Driving home for Christmas

Well technically, I’ve already driven home. With my momma, and en route we stopped in Ingleton and had cheese scones and a large pot of tea. I feel this is an omen for the rest of the holiday period. Good food, good drink, good company. I absolutely adore Christmas.

I don’t currently have much of a voice. I like to think I sound sexy, all husky, but I probably just sound ill. This is the remnants of the start of the festive season. At my university house, the girls and I hosted a 12 person Christmas Roast and it was quite spectacular. Three whole chickens! Then on Friday we had our last Uni night out of 2011, and on the following Saturday I went out in good old Bingley with my home girls.* Over the course of those 3 days, I probably had 4 bottles of wine...my poor liver! I am in recovery mode, not drinking til Christmas Eve Eve!

Oh my days exciting news, tomorrow I’m getting my haircut. The first time since June 2010, and I’m getting a fringe! I will post pictures, unless it looks terrible, in which case I will hide for a good few weeks. Not that it’s hard to hide from a blog, as you can probably tell from my 5 week absence...

If it helps ease the pain, in these 5 weeks I’ve had 3 essays and an exam so I’ve been reasonably swamped and have only been neglecting my blog because it’s been necessary! I’ve also been neglecting my Christmas present buying duties, 5 sleeps ‘til Christmas and I definitely still have 3 and a half presents left to obtain...little brothers and women who own their own shops are officially difficult to buy for, I wish everyone just wanted classic books from Waterstones like me!

It makes me so sad that I have to rely on other people’s cameras these days for photos. My 16 year old brother is doing photography A level and his camera is lush, so I might steal it for a few Christmas-esque photos for my next blog, but until then the wise words of Dr. Seuss will do. 

 
* The use of the phrase home girls is not me trying to be gangster, just differentiating between my Uni girls and my girls at home. Keep up, I'm not remotely gangster, I had a hot water bottle in bed last night for goodness sake! (And loved it.)

lots & lots of reading

I’m writing to you on the verge of my first reading week of the academic year. I figured this would be a good idea as it eliminates the possibility of me writing a blog as a form of procrastination during the next 5 days when I should be waist deep in library books, quotations and literary criticism.

Prior to reading week, I decided to give my liver a week off. I’d been feeling terribly run down recently and unable to shake off a cold so unless my mother’s speculative worry that my house has a gas leak is correct, I find myself blaming my intake of alcohol. As a result I feel wonderful! However, the amount of times I was in bed before midnight last week is positively embarrassing so I think I’ll slot back into my usual schedule this week, especially as I have no pesky lectures to get up for! Ho hum this week could go one of two ways, who wants to wager whether it will be pro-active or regressive? I suppose it’s a test of self-discipline, rather like the decision on the way home from a night out, curly fries or no curly fries...

I’ve been venturing on a vicious circle of late. I keep feeling despondent about money, or the lack of it in this instance. I’m already wary of having enough funds to buy my loved ones Christmas presents so have found myself watching the pennies. Yes I’m aware it’s only just November, but I ain’t no Scrooge, I bloody love Christmas and I enjoy being able to buy people presents that I know they actually want/like. In fact Christmas anticipation will almost definitely be the subject of my next blog...Anyway, back to the circle, basically I’ve been getting a tad grumpy due to my inability to buy myself fancy things. I know that’s the student lifestyle I chose, but wah! Websites like Pinterest and Gifted Penguin torture me. But then, after suffering from these feelings of gloom I subsequently feel guilty for being so shallow. And then, politically minded me erupts and gets angry about being a product of the capitalist system, a conditioned consumer, and finally I feel like a loser for thinking in such Marxist terms. An hour later, I’ll find a notebook to die for, and the circle starts again. Coincidentally, an essay I intend to write this week is about Marxism. Actually, that’s not remotely coincidental; studying Marx this year has probably caused these intellectual conflicts. But to be honest folks, as long as there are dresses like this around, I will have shopping lust regardless of my conscious.

So that’s the end of another whirlwind blog, I feel there’s actually a slight thread of relevance throughout to my reading week? Or is that just wishful thinking? Have a delightful week/whatever time lapse occurs between this blog and the next. Let’s be frank, a week is optimistic. 

P.S. For those of you that were anticipating the next instalment in ‘the journey of Lauren’s desk’, I can happily inform you it arrived the day it was scheduled to, in its full IKEA glory: white, shiny and eagerly awaiting the attachment of it’s legs.

another year

Monday, Week 3. Life as a 2^nd year has started, and I can already feel that it’s gonna be a lot tougher than the last. Unfortunately, my bed this year is also much comfier than last year. This could prove to be a problematic correlation. However, we won’t know for sure ‘til August some time, so we won't worry about that just yet...

I’m not going to bore you with Fresher’s Week stories; nobody wants to hear about a silly fresher throwing up on me, do they? Or the fact that last Fresher’s Week I got thrown up on too?! Seriously, is it third time lucky? I’m already on edge for next year. 

So the most exciting news, for all those avid Furness College netball fans, is that we are getting netball dresses this year! Oh yeah, we are going to look professional. In these cheeky numbers I’m not even bothered if we lose, ‘cos we’ll look so hot in the process. For those of you that know me well, you’ll know this isn’t true. I’m ridiculously competitive. I once fell out with my little brother over a game of Cluedo, and no I wasn’t young and foolish, I think it was last Christmas...But NONETHELESS, we will look ace, and I will be a proud Vice. 

Speaking of competitiveness, we have an ongoing contest in my house at this moment in time. The toilet roll contest. One of my housemates, who I won’t name for legal reasons but whom I promise is reasonably normal and doesn’t often suggest criminal activities for us all to engage in, thought it would be a good idea to start acquiring toilet rolls from the university campus. And of course this is a wonderful idea, as toilet roll usage is a constant menace in a house full of girls with many visitors. I am currently 3^rd in the table with 5 rolls. I plan to improve this.

By the way, our house is lush. (I’ve been asked by someone to reintroduce that word into my vocabulary so there you go.) It’s a bit rough around the edges, but aren’t we all? Of course stairs to the cellar would be nice Mr Landlord. In wonderful news though, a stray kitten appears to have adopted our backyard. Hooray! We’ve christened it Helena, after our darling Austrian friend, who enjoys skanking food off other people, just like this scavenger kitty.  I keep meaning to post pictures, of the kitten and many other things but I still don’t have a blasted camera! Also my room isn’t finished yet as I am awaiting the arrival of my desk. When that’s here, supposedly tomorrow, I will finish my picture putty upping and dazzle y’all with the beauty of my humble abode. Perhaps.

I would apologise for the unspecific nature of this blog but this appears to be the genre I’ve casually set up camp in so I feel I can no longer justify an apology. To be fair, if you don’t like it, don’t read it hey! Wish that would extend to my degree...Thomas Hardy’s Return of The Native is looming over me like a thundercloud bursting with excessive scenery descriptions. What an awful analogy. Ah well, it’s late! In fact my desk is now technically scheduled to arrive today, how delightful. Night night. Here's a lullaby for you, one of my favourite songs from one of my favourite bands, can't get this out of my head at the moment. It's befitting.

Hibernation

Boy oh boy, have I been a hermit. This week, I house sat for my Dad and his girlfriend whilst they jetted off to Portugal and for a while I was worried for my sanity. My Dad basically lives in the middle of nowhere, so I genuinely didn’t talk to a person in the flesh for 60 hours at one point and this had serious repercussions. I suffered from mood swings and baked an excessive amount. And baking when you’re the only person in the house is a terrible shout! Luckily, I’ve been walking the dogs twice a day, so avoided gaining a muffin top.

I’m feeling pretty smug, ‘cos if there was any time in which I’d have welcomed an out of season heat wave, it would be this week, the week I’m stranded in the countryside, confined to animal company. So I spent 3 afternoons in the glorious September sunshine and received many a nettle sting braving short shorts on the Yorkshire moors.

 

In supremely exciting news, I have found my favourite book which had been lost for over a year and I obviously read it this week, (once again neglecting my uni reading list, eek!) It’s not a typical example of a book I would read, it’s semi auto-biographical and not considered a classic but it’s by the legendary zoologist Gerald Durrell and I adore it. It’s based in Corfu, and the first time I read it I was on holiday in Corfu and it has stuck with me ever since. The characters in it feel like old friends and each chapter like a fond memory.

Slight claim to fame regarding Durrell, my Mum’s karate teacher was his nephew. Oh yeah, impressive stuff.

I quite like my own company, but this week proved too much for me and made me reaffirm the view that I do like people and therefore I’ve been looking forward to the reunion between me and my university girls this Sunday. Our house may not have an oven, or stairs to the cellar, but there is a matching tea, coffee and sugar set, and that will do us just fine. 

Despite being precariously close to my overdraft and on the eve of my second freshers week, I bought two CD’s this week. The first was Blink 182’s first album in 7 years, which proves not to be the careless Blink of old, but the product of experience and life, a lot less chipper. Despite the change I am a big fan of the album and some tracks are truly haunting. In great contrast, the other was The Kinks Greatest Hits, which I feel complemented the weather perfectly, and I shall leave you with my song of the week, Sunny Afternoon.

the state of things

I was going to blog about music today. Or rather, the pitiful state of music. You see last weekend I listened to the top 40 on Radio1 for probably the first time in 2 years and it was excruciatingly painful. I calculated it and I would listen to 4 songs by choice. 4 out of 40, a tenth of this nation's 'favourite' music. I attempted an entire blog about this sorry state of affairs but it was just a total rant in which I sounded like a bitter, twisted soul who hates everyone and the music they buy. And I don't, I just hate most people and the music they buy. So I decided to give it a rest and just look forward to the Blink album being released on the 26th. Boom ting.

I am currently not a bitter, twisted soul but in fact quite a happy bunny. Partially due to the return of Masterchef Australia and therefore the combination of the cheesiest opening credits to ever grace our tv screens and tons of beautiful food, and partially due to the general state of things in my life. I do think it's important to be thankful for what you have and at the moment I'm thankful for a lot of things.

On a more shallow note, my recent purchases have also brought my joy. I acquired the most beautiful, giant, green jumper from H&M this weekend. It's so cosy! I love dressing for Autumn, it's my favourite season. Take that Summer! (Summer would be my favourite season if I didn't live in England. In this country in Summer you play a constant guessing game with the weather, which makes wearing my desired outfit of a vest top and shorts everyday near impossible. Autumn is much steadier.) I also got a necklace from my Dad's girlfriend boutique in Bingley which is divine. She stocks http://www.hultquist-copenhagen.com, and the whole range is to die for. Look at these pea pods and pomegranates!

That's me for now folks, I'll probably get better at blogging once I'm back at university and have work to avoid. However, I'm currently only 5 books into my 29 book reading list so I may go into hibernation for a while. Until next time, I suggest you watch an episode of Masterchef Australia and/or drink an entire bottle of champagne before heading to Nando's. I promise both are satisfactory pastimes.

the cure

I have been a busy bee and cured my restlessness and not even had time to blog! My apologies.

I  voyaged down south to visit my grandparents last week, for a whole 7 days and it was delightful. BUT despite the insistence of many a southerner that they constantly have glorious weather, I only wore shorts once! And burnt my face that same day. I was ashamed of myself! I often boast about my Hispanic blood and my ability to tan and then I go and burn myself. Smooth.

Throughout the week I gallivanted between my two pairs of grandparents, saw the final harry potter for a second time, went shopping in Salisbury and bought myself an inflatable globe for no reason whatsoever. I also went to Sherborne, which was the most precious place, with an abbey which I was christened in, hence the trip and it had the most cluttered, perfect, second-hand bookshop which was just bursting with old hardbacks and smelt AMAZING.

It just so happened that my trip coincided with 2 Bournemouth home games, what a lovely twist of fate/excellent planning. I definitely prefer away games, although we won both games, scored 7 goals and didn’t concede any. I was positively spoilt. 

Since I got back, I’ve worked every day and gone out every night and tomorrow I am going to Carlisle away. I don’t think I’ve ever seen us win there? I am considering doing a write up of the game, I’ve never really dabbled in sports journalism but I think my football post (here) was my best piece of writing yet. Maybe babyyyy.

Also I need to apply for my student finance. I should have done this by March. Uh-oh. It is so weird that this time last year I got my A-level results. This year has flown by. 

I promise to do an opinionated blog next time. Right now I’m too hungover to function properly and am going to curl up on the sofa, eat anything I can find in the kitchen and watch Come Dine With Me.

Oh, and I finished my book!! I defeated George Eliot, happy times. Here’s a picture of my grandparent’s cat Tiger to celebrate this joyous fact.

Restlessness

When you’re a student, your summer is long. Term time is a conflicting mash up of drinking, deadlines, all nighters and the occasional lecture. And when you break up for summer, it stretches out endlessly in front of you, full of gorgeous potential, but in reality handing you a lot of time to kill.

And when you’re used to having a lovely boyfriend to spend time with, suddenly having tons of spare time is weird...

No, PLEASE don’t stop reading, I promise this won’t be an over-emotional, rambling blog post about my love-life. It could be! But I’m going to resist and instead discuss how I am going to tackle the acres of spare time I currently find myself handling.

As an English Literature student and a general all-round geek, I obviously love to read. Wouldn’t really add up if I didn’t, so spare time is good for me, I can read to my heart’s delight....in theory at least. I’m having a major problem.  It’s called Middlemarch, and it’s written by the phenomenal George Eliot. So why am I finding it so frickin’ difficult to read?! Each time I pick it up, I feel the urge to snooze, I actually did today, on the rug in my garden, with my dog Max. 

 

Don’t be deceived, he looks adorable, but he will eat chocolate out of your children’s Christmas stockings without a second thought. (And then need an expensive trip to the vets.)

 

However, I will power through this book, and then tackle my constantly increasing list of ‘books I must read before I die’. I found some more just browsing the shed today to add to my list of 29 that I need to read for my second year...

I am also playing with the idea of getting another job, (at a bookshop please) or volunteering, and/or getting a new camera and learning how to actually use it. Somebody asked me the other day what type of camera I have, and I said green. It is green but I would definitely like to be able to use more accurate adjectives when asked about this in the future. But these are all mere ideas at the moment, I’ll keep you posted.

In the mean time I will be doing super helpful things like FENCE PAINTING, which I spent a good 3 hours in the sunshine doing today. (Coincidentally after giving up on Middlemarch for the day...)