Wednesday, 7 August 2019

5 Books to Read on Holiday

5 Books to Read on Holiday
Wednesday, 7 August 2019
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Holiday season is well and truly upon us now, folks! Everywhere I look people are packing up and heading to the sunshine. Even I’ve gotten in on the act and have just got back from four days in Paris.
Wednesday, 5 June 2019

June

June
Wednesday, 5 June 2019
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Here we go again. A new month means new goals doesn’t it? Doesn’t it?! Usually, yes, but not this month. This month I’ll be doing something entirely different. This month I’m just going to let myself be. 

Lately, I've been experiencing what I can only assume is burn out, or a close approximation of. I'm tired, lads, really tired. And it's all the time. Now I could say that I’m going to focus on myself and go to the gym five times a week, get eight hours of sleep every night, while eating all my vegetables and nothing else, but I’m not going to. Because that in itself is pressure I don’t need.

I don’t need to feel bad about myself for not going to the gym, for choosing to lie on my bed, whilst probably eating a Tunnock’s Caramel Wafer and ignoring an episode of Game of Thrones to scroll through instagram instead. I don’t need to feel bad about myself.  Full stop. Whether that’s for not doing things I’ve said I’m going to do or just in general. I don’t need it.

The truth is I'm not very good at relaxing, every moment I have is dedicated to something, whether it's this or my youtube channel or my actual job, my brain is always whirring. I am always doing something. I need to get comfortable doing nothing. Even if it doesn't come naturally to me. 

So this month I will be reminding myself that it’s okay not to aim for something. It’s okay to let myself be and not strive for a goal. The world won’t end if I give myself a break and just stop beating myself up for not being who I want to be or not being good enough. Even if it’s just for a moment. It’s okay. I’ll be okay. I hope you are too.

Have a good month x
Wednesday, 22 May 2019

Balance, Not Symmetry album review

Balance, Not Symmetry album review
Wednesday, 22 May 2019
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Guys, it finally happened! Biffy Clyro dropped Balance, Not Symmetry, their eagerly-awaited soundtrack/concept album for the upcoming film of the same name. Now, to tell you that I was excited for this album is a massive understatement. Seriously, huge. I’ve been waiting for this since Biffy debuted Different Kind of Love at the Roundhouse in November 2017, and once I'd heard Adored at the Royal Albert Hall in September 2018 I was like a kid (or myself) getting excited for Christmas if I had no idea when Christmas was. The waiting, the mounting excitement, the not knowing when it’s actually coming out, and then, finally, it drops. As I said excited is an understatement. Anywho, since it’s release, I’ve played the album non-stop, so it only seems fitting for me to dedicate a post to share my thoughts.

First of all, to absolutely no one’s surprise, least of all mine, I adore it. Though not technically a ‘proper’ Biffy album, B, NS is a delicious follow up to 2016’s Ellipsis and slots in nicely with the other albums thanks to it's key themes: love, loss, heartbreak and grief, which are common across the Biff’s entire back catalogue. However, there is so much life and happiness and joy present on this album that just isn't on the band's previous offerings. Let's face it Biffy love to worship their pain, and I am more than happy to do it with them, but there's a wide-eyed innocence here that I've not come across before.

Packed full of bangers, interspersed with moody and atmospheric instrumental pieces and gentle, earnest love songs B, NS is the culmination of an incredibly diverse and successful career. Its titular track is a throwback to a younger, angrier Biffy, and wouldn’t be out of place on Puzzle or Infinity Land, with its thrashing guitars, raw screaming, disjointed vocals and anthemic chorus. It sets the tone for the entire album and is fucking brilliant! Next comes All Singing All Dancing and Sunrise - two of my favourites -  a tribute to the bands later work with their pop-rock vibes and irresistible choruses. Tearjerkers Different Kind of Love, Colour Wheel and Adored are Biffy ballads at their finest - tender, raw, heartbreakingly earnest and sincere, they are tales of yearning and of love. These tracks are the ones I hold closest to my heart. Plead and The Naturals are also favourites, showcasing another phase in Biffy's history, while Jasabiab has a late Beatles almost Yellow Submarine-y kind of vibe to it which I wasn't fully expecting.

Overall, B, NS is a work of art. Now admittedly, I’m incredibly biased, Biffy are my favourite band in the entire world, so I was always going to like this album. I don’t think it’s possible for them to make music I wouldn’t like. But that, I think, is the incredible thing about art, you like the things you connect with, that you recognise yourself in and it makes you feel less alone. That’s why I love Biffy Clyro so  much, their music, including this album, reasonates with me in a way that nothing else has. It's magic I can't and don't want to explain. 
Wednesday, 8 May 2019

May Goals

May Goals
Wednesday, 8 May 2019
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May is here. May. We're so far into the year now that before we know it it'll be Christmas. I know, I know I say the same thing every month - it annoys me too - but if I didn't set my monthly goals I don't think I'd really notice the passage of time as much, but I do, and time is just disappearing. I feel like I just sat down to write my April Goals and BAM we're already in May. Anywho, let's talk about my May Goals, shall we? 

Write everyday

I love writing, I’ve always loved writing. But it can be really hardwork. Especially when you write for a living, which I do. Honestly, the fact that I get to say that is beyond amazing, however it does have its downside, because when writing is your job, it becomes a job, something to be ticked off a list. It can take all the joy out of it and, depending on the size and scope of the subject matter, it can be really, really fucking hard. And boring. Recently, I’ve become a bit jaded with writing. The love hasn’t gone but I’m struggling. And because of that struggle I don’t want to do it, putting pen to paper, or fingertips to keys, feels like an insurmountable challenge. The only thing I can think that will help is to write more. Specifically write more for the sheer joy of writing, write things that are just for me, so it doesn’t matter how shit they are. I put a tremendous amount of pressure on myself and my writing and I need to take it off and just write. It’s genuinely the only way I think I’ll be able get over this particular bump, and it’s the only way I’ll get better. Writing is a skill and I need to cultivate it, and the only way to do that is to write more.

Finish Game of Thrones

Guys, it finally happened. I’ve started watching Game of Thrones, and more importantly I like Game of Thrones. I really like Game of Thrones. It’s so good. The hype was real. Who knew? Luckily, the entire back catalogue is on NowTV (*not spon) just waiting for me to watch it. Unluckily the first six seasons are only there until the end of the month. Herein lies the problem, I do not have the kind of binge watching mentality that a show like Game of Thrones almost demands from its viewers. I just don’t. I left it at uni alongside my ability to concentrate on one thing for more than 45 minutes and my fondness for neon coloured tights. Watching 56 hours (I’ve nearly finished season two) of GOT in just over three weeks is going to be a real challenge. A real challenge. I genuinely don’t think I’ll manage it, but damnit, I’m going to try. Wish me luck. 

Read more

I actually read quite a lot. It took some time, nothing kills a love for reading quite like an English degree IMO, but I’m finally back in a place where I’m reading fairly regularly - I’ve managed to get through 17 books so far this year - however, reading is always something that I want to be doing more of. Especially because it’s so intrinsically linked to writing. Phoebe Waller-Bridge, the Wonder Woman of Fleabag and Killing Eve fame, said in her Vogue 70 questions interview that reading is the best way to get over a bout of writer’s block, and I can actually see where she’s coming from. I know when I read a particularly good book or piece of journalism it galvanises me. It makes me not only want to write but to pour all my efforts into writing something good, and that is why I want to read more this month. 

What are your goals this month? Xx




Tuesday, 30 April 2019

5 Songs I’m Loving Right Now

5 Songs I’m Loving Right Now
Tuesday, 30 April 2019
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Music, as you’ll all know, is the major (teehee) love of my life. As pretentious as that sounds - I know, I know unbearably - it’s absolutely true. There’s nothing I love more. Except discovering new, or new to me, music. Here’s five of the songs I am loving right now.
Wednesday, 17 April 2019

April Goals

April Goals
Wednesday, 17 April 2019
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Something weird always happens in April, regular as clockwork. Every year when the clocks go forwards (or backwards, whichever) I completely lose all desire to write. I call it Spring Time writer's block, which isn't the catchiest of titles, I know. I don't know if it's the slightly warmer weather -which hasn't appeared yet so that can't be it - or the increase in pollen and the onset of hay fever - which makes my eyes swell up, gives me headaches and makes me very sleep - but every year, in April, all I want to do is curl up in a patch of sunshine - if we have it - like a cat and read. That's it, nothing else. And this year is exactly the same. So forgive my lack of blog posts, I'm lazy and sleepy (and incredibly busy!) Anywho it's April, we're a couple of weeks in now so I should probably set some goals for the month.

Chill out

It's only recently occurred to me that I work really hard. I mean, really, really hard. It's never occurred to me before that all the extra work I do outside my actual job - blogging, youtube, writing, filming, photo taking, editing, pitching, freelancing  - isn't actually normal, other people don't do that. I mean, a lot of people do but a lot of people don't. What I'm trying to say is I'm not very good at doing nothing. Even when I am doing nothing and trying to relax I'm doing something OR I'm worrying about all the things I have to do. Basically, I never relax ever. So for the remainder of this month I'd like to chill the fuck out and take the pressure off myself. I don't want to be constantly worrying about all the shit I have to do. It'll get done, it usually always does. I don't want to worry about things for the sake of worrying and I also don't want to feel guilty every time I sit down to watch Netflix or to read or listen to music, these are the things that make life great, and guilt is such a useless emotion.

Get back into the gym 

Not a year goes by when this isn't a goal, I swear I'll be saying it when I'm 80. I have such a love-hate relationship with the gym. I love it once I'm there but it's the getting there that's the actual problem. It's never as hard as I think it is but I build it up until it becomes this insurmountable challenge, and I just can't bring myself to go. It's a mental battle more than anything. What makes it worse, so much worse, is that I know just how good doing regular exercise makes me feel. It has such an immediate impact on my state of mind and it makes me feel good knowing that I can do things that I didn't think I could. Knowing that I've pushed myself to work hard makes me feel amazing. It's just getting there... that's the problem. 


Eat better 

Again this is something I've talked about a lot on here. I've made no secret of the fact that I eat like an unsupervised 5-year old at a birthday party, just skips and sour apple chewits for me, thanks. I'm exaggerating but only just. Case in point I'm basically existing on peanut butter toast and tea at the moment, and whist I truly believe that smooth peanut butter is the Lord's work, I should definitely try to get a vegetable or two. One of the main reasons I want to eat well is that I've noticed just how much the food I eat impacts my energy levels.  I know this is a totally obvious and completely ridiculous observation but seriously, I'd never noticed before. I had some pick n' mix the other and my energy levels dipped so low that I immediately wanted a nap.

What are your goals for the month? x








Wednesday, 13 March 2019

Little things that make me happy

Little things that make me happy
Wednesday, 13 March 2019
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As I’ve said - many, many times at this point - this year my focus is entirely on me. Selfish? Undoubtedly. Necessary? Absolutely. I've mentioned it before but, at the risk of repeating myself, my time is not renewable, everyday that number runs down, so, as fatalistic as this is, if I don’t care about it or if it doesn't make me happy, I’m not spending my time on it, ‘kay?



Now I realise that it’s not realistic to only do things that make me happy, and despite appearances I'm not a terribly selfish person, self-involved sometimes but mostly not selfish, so I can accept that sometimes I’ll have to do things I don’t want to, like getting the bus to work, but what I can do is incorporate little things into my day to day that make me happy. Here’s some little things that make me disproportionately happy.





Fresh flowers 
Audrey (my dog) 
Candles
Kat Von D lipsticks
Drinking a cup of tea while it’s still hot
The Sunday supplements
Live music
Having too many books to read 
Guitars
Biffy Clyro
Sleep
Music
 Crumpets
Records
Biker boots
Long walks listening to podcasts
Fresh notebooks
Netflix
Dog walks 
Magazines
Good pens
Ducks 
Skincare 
Baking
Aromatherapy Associates shower oils
Food 
Really good journalism 
Trashy crime thrillers 
Costa dates with my bestie
Chocolate brownies
Daffodils 
The seaside
Cool mugs
Lego
Documentaries
The Simpsons
Musicals
Instagram
Lamps
Hot donuts


What little things make you happy? Let me know xxxxx






Wednesday, 27 February 2019

March Goals 2019

March Goals 2019
Wednesday, 27 February 2019
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I never ever know how to start my monthly goals posts. I could go super basic, which is the option I usually plump for, and marvel at the passage of time, or I could come up with something original. Option A it is. Guys! It's basically March! We're nearly a quarter of the way through the year. Seriously! I'm hoping this fact will shock me into action, because I haven't achieved everything I'd wanted to by this point.
Wednesday, 20 February 2019

Elemis Superfood Collection #gifted

Elemis Superfood Collection #gifted
Wednesday, 20 February 2019
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Guys, let’s be real here, I’m not a big name in blogging. To be even realer I’m barely a name in blogging. I’m just a small voice in a sea of thousands and because of that I don’t tend to get invited to a lot of events. However, in my real life I’m a journalist, and sometimes I get to do some really cool shit because of that fact. Like when I was lucky enough to go to the press launch of Elemis’ new Super Food products for instance.
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