A Reintroduction

It's been a while since I last posted on this blog, and even longer since I blogged properly. 

I started blogging on here over 5 years ago. A lot has changed in that time. I've changed. So I thought it best to reintroduce myself. 

Hi. My name is Heather. I'm 27 and live in the middle of the UK. I'm a freelance teacher. I dream of starting up my own upcycled bridal business, having spent the last 5 years struggling to turn my film costume work into a financially viable career. I've just broken up with my boyfriend of nearly 3 years. My entire family have moved down south. I have a 6 month old adorable niece. Both my grandmothers have passed away over the past year, having both lived well into their 90's. 

Of course, many things are the same. My family are still the most important thing in the world to me, it's just they're a bit further away now. I still love k-pop and Asian drama, but now I'm actively planning my trips to Japan and Korea. The film career has taken a definite back seat for my now full time teaching career. Obviously, I'm still constantly striving to lose weight, be healthier and drink more water, to little effect. 

So that's me. Heather 2015. 

That's all for now. See you in the next one*. 

Can't think of a relevant or creative title

Today, you get an iPhone post because I literally can't be bothered to walk upstairs to my laptop right now. Even if I did, it wouldn't open blogger quick enough for me to post before midnight, so you would still get an iPhone post. Really I'm just cutting out the middleman, it has nothing to do with my own laziness.

I'm back at the charity school tomorrow, and I have only thus evening been given the go ahead to buy my supplies, which means that for this weeks session at least, I'll have to make do with what they already have and my own kit. Luckily, I was only planning to teach them how to use a sewing machine and maybe do a few samples of appliqué and reverse appliqué, so it all works out I guess, I just hope I can get everything in a week. I'm a little nervous. I know it's going to be very relaxed and not lesson-like, but I want these kids to enjoy these sessions, whether they are particilary interested or not, and I especially don't feel comfortable being left alone with them. This is still something I have never done before, and it's still very scary.

I wish autocorrect would stop changing it's to IRS.

Now I'm going to drag my lazy bum off the sofa and go upstairs to plonkiton my bed. Then I'll turn my laptop on. Yes, I know I said I couldn't be bothered to do just that, but now the senseof urgency has gone to post beforemidnight and my eyes hurtbecause of my lenses.

Also, my iPhone has stopped separating words automatically because it is do used to hashtagging.

<3 x

Engrish

I was just watching Personal Taste, and laughing almost hysterically. Then it occurred to me had someone asked my why I was laughing so much, the reason would not be the funny situation brought about due to the plot of a guy pretending to be gay, but simply 'because they are talking English.'

Not in a racist haha-they-think-they-can-speak-english-but-they-can't-because-they-are-korean sort of way. More like haha-oh-my-god-they-are-speaking-the-same-language-as-me way. Like when you see your favourite celebrity wearing the same dress as you have just brought, that sense of 'awesome, they are just like me, that makes me cool.'

Already I'm thinking I should delete this post because I sound like a lunatic.

It just amused me, OK?

I guess I'm so used to watching things that are in a foreign language that when my own language is used, it takes me by surprise. It's a novelty.

Having said that, the way they speak is pretty amusing. Even hearing them use non-asian names is odd, you get so used to the style of the names, and the honorifics, that to come across someone just called Joe makes you pause for thought. Hearing a non-native English speaker saying something like 'Yo yo yo man, lets go!' or 'What you talkin' 'bout?' is always going to be a little weird when it isn't coming out of some American douche's mouth. 

Although to be fair, I bet some people learn English through watching American TV shows, just like how I am picking up Japanese and Korean from Asian drama. So if I should like an idiot speaking colloquially in a foreign language, then I give my full permission for the native speakers of that tongue to laugh hysterically at me as well.

I'm going to stop there, before I dig myself any further into a hole.

<3 x

Foggy Hillside Walks

My laptop is being super slow again, and seeing as I am rapidly running out of time now I really have to blog before midnight, you get an iPhone post. Remember those? They were fun ...

Work was so boring today. The guy whose Internet I used without his permission didn't have it on again, and thus the most I could do all day was play sims on my iPhone. I built all 16 people houses, when before I only had 3 dorm style houses that they all lived in. One house was basically all intricately placed flowers. Yup. That's how bored I got. Also, it killed my battery.

Then this evening, I went for a walk. It was really cool, you could literally see the fog bank start, and where it hovered a foot above the ground. I even saw my first shooting star.

It was really lovely, being able to talk to someone I have known for only months just like I talk with the people I have known for years. Sure, I try to be a little more ladylike around guys than I am with the girls, but all the same, I really like making new friends.

Having said that, I spent the whole evening talking about my friends, so they are obviously still in the forefront. 'Linzi and I did this ...' 'Elle said ...' 'Rachey likes ...'.

I'm surprised he didn't kick me down the hill.

<3 x

'Blog' isn't in Blogger's Dictionary

My computer is being incredibly slow this evening. It probably just took 15 mins to start up from hibernate and open blogger. I think I really need a new laptop, or at the very least an external hard drive. I've been talking about getting one for ages, and I really should, but half of me just thinks I might as well delete all my photos than move them to a hard drive. Its not like I look at them anyway, but I don't think I could bring myself to do it.

In fact, I should take more photos, really. So many things have happened that I have no photographic evidence of. That sounds like I need proof in court or something. No, just things like past  Christmases and birthdays, road trips and random nights in, hell, even Kpop night. Special occasions when special things have happened, and yet nothing to remember them by.

Deciding to take more photos isn't exactly helping my laptops low memory problem.

I'm assuming that its so slow because of lack of memory. It could just be over use and the fact that it is about  6 years old, I suppose.

Anyway, that's enough for tonight. I'm at the office tomorrow, covering while the boss is at a funeral or something. Last time I was there the wireless Internet I usually steal had been turned off, so I hope this isn't the case again, as it makes that job incredibly boring.

On the plus side, though, at least I still have an iPhone with a 3G signal.

<3 x

A Thorough and Detailed Breakdown of Pretending to be an Adult

Yah, so I missed a day. But you know what the best thing is? I had been posting after midnight, so now no one needs to know that I couldn't even go a week of blooging* every day (after I started a week late, obviously) because it looks like I only posted yesterday. Score!

So I never gave you a breakdown of what happened at the school on Friday. Well, it went really well. I really hate going into new places, and the getting there always stresses me out just as much as the idea of being somewhere new with new people does. Having said that, it was easily to find even if I did nearly get rear ended by breaking so suddenly because I had missed the turning, followed by reversing in a main road to get into the driveway. Luckily the guy behind me who had probably wet himself by my emergency stop had overtaken me at this point and the road behind me was relatively clear.

So I drove in, and all the car parking spaces were full, so I just shoved my car in some corner hoping that the person I was blocking didn't need to leave before I did. I grabbed my stuff, and rang the doorbell, praying that Jon, my friend that suggested I do this and the place's coordinator, would be the one to answer. He was, although he was in the middle of a meeting, so literally thrust me into a room with one other lady and the two kids who I would be working with, and left me to it. So that was scary. I watched them play Cheat for a bit, and then the lady said it was time to move on and would I like to show them all what I had brought. So, thankful that I had brought something and not turned up empty handed like Jon had said I could, I started talking them through my Uni sketchbooks and portfolio. Then Jon came in saying I was blocking someone in, so I gave him the keys to move my car and carried on. The kids seemed relatively interested, about as interested as I thought two boys would be in the subject of sewing, and I'm glad I went for the textiles side rather than the sewing side, as its so much more diverse and ... well, fun. The other lady went to make lunch, and the boys and I played Cheat, which I was about 5 seconds away from winning when lunch was served. Everyone ate together, as its such a small organisation. There were 5 adults, including me, and the two boys, although other people and kids come and go on different days and at different times.

After lunch, Jon took me to speak to a girl with autism, once again leaving me alone. He had warned me that I might find it difficult to communicate with her, as she would either be interested, or not at all, but we got on really well, and after we had talked about my sketchbooks, we also talked about books and travelling and all sorts. I think Jon was shocked at how well we had gotten on, as apparently its the first time she's stayed in the centre for the whole time she is timetabled to be there. After she had gone, Jon and I talked logistics, and I said that I would definitely be interested in doing weekly sessions, and eventually we got ready to go home, it being 4 o'clock, when I had expected to have been finished by about 2 at the latest.

That's when we found my car lights were on, and my battery completely dead. At the time, I had no clue how it had happened, as I knew my lights had been off, and anyway, they go off with the ignition, but I have just today figured out that he must have accidentally knocked the high beams on. So we went on a road trip with three stops to find jump leads, only for them not to work when we finally got hold of some, so we had to bite the bullet and call the AA. He came and fixed it right away, and I had the AA man dumbing down what he was telling me, followed by Jon further dumbing it down, and leaving me feeling like a total girl. Yes, I wear skirts and make up and try to look pretty, but that doesn't mean that I am completely incapable of understanding the purpose of a battery. Sigh.

Anyway, so I have come to the conclusion that my car doesn't like boys. When Linzi's boyfriend gets in my car, the lights play up, first the sides and then the indicator, only to return to normal as soon as he isn't in the car. Then, when Rachey's fiance has to audacity to drive it, my car decides to go in a strop and stop working all together. I suspect it will explode if Elle's boyfriend even touches it. I think Tim must be the exception, seeing as he cleans it. I suspect my car has a crush on him, actually, so much so that any other man won't do.

My car is such a girl ^^.

<3 x

* EDIT - Blogger will flag up 'blogging' as being a spelling mistake, but not 'blooging'? And I thought that it was bad enough that the first correction for 'dont' was 'dint'.

Boys Before Flowers

Remember how I said that it would be a while before I could review this drama because it was 25 episodes long? Yeah, so anyway...

My experience of this drama was so much different to my experience of watching You're Beautiful. It was a long time ago that I watched the original version of Boys Before Flowers, Hana Yori Dango - probably at least 9 months - and so the story was much less fresh in my mind. I think that was the problem with You're Beautiful, in that I could remember so much about every plot turn and character development in Ikemen Desu Ne that I couldn't be as sucked in as I know I could have been. Even though the backbones of the plots of Boys Before Flowers and Hana Yori Dango remained the same, some of the little details were changed between the two versions, and I can honestly say these were my favourite parts.

JanDi (Makino) is a poor girl that by chance gets to attend the highly prestigious school which is ruled over by F4, four young men who have everything on their side and get everything they want. Their leader, JunPyo (Tsukasa) targets JanDi for daring to talk back to him, but eventually starts to fall for her, even though she likes another member of F4, JiHoo (Rui). The other two men, YiJung (Sojiro) and WooBin (Akira) generally just follow the others around and do as they are told. It is basically the story of the trails and tribulations of their relationship.

From Google. WooBin, JunPyo, JanDi, JiHoo and YiJung. To begin with, I was like 'ah these boys aren't so hot' but they really grow on you.

I could see the reason that this was so highly rated, but I do have to admit, I still think I prefer Hana Yori Dango. I couldn't help but find JanDi somewhat annoying, and there was little to no connection between her and JiHoo. I was so rooting for Makino to choose Rui over Tsukasa, but I found my allegiances reversed in this drama, which I guess was the way it is supposed to be. Having said that, one thing that I adored about this version was something that was completely overlooked in the original, and that was the character of GaEul, JanDi's best friend. I was cheering for her subplot relationship with YiJung more than I was for the main characters most of the time, and even though their ending was only hinted at and never really confirmed, the whole sub story was really sweet. In the original, the best friend (I think her name was Yuki, although I cant even remember) came across as more of a stalker, and not as much of a good friend to Makino.

Did I cry? No. Was I close? A few times, but never from anything sad or upsetting happening in the story. The one thing that moved me in this drama was the acting of Kim HyunJoo, who played JunPyo's sister. She was really powerful.

I liked it, but in the end, once again, the original wins outright. If only they could merge the best parts of the two together. Although Boys Before Flowers gets plus points for having Shinee in their soundtrack.

Apparently, my version of connections for Korean dramas is going to be what bands the actors are in. However, this isn't going too successfully as I still have very limited knowledge of kpop. JiHoo is the leader of SS501, WooBin is in T-Max, and both are bands I have heard of but know nothing about. Sigh.

Next is Personal Taste, and something brand new.


<3 x

Trying to be Grown Up.

So apparently I cant blog before midnight. It like literally doesn't even occur to me to start until it is technically tomorrow. Which is fine, I guess, it's not like I have a deadline or anything. The whole point of this is for me to write what I want, so I don't know why doing so at a specific time should be any more important than the content.

Wow, that just fills you with excitement about what I may be posting about in the future, doesn't it?

I'm a little scared right now. In the morning, I am going to introduce myself at a charity school where I may be teaching small groups of children how to sew. I know how to sew, and I have done it many times before, so this is a good start. On the other hand, I do not know how to teach, and I have never really dealt with children before, especially in any from of authoritative role. I've never had to deal with children before full stop. Not since I was one at any rate.

I don't even know how to start.

I'm assured the whole thing is really relaxed and easy going, and I'm sure it is, but it doesn't change the fact that for me, this is something brand new. I get nervous at the best of times, but I am at least somewhat used to going in to new groups of people. Jon, one of best friend's fiance's, and the man who put me up for this, only knows me as the person I am around my friends, when I am content and comfortable. He assured me that I was the sort of person who would be good with these children, but I doubt he has ever seen any of the other side to me. The person I am around my family isn't the same as the person I am around my friends, although those variations are far more similar than the person I am when I am at work or in unfamiliar situations.

I feel unprepared. I don't know what to expect, and that's what bothers me most. I don't know how to go about teaching a class, no matter if its one child or a hundred. Health and safety is something that is playing heavily on my mind, as much of the textile techniques that are the most fun and interesting can also be somewhat dangerous, so how can I know what I will need to ask for them to prepare for my sessions when I don't know what they will be allowed to do?

This is a rant post, as I am sure you are aware. I know that I am getting far too panicked about what is no more than a meet and greet, and I am excited. I do think that it will be something worthy of at least trying out. I might enjoy it and decide to become a teacher. After all, now is the perfect time for me to be experimenting with different career paths.

I know I'll be fine, but it is still a step into the unknown.

<3 x

Gherkin is a Weird Word

I was just about to shut down my laptop and go to bed when I remembered that I hadn't posted yet today. Fair enough, you may think, but I have literally been thinking all day about what I was going to write about.

Don't get your hopes up, mind. Its still not very exciting.

Why is it, when you are trying to be good, you crave all sorts of things you wouldn't normally even dream of eating. Like today, I found myself really wanting a McDonald's. I haven't been to McDonald's for probably 10 years, and have certainly never desired their food in that time, yet today, because I was being super good, all I could think about was a cheeseburger. I don't even eat meat. The only thing I can remember about cheeseburgers are the gherkins. So how can I crave it?

How does that even make sense?

Is it just because I want what I know I can't have? Or am I seriously that easily influenced that I can be so sucked in by advertising? I want to say just the first, but I know it's probably both.

This post was a lot longer in my head, but I'm sleepy and want to go to bed so this can be enough. Also, I remember only too well what happened last time I talked about what I wanted to eat while being healthy, an that resulted in the invention of chocolate heart attack, so all the more reason to shut up.

<3 x

Of Water and Walks

I haven't been to sleep yet, so that means that it is still today, not tomorrow, even though its past midnight. Got it?

Today didn't go too well, resolution wise. Firstly, I didn't get up by 9. I had to pick up my Gran from the hairdressers at 11, and seeing as I am also waiting on a parcel, I didn't see the point of rushing myself. So I slept on with my alarm on snooze until 10. Its the best feeling, being woken up by an alarm and knowing you don't really have to get up. Deciding on my own work hours doesn't really help the getting up earlier thing, especially when I would much rather start late and finish late than the opposite. Secondly, even though I ate quite well again, like yesterday, I didn't drink enough. This is the resolution I know I will struggle with most, because it is something I can never really do. I do drink a lot of a tea, and I try to have a drink with my meals as well, but I really struggle just drinking water. I don't ever really feel thirsty though.

Anyway, that's enough boring stuff ... not that I have anything more exciting to say. My day literally consisted of cleaning the oven and cupboards, making lunch, realising that my Gran can't follow the TV anymore, making dinner, and going for a walk. I feel quite confident walking along canals and in woods at night with Linzi, but I am a little concerned now about when she isn't here. Walking in the night in secluded areas maybe isn't such a good idea when you are on your own. Maybe I'll just walk around my house for an hour. Or at least find a temporary substitute.

I stopped talking about boring stuff to talk about more boring stuff.

Sorry.

Welcome to BED2012.

<3 x

New Year Do-Over

I can't say that the first week of 2012 was particularly successful.

Don't get me wrong, nothing bad or negative happened, but literally everything I had decided to do from the beginning of the new year pretty much went straight down the drain. I didn't get up any earlier, instead I would keep my alarm on snooze until late morning. I haven't really eaten any better, nor I have I drunk more water. I tried to exercise more, and Linzi and I have been doing an hour or so walk twice a week, but I need to do more. I'm not even going to go into the whole sorting my life out. I still have time to work on that, I hope, and I am at least taking steps in the right direction.

So, 2012 starts here.

Again.

It's a Monday, and we all know how I have to start things on a Monday, so here goes.
I WILL eat better; more fruit and veg and less sugar and bread.
I WILL drink more; at least a litre of plain water a day, in addition to my usual copious amounts of tea.
I WILL get up before 9 am, no matter what time I go to bed the night before (so I may have had a nap this morning after getting up at 8, but at least I was up, washed and dressed whilst napping).
This means I WILL be at work by 10, and I WILL NOT spend hours playing Sims rather than sewing.
I WILL continue with the bi-weekly walks, even if I don't have a companion, and I WILL throw in another few hours a week of other exercise as well, probably dancing as this is the only exercise I don't seem to despise.
I WILL regularly cover my 'new' roads for Avon, and I WILL NOT wastefully spend my earnings.
I WILL complete my Japanese audio learning course, and maybe even take another one.
I WILL put up the canvases in my room before the end of the month.
I WILL use my cineworld unlimited card more.
I WILL blog about more than Asian drama and Super Junior... in fact, maybe I'll blog everyday ... no ... I WILL blog everyday (maybe)

<3 x

AFTERWORD:
The review post of Boys Before Flowers may come earlier than expected ... its addictive and I literally cannot stop watching it. I'm on episode 15 already. You probably won't get a rant post though; this triangle doesn't bother me as much as Hana Yori Dango's.

[DISCLAIMER: THIS DOESN'T COUNT AS A RESOLUTION FAIL - I SAID I WOULD BLOG ABOUT MORE, NOT THAT I WOULD STOP POSTING ABOUT DRAMAS COMPLETELY.]

Hello, My Name is Heather and I'm Addicted to Blogs

I have been spending a lot of time on the CB blog as of late, redesigning and whatnot, so thought I should give this one a bit of love. Obviously nothing at all to do with the fact that I have to go and pick up my Avon books and its looking a bit grim out there. Nothing at all. Ahem. So, have you been feeling all lonely and neglected, dear blog? Missing your regular dosage of emotional vomit or textual diarrhoea?

No, I thought not.

So, whats been going on in my world, my imagination hears you cry? Not a lot, really. I'm  really going to have to start doing new and interesting things, I think.

Things at home have been pretty stressed and shitty since Christmas, but its slowly starting to get better now, so fingers crossed. Its mostly been down to redecorating the bathroom and my fathers lacking work ethic, which has had a negative impact on my mother, putting her in a foul mood, which has impacted on the rest of the house. It been a bit of a vicious circle really, but last night, the bath finally got sealed and the shower re-fittted, so now we just have the sink taps to go in, and to buy and put up a new cabinet, and its pretty much all done and shiny!

I applied for what seems like an awesome job at Warwick Castle as the Costume, Uniform and Staging Coordinator, which will be ideal for me if I get it. I always knew that getting a job in Costume was going to be tough, and a permanent one almost impossible, but something like this, that's full time and permanent, mixes history with costume AND gets me into numerous attractions for free is a rare opportunity that I really don't want to miss out on. I'll keep you posted, but you can read the job description here if you so desire in the mean time. Perfect, huh??

I have also taken on four new roads to Avon. I applied for it weeks ago, but they have only just got back to me. I'm going to start canvasing them this week, so hopefully I'll get a few more sales and make a consistent amount of profit rather than loads one campaign and none the next. My mother reckons I should give it up, that its too much time, effort and money to be worth it, but at the end of the day, I like getting the books and ordering the products. I'm not so good with the motivation in going out and doing my drop offs, pick ups or deliveries, but once I get out there, I'm fine. I think I'm going to make up an offer too, something like spend over £20 and get a free gift, just to try and boost my sales. Oooh, I also set up an Avon blog (YES I HAVE A BLOGGING PROBLEM) in which I intend to review Avon products. The main reason behind this is there have been a few products that I have really adored and wanted to share with people, and a few products that I have been really disappointed with, and I decided what better way to share my opinions on the products I have to sell than through the Avon Community itself. I haven't posted anything yet, and I don't know whether I ever will, but just to let you know, and I'll keep you posted.

I might redesign this blog. I really liked doing the CB one, and it looks so cute now! I don't know what to do though, a theme isn't so easy to choose for this blog than in is for one about baking!

I had better go pick up all my Avon orders now .... I'm going to predict 3 orders ....

<3 x

Films: 31