Monday 28 October 2013

FMM # What If Edition

I am writing this post with lightening speed and if there are mistakes I apologise. I have to be at a hospital app in an hour or so and so I need to get dressed, ingest caffeine and drive there.

Here we go...

What If?


1.  If you had something in your teeth would you want someone to tell you, or would you prefer to figure it out on your own? 

Tell me, Tell me, Tell me!

2.  If you had to listen to one song on repeat all day today, which song would you choose?

Well, since I am going to see The Arctic Monkeys on Thursday night I am going to pick one of their  songs - 'Mardy Bum'.

3.  If you could trade places with someone famous, with whom would you trade?

Hmm, it would have to be a singer so that I could be able to sing for the day, so I am going to choose, Beyonce?! Yeah, she'll do, haha.

4.  If you could speak another language fluently, which one would you speak? 

I'd like to speak German better than I already do, but an entirely new language would have to be French or Italian.

5.  If you could read one person’s mind right now whose would you choose?

Haha...I am keeping that one a secret!

6. If you were forced to go back in time, which period of your life would you choose?

1920's just for the fashion!

7.  If you had to be trapped in a TV show for a month, which show would you choose?

Supernatural, I'd probably get killed off though, or not with the help of Sam and Dean. As I've been typing this I would be greedy (as always). I've decided that I'd spend half the month in Supernatural and half the month in Gilmore Girls.

8.  If you had to give up twitter or Facebook, which would you choose?

Twitter because I use Facebook to keep in contact with my family + the pictures!

9.  If you could have a present today, what would you want? 

The gift of being completely healthy, no issues medically whatsoever and to eat as much as I wanted and whatever I wanted without getting sick and being in pain.

10.  If you had to choose between celebrating Halloween or Christmas, which would you choose? 

Don't remotely like Halloween, so you all know where this is going because I absolutely adore Christmas. But I am looking forward to Bonfire night  (which will happen over the weekend here in the UK), Can't wait for the Fireworks :D

Thanks Kenlie for hosting, you're a star!

Saturday 26 October 2013

Technology Hates Me!

And I am back...finally. Last Friday night saw my laptop adaptor/charger finally go to the big technology grave in the sky? earth? Anyways, long story or short story I guess - even shorter is I had to buy a completely new charger both power pack and plug. £70 later and I am back up and running. It was like losing a child (ok not really but you know where I am coming from). Actually I frequently refer to my laptop as my baby, so maybe I did sort of lose part of a child?!

...

And once again I should move on. As much as it grieved me (apparently I can't stop making death references) to pay the £70, it was necessary and I am apparently one of those people. Those people who spend twenty-four hours on their computers. Honestly I didn't realise how much I used the thing! I had to completely say goodbye to Blogger, as it just wouldn't let me write a post at Uni due to some unknown errors.

The thing I am struggling with is where to start? How do I catch up on so many missed blog posts? I am sure I will have figured it out by the time the weekend is up.

Have a great weekend and I'll probably see speak to you tomorrow for a post!

xoThanks for Readingxo

Wednesday 16 October 2013

My Tuesday Eats

Going to keep it short and sweet today. I am probably in class as this baby goes up, so lets get cracka-lacking! Thanks to Jenn for Hosting as always : D You're a star!

It was a full-banana before I devoured it.

Greek Yoghurt, Sliced Almonds, Honey.

Crackers, Cheese, and a Pear.

Leek and Potato Homemade Soup.

Half of One of these Bars - Pralines are so good.

A Mixture in a Bowl - Cereal, Greek Yoghurt, Sliced Almonds, and Honey.

Another shot of an half-eaten banana that was full before I took a bite.
Why does my skin look weird in this photo?!

So apparently I had a day of eating white/yellow and green things. Not necessarily a bad thing, but definitely not the most colourful!

xoThanks for Readingxo

Tuesday 15 October 2013

Via The Camera Roll

I thought I'd do a 'Via the camera roll' post today. I haven't really got the time to chit-chat away. Those kind of posts will now be posted on weekends, or days off. Which today is, but I need to get on with work and other necessary life things!

Anyways here's what I found when I flicked back through my phone. I went to The Times Cheltenham Literary Festival both on Saturday and Sunday last week. I enjoyed both and even managed to get one of my books signed by Helen Fielding on Saturday. It was so nice meeting her. It's a shame I haven't gone in the past to be honest. Oh well...you live and you learn.

Roll The Camera Roll

Forgot about this snap! Check out the terribly chipped nail polish.

 These mini-bars of chocolate are good to break in half and share if you want something sweet!

Home-made Apple Crumble

New Jacket.

My Face.

Great Seats Saturday Night!

The Queue to get something signed, and that's when we'd been there fifteen minutes or more!

Wasn't happy when this came through the post the other day :-(

New Outfit Alert! Loving those Shorts especially.

Naughty-Meal on Saturday. Didn't like the sauce it came with, definitely not my cup of tea!

How was your weekend? Any Events?

xoThanks for Readingxo

Saturday 12 October 2013

Where Have I Been?

Well, I can completely confirm (loving the alliteration), that the semester has begun. It began three weeks ago, but first week is just reassuring us, the students, what's going to be happening on each Module. They usually last an hour and we are released. And then we move on to week two, and the realisation of what the semester will be about finally begins to sink in. Then we have the third week, and BAM.

Oh yes, those caps are definitely in order. I will list write now everything that is going through my head, and unusually there are many questions. It's like I have finally woken up and realised this year education will end and then what?!

The many questions floating around my mind...

*What do I want to do?
*When and what should I be applying for?
*Should I be applying for Jobs or Internships or Work Experience?
*Should I try and cram some work experience or an internship into this academic year?
*Do I just apply for retail and basic jobs?
*Do I apply for everything?
*What should my C.V look like?
*What should my cover letter look like?
*Should I apply for part-time jobs this semester (even though I am exceptionally busy!)?

I think you get the point right?

But with realisation brings productivity, which I am thankful for. Sometimes in the past under pressure I freeze up and then have to make rushed decisions towards the end - so it's nice to at least be planning a little ahead and sorting out my options.

Hopefully when it comes to the end of the academic year, I have a plan of what I want to do, my next move in life and where I want to live. That would be lovely. I have always been someone who likes to know where I am going, and that will probably never change! Direction is key to success. With me anyways. I've known this for years, since I began high school really. So, that's what I have been doing in regards to Academia and Work related things. If I am honest all it looks like I've been doing is panicking, but productive panic is always favoured over straight up panic, am I right?

If you've glanced at the right-side bar, you will have noticed that my weight has gone down. It's basically four of the pounds I gained over Summer with two more pounds to go! But it's nice to see them go nevertheless.

But I have also took the step into joining the gym. We looked around the all ladies gym last Friday, and then on Tuesday we had an induction and a mini-stair climber fitness test. It wasn't too bad, but I've been going everyday since Tuesday and it feels great! It's so good to be working out again. I am by no means a gym bunny, but I love the gym. I may not be the most athletic, or the slimmest or the most toned. But I absolutely love the strength I get from going to the gym, and it has also helped me sort out some of my stomach issues - just in the sense of my eating schedule and the certain foods I want to eat after a workout etc. I mean you don't have to be the brightest bulb to know that going to the gym is a positive thing, but in the past my anxiety has stopped me from doing such things and definitely a year ago I wouldn't have been able to do this and for that I am proud.

I joined with my best friend, only for a month as tester. I don't think that she's going to join again when our month runs out, but I am enjoying it and will make my decision in a months time. I just keep thinking of the amount of money, but then I weigh up the benefits and I think they are completely worth it.

Here's some Photographic Catch-Up:

Blueberry and Blackberry Smoothie.

Study Time.

Study Time some more.

Oh and more Study Time.

Tasty Left-Overs.

Home-Made Apple Crumble.

New Faux-Leather Jacket.

Porridge with Blackberries, Almonds and Nutella.

Greek Yoghurt, Almond Flakes, Blackberries and Banana.

Honey and Tea Time.


Anyway, that's me. Let me know what's been going on with you lately. Anything important or worth a mention (no matter how big or how small!)

xoThanks for Readingxo

Sunday 6 October 2013

Lethargy, Food Diaries and Final Year

I've decided to give a photo food diary another go. I did it yesterday (Saturday), but then I thought about it and how am I going to comment on the food eaten? I am super terrible at keeping a food diary anyways and photographing my food is the easiest way.

So now I am in a predicament...

Does anybody else keep a food diary? Comment below how because I am really trying to keep this up, but it's so time consuming!

Anyways, here were yesterdays eats. Not the best they good be, but lately I have just felt so lethargic and especially on the days were I need to get a lot of reading done. I will read for a couple of hours and then break, either with a beverage or I take a YouTube break and catch up on the videos in my Watch Later list. I'm aware that I seriously need to start taking walks during these breaks and getting outside in the fresh air. But for the last couple of weeks there has been a day each week, either Sat or Sun, where I don't get out and I catch up on anything that I seem to be behind with.

That will change soon when I get back into the swing of this work load.

Also I kind-of had the munchies yesterday...so bad. My sleeping pattern was definitely off this weekend, because I ate late and went to bed really late!

I need to stop babbling, seriously this time and show you my eats.

 It was a full-banana.

My 'new' favourite cereal. Love this stuff. But now I am out. That's why I need to go out today and pick up  a few bits!

Just to point out. There was only a third of this left.

I was having this to tired me over (about 3pm) until we went for a meal later on about 9pm, but I got my nights mixed up and it turns out we weren't meant to be going to the Helen Fielding talk at The Cheltenham Literature Festival until next week. FAIL.

Gala Apple. I ended up throwing half if this away, it was powdery and not nice and I now have 3 more to eat!

Crackers and what was unpictured was some mature cheddar. Like I said it was a snacky day!

Porridge and Nutella, which is always a classic/favourite in my book.

Nutella on Wholewheat with a mini banana. Just what I was craving at half eleven after a glass of wine and couple of beers.


I must admit at the moment, even with my lethargy and illness, I am doing well to keep up. I am attending all my classes (minus one) and I am doing all the reading and more in preparation for my classes. I'm seriously hoping that it lasts. This semester, if not year, I am finding that I've become more determined as a person and I am really fighting for my future. This includes taking the best steps in that direction, and as always healthy living is a big part of that - even though I feel that of late my healthy living hasn't took top priority. But in my mind I am like 'how could it'. I leave the safety of academics a few months time and I want to find a way of earning a living, one that covers bills and so that's been my top priority as of late (everything that will go towards the end product of my Final Year).

But I do find myself starting to wonder what the scale says and also wanting to start exercising more again and make time to exercise. I did take a step to doing this by joining an all Ladies gym on Friday with my best friend. We signed up for a week, but after that I plan to try out swimming again and hopefully I will have brought my exercise videos back with me by that point. I thought I'll pay for a month (student budget), and then after that swimming! So I am still trying to attain a healthy lifestyle, even if it's not my top priority.

Admittedly, I do need to start eating better than I am. Mainly portion control and going for walks.

Anybody else on a new exercise adventure recently?

Food Diaries?


xoThanks for Readingxo

Friday 4 October 2013

Review: Turkey Bacon?

A few weeks ago I was shopping with my mom and spotted a packet of Wall's smokey bacon on offer. After I said I wouldn't mind tasting it, my mom told me to pick up a pack. Now I am a bacon fan. Not as much as my mom and sister, but I don't think most people are to be honest with you. Those two could eat it everyday and sometimes they have, as I have witnessed over summer. At one stage I was actually fed up with bacon!

Anyways, I decided to buy a pack and give it a go and after much uncertainty I dove into the packet. The mistake I made was thinking that the flavours of the bacon would go well with my usual bacon accompaniments which was not the case! When I have bacon, I generally tend to have a British Breakfast (Beans, Eggs, Mushrooms, Tomatoes etc) or maybe with bacon or even just on a sandwich. Nope. I definitely shouldn't have just gone for it.




I must admit I got sucked in by that last one. The 2% really reeled me in!

The flavour is, hmmm... interesting. I wasn't the biggest fan of the texture or taste to be honest and because I barely eat bacon I think for the future I will just eat "real" bacon in moderation instead. But if you can't eat 'real' pork bacon for any reason, this may be a good alternative.

Next Chicken Sausages I think. Anyone else tried Turkey Bacon or Chicken Sausages?

Let me know.

xoThanks for Readingxo

Wednesday 2 October 2013

Snacking, More Snacking and Pizza

Happy WIAW everyone :-D As always thanks to Jenn for hosting!

As the title suggests yesterday's eats consisted of snacking and then Pizza. Not the best eats I could have shown, but honesty is always the best policy, and it's not like we don't all have those days. In Tuesday's post (aka yesterday, god knows why I typed that), I mentioned that there would be pizza rearing it's tasty head and I am happy to report that there was.

And here's the glorious evidence. Sorry I'm not sorry, am I right?









I understand it's not the best meal I could have had by a mile. But sometimes in life you just have to indulge, and I have finally learnt that it's not always a bad thing.

Yesterday I had a dissertation meeting first thing in the morning, and then I had to go library to see a friend and print some work of. Bearing in mind I didn't get back until after 12 and by then I was ready for food. I basically inhaled some toast with margarine and strawberry jam (unpictured for the above reasons). Note to self: Always carry a snack! 

I had water with me luckily, but all I had eaten was cough sweets, since I was spluttering my guts up yesterday morning.

The day was spent productively, but the days I notice are also going fast. No! I am not ready, but I have the feeling that I will finish the degree, hand in my diss and still not feel ready in the slightest. I'll be honest though, it has just clicked that I need to be prepared and work needs to be done everyday, meaning no solid days off for me for a while.

Anyways...

So we went food shopping yesterday, and since I've been back since it's just a ten minute walk into town I have only been taking my car out once a week. And this has been working out well so far. That way it allows us to get some food shopping in at stores we need to travel to. But when I got back I was informed that Pizza O'clock was 6. Fine with me, but by 4pm I was in serious need of a snack - enter here the healthy and unhealthy-ish of snacks. For the second time yesterday I was once again inhaling my food! Which I know isn't good for my stomach, but neither is hunger right?


Thank goodness there was fruit somewhere in there right?


xoThanks for Readingxo

Tuesday 1 October 2013

It's A New Month: Goals, Past-Wallowing, and Pizza

It's October and I think it's time to get my bum back into gear. I have pretty much spent the past two months , (August in particular) procrastinating beyond belief.

I am still saying to myself 'but it was going so well' in my head, and really that should have stopped come September. I wallowed in my past achievements and recent failures as a human being and then I should really have got on with it. But no, the wallowing followed me into September, but that is where it ends. October should be a good month, certainly it's going to be a busy month, but I am hoping for a successful one.

Goals are going to be made weekly, depending on what I feel that I need to work on.

So Goals for the rest of the week are as follows:

* Make sure most snacks are fruit or veggies.

*Add as little sugar to drinks as possible. (Includes Flavours in coffee and Honey in Tea)

*Keep portions small.

Now yesterday was one of my house mates birthday, and so tonight she wants to celebrate with pizza from Dominoes. Admittedly though, after a night-out two weeks ago I had some pizza and it was so tasty. I have learned over the years to look forward to nights like those and not to resent them like I have done in the past. So tomorrow knowing full well that I will be partaking in pizza, I will just minimise tomorrows overall damage and be mindful of what I am putting in my mouth etc.

No biggy, just pizza!


*Recycled Photos

It's not like I haven't had it before and it's not like I won't have it again in the future.

Hmm...that picture makes me hungry, but since I am writing this yesterday and it's late - I need to stop drooling and get to bed. I am hoping the sleep fairies come to visit early tonight. Last night (by which I mean Sunday) was terrible because I was struggling to breathe, and if I can't breathe I can't sleep  - end of!

But I am armed with my Hall's (sadly out of soothers for my throat), and ready to get some rest since I am up early tomorrow for a lecture about my Dissertation, which is too important to miss and I am hoping quite useful!

                                         Halls Sugar Free Drops, Mountain Menthol, 25-Count Drops (Pack of 12) by Halls. $25.66. Sugar Free Cough Suppressant Drops Temporarily relieves a cough due to a cold.

Happy New Month guys, I hope the month treats you well :-D


How often do you make goals?

Has anyone tried making that cauliflower pizza base Pizza? I want to try it and I am looking for a good recipe.

xoThanks for Readingxo