Now I'm 25

So... 25, the big two five, quarter of a century! WHOA!

I'm not going to lie, little bit freaked out by turning 25. When you are younger you think by the time I'm 25 I'll have a house, be married with kids. Now I'm here I'm still at home and I have just figured out my career path and maybe on my way to the house, marriage and kids.

I still feel quite young at 25 to be a mother, I have friends who have babies, houses and husbands, and although I do feel ready at the same time I don't mind that I don't have it. I'm not going to lie sometimes I would like my own place and my own space.

My age.... I don't know you think of all these goals but then when you get there you can't understand why you haven't got there yet, but then when you plan your future you just assume everything will go well, I have been with my boyfriend for five years and although there were points we could have moved in together we have both had dead end jobs, been made redundant from career jobs and embarked on new education courses or training so the opportunity to do so, or more the money has never been there.

I think you can plan as much as you want but at the end of the day you can't plan everything.
So I suppose at the end of the day I should embrace being 25 as you  know age is only a number.... now to enjoy my kids tea party birthday dinner... what? 

Free you say... don't mind if I do.

As you will all know I was unemployed for nearly a year and as a student I had to beg, borrow but definitely didn't steal money from family members to get by when I started my course in October. I have always loved a bargain but a freebie 'oh my'.

I love going into Montezuma's and seeing what delicious delights they have on offer to try, a good sugar pick me up if you are starting to flag and who knows you may even find your new favourite chocolate.

So my recent lack of funds has meant a lack in beauty products, I have a lot left over from Christmas but that can get a bit tiring. This has meant I have a little collection of free samples, I recently got samples of a range of dermalogica products, heaven!

Today I used Loreal Restore five shampoo, Aussie 3 minute heat protection mask and a new Garnier body intensive 7 days moisturiser, it may sound a little sad but when else can you use a different product everyday and not have to spend a fortune. It may sound a little bag lady but think about it they want you to use their products so that you will buy in the future and who knows you may find your new favourite product.

Magazines are even getting creative now with freebies knowing that they are a great way to hook a reader. I recently bough Cosmopolitan because it had a free book. And I subscribe to Marie Claire, which you will know I love,  but it really annoys me that I don't get the free gifts, but I love the magazine so it doesn't bother me too much.

I recently said to my sister about people loving freebies, if you are told spend £50 and get a free gift worth £5 most people would do it, not sure why but the appeal of something for nothing just makes some people irrational. I have known people to fight old ladies in M&S for a sample of a hot cross bun, not me by the way... the boyfriend, it wasn't his proudest moment but I still love him.

 Please don't judge those who love the freebie, for those who have little money it may be the only pleasure and new product we get and we all know it's nice to get a  little treat especially when it's free. 

'Once a cheater, always a cheater.' Rachel - Friends

Due to the amount of stories recently about lying cheating scumbags it got me thinking about cheating.

It seems now that cheating has got a whole lot easier. For the rich and famous they can pick someone up, treat them mean, dump them, then get a super injunction  to stop them ever revealing details on the affair. These people seem to think that with fame comes power and the excuse to do what they want and get away with it. I think this has instilled a sense that you can cheat and its fine, the partner's forgive and they return to normal life not facing any consequences.

The emergence of social networks has meant that the fine lines of cheating have been blurred, before a kiss or more was considered cheating, but now due to Facebook, Twitter and mobile phones cheating has become cyber.

Who can forget Vernon Kay's sexting or Jason Manford getting and sending rude messages via twitter. It seems to some that if there is no physical contact then surely it cannot be cheating, but it does make you think if you found out your partner was sending stuff like that wouldn't you feel hurt? confused? and embarrassed? It's hard is an affair of the mind worse than the flesh? I think sometimes it can be as flesh can be a physical thing but mind is a deeper level and is more about emotions.

Cheating though is cheating, if you are entertaining thoughts of being with someone else other than your partner that is cheating, especially if you make it obvious and actually voice them outside of you head.

It relates to trust I think, you want to think you are your partner's one and only and the thought of them thinking those types of thoughts about someone else just makes your guts churn.

Social networking has been blamed for a lot. For the decline in face to face conversation and the need to be friends with everyone, even those people who you hated but you keep them just to be nosey. I just think as well that social networking allows people to meet people that they wouldn't usually get the opportunity to meet. It also can give a false security, whereas someone might not have the confidence to approach someone in a  club it is very easy to face rejection when its a friend request or instant message.

It can make it hard for any sane woman, just too much to compete with I suppose. But lets not fret there are good people out there who are faithful and trustworthy.

...

First week in my new job and it has been great.

Really enjoying the variety. I have loads of Parish council meetings coming up, which means I can get out and meet people.

Life is a bit hectic at the moment, so the blog will probably fall by the way side. Settling in to the drive and everything, trying to juggle my life at the moment.

So for any venting and hopefully stories this blog will be the place to be.

Music makes the world go round

Music, you sing to it, you dance to it, you talk about it. No matter what type you like everyone likes some sort of music. You can go to a foreign country and a song will come on and you may not speak the same language but you can both sing and dance along to a Take That song.

I love music, songs can evoke such powerful feelings, the one you danced with on your girly holiday (Outkast Hey ya and Britney Toxic, Dublin '04) or the one your Mum danced to in the kitchen. They can help you through break ups or break downs. A song can make you smile or make you cry and there is nothing better than music while getting ready for a night out.

My boyfriend, I would say, has a very cool taste in music. He loves The Beatles, Bob Dylan, new indie bands and bands such as Deer Tick or The Rifles, as well as some bands you have never heard but are equally brilliant. If you flick through his iPod you get song after song of amazing tracks (although some are a little depression, I love Joy Division but can be a bit of a downer). I think he is a connoisseur of music and I don't think there is a dud song on his iPod, just don't tell him I said that.

My musical tastes are very varied. I was told by my mum who borrowed my iPod that if she didn't know me she would think I was a gay man, due to the amount of Kylie, Showtunes and Glee I had on there. My boyfriend can't understand how I can have songs like Bring the Light by Beady Eye, and bands such as Blondie and The Courteeners along songs by Katy Perry, Kylie and the Spice Girls. My iPod I know is very random, a bit like me. I love listening to Bonkers by Dizzee Rascal at the gym, or Kylie before a night out. If I am driving in the sun I whack on a bit of The Jacksons, or if I am in a bit of a mood Bloc Party.

I suppose I do have bands I like but sometimes I just like songs, if a song has a strong guitar I will probably like it. If a song sounds like a great dance track (LMFAO Party Rock Anthem), or just something I can sing my heart out to I will usually love it.

If you have read my blog before you will be able to tell I am a gig junkie, so if a song sounds amazing live or the song it self sounds like and has the vibe of being live, I will love it. I know it sounds strange but some songs I just love and I don't know why.

I will admit outright I am a very poppy girl, I love cheesy tunes and as you know Kylie is my icon but if a song has a strong guitar, emotional lyrics or a fit front man... I'm there!

'One day my Prince will come'

If you weren't aware the British public have recently celebrated a Royal Wedding. For weeks the country has been a hive of activity with souvenirs, shows and even a lame US movie.

We all waited with baited breath to see Kate's (or Princess Catherine's) wedding dress and the colour of the Queen's hat. For a wedding of two people who none of us commoners know but who the British public hold very dear to their heart, me included as you will already know if you had read 'All hail the Queen....right?' blog post.

Now the Queen chose yellow for her outfit. And Kate's dress was beautiful, lace bodice, long sleeves, very elegant and fitted and a small trail. Designed by Sarah Burton of McQueen just breath-taking. And Pippa Middleton was gorgeous also.

Very Grace Kelly when she married the Prince of Monaco.....

Princess Grace of Monaco was indeed a fairytale marriage also. Of course Catherine was a 'commoner' who met a Prince at University got together, broke up, got back together and now she is a Princess!

But all this talk of Royal Weddings and Princes & Princesses got me thinking about fairy tales. When I was younger I loved fairy tales and especially those of Disney.

When we are little we are given the idea that girls are a little helpless and that one day they will be swept off their feet by an amazing Prince, who you will meet once, fall madly in love with and marry pretty much the next day. And of course live Happily Ever After.

My favourite Disney Princesses were Ariel from The Little Mermaid, Belle from Beauty and the Beast and Cinderella. Only Ariel was an actual Princess before marriage. You grow up waiting for that fairy tale romance, the noble, dashing Prince to come and whisk you off your feet, most of the time this doesn't happen. But as Kate shows you can meet your Prince and fall in love and get married in front of millions... not sure if I would want that though to be honest, the marriage in front of millions, I'd love to be a Princess.

I am finding it very hard though to be cynical as I sit and watch the beautiful wedding of Prince William and Kate or the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. It is just refreshing to see a joyous occasion between two people in love rather than a load of doom and gloom. It was also nice to see Princess Victoria of Sweden who this time last year was preparing for her own wedding.

So join me in saying hip-hip hooray to the newlyweds!!

To end because I am an old romantic....

and of course the kiss

 

Everyone needs a Little Black Dress

Portsmouth City Museum currently has an exhibition on the famous LBD.....

I wrote a piece for etc magazine about it, check it out here....

http://edition.pagesuite-professional.co.uk/launch.aspx?referral=other&refresh=2j0Mf1H41R6c&PBID=cdbd86eb-0ed9-41e5-a590-031651c44a1c&skip page 104