Get to know me a little better – 25 Questions

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Seeing as I’ve been lucky enough to get quite a few new subscribers and followers (hello, hello, hello lovely people!) I wanted to let you all get to know me a little better. I found this over on Megan’s blog and thought I would give it a go!

1. What is your middle name?: Francesca, after my aunt.

2. What was favorite subject at school?: Drama and English were my favourites. Anything artistic actually.

3. What is your favorite drink?: Tea, nothing’s better than a good cuppa.

4. What is your favorite song at the moment?: I don’t really have one, I’ve been listening to a lot of Melanie Martinez.

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5. What is your favorite food?: Chocolaaaaaaaaattttttteeeeee.

6. What is the last thing you bought?: Some readymeals for work this week because I didn’t have time for a big shop. 

7. Favorite book of all time?: Hmm, that’s a really hard question. I’d probably go with Order of the Phoenix off the top of my head.

8. Favorite Color?: A nice turquoise will always be lovely.

9. Do you have any pets?: Hamski 🙂

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10. Favorite Perfume?: Fantasy by Britney Spears.

11. Favorite Holiday?: Florida!

12. Are you married?: Nope but I hope to be in the next 5 years.

13. Have you ever been out of the country, if so how many times?: So many times I can’t even remember.

14. Do you speak any other language?: Nope, I have tried but not been successful.

15. How many siblings do you have?: Just the one little sister

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16. What is your favorite shop?: Waterstones

17. Favorite restaurant?: Cosy Italians

18. When was the last time you cried?: A few days ago about missing Noodle.

19. Favorite Blog?: I can’t choose just one!

20. Favorite Movie?: Love Actually

21. Favorite TV shows?: Big Bang Theory, How I Met Your Mother, Friends. Just American comedy in general.

22. PC or Mac?: Mac

23. What phone do you have?: iPhone.

24. How tall are you?: 5’0

25. Can you cook?: I can bake but I’m not a good cook at all, I leave that to Ali.

Remember to tag me in your replies below, I’d love to read them!

Sunday Seven: Things To Look Forward To In 2017

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Happy New Year!!!

Hello, lovely, lovely people and welcome to 2017! We’re almost a day in and I wanted to share with you some things I’m looking forward to in 2017. Now I’ve said before and I’ll say it again I don’t believe in new years resolutions, nope, nope, nope. I want to spend the whole year setting goals and I know for a fact that I find it harder in the dark winter months to be happy and motivated. So, instead, I focus on things to look forward to! So, here are 7 things I’m looking forward to.

A New Home 

This year at some point Ali and I will move into a new home. It means so much to us and we’re really excited!

Getting Stuck Into Work 

I can’t wait to get even more stuck in with my job, it’s a really exciting time for me. I’m in a company I love and a job I really enjoy, I can’t wait to see what this year brings.

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Carrying On With Spine Recovery 

In the next 8 weeks I should have an appointment for my spinal injections. While I’m absolutely terrified I’m also excited because it’s another chance at relieving the spinal pain I’ve been living with for the past 20 months!

Going on Holiday! 

Ali and I will finally be getting a relaxing break together later in the year, a week in sunny Spain. We haven’t had a relaxing holiday in years so it’ll be a nice time to chill out and spend some time together.

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Improving My Blog 

I’m really focused on my blog and this year I can really focus on it without university work taking up each and every evening. I have some great ideas and plans so keep an eye out!

Celebrating 9 Years 

Yes! The boyfriend and I celebrate 9 years together this year, which is crazy. I’m so lucky to have my best friend by my side every day.

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Caring For Myself 

I bought so much stuff from Lush in the sales, meaning I have a lot of bath products for relaxation purposes. I’m really bad at relaxing, I’m always doing something so I need to work on that but this year I can make that time for myself.

What are you looking forward to? Let me know in the comments below!

The 2016 Round-up

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Well, well, well what a year it’s been. I feel like I’ve been thrown right in the deep end in the past 12 months of the good, the bad and the ugly!

January 

The year started off a little bumpy…

I was sick with a mystery illness that had been going a few weeks already

I was focused on weight loss…

But took charge of my future, getting another implant!

February

I started to think, and panic, a lot, about jobs and graduation and got rejected.

I started Sunday Seven!

I embraced Feminism

I fell in love with Deadpool

 I tried to appreciate things in tough times and combatted stress.

I took part in my last ever Reading and Enrichment Week at uni!

A not so nice trip to the hospital, laying in a short stay ward.

March

I was shortlisted for another KU Talent Award

I got honest about how anxiety affects my social life

My Dissertation Got Real

April

I was invited to Brighton to speak on a conference panel!

I admitted I got a little jealous at the gym…

I got my diagnosis

I was concerned about my future…

And I really struggled towards the end.

I handed in my Dissertation though! And the rest of my assignments.

May

I started seriously job hunting, and wondered what to do.

I saw Busted again

I celebrated Mental Health Awareness Week on my website

I went to May Comicon and dressed up for the first time!

June

I was offered my first full-time job.

I carried on fighting with my body.

I voted in the EU Referendum…and was horribly disappointed with the result.

No People Club struck a match and released our EP.

I got a new Car!

July

We moved out of our Kingston flat, which was so, so difficult.

We played the main stage of Basingstoke Live, a goal of mine for almost 10 years!

I celebrated Star Wars in style!

I graduated!

I waited until midnight for Harry Potter with my Mum and best friend

September 

I thought about my future

I talked about why I wasn’t studying a postgrad

I turned 22

October 

I let go

I welcomed a certain little man

I spoke honestly about mental health waitlists, diagnosis and living with chronic pain

I decided to go Cruelty free!

Another October, another comic-con

We lost Noodle

November 

I read 100 books

I quit my job

I wrote an open letter to those who didn’t vote Trump

I started a new job!

I got in the Christmas spirit at Winchester Christmas market

I finally got some good news about my spine

Fantastic Beasts came out, and it was beautiful

December

I met Carrie Fisher, before we tragically lost her

I celebrated my first month in my new job

Rogue One was incredible

I shared my top 10 books of 2016

Who knows what 2017 is going to bring, I just hope it’s a good one.

My Top 10 books of 2016!

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How can it be the end of the year already! I wanted to share with you 10 of my top reads of 2016. I’ve had a great reading year, reading over 100 books, it was so hard to pick just 10 that I loved.  It was a great year for feminist voices with Manifesto from Caitlin Moran (author of How To Be A Woman), Girl Up by the wonderful Laura Bates (author and public speaker of Everyday Sexism) and a breakthrough from comedienne Sara Pascoe with Animal. In a fiery combination of exploration of sexuality, feminism and poetry Rupi Kaur’s Milk and Honey was a breath of fresh air in the world of poetry and heartfelt. Jodi Picoult knocked it out of the park again with a novel staring the problems of America’s racism in the face with Small Great Things following a black nurse and a white supremacist. In YA fiction Holly Bourne has completed her Spinster Club series *sob* with the third instalment (which began with Am I Normal Yet? ) What’s A Girl To Do  which see’s the girls facing university, growing up and the hardships of being a ‘good feminist’. In terms of thrillers and unsung hero is Hollie Overton’s Baby Doll, an eerie and intelligent Overton is one to watch for real thriller. In Sci-Fi, Claudia Gray bought Princess Leia to life once again in Bloodlines, a new novel set before The Force Awakens and looks at Leia’s everyday life and how it drastically changes. My guilty pleasure read is L.S Hilton’s Maestra, a sexy and dangerous novel that was good for a break, is it a literary masterpiece? Probably not, but it is a good and fun read with a dark streak. My latest and most heartbreaking read of the year was You Will Not Have My Hate, written by the husband of one of the victims of the 2015 terrorist attacks on Paris and it is both heartbreaking and an incredibly important read.

What were your top reads of 2016? Let me know in the comments below!

Carrie – An Icon

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I’m writing this with a heavy heart and tear stained cheeks, today the world lost an incredible woman, Carrie Fisher, her death was confirmed by daughter Billie’s publicist. To many Carrie will be remembered as Princess Leia, but she was so, so much more. I met Carrie only a few weeks ago and still can’t get my head around how this fun loving woman who crouched down to sign a little girls wheelchair without so much as a second thought is no longer with us, the world is cruel.

Of course Carrie was Princess Leia, but it’s not all she should be remembered for. She had a no BS attitude to life, which was apparent in her interviews. She was also an incredibly talented writer publishing three memoirs, a handful of novels and also working on screenplays in her life too. Carrie had a way with words that I can only dream to have, I’m thankful she took the time to have a London signing.

While Star Wars makes me happier than most things, it’s not the the thing I’ll remember Carrie most fondly for. She was open and honest about her struggles with addiction and life with Bipolar Disorder. When I met Carrie I wanted to thank her for that, when I did she seemed surprised and said ‘well I have a voice, when you can speak out you should, you know?’ There was nothing more to it. Carrie knew that she could make a big change and she did. For a star of her size to talk so openly about mental illness opened people’s minds. Carrie took the label of ‘crazy’ in her stride, she laughed about it, she made people realise it was ok to laugh. She made mental health come into the conversation, because she wasn’t ashamed. I didn’t get into Star Wars until I was 20, but finding out about Carrie changed my life. I devoured her books and interviews because she became an icon to me.

We have lost a beautiful soul, I can’t help but think of her daughter Billie, her dogs and the rest of her family at this time. She meant so much to so many, but at the end of the day she was someone’s Mum, Sister, Daughter and I cannot imagine the heartbreak they are facing right now.

Rest in Peace Carrie, and May The Force Always Be With You.

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My Goodreads Challenge 2016

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Well, well, well hasn’t 2016 been a fabulous year for reading ( I mean, a terrible year for almost everything else, but at least the books were great). This year I absolutely smashed my Goodreads challenge with a mixture of Fiction, Non-Fiction and Graphic Novels. I want to share with you the list of all 115 of the brilliant (and not so brilliant) books I’ve read this year.

Don’t forget I’d love to be your friend on Goodreads! Find me here.

 

Spider -Gwen, Vol 0: Most Wanted?  – Jason Latour

I Never Promised You a Rose Garden – Hannah Green

Fun Home – Alison Bechdale

Late Fragments – Kate Gross

Star Wars, Vol 1: Skywalker Strikes – Jason Aaron

Star Wars: Before The Awakening – Greg Ruka

Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them – J.K Rowling

Why Not Me? – Mindy Kaling 

The Trial of Captain America – Ed Brubaker

Harley Quinn: Hot in The City – Amanda Connor

Captain America Vol 1: TheNew Deal – John Ney Reiber

The Namesake – Jhumpa Lahiri

Darth Vader: Shadows and Secrets – Kieron Gillen

Faceless- Alissa B Shienmel

Strong Looks Better Naked – Khloe Kardashian 

Vader Down – Jason Aaron

Rebecca – Daphne Du Maurier

Sex Criminals: Two Worlds, One Cop – Matt Fraction

Hot Feminist – Polly Vernon

Harley Quinn: Power Outage – Amanda Connor

How Hard Can Love Be? – Holly Bourne

The Widow – Fiona Barton

Living Dolls – Natasha Walter

Girl Meets Boy – Ali Smith

The Wicked + The Divine: The Faust Act – Kieron Gillen

Postcards From the Edge – Carrie Fisher

Me, Earl and the Dying Girl – Jesse Andrews 

Wonder Woman: Love and Muder – Jodi Picoult

The Wicked + The Divine: Fandemonium – Kieron Gillen

Phonogram – Kieron Gillen

Codename Baboushka: The Conclave of Death – Antony Johnston

Spider-Girl: The Grater Power – Jason Latour

Black Magick : Awakening – Greg Rucka

The Wicked + The Divine: Commercial Suicide – Kieron Gillen

Everyday Sexism – Laura Bates

Chewbacca- Gerry Duggan

Phonogram: Rue Britania – Kieron Gillen

Silk: The Life and Times of Cindy Moon – Robbie Thompson

Light Box – K.J. Orr

Moranifesto – Caitlin Moran

Phonogram: The Singles Club – Kieron Gillen

Maestra – L.S. Hilton

Sane New World – Ruby Wax 

All of The Above – Juno Dawson

Deadpool Kills Deadpool – Cullen Bunn

Deadpool Killustrated – Cullen Bunn

Huck – Mark Millar

Girl Up – Laura Bates 

One Breath Away – Heather Gudenkauf

Harley Quinn: Welcome to Metropolis – Karl Kesel

Alex + Ada: vol 1 – Jonathan Luna

#GirlBoss – Sophia Amoruso

Alex + Ada: vol 2 – Jonathan Luna

Deadpool Kills The Marvel Universe – Cullen Bunn

Alex + Ada: vol 3 – Jonathan Luna

Barbara The Slut and Other People – Lauren Holmes

Wonder – R.J. Palacio

One – Sarah Crossan

Everything, Everything – Nicola Yoon

Star Wars: Bloodline – Claudia Gray

I Call Myself a Feminist

Deadpool: World’s Greatest, Vol 1: Millionaire With a Mouth – Gerry Duggan

Bombshells: She Can Do It – Marguerite Bennett

Letters to my Fanny – Cherry Healey

Radio Silence – Alice Oseman

Highly Illogical Behaviour – John Corey Whaley

Archie: The New Riverdale – Mark Waid

The Vagenda – Holly Baxter and Rhiannon Lucy Cosslett

Sex Criminals: Three The Hard Way – Matt Fraction

If I Was Your Girl – Meredith Russo

Obiwan and Anakin: Vol 1 – Charles Soule

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child – John Tiffany 

What’s a Girl Gotta Do? – Holly Bourne

Harley Quinn: Kiss, Kiss, Bang, Stab – Amanda Conner

Baby Doll – Hollie Overton 

A Game of Thrones – George R.R. Martin

What I Couldn’t Tell You – Faye Bird

So Sad Today – Melissa Broder

On The Other Side – Carrie Hope Fletcher 

Mad Girl – Bryony Gordon

The Perfect Girl – Gilly Macmillan 

The Graces – Laure Eve

Short stories from Hogwarts of Power Politics and Pesky Poltergeists – J.K Rowling

Short Stories from Hogwarts : Heroism, Hardship and Dangerous Hobbies – J.K Rowling

Grief Is The Thing With Feathers – Max Porter

Hogwarts: An Incomplete and Unreliable Guide – J.K Rowling

The Girl With The Lower Back Tattoo – Amy Schumer

Rad Women Worldwide – Kate Schatz

Spectacles – Sue Perkins

Milk and Honey – Rupi Kuar

The Girl on The Train – Paula Hawkins

A Boy Made of Blocks – Keith Stuart 

Great Small Things – Jodi Picoult 

Harley Quinn: Call to Arms – Amanda Conner

Where Am I Now? – Mara Wilson

The Wicked + The Divine: Rising Action – Kieron Gillen

When We Collided – Emery Lord 

And A Happy New Year – Holly Bourne

Our Super Adventure – Sarah Graley

The Life Changing Magic of Not Giving a F*** – Sarah Knight

Scarlet Witch: Witches’ Road – James Robinson

Silk: Sinister – Robbie Thompson

The Girl In The Picture – Alexandra Monir 

Bellzhar – Meg Wolitzer

Winter’s Snow – Carrie Hope Fletcher

Hello Me, It’s You – Edited by Hannah Todd 

The Sun is Also a Star – Nicola Yoon 

The Princess Diarist – Carrie Fisher

This Modern Love – Will Darbyshire

Notes on a Thesis – Tiphaine Rivière

Animal – Sara Pascoe

Vassa in the Night – Sara Porter

Scrappy Little Nobody – Anna Kendrick

A Mother’s Reckoning – Sue Klebold

Complete as of 22nd December 2016

Sick Blues

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I didn’t intend to be putting all plans on hold a few days before Christmas a tickly cough and sore throat have quickly turned into an infection and now I’m going to be stuck on rest for at least 3 days. To say that it’s put a bit of a dampener on my Christmas spirit is an understatement. It might sound strange to some but I’m so upset that I won’t be spending the next few days with my colleagues getting ready for Christmas, because Kosnic is really like a little family. I’m hoping that after a few days I will be well enough for it to not impact my Christmas plans! So apologies in advance if I don’t blog as much as I wanted to this week, I’ll be resting up!

Sunday Seven: Christmas Traditions

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CHRISTMAS IS A WEEK AWAY PEOPLE, A WEEK AWAY. So, for this week’s Sunday Seven I wanted to share with you some of my Christmas traditions, some are new, some are old but they’re always important to me.

Paris Baubles 

There are some Baubles that my Mum bought all the way back in 1998 from Disneyland Paris. These now live at the top of the tree so the cat doesn’t get them. I love seeing these and that they’ve lasted so long.

Christmas Eve PJs 

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My sister and I always get matching PJs on Christmas Eve, here are some beauties that we got back in 2014.

Christmas Stockings 

I LOVE getting a stocking each year with little bits and pieces, usually including underwear, chocolate and socks.

Bacon Sandwiches and Tea 

Christmas morning Dad always makes us bacon sandwiches and we have a cup of tea, a good way to start a busy day.

Family Visit 

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We always see family on Christmas Eve and Christmas day and do the rounds seeing Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles and Cousins.

Having the Queen’s Speech on after eating 

I’m not that bothered by the Queen’s speech personally, I think she’s sweet but don’t that’s about it.

Boxing Day Sales 

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I’ve always gone to the sales with my Mum, Sister and Nanna, although now I can drive I can go in a little later, specifically for the 50% off Lush sale of whatever is left over of Christmas stock.

What are you guys up to at Christmas? Let me know in the comments below!

Feminist Friday: Star Wars Special

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I’ve just gotten back from watching the latest part of the Star Wars series, Rogue One. Before going in I debated whether or not to do a Star Wars special post on Feminist Friday, because of course I know that there are some issues with Star Wars from a feminist standpoint (that gold bikini was a huge mistake, so was Padme’s ‘oops my shirt got ripped’ outfit) BUT I firmly believe that despite some smaller things Star Wars gave a huge boost to woman and girls everywhere. Star Wars provided kick-ass female role models.

In the pictures above, if you don’t know, are of Princess Leia from the original trilogy, Jyn from Rogue One, Rey from The Force Awakens and Padme from the prequels. In each film there has been a strong female in central focus. Firstly Princess Leia, while she is dressed in white and helped (not saved) by Luke and Han initially she doesn’t act with feminine worship and gratitude. Leia knows what she needs to do and she’s going to do it, with or without a scruffy nerf-herder, a Wookie and a Jedi in training. In the next set of films that were released (in the wrong order, we’ll let that go for now) Padme aka Queen Amidala, a strong leader in her own right and respected in the senate. Moving on to last years stunning release, Rey is the centre of the latest trilogy, while we don’t know much about her she’s strong, fast and highly intelligent. Lastly, tonight I watched the character of Jyn, a leader and a fighter. These characters are incredible, intelligent and strong women.

Whenever I watch these films, I just feel an immense sense of pride that women are being represented this way on screen. As leaders, as fighters, not simply being saved. This is what we need more of in the film industry. Women can still have relationships, fall in love but that doesn’t make them unable to fight in a rebellion, to have ideas and stand up for themselves. I get a heart full of joy when I go to conventions and events and see little kids dressed as Leia or Rey, because they’re dressing up as powerful role models, people who they can look up to.

There’s already so many reasons I love Star Wars and these kick-ass ladies just make me love it more.