Getting Going

It's a Monday morning. I wake up at eight. I eat my bowl of wholesome cereal. I shower, get dressed, go to the bank - buy some fruit from the supermarket. I come back and do a phone interview. I've got some chores, an article to write and both Maths and Science homework to do but I write here. Blogging is therapeutic!

I've got two job interviews this week (just little part-time roles) and I passed the interview for my volunteer role (which I'm so happy about!) so here's a post dedicated to things that I'm grateful for.

Every now and then I think it is important to highlight what is good about your life. It is the little things that make the biggest difference, I often hear.

- Buying Christmas presents for everyone.

- Passing my interview.

- Hearing beautiful music (Bastille and Bizet!)

- Writing

- Blogging

- Starbucks skinny gingerbread latte (with the red cups!)

- Walks

- Clementines (so yummy)

- Reading a good book (James Joyce)

- The thought of going back home to London soon

- Watching good films

- Wearing cosy jumpers and woolly scarves.

- Cute stationery

- Learning (science and maths!)

- Smelling L'occitane perfumes.

- Stepping on crunchy leaves.

- Feeling cosy in my flat.

Cosmopolitan Article

Ambitions

As I'm graduating from university this year, I have been experiencing the inevitable worry that is the concern of my future. For the first time in three years I won't be going to seminars three times a week. I won't be working until five in the morning to meet that essay deadline. In a mere matter of weeks, I will be handing in my first conducted piece of original research in my field. As opposed to going into denial, I have decided that there's a lot of new things that I would love to experience in my life as a graduate. I state in my 'me' section on the left, that my blog may contain such 'contemplations' regarding my life. Well, here's one of them.

For the first time in a long time, I have felt such a strong urge to learn so many new things. I want to study Science and Maths (nerd!) and I can't wait to start playing violin properly again. Pictured above is the violin I have just started renting from my local music shop. Last year, I borrowed a very very cheap and nasty (sorry to be mean!) violin from an orchestral group I joined for a few months. It was there that I grasped the basics, however, it was so difficult to make a decent sound! Today I opened the case, tightened the hairs on the bow, applied some rosin and started playing as if I had never stopped in the first place. As the violin was better, I sounded a lot less bad than I used to! Now I have a job, I have to decided to put the majority of it into savings, but for me to enjoy some of it by doing what I love - music.

After university I intend to read a lot of non-fiction. I've been having such a fun time reading Darwin's On the Origin of Species and using it as part of my literature dissertation. I want to make beautiful music and learn lots of facts about the world. 

My future ambitions:

- Go to more concerts
- See more theatre productions
- Go to more art exhibitions
- Experience what it is like to go to an opera, even if the seats are too cheap to see the stage!
- Take up dance lessons again, and try not to kick anyone during ballet.
- Volunteer
- Take a calligraphy class.
- Postgraduate study.
- Science and Maths lessons
- Learn more about art (because I've only studied photography)
- Achieve a Grade 8 in violin ;)
- European tour!
- See the pandas in Edinburgh (which is happening at some point this year!)
- Learn Italian and/or French
- Have fun wherever life leads me :-)
- See Nicola Benedetti perform live.
- Graduate with a 2:1
- Try and help others as much as possible.
- Smile, all of the time!
- Have a library in my house, full of books I love!

Valentine's Day fashion!

More cynicism than celebration happens on Valentine's Day, which is a shame because I think it's really lovely. I know it's commercial and blah blah blah ... but it's nice, and it's nice having an excuse to spoil your other half and watch films that make you blubber! I thought I'd write a post about how I've decided to dress up today!

My plans for today are really casual, so I've opted for a cute jumper that I got from work (yay) and a pair of dark jeans. As you can see, the jumper has a really cute bow on it, and bit of green detailing on the bottom of it (which you can't!). It's really simple and feminine! I love it.

 My makeup is very natural today. I'm wearing Mua eyeshadows (£1 each, amazing!), some Bourjois translucent powder to remove shine, Shu Uemura mascara, BeneFit dandelion powder and moonbeam highlighter, and dash of raspberry lip balm! My hair is naturally styled, with some dry shampoo for volume and freshness! So yes, a very natural and easygoing look! Perfect for a night-in or a trip to the cinema with your loved one.

Here are some other cute outfit ideas:

Topshop £38.00

Team this up with black tights for an afternoon in a vintage tea shop!

Asos.com £20.00

For a more sophisticated look that is adaptable, this slashneck skater dress from Asos helps make the perfect transition from day to night.

Cath Kidston £35.00

 This gorgeous skirt from Cath Kidston would be perfect with a light blue cardigan. As it's quite cold at the moment, a skirt option might be ideal if you're planning to stay inside somewhere for the majority of the day. It's definitely a cute staple for summer!

Happiness In A Blog Post

Me hugging a Happy Tree

Here's a list of things that make me happy! For some reason, I always feel much happier after reading other people's happy lists. It's infectious!

- Cups of tea. Cherries too!

- Smiles :-)

- The Strokes having a new album out!

- My adorable hamster, Scout!

- Hugs

- Flowers (daisies)

- Rom-coms (I know, not very sophisticated)

You've Got Mail

- Being around friends, and giggling over the silliest of things.

- Going to Starbucks with David the other day because walrus and snail impressions happened! (With the aid of many straws)

- Elephant sneezes.

- My hot waterbottle, Ernest. He's a penguin!

- Merlin, a little owl I received as a present last year. He's meant to inspire me to write my university work! Heehee.

-Being all cosy, and spending weekend mornings in bed.

- Being able to wear my brogues outside again, now the Spring is on its way.

- Reading in bed, when the sun is glaring through the window.


- Children's books from when I was younger. Also, when I saw the Cath Kidston book design for Ballet Shoes my heart sank a little!

- Pandas are sooooo cute.

 - Paris!

 - Baking (yum yum)

- The snowman that David and I built. His name was Herbert George, after H. G. Wells!