Sunday 29 January 2017

Dear Jen Dent || Thank you

Firstly, hi again! Happy New Year? Is it too late for that? Have I already said that? I don't know. Well you're welcome anyway. Hope you're having a great January.

This post is dedicated to Jen Dent.

If you don't know who that is, firstly, where you been girl?? Let me introduce you...

Jen Dent, is amongst other things, a YouTuber, Nurse, Author and Advocate for Sexual Assault and Rape. But most of all this lady is amazing.

Jen's YouTube Channel

I want you to know that this is entirely how I feel. I might not be too specific, I don't know yet. I don't know who reads this so I can't say everything personal to my circumstances.

Jen is the funny lady of the internet, she does tell funny stories, they make me laugh, I am a poppet and an ominous baby duck. (Inside joke) But at heart she's an advocate for what's right. She's brave, so so brave. And she's not afraid to speak out. Using her own personal experiences to help others. It's admirable. She's also victim (I hate using that word, but I can't think of another one) to a lot of online hate that she doesn't deserve.

Jen's latest video < What I'm about to say is related to this video but the other ones too.

Dear Jen,

Thank you.

That could be all of it, a simple 'Thank you.' But that isn't enough. You hit every nail on the head with that last video. I had so much to say, but the words have gone. I'm grateful that you're using your platform for this Jen. More than anything. You've helped me come to terms and understand things that happened to me a lot more. I've been able to talk. Something that I didn't have before. I felt like I'd been muted. But I haven't, and you helped me find my voice. So thank you. Everything you said in that video really resinated with me, so thank you. Thank you for everything you've done and continue to do. You are an amazing woman so thank you. I do struggle with what happened, not all the time, but some times. It has affected a lot of my life in ways that I'm still finding out. But that's happened to you too, so it makes me feel okay about it. More normal, that I'm not weird, that it's okay to feel like this. So thank you.

This should be longer. I have a lot to say. Maybe I'll add to it at another time, but I needed to write something down.

I'm very grateful for everything you've done Jen.

Thank you


X.

Jens links;

Jen's YouTube Channel
Twitter: www.twitter.com/jentotheden
Instagram: www.instagram.com/jentotheden
Snapchat: jendentvine1
www.jendentfromvine.com
jendent@gmail.com

PO Box 571
Emporia, VA 23847

If you or someone you know needs to talk about sexual assault or rape:

Go to www.rainn.org
Or you can call 800.656.HOPE

Jen also writes and makes videos for Project Consent so go check out what they're about.

This is copied from one of Jens YouTube videos so click all the links for that >>>

The mission of PROJECT CONSENT is:

AWARENESS: Much like a doctor must diagnose a disease before treating it, the first step in combating rape culture is raising awareness to the public and promoting an understanding that there is a grievous issue with the way sexual assault is treated in society. The conversation about sexual assault is one that must occur in order for change to take place within all society.

EDUCATION: To deconstruct the negative status quo of sexual assault’s blasé treatment, we aim to educate the public on important topics and opening the doors for conversations about rape culture. We intend to oppose toxic ways of thinking by promoting ideas of consent as a necessity, not a luxury or a trivial matter. Education is vital to a better groundwork.

PROMOTION: In order for change to occur, action must be taken towards the damaging constructs set in place. Here, we work to promote all of our followers to take a stand against sexual assault by refusing to allow rape culture to continue. As we can only inspire others to join in, it takes a collective effort to truly defeat rape culture once and for all.

TO SEE MY MONTHLY VLOGS ON PROJECT CONSENT: Please SUBSCRIBE to their channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9-6...

To read the articles that I write for PROJECT CONSENT: Go to www.projectconsent.com and click on "Menu" then click on "Content".

Specific links to my articles: 
"What happens when you get caught up in the likes" - http://www.projectconsent.com/article...

"Lucky for us, these women shared their truths" - http://www.projectconsent.com/article...



Wednesday 30 November 2016

Meeting Grace and Mamrie - This Might Get Weird Ya'll - Dublin

Hey guys!

I've been to Dublin! Well I went to Dublin. First time on a plane in 4 years. I totally shit my pants on the flight out there. I did all my security liquid things wrong. (Side note - its 1 ziplock bag. Who knew how important that would be!)

So storytime, I went on a much needed break with my bff. Honestly, so needed for both of us it was GREAT! The whole point of us going was for the This Might Get Weird Ya'll Show, if you don't know, have you been living under a rock? Are you over 50 with no children? It's Grace Helbig and Mamrie Hart's comedy show and damn it's funny. Again, if you don't know who they are go suck a lil softie (TMGWY joke. lol) and get on YouTube. Whilst you're there go watch the show. Because shit it was funny. I cry laughed. And I needed to pee for the WHOLE SHOW because I broke the seal before we went in and fucked it right up. We were front row and I didn't want to miss a thing so I held it the fuck in like a BO$$. If I can post clips and stuff here I will. But I'm basically a grandma with technology like this so don't hold your breath.

Also gifs, because I have such a good story about my friend waking herself up with a fart and be silently laughing so hard I nearly fell off the bed. So if you know the Mamrie story about waking herself up farting on Grace's sofa. THAT.

The night after the show the hotel's fire alarm goes off at 3am. That's as dramatic as it sounds. I sat bolt upright like wtf is going on. My friend woke up in the bed next to me and we're just looking at each other like dude whats going on?

>insert that meme of the lass and the hand and the hair (you know the one, don't lie you use it all the time)<

So I'm trying to get my trainers on that are tied and can't get on, my friend is at the door talking to the old women in the hall (which were delightful btw) and I'm running to the door with one shoe on the alarm is going on and off we've got no idea what's going on. This woman comes down the corridor with her fur jacket on over her pyjamas very Devil Wears Prada/Cruella Deville and she goes "there's a slight smell of smoke coming from down there" like cool lady thank you for that. So we go back in decide we're gonna put all the important stuff we need like phone, passport, boarding passes, keys, and go find out what the hell is going on. We really looked stupid and the alarm is still going on or off and we're so tired and have no idea what's going on. So we go outside and the woman from across the hall decides she's gonna come on the adventure with us to find reception because god forbid they'd actually answer the phone from the hotel room. Picture this, theres me, in my pyjamas with bright red trainers on, a red oversized hoodie, hair all over the place and a ruck sack; my friend, in pretty much the same state, and this old irish woman who was so brilliant and sassy and totally done with this situation. Like she might as well have had her hair curlers in and I seem to remember her having a dressing gown but honestly it was early, could've been anything. We're all storming down the corridor like something out of ghost busters.

>insert picture of the badass bitches<

Looked more like this ngl


We're walking with purpose but have no idea where we're going. This hotel is a MAZE. So we follow those green signs all the doors have been shut and the doors to the lifts are locked we're ending up in the back end of beyond on concrete stairs finding back kitchens in this hotel but no way to reception. This, I'm saying 70 year old woman, is running around this hotel whilst we're behind barely bloody breathing.

Safe to say, we didn't find the stairs to reception so we gave up and called the outside line of the hotel to be told "Yeah its a false alarm" Twats. Although we did receive an apology note in the morning. Wasn't enough F U Gresham damn we were TIRED.

There's probably other stories from this trip but I'll have to think about them for a bit longer. As you know I'm gluten and dairy intolerant and I ate gluten and dairy about an hour ago, so I'm a ticking time bomb just now.

Grace and Mames were just amazing though, the most talented, funny people (aside from myself) that I've ever met. They deserve the world and if you don't think that I'm going to send them some selfie merch of my face for Christmas you are wrong. Because I've already been eyeing that up. I was meant to give them Grinch onesies but onesies are big damn. And they didn't sell them in the irish version of Primark so I was screwed. But don't be disappointed. You wait for those coasters and t-shirts.

If you ever find this girls, in my tiny corner of the internet that I'm totally going to send you lol. Hiiiiiii! My life is different now! I deserved a drink and I loved it. Let's not get too deep ;) AYYYYYYY. lolololol. It was great meeting you and my joke was meant to come off better but my wick was so cold from the hall I could barely speak. But you're gorgeous and talented and I send you all the love. Also, thanks for the hugs you special ladies.


Yours,




X.
here we are - I have some great ones pulling the FITTEST faces. Looking great gals.

I don't know how to post videos on here so go to YouTube dummies. Jk love ya xoxo










Saturday 5 November 2016

Back to Bridget

Hi guys,

I wanted to share something with you all. This is really for my benefit I suppose I'm trying to make myself feel better.

This time last year was one of the happiest times in my life. I was elated, walking on air, everything seemed so perfect. I watched the fireworks in awe, went to the Fenwicks Christmas window opening and watched the snow come off the roofs. I was so happy.

That's not the case now. I've tried to be happy, don't get me wrong, But today is just a shit day. I've spent the whole day crying. I was meant to be doing my dissertation but honestly if I even think about the time I've wasted I'll just cry even more. Instead, I've watched Louise Live DVD, Friends, Rose and Rosie videos, spoke to people online and edited a fan video together. Total waste of my day as it turned out shit and got copyrighted by YouTube about 5 billion times. Not ok. But there was just no way I could do work. My eyes are so sore from crying, I'm exhausted but here I am, red, puffy eyes, can barely see. But hey world this is what's happening just now.

I need to get it off my chest but this isn't the place. I wanted to send a heart felt message to a fave. Just because I knew they'd understand, but to be honest, I don't know what to say. I want to say everything and nothing at the same time. I have everything and nothing to say, how is that possible?

Picture that opening scene of Bridget Jones, you know, the sobbing Bridget on the sofa, drinking wine and listening to sad music. Well I'm basically that but without the wine. Which makes everything 1000 x sadder.

My room is cold, my lips are purple, I'm hungry but I don't want to eat. I wanna talk but I wanna be alone. All I know is that today is hell. These last few months have been hell. There's always moments of happiness but today is just not one of those days. I've tried everything to feel better today but the sting of my eyes just reminded me why I was upset in the first place. No way out of it today. No work to be done today. It's all just stressing me out today.

If you understand thank you. If you don't then that's fine too.

I'm not going to re-read this before I post it. So if there's mistakes then I'm sorry but I just needed to blurt it all out. Kind of. This is my safe place so thank you for being a part of this with me.

Until a happier time.



Yours,

X.

Tuesday 1 November 2016

Please help my friend! / Why does this s***t always happen to me?!

Hello again!!

Look at this 2 blog posts near each other can you believe it?! This is actually 1st November. If it gets scheduled or goes up today I'm not sure. To be fair, everyone knows I'll save it and forget for weeks that I haven't published it and then this whole part will be irrelevant but never mind. 

I had to share my terrible week with you. I'm not even sure it counts as a week when we're only on Tuesday but hey I'll add to it if this crap continues. 

Firstly I have an important help notice. 

My friend Sky (@SkyCC_GA on twitter she has a blog too so check that out <https://skylouiseryan.wordpress.com/) is collecting cards for her friends niece who is going through treatment for her second lot of cancer and she's very sick. So if you can help please do! Give her a DM on twitter and she'll send you the address to send them too. Please help as much as you can, it's great to make a little girl smile :) 

Thank you, in advance. 


Now onto my week. 

So, as you know dissertation blah. I was meant to go home to my friends Halloween party on Saturday and I was so sick and busy that I couldn't go. Pissed them right off. Shit. 

Also, I ordered a pizza, actually 2 pizzas. You can judge. I'm a hungry person. Damn. So I ordered 2 gluten free, vegan pizzas, from Zizzi's (which is expensive AF) and no I'm not rich but I was hungry and I can't eat normal food so I though treat yo self gurl you've been working hard. So I did. Using the trusty deliveroo. 

And yano what the delivery guy did?! SMASHED UP MY HOLY GRAIL PIZZAS. I'll insert my email to deliveroo. Cos damn I can't think about it again. It was the most horrific experience. 


<<<Email<<<


Hello,

Tonight I ordered 2 gluten free vegan pizzas using your service. I've used you before and had no issue but tonight was terrible.

When the delivery guy eventually found me he takes out an extremely battered box with cheese all over the opening and then puts the less battered box on top looks at my horrified face and says here you are.

I'm praying that my glorious pizza is fine whilst I walk up the stairs to my apartment. Turns out it wasn't ! It was so badly smashed up that it was bearly recognisable, there was no topping left on the first pizza at all! It was all over the box no cheese, no sauce, just a very soggy all folded over, smashed up base. It was disgusting.

But I still had the shining light of the next pizza. Until I opened it. And it too was in a very sorry state. Topping gone from half of it all in the box up the sides. EVERYWHERE but not on my pizza!!! Also with a smashed up base.

It really isn't acceptable and if I wasn't about to pass out from starvation I'd have left it as inedible. But I had just paid £16 for this rubbish and I'm not made of money. I only ate one because a soggy base with no sauce and no topping is really disgusting.

Please can you help, (i.e. give me a refund because I'm really not happy and neither is the pizza)

Thanks,

<<<insert<<< the rest of the night I spent throwing up that pizza. Not ok.

There's so much and its already 11.30pm. I am TIRED.

I'm actually sick all the time but I'll talk about that another time. So sometimes things are harder than normal but its cool.

Right so, I go to tesco, yesterday? Day before? I'm loosing track of days so bad I've barely been out my room the past 4/5 days.

Honestly, I'm gonna have to finish this another time because I have Tesco stories, Morrison's stories, Curry explosion stories, and I have the concentration span of a fish right now.

In short - dude was a dick to me in Tesco, went to Morrison's weird check out guy just stared at my tits and wouldn't speak to me. Even though I had a mans NUFC football shirt on and my big puffer jacket. It was weird. To top it off finally got hungry after being sick and the curry exploded all over my shitty microwave. It's gone everywhere and I can't deal with it. Like nope. No thanks.

I've also done my washing tonight. I left it too long in the dryer - and have I checked it to see if its wearable anymore? Hell no I haven't. It's in last years Tesco shopper Christmas bag and I'm building up to dealing with it but not tonight satan.

Something else that happened today - I ate a punnet full of grapes in about an hour and then had explosive diarrhoea. All my shit fell out the cupboard onto my HOT stove top and I burnt my hands. Then I was washing up and sliced a chunk out of my hand. Great day.
👌

I'll catch up tomorrow.

Night!


Yours,


X.



Monday 31 October 2016

Am I an adult now?

Hello people of the internet!

Once again you find me cake in hand pondering my life choices and not doing what I'm meant to be. What a day.

You know what I bought today?
 A hoover. Not even a proper one. A handheld hoover.
A doormat. Because my 1 room studio needs something else unnecessary taking up more space.
A rug. See above.

Oh and a carrier bag. Which none of my stuff fitted in so they gave me a massive plastic sack that dragged on the floor the whole 30 minute walk home and into the lift because no way was I dragging it up 3 flights of stairs. I barely had any arms left as it was.

Anyway, getting to the point.
Does this make me an adult now I bought home appliances? Or am I only an adult when I get a fridge? Or a washing machine? A friend told me the other day, (by that I mean, recently, last month, last year, could be a few years a go, hard to tell), (also hold onto your hats we're about to get philosophical) that you don't really become an adult until you have kids. Which I'm more than happy with. But if someone never has children are they never an adult? Forever a child? I'm confused.

Does this mean I can still go trick or treating ? Watch kids programmes on TV and not do any work or have any responsibilities? I'm down with that.

Also, I really like Times New Roman. Which I think is the pivotal moment of adulthood.

What else is new?

I got a new job. Thats new news.
More importantly, I watched all 3 seasons of H2O: Just add water, in about 3 days. Thats 78 half hour episodes. It's a lot. But I regret nothing, Honestly, best 3 days of my life. I sat in bed, ate cake, with 2 fluffy blankets and watched Netflix non-stop. Of course I was meant to be doing other things, like that 2000 word chapter of my dissertation that should have been handed in a few weeks ago, at least last week, it's still not finished, I've written about 1000 words, it's not good. Well its complete trash if I'm honest but lets stay positive!

I'm also dealing with THE WORST period pain in the world.

So if anyone wants me I'll be in bed, on Twitter (*hint* @Rebecca_GAx *hint* ) eating cake and watching Netflix.

(Also the new doormat stops my door from opening. What a great purchase.)

Until next time!

Yours,

X.
Inspirational cake related quote to go with my Cherry Bakewells. 

Quality gif for a quality blog post.

Sunday 16 October 2016

Ode to Bridget Jones

Hello/Hi/Morning/Afternoon/Aloha/Other nonsensical greeting...

I had such great intentions with this blog, I had all the things I wanted to write and I was going to write every day, publish every week, why not? I asked myself. Well looks like it didn't turn out like that.

I knew I wanted to write about everything in my life and share my photos and things I'd been doing. Now I'm using it to procrastinate, which until a few years ago I had no idea what it meant and just nodded along when anyone used it, then go home like what was that word again? What does it mean? I've come to the realisation that I'm totally clueless about a lot of things. I recently had a meeting with my dissertation supervisor and I was all full of beans and he was being so positive and so was I. Then the questions started coming... what's this like? You want to compare these topics, why, what's interesting, why's it different in another country, why did you pick there and not somewhere else? And I just sat there looking at him saying all the wrong things trying to think on my feet whilst looking like a deer caught in the headlights. Thing was, I didn't know, but I so desperately wanted to, and I wanted to impress him. I don't know whether I did but he chuckled and I nervously laughed and left a lot sweatier than when I'd walked into his very disorganised side of the office. (Andrew, if you read this, apologises but I'm blagging life and I admire your mountains of paper. When you told me it was difficult to write you wasn't kidding.)

Someone HELP ME!

I was so stressed that I've already turned so Bridget Jones is laughable. I drank £3 bottles of rosé and sat in bed with my blanket playing sad music on Spotify. To be interrupted all the god damn time by adverts may I add, I never knew 30 minutes to go as quickly as those glorious ad free half hours. The last 2 whole days I've listened to a Musicals playlist and sang my little heart out to Joseph, cried at Les Mis, danced to Mamma Mia, it's been an emotional rollercoaster of 3 hours and 19 minutes, that I seemingly don't get off of and just repeat constantly, I can go from the Muppets and Hairspray to Cats and Oliver. I might as well listen to Blood Brothers as well. It's a lot. Into the Woods also makes an appearance, and to be completely honest, I've tried to delete it, it won't leave, it's turning into a very traumatic experience. (If you'd like to join me or want a soundtrack to this post its 'Musicals HITS')

Also, my new 'just opened' bag of pasta fell out of the cupboard onto me, whilst I stood there helpless as a few hundred sticks of spaghetti fell onto me, the floor and made an impressive Kerplunk statute on my worktop. I'll insert a picture for your pleasure. Everyone laughed, make no mistake, I just looked at it and I couldn't stop it, I couldn't move, I've never felt as helpless as I did in that moment of hell. 

(Not pictured - the hell that had ensued all over my nice clean floor, under chairs, in cupboards, in every nook and cranny possible. Also, that hob had just been on because I'd made very disgusting pasta for my tea, so as you can imagine I cursed till the sky was blue whilst I burnt every orifice of my body. Don't fool yourself into thinking it's easy to pick up, ever played Pick up Sticks? Buckaroo? Operation? The tension and stress swept over my body. The realisation that whatever happened I was always going to have a full bag of half floor, half sticky pasta, some a bit wet, and I have to deal with it. Myself. Alone. Adulting at its best people! 
Sweet hell. That's what that was.)

This was the last straw of a terrible week of failures and kick started this Bridget episode I've found myself in. (The new film is great by the way)  I'll promise to post more but let's be honest, it probably won't happen.

Until next time...


X.







Monday 5 September 2016

Hiya! Come on in !

Hello everyone! (I say everyone but I doubt many of you are here yet...)

Come in, take a seat.

Cuppa?

Biscuit?                                                         I'll get the tin.

I hope you're all well and welcome to my brand spanking shiny new blog!

I don't think I've introduced myself yet... apologies... my names Rebecca but I go by Bex or Becky, you'll see. I answer to most things to be fair.

Currently, I'm 21 and live in Newcastle Upon Tyne. I'm in my last year of university and I've wanted to start this for a long time but never found the spare hours to get started.

I'm hoping for this to document my travels and adventures in my last year of uni and moving on wherever that will take me. Please come along on this journey with me!

Let's get started!

Yours,

X.


Dear future self,

I hope everything is going well and you're still keep up with this! I hope you've learnt to stop eating the Yorkshire puddings and stuffing, don't tell yourself it'll be fine this time because you know full well it won't. You've had too many sleepless nights from it. Also, buy some nice things for the new flat. Good luck!