Tag: Time

Book Review: How To Stop Time – Matt Haig

1 Comment

How to Stop Time - Matt Haig

When you look at Tom all you would see is a 40 something History teacher but he’s a little odd, that’s because Tom is actually 400 years old. Living for centuries can take it’s toll and lately Tom is finding it more and more difficult each day. With pressure from the secret society, created to protect people like him and increasingly falling into the past can Tom hold it together or will this push him to the edge?

This is the first novel I’ve read from Matt Haig and I’m kicking myself for waiting so long! I picked it up on offer and thought it looked interesting, a good choice. The character of Tom was fantastic and incredibly well thought out. Like the rest of us he is flawed, he’s made mistakes. We learn about times of Witch trials, adventures with Shakespeare, Fitzgerald and more. Each is woven into the novel seamlessly, I didn’t feel like I was jumping from century to century.

The idea of a secret society, of people being around us and not knowing was addictive. I couldn’t stop, I needed to reach the end and find out what was going to happen to Tom. There needed to be the element of danger I feel to really make the story stand out so the combination of the society and a certain beautiful French teacher was added perfectly.

I gave this 4.5 stars, a fantastic read that really drew me in. It’s hard to combine different time periods but Haig did it so well. The only reason I didn’t give this the full five stars is that I felt the ending as a little rushed for me. I can’t really say more than that as I don’t want to spoil it for anyone! That said, there would be a fantastic opportunity to have a sequel which I would love!

You can get your own copy of How to Stop Time here with my Amazon link!

Sometimes the days can slip away

Leave a comment

I’ve cleaned, read, picked up my guitar, I’m writing at the moment, I’ve organised, gone to town, organised my phone, seen the boys, been out in the car and that’s just this weekend. I’ve realised that after 2 months of summer already I need something to do. I’ve read 14 books so far this summer and I’m starting number 15 tonight, although this one might take a while. 

The summer is long and it makes me feel like I’m not doing anything because it’s so stretched out, I started my book list on the 1st May and don’t go back to uni until the 29th of September with the exception of some work (hopefully). I love being at home but miss Kingston and band practice. Without being a total geek I miss my lectures, I haven’t been in a lecture since March so by the time I go back I will have been off uni for 6 months, which really is too long in my opinion. I get frustrated about paying £9000 a year but only spending half the year in classes, but that’s just me. 

So today has been spent reading with a quick trip to town…hopefully the rest of the week will be a little more eventful.

Some time on my hands

Leave a comment

I’ve spent the past hour practising piano after a few days of feeling truly awful today I was able to make the most of my time off and for once I’m not doing uni work constantly I’ve put it away for a few days. I’ve been so tired that I’v just been sleeping and feeling poorly and sleeping some more. Now I’m waking up and getting back to my normal self, starting with a few early nights, some good food and doing some things for me. 

I’ve finished my book, played piano, listened to some music and watched some TV. It seems like silly little things but I’m just letting myself relax and I’m hoping that this is going to put me back on track before I head back for my deadlines, work and everything else. It might be a boring post tonight but I’m just so happy to be curled up with some cheesy TV to make me laugh, some chocolate cake and a cup of tea! 

Everything needs to slow down!

Leave a comment

DSC00501

Everthing is going so fast. There are so many things that I need to do or say or think about at the moment and overwhelmed doesn’t even begin to describe how I feel right now. I’ve been tried since Sunday and I’m trying really hard to be positive but little things are knocking me at the moment. Today hasn’t been out of the ordinary waking up, shower, lecture, mental health mentoring appointment again after feeling naff. The problem is there are so many things that are stressing me out at the moment it’s not the simple case of sitting down and working through a problem logically.

You all know I’m a fan of lists so here is one of all the things that are going on now first year is ending

-Assignments

-Presentations

-Awards Show

-Starting a new job

-Lack of sleep

-Finding somewhere to live

-Missing my family

-Getting the band ready for a big announcement

-Scholarship worries

-Driving worrys (still haven’t passed)

– Rude People and people expecting too much

No one said uni was easy, I don’t think I’d like it as much if it was but with everything that could possibly be going on happening at the moment I think I’m allowed to be a little stressed at the moment. I feel like a giant clock is sitting above my head and every tick makes me a little more stressed. Should I be stressed? No probably not work wise, I’ve done 90% of it, it’s just one module that I care a lot about which has me stressed and worried even though I’m told I shouldn’t be.

So what did I do to calm down enough to sit down and write this you ask? I spoke to my mental health mentor, made a few calls to get on top of things and I took some me time and not in a way I noramlly would. I went into my kitchen, leaving my phone in my room, and I started to cook. I wasn’t cooking to eat any of it, I just prepared meals for the next week to be frozen and it actually made me eat. It ended up being a kind of therapy I was so focused on cooking I cheered up, I felt on top of things again. Then I just curled up and watched a film while putting some finishing touches to my essay.

Like everyone else, sometimes I need things to slow down, I need to slow down. It’s harder because with my anxiety my mind is racing constantly, it doesn’t stop and then when the depression takes hold of this I start thinking of the worst thing that could happen. I’m getting better at recognising what I need and apparently cooking is something that can help…news to me! Either way I’m working on it, I hate sounding negative but sometimes I just can’t help it. Recording tomorrow..let’s see if that works!

6 months in

Leave a comment

6 months ago I started my first day at Kingston. 6 months and 3 days ago I moved away from home for the first time and I’ve survived so far. While I’ve come home this weekend I’ve started realising that I’ve actually changed a fair bit, not too much but enough. I’ve started sorting myself out, becoming more independent and just generally being happier. As much as I love my family I’ve realised that I don’t need to be in Basingstoke anymore. I’m happy having independence, choosing what to do, what to eat and just working things out for myself (with a little help from Ali and the guys at times). I guess I’m kinda done with this town for a while, maybe not forever but I just love being in a busy city. I love hopping on a train and being in London in 20 minutes, being on the river and being in a student town (Basingstoke is definately not a student hot spot).

I guess the point I’m trying to make is that university changes you, for the better I think. I’ve experienced so much and I’ll experience so much more in the next 2 and a half years. the one thing you really notice though? How quickly time flies. When I was at school days stretch on and on, I never thought I would get out alive or that it would eventually end. College just seemed to be a waiting period but now I’m at uni everything goes so fast but I think I love the speed! I’m so excited to carry on in September because I love my Lit course and actually being liked for being smart. So six months in I think I’m doing okay and that’s important for me to know.

Here’s to the next six!

Teaching in 2014

Leave a comment

Today was my last day off before I work non stop until the 27th so I didn’t plan to do a lot. Coming home has made my life even more boring and I’m really aware that I could be boring you all. So thankfully today I got some great news! After waiting and worrying I got the email today to say that I got the job! I’m going to be teaching in a local school in the Summer and earning while getting the experience. 

A lot of people asked me if I want to be a teacher when I told them about applying for this job. The truth is that I don’t know what I want to do when I leave uni, I have no idea. So I might as well give everything a shot in the next 3 years and I might just find out. This is just one of the opportunities I’ve been working on. I’ve applied for internships and I have  my eye on a few more ways to work with the university. It’s true what they say about getting the most out of uni, you can do it. So I’m not going to spend my whole summer in bed, I’m planning on actually getting out there and doing things. 

Here’s hoping 2014 is going to be amazing.