Writing Update #10

Exams are over. I don't have to study any more.

I don't know what to do with my life now.

Writing

• Remember I talked about writing a radio play? That never happened because I couldn't get the story to work and I just had no time to write it. I might try again this year, but I'm not sure.
• Just wrote an article on the Met Gala and cultural appropriation, that should go up on the student newspaper soon and it'll be in my online portfolio (see the tab on the top).
• I wrote a short story for a competition, which never received any success. For a writing workshop, we had to adapt a previous piece of work into a screen script and it worked...really well. I'll be redoing it and sending it in. It's a futuristic piece, set in a world where there's a shortage of clean air. Hopefully should be easy to make? We'll see.

Music

• I've just been playing the ukulele a lot (I have this beautiful white Octopus ukulele). This channel is excellent if you want to learn:

Real Life and Other Nonsense

• I've been immensely lonely for the last month - I stayed on campus for a few weeks when everyone was gone. Then, I went home as most of my friends were leaving to go back to their uni's, and I was too busy with revision to meet up with many people. Upon returning, we were all shut up revising. However, friends are emerging and a little group of us went to the beach, which was lovely.
• I PASSED MY DRIVING TEST. It took 3 attempts, but I did it! I won't be able to afford a car for a long time, so we had pizza to celebrate instead.
• Still learning French on Duolingo. The experience chart on the side is really useful - it makes me want to keep up the streak. I can now say "the cat eats the mouse" in French. 

Have a lovely day - don't let your cat eat mice.

Writing Update #9

Writing

• I wrote a post last night about my struggle with body confidence over the past years. I was a bit apprehensive about putting it up, but I've been helped a lot with other people's honest and open work, so here it is. It had an amazing response, including Meghan Tonjes favouriting and retweeting it:

• So far, I've managed to blog infrequently and write an article on YouTube culture (it'll be up soon).
• Otherwise, my own writing is on hold until my exams are done. I can't wait to get back into blogging, writing reviews, reading and generally being less anxious. 

Music

• I've discovered Amber Run. They're a British indie band and their music is beautiful. Check out this song:

Real Life and Other Nonsense

• I'm listening to the radio play adaptation of Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett. It's excellent and really does the novel justice. It won't be available on iPlayer for much longer but I guess if you look for it, you'll find it on the internet somewhere/you can buy it from BBC Radio 4 online.
• My driving test is coming up and I'm a bag of emotions. I feel nothing, then worry and stress, then I'm confident. 

Wish me luck for everything!

Body Confidence, YouTubers and Modelling for Razz Magazine

I haven't felt this bad about my body image in a long time. I was about 17 when I started to not actively hate how I looked. It then took several years of carefully finding my way out of the same ways of thinking about myself before I felt happy with who I am.

I wanted to talk because reading things like this have helped me in the past, and made me feel less alone. So here we go.

Very First Attempt At A 'Shopping Haul' Post

I finally went shopping and thought I'd share what I got! Don't expect too many of these posts - I've barely bought anything aside from groceries since January and I'm a student with little money. Also, I really hate the word 'haul' for some reason.

It's actually really hard to do those perfect photographs where all your purchases are neatly laid out

British Summers/Fifty Shades of Sunburn

It's been - I dare say - hot outside. The sun is staying up longer, skies are blue, it's brighter and warmer.

I don't like it.

Whenever it's sunny, and liquid vitamin D starts falling out of the sky, people go weird. Sunglasses are on, legs are out and crowds emerge to photosynthesise in any patch of sun available.

And that would be fine. Think of the ideal summer:

• Picnics on the grass
• Sunbathing in the park
• Drinks outdoors at cafes and pubs
• Walks on the beach
• Shopping on the high street

Isn't that lovely?