Liebster Award

The really lovely Charley from notetocharley has nominated me for a Liebster Award! This is one of the ways to start to get to know some of the smaller blogs and people who run them. With one of my aims this year to try and blog more often this is a fantastic opportunity and I’m really grateful to Charley for the nomination! I’ll be listing some of my favourite small blogs at the end and I really cant recommend them enough. 

There are a few simple rules that you need to follow:

1. Mention the person who nominated you with a link in their blog

2. Answer the 11 questions provided by the person who nominated you

3. Nominate 11 other bloggers with less than 200 followers 

4. Create a new set of 11 questions for your nominees to answer 

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What are your ambitions for this year?

I think my biggest aim this year is to be more positive and enjoy my life again. After a long period of illness I need to learn how to be more independent again and to do this I need to go out with a positive outlook. I really want to try and make the most of any opportunities offered to me this year instead of hiding behind anxiety.

Where do you see your blog in 5 years time?

I hope it’s still going! I’ll be almost 29 by then so my life could dramatically change in that period. I’m hoping to perhaps start a more historical academic blog in the next few years as a job as a historian is my dream job. I hope that I’ll still have this blog for life and misc posts but who knows what the future holds! 

Sweet or savoury?

Toughie but I’ll have to go sweet. I’ve had a sweet tooth since I was young, though I’d usually rather have sweeties over chocolate. I’m a avid baker, mostly sweet goodies and although I really enjoy a packet of crisps with dips but my sweet tooth always wins eventually. 

What would you change about your life if you could alter one thing? 

Probably my health. I don’t want to say I never had a period of bad health as it’s taught me alot about life and myself and it’s been an important part of my growing into an adult in my mid-twenties. Yet, it would be helpful to have some good health now! 

What made you start blogging?

 Boredom and a want to share my experiences. I’ve been active on the internet on various sites for a decade now but most my blogs have about 4 posts then I get bored. I want to make more with this blog this time! I started this blog as I was lonely, as my illness has prevented my social life expanding and I live hours away from any friends. I’m hoping my social life will improve but also that I’ll have more adventures to share on the blog! 

Favourite blogger?

One of my favourite bloggers is Rebecca of theclotheshorse . I love her style, her appreciation of art and fashion and her general quirkiness. Plus her boyfriend lives in Northern Ireland so it’s been good to find new places I need to visit when I see Jonathan. 

What is your day job?

Currently I’m unemployed. I was last employed as a bar/kitchen supervisor at a well known pub chain in the UK but had to leave due to my deteriorating health. I’m now looking at getting back into work and have a few interviews lined up already! I’m not too bothered what I do currently, I just want to earn my money again. I have a few mixed ideas about my future so I want to just settle into working life before addressing my career. 

What other hobbies do you have other than your blog?

Alot?! Reading, crafting, sewing, baking, cooking, movie trivia, gaming, Magic the Gathering, reading historical articles and finding new artists. I like to keep myself occupied with a variety of activities so I don’t get too bored. 

Favourite song?

This is a horrible question. I can only just about choose my favourite band, Death Cab For Cutie! I think my favourite song at the moment is Say Lou Lou - Better in the Dark. It’s suiting my dreamy kind of mood but with a beat to dance too. It’s free for itunes members in the Uk (not sure about US). I’m looking forward to their album release!

Describe yourself in 5 words.

Bookworm, dreamy, quirky, idealistic, overthinker.

Link your favourite blog post. 

This post by Elizabeth of Delightfully-Tacky really spoke to me. I get very anxious in situations and I find myself being overly negative alot, something I’m working on. This post made me feel like I’m not the only one who feels bad sometimes and that we can overcome it, in fact the voices can push us into greater things by making us want to prove them wrong. 

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My Nominated blogs.

Note: I only follow five blogs currently with less than 200 followers who are still active. Annie has over 200 followers but only just so she gets included.

Emily of a fickle fox

Emma of Emmas looking glass

Eve of Eve Babar

Kate of No Fluffy Slippers

Emily of Paint, Walk

Annie of Three Little Buho's 

My questions are:

1. If you could have one super power what would it be?

2. Three places you would like to visit?

3. Favourite animal?

4. Favourite period of history?

5. Top 3 authors.

6. Most and least favourite foods?

7. What colour do you like wearing the most?

8. What is your dream career?

9. Have any pets?

10. Favourite places to shop?

11. Favourite meal of the day?

Life Thoughts

My hairs getting so long!

Delightfully Tacky, one of my favourite bloggers often does this little post every few months about where she is in life and whats been inspiring her and I’d really like to incorporate it into this blog (I did use some of her headers as a template so I hope she doesn’t mind!). After finally recovering from the horrible few illnesses I’ve had since the new year I finally have that ‘new year new me’ feeling going and want to share some of my thoughts and ideas for the next few months. 

Reading Han’s Fallada’s ‘Alone In Berlin’. I’ve had this book sat on my bookshelf since its release in 2009, captivated by the synopsis on the back I bought it as part of Waterstones 3 for 2 deal in a vain effort during university to have casual reading for pleasure. Needless to say my Mum then picked it up when she visited once to read while I was bogged down in 16th century gender politics. After finishing it she told me, though she enjoyed it she found it really hard and slow to get into and admitted struggling to finish it at times. When I finally had time to read again after the review from my Mum this book was sadly pushed to the back of the pile and forgot about. With my book collection getting a little out of control a few weeks ago I decided to sort my books and pile the ones that were unread next to my bed with a determination to work through them before buying many more books. This little book appeared again. With alot more time to read I decided it was time to tackle it and I’ve found myself pleasantly surprised. Compared with my Mum’s struggle I’ve managed to engross myself into the world of Berlin during the second world war. The descriptions, the range of characters and the swelling plot line all have my full attention, even after only 100 pages! I’m really excited to finish this story now, especially as it is based on true facts. When I do finish I’ll defiantly be posting a review on my goodreads! (link in top bar).

Watching CSI. I picked up season 1 (which I’ve watched a million times) for £4.50 in CeX before I left Northern Ireland needing a show to occupy me until Grey’s Anatomy returns at the end of February! Already knowing I enjoy CSI as an avid crime and forensics fan in literature and tv this was an easy decision. I find the show easy to put on while I’m doing something else so while I’m avidly applying for jobs I’m still entertained from the monotonous typing of my details over and over. I’m currently on season 2 which I’m hoping to finish before I travel to Northern Ireland again next week. 

Still need to fill my pokedex though..

Playing Animal Crossing New Leaf. Jonathan bought me a Nintendo 3ds XL for Christmas with animal crossing and pokemon x, I finished pokemon x and the copy of Professor Layton and Pandora’s Box I bought so I’m occupying myself with Animal Crossing. I love this game cos I can play as much or as little as I want and I just adore anything cute. Doesn’t use too many brain cells either so I find it almost relaxing. I want to get some more Professor Layton games and some Ace Attorney games as I love puzzles and Ace Attorney is meant to be hilarious. 

Listening to Interpol. In a total splurge I bought myself tickets to see Interpol as part of the NME awards show in Birmingham. On the 25th March I’ll be finally able to see a band I’ve wanted to see since I found them 9 years ago! I’m really excited and I’ve been told the support acts are also worth a listen but for now my ear drums are loving the post punk vibrations. 

I love this guy, and I love our adventures.

Planning a road trip across Northern England with Jonathan in early April. At a Belfast Giants game over the Christmas period he won their ‘chuck a puck’ game and therefore won a free ferry crossing with Stena Line ferries to either England or Scotland. The Elite Ice Hockey League Playoff’s are played in Nottingham and we decided to make our way over there but turn it into a road trip. We’re planning to visit York, a city I’ve been desperate to visit for a very long time and make a loop across the North of England before returning home. At the moment we’re still planning times and hotels so that Jonathan doesn’t have to drive much. We’ve decided this will be our holiday this year and I’m really excited to spend some time with the guy I love and visit some amazing places. 

Florence has been causing no end to mischief!

Proud of being a vegan for over a year now. Ask me a few years back and I would have laughed at the idea of me giving up cheese and eggs but look at me now! I still get the odd craving for them but then I remember why I choose to do this. The last year I’ve seen some positive health changes and I feel more comfortable with myself morally. I think the first year was going to be the hardest and now I’m more clued in I’m looking forward to spending the rest of my life on a plant based diet and advocating why we don’t need leather or wool. 

Shopping for Interview/Office Wear.

Preparing for my return to work. It’s been a year and half since I had to leave my last place of employment and over two years since I first began to suffer with a neurological disorder (functional and dissociative neurological disorder). I’ve spent alot of that time working with my neurologist, neuro physiotherapist and my gp to get back to this stage that I feel well and in control of my symptoms enough to work again. I’m very anxious about this process but I know it needs to be done and I’m pleased to have been able to apply for several suitable jobs without letting my worries overwhelm me. It won’t be an easy time but it has to be done and I’m eager to learn some new skills and meet some new people. 

My niece, Phoebe, likes telling the teddies and everyone else stories and having tea parties.

Perplexed about my future and what to do with myself. When I was a child I was always changing my mind about what I wanted to be when I was older. I tended to flit between wanting to teach or being an paleontologist. Now I’m older, and realised I wouldn’t enjoy teaching, I got my BA degree in History and Philosophy and thought I had my life planned heading for a career in heritage and the museum business. I was then tempted to incorporate historical research into my career and progress to a masters degree in late medieval/early modern history.  That was until a few months ago when looking through adult learning courses I saw a course to become a Veterinary Nurse. I’ve always been an animal lover, and always had pets around me, and I think a part of me has always wanted to work with animals so is this the way I should go? I made a quick plan before then finding my dissertation in a hidden computer folder. It flared my love of history and research so now I’ve been left a bit confused again. I’m always going to be an indecisive person, my flare and the thrill I get from research and learning new things will always push me into other disciplines. I doubt I’ll stay in the same career my whole life but for now I think I just need to focus on getting a job of any kind and then really spend some time thinking about my future. If it’s one thing I’ve learnt in the last two years is that it’s ok to be patient and take things slowly and that’s an important lesson to learn for someone who regularly panics about where their life has put them temporarily. 

These little girls keep me sane.

All pictures are from my instagram, link in top bar.