Flight & Falls of February

Just over a week in and February has already seen a mixture of ups and downs. Whilst I have many reasons to be appreciative, optimistic and joyous, I've somehow found myself lurking amongst darker thoughts with depression kicking in at impromptu moments. Many are prone to low moods throughout the Winter season, however I fear mine is not so much to do with the climate as opposed to issues I've long been dealing with and are finally becoming overwhelming. I t seems to be a bit of a recurring thing with me to be honest; every time I seem to be making pretty good progress, suddenly I feel almost swamped by anxiety and my mind works overtime on simple things that shouldn't be an issue at all. It's times like these when the littlest of gestures can help raise a smile again if only for a moment. Such gestures have occurred a few times this past week and to those people I am very grateful. My byf also deserves a special mention for putting up with me throughout these difficulties - which are often unpredictable, elongated and unusual, he really is a star, in the best meaning.

 

 

Luckily I have a week off from uni next week and so hopefully things will ease slightly, and perhaps I can catch up on some rest and relaxation. Here's hoping!

 

On a more positive note, here are 5 reasons I'm thankful this week...

 

1. Conquering my initial fears and completing my D.O.E hike at the start of the month.

2. All the kind words and actions of strangers and friends alike.

3. Hot Chocolate dates and cwtches with my boy.

4. Having an article published front page and having others lined-up for publication in future.

5. The prospect of a weekend break abroad in a couple of weeks.

 

 

Peace & Love til' next time

Wild Winter Walks in Wales

This weekend was the most wonderful retreat away from city living as I got a true taste of the great outdoors. Saturday consisted of a practice navigation around part of the Gower Peninsula in Wales.

 

 

Whilst I like exploring out in the wild, I can admit that navigation isn't my strong point, and whilst I knew the forecast wasn't great, I hadn't quite prepared myself for the elements we'd face when we reached the cliff edge and eventually the summit. In honesty I leapt at a rock due to the high gale at one point to act as a wind-breaker. Yeah, not cool. However my partner coaxed me into reaching shelter further on round the path and on reaching the trig point we gained a little breather.

 

 

The trek descending was respectively safer and I was glad to be walking the path more comfortably aware of this. Despite the cloud and the winds, it was good prep for the following day which would prove ultimately more challenging in many respects, but equally exciting and far more rewarding.

 

Day 2 was the purpose for the quick trial along the coast, as I prepared myself to assist in leading a Gold level Duke of Ed. group around the wild and varied terrains of the Brecon Beacons. Snow however was forecast and such an effect was this that, as expected, it altered our plans and so we'd be taking to Gower once again but for a much longer and testing endurance. (I should note here that I never managed to do my Duke of Ed. award, nor have qualified as a leader, but it's always been a dream and with some kind assistance I was allowed to participate with helping out)

 

It was an early start, leaving on very little sleep, which isn't really an ideal recipe as one might expect for such an active day on the horizon. Never the less all went ahead and despite feeling a little uneasy on the journey out, the day started rather well and everyone I met seemed friendly enough.

 

Wild Mountain Horses

 

I was one of three leaders assisting half-a dozen young guys who it turned out were completely mental athletes, they were half way down a hill before we were half way up it and as a consequence we frequently lost sight of them throughout the duration. Although a certain level of fitness is required regardless, these adolescents were certainly keeping us quickening our paces and whilst some of the summit climbs proved gruelling the views from the top, even half way up were stunning

 

 

 

 

All round it was a terrific day and a wonderful experience, which I was truly quite privileged to be invited to be a part of. the D.O.E teams were like an extended family unit and were kind to have a new face joining the troops. From my taster day it is something I am certainly considering pursuing further in the future.

 

 

 

 

 

Love & Peace - til' next time!

Featuring on Sunny Sweet Pea

This month I've been trying to get my blog out there a little by promoting in the sidebar of one of my favourite bloggers Sunny Sweet Pea. As part of the package she posts a lovely postcard paragraph on your blog and I am truly delighted to have been privileged with such a lovely little space on Jenny's blog and what a lovely message from her too. Seeing this has just spurred me on further to try and make a success of my blog and keep updating it when and where I can.

The Lost Girl’s Playbook

Now it’s time to introduce you to the lovely Jenna Rose. A fellow book worm and creative spirit, her blog is all shiny and new and it’s great to be able to welcome her to the blogging world. I am rather envious that she is doing a creative writing degree. If only I could turn back time and realise, before I got to uni, that I really don’t enjoy glaciers and rocks very much.

 

Post of the month: A history of writing – her writing story is both inspiring and impressive considering Jenna is just starting her degree. I may have to probe her for some publishing tips.

Bloglovin’ | Twitter   If you're reading, thanks Jenny!
 Love & Peace - til' next time!

New Term - New Plans

Hello all! I do apologise for the slight lack in posts this month, only starting back at uni has meant lots of assignments, deadlines and general busyness. However I'm going to take a little time aside to let you in on what I've been up to on my downtime.

 

Having stumbled across an Instagram post claiming that it was the last weekend to enjoy the cosy vicinity of the temporary, Apres Ski Lodge, I decided that it was a must-visit and coaxed the byf into joining me for a little tipple before dinner. It was pretty busy but we managed to catch a table beside the log-fire and contentedly sipped on our Prosecco whilst we chatted and giggled about surprise vacations, impromptu wedding talk (although we are certainly not planning on hearing bells of the sort anytime soon) and general daily nonsense, small-talk etc. Although small, the atmosphere was lovely and welcoming, banter was being had and drinks were enjoyed under roof of the wooden alpine themed chalet.

 

 

Slightly loved-up and a little high on the fizz, together we decided to treat ourselves and go all out and so went to dine in the gorgeous retro interior of The Cosy Club. With it being a weekend it was understandably busy and some waited for table whilst I was handed a little more Prosecco. The byf was being unusually frivolous and I had to question if the pair of us had gone crazy. However I wasn't going to deny it was quite wonderful even if the beverages were going ever so-slightly to my head. Dinner was wonderful, the food was completely scrumptious and the conversation was rife. All in all it was a delightful evening of spontaneity and I was ever so thankful for it!

 

Mid-week came about and the moral was running low and so after the byf had finished his exams we took swiftly into town and took shine to visiting the quaint Georgian Tearooms. Having graced through the square many times on a frequent basis, we've many times talked about going but never quite got round to actually stepping through the door. Luckily being mid-week and two weeks into term, the place was practically deserted and so we were seated to the lullaby of Celine Dion's infamous track from 'Titanic', ordered afternoon tea and took a step back into another temporary world where work should not stress one out. It proved a rather lovely afternoon treat.

 

 

Then the fortnight was topped off with a weekend road-trip into Wales, lunching out, browsing round markets, visiting friends, several trips to MacDonalds, country walks and beach-side strolls eating fish n' chips - it was a much needed break away from looming deadlines and academic stress, the weather held-out and whilst it was frosty it was sunny and I'm so grateful for so many little things.

 

 

 

Hope January is going well for you all,

 

Love & Peace - til' next time!

 

 

 

A History of Writing

Ever since I was a spritely young thing I have been intrigued by storytelling, imagery and the written word. So with this in mind and my continuing obsession with purchasing an unnecessary amount of pretty notebooks and pens any time I'm let loose near a stationary shop, I think it's fair to say it should have been predicted that writing would shape my life as I ventured through my teenage years - as it did, being-schooled as I sat my GCSE's I would spend a good majority of any spare time writing in notebooks or typing for hours on our old-school computer. In-time it paid off, I managed to successfully find some of my works published in a few mainstream and lesser known publications. Keen on television also, I wrote my own stories with my  favourite fictional characters and on a punt sent off some ideas to a series in Australia, and as it turned out I got a rather, albeit brief, but positive response. This only spurred my desires further and I made a decision to study TV & Film Production at college as an alternative to sitting my A-levels.

 

The next four years proved a transformation period as my skills as a writer were tested in various forms, I gained great moments of inspiration and lacked to write anything of worth at all on other occasions, I wrote two short drama scripts and even wrote a few drafts of my very first novel courtesy of NaNoWriMo. I gained a few more published credits, received a few rejection letters, completed my course with flying colours and gained a couple weeks of work experience with a company or two. I'd been accepted to study Creative Writing with Publishing in my university of choice and quite frankly things couldn't have proved much more positive on a career front.



Since starting my degree my writing progress has been undeniably varied with various high and low points, my genres of and styles have varied as they should do, but ultimately I've been a little disappointed that I haven't created or achieved more in this time. Although that said I did manage to finally get a rather big dream off the ground - I managed to create my very own magazine from scratch and am now close to publishing my second issue with contributors as far as America taking part, it's truly wonderful and a lot of people have been very kind and positive which is always so encouraging, although needless to say it is very hard work on top of a joint honours degree!



Little Ivy Magazine

Aside from the magazine however since starting university I haven't exactly had much published, until a very lovely email arrived in my inbox yesterday. At first I looked at it with intrepidation, thinking I don't really want to read another potential rejection, however I turned out to very pleasantly surprised. Turns out a poem I wrote during my degree has been selected to feature in Whim Magazine's February issue, which as a fan I am absolutely delighted about :)



Love & Peace - til' next time!

Happy New Year - Welcome 2015!

 

photo courtesy of messagesquotes.com

Love & Peace - til' next time!

A Year In Reflection ... 2014

Last New Year's was a little quieter than the usual boisterous house of chaos and this year is shaped to be very similar if not more so again. However that has no reflection on the year itself, which has been wonderful and difficult and wonderful and difficult again but whilst 2014 has proved another year of personal hardship it's equally been a year of personal gain, of learning and experience.

 

Travel has proved a big highlight of the past year, having done quite a bit more adventuring than one would normally anticipate of experience in the average year. Stratford-upon-Avon for Valentine's, the New Forest for a extra-curricular excursion, Amsterdam on a university trip and then a compilation of Cornwall, Bristol, Glastonbury and Wells for my very special 21st birthday weekend. The Autumn brought further highlights as I got to explore several areas of Wales with my byf , as well as a brief flying visit to Oxford and a Christmas excursion to Liverpool. Then to top it all off, a trip down to Dublin proved a lovely little break when the byf came to visit me in Ireland.

 

 

 

 

As January slogged along I found myself still brightly optimistic as to the rest of the year ahead, having survived the first term of university life, however while the first couple weeks went well enough things didn't take long at spiralling downhill, my health took a turn for the worse, escalating to the point where with regret I had to finish the rest of my first year from home. By some miracle I survived the long demanding days of the Summer, (spent mostly indoors) and was admitted greatfully into my 2nd year. From here another term passes, I'm no longer in halls and am living independently in a wonderful old house with several other girls and somehow I've managed to reach Christmas with all my assignments in on time. But I wouldn't have got through it without the kindness, friendship and support of some of those closest to me. I am forever greatful for all the wonderful opportunites that have passed my way this year and can even say that I am finally employed, so whilst the year has had it's struggles for sure it's also been quite a wonderful year in retrospect and one I shan't quickly forget.

 

 

 

Love & Peace - til' next time!