What I'm Loving Right Now

It seems summertime is when all my time is eaten up by countless trips home, social events and actually going out with my boyfriend.

It was only a mere few months ago that I remember complaining to my housemate that I never do anything on weekends. I just sit at home and watch TV.

But, now, I don't honestly remember a weekend that I haven't been busy.

Today is the first day in ages that I feel like I can get back to my usual self and slob out. Except, because I haven't done it in a while, it feels wrong and I have all this pent up energy spent on doing nothing.

Eh, who am I to complain?

Here are the things I've been loving recently:

1. One Tree Hill - yes, I've given in and am re-watching it for the third time. I just can't seem to get enough of all the drama and twists in this ridiculous programme. I had to find something to fill the PLL-shaped hole (although I am watching series 7 of it, but weekly episodes is never as good as a full on binge).

2. Travel confidence/striving to better my anxiety again and again - This goes hand in hand with the following point but it deserves its own mention to be honest. It wasn't all that long ago that I felt jittery and worried about leaving the house, even for work, let alone letting it all go and just going everywhere and anywhere I get the opportunity to. Beckenham, home, Faversham, Oxford. It may not seem a lot to those accustomed to just following their heart, but I'm proud of myself for how far I've come and how much I can truly push myself.

3. Oxford meal with Adeel and his work colleagues - Last Friday I left work at 4 o'clock, headed to Paddington for the first time and caught a train to little ol' Oxford for a three course meal in a boathouse. It was amazing. I'm going to do a full post about it later down the line, but it deserves a quick mention as I just loved it. Take me back.

4. The City of Mirrors - mannnnnn, this is also going to get its own post in review format but this book! Final instalment of Justin Cronin's vampire, end-of-the-world trilogy and it was as good as I could have hoped and better. READ THEM.

5. Runtastic - hey, look who's kept it up and hasn't given in to laziness again?? I'm actually loving it, it's hard work and a killer on those muscles, but the feeling of completing 1-2 miles twice a week is the best feeling ever and this app is a huge motivator.

6. Empire soundtrack - I'm always looking for new music since joining Spotify and the Empire season has not long finished and I found myself craving to hear Jussie Smollett's lovely tones. Powerful and You're So Beautiful seem to be my favourites at the moment.

7. Counting down the days to moving out - okay, so we haven't set a date or anything for actually moving in together, but it is getting nearer and nearer to our presumed month at least. I just cannot wait to leave this shared accommodation and live with my best friend and boyfriend. Sure, he'll probably drive me nuts at some point but, God, give me that any day over sharing with someone I completely loath.



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Resting Bitch Face Problems

So this weekend I finally managed to finish or, at least, get up to date with Pretty Little Liars and in perfect timing too as the new series starts next week. 

Even just a day going by knowing that I have nothing new to watch from them is making me feel lost. That feeling you get every time you finish a TV series, you never know what to do with yourself!

In other news, I'm really beginning to push myself when I'm running. We are slowly being able to run longer and improve the breathing techniques and, well, just get better in general. I'm really surprised at how much I actually love it.

That's not what this post is about though.

This post is about that good ol' term resting bitch face and the problems I know I've definitely noticed of dealing with it.

A (not Pretty Little Liars A, my A... aha) and I were talking about this the other weekend when he was here. I keep moaning about all these people that never move out of my way, like I am always the one that needs to move if someone is walking in my direction. Even if they are a group and I literally have nowhere else to go. 

It's so frustrating.

Yet, the seas of people part for A - which was tested out thoroughly in Westfield funnily enough. He said you have to show strength and look like you aren't going to give in to moving. But, I know damn well that half of the time when I'm walking somewhere (more like 90% of the time) I will have a resting bitch face - which, in my opinion, is pretty much the look that says you aren't gonna move. 

Is that why they don't move though?

It's nothing I choose to have, it's just there, the frustration at slow walkers and tourists etched all over my face. But if I see someone else with that sort of face, I, well, move for them because they look like a moody cow. 

Just saying.

So, is it something about me that people don't want to move for? Is it because they presume I'm a moody cow and that it's not just how my face is when I'm not thinking about anything? Or am I just unfortunate enough to think I'm running into all of the annoying people when I shouldn't even take any notice?

It's probably because I get annoyed so easily at anything and everything that this even bothers me. I can get quite moody a lot of the time.

But, I always judge other people by their resting bitch faces, assuming that they are just stuck up, but maybe I shouldn't if I suffer from the same problem. 

I think it's weird though that people expect you to walk around with a smile on your face, yet if I see someone, alone, and smiling it's just weird. Or if you come into the office and people ask you if something's wrong. Nope, just my face!

I just don't know how to change my face, to soften it or something when I'm walking to and from work. It means I will always have to be concentrating on that instead of just letting my mind wander and my face rest in it's bitch-like state.

I guess I could always walk slower instead of powering through everyone like a bowling ball through an arrangement of pins. But I don't like dawdling unless I'm on holiday.

I guess I'll figure something out or just stop caring in the end.

I do love that term though. Resting bitch face. Who comes up with this stuff?!

Do you suffer from the resting bitch face?



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Is Television Too Romanticised?

What is it with everything being all perfect and lovey-dovey in everything I watch these days? 

No matter what the guy did (even if he's messed everything up, they still end up together after some romantic act of sacrifice or whatever).

I know when I was studying film, we learnt that it was because we - as humans - need a satisfying ending, something to give us hope, but isn't it all a little superficial now?

I get it, I do, but media make out a first kiss to be the most magical thing in the world - fireworks and a peak in some upbeat music. 

But what does a first kiss actually entail?

Jitters and guesswork was mine. 

Heartbeat racing so fast I couldn't concentrate. 

That's right, I had to concentrate on a kiss. 

I don't know what it was like for Adeel, but come on, kissing is so much better when you've been together for a while - you both know what you're doing and what the other one likes. 

The same goes for sex too. It's really not all that romantic for the first time like it's made out to be.

Am I just not that into this whole romantic crap? Or is it all just overly exaggerated on TV to make our hearts swoon? 

It's not exactly fair on us.

No wonder girls expect all of this rubbish. 

Guys don't really have a chance in hell of competing with the likes of Johnny Castle, Jack Dawson and Noah Calhoun now, do they?

We need to make our own expectations and stop trying to live up to the lives of fantasy couples that aren't all that realistic in the first place.

To live in the moment and not in our heads!

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What I'm Loving Right Now

So after the catastrophe of last week I thought I'd put together a short post of seven things that are small reminders of happiness or something I am currently enjoying through all the bad news (although this week has definitely turned around in some good ways!)

Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton

I am beyond excited to be reading this. I was recommended it just before Christmas by one of my housemates and I didn't even realise it was a novel! Jurassic Park is one of my favourite films (apparently I was even excitable in the womb as my mum saw it in the cinema when she was pregnant with me!). Review to come once I've finished it!

Coco Mademoiselle - Chanel

My boyfriend is an absolute babe. I, for some reason, became obsessed with wanting a Chanel scent just before Christmas and my boy was kind enough to gift it to me for the occasion!

F Scott Fitzgerald Notebook

Yet again my boy bought me a little somethin' somethin' just because he wanted to. He knows my love for notebooks is ridiculous and has added another beauty to my ever-growing collection.

V&A Teacups

Another gift from Christmas, except this time from my Dad and his girlfriend. They always buy everyone such cute and quirky gifts, I love them! They're so adorable.

Houmous

This is another weird one, but I've literally been eating this by the pot for a good few weeks, maybe even months now! I LOVE it!!!

Celebrity Big Brother

Okay so this one is a bit sad, but, hey ho, there is a tonne of drama this year. It's been a few seasons since I've watched it, but it's so full of ridiculousness that I can't help but watch it!

Agatha Watch

When me and Adeel were in Dubai we finally thought we would buy each other very, very belated birthday presents (mine is in March and his April and we were in Dubai at the end of November!), so I bought him an Apple watch and he bought me this rose gold beauty from a French brand called Agatha. I'm so in love with it, it's beautiful and goes with everything I wear and I feel so grown up for it! (If you look closely you can see that the second hand is in the shape of the Eiffel Tower - cute!)

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