Sunday Round-up

Good evening and happy Sunday. Sundays used to be the WORST day of the week because I used to spend the whole day doing homework. That seems to have now been replaced by blog and comfort related activities so Sundays are a great day in my book.

This morning, when my Mum poked her head around my door as she usually does each morning the first thing I said was "I'm so glad to see you!" because last night I had the second dream in about a week that I was participating in The Hunger Games. Last time, my dream's plot was fairly true to the book's storyline, but this time it had been tweaked a bit and we were transported into outer space and onto another planet. Having said that, I've only read book one (and not seen the films either) so don't tell me if I've just pre-empted how the story develops beyond the first part!

Anyway! Recently, I have been...

Looking at :: potential new homes! House-hunting is a unique mixture of stressful and so much fun - any tips for moving house? Also, somewhere fun to have cocktails in south or south-west London on Friday night - suggestions much appreciated for this too.

Getting excited about :: furniture!!

Worrying about :: finding the right place; furniture!!

Wanting to visit :: Marina Abramovic's exhibition in London - have you been? Would you recommend it?

Eating :: peaches; at Turtle Bay in Southampton; at The Oriental in Birmingham; pizza at home and with M

Reading :: Everyday Sexism by Laura Bates

Enjoying :: hanging out with my sister in her house and visiting the library in Birmingham (check out those panoramics above!)

Practising :: yoga; motorway driving...

What was the loveliest thing you did this week? And tell me, have you had any weird dreams recently?

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Finding joy and getting stuff done

Spotted in Valldemossa, Mallorca

As I write this, I am sitting in my room with a towel turban on my head. About 30 seconds ago, I caught sight of myself in the bathroom mirror and did an inward giggle. Do you know the ones I mean? Those discernibly silent laughs which speak volumes in your facial muscles, like someone has metaphorically turned up the volume on your favourite song and your nose and cheeks dance in a scrunched up fashion. Sort of like a crazy smile, I suppose. A crazy smile of a stunned gremlin.

Anyhow, aside from the fact that I almost didn't recognise myself because of the aforementioned creepy grin and hair-drying contraption on head, what I noticed was that this is the feeling I get when the simplest things manage to tap into the blotchy bits of my heart and push them away for a moment (or longer, if I'm lucky). Instead, they make room for a sense of confidence in the fact that a little thing has brightened up my evening.

Today was one of those days where I managed to scoop up all the confidence I could from small joys around me and dish it out in the tasks in order to get through my day productively. It was a huge success! I didn't even realise that's what I was doing until my weird mirror revelation a moment ago.

What I am trying to say is that you can be feeling intrinsically and somewhat permanently broken, sad or consumed on one level but it is important to remember that room for light can exist if only you allow yourself to see.

I hope that if you are in need of a coping mechanism, you haven't ruled out the little things yet.

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Sunday Round-up

A quick transportation back to Paris in springtime

This week I have been //

Reading :: oasis - guys, guys!!! My best friend has started up her blog again!! I can't even begin to describe how exciting I find this - I can now talk about blog-related stuff to another human being FACE-TO-FACE! I'm still wiggling with joy. Anyway, please be kind, have a look and leave some love - Cathy is an excellent writer, a marvellous hunter of fascinating things and the ultimate bookworm so I can GUARANTEE you will come away from her space feeling educated and nourished.

Listening to :: Daughter, Arctic Monkeys, Desert Island Discs podcasts for Zadie Smith (can you believe she wrote the brilliant "White Teeth" aged 22?!? 22!!) and Rankin.

Taking :: Cosmo to the vet for his booster jab

Trying :: to find somewhere to move to

Liking :: Sally's Wonderful Wednesday because I'm emotionally invested in her ability to craft the dreamiest of blog posts // Hayley-Eszti's unique and thought-provoking take on hearing music //  Sophie's collection of photos of two very lovely blogger faces // Leona's heart-warming tribute

Eating :: Ben & Jerry's ice-cream (two flavours at the same time because it was buy one get one free and there's no time like the present), fish and chips whilst catching up with friends

Missing :: being in Spain with M (you can bet your last Smartie that there will be travel related posts up soon!)

Tell me about your week - we must have so much to catch up on!

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52 Lists // Thirty-one

What is "good"? I remember being told in primary school literacy lessons to not use the words "good", "bad" or "nice" to describe objects. We know better adjectives than that, we were told. Yet so many things in the real world are ranked on "good" and "bad". In satisfaction surveys after a hotel stay, in discussions about whether your friend's new love interest is a "good" guy or not, or when someone's "bad" attitude towards something confuses you. Did you get "good" grades? Did you have a "bad" run? I'm guilty of it too but lets not settle and instead endeavour to use better words. 

Anyhow, the list above is of things that were either "good" (read soul-nourishing, peaceful, cathartic, helpful) for me, either because they helped someone else or sorted my life or head out a bit. 

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List #31 in the 52 Lists project, hosted by Emma.

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