Sisterhood world of Bloggers part Two

Ok, I'm back. Here are my questions for the second past of this post, which I didn't have time to do yesterday.  For these, I'm going to tag in +Jess Nolan +Jess W  +Bronwyn Ellis-Richards  and +Dandy Love. If anyone else wants to do it too, that would be amazing! Comment below to let me know you're doing it so I can read your post when it's done.

Here we go:

1. Do you like tea? This is important. I am British. Say yes.
2. Why am I your favourite person ever?
3. Do you like Benedict Cumberbatch? Seriously. It's kind of a rhetorical question because there's only one answer
4. What three things do you actually do with your time most? 
5. Do you like Marmite? (This is a test, and there's only one answer to let you pass.
6. What is the point of life? Like we're dying ever since we are conceived and then we just rot so I'm just pretty curious. Enlighten me.
7. Tell us three things about you. One that you've never told anyone, one that we don't know, and one that's reeeally embarrassing.
8. Who do you think the most important person in the world is? (Apart from me. Or just me.)
9. What is the thing you: one, hate most about yourself, two hate most about one of your friends and three, hate most about the world? (You can do this with love instead if you're sickeningly sweet.)
10. What are three things on your bucket list?

Well, I though this would be pretty hard, but turns out it's easy. I could do about a million more questions, because I want to know more about you guys, providing it's on my terms because I don't care about people's opinions if they aren't the same as mine. I live in a happy bubble. (Not really guys. It's always good having someone who's wrong to argue against.) Follow, like and comment please my babies, and let me know if you want to guest post, or even just have a look at your blog. I love catching up with new stuff, so yeah, let me know.

Until next time

x

Sisterhood of the World Bloggers Award

Ok. I have been extremely neglectful of this dear blog for far too long now. The funny thing is, I have about a billion posts planned, but no time to do them in, which is pretty sad, for both me, and everyone else deprived of my thoughts.  One of the problems with me being so selfish is that I haven't fulfilled certain obligations - lie this post. This is the first post of this kind that I've ever done, so many thanks to the blogger who finally managed to get my butt into gear (Lois A, at http://lcalivin.blogspot.co.uk). This is an award (?) thingy I guess, like a tag on youtube. The rules are:

1. Answer the 10 questions that have been sent,and thank the blogger
2. Make up 10 of your own questions
3. Nominate other people to do it
4. Put the logo somewhere in your blog

I'm pretty sure I can manage it, so here are the questions that the gorgeous Lois A asked me:

Favourite band and song by them at the moment?
This is pretty tricky, but my newest favourite has to be McBusted. My friend has basically melted my brain away by singing one song on repeat for months, so I think I've been brainwashed into loving it too. It was either that or throw my self off a cliff, and people would miss me and I've got maths homework due in next Monday. My favourite song by them right now is Hate your guts (charming yeh?) because air guitar is just a tad too basic.

Last Ice cream flavour you had?
Shockingly, I don't actually like ice cream that much. I'm not sure why, although I think that might have something to do with childhood trauma (at my grandparents. Don't ask) I think the last I had was probably Fish Food from Ben and Jerrys, providing you're not counting yogurt and berry frozen mush that I had for supper.

What colour are your nails right now?
I can't describe. It's kind of mermaid colour, if that makes any sense. Shimmery white green silverish. It's quite a pretty colour, although not when it's mostly not on the actual nail (I'm very impatient when I'm waiting for it to dry.)

What is your favourite part of blogging?
Oooh. I like blogging for a lot of reasons, but I think my favourite bit is when it gets appreciated, like when I get another follower, or like, or my page views spike. That makes my day. Just sayin folks.

Do you know what you want to do for a career?
Um. Yes actually. I want to be a spy. Because I read Alex Rider, and haveNever been the same since. You may thin it's foolish, but lets be honest, you'd be hella jealous if I made it; it's just that cool a job.

Name 5 things that make you smile:
Ok. One, a new season of Sherlock.Two, Sun (I live in Britain)Three, when one of my favourite characters gets with someone I ship. Four, when I have some spare time time to waste, Five, when I see perfection, whether in the form of a person (cough cough Benedict Cumberbatch) lined up colour pencils or a tidy room. I think I've smiled once in the last three years.

3 Things I love about myself:
Well, at least this one's easy. One, I'm talented at everything that I do, Two, I'm unbelievably creative. Three, I am incredibly modest. The list goes on.

Favourite theme park?
Are you kidding? Disney land, of course! I got a selfie with Minnie Mouse and Tigger, even though I had to crush a few small children to reach them. I want to go again - I only went to EuroDisney, which was still amazing, and I want to stay for longer than one miserable day. No, scratch that, I want to live there. Maybe the Disney princesses are recruiting. Or maybe I could be Eeyore.

The one blogpost you've always wanted to do, but haven't for some reason?
I don't really have one to be honest. There re a few that I haven't had time for yet, like a wall collage tutorial, a catch up post, my favourite things on the web this month, a healthy lunch collab, a box tutorial, aeroplane decoration and last but not least, an account of my sister fairytale party, next Sunday. Maybe tommorrow.

What TV show are you obsessed with at the moment?
Oh god. This is embarrassing. Along with all my usuals, I have to admit that I'm addicted to Britain's next top model at the moment. It's awful, but I can't stop watching. They're just so fake, but so amazing too. It's worse/better than big brother and I'm a Celeb put together.

I don't have time (yet again!) to finish this post today, as in do my own questions and choose Bloggers, but I'll do it tomorrow. If you'd like to be tagged in then let me know and I'll choose you too, and let me know if you want to guest post too.

Until next time

x

Reasons Why I Can't Adult, Starring the Fabulous Jess Nolan.

Fond of writing, blogging and baking Jess is pretty much the weirdest human being you will ever meet. If you would like to experience her weirdness first hand, visit her blog, Mirth Box, and let her know you visited. She's sure to greet you in the creepiest manner possible. http://mirth-box.blogspot.co.uk/ 

Hello there new friends. Or maybe old friends. You know, if you read my blog. Now…I’m going to be honest. I’ve never guest posted before (I KNOW RIGHT I’M SO WISE) and therefore I’m a little nervous. I’m away from home (the Mirth Box) and I’m visiting this new home (this gorgeous blog) and even though it’s pretty and it smells nice and there are cookies, I am still feeling a little edge.

But not on edge enough for spontaneous bowel evacuation. That’s weird…

Anyway, I’m probably not the best person to ask about being an adult. I mean, I’m nineteen so technically speaking I am an adult (by law at least…not in terms of my mental capacity or anything) and so here are some reasons for why I find myself unable to ‘adult’.

Yes. I used the word ‘adult’ as a verb.  I think.

I can pick when I go to bed…

…and this freaks me out. Like, it’s probably the smallest of responsibilities. One I was quite eager to take charge of when I was four.

Me at four years old: ‘I don’t wanna go to bed. I don’t wannnaaaa’

My parents: ‘Jess. You have to go to sleep. Die Hard isn’t appropriate for four year olds. I am taking you up to bed and you will go to sleep’

Me at four years old: ‘Hoe, don’t do it’

My parents: *Makes me go to bed*

Me at four years old: ‘Oh my god’.

Ok. So maybe it didn’t happen like that. But still. A bedtime routine is a little too much for me to handle at this point. I just can’t handle it. I JUST CAN’T EVEN.

I have a debit card, but I don’t use it to pay for stuff…

…I prefer to withdraw cash. I’m a total weirdo. Seriously. I mean, besides the fact that where I live, most cash machines don’t work and are in a constant state of hibernation. But still. You would think that when I go through the self-checkouts at work I would use my card. But nope. There’s me. Tongue out in total concentration. Poking around my purse for a ten pence piece to make sure I give the exact change.

I mean, I guess I’m good there.

I don’t have an alarm in the mornings

I am under the impression that most responsible people who are able to adult in a normal way have an alarm (and also eat sushi regularly and drink green tea and don’t shriek at the sight of spiders). But I don’t. I mean, I have about two set (that’s a lie, there are nine) all ranging from 5:30 AM to 8:00AM with the most stupid names. The best of which are:

Get up you dirty stinking leper. Sweet baby Jesus, Becky wants to get up!

Or

Up. UP. AND AWAAAAY

Or

Get up, lazy

See? WHOLE lotta weird.

I don’t fulfil wishes for the day

If I was a Sim, I wouldn’t be very happy. Because Sims get happiness from completing wishes.

Do you know NOTHING?

But still. I will wake up, maybe on a day off or maybe where I’m on a 2-10 shift and I’ll be like: Today I want to write some blog posts, maybe add to the chapter I’m working on, organise my wardrobe (again), make cookies, shower, maybe exercise for a while, read…

Um. No. Usually, what happens is none of that. I am a stinky, sedentary, talentless imbecile craving cookies and internetting for five hours straight. I feel very unfulfilled.   

But at least I got to look at pictures of cats.

I cycle everywhere

This is probably because I haven’t passed my driving test. But seriously. I really dislike walking. Not to the point where if I have to pee, I will wet myself before walking to the loo. But I just mean that I hate walking to work. I would rather cycle. So my hair gets all messy and I probably end up getting really stinky.

That’s not true though…well, not completely anyway.

I can say no to stuff I don’t want to do…

But I usually just say yes. Maybe I just have an uncontrollable urge to please people. Maybe I am a pushover (DON’T CALL ME A PUSHOVER!). Maybe there is just something wrong with that slither of gunky stuff that sits in my head (I like to call it my brain, if you’re interested).

But as an adult if I don’t want to do something, technically speaking I don’t have to. Don’t wanna clean my room?

Don’t got to.

Don’t wanna eat something healthy for dinner (as opposed to cake).

Nah, it’s a free country. Eat cake.

Don’t wanna wear pants?

You don’t have to…but it’s advisable.

But I end up doing all of these things in a normal way. Because I say yes. Because I am silly.

Ok. Dribble post over. I apologise for the rant-like nature of it. I can’t help it. I see lots of people on a daily basis being a normal adult and doing all of the things that make me feel weird. But I can’t do it myself. I am incapable.

Becoming an adult should come with a warning:

Warning: Adulthood is approaching. You will be granted permission to do anything you would like (pretty much). However, it’s very much like being hurled from a cannon at twelve thousand miles per hour till you begin burning up and then remember you have no parachute and you’re pretty much falling with no safety net and it’s scary. Therefore, it’s advisable that you:

#1 wear pants and socks

#2 eat food

#3 don’t cry too much

Ok I am definitely off now. It’s ok Mirth Box. I’M COMING HOME BABY.

Lots of love and leaves. Thanks for listening to me.

Jess

Tunesday Thursday

                                         

  I think I was born in the wrong generation. The whole idea of vinyls and gramophones and typewriters fills me with a sense of happiness that I just don't get when I see a phone charger, or my tatty CD player. The music back then though is quite a different matter. I think I might be allergic to easy listening songs, and songs with tunes but no lyrics, and I'm not cool enough to know about any other old music (I'm an cultured swine, sorry.). The best bit about older music is that it has now brought us to the pinnacle of music, the epitome of greatness, the peak of perfection. Basically, it's brought us Imagine Dragons, Young the Giant, Passenger and Lorde.

Okay, without further ado, song number one.

I may have mentioned that whole not cool music person thing before, but I have only been to one 'proper' concert in my life, which makes the fact that I'm going not only to a concert but an Imagine Dragon's concert all the more amazingly super cool. Yaaas! I love them so much, and Smoke and mirrors is my favourite track from their new album. It's sort of Indie Rock/Alternative, and it's amazing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQ2u1hT9x24

                                         
Oh my. I only discovered Young the Giant yesterday, and I've been listening to them non stop ever since. They're amazing (Indie Rock-ish again, sorry.) and I have no idea why they're not more famous. Any way, my favourite of their songs is Cough Syrup, hence it being number two on my list. It's really catchy, but still different.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAsTlnjvetI

I LOVE Passenger so much it's unreal, and I hate the fact that he lives in America, so I'll probably never see him. He is so amazing I can't even. POWWW. Ok, sorry. *stuffs brains back into head* His songs are all amazing, but Starlings is my favourite, I think. All of his songs have such meaningful lyrics that I can get something new out of it every time I listen (is it just me who loves songs which have stories in them?). Seriously, if you do one thing today, listen to him. He's sort of folky, but I don't really like folk, so he's can't be all that dull. It's just a heck of a lot of talented guitar playing, and a gloooorious voice.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9r_jUDNzm_8

Right, lastly, the album. This album is a couple of years old now, but every song n there is amazing, and they're all different. Pure Heroine is by Lorde, and she is just the most talented person to ever open her mouth, so the quality of the album isn't much of surprise. She's Indie Pop (my favourite!) and juust fabulous.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7sp9FmlG6g

Thank you so much to the lovely Lois A for giving me this post idea and EVERYTHING (http://lcalivin.blogspot.co.uk/). I hope you like the songs I chose. Have a listen, and I guarantee there'l be something you like in there.

Until next time

x

http://aminorityofonelunacy.blogspot.co.uk/

How to Hack People

                                   

Ugh, society. People. Interactions. Wouldn't it be great if we could all just live in caves and speak in grunts again? Sadly, life gets in the way of being unsociable, so I'm just going to have to learn to deal. Like everything though, there are ways to cheat, little buttons to push to make interacting a little easier. So go on, get manipulating.

1. Starting small, make the most of the way people's brains are hardwired, and get them to do things for you. First, start off by saying 'I need your help.' This appeals to people's sense of pride, if they turn you down they feel guilty, whereas if they help you it makes them feel better than you, because you asked them for help. Next, start off by asking for something small, and then follow it by something big. People will be more likely to help with the big thing because they subconsciously recognize that they helped you before, so they must like you. Bam.

2. Nod while you're talking. This is really powerful - not only does it seem like you're speaking the truth, but also it encourages the other person to mimic you. If they do it will tell their brains that they agree.

3. People focus on the emotions you make them feel. When you're speaking, try to invoke positive emotions, because later they won't remember most of the conversation topic, but if it made them feel happy, excited or intrigued they'll remember that they liked talking to you, and will want to talk again.

4. Make your voice (and conversation) interesting.  Be honest, there's always that one person who bores out your earwax whenever they open their mouth. It wouldn't matter if they were telling you that you'd won the lottery, or that there's going to be another Sherlock series before your eye's have rotted out, you'd still tune it all out. If you want to sound interesting, add pauses to break up fast talking, because this communicates nervousness and neediness. Next, vary your tone. This doesn't mean faking any voice breaks, but going higher or lower from time to time makes you sound more interesting, and adds more emotion to your voice. Also,add in lots of sensory details (scenes, smells, sounds) to make them feel like they were in the story, and imagine what you're talking about.

5. Look at people's reactions after a joke. People will instinctively look at the person they feel closest to and agree with in the group, and by working out who people feel closest to you can work out who they leader is. Pretty cool yeh?

6. To deal with someone insulting you, stay calm, and mock them. Never lose your temper, and then you'll seem like you're in control. If you can think of anything to throw them off balance (I don't mean pulling out the rug, fool), use it. It'll put you on top - try complementing their socks.

8. Touch people. Guys, guys, don't freak out. I mean casual contact on arms and shoulders - it creates a bond with people, especially in moments of laughter or excitement. Plus, it's always to get used to casual contact, so you don't ninja out and kill someone if they bash into you on the pavements, or worse, tread on the heel of your shoe. (Those clumsy cretins do exist.)

9. Ask open ended questions. If a conversation is awkward, you don't want the other person shutting you down as soon as you've so desperately come up with something to talk about. Try things like: "Why did you decide to go to -insert holiday destination here-" or "How was it?" You could even go back to infant school, and ask for the best and worst bits of blah blah blah.

10. Make your own fun. This is my own idea, but I think it's absolutely the most important. When you're in an awkward situation you have two choices - either grin and bear it, or make it better. It doesn't matter if you're stuck with people who you don't like in a lesson, or without friends at a party. There's no point getting jealous at other people, so instead make them jealous of you. Talk to the people around you, tell stories, make conversation. You might even find that you like the people after all, and at least it's good practice. If it can't get worse, anything you do will make it better.

So, those are a few little hacks to make society kneel before you  worship you  bearable. There are plenty more out there, I'm sure, but these ones are preeetty useful (*silent scheming*). Also, I wondered if you could help me? Please can you like this post? Thank you! And then, please can you follow this blog. Love you! (Hahahah*)

Until next time 

x

*YAAS. Hack number one in action... Did it work?

Ruffly flowers

Now, it's summer outside. Y'know, summer, sun, lack of rain, heat. Someone might want to tell whoever's in charge of the weather that though, because Britain has yet to see a hint of the glorious thing some call sunshine. There's barely been enough for the flowers, let alone enough for me to get any sort of tan. But! I, for one, am not giving in to the dismalness (is that a word?) outside. It can pee down out there all it likes, I'm making paper flowers inside. Because I'm cool.

You'll need:

Tissue paper

A stapler

Scissors

Green card

(that's it)

Cut your tissue paper into squares. You'll need around four or five of these.

Fold all of these in half, triangularly.

Cut little pretty scallops into the long, unfolded edge.

Unfold the tissue paper.

Staple the center of the cross.

Unfold all of the paper, and smush (getting technical here.) the paper into a flower shape.

Roll a piece of green card into a stem, and attach it.

Tadah!! Beautiful!!

I'm going to try and sort out some sort of schedule with regards to this blog, but hopefully there'll be a couple of guest posts soon! Fingers crossed!

Until next time

x

Ps. By the way, if you come here often, please follow le blog (see how French I am?). It means a lot to me. Love you guys! xxx