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Sunday Seven: Seven Things I Learnt Doing a Big Move

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I’ve moved a total of three times in my life prior to this weekend. The first time I was two and moved into my parents current house with my Mum after her and Dad had first bought it, the second was into Halls and the third was into the flat that Ali and I shared. Now I’m sat in the new house and I thought I’d put together seven things I learnt in my biggest move so far.

 

The more boxes you can get hold of for free, the better

Seriously, boxes are damn expensive. We had to buy two lots because obviously everyone was moving out of uni at the same time. If you can plan in advance and get boxes for free.

You have more stuff than you think you do 

I honestly thought I had less stuff but you’d be incredibly surprised how much stuff you can accumulate over time, really surprising.

Saying goodbye to a place feels weird

Kingston has been my home for three years and driving out across the bridge yesterday with the town disappearing in the mirror was weird and a little heartbreaking. It’s still sinking in that it’s not my home anymore.

Having a panic/cry is ok 

I felt very overwhelmed when we got to the other end and again this morning. Moving is a BIG DEAL! It’s ok to have a little panic and let yourself feel what you need to feel.

You’ll notice strange things about your new place 

After moving from the centre of Kingston and living on a busy one way system I couldn’t get over how damn quiet it is at night. At my Mum’s I’m near a quite busy road but here I can’t hear anything and it’s dark, so dark.

Little things become very exciting

I’m living somewhere with a garden. A GARDEN. There were no gardens in Kingston for us.

There’s nothing better than having your family close by

The best part about moving is the fact that I’m closer to my family and there’s nothing better than that.

image from Pinterest

Getting Our Move On 

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Hello, hello, hello!

I’m writing this to you from our new home, which is very weird. We’ve moved in with Ali’s  Mum for a while, we’ll be looking and sorting out our next place to call our own but for now we’re staying in the house along with Ali’s mum, sister and cat Suki. Of course the Hamsters are also here, although carefully shut in the bedroom so that Suki doesn’t take more than a little bit of a liking to them.

While we were driving back together (the first time Ali’s been on the motorway in my new car) we talked about how it felt to be back, how everything was going to fit in. I have to say I’ve been pleasantly surprised, I’m feeling ok. I honestly thought I’d be really down and stressed, but it’s been ok. For the first time in three years we have a garden and at night it’s actually quiet, my family are just around the corner. We don’t have to deal with drunk students and people smoking outside our window. There are things were going to miss, obviously, we loved Kingston. I’ll miss the riverside, the fact I can just pop in and see my best friend every weekend while picking up my comic books.

There’s a new chapter in our lives and everything is happening. I won’t lie I’m absolutely exhausted and feeling a little rough at the moment but at the same time there’s no one I’d rather go through this with. He’s pretty fab and let’s see what the future is going to hold.

Strike a Match.

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The past three years haven’t just been filled with study, they’ve lead other parts of my life to change too. I wrote yesterday about taking chances  and way back in first year the boys and I took a chance at putting a band together and playing a load of shows. I’ve done more with this band than I have before, we’ve played great venues, recorded then scrapped it then recorded again. I’ve been waiting so long to be able to tell you all that our new singles are out. The process was slowed down a few times for various reasons, the main pushback for this not being out a year ago was because of my broken back, you can’t record if you can’t stand and are half asleep on painkillers. Fact. For a long time I blamed myself that we didn’t have this finished, that we weren’t touring the country but then I stopped and worked with that we had. What we had was some great show experience, a friendship and memories that would last. So at times it may have felt like this would never come out and now it’s finally here and being listened too! You have no idea how weird it is to be able to type the band name into iTunes and then have my voice come through the speakers. There has been blood, sweat and tears that have gone into the writing, the planning the recording, the shows we played, the hours of practice.

So, finally, I present to you all Strike a Match, click here to head to iTunes and have a listen!

Taking a Chance

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If I’ve learnt anything in the past year it’s that you can make all the plans you want, life has a way of making sure you do what you need to do. I’m going down a completely different path to the one that I thought I would, because I took a chance.

I’d set up this whole plan of being an academic, staying in Kingston and just seeing what happened. I realise now that that career path was partly due to fear. I thought I would stay in education forever because it was something I was good at, I was the smart girl and there was money to be won, it just seemed like a natural progression. Then this year I just kind of fell out of love with the idea slowly. I got told by my lecturers how they struggled, that they couldn’t get jobs and were in so much debt. That’s one thing I didn’t want. I hate borrowing money and I hate being in debt, I didn’t want to do all of that work and deal with all the stress and then not have a job at the end of it.

Falling into doing Marketing by accident was the best thing I ever did. It had been suggested to me that I look into it before but I thought you had to be a bigshot to do marketing, apparently not. It’s something that I’m good and similarly with my job, I just threw myself in and applied. I just thought, why not? And I got it. I think that’s what I’m going to take from the uni experience, just do things and see what happens. I know I’ve landed myself with a brilliant job, I’m learning, working with some amazing people and hopefully I’ll be travelling for work too, something I never thought I would do.

 

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The New Girl

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Hello, hello, hello!

Today was a BIG DAY. I am now working full time and adulting hard. I drove my new car to work this morning, arriving at 10 and headed straight into a big team meeting. I already feel like a part of the team and like everyone I work with. Everyone is super nice and is always willing to help out or explain something and there was an additional member of the team today, nicknamed Exodog. One of my colleagues brought his dog in, a little white bundle of fluff who followed me around for a good part of the day. I’m absolutely shattered and have a lot to do but I’m happy, and that’s what counts.

Marvel Collector Corps: Women of Power Review and Unboxing

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It’s that time again! Yes, yesterday my Marvel Collector Corps box landed yesterday and knowing that Spider Gwen was on the front of the box got me SUPER excited when it was announced so I couldn’t wait to get my hands on the box and see what’s inside. So for my full unboxing and review keep scrolling, if you DON’T want any spoilers then pop back later.

 

 

 

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Spider Gwen T-shirt

This is my favourite part of the box this month. Spider Gwen was the first comic book that I properly got into, Spider man the first super-hero. Although I’m not keen on it being grey (it’s summer, everyone’s all sweaty and gross) but I do love the design.

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Pin and Badge

As usual there are the badge and pin that come with every set. I’m not that keen on the design and feel like there could have been better women to put on, just my opinion.

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Civil War 2, Issue 1

I’ve been waiting to pick this up for a while and I’m super happy it was included. Obviously Captain Marvel is key in this series and it’ll be interesting to have a flick through and see how it holds up to the original Civil War. Also I absolutely love the cover, as I do with all the variants I’ve received so far.

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Mystery Mini’s

I kind of didn’t get the point of these. The whole point of mystery mini’s is the excitement of not knowing what’s in the box and seeing who you get. Giving us these with the characters on the front was kind of disappointing and took away from the point of them.

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Squirrel Girl Pop Vinyl

Now I’ll admit, I didn’t know Squirrel girl was a thing, I’ve never seen her, read a comic book and of that. I was quite disappointed with her and I won’t be keeping the pop.

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Overall this is the box that I’ve liked least since I started collecting. While I can appreciate that for some it was a good box I was very underwhelmed. I’m holding out a lot more hope for the next MCM box which is Spider Man, but unfortunately this one wasn’t for me.

Why You Need to Vote: EU Referendum

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Why you need to vote

Tomorrow is the day that we make one of the biggest decisions in British history, whether or not to stay in the EU. While I’ll admit the campaigns have been more than a bit of a shambles and a lot of people still feel unsure or confused about that exit I’m writing to all you guys to urge you to go down to the polling station tomorrow and tick one box or another.

The main reason you need to vote is that people died so that we could have a choice, because we are lucky enough to live in a democracy. There is the old attitude ‘if you don’t vote you can’t complain’ and to some extent I agree BUT what scares me is that a lot of people are believing statistic that have not been proven and it’s become a contest between who can shout the loudest, rather than looking at the key issues. There’s a lot of anger over immigration, people shouting that they want their country back, that we’re run by Germany and blatant racism. I honestly regret how both sides have acted in this and think that it’s actually bought out the worst in our country and that makes me really sad.

I’ll be honest with you, I’m voting in, which is different to the majority of my family I think. I’m voting remain because I’m proud to be a part of the EU, I really like that we’re part of a group of  countries with a rich culture and history and that I can move and travel as much as I want to all these beautiful places. I’m voting remain because even though we have our issues, I don’t think we know enough about what would happen if we leave to our economy and I don’t want to have to live through another recession (my Dad lost his job in 2010, when I was 15) because we guessed we’d be better off. I’m voting in because I believe that immigration makes us stronger, do we need to look at the amount of people we let in and other issues, because I’ve studied with some brilliant minds who are living here because they’re in the EU.

Above all I want to suggest something I saw online today. Suppose you really don’t know what to vote, you’re just looking at it going neither side has really convinced me. IF you vote to remain we have a chance to do this again. We have a chance to tell the EU what we want to do/ how we think it could be improved for members and if they don’t comply and AFTER we’ve done some more research into what will happen we can all vote to go, I’m all for that. At the end of the day I am just urging people to vote, whatever you want make your voice and your vote count.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Why Order of the Phoenix has my heart

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Thirteen years ago today Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix was released. It was the first book that I pre ordered and excitedly went into the bookshop on release day to pick up my copy and marvel at the stickers, the book mark and have it in my little 8 year old hands before heading home to devour it. This was the start of something completely new in my life, never before had I loved a book so much I had it on order. I was only 8 at the time and my sister was just about to turn three so midnight release wasn’t something we did as a family (I will, however, be doing midnight release with my Mum for The Cursed Child).

I’ve always loved OOTP, it’s always been possibly my favourite book although that’s really like picking a favourite child. I just loved the cover, the plot, the fact that Harry and Sirius had each other. That said, this is also one of the first books that broke my heart. I can’t explain the joy that kicked off my countdowns for various book. Now, for me pre ordering is something that I just do, I love having countdowns to books and knowing that I can either go pick it up or that it’s going to be delivered.

OOTP was the point where I knew that I was really into Harry Potter, that this obsession wasn’t going to go away and this played out again for the next two books and then the movies. Harry Potter is more than just a book to me, like many others, it’s been something so comforting and just something I love to read and read again. There are quotes that I live by and will cherish. Hell, I’ll be getting a Harry Potter tattoo sooner rather than later because it was a huge part of what made me, me.

This was the book that made me realise I’d fallen in love, hard, and for that I will always be grateful.

Harry Potter Spells Tag!

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I found this over on my friend Becky’s new blog (check her out here) it combines three of my favourite things, Harry Potter, books and fun tags. So, here we go! Remember I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments!

  1. Expecto Patronum – a childhood book connected to good memories

 

Lola Rose – Jacqueline Wilson

This was the first time I met an author I really admired and got a book signed. It was the first time I saw an author as a real person and she signed in pink pen. Pink. Pen.

2. Expelliarmus – a book that took you by surprise

How to Be a Woman – Caitlin Moran

I tried reading this initially when it was first released, but I was too young to get it and thought she was a bit mad. I read it again last Summer before starting a Writing Women class and it changed my life and made me embrace feminism. I never thought it would become one of my favourite books.

3. Prior Incantato – The last book you read

Radio Silence by Alice Oseman. So freaking good.

4. Alohamora – A book that introduced you to a genre you hadn’t considered before

Star Wars Moving Target made me realise I might like Sci-fi and give it a go.

5. Riddikulus – a funny book you’ve read

Why Not Me? – Mindy Kaling. Kaling’s second book was MUCH better than her first and had me in stitches.

6. Sonorous – a book you think everyone should know about

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath.

I cannot describe what this book means to me, or how much Plath means to me as a writer. There are few books that deserve the title of classic, but The Bell Jar really, really does.

7. Obliviate – a book or spoiler you would like to forget having read

The Storyteller – Jodi Picoult, that spoiler was incredible.

 

8. Imperio – A book you had to read for school

To Kill a Mockingbird – Harper Lee

Most people hate the books they’re forced to read, I on the other hand fell in love with TKAM. It started my love for reading novels about and based in the civil rights era and the treatment of African Americans.

9. Crucio – a book that was painful to read

I’m choosing to see this in the light of a book that was so GOOD it put you in pain emotionally.

The Fault in Our Stars – John Green.

My heart still hurts. Still.

 

10. Avada Kedavra – a book that could kill (interpret as you will)

 

Maestra by L.S. Hilton

Sex, Scandal, Murder. Don’t give this book to your Nan, could induce a heart attack.

As always if you’d like to do this tag then go right ahead! Drop me a link in the comments as I’d love to read your responses!

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In The News: We Need to Talk About Sexual Assault.

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It’s hard to have missed two huge news stories in the past few weeks. While this might be an uncomfortable topic, I want this blog to be honest and unflinching. We need to talk about Sexual Assault. Late last month the world was horrified to learn that a 16 year old girl had been recorded being gang raped by up to 30 men, it was then uploaded onto social media. As if this wasn’t bad enough, this week the media gaze shifted to the United States after a young woman had been raped while she lay unconscious behind a bin. The rapist was found guilty, but still the media focused on what he had lost. They focused on his athletic career and even his own father wrote about how his life had been ruined by ’20 minutes of action’, with no insight into how the young woman’s life had been changed after her ordeal.

This isn’t the first time this year we’ve been talking about sexual assault. Kesha is still battling the man she accuses of raping her and has been blocked making music unless she works with him. Lady Gaga stood up and wrote the beautiful song Til It Happens To You (above), performing it at the Oscars surrounded by fellow survivors of assault. With all this talk in the media, surely it has to get better… right?

It wasn’t until I came to university that I fully understood the extent of women being affected by sexual assault. On nights out girls were touched again and again, even when they said no. Guys would come up behind me and try and dance against or touch me, something I’m deeply uncomfortable with. They would shout remarks on my way home or try and grab me and then laugh. I know too many people who’s drinks have been spiked or who have been so drunk they could hardly speak, but were taken home by someone and had sex with.

The worst thing though? The worst thing is when you’re told that you’re making a ‘fuss over nothing’. When you’re told it’s sports night and they’re just trying to dance close to you. When you’re told that boys will be boys. When you’re told that when you launch someone across a dancefloor for touching you in a club you’re the one who needs to lighten up and get a grip. It’s still made out to be your fault. I was made to feel bad by other people for being angry that I’d been touched by someone and I didn’t want them too. I was pressured by classmates in my teens not to report someone when they thought it was ok to slap my butt and make comments because I was the only girl in class and couldn’t I take a joke? When I was 11 and the guys told me to go ‘suck it’ or when one boy pushed me up against a wall and was inappropriate, or when he beat me up my school didn’t care. We reported it but we were just kids this didn’t mean anything, he was just a naughty boy. So I just got on with my life and shouted when I got mad, every time I got told by someone in authority that I needed to ‘calm down’. Luckily that’s not how my family raised me.

It’s hard sometimes because you feel like you’re fighting a losing battle. If I tried to report someone touching me up on a night out, nothing would happen. When we read about women getting attacked in the media the questions asked are ‘what were they wearing’ or ‘why were they alone at night’. When we read about a man getting attacked (because don’t forget, they do too) it’s made into a joke about how they should enjoy it. Recently a teacher was arrested for raping her 13 year old student, people were saying how ‘lucky’ he was. It was rape, he was a child and he was groomed and raped. That’s it.

While I appreciate that this is a heavy topic, it’s been tearing me up inside, reading all these reports. I don’t want to demonise men, not at all. I do, however, want to contribute to tackling the way rape and sexual assault are seen in the media, because only then will be get more convictions, more education and more support for the women and men who have faced such a terrible ordeal.