Burn it Down Sis

I can't remember the full quote about seeing your heroes become villains, but given recent events, it's a quote that isn't leaving my head any time soon. As my last post was inspired by, there have been a lot of highly negative revelations about how embedded sexual harassment and assault are in certain cultures, namely that of TV and film. Every story bravely told by a survivor has touched my heart and angered my soul, but there is one that has particularly struck me.

As I have mentioned before, One Tree Hill is an absolute favourite TV show of mine. When I was thoroughly struggling to navigate the years from 14 until about 18, it found me and helped me. I connected with Peyton Sawyer's character better than I did with some real people at that time. This means that that TV show is always going to have a special place in my heart, and I'm always eager to share it with others.

Unfortunately however, One Tree Hill has become attached to the negativity the TV and film industry is currently embroiled in. It was revealed on Twitter that the show's runner Mark Schwahn displayed predatory behaviour throughout the show's run, sexually harassing many of the females connected to the show. This letter has been written:
To Whom It May Concern,
All of the female cast members of One Tree Hill have chosen this forum to stand together in support of Audrey Wauchope and one another. To use terminology that has become familiar as thesystemic reality of sexual harassment and assault has come more and more to light, Mark Schwahn’s behavior over the duration of the filming of One Tree Hill was something of an “open secret.” Many of us were, to varying degrees, manipulated psychologically and emotionally. More than one of us is still in treatment for post-traumatic stress. Many of us were put in uncomfortable positions and had to swiftly learn to fight back, sometimes physically, because it was made clear to us that the supervisors in the room were not the protectors they were supposed to be. Many of us were spoken to in ways that ran the spectrum from deeply upsetting, to traumatizing, to downright illegal. And a few of us were put in positions where we felt physically unsafe. More than one woman on our show had her career trajectory threatened.
The through line in all of this was, and still is, our unwavering support of and faith in one another. We confided in each other. We set up safe spaces to talk about his behavior and how to handle it. To warn new women who joined our ranks. We understood that a lot of it was orchestrated in ways that kept it out of sight for the studio back home. We also understood that no one was fully unaware. The lack of action that has been routine, the turning of the other cheek, is intolerable. We collectively want to echo the calls of women everywhere that vehemently demand change, in all industries.
Many of us were told, during filming, that coming forward to talk about this culture would result in our show being canceled and hundreds of lovely, qualified, hard-working, and talented people losing their jobs. This is not an appropriate amount of pressure to put on young girls. Many of us since have stayed silent publicly but had very open channels of communication in our friend group and in our industry, because we want Tree Hill to remain the place “where everything’s better and everything’s safe” for our fans; some of whom have said that the show quite literally saved their lives. But the reality is, no space is safe when it has an underlying and infectious cancer. We have worked at taking our power back, making the conventions our own, and relishing in the good memories. But there is more work to be done.
We are all deeply grateful for Audrey’s courage. For one another. And for every male cast mate and crew member who has reached out to our group of women to offer their support these last few days. They echo the greater rallying cry that must lead us to change: Believe Women. We are all in this together.
With Love and Courage,
The Cast,
Sophia Bush, Hilarie Burton, Bethany Joy Lenz, Danneel Harris, Michaela McManus, Kate Voegele, Daphne Zuniga, India DeBeaufort, Bevin Prince, Jana Kramer, Shantel Van Santen, and Allison Munn
And Brave Crew,
Audrey Wauchope, Rachel Specter, Jane Beck, Tarin Squillante, Cristy Koebley, JoJo Stephens
And All the rest of the Women We Worked With Who Are Finding Their Voices as We Speak

I could not have more admiration for these women, who fought against such horrific behaviour to bring to the masses some of the strongest female characters I have ever known. They're incredible people, and the show can still be considered the amazing safety net that it is for so many. That show was not one man and his horrendous actions, that show was a platform from which battles were fought, points were made, and strong people grew.

As the letter says; we're all in this together. Even if it hasn't happened to you, it will have happened to your mother, sister, friend, colleague, favourite actors. This is a worldwide problem that no amount of privilege can protect a person from it. It's absolute shit that so many have been abused in this way, but the fact that so many have mean that whatever you have faced, you are not alone. You are not the only one. There are people out there who can share in your experiences, and there are even more people there that can support and want to fight this horror with you.

The times they are a-changing, and it's about bloody time. #BurnitdownSis

Don't Rain on my Parade

I haven't blogged in a good while now, in part because I haven't had much to say, and in part because I've had too much to say. Then, a few days ago, stories came to light in the news that couldn't get a particular line of this song out of my head. The line will be obvious as you read on I imagine, the slight twist on it almost wrote itself.

From there I decided to redo the lyrics of the whole song, because why not?! By all means give it a read and see what you think,  listen to this song and see the musical Funny Girl, and more than anything, think about what's been happening in the world, and do what you can to be the change you want to see.

*Disclaimer: I don't hate men.*

Don't Bring us Women Down

Don't tell me it's my fault
He chose to attack
His choices not to stop
Ignored my fight back
Stop using my clothing
To bring us women down.

Don't tell me not to strive
Like it affronts you
Housewife, leader, plumber
What is it to you?
Stop using working life
To bring us women down.

We've marched our hearts out
We've beat our drums.
You've turned your back now
Please listen now, world
This problem isn't leaving
Soon, world, you to start list'ning

But whether you ignore
Our vast achievements
Our needed additions
To all existence
Make nothing of us but breeders, dreamers, and slaves

We gotta be scared
We gotta take care
Always our fault, right, world?

Ooohh, life it can be
Can be, fair for all
You're gonna have to try, world!

Get ready for it, now
'Cause change is coming
We gotta raise our voice
Make sure you're list'ning
Stop using silence from fear
To bring us women down.

Our bodies should be our own
They are ours and ours alone
We can't sit by much longer
Only together we're stronger
We can't have our rights just banned
We can't accept this t as what's planned
Hey, Mr Weinstein, here we stand!

We've marched our hearts out
We've beat our drums
You've turned your back now
Please listen now, world
This problem isn't leaving
Soon, world, you need to start list'ning.

Get ready for it now
'Cause change is coming
We gotta raise our voice
Make sure you're list'ning.

Please stop, stop, please stop
Bringing us women down!

The Art of London

Two weeks ago today, I had just returned from Japan the night before, but was up, at it, and off to London!

It might seem not-exactly-sensible to have committed to a weekend away immediately after returning from such a trip, but working life led to it really with that being my only three day weekend for the rest of the year, due my dad's birthday being during August Bank Holiday. For my birthday in April, Alex's parents kindly got me vouchers for theatre tickets that could be redeemed for most theatres in the country, in complete acceptance of my wish to collect memories not things. Now, despite me not being the biggest fan of London in the slightest, it must be admitted that London does have the best theatres with the widest range of shows. London is also home to the BFI, one of four places in the country showing Dunkirk in 70mm, the British Library that currently has an exhibition about the Russian Revolution running, one of my great friends from Keele, Georgia, and Cantina Laredo that makes your guacamole in front of you. Weekend: sorted.

The Ferryman
The Ferryman is the latest creation from Jez Butterworth, who is famed for 'Jerusalem'. Without wanting to give too much away, it is based on an Irish family in the 1980s. The vast majority of the play takes place in the kitchen in home of Quinn Carney, his wife and seven children, three older relatives, and his sister-in-law and her son. They appear to be based in the Republic of Ireland, but when cousins 'from the town' come to visit, the town referred to is Derry (where my dad's from incidentally), and that is in Northern Ireland, so they're probably very close to the border. You can see Donegal from Derry, so I imagine it is probably there.

The set is used very well, meaning that you aren't constantly staring at one point of the stage, even though there is only one set mainly used. The characters that come in and out also add great depth to what is being performed, and keep you alert throughout the three hours that the play lasts. All of the actors play their roles very well, and with great sincerity, that is including the children. The storyline is also very sincere, and as far as I can tell, accurate. The family are Catholic, and the IRA are involved in the plot, but it isn't overdone or farcical, there is something very genuine about the whole play.

It's an absolute must-see, and I'd love even more people to discuss it with!

DunkirkAs with 'The Hateful Eight' by Tarrantino, 'Dunkirk' was filmed in 70mm, with only four cinemas in the UK able to show it in exactly that. It was released more broadly, but the actual picture is somewhat skewed, eg. black lines needed at the top and bottom of the screen. It's a real film-nerd thing to specifically seek out to go and watch, but that's my Alex! And to be honest, I really appreciated it to.

The film was absolutely incredible!

With little dialogue it was a very serene experience, even though you were watching extremely emotional events. In general, I'm not the biggest fan of war films. I'm a massive history nerd, so appreciate them on that level absolutely, but I detest war and people killing each other so I usually end up angry and sad. (Side note: Desmond Doss recently became an absolute hero of mine, and 'Hacksaw Ridge' a film that has completely touched my because of this). I definitely did get angry and sad when watching 'Dunkirk', but I also felt sheer elation at the end.

Everyone in it played their parts very well, but with the lack of dialogue it wasn't possible for any brewing egos to emerge. I have to give props to Harry Styles, as I imagine it must have been ridiculously intimidating working with such greats as Kenneth Brannagh and Tom Hardy, but he performed his role admirably.

The Russian Revolution Exhibition 
I have always been interested in Russian history, but have only actually studied Peter the Great, so in terms of knowledge 'westernisation' is the phrase I know. Alex however, is far more knowledgeable about Russia, having studied it to the point of writing his undergraduate dissertation about it. That meant that going in to the exhibition we both in the same book, but on very different pages. Having said that, I feel with both were able to enjoy it. I think Alex's enjoyment was more of an appreciation for the artefacts that were available and what not, while for me, I enjoyed learning more about events that thoroughly interest me.

It was a very well but together exhibition, and made logical sense in the way that it was laid out. There wasn't a lot to it though, and even with reading pretty much everything readable, watching everything watchable, it only took about an hour for us to go around. This was fine in terms of 'value for money' as we had 2 for 1 tickets that were made available when we booked our train tickets, and we didn't have all afternoon due to getting the train home. If you are planning to go there without any other plans for the day though, I would make other plans, as it really doesn't take that long.

Hiroshima the Peaceful

I took the shinkansen from Kumamoto to Hiroshima which is where I spent two days before flying home. I stayed at the Hotel Sunroute which was perfectly placed for access to anything and everything you could want to see and do in Hiroshima. The transport links were really great, but I treated myself to a couple of taxis. Of the 9 currencies available on my trusty travelex money card, the Japanese yen isn't one of them. Having not figured this out until just before I went to Japan (not my most efficient moment), I was very panicked about how much money to take as it would be difficult to just add and subtract money from the card. I ended up getting 71,000 yen from Eurochange for about £500, and ended up with about 15,000 yen left at the end of my trip, so 'treat yoself' mentality kicked in, and I had taxied to the bus station on the way home, and took the river cruise to Mijiyama island.

I went to Mijiyama island the second day I was in Hiroshima, it was beautiful!

The shrine in the water was a popular spot on the island, but I still felt peaceful and calm near it. I felt those things pretty much the whole time I was in Japan to be honest, but particularly during my time in Hiroshima.
The river cruise I took there and back left from the Peace Park which was only 15 minutes walk from my hotel. It took 45 minutes each way, but watching the landscape change and having a little snooze on the boat was lovely.

As mentioned, my hotel was only 15 minutes from the Peace Park in Hiroshima. That is where I spent my first day in the city mostly, the museum is right next to the park, as is the atomic bomb dome pictured. Having been to Ground Zero in New York, that is the place I first thought of when I went to both the museum and the park. There is certainly an eeriness, a calmness, and senses of pain and loss that both places share. However, perhaps due to it being more recent, there was an aggression and anger to Ground Zero I felt, that wasn't present in the Hiroshima museum or Peace Park. In Hiroshima, there was just a plea for worldwide peace so an atrocity such as the A-bomb they suffered could never happen again. 

Around the corner from the dome is the Orizuru Tower. Orizuru are origami cranes that are symbols of peace in Japanese culture. At the top of the Tower you can form your own crane, write your prayers on it, and then stand on a glass platform to drop it down a glass box attached to the mirror. My severe vertigo meant I did not last very long on that platform whatsoever.

Of all the places I visited on my whirlwind tour of Japan, Hiroshima was absolutely my favourite. It was incredibly peaceful around the whole city, you couldn't help but be calm, relaxed, and hopeful. I also found this really great little restaurant that was built around the importance of gyoza.

From Hiroshima I flew back to Birmingham via changes in Tokyo and Munich. I flew with Lufthansa and had a really great experience with them! My jetlag was also bearable enough that Alex and I enjoyed a lovely time in London last weekend, however, I have considerably crashed somewhat at the tail end of the week, and my dissertation is looking at me, and my motivation is waning... Until the next adventure!

Good Things Come in 3s: Kyoto, Kumamoto, and Caitlin

After a great introduction to Japan through two days in Tokyo, it was time for me to head to Kumamoto via a day in Kyoto. I took my first ever bullet train/shinkansen early in the morning to do the couple of hours travel from Tokyo to Kyoto.

The shinkansen's are pretty roomy, there are also plugs and a person who brings food and drink to buy. One thing I noticed with Japan is that they actively discourage eating while on the move, to the point where there aren't even bins on the pavement. It can be really annoying, but it also makes you really grateful when a person openly sells food to you whilst you're travelling.

I had a whistlestop tour of Kyoto. It started off in a department store buying Birkenstocks because the heat and walking in Japan had caused my feet to swell and blister like I don't know what. I am a UK woman's 7, and got the biggest size they had in the shop which was 25cm, but I feel I could have gone up a side. Jokes aside, shoes in Japan are small.

Next, I headed to Nishiki Market,

It felt very authentic there, with lots of traditional foods and crafts on offer for sale. The attention to detail in the ceiling was also lovely to see, and not a place I would have expected such architecture to be present in.

After that, and via a doughnut cafe, I headed up 500-something metres to Kiyomizu-dera Shrine.

It was a trek and a half to walk up the hill in the heat and humidity, but as you can see, the beauty of the shrine was absolutely worth it. There were also some really impressive views from the top, and lovely little shops on the way up. I particularly noticed the amount of people in traditional dress around this shrine, and Yasaka shrine which I also visited. It was really lovely to see individuals, couples, friends and families of all ages embracing the heritage of their country.

Kyoto Tower is situated opposite the train station, so I made the effort to stop off there for more magnificent views of the city before I got the first of two shinkansens that would take me Kumamoto and Caitlin!

Caitlin very kindly left an end of term party early to meet me at the station. We promptly returned to her flat and sat up until 2 in the morning catching up! A year's a long time to go without seeing one of your best friends, even though technology has been very useful.

Kumamoto is a fairly small city, but it was the perfect place to chill over the weekend and reconnect with my friend. We visited the absolutely stunning Suizenji park,

As you can just about see in this picture, Japan have mastered blending city living with beautiful greenery. Walking around their parks and extravagent shrines can make you feel like you're tucked away in one of nature's pretty secrets, when if you look over the trees, you might catch a skyscraper because you're actually still in the city. I very much appreciate places like that, they're my favourite types of places to be. You can also see the fake Mount Fuji of Suizenji park in this picture, over on the left, apparently every park in Japan has one.

That same day we also visited a British bakery which had the most authentic tasting scones I've ever had outside of Britain, and a Japanese owner with a very London accent! It was a lovely little shop.

For evening activities, Caitlin's boyfriend Kohei was very helpfully celebrating his birthday so we had even more of an excuse to go out to a restaurant, then have all the fun singing and dancing to karaoke in our own booth (seriously, they need these in England), before heading out to some bars and writing upside down on polaroids. We also tried raw horse meat for the first time which wasn't too horrendous (for me anyway), but definitely wasn't as delicious as the gyoza (dumplings) we ate!

The next day was a slightly hungover one, but we still had many a place to visit! We went and watched one of Caitlin's schools compete in a rugby competition. After lunch of more gyoza (seriously, those things are delicious as heck), doughnuts iced to look like animals, and a failed trip to an onsen because of road closures (though apparently my tattoos would have been frowned upon anyway), we ended up going back and watching the final of the rugby as well. It was really lovely to just chill and watch some rugby.

My final full day in Kumamoto unfortunately was a day Caitlin had to spend in work. Therefore, it was up to me to get myself up to and around the castle that is currently being reconstructed due to a really bad earthquake in April, and then to potter around the city centre.

I made it! And workers there very kindly told me that if I went up to the 14th floor of the city offices I'd get a great view of the whole site, so I did! That's where I took that panoramic shot from. Their helpfulness was a continuation of all of the kindness I had shown to me by every Japanese person I came across, but particularly Caitlin's neighbour. While I was waiting for the bus, it began to absolutely throw it down with rain - if you like extreme weather, head to Japan. Her neighbour came out and offered to drive me to where I was going, I cautiously accepted, and whilst in the car it became clear he knew about 3 words of English, which could only be countered by my 2 words of Japanese. After it became clear that he thought I was going to the nearby university, which I wasn't, but that he also did not understand the word castle, only station, I ended up being driven to the station, to then catch a train to the centre. He also gave me his umbrella. A wonderfully kind man.

You can read Caitlin's version of events here: http://gotmeunderaspell.blogspot.co.uk/2017/08/scousers-reunited.html, and catch up on her other amazing Japanese adventures! Seriously, she's smashing life out there, you should check it out.

The next day took me to Hiroshima, which will take you to my next post...

Taking on Tokyo

I do my best to aim for at least 2 posts a month, but July was insane! The whole month completely ran away with me. Now, however, I am (still!!) a little jetlagged, and suddenly it's a been 9 days since I returned from one of the best adventures of my life (so far)!

One of my very good friends at Keele, Caitlin, moved to Japan last year to teach English. Cue me promising to go and visit her! Initially, it was going to be mine and Alex's trip this year after the fabulousness of California last year, but unfortunately it didn't work out like that. He had too much occurring and what not which meant that half of this trip was a solo adventure! It was actually really refreshing to go and do something like this for myself, and by myself. As much as I've struggled with this year being so focused on doing things for me, myself and I, but this trip really was the icing on top of the cake that has been the most difficult but worthwhile 12 months I've had in a long time.

Caitlin lives in Kumamoto, a smaller city in Japan, and as a teacher she works solidly Monday to Friday. Therefore, we both agreed I'd be best off seeing some other places as well. My plan then became Tokyo -> Kyoto -> Kumamoto -> Hiroshima, and I'm going to do multiple blog posts to fully detail the fantasticness that was all of these places. To get everywhere, I used the JR Pass, which was ridiculously cheap for the amount that I used it, and compared to what those trips would have cost individually.

After 24 hours of travel, a highlight of which was the old Japanese man next to me watched Godzilla as we approached Japan, and my first experience of Japanese toilets that thankfully play music so no one hears you wee, I picked up my JR Pass from Tokyo's airport. It allowed me to use the monorail that took me right into Tokyo's main train station. From there, my Pass also worked on the local train so I could get to my hotel.

I stayed at the APA Shintomicho-Ekikita which was only 10 minutes walk from the local train station, and 25 minutes walk from Tokyo station itself. The hotel was lovely, and the staff couldn't do more to help me, even though English wasn't a strong point for them, and my Japanese extends to hi and thank you.

Across the two days I spent in Tokyo, I walked 25,000 steps, sweated in 30 odd degree heat with about 40% humidity, got lost repeatedly (seriously, Tokyo Tower can be seen, but not approached easily), embarrassed myself with the Englishness of my food choices because I was so scared of ordering fish by accident, and said 'God help me' more times in 48 hours than ever before. BUT, at no point did I feel scared, or unsafe, or completely out of my depth.

I got to see stunning sights from the top of Tokyo Tower at night,

And even more during the day from the top of Mount Takao,

I would encourage everyone visiting to Tokyo spending time out of the city, as well as in it. If you have the time, absolutely go to Mount Fuji, which is what I would have done if I had had the time. As I didn't, I chose Mount Takao, and got to ride the steepest cable car in Japan a quarter of the way up! It was a really peaceful place, even though I constantly ran in to other people - they all said 'konichiwa' in the way English walkers say 'good morning/afternoon', I loved it. On my way back from Mount Takao, I ended up in Shinjuku station, which Caitlin later informed me is one of the busiest in the world. It certainly was hectic and a bit confusing, I ended up on a bus that literally just did a circle around the station...but I got back eventually! And headed to the Hard Rock Cafe via Harajuku. Harajuku absolutely was quirky, but not as vast in its quirkiness as I was expecting.

I also think everyone should visit the Imperial Palace, the gardens are absolutely stunning. Unfortunately, there isn't a set timetable for being able to enter the palace, tours can only take place on sporadic days as it is all at the discretion of the Emperor and the royal family, but hey ho, you don't feel like your missing out. I went there my first evening, and it seems that is where all Tokyo residents go running! I was a bit worried as it was getting dark, and I was alone, but I found myself in amongst tens of runners the whole way around the site!

After Tokyo, it was up, at it and onto Kyoto! Which will bring you on to my next post...

Wonder Woman. Oh My Wow.

Yesterday I finally got to watch Wonder Woman. As a humongous fan of DC to the point where I barely even enjoy any Marvel except X-Men and Robert Downey Junior's face, I was really looking forward to this film, but was a little apprehensive. Not because I'm of the opinion that DC films have always lacked compared to Marvel, and to be honest, I think anyone who says that is completely forgetting the Dark Knight trilogy, and isn't part of the cult for whom Watchmen is a classic, but anyway. I was worried, that they couldn't fit in all of her story, details of the war, and the building of the other characters into a two and a half hour film effectively. Also, I was unsure of how successful Gal Gadot would be at carrying a whole film as I only know her from Fast and Furious, in which she is great, but it is a secondary (maybe even tertiary) role.

I had nothing to worry about! Yes, there could have been a little more in depth explanation here and there I suppose, but for two and a half hours, everything was said that needed to be, and brilliantly so! It was definitely a shame that they wanted to differ from Captain America so much that they moved the timeline from the Second World War to the First, only because 'Evil Hitler', one man who can inspire destruction and horror is a much more acknowledged persona. However, it didn't negatively affect the film too much at all. I also felt it was a little rushed for Steve to fall in love with her, but that's Hollywood for you I suppose. I was still emotional when he *spoiler alert*.

It was definitely my favourite film I have seen Chris Pine in. Until Wonder Woman I've never really had strong feelings about him, and would never watch a film purely because he's in it, but I do really enjoy him in Star Trek, and did really enjoy him in this. He also wasn't too shabby in Hell or High Water, but I do have weird thing for hairy men with cowboy accents. Most importantly I feel for an film with an ensemble feel to the cast, as this one had, is that all the actors lived up to playing alongside the incredible David Thewlis. Through Harry Potter, he's an actor I've grown up with and adore. I was ecstatic to see him in film once more, and I was almost as ecstatic to see Ewen Bremner because Spud is my absolute favourite Trainspotting character.

I have to apologise for doubting Gal Gadot. She was absolutely incredible as Wonder Woman! It felt that she was playing a very authentic role, and a lot of what she said fell inline with my own beliefs. As a person, Gal has only gone on to impress me more as I've read up about her. She was Miss Israel 2004, did her 18 months conscription in the Israeli army, loves motorbikes, has two daughters and was pregnant with the younger one during filming Wonder Woman, and went to university to study law!! She's actual life goals. I think she's definitely now one of the most inspirational and admirable women to me, alongside the likes of Helena Bonham Carter, Hilarie Burton, Betty Shabazz, Violette Szabo and JK Rowling. To name but a few of course.

Don't just 'get you a woman who can do it all', find one to inspire you to become a woman who can do it all; a wonder woman.

Love Conquers All

'To say that we are winning the war on crime because we've head to put everyone in prison, in short, is like saying that we're winning the war of disease because we've had to put everyone in hospital'

- someone surnamed Currie in my current textbook 

 Or like saying we're winning/are going to win the war on terror because we've stereotyped one religion and abused them all, or denied them entry to our countries. 

The terrorists that have attacked the UK most recently have done so for three main reasons: the West have destroyed massive sections of the Middle East and have not rebuilt or improved them to a decent standard; the terrorists hate our way of life; they believe a highly distorted version of their religion of Islam supports them. 

The first point, the West pretty much have to own. Yes, the removal of Saddam Hussein was a necessity, but leaving Iraq and Afghanistan in wreck and ruin has not been a good idea, and it all seems a little hypocritical when you look at relationships with the Assads. However, you can't fight fire with fire. So them attacking us for attacking them is not going to bring about a solution, just as much as us attacking them for attacking us is going to achieve peaceful resolution. The second point is completely on them. Especially when they attack our way of life by attacking a pop concert full of teenagers. There is nothing wrong with what we do day to day, and there is no way we should stop it just because a minority have decided to have a problem with it. The problem they have is the third point; their massively distorted view of Islam. The Islamic God is the same as the Christian and Jewish God, the only difference really is believing Jesus was the Son of God, both Islam and Judaism recognise him as a prophet. All three religions are based in love, and care for one another, not violence and hate.

'We're not broken just bent and we can learn to love again'
- Pink

My dad sent me a text saying he hoped I wasn't scared about going to London with work today after the recent attacks. I told him, 'If a terrorist gets me, I won't be on their conscience then, so they're not on my worry list now'. He told me this was 'very phlegmatic', which I googled, and the example sentence it gave was 'the phlegmatic British character'! And lots of things came together in my mind, making me very proud to be a phlegmatic Brit. We have this stiff upper lip that means we care about each other, and we care about what's right, but as soon as you're wrong you can do one thinking we're going to pay you the time of day. The concert in Manchester wasn't a response to a terrorist attack, it was a celebration of 22 people's lives, love, music, and Britain.  I have an overwhelming sense of British perseverance within me at the moment. We're going to be ok, we're going to get through this, and we are not going to bow down and be defeated. 

 

Don't Look Back In Anger, Manchester

This morning, at 11 o'clock, there was a one minute silence across the U.K. in remembrance of the 22 people murdered on Monday night, and all others affected. It was the second deadliest terrorist attack on British soil since the 7/7 bombings in London.

Children, parents, siblings, friends, went to a concert, and did not come home afterwards. Some never will return home now. All because a small group feels such strong hatred for our way of life. It's horrendously heart-breaking, and what's worse is that this attack is not the first and it will not be the last.

So what can we do? Politicians, intelligence services and emergency services are all doing their absolute best to protect us, and have contingency plans in place so when an attack does occur the effects can be as minimal as possible. It is incredibly difficult for them however, as you can't stop someone getting in to their car and driving into a bridge full of people, and it is incredibly difficult to gather enough evidence about suspected persons to convict them before the crime happens. However, none of this means, I don't think, that we should stop our way of life and hide. No. We should continue as we always have, and be united and strong in the face of adversity.

And most importantly, as the crowd aptly reminded everyone at the vigil in Manchester; we must not look back in anger, we must look forward with hope.

The crowd in St Ann's Square in #Manchester sing 'Don't Look Back in Anger' after minute's silence to remember victims of attack pic.twitter.com/B3p6ZaEJyN

— ITV News (@itvnews) May 25, 2017

General Election 2017

If your immediate answer to this question isn't 'YES', then we can't be friends anymore and you may as well stop reading now.

I jest.

ish.

In all serious though, the Conservative party are sitting as far right, and the Labour as far left as I can ever remember, this general election will be life changing, revolutionary. However, you only get to be a part of that if you VOTE.

Whichever ever party you feel represents you and your own needs/wants the most, then go for it. A considered effort is respectable, a wasted vote is a shame. If you're unsure of who to vote for, still register, then use a website like this one: www.isidewith.com to help you figure it out. Also, read everything you can, manifestos from the party, newspaper reports from a range of newspapers - be aware that they're seriously biased too, listen to those already affected by policies such as NHS workers, and watch interviews with party members, get to a rally if you can.

People have died, are dying, and will die, fighting for the right to vote, don't let them down by not voting yourself.

You've got until 1 minute to midnight TONIGHT. GET ON IT.
https://www.gov.uk/register-to-vote

How to Motivate Yourself

Time for a classic procrastination-induced post. This one is a little hypocritical perhaps, because I'm trying to motivate people as a means to distract myself from work, and I apologise for that. There have been a lot of things going in my life this year, to the point where I was asked in multiple job interviews how I manage it all, and my usual answer is 'because I have to'. Thankfully, the 'have to' comes from a 'want to', I want to keep up great relationships, gain certain roles and experiences, so I have to jump through certain hoops.

It's incredibly helpful that most of my friends are also in similar times of their lives, because we can all support each other through it, and understand when plans have to be restricted or completely cancelled. I'm really grateful for that, and am massively enjoying seeing them move on in their lives so positively and successfully. Comparing yourself to others can be incredibly harmful, so you have to be careful, but in this respect I've found it quite helpful. I can look at what they've done in their first year since graduating, and get excited about what might happen to me this year; that's great motivation. It also means they're fantastic for advice.

Other than being motivated by the success of those close to me, I also find it motivating to remember that, chances are, you're not the first to have done 'this'. I'm not the first person to get a masters. I'm not the first person to get a job in a new city, meaning they have to find a new place to live by themselves. I'm not the first person to have long distance relationships. I'm not the first person to have to fit in a love for traveling around the basic holiday allowance given by jobs. I'm not the first person to try to lose weight. I'm not the first person to aim for everything out of life. I am certainly not the only. I also certainly won't be the last. It's all doable, because it's been done before and it'll be done again. That sounds dull I suppose, and takes away some excitement, but it's also quite comforting.

When all that fails, I have a couple of quotes from a range of sources that can flip my head right back round into focus:

Life at 23

Last week on 13th April, I turned the big ol' 2 3. Twenty-three. My goodness me. Now there some great connotations attached to the number 23, Nathan Scott and Michael Jordan's basketball numbers, the bowling lane they use in the Big Lebowski, X-23 is Wolverine's daughter and also called LAURA!, and a beautiful song by Jimmy Eat World. Musically, there's also the slightly the concerning Blink 182 lyrics, 'Nobody likes you when you're 23', and then there's all the 'adulting' nonsense I (and the whole of Britain - snap election, I have blog coming right at you asap), have been having to deal with, all in the space of a week!

My 23rd birthday was an odd one. The day itself was a fairly relaxed one, Alex, my parents and I spent the afternoon at Speke Hall.

Speke Hall is definitely one of my favourite places in Liverpool, if not my favourite. It's a stately home from Tudor times that has beautiful gardens, a maze, lovely woodland walks. Basically, the perfect place for a chilled birthday day.

The next day I had a bouncy castle, because: 23. It rained all day so we only got a couple of hours out of it, because: life (at 23). I was blessed to be joined by a few friends from home, and a couple from Keele that I hadn't seen in what felt like a decade. It amazed me how, even though it hadn't actually been that long, we all had so much to catch up on, and it felt like no time had passed at all. The day was rounded off by a fantastic night out in Liverpool, and I danced till 3 in the morning! Something this old woman hasn't done in months!

On my birthday, I received the contract for my new graduate position that I'm starting in June. It's in the marketing department of a technology company based in the centre of Birmingham, and it completely hit me at random, but has developed into a lovely fit (almost). Basically, after passing the initial application stage, the aptitude tests and skype interview, I then went to an assessment centre that put is in different situations then placed us in the department they felt best suited us. So, I feel very looked after and can't wait to start!! However, the initial excitement of 'yes I have a graduate job!' has been somewhat dampened by organising holidays/training/somewhere to live, because: life (at 23). I know I'll get there though, I blessed with an abundance of the 3 Fs that'll get you through anything: faith, friends and a 'F' it, let's crack on attitude.

At the moment, I could be any more grateful for my friends. Their patience with me is something that I seriously could not be getting through this hectic time without. I've never had a 'selfish' time, and I feel so incredibly selfish at the moment that it greatly upsets me. There are too many events where I've had to excuse myself from because of training, or deadlines, or this new job, but they (very very very kindly) keep inviting me places!! It's weird, because those that couldn't make my birthday for example, I completely understood and could/would never hold it against them, but my head gets in such a wreck when I can't physically be there - thank feck for technology and people with patience!

Here's to the last couple of months of hecticness, and 23 more years of fantastic people and exciting adventures

Dublin. St Patrick's Day. Derry. So Happy.

I have, quite literally, collapsed from the most wonderful weekend into a week of essays, training, and three job interviews - LIFE. Here is a quick whistle stop tour of it!

Dublin on St Patrick's Day been on my travel spreadsheet for ages, and in my mind of must-go-to places/events for even longer. This year, mine and Alex's summer plans are a bit up in the air as we're not sure he'll be able to come to Japan, and with jobs etc it'll be difficult for us to do another adventure, so we happily decided to Dublin for St Patrick's this year, meaning we still got at least one holiday together. It was to be Alex's first time in Dublin, and my third or fourth. Despite deciding to do this months and months ago, we procrastinated actually booking way too much. St Patrick's is definitely the most expensive time of year to be in the already expensive Dublin, which meant that us, like many others, ended up staying about 40 mins travel time out of the city. It wasn't the end of the world at all, especially as once you're in the centre everything's in walking distance, but still, it makes busy days that bit longer.

16.3.17
We flew from Birmingham airport, as that was the airport nearest both of us that had flights in the afternoon. We got into Dublin at about half past 3, and went straight to the information desk to ask about travel and how to get to our hotel. Our hotel, the Aspect at Park West, was on the other side of the city centre to the airport, so we knew it was going to be a bit of a trek. The helpful man behind the information desk very kindly told us about unlimited travel passes (LEAP cards) that we could get costing us €20 each, and the two buses to the hotel alone would cost us €15 without the card, so it was definitely a brilliant deal!
What was very not brilliant, was the almost 2 hours it took us to get to the hotel. Yes, it was because we hit the city centre at rush hour, but STILL, had we been better informed, we could have used our LEAP card on the DART and LUAS trains that serve Dublin, which would have taken less than an hour. HARRUMPH.
While getting ready to head out to Temple Bar (the hub of Dublin city) for dinner, the next 'harrumph' of the day came, as my playlist specifically for the holiday had not downloaded onto my phone properly!! It was all the beauty you can imagine when you stick Ed Sheeran's amazing new album alongside classice U2 and Irish folk music. HARRUMPH. The fantastic O'Flaherty's made me happy again though.

This basement pub was fab, and personified everything that makes Dublin my favourite place in the world! There were two guys playing great live music, the food was delicious and included classic like Irish stew and all of the potato, and everyone seemed really friendly. It did introduce to me a theme for the weekend, and the realisation that St Patrick's weekend is not Dublin at it's authentic best. When the band played the likes of No, neigh, never and Whiskey in the Jar, there were the fewest people joining in I've ever seen. The two guys seemed to pick up on this too, as they asked where everyone was from, not one group of Irish people were there.

17.3.17
ST PATRICK'S DAY!!
We kicked off our celebrations by heading to the parade that goes through the centre of Dublin. We found a spot on O'Connell Street, which is the main street on the opposite side of the River Liffey from Temple Bar, and where the Post Office that was a focal point of the Easter Rising is.

There were so many people!! The amount of green really brightened up the thoroughly grey, rainy day. The parade was great and really showcased Ireland as a whole with fantastic dancing and brilliant music. After the parade, we got some lunch from SuperMacs, which was not super unfortunately, but they were ridiculously busy so hopefully it's normally better. Then we walked along the river, and up to St James' Gate, the Guinness Brewery.
There, we met up with Jazmin (my Leicester flatmate) and her boyfriend Kaleb who's flown over from the States so they can travel around Europe together. The four of us were welcomed by traditional drummers, and the smell of the best stout I've ever tasted! The Guinness tour is really interesting, even if you don't like Guinness, because the drink is so distinctive and different, the way it's brewed is too. Part of the tour includes attending the Guinness Academy, where you are taught how to pour the perfect pint of Guinness.

Thank you very much.
Afterwards, we headed back to Temple Bar, met up with two other friends from Leicester, and then ended up eating dinner on the other side of the river because everywhere was so packed! We managed a drink in Fitzgeralds, a great pub on the river and backing onto Temple Bar, before we decided to battle through Temple Bar. Eventually, we ended up on the terrace of a bar called 'Badass', and this was my view:

SO MANY PEOPLE! Unfortunately, we made the mistake of leaving Badass and then struggled to get in anywhere else. Everywhere was telling us that it was going to be a half an hour wait minimum, so we ended up in a quieter whiskey bar, but even that filled up really quickly.
The atmosphere was fantastic, but there were almost too many people, so if you do find a space in a decent enough bar - stay in it!

18.3.17
The next day was a rainy quiet day, but I really appreciated having it, because it was a great opportunity for me to make sure Alex, Jazmin and Kaleb got a better experience of the 'real' Dublin. We had lunch at the Hard Rock Cafe, and then made our way through the centre stopping off at the cathedral, castle, Trinity College, and of course, the Molly Malone statue. Molly Malone is the focus of a folk song/nursery rhyme that is such a staple of Irish knowledge, that there's a statue of her in the centre of Dublin.
After our pottering, we settled into a pub to watch Ireland beat England in the final game of the Six Nations!!!! I was sad England lost their winning streak, but my boys are my boys <3.

19.3.17
The final part of mine and Alex's trip was to visit Derry, the city where my dad's from and where most of his family still live. I've never taken anyone to Derry before, and I don't get to go there very often, so it was very important to me.

One of my uncles and his partner, took us on the walk around the city walls, and we got some great views of the whole city, and a great history lesson! In the (irritating) way that many people say they've been to England, but have only been to London, most go to Belfast and say they've been to Northern Ireland. They haven't. Beyond my familial connections, Derry is an incredibly interesting place, with a detailed history, and the people are lovely!
Before our flight back to Liverpool in the evening, the four of us had dinner with 6 other family members - not even half of my family! It was great though, and I loved catching up with everyone, and am very grateful for that time with them.

Applying For Jobs: The Epic Quest.

This month is it. The teaching aspect of my Masters comes to an end, and with it all of the free time!! Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha. No. I bloody well wish. From the end of April onwards I have three 4,000 word essays due on 2nd May, a 15,000 word dissertation due on 1st September, oh and about three holidays I want to go on, which means getting a 'proper' job, and actually doing something with my life is of paramount importance right now.

I was incredibly lucky that when I was 18 and decided it was time to get a part time job, I applied to about seven, had a casual interview with the Echo Arena and got the job on the spot. As it's a zero hour contract, I have managed to keep that job for almost five years now (as if it's been five years since I was 18 ;(). Similarly, when I knew I was moving to Leicester, I had a casual interview with the O2 Academy and got a zero hour contract with them. All great for fitting around university and long distance relationship and friendships demands. But now, I need a job, a career, a graduate position, a dream to live, a fulfilling way to go about my day and pay all of the bills!! Yeah, those things are way less easy to come by. Here's a quick list of what I've learned in the process, and some tips for those of you about to begin this journey/are currently on it. Feel free to give me tips too! I'm still waiting to confirm a 'proper' job, so I'm by no means an exemplary expert.

1) It's not going to happen first time
You are not going to get the first grown up job you apply for. Accept it now, it will make this arduous process a lot less painful. I know a couple of people who did graduate and head straight into their career, and I'm ecstatic for and proud of them, but most of them have degrees in law, or events management, or accountancy, or medicine, so as much as they still have to make a massive effort and apply all over the place, their degree was 75% certain to take them somewhere quickly. If your degree is in something like English or History, and you don't want to be a teacher, it is likely to be a bit of while before you settle on a career idea, nevermind into chosen career. Then of course, if you want to join something like the Police, you have to wait for them to actually be recruiting. The best way to deal with this is to literally apply everywhere, I must have sent out about 40 odd applications for various things and have had my application progressed about 10 times. Just keep at it.

2) Don't forget: the job position is there to be filled
This is the single best thing I have ever had pointed out to me in regards to applying for jobs. The reason you were able to send in your CV is because that company NEEDS the position filling. They NEED you, as much as you need them. No, they don't need you enough to accept you if you're completely and utterly wrong for the job, but it does mean they will cut you some slack in terms of accounting for nerves in an interview etc, because they can only get away with not hiring someone for so long. Remembering this helps you retain a little bit of power of the situation, which I've found is very helpful.

3) Your CV needs to be bloody impressive
It's all well and good have a 2:1 degree in a relevant subject, having been on a sports team or in a society at university, and having done your D of E silver or volunteered at a festival, but guess what; you're not the only one!! You know you did all those things because your parents or your school told you it would be good for your CV? Well there were parents and schools telling millions of other kids in millions of other places to do the same things. These things will definitely help you get a job because of the skills they gave you, but if an employer is reading over this same facts fifty times a day, at least make sure your facts look a bit different, and big up anything unusual, like what grade piano or tap dance you are. Make sure they're clear, concise, but particularly if you're wanting a job in a creative field, play around with your layout etc to wake the employer up once they get to your CV. The two most helpful resources I used for perfecting my CV were my fantastic friend Jane, who had already been accepted for more jobs than myself so I knew she had a clue, and the website adzuna. For free, adzuna will let you upload your CV and then give it a percentage along with points about how to improve it.

4) Your job/career doesn't have to be everything
I think one of the most important things you need to decide is what you want your job, whatever it is, to be to you. At the moment, my jobs are literally just ways for me to gain some experience and earn money. All I want to do right now is be able to answer a question about a time I've given good customer service, and afford to have all of the fun with my friends! eg. last weekend back at Keele during which there was all the dancing, all the drinking and all the laughing <3 Next year, I want to build on experience and earn enough money that I can save as much as possible for the future. Then after that I want a job that fulfills, motivates and challenges me, but that isn't for everyone. For some people, a job is always about earning money to spend on experiences and nothing else, and that's more than OK too. It will help your struggle through applications if you decide which way you want to go though.

5) You're absolutely bloody amazing and it's going to be OK
Your worth should never be calculated by a weight scale or a pay scale, the opinions of someone who's never met or the opinions of someone who never made the effort to get to know you. Keep trying, utilise all offers of help you are given, do your research about companies before applying, and stick with the people who will build you up no matter what. You can do it. I promise. 

Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day is not a day I invest in, I'm a Valentines-Scrooge that thinks the whole day was invented by card companies, and we should express our love for people everyday... The most Alex and I have ever done for it is have a date night, or day when he surprised me at a cheer competition two years ago. This year, we're not doing either of those things due to our university schedules, but we had a lovely weekend together, including a fab time in Nottingham visiting good friends.

However, I've noticed how (trying to think of the appropriate word here) aggressive? dark? moody? angry? my post have been, so here's a cheery, love one that counts down my favourite fictional couples. Enjoy!

1. Lucas and Peyton, One Tree Hill

Over 6 seasons, and I'm still mightily upset we only got 6 seasons of 'Leyton', they went from moody teenagers, to a beautifully strong couple that finally got everything they could hope for and deserved. I bloody love them. Just look how happy they are in that season 6 photo!! Yes, there were break ups, but I think they learned from them, and both were due to immaturity. Neither Lucas or Peyton chose to maliciously lie to Brooke, and set out to hurt her. Peyton didn't mean to send Lucas away when she said she wasn't ready for his proposal, and I'm sure had he been older and less insecure, it wouldn't have happened. They grew together, admirably. To me, they prove that life can be incredibly tough, and there's nothing you can do about that, but love can give you all the strength you need.

2. Lily and Snape, Harry Potter
No, I'm not sh*tting all over Lily and James and how amazing 'The Potters' are, but come one people, Lily's kindness to Snape is a kindness we should all aim to share, and his love for her is one of the most intense loves I've ever come across in fiction or reality.

They also show the importance of society in the choices we make, and how moving on is the healthiest thing a person can do, because bitterness never helped anyone. Snape called Lily a mudblood at one point, instead of standing up for her, because he was a half blood Slytherin, and she was a muggle born Gryffindor. Also, despite it meaning that Snape quietly protected Harry, his bitterness from her being his lost love, made him very loudly attack Gryffindors, in particular the Marauders and then Harry. This couple can teach us a lot about love, the good and the bad, and that's why they're one of my favourites.

3. Jack and Sally, Nightmare Before Christmas
'For it is plain as anyone can see...

 ...we're simply meant to be'

Need I say anymore? It's a classic, girl takes care of boy while he runs about doing stupid things, then SUDDENLY, he realises this has been happening, and not only is he grateful that she's always looked out for him, he wants to look after her too. N'awww. 

4. Aragorn and Arwen, Lord of the Rings

The quote in this picture sums them up for me entirely. She gave up her kind, and put her relationship with her father completely on the line because of her love for Aragorn. He always seemed to understand this difficulty for her, and in many ways their pairing always struck as two complete equals meeting. I adore this couple, not because of how they show that love can persevere through lifetimes and war, but also because they show the love between a father and daughter through the conversations Arwen must have with her father. My dad and my boyfriend are my two favourite men, and mean an incredible amount to me, so I appreciate seeing that play out on screen.

5. Heathcliff and Catherine, Wuthering Heights
Wuthering Heights has been my favourite book since I was about 13, and I blame it for my obsession with old hairy men as it introduced the concept of finding a man 'as wild as the moors'. Yes, it's a bit of an odd story with the whole sort of incest, and everyone dies, but it's my absolute favourite. I love the drama, and how well it is written. The story also reminds me to never settle. Catherine went with Edgar because he was there effectively, he offered her a stable, materialistically wealthy life style and she went for it. There was no raw passion between them, no genuine connection that could never be broken, and everyone deserves those things surely? Any relationship worth its salt has them.

Have a fantastic Valentine's Day one and all!! I hope this and every other day is filled with love.

 

 

Harry Potter. The Boy I've Lived With.

 My oldest friend's sister is five years older than both of us, so she was the perfect age to read the Harry Potter books as soon as they came out. We were the perfect age to beg and plead with our parents about when we could read them because she made them sound so fantastic. My mum began reading them, and letting me read them once. By the time the Order of the Phoenix came out, I was reading them on my own, and adoring every last syllable of them. The final film was released the year before I turner 18, and nothing made me feel like I was growing up more. Harry Potter most definitely has not been left in my childhood though, in fact, for my twentieth birthday my parents took me to the WB Studios Tour in Watford, and yesterday I went back!!

One of my flatmates, and now good friends, is from America. As a huge Harry Potter fan, she's been dying to go to the WB Studios, and I was never going to say no. From Leicester, we had to get the train to Birmingham, then to Watford, then the shuttle bus to the studios. Even with everything running perfectly on time, four trains and two buses meant leaving our flat at 8:30am, and returning at 11:30pm - long ass day. BUT SO FRICKING WORTH IT.

Honestly, I know many may think that seeing all the behind the scenes stuff my ruin the magic of it all, but it really adds to it. You get to see all the effort and creativity that went into every last part of the films, and how many elements of it they actually built. Buckbeak is real people!!

They say to give yourselves around 3 hours for the tour, and I would agree that that's pretty much exactly the time you need, plus maybe half an hour in the shop. Be warned, you will want to buy EVERYTHING.

The first place you get to see is the Great Hall:

(We went decked in all the Harry Potter paraphernalia we own, and were not the only ones)

Next, you get to meander through all of the props and sets that were built. It really is extraordianary how much detail was added to everything, us Harry Potter fans were spoiled by the incredible skills of those involved in the films' making. 

Here's just one tiny area of this section, as I don't want to give too much away! Towards the end of this part, you can have your photos taken on a broom by yourself, or in groups. When I went with my parents, the group photo was in the flying Ford Anglia, but when I went yesterday, it was on an 'Undesirable No. 1' poster - both fab! Then, comes a section I hadn't seen before and almost brought me to tears: 

THE HOGWARTS EXPRESS. IT'S REAL. You can walk through one of the carriages, and each of the booths have relevant items in from each of the films. I honestly can't describe the feeling of seeing the train, it really made me emotional. From the train, you enter the Backlot Cafe where you can get Butterbeer (too sweet for me), and Butterbeer ice cream - absolutely delicious! It's like really thick vanilla infused with toffee. From the Cafe, is the back lot which has the Knight Bus, chess pieces from the Philosopher's Stone, Godric's Hollow, Hogwarts Bridge, and Number 4 Privet Drive. Then back inside you go for one of the most iconic parts of the tour:

Diagon Alley is also real!! The designers and creators put an astounding amount of detail into this set. Every single window is packed full of appropriate items, and the Weasley's Wizard Wheezes figure actually raises his top hat to you! Walking down here has you wear the exact same expression of awe that Harry does when Hagrid takes him to get his school supplies for the first time. The intricacies behind these set designs are shown in even more detail by the architectural drawings, and models in the following room. Then there is the finale, the piece de resistance;

Hogwarts itself. Absolutely stunning.

If you're a Harry Potter fan and haven't been to the studios, GET THERE. If you're a fan of film and haven't been to the studios, GET THERE. If you're someone who appreciates beauty and haven't been to the studios, GET THERE. The Harry Potter books, films, music, and all that went into them are beautifully stunning pieces of art that I could not be more grateful for. It's a fantastic story that we can learn so much from, and bond with others over. It's an invaluable phenomena that I hope the wonder of lasts for generations. I know I'll be reading these stories to my children and grandchildren, in the hope that they do the same.