Exciting times ahead...

I passed my 80 words a minute shorthand! Really happy, I was so angry on the day. The 100 was so easy but I was convinced I could do the 90, but it was awful so difficult. So doing the 80 I was fuming and I knew I could pass but as I was so angry I thought I had mucked it up.


Waiting for the provisional law exam result, really apprehensive as I really think I mucked that up as well. Some people have heard that they have passed, but so far it has been in alphabetical order. Now I'm freaking out, I know I can't do anything about it but I would still like to know how I've done.


Spent a day in Worthing on Monday which was really nice, did some vox-pops, which I have never done before. I wrote a couple of stories. It feels like there are exciting times ahead for me and I can't wait to see what the future has to bring!

And now, the end is near.....

I have never known twenty weeks to go so quickly, but now I face the final curtain (and exam).

All but one of my exams is done (dreaded 100 words a minute shorthand). Last week was hectic, the law exam on Monday was horrendous, I know law pretty well and felt confident going in, but then I saw the paper. It was awful it felt like everything I knew didn't come up. Tuesday, was the reporting exam, which was surprisingly ok. Then on Wednesday it was all about public affairs and it was really good. If someone had said the week before law would be awful and public affairs would be good I would never have believed them.

Revising for public affairs has ignited my interest in politics. During my revision I became engrossed in BBC Parliament, watching all the Lords and MPs arguing in the House of Commons was just fascinating.

Friday I had another interview at the West Sussex County Times in Horsham. A lovely paper that I would be more than happy to work for, they have two positions so fingers crossed! Tomorrow I am off to Worthing to do a day placement at the Worthing Herald, who also has a job vacancy. I just have to wait and see what happens. I must admit not getting the other job, really knocked my confidence, I thought if someone who knew what I could do didn't want to employ me why would anyone else? But I tried my best and if they don't want to employ me then there is just something out there waiting for me.

I have been applying for internships at magazines as well, to see what happens. Everything happens for a reason and I am happy to embrace that.

The Nails are Inc....

I am a huge nail varnish fan. If my nails have no polish on them, I feel completely naked. Looking at my nails when they are pink and bare makes me feel not as confident, I need a pearly pink or a shocking blue to give me the confidence to pull me through.

As I have said previously I love Nails Inc, Barry M, OPI, and Rimmel.

At the moment I am rocking Nails Inc Magnum chocolate brown. I love it; it has flecks of gold in it, which makes it look glam rather than grimy.

Sometimes I can find black a bit too much so I try and use blood red, navy blue or a dark purple to get the darkness without the harshness of black.

In the past I have had a Minx nail wrap on my nails. They can range from leopard print, to checker board; they baffle people who cannot figure out how you can paint something on your nails like that. They are heated up so the glue becomes tacky and then placed on the nail, they are then filed to the shape of your nail. They can last between two to six weeks. (http://www.minxnails.com/dnn/) In salons they can be expensive but are worth it if they last and look fab

For print effect from varnish I have mentioned previously about the Barry M effect where you paint it over a colour and then it cracks. OPI and Topshop both have their own versions, but Barry M is one of the best.

When it comes to Glitter, you cannot beat OPI. I have one that came out when Burlesque was out. Katy Perry has brought out a range as well, that include the crackle effect and glitter. Two coats of the glitter polish and it looks amazing. So sparkly they don't look like polish it looks like a wrap, bright and colourful. (http://www.opi.com/) It isn’t so nice to take off though, if you use cotton wool it can stick.

One new trend I have noticed recently is marbling effect, as seen on stars such as Jessie J. One way I have seen in magazines which I will share if you want the same effect is the following:

* Apply a base coat and then a couple of coats of white nail polish
* Wait for it to dry
* Drop a blob of colour into warm water
* Add a second colour
* Swirl with a cocktail stick
* Dip your finger in and pull out to create the marble effect
* Clear up any edges
* Wait to dry and coat with a top coat.
I will admit I have yet to try it but once I have I will let you know. Also if you do it before I post, let me know!!

I love Spring time, it means all the pastel colours come back in. From yellows, oranges, lilacs and pinks. Sorbets are big again in make-up so get down to Boots and stock up if Barry M if it is two for £5 again. So put some of the more Goth colours away for the Spring time, don't worry they are fine for a night time look but get fun and flirty with ice cream shades.

I have seen in shops that Revlon have released colours that smell fruity for up to five days! They are called Scents of Summer and cost £6.49, you can get melon, coconut, papaya and passion fruit. YUMMY!

Another tip this season is pearly colours, leading the way at Chanel (where else, Coco was a fan of pearls). So from Oyster pinks to Oyster whites, get in on the pearl.

There are loads of options to save your nails. Just make sure you keep them healthy. Sally Hensen Nail Hardener is a god-send.

The Nails are indeed it!

Beady Eye, 9th March 2011, Troxy London

I realised the other day I hadn't done a Beady Eye review so here it is.


Beady Eye is the new band from Manchester singer and Oasis front man Liam Gallagher. The band have a more sixties vibe and the songs are more upbeat than Oasis.

The band opened with the fantastic Four Letter Word and played a host of songs from the album Same Gear, Still Speeding, including the brilliant Bring on the Light, it is such a fantastic up-beat song that I couldn't imagine Oasis playing.

Liam is a phenomenal front-man and has a stage presence and swagger like no other. I have seen him perform in Oasis, not long before the split, and he seemed a lot more relaxed and I suppose happy in his own Liam way. He didn't just storm off and dare I say it seemed to enjoy performing something that I don't think he did really near the end of Oasis. I will admit though Liam doesn't talk much to the crowd but when he does he makes it worth it. At the end he said "I'll see you again soon.... if I can be arsed."

Beady Eye were supporting by Miles Kane of The Last Shadow Puppets, he is the other guy with Alex Turner from the Arctic Monkey's. Mile's new song Closer is excellent if you haven't heard it check it out, he played a slightly different mix but his voice carries and he can fill a room. I predict big things for Miles this year. This is his year to break out and show the world what a great singer he is.

Not really a comprehensive review but Beady Eye are an amazing band and will be here for as long as Liam and the other want to do it.

Another mention should also go to the venue, Troxy in London. It is a 1930s art deco building. It retains most of its original art-deco features and it just beautiful as a venue. It looks like it used to be a theatre and is huge. I love that it has it original features and hasn't been ripped apart, as the venue I thinks can hold music. It reminds me of Bournemouth Academy, which is another fantastic venue.

My heart belongs to Marie Claire

One of my dreams came true the other day. I got to visit the office of one of my loves... no I’m not cheating on my boyfriend, it was the magazine Marie Claire’s office in London.




I went there as part of their Inspire and Mentor campaign, in which they are helping young women with their careers. In the past they have had authors tell wannabes how to get published and make- up artists how to get noticed, this one was all about how to get into magazines.


I have been reading Marie Claire since I was about 17/18, and it is one of the many reasons why I want to be a journalist. Not many magazines out there provide the same amount of provocative articles about everything from female stalkers to women’s rights in the Congo. To beautiful pages of fashion and beauty, with a mix of book reviews, and celeb interviews. It is the smart woman’s magazine and I love its diversity. So you can imagine my joy when I found out about the evening.


I was very nervous, it felt like a job interview but when I saw the huge Blue Fin Building I felt as if I had returned to the Mothership, this was somewhere I could see myself working. The reception was huge, with a desk to the side and looking up just loads of floors with walk-ways in between. It vaguely reminded me of the reception in The Devil Wears Prada, but more welcoming and friendly. I got my name signed off and just had to wait. There were quite a few girls there all dressed up, many with friends a couple with their mums.


When it was time, we went up to the tenth floor and across the bridge to a reception room, where champagne and nibbles were a-waiting. I didn’t drink much; champagne goes straight to my head and makes me flush pink, not the look I wanted to go for in front of the Marie Claire Editor-in-Chief.


We then all mingled, trying to suss each other out, I met some nice girls some of which I wish I had got their blog addresses.


Then the time came and we were called in to a swish conference room with red padded seats and sat in front of us press conference style was Editor in Chief Trish Halpin, Features Director Andrea Thompson, Fashion features Director Jess Wood, Beauty writer Cassie Steer and Digital and online Editor Helen Russell. It was like the Holy Grail of panels. I have followed Andrea’s career for years and followed Trish’s from In Style to Marie Claire, where I think she has re-vitalised the magazine and given it a new edge.


Each spoke about the industry, their particular area and how they got to where they are today. It was fascinating, I learnt that Trish started at a trade magazine, and then went to become a sub-editor at More! then deputy editor at a few other magazines. Andrea was the only under-cover reporter for the Daily Mail, Jess did the intense NCTJ course, Cassie had a geography degree and Helen started up her own website. These women got to where they are today through persistence and hard work. I loved every minute and hearing them talk about the magazine just cemented in my mind that this was the place I wanted to end up. Everything the magazine stands for I love and cannot think of any other magazine that could make me feel like that.


My heart belongs to Marie Claire.

Knowing me, knowing you

I have been checking my stats recently and I have seen that people from near and far have stumbled on my blog one way or another.


Being a journalist I am very curious so if you could leave a comment as to how you found the blog and what you think I would appreciate it.

Miss Kylie Minogue

I have been writing this blog for well over a year and I am very surprised that I have never written a post on my idol. I mentioned her in the idol post briefly but nothing just about my idol, who is..... Miss Kylie Minogue.


I have liked Kylie for as long as I can remember. My mum has always watched Neighbours so even as a small child in the 80s I can remember seeing her as Charlene with the gorgeous Scott. As much as I was obsessed with Kylie I was convinced I would marry Jason Donovan. I remember taking his cassette (yes I'm that old) to school just so I could look at his picture sa but true, but then I was only five. I can remember going to my cousin's house in Kidderminster and we would watch her Kylie video and my Jason one.


I will admit I dropped out of my Kylie phase a little in the 90s, during her impossible princess stage when I was being a Pop Princess. I fell in love with Take That and the Spice Girls. Then nearing the millennium Kylie released the pop hit Spinning Around and I was hooked.


That was it really, I do love Kylie Minogue I'm not obsessed, but I think she is amazing. I love the X album and Confide in Me and Love at First Sight are my all time favourite songs.


In all my years of Kylie mania I never had the opportunity to see her live. During her Showgirl tour over five years ago I hinted so much for tickets but no one picked up the hint. Then she was diagnosed with cancer.


I was thrilled when I got to go to the V&A and see all her costumes and clothes over the years: seeing in the flesh the iconic symbols that have made Kylie who she is today.




I watched the White Diamond documentary with a tear in my eye, bought the books and was mildly shocked when she parted ways with her visionary ill Baker (they are ok now though).


Finally in 2008 I got tickets to see Kylie's X tour, to say I was overjoyed is putting it lightly I was ecstatic. Finally after all these years I would see her concerts in the flesh rather than on my TV. When I saw a competition in a magazine to win tickets to see Kylie, I thought I would enter, who knows if I don't win then I'm already going if I do I can go twice.


Now, I was at work and I received a load of missed calls from an unknown number. When I finally picked up I was told I had won a competition. I had no idea what they meant. So when the woman then told me what I had won I went into, what I can only describe as shock. She said: "You have won a night stay in a five star hotel in London, travel to and from London, a new mobile phone, a spa treatment at the hotel, tickets for the gig and a meet and greet with Kylie before the gig. Are you free to do this?" I just muttered yes, not quite knowing what the hell was going on.


As soon as I hung up the phone I'll admit it, I burst into tears. The five year old in me running about like a crazy person. Then I rung everyone I could think of and asked my manager for the day off.


I saw the first gig on the Sunday, which was amazing. Then a couple of days later I was back at the O2 after having an amazing back massage, all ready and scared that meeting my idol was not going to happen. When we sat down in the room full of a load of Kylie fans I could not keep my eyes off the door. And then it happened, Miss Minogue walked through and I had to hold back the tears.


To be honest it was a bit of a blur, she was stood in front of me, the complexion of a china doll, tiny frame and loads of stage make up. I talked to her about the concert and not much else but it was really good.


We had our photo taken with her, Kylie was amazing saying how to pose, with a pout and a smile.It was the best thing ever to happen to me. Afterwards I was jumping around singing "I've met Kylie Minogue!" As you can tell from the photo I am just a little bit happy at being stood so close to my idol.




I have tickets for the Les Follies tour, I am so excited, seen a little bit and it looks amazing! Look out for a gig review in April.


Here is the proof by the way....

Looking at the future

As the end of my course approaches I have to decide what I want to do with my future. Where do I want to go? Where do I want to work? Do I want to move? How far am I willing to go?




I know more than anything I want to be a journalist. My work placements have made me realise how much I want to work for a weekly paper, I enjoy feature writing and of course writing this blog. Journalism is coursing through my veins and is one of my passions.


I just wonder how prepared I am to move. I suppose it depends on the paper and the job. I don't want to up-root my life for the sake of a horrible paper and an even worse job. I suppose I am a bit of a homebody, but for the right job I think I would have to consider it.


I have never known anyone to actually do it though. I have read the "I love..New York...LA" books and about to read "I love Paris", in the series a woman finds out her boyfriend is cheating on her at her friend’s wedding and she does what any rational woman would runs off to New York in a pair of Louboutin heels and her bridesmaid dress and not much else. She created a new life for herself as a blogger and column writer. I am sure this does not happen in the real world that people go to a foreign country and are lucky enough to forge a new and exciting career.


I suppose as for my future in journalism I have applied to some local papers including the one I did my work placement at, so fingers-crossed and let’s see what happens.


The life of a journalist is exciting and varied and I do not regret for a second choosing this career path.

Drama, drama, drama

I watch and love shows like Gossip Girl, The OC, Buffy and back in the day Dawson's Creek. However, if my life was that dramatic I think I would have aged a hundred years and be constantly grey, their lives are just one drama after another.

I wonder why life can’t be easy, clear and in black and white. I know that peoples’ lives aren't as dramatic as these shows but why does life have to be so complicated some times. Gone are the days of old when everything was simple, replaced with hard decisions and inner turmoil. An easy task becomes complicated when human emotion comes in to play and nothing is ever as easy as it seems.

Even in films life becomes simplistic, boy meets girl, they fall in love are separated but we all know in the end that they will be living happily after.

In programmes like Gossip Girl, there are more twists and turns than a country winding road. In many ways the dramas do represent a slice of life: heartache, heartbreak and relationships. The clothes and schemes are probably a little out of most people's grasp but the feelings and emotions are probably pretty close.

In that way I suppose you could use these shows as your relationship bible and take what they have done wrong and not do it. It may sound strange but then we could learn from the mistakes of Blair and Serena.

For example, Blair and Chuck know they cannot be apart but they cannot be together until they return to the power people they were. Chuck the big businessman with an empire to match and Blair an independent powerful woman. What can we learnt from this I hear you shout... well you have to know who you are before you can be with someone else.

Vanessa and Dan showed us that people who have been friends for years cannot be boyfriend and girlfriend, too many issues.

Nate and Serena thought they were meant to be, she nearly lost her best friend as Nate was Blair's (best friend) boyfriend, however, they thought they were happy, but timing wasn't right and there love was not meant to be. I think this one is more about karma, fun and exciting is all and well when it has to be in secret but at the end of the day a relationship is more than that.
Ah Gossip Girl, I maybe deluded in thinking this but in a time of need I cannot think of anything better than watching a bunch of rich kids running around New York when all you want to do is cry and eat chocolate.

BFF vs BF

I have been wondering a lot of things recently but the one thing that keeps coming to the forefront of my mind is... does it matter if your friends like your boyfriend?


Obviously they won't (or shouldn't) like him as much as you, that would be just weird, but should they like him a little bit if at all.


I read in Grazia a few weeks ago about a girl who hated her best friend's boyfriend with a passion, not dislike, hate. She thought he was no good, thought too highly of himself, was a major flirt and had the tendency to put her friend down. Now those things if your friend’s boyfriend were doing to your friend seem justifiable, however, the friend still was with her boyfriend even after her best mate had raised her concerns.


I don't know if they do but I really hope none of my friends hate my boyfriend, but then I wonder does it matter if they like him. It is a challenging question on some levels, as of course you want your friends and boyfriend to get on so that you can go out together without it being awkward and you having to play referee. However, I wonder if one of my friends were to say I really don't like him, what I would do. I've been with him for five years, so it's a bit late for me to go 'Well if that's the case I'll get rid', as the emotional attachment is already there and he is a huge part of my life. But then the thought of it twists in my stomach, a range of questions may whizz through my head as to why. I sometimes think at the end of the day not one of your friends will know your boyfriend as well as you do, so go with your gut instinct.


Don't get me wrong at the start of the relationship a friends advice can be invaluable as you are blinded by a new romance, but even then I wonder if a friend had told me that they didn't like the new boyfriend would bin him???


Questions, questions!!

Oh what a week...

This has been the hardest week so far. I feel emotionally drained. Even though I have only had one full day at college you would think it would be a breeze, alas this is not the case.


Court on Tuesday I attended an awful case which left me emotionally drained beyond belief. If there was ever a day I needed a big bear hug that would have been it.


Wednesday, we were off to London. No early start thank god. Got to London had a delicious pineapple smoothie at Millbank, on the ground floor under the political workings of Sky, ITV and BBC news. Then the four of us had to practically run from one end of town to the other to reach the Royal Courts of Justice. We did it...just about. Then got some lunch and had a walk around Covent Garden stopping at a cupcake shop, the cupcakes were massive and yummy. Then the two hour journey home. All in all a great day with my class girlies but so tiring.


Now today, it is only Thursday and I feel as if I have aged twenty years. Today we had mock interviews, so the nerves set it pretty early. Then the person before me looked so shaken I feared the worse. The interview its self was fine. Feedback was ok, except I was told I needed to sell myself more and be more confident. This felt like a blow and seems to have knocked my confidence even more.


I just feel very emotional this week, and a bit fed up to be honest. Ah the life of a trainee journalist.