Project Everest

Photo a day challenge: February 2012

2012-01-31T01:00:00.000Z

I've thoroughly enjoyed taking part in the photo a day challenge that I found over at FatMumSlim's blog. It seems that lots of other people have too because there's now a February one! Yay. And she's going to be doing it every month. Can't wait to see my year in photos, all 366 of them.

Here is the February edition. Join us!

Also, if you want to see the results of my January photoset head over to my Flickr page to see them. Pretty neat.

Angela x

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Is Facebook really ripping families apart?

2012-01-29T12:10:00.001Z

I never read a physical newspaper these days. I never buy a magazine either. They're probably about 87.6% adverts anyway. I get all my news updates online. But this headline met me when I came into the living room this morning.

How silly is it? It totally got me riled. These kinds of headlines really annoy on me. Like that little bit of skin on the roof of your mouth that would go away, if only you could stop tonguing it. I haven't read the story except the first page. That was enough.

"Social media site Facebook is wrecking marriages and harming family life". That is the first line. There are all sorts of wrong with it in my opinion. Let's see... Facebook isn't wrecking marriages. If your marriage/ relationship is rock solid no amount of social media site browsing is going to wreck it. However, if there is something missing in your relationship and its always been a bit rocky but you just won't admit it then Facebook and other social media/networking sites will make it easier for you to have that much sought after get out clause. They themselves will not wreck your relationship, you will. YOU WILL. You will go on there searching for something because of that missing piece in your life. You might see an old school boyfriend/girlfriend and start the "innocent flirting" thing. But that is you, not Facebook. "..harming family life". Hhmmm let me see. I've always thought 13 was too young for anyone to be on Facebook. For all sorts of reasons. Safety, loss of innocence, not savvy enough, loads more. But here parents should be more aware on behalf of their kids. Learn more about the security features in Facebook. Make sure they're set to the highest level, insist on having the password to the account (too far?), heck even friend your own son/daughter so as to keep an eye on them. Limit their time spent online even! That is a parents responsibility is it not. I think so, at least until the child is 16.

"Facebook Addiction Disorder". I mean what the actual fuck?! That's all anybody is needing. Another label for themselves. I wonder if you can go off sick from work with FAD... Seriously! Sure we all spend a lot more time on various sites, some of us blog, some of us read all the news articles we can, some of us do spend lots of time online the days but where does anyone get 35 hours a week to spend on Facebook. Actually, I take that back, we know many people can.

I think social networking sites get a hard time in stories produced with headlines like that. They are the facility but they are not the cause or reason for your failed marriage/relationship or your wrecked home life. Don't get me wrong, there are some people who openly flirt online, you see it LOTS on Twitter. They may label it "innocent flirting" but is flirting ever really that innocent? Think about the other person in that relationship... Maybe they have no idea that their other half is engaging online in the so called innocent flirting. I wouldn't like that, would you? There are some people who just do it for attention and have no intention of backing it up with any kind of action (for want of a better word). I have one particular person in timeline who is an outrageous flirt. Sends provocative tweets that are begging for a flirty response, then acts all innocent. The thing I can't get over is that the responses come in, lots, from people who we know are married! I mean, come on. That is not Twitter / Facebook making them do that, it's just making it easier for them to do it. They'd probably find another way to do it in an all-offline world too.

It's about time people took responsibility for their actions. Its all too easy to blame outside factors on our own faults and misdemeanors. If you meet an old school boyfriend/girlfriend on Facebook and start something and end up divorced, that's YOU. If you're openly innocently flirting and cause some strife in relationships, that's you. If you're spending all you're waking hours scouring Facebook, online etc, that's you and you need to stop, think, take ownership and do something about it. Don't blame everything else.

Angela x

I should probably add that this story is in today's Sunday Post newspaper. It doesn't really matter because there's probably another story in another paper along the same lines somewhere else.
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5 things on a Friday #4

2012-01-27T21:47:00.001Z

Another Friday. Another Friday five. It's been a helluva week but there were a few things that I liked about it.

On Wednesday I doubled up on my spin classes. The 5.45 velocity class and the 7pm RPM class. I thought I was going to be knackered but it was good. My legs felt a bit heavy afterward and ISS tucked up in bed by 10pm, although not sleeping then. A good night and it's going to become part of my routine from now on.
OBEM or One Born Every Minute. In case you don't know it's the programme on channel 4 about a labour ward. You get all sorts on the programme (normally two births per episode). It's a bit gory at parts and it really it's me off child birth but on Wednesday night there was the sweetest couple ever on it. The lady was called Trish. Trish had been knocked down by a car when she was 13 and the result was she ended up with some brain damage. It meant her speech is a bit impaired and she's in a wheelchair. But this hasn't stopped her. She met her husband at church choir and they told how it was love at first sight. She even asked him out! Brave girl. Anyway they weren't going to have children but decided they would try. So we have them in the labour ward. Honestly, they were the most loving couple I've ever seen on one of these programmes. Trish was being sweet to the nurses and they were crying, I was crying and people who were watching along and tweeting were crying. We all cried. "Don't cry" Trish told the midwife "I like you". Eventually after labour Trish gave birth to a lovey little girl whom they named Elizabeth. We all cried again I'm sure. Her husband was all the while doing everything for her and you could feel their strong bond through the tv, no joke. I thought to myself if I ever got that bond with a special person then I'd be extremely happy. At the end it showed you them at home. The husband would go back to work after 3 months leave and Trish would be getting some help in two days per week just to help with little Elizabeth. It was a beautiful story and I wish them all the love in the world. I also thought that if I worked for any baby brands out there I'd be sending them some things to help them along their journey. They send these sorts of things to celebs all the time so why not this awesome couple and their new baby girl. If anyone would happen to be reading this with some influence, go check this episode out and spread the love to this family. Brilliant. (I'm actually welling up typing this as they were so lovely).
Coriolanus. I went to see it last Sunday and it is a really awesome movie. A bit gruesome at parts but really brilliant. I loved that Gerard Butler was speaking in his own language too. I even got my head around the shakespearean talk. But the best part was the cameo by Jon Snow the newsreader. He was ace. I'd recommend this film to all. Highly. Ralph Fiennes directed as well but you could tell, there were loads of moody close ups (not that I'm complaining!). Go see if you haven't.
Clear out. I've been toying to clear out old clothes or clothes that don't fit me any more. I'm getting there, kinda. We all need to clear out our wardrobes every now and again, don't we.
Payday! Today that is. So glad. But I'm going to try to budget better and not buy any clothes this month. Hold me to this people. I need to clear out and not buy more. I don't need them for goodness sakes. I won't. I won't.

So there you have it. Friday Five #4. Hey go check out Whatleydude's post to see others taking part. Join us!

Angela x

iPhonography with Camera+

2012-01-25T13:33:00.003Z

As you know I'm a huge fan of Instagram, the app for iPhone that lets you capture moments and upload them straight away and share across your social networks. In all truth I'm just a big fan of iPhonography itself and if you ever get near my iPhone you'll discover 3 folders (which contain 16 apps) filled with lots of different photo apps. There's cameras, Adobe express, framing apps and generally anything to do with enhancing and taking pictures using the iPhone. On my home page, nestling in the corner beside Twitter and Instagram you'll find Camera+, another amazing iPhone app. It cost me 69p about 2 years ago and for 69p you get a whole bunch of iPhonography lushness. The app is produced by Tap Tap Tap and was given an overhaul last year. Introducing new filters, a better zoom and focus and for me it's just so easy to use. I currently have 200 photos saved in the app itself in the Lightbox, so good they are I can't bear to get rid of them once saved to the laptop.

In the app there are different camera settings such as...
SCENES - including clarity (love this one), portrait, scenery, auto, flash, fluorescent and more.
ADJUST - to rotate and flip the picture
CROP - to crop
FX EFFECTS - this is where you'll find 3 different folders. Color. Retro. Special, and another called Analogue that you have to pay for. Inside each folder there are 9 different filters. They are all great in their own way. A few of my favourites are vibrant, tail fins and Lo Fi, fashion and so emo.
BORDERS - are just that white, black, thick, thin, viewfinder, grit and the list goes on. All nice borders.

The camera has a stabilizer and burst setting. Admittedly I've not used that one that much but I'm getting there.
Lastly you have the Lightbox where all the photos you take are stored. You then have the option to save to the iPhone camera roll. Of course there is the option to share your pictures to your social networks (Twitter and Facebook), SMS, email and Flickr account.

Over on Mostly Lisa's blog (Lisa Bettany, co-creator of Camera+) I read a great post before Christmas about how to make the most of the app when capturing Christmas memories. Read it here. These are a couple of pictures I think I managed to capture quite well.

cute Santa ornament and tree

a little bokeh effect on the tree lights

And here are a few of my favourite photos I've captured on Camera +

before

after adding filter

Christmas present ceramic cupcake

before: no filter

after: Fashion filter

One of my all time favourite pictures. The detail on the droplets is amazing.

I love a cloudy sky picture

Again clouds, just before a summer rainstorm hit

And so if you really love iPhonography, my advice to you would be to go out and spend 69p on a fabulous app, Camera+. You won't regret it. You can see more of my photos on the Camera+ website HERE.

Angela x

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OPI Pink Friday - its all about the nails NOTD

2012-01-21T21:40:00.001Z

I just had to talk about my newest nail polish. OPI Pink Friday from the Nicki Minaj collection. It's the closest link you'll get to Bubbly chewing gums or strawberry Hubba Bubba. I added 3 coats on Thursday night and loved it straight away. It's a cream polish and you definitely need at least 2 coats. It had pretty smooth application but of course the OPI brush helps (these are my favourite brushes. Nice and wide).

I've tried to capture the exact colour in these iPhone pictures but you can't really can you. The polish looked diffent under different conditions. To get more accurate pictures you can head over to The Polishaholic blog. She has great photos amd descriptions. I've shown them with and without flash so you can sorta get an idea. Believe me, this will be a favourite on my nails in the coming months. For someone like me who has never have been a 'pink' girl this colour is awesome. As its part of a collection I'm not sure it'll be around for very long so grab yourself a bottle if you fancy it.

At the same time I also bought Save Me on the same collection. It's a silver glitter polish. The glitter is in little bars rather than hexes and they are almost holographic. You can see pink, green, blue, orange, yellow in differing light conditions. Fab.

Angela x

Friday Five #3

2012-01-20T21:42:00.001Z

Friday Five time again.

1 - midweek day off. I decided I would have a wee cheeky day off during the week. Had a long lie. Well, til about 8.45am. Noice.

2 - Lunch with Karlie. A good little catch up and plenty of chat.

3 - Today I was alerted to this TED Talks video. It's from French street artist JR, talking about his work and the projects he's been involved in. It's really inspiring and wonderful and I really want to take part in InsideOut Project. Go watch it the video now! and let's join this project.

4 - Another video. This time from work friend Andrew, a keen cyclist who's lost 7 stone in the post year. You think Danny MacAskill has skills, this fella has too. Such a laugh.

5 - My new nail polish. OPI Pink Friday from the Nicki Minaj collection. It's a proper bubblegum pink cream and is so awesome. I just love it!

Share your Friday Five then people?

Angela x

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Thursday thinking and Tuesday blues

2012-01-19T22:26:00.001Z

So much to think about just now. Haven't blogged for a few days. There'll be my usual Friday Five tomorrow. I have got a post lined up on another of my favourite photo apps, Camera+. I did have it set to go live last night then i noticed someone else done a post on the same thing so for now I'm holding it back.

I feel a bit bleurgh just now due to eating too much chocolate fudge and sweeties whilst sitting in the cinema for an hour on Tuesday night and not a film to be watched. Disaster. Well, maybe a bit annoying really. Booked tickets to an RBS Film First preview screening of Haywire. It was at the Odeon on Lothian Road in Edinburgh. I met Karlie for a lovely catch up lunch at Illegal Jacks, went for a wander around then headed to the cinema around 6.15. I handed over my ticket. He never checked it against my bank card, which they're supposed to do to make sure you are who you say you are. Anyway I headed in and it was screen 3, small screen which was already half full. I sat in the back row. I like to sit quite high up so I can see the screen properly through my glasses. Anyway, I opened my crisps and ate them. It was now full. I swigged on my juice. The lights went up. The lady told us due to demand that more people had turned up than they thought would and RBS generally over subscribe the screens in case no one turns up. I suppose it's a good idea in principle but in January when its cold and people have less money of course they're going to go along to a free cinema screening.

Anyway we moved into screen 2 which was much bigger and sat down. I opened my chocolate fudge ate a few pieces, then a few more. The music suddenly came on over the system. By now it was 6.45 and the film should have started. About 5 minutes later the lights came up and the lady came in again to say the film would be another 10 minutes (7pm) as it was taking time to load onto the servers. (Is this how they do films these days?)...

7.10 still no film. We were now onto All Saints greatest hits album over the speakers. People were getting tetchy. I saw a few people go out and then come back in. A lady told a few people what she'd been told and they got up put their jackets on and were leaving. Around this time i was tweeting and sending comments to the RBS facebook and twitter pages. Someone else who was in the same cinema was doing the same. A reply came via Facebook that they were trying to find out what was happening. After about another good 10 minutes I decided I was leaving. My plan was to watch the film and be out to catch the 8.38 train home to Stirling. If the film only started now I would be catching the 9.38 train and not getting home til gone 11pm. I decided to cut my losses and leave and a few others did too. It didn't really matter to me. I can see the film free on my Cineworld card but still, that wasn't the point. By the time i got out (with a free cinema ticket from the lady at the door, but no explanation) i decided to try and run to Haymarket. It was no use. I wouldn't make it so i double backed on myself and walked along a creepy empty Princes Street to Waverley. By now too my phone was completely dead. I had the iPad but its Wifi only. I arrived at Waverley with 40 minutes til my train was leaving - the 8.33pm. I managed to log onto The Cloud wifi - 15 minutes free. Then headed for the train. Good job i had my wee iPod to keep me company. I'd have looked like a right knob sitting with the iPad out listening to music haha.

That was a longer post than i'd planned. I bought more Haribo sour cherries tonight and have eaten half the packet already so you can imagine how bloated i feel. Spin class tomorrow though and i'm going to totally blast it. Friday night classes are my favourite. Oh and i'm double dipping on Wednesday. Two classes back to back from 5.45pm til about 8. Phew. My thighs will definitely look like Chris Hoy's at the end of this. Or maybe Cav's.

Angela x

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Inside my bag

2012-01-15T01:00:00.000Z

I'm still doing the 31 day photo challenge folks. If you want to see my pics, click on my Flickr page as I've been keeping them all there.

Anyway, yesterday's photo was Inside My Bag. I took the picture and thought I've got so much stuff in there and thought I'd share it with you to see if I'm the only person to carry two notebooks and lots of Sharpie marker pens?... No? just me then. OK here's a few pictures and at the end a short (long!) description of the contents of my bag. My work bag is a fuchsia pink The North Face Base Camp Messenger bag - I think it's a medium sized one (large enough for a laptop). I bought about 2 years ago in a sale for around £35. It's tough and keeps everything I (don't) need in place.

1 Moleskine 2012 diary
1 WH Smith academic year diary 2011-2012
1 Moleskine notebook
1 Petzl Tikka XP2 head torch
1 pair of iPod earphones
1 set of keys for the office and my desk
1 bottle of antibac gel
1 doodle book
1 Little Book of Confidence
1 silver Sharpie
1 pack of Extra chewing gum
1 iPad2
1 white Elemis make up bag containing:
       2 Moo.com sticker books of my photos
       1 Moo.com mini card holder with mini cards inside
       1 each of black, red, blue and green Sharpie fine pens
   1 each of pastel pink, blue, green and lilac Sharpie maker pens
       1 Mac Hue lipstick
       1 Mac Shy Girl lipstick
       1 Nars Lara sheer lip treatment balm
       1 Mac pocket mirror
       1 OPI avoplex oil for cuticles
       1 L'Occitane Shea butter hand cream
1 green purse from Topshop
1 packet of ibuprofen tablets
1 letter
2 payslips
1 bottle of Boots refreshing eye drops
1 charger and cable for iPhone

*you can get a larger picture of what's inside my bag by clicking on the picture above.

So, over to you now. What's inside your bag?

Angela x

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Friday Five #2

2012-01-13T00:30:00.000Z

Number two in the Friday Five series. You remember this from last week, right? Five things that made this week great. Og and we're always on a Friday.

1 - walking in the front door the other night and seeing these...

They just melted my heart. Ryan's first pair of football boots that Santa brought him.

2 - I gained some clarity on a thing (for want of a better word). It had been playing around in my head for a while. Relief, and a slight sense of smugness if i'm honest. Winkey face.

3 - this little blog of mine reached 20,000 views, whatever that means. I read it in the stats section behind the scenes. If you can tell me what that actually means i'd be eternally grateful. Thanks.

4 - got back in to spin classes. For a split second on Wednesday night I was ready to drive home but i never and decided i was gong to do a double class. But sadly the second class was full. Next week though, I'm going for it.

5 - the car had it's MOT on Monday. Two new tyres and two new number plates and it passed. Cost me £218 but hey it could've been worse. I was expecting worse (ever the optimist!).

Angela x

Oh wait, here's a bonus number 6. I got my new iPod delivered through the Apple replacement programme on the first generation iPod Nano's. My wee skinny white Nano was engraved on the back but they sent me a little silver square Nano (current model). It's tiny. X
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Anti-socially too social?

2012-01-12T11:44:00.002Z

I think we are. This is something I've been thinking about for a while. These days we're all connected in approx. 7.3 kinds of different ways. That's not scientific, just my own conclusions. We're on Twitter, Facebook, Foursquare, Pinterest, Path, Flickr, Instagram... the list could go on. But yet we're all a bit anti social aren't we?

Admit it. When was the last time you actually wrote on someones Facebook wall? You actually took the time to go to their page and write on their wall. When was the last time you tweeted someone (that wasn't an @ reply) just to say how the hell are you? We're all guilty of this. Being socially anti-social.

Is it to do with the overload of information available? I mean we can all see from Facebook if our "friends" are adventuring/having fun/getting married/engaged/announced a pregnancy/been on a date/got dumped.... It's like we're immune to them now. Endless status updates provide these little insights. But in reality they're only a tiny window into someones life.

There was a story (true) of a guy on Twitter who had over 100,00 followers and indeed he followed about the same amount. I always found that bit daft, i mean you can't really keep up with that many people in 140 characters. It must just look like a constant stream of social noise. You can't really be forming any sort of relationship with them all, some yes but certainly not all. Anyway this guy was seen as a bubbly figure, a nice guy, a guy who outwardly it appeared didn't seem to have any troubles. And yet he did, sadly. But how many of his 100,000 or so followers actually noticed or took the time just to send that one tweet (that isn't an @ reply remember) to say how the heck are you? Believe me it can make all the difference.

I'm currently sitting at around 41,000 tweets. I used to feel ashamed by that but I figured at least I'm actually talking to people, getting to know them, forming some sort of relationship. I try to reply to everyone's @ replies too. (Don't you just hate it when people don't reply?). Because to me this is the way that I'm social - I don't get out much. It has brought me some great offline banter too. You could very well do yourself a favour if you work for a brand and actually spoke to people - Engagement Currency? Sometimes a simple little tweet of acknowledgement would suffice.

I suppose what I'm trying to say is that we all get too caught up with being on the latest new social play thing that we're there all present and correct, yes, but are we really listening and taking notice of people we are supposed to call friends (or indeed we are trying to sell our clients' product too. Think about that). Don't get caught up in the numbers game. Having been on Facebook for four years I've only just hit 100 'friends' and there's even some people on there I'm thinking of taking off. Having forty squillion (or at least a few hundred) followers on Twitter is nothing if you're not actually having any dialogue with them and by dialogue I mean actual conversations, not you tweeting out the link to the latest cat video or blog post or... well, whatever. Those snippets are all well and good but if you aren't actually (and I'm going to have to use that word that I hate) ENGAGING (cringe) with people, then what's that actual point?

So, go, tweet someone you haven't for a while, if only to say hello. Write on their wall. Comment on their check in at the local sandwich shop. Smile at their Path. Write them a letter. Before it's too late...

Angela x

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"I'm ok" "are you sure?"

2012-01-09T22:17:00.001Z

It's funny, Christmas is a joyful happy time of the year. A time when you take a break and get together with your family and close friends. It's also a time of new beginnings what with new year and all that. People make resolutions that are never kept. People write lists that are stuffed in notebooks and probably never read again.

News flash. I do like Christmas. I love it in fact. I like what its meant to be, I like the joy it can bring but more often than not what it actually brings to me is strange feelings of complete and utter loneliness. And don't even talk to me about New Year. Oft. I could actually crawl off the face of the earth at new year.

I get really down when I think of people sharing this special season with friends and loved ones and stuff. And yet still some of them seem to moan. They don't realise how lucky they are. Don't get me wrong, I do spend it with family. And that's good and all but I crave the company of peers, people my own age doing fun stuff.

............................

Wandering down a wind blown street yesterday I was thinking how I don't really have someone who I can confide in, I mean *really* confide in. I've probably not had a best friend since I left high school. There's no one I can share my news with - good or bad. Or to tell my inner most thoughts, fears and dreams to. Or someone to know that i need a hug from them at the end of a day. I have a few trusted people but they seem to stay way too far away to want to sit and have a chat with about this stuff. And so you dear readers are getting it, warts n all.
..............................

A few days pass and then you go back to work and you get the dreaded question "did you have a good Christmas?". And what kind of freaking monster would I look like if I turned around and said "actually no, it was ok but I felt so low that I just wanted to curl up on the bed and weep".

OR did you do anything for new year? Yes, I slept through the bells and on new years day I went to the cinema to escape the party that was going on in my house.

Yeah. That would make me really popular.

So the next time you ask someone if they had a good time. And they reply "it was ok" and that's their only words. It probably means that it wasn't ok and you should probably ask "are you sure?".

By the time the third of January arrives I feel a heaving sense of relief and a wonderful calm comes over me. Plus we had macaroni cheese for dinner.

Comfort.

Breathe.

I wouldn't have had the courage to publish this post if I hadn't read these honest accounts of Christmas from Ryan, Luca and Miss NoSweetNothings. Good blogs.

Now?

Now I'm loving the ever lighter nights and looking forward to my birthday. It's soon. Then it's summer...

Angela x

Five Things I Liked This Week #1 - 6 January 2012

2012-01-06T18:18:00.000Z

As a follow up to my Five Things post last week, here's the start of a weekly Five Things series.

1 - Christmas presents...

...from friends you've met on Twitter. A lovely little surprise waiting on me when I got in from work on my first day back. Was it timed that way? Not sure but it was a welcome little addition to a not too bad day at all. The contents were even better and the kind of presents I wish my family thought about buying me. Just my thing indeed.

2 - Extra day off work

Not an extra day to me but it seemed to be one day longer than most people had off. That was good. I spent it with mum and the nephews. One was grumpy so me and Ryan spent about hour or so watching Fireman Sam on the iPad and then he tried his hand at tweeting. Not technically old enough for a Twitter account (being 5), but he soon got the hang of it. He even remembered the little search magnifying glass icon from YouTube. "that's what we press then type in Fireman Sam isn't it Angie?". Proud. He didn't tweet much wisdom, instead he chose to type words of things lying around. Irn bru. Phone. Calculator. Wee cutie.

3 - Songs that transport you
Zane Lowe has been on the Radio 1 breakfast show this week and he does a feature called Zane versus... On the morning I was up early to go to a spin class (Wednesday), it was Zane versus Matt Smith aka Dr Who. The first song the Doctor chose was ERASURE - A Little Respect.

Oh my god it just transported me back to happy places. If i hadn't been driving the car i'd have been jiving around my room. However, i find that car-seat-dancing is the new dancing around your room. Try it. Carefully though.

4 - A Two Day working week
ah those extra little holidays mean that this week i've worked just Thursday and Friday. Bliss. It's been quiet so got things done. But also, i'd rather have these two little days back than try to haul myself out of bed on Monday morning after two weeks off. That would be hard. Praise be to small little victories like this.

5 - Sherlock Holmes: a game of shadows and The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo

I can't tell you how much i was looking forward to seeing Sherlock Holmes. I saw the first film two years ago on New Years Day sat in a late showing at my local cinema. Me, alone, and about 7 other couples. Cringe. But i liked it a lot. The chemistry between Holmes and Watson was fab and it didn't disappoint in this new one either. Honestly, from the first scene i was grinning like a loon at the screen. It's witty, clever and RDJr is just ace. Jude Law does help too. Also there were a few surprise appearances from actors I didn't know were in it. That was a nice addition to my viewing.

I was looking forward to The Girl WTDT ever since i saw a sneak peak of the trailer a few months back. I'm not a huge fan of Daniel Craig (I've never seen the Bond films he's in), although I did like him in Layercake. But I was willing to give it a go. I watched the original version of the film on a pixelated laptop screen via the LoveFilm website at the beginning of last year. It was good. Very dark and gritty and gruesome at certain parts. I wondered if 'hollywood' could capture that. My verdict is a big fat YES. It's just as dark and gruesome but with a Hollywood sheen over it. Rooney Mara is good and I almost forgot about the original girl. Daniel Craig is blooming marvellous as Mikael. There's even a cameo from Jim Robinson off of Neighbours (he pops up everywhere). It's long at over 2 hours but honestly I didn't really notice the time. It would be too obvious to say it has a bit of the look of Seven to it since Fincher directs here too but I thoroughly enjoyed it and warmed to Daniel Craig more than I thought I would. I would even say i like him now.

I hope they're doing the full series, it would be wrong not to. Can anyone confirm?

One week. Five things. Lots of smiles.
What are yours?

Angela x
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Blog Sale: Make Up (updated 24 Jan)

2012-01-05T13:30:00.000Z

Hello
UPDATE 24 Jan: I really want to get rid of the few bits below so i've lowered some prices. Have a look! :)

So, I don't normally do this but i'm going to use my blog to sell a few bits and bobs of make up that I don't use any more. They're listed below with as good a picture (or two) as i could take. I did consider using eBay but the rules say that any make up should be brand new and some of these items have been swatched only once.

Blog sale rules:

I only accept PayPal
UK shipping only. Postage will cost £1.50 for each item (or if you buy more than one item i'll take £2.50).
No returns or exchanges. I've tried to take pictures to show as best i can how much has been used. I'll indicate where items are brand new.
I've added links to the websites of the products so you can see the colour or the texture of the products.
Not responsible for damages or lost in posting, but i will package up as best i can with bubble wrap/padded envelopes etc.
First come, first served basis. 24 hours to pay.
Leave a comment below and let me know which items you want, along with your paypal email address.
Happy Shopping!!

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Inlight 100% organic daily facial oil, 30ml
Brand new in box. Sells for £25 on the Inlight website.
PRICE: was £10 now £8
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Illamasqua Pure Pigment in shade Marvel.
A yellow golden colour (no longer available).
Brand new in box. Sells for £17.50.
PRICE: was £8.50 now £5
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tried to show the light one swatch usage in this picture

Illamasqua Cream Eye Shadow in shade Touch.
A light beige cream colour.
Lightly swatched once. Sells for £15.50.
PRICE: was £5 now £2.50
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Bare Minerals SPF15 foundation in shade Light. 8g size tub (this is a full size jar).
Brand new. Sells for £23
PRICE: was £12.50 now £10
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Bare Minerals Well Rested for eyes.
A neutral light beige colour. Great for using as a base to even out eye lid colour.
Brand new. Size 0.57g.
0.85g jar sells for £19
~~PRICE: £6~~ NOW SOLD
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Bare Minerals all over face colour in Warmth.
This is a dark bronze colour for all over the face. It looks dark in the jar but a little goes a long way.
Used 3 times but still over 95% full jar. Size 0.57g jar.
2g jar sells for £19
PRICE: £3.50
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Christian Dior backstage cream eye shadow jar 6g.
Shade 002, white light disco. white shade with shimmer. (a few years old).
Lightly used 3 times, still over 90% full.
Sells for £18
PRICE: was £3.50 now £1.50
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Nail polishes - selling as a 3 pack
Barry M in Pink Flamingo.
Used twice.

Models Own in Feeling Blue.
Swatched on one nail.

OPI in I Do! I Do! (white cream, 3 coats will be opaque).
Used twice.

PRICE for 3 bottles: £4
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Bobbi Brown Long Wear Gel Eye Liner, 3g jar. (comes in box)
Shade: Ivy Shimmer Ink - 14. A deep emerald green.
Used once.
3g jar sells for £16.50
~~PRICE: £10~~ NOW SOLD
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Bobbi Brown Long Wear Gel Eye Liner, 3g jar. (comes in box)
Shade: Violet Ink - 4. A violet purple.
Used once.
3g jar sells for £16.50
PRICE: £10
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Happy shopping. Any questions about the products, just leave me a comment below.

Angela
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Top Picks from 2011

2012-01-03T22:28:00.001Z

Since 2011 is over i thought i'd take a loot back and list a few things that i absolutely loved from then. Yes, it's another list and no, i'm not sure how long this list is going to be. And yes, it will be a bit picture heavy too.

So...
* iPhone 3GS and iPhone 4S.
Literally could not live without my phone now. Not for the reason we usually have a phone (to call people) because no one EVER phones me on it. Although i did get a nice surprise phone call the other day from someone who was just about to jet off on holiday. That was particularly nice. No, i use it mostly for the internets. The usual Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Words with fricking Friends. Frankly i could not live without a phone. End of. My trusty 3GS saw me through two years without so much as a slight glitch. The quality of the 4S is more superior and aside from the stupid data usage scandal(!), i actually do LOVE it. That is no exaggeration. I can hear folk groaning at reading this but hey, we all have our things we love don't we.

* Instagram.
I know some folk have only just cottoned on to Instagram [you know the type. The social media luvvies who always seem to be 3 weeks behind on the latest thing! Would you trust anything you read from them?.. No, me neither]. Anyway, some folk have only just cottoned on to the fact that Instagram deserves it's title as App of the year on iTunes (probably the only reason they cottoned on to it). I was an early adopter having posted my first photo on 15th October 2010. And i know this because I got this cool little badge from Statigram (that i run alongside Instagram). It's full of cool stats about your Instagram stream.

What I love about Instagram is that you can see a shot, take the shot, enhance it with a filter if you want and upload the photo and share to the web all within a matter of a few minutes. Seconds even but i'll stick with minutes. The filters are basic and cool, there's enough for now. There's a great community feel. I follow Instagrammers from all over the world. I love seeing photos and lives from the perspectives of these people. It's grand. Take a look.

* blogs.
I've discovered loads of new blogs this year and i'm going to list them below. A list within a list. These have been keeping me entertained all year. Thank you Bloggers!
Vivianna Does Make Up - the clue is in the title. Fab young beauty blogger.
RocknRoll Bride - Kat does a fantastic blog about alternatives to the 'big white wedding' every girl is supposed to dream of. Frankly, id rather my wedding day be like one of those featured here. Fab Fab Fab.
The Daybook - lovely lovely Sidney shows us fashion a shares stories from her life with husband Tyson and new baby Ever. Such a lovely family.
Whatleydude - Whatleydude's happy place. Discovered this one back in April/May time, I think. Love the variety of posts. Some days there's the writings from his Moleskine's. Other days there's three lines of words. Always interesting and sometimes cryptic. But always a joy to read.
Pacing The Panic Room - ok, this is a cheat. I've followed this blog from Ryan Marshall for years. It's so incredibly fabulous i just can't describe it. It's honest and candid and the family are just the cutest. It's the ups and downs and he shares a lot of it right there on the page. He and Cole are also massive Instagrammers too. Hearts.
Miss Smidge - LOVE THIS BLOG. Honest, great writing. Fab recipes. Real stories from the life and times of the writer. Miss Smidge also loves shoes, which makes me happy.

* Elemis skin nourishing body lotion
does exactly what it says on the bottle. I have dry skin all over really, except my tummy, i have a really nice smooth flat tummy. But anyway this lotion sorts my dry patches out and smells lovely and clean. Like a new born baby. It's a bit on the pricey side but i'm on my second bottle from a set i got for Christmas last year and hopefully it'll last until my birthday when i might get another bottle?! someone?

* Converse trainers
Except they're not really training shoes are they. They're the comfiest guttie i've ever worn. My purple 2009 affairs were heading on their way out. The sides have started to split and the purple was feeling a little old so i decided it was time for another pair. A RED pair. I love them. Except i made the mistake of wearing them with new dark indigo and black jeans a few times and now they have that annoying faded mark on them from the colour rubbing. Grrr... Oh well, this means i can buy another pair when we're heading into spring / summer. There's bound to be a nice bright colour i can get.

* Cineworld cinema card
I've now had my card for exactly 1 year and it's been a godsend. I've seen more movies than i ever would have if i didn't have that card. Let's face it, the cinema isn't cheap so £15 a month isn't too bad. If you go to 3 movies per month you're already saving money. Oh and i only did popcorn once. Never again. it was like eating the most tasteless balls of rolled up cardboard, and that was the sweet flavoured one too. No, my munchies of choice were salt and vinegar crisps and a bag of sliced apple. Oh and a wee bottle of Irn Bru of course. Anyway, i'd recommend the card if you can afford it and like going to the cinema. Some favourite films were The Hangover Part II, Drive, Blue Valentine and 50/50. Not sure if i want to see The Iron Lady though....

* nail polish
I was never ever really into nail polish. You'd never catch me wearing scarlet red nails... until this year. In particular, the summer gone. I suddenly become more than just a pale Rimmel French ivory girl and ventured into yellow Mimosa from Chanel, bright pink strawberry margarita from OPI and even Rainbow collection glitter top coat too.

It's fun and certainly can brighten up your day when you've got nice nails. It depends what mood i'm in too. Some days i'm all about the nudes, others the reds and lately i've even headed towards the nearly blacks. Brave of me. But i'm not buying any more. I bought some more from a great eBay shop (US) which sells all the top brands (OPI, Essie, China Glaze) much cheaper and they were delivered within a week. They're at least 50% cheaper than here and that includes delivery. Pretty good but i have to stop. As you can see there's not many colours i don't have. Oops.

Anyway that's all for now i think folks. What were your top picks from 2011?

Angela x

.

Photo a day challenge: January 2012

2012-01-03T00:30:00.000Z

Yes. That's right. I'm going to do one of those photo challenges as mentioned in the title. Simply because I love taking pictures. I may not be a photographer with all the equipment but I have an iPhone and a digital camera and that'll do me nicely. We all know i post loads of photos everywhere.

The challenge is over on Fatmumslim blog. See all the details here.What I'll do is post my daily photo on Twitter, Instagram, with Camera+, on Google+ but I'm going to collate them in a set in my Flickr account. See the wee box on the right hand side of this blog. The hash tag to be used is #JANphotoaday so that everyone who's taking part can see.And now for the challenge.
Listed below.

photo credit: fatmumslim.com.au

Hit that link above to Fatmumslim blog and you'll see more details.

Hope you enjoy.

Angela x
.

Happy New Year: 2012

2012-01-02T14:44:00.001Z

Happy New Year. 2012. So much is going to be happening in the world this year. The Olympics for one. I can remember when it was announced that the Olympics were to be held in London, back then 2012 seemed so far away. And now it's not. It's here.

Time has flown. I'm still pretty much in the same place as I was back the when that announcement was made (2007?) if I'm honest. But i didn't have the hunger and vitality that I have now, she says as she sits on the bed in the fading light still in her jammies at nearly three o'clock in the afternoon.

I don't know why I think this year will be different. I'm no fortune teller or future see-er(?). But it's that feeling. You know the one I'm sure. Perhaps it's the company you keep or the people you surround yourself with. Sometimes you just gotta clear everything or everyone out that is not on the same mindset as you or who, frankly, never contact you EVER, and you gotta let the good times roll.

Fuck. Is this me being optimistic about the forthcoming year? I nearly fell off the bed there. Talking of which. I read a post the other night by Whatleydude (i think it was actually from a few months ago). I was about not being able to sleep because of distractions in the bedroom. No. Not like that! TV, sitting on the bed to watch tv, to read a book, to just hang out, when actually your bedroom should be your sanctuary. A place where you can find sanctuary and sleep. I suppose i should get off this bed and sit on the chair to type out a blog post, shouldn't I?

My bedroom is my sanctuary. It's where I have all my stuff. Still living at home with mum and dad means this is the place where I do come to find solace and seek peace when the house is bustling (like it has been for the past two days). Only now have people left again after new years visits. So you see, when I sit here on my bed, typing away at this blog post, I am relaxed. I could go to sleep [although I have a rule that I never sleep during the day. I just can't anyway. Think of all the things you're missing out on when you're sleeping during the day. Shudder].

But back to my point. The room does need a tidy. There's still Christmas bags lying around with presents I'm going to regift as they'll be useless to me. Plus, it's time to get myself in order for 2012. Starting with a clear out. Clothes I don't wear or are too big fr me now, stuff I don't need but yet somehow it manages to edge it's way into my sanctuary. Is time. It's 2012. It's all systems go.

Angela x

The people of 2011

2011-12-31T20:36:00.001Z

As a new year draws closer I wanted to .... pay tribute?.... no. Recognise. I wanted to recognise and acknowledge the people who have listened to me, chatted to me, laughed with me, given me wise words, cooked for me, taken me places, watched movies with me and have made me smile in 2011. I thank you all and hope there's more of the same in 2012.

Laura Woods. A wonderful lady and I'm lucky enough to now call her a friend. So glad to meet her, twice, in 2011.
Linda. My colleague and friend. Baby Kai's mummy is her new name. I've certainly missed our random and funny conversations a work. Hurry up and come back!

Neil Fox. What can i say. Inspiring is what I'll settle for just now. A great great man destined for many great things. My friend Neil.
Karlie MacGregor. Lovely lovely lady who I've got to know the past few months and I'm glad she has appeared in my life. Always there with the right words and girly chat. Oh and a fellow email chatter, which I love. Hey Laura, another one!

Jonny Rose. Smiley Jonny Rose. He had me at tweeting me a picture of an array of ice cream tubs from his freezer when I couldn't find Ben n Jerry's Fairly Nuts anywhere!! Ya little scamp!

Adam Morland. One of the good guys and with two gorgeous boys too. Solid.

Matthew Smith. Otherwise known (to me) as the guy who works on xfactor but has absolutely no influence on the final votes whatsoever. So he tells. He also let's me win at Words with Friends. Good lad.

Ian Daniels. The Surf Punk. Lovely, kind, generous, sings a mean Beyonce, drives too fast, first in the great Mac'n'Cheese off of 2011! Watch out, Ian, I will regain that title in the grudge match of 2012.

Adam Lannon. The next James Bond or at least Colin Firth. Keep an eye on this guy. He's got stars in his eyes.
Rob Green. Not been around much lately. He calls it 'being a grown up'. But he was there a few months back when I needed some things sorted from a guys perspective. Good man.

The two elves. Simon and Fraser. Finally me them a few weeks ago and I can confirm they're really lovely guys. Who won though?... :)

Photo credit: Simon's phone. I added the effects! hehe...

Sir Chris Hoy and Chris Sacca. The former tweeted me once, the latter tweeted me a few times and favourites some of my tweets! YO. And both those things make me smile.

Pyllon. A rock steady friend and always there. Always. A true gent and brilliant inspiration. He has a busy few years coming up I believe and I know he's gonna do great.
Mr Geoff. Idle Bull. Hadn't had a Milkybar in years til 'Santa' (me) brought him some the other week. Lucky fella.
Craig Zielinski. Lovely Zee. He's not around Twitter as much but these days but good to know he's still there. Somewhere.

Miss Smidge. That's not her real name but i'm not sure her real name is anywhere so i won't add it here. A fellow blogger who i met only a few weeks ago but so glad i did. She's ace. Her blog is ace and she's one of he few people who comment on here. Bonus points!

Lilacswizzle aka Nicola. A lovely lady who gave me good advice this year. I took it, the situation never worked out the way we wanted but still, it had to be done. Thanks Miss!
Illegal Jack. I don't think he's really called Illegal. You'd have to ask him. I can tell you he cheats at Words with Friends, but it's a laugh. Ok, ok so he doesn't cheat so much as places tiles and guesses at words. More often than not he wins though. Cheers dude.

Kevin Gilmartin. Forever now known to us as Gok, for his acute sense of ladies fashion (from nothing other than one twitter conversation).

Lovely John Heath (@hejmusic) who I met on my trip to London in April.

Andi Kis. Wonderfully chatty, fun and a great raconteur. I could listen to her stories all day long. Someone who you'll never forget.
Wee Bri. My cousin. He's currently probably laying on a floor in a Sydney apartment somewhere after already celebrating the turning of the year. He's was my spin bike partner in crime until he left in September. I've kept him one though, at the front, for when he comes back!
Catherine Anne, Kelly Anne, Karen, Ryan and Connor. My family. They're here. Even when they're not. Those boys are my angels.

Maw and Paw. Aka Kate and Jimmy. Couldn't really ask for a better pair to be honest.

Thanks all for making 2011 what is was.

Angela x

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Five Things...

2011-12-30T19:51:00.000Z

So I opened up twitter this morning and there was the usual mix of morning/breakfast/exercise/travel/weather tweets. If you can navigate your way through this river of greige, you can always find a few gems hidden. Like, there was also the much tweeted link to the little ditty played by Zoe Dechanel and Joseph Gordon-Levitt. I decided to watch it and it was sweet and nice. I've followed both people here, well over on Twitter, for a while. They're quite good value.

In addition there was a post over here by @Whatleydude. Have a read. I decided that I'd try the five things list on this blog, after all, yesterday in my Mission 2012 post I did say that I'd like to get this blog going again, make it huge, and we all know I like a list! So here it is... Except it's not quite five things, it's from the past year so it'll be a little longer than five. Next week will be the five things list.Ok enough. Let's go...

Multicolour trousers - mostly from Topshop. Awesome.
Ryan starting school and getting on fine, what a relief.
Meeting Miss Laura Woods. An amazing person and friend. Also on that same trip south in February I met lots of Twitter people who really we're lovely. It can happen.
Getting fitter and losing weight.
Hello size 8 little black dress. Okay dresses. Plural. I bought two!
Three beaches in one day with Surfpunkian. Awesome awesome day. Thanks dude.
Finally meeting MisAKis. Fun, bubbly and lots of great stories about social media 'darlings'. Haha laughed so much.
My first Illegal Jack's. I'll be back. I did. A few times.
Loving painting my nails. With glitter! Me! Glitter! WOWSERS how times have changed.
Cycling 55 miles from Glasgow to Edinburgh. Fantastic feeling.
Giving blood for the first time.
Becoming unofficial aunty to baby Kai. Gorgeous.
Weekend cinema trips. A sanctuary. The cineworld card has been a godsend for me.
Favourite movies: Drive. Sherlock Holmes. 50/50. The Hangover part II (obviously).
Elemis skin nourishing body cream. Smells gorgeous and keeps my skin soft and err nourished.
Twitter. My love affair with it will never end. Not for the foreseeable future anyways.
Baking cupcakes. Several good attempts.
Seeing brilliant Twitter friend @pyllon finish one of his races. I was going to say "for the first time" but what I'd mean is I saw him race for the first time. He's raced loads. And done very well, thank you very much. These are no ordinary races, oh no, they're across tracked up and down hills and are usually never any less than about 50 miles!! No mean feat.
Meeting Miss Karlie MacGregor. A wonderful person. Damn straight.
My love of spin bike class. I can't miss any now. Except I am right at this minute missing one, but you get what I mean.
Seeing Mr Neil Fox (@drgonzolives) perform at the Edinburgh Festival with his fab Great Brain Robbery comedy mates. What a laugh!
Finding fabulous blogs to read, like Whatleydude's. I've nearly finished reading all the away back James!
New Red Converse. Only my second pair in two years. I think I deserve another and I think I found them today!
Buying my iPad 2. Finally. Although it may be going on sale soon. I love it but... The screen thing still irks me a little.
The joy I had doing my walk with Instagram back in October. Me, my iPhone and Instagram. Walking around Edinburgh. Good day.
Taking the boys and my sister to the National Museum in Edinburgh. They had a ball.
Seeing Kings of Leon at Murrayfield in June. Sounded just like the cd. Great gig.
The Killing (Danish version). I love that programme!
My trip to London in April. Three days exploring that fab city. The weather was brilliant too. I'll be back.
My trip to Philadelphia in August. Ok ok it wasn't the real Philadelphia but Glasgow. The film set for a new Brad Pitt movie. Hope it's good when it comes out.

So that's a few of my most memorable good things from the past year. Next week it'll be just five things from the week. It'll hopefully be a regular post. If not, shout at me!

Angela x
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Angela: Mission 2012

2011-12-29T18:14:00.001Z

Here they are, ten things that form part of Mission 2012 for me, Angela.

1) to have a dinner party at my house. Not a fancy smarmy all singing all dancing fake Michelin starred affair, but rather a nice bunch of people, eating good wholesome food and plenty of decent chat. That's it.

2) to do something for Sport Relief in March 2012. Not sure yet what form that will take but I have to do something to help those vulnerable kids in Africa and here in the UK.

3) just keep on being me. But with a little added confidence. With all my flaws and insecurities and naïveté's I think I'm still a much better person than a few people I know.

4) sort out my CV and perhaps land my dream job. After all I did have a vision that I'd be spending next christmas in New York and a humble administrators wage isn't going to fund that now, is it. I will get this one. I will.

5) which leads me on to number five. Get more international check ins on Foursquare. Simple.

6) Sort out my blog. Find a purpose for it. Categories. Subjects. Turn it into something big. Huge. Massive. I can and will do this.

7) find someone to share my experienced with. A person who will like me just the way I am and won't want to change or mold me into something that I am not. Someone who can make me laugh, make me feel special, whom I can spoil, who I can make feel special, who i can make laugh - although not promising on that one, not a comedian!

8) wear a dress once a month. This may not sound like a huge deal, but it's been about 3 years since I actually wore a dress in public. I have three lovely dresses to begin with. Two are classic black styles that fit like gloves. One is a gold sequin stripe affair that can be dressed up or dressed down depending on the occasion. I've ordered it from Harvey Nichols online. It's my first designer dress. Michael Kors no less! Oooooh. (edit: I've seen this dress in person today and I might send it back. It's quite long. It's not meant to be. Dilemma!)

9) kinda like number eight this is to wear heels more often. Apart from anything else they give your legs a nice shape and once you master that art you can walk with an air of confidence. At least that's what it looks like.

10) have a holiday. Preferably somewhere guaranteed with a bit of sunshine for 50% of the time. I've not had a natural tan since the summer of 2000 when I went to Florida. Aaaah a wee trip to FL would be ace right about now.

11) gather a group of friends and celebrate my birthday. I never really celebrate it with anyone that's not related to me. Usually it's a gathering of the closest family with a cake that I never eat and it's fat and all but I'd like to bring together friends and family and food that I like to eat. Another simple one.

12) go on a date. Still haven't fulfilled this one from my December to do list. It's a pity. I have so much to give. Oh shit no, not in that way, not on a first date! But this is a big thing. It hasn't happened in a while. Not see why. I'm quite a fucking catch, for the right person, dontchyaknow!

13) ah number thirteen. Unlucky for some. Not for me. I don't tend to believe in all that mumbo jumbo shite. I figure you make your own luck, or not. It's all about chances isn't it? And taking those chances. And losing the fear about grabbing those chances with both hands and shaking the life out of them until you can't anymore, that's what it's about. Not saluting some black and white bird and saying good morning mr magpie. They tend to come in pairs anyway, don't they? I mean, have you really known anyone whose had a boy after seeing four magpies? Really? God sake there's a fifty fifty chance anyway is there not. See, there's that word chance again. It's all about talking them....

14) Should I stop here at number fourteen? Ok then I will. For now. Check back soon, there may be numbers fourteen to twenty appearing soon. Wink eye face.

Angela X.

Merry Christmas

2011-12-24T22:04:00.001Z

Just popping on to wish you all a Merry Christmas. Hope your day is filled with family, food and fun.

Take care of each other,

Love Angela x

Stop December, let's catch our breaths

2011-12-21T10:49:00.000Z

I did promise I was going to blog more in December but it hasn't happened, as you can see. After my chance meeting with Barry I was all blogged out last week. I couldn't think what to write about and to me it should be natural and not forced. You shouldn't be wracking your brain giving yourself a headache because you must blog four days out of seven in a week. That's not the way I work. Since its getting to mid month I decided I'd tell you a little bit of what I've been up to recently. I've been quite busy to be honest. I finally finished my Christmas shopping at the weekend, phew. Now all I need to do is wrap it all. I quite like that part. Friday I was meant to be going out but it was cancelled, however I ended up spending two hours in a toy shop on a Friday night with mum and dad. We were looking for toys for the boys for their Christmas. We managed to get a few things. It was good.

Saturday I headed into town. Didn't buy much except a few bits from the pound shop. Essentials. You know, like cheap cans of Cola and sweeties. At night I headed to Edinburgh to meet lovely Karlie MacG. We had a bite to eat at Illegal Jacks then headed to the cinema to see New Years Eve. A proper girls night it was. Chat, about stuff, you know... The film was good. I'd heard a few folk say it was disappointing but I quite enjoyed it. Lots of stories that intertwined like Love Actually, without the posh accents. It wasn't Love Actually but it was about love and new beginnings and forgiving and love. Did I say that already? There was an array of stars in it from Ashton Kutcher to Jon Bon Jovi and an almost unrecognisable Michelle Pfiefer. Hey I even forgot that Zac Efron used to be in high school musical. I liked his character in this film. There were really touching moments as well as moments that made you smile. All round a lovely movie.

Sunday I headed through to Glasgow again. THIS was to be the day when I did finish my Christmas shopping. A few bits from Hamleys and Fraser's and I was done. I headed home in the dusky early evening light.

Monday night I headed to the #XmasEdtweetup that was organised a few weeks ago. It was in Edinburgh in case you didn't know. It was busy and hot with the wearing of my Christmas jumper, but a really good night. There were faces old and faces new, or rather faces I knew but had never met yet. As usual they were a total delight in person, including @Miss_Smidge whose blog I read on a regular basis. Also a treat were the two elves, otherwise known as Fraser and Simon. They gamely took part in the Christmas jumper wearing too. I was torn though. Simon's jumper was fab but Fraser's hat was the best Santa one. Simon's effort was more of a gnome one. Sorry but you know it's true.

Sometimes when you meet the people behind the avatars, you get a surprise because sometimes they are a bit awkward or not very chatty or they are exactly as they appear on Twitter and that's not a surprise but a great delight. The new people I met were totally that, a delight.

I headed home on the train. This time there was no Barry.

My plans now are to get things tidied up at work (almost finished exam processing - yay!) and then finish up on Friday. I'll be heading out to spin class tonight and Friday night too. Then the big day will have arrived. I hope to have a few blog ideas written and typed and published soon too. But they may come to nothing. Ideas are all very well in your head. When you put the words on the screen sometimes they just don't jump out at you. We'll see.

Angela x

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Path: find yours

2011-12-20T19:00:00.001Z

Do you have a Path? Or should that be Path? No, I don't mean some great journey in life that you were always meant to follow, no. I mean another social network. Oh no not another one I hear you cry. Yeah. Another one. I actually joined Path on 17 November 2010. I know this because Path tells me this. I don't think people took it on and so I was left on this Path on my own. No real updates, just a few photos I uploaded. Then a few weeks ago it kinda burst onto the scene again. I'll have to actually find out the reason for this. Probably to do with a new round of funding going around Silicon Valley, or something like that.

Anyway I decided to give it a go again. There's been a few updates but still no iPad app yet. That would be lovely. I like Path. And here's a few reasons why...

Path has a timeline, since way back last year. Not sure who thought about that idea first. Was it Facebook, or was it Path? Who knows. So what's different about it then. Well it's a much slicker interface I think. You have your own Path (let's say it's the Wall if we're to compare it to Facebook). On your Path there is all your photos, check ins, comments, everything you've done on your Path. All dated and timed. Yes! Timed. There's a really cool little feature that appears when you scroll up or down your Path. A little bar and clock appears down the right hand side. You can actually see when you uploaded your update. Pretty neat I think.

Click on your Home page and you can see all the updates from people you share your Path with and who share with you. What i like here are the little icons you see in the updates. There's check ins with knives and forks, coffee cups (a nod to Foursquare perhaps). There's also little sun and moon icons that appear when you change your Path to sleeping and awake.

In the bottom left hand corner there's a red circle with a plus sign in it. Click on that and out spring 6 little black circles with various icons in them. This is how you update your Path. Set your status so to speak. There's photos, people, check in, music, thought and the moon sign. See the picture here. Click the camera icon and your camera pops up. Only, there's quite a few different lenses and filters to play with. Very nice in app feature. Take the photo and you then get the option to leave a note with it, say who you're with, check in/location and then you can also share it to Twitter Facebook etc. All in all a very good feature and the camera filters are lovely.

Click on the person icon and this is basically you saying who you are with at any one time. The check in icon is pretty much the same places that there are on Foursquare. I know this because I added a secret place on Foursquare and it appears in Path too. Again clicking on a place means you can leave a comment and add who you are with. Cool.

The music icon lets you say what you are listening to. It gives me some suggestions. I don't know where they come from. I've never really used this feature to any real extent. Actually, just tried it. Type in your favourite band and it will give you a list and then you can add it to your Path. A window appears in the middle of the screen, the music plays for about 20 seconds and you have the option of buying it. Hmmm. But I've already got those tunes on my phone? Yes, I think this just gives you the option of letting people know what you're listening to. Oh but in the Home page (timeline) a little orange musical note icon appears. Nice. These little circular icons are a real favourite of mine. No kidding.

Next thing, click the speech bubble. This is your Thought. But again the question is 'what's on your mind?'. This is very much your status update. Go and update it. Again the option to check in and say who you're with is there.

Last of all we have the moon icon. Click that and you get only 2 options. Go to sleep. Or I'm awake. Click on these at the appropriate times and wow! you say your going to sleep and the Path change colour, disappears and a moon appears in its current state - full, half, quarter. Pretty awesome. It also gives the time and then a button to click on Awake when you...well, wake!

Click on that button and you are taken back to your home page. And there's little icons in your Path letting people know when you sleep and are awake.

The best part I like is that at the top of your Home page there's the option to set your own cover picture. This is like the header photo in your new Facebook page. But the standard Path ones are quite nice too, in fact so much so I haven't changed mine yet.

In the Activity tab you can see who has looked at your Path, who has commented and who has smiled at your check ins, photos etc. Yes for you can also add little smiley faces, sad faces, winky faces and hearts to your friends' photos, check ins, comments etc. These are also little cute features I like.

All in all Path is another social network and you're probably wondering why you'd need it or want it. But I like it. The only downside is that not many people have adopted it yet. Well, not here anyway. I have four friends on there just now. So come on over and join me. If you want to that is. I mean how may social networks do we actually need? I sometimes wonder if too many social networks are making quite unsociable? That will be for another post though.

Angela x

Barry, my chance meeting with an angel

2011-12-12T10:41:00.001Z

There I was minding my own business, sat in a seat on the quite busy train. Checking Twitter. "Hiya, d'you want a can?" said a voice from the aisle in a thick Glaswegian accent. No thanks I replied. That was to be the start of one of the most bizarre and very funny chance meetings I've ever had in my life. After moving up and down the aisle, his friendly voice chatting all the while, he eventually sat in the seat next to me. I budged over and moved my bags to give him room. I'd been in Edinburgh hoping to finish my Christmas shopping but all i seemed to have bought were sweeties from the newly opened Hotel Chocolat in Frederick Street. A bit small but nice all the same.

Anyway, "are you sure you don't want a can? I'm Barry by the way". "No thanks. Angela" I replied. "Nice to meet you Angela, what you been up to?". I proceeded to tell him about my day. And then he launched into what can only be described as a cross between a therapy session and a weird other-world dream like scenario where he seemed to be able to tell every little character trait and nuance I have. His banter was good though. He'd been to the Hibs V Rangers match and was now heading home. Well, Stirling wasn't his home but he was a student at the Uni (where I work!) and had lived here for 4 years. "I like your wellies, are you an outdoors kinda person? do you go hill walking?" Now, granted, my outfit that day probably gave that away since not many folk outside the outdoors scene may not recognise my Rab down jacket. "I've done the West Highland Way" he told me. 5 days it had taken them. "Bet you've not done anything like that Angela...?". "I've been to Nepal, trekking the Himalayas, I think that's 1-0 to me". "Naw, I've done the WHW it's 1 each". We laughed. He took another swig from his can of Tennents lager. It's strange. I normally hate drunks, especially drunks on the train. But Barry wasn't drunk. Yes, you could tell he'd been drinking but not that full on leaning over slurring your words drunk. Just merry and apparently totally happy with life.

B: "Is that you going home to watch XFactor and get your dinner? What you having?"
A: "Steak"
B: "What fillet, rump, ribeye...?"
A: "Fillet"
B: "Oh get you!"
...... rare moment of silence.....
"Oh here's the ticket wife coming. She'll gie me a row for having a can. I'll just put it on your tray. Here" and he set down the can on the fold down tray in the seat on front of me.
"she'll chuck you off instead of me, haha!"
A: "I don't even drink"
B: "WHIT?! What not ever? not even when you were 15 and your pals were all getting drunk and being sick, never?"
A: "nope. Never"
B: "wow that's...em...good, and bad..."

B: "I can't believe you've never had a drink"
A "I've got my orange juice" I'd bought a bottle of fresh orange to tide me over until I got home.
B: "Aye you wi your orange juice and your wee bit fillet steak for one. What a life!"

I laughed. It was funny. It WAS funny, but at the same time it had started to make me think.

B: "Let me guess, you're single Angela" WTF! "you don't really like the soaps...but you catch Emmerdale every now and again".
A: "yep"
B: "you don't really read books nor magazines either"
A: "correct"
B: "What DO you do Angela? apart from walking up hills and cooking your steak"
A: "I go out on my bike" Admittedly i was stuck. What do I do? Really? WHAT? "Anyway, what do you do?"
B: "I'm a student. I've been a printer, a [something else I can't quite remember] and i did the taxis. Then I decided I was too clever for that and believe it or not i want to be a teacher".
A: "ooft"
B: "don't you think I'd be a good teacher? I think I'd be great"

By this point the conductor had come along. I'd seen on her badge she was called Liz. "Here's Liz coming, better get your ticket out"
B: "do you know her?
A: "no, I seen her name on the badge".... we laughed again.

B: "Awright Liz hen, how are you?"
Conductor: "fine thanks!"
She drew a squiggle on our tickets and was gone. Meanwhile Barry was checking that everyone around about us was okay and were they sure they didn't want a can!

B: "see that's the thing Angela pal. Folk just look at me weirdly, they don't make eye contact. But all I want to do is just chat to people. I'm a happy kinda guy".
A: "Happy as Larry"
B: "Naw, happy as Barry, hahahaaa".

I was warming to Barry. It was surreal. At one point I said i might have to punch him to see if this situation was real. He said not to punch him but offered his arm for me to pinch it. And in true Barry form said "aya, that was my sore tricep". I swear, it was like a scene from a Christmas movie where a ghost (or something) is sent to guide you through and take you through a sentimental journey of your life so far and help you to change what you should've done years ago.

There were other topics we covered on that train journey. I don't want to share here. Lets just say Barry was like a gift from above who'd been sent to enlighten me on a few things. I told him this. He said "Angela, I was with my family at Edinburgh festival in the summer and we did the tarot readings. The guy told me i had the gift. I could read people" and he could. Barry read me like a book. Granted, some things, like the outdoors thing, could probably have been guessed from the look I was projecting that day. But others, well, I thought to myself that I must carry my life with me in my every face twitch, smile, frown, gesture. "are you nervous?" I was playing with the label on the now empty orange juice bottle. "No, me, no". I wasn't nervous, but I was antsy, and a little bit overwhelmed by it all. The only thing he didn't guess right was my age. He had me at 28. I gave him points for that!

Although I heard my phone buzzing away in my pocket, I never checked it once, so good was Barry's company. He'd gone to the toilet, so out the phone came. A few Twitter notifications. He returned to his seat and opened another can. His last one. "Aw look, you've got an iPhone. I never had you down as having an iPhone Angela. See, there's more layers to you than meets the eye. We just need to unravel them".

I almost cried in his face at this point. Instead I looked out of the window into the darkness and mentally gave myself a kick up the arse.

The train pulled into Stirling and Barry's friend joined him. "This is my pal Angela" he told him. "Hey she goes hill walking, we should all go up a munro" Are you coming for a pint Angela?"

"no thanks guys".

And with that I left Barry and his friends at the ticket barrier in Stirling station.
I felt weird. I was smiling, my jaw ached with laughing in fact. I felt sad that my life seemed to be etched across every last wrinkle free inch of my face. But i felt invigorated having had the pleasure of spending an hour in the company of Barry. My friend Barry.

I'm now in the process of unravelling those layers to make Barry proud.

"See, there's more layers to you than meets the eye. We just need to unravel them".

Angela xx

Ticking off a list

2011-12-09T13:07:00.001Z

Could this be the weekend when i fnally tick something off my December To-Do list from here. Mainly number one has to be done. So I'm looking for any recommendations from you for tasting a tasty, lovely hot chocolate with marshmallows and perhaps even some cream on top. Where do you go on a cold bright weekend afternoon to shelter from that biting wind? Where do you drink a nice hot chocolate whilst chatting away for hours? Does it have a fire? is it cosy? where are these places?

Let me know.

Also, while you're at it, chekc the rest of my list out on the post above and see if you want to help out there too. Go on! You know you want to.

Angela x

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Birthdays and friends...March 2012

2011-12-06T23:10:00.001Z

This is a bit late to be blogging but I forgot to do it, and I was wrapping Christmas presents earlier so that's my excuse. December 6. Three months til my birthday. I want to celebrate that birthday in style. Not a full on mega party or that but a gathering of some of my favourite people. I've still to work out the exact details and the exact date yet, hey I may even have two dates for you, but I'll let you know. Not all of you obviously but my favourites of course. I haven't really celebrated big birthdays before. I think I've blogged about this somewhere else. I've never had a 18th, 21st nor a 30th so next year I want a gathering, a small do if you like.

I'm feeling like this because now I feel that there are people in my life I want to share these special occasions with. Every year we normally just celebrate as a family, gathering at the house. There's chat and cake (not for me, I'm not a birthday cake fan. Jam, yuck). But now I want you all to share my day with me. Perhaps two days.

So it'll either be March 2-3 or March 9-10. My actual birthday is somewhere in between those days but those are the weekends I'm deciding upon. Keep them in your diaries, or at least the back of your minds. I'll let you know the details and the secret codes (!) once I figure them out. I'm thinking nice food, good chat and some dancing. You gotta dance!!

Angela xx

It's all The Killing and Facebook

2011-12-05T15:00:00.000Z

Look at that we're a quarter of the way through December already. Technically we're not but those days between Christmas and New Year don't really count do they. The snow has fallen. Not that bad yet. Thankfully the sun has come out and it's probably all melting. Bad news for the photographers, good news for me as i won't need to do my Bambi impression when trying to navigate my way across the ice that's been left by the stupid campus tractor scraping to top layer of snow off in the car park. Follow all that? good...

By the time your read this I'll be deciding if I either go sweating my arse off in a spin class or I'll be at home watching Home and Away. I'm scheduling this post you see. It's what we bloggers can do on this here Internet.

How was your weekends? Good. Bad. Indifferent...? I spent most of mine in shops buying stuff that wasn't for me. But we've been through that so i won't go over it again.

Yesterday, when I came home I jumped on my bed and watched The Killing II from Saturday night on the iPad. It's such a great series. In case you don't know it's a Danish crime drama/thriller series showing on BBC4. I'm loving the relationship developing between Lund (the main female lead character) and her colleague Strange (a detective working alongside Lund). He's very lovely in that 'you would for an older guy' kinda way. Anyway, I'm not going to give away any spoilers but i'm on episode 6 and can't wait for 7 and 8 next weekend!!

I then played about a bit with the iPad. I don't think i can get over how much the screen resolution disapoints me. I don't knwo what i expected but it was something a lot better than that. Especially now i have the iPhone 4S. Perhaps the new iPad will have that, along with a hefty price hike no doubt. I do like having it though as a peaceful calm has been bestowed upon the sanctuary that is my bedroom now that I no longer need to fire up the 2007 Dell Inspiron laptop with it's constantly whirring fan! Thank goodness.

Later I watched the programme about Facebook. The one that in the trailer you got a whole load of Zuckerberg talking and in the actual programme you only got about another 5 minutes of him talking a bit more. It was a lazy programme. I learnt more about people actually entering their credit card details to buy silly things on Farmville than i learnt about the Z-man himself. Oh and for good measure they threw in a question and the VP on policy (or something) looked flummoxed and of course the programme makers kept in the huge gaping awkward pause. It was a cheap shot. She was asking the question of whether a person clicking the 'Like' button were being used to advertise the brand or product they had 'liked' without their knowledge. (In case you didn't know, you can see recommendations or rather 'sponsored stories' usually on the right hand side of your news feed page and your friends may appear there some times. In fact you might appear on your friends pages as a sponsored story / advocate for that brand. Effectively, you are advertising it). The guy wasn't keen on her using 'advertising' as a word. He paused. A huge pause...Massive pause. I'm sure he paused several times during their conversation but it was only this pause they chose to show. Personally I have no problem appearing as a sponsored story on someone else's feed. I choose the brands I 'Like' with care. Therefore I reckon that even the simple act of 'Liking' that brand page is a message in itself. I wouldn't 'Like' something if i didn't really 'Like' it in real life and so I'm not bothered if folk know that. Are you following this? If you didn't see the programme you may be a bit lost. Apologies, go check it out on the iPlayer or something. Anyway... I didn't want all that from the programme.

I wanted an insight into Mark Zuckerberg, the man. His thoughts. How he decides what to do next. Everything. What i found out was that he wears the same jacket nearly every day. But it isn't the same actual jacket, he has several of these jackets in his wardrobe. Insightful! I also found out that hey! The social network is a movie. A fictional movie that may or may not have events embellished so as to make it a box office hit. I knew this already and always wonder at those people tweeting... "watching the social network again for the 50th time. I want to be Zuck!" Ok ok so they don't tweet that but you get the idea... I sometimes think people take The Social Network as being the gods honest truth forgetting the fact that its a Hollywood film. Oh, we also got a whole load of shots of Emily Maitlis strutting around downtown Palo Alto in a vest and jeans. I think she must've only spent about 10 actual minutes in the presence of Zuckerberg. The rest was simply rubbish. Well, it wasn't all rubbish. We got to see Margo from Southend-On-Sea peddling her 'business' around local shop owners. "I can set up and look after your Facebook page" said Margo. "I can do your banner". FFS! Whit?! I about fell off my chair laughing at this point. It was so crude and frankly amateurish. I'm sure they could've gotten a better example than Margo, I mean f*** knows there's plenty of them around.

Anyway, there's only one MZ. We'll probably never get to know the workings of the boy, the man, the brain of the thing that has changed our world. But I'm sure there'll be plenty trying.

Oh btw, the wife wasn't called Margo, nor was she from Southend-On-Sea but i can't quite remember so for the purposes of this post, that's who she was.

Did you watch it? What did you think?

Angela XX

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It's all snow and nail polish

2011-12-04T18:44:00.001Z

The snow never really came to much today. Thank goodness! I mean I like snow and the but this time last year when the snow fell for what seemed like months, it was monotonous. It practically brought everything to a standstill. It was nice, for about a week. After that it was a pain. A menace. It made me not want to do anything. It set back my spin and gym class schedule last year. Okay okay that s my laziness but when the snow is thick on the ground and you can't even get t your street in the car for fear of being stuck outside the weirdos house, then you just don't really want to do anything. But, not this year. It won't be stopping me this year. Admittedly, Stirling was not my destination when I left the house today but it ended up being the place I went for for of the being stranded on the motorway in the snow. Ever the optimistic eh!

Anyway I thought I'd finish my Christmas shopping this weekend. I haven't. I've still to get something each for the boys, the two angelic nephews. It's so hard though. They have lots of toys already and truth be told the things they turn to most and play with every day are wee cheap cars. Loads of them. So I'm not sure what to get them. I'll keep thinking on.

I bought some more nail polish yesterday. To metallic shades from Topshop. I've had Topshop nail polish before and it goes on smoothly and the pigment is nice. I got a dark by silver metallic that's a bit blue too, then I goth nice dark raspberry link metallic. Lovely. I meant to try the blue one today but so far haven't gotten around to it. I'll add pictures when I've done it. The other week I purchased a new Chanel polish. It's a winter 2011 edition. Not sure if it's a limited edition but when I saw it I fell in love with it. It says Christmas to me. A red with a shimmer running through it. Goes on good in one coat but two coats will be perfect.

I realise this post isn't much without pictures so check back soon and I'll have some pictures up.

Angela xx

Nothing

2011-12-03T11:23:00.001Z

Here I am sitting in the couch typing away on the replacement ipad2. It arrived yesterday at work. All very quick since I only called about the scratched one on Wednesday night. Nice. Pleased with this one but still a little disappointed that the screen isn't as clear as the iPhone. Oh well, can't have it all.Today I'm going to try to blitz the Christmas shopping. Off to Glasgoe in a bit and I'll probably buy some stuff for myself from mum and dad. The routine is the same each year. No real surprises. She practically has an internal list of stuff she gets me. Like perfume for instance, even though I said no don't buy me Eternity, I just bought myself a new bottle a month ago and it'll last me a while. But no she bought it. I know this cos she told me. Like I said, no surprises. I'm not that keen on surprises to be honest but I'd just like to be a ke to get a present that they've thought about what interests me without me actually having to give directions to the shop!! Anyway I sound ungrateful, I'm not. I appreciate everything, hence the reason I buy myself all the big items, iPhone, iPad...I'd never ask my parents to buy me something that expensive. Pensioners now you know.This is really a nothing post. A post because I have a few things to say and don't know how to say them. What I have to say isn't what's written in this post. I'll probably write it later and then leave it sitting in the drafts for til god knows when. Maybe it'll be published maybe it won't. Sometimes it's just in the writing isn't it...But i'll leave you with this thought. When you come into someone's life, you consume them, they consume you, that means something right? Then you leave, drop them like a hot tattie, imagine that....for a second...dropped, just like that. You've drawn them in, they're in, then you go... How do you like them apples?Angela x.

December Begins

2011-12-01T19:30:00.000Z

Here we are! Welcome to December. It's going to be great!! This is the first of my post every day in December posts.

I'm sitting here on my bed typing away at this post on my new iPad. Yes. I took the plunge and treated myself to an early Christmas present for me. Only trouble is, it's being collected tomorrow by a courier as the metal back panel has visible signs of wear and tear. Little scratches and marks. They're only little ones but still, I pad for a brand new iPad and this looks to me like a refurbished one. Disappointing. Give them their due though, at a quick call to Apple, and a chat with a nice young man all the way over in Austin, Texas, my new one is already on its way. Phew!!I've been playing about with it since Tuesday night and it's good but.... Yes, there is a but... I think the screen on my iPhone 4S is a lot better. Clearer. Sharper. Did you all know this? I mean it is handy. I will be keeping it but the screen clarity is very noticeable, to me anyway.

Anyhow, December. Wahey! It's come around so quickly hasn't it. For the first time in a few years I am rally looking forward to December and all that it's going to bring me. I don't me presents. I mean fun, days out, time spent with great people, laughs, tinsel, twinkling lights and a HOT CHOCOLATE!Who wants to meet for a catch up and a hot chocolate? Say Aye!

what are you looking forward to in december? Spill the beans...

Angela xx
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Last Day of November

2011-11-30T11:40:00.001Z

It's the last day of November. the 30th. St Andrew's Day, and yet I don't really know anyone that puts much effort into this Scottish day. Do you? Do you even know an Andrew? whose a saint...

It's also a day when most people at work seem to be on strike. Over pensions. And the Government. I don't really understand it. All I know is the I can't afford to take a day off work so i'm here. And it's my right to be here just as much as it is their right to be out there, striking on a picket line, or alternatively shopping. Because in my building alone there are about 85 people and there's only about 8 of those we've seen on the picket line... That's not to say others aren't elsewhere but really? i don't think so. Anyway this post wasn't going to be about that. But i shall say this. I've been thinking about cashing in my pension for ages. It's quite a big hit off my modest monthly administrator's wage. Plus, by the time i retire, the age will have jumped up to 85 or 90, the money won' be worth half as much and i figure i could actually use the money i have sitting there to out a deposit on a house, or something more practical like that. Couldn't I? I hate having to pay something into a pot of money that will probably go down and down and down until i retire. And prices will inevitably go up. Should I plan that far ahead, or should i just say to heck with this and live a life now? These are the decisions I think about. It's a big one. Do we need a pension? My mum retired after paying into a pension for years with the council. She gets a pittance back. Rubbish.

Anyway, like i said, this post wasn't to be about pensions. Oh, wait, I've got another thing to say. There are some posting things from high on their pulpits about public sector workers not thinking as much about the people they are serving as they are on strike. How about you walk in their shoes for a few hours on their wages and see if your opinion changes then. ok. Right, that was my last word on that subject.

So it's the last day of November. Only 32 days until 2011 ends and 2012 begins. I've done a lot of things this year that I'm proud of. But the list goes on and on of exciting things I want to do. And with you by my side I will do them. Do we have a deal? Well do we?!!

We have December to look forward to with all its glitter and tinsel and Christmas cheer (well some of us are cheery). We have January to look forward to. The nights start to get lighter (honest, they do. I timed it each night in January last year), the year is young and fresh and we start to plan for the summer. We have February, the month of fake love day. the day when couples feel obliged to do something together. If you're a couple you should be doing things like that anyway, or else where's the fun in that! March. Lovely, lovely spring green March. The month of my birthday (get it in your diaries), the month of breaking out your spring wardrobe (mine never changes!), the month of impromptu mini breaks (well in my head there is). The best month of the year in my opinion. Then we have April. A transitional month. When the nip in the air becomes slightly less nippy, you could even go out with out a jacket on if you're lucky. Then we fly ever faster into May. Generally nice weather. Day trips. Heck perhaps there's even a trip to a beach with a picnic, now wouldn't that be nice. June and we're rollerblading head on into summer mode. Pink skin a-plenty. New hair. Summer fun has well and truly started. July comes hot on June's heels. More summer fun, more hotter days (we can dream!) and more and more days out. Remember, we're all going to Alton Towers in July - get that in your diaries too. August bumbles it's way into your life and you're not nearly all summered out but your getting there. The street lights are noticeably on earlier, you can sit out the back and with your cardi thrown over your shoulders but goddammit it's still summer so you ain't putting a jacket on. Here comes September. All browns and yellows and drawing in nights. We like September too, don't we. There's a little bit of wind but still time for adventures, back to that beach maybe. Then we hit October. All blacks and inky blue skies but the stars never stop twinkling so we like that too. We can buy new winter coats and wrap up in them whilst walking through a duvet of crinkly freshly fallen leaves that are just waiting to be jumped in. And there we go, we're back to November again. All sparkling fireworks and wind blown hair. What a year we've had. What a year!

Let's make it a good one, shall we :)

Angela x
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Fabulous December

2011-11-27T21:29:00.001Z

Occasionally I tweet a few #Angefact's on Twitter and the other day someone tweeted back to say they weren't sure my Ange Fact's were true. Well, they are true. Every single one of them. Perhaps it's because some of them are a little silly? Here's what it was, I said I'd never had a hot chocolate before. That's true. I haven't, but that got me thinking...

I decided that in December there are loads of things going on and loads of stuff to do but i always seem to just Christmas shop my way through it and then kick myself for missing out on the fun. I figured, like i usually do that I'd blog about all these things and turn then into AngeFact's that i have actually done! Good idea eh. And if i blog the list of things i want to do then they're sure to happen, right? So here goes...

1) well it has to be have a HOT CHOCOLATE! This may seem silly but I've never really liked the idea of hot chocolate. Mostly because I'd only ever seen that light brown powdery stuff in the purple tin tub (you know the one). My idea of a perfect hot chocolate would be something along the lines of nutella, but a little more runny. Not bitter stuff mind you. That would put me right off. Can you recommend anywhere that sells nice lovely tasty hot chocolate?

2) wander around the Christmas markets in Edinburgh. I've only ever had a flying visit. Passing through sort of thing on the way to somewhere else. It wasn't enough time to stop and browse and buy little goodies you can't find elsewhere. Want to come along?

3) following on from number 2 is have a go on the big wheel in Princes Street (or George Square). I'm not fussed. Note, if it's windy I'll probably pass up the opportunity.

4) take a long exposure photo. I've always wanted to learn how to take one of these photos. Winter seems like the perfect time to do it. With all the car lights, spinning big wheels, torch words! Let's do it!!

5) blog more. I've totally been slacking of late in the blogging. But I'm going to (try) blog every day in December. I'll try not to put too many photo only posts up.

6) make plans for January. January is a strange month. It's like limbo. Post Christmas blues set in and it seems like there's nothing to do except wait on the new series' of TV programmes to begin. So, I'm trying to add things to my diary to do during this limbo month. What are your January plans? Anything exciting?

7) not go and panic buy more presents on or around 21st December. I plan on having all my Christmas shopping done by mid December at the latest. I've got a few bits in already so that's good.

8) have a night out in my new dress! It's a gorgeous little black dress that I've never had before and i love it. I'd never have worn it a few months ago but now, yes, it's time to get the glad rags on and go out for a night out. Wahey!

I'll leave it at 8 for now. But i may add to this list. Are there little things that pass you by? Things that you might think nothing of doing but never seem to get around to it? Let's all do them!

Angela x
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O2, Apple and The Continuing High Data Usage Scandal

2011-11-21T11:34:00.001Z

Ok, I know you don't care that much and it's only a scandal to me, but still...

If you follow me on Twitter you'll notice that lately i've been less than happy with the amount of data my new iPhone 4S appears to be using. For the past 2 years I was on an unlimited data contract with O2 (who, by the way i've been with since the very early days - previously pay as you go). Mobile companies got wise to the fact that they'd missed a trick and could/should be charging for data or at least cap it. And so most introduced different rates or levels depending on what you needed. 100MB, 500MB or 1GB per month. Now i've read a few tech blogs and most say that an average person won't need more than 500MB per month so that's which option I went for this time. Only it didn't quite work out like that. I got my new phone on 14 October and by the 5 November I had used 80% of my data allowance. What?!! That can't be right surely. I called O2 and spoke to a girl with a distinctly northern accent, i can't quite place it though. She preceeded to tell me that the data usage was in fact correct(!) and that I could purchase more data if i wanted(!), that her friend had a new iPhone 4S too but she swapped it for a Samsung Galaxy thing because and i quote "the 4S updates every night and uses all your data. She was using too much data too so she swapped. I wouldn't have gotten a 4S if i were you" (!!!!!) I just hoped that O2 were indeed recording this call for training purposes as that wasn't a very professional thing to say, was it?

Anyway I let her ramble on. Asking me if i was streaming YouTube videos or tvprogrammes (WT actual F?!) Of course not. I have a laptop and a tv for that. Was I using it any more than normal? NO! Did I have location services turned on? YES. Turn them off then. What is the actual point of having a smart phone if you have to turn off most of the services you bought it for in the first place? It was a frustrating conversation and I left with no answer to my original question - why were my data usage stats to high? Surely I can't be in that top 2% (or whatever the latest infographic shows) who have a higher data usage. Surely?!! She suggested i go to an Apple store or...wait for this... go to an O2 shop to speak to a GURU! (as when i asked if there was a tehcnical helpline she said no, they just deal with billing enquiries etc on the phone). NOTE: later whilst browsing the O2 website buying an extra 100MB data bolt on i saw they also have a Bolt On for monthly technical help, it'll cost you £7.50 though! I mean WT actual F two??

Anyway not satisfied with that i went on the phone to Apple. The guy talked me through all my settings and suggested that i turn off Cellular Data Network. I do that at home now but what if i'm out and about? I won't get the internet if i'm walking down a high street. "No you won't" so again, what is the actual point of a smart phone if you cannot do this?! These people were missing the point... Anyway, the Apple guy emailed me a copy of the user guide and made sure my settings were all turned on / off in the right combination. I'd try this out to see if the data usage went down.

Three days later (yes, only 3 days after the original 80% data text from O2), I got one to say I'd run out and that i could follow a link to buy more. I was seathing at this point. I phoned them again and caused great hilarity in the office at the lack understanding at the question I was asking O2 (yes, I was on the phone to them again). We went around the houses. I was still using too much data, according to them. Yes, but there must be a reason for it? I don't get more than 15 emails per day MAX, I never use it for YouTube. I only downlaod songs or apps at home on a Wifi signal. All I really use it for is Twitter, Facebook and Words With Friends. That'll be it then, she said. WTF?! At this piont i am losing patience. That night i go home and check my bills for the past two years. Maybe i am a large volume user? Maybe i am in the top 2%? I'd never actually checked my data usage since it was always unlimited, have you?... I sat down, logged in and started going through my bills... Previous bill prior to getting 4S circa 175MB for the month. Next one - 380MB. One before that 250MB. I scrolled back and back and back and the only bill i found that had me anywhere close to 500MB was from April 2011, which coincided with my trip to London. I was out and about wandering without wifi so of course the data usage was higher but still not above 500MB. SURELY THERE IS SOMETHING NOT RIGHT HERE??

I made an appointmewnt with an Apple Genius. In the meantime i searched all the forums online and it seems this is a common problem. And the solutions appear to be the phone companies blaming Apple and Apple blaming the phone companies. I don't care who's fault it is i just want it sorted. I don't want to have to be buying extra data each month! Oh and also, Appled released the new version of iOS which was meant to help the battery life. Since my 3GS days i've always got a day's use out of my battery. Not a full day mind you but if i charge it at night use it all day, i don't need to charge until about 8pm. This was the same for my 4S, which is meant to have a better battery(!). Anyway i installed the new version and that night the phone was on standby and had only dropped about 2% during the night. Before it would've been about 15% drop. However it seems that this hasn't fixed the battery problem, which i'm not sure I have anyway. I'll await a next release. The high data usage is a much bigger concern to me.

So the Apple Genius was nice and again checked all my settings to make sure I had it set properly and he said that O2 must be charging me for using data that I'm not. I told him what the 3 different people on the phone have said and he said "yeah they would say that". He said to monitor it and if it was still overly high then i should go back. Frankly I'm fed up with the whole saga. My new allowance began yesterday and according to my bill i've used circa 800MB of data in the first month of having an iPhone 4S. It means i'll probably have to up my bolt on to the £10 (1GB) per month extra instead of £6 (500MB). Now you might think that this is a whole lot of palavar for just an extra £4 per month, but it's the principal of the thing. How come before I wasn't using anywhere near 500MB per month but now with the new phone I am? In my head there's a dodgy deal been done between the phone companies and Apple. We'll make it use data, you can start charging! or something like that *wink*.

Whatever it is, it's certainly not making for a good experience. More and more i'm hearing stories of high data usage being recorded, which weren't there before. I mean in theory i should be able to read half a million emails on 500MB.

Anyway... It's a shame as before this i'd never ever had a bad word to say about O2. And I absolutely love the phone. It keeps me connected. And the girl who quipped about how i should've got a Samsung Galaxy can run to the hills!! So that's it. My story. I had to get it out there. I can now put it to bed and succumb to the grip that O2 has on me and pay that extra £4 per month for data. You could say i'm playing right into their hands.

Angela x

The One About The Shoes

2011-11-15T19:27:00.001Z

I want to blog more. I've slacked the past few weeks. I just don't know what to write about. So this is the post where I ramble about what I've been up to the past few weeks. Not much really except it seems shopping and cinema-ing.

Let's start with the shopping. A few weeks ago saw the most wondrous shoes on a website. They were so awesome I immediately wanted them. Pink suede Sam Edelman 'pumps' with spiky jewel encrusted heel area. Look... wouldn't you want them too?!!

Now these shoes aren't cheap a little shy of £200 but if figure that I don't buy 'going out' shoes that much. In fact the last pair of 'going out' expensive shoes i bought were from Topshop about 4 years ago. I was overdue new fancy schmancy shoes. I decided upon first viewing, that they were to be mine.

I scoured the web and realised that perhaps the closest place to sell them (that i could actually try them on) would be Harvey Nichols in Edinburgh. I'd get round to that eventually. I headed off to Glasgow one Sunday to the cinema with a customary scoot around the shops and allowed myself to be drawn to Fraser's on Buchanan Street. I'll just mosey to the shoes department to see if they have anything else in that would catch my eye. Lo and behold. There they were. They shoes. Sitting at a jaunty angle that enticed me ever more closer to them. I grabbed it from it's stand and checked the size 5/36. American sizing. I knew a 36 was a 3 1/2. Tried it on. Oooohhhh how lush was it. The sales assistant came over and asked if i need any help. I promptly asked her is there was a fresh pair. This one now adorning my right foot was a bit manky and i could see it'd been tried on a fair few times. "I'm not sure but you can try them on and we can order you a fresh pair". Deal.

A few minutes later. Come to think of it, it was a good five minutes later that she brought the box out. It wasn't a fresh pair but she handed me the left foot. Shite. The right foot had obviously faded from sitting on the shelf, understandably. I tried them on as a pair. I was in love. Official. I hoiked my jeans up so i could see them better. They were so awesome. Feminine with the perfect amount of rock chick. Perfect. Only thing was the heel was 4 and a half inches high. Higher than i am used to considering i spend most of my time in a beat up pair of Converse. Boys - this is a high heel! "how do they feel?" was the question from the sales assistant. "they're killing my feet but they're gorgeous" was my reply. It would take a lot of breaking in for me to get used to almost walking on my tippy toes in this new pair of shoes. I wanted them. I bought them. Right there on the spot. In my mind i had them already worn with three different outfits.

I took them off while the sales assistant went to order me a fresh pair from the computer. Two minutes later she was back "I'll just get you over at the till to pay for them". I handed over my card and felt a little guilty. Was this my gut telling me something? Should I be spending this much money on a pair of shoes, which, let's face it, would spend most of their time in a box on top of my wardrobe? Hhmmm.... The shoes should be here within the week and i could collect them whenever i wanted.

Two weeks later I headed back to Fraser's to collect my new shoes. My new sparkly, awesome shoes. Dis-a-pointed was an understatement. I headed into the busy shoe department, the designer section as my shoes were from there. Told an assistant i was here to collect shoes. She took my receipt and headed off. Five minutes later she was back. I noticed the box was a bit...bashed. Hhhmmm. She opened the box to reveal a pair of the shoes in a size 5/36 (3?). There was something not right immediately. The paper inside the box was ripped. The shoes weren't wrapped in their own piece of tissue paper. The plastic rod you get to keep shoes on shape was in the bottom of the box. Around the peep toe they were a bit dirty. There was a green mark on the side of the left shoe. The soles had clearly been used. Not used as in stepped outside but you know when you can tell they'd been stood on and walked in? that!! I was not happy with this. Spending nearly £200 on a 'fresh' pair I'd expect them never to have been out the box! Wouldn't you? I questioned the things i mentioned above and this sales assistant (note: a different one than who originally served me, she was lovely, this one not so much). "No, they've not been worn". Clearly they have I said, look at the soles. "Nope it's not possible". Look at the soles i said. There's a mark on one of them. They're a little bit faded. The box has obviously been opened and they've been worn. "no, they haven't. I can give you a refund". Well actually you know what. Just do that. Her customer service skills were lacking. Perhaps it's because she thought I'd taken her away from another customer who was just about to spend £5million pounds on a pair of Jimmy Choo's!!! A smile wouldn't have gone amiss either. The refund was back on my card within minutes and I was out that door quicker than you could say Sam Edelman. It's such a shame and a disappointment. Shame the shoes weren't a NEW pair and such disappointing service from a high end department store.

I couldn't stop thinking about the shoes. They were truly awesome. But as luck would have it I wondered up Buchanan Street and into New Look to find some clothes for my sister. I called her and she asked me to look for a pair of shoe boots for her. I wondered around and lo and behold (yes I've used this twice now) i saw a gorgeous little pair of red suede shoe boots. I was immediately drawn to them. Looksee below!!

New Look shoe boots

And at £25 they weren't going to break the bank like those spiky pink ones. Plus they are a much more manageable heel size. With the money i had left over i bought a pair of black skinny Levi jeans and a cool little black top. That's my outfit sorted. I now need somewhere to wear it to! *wink wink*

Now, i'm away to practice walking in them... could take a while.

Angela xx
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No Words Wednesday

2011-11-09T00:30:00.000Z

Saturday evening sunset, raindrops

There's not...

Happy Halloween

The Duo of Wonderful Nephews

Self

Another amazing sunset

Spinning Self

Saturday morning mist

Loch calmness

Mirror

Bridge

Angela xx

The Simple Things

2011-11-03T21:03:00.000Z

Last week was a week of polar opposites. It started brilliantly with meeting Miss Andi Kiss in Glasgow. She is fab. We walked, had dinner and lots and lots of chats. So fab. I'd say a 10 out of 10 day. Tuesday came and went. I needed a relaxing day. Saw a friend at lunch, had a wee catch up. Played with Connor at home. Nice. Wednesday was my Instagram walk. Great fun. Nice day too, weatherwise. Good. Thursday back to work. In itself fine. Friday last day of the working week (although i cheated with only actually two working days). As the day went on something came over me. Not sure what. A feeling.

I went to spin as usual. It was good. Hot bike boy was there. I mused how his tattoos do not seem to match his personality. He seems to be a bit quiet. Won't look you in the eye, that kind. Anyway, distracted there...

Got home from spin and that feeling was still hanging around. I had a little exchange, a talking to you could say, from a generous and lovely lady who is really very positive, even when things perhaps aren't going her way. An admirable quality that I like. I had a little cry. It's good to get it out sometimes don't you think.

Saturday I decided to just chill out. Relax. Try to get my mind of things. I did that. Sunday was a day out with my sister and the boys. She was going shopping for an outfit. I just wanted a day out. The boys only wanted something to eat. We passed a few toy shops but no...food was on their minds. It was a nice day out if a bit stressful.

By this time I was feeling much better. A few thoughts were still swirling around in my head like autumn leaves blowing in the blustery winds. Round and around they went, these thoughts. They're still there now. Their swirling is not as severe as the other day, as you see, I've got a few things sorted. I thought let's strip everything right back to the bare bones and find out the simple pleasures in life again. Those little things that may not even be thought of until they are over with. And so that's what this post is about... the simple things. What do you like? Here's a few of mine.

Warm fluffy towel when getting out the shower.
Clean fresh bed linen.
A smile from a loved one.
A tweet from a friend.
A text from someone you cherish.
The first drink from a can of Irn Bru.
Home made macaroni cheese. It's a hug on a plate.
A line from a song.
Random acts of kindness, that really aren't random. More on this later. In fact I'm going to write a whole blog post about those.
Crafting. Making things with your own hands.
Taking your shoes off at the end of the day and putting your feet up.
A memory that comes to you at the strangest of moments and gives you that warm fuzzy feeling and a smile on your face. That.

Those are some of the simple things that I love.

What are yours?

Angela xx

Instagram Worldwide InstaMeet - #InstaWalkAnge #InstaWalkScotland

2011-10-28T22:35:00.000+01:00

Wednesday 26 October was the 3rd Worldwide InstaMeet day. What's that you say? Well Instagram is an iPhone photo app (one of my favourites) and an InstaMeet is a group of people who get together and chat, take photos all relating to Instagram. Well, that was the idea, but despite countless calls and few people saying yes, they'd come, I ended having a day to myself walking around taking pictures and posting them to Instagram, and Twitter.

As you might guess this is a picture heavy post so look away now if you don't like pictures. But I wanted to mark the day, my day, in pictures. I decided that i'd go to Edinburgh for this day that on Instagram and Twitter I called #InstaWalkAnge #InstaWalkScotland I'll explain... The hashtag for the day was #InstaMeet - check the Instagram blog - with the name of the city attached to the end. But since there weren't many takers i thought I'd name it after our beautiful country. I mean surely we have enough going on in the wee nooks and crannies of our cities to capture. Yes we do and that's what i did.

I hope you like the photos. There will be more days like this soon so give me a shout if you fancy tagging along on the next one.

my pillow - the morning of Worldwide InstaMeet day

Connor - one of the angels

Stairs

Scott - The Scott Monument, Edinburgh

Never Ending - Princes Street, Edinburgh

Already Christmas

Occupied

Abandoned

Highland Dress

Pedestrians - Royal Mile

Tea Break - Hula Juice Bar

- - - , Greyfriars Cemetary

Rooftops

Skull and crossbones

Words, Sir Walter Scott

Edinburgh Castle

Castlebarns Steps

This one isn't an Instagram but these shoes kept me walking all day in comfort

White Building - Royal Lyceum Theatre

again, not an Instagram but a picture from food stop at Illegla Jack's

Stained

Castle by night

Door. Pillars

Trains

Last one of the day. Me. Ange

Hope you enjoyed my walk with Instagram. I certainly did. You can follow my photos on Instagram by looking for my username @Ange77H
And a big thanks to @Drgonzolives @CaesarLopez @Cheakodaman @littleembot @abzquine @nickdixon8 @ for the likes and comments on my pictures. Thanks for walking with me, virtually.

Angela x

Bucket List - Autumn Winter Edition

2011-10-24T00:30:00.000+01:00

You all know about my bucket lists from previous posts, don't you? If not have a look HERE and HERE for a catch up.

I decided that I like the idea of these lists and i'll post them every few months so that you can keep me on track, or shout at me to do them. This is the autumn/winter edition so it'll be themed as such.

Beach walks. Yes. In the winter. Bracing wind and crashing waters to blow the cobwebs away.
More movies. I think this will always be on the bucket list no matter what season it is. You can hide away from the rainy weather in the cinema and enjoy hot fudge sundaes. What I really want to do is have a movie where we spend all day watching movies, two perhaps three. If you fancy that holler at me!
Seeing a Banksy in real life. This could be do-able after Christmas. I feel another little London break is needed. I'm searching for cheap deals now. Actually that's a lie because i'd go back to the same fab hotel I previously stayed at, The Hoxton.
Keep getting fitter and leaner. This is pretty much still on track. This winter i will not sit and eat all the Christmas sweeties. Okay.
Wear my little black dress. Surely there has to be an occasion out there that will give me an excuse to take that dress from it's storage rack and throw it on? I have my beady eye on a killer pair of hot pink shoes to go with it too. Woot. 'citing!
Do more baking and cooking. I'm actually quite a good baker. I just never sit still long enough to be able to bake stuff. I love Pinterest and people are always posting easy recipes for meals and cakes. Starting with caramel apple bites! Perfect for Halloween.
Go on a date!! *scared face* I know, I know this is a strange one. I haven't been on a proper date for a while. A long while. So I'm hoping this autumn/winter will be known as Angela's date season. If you know any suitable candidates, you know where to send them!

I'll leave it at that just now. Plenty to be getting on with. What about you? What's on your Autumn/Winter bucket list? Spill!

Angela x

Words are all you need

2011-10-23T12:00:00.002+01:00

*gasp* What do you mean you don't know what Pinterest is?! Go and visit it, please. It's a compendium of pictures (mostly) about all things and everything. There's recipes, clothes, architecture, art, houses, chairs, rooms, shoes, hair, gadgets, jewels and quotes. You get a lot of quotes over there. Some are good but others just grab you by the shoulders and give you the shake you need. Others, well they're simply wonderful and tear inducing. One such quote (or rather, a line from a story) I found this week was this... read it and enjoy.

“Piglet sidled up to Pooh from behind. "Pooh," he whispered.
"Yes, Piglet?"
"Nothing," said Piglet, taking Pooh's paw, "I just wanted to be sure of you."”

Angela x

My iPhone and Me

2011-10-15T17:57:00.002+01:00

With the imminent arrival of the new iPhone 4S on Friday, I've been thinking (that word again!) of how the iPhone and the Internet have really changed my life in the past two years that I've had mine. I know this sounds soooo dramatic but honestly friends, if you were to give up your iPhone (other smart phones are available) what would you do to fill those minutes of your day that you spend checking-in, reading emails on the run, playing your go in Words with Friends or catching up via Whats App. Yes, there is a counter argument that would actually be able to have a little bit of time out. You;d be on a train and can perhaps read a book, or (Jesus weeps) actually chat to the person sitting next to you for the best part of a three hour journey.

But seriously. In the two years that i've had my iPhone I have felt more connected to people and life outside my village. I have loads more confidence when meeting new people (and that sentence just totally contradicts my last two posts). I have discovered new things; some good new things, some bad new things. It has made me hanker after things that may be impossible to get but i hanker nonetheless.

Where the iPhone really comes into it's own are days when you're feeling down and suddenly it buzzes into life with a new message from Wee Bri on Whats App. Wee Bri being my cousin who has gone travelling to the other side of the world. He's now 2 months into a year away and is in Sydney if you're wondering. Anyway the phone buzzed the other day and it was him asking the price a new 16Gb memory card for a camera. These moments are priceless and would not be possible without the iPhone nor indeed the Internet.

Btw I keep referring to my iPhone but there are other just as capable phones out there. It's just that my phone of choice is the iPhone so for the benefit of this post, iPhone is what i shall refer to.

My phone has made it easier to Tweet and keep in touch on Facebook. It has found in me a new passion for taking photos. I've got 1900 photos on my phone currently and that's with deleting hundreds the other week! Photo and camera apps are my biggest vice. I have loads and I take loads of pictures, even getting them printed as prints and magnets via Hipstamatic and Stickygram. They're wonderful. Not forgetting Instagram. Another awesome little iPhone app. I can search for anything on the Internet at any time, as long as there's not a shite signal. I'm looking at you her O2! It's ironic that the one thing i don't do very often is talk on the phone, except to my mum or my sister. All those free minutes are wasted on me each month. I get beaten on a regular basis on Words with Friends, although I let the people win so they feel better *cough*...

Aaanywaaaaayyysss..... I'll be backing up my phone tonight, installing new iOS5 - hopefully without any glitches, and getting ready to buy the new phone on Friday. I've got a day off and everything. Sad i Know but when you all got the iPhone 4 I was so envious but glad I kept the 3GS.

iPhone 3GS with fully installed iOS5

Update: I wrote this post on Wednesday before I backed up my phone and installed iOS5. Well, what a palaver that was! it took hours and hours and hours. I started it about 8.30pm and it just wouldn't back up. Then it did. Then i had to download iOS5, which on my connection and very old laptop took another 2.5 hours. Then i started installing it and after a few go's it eventually did. Somewhere in between 1.30am and me falling asleep. In between though i had to get rid of the music on it as it was now saying there wasn't enough space for everything. So I did. I woke to iOS5 fully installed on my 3GS. It worked fine, but was missing the music.

I suppose what I value most that the iPhone has helped bring me, and I realise this may sound daft, but it has brought into my life thoroughly great people who I can now call friends. People who get me. People who take the time to get in touch. People I have shared laughs and stories with. Those people I'm sure will be in my future.

Angela x

"You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart."

2011-10-13T13:20:00.001+01:00

Robbie Williams once sang about No Regrets. I'm sure we'd all love to not have any. Do you really have no regrets about anything?

I have no regrets about what I have done, rather some regrets about things i haven't done. And I'm not going to have them any more. I've decided. If there is something that needs to be said, I will say it. If there is something that i want to do, i'll be doing it. No longer will i shy away from taking the bull by the horns (so to speak).

You won't have failed to notice the sad passing of Steve Jobs last week - unless you've been living in a bunker for that duration! I watched his Stanford Commencement Address speech the other night and it was ace. I've read loads of quotes that various people were posting on Twitter and Facebook. Stuff that he's said about Apple. Stuff on business. Stuff on his early years. But the stuff i remember are the ones where he talks about life (maybe it wasn't about life but work with me here). There are a load of great snippets in that speech but in particular, these two things really struck a chord with me.

"Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart".

"A lot of times people don't know what you want until you show it to them"

Now that latter one he was talking about an Apple product but i think it rings true in life too. Sometimes you've got to show people 'something' for them to know that they want it.

The first quote is blooming awesome. For years I've never really said what i thought to people for fear of what they might think, good or bad. Recently i've read a lot of wise words from sayings, quotes, or from people who really believe in things and I've decided that this will be my new way of working too.

Perhaps it's all to do with that confidence / fear scenario of a few posts ago? All I know is I don't want to be trapped inside my own head anymore. I'm saying stuff. It may even be to you. No regrets. And remember...

"You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart."

Angela x

No Words Wednesday

2011-10-12T16:00:00.000+01:00

angela x

Music and Words

2011-10-11T22:15:00.000+01:00

Music. Music plays a big part in my life as I'm sure it does for you too. I've never been a trend setter going out and searching for new bands or anything. I'm more of a hear a song and kinda like it person. I tend to get a cd and listen to it for months on the car and then change to another one. With the little deviational detour in between times.

It's only when things happen in your life and you really start to listen to the words of songs that they take on new meaning. I have a cd in the car that i made up myself from iTunes, it's relatively recent songs that i liked and i swear to whatever god you pray to that the songs have taken on new meaning in the past few months. It's strange. I find myself driving along singing these words and it hits me that some of these words i should be saying out loud to people (or persons), various.

I won't rhyme off the reasons why I should be saying the things that I should. If only I could, then perhaps the words would mean something totally different. Does that make any sense at all? I hope so.

Music can trigger feelings inside you that you forgot were there. Last week I saw someone played a jokey spoofy one hit wonder song on Spotify and i remembered wee John liked it so very much and it made me smile with love remembering him. I hear the name of an artist and i'm taken back to a great day out and a lot of laughs since. I hear a guitar riff and i think of a good friend who plays guitar. All of this is what music does to you. Elation. Emotion. Heartache. Belly laughs. Shivers down your spine. Wry smiles of remembrance. And above all a good old fashioned sing along in your car, music blaring no one can hear you and you're lost in that 3 or 4 minutes. Bliss.

Here's one of the songs... I like it.

Angela xx

There goes the fear

2011-10-10T21:38:00.003+01:00

I was thinking about the previous post i wrote last week about having a dip in confidence and how i've always thought i never had any real confidence. Well, i still think that. But here's a thing. I was in the shower yesterday and was thinking about it (I do a lot of blog post thinking in the shower, it takes me a good 20 minutes to wash my hair so plenty thinking time...) anyway, i was thinking that i'm a bit of a contradiction. You see, i've never liked being made a fuss of. I've never had any parties to celebrate important birthdays like 21st, 30th or even my 18th! I don't like to create a fuss about anything. I don't take praise or compliments very well, although i'm learning to accept this. I don't shout about my achievements much, except here on this blog and yet here i am...blogging. I mean surely i blog and i expect people to read it?

I mean for goodness sake I have a different pair of brightly coloured trousers for each day of the week. You'd need a certain kind of confidence to carry off the purple trouser look, wouldn't you?

When i was younger i never followed the crowd. I didn't drink. I didn't go out to clubs much. I've never been on a package deal holiday to Benidorm, Tenerife, or Gran Canaria. I wear Converse trainers most days and i shirked wearing make up for years! I wore a suit to a wedding and a skirt suit to my senior dance at high school...... wait, perhaps that's why I never got asked to dance. But you get the drift i never followed what everyone else was doing. At a work Christmas night out I wore a red velvet suit whilst all other women were in black. Looking back it was very poor taste, I looked like Santa, but it was in fashion at the time (mid 90's).

I suppose what i'm saying is that i *thought* I had no confidence but to stray from the crowd takes a certain kind of confidence. Another example is this. I wore a hat to work last week. A very cool tweed flat cap my great friend Linda bought for my birthday this year, i wore that and you'd have thought i had two heads the amount of comment it got. So you see, I must have some confidence. I just need to nurture it and bring it to the fore in certain situations. Situations where work is related. Matters of the heart. All of the above... I need to let it flow and get rid of the fear. Because that's what lack of confidence is really isn't it? fear.

Angela xx

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Confidence, where are you?

2011-10-05T12:01:00.002+01:00

You know that feeling when you get punched in the face with a brick? Yes? well that's what has hit me the past two days. Not a brick really. Not punched in the face with one. But a little confidence dip that feels like a punch in the face with a brick. Although I wouldn't actually know that feeling since i've never been hit in the face with a brick but i was hit in the forehead with a hockey stick once, when I was 10, still got that scar and i know that hurt!

Anyway. Yes. I'm having a mini dip in my somewhat already low confidence. Resultant from a few things really. No one thing to pinpoint it down to other than 'that' feeling. You all know it, right? that feeling. When things just seemingly aren't going your way. Perhaps they are but you just can't see it. You overthink everything, ten times. You listen to every word with the kind of intesinty you'd normally listen to a muffled warbled train announcement just before your train is due, hoping it's not been cancelled - again!

So the question is how to get over this mini dip in the confidence rollercoaster? How do you do it? I see and hear people, and outwardly they appear to be the most confident thing in the world. But what's going on behind the eyes? Are they really so self assured? Maybe they are. But secretly I think we can all suffer from little dips. It can take just one thing to trigger it off. Usually the silliest little thing. But getting yourself pointing in the right direction can take longer than the dip.

I think it was my hair that set it off. I got it cut and coloured last week and it's too dark. Too dark for me anyway. Mahogany! I asked for my own hair colour and I got MAHOGANY!!!!..... I'm no more a natural mahongay haired person than a blonde! Although the cut is great and my curls are sitting so perfectly and bouncy and lovely, even if i do say so myself. I love my hair - not this colour though. But I do :)

Sometimes you just got to have a word with yourself. Pretend. Pretend to be a little box of fireworks. But is that being true to yourself....

Someone, help me get my confidence of 2 weeks ago back. Or just tell me your stories of little dips and your fabulous selves! I love to hear peoples stories.

Courage doesn't always roar
Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day that says
I'll try again tomorrow
-Mary Ann Radmacher

Big love,
Angela x

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My Hipstamatic Week

2011-10-01T19:56:00.000+01:00

Hipstamatic in case you don't know is a really cool iPhone photography app - commonly known as iPhonography. I've had it for ages and i love the different film, flashes, lenses and camera cases you get with it. I've amassed quite a few pictures. I love playing about with different iPhonography apps and with this one you can even get your photos printed off and sent all the way from America. I've had a pack, they're pretty cool. Here's my week in Hipstamatic photos, Saturday 24 September - Saturday 1 October... enjoy! (picture heavy post ALERT!!)

New Converse RED - my sparky shoes

Edinburgh Castle - from behind

Princes Street barriers

jewel encrusted tiger in Harvey Nichols

favourite drink

navy nails

poorly Connor

new gym programme

Castle silhouette

what?...

Those feet again

too much Coke in Illegal Jack's

Dumyat

for you...

dangerous tree?!

yum

Halloween window

Angela x

Reaching a goal

2011-09-28T21:48:00.002+01:00

Reaching a goal can be hard. So hard. do you set your goals to high? Or is the motivation to get there, not there? I set myself a goal way way back a the start of the year. I never told anyone about it really. It hangs on the side of my media unit in the form of a little speech bubble post it note. It's silly if you think about it but not to me.

Anyway, i tried. Tried to reach that goal over the first 7 months of this year. It just wasn't happening. Not for the lack of trying. Plenty of things were getting in the way of this goal which should be simple to do but for me wasn't.

And then over the past 4 weeks things just fell into place. They literally fell off me. The weight that is. For that is what my goal was. To lose 1 stone this year. I like many other women, never seem to lose weight. I'd even decided spin classes were bulking my legs up and making me put on weight. But it was none of that. It was simply eating the wrong things and my sweet tooth.

But circumstances have dictated that for the past 4 or 5 weeks i've gone off sweet things. Or, even better, i've been able to stop eating until I feel sick. That and the stress and fuzzy tummy you get when you meet someone new have all contributed to my weight loss and I like it. Mum has already commented that i'm too thin, but you know what parents are like. They'd feed you till you burst. Me i'd say ideally i'd like another 6lbs off.

Why are we never happy with our weight ladies? Ah yes that's right, because the 'perfect' woman is blasted at us from all angles of the magazine pages. I don't know why I'm saying that because in all honesty i've not bought a woman's / fashion magazine for over a year, and the last one i did buy i observed that over half of it was adverts and stupid promotional stories. No real content.

So in short, i've kinda nearly reached my goal. I'm 8st 12lb and before the year (month) is out i intend to be around 8st 5lb. Oh and to help things along I started running again! 3km on Monday I ran! Big news for me. No knee trouble (touch wood), things are looking up.

Now, what shall i challenge myself to next?...

Angela x

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Can you cheat at FourSquare?

2011-09-26T18:49:00.000+01:00

Well can you? I think you can. FourSquare in case you didn't know is an app for iPhone and Android? that you can use to 'check-in' to places. Might seem like nothing but if you're following a few people then it turns into a game, sort of. I say sort of because i honestly believe it's not utilised properly here in the UK just now. You hardly hear of nor see any offers for people 'checking-in'. Here's what FourSquare say:...
Foursquare is a location-based mobile platform that makes cities easier to use and more interesting to explore. By “checking in” via a smartphone app or SMS, users share their location with friends while collecting points and virtual badges. Foursquare guides real-world experiences by allowing users to bookmark information about venues that they want to visit and surfacing relevant suggestions about nearby venues.

There are pros and cons of being a FourSquare user. One of the biggest cons (drawbacks) being that people know exactly where you are at any given time. Well they do if you check into every single place you go and you broadcast it via a social network, Twitter, Facebook etc. I for one don't share my every move publicly, only to people I am 'friends' with on FourSquare, most of whom I've got to know over a period of time and therefore have passed the 'not a stalker' test with flying colours.

Anyway once you get over that quite big con the pros are pretty good. People check in to all manner of places and can leave tips, recommend food, heck they can even tell you the price of petrol at a petrol station (although you might not want to take it as word, the tip could be months old!). You check in, accumulate points, you can even earn nifty little badges and beat your friends that way. But there doesn't seem to be an end to this game nor a prize! Is there? Has anyone gotten a prize for being highest on their weekly leaderboard? You can become Mayor of places. Mayor of a pub, a cinema, a restaurant, your toilet! Some venues have prizes in the form of offers for the Mayor. That's pretty nifty i suppose.

I digress. Back to the point of this post. The question in the title. Can you cheat at FourSquare? I think you can and here's how. I've recently become 'friends' with a few more people on FourSquare and there are people who check in, earn points and rise up the board. All very normal. But there are people who don't appear to be checking in but yet are still rising up the board. I call these the sneaky undercover checker-inners. You see you can check in 'off the grid' which I think means you can check in, earn points and still climb up the leader board without anyone knowing where you are. Which for me kinda takes the whole point away from it. Doesn't it? I mean that's fine every now and again if you really don't want anyone to know where you are but still play the game. So, there are one or two sneaky peeps on my game that never appear to check in but rise up that leader board like am autumnal spider climbing up the curtains. But that's ok. I'm not competitive. No way. No siree... *plots revenge!* :)

Another way you can 'cheat' is (and i'd never really thought of doing this) is that you can almost just pass by the front door of a venue, not actually go in, and check in. I know! Crayzee eh! I hadn't thought of that. I don't think I would. No, I definitely wouldn't. This is where it may get a bit tricksy for a business giving FourSquare deals or offers for Mayors. You could in effect check into your local cafe, earn the Mayorship and get free coffee for life without ever having entered the establishment. I'm sure none the 'friends' i so carefully vetted on FourSqaure would ever think of doing that, would you? WOULD YOU?...

So the point of this post? nothing really. I just wanted to say a few things about FourSquare. It's funny, about a year ago people were totally against it. Totally knocking it. Hating on it something rotten. Hating the tweets that are pushed when you check in. And now these people are on it! Go figure. They probably hate the new Facebook. Me? I love it. I can't get enough of social networks. I love the connections made. The real friends i've made. The ones I talk to a lot more than my friends i've known since i was a kid. I love the tweets, status updates, new Instagram pictures, check ins, Mayorships gained and lost, being added to peoples Circles and the funky new timeline that easily shows me i joined Facebook in July 2007! Phew.

In summary, Internet, I loVe yOu!

yours, The Mayor of The Peak,
Angela x

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What an awesome week!

2011-09-24T21:05:00.000+01:00

What a week! Feels like I've been on a whirlwind merry-go-round that i never want to get off but i have. And what i've been left with is a stuffy nose, a dry cough and a throat so tight it's taking all my effort to drink my tea. This week has been filled with fun, excitement, nerves, aching-gut worry, cinema, music, birthday, lunches, dinners, baby and the most excellent friends a girl can have. And mostly all thanks to Twitter, and me of course.

Tuesday saw a long overdue lunch and window shopping in Glasgow with gorgeous wonderful friend Nicola (@Lilacswizzle). I really have to thank her for the much need confidence boost and wise words I would never have thought of under the circumstances. I have so much to thank her for this week, you don't even know!

Later on Tuesday I ventured cross country from West to East to Edinburgh, where I was attending a preview screening of new movie Warrior, via RBS Film First. This time it would be a solo trip as cinema buddies were busy. Panic started to set in on the train when the battery indicator popped up like a looming message of doom... 20% battery left. Argh! how would i find my way without google maps?! How would I check in on FourSquare?! How could i review this movie afterwards and let the whole of Twitter now how it was?! But still i continued to refresh my timeline. The train was nearing the East and the signal is really fucking patchy isn't it. So all I had was the O2 O of doom and no 3G. Panic, panic. I sent out a desperate tweet: Edinburgh, where can i find a bite to eat and (more importantly) a plug to charge my phone?!! Refresh.... Refresh.... Switch off... No signal... BUZZ! a reply! "well @illegaljacks of course. Ask nicely and you might get to charge your phone :)" Yay. I immediately sent a tweet, asking nicely of course, and the reply was yes, it would be waiting. Phew, what a life saver. Safe in the knowledge that my phone would soon have juice in it, i settled back to enjoy the remainder of my journey with plenty in my thoughts. Well as much settling back as you can do on a Scotrail train seat without thinking about all the other heas that have touched that spot where yours is... yes this is what i think about?! *shudder*. I digress...

The train arrived and I made my way to Illegal Jacks. It was a lovely not-quite-autumn-but-getting-there evening, a bit windy but the sun was still shining and embracing me in his warmth. Wandering along the street it occured to me that I seemed to be heading in the complete opposite direction to the masses. Rush hour. There were suits, numerous. All shades of dark. Navy, Grey, Black, Charcoal. Suits. But what I did notice that stood out were the sensible women who'd opted for trainers and suits when running to catch the train. I mused how they must've had a pair of work shoes hidden under their desks like me. Just in case, you know...

Anyway I reached Illegal Jacks and ordered from the menu then sheepishly asked if there was a plug. I was pointed towards the window, sat myself down and plugged in. PHEW! It really is a disaster when your phone runs out of battery but all was now well. A few minutes later my very tasty cajun spiced chicken wings arrived. They were hot, hot hot and spicy hot. Lovely. I sat and recharged and watched the world go by out the window. I do love a good people watching session! I exchanged tweets were back and forth from various people and then what a lovely surprise that Kelly (@Macfack) had dropped by to see me. (She saw i was checked in on FourSquare). We had a wee chat then it as time for me to head to the movie. This was the purpose of my visit afterall. I unplugged, 73% battery should see me right.

I walked along to Cineworld, not too far really, and headed into the cinema. The screen wasn't ready yet so we waited about 10 minutes before being let in. I had a wee chance to think a little. I'm always thinking. I was wishing that i had a companion with me, it would've been nice. Sadly, not this time. They opened the screen and we filed in. I checked in - obviously and tweeted a few people. Then the ads came on and it was time for the film. Thank goodness there weren't any noisy popcorn eaters in my vicinity. It was bad enough on Sunday.

The film began. Warrior. I thought it was about boxing but it was in fact about cage fighting. It was shot nicely and leads were Tom Hardy, Nick Nolte and Joel Edgerton - who you may remember from that Australian programme that used to be on BBC2 years ago, The Secret Life of Us. I loved that show but they never showed it again here. Anyway, Warrior. It was good. It was kinda predictable towards the end but well shot, nicely acted and the emotion caught me a bit at the end. Loved it really. I'd recommend it. Here's the trailer...

Out of the cinema i was a little bit scared walking these strange streets at night. There were one or two people around but as soon as i got back to the train station i was fine. I was freezing cold but. Shivering. And there was still a half hour wait on my train, darn. I was kept company by a few lovely people on Twitter. It's so great for that eh. Soon enough the time passed and my train would arrive on 5 minutes but not on platform 4 like what was on the screen. It always gets moved at Haymarket to platform 2 at the last minute! Grrr very annoying. Anyway the train was warm and I enjoyed a little convo with a totally awesome person via DM. There was something I wanted/needed to tell them but somehow the right words didn't come out. It would have to wait.

Platform clock

I woke on Wednesday with a dry mouth and chesty cough. Bugger it. I was heading out tonight, again! and there was no time for petty ailments. But I smiled when I checked my phone and had a wondrous text. Lovely. headed to work for another busy day answering loads of emails from students and every other thing that needed doing. But i didn't care. For tonight was a surprise do for Lovely Ian, the Surf Punk (@surfpunkian). Today was his birthday!!

The Mayor's Birthday

He'd told me previously he didn't like surprises but i was sure he wouldn't mind this one organised by one of his friends. I left work early at 4 to catch the train and headed through again. Fast becoming a regular jaunt for me. I arrived at Illegal Jacks a little after 6 and a few people were there. He said he was surprised and didn't have an idea. Nice. And he was parading about with a FourSquare Mayor t-shirt, a present from someone. Cool. By such a coincidence, a lovely girl, Andie (@MissAKis) i've followed on Twitter for nearly 2 years was in town with her work and she would be in Illegal Jacks for dinner too. I couldn't wait to meet her and when i finally did she was chatty, bubbly, lovely and such a warm person and a totally brilliant raconteur. Loads of stories. LOADS. Great.

All too soon it was time for me to head to my train and so I said my goodbyes to Andie, she was recounting her days spent in and around Newcastle to the group, and had a little chat and said goodbye to the wonderful birthday boy. I think he had a good birthday...

Heading home i had a few things on my mind. I wanted to kick myself, for a good reason. I wanted to turn back the past few weeks and do a thing differently but you can't can you.

Thursday i woke and was feeling pretty rubbish to be honest. Tired. Knackered. Flu-y. Coughy. Still had work to go to, boo. But i was visiting Linda and baby Kai tonight for a good old gossip and dinner. It was a good night. We had cheesburgers and chips and tea and juice and sticky toffee pudding. A treat indeed. I filled her in on everything from work to me and my past few weeks of fun. All the while Kai snoozed, fed, played on his mat and farted loads. I mean loads. For a month old baby he was farting like an old man. haha so funny and so beautiful. I headed home about 8.30 for an early night but i had a sinking feeling in my gut. You know when you get that? Bleh. I was glad to get to bed that night.

Friday was work and then spin class. And full on flu symptoms. I couldn't even eat the packet of marshmallows i've had for about 2 weeks. What's wrong with me?! I must be sick.
So that dear readers was my full on non stop crazy exciting wondrous gut-achingly massive week. It was emotional...

How was yours?

Angela x

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I Pedalled for Scotland

2011-09-18T20:30:00.000+01:00

This time last week i was just getting home from the Pedal for Scotland bike ride. 51 miles of fun. Here's the story...

Thursday afternoon and I printed off a map off how to get to Glasgow Green from Stirling. It was for my Dad. He would be in a support vehicle for a group who were taking part in the Pedal for Scotland Glasgow to Edinburgh bike ride. I started thinking maybe I could go along too. Then I never thought any more about it, until they tweeted that you could still register online up to 4.30pm on Saturday. I made a mental note of that.

Friday came and I wasn't feeling too great. I know what was up with me but that's not for these parts... Anyway as Friday wore on I was feeling more and more off. I went to spin class in the hope that would sort me out and it kinda did. A little. After spin i rushed home, had a shower then headed to Karen's as everyone was there for Connor's 2nd birthday. He got a guitar and was totally loving it. He had cake and we were all there. We played pass the parcel, Ryan won! Then it was musical statues, Ryan won again! Next up with Just Dance on the Wii. They were great at it. Soon it was time to go home. I think Connor loved his birthday.

Birthday boy, his brother and his Granda

Back at home I still couldn't shake the feeling that I had. So went to bed after exchanging a few texts.

Saturday I woke up and still wasn't feeling that great. I felt a little better after an exchange of advice from a friend. I watched the rugby and F1 qualifying and headed into town to buy a top for school reunion i was to attend that night. Home from town without a top but i had a lotto ticket and a birthday card. That was fine. It was about 5pm when i decided that yes, i would go along to the cycle. I had a quick blast around on the bike to make sure it was in working order. The seat needed adjusting and the tyres were pumped up a little then it was packed in Dad's work van. That night I was still feeling a little delicate of tum so decided to give the school reunion a miss - which i'm gutted about. I packed my bag, charged the phone and camera batteries and finally went to bed about 11.30pm. We'd be up at 5.45am....

The alarm went off and it was dark outside. I could hear a couple of birds singing and no rain - result. I showered, got dressed and had my Weetabix. I was feeling a little better today. We set off to a meetup point at 6.45am. There were a couple of people there already but we waited about 20 minutes for the rest to arrive. We headed off for Glasgow about 7.15am (via Falkirk) and arrived about 8.15. I was dropped off to go and register at the People's Palace and that would be the last time I saw them all day. (The team Dad was supporting was a company team from Stirling).

After a quick registration I headed to the start line. There were hundreds of people lined up. I admired some of the bikes around me. Some were shiny and new looking, others were well worn. Mine was amongst the former. The rain started to drizzle and i was a bit nervous. Most people there seemed to belong to teams or be 50% of a partnership, i kinda wished i had someone there too but this would be a good thing to do on my own. It's the most spontaneous pursuit i've done in a long time and it would give me a chance to think about things, life, people, a person...

Registered!

Slowly but surely, about every 6 minutes we moved forward and got close to the start line. An announcer was chatting to people at the front and i hoped i would just blend in with the crowd and he wouldn't stop me for a chat. Phew. That was lucky. At 9.15am my group were ushered through the start line and i was off. It felt great. The weather was holding just for now with even some blue patched through the cloud. The first few miles were roads that were blocked off to traffic but soon enough we hit a set of traffic lights which would signal the start of the open roads - watch out for that car!

We rode along through streets i didn't really recognise but soon were out the east end and passing by the big shopping centre at Easterhouse. The Glasgow Fort, couldn't remember what it was called there. It wouldn't be long now until the first feed station. But first, a tricksy hill to split the group. And split the group it did. I got my gear sorted and made my way up. Reaching the top was made slightly difficult by stupids not being in the right gear and stopping right in front of me but reach the top i did and decided to pull over for a wee drink. Turns out i needn't have bothered stopping as a little further on, crossing the M73 we were 2 kms from the first feed station at Drumpelier park. I stopped my Dad's van in the car park and stopped for a wee chat. On my watch it was only 1 hr and 2 mins since i'd set off. Not bad i thought. That was with lots of stops at traffic lights coming out of the city centre. Woohoo. I set off a little further along to the actual feed station and queued up to pick up a bottle of water and a banana. I ate half the banana, drank the water and decided to set off again. I wasn't out of puff yet.

Out of Drumpelier, through the centre of Coatbridge and Airdrie. There was a boy racer in Airdrie who was giving the riders the v sign with his fingers. Eejit. As I passed through Stirling Road roundabout in Airdrie i recalled with fondness and a heavy heart many a day we passed that roundabout to go visit my Pappy in Law village near Carluke. I haven't been through that area for years, maybe i'll take a wee drive through to see the old house again. The weather was beginning to get greyer and the rain turned from light drizzly to a constant pitter patter but it was still not heavy. The skies were grey and the wind had lifted and even worse it was a head wind. That's when your heading straight into a wind, isn't it? Yes a head wind. It was constantly buffeting me and then turned to a cross wind when there were no trees to shelter us. My pace was still constant, occasionally speeding up as I overtook slower riders. We came upon a sign for Longriggend and i can remember thinking what a dreary place. It was quite high up, although i never realised until we got there as the climbs were steady. And then there was a sign for 2kms to the next feed station at Avonbridge. Now in Falkirk Council territory too. I needed this stop. My tummy was starting to grumble and the Weetabix i'd had at 6am wasn't fuelling me any more. I headed into the feed station but the queue was extra long so i headed straight back out and perched on a garden wall across the street so that I could eat my chicken roll i had with me. About 15 minutes later i set off again.

The next stretch was more b roads. The riders were more stretched out, thank goodness. The weather was the same but on the approach to Linlithgow it got calmer and the sun even poked out from behind the blanket grey clouds. I was ready for this lunch. We were now on 12.45pm. I'd been riding since 9.15am. Not too shabby, Ange, not too shabby at all. There was a long climb up a gentle but never ending hill and i saw a 15 miles to go sign!! Great feeling.

a welcome sign

The park was great but you couldn't really see the palace that you can see from the motorway or train. I parked my bike on the rails, queued up outside the tent and got my lunch after about 15 minutes. Pasta. Pepper pasta, it was literally dry pasta with peppers mixed through. Hhhmmm dry pasta. I needed the full bottle of water downed to help it go down. A cup of tea too. Albeit too milky. I sat and ate my lunch and then headed off after about 20 minutes, not before getting a guy to take my picture.

Out of Linlithgow and the weather was good. I'd even saw i was hot but my bum was aching. It had survived all those miles so i'm sure another 15 wouldn't matter. Ouch. I was up and out of the saddle a few times but that only served to make it worse when i sat down so i shifted about a bit on it instead. The road was long, relatively flat then we passed through Winchburgh where my cousin used to stay and over the motorway into Kirkliston. NEARLY HOME!! It had only been about 20 minutes cycling since Linlithgow so i opted out of stopping at this feed station. I had my own water so no point. I looked at my watch and it was reading a little over 4 hours. I decided i'd try to make it into Murrayfield under 5 hours. A challenge for myself. Out of Kirkliston a cycle only lane had been set up with cones but people were slow going along it and they were two abreast. It was difficult to overtake but a few squeeks of my brakes and the guy pulled in to let me by. I flew. I was now on a clock... I looked over and saw the airport. Nearly home. That's what i kept thinking to myself. On and on and on. We were now in residential streets and there was a street in Davidson Mains (I think) where we came around the corner and people were clapping and saying not far to go! then up a little hill and group of little boys, about 9 or 10, were lined up and were getting a high five from all the riders. I of course obliged them and got a 'nice shades' shout too. I tell you this, it was so good at that point. There had been hardly anybody on the streets watching and this group of little boys were a boost at just the right time. Thank you wee boys!!

My watch was now about 4hrs 45 minutes. 15 minutes to go. Surely it could be done. We were now on the canal path. It was dark but at least it was flat and smooth. I kept a steady pace but tiredness was starting to set in. I'd wished it would come to an end soon. Then I thought WWPD (what would Pyllon do) and i laughed. He'd grit his teeth and carry on and that's what i did. It worked. Through a break on the tree branches and over a little bridge i caught a glimpse of the metalwork high up on the stadium, woohoo!! It can't be long now. I looked at my watch 5hrs... Oh well. We were directed to get off the bikes and down a steep section which came out onto a street, Roseburn Terrace. I recognised this area from when i attended the Kings of Leon gig here back in June. It was a welcome relief. I'll admit to slowing down a bit. We rode around the back of Murrayfield and what a great surprise, directed into the stadium, out the other side and to the finish line. It was great! I'd done it. YES!

The only sad part was that i crossed the line and no one was waiting on me. That would've been ace. I shed a little tear. More of relief and sense of achievement than sorrow though. I collected my medal and goody bag and called my Dad. They were waiting on the Ogilvie crew who weren't in yet, near Haymarket. I headed around and found them. Awesome. It was great. I got my dad to take a picture of me finished then he loaded my bike into the van. I opened my Wee Bru, ate my crisps and marvelled in what i had just done. I think i'll do it next year.

We waited for about another hour until the riders started to come back to the vans. I felt pretty pleased with myself as some of these people are out on their bikes all the time. Smugface. My battery died on me though so i limited my tweeting but a huge thanks to everyone who wished me well. It was all greatly appreciated.

Look at this cool but scary graffiti i found on a wall where we were parked. Anyone know who did it?

When i got home i showered, had dinner and was tucked up in bed by 9pm. A few texts were exchanged with a fab friend and i dozed off full of tiredness, achievement and excitement at what could be next.

Great things bikes, aren't they!

Angela x

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Happy Birthday Connor

2011-09-09T13:54:00.001+01:00

Today, there's not really much to say except HAPPY BIRTHDAY Connor!!

Connor is two today. Connor is the second half of the 'greatest nephews in the world' duo.

Time has flown since he arrived on a muggy Thursday evening. He slipped into the world a happy laid back little boy. He loves guitars and singing and bouncing on the trampoline and playing with his big brother Ryan. He brings joy into our lives every day with his fantastic little personality.

Saying goodbye to Wee Bri who is off to Oz via Bangkok amd Vietnam

He's not a complainer. He's not really grumpy. He's always on the go, except when he naps around 2pm! He can talk this hind legs off a donkey and Baby Jake is one of his favourite shows on CBeebies.

Tonight we will celebrate with songs and cake.

Angela x

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Bank holiday weekend, part dos - The Beaches

2011-09-03T23:55:00.000+01:00

...Now where was i?... Oh yes. Sunday.

I got up early, showered, packed my bag and headed along the motorway to Edinburgh about 10am. I arrived at my destination a little before 11. Ian's house. Cups of tea were made and drank then we were soon on our way into the city centre. The weather was holding, for now. Parking spaces were few and far between but my driver managed to get one only a few steps away from where we were going. Handy. We headed in to the venue and to the recording of the final Live at the Gilded Balloon podcast 2011 - download here! Today was featuring the Fisters Comedy award. I just so happened to be in the company of the actual fist model! Fancy eh.

After the podcast and a cuppa outside it was time to head off to the beach. Whenever it was mentioned, there were short glances at the sky and the 'you're going to the beach on a day like this!' looks. But nonetheless we were determined. Off we set.

First up was a little cove. It was windy, the outlook was bleak, the clouds were low but moving pretty swiftly. Waterproof jacket went on and we headed down a track wit the wind and spits of rain blowing at us. Through a little dark tunnel we headed. A pirates cave i was told, but the sloppy pirates left their wheelbarrow behind! Out we came into a sheltered calm little sweeping cove. The beach here was small in comparison but still, a beach. The harbour wall was about 3 feet high and on the other sat a picturesque little stone built cottage. Ian told me that people do live there on occasion. They come mostly in the summer i think. There were a few people over at the house which was on the other side of the harbour. We walked further on our side and there was a couple of little wooden houses. Again owned by people who came every so often. We took a couple of pictures and headed back up through the pirates cave. It was nice here though. Calm. Sheltered. Safe.

the stone built cottages - Hipstamatic iPhone photo

After about 20 minutes drive we arrived at the second beach of the trio in today's visit. This was on a holiday park site so there were more people around but it was still not busy. Good stuff. Now, this beach was different. Wider. Open. Stretched quite far. The sand was lighter and compact. But the thing about it that I loved the most and it surprised me was the sound of the waves. I'd forgotten how loud they can be! It's been years, about...*ponders*...15 years since i've actually stepped foot on a beach so no wonder I forgotten all about my senses being struck on all sides.

the waves were crashing. loud.

There were some people in the waters surfing, or trying to. Apparently today was not a good surf day. (He told me so!). We wondered quite far along it. Chatting away, taking pictures, watching the surfer folk. I liked the way today was going.

surfing?...

The weather had eased up a bit. The little drizzle of rain that had been before had now gone. The wind was still there though. But that didn't matter. I was glad to be blowing off some cobwebs that had formed over the past few months. We headed back to the car via the toilet block. I was busting!

pretty foam

Back at the car we decided we were hungry and it was about this time i declared I had brought some cake! Mars Bar cake. We'd eat it at the next beach. We headed down winding roads sometimes only just big enough for two cars. It was a little further away this one. But there were a few cars in the car park. We headed down a path through a barrier gate. I could see it from the high vantage point. Another wide beach. This time it was a cove. Albeit a wide cove. A horseshoe shape - make a wish...

Again there were a few people in the water, surfing lessons i think. The ground around the beach was high up so again we were sheltered. We wondered around to the other side (of the horseshoe shape) and passed a few people along the way. It was busier with dog walkers and groups out for a walk. Same idea as us. In actual fact it wasn't that bad once you were actually on the beaches but the weather inland was windy/rainy. It didn't really matter though.

There was a rocky outcrop in the waters which meant the waves were just lapping here. Nice photos here. Around one edge too there were about 20 beach huts. All different states of repair and colour. Mostly greens and browns but there was one or two blue and white ones. Each were numbered and i wondered what people actually did with a beach hut. I can imagine on a gorgeous warm day it could be quite handy to change in and get some proper shelter but the rest of the year, what?

We sat on a little grassy bank and ate the cake and some Wee Bru's I'd brought along. The bonus was Haribo jellies! I think Ian appreciated them, he delved in for another bit of cake! We checked in on FourSquare (after 10 minutes wait) and i was beaten to the mayorship but just a few seconds. I'm gonna claim it back one day. Soon we set off again, back around the beach, up the path and into the car. I was knackered by now as I'd had a late night the previous night.

The drive back to Edinburgh was filled with music, my music this time. I had to fast forward a few songs as the shuffle button had thrown up some of my more embarrassing songs. But I think Ian's favourites were Beyonce and Christina Aguilera. He will deny this but i has evidence!...

Back at the ranch i had another much needed cup of tea and then headed back home. You'll notice i never actually mention which beaches these were. If you saw my FourSquare check ins you might know. (It was a pain to get a decent signal). Otherwise it's a secret!

I came home and saw a lovely sunset which brought to an end one of the best weekends i've had in a long time. Spent in great company. Another thing to tick off my summer bucket list. I owe a huge big thank you and hug to Ian for the day trip. One to remember and more to come...

our footsteps

Angela x

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Bank holiday weekend, part uno

2011-08-31T19:40:00.000+01:00

Please indulge me by allowing me to tell you about my packed weekend. They are few and far between in my life so I want to share it with you. Settle in, this could take a while.

I'd booked a long weekend off work, partly because I knew there'd be some plans and partly because I have days to use by the end of September. Still have some left.

Friday I was meant to go to Edinburgh to catch something at the festival but that turned in to Saturday, which is quite lucky come to think of it because Friday was spent in town trying to find a top to wear to the party on Saturday night (more on this later). I parked the car outside the centre with a 2 hour parking limit. This was deliberate! I wandered around the shops. The usual places. Trying to decide which top would go best with a skirt i'd had hanging in my wardrobe since i bought it in the Warehouse sale 2 years ago. The sale ticket was still attached. After visiting nearly all acceptable shops in town i decided to get something to eat and mull over my options. With a full belly and a clearer head i started off in New Look. Bought a top for work. Deviation. That was a deviation from the plan and i had approximately 38 minutes left on my parking ticket.

Next stop was Zara. Ooh hello lovely red trousers. Distraction. I was being distracted by my love of all trousers bright, and as yet i don't have a pair of red trousers in my rainbow collection. Buy me some, somebody! Anyway, i headed into the changing room with two variations of red trews and two cream coloured tops. The first one was nice. Really sat nice with my jeans actually (I may buy this later). The second top was just right. I could hear the tick tock of the clock on that parking ticket and i was NOT going to get a late ticket! I had 12 minutes to pay for the top and get to the car. The red trousers went back on the rail. Til another day.

I got back to the car, then headed to Tesco for some baking supplies and then homewards. Next up was spin class. This really is my favourite one. I've been trying to find s decent bike. You know, one that doesn't squeak, one that holds my bikes shoes securely in the pedals and one that the gear isn't too easy. I think i found it!

After spin it was home to a shower, hair wash and some dinner. I straightened my hair then curled it again with the straighteners. I know, i know i have curly hair but i have tight ringlet curls at the front of my hair and big wavy ones at the back. The straighten/curl method gives a more uniform messy cool look that i like, so that's what i did. Next it was nails. I opted for Butter London's All About McQueen. A dark nude shade with lots of gold shimmer. Subtle and lovely. I was pleased.

its a bit dark in this picture

Saturday i woke early. Today i had plans. For the first time in a long while i actually had Saturday plans. I trained it to Edinburgh at 12 and hoped the rain stayed off. It did. On arrival i ad to find the EdFringe box office and buy a ticket for Mr Neil Fox's Great Brain Robbery. Check out the story of EdFringe via The Brains' tumblr HERE. After standing in an endless queue that seemed to get bigger as it did smaller, i think it was about 35 minutes, i had my ticket. With only enough time for a quick cuppa i set off to find the venue. It was tricksy. My battery was at 45%, plus the 3G signal was shocking for a capital city. Honestly. Sort it out mobile phone operators! Google maps helped.

I arrived at the venue but headed for a cuppa first. I had 20 minutes before curtain up. I had too. My stomach was grumbling so much. Tea and a cupcake. That would hold me til i got home for my dinner later. As I waited in line a familiar face arrived in the form of Mark and two of his friends. We waited in line and then were shown into the venue through a series of doors and darkened narrow corridors. I likened it to a theme park ride in Florida. Where you stand in a queue but yet it's unlike a queue it's actually part of the ride. If you've been you'll know what i mean. The venues was The Caves. And inside to room was dark, vaulted low ceiling and about 30 chairs for the audience to sit on. The actors were already on stage, ready for their start. And start they did. It was an hour of laughs, wigs, songs, decent Scottish accents (for a Southerner) and fun. It was non stop. I don't know how they did it/do it. Afterwards we had quick drinks and catching up in the bar and i headed off to catch the train back home for that nights celebrations. It was good to see Twitter friends and i'm so glad I saw Neil & Co's show. Well done them!

Heading home on the train my battery ran out. Grrrr. That was all that trying to get a signal in the middle of a capital city business. It was kinda liberating. Gave me a chance to think about stuff. People. Places. What's important. The usual stuff really. I arrived home at 6 and was due to leave for the party at 7.15. That didn't happen. It was gone 8 when Dad and I drove over to the venue. A girl has to get ready you know! If i do say so my outfit was lovely. The skirt and top were a really good match and my shoes were ace! The party was busy when we arrived. Oh, I should've said. This was the party of Brian, my wee cousin. He was 30 last week but the big news is that he's off travelling for a year. He leaves on Monday! Eek, i'll miss him. Anyway, it was mobbed. Family, friends, work colleagues old and new, he had a great turnout. It was gone 30 minutes past midnight when i finally gave in and came home. Afterall I was to be up early the next day for another day out.... to be continued.

Angela x

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My BucketList, an update

2011-08-22T16:00:00.000+01:00

My bucket list if you'll remember from here, was somethings from my bigger bucket list for the year that I wrote way back here in May 2010. It was something to spur me on to get out more and to do new things or things i haven't done for a while. Well, it's safe to say that I haven't really been doing anything on it except i have seen more movies at the cinema (hello Cineworld Unlimited card!!). I really really want to score a few things off the list but they are mostly things that can't, no, shouldn't be done on your own. As a little reminder, here is the summer list....

I want to see a real life piece of Banksy art, if you know where there's one please shout out now! Even better, come with me, YO!
I want to go to Alton Towers. I've not been to the funfair for years and I want a blow-out I'll be scared and scream but I want to go! Go go go go go.......
I still ache to walk along a Scottish beach, be it sunny or windy or rainy or whatever. I will do it.
Another trip to Londontown. I like it and it will help when doing the first thing on this list. Won't it?
Climb more hills. Well at least one. Which will be one more than last year. Yes it's been that long.
Seeing lots more new films. I've not been to the cinema for a couple of few but that will be rectified this weekend with a cinema fest.
go to Edinburgh festival to see a friend perform. Can't wait for that. My first time at the festival!

So number 6 is so far the winning bullet point. In the past month i've seen Bridesmaids, Horrible Bosses, Captain America, The Devils Double, and i'm sure another but can't remember. All good films in my opinion. The first two were great for a laugh and to take your mind off other stuff for a few hours. Go see them.

Number 1 and number 4: Hhmmm well the trip to Londontown will have to wait until early next year i think and so unless Mr Banksy comes a paints some art on the hut in my garden, the chances of me seeing one in real life before the year's out is slim. But i can wait. More time to research their whereabouts!

Number 2!!!!!! Alton Towers, a theme park! I so want to go. Before the weather turns too bad. Will someone come with me please?!! we could hire a minibus and take a few bodies too. Come on? for a fun filled day out. Let's do it, dudes!! (Sorry for the excess use of the exclamation mark).

Number 5. Yet another that i long to do. But i'm reluctant to go off up the hills on my own. I just won't do it. I'm a fearty.

Number 7. Aah Lucky number 7. The Edinburgh festival is in full swing and alas I still haven't been. But, but, but, I'm off for a long weekend from this Friday and hopefully I'll be popping along to see the wonderful Mr Neil Fox in The Great Brain Robbery. Now running daily from 1.45pm for an hour at The Caves. Get tickets here!! If you wanna come along on Friday with me, tweet me @Ange77H.

And finally number 3. Well his time next week i should be able to blog about this. Fingers crossed the weather is nice. I'm looking forward to that mini adventure!

Now, enough with the things i haven't quite done yet and onto the stuff i have been up to. Well mostly working and spin classes. I'm averaging 4 spin bike classes per week but things aren't quite going to plan. I do think I need to pick it up a bit and do other forms of exercise. I'm just so nervous about going into the gym though. I prefer to go at quiet times but the gym is so good that it's mostly busy up until about 8pm. Is that too late to be gyming? I tend to find that once i'm home I can't quite get the motivation to go back out again. It's just laziness probably. Definitely. Since the gym is but a 10 minute drive away.

Spin class

Results aren't too bad but could be better.

I've recently become obsessed (nah, not really obsessed, what's another word for it?) with painting my nails in loads of different colours. Tropical Paradise pink, Strawberry Margarita, electric blue, bright purple as well as Glitter in the Rain - a fave. Previously, i was a barely there pink kinda girl but that's changed.

What else? Let me see....Well, I've met new people and have even visited Illegal Jack's in Edinburgh. Very nice it was too. Although my use of a fork and knife to eat a burritto was mocked. There's a way to eat it apparently. I also dined at Jamie's Italian on a lazy Saturday afternoon. It was nice. Except the cotton napkin appeared to be all fluff which ended up all over my purple trousers. Not a good look.

Jamie's Italian - Carbonara

Illegal Jack's - burrito...with fork and knife! AND ice cream as my fellow diner had just become Mayor! :)

Overall it's been a fun summer. But could've been a lot better. Now i have to go and draw the window over. The crisp early autumnal wind is blowing in.

Angela x

Brad Visits Scotland

2011-08-21T19:48:00.000+01:00

Philadelphia!

If you've been living under a bush for the past few days you won't know this but Brad, Angelina and their brood are in Scotland! Brad is filming a new movie mostly around George Square in Glasgow but today he's been in Grangemouth. Wait! back up, you all know Brad? Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie? Only one of the most famous couples on the planet.

Anyway, i headed on the train to Glasgow yesterday in search of a glimpse of aforementioned movie star. What I saw was loads of American cars, signs, flags and a few extras running down a street, but alas no sign of Brad. There was definitely filing taking place. The big blue crane was hoisted high in the sky and another camera on an all black pursuit car as driving by.

In all honesty, yes he's Brad Pitt and he's pretty lovely but if i were to choose I'd say I'd rather meet Angelina in person. I find her fascinating. Her past, her present, her work for the UN, all of it. Plus besides me, she's the only other cool person i know to be called Angie *smileyface*.

I'm sure you've seen plenty of these pictures by now but here are mine from the movie set. Enjoy!

Angela x

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Ryan Goes To School

2011-08-16T19:48:00.000+01:00

Today was the big day. The day he'd, we'd, been counting down to for a good few weeks (years). He was up at 7.30 and ready to go at 8.30. A crisp white short sleeved shirt, black trousers and shoes he'd chosen himself on holidays. To finish off the uniform was the blue tie with gold diagonal stripes that once belonged to wee Bri (who turns 30 next week). With his hair newly shorn last week he was set. He was well smart.

Ryan, 5, school boy

We went to see him about 8.40 and after a few pictures he was pacing the living room looking out the window at all the children being taken across the road and down the path to St Margaret's, his new primary school. He showed us the contents of his Buzz Lightyear lunch box. Water, orange, banana, a dunker box, two pieces, two mini sausage rolls, beef Hula Hoops and a biscuit. Yes, he can't eat when he wants to.

A little while later Wee Bri and Catherine Anne came to visit and then it was time to go. We set off. Me, Mum, Karen, Brian, Ryan and Connor in his buggy. I can't remember the last time i walked down to the school. The school where we spent some great times as children. Memories were flooding back and i hoped that Ryan's time there would be just as great as when i was there. It really is a good wee school.

St Margaret's

There were little groups of mums, dads, grannies all gathered round whilst the kids went inside with there parents. Karen took Ryan in and we chatted until she came back out. About 10 minutes later she came out saying he was settled in fine and was already in the process of making her a necklace which she might get when she went back for him at 3 o'clock. We were happy. Connor was sitting in his buggy asking for Ryan but Karen was taking him into town on the 'big bus for sweeties'. He was happy. Wait til he realises Ryan wasn't coming back after for a few hours....

Connor

Angela x

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Stress, what is it?

2011-07-31T21:09:00.002+01:00

Stress. It's a funny old thing, or word. It conjures up an image of a crazy, eye-bulging person tearing their hair out. The only thing being that's not strictly the truth about it, is it.

I used to think I never got stressed. I mean I'd get nervous at exams and the like. Heck, I breezed my driving test, but a funny thing started happening a few years back for no particular reason. Well none that I could fathom. It's only in the past 6 months I've realised that this 'thing' was stress. For me to say that is both frightening and yet enlightening at the same time. I've been brought up in quite a traditional way and stress and depression were never really mentioned in the family. I used to think it was easy for some people to say they were stress, truthfully I still do think people jump on that label for themselves all too easily, but like I say, in the past 6 months I've realised that this stress thing had been happening to me for a couple of years without me realising it.

I thought I'd pulled a muscle in my back. I thought I had wisdom teeth problems with the most tense jaw you could ever imagine. At one point I thought I had a brain tumour as a 3 week long headache was not for subsiding no matter how much ibuprofen i fed it. Then when I went went deaf in my left ear twice over the past 2 months I thought it was because the pumping bass beats at spin class were causing it. I started to get really bad headaches (I used to never believe in migraines) but they were in actual fact migraines. so bad the I could quite easily have stuck a fork in my and took my eye ball out to massage for a few hours if it brought some relief. Then I started to take note and thought I was only getting this due to hormones at certain times every month but then it became more frequent. Every day frequent. So frequent that I wished it would relent some times.

Then came a strange feeling. I was dizzy when I got up off a chair or from a lie down. Strange. I've never felt that before. This is at the same time as the deaf ear bear in mind. Perhaps I had that thing you get with earache, you know, when you lose balance.... Also, one night after eating my dinner I sat in my chair for a good hour with my first ever nausea inducing migraine. Ouchie. I think it's safe to say there was something not quite right here.

I'm not really one for bothering a doctor, although I probably should have gone ling before now. I did go a few years back, um about 5 years ago, when i had a two week long headache then. Back then i did really think something bad was wrong. He told me there wasn't and to take ibuprofen, i'd be fine. And I was after a month. But slowly these symptoms keep recurring.

The funny thing is that I don't really know what i'm stressed about. Actually that's a lie, I do. Because, as i mentioned above, although big occasions such as tests or the like don't really phase me, it's petty things that happen at work that do. It's silly things that happen in the house that does. If i drive a long way I can tense up like a rigid rubber band. It's people being late if we're going somewhere. All these little things that add up and make me feel like my shoulders are at my ears and my jaw is about to crack. That's how stress manifests itself in me.

I've been on holiday for the past two weeks. I don't mean i've been away anywhere. No, I've just been off work and it was very much needed as there are changes going on that may or may not be a good thing. But i feel refreshed and raring to go tomorrow. For the first 5 days of my holiday i was still taking pain killers for the headache/neckache/tense jaw but for the rest of the holiday I've been fine. I think the sunshine and my daily spin bike classes at The Peak have also helped. I went to one every day last week apart from Thursday and i totally missed it. I now have set a plan in place for going back to work and am ready to fight this stressyness.

I don't know what i wanted this post to be about. Just a little chance for me to get this down on paper so to speak. If you've got any tips to stay stress free leave them below in a comment. I'm keen to know if other people get it this way.

For now, i'm off to watch Dragons Den. Have you seen that new lady?!! Scary or what!

Take care
Angela x

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Glossybox - July

2011-07-21T17:12:00.001+01:00

The July Glossybox dropped through my door today. Not literally dropped you'll understand. I'd managed to stay away from spoilers from other people on the interwebs. So, the products I got (for a mere £10) are here...

100ml Weleda pomegranate regenerating body oil (certified organic) - a full size, which retails for £19.95! I've only recently heard of Weleda and have already had a look at their website to see what else i can buy!

30ml Inlight Organic daily face oil - again a full size, retails at £25! I use a Decleor neroli face oil sometimes so look forward to trying this on my parched dry face.

13.5ml Ciate nail polish in big yellow taxi - again, another full size retails about £9. I'm keen to try this as yes, i was one of the dafties that spent lots of pounds on Chanel Mimosa. It is a lovely shade but the brush is horrid and the consistency is not conducive to a nicely painted nail. Hopefully the Ciate will be better.

1.3g Illamasqua Pure Pigment in Marvel - full size, rrp £15.50! Never tried this brand before and not really sure what i'll use this for - eyes? Others say for highlighting or mixing with a blush. I'll give it a go. It's a nice yellowish/goldy colour and may work well with my Jemma Kidd Rose Gold highlighter i got a few week back.

Finally, a sample size if Xen-Tan fake tanner in dark. I won't try this just yet as i just had a fake tan done a few days ago and i'm already a golden glow.

All in all it looks like maybe Glossybox are over compensating for the shocking inclusion of Batiste dry hair shampoo in last months box. I won't cancel my subscription as yet but will wait to see if the products are of such good quality in the coming few months.

As an aside, i've recently bought a few items that have only been swatched once and i decided they don't suit me. First one is a Mac Sheen Supreme lipstick on Gotta Dash! (see below) It's a lovely coral shade and gives a nice sheen but the colour just doesn't suit me.

Second one is the Rouge Bunny Rouge lipgloss that was in June's Glossybox. Again swatched once and doesn't suit me. If you want to buy it let me know!

Obviously any guys reading this probably won't have a scooby do what I've just written. Ha ha. Hope you liked reading it though. This is another part of me that i've kept hidden from the world for a while. For although i'm somewhat of a tom boy, I'm also a huge fan of beauty stuff that make my skin sparkle!

Take care
Angela x

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No Words Wedinsday Number a Hundred and sixty three

2011-07-13T14:10:00.000+01:00

Moo frames for my mini cards

Sparkly nails, i'm doing this tonight

Havainas flip flops

Gym gear

A few photos from my Instagram feed. One of my favourite iPhone apps.

Angela x

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I've started so i'll finish

2011-07-11T10:12:00.000+01:00

I'm not very good at finishing things, as you might be able to tell from the abandoned 30 day photo challenge posts and the lask of Awkward and Awesome Thursday posts. The thing is i am very good at finishing things but some things I let slip by the wayside. Does this happen to you? I'm sure it must.

I have these great ideas and start on them with gusto and then.. blah.. it slips away. I wonder why...?

Anyway that's an aside. It's 5 working days til I am on my summer holidays. 2 whole weeks off work. Wahey! And I fully intend to hack away at that summer bucket list I posted a few months back here.

I am taking another trip to London off the list just now. Simply because I had to fork out £300 on a new clutch for my car a few weeks ago and it so spare cash for big trips is lacking. BUT, BUT, but... I may, just may be going on an awesome trip in February / March of 2012! Exciting.

Still on the list are a walk along a beach, any beach, a nice beach, somewhere. Seeing more movies. I haven't been to the cinema since I saw The Hangover 2 and there's been a good few films out that i've wanted to see. So I may just take myself off to see Bad Teacher tonight. Oh yes.

Also on the list is a road trip to Alton Towers. To a funfair. I've not been to the shows for years. Does anyone else call it 'the shows'?

Also during my summer holidays, I fully intend to got to the gym more and more spin classes. They started a new one on a Sunday and the first one was yesterday. It was pretty buy for a Sunday afternoon. I'll try to go along each week but you know, my summer bucket list day trips may get in the way!

Now, i must dash. I only popped on the check out the new Blogger layout in draft.blogger.com. I like it. Very clean, fresh, modern. A big thumbs up from me. I like simple clean functional design.

I'm rambling now. I'll go.

Laters people,
Angela x

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Independence Day

2011-07-04T16:32:00.000+01:00

Hello!

Happy 4th of July to readers from the USA.

I know you're there (i see from the stats!), show yourselves some time. Comment. I like comments, and commenters.

Peace out,

Angela x

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Music. Sweet Sweet Music

2011-06-29T22:17:00.000+01:00

This weekend just past saw Glastonbury take place. There was rain mud and eventually sunshine. I'm not really into the idea of muck and camping and all that palaver but love watching on telly. I caught some of Friday's musical menu which ended with U2 on the main pyramid stage. It rained and it poured but, to my surprise, Bono was actually singing not too bad. His outfit was a bit debatable though - what looked like a rubber trouser affair. It was probably some eco friendly faux leather thing come to think of it. Anyway U2 were ok. I'd kinda wanted to see them 'live' at some point but to be honest I prefer their earlier music to the latest offerings so seeing them on Friday night was enough for me.

Saturday saw one of my all time favourite bands EVER! Coldplay. They divide a lot of people and some people are quite frankly snobbish about it but for me they are still one of the best live bands i've seen. And i've seen them 5 times now. The show has gotten better through the years and they can still bring out the old favourites like Yellow and Politik that get the crowd going. Saturday night saw songs from an as yet unfinished album but the Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall EP sounds good so far. Granted, Chris Martins vocals and piano playing can go a bit off when he's caught up in the moment but i don't mind that. The show is good, the songs always make me smile (yes even the slow ones some folk might find dull) and I couldn't care less. I love Coldplay, just like someone trying to be trendy might like the latest new young hip band that I've never heard of. I was hoping that Jay-Z might've made an appearance during Lost like he did at the hampden gig a few years back but it wasn't to be this time. This time Jay-Z and his wife were spectators. Nice.

Sunday night saw me attend the Kings of Leon gig at Murrayfield in Edinburgh. I set off from a drizzly but clammy Stirling and headed on the train. I figured the train would be a safer bet than trying to find a parking space. I was right. When I got there the area was swarming with people sitting on pavements, walking to the stadium and generally having fun before the gig. I arrived just as White Lies were coming on. I'd heard of them before but not taken much notice. After their 30 minutes set i was right. They were nothing special. The singer reminded me of Spencer who was on Celeb Big Brother and married Chantelle. Ha!

taken with Hipstamatic app on iPhone (Dali film)

Anyway, at about 8.45pm the headliners came on. It was great. The singing was almost cd-ish in that it sounded just like it does on the cd ie. note perfect. The music was great. I loved the grimy guitar riffs, the banging bass drum tempos and the chit chat between songs.

Here's a thing that annoys me at gigs though. I was sitting on the second tier of the West stand. Two rows from the front in a row of about 1) and I guarantee you these two women didn't sit next to each other for more than 20 minutes of the 2 hour show because if one wasn't away buying wine, the other one was and vice versa. In and out, in and out. What is the actual point in going to a gig if you are going to spend at least half of the gig at the toilet (allowable) or at the effing bar. I mean, seriously! That totally annoys me.
Plus, there was a couple who were sat next to me. They seemed ok. But they never budged, I mean the hardly clapped or tapped their feet until Sex on Fire came on one song from the end!! Fuck sake.

Anyway back to the music. I'd wanted to see Kings of Leon for a while and was glad I did. They were ace and I'd say one of the best live bands i've seen. If you get that chance, go and see them, but not if you're not really into their music. I remember going to see Red Hot Chilli Peppers at Hampden a few years ago. They were good and played the favourites but there was absolutely no interaction with the crowd. I don;t think they knew where they were. The lead singer just sang the songs and nothing more. Disappointing. However, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band at Hampden in 2009 was totally awesome. I went with my Dad and he loved it too. They played for a good 3 hours solid and totally had the crowd in the palm of his hands. So glad I saw him. Now all i need is the Rolling Stones to do one FINAL FINAL tour and I'll have seen all who i want to see.

Well that was until I came home and caught up on Beyonce's set at Glastonbury on iPlayer. Oh my goodness can she work a crowd. Flawless singing and dancing (how does she do it?!). An amazing singer with routines I want to learn to do :) She will be added to my list of must see live music as well as the Gaga. Can't forget her. Even my mum warmed to the Gaga after watching her on Paul O'Grady show the other week.

Oh and my train journey home was an ordeal. Or rather getting back to HaymarketHaymarket for the 23.04 train...or so i thought. I ran most of the way. This wasn't too bad as i;m pretty fit now but by the time i got to the station i was sweating like a bad one and...and...AND it turns out there were extra trains put on to Glasgow, Linlithgow and Stirling. They had neglected to put signs up at the station to this effect when i arrived. Bad Scotrail. I mean seriously, let passengers know in advance so they don't panic and run two miles for no reason. The platforms were chockablock but i got on the train fine. I was home just after 12 midnight. It's lucky I had a holiday from work the next day :)

Phew! that was some weekend there for music. Are there any bands you think I should see? hit me with it.

Angela x

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Beauty and the Glossybox

2011-06-25T19:48:00.000+01:00

I haven't blogged for over a week. Sorry. I didn't really have much to say. But yesterday i got my first Glossybox delivery and wanted to show you it. Most of you probably don't know what a Glossybox is and almost all of you won't know that I like to treat myself to some beauty products and make up. You won't know this because I don't often wear make up and my skin isn't what you'd call flawless what with it being prone to dryness and red patches, nevertheless i like to treat it. (I've got another post coming up with a few of my favourite things).

Back to Glossybox. I've recently been reading lots of beauty/girly blogs. Some are great and some are frankly horrible to look at. Gaudy colours, nasty products and horrible photos. And if i'm honest there's an underlying hint of competition going on between them that never gets talked about (that's the impression i get). Anyway, on one blog i read about this Glossybox thing where the recipient got a box full of five beauty goodies in exchange for £10. Sounded good to me, considering there was a full size Nars Illuminator in shade 'orgasm' and everyone raves about it. I signed up and waited nearly a month for the June box to be sent. (The premise is you get a box of five sample sized products each month but you don't know what you're getting, a little surprise).

I came home yesterday after a long and tiring week and it was there waiting for me. All beautifully packaged of course.

I carefully opened the box. Secretly though I already had an inkling what was in it because I Googled it during the day and some people already had their boxes opened and blogged. When i opened it I realised I'd gotten one of the good boxes. This is what i got

3.75ml OPI silver shimmery holographic glitter nail polish.
Rouge Bunny Rouge lip gloss (worth £20!!)
Bioeffect EGF serum
Lalique Perles de Lalique perfume
Batiste original dry shampoo

And here's my nails with a coat of the OPI nail polish. It's shimmery and glittery but also quite subtle.

pretty sparkly in the direct light, holographic too

I've read some people aren't happy with the contents but I think it's ok. Nothing more. It's meant to be sample products of non common items and so I know what i signed up for. Sure they lured everyone in by including the Nars product in the first box in May. I'll stick with it for another couple of months and then might cancel as i think it may turn out that i won't use most of the items in the box. But if each box has at least one full size high end product then £10 a month is probably worth it. Although they've been sneaky. There was free postage but it will go up to £2.95 from September. Still a good deal. Plus I'll bet most of you girls out there will spend more than £12.95 a month on beauty items.

Angela x

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Happy Birthday Ryan

2011-06-15T13:33:00.001+01:00

Today we celebrate the birthday of my beloved nephew Ryan. It is a milestone birthday, what with him being 5, Five, V, and that. He had a birthday cake at nursery this morning and will get another one later on when the family descend on his house.

I'd got him some books and an All Saints skull t-shirt for his birthday (he loves The Cat in The Hat) but i figured with him being only five he'd also appreciate a toy of some sort. So yesterday, after a few weeks of false starts on this trip, i took him to Hamley's in Glasgow where he was presented with lots of choice. However, there would be a limit! We headed straight for the Toy Story area, then Ben 10, the Skalectrix and then to the demo area where you can play with the remote controlled cars. We were there for a good twenty minutes and i thought he'd have chosen the remote car but no. We moved to another section that had fire engines (he wants to be a fireman when he's a big boy, that or a drummer!). But he has loads of fire engines in various shapes and sizes. But guess what he chose as his birthday toy?....

An £8 police car. "There's no flashing lights or anything" I said. "It doesn't matter, i can play with it with my own hands" was his reply. I smiled. He has a great imagination. Only the other day did he come home with his nursery report card that said he loved the sciences, playing with the animals and...wait for this... a rhythm for music, especially drumming. My sister was delighted to hear that! He's also good on the computer too. Reason number 54 why i always have to go into the Apple store when we go to Glasgow...

Watching Fireman Sam on the iMac's in the Apple store. Its what they're made for

Five years ago today our lives changed for the better when Ryan arrived in it. A timid little boy with a great heart and a bigger soul, he's caring, considerate, highly energetic, has a nifty left foot on him but he hates getting his hair cut. He loves his little brother so much although they're always play fighting.

Right now he's outside sporting a 5 badge and hitting a football off the wall. Brilliant.

Most of all, for me, he makes me smile and laugh and brightens up my day whenever I see him. If you met him he would do he same for you i'm sure.

Apparently i'm not his auntie, i'm his Angie. And that is damn fine with me.

Happy birthday Ryan, Love, Angie xxxx

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Eye Eye (cream)

2011-06-12T21:41:00.000+01:00

It's no secret that i'm in my 30's, and a girl in their thirties really should look after your skin or you'll end up looking like you're in your fifties when you're in your forties. Follow me so far? Good. So for a good few years now (about 8!) I've followed a cleanse, tone and moisturise routine and topped it off with a pretty good moisturiser (expensive too!). I don't go near the sun, haven't used a sunbed so my skin is pretty good apart from the odd spotty breakout. My moisturiser used to go all over my face including my eyes (because the women demoing the product said you could) but for a good year or so now my eyes have started to nip if the moisturiser goes anywhere near them. So i've been looking for a good eye cream that isn't just cucumber eye gel. No, I need something to combat the dark circles and cope with my dry skin. Yes the area around my eyes could be a little more moisture filled. Although it's not exactly dry skin.

Anyway, people on Twitter recommended Soap and Glory products that you can buy from Boots. This range has always baffled me and i always recoil when people mention it. Yes the packaging is quirky and could even be described as fun, if your idea of fun is seeing scantily clad women in 40's/50's outfits on the packaging. The names of the products are a little Benefit-inspired to me. But where I think Benefit trumps Soap and Glory is that their packaging isn't as busy or confusing. I swear this, I was standing in front of shelves in Boots today and I didn't know what i was looking at. Sure i had an idea because on the next shelf down was cream, and eye serums and moisturisers so i had an idea i was in the right vicinity but the Soap and Glory products were a mish-mash. I just want to look at a product and find out what it is. I don't want to have to pick every box up and inspect to find find out if it's eye cream or face serum. The title (if you will) didn't jump out at me. However after three* hours of reading every box i picked up something that appeared to be eye cream. Make Yourself Youthful Eye Cream with anti-wrinkle superpeptide complex plus oxygen boosters for brighter, tighter, fresher eyes! Big promises those eh. I just want a cream. Not a highlighting cream nor a concealer or anything like that, just a cream that will moisturise as well as take down the odd occasional puffy eye. My skin is really pretty good for a 30 something girl.

this better work! (Photo from the soap and glory website)

So i brought it home (feeling a little bit dirty that i'd gone against my gut instinct and bought this thing!) and have only just tested it. I discovered it's an illuminating eye cream and is tacky to the touch, yuck!!! I can't believe it** It also has a slight fragrance but nothing too off putting. I just hope it's okay on my sensitive skin.

Anyway, 10 minutes later and it's dried in leaving a slight sheen on the back of my hand. I just hope it doesn't nip when i put it on my actual eyes. Watch this space. I shall report back soon...
Oh but in themeantime if any of you girls or guys have a better eye cream or moisturiser to recommend, let me know. Ta!

Take care kids
Angela x

*okay maybe twenty five minutes!
**I can! I got a gift of the body butter a few years back at Christmas and it was the same. Took ages to dry on my skin. Bleurgh...

Summer of Kicking the Bucket List

2011-05-31T22:55:00.001+01:00

What a rubbish day at work, but! I've been to the gym for the first time in a few months (recently i've only been doing two to three spin bike classes each week) and I feel better already. So now that I've got that first one out of the way I'm writing up a schedule on a monthly calendar and it'll hang on my ever growing to-do list wall as a reminder.

Another thing on this wall is my 'bucket list' you might remember from a few post months ago. If not it's here...

I've decided to have a summer bucket list. These are things that WILL be done this summer. Oh yes!

I want to see a real life piece of Banksy art, if you know where there's one please shout out now! Even better, come with me, YO!
I want to go to Alton Towers. I've not been to the funfair for years and I want a blow-out I'll be scared and scream but I want to go! Go go go go go.......
I still ache to walk along a Scottish beach, be it sunny or windy or rainy or whatever. I will do it.
Another trip to Londontown. I like it so and it will help when doing the first thing on this list. Won't it?
Climb more hills. Well at least one. Which will be one more than last year. Yes it's been that long.
Seeing lots more new films. I've not been to the cinema for a couple of few but that will be rectified this weekend with a cinema fest.
go to Edinburgh festival to see a friend perform. Can't wait for that. My first time at the festival!

Is it technically summer yet? The calendar says yes, the weather has other ideas. I'm going with the calendar and will hope that the weather will comply in time, by the end of the week according to the weatherman. I hope he's right, I've a list to start ticking off.

21 June 2010 - Stirlingshire (my 'hood)

Angela x

Strawberry Cupcakes with Glitter on Top

2011-05-30T22:27:00.000+01:00

It's amazing what a new day can bring. To say I was feeling a little fragile over the weekend would be a mega understatement, hence yesterday's blog post. I still feel a little down but thanks to a few specials I feel a little less lonely.

You see random acts of kindness can make a person smile. And for me, all the more wider smile when you are the giver of such random acts. Me, well I just see it as doing a friend a favour and if I say I will, then I will. So to receive an email from a new blogger friend with a thousand thanks (nearly!) for my random act of kindness has certainly brought a smile back to my face. Add to that a rock solid person who has been at the other end of the internets for a while now and you start to feel you're worth it again. Last but not least, added to the mix, an email from a friend who's noticed you've not been around and sprinkle in a few good hearty laughs with your ever present work friend and you are grateful for these special few people. You have yourself a strawberry cupcake with glitter on top.

Thank you people, for making me smile again.

Angela x

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Friendship

2011-05-29T15:56:00.002+01:00

There's no denying, i ain't no social butterfly. You won't find me trawling bars or being the centre of attention at anything. One of the only time i can remember I was the centre of attention (when I had a surprise leaving do at work before going to Nepal) i actually burst into tears. True. So for me making new friends is not easy. Nor it seems, is keeping old friends. Back in school I managed to find a good solid group of friends. We did lots together, mostly going to under 18's discos, going for long walks on a Friday night and ice skating on a Saturday and Sunday night. But as you turn 18 things change. People start to go out and i did for a while. But not being a drinker and only being 18 (and still at high school) I found hanging out in bars a bit intimidating. I would pass on some invites. Then you meet a boy and your friends start to drift off and still go out and the invites get few and far between until they eventually stop. And before you know it, it's been seven years, you've split with the idiot boy and you have no friends. Yes, no friends that you hang out with. No friends to share your pain and anger at yourself. No friends to tell you you're strong and will pull through.

Time moves on and you start to sort your self esteem out. You come out from a two year hibernation period, get a new job and meet a new friend. Someone you can share a few things with and she invites you out for nights out. But again the being a non-drinker you find yourself in awkward situations. Situations you don't really like when you're low in confidence and have been out of touch socially for a good few years. This friend is great though. She brings you out of your shell, gives you a smidgen of confidence, says it'll be a good idea to get highlights in your hair and all this in your mid to late 20's.

But time moves on again and so do you, to a new job. By now you've gained a little bit of confidence. Even the 150 or so rejection letters you keep filed in a box file has not dented it too much. You're battery is sitting at about 45%. In this new job you feel like you've found what you've been looking for. You soon learn the ropes in no time at all and you get promoted.

You're still not going on nights out, nor have you been invited anywhere for a long long time. So socially you're no further forward than when you began. You so want to be out there. But you can't go yourself. You have no way of getting in touch with your old school friends whom you miss. You miss so much. You recall with a sepia fondness all your little in jokes and laughs and sadness and you ache. Then one day you get back in touch. I can't remember how this happened. It's been nearly ten years. You're all older and wiser and some have kids and some have not. But you're glad to be in their company again. Because of what you've been through you're never going to be that confident in a well established group because now they all have their in jokes and laughs and you try to join in but it'll take time. What a relief though. Friends, some.

So time passes by and you're now approaching 30. You spend your thirtieth birthday at home with your family and kids running about your living room. Not what you dreamt of back in the day but not horrific. At least these are people who love you and probably if they're honest, pity you. Darn. You should be in the prime of your life. You're not feeling that at all. And you feel ashamed. Ashamed that you can't even make new friends, or blag a night out.

You decide enough is enough and start a blog. You're thirty and you're going to do something with your life before it's all over and you've achieved nothing. You decide on a trek to Everest base camp, plan, fund raise and have good times doing that with the never ending help from a work friend. We have fun making Christmas cards to sell, baking cakes to sell, it's all good but still you've hardly had a night out or an invite and you couldn't possibly invite yourself along with people. It's not your style. Gradually people start to comment on your blog and you make virtual friends. (virtual friends?). You meet up with a couple and they're great but have their own lives to lead but you're thankful and grateful and happy you've found some people who share interests and who don't just want to go out drinking all the time. You mostly climb hills with them. Good practice for trekking!

Then you find Twitter and you make more virtual friends. And you're invited to a tweet up. For charity. You think to yourself that you can't be that ghastly if you've gotten this invite. Wahey! It's a bit awkward at first because this is your first social outing in about two years (that isn't a work do). When you come home you judge it a success as the people were lovely. Then there are more tweet ups and you go along and meet more new people. You're not doing too bad now Ange, you reassure yourself. These people are OK. But then it starts to go pear shaped. You question what price they have put on your friendship because it seems to have dried up and you decide that no longer will you be used. You will not be used to RT links, you will not be used for votes in competitions, no sirree. No way!! You realise you were naive, but you like to see the best in people. Perhaps it was your lack of awareness of the bigger picture, after all you're not as socially savvy as some of these networkers. You genuinely thought it was a tweet up and not a place to go hawking your wares like a market trader. But that's fine so you decide that scene isn't for you.

But you do meet lovely virtual people and distance doesn't seem to mean anything since you're invited to a party. You love it. They're a good bunch in real life and you kick yourself that they are so far away as you'd like nothing more than to meet for coffee's, go to the cinema or chit chat over fish finger sandwiches with the telly on in the background. You find friends from other continents and you share some laughs (isn't the internets amazing!).

Back in your own back yard (not literally), you get some tweets to say let's meet up. Coffee, cinema, whatever but it never happens. You wonder why? and you're a bit confused. I mean you'd never ask someone to meet you with no intention of ever meeting them. You know that people have their own lives going on but my word is my bond on most things. And my friendship, well that's priceless and if you've got it then you'll most likely have it for life, unless you do me wrong. Then it's lost forever I'm afraid. I will not let it be used any more. I will not be used any more.

Back in the real world, your friends seem to have moved on without you. You're resigned to this fact and feel that it shouldn't have to be you to do all of the running all of the time. You begin to wonder, maybe you're being selfish, maybe you shouldn't expect too much but Friendship is a two way thing. Isn't it? So why do you feel let down. So if you ever suggest to me to meet up, please mean it, because in my mind I've probably already pencilled in a day in my diary and thought of what we could do to have some fun and it'll be great!

If you're truly honest with yourself you've never had a best friend for years, if you ever had one in the first place. Sure there were really close friends but you couldn't pick one over the other. You'd like to be part of a duo, or a group to do the fun stuff with. You're not a ghastly person after all. In fact you're actually a truly awesome person and have so much to give, to the right people. To people who respect it and people who appreciate it and accept it without any conditions being placed on your friendship. People who don't wish to put a price on your friendship. And that's what you'd like. Are you asking too much? You don't think so.

Right now your best friend is probably your four year old nephew, but he can't really help you make life changing decisions, nor can he give you boy advice but wow, he makes you laugh and smile with his whole being, and what more can you ask of a friend when you're feeling a little bit down with the world.

I wondered if I should publish this post. I wondered if it was too close to the bone. I wondered what people would think of it. Then I read a truly heartfelt brave post earlier today on another subject and was inspired. I decided that I didn't care as I needed to day this. I needed to put it out there. People need to know that you can't walk over certain people just because they aren't as socially confident as you. I have feelings. And while outwardly I may smile and chat and appear to be okay, inside I ache that there's an emptiness that may never go away, and I question, are you really my friend? I hope that some of you are, oh how I hope it's true. Because I've got a lot of friending to give you.

I'm off to play football in the park with my friend. Ryan.

Angela x

This blog post came about because I was meant to meet one of my old school friends this weekend, for a catch up lunch. It'd been too long (over a year). It was cancelled. I was sad.

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London Day 3

2011-05-27T22:40:00.000+01:00

I woke up feeling a little tired after my wanderings the previous day. But today I was meeting Laura and we were heading down the Southbank for the day. We exchanged a few texts about meeting times and places then i headed down for my first breakfast in the hotel. It wasn't busy which is just the way i like it. I perused the menu and ordered boiled eggs and soldiers and a pot of tea. Yum. They were brought out by a nice girl waitress and the eggs were just the way I like them, runny.

Eggs and soldiers, fuzzy iPhone picture

Whilst sitting at the table I took part in my second favourite sport, people watching. There were a couple who came and sat at the booth next to me. Papers in hand they never uttered a word to each other. I didn't notice at first but after a little while it was strange. Both heads were down engrossed in the papers. Not even when their bacon baps were delivered did the take their heads out of the paper and focus on each other. Obviously married! I did wonder if that's the way couples behave, is it? There was another older couple who appeared and they seemed to be talking to each other. Perhaps the first pair had a row!...

It was nearly time for me to leave so i went back to the room picked up my belongings and headed on out into another glorious sunshine day. I totally lucked out with the weather, by the way. I was to meet Laura at Baker Street and as usual i arrived a little bit early. Turns out I only waited for a little bit as she arrived a short while later. We headed across the street to a photography exhibition that was on. I would never have found out about this but I liked it. Some of the pictures were tough but others were lovely. Different styles.

Sunny Southbank

Next up we headed back on the tube to the South Bank. It was lively. Well it was a bank holiday after all. There were painted beach huts, a sandy beach area with lots of children digging, water fountains with loads of soaking wet happy children running through them, bunting, tourists, locals, cameras and skateboards. I like this bit. I saw it on my last visit. It's quite dark and sort of underneath, there's graffiti everywhere and the sound of skateboards and BMX's whizzing past you. They were having a rare old time.

Love here. Could stand and watch the skaters and graffiti artists all day

We stopped for a much needed drink, some shade and a chat. I could get used to this I thought to myself. We wandered some more and taking pictures and chatting as we went and soon it was time for food. We found one of the less busy pubs and had a nice late lunch. Or was it late. Maybe it wasn't that late but anyway we ate. After our food we wandered some more passing Tower Bridge and City Hall. I hadn't been this far along before. It was quite impressive. Eventually we arrived at our destination, the Design Museum.

There was an exhibition on about Dutch designer Wim Crouwel called A Graphic Odyssey. Heaven for me! I loved it. It showed you lots and lots of his design work. You probably haven;t heard of him but a few of his famous logos hung up on the huge back wall; a famous one being Macro and one for the cyclists among you, Rabobank. Even graphic notepads with workings on how he produced new fonts. All the angles so intricately worked out to make the letter look its best. Wonderful. I really did enjoy it. We headed upstairs into another room, this time filled with gadgets and artworks and even a black plastic coffin. This was the Brit Insurance design awards 2011. There was furniture, fashion, cars, iPad apps, interactive and a Barclays bike. I think my favourite though was the Homemade is best cookery book for Ikea by Forsman and Bodenfors. I loved the pictures of recipes laid out in design, so much so in fact that I bought some postcards of them. Here they are...

What is this recipe? I wonder.

I really enjoyed my walk along Southbank with Laura. I was so pleased she made the effort to come from Luton to spend most of the day with me. But it was nearly 5pm and our feet were killing us, the sun had sapped some of my energy and so it was time to head to the tube. Unfortunately I directed us to the wrong one and we walked for another 10 minutes. It was time for goodbyes after a thoroughly lovely day out with a great new friend.

I landed back at the hotel, opened the windows and plopped onto the bed. Knackered. Since it was Good Friday there was a Disney film on, Enchantment. I love that film. Amy Adams is perfect in the role. I watched it until it was time to get ready for dinner. Another twitter friend was coming to meet me at the hotel for some eats. We met just before 8 and ate in the grill. It was nice to finally meet John after months of chats Twitter chats. We had a nice meal and chat.

My big city living was starting to catch up with me and a little after 9pm I was back in my room, feet up having a cup of tea.

Angela x

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PhoCha30 - Day 4

2011-05-26T19:03:00.000+01:00

Day 4 - A photo from a high angle

Wow this challenge was made for some of the photos I already have. Okay so technically i'm probably supposed to take new photos each day for this challenge but considering i'm only about 20 metres up then that won't work. Here's a photo from a high angle. Enjoy.

Namche Bazaar, Khumbu Region, Himalayas 3,450m

Angela x

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PhoCha30 - Day 3

2011-05-26T18:48:00.000+01:00

Day 3 - a photo of your favourite place to be.

Hmm tricksy one. But right now, this is one of my favourite places and I wish I was there to discover more things i still haven't found on my previous trips. Tall, vast, cool, empty yet full. Getting lost in a world of weird and wonderful art. Yes.

Angela x

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Adventures

2011-05-24T19:32:00.000+01:00

Are you not going on any more adventures? climbing any more mountains?...

The question I get asked quite a lot from people who don't really know me. And occasionally from people who do know me. When I get asked it my insides tumble and I ache to be back on a mountainside. Or on an adventure. That's the thing when you do something like that, you get loads of questions and they're great and stuff and it's great that people are interested but, looking back, I was broken on my return from Nepal. Both physically and mentally and it was only in the months that followed I realised just how much. You see that adventure was in the planning for 2 years and I put my everything into it. The fundraising, the making of Christmas cards to sell at a Christmas fare, the baking of cakes to sell at coffee mornings and the walking those mountainsides in the every changing Himalayan conditions. For you see, I did put my all into it. It was tough. Real tough. There was a point we might not even have gotten as far as we did so erratic were the weather conditions from Kathmandu to Lukla. It was the first time I'd travelled so far. It was the first time I'd met my companions on the trek. It was the first time I felt scared, so scared that I was wondering what people would say about me back home when I didn't return. This was an adventure, of a lifetime, of my lifetime. Well so far anyway. I wrote in my Moleskine and tried to put into words what each day meant to me but I don't think I can convey how my heart broke when I realised I couldn't actually live out this dream. I couldn't go to Everest Base Camp. I was too sick. No matter how much I wanted to go on I just wasn't physically able to. And do you know how that feels? To have your dream taken from you. Being so close to your dream then *KAPOW* it's gone in a flash. If you've read my story you might get an idea of my thoughts and feelings and fears then. But now, when I get asked that question... well I still get the tummy tumble, the ache in my gut that says you never made it. I know on the whole it was a fantastic achievement and to this day I always say it was the single greatest thing I've done in my life so far, but it hurts. Like no other hurt. It just does.

Who knows what the future holds? I may return (I would bite your hand off at the chance if I had the funds). But for now I'm satisfied with the fact that at least I tried.

What would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything.

Angela x

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PhoCha30 - Day 2

2011-05-24T07:30:00.001+01:00

Day 2 - A photo of what you wore today.

Well technically this is what i wore on Sunday, because you wouldn't want to see what I wear to work. It's pretty boring.

Angela x

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PhoCha30 - Day 1

2011-05-23T07:45:00.003+01:00

Day 1 - A photo of yourself (me)

Here I am. You must know me by now.

Taken at Laura and James' party Feb 2011

If you're wondering what this is about read the previous post about the 30 day photo challenge.

Ta.

Angela x

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