Sometimes we just need to stop, reflect and appreciate.

National Save Our Libraries Day – 4^th February 2012

To mark this day and do my bit to promote the importance of this campaign, I thought I’d write a short post about why I believe the closing of libraries across the country will impact us in more ways than one.

Growing up my parents actively encouraged me to read as much as possible. I have them to thank for my passion and appreciation of books, and this has determined one of my goals in life, to write, and hopefully publish a non-fiction book. Although making money from this would be a dream come true, my main reason for wanting to do so is for personal achievement.

I remember looking forward to my weekly trip to the local library, walking through the doors and being greeted by hundreds of books to choose from. I was like a fat kid in a sweet shop, extremely happy and eager to get what I came for. I took ages to decide, my mum often had to drag me out. I’d get home and devour the lot in a few days, then spend the rest of the week begging my mum to take me back to get some more books. When I started getting pocket money it would be spent on, yes you guessed it, books. I couldn’t get enough of them. Even today I love browsing in a book shop or library; I could spend hours in one. There is something very therapeutic about it. The experience of growing up surrounded by books is something I will definitely encourage when I have my own children one day.

I must admit I have recently converted to the Kindle. Although reluctant at first I soon found myself falling in love with its clever design and technology, and considering I’m someone who never throws a book away I could see the benefits it was going to have for me, especially for travelling to work and going on holiday’s. However, I have promised myself to still buy the odd paperback and visit libraries to do my bit to keep the spirits of these wonderful, underestimated places alive.

Libraries are a place where children can develop their reading skills and become absorbed in magical stories and characters. Old people can make the most of the internet and computer services that most libraries offer, and adults can emerge themselves in the relaxing confides of a good book at the end of a stressful day. All of which are completely free of charge. It sounds like a pretty good service to me.

There’s no doubt that a library is at the heart of every community. It’s a place where people of all ages can gather to socialise and discuss the amazing world of literature. The atmosphere of a library always fascinates me. You feel instantly relaxed as you walk through the doors, and I have never met a librarian who doesn’t enjoy their job, motivated by their own passion for books and the services that they offer.

Without libraries future generations will be lost to the ever evolving technology, which has taken so many people already. With the country’s economic state and unemployment rates not looking to improve any time soon, we all need to appreciate the simple things in life again. So if you want this invaluable, free service to be here this time next year then get involved! The government plan to close 400 libraries this year, make sure yours isn’t one of them!

http://www.cilip.org.uk/get-involved/advocacy/public-libraries/Pages/savelibrariesday.aspx

Moving on doesn’t mean you have to forget...

No breakup is easy, especially when you love that person, could see a future with them and have to work with them 5 days a week...

It’s hard, hurts and doesn’t happen overnight, but nobody should expect it to be painless.

Basically, my first experience of trying to get over someone hasn’t been an easy one.

I’m a strong believer in “Everything happens for a reason”, but even I struggled to come to terms with the breakup of this relationship.

I couldn’t understand why and I certainly didn’t want to accept it, even though deep down I knew it was for the best in the long term.

Moments of weakness ended in a chat, a hug, a kiss, and before I knew it I was pretending things could be back to how I wanted them, if only for an hour or so. I was close to the person I love again and at the time that was all that mattered.

However I was only deceiving myself...

The biggest hurdle for me was actually accepting it was over. It’s so easy to lie awake at night thinking "what if", but that doesn’t change anything, or make you feel any better. After I managed this (which wasn’t until a few weeks ago) it made it a whole lot easier to deal with, I started to look forward to my future again instead of constantly reminding myself that a certain person wouldn’t be a part of it.

I can safely say I am getting there, yes it has nearly been 3 months now, but it’s going to take time, I’m going to have ups and downs but that’s the kind of person I am, and I wouldn’t change that for anyone. I deal with things my own way and refuse to listen to people who tell me to start seeing someone else or that I should be over my ex by now.

I don’t regret anything, I had amazing times with my ex and I will always have feelings for him. One of many things I learnt from him about life is not to force anything, what will be will be.

Humorous article

Christmas hasn’t even arrived yet and people are already planning how they’re going to attack the January sales.

I even overheard a flustered mother promise her son that he would get his plasma screen TV, but Father Christmas may be a bit late this year.

Don’t get me wrong; we all look forward to the January sales, especially after the headache of Christmas. It gives us a good feeling to know that our last crumpled up £20 note in the back of a pair of jeans can be spent on a sexy new top or pair of boots.

You know the kind of things that attract us all to the whole madness of shopping in the sales, the half price stickers in the windows of every shop, the thought of all those sales, and knowing that the top you asked for, but didn’t get from your forgetful boyfriend, will be half price and will seem that much more forgivable. Is it really something so many women, and sometimes men, should get their knickers in a twist over, though?

The problem starts when you arrive at your favourite boutique to find the queue spilling out of the doors onto the pavement. A crowd of eager women stampede into the shop with the aggression of a herd of elephants. You spy a gorgeous pair of jeans and instantly run over to the rail only to find every pair in size 14 plus. Why are all the sale items only available in the larger sizes? You then rummage through the shoe rack to find THE perfect pair of (fake) Jimmy Choos. Well, one of them anyway.

You have managed to snatch a handful of half decent clothes away from the claws of the other desperate shoppers, whilst being elbowed in the ribs at least ten times. Now to tackle the changing rooms with the typical no more than three items at a time rule. So breathing in as deeply as possible, you somehow manage to squeeze into your jeans (without any buttons popping off), and as for the shoes, well you soon find out what Cinderella’s ugly sisters felt like with the glass slipper. Coming out of the changing rooms you are instantly knocked back by a flurry of women, all climbing over, under and around you like monkeys on a tree, all for that crucial vacant changing room.

So what now stands before you? Well, you’ve conquered the mad opening time rush. You’ve discovered the lost treasure of those gorgeous jeans, and even managed to rummage for the matching pair of shoes. You’ve bravely faced the masses and somehow came out fighting. Next comes the biggest challenge of all, reaching the till. Before you stands a jungle full of lions, cheetahs, elephants, tigers. And lots of them. (You analyse with great optimism your chances of purchasing your items before dinner time. Not looking good).

Women push and shove, subtly trying to skip a few places in the queue. You timidly step in line, but no sooner has your foot left the ground than four others are jostling for a position. Confidently you stride over and brace yourself for the battering of yet more elbowing and shoving.

An hour later, yes an hour, you’ve somehow patiently endured constant elbows and pokes from all sides. You approach the desk, only to be confronted by a gum chewing, 19-year-old sales assistant with “I’m in training” printed on a badge. No matter, you think to yourself, surely it can’t get any worse. You soon realise thinking that only tempts fate. Slowly she folds the clothes, if you can perceive folding as stuffing it into a plastic bag with some remote form of folding it in two, all the time looking up and giving you a look of pure evil. Next comes “credit card in”, like some Native American Indian from a clichéd 1950’s Western. So, you proceed to put in those highly secretive details whilst the shop assistant is throwing you filthy looks (who knew there were at least 50 kinds of look to portray “Hurry up”?). With the reactions a gazelle has when running from its hunter, the shop assistant snatches away the machine and chucks a receipt into the bag.

After finally making it home you find yourself asking the question, are the broken ribs and many bruises really worth the strain and hassle of shopping in the January sales? In my opinion, yes, it’s worth the pain. Those bruises will be covered up by your bargains, ribs will repair but a heart heavy with the grievance of missing out on the sales doesn’t. Is it too early to be thinking about what you are going to be buying in the sales, though? Yes, it takes the excitement out of Christmas and also out of the sales as well. Although, what woman in her right mind wouldn’t want expensive looking shoes, but for half the price she’d normally pay? What woman wouldn’t want that matching top, for special occasions, that gives that extra “wow” factor? What woman wouldn’t want to walk into a New Year’s Eve celebration and not be the Cinderella of the party? I’m 100 per cent sure that the answer to all these questions is: No one.

Money CAN buy you happiness... if only temporarily!

Ever since I can remember various people in my life have told me that “money can’t buy you happiness”. I’ve always doubted the truth in this overused expression and since I’ve heard it used in an advert, it confirms my initial thoughts, and it is bullshit!

Of course money can buy you happiness! I accept that the surge of happiness and thought of having something new may fade by the time you get home from a shopping trip, but still that feeling is unbeatable, something you can’t achieve without money!

The first thing I did after splitting up with my boyfriend was a huge online shop, daring myself to get even closer to my overdraft. It was stuff that I didn’t even need, just to make me feel better, take away the pain and prevent the tears until later.

This was followed by an even bigger spending spree in West Quay just three days later. My biggest purchase was a holiday to Greece with one of my best friends; closely followed by 3 new Pandora charms for my bracelet (it’s impossible just to buy one charm!)

It made me feel AMAZING!

And after handing my last piece of work in for the end of second year at university, I headed straight to New Look with my usual “I’ll have that, and that..” attitude, failing to even acknowledge the price tag.

Some people may say I have a problem, that I should be saving my money for the future. Well guess what, it makes me happy so I will continue to spend as much as I like.

I have no doubt that most girls will be able to relate to this post rather well and maybe even some guys.

Life’s too short, if you want that new pair of shoes, dress or even a holiday, buy it because you won’t regret the rush of pleasure it brings you!

Photography work

I don't mind admitting that I'm not a natural photographer. However, when the option to study photography for my second year at uni came up I couldn't resist the challenge.
So here is my final portfolio, which in my opinion has made all the hard work worth it.