tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-42487061071234851102024-03-13T02:35:21.568+00:00Melissa LouiseAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07195717725223020403noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4248706107123485110.post-77930155413116791322015-03-22T23:28:00.000+00:002015-03-22T23:31:58.101+00:002015: How you doin'?Can you believe how fast this year is going? I know, I know, it's such a cliche to complain about how fast time flies as you grow older - but my GOODNESS it's true. It's 2011, and I'm excited to be starting university, I blink.... And BAM, it's 2015, my time has a student has finished and I'm in the adult world scrabbling around trying to figure out where the time has gone!<br />
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As we're a quarter of the way through the year, I thought now would be a great time to reflect on the year so far, what's happened, what I've learned (too little), how many Oreos I have eaten (too many).<br />
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So reflect I shall.<br />
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<u>January</u><br />
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First and foremost, in the company of my wonderful friends, 2015 was welcomed with serious style. We all piled over to Lolz's house, each of us bringing a homemade dish, and kicked off the evening with an absolute FEAST. My contribution was Potato Dauphinoise, which went down a treat (mainly thanks to the 1cm of crispy, bubbling cheddar cheese on top...damn there's nothing better than grilled cheese.....anyway, I digress) as part of a buffet of salmon, gammon, giant couscous and grilled vegetables, chicken and chorizo skewers and macaroni and cheese. We followed dinner with drinking and general festivities, and had a great time that left me feeling really happy to have such a wonderful bunch of friends.<br />
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<u>February</u><br />
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The highlight of the year so far has of course been Bryan's visit to the UK last month. We certainly had a busy three weeks! Starting at St Pancras Station, we met at the perfectly named statue <a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/migration_catalog/article5293280.ece/alternates/w620/18-sculptures-3.jpeg">"The Meeting Place"</a> and promptly zoomed off to Paris on the Eurostar. What followed was four days filled with tourist trips to the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame (and discussions about the purpose of those terrifying gargoyles), drinking and laughing with my wicked older brother, and generally enjoying the novelty of actually being able to hug and kiss each other without a Skype call in sight. We also visited the Dessins Du Studio Ghibli exhibition, and it was wonderful to see sketches that were used in the creation of two of my favourite films, My Neighbor Totoro and Spirited Away.<br />
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After Paris, we headed northwards to stay in a little cottage near Shrewsbury. We basically spent the week in our pyjamas (well, that was mostly me) with Bryan in "man mode" looking after the woodburner, making food, hanging out and taking the occasional wander around the surrounding fields to say 'hi' to the sheep. Bliss.<br />
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As always, it was difficult to say goodbye. But our plans for the future are in full swing, and we can both look forward to the coming months because it's looking like our lives as a long distance couple will be coming to an end later in 2015.<br />
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<u>March</u><br />
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Last week, at the ripe old age of 21 I passed my driving test! Though I'm a few years late with this achievement, I'm still beyond stoked that I've now got my full driving license. It's a basic life skill that I've "checked the box" in, and I'm relieved to have that stressful experience out of the way.<br />
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I had a great weekend in London this week, visiting Amelia to celebrate her 22nd birthday. Now that we're finishing with Uni and that stage of our lives, and moving on into The Real World, it's great to see my friends doing well and living happy and fulfilling lives. Seeing each other less often may suck, but it means that when we do get to catch up we appreciate it all the more.<br />
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<u>Misc</u><br />
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Since finishing Uni last year I've realised how much I enjoy and miss learning. Until now I was too busy complaining about my deadlines and workload to realise how fulfilling it is to expand your knowledge and obtain skills you aren't being forced to learn. Years ago, when Neopets, Freewebs and Piczo were all the rage, I was so into designing websites and webpages. I'd spend my evenings after school getting to grips with Photoshop and tweaking the tables on my Neopet's pet page to make it look just right. Somewhere along the way, as I became busier with school and friends and boyfriends I forgot about that interest, and a recent conversation with Bryan made me realise this could be something I'd enjoy and be good at. I'm working at a 9-5 job at the moment which leaves my evenings mostly free during the week. I've been making use of this time by starting to learn and teach myself web design - HTML, CSS and the like. So far it's going well, and I'm looking forward to carrying this on and flexing my creative muscles!<br />
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So there you have it: My year so far. With a couple of other plans in the works, I'm really excited to see how the rest of the year pans out - maybe I'll get writing a Half Year Update in June!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07195717725223020403noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4248706107123485110.post-68935799377797798282015-02-10T19:42:00.000+00:002015-03-22T23:33:41.241+00:00The Weeks AheadIt's almost time for a holiday! At the end of this week, Bryan will be touching down in London, where we'll meet at St Pancras International and promptly whizz off to Paris. It'll be a fantastic long weekend - we'll be visiting and hanging out with my brother, who happens to be the funniest person on the planet! As well as this, Bryan's never been to France so it'll be great accompanying him as he sees the Eiffel Tower for the first time.<br />
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We've utilised the ever-wonderful <a href="http://airbnb.com/">AirBnB.com</a>, and rented a lovely studio flat near Nation. It looks so friendly and warm, a lot more homely (and budget-friendly!) than a hotel.<br />
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After we return from Paris, we'll be heading up North to stay in a little cottage for a week in Shrewsbury, where we'll be spending our days relaxing, cooking, going for long walks and snuggling up in front of the TV - all very normal sounding things, but things that as a long-distance couple we hardly ever get to do! It's going to be <i>bliss. </i>Check out where we're staying at <a href="http://www.thewagonshed.co.uk/">Thewagonshed.co.uk</a> ... doesn't it look wonderful?<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07195717725223020403noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4248706107123485110.post-40678362745371431042014-10-21T20:55:00.000+01:002014-10-21T21:07:24.549+01:00Fabletics<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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For the last few weeks I've been on the hunt for some new workout gear. I've been wearing the same two pairs of Primark leggings to the gym for the past year, and to be honest they're not tatty at all - the truth is, I'm super self conscious of how my stumpy legs look even stumpier when I'm wearing capri-length leggings. Silly, I know.<br />
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Anyway! After much hunting and hmm-ing and hah-ing about spending £30 on a pair of leggings that I just couldn't justify, I stumbled across <a href="http://www.fabletics.co.uk/">Fabletics</a>. They were offering an introductory deal for new customers that I just couldn't refuse - £22 for an entire workout outfit, with a tonne of different combinations to choose from.<br />
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I'm not kidding when I tell you that I spent a full hour of my evening scrolling through the options available. I made up my mind that I was going to go for it almost as soon as I clicked onto the homepage - I just couldn't deal with all the options! Eventually I opted for the <a href="http://www.fabletics.co.uk/index.cfm?action=shop.viewproduct&ha=0FF9F443506225281F83083C367F2AFC&pid=7091371">Fuse</a> outfit: Black leggings, a grey and black tank top and a matching headband.<br />
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Today I took them for my first spin at the gym and, let me tell you, I'm so pleased with these friggin' leggings! First and foremost, they passed the dreaded squat test. (At the weekend I persuaded my lovely sister to stand behind me and tell me if she could see the colour of my undies through the leggings when I squatted. She couldn't.) Hurrah! That was really my main requisite: I'm self-conscious enough doing barbell squats in the male-dominated weights section, I don't need the added paranoia of "Oh-look-Gladys-I-Can-See-That-Poor-Girl's-Knickers", nor the annoyance of tying a jumper around my waist as has been the case in the past. So yep, the leggings ticked the box as soon as Laura shrugged and said "I dunno, I can't see them".<br />
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Further to that, it turns out these leggings are SO. EFFING. COMFY. Oh my goodness I've been wearing these badboys any chance I can get, even when I'm slobbing around the house. The material is so thick and warm. And I've got to admit, they do wonders for my butt. It looks phenomenal in these if I say so myself!<br />
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As for the other bits... Well, after my (slightly too) enthusiastic review of the leggings, I'm afraid the tank can't top it.<br />
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Well aren't I punny.<br />
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No, in all seriousness the top is great too - the print is so cool, it's a flattering length and didn't ride up once during my workout today. The website describes the fabric as "buttery soft" and I can't say they're exaggerating - it does feel soft and lovely. And upon exiting the gym, neither my leggings nor the top were sweaty-feeling at all - whatever that moisture-wicking malarkey is, I like it.<br />
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Overall I'm super happy with this purchase. In an ideal world I'll be going back to this place again and again in the future for my workout clothes. Only thing about Fabletics that I'm not so fond of is their subscription service - basically, when you buy from them you sign up for an opt-out service that charges money every month and adds credit to your account so that you can be buying your workout stuff on the Reg. They sell it well, and it sounds like a great idea but I just think it's too pushy. I don't want to have to opt-out every month, I just want to be able to mosey back when I feel like it and log in to my account like any other website.<br />
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Oh well. Maybe I won't be able to justify buying something next month, but I'm sure I'll be back again for a pair of their delicious leggings, because my goodness I'm going to need them this winter! Brrrr.<br />
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x<br />
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<a href="http://www.fabletics.com/index.cfm?action=shop.viewproduct&pid=7103161&ha=9FA331CD5482BEC0DADB31D9FC6BB310">Leon tank</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.fabletics.com/index.cfm?action=shop.viewproduct&pid=761239&ha=0E8DBEA72F6BD5D134E04B77D6E2E773">Salar legging</a></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07195717725223020403noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4248706107123485110.post-56047832144899787322014-10-06T20:23:00.002+01:002014-10-12T13:04:09.992+01:00Long distance: Ain't no thangI've been dreading October 2014 for a while now. It isn't the change of season, nor the fact that I'll be working full-time and missing out on beloved lie-ins... Nope, this month sucks because it's the month my boyfriend moved back home. This time last week I was hugging him goodbye at the airport and flailing my way home like the snivelly drama queen that I am.<br />
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We've had a bit of a test run, to be fair. In the weeks before he moved 3,000 miles away, we were still a 5-hour train journey away from each other, and only seeing each other at weekends - to some, we've already been in a long distance relationship for a while! Though it wasn't fun, and while I am in no way enthralled by the time zone difference and the fact that I am now glued to my phone for many many minutes of the day, I think this long distance malarkey is turning out better than expected. They say "distance makes the heart grow fonder", and whoever the hell They are, They're spot on. Last week I booked flights to go visit him next month, and my goodness I'm so excited - not just to see him, but to see some SUNSHINE and escape this miserable weather!<br />
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So yeah. The world hasn't ended and I've still got a big old smile on my face!<br />
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(That said, it's only been a week. Talk to me again when my hormones are tormenting me, and you may hear a different story...)<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07195717725223020403noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4248706107123485110.post-51470705488020580192014-08-10T21:02:00.002+01:002015-01-12T21:01:20.525+00:00Jars Stuffed With GoodnessApologies for the massive space between the last post and this one. The past few months have been such a blur - I got my degree, graduated with a 2:1 (woohooo!), moved back home, got myself a cushy office job, and have been having a great time seeing the boy and the friends and doing lots of fun stuff.<br />
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Since bagging aforementioned job, I've had a bit of a struggle with planning my lunches. Over the next year my vague goals are to save a lot of money and lose a little weight. <i>(More specifically, I want to eat a little less than I do currently (I snack like a demon), add more veg to my day-to-day life, and work out a proper lifting routine at the gym, with set goals so that I can track my improvement. But that's a story for another post) </i><br />
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One of the areas I've identified as addressing both the money and the weight goals is my lunch at work. I've been working for three weeks, and though some days I'll bring myself a packed lunch from home, there have been other days where I've spent £3-£5 on bought food from town (I did have the best burrito of my life the other day, though, so I don't regret a damn thing about that). I've read all these blog posts about salads in jars, how they keep everything fresh and crisp, and thought this Sunday that I might try bulk-making a buttload of salad to last me through the week.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAIXvbApI2xMaBIwGyJHE_77bA314qPW3LcrC5DooG_Qpe-UozRwPaEpVCks56u-A7BASDPdSQGLFS_b-7LU7ryPyJmWOZwp74F4uRFaf-1Bx9CWAHIrL4nmPLLoEkkPzu_pJxJTdIreGb/s1600/image3.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAIXvbApI2xMaBIwGyJHE_77bA314qPW3LcrC5DooG_Qpe-UozRwPaEpVCks56u-A7BASDPdSQGLFS_b-7LU7ryPyJmWOZwp74F4uRFaf-1Bx9CWAHIrL4nmPLLoEkkPzu_pJxJTdIreGb/s1600/image3.jpeg" height="226" width="320" /></a></div>
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I started by chopping up a load of veggies - obviously anything works, but in this one I've got roughly chopped rocket leaves (arugula for you 'Muricans), sweetcorn, carrot, cucumber, mushroom and a finely chopped red chilli.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghrfMo9Su7sTInjBmlKAfWaBc_TIE105AvN5DJWnt6tmN9CthDaNLP-Ht91OLwlMhHKMIdiJSzCi1sBWZVL8eVvouLUxSHZlowbk6fYAFjYSjxUnJ2vRaroxzaO41sijNw69J57Ly6_1dv/s1600/image2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghrfMo9Su7sTInjBmlKAfWaBc_TIE105AvN5DJWnt6tmN9CthDaNLP-Ht91OLwlMhHKMIdiJSzCi1sBWZVL8eVvouLUxSHZlowbk6fYAFjYSjxUnJ2vRaroxzaO41sijNw69J57Ly6_1dv/s1600/image2.jpeg" height="256" width="320" /></a></div>
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I don't know about you, but that alone wouldn't be enough to keep me filled up for the afternoon. So I've bulked out this salad with chickpeas, quinoa and lentil sprouts. To keep things mixed up, throughout the week I'll be adding little extras each morning like tuna, chicken, cheese or avocado.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQadW7bEG7wyHF9GyoSvtG5AbBEMpIo7JEAJmDeKtvpKVZHUF0IsoOQJrtexP-OUVIGUyOPM-5q4WMHnnpEgizc2oMOXEMmXhxFI1CvNfCHmUpqk2ouSDvcvqB2fXRx3DTzP_X6lY-w-Wz/s1600/image.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQadW7bEG7wyHF9GyoSvtG5AbBEMpIo7JEAJmDeKtvpKVZHUF0IsoOQJrtexP-OUVIGUyOPM-5q4WMHnnpEgizc2oMOXEMmXhxFI1CvNfCHmUpqk2ouSDvcvqB2fXRx3DTzP_X6lY-w-Wz/s1600/image.jpeg" height="211" width="320" /></a></div>
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All mixed up! Yum. In total this cost me around £9 as well as using a couple of veg that were languishing around the bottom of the fridge. That works out to be less than £2 per day! I'll be supplementing my snacking fetish with packs of low-calorie popcorn and my staple desk snack - a punnet of blueberries.<br />
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Have any of you guys done this before? Got any recommendations for some more weekday lunches I can make in bulk on a Sunday evening?<br />
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xAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07195717725223020403noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4248706107123485110.post-91098247814211061502014-05-26T12:39:00.001+01:002014-05-26T14:29:07.365+01:00That Time I Went to Dubai<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Over the Easter holidays, I went on an exciting trip to a place unlike anywhere I've been before. I visited my boyfriend in his home country, Dubai. I stayed for two weeks and we crammed as much sightseeing and touristy nonsense in as possible - bless him, he's seen it all a million times before but I wanted to see the sights!</div>
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I'm not exaggerating when I say that Dubai is unlike any other country I've visited. It's a wonderful mishmash - having a population split between local Emiratis and ex-pats from all over the world means that Dubai has a cultural identity that can't be pinned down. If I'd been visiting with friends or family, I'm sure I would've come home from that trip with a totally different opinion of the place, but seeing everything through my boyfriend's eyes, someone who has grown up there and someone who I love dearly, meant that I just loved it because it's his home. </div>
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Also I loved the food. Of course.</div>
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One of my favourite parts of my time there was one evening when we bought chicken Shawarmas from his favourite side-street vendor, and wandered down to the beach where we sat enjoying the heat and the view of the Burj Al Arab. I also was transfixed by the skyline, and every time we drove somewhere I just found myself staring out the window with my mouth hanging open... I just couldn't get over the sight of all those skyscrapers. I'm a country bumpkin, and London's buildings pale in comparison!</div>
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I can't wait to visit again, and do some of the things we didn't have time to fit in during my first trip - like a proper trip into the desert. </div>
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Here are some of my favourite photos.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6_U705uE6FSMV3Jz7F8XWgLSxetbugxhgf2xTtx_OYHIVbqF3beEj9WHX7Duu6qprNsKZJVELKSdA3quOsskcseTzXagwUthFBoWK42I3MLnhblPCXMcD4AamI8aEQbZ9otq2Fa5WE7dw/s1600/DSC00952.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6_U705uE6FSMV3Jz7F8XWgLSxetbugxhgf2xTtx_OYHIVbqF3beEj9WHX7Duu6qprNsKZJVELKSdA3quOsskcseTzXagwUthFBoWK42I3MLnhblPCXMcD4AamI8aEQbZ9otq2Fa5WE7dw/s1600/DSC00952.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>Abu Dhabi is a short drive away, and the Sheikh Zayed Mosque is the most beautiful building I've ever seen</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMrILfbnCJ0qDALqQlY56a7JFuBMEmiu9dVrb4gS9MqR9AB7F3jQN6YBVw1ErRmy7agJ7m50ntD13OE-prJkaJYBn7H9T8vpWX3wtt-UF_s3bxWUxMzogwfK_h3HXpCqAdQBaIVa1vRztQ/s1600/DSC00982.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMrILfbnCJ0qDALqQlY56a7JFuBMEmiu9dVrb4gS9MqR9AB7F3jQN6YBVw1ErRmy7agJ7m50ntD13OE-prJkaJYBn7H9T8vpWX3wtt-UF_s3bxWUxMzogwfK_h3HXpCqAdQBaIVa1vRztQ/s1600/DSC00982.JPG" height="640" width="570" /></a></div>
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<i>More of the Sheikh Zayed Mosque</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRHAI2QWewSKVBTqAyXuT_F7ZAw4nk9a9SUGASMQdyvxN1xCz1uc6_8-W7CrbDjqijwjt4d7xr8SJevvEEEohCOu-VvZe0jilA6Mjx9fdTVdn0Zi5tKdIX7XrYI0k3L-qryZ7QWsVNJxiO/s1600/IMG_2428.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRHAI2QWewSKVBTqAyXuT_F7ZAw4nk9a9SUGASMQdyvxN1xCz1uc6_8-W7CrbDjqijwjt4d7xr8SJevvEEEohCOu-VvZe0jilA6Mjx9fdTVdn0Zi5tKdIX7XrYI0k3L-qryZ7QWsVNJxiO/s1600/IMG_2428.JPG" height="640" width="622" /></a></div>
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<i>Kayaking around the Palm Island, this was the view when we stopped for lunch. Awesome</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAHKdCAEswQWyNyRghnvoWfOr_e3-7_706igTNDQAh1IgpwcS06Id-pVGWaj1V0Wg4Z2fqwMomKt0now2wMzNdZerZXJOdhrhMOlm-xs_2E35zrHd2EVz0PzuFihTzXg0_KKAvRCm7hPdV/s1600/DSC00891.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAHKdCAEswQWyNyRghnvoWfOr_e3-7_706igTNDQAh1IgpwcS06Id-pVGWaj1V0Wg4Z2fqwMomKt0now2wMzNdZerZXJOdhrhMOlm-xs_2E35zrHd2EVz0PzuFihTzXg0_KKAvRCm7hPdV/s1600/DSC00891.JPG" height="435" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>We managed to bear the heat at this beach for about 30mins before scurrying back inside - it was ridonkulously hot!</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXqbB7Ml1g3zl1E5deLTUIEgjycJboqaGqG01c-2cgdF1-hlFAvEA8OEx5jZTxt6_1qGvAwuUcgg6Tb4Ns8YVLgMLvWd9HzSLwPP3iZX8xRyBgXmRUxN3yNdWVLzXs7822SoI7DmulVeUy/s1600/DSC01023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXqbB7Ml1g3zl1E5deLTUIEgjycJboqaGqG01c-2cgdF1-hlFAvEA8OEx5jZTxt6_1qGvAwuUcgg6Tb4Ns8YVLgMLvWd9HzSLwPP3iZX8xRyBgXmRUxN3yNdWVLzXs7822SoI7DmulVeUy/s1600/DSC01023.JPG" height="380" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>I'd never seen a desert before! We drove there to catch the sunset and it was b-e-a-utiful and so wonderfully quiet</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMnMCu9yeAwRIL72zu_gsA50otETkSeKb3dx6BrrajgjGEPWMM6NQLqDa7y2XI_LaBiaq_rhjY17ks575_OkG6McEL9DopkHSOwm3DgbZ-x2SCofwDGyFQvMhCz20dtaSL9pL0ZKLYEKrR/s1600/DSC01079.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMnMCu9yeAwRIL72zu_gsA50otETkSeKb3dx6BrrajgjGEPWMM6NQLqDa7y2XI_LaBiaq_rhjY17ks575_OkG6McEL9DopkHSOwm3DgbZ-x2SCofwDGyFQvMhCz20dtaSL9pL0ZKLYEKrR/s1600/DSC01079.JPG" height="396" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>Hatta Lake was glorious</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAQQj8ARbU_-TgFvW1Vr1rK-kXtF-ARYlJ5z2oe5hduZpadNg_Xm-vM3C0GzLckFzg7S4H-Rpu1j3-09dCSVQ9m2NxkbwbZNfW-sIhWxNjBLyfuCRfxvXinKFAzF57EyQeqz-Hfo38SoNb/s1600/IMG_2418.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAQQj8ARbU_-TgFvW1Vr1rK-kXtF-ARYlJ5z2oe5hduZpadNg_Xm-vM3C0GzLckFzg7S4H-Rpu1j3-09dCSVQ9m2NxkbwbZNfW-sIhWxNjBLyfuCRfxvXinKFAzF57EyQeqz-Hfo38SoNb/s1600/IMG_2418.JPG" height="478" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>Screw donkey rides on the beach, hop on a camel why dontcha</i></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07195717725223020403noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4248706107123485110.post-69521310990890802242014-05-25T22:14:00.000+01:002014-05-26T15:28:14.750+01:00Graduation Panic #1436SO it's that time of year (or of my life, however you want to think of it) ... and my graduation ball is only a few weeks away! I'm really excited about it - usually in my day-to-day life I dress like a hobo, so it's going to be really nice having a couple of events to get dressed up for.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVyVLgTMUi8QkLqyuQKksJuPkVbosNRx0MA6n_f6e-KILv8gDdSJ1TNi0ze893Ti7CDXRK7SKzzzEv7GYqnSaINWEdmoX3ZxNNGh3iMjqeyJ1FCs91yNfPc2UlFdiYuiaaWrEz0AidXYUU/s1600/littlemistresscoralmaxidress65_large.20140314154209.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVyVLgTMUi8QkLqyuQKksJuPkVbosNRx0MA6n_f6e-KILv8gDdSJ1TNi0ze893Ti7CDXRK7SKzzzEv7GYqnSaINWEdmoX3ZxNNGh3iMjqeyJ1FCs91yNfPc2UlFdiYuiaaWrEz0AidXYUU/s1600/littlemistresscoralmaxidress65_large.20140314154209.jpg" height="320" width="251" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.asos.com/Little-Mistress/Little-Mistress-Maxi-Dress-with-Baroque-Effect-Bodice-Detail/Prod/pgeproduct.aspx?iid=3910950&WT.ac=rec_viewed" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Maxi Dress, £65, ASOS</span></a></div>
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I bought this <a href="http://www.little-mistress.co.uk/" target="_blank">Little Mistress</a> dress from <a href="http://www.asos.com/women/">ASOS.com</a> a couple of weeks ago, and I <i>love it. </i>It makes me look slightly taller when I wear it with heels (a pretty impressive achievement for stumpy little Melissa), the detail on the bodice-y bit is gorgeous, the colour will look great with a bit of a tan... I'm in love!<br />
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Only problem is, I haven't got a clue how to wear it. I bought a pair of deep red heels from eBay the other day (<a href="data:image/jpeg;base64,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" target="_blank">here</a> they are), which I think really complement the coral colour of the dress, but I'm just a bit stuck over what to wear earrings-wise and hair-wise. It goes without saying that the dress doesn't need a necklace, but I'd like to find a pair of lovely sparkly earrings to peek out of my hair'do.<br />
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What do you think? Any ideas?<br />
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xAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07195717725223020403noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4248706107123485110.post-13572351611558302842014-05-25T13:06:00.000+01:002014-05-26T15:32:19.453+01:00The Future Freaks Me Out<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifwbsyqUaUBv1SZBlQ5HLjAjah7rAhm_xeA09tYnM3IbfSUhkqzIKMAFhVkqtrWYiv0pIYV_EpY-hBFPO-Xi0rdO-nSpX28WjU6KB4jIONgSYd5o06Vhtp29VTkM-YqDO7zHyTvMxvkXbW/s1600/stressed-out-dogs-thumb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifwbsyqUaUBv1SZBlQ5HLjAjah7rAhm_xeA09tYnM3IbfSUhkqzIKMAFhVkqtrWYiv0pIYV_EpY-hBFPO-Xi0rdO-nSpX28WjU6KB4jIONgSYd5o06Vhtp29VTkM-YqDO7zHyTvMxvkXbW/s1600/stressed-out-dogs-thumb.jpg" height="271" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">This is my stressed face.</span><br />
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I wanted to be a farmer when I grew up.<br />
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It was a dead cert in my mind. I didn't consider where I'd get my farm, I'd just... <i>have </i>one. I didn't consider how I'd go about running this farm, I'd just <i>run it. </i>It was all clear and simple, because if I wanted to be a farmer, that's what I'd be.<br />
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Nowadays, my career path is not quite so clear as 5-year-old Melissa's. In a couple of months I'll be a university graduate (fingers crossed I've passed my exams), and at this stage in my life I find myself answering this question almost daily - "So, what's next?"<br />
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Every time I hear this question I want to cry. I want to scream, "I'VE GOT NO FREAKING CLUE, DON'T ASK ME ABOUT IT!" I don't really want to tell my dear old Granny that right now, I want to enjoy having nothing on my proverbial plate; I want to scuttle down to my favourite corner of Cornwall and stay with my boyfriend in Cornish bliss for a couple of months and enjoy just <i>living:</i> no thinking about the future, no worrying about where I'll be this time next year.<br />
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It's true, though - I haven't a clue what I want to do with my life. I've spent three years studying for a well-respected degree from a well-respected university, which is great - but unfortunately, it barely interested me. Of course, I cannot blame anyone for assuming that once a person attains their law degree, their next step is to become a lawyer. That's not an unfair assumption to make. But when I tell people that actually, my study of the law has made me less keen on taking that path, I find myself floundering at the inevitable next question - so what do you want to do instead?<br />
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I'm so fortunate to have parents who don't pressure me, and who support me in any way they can. Last summer, I had a long chat with them about where in the working world I might be comfortable. We combed through my defining traits and interests, and tried to think of career paths that might engage me. I came away from that conversation feeling better than I had in a long time - I have things to offer! There are careers out there that are perfect for me! I just need to figure out what they are...!<br />
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I also have the fortune of the knowledge that for the time being, no matter what I'm doing (or not doing) career-wise, there will be a place for me to stay under my parents' roof. I won't be homeless if it takes me a year or two to figure out what to do with myself. And that's awesome to know.<br />
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A few months ago I stumbled upon an internet post written by a 50-something-year-old man who had written an open letter to us young'uns worried about beginning our careers. This man emphasised one thing which made me feel so much better about my current position: he told us that <i><b>none of us know what we're doing</b>. </i>Not the 30-year-olds, not the 45-year-olds.<i> </i>We're all just getting by, taking our lives one step at a time. I would bet good money that 99% of us couldn't accurately predict at the age of 21 where we will be at the age of 50.<br />
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All we need to do is capitalise on what we're good at, seek opportunities and <i>take any damn opportunity we're given! </i>If I got offered a job tomorrow that isn't even close to my dream job (whatever the hell that is), but did offer me some experience and something to put on my CV, I'd take it in a heartbeat. Because the reality is, we can't be picky at this age, and who knows what doors these opportunities may open in a few years.<br />
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So, to anyone asking me what's next, here's my honest answer.<br />
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Right now, I'm going to enjoy a few months of nothingness. I will max out my overdraft doing things that I haven't had the chance to do before because the past 5 years of my life have been spent obtaining this piece of paper saying I've got a degree. When that's all done and my bank balance is dry, I'm going to move back in with my parents and look for any menial job and save up some money. In my free time, I'll apply to anything and everything that I find which sounds remotely interesting. And hopefully at some point I'll catch a break, and the ball will start rolling.<br />
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We have no idea what we're doing. And that's a good thing; it makes the future more exciting.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07195717725223020403noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4248706107123485110.post-67543091542590498832014-05-02T15:54:00.001+01:002014-05-26T13:03:31.927+01:00Storage Ideas For Tiny Bedrooms<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Living in student accommodation can be fun. It's great to have friends on different floors, you don't even have to put on shoes to go visit them...Yeah, it's a good place to live.</div>
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Unless you have a shit-ton of belongings.</div>
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For the past 3 years at university I've been finding ways of shoving all my clothes, nick-nacks, makeup, books and other such fun things into small spaces and avoiding the "looks like a bombsite"-type room we've all experienced. It's been pretty fun, and I've come up with a few little space-savers other than the obvious cupboards/boxes/drawers that we are given at the beginning of every year.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEWJPZ1ttBIU96otILbOsVDndKsu4LrMmnJsFJZ3HK0m6DFA77E7eyMRWYDfLh90LOf9FRQ81z8GQPYl4GAo63GQGrxCJ37GtT_1PYLVKbw-xlVxV22wNycYv3IvJ7pNd501HYE2YP65zo/s1600/IMG_2550.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEWJPZ1ttBIU96otILbOsVDndKsu4LrMmnJsFJZ3HK0m6DFA77E7eyMRWYDfLh90LOf9FRQ81z8GQPYl4GAo63GQGrxCJ37GtT_1PYLVKbw-xlVxV22wNycYv3IvJ7pNd501HYE2YP65zo/s1600/IMG_2550.JPG" height="320" width="243" /></a></div>
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I picked up this little pot from the gardening section of Ikea a couple of years ago. Yup, it's meant to house a plant pot, not my toothbrush, makeup brushes and earrings. But I think it looks prettier like this, don't you? I hook all my dangly earrings on the lacey-topped bit, and keep it on the shelf above my sink. It's proven to be a real convenience in the past, and I like the way it displays my ear bling.</div>
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The next one's probably a little bit weirder.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZPLBelXqW0kiGYJJacOWZCdUdQmwuig8bCBJjWQrXA5-qPmWY5hmTZpRZgaKBk32TYT0ePay61r4FbbgHBI100_PLHcoJABrRm35-5ygdqfIlLKM7fSbQS3oeJB0kSXL0S8ZG-3PVNUKq/s1600/IMG_2549.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZPLBelXqW0kiGYJJacOWZCdUdQmwuig8bCBJjWQrXA5-qPmWY5hmTZpRZgaKBk32TYT0ePay61r4FbbgHBI100_PLHcoJABrRm35-5ygdqfIlLKM7fSbQS3oeJB0kSXL0S8ZG-3PVNUKq/s1600/IMG_2549.JPG" height="400" width="307" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj14TL9bOSDS_hkL15KRed6nYCWrN_4NVVOeyywTTmn15wsx0YdDafMnudP3pdiFFgSP7tKFvznzU6W4uBeqIQJZtcHhFYAz2PFqroXOb62D7fjVgAsLo3J_dqXL42xtYxzkyxKnptCNNy-/s1600/IMG_2552.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj14TL9bOSDS_hkL15KRed6nYCWrN_4NVVOeyywTTmn15wsx0YdDafMnudP3pdiFFgSP7tKFvznzU6W4uBeqIQJZtcHhFYAz2PFqroXOb62D7fjVgAsLo3J_dqXL42xtYxzkyxKnptCNNy-/s1600/IMG_2552.JPG" height="230" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">In its natural habitat...</span></div>
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I stole this idea off an old schoolfriend because I saw hers in her room and just thought: "...coooool". So now I keep my necklaces on a coat hanger! It took about 10 minutes to make and was completely free - nabbed a coat hanger from my Mum (thanks Ma), a couple of screw-in hooks from my Dad (thanks Pa), measured out some evenly spaced placements, screwed the buggers in and voila! Maybe it's not to everyone's tastes but I personally like to have busy walls, and this one draped over my wardrobe/noticeboard/wherever certainly does the job.</div>
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Lastly... do you remember that Muji obsession that a load of beauty bloggers/vloggers went through a year or two ago? Everywhere you looked it was "look at my new perspex lipstick rack!" and "these drawers are so handy to store all five thousand of my Mac eyeshadows! lucky me!!!" (okay that came across super jealous. probably because I am. Those 'my makeup collection' videos had me gagging with envy.)<br />
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I always lusted after those lovely little sets of drawers that a lot of those people had. Unfortunately, there isn't a Muji shop near where I live, so alas, I made do without. But when I visited my boyfriend in Dubai last month, and paid a visit to the gargantuan shop-topia that is Dubai Mall, we stumbled across one! And after much umm-ing and ahh-ing about spending 125 dirhams on such a tiny object (£20.... I'm a student, this was a big deal!), I picked up this bad boy. It sits snugly in the corner of my desk, hidden underneath my lamp and radio, and I love it!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYopgmduUuIbnSr3fuNWjoWGjThJ918jx_Jet9yoe8axn0I3C3vmqLKFclnWED-weRc5erG8UsoOS8o0Ah5xCLdgBT5HQY6UZ7GPI2eEd-nu_1thNRTiaXfqP2IccUpea0H-COYpfR6OWG/s1600/IMG_2545.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYopgmduUuIbnSr3fuNWjoWGjThJ918jx_Jet9yoe8axn0I3C3vmqLKFclnWED-weRc5erG8UsoOS8o0Ah5xCLdgBT5HQY6UZ7GPI2eEd-nu_1thNRTiaXfqP2IccUpea0H-COYpfR6OWG/s1600/IMG_2545.JPG" height="320" width="254" /></a></div>
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It fits my makeup collection perfectly and means that I no longer have products scattered all over my room, as has been the case for the past couple of years.<br />
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As for the rest of my bedroom... nothing else quite so exciting storage-wise unless you count the heaps of unused rubbish hidden under my bed. Which I guess you don't.<br />
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Mel<br />
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x</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07195717725223020403noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4248706107123485110.post-63239247455212983752014-05-01T16:00:00.002+01:002014-05-26T13:04:15.615+01:00It's the Little Things ... Second post, woohoo!<br />
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If only for reasons of procrastination and nothing else, I felt like a blog post. (<i>But you don't look like a blog post!</i> shouts my inner-Dad-humour)<br />
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Right now, I'm in the process of revising for my final exams of university. For the past two weeks my daily routine has barely deviated from the following:<br />
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0800: Get up, have breakfast, wash face, brush teeth<br />
0900: Browse Reddit for an hour<br />
1000: Force self to read boring things about boring law<br />
1300: Take extra long lunch break in an effort to keep a hold on my sanity<br />
1500: Force self to read more boring things about more boring law<br />
2000: Give up for the night, browse Reddit some more<br />
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Shower, rinse, repeat.<br />
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(Notice that at no point in my daily routine did I mention "Change out of PJs". Go figure.)<br />
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So it's been a long few weeks. There are a couple of things in this tiny bedroom, however, that have brightened up my long and repetitive days.<br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Incense and holder, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/FirkinsOnline?filter=2" target="_blank">Firkins</a> Exeter</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Candle, "Wild flowers", <a href="https://www.wax-lyrical.com/" target="_blank">Wax Lyrical</a></span></div>
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If I'm spending all damn day in my room, it's got to smell nice, right? I'm in love with my incense holder, a Secret Santa gift from my flatmate - it's a combination of (a) Glittery and (b) Rainbow, two things I'm pretty partial to. Anyway. Incense is super cheap (I think this box was £1.40), and it'll probably last me a couple of months - I burn one every couple of days and once the strong whiff's faded a little (it's a bit much to begin with!), it lasts and lasts. Lovely jubbly. This candle was technically a gift from my dog (thanks Molly) for my birthday, and while it doesn't smell nearly as strong as the incense, there's just something soothing about having a soft glow in my room during the evenings.<br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Anne French Deep Cleansing Milk, £3.99, Boots</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Aussie Miracle Recharge Frizz Remedy Conditioning Spray, £4.99, Asda</span></div>
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Though I might have been slightly neglecting my face recently makeup-wise, it's been nice to give my skin a break. I recently bought Anne French's cleansing milk on the recommendation of my flatmate, who has a mother and grandmother who swear by it. I've not been using it long enough to be able to give a firm review of it - but so far it's not broken me out (very promising) and it smells like Grandmas, all flowery and powdery-like. Which is kinda nice, unless that's weird. It's cheap as well, which is always a bonus.<br />
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This Aussie stuff is wonderful - I give my wet hair a few sprays with it and let it dry naturally, and my hair's been feeling in better condition recently than it has for a long time. I don't think it misses all that horrible hair-dyeing malarkey I subjected it to constantly between the ages of 16 and 20. Sorry about that, dear barnet.<br />
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Finally, these two little beauties are sitting on my desk just waiting for that last day of exams. My parents gave me a bottle of champagne for my 21st birthday last week, but we unfortunately didn't end up drinking it because my birthday was a bit of a no-alcohol zone - we're all preoccupied with exams and dissertations in my flat so my 21st was a nice quiet affair with good food and chilling. SO here it is, waiting for the moment I finish my final exam, and make up for the mayhem-less birthday. And that little 'Rewards' jar sitting next to the bottle, well, it's just that - a rewards jar. I've been putting all my cash and loose change in this one for the past few days, saving up for something nice - probably it'll go on my next night out on, you guessed it, the last day of exams!<br />
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Guess I should probably get back to work now. Humph.<br />
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xAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07195717725223020403noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4248706107123485110.post-76505300869193393422014-05-01T15:56:00.002+01:002014-05-25T13:48:25.906+01:00TKMaxx Rave and Stila ReviewAlright, I’m going to come right out and say it: I love TKMaxx.<br />
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I.<br />
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love.<br />
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TKMaxx.<br />
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I may even go so far as to say that TKMaxx is my favourite shop. Sure, after every browse in Urban Outfitters I may walk out of the shop with a pool of “I-want-to-buy-everything-in-stock” drool following behind me. But what other shop can you walk into without the faintest idea as to what you’re looking for, and leave with a bottle of Hershey’s Strawberry Syrup clutched in one hand and a new bikini in another? You <i>cannot</i> go into that shop with any specific item in mind.<br />
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The shop’s crowning glory, however, is its beauty & cosmetics section. I have found so many bargains there in the past; last Christmas I stumbled across a perfect present for my older sister in the form of a set of three OPI nail varnishes for a mere £13, when they normally retail in the UK at £10.50 each. That works out to a saving of £18.50: Not a huge amount in terms of clothing or shoes, but when we’re talking about such a small item as nail varnish, that’s a pretty big sum.<br />
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Last time I went in, I was very pleasantly surprised to find a pile of Stila products on the bottom shelf of the cosmetics stand – not a brand I’m particularly familiar with, but I’d heard gurus like FleurdeForce raving about it before and was curious to try. After a good old rummage I decided on a lipstick, highlighter and foundation stick, totalling a cost of £10 while the normal RRP would've been around £42. Pretty nifty if I say so myself.<br />
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I was most excited to try the All Over Shimmer Liquid (RRP £16). On MakeUpAlley.com it’s been compared to Benefit’s High Beam and given generally favourable reviews – with it taking the edge over High Beam in that it provides a lot more product for your money. I’ve never been a user of highlighter, really – apart from the odd bit of light eyeshadow on my brow bone on a night out, it has never been part of my usual makeup routine and I don’t usually notice a different in my appearance. Unfortunately, I don’t think this really changed my opinion – before blending it looks like it’ll be lovely, but once you blend a little it just disappears. It does, however, leave a nice little shimmer when used over blusher on your cheekbones.<br />
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My favourite product by far out of the three was the lipstick in shade #05 ‘Kim’. At first I thought I’d hate it – the smell is similar to the lipsticks you used to play around with in a ‘Barbie’s First Makeup Kit’-type scenario, kind of plasticky, and the lipstick’s pretty dry to apply. Any doubts I had about it vanished, however, once I saw the colour on. It’s this beautiful browny-plum colour dissimilar to any lip product I’ve owned before, and lasts a fairly long time too.<br />
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The first thing I noticed upon opening the Perfecting Stick Foundation (RRP £13) was the sheer size of this concealer – it’s huge. Makes it a little difficult to apply with precision, but that’s a problem easily resolved with a concealer brush. The stick has quite a sheer coverage so it wouldn’t be too great at covering up spots and such, but it definitely works well under the eyes and in other places like that. Still hasn’t overtaken my Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer unfortunately!<br />
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So, overall first impressions of the Stila brand: Not perfect, but then again who am I to complain when I bought them at such a steal price? I’m pretty glad that I didn’t buy them at full price however – definitely don’t feel the price matched the quality.<br />
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Adios!<br />
x<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07195717725223020403noreply@blogger.com1