Wednesday, 29 March 2017

Meet... England

Hi guys! This week marks the final week of Meet The United Kingdom! To round off the series, it's time to meet my homeland: England.

England


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Capital: London

Anthem: 'God Save The Queen' (English), although others have been proposed

Motto: 'Dieu Et Mon Droit' (French) 'God And My Right' (English)

Population: 53 million (2011 census) (by the 2015 census, this had risen to 54.8 million!)

Official Language: English

Patron Saint: St George (23rd April)


My Favourite English...


Band/Artist: Queen/The Gorillaz (this was SO HARD.)

Actor: Alan Rickman

Blogger: Becky (both her blog aesthetic and her sons are beautiful)

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Sunday, 26 March 2017

Nostalgia Of School

Hi guys! On Friday, I visited my old secondary school to watch the Jazz Café (which was INSANE, as usual! [Shoutout to Beth, Ellie, Katie, Big Hair Joe, Toby, and David, as well as Simon+Veale+Clayton]) - a concert of old-school Jazz music as well as contemporary music played/sung in a Jazz style. When I went to the school, I was a part of the Jazz Café for 5 years, and this year’s was the first since year 7 that I didn’t perform in it. Watching the current students and seeing my old teachers again got me thinking about what life was like at secondary school, and who I used to be there. Therefore, today’s post will be a short (and hopefully sweet) little piece of my past.

What do I miss about school?
  1. I miss only having 1 hour long lessons. (At college, they’re 1.5 hours each!) 
  2. I miss my Music teacher and lessons. (<3 u Simon.)
  3. I miss knowing who everyone in my year was. (210 pupils/year at school, over 3,000 students at my college.)
  4. I miss performing in the concerts. (I don’t have the chance to at college; my timetable always clashes.)
  5. I miss wearing a uniform. (Yes, really! It was so much less hassle to not think about what to wear every morning!)
But…
  1. Having 1.5 hour long lessons gives me a chance to focus more and go into more detail with each subject. I actually find that by then end of the lesson I’m craving more knowledge, more detail, because I’m so immersed in said topic.
  2. Because I no longer do such a range of subjects (used to do 12, now only do 4) I have more time to focus deeper on the subjects that interest me. There’s absolutely no way that anyone could do 5 A Levels in as much detail as you need, let alone 12! Although I still don’t have a solution for missing my Music teacher :(.
  3. There are so many more people in college than school, which is great because that means there’s so many more potential friends! You can get to know such a range of diverse people from all around the area, broadening your knowledge and friendship group. Plus, there’s always at least one person on a free at the same time as you. Bonus. 
  4. Even if I did have the chance to perform nowadays, I wouldn’t have the time. Revision and general life take up a lot of my personal timetable, not including the time already spent at college. In addition to the time-taking-up, the extra stress wouldn’t be good for me. Always see the good within the seemingly ‘bad’. 
  5. Being able to wear my own clothes may be a time constraint, but it’s also a great way of expressing yourself and it’s another symbol of choosing your own path in life. Now that I’m older, I find it nicely symbolic that I have the opportunity to decide what I wear, because now I have to decide what I do, as well. AND; no more ties! I definitely don’t miss the peanutting of ties. 


Seeing the Jazz Café made me nostalgic and slightly sad, but it also made me think about how much I’ve grown and matured since school ended. And I’m extremely glad for that.

Wednesday, 22 March 2017

Meet... Scotland

Happy Wednesday!! Today is part 3/4 of the Meet the United Kingdom series! Today it's time to Meet... Scotland.

Scotland

Alba


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Capital: Edinburgh

Anthem: Various, but 'Flower of Scotland' (English) is widely used

Motto: 'In My Defens God Me Defend' (Scots) 'In My Defence God Me Defend' (?? Apparently this is good English)

Population: 5.3 million (2011 census)

Official Language: English, Scots, Scottish Gaelic

Patron Saint: St Andrew (November 30th)


My Favourite Scottish...


Band/Artist: Capercaillie (hello Edexcel GCSE Music), and Emily Sandé

Actor: James McAvoy

Blogger: Charlotte (what a great name!)

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*AN* I've just heard about the tragic terrorist attack today in London, and would like to express my sorrow and mourning for those killed in the attack. My heart, thoughts, and prayers go out to the loved ones of all affected by this crisis. The terrorists will not divide us.

Sunday, 19 March 2017

98 Character Questions

If you're an author or an actor, then you must know the importance of getting to know your character(s).
Character research and development is the aspect of writing and acting that I think I love the most - it's like creating a whole new person; and you get to decide everything about them! However, this is sometimes hard to do, so I've created a list of 98 things that can define your character(s), whether to write or play. I've used this list so many times myself, and it's really helped. (Plus, I think it's kinda fun!)


GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS
1. Birth Name

2. Current Full Name

3. Gender

4. Age

5. Birthday

6. Zodiac

7. Nationality

8. Class As Child

9. Class As Adult

10. Hometown

11. Current Residence

12. Occupation

13. Income

14. Name Origin/Meaning 

15.Nickname(s)

16.Title(s)

17. Element

18. Personality Type 


PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS

19. Height

20. Weight

21. Eye Colour

22. Hair Colour

23. Hair Length

24. Hair Style (Casual)

25. Hair Style (Formal)

26. Skin Colour

27. Face Shape

28. Distinguishing Features (Scars/Piercings/Tattoos/etc)

29. Clothing Style

30. Makeup (Casual)

31. Makeup (Formal)

32. Typical Outfit

33. Accessories

34. Health/Disabilities


INTERPERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS

35. Mother
Relationship 

36. Father
Relationship

37. Sibling(s)
Relationship

38. Pet(s)

39. Best Friend
Relationship

40. Friends

41. Acquaintances

42. Enemies

43. Loyalties

44. Groups And Rankings

45. Spouse/Partner
Relationship

46. Grandparents 
Relationship

47. Other Relatives

48. Love Interests


EDUCATION/WORK

49. Place(s) Of Education

50. Graduating Year(s)

51. Intelligence Level

52. Known Languages

53. Savvies

54. Ineptities

55. Average Grade

56. Degree(s)

57. Study Habits

58. Occupation(s) And Rank(s)

59. Character Zoom #1

60. Character Zoom #2

61. Character Zoom #3
(Character Zooms are when you take your character and zoom in on an interesting/complex relationship they have with another character, so you can go into more detail. I find that doing 3 is the perfect amount, but of course you can do more/less/none.)


EMOTIONAL CHARACTERISTICS

62. Virtues

63. Vices

64. Short-Term Objective(s)

65. Long-Term Objective(s)

66. Priorities

67. Motivation(s)

68. Accomplishments

69. Failures

70. Self-Confidence

71. Traumas

72. Most Valued Possession

73. Introvert/Extrovert

74. Emotional/Logical

75. Optimist/Pessimist

76. Religion


COMBAT FEATURES

77. Strengths

78. Weaknesses


VOCAL CHARACTERISTICS

79. Accent

80. Laughter

81. Pitch Of Voice

82. Volume Of Voice


STORY FEATURES

83. Archetype

84. First Appearance 

85. Key Scenes

86. Defining Moment

87. Personal Development

88. Social Development

89. Physical Development
(The Development questions mean from the beginning of the story to the end of it; how have they grown/changed?)


OTHER CHARACTERISTICS

90. Favourite Colour

91. Favourite Country

92. Favourite Place

93. Hobbies


BIOGRAPHY (This is where it gets real deep. Spare no details!)

94. Infancy (Age 1-3)

95. Childhood (Age 4-10)

96. Adolescence (Age 11-18)

97. Adulthood (Age 19-54)

98. Seniority (Age 55+)

Wednesday, 15 March 2017

Meet... Ireland

This week's series post is the anomaly: Ireland. Although Ireland isn't in the United Kingdom, Northern Ireland is, and I figured that mainland Ireland (Republic of Ireland) is big enough and close enough to the UK to be included in this series. So, let's Meet the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland!

Republic of Ireland // Northern Ireland 

Éire // Tuaisceart Éireann


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Capital: Dublin // Belfast

Anthem: 'Amhrán na bhFiann' (Irish) 'The Soldiers' Song' (English) // 'God Save The Queen' (also England's national anthem)

Motto: No official motto, but 'Éire go Deo' (Irish), 'Ireland is Forever' (English) is often used // 'Quis separabit?' (Latin) 'Who will separate us?' (English)

Population: 4.5 million (2011 census) // 1.8 million (2011 census)

Official Language: Irish, English // English, Irish

Patron Saint: St Patrick (March 17th - on Friday!) // St Patrick (March 17th - on Friday!)


My Favourite (Northern) Irish...


Band/Artist: The Corrs // Van Morrison

Actor: Aidan Turner or Andrew Scott // Kenneth Branagh

Blogger: Eleanor // Lauren

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Monday, 13 March 2017

Profile On Emma Watson

Hiya!! Today I'll be doing a profile on someone I greatly admire:

Emma Charlotte Duerre Watson.






















If you don't know who Emma Watson is by now, you seriously must have been living under a rock. Still, if you don't know, she's an accomplished actress, model, and activist. Recently, she's been in the public eye for being an active feminist, which is a part of the reason I admire her so much.


Born in Britain on 15th April 1990, she was educated at Oxford and Brown University, where she achieved a BA in English Literature. As a child she highly valued education, as her parents were not well-off and therefore her birthday and Christmas presents were school supplies like pencils.

Nowadays of course, she is much better-off, and uses both her funds and her status to try and lessen the inequalities of the world. In 2014, she was appointed as UN Women's Goodwill Ambassador and helped to launch the UN campaign HeForShe, which tries to stress the importance of gender equality by calling for men to stand up for their female counterparts in order to create a fairer, more equal, kinder society for all.

With a filmography including 8 successful Harry Potter films, and high-brow awards including PCAs, TCAs, Trailblazer, and British Style, she has exceptional reason to be like the typical 'teen star' and waste away her time and money, caring for no one but herself. Instead, she has dedicated a good portion of her life to helping others in need, particularly those on the fringe of society, both in first-world and third-world countries.

In summary, Emma Watson is a caring and kind, beautiful and talented, and charitable individual, who deserves all of the success she has and more.

Meet... Wales

Hi guys! This week marks the start of the Meet The United Kingdom (plus Ireland) series. This week, it's Wales!

Wales

Cymru


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Capital: Cardiff

Anthem: 'Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau' (Welsh) 'Land Of My Fathers' (English)

Motto: 'Cymru am byth' (Welsh) 'Wales Forever/Long Live Wales' (English)

Population: 3 million (2011 census)

Official Language: Welsh, English

Patron Saint: St David (March 1st)


My Favourite Welsh...


Band/Artist: Tom Jones

Actor: Anthony Hopkins

Blogger: Jemima

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Sunday, 5 March 2017

10 Mother's Day Gifts

Hi guys!!!
I hope you’ve had an amazing week.

I’m not sure if you’re aware (I certainly wasn’t until recently) but it’s Mother’s Day on the 10th of March (that’s THIS Friday. As in, in 10 days)
CORRECTION: I have just been reliably informed (thank you Jemima) that Mother's Day in the USA is indeed this Friday, however in the UK it's not until the 26th. Don't worry, my British pals!! Back to the post.
 Finding an affordable yet decent present is always difficult, so I thought I’d help you guys out by compiling a lil list of easily-gotten presents for the woman/women in your life. (Also, before we start, can I just let y’all know that I’m writing this in a Nando’s. Meaning, I am alone in a Nando’s. With a laptop as my only friend. #sad.)


1. Candles
Candles are always a go-to present for the females in my life. They’re affordable, useful, and each smell is almost unique. You could go for a big Yankee-style candle, or what I tend to do is get a selection of the little (just bigger than tea light sized) Yankee candles, which are normally about £10 for 10. With this method, you can choose a variety of different smells, which I personally prefer.

2. Jewellery or Clothing
This is a little tougher than other gifts, because if it’s clothing then you have to make sure you get the right size, and with either option there’s always a chance that she won’t like it. Personal taste is especially prevalent when it comes to clothing and other wearable items, so don’t be disheartened if she doesn’t seem totally thrilled with the gift. Nevertheless, if you feel confident that you know her style (and size), then go for it! Pick a style or colour of clothing she seems to wear a lot, and keep the receipt! That way, if worse comes to worse then she can swap it for something else, and she’ll still appreciate the thought that’s gone into it.

3. Books
Does she have a favourite series? Favourite author? Favourite genre? If so, the newest book in the series/by the author is always a good shout. Plus, this is a little more personal than more generic (but still loved) gifts, which will show her that you’re thinking about her.

4. CDs
As with books, if she has a favourite genre of music/artist/band then their newest CD is always appreciated. Although us youths don’t tend to use physical music media anymore, drifting more towards online media like Spotify or Apple Music, the older generation are more prone to sticking by their guns and preferring to use music that they can hold, like CDs. Just make sure to check the CD shelf so you know she doesn’t already have it.

5. Tickets
Whether it be a sporting event, a concert, a play/musical, or anything else, buying your mother tickets to a day out for the two of you will always be a hit, just make sure that the tickets are for something she wants to do, not just what you want to do. Tickets are an easy way of dragging out the celebrations over more than one day, giving her something to look forward to, and bringing a really personal touch to a gift. (Although admittedly they aren’t too fun to unwrap.)

6. Meal
Booking a table at her favourite café/restaurant (and saying you’ll pay) is, like tickets, a way of making a gift more personal. Although, this could get expensive, depending on her taste! Once again, it’s gotta be her favourite restaurant for this to be effective. Plus, you could make a day of it, and do something fun before/after! My take on this was to book an Afternoon Tea for my mum and I, as it’s something we don’t often get to do, and it’s something she loves!

7. Art
If you’re really struggling for money, then use your talent(s) to make her a present! Whether it be a poem, a song, a portrait, a dance, or anything else you can put your creative-ness into, then I’m sure she’ll be touched that you put so much effort into a present for her! After all, where gifts are concerned, the thought is so much more important than the expenses.

8. Photo
If you have a really nice photo of you and your mum, then printing, framing, and hanging it can be an incredibly touching and thoughtful gift. (PSA: Boots print photos very inexpensively and at a v good quality.) Surprise her on Mother’s Day morning with the photo on the wall/her desk/the mantelpiece.

9. Star
Naming a star after her is not only AWESOME, but actually a lot cheaper than you might think. Go to Star Name Registry to find out more! I personally am OBSESSED with the stars, and if anyone did this for me I think I’d cry. Scratch that, I’d definitely cry. And possibly marry them on the spot (were they not my mum).

10. Gift Card
When all else fails, a gift card is the perfect present. If you’ve spent hours trawling through her favourite shop, and come out to no avail, then simply let her choose her own present by getting her a gift card. These can normally be found at the counter of the shop in question, or more general gift cards can be found literally almost anywhere, most notably in supermarkets.


If nothing takes your fancy, make sure you check out Not On The High Street for personalised gifts the are, as the name implies, not on the typical high street!
Good luck my friends.

Wednesday, 1 March 2017

Choices: Influences

Happy St David's Day! (Confession: I thought that February had 29 days this year as opposed to only 28, so I scheduled today's post as being the final Wednesday of Feb's series... Sorry!!! However, [spoiler alert] March's series, which'll start next Wednesday, is called Meet The United Kingdom (Plus Ireland). Each week I'll do a profile of one country in the UK+Ireland, as it's both St David's Day (Wales) and St Patrick's Day (Ireland) this month.)

Anyways, ignoring my poor counting/planning, on with February's final post! Today's is all about choosing influences in your life.



Rachel's Challenge (which I've mentioned a few times before) is a set of five personal 'challenges' for you to undertake. My favourite of these is number three: Choose Positive Influences. In our lives, we are influenced by an endless list of things; news, friends, the internet, social conventions, etc to name just a few. We don't choose whether or not we see some of these things in our lives, but we can choose how they affect us.




I personally think that taking time to reflect on your life and the things that make it up is essential. We need to analyse what's going on in your lives so that we can keep the good stuff, and better/remove the bad. One big aspect of this which can be very difficult is friendships. Some friendships are harmful and toxic, and may be changing you for the worse or withholding you from being the best you can be. It's a cliché, I know, but there's a reason for that - it's true. If you have someone in your life who you don't wanting your life, then remove yourself from them. If they're holding you back or changing you into something you don't want to be, then your'e under no obligation to keep spending time with them.

My personal influences that I choose everyday are Rachel herself, my best friends, and God. I take inspiration and instruction from the people who I keep myself around, and sources that I trust and have been proven to be what I want them to be. These choices help to form my ethics and moral code, as well as guide me in dictating how I live every single day. They've helped me more than I can express, and I've changed so much as a person over the past few months that I'm hard recognisable - and I couldn't be happier. Imagine yourself trading places with your current idol - whether that be a celebrity, a friend, or an image you have of yourself. Are you happy? Happier than you are now? Happier than you would be without those influences? Are you making other people happy? If the answer to any of these questions is no, then you may want to rethink your idols.

My challenge to you is to consider your personal influences, and if you feel you should, then change them. Remove yourself from the lives of people who put you down. Reach out to people you want to help, or can help you. Stop doing that one thing you hate about yourself. Start doing something productive, something constructive, something good. And be proud of yourself.