Tea Time & Books...

Favourite Christmas Films.

I love a good Christmas film, and anyone who knows me knows that! I get super sad when the Christmas film channels finish in January, and will always get in a few extra viewings of the Grinch before January is over. Over the years I have watched many Christmas films and I love them all, but there is always a small selection I continually come back to.

White Christmas
I love an old movie of any kind, and anything with Bing Crosby in is going to be a winner for me! This is just such a lovely film to have on in the background while you’re decorating the Christmas tree.

The Holiday
You can try and stop me from watching this at least 6 times over Christmas, but you would not succeed. I’m secretly a bit of a sucker for a good romance, and this is quite possibly the best Christmas Rom-Com that’s ever existed. Yes, I’m one of those fee people that think Love Actually is a lottle overrated! The cast is fantastic, as is the music selection. If there’s one Christmas film I make people watch every year, it’s this one. It’s just a feel good, classic Christmas film.

The Polar Express
This is another of my favourites, probably stemming from my love of the book. I love that it isn’t you typical animation style, but there is just something so magical about the whole thing. And I’m sorry, but anyone who says they don’t enjoy Tom Hanks singing about hot chocolate is very clearly lying.

Miracle on 34th Street
Another classic that couldn’t not be on the list, I’m sure everyone and their mum has seen this, and if you haven’t, where have you been! This is always without fail shown on either film 4 or channel 4 around this time of year, and sometimes you just need an old, lovely, heartwarming film and this fits the bill every time

How the Grinch stole Christmas
Anyone who knows me knows that this is one of my absolute favourite films of all time. I will happily watch this film all year round. There’s nothing more to say than if you haven’t seen this, you absolutely need to because you’ve no idea of the masterpiece you’re missing out on

Mickeys once upon a Christmas
It has been a Christmas tradition in our house to watch this on Christmas Eve. I won’t lie, over the years the viewers have dwindled down to a solo viewing of just me, but I can’t quite bring myself to give the tradition up. It’s basically three mini cartoons, each focusing on Donald, Mickey and goofy. Each story is lovely and has a very important message. I don’t think this film will ever not be in my Christmas film line up.

Do you have any Christmas films you watch every year without fail? Are you more of a Love Actually or The Holiday person? Let me know in the comments below!

Asos Wish List #1

If I had to shop from just one place for the rest of my days, ASOS would always be my answer. I love ASOS, I love the fact that you can get a wide range of brands there and their own stuff isn’t too bad either. I honestly check the app near enough every day just to see what new stuff they’ve got in. I know it’s a problem! These are a few of the things that I’ve been lusting after for the last month. 


We are Hairy People Organic Cotton Sweatshirt with Hand Painted Honey Bee – £60
I like anything with bees on. Socks, mugs, notebooks, and apparently now jumpers! This is super cute, I don’t think the bee’s are too much and its looks really cozy too. This isn’t a brand that I’ve heard of before, so I would probably wait until this went into the sale to see before I bought anything else from them full price. 

ASOS Design Petite Farleigh High Waist Slim Mom Jeans in Bennie Wash with Super Wide Busted Knee – £35 
I was a Topshop petite jeans girl through and through until the prices went up and I felt the quality wasn’t as great as it used to be. A couple of months ago I bought a few pairs of ASOS ones in the sale for my trip to Vancouver and honestly, they’re the only jeans I’ve bought since. I love the material, the fits is just right and I the fact that they do so many different styles as petite is just an added bonus. 

Miss Selfridge Cardigan with Contrast Stitch in Cream – £39
I always preferred a jumper to a cardiagn, but this has changed recently, I suddenly have an afflkiction for a good old cardigan. I havn’t bought from Miss Selfridge in years but I really like the contrast stitching on this, and it looks very snuggly. 

River Island Jumper with Crew Neck in Pink – £34 
The colour, I cannot get over the colour of this. Plus it looks so soft. I went off River Island a little while ago because I think it got too expensive for the quality you were getting. I’m hoping that this will be a little thicker than it looks, but I think it will be a great piece to add to your wardrobe. 

ASOS Design Mickey Mouse Exclusive 90th Birthday Boxy Tee and Legging Pyjama Set – £24 
Hello I’m a Disney fan, so I think this is just a given. I have loved all of the 90th birthday merch that has come from so many brands. I definitely don’t need any new PJ’s but surely this mouses birthday is enough of an excuse, right?

Timberland Courmayeur Valley Shearling Saddle Leather Ankle Boots – £200
I need these like I’ve never needed a pair of shoes before. I find my Timberland boots so comfortable and I adore them. These are a beautiful pair and I will be praying these go in the sale at some point so I can add these to my shoe collection that doesn’t really need adding to. But honestly how perfect are these going to be in the winter months?

ALDO Nicholes Black Heel Court Shoes – £65 
I’m not a heels kinda gal, nope, give me a pair of trainers anyday. But there’s just something about these I really like! I love that these are closed toe because there’s something about open toe that I just can’t get behind. I also don’t normally go for pointed shoes, but I just keep going back to these! They have been in and out of my basket like a yo-yo, I’ve no doubt I will own these before the year is out. 

ASOS Design Backpack with Ring Toggle Detail in Croc – £22
I love a good backpack. This is my favourite colour so it’s an immediate love for me. I feel like this is a great size, I sometimes tend to stray towards a big bag, but that’s because I’m a bit of a hoarder and carry lots of unnecessary crap in my bag. I think I’d be able to get my camera, purse, and all my snack in, so basically all my important stuff! 

ASOS Design Supersoft Long Woven Scarf with Tassels – £12
This particular shade of pink is one I know is going to take over my wardrobe this winter. I have been loving big scarves recently, they’ve been keeping me warmer in the office when it’s cold in the mornings! 

Stacey Dooley: On The Front Line with the Women Who Fight Back  – £14.99 
I’ll admit I didn’t know who Stacey was until I saw her in Strictly, as now I adore her. I would love to read this book because I think she is such an interesting person and has seen so many interesting things. Plus we all know that I am a sucker for a new book! 

Books I've Bought Recently #2

It’s been a while since I’ve done a post like this and when I was clearing out my bookcase a few days ago, I realised that I’ve added a few books to my collection that I’m super excited about and I thought I’d share with you.
Book buying has always been a little bit of an issue for me. In the sense that I have pretty much no control. If I walk into a bookshop, you best be sure I’ll be coming out with AT LEAST one book. So these are a few of the books I’ve accumulated over the last few months.

I had a little trip to Leicester a while ago and I love the Waterstones in the town. I can honestly spend hours there! I won’t lie by the time I had finished wandering around the entirety of the store for the third time, I had an armful of books but I knew I would struggle to get them all home. So I just picked two, which is a miracle for me really. I picked up Paper Girls Volume 1. I always spend the most amount of time looking at the Graphic Novel section in bookstores, because I’m really starting to enjoy them more and more. When I’m having a slow day and can’t focus on that fat, juicy bestseller I’ve recently started, a graphic novel is the next best thing. I really like the art style of Paper Girls, and it was because of that I picked it up. Having heard nothing of it before and having no idea what it was about, the art style alone sold me. (Plus the assistant in Waterstones told me it was really good, and I always trust recommendations from fellow bookish people!) I actually read this one as soon as I got home recovering from the shopping trip over a cuppa. Honestly, it was okay. Not the best one I’ve read, but certainly not the worst. I found it quite slow and honestly a little boring, however, the last few pages and art style will definitely mean I’ll be picking up Volume 2 and giving that a go before I give my final verdict.
I’d Die For You and Other Lost Stories by F. Scott Fitzgerald was the first book I saw and picked up in the store, and I couldn’t put it down. I love Fitzgerald’s work and I’m slowly building up my collection, but I like them all to match so I’m trying repurchase some of my mismatched ones before I buy new ones. That being said, this one doesn’t match the others I have AT ALL. But I kinda don’t mind which is odd considering how much of a control freak I am when it comes to my books. I love the colours of this book and it’s one I’ve never seen before. I haven’t read it yet, but from what I can gather it features a collection of stories that have previously been unseen by readers. Things that never made it past Fitzgerald’s editor and others that were physically lost and only recently found. I can already tell I’m going to love this one.

I have also rediscovered my love for ordering books from Amazon. Not only can you pre-order ones, that you then forget about so it’s a wonderful surprise when they arrive at your door, sometimes it’s lovely to find and order books you’ve been meaning to get for ages without having to move from your bed. This is a regular occurrence for me. Typically if I’ve had a bad day, I’ll go to bed with a cup of tea and instead of picking up a book, I’ll have a look through the recent releases on Amazon, and order a few that catch my eye.
The F Word by Lily Pebbles is one that I pre-ordered honestly more for the hype and author than the books itself. I’ve been a fan of Lily Pebbles for years, so I was super excited to find out she was writing a book. Couple that with the fact she was posting constantly about it on SM, when I saw it on Amazon, I couldn’t help myself and just had to pre-order. I haven’t picked it up yet, but I think it’s probably one I’ll pick up one Sunday when I’m just lazing around. People have said some really good things about this so I’m excited to pick it up and see what I think.
Everything I Know About Love by Dolly Alderton is another instance in where I had seen a lot about this on SM and blogs galore, so I just had to pick it up for myself. This is another one I haven’t picked up yet (do you see a theme emerging here?) but I’m very excited to get to it sometime probably in the summer when I have a bit more time on my hands.
I won’t lie, I ordered Uncommon Type, purely because Tom Hanks wrote it. I’m a huge fan of Tom Hanks and when I found out he’d written a book, I just had to buy it. I’ve attempted a few times to read it, and it’s not that I don’t like it, I just don’t know how I feel about it right now. I’m hoping that it’s one that I just have to power through to see the beauty of, but if not, I’ve decided I’m going to give the audiobook a go. I’m not usually one for audiobooks, but having the opportunity to have Tom Hanks read a book to me is not something I’m about to give up.

And then we get to some of my favourite purchases. Poetry books. I’ve been feeling really mad at myself about the fact that I haven’t written anything since I finished University. Especially poetry. So I thought what better way to spark some inspiration than reading some great poetry. Milk and Honey is one I’ve been meaning to pick up for the longest time, I actually used a lot of the poetry featured in this book as inspiration for my own poetry collection. I love picking this up randomly and reading a few poems in it, if you’re just delving into the world of modern poetry books, I would definitely recommend this one as an absolute must. The Witch Doesn’t Burn In This One by Amanda Lovelace was another I pre-ordered which meant I obviously also had to get The Princess Saves Herself In This One. I have only briefly flicked through both of these because I want to delve into them when I have a clear head and can devote all of my attention to them, I might even try to set aside some time this weekend to getting stuck into these two.

The last one on the list and the one I’m possibly the most excited about. I pre-ordered this book back in February and completely forgot about it until I received the email from Amazon telling me they’d delivered it. I was with my dad like, what have they delivered, I haven’t ordered anything for ages. Then lo and behold this beauty had arrived on my doorstep (or rather through my letterbox). I finished this series in February, I think I powered through all three books back to back in the space of about a week because I was hooked! (Reviews for the full series will be coming shortly.) So I was super excited to get around to this, and so far I’ve only read the first chapter or so but I’m already loving it. It’s so great to fall back into a world and characters that are written so well, it doesn’t feel like any time has passed since I put down the last book. I’m torn between wanting to read it all in the space of one evening, and savoring it because I don’t really want the story to end which is the reason it’s been sat on my desk for the past few weeks. I know that I’m going to adore this one and if you haven’t I definitely recommend picking up the series.
Have you bought any books recently? Are there any graphic novels you think I absolutely need to get on my bookshelf? Are you a fan of poetry books? Have you read ACOFAS yet? Let me know in the comments down below!

May Favourites.

May, for me, felt like both the quickest and longest month in a while. I was waiting for May to roll around for months because I was waiting for SPNUK. Then it was over and it felt like the weeks just flew past. But it was also an antagonising wait until pay-day at the end of the month so I could buy my VanCon ticket. Nonetheless, we haven’t had a favourite’s post since February I think, so let’s get on with it shall we?

SPNUK

I feel like this is a given with how much I’ve been going on about it. But obviously my absolute favourite thing about last month, was the first weekend in May. SPNUK was definitely a highlight of this year, let alone just for May. I’ve done a small post already on it, but I’ll be posting other posts that go a bit more in-depth about certain aspects of the Convention, like autographs and photo-ops.

Rookie Blue

I’ll be honest, I didn’t think I would be as much of a fan as I am of this show. I was just laying in bed one night, just wanting something easy to watch. I stumbled across Rookie Blue, which admittedly has been on my to-watch list forever. The first few episodes took a while to grow on me but before I knew it, I was spending most evenings watching at least a few episodes. I like the fact that the seasons are only around 13 episodes because it doesn’t feel like too heavy an investment. That being said I was very disappointed to find that there is only 6 season. Having just started season 4, I’m not sure I’m ready for it to be over soon. If you’re wanting something that isn’t complicated and is just easy watching, I definitely recommend this!

 

Duck Tales Mug

I saw this on the Disney Store website a little while ago and fell in love straight away. When I visited Leicester a few weekends ago, I went into the Disney store, but I didn’t hold out hope that I’d find it in there. And lo and behold, there it was, nestled perfectly amongst the other mugs. I just needed it. As luck would have it, there was a 20% off in-store, so really I was saving money. (Well, expect the money I saved I put towards another mug, but we’ll just forget about that!)

A Court of Frost and Starlight

I absolutely loved the A Court of Thorns and Roses series (I promise my review will be up very very soon), but I’ll be honest, I forgot that I’d even pre-ordered A Court of Frost and Starlight. It was a lovely surprise to get the email from Amazon letting me know they’d delivered it. I haven’t read it yet, I think I’m trying to savour it a little bit longer, but I’m almost certain that I’ll get around to it this month and I honestly can’t wait.

Urbanista Earphones

Okay, so I’ve never been very fussed about earphone. Earphones are just earphones at the end of the day. Plus I’m not the sort of person who has a new pair every couple of months, I’d buy a pair of earphones and wouldn’t even think about needing another pair for at least a year. But when I got my new phone, I got these for free and I have to say I’m a fan. I like that I don’t have to plug them in and fiddle with the wire, the battery life on them is really really good, they’re not too big for my ears which is something I find a lot with earphones and it’s really good quality. They do a pair of headphone in exactly the same colour and I’ve been toying with the thought of buying a pair of headphones for a while, so they are definitely on my list.

Home for The Holidays Yankee Candle

Yes this is a Christmas candle, and yes I am aware that it was christmas over six months ago. But Christmas candles are a weakness for me. This is literally Christmas in a jar, and anyone who knows me that I love to make it a little Christmassy year round. The cinnamon and clove mean that my bedroom smells like Christmas for days on end and I love it.

Charlotte Tilbury Bond Girl Lipstick

This was featured in my February favourites and I’ve got a Charlotte Tilbury post going up soon but this is still my go-to lipstick. Even if I’m wearing no other make-up, chucking this on, makes me at least feel like I’ve kinda got my life together. It lasted me well through SPNUK and I can definitely say that will how full on and crazy that weekend was, it really tested the staying power of this lipstick and I was certainly impressed. There was no need for touch up before photo ops, or autographs or after dinner. So this one is going to be a sure favourite for a long time.

The Road So Far: My Supernatural Collection.

I wont lie, I’m very much a closet fan when it comes to anything I adore. I don’t tend to get involved in the fandom, I don’t buy merch, but not for any particular reason other than I just don’t. But times are a changing people. My very small Supernatural collection I’m hoping is going to continue to grow, because why not invest in the thing that makes you happy, right?

Season 2 and 6 DVD’s

So, I haven’t got around to buying the whole collection and I’m not sorry to say that I probably won’t until the show is finished. (*gasp*, I know how could I even mention such a preposterous idea?!) I’m very particular when it comes to things matching, books, DVD’s, stationary collections, I’m a very matchy person. One of my biggest pet hates is when a book series decides to do a cover change half way through the series, because it means I have to buy all the books I already own with the new cover. So, I’d probably wait until all the season’s were just in one big box and I didn’t have to buy separate one’s to finish the collection. That being said, I do have 2 season’s on DVD. The first actually belongs to my mum, but has since been mixed into my collection of DVD’s so I’m now dubbing it as mine, and the second is season 5 which I brought because that was the season that I finally got caught up to and I just needed to have it when it came out on DVD.

The Essential Supernatural – On The Road With Sam and Dean

Surprisingly, I got this a fair few years ago, when I rediscovered my love for the show. Mostly because it looked cool and books like this interest me because I love finding out what goes on behind the scenes. I’m pretty sure I ordered it from Amazon during a Black Friday sale because it was going quite cheap and I got excited. I’ve still yet to read through the whole thing but that’s what so great about a coffee table book like this, you can just pick it up as and when you please. It kind of bummed me out when I found out that they actually republish it with information on the newer seasons, which makes sense, but I can never justify repurchasing a new books just for the sake of an additional chapter or two. What they should have done is broken it into parts so that it was part of a series as opposed to a new book with 90% of the same information.

Family Don’t End With Blood

I got this for Christmas just gone, and I was beside myself when I opened it. Yes I know, I’m very late to the party, but I don’t care. From what I’ve read so far it’s amazing and everyone raves about it, especially Jared’s chapters. So I don’t want to rush it, I’ve been reading small sections of it when I’m on my own and can really take in everything the book has to offer and it’s honestly the best thing ever. That undeniable feeling of not being alone that you get when you read it, is something that I’ve yet to find so strongly with anything else.

Wayward T-shirts

I saw it, I needed it, I got it. What more can I say? They were in the Stands sale and I just had to have them because I realised there were suddenly all these things I could have had that were awesome if only I’d taken the time to puruse the fandom more, so I decided not to waste any time and just get what I could to make up for lost time. Money well spent, I feel.

Jason Mann’s Album

I’m not sure if this counts, but I’m gonna say it counts. A fair few from the SPN cast sing on it so I think it’s fair. I have listened to this album more times that you would believe, it’s always my go to because it’s such easy listening. (Yes – the fact that Jensen sings on it probably does sway my opinion but anywho!) This album has some of my favourite songs on it and I love that it such a mix of really good tracks. I cannot wait for the new one!

Louden Swain SNS Album

Okay, so truth be told, I’m very new to the Louden Swain situation. In that until about a month ago, I didn’t even know they had their own albums out. So I’ve been given then a listen through and I have to say their live SNS album is my favourite. Yes, I love that they get the cast signing songs, but actually I love that you can hear the raw emotion when Rob is singing as well as how awesome the connection between the band and audience is, every time I listen to it, I get even more hyped for May!

Things I Want To Do In 2018.

I suppose you could say that this is similar to my Goals for 2018 post. But this is a bit more specific in term of the things I would actually like to do, see or achieve this year. It isn’t a very long list because, again, I don’t want to feel like I’m setting myself up for disaster, but these are things that I’ve been very excited about hopefully doing.

Travel With My Best Friend

This is something we’ve spoken about often and it’s something that I really want to do. There was a time that we were inseparable in only the best of ways. Now that I’ve finished uni and moved back home, we hardly see each other and the realities of life mean that we barely talk, so this is something that I would love to make sure we do. A little weekend road trip, not only exploring a load of different places but also making sure we have the time we need to reconnect.

Go To the Theatre More

I love the theatre, there’s a sort of magic about it that you don’t find anywhere else. I have been very lucky to have gone to as many shows as I have in the past, but I want to make the effort to make it a more regular occurrence. To be honest, it doesn’t even specifically have to be the theatre, I’m also up for more plays!

Finish My Novel

One of my final assignment last year was to write the opening to a novel aimed at young teens and I was actually really happy with what I’d written. For the first time like ever, I actually wanted to continue writing something I’d done as an assignment. So when I handed it in last August I told myself that I would give myself a year to finish it. That was over five months ago and I’ve barely looked at it since. So I’d really like to find the motivation and time to go back to that and I just hope that I’m as excited about it now as I was then.

Learn To Drive

This is happening sooner rather than later, considering that my main Christmas present was driving lessons! I took lessons before I went to uni but never finished so here’s to actually finishing and passing this year. I’m going to be doing my theory in a few weeks and then I’m going to have some intense lessons because I just need a refresh really and then fingers crossed I’ll pass the test!

Control My Anxiety

This is something else that’s already starting to happen. I’ve been going to therapy and learning more in-depth about how my anxiety manifests and how to control it. I’m hoping to do a post about CBT in the next few weeks because I have a lot of mixed thoughts about it and before I started I really struggled to find information about it from people who had actually experienced it. I don’t think my anxiety will ever go away but it’s something I want to understand and be able to control more, so fingers crossed that happens.

January Favourites.

January was a very long month, it just seemed to drag and drag. So what did I get up to this month? Well I continued to eat like it was Christmas, some of my favourite shows started back up, I started a new little temporary job and made some very exciting decisions (all shall be revealed in my next Road So Far Catch Up). January was very up and down for me, the fact that it dragged made me feel like I was in some kind of never ending rut and looking back, I didn’t spend enough time doing the things that make me happy. Here’s hoping that February decides to kick it up a notch!

Family Don’t End With Blood

I got this book for Christmas and it’s honestly one of the best things I opened. I’m very late to the party I know but I’m here, accounted for and ready for action. I’ll admit that I haven’t read an awful lot of this, purely because it’s something I want to take my time with. I want to savour every chapter and will only pick it up when I have the time and attention to do so. I look forward to finally finishing it – especially since Jared’s chapter is last and it will probably no doubt make me cry buckets.

Dune Boots

I have been looking for a pair of boots like this for ages but I didn’t want to pay a silly amount for them. So when I saw this pair in the ASOS sale I jumped on them. And they are beautiful. So comfortable and so soft, it might be one of my favourite purchases so far this year. I’m a little bit worried about how they’ll hold up in the rain, especially the fur, because I think they’re the sort to get ruined when wet, maybe I’ll have to invest in some protection spray, if you have any recommendations leave them down in the comments down below. The other plus to these are that they definitely go with the vibe I’m going for for #SPNUK in May! Double win!

Sainsbury’s Mug and Bowl

I love these. If you don’ know me, I have a thing with mugs. I like to have a different mug for every different beverage, which means I have a tea mug, coffee mug, hot chocolate mug and so on. (Obviously my tea mug collection is a little out of control seeing as tea practically runs through my veins!) I saw these in Sainsbury’s ages ago and I was waiting and waiting for them to go in the sale and they did just before Christmas! Not only do I love the colour of these, I love the texture. There is something so satisfying about the texture of these bits – I’m really sad that I didn’t get anymore before they sold out but they do have similar mugs in grey and yellow – now I just need to find room!

The Good Place

I’m still not 100% sure on this, which begs the question, why is it in my monthly favourites? Well I got completely up to date in the space of three days. And it wasn’t just out of boredom, because I actually found myself trying to make time to watch the next episode and stayed up late watching the last few in bed. So there’ definitely something about it that I like, but I can’ put my finger on what. I love the concept, the cast is amazing and the comedy isn’t half bad either (although it wasn’t always great). While I probably wouldn’t rewatch it, it’s definitely worth a watch. If you have half an hour to spare and you need something to watch, give this a try.

Cadbury Vanilla Mousse Bunny

I know! It’s ridiculous that you can even buy these yet, but I kid you not, we almost have an aisle full of Easter eggs at work already!! I’ve never been a huge fan of Easter eggs (except the Galaxy ones, because hello, who doesn’ love Galaxy) but truth be told, I’m not a huge chocolate lover. However, I love it when they bring out the little Easter snacks! These Cadbury Bunnies are by far my absolute favourite and I have ended up picking up a few during every lunch break, so there’s definitely no chance of me losing any weight now!
What did you get up to last month, I can’t be the only person that thought it lasted far too long? What were your favourites? Let me know in the comments below!

Goals For 2018.

I don’t really like making resolutions, I feel like there’s too much pressure and if you don’t see them through, then you just feel bad. I think if you want to do something enough, you’ll just do it, despite the time of year. If you want to go to the gym more, you’ll go. Want to cut out sugar, you’ll do it. Want to put more into your blog, you’ll work harder. That’s not to say I don’t have goals, because I do, things I want to look back at the end of the year and go yeah I’ve changed, but for the better. So here’s a really brief overview of all the goals I have for this year.

Write more

I’m a writer, always have been, probably always will be. But I don’t write enough. I always tell myself I will, more blog posts, more poetry, more chapter in the book I’m writing. Yet it never happens. This year I’m going to try to change that. When I finished my degree, I took a lot of delight in knowing that I didn’t have to put pen to paper for assignments and such. So now I’m going to reclaim writing for myself and nobody else, try to find the joy I used to find in sitting with an empty notebook and just writing.

Be more present

I worry a lot, apparently too much according to my therapist, but then I believe that everyone worries, whether consciously or not. When I do worry, I get too caught up in my head, it stops me doing things and achieving things, so I’m going to try to worry a little less. Or at the very least, continue to worry but not let it run my life quite so much. I just want to be in the here and now and worry less about whats going to be happening tomorrow because there’s actually not an awful a lot that I can do about that right now. This, I think, is going to be one of the hardest things for me to do this year, but we’ll see.

Get a foot in

I still have absolutely no idea what I want to do with my life. Like literally no idea. What I do know is that I want to be in the publishing industry somehow. Whether that’s writing, editing, whatever, I just want to work with words essentially, because words are still my favourite thing after all these years. The one constant in my entire life that I adore more now than ever before, so why not do something you’re passionate about right?

Improve my photography

I could sit here and say that I want to write more, or be more present on social media, but they are all things that will either happen or they wont. But the one thing I’d like to make a conscious effort with is my photos. Currently all the photos I take for my blog and social media are taken and edited on my phone, which is definitely not a bad thing. Some people do it and you’d think their pictures were taken professionally. I’m not one of those people, so I’m going to invest in a good camera, and actually take the time to sit and learn about taking pictures and enjoy doing so.

Read more

Now, this is something that I say every year, but this year I really do mean it. I have no reason for it not to happen, I don’t have Uni or assignments. Honestly I’m going to have a lot of free time, so why not fill that free time with something I already know I love doing. I’m going to make another post about my reading goals for this year, but I’d love to read at least 50 books this year, which is going to be a mission because I’m pretty sure my tally for completed books last year came to a sad total of five. I own more books than I can bother counting and my bookcase is bursting so I need to get on with it really.
So those are my goals for this year, let me know in the comments what your goals or resolutions are, or let me know if you don’t have any at all!

The Road So Far: What Wayward Means To Me.

This is something that I wanted to write about before the Supernatural episode ‘Wayward Sisters’ aired, but I’m a terrible person and didn’t but I’m kinda glad. Having watched the episode, I have even more feelings about it and ‘Wayward’ as a whole.
If you ask the dictionary for a definition of the term wayward it will tell you wayward means ‘difficult to control or predict because of wilful or perverse behaviour’. Or it’ll tell you something like ‘given to wilful, perverse deviation from the expected norm; tending to stray’. Ask me? It’s all about realising that you are exactly where you are supposed to be if that place feels like you belong.
There’s a lot of pressure put on people in general. As a human being, a living entity, we are told to act a certain way, look a certain way, be a certain sort of person. And it’s been this way for years, so we see no other option but to conform, to agree that perhaps that’s the way you should be. But what if that isn’t you? What if who you are, isn’t what is considered ‘the norm’? Well that’s what wayward is for me. It’s recognising that maybe you aren’t who other people tell you to be, but that’s okay, in fact that should be celebrated. It’s being scared to be yourself, but being yourself anyway. It’s knowing that no matter who you are or what you bring with you, you are safe here.
The episode ‘Wayward Sisters’ does a fantastic job at showing just how strong you can be when you surround yourself with family, but also sometimes how strong you have to be on your own to get there. The more I watched the episode, the more I felt a sense of safety, of belonging. I could see myself in every single one of those women, and they were hero’s. ARE heroe’s. So why can’t I be?
I might not know how to shoot a gun, or fight a monster (and look damn fine while doing so), but I am my own hero. I spend most of my days battling the monsters in my head and the days I don’t, I spend keeping them silently at bay. But for the first time, in a really really long time, I feel home. I feel right. I feel as though I might not be where others are, or where I’m expected to be, but I am happy to be right where I am. The last few months, I have found my own little family online and I feel a part of something that is so much bigger than just me. And that is a phenomenal feeling.
Wayward is finding peace, not pushing yourself to fit into conventions if that doesn’t make you happy. Its understanding there are so many other things that can make you feel complete, or worthy, or like you belong. Wayward is strength, alone and in numbers. Standing together, or alone, and realising that you are enough exactly as you are and recognising that strength and worth in yourself and others. At the end of the day it’s family. It’s not knowing exactly where you belong but feeling safe enough to stay in this place. It’s being brave, being open, banding together, being yourself. Wayward is recognising that you are exactly where you should be, as long as you can call that place home.

Reading Goals For 2018.

Every year I tell myself that I want to read more, and every year I fail. I’ve always used excuses like ‘Oh, I have too much uni work’ or ‘I’m too busy having an actual social life’ or my favourite ‘I’ve spent all week reading a (what I found) dull book for an assignment, and my brain just cannot make sense of words right now’. However, this year is the year I read more books. Maybe. At least I’m going to try and make it the year I read more. I thought maybe the problem was that I’ve been being too broad, telling myself to read more books is almost like setting myself up for disaster. Too much choice, too much freedom and my brain just decides not to deal. So I’ve set a few goals instead because I feel like that will help make things run a lot smoother.

Read more classic books

I’m sorry okay, but sometimes I just can’t deal with the classics. They’re long and sometimes I find them boring, yet I still find the compulsion to buy them for my bookcase. (My argument is that they’re usually Penguin Classics editions and look nice on my shelf because the spines all sort of match.) So I’m going to try and read at least a few this year. I’m going to try and start with some of Fitzgerald’s because The Great Gatsby is one of my favourite books ever, so I thought that would probably ease me in, but I’m going to throw in some Orwell and Kerouac in there too. If you have any classic novels or even plays, I love a good play, that you think I should pick up then let me know in the comments down below.

Keep more up to date with new releases

I used to be so in the know of upcoming releases and new authors, but the last few years I’ve been a little out of touch. But when I did take an interest I got me so excited to pick up that book and read it. So I’m going to try and stay a little more in the loop and not just pick up a book because it looks pretty, but because I’ve actually heard about it and it sounds amazing.

Try to read at least one book a month

I thought I’d set the bar low because that way anything else is a lovely bonus. Plus theres not too much pressure for me to finish a book quickly and rush through it. Giving myself a month, still allows me to find my feet a little, decide if I’m enjoying it enough to finish and really take it in.

Read more non-fiction

I used to love buying non-fiction books, and I have loads of them on my shelf. Books about film-making, hieroglyphics, the moon landings just to name a few. So this is more of a broad goal, if I find the time to pick one up, great but I’m not going to say I want to read a certain amount because I very much doubt it will happen. I’m just going to see where my curiosity takes me and go from there.

Do not buy a new book until you finish reading one

I bulk buy books. I’ll go into a charity shop and without fail come out with at least five. I can’t help it, it’s like I can’t just buy one because it might get lonely and then if I find more than one I always have a really hard time trying to choose between them. My justification comes in the form of me telling myself that at 99p a book, having five is not going to break the bank. I feel like this is a great compromise, it’s not a buying ban (which we all know I’d be terrible at) but if I know there’s a new book I know is coming out that I’m dying to get, it’ll hopefully give me the motivation to pick up something I already have and finish it, in order to get the new one. I’m not sure how well or how long this ones going to last but we’ll see!
Do you have any book goals/resolutions this year? Or maybe you’ve got a TBR pile you’re hoping to get through this year? Let me know down in the comments, or leave links to your posts, and I’ll be sure to check them out. Oh and don’t forget to leave any ‘classic’ recommendations down there too!

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