7 Reasons Sarah Millican is one of the greatest comedians around

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On Friday night I went to see the opening night of Sarah Millican’s Outsider tour. I’d never seen her live before but had laughed a lot after watching on TV so when I could get tickets I snapped them up. I’m so glad I went, Sarah was absolutely incredible and hilarious. For tonight’s Sunday Seven I thought I’d tell you why I think Sarah is so great and if I could I’d go see her again on her tour Outsider (there are still tickets available, just nowhere close to me!).

She’s funny without being mean   

I love comedy and have been to quite a few shows now of different comedians but Sarah isn’t an arsehole about other people, which is a nice change. She’s hilarious but doesn’t need to go after other people in her routine. Total respect.

She’s honest about body image

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People have been awful to Sarah in the past but she’s honest about how much she doesn’t care. When I was watching her show I just felt so much better about myself and my own body image. When you put on weight people can be cruel but Sarah wasn’t having any of it, if you want cake, eat cake.

She’ll stand up to the media and be still be classy af

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When the media and Twitter trolls mocked Sara for her choice in dress for the BAFTA awards she didn’t get angry and take everyone down, she wrote honestly about her feelings then decided she didn’t care and wore the dress again. Classy af.

Her accent. 

The Geordie accent is one of the best in the world. End of.

She talks about IBS 

When she started talking about IBS I was so happy. It’s something that is embarrassing and ‘not cool’, does Sarah care? No. I just wanted to stand up and shout YES SARAH ALL THE IBS LOVE but, you know, you’re not supposed to do that.

Her pets are her world 

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I loved hearing about her pets and how hilarious they are. From one pet lover to another, I salute you.

She’s the best with her audiences 

Again, she’s never mean and calls her audience members Pet and Flower, as well as giving out free badges on tour. What more could you ask for

Am I Supposed To Know Yet?

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It’s been a few weeks now since everything was submitted and I’ve been swaying between getting super organised and having loads to do and having hardly anything to do. I didn’t expect to have a job straight away but getting rejection email after rejection email isn’t fun and has kind of put a dampener on this week. It’s also made me think a lot about what I want to do, who I want to be. There’s all these questions that people ask me about life where I’m going to live, what I’m going to do, what my future plans are blah, blah, blah. The funny thing is they expect me to know all this…am I supposed to?

From the friends I’ve spoken to most of us feel this way, the whole what am I meant to do now? Is on everyone’s minds, as well as trying to work out who I am again? I’ve had a whole life here, people have known me for who I’ve been at uni, not my past. I guess that’s a huge reservation I have about moving back to my home town. I can’t stand to see the people I went to school with, who bullied me because I’m not that girl anymore. I wish I didn’t care what anyone thought but let’s be honest, how many 21 year olds do you know who don’t care one bit what anyone thinks, really.

I searched for a quote, because sometimes the folks on Pinterest say exactly what I’m feeling when I can’t put it into words and of course Queen Emma Watson says what I was thinking. I want to use this time to kind of work out who I am post-uni, work out what I want and all this stuff but I think I’m just a little nervous, a little terrified. I’m still unsure but I guess that’s normal and hopefully I’ll figure it out along the way.

 

Book Review: Strong Looks Better Naked – Khloé Kardashian

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“In every life, there is struggle. No one is immune from pain and suffering. But it won’t last. Life moves forward. The circumstances will change. This applies to both the bad feelings and the good. Nothing lasts forever. When you think about this, the only moment you really have is the present, and you have to learn to enjoy it.”

Last year while I was resting up, I became a Kardashian viewer, starting off with Caitlin’s (then Bruce) family special about her impending transition. I was surprised when I loved watching and soon started watching more and more episodes and fell in love with Khloe. Not only does she have a pretty amazing name (the only famous Khloe I know of other than the brand) she’s honest and the release of her first book came at a time when I needed a boost.

Strong Looks Better Naked is a book focusing on Khloe’s transition of mind, body and soul and her journey of not only her weight loss but also her emotional journey. Being on Keeping Up With The Kardashian’s you might think that we know everything about Khloe’s life and that the tabloids have it right when it comes to her divorce from Lamar Odom, but this book shows that there’s still a lot that Khloe keeps private. We see a strong woman, but not the personal struggles she faced.

In the press Khloe has been referred to as the ‘chubby sister’ or the ‘fat sister’ and so her weight loss got a lot of attention, being called a ‘revenge body’. The book goes through the reasons behind Khloe’s gym addiction, as something to focus on when other parts of her life were privately getting darker. Weight loss isn’t the only focus in the book, she talks about a whole lifestyle change, mentally and spiritually, giving an honest account of the ups and downs of her journey.

Think whatever you want of the family, their show, the money and all of that but when I was reading the book I felt like it was totally honest. There are some parts which I didn’t necessarily agree with, such as cutting out all dairy, and I think you need to have your own input rather than following all of the advice blindly. That said though, it is good for some general advice and has some lovely quotes alongside the chapters too. I found it to be so motivating at a time where I was having to change my life after my spine had broken and I needed to go to tough physiotherapy. I felt like I could read about someone else’s healthy releases and try them out for myself, I became more than a little in love with the gym myself.

Overall I think this is a great book to read if you’re going through a transition in your life this is a great read. I honestly had reservations about reading it but I ended up falling in love with Khloe’s story, her way of writing (as documented on KUWTK, Khloe wrote the book herself rather than using a ghostwriter). I gave this four stars ****, I really enjoyed reading, but as I said before didn’t necessarily agree with all of the advice given, which is fine. It doesn’t feel like a self help book but definitely gave me the kick I needed when I was struggling.

Busted 2016

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Tonight I got to see one of my absolute favourite bands from my childhood, Busted! It was these three guys that made me fall in love with the sound of guitars and pop rock in general. This is technically the second time I’ve seen them, but the first I was super sick and could only stay for two songs before my parents had to take me home 😦 Tonight though I managed to pick up super cheap tickets (half of the price) from someone who couldn’t go, offered one to the lovely Abbie and got to watch the opening night of Busted’s reunion tour Pigs Can Fly. I originally had tickets for the O2 Arena date but it clashed with Comic Con so I had to sell them, you can imagine how excited I was to find some last minute tickets. It was also amazing to see my favourite YouTuber perform for the first time and at Wembley Arena! Emma Blackery was amazing and her new music is sounding incredible. Whetus also supported and were…interesting but bought the house down with Teenage Dirtbag. I don’t want to say too much about the visuals, because I don’t want to ruin it for fans who are going to be seeing the tour later on. I laughed, sang, danced (well my equivalent of dancing) and just felt so happy that Busted were back because you never really forget the first band you fell in love with, do you?

One of my favourites performed at Abbey Road earlier this year

 

The Job Hunt

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Yesterday morning I woke up to a job rejection email, a few lines outlining that I hadn’t been successful and they wouldn’t be interviewing me. I had a moment of ‘ah damn’, deleted the email and moved on. It’s not that I wasn’t upset, it’s more the fact that I know I’m not just going to walk out of uni with a high paying job and that’s me sorted for life. I’m also a firm believer that everything happens for a reason, so that job just wasn’t for me this time. No biggie. This wasn’t the case a few months ago when I got a rejection email for a job that I REALLY wanted, I didn’t get an interview. I guess I was shocked more than anything, every job I’ve applied for since I was 17, I’ve at least gotten an interview. I know this is different though.

I finished my work for my degree a week ago and while I’d love to take a month off and not even think about a job, that’s not who I am. I’ve had a job since I was 16, a few months after my 16th birthday (and when I realised I needed more than just the occasional babysitting job) Dad drove me around handing out CVs all over Basingstoke, a week or two later I had an interview and later a job at a cinema. I give 110% into every job, that’s just how I am as a person and I’ve carried that on through the various jobs I’ve had since that first one. I mean I grew up helping my Mum out on her stall every weekend through the Spring and Summer, I’m just used to helping out wherever I can and I truly believe that made me who I am today (although when I as a kid that was in between vital colouring in time) .

Over time I know it’s going to get a little harder to be as positive as I am now. Even at this moment with people I know having babies and getting married, finding jobs quickly I get a little anxious and have the whole ‘WHERE IS MY LIFE GOING? WHAT AM I DOING AHHHHHH’ moments. That normal though, I suppose when then is the first time I’m not going back into education in September for 16 years, the freedom is both exhilarating and terrifying at the same time.  I know I’m lucky too that I’m not being pressured just to take jobs because they are there, I’ve got a little time to actually apply to jobs and companies I want to be a part of rather than some of my other jobs I’ve had where it’s been a case of desperation.

Of course I’d love to have a good job in the next month, but I also know that I might need to pop back into part time work just to tide me over. The important thing to remember and this goes for Saturday jobs, part time work, full time work, whatever, is that you are not above any part of your field. If I go into a marketing job and at first they want me to remove staples, I’ll remove staples. They want me to make coffee for a while, let me know the way you like it. There’s a difference between knowing your worth and getting stuck in. There’s a difference between starting out and staying in a crappy position. It’s all about balance and proving yourself.

You’ll know if people are taking advantage, trust me you’ll know, this is coming from someone who was left with a handful of other teenagers to run part of a shop on a regular basis on a low wage while the supervisor did what they liked. BUT find the positives in every experience, being left with the others to run the shop? I got leadership skills and my customer service was fab when I left. Picking up Popcorn kids had thrown on the floor? Reminded me to always, always respect the place I’m in and the people that work there. It might not seem anything

So, my positive pants are on, my job hunting hat is on. Let’s do this.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sunday Seven: My Next YA Reads!

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After having to read so many heavy (and sometimes dull) novels for my degree I decided to push the boat out and buy myself a stack of YA novels to get me through the summer months. More daylight means more reading, right? So for this week here are 7 of my next YA reads! I’m also on Goodreads if any of you would like to connect (link on the right of my homepage).

 

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A ‘Study Machine’ who cares for nothing else bust grades meets a fellow genius, after a podcast reveals more than it should both of their lives start to collapse. I won’t lie I was drawn to this initially by the title and cover, then I read the synopsis and was hooked. I can’t wait to get stuck in.

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After being told that they can’t afford to be taught at home anymore conjoined twins Grace and Tippi need to get the hang of the ‘outside’ world fast. They may have defied the odds medically their whole lives, but can they handle high school? This is something so different I needed to pick it up. I’ve always been interested in twins, but I’ve never read about conjoined twins, very exciting.

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Parker has his own set of rules don’t deceive him…especially using his blindness, don’t be weird and don’t betray him. It’s a fact that we need more books with disability in them and so I picked up Lindstrom’s novel off of the table in the book shop. I haven’t heard anything about this book but I’m hoping it’s going to be great.

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Despite being best friends for years, Caddy has always wanted to be more like Rosie and when Suzanne shows up she learns that a little trouble can also be fun. I keep seeing this novel everywhere and I caved and picked it up. It’s going to be interesting to see the effect that a third friend has on their relationship and just how much trouble they can get away with.

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Being allergic to everything sucks, being stuck inside your house and not seeing anyone but your Mum and your Nurse sucks…cute boy moving in next door? Now THAT might be interesting. I am really on the fence about this novel, the protagonist has a rare disease which means she is allergic to everything, when she see’s the new boy next door her thoughts start to change and she thinks that maybe she should start taking risks. I’m a little sceptical because it sounds like the whole, ‘this boy is going to save me even though the medical world can’t’ thing BUT I reserve judgement and hope that isn’t the case.

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What would you do if a character from your favourite story came to life? Jodi Picoult is one of my favourite authors EVER. So why haven’t I picked up the YA Novel she wrote with her daughter? I have no idea but it’ll certainly be interesting to see her writing style combined with her daughters.

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Auggie has always been different and now it’s time for him to finally go to school for the 5th grade. As well as living with a facial disfigurement Auggie has to make friends and deal with others who don’t want to give him a chance. I’m reading this at the moment and it’s already melting my heart. I haven’t seen ONE negative review of this novel, fingers crossed it stays as good as it currently is.

 

How about you guys? Anything to add to my list or have you already read any of them? Drop me a message in the comments below and let me know!

Home is where my heart is 

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I’ve been a little off the grid for the past few days because I drove back to my first home to be with mine and Ali’s families and recharge. This is only going to be a short blog, but hopefully a heartfelt one. I spent a lot of time having ill feeling about my town, I didn’t want to come back. Good things are from here but there are bad too. I guess I was scared I’d slip back into my scared teenager self by being here but if the past few days have shown anything its that I’m different now. I’m stronger, happier and healthier. I know there will be struggles but I’m not worried about facing them here anymore. I’m looking forward to making more memories with all of my crazy family and Ali’s too, while being who I am now. 

Book Review: Philomena – Martin Sixsmith

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After being made into a film starring Judi Dench I had to hunt down the book before seeing the movie, which I try and do every time. The book follows Philomena and her search for the son she was forced to give up as an unmarried mother in Ireland in the 1950s. The novel starts with Philomena’s violent labour, through the eyes of a young nun. The novel then follows her and her young son, Anthony through their time at the nunnery. The novel outlines her horrific conditions young women in Ireland in the 1950s faced, the worst being forced to sign a legal document stating that they will never contact their children again, despite bonding with them for three years. The savage beatings from horrific nuns and at times not being told as your child is simply taken away from you. The scandal of children being sold to Americans could have also been handled better. The novel does have a few unclear perspective changes I warn you, I got terribly confused at points.

I felt quite uncomfortable reading from what was supposed to be Michael’s perspective, because it really isn’t.  I don’t feel like we really get either perspective, Michaels or Philomena’s, the book is mostly guesswork from the author’s idea of what happened and the memories of others. We will never know what was really felt by Michael and I wonder if we can really appreciate his story in this manner. We will never know how he felt in his relationships with his adopted family, nor will we really know how he felt being a secretive gay man in the republican party at the height of the AIDS scare in the United States.

I desperately wanted to know more about what Philomena does after she leaves the nunnery. As fascinating as Michael’s story was I wanted to know more about the woman who had her heart broken, we are simply left to wonder and don’t meet her again for years. Apparently the book is also called The Lost child of Philomena Lee a much more fitting title than the one currently given because the book only really focuses on Michael’s life. I couldn’t help but notice throughout the novel the awful impression that religion leaves on both mother and son and the lasting effects on both of them.

I give this 3 stars simply because I got very bored with it. It wasn’t really a page turner and I could quite easily put it down and walk away from it. I felt like it was largely based on stereotypes and not always on fact, possibly due to the fact that a large part of the book was trying to put the pieces together. The ending was also a little disappointing and I’m hoping that the film version could possibly bring the story to life.

My Topshop Dress Wish List

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Recently I’ve been getting a little bit obsessed with finding clothes to wear when I’m either working or going to nice events. It cropped up on me that I only have a few smart dresses and more than a few smart events that I have to attend. While I’ve picked up a small set of working outfits for as soon as I get a job (which I’m hoping will be sooner rather than later). I decided to try something a little different on my blog tonight (part of my new blog plans, I can’t wait for you to see!) and show you my Topshop Spring/Summer 2016 wishlist.

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I love this cute little dress! Now, I am partial to a good black dress but I also love colour, so this is the best of both worlds. It’s also something that I could be comfortable in whilst still looking smart. I would definitely pair this with either a pair of converse or Doc Martens for everyday and then some black pumps for work.

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Something a little smarter and brighter for the next dress on my wishlist. I find this shape really flattering on my body shape, i.e. having a set of boobs and a bum. It’s something I’d have to try on but would look great with a pair of low heels for something a little more formal. Screen Shot 2016-05-03 at 19.18.42

This is definitely the most feminine of the dresses on this list. I’m not really a girly girl but I could definitely see myself wearing this to a wedding or summer party. I love the rose design and the fact it look painted, yet expensive! It definitely looks very expensive too so I’m impressed with the price!

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Although I would say this is more of a Autumn/ Winter dress, something I’d pair with some thick black tights or leggings and some boots. Screen Shot 2016-05-03 at 19.18.02

This on the other hand is very cute and summery, something I’d love to add to my wardrobe to give it a bit of a lighter tone. There’s so many colours on here too there would lots of choice for accessories too. Screen Shot 2016-05-03 at 19.16.51

This feels like it is a great staple piece. I’ve seen these absolutely everywhere and I was so happy because you can do so much with them! Want a laid back look? Throw  on a band t-shirt and some Doc Martens. If I need something a little smarter for work or an event then I could just wear a stripy long sleeved shirt. Sorted.

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I love this so, so much. It’s a cute 1940s kind of style and a beautiful simple design too so that it’s pretty but not to in your face. This would definitely be a great dress for smart casual.Screen Shot 2016-05-03 at 19.11.33

Again this is something that can work both ways depending on accessories. In the summer it can be a light dress just to chill out in and then in the winter a thick roll neck or long sleeved t-shirt.

 

What do you think? Have you seen anything you like or have your own wishlist? Let me know in the comments below!

Treat Yo’self

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I have a problem. Like many other people in this world sometimes I forget about someone that needs to be looked after and treated well, myself. To an extent I think most of us do this, we work ourselves to the point of exhaustion and yet if we saw a friend doing this we’d be the first one to tell them to take some time out, have a break, we might even treat them! I’ve learnt that we need to learn to treat ourselves! We need to learn to take a little me time, even if it’s something small, a nice bath, a take-away or just a cupcake on the way home. In this post I talk about some of the ways that I’ve treated myself in terms of things BUT treating your mind is also super important. Have a day where you leave your phone on silent and just do something you want to do. That might be sleep, it might be doing something creative, listening to music WHATEVER, just switch off. I have to admit, switching off is one of the things I am worst at. I always have to be doing something and talking to someone and checking my phone, sometimes I have major online FOMO. That’s something I’m working on, because if I do get to go into digital for work (and I really hope I do) I need to be able to literally and figuratively switch off!

So, as all of you who follow me on Twitter will know, yesterday I submitted all of the work for my degree. That’s right, I’m free! Duh duh daaaaah! It is one of the best feelings ever and after I submitted I wandered around town a little bit, determined to treat myself to something, I’d worked bloody hard and so wasn’t going to get anxious over spending a little bit of money (which is a big deal for me, I am obsessed with savings). There was nothing in town so I ended up having to order online, which it where I picked up 6 YA novels. I decided to give my brain a break from chunky books that I didn’t really like, that I had been forced to read and study for months. These were things I could read and enjoy, there was no weight on my shoulders to have a big opinion and defend it,  I just wanted to read for FUN, so I treated myself. Aren’t they pretty?

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Books, books, books! 

It may not be anything big or flashy or something to remember but it just perked me up, I feel like I’ve earnt the time to read what I like, have lie ins because I’ve stayed up too late reading and all that jazz. Soon I’m going to have a full time job, something I’ll have for the next 45 years, who knows if I’ll have this time to just do what I like whenever I like again? I’m hoping that I’ll become a writer and so part of work will be reading a load of novels and then writing my own, then I can treat myself again 😉

For everyone reading this I just wanted to recmind you that it’s ok to treat yourself in whatever way you can. You’re getting on with life, surviving and I know a lot of you are working damn hard so relax, treat yourself!

 

 

 

 

 

Treat Yo Self image from Pinterest.