Week ending 4th December

Apart from bailing on my work Christmas do, there's been only two things worth blogging about this week.

They are:

1. My wonderful MB Christmas CD
2. My decision to fulfil my life's ambition of having feminine hands by embracing false nails.

Love and Pugs.

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Long weekend

So It's been pretty hectic at work of late and I've been going a bit mad. I decided to take a 'flex day' on Friday (25th November) and a days holiday on Monday (28th November), Saturday - Sunday are freebies.

I had high hopes of how I was going to spend my time: quality time with myself, relaxing etc. but unfortunately I'm absolutely useless at relaxing and I didn't really have the fulfilling time I thought I was going to have. But like B*witched once said: C'est la vie.

Steve and I watched 'Rise of the Planet of the Apes' Friday night. It's your classic American big-budget event and you really have to suspend your belief throughout. To be honest, ever since I saw that documentary about the woman who had her face and arms ripped off by a chimp (gruesome stuff) my feelings towards them have changed, no longer do I think of them as the friendly PG tips drinking/friends of Michael Jackson but violent predators waiting to take over the planet!

Friendly Chimps

As per your last blog, we've downloaded 'Our Idiot Brother' and look forward to watching it shortly.

Sunday, Steve and I went to the Mad Moose for lunch (as we had a 20% off voucher!) I had sweet chili chicken noodles, he had a pork roast dinner. After dinner and on my request, we went to ASDA (<3) to buy food for the week. I ditched the gym in favour of getting in bed to watch the new series of 'Misfits' on 4OD. I wasn't entirely impressed, my favourite character has left (that Irish one).

Monday/Today was/is the best day. I got my lazy bottom out of bed, drove Steve to work, got to the gym for 9:30am (I've lost my blasting edge a bit) then had a walk round town . Upon returning home I walked my Puggy and did the washing up.

I wish I could tell you that I'd bought loads of lovely stuff recently but I haven't because I am totes skint.
There's lots and lots of things I want (naturally) I have made you a little collage of a few items. Enjoy.

1. Knitted Penguin Jumper - £50 - Topshop
2. Plushious Bag from Fuzzynation.
Check out this link, it's AWESOME: www.fuzzynation.com. They sell them in Jarrolds but they didn't have a Pug one :( 
3. Les Tai Tai - Compact Mirror 'Cobracabana'
4. OPI nail varnish in 'Rainbow Connection'
5. and/or Knitted Reindeer Jumper - £50 - Topshop
6. Baby Deer Ornament - £12 - Topshop
7. 'Unconditionally Fabulous' nail varnish - £10 - Mac
8. Leopard print detail loafers - £40 - Next

* As requested, my gym playlist currently  looks a bit like this:

All Fired Up - The Saturdays
Break the Ice - Britney Spears
Breathe - Prodigy
Down With the Trumpets - Rizzle Kicks
Earthquake - Labrinth (current fave)
Fight For this Love - Cheryl Cole
Foundations - Kate Nash
Hold it Against Me - Britney Spears
Moves Like Jagger - Maroon 5
The New Workout Plan - Kanye West
Pass Out - Tinie Tempah
Radioactive - Marina and the Diamonds
Rollin - Limp Biskit
Run the World (Girls) - Beyonce
Shake it Out - Florence and the Machine
Since You've Been Gone - Kelly Clarkson
Stronger - Kanye West
Super Bass - Nicki Minaj
Sweat - David Guetta feat. Snoop Dogg
We Found Love - Calvin Harris feat. Rihanna
We No Speak Americano - Yolanda Be Cool & D Cup
We R Who We R - Ke$ha
What Do You Take Me For - Pixie Lott
What Makes You Beautiful - 1D
Yeah - Usher
3 - Britney Spears

- This is a constant work in progress, changing on a weekly basis as it doesn't take me long to get bored. Hopefully there's some inspiration in this week's offering. Suggestions are highly welcome.

Things I am Lovin':

Starbucks Gingerbread Lattes.

 

I can't get enough of these bad boys. I could drink them every day.

Recent events in my life:

Brother Ryan moved in!
He's made himself at home in my spare room (formally your Sponge Bob room) even purchasing the most disgusting piece of furniture from Argos I have ever seen...

If it's possible for a shitty 'Wardrobe' to transport you back to New York this is it.

Love and Pugs!

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My 28th Birthday 2011: Italy & London

My brief but thrilling journal of events (grammar, correct tense & punctuation not included):

Thursday, 20th October 2011: Arrive at Pisa airport 9am (Day in Pisa), climb the leaning tower/almost deck it on the slippery marble stairs on the way down, buy tat (including snow globe & leaning tower ornament), have pizza outside the tower/cathedral in a cosy little Italian bistro, Papa and I fall asleep on the train to Florence (without tickets) and are rudely awoken by the conductor, Papa winds up some Americans, back to hotel/very nice (best I've stayed in), rest, Swordfish for dinner, BBC world news: Goddafi is dead!

Friday, 21st October 2011: (Day in Florence) : awesome (continental) breakfast, watch Jersey Shore on MTV Italy, climb the Duomo (lots of steps!), visit the Piazza della Signoria (the center of political life in Florence since the 14^th century), gaze at the Ponte Vecchio "Old Bridge", consume espresso and pizza for lunch, lots of little churches and tourist sights observed, visit Michelangelo’s David, MORE Tat (including Firenze university hoody, snow globe & football shirt for Stephen), back to hotel, rest/watch Godaffi related news, dinner at local restaurant, awesome pepperoni Calzone/peroni, Papa stares at the waitress.

Saturday, 22nd October 2011: (Day in Rome) get up at 6am (leg muscles in agony 'FML'), catch fast train from Florence to Rome, left at 7:30 get there 9:30, start day at the Vatican, see lots of religious art and history, buy nodding Pope outside the Vatican/have red bull to keep up energy, the Spanish Steps, the Trevi fountain (throw in a coin for good luck which is yet to transpire), the Pantheon, pizza for lunch...obvs, the Colosseum (can't go in as it's shut - Wah!), fast train back to Florence, arrive back at 8pm, swipe MacDonald’s for tea at station/so exhausted, big Mac meal €7- total rip off!! Hang around hotel/admire beautiful tat...Godaffi STILL dead.

Sunday, 23rd October 2011: (last day in Florence) awesome breakfast, supermarket to buy treats for the colleagues, walk around/want to stay, last look at lovely tat, Pisa airport for 3pm, hit every airport check: asked to empty suitcase/get frisked/search handbag/questions RE my destination (assume tip off received for terrorist matching my description?), flight = awful, Ryan air= shit, home, massive migraine, slept for 12 hours!

 (artist's interpretation)

Monday, 24th October 2011: (Norwich to London) Steve drives, parks at Redbridge, stay in Travel lodge in Fulham next to Iceland (super classy), Nando's for dinner (full of scum-bags), WICKED the musical, defying gravity.

Tuesday, 25th October 2011: (still in London) MacDonald’s breakfast wrap, presents!!!!, tube, Victoria & Albert museum (half term/full of screaming kids), consume tea and carrot cake, Oxford street:  Forever 21/Zara/Primark, Steve drives home.

 Travel Lodge view of London (yes, that's bird-shit smeared across the window).

Love and Pugs
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Next blog in draft state to follow shortly.

I hate Calvin Harris

I never know how's best to start these things, 'So...' seems to be a re-occurring blog initiating theme So...I'm going to stick with that.

So...I can't really remember what I got up to whilst you were away (other than cursing you from afar), pretty much the usual shiz: WGTB (Work, Gym, Telly, Bed). If I had more than one follower I think I could totally start a new craze with WGTB.

Brodie and I went to see Rihanna on Saturday. I was somewhat looking forward to it beforehand but I wasn't especially over-the-moon as I was dreading the three hour drive home from Birmingham in the early hours of the morning. Anyway, we took my car and shared the driving and I offered to take the late shift (drive home) as you know how tired Brodie gets behind the wheel (allow me to refer you to Justin Timberlake).

To summarise the affair: it was pretty stressful occasion. A number of bad things happened (which I will tell you about when I next see you/on the phone), for example: there was a bunch of drunken slags who got out of their seats a few rows behinds us and got in our faces/aggressive/intimidating throughout the whole show...etc etc.

I didn't really get to enjoy it as I would have hoped but I can tell you that Rihanna's extremely attractive and not bad at singing live.

I can also tell you that 'I Hate Calvin Harris'. I do not understand why anyone would want to see that type of music live. If I was him I'd be embarrassed, standing behind an flashing alter fist pumping to noise pollution for an hour - not my bag baby.

One positive: They gave us free stuff on the way out of the NEC -'More' Magazine and these cute little tin pots of 'Nivea':

(I'll save you one for your visit as I'm your bff)

Things I've bought recently:

 All of which I am pleased with.

The nail varnish is pretty bad-ass (Facets of Fuchsia) and like me, you've probably read about it in numerous fashion publications (aka Grazia). I'm not a huge fan of darker nail polishes but this one looks really nice on and doesn't make me look like I've lost circulation in the tips of my fingers...

(sorry about the crappy photos - bring on more stock of the new iPhone)

The mascara is good too, I like the wand and the consistency BUT I don't think it makes my eyes look any bluer. I don't think it's as good as 'L'Oreal Lash Architect 4D' which I like very much, I've had compliments when wearing that bad-boy.

I like L'Oreal as a brand, I think they produce good quality items. The 'True Match' powder is also pleasant and as you can see from the photo above, the casing is quite fancy. I also like that they give you a sponge so you can wash/re-use it. My main criticism is that maybe the case is a little too fancy as it's a bit fiddly.

Things I'm loving:

Pretty much the best biscuit ever.

Blogs take me ages to do...Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Going to try and finish this off, I also bought a new work dress from Next (can't be bothered to take a photo) and a black fitted skirt from the Zara basic range for work (also can't be bothered to take a photo) but that's it. I am poor and shouldn't really have bought these items, oopsy daisy.

I want loads of things, that is a blog in itself! (might do one tomorrow).

Love and Pugs.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

British Heritage.

So last week was pretty mediocre. I partook in the usual routine of work, gym and TV followed by sleep with the exception of going to see 'Jane Eyre' at the cinema with Helen on Tuesday. The film was good but highly depressing and due to the length lacked true character development (I'm assuming the TV adaption is better).

I spent most of my weekend on the M25/in the spazmobile but I did have a lovely time with Emily and Zahra and much like I do you I wish they lived closer. Reigate's alright, I was expecting a bit of a shithole but it was quite posh.

I haven't really trialled any new cosmetics recently but I did recently (last Thursday) buy a new handbag from New Look...

...and this dress from Topshop...

 Yeah I know, both items are relatively bland but I wanted something new to wear in Reigate and I can only really afford staple pieces I can wear over and over...and over again. FML.

I also know that you'd rather see a photo of me modelling them (as you're a perv like that) but in order to get this blog out to you in time before you go to NYC I took a short-cut.

Things I'm loving:

Jersey Shore!

'If you don't go to the gym you don't look good,

If you don't tan...you're pale,

and if you don't do laundry, you aint got no clothes!'

The above is grammatically incorrect sure, but no truer statement has ever been said.

It is amaze and if you're not already watching it you must start. By all accounts, this week's episode is going to be awesome as Ronnie beats up The Situation and he gets carried away on a stretcher.

I think I will leave you for now and perhaps return with a better entry soon as I am tired. ZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...

Things I want:

Presents from...

Week Ending 18th September 2011

So my week began and ended in the usual way, which is a bit of a let down.

Monday: I cursed British society and the necessity of working (9-5, Monday-Friday) for a living and not being born to wealth/the Windsors.

Tuesday - Wednesday: Bleugh.

Thursday: Good times, the moment I had been waiting for arrived...it was time for my 9 weekly hair cut/dye job. It had gotten to the point where I was counting down the days and then hours until I got my trusty full fringe cut back in, as I was sick of the sight of my forehead and quickly developing wrinkles.

As you well know my dearest Brannen, I love a good fringe. I feel it instantly makes me look more 'trendy' and youthful. However, I also fear that in a few weeks I will get back in the same pattern. I will get envious of those with fringeless faces/effortless natural style and pledge to grow it out and so on and so fourth.

I attach a photo of my fringe for your viewing pleasure and ease of reference (taken 16/09/11):

Friday: Belly aches all day and then Zaks for dinner (courtesy of a 2 for 1 voucher). Ryan Related came round in the evening annnnnd....my sofa broke!!! FML.

Today's Saturday and this morning I went to the gym. I ran 10K and it was a struggle from the outset which made it even harder when I received criticisms on my technique (as per our texts). I'd like to take this moment to give a a shout out to 'Limp Biskit', as I believe they may have helped me reach my desired distance. I recently decided that a cheesy rock workout play list was the way forward and I have discovered that it works most effectively, with 'Rollin' and 'My Way' being exceptionally energising. I will keep you up-to-date with future effective workout songs should you find this beneficial?

I was supposed to go to the city today but couldn't be arsed. I'm going to sit on my arse on the side of the sofa that isn't broken, watch shit I sky+ in the week and cuddle the pug.

I really enjoyed your last Blog so I will take some inspiration from you and list a few items I am enjoying and wanting.


Enjoying:

 TV: BBC's 'The Body Farm'.

I made no secret that the loss of 'Waking the Dead' left a hole in my heart but thankfully the BBC took the initiative of creating a spin-off choosing to concentrate on WTD's most boring character. But they have the last laugh because I actually enjoyed it and I still want to be a forensic scientist (and work with sexy posh Harry from ‘Silent Witness’).

 I’ve been loving nail varnishes at the moment, in fact I read this interesting article on the Daily Mail yesterday lunch time, I recommend a read as I very much agree with the content.
I find that I am buying more cosmetics (particularly bright nail varnishes) as a means of treating myself these days.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2037499/Feeling-pinch-Then-stick-lippy-How-cosmetic-sales-continue-defy-downturn.html

 My faves of the moment are:

 Barry M’s ‘Pink Flamingo’ and No.7’s ‘Mojo’, a great mat shade of pink and a pleasant shade of reflective orange respectively.
 

Things I want:

A high waisted black skirt for work, a chunky silver ring (to usher in my wearing of silver) and this t-shirt:

Topshop Cross Tee by Realitee. It's Rock n' Roll.

I don't want this Pug vest from Topshop:

  ...because my mummy bought it for me as a surprise last week!!! (strange and surprising)

There are actually loads of things I want but I’ll keep it brief as not to bore you. I too want one of those Clinique chubby balms (by the way).

 OK, so that’s pretty much it for today. I’d like to say I enjoyed writing this but I didn’t really, BUT I do enjoy keeping in touch and love reading your Blogs so this is a good compromise.

I hope you enjoyed this Blog and welcome any feedback and suggestions to improve.

Love and Pugs!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

You're so lucky. You're going to get a new one of these at the end of every week. <3 <3

Currently reading

'The Snowman' by Jo Nesbo.

He's 'the next Stieg Larsson' don't you know.

Goes down well with a nice mug of hot chocolate and a relatively early night (earliness dependant on how gripping it will be, obvs).

Don't worry Brannen, I will provide a review on completion. I bet you can barely wait.

My First Blog

In an attempt to distract myself from a bad mood, I write my first ever 'Blog'.

Today I have been to work (cursing my allergies/sensitive disposition throughout) and failed to reach the gym.

I am at home - in bed – I should make myself a cup of tea but I am too...

 

and

 I endeavour to make my next Blog more interesting.