A Christmas Gift

The holly and the ivy, when they were both full-grown, of all the trees that were in the woods, the holly bears the crown.

Mr Toad smiled to himself.  Another year was almost upon him, and he knew that, finally, he could forget the somewhat unfortunate series of calamities that he came across throughout the year, and focus on the rest of his life. You see, Mr Toad knew that the rest of his life was destined to be better than anything he’d ever experienced before, and the year ahead was one year closer to this reality.

He knew it.

And he was determined not to falter.

Mr Toad had always been somewhat of a realist, and knew that even though his lifestyle was not one regularly associated with this of his species, he did not care.

He was his own person, and knew it.

And nobody could change that.

“Mr Toad?”

The voice echoed through the reed-filled land; soaking the peacefulness in a river of disruption.

“Mr Toad?”

It came again. Every year, something – or someone – caused him havoc; hassle.

Last year, the tax man; the year before a Time Lord…

He sighed inwardly.  Was there ever time to relax?
Not that he needed to relax; he wasn’t lazy – he wasn’t.  

He didn’t enjoy Christmas; never found the point of it. Too much hassle for his liking.

Mother Toad used to enjoy it, however.  She always made a huge fuss, every year, and told him to stop moaning and enjoy himself. 

“It’s only one day, [she remarked] and then it’s all over for another year.”

 But that one day did not care for the rest of the year.  It was stubborn, was Christmas.  Too stubborn for his liking.

And this strange voice was no different.

Disrupting his peacefulness, just because of Christmas.

 The little girl appeared from the bushes, a smile glistening upon her angelic self. 

  She approached Mr Toad cautiously, yet did not look afraid.

He sighed and questioned:

“What are you doing here, disturbing my afternoon?!”

Her reply:

"I’m here to spread the Christmas spirit to each and all!”

He grumbled.  Christmas again.

He thought of all the selfish humans splurging money on unnecessary gifts and replied, monotonously, a single syllable:
“Humph.”

The little girl's eyes began to fill with tears at this creature’s disgust, and asked, silently, as though not to disturb his negative thoughts – in case they escaped his mind and hurt her:

“Please, kind sir, you don’t believe in the Christmas spirit?”

His reply:

“Christmas?! No. I do not. What made you ask that ridiculous question?”

“I’m sorry, Sir. I did not realise… Please, accept my dearest apologies…”

He paused for a moment, before answering:

"Well, I do accept, but please do not bother me again, you are not welcome here, child.”

“Please, take this gift as an apology…”

The little girl's arms suddenly outstretched, revealing a neatly-wrapped parcel of intriguing shape.

“A gift?! [he exclaimed] Gifts are the curse of Christmas!”

She sobbed.  “But, sir, this is a special gift. Please, accept it?”

He groaned deeply, and with a nod, took the gift from the girl, and unwrapped it; slowly.

There, in his arms, lay the most beautiful thing he had ever set eyes on in his life.

He smiled.

Maybe, just maybe, Christmas wasn’t so bad after all…

 

 

Trying To Act Like I Know What I'm Doing

It is official...
I am an adult.

I have waited so long for this moment to arrive.  To finally be old enough to have a proper bank account, to enter TV competitions, to be taken seriously as a human being...

But, to be honest, I don't really feel any different.

And, actually, (surprisingly), I don't really care.

I thought that I was ready to grow up, become an adult, be independent, but now I realise that I'm still just that naïve lost child who just wants to spend time with her family, and sing along to Disney songs, and just be loved.
And I don't know if I'm ready to lose that part of me just yet.

So, although I can now legally buy alcohol, and count as a supervised person at a swimming pool, I'm not yet all grown up as an 'adult' supposedly should be.

I'm just standing here, trying to act like I know what I'm doing, when really I'm just as clueless as the next guy.  And, honestly, I couldn't care less.

Happy Birthday Teenage Blogger Central! (TBC Blog Party Tag)



1. What made you decide to take up blogging, and what inspires you to write till today?

 I decided to start this blog in 2013 during my HUGELY LONG summer holidays after finishing my GCSEs.  I'd come across a book that I won in a competition when I was younger called '101 Things to do before you're old and boring' and I decided that I'd finally get around to doing some of them! One of them was - obviously - to write a blog so - ta-daah! - the blog was born.

I'm inspired to write by so many other blogs and bloggers, but also by any random happenings in my life that I tend to write/rant/whittle on about in my posts!

2. How did you find and register on TBC? Did you find it helpful and worth recommending to others? 

Even though I didn't register until about October 2013 (on my old URL) and earlier in 2014 (on my current URL), I came across TBC before I'd even properly set up my blog (so, mid-July 2013?)  I was in awe and envy at all the amazing teenage blog talent on the site, and still feel passionately that everyone at TBC have done such an amazing job with the site, and it has helped me so so much with my blogging, so thank you!!!

3. What awesome blogs have you found through TBC? Link them up! 

There are SO many incredible blogs that I've found through TBC, so I apologise for missing anyone out!

1. A Glimpse Of Blue
2. Sempiternal Reader
3. The Fence of Stars
4. Lyn Loves Wolves
5. EPB Art
6. A Teenager's Guide To The Galaxy


4. What do you like best about when you connect with other bloggers your age?  

I find it really nice that my posts are often relevant to other bloggers my age, and vice versa. I think it's probably easier to connect with other teenagers, because our issues and embarrassments are often similar, and it's so nice to find people who share the same interests as you.

5. What do you hope to achieve through your blog?  

Mainly just to inspire people to write regardless of who they are or where they're from.

6. How do you say “Happy Birthday Teenage Blogger Central” in your language? 

Penblwydd Hapus Canolfan Blogio i bobl ifanc!
(Word-by-Word translation: Birthday Happy Centre Blogging for People Young)

So all that's left for me to say is: Penblwydd Hapus Teenage Blogger Central!!!!!


 

Troye Sivan - The Fault In Our Stars

I can't even write a sufficient blog post to sum up just how beautifully heart-wrenching this song is.
For once, I am lost for words...

We Are Infinite

Hello!

So, I've finally done what soooo many people have been telling me I need to do for about 4 years now.

I have finally read 'The Perks of Being a Wallflower'.

[queue cheers from about 50 billion people]

So, 'Perks' is one of the many books that one of my friends read during one of her 'I-love-books-not-war' phases a few years back; therefore one of the books that I've been expected to read ever since. 
Obviously, since I am a bad human being, I haven't really read any of these books.
Up until now, that is...

Anyway, I borrowed the book from my school library yesterday afternoon, on a complete whim (well, the librarian reserved it for me before the summer, and I kind-of forgot...) and finished it at 11.45 this morning. 
That, for me, is some kind of record...

And, I actually really enjoyed it.
Which, in a weird way, kind-of surprised me.

I expected - because of all the hype surrounding the book, and the film (which I haven't yet seen) - that I'd be slightly disappointed. 
But, fortunately, I was not.

The only issue now, however, is that I'm not really sure if I want to see the film anymore...
It may sound like a rubbish reason, but now that I've read the book, I kind-of have the image of the characters in my head; the way that I see them looking. And I think that watching the film - like with 'Hunger Games' - will make it weird.  I don't know...

Anyway, sorry for babbling on.  

I hope you're all well, and that you had a great summer!

Bye for now x

The Sunshine Award

To mark my 50th post, I must say a huge thank you to F @ The Fence of Stars for a Sunshine Award nomination!

As far as I can tell, the rules are as followed:

1. State 5 facts about yourself
2. Answer the 5 questions received
3. Create 5 new questions and nominate more bloggers for the award

Ok, here we go!

The Facts:

(1).  I know all the words to Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody
(2).  I'm mildly claustrophobic after going caving when I was 12
(3).  I've only grown half an inch since I was 11
(4).  I used to have a slightly strange celeb-crush on Richard Gere
(5).  My favourite TV show of all time is a French version of 'Traffic Cops'

The Questions:

(1). What is your favourite mythical creature?
Definitely the Cyclops.  I have a thing for Greek mythology, and ever since I heard about this creature as a child, I was awed.

(2). If you had to change accents, which would you choose?
My mum and I both have a thing for certain regional Scottish accents. It got the point that, one day, when my mum was speaking to the insurance company on the phone she called me over, handed me the phone, and made me listen to the man that was speaking because he had a "nice" Scottish accent.

But I went to Amsterdam last weekend and realised how much I actually like Dutch accents.
And I also quite like Australian accents. Practically everyone likes Australian accents. It must be a default thing.

So, to answer the question, my ideal accent to adopt would be that of a Dutch-born Scot (preferably from Renfrewshire) who's emigrated to Australia...

(3). What was the last good book you read?
To be honest, I haven't really read much in a while. I have a bit of Reader's Block, although I'm really trying to get back into the habit of proper reading, and the book that started to propel me on that course was "The Lovely Bones" by Alice Sebold.  I was lent the book by my English teacher just before the summer, and I read it all in 2 days - the quickest I think I've ever read a whole novel! It was just so gripping and spine-tingling and kept me on the edge of my seat the whole way through!

(4). What's your favourite modern slang word/phrase? 
 I tend to use the word "epic" a lot. It's not really a modern slang word, though...

(5). What's a little-known fact you just found out?
I found this little gory fact out this morning (so I'm cheating a little bit here) in a book called 'Elephants on Acid' : A man in Soviet-era Russia tried to artificially-inseminate female chimps in Western Africa with human sperm, in order to create human-ape hybrids.  (It didn't work, btw. Although, had he had more time, they say he may have been successful!)

So yes, my nominations are:
Sarah @ A Glimpse of Blue
Andrea @ Sempiternal Reader
Freya @ A Teenager's Guide to the Galaxy

Guys, my questions for you are:

(1). What's the last book you read, and your thoughts on it?
(2). What's your favourite quote/saying?
(3).  When are you at your happiest?
(4).  What is your party trick/ unusual talent?
(5).  Where do you see yourself in 10 years time?

Teenage Blogger Central

I've been blogging for over a year now, and for 6 months of that year, I've been registered to the incredibly awesome teen forum 'Teenage Blogger Central'. 

For those of you that don't know, Teenage Blogger Central is a teen-run and teen-orientated blog forum, dedicated to (you guessed it) teen bloggers!  The site is run by the lovely F, an Irish teen blogger who decided to bypass the status quo and set up a site dedicated to inexperienced teen bloggers who just want a place to express themselves!

TBC is like a little family, and ever since I joined (a naïve 17 year old blogger with about 200 page views and a whole load of posts about nothing) I feel like such a part of it.  You don't even need to have any experience of blogging. TBC has given me so much inspiration over the past months, and the talent on the site is endless - you're guaranteed to find a blog that suits your interests!

If you're not already sold, here's a list of even more positives:

1. Your page views increase LIKE CRAZY
2. You can meet all sorts of fellow teen bloggers who share similar (or completely different) views and blogs to you
3. It's in no way intimidating, and you're not required to do anything more than YOU want to do

Win-Win? I think so!
So, if you haven't already, sign up!
You won't regret it, I promise you...

Sign up to TBC HERE! (it's free and easy!)

Tinos, Tanning and Tzatziki

Hello!

So, I arrived home from Greece Saturday afternoon, and it was incredible! We spent 9 days in a little village called Kardiani on Tinos island, where we renovated 2 paths - one leading down from the village to a beach, and another one next to an old marble fountain. The work was hard, particularly because of the heat and humidity - which we're not really used to here in the UK - but was definitely worth it, and the locals were all so lovely, and thankful for what we'd done for their village!

This was my 1st proper volunteering project, but it's really made me incredibly determined to volunteer more - by making me realise that I get joy out of helping others!

We then spent 2 days in Athens, where we visited the Acropolis, the Acropolis Museum, the National Archaeological Museum, Syntagma Square, and the beach...  It was really nice to experience both sides of the spectrum - first a small village (with less than 60 people), then a bustling city!

Here are some pictures I took during the project:



The first section of the path to the beach, after being cleared





This is a small section of the path by the fountain which we were clearing

 



Sunset from the roof of our hostel in Athens



The view from the hostel



The Parthenon

At the Acropolis

At the Acropolis





Our pots, made in a little village called Aetofolia

Remains of a temple dedicated to Zeus


Even though I was in Greece for 2 weeks, I have barely tanned. I'm still almost as pale as I was just before I went out there... My mum's determined that they left me behind in London!!! 
 

I touched the top of the world...

It's been almost a month, and I'm so incredibly sorry...
I've been meaning to post for a while, but between Mandarin Week in school, and writing my Personal Statement, and Uni conventions, I've just lost track of time. 

So, on Saturday, a group of us climbed Mount Snowdon (the tallest mountain in Wales and England) to raise money for Greece - 12 days and counting! - and my friend C's trip to Zambia (which took us about 9 and three-quarter hours altogether (including standing around in a car park, and lunch at the summit)).

It was an amazing experience, even if my legs were like jelly yesterday, and we camped in the rain, and one of our tents was missing a pole... The summit was incredible, and we were lucky enough to climb on a day where it was sunny, and we could see all the views (which is very rare)...

My friend's 4-year-old sister (who travelled up and back on the steam train) got really excited when her grandmother told her that they'd touched the top of the world.  She just went around to everyone screaming "Hello, I touched the top of the world".
It was so cute!

And this evening, I actually went for a jog.  Well, it was only from the post box about two minutes from my house, but I'm quite impressed by my impromptu "I-think-I-actually-fancy-a-jog" mood.  That's never happened before.
I'm normally more of a walker than a jogger, but y'know, fresh start and all that???

What Not To Do When You Look Like Casper The Friendly Ghost

Lads and Lasses, today I will recite to you a tale.
Are you sitting comfortably? Then let's begin...
This is a tale of what not to do when you look like Casper the Friendly Ghost...

I looked ridiculously pale this morning (to clarify, I always look pale, but today was worse than usual!), and I didn't have any foundation or tinted moisturiser etc. in my house.  But then I remembered that I had some bronzer that I used for my Year 12 ball, so, in order to give my face a bit of a "healthy glow" I applied it onto said face, currently thinking what an awesome idea I'd had, for once.

Long-story-short, 5 minutes later I went to the bathroom to brush my teeth and realised - in my horror - that (with 10 minutes to eat breakfast and catch my bus) I looked like a pumpkin had a party on my face.  Then came home completely hung-over.

So then I spent the next 5 minutes rubbing my face raw of orange. 
Needless to say, that's something I won't be trying again in a hurry...

The Liebster Award

Hello!

So, I've been nominated for a Liebster Award *yayayayayay*!
A massive thank you to Sarah from A Glimpse of Blue for the nomination! :)

The rules are as followed:
1. Link the blogger that nominated you
2. Answer the 11 questions they have written for you
3. Give 11 random facts about yourself
4. Nominate other bloggers with under 200 followers who you think deserve the award
5. Post 11 questions for your nominees

Ok, so first things first, here are the questions I was given:

1.  If money wasn't an object, what would you do?
Travel. I'd love to be able to visit loads of countries, and spend time with the locals, and learn the languages...

2. What is your favourite book and why?
There's so many to choose from!!!
Probably 'Like Water for Chocolate' by Laura Esquivel.  I read it as part of my English A Level course and really, really liked it. 

3. If you could spend the day with anyone (has to be a real person) throughout all of history, what would you do and what would you talk about?
Probably King Henry VIII, because I love the Tudor era. But I'd make sure that it was before he divorced/beheaded all of his wives (etc.), and warn him that his favourite wife was going to die.

Actually, there's also Sophocles - I'd ask him (inquisitively) what inspired him to write 'Oedipus Tyrannus' - and Charles II (because everyone loves Charles II!)
We could have a tea party!!!

4. Sweet or savoury?
I like both! But I think I'll have to go with sweet today. Mainly because I'm craving pancakes and strawberry ice-cream!

5. What five songs would be on the soundtrack to your life?
- All You Need Is Love by The Beatles
- Don't Worry, Be Happy by Bobby McFerrin
- Can't Help Falling In Love by Elvis Presley
- Not Crying by Flight of the Conchords
- One Day Like This by Elbow

6. (I'm stealing Freya's here ^^) Why did you start blogging?
The reason I tend to go with is that I have this book that I won in a magazine competition when I was 8 called '101 Things To Do Before You're Old and Boring'. And last summer, I'd finished my exams and had about 10 weeks before I had to go back to school, and I decided that I'd start a blog, because I didn't really have the money or effort to build a treehouse or travel to another country! 

7. If you could be invisible for one day, what would you do?
Another hard one! Probably something really boring and highly clichéd, like moving inanimate objects or scaring people.   

8. What is your favourite thing to do with friends?
Most of my friends are musical so I really like browsing music shops with them. I also really enjoy movie nights, playing card games, and sitting in coffee shops with them!

9. Most embarrassing childhood moment?
I was in drama group once and we were doing dance, and I was wearing this really weird pair of velvet-feel trousers (don't ask). I was sitting on the stage and as I jumped off to go and join in, my trousers caught on a loose nail on the side of the stage, and they ripped. In an unfortunate position. And then I had to do 2 hours of dance with ripped trousers. Yeah...

10. If you could live in any fictional universe, what would it be and why?
I don't know if it counts as a fictional universe, but I'd love to live on Gallifrey, because I really like Doctor Who!

11. Fashion or comfort? - Definitely comfort. Although I do like to dress up, I could live in oversized jumpers and t-shirts...

11 Random Facts About Myself:
1. I'm 5"2 and have only grown half an inch since I was 12
2. As a child, I secretly dreamt of marrying Peter Parker and living with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
3. I love the smell of vanilla, freshly-cut grass and chlorine
4. I enjoy Greek mythology
5. My favourite season is Autumn
6. I'm fluent in 2 languages
7. I love learning - I get joy out of learning new things!
8. My favourite superheroes are Spiderman and The Hulk
9. I currently have a slight obsession with Game of Thrones
10. I don't have any pets
11. I used to have an Australian pen-pal

Nominees:
F from The Fence of Stars
Rebecca from Rebecca Maria Photography

And here are my questions for you:
1. What is your all-time favourite film, and why?
2.  Do you speak any languages other than English?
3.  What is your dream job?
4.  Do you play any instruments?
5.  What would be your perfect day?
6. If you could have any superpower, what would it be, and why?
7. What inspired you to blog?
8. If you could swap places with any celebrity/politician/person-of-relative-fame for a day, who would it be, and what would you do?
9.  The Indoors or The Outdoors?
10. If you could live in any historical era, where would it be?
11. You can travel to any place in the world - free of charge. Where do you go?

Dear... Me

Dear 12 year old Me,

Hi, how are you?
Good.

So, although the point of writing a letter to your former self is pretty tedious, and defies the laws of the universe, I myself am a tedious person, therefore today I will be David Tennant and use my TARDIS to write a letter to you - my 12 year old self.

Firstly, just as a bit of a forewarning, don't fall into that hedge in Cross-country.
It will hurt.
A lot.
Don't say I didn't warn you...

Also, stop being so worried about what others think of you. Ignore them - soon enough you'll realise that the people who truly mean something to you won't laugh at you, or call you names. They'll be there for you through everything; so stick it out and you'll find them eventually.

And, don't wait for your best friend to discover rock music before you show people the 'real' you. Embrace who you are, don't make the mistake of trying to fit in with the crowd.  People appreciate you more if you're honest; sometimes it pays to be different!

Although brief, I just want you to know that whatever you do, it'll be Ok. You'll be Ok...

I don't know if this letter's actually accomplished anything, but I feel happy now, so all's good!
Forever You xx


 

 

Aujourd-hui, je me sens trés français (a.k.a. Musician's Review #9 - We Were Evergreen)

Today I'm feeling very French.
(Or, as the French would say, aujourd-hui, je me sens trés français...)

Anyway, keeping up with the theme, today's Musician's Review is We Were Evergreen, an "indie-electro-pop trio" from Paris, France.

These are definitely a band to put on any summer playlist - their music is very summery and light, making use of ukuleles and mini xylophones and shakers that look like apples...

Although originally from France, the band have crossed the Channel to the UK, making waves in both countries; particularly with their song Leeway (which reached Number 6 in the French charts!) :

 

 

And here are We Were Evergreen with 'Penguins and Moonboots'.

And the video's also incredibly cool - which is a bonus!

My Enjoyments in Life

Tea

Any tea. Anything.
I love tea.
I probably love tea almost as much as I love my best friend.

He is aware of this.

I think my obsession started through Guides. I probably drink on average 1.5 mugs of tea every Thursday evening, and more whenever I'm camping.

 I'm easily pleased...


Folk Music

As you probably already know, I'm a bit of a folk-fan. I don't know when I really started enjoying this kind of music, but it's now an enjoyment of mine. 

Friends and Family

In typically clichéd fashion, I can't compile this list without including these wonderful people. Although I may not show it all the time - and I may not say it to their faces - but I really do love them, and thank them for everything they've done for me.

And now I sound like I've just gone and won an Oscar...
 

Using My Imagination

My parents say that, ever since I could, I've been writing, and making up stories.  Over the last few years, this hasn't quite been the case (Writer's Block is both a hindrance and a curse!) but I find that there's always something circling in my head - a half-there idea; a character; a plot line...

I also have this annoying - yet often highly entertaining -  tendency to people-watch/make-up-stories-about-people-in-Tesco.

'Tis great, until they start to realise what you're doing...


The Countryside

I live in the countryside, so it's a comfort to me. I like little quaint villages in the middle of nowhere, and public footpaths, and knowing my neighbours.  There are only 6 cities in the whole of my country, so most of the land is mountainous and un-urban. 

Languages

I really love languages. 
They're a great passion of mine, for some strange, unknown reason...

I speak 2 languages fluently, and can speak a bit of French - and would love to learn more. 
My dream is to be able to communicate with people from other countries in their languages, rather than depending on them understanding mine.

One of my friends is a massive linguist, and I really envy his talent for languages.

If You're Happy And You Know It Clap Your Hands

Hey guys!

So today, I can actually say that I'm truly happy.

Ok, so generally I'd consider myself to be a relatively happy person. I don't tend to complain unnecessarily, try not to take things for granted, smile at least once every day...

But today, even though I have 2 exams next week that I'm absolutely dreading, and a heck of a lot of revising to do, I actually feel incredibly happy.

Here are 5 things that have made me truly happy today:

1. The sun shining through my bedroom window
2. Re-downloading Spotify and finding all of my old playlists and music
3. Hearing that one song that reminded me of that one person
4. Finding time to read 54 pages of my new book
5. The feeling of nostalgia after finding a pair of my brother's sunglasses from when he was a baby

Ok, so these may seem like minor things, but put them together and - like a science experiment - they form something new; something exciting; something magical...

So, today I'd like to ask you guys a question.
What makes you happy? 
Is it something specific - like a particular song or event?
Or is it something general - like the weather?

Feel free to comment and let me know!!!

That post where the obscure Brit explains her love for American Football...

Hello!

So, today's post will only be a relatively short one, because my exams start next week and my mind's been predominantly focused on revision and fundraising nights for Greece - hence why I haven't posted for a while!

Anyway, onto the post...

I'm not American, and I don't tend to watch much NFL, but I have a bit of a thing for College Football.  It could be because I watched the whole 5 seasons of 'Friday Night Lights' a few years ago, but I watched a few games on TV last year and kind of got into it.

So, today's the 3rd day of the NFL Draft, where college juniors/seniors from around the USA get drafted into NFL teams.  I find the concept really cool - apparently it's quite a big deal and I've been told that it's a bit like an X Factor concept (I don't like X Factor, but the concept sounds cool!).  I've really wanted to watch it, but apparently the only way I properly can is by some slightly illegal websites that I don't fancy trying, so...

Anyway. the team I always tended to see play (by complete chance) were the Arizona Wildcats, from University of Arizona.

And, a few weeks ago, I found out that their star Running Back/junior/my favourite player, Ka'Deem Carey, was on the draft.

And a few minutes ago, I found out that he was picked, fourth round, for Chicago Bears.  Which means, next season (hopefully), he'll be playing proper, full-fledged NFL-standard football. 
Which I think is pretty darn epic!

In other news, Eurovision's on tonight (yayyayyayyay!). 
Sorry revision, but you can wait...

Welcome Aboard the Procrastination Express...

Welcome aboard the Procrastination Express. Sit down, put your feet up... Do everything you've never done before. Do everything you'll never do again. Waste some time. Waste some more.
It's all fine here on the Procrastination Express...

Exams are looming.  Students are cursing. Everyone's worrying. 

Yet procrastination's as rife as ever...

(To clarify, I'm currently multi-tasking, aka revising Psychology and procrastinating at the same time - take that sexism!)

Anyway, in other news, I'm currently kind-of obsessed with this song:
Home by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros

The Book Boyfriend Tag

Hello!

So, today, I'll follow in the footsteps of the lovely Andrea (Sempiternal Reader) and Sarah (A Glimpse of Blue) and give my Top 5 Book Boyfriends.

This seemed relevant...

 Here we go...

1. Xavier (Halo series)

Xavier's the kind of character who seems completely genuine, and would make the most incredible boyfriend! He doesn't back down when his girlfriend Bethany's kidnapped and held hostage in Hell (yep), is absolutely hilarious, occasionally trés sarcastic, and says some of the cutest things I think I might ever have read:

“A man in love can do extraordinary things, I don’t care if you’re an angel, you’re my angel, and I won’t let you go.”  

“I'm afraid that's inappropriate behaviour for the schoolyard," Xavier teased. "I know my charm is hard to resist, but please try and control yourself.”  

“Did I mention I've finally decided on a nickname for you?"
"I didn't know you were looking."
"Cookie," I announced proudly.
"Do you have any cyanide?"
"Well, some of us are just a bit hard to please.”

Unfortunately there's no picture of this character ANYWHERE, and I can't draw, so feel free to use your imagination!!!


2.  Cedric Diggory (Harry Potter)

Let's just get something straight: I love Cedric Diggory!!!

He's probably my favourite Harry Potter character, and he's so brave and kind and smart, and basically everything I could want from a boyfriend.  Oh yeah, apart from the fact that he's dead (nice one, Voldemort (!))

Aww, he's just so nice - especially to Harry - considering that he basically got killed because of him...

Cedric: "Go on, take it! You saved me, take it!"
Harry: "We'll take it together."

The room I spend most of my time in when I'm at school had a Harry Potter sorting quiz, and split everyone into houses, and I was the only one who wanted to be in Hufflepuff because Cedric was in Hufflepuff and I was a little bit obsessed! (I actually ended up Head Girl of Ravenclaw, but I was originally sorted into Hufflepuff???!)

3.  Peeta Mellark (The Hunger Games series)

I'm a Team Peeta over Team Gale ever since I first picked up the first book a few years ago. He's sweet and sensitive and kind, and cares so much for Katniss, but then isn't afraid to play his own game and use his talents to help himself.  And, come on, do you guys remember the cave-shelter?! Reading it was vivid enough - I haven't even got to that scene in the film yet! (I'd much rather the book to the film - I've had the first one on DVD for about 9 months and I still haven't finished it). 

4. Marcus "Radar" Lincoln (Paper Towns)

I don't really know why I like Radar.  He's not a main character, he doesn't really play any massive part in the book, but he seems really smart, and a good friend to Quentin and Ben, and I kind-of felt like I could relate to him when I read the book last summer.

Again, there isn't a picture of Radar anywhere, and I can't draw,
but here's a picture of an actor that http://thetoothpickchick.blogspot.co.uk/ thought
would make a great Radar!!!

5.  Tommy (Never Let Me Go)

Where can I start? Tommy basically embodies another perfect boyfriend for me - sweet, sensitive, not too brash and bold, a bit of an outsider... Ok, so he's from a dystopian sci-fi novella and he was created to be an organ donor, and my dad thought that both the book and the film were 'weird' (I do agree that parts of the film were significantly 'dulled down' compared to the strongly-dystopian book), but I found his character so genuine, and I felt for him so much, and I just wanted to hug him, really, through the whole book...

I don't tend to cry at books/films. I cried when I read about his breakdown in the cow field. I cried when I saw the exact same scene on film (minus the cow field):

"The moon wasn't quite full, but it was bright enough, and I could make out in the mid-distance, near where the field began to fall away, Tommy's figure, raging, shouting, flinging his fists and kicking out.
I tried to run to him, but the mud sucked my feet down. The mud was impeding him too, because one time, when he kicked out, he slipped and fell out of view into the blackness. But his jumbled swear-words continued uninterrupted, and I was able to reach him just as he was getting to his feet again. I caught a glimpse of his face in the moonlight, caked in mud and distorted with fury, then I reached for his flailing arms and held on tight. He tried to shake me off, but I kept holding on, until he stopped shouting and I felt the fight go out of him."

 

Oh, and Andrew Garfield - who plays Tommy in the film - is amazing! (And incredibly handsome!!!)

Yep, so these are my Top 5 Book Boyfriends.  Feel free to tag yourselves, and give it a go!!! You won't regret it - I promise!!!

The One With All The Brackets

Hellooooooo!

I don't know if any of you are off school/college (etc.) at the moment?
I'm currently on my Easter break, which means two weeks off school to revise for my impending AS level exams (i.e. not a break).  Which is really what I should be doing now.  But two days in, and I'm already drowning in
sphygmomanometers and Kwashiorkor - and feel more like a cardiac surgeon than a 17 year old schoolgirl.

But, anyway, the sun is shining, the birds are singing, the men are fitting a new lamppost outside my living room window...
Life is good...

A bit off-topic, but, in other news, do you guys remember M?
(I'll just link my last reference of him here)
So, yeah, I'm kind-of friends with M now. Not good friends, but he's actually really nice (even if I've heard some stories about him not being so nice), and I can talk to him (sort of - like I told my mum, he's my 'have-a-nice-chat-if-both-in-same-room' friend, not a 'go-out-of-my-way-to-talk-to-him' friend).  And, anyway, there's only so much conversing you can do with someone before you accidentally bring up the time when you almost fell down a waterfall...

P.S. If you're wondering about the relevance of the post title:
1. I've just realised how many brackets I've used in this post.
2. I got a quiz question right on 'Friends' last night.
3. All 'Friends' episodes are named 'The One...'
4. Et voila, FGB's random, pointless post-titlement complete

Musician's Review #8 - José González

Today's Musician's Review is José González.
José González is a Swedish singer-songwriter of Argentine parentage, whose music is often described as verging on indie-folk.

His cover of Swedish band The Knife's 'Heartbeats', released in the UK in 2005 (in his native Sweden in 2003) had been lying unnoticed in my iTunes library for years, as I kind-of thought that it was some dodgy 'cheesy-disco-trance' thing (not that I'm in any way judging disco/trance music) because it was off a compilation CD that my mum bought me for Christmas when I was about 8 (and judging by some of the stuff I listened to when I was 8, I wouldn't be surprised if it was!)

Last year, however, I finally accidentally listened to the song whilst revising for my exams. I realised that I had no clue what the song was, and had never heard it before, but found its intricate guitar melody and haunting vocals incredibly beautiful.

I was shocked to find out that this beautiful song was in fact the supposed 'cheesy-disco-trance' thing, and then mentally kicked myself for not listening to it earlier.

(And the moral of the story is, listen to the darn song before judging it as 'cheesy-disco-trance')

Above is a video for José González's cover of 'Heartbeats'

10 Things You Don't Know About Me

1. When I was younger, I really wanted to be a writer, and I used to write stories about a magic dog for my cousin...

2. I'm old enough to drive, but haven't started learning yet, because I don't trust myself (if you can't drive a go-kart, you can't drive a car!)...

3. I really like detective/murder-mystery films and TV series'...

4. People tend to argue over whether my hair's brown or black...

5. I have an annoying habit of joining in with other people's conversations...

6. My middle name's a translated version of Mary...

7. When I was little, I secretly dreamt of marrying Peter Parker and going to live in a house with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles...

8. As the quintessentially British person I am, I like tea. I don't know why. There's nothing really fun about tea; nothing really special. But yet, I like it...

9. I once watched 'Pirates of the Caribbean' in French in a hotel room in the middle of nowhere...

10. I named my clarinet 'Morris D. Minor'...

Musician's Review #7 - Michael Kiwanuka

I enjoy folk music. I enjoy the instruments that are played and the vibe that is felt, and folk to me almost always sounds like folk.

Michael Kiwanuka is a folk artist. But not a conventional folk artist. Merging soulful vocals with folk-y melodies, Kiwanuka has clearly set the bar for the new generation of neo-folk talents embracing the British stage.

Released in 2012, Kiwanuka's debut album 'Home Again' is no disappointment. Sweet melodies are counter-balanced by brass bands and orchestras (namely his track ‘I’ll Get Along’), and – at 26 years old – his voice is wise beyond its years.

However, his uniqueness and ability to perform exceptionally both live and in the studio sets him well apart - a young man, seemingly certain of the direction he's heading, and of the destination he is hoping to arrive.

Baking Cakes in Leather Trousers

So, I'm going to do what a LOT of people on YouTube have probably been doing over the last week or so. I am going to announce my favourite Eurovision Song Contest 2014 acts.

For those of you outside of Europe, or those of you in Europe who have no clue what I'm on about, the Eurovision Song Contest is an annual competition where European countries come together to compete for Eurovision champion, and it's incredibly cheesy, and there tends to always be someone in leather trousers or singing about a cake [more to come on this later!]

Ok, I do admit to watching Eurovision, but I do normally have a bit of a moan about how horribly cheesy some of the acts are [Ok, there's cheesy, and then there's cheesy].  But, this year, I really do feel like some of the acts are incredible outside of Eurovision [i.e. I'd willingly listen to them outside of the competition, and probably wouldn't be judged for it either].

So today, I will release my inner Eurovision-ian [darn it - doesn't sound half as good as Whovian!] and give you my Top Five 'probably-won't-win-the-competition-but-I-like-them-anyway' acts:

5. Finland - Something Better
These guys' sound is pretty rock-y. I don't think I've heard anything like this in Eurovision before [I could be wrong]. I just hope that they can pull it off live...

4.  Armenia - Not Alone
I was going to put Switzerland here.  They had a really quirky guy with a slightly-weird-but-enough-to-be-called-quirky video, and whistling.
And then I heard this.
It has dubstep in it, which makes me question my like for it.
But - as much as I hate comparisons - he sounds a bit like John Newman.
And I like it. So there.

3. Iceland
Iceland are always cool. I always like Iceland.

















2. Norway - Silent Storm
A gorgeously haunting, heartfelt ballad. It may not fit into the Eurovision scene, but I have a niggling inkling that he could do quite well...

1. Malta - Coming Home
I have high hopes for this song. I've always liked Malta at Eurovision - if they qualify - and I really like this song. Their harmonies are gorgeous (again, as much as I hate comparisons, they sound a bit like Mumford and Sons), and even though I don't know how well it'll do - their 2013 entry did really well - I'll remember it regardless!

Special commendation: Latvia - Cake To Bake

Umm, yeah. I couldn't go without mentioning this song. It's kind-of folky, which means that - more times than not - I'm by default going to like it.
And I really do.
Yeah...
I advise you guys to watch the video.
Yeah...

Why I Blog...

So, I thought that today I'd write a post about what made me want to blog. I've been blogging for about 8 months now, and for a while, I kind of forgot what I started for - I got off track a bit and wondered if I should even be blogging.

Anyway, it all started one summer's day (oh goodness, here we go!) when I'd finished my exams and had about 9 weeks before I started school again. I was reading through this book that I won in a competition when I was about nine or ten - called '101 Things to Do Before You're Old and Boring' - and one of the things in there was to start a blog. Which seemed cool.
You see, I'd wanted to start up a YouTube vlog for a while, and so did one of my friends, but the only problem was that I'm quite self-conscious. So I didn't really want to show my face to the world (well, I didn't want anyone to recognise me, mainly). Hence why I've only told one of my friends about this blog. And none of my family knows about it. I just think that it'd find it awkward to write things if I knew that my friends were reading it, I don't know, I'm babbling...

And then, two hours and a Blogger profile later, on a complete whim, this blog was born. Starting out with the (somewhat rubbish but quite original) title of 'Five Green Bananas' and, a bit like metamorphosis, transforming into 'A Little Red Notebook'.

And I'm so glad that I did it, as much as I persuade myself sometimes that I'm not...

Sorry to tell you this...but the bus is broken...

So today I'm working off about 5 hours sleep.
Yeah.

Yesterday I went on an trip to Coventry to watch a play with my AS English class.
So, to put this into perspective, Coventry's about 3 and a quarter hours from where I live.
And the play started at 7.30pm.
And lasted for 2 and a half hours.
And I didn't get home until 3.10am.

Hang on, you may be thinking, wouldn't a 3 hour journey mean that you got home at 1.15am?
And to answer your question, yes, ordinarily it would.
But, oh no, this was not destined to be an ordinary trip.

Firstly, our bus broke. The play finished and we went out to meet the bus and our teacher came up to us with a concerned look and announced: "Guys, I'm sorry to tell you this... but the bus has broken".
In Coventry.
On a street practically in the middle of nowhere.
At 10 o'clock at night.

So we trooped back into the theatre and sat in the bar for 35-minutes waiting for a call from our bus driver.

Then we had to walk through the streets of Coventry to a car park where the driver was parked.

The battery died. And the driver had to call the RAC man to fix it.
Which may or may not have been because of a certain film that a certain group of people had watched on a certain 3 hour trip (But, to be fair, it was a pretty good film)

And then, there were diversions on the M50, which meant we had to divert down lots of winding roads in Worcestershire/Gloucestershire/Herefordshire (which, had it been light enough to see, probably was the scenic route). 

But I have to admit - to be fair - it was quite a bit of fun.

Another 10 Pointless Facts That You Probably Never Thought You'd Want To Know

1.  A kangaroo can't walk backwards...

2. Tigers have striped skin as well as striped fur...

3. The average person falls asleep in 7 minutes...

4. The National Anthem of Greece has 158 verses...

5. In Switzerland, it's illegal to mow your lawn whilst dressed as Elvis Presley...

6. Bees have 5 eyes...

7. A piece of paper can't be folded more than 9 times...

8. Porcupines can float in water...

9. Babies are most likely to be born on Tuesdays...

10. All polar bears are left-handed...

The Fancy Dress Fandango

So, Friday is my Sixth Form's Sport Relief fancy dress day, and - typically of me - I have absolutely no clue what to go as. 

I'm in no way creative. I'd love to be one of those people who can make a dress out of a sheet, or something like that.  And I don't want to spend goodness-knows-how-much on a costume that I might not ever wear again.  But, then again, I don't want to be the one who doesn't put the effort in - because I'm really looking forward!

My friends and I were planning on going as the Seven Dwarves from Snow White, until we realised that there were only 6 of us...
Then we planned on going as a fire engine, but that backfired...

And now I'm stuck. Well, apart from some really obscure idea about going as White Rabbit from Alice in Wonderland (sparking the "What's the name of the white rabbit in Alice in Wonderland?"/"White Rabbit" conversation between me and my mum). They have some really cute rabbit glasses in Claire's.

But, I don't know...
I just hope that I can find something by Friday...



Rabbit glasses-things, courtesy of Claire's UK



 

10 Pointless Facts That You Probably Never Thought You'd Want To Know

1. In Bladworth, Saskatchewan, it's illegal to frown at cows...

2. An ostrich's eye is bigger than its brain...

3. Lightning strikes the Earth around 8 million times a day...

4. Russia's country code is '007'...

5. Astronauts can't cry in space - tears can't flow because there's no gravity...

6. Objects travel further if they're thrown to the west (remember this in your next gym lesson!)...

7. A duck has 3 eyelids...

8. You share your birthday with at least 9 million other people...

9. At any time, around 0.7% of the world's population is drunk(?!)...

10.  Charlie Chaplin once won 3rd place in a Charlie Chaplin Lookalike contest...

Potential Blog Idea: Film Club Fridays

Hello!
Apologies for not posting for so long - school work's taking up a large portion of my life at the moment.

Anyway, whilst sitting on the school bus this morning, looking out of the window at an abyss of nothingness (well, trees and stuff) I came up with an idea.

Sort of.

I came up the idea of 'Film Club Fridays', where - on a Friday - I discuss and/or films that have been recommended to me by anyone who fancies commenting/suggesting their ideas.

I'm not too sure if this'll work, for a lot of reasons, but if anyone fancies taking part, then feel free to suggest away!

Musician's Review #6 - Lau

Yep. You read correctly. Today's Musician's Review is of Scottish/English contemporary folk band 'Lau'.
Residing in Edinburgh, Scotland - the band's name derives from an Orcadian word meaning 'natural light' - they are considered 'The UK's Best Live Band' by The Guardian, and have won the BBC Folk 'Best Group Award' four times.

And to make this band even cooler (well, to me anyway...) never before have I ever seen someone play both the piano and the accordion AT THE SAME TIME!

If you're into an experimental-folk kind-of-thing then check out their song 'Far from Portland': http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8HhgbPF5fhg

And here's the band performing the incredible 'Ghosts'...
It's a bit of a long 'un, but is definitely worth it!

FGB x

Leaving on a jet plane

My first ever plane flight has been booked.
Never before have I set foot on any kind of aeroplane. Ever.
But now - well, July - I have a 3.5 hour journey to Athens.
And I'm not too sure how I feel about that.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not afraid of heights, and I don't tend to have travel sickness or anything like that. And I have been abroad before. It's just, I've always travelled by ferry, on the sea. And I love the sea. 

I know I'll probably enjoy the flight. I've always kind-of wanted to fly.
But, I'm not going with my parents, or any of my family, so technically I'll be going on my first plane journey on my own.
And it's not the actual flight bit that I'm edgy about. It's the whole check-in and bag-check and scanners and everything like that. Which is stupid, I know, but I can't help it...

Hopefully I'll get a bit friendlier with the people in my group over the weekend, and then maybe I won't feel so on-edge.

Bow-ties are cool

So, it's half-term here with me, which means a week off school to catch up with sleep, and writing and friends...
I wish...
Instead, my half-term holiday will consist of:

• endless revising
•  a LOT of rain
• more revising
• more rain

I think you get my gist...

Anyway, Friday I'm going to a Briefing Weekend for my impending volunteer-based trip to Greece (more to come on this soon!) and I can't wait!

[Actually, I'm not completely excited, because the consent form I had to fill in mentioned 'outdoor cooking' - which is fine, as long as I don't have to do it, on a Trangia, by myself.  How I detest those things!!!]

And Jonathan Creek's back on Friday. I found this out yesterday and I got a wee bit excited.
Which is understandable... Alan Davies is cool. Detectives are cool. Windmills are cool.
What more do you need?!
(Apart from bow-ties, that is. Bow-ties are cool...)

Here's a short little trailer for Series 5 (I think?) for any fellow fans of the show (Creekians? Creeks? I dunno...) or any of you who fancy something a bit different...

FGB x

Musician's Review #5 - Cara Dillon and Sam Lakeman

Cara Dillon's an incredibly talented, Irish folk singer.  Sam Lakeman's her equally talented British husband.
Individually, these musicians bring beauty and grace to folk music.    
Together, they create wonders that cannot be matched...

I came across the duo a few weeks ago whilst procrastinating  immersing in my love of folk music. Flicking through TV channels, I came across the Transatlantic Sessions, in which folk musicians from both Britain and America come together to create what is - in my eyes - somewhat of a musical masterpiece!

The below video is taken from the 6th series of the amazing Transatlantic Sessions held at Loch Lomond, Scotland:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=RPclRr2bh_M

Things To Do on a (Cold, Wet, Miserable) Saturday afternoon

So, today (for me at least) is a cold, wet, miserable Saturday afternoon.
The rain is hammering on my window. My neighbours' cats are getting wet. My neighbours' grandson is laughing at my neighbours' cats getting wet. 
It's just all happening here...

Anyway, if you're stuck for what to do - because, come on, what is there to do on a cold, wet, miserable Saturday afternoon? - here are some ways to beat those wet-weather blues:

1. Movie Marathon - Seriously, as much as this sounds like a cheesy Americanised pastime, movie marathons are actually incredibly fun.  Who doesn't like an excuse to get all soppy, snuggle up to that special someone (or cushion!) and eat shedloads of popcorn...

2. Make a Time Capsule - Something to look back on in 10, 15 years time. A way to pass the time, incredible fun and a walk down memory lane. What's not to love?...

3. Go camping, indoors - Come on, you know you want to... get those blankets out, and release your inner-child. You won't regret it!

4. Cook something new - Whether you're the most experienced cook, or a complete novice, dust off those cookbooks and leave your comfort zone...  Gain experience, broaden your palate, and, more than likely, it'll be healthier - which means you'll feel better for it, too!

5. Write - Anything. A story, a poem, a song, a blog post. Anything. Just write!

Et voila! I hope that these ideas may be of some benefit to you on any future rainy day.
And feel free to comment with any ideas of your own - how do you like to spend the rainy days?

Bye for now,
FGB x

Love You, Goodnight.

I'm not one of those people who can say "I love you" on a whim. I have friends, whom I love dearly, but I just find it hard to say it to their faces.  With a lot of my friends, it's fine, because we don't tend to express our feelings for each other - we don't hug or say "I love you".  Not because we don't feel anything towards one another, but because we're just not those kinds of people.

But, Friday night, I went to my friend's house for a get-together party, and there were a few friends there who decided to go to college, and so I hadn't seen for months, and it was nice to just chat, and forget about school for one night.

A few hours passed, and I'd texted my mum to ask whether my dad could pick me up at 10ish, which he did, and I went to put my phone in my bag and get my shoes ready to go.

As I left, one of my friends shouted: "I love you loads, Rhi!", and - for some reason, without even thinking, I replied: "I love you more! I love you so much. Goodnight."

And that was all that played through my head the next day.  Not the fact that I'm capable of so much love, but the fact that I expressed it. Openly. And truly meant it.

I'm not scared by this. I'm not scared by love. I think I'm just afraid that love will bring hurt - that if I tell someone that I love them, and they leave, I'll have to face it.  As clichéd as that sounds, I think it's true. But I can't be sure.

Is love something to hide? Something to fear? Or should we embrace it?
That, my friends, is completely up to you.

x