shop that smelt nice and hope that my skin wouldn't reject it as it does with so many other products.

21. Favourite baby/kid product?

Loreal Kids No Tears Shampoo. The cherry one smells amazing, even if the whole campaign is a lie and it does, in fact, sting like a bitch if it gets in your eyes.

22. People Watcher?

I am such a people watcher. I think it's a really bad habit of mine, because I don't sit there and watch people pass me by as some kind of inspirational outsiders' perspective. Oh no. I sit there and I watch people and I just find myself judging them. I'm so judgemental and while I wouldn't change it because it makes me who I am, it's so mean sometimes. My hidden morals tell me it's awful to take humour out of other people's day-to-day misfortune, but they'll never know I'm doing it, so where is the harm?

23. Morning person or Night person?

100% night person. Team Nocturnal.

24. Do you have any pets?

I do. I have a dog named Jess. She's the perfect blend of cute, lazy and idiotic. She's getting old now, though, bless her.

25. Any exciting news you'd like to share?

I received some very exciting news that I would love to share with everyone I know, but I'm unfortunately not allowed to. It's a secret until January 30th, by which time I will probably have forgotten that I have mentioned it on this blog entry. 

26. What did you want to be when you were little?

I remember nagging for a doctor/nurse dress-up costume when I was about three, so that probably meant that I wanted to be a doctor. But as I grew older and more and more terrified of blood and needles, I would have accepted that nursing was not the career for me. I also went through phases of wanting to be a superstar, a teacher and a pilot. 

27. What is your favourite memory?

I don't think there are many people who could define one single memory as their favourite of all. I like to categorise my memories, but I couldn't define one single favourite. But one of the stand-out moments for me was when I was in New York, on the very first night when I turned the street corner into Times Square for the first time. I don't think I have ever felt such a feeling of amazement in my life. When you see pictures of somewhere like that, somewhere you long to visit, you fall in love with the image. And then you get there and it exceeds every single expectation you set in your mind. It was just incredible.

28. Are you a cat person or a dog person?

I'm probably a cat person, as long as the cat is a person cat. .

29. Are you married?

I'm 18. Imagine being married at 18. It would be horrid. I am absolutely not married.

30. Always wear your seatbelt?

Nine times out of ten, yes. If I'm in the front seat, always. But sometimes I forget if I'm in the back.

31. Been in a car accident?

Yes I have. It was 3 cars ago, so that means it was probably about seven years ago. The car we had at the time was known as the Devil Car. It was constantly in and out of the garage with one fault or another. On this particular day, the exhaust had near enough exploded, resulted in thick, grey smoke shooting out the back. I remember my Dad saying, "Shit kids, get out." So I unbuckled my seatbelt and just as we were opening the doors, some guy ploughed straight into the back of us. Luckily, nobody was seriously hurt, but my brother and I were young, and obviously and understandably shaken by the whole tragic state of affairs. 

32. Any pet peeves?

So many pet peeves! I hate ignorance, arrogance, a lack of ability to take a joke, I hate people who don't indicate (and I don't even drive!), I hate people blowing their nose without warning, I hate unnecessary tapping, I hate it when people skip songs half way through for no good reason, I hate being interrupted, I hate people slapping their food as they chew, I hate it when people undermine someone for liking something. There are so many more, but I can't think of them right now. I really very grumpy.

33. Favourite pizza topping?

Chicken, always chicken. Barbecue sauce, too.

34. Favourite flower?

It's a cheesy answer, but I love roses. It's probably because my middle name is Rose and my grandmother's name was Rose. I like seeing roses that are colours you don't expect them to be.

35. Favourite ice cream?

This changes with my mood. At the moment, my go-to is Ben and Jerry's Phish Food, but I really like citrus flavours. A local ice cream parlour does a lime cheesecake flavour and it's one of the best things ever put on this earth for man/me to consume.

36. Favourite fast food restaurant?

It's got to be the standard McDonalds. Old Maccies never lets me down.

37. How many times did you fail your driving test?

I have failed 0 out of 0 attempts.

38. From whom did you get your last email?

For whatever reason, I have about five email accounts. My last email was a confirmation of an Amazon order, but my last email from an actual person was from my dear friend Calvin. 

39. Which store would you choose to max out your credit card?

I don't have a credit card, which is a very wise move on my behalf. But if I did, it would probably be in New Look just because I would wear about 95% of their entire stock.

40. Do anything spontaneous lately?

New Years Eve was fairly spontaneous. Nobody really had any definitive plans after 12, but I ended up having a party at my house, which didn't officially end until around 1l:30am, so I guess that could be considered spontaneous. 

41. Do you like your job?

I don't have a job. But I definitely need to get one. 

42. Broccoli? 

Always.

43. What was your favourite vacation?

Out of my family holidays, I think Menorca the second time was my favourite. There were ten of us and everything was normal. I couldn't fault it. I love the island, the weather was amazing. I can't even say something particularly special happened to make it stand out, but I think that's the only holiday we all went on together where there were no arguments whatsoever. Just 100% quality time with the family. 

But last year's trip to Malia with my friends just blew the roof off everything. I just loved it. Amazing company, so much alcohol, and I don't think I've laughed so much in a pool before.

44. Last person you went out to dinner with?

My three best friends and I went to a lovely Italian for our annual Christmas gathering. 

45. What are you listening to right now?

I am listening to Talk Dirty by Jason Derulo. Unashamedly so.

46. What is your favourite colour?

If I'm being totally honest, it's grey. I'm really not one for colour, but if I have to add some vibrancy into my choice, it would be the kind of blue that's just enough blue to not be grey. 

47. How many tattoos do you have?

At the moment, I don't have any. But I absolutely want to change that. I have a few ideas floating around my mind, but I'm yet to pick a design of some kind. 

48. Coffee drinker?

Unfortunately not. I'm well aware that I'm missing out on a whole world, but I just can't bring myself to like it just yet.

Hello 2014!

When older people say to you, "the years fly by as you get older!", I assure you this: they are not lying. 2013 was without a doubt the fastest year of my life to date. Another January is upon us, and time already seems to be flying. So what better way to say hello to 2014 is there than to say goodbye to the previous with a condensed paragraph of reflection?

2013 was infinitely better than 2012 for me. 2012 was a dark year in my life. It was doomed to oblivion from the very first week, so last year really didn't need to do much to be considered an improvement. The first few months weren't great, though. I was on anti-depressants, a decision I had made the previous November. With the medication came some nasty side effects which slowed me down quite a lot. But with the appropriate distractions, I made significant progress. January was filled with preparation for the school show, and February followed with the production itself. A change of image came in tow for me as I finally gave in and became a brunette. March brought the wonder of McFly once again, and the realisation of A-levels began to dawn on me. April and May brought the same old same old and June brought an explosion of awesome. I came off my anti-depressants, and aside from a few little blips through the year, never really felt like I needed them again. Secondary school: complete. Exams: complete. I turned 18 and celebrated in style, with a good three weeks of non-stop action and partying. A fantastic holiday to Malia with the best friends I could ask for was July's gift August brought the dreaded A-level results day, and the huge sigh of relief as I sailed into Swansea University. October saw me really settle into student life, and one of the best Halloweens I will ever see. November gave me the Catching Fire I so desperately desired and definitely did not disappoint. It also brought another little experience I'm not likely to forget. And we rounded off in December with another Christmas and of course, another epic New Year's Eve. Over all, a pretty darn good effort.

I now welcome 2014 with open arms, and intend to enjoy as many days as I possibly can as a human being. That is, of course, after the dreaded exams are over mid-January. But to get the most out of my year, I want to set some targets. There is very little point in me making set-in-stone "New Years Resolutions" because ten times out of ten, they will be ignored entirely. So I have decided to pick some things I would like to do. If I stick to them, awesome. If I don't, well it's really not going to be the end of the world.

Blogging: The world is absolutely full of stuff. Good stuff, bad stuff, controversial stuff, revolutionary stuff, everyday boring stuff. With everything around me, I'm sure I can find something to blog about at least once a month. So that's what I'm going to try to do. 12 blogs - surely I can manage that?!

Living: I really need to start living more. I waste so much time. A friend and I have a mini bucket list. What's on the list is expensive, but I am determined to do at least one of them this year. I want to have more fun, and if the people around me don't share this sentiment, I'll just find someone else who does. I don't want to sit around any more. I probably will, but I don't want to. So living more has made this list.

Image: What I need to do is to find a way to be happy with how I look. There are two ways to do this: I can change myself physically until I am happy, or I can change my mentality to embrace what I am. Now, I am not a particularly motivated person (and that really is an understatement; I am closer to a sloth than a human), so the first option may be a struggle. But it isn't impossible. In an ideal world, I would like to combine the two. But who knows.

Positivity: Over the last two years, I have experienced many lows. And now that I'm back up to where I need to be, I want more than anything to stay there. Of course there are going to be fluctuations and there are going to be bad days, but I want to be able to climb back up. But if for whatever reason I find myself unable to get back up myself, I make this promise to myself now: I will find help and I will find a way. 

So that's what I have as a vague plan for the next 12 months. But it's just a plan, and anything could happen. I want something to surprise me this year. I want a huge curve ball to appear, to shake the boat a little. It'll keep things interesting. But who knows? What I do know is that I am so ready.