I'm excited about life

I emailed lots and lots of volunteering companies yesterday, and although I am yet to receive a reply from any of them I am looking forward to a telephone interview next Tuesday (it was automatically booked when I applied). I really don't mind where I go, I just want to meet new people and get involved in the world. I grew up in a small village, and Brighton has felt just as small to me for a few years now...

I have found a way around my money problems now too! I was worried about being tied in to my loan with HSBC, but if they won't allow me a repayment holiday then I will take a loan with Natwest who will. That will hopefully pay for my travel expenses and everything, as well as obviously paying off the HSBC loan. Then I only have to worry about it when I get back...

I feel like I spend a lot of time on my own at the moment. It's not a bad thing, and it's actually quite nice, it's just strange. I'm so used to having someone around that makes noise and fills the space, and it's strange how much more you notice it when it's gone...

See, if I had a television I'm sure I'd be zoned out in front of it watching nonsense. Instead, I'm thinking and writing and communicating, which is probably much healthier.
I noticed once that when I stopped blogging my wits were slower and I didn't think as critically as before. I used to be able to write such beautiful poetry (although I didn't think so at the time), and take incredible photographs. I don't know what changed about my life that meant I forgot how to do it, or even that it was something I really enjoyed.

My hope is that by reconnecting with some part of my brain, I'll slowly reawaken that side of me and start doing these things again! Maybe going to the gym will give me the energy to go with it, too. I've decided I'm going to join one around the corner this coming Monday, and try and go three days a week after work. Should be worth it just to save the napping in the evenings!

I'm so hungry, but I have no idea what I'm going to have for dinner...

Cheap tracks

I recorded myself singing a cover of Such Great Heights today (once again I had the afternoon off from work- thank goodness for time in lieu). It's not fantastic; cheap recording on my laptop microphone and all that. I quite like the melody though and, given the chance and equipment, I would quite like to record it properly. I'd also quite like to record my own songs; will have to write some though, I suppose!

For those of you brave enough to have a listen:

My totally basic cover of Such Great Heights; and,

my cover of Valerie back when I had a microphone. Bit better.

I totally just got some shoes in the post. However, upon trying them on, I have come to the conclusion that they're really uncomfortable, and I can't for the life of me work out why. I think they're going to need a massive amount of wearing in before the summer hits...

Tinkered...

Finally, after playing around all day, I think I have a blog design to be happy with. It was nice to crack open photoshop again; I haven't used it in a very long time. I don't feel like I've forgotten anything, but then again I'd never know if I had...

I'm sure I'll get fed up of it soon enough when I stumble upon some beautiful, elegantly designed mastery. That's okay though, it's all easy to chop and change.

And just so it's not a post completely bereft of imagery, here is a picture of some seagulls I took last summer.

I haven't taken the camera out for a spin in so long. It really is overdue. I'd like someone to go with, really, but there isn't anyone close by who values a good jaunt around town taking pictures of cool-lookin'-stuff. I suppose I'll have to start to like my own photographical company.

Brighton's so beautiful in the sunshine, it really would be a shame to let it go to waste.

Maybe I'll try and do a 365 Photo Project.


And now, I'm going to go and do the washing up. I've had a day off work and all I've done is watch Lost and start a blog. What a failure!

Thursday 28 January: First Post

I'm not overly confident with first post titles. I'm scared that they'll come off as snobbish and try-hard. Therefore, I have decided to stick to the facts.

The plan for this blog (there have been many in the past, jettisoned into the ether with all the other half-baked thoughts over the ages) is to collate and aggregate.

I love a lot of stuff. I've always loved a lot of stuff, and most of it I've put somewhere never to be found again. If I have an immovable, globally accessible and relative space (i.e. a blog) to store it in, I imagine it won't get too lost. Maybe only a little bit lost.

Unless I delete this blog like I deleted all of the others. I'll try not to.

So, first post. The question I need to ask myself is, "what do I love today?".

Today, I love The Fairways. It's sad that they split in 2004, many years before I found them. Often the way though. Please have a listen!

I am also bidding on this coat. I am massively in love with it:

I have a thing for oversized hoods at the moment. I think it's because of an episode of Murder She Wrote, and there's a girl wearing a cape with this really big hood up. She's all sneaking around and murdersome. Could do with a bit more stealth in my life.

I think one of the buttons is missing. I'm hoping that will dissuade the less stitchy-nifty amongst us from bidding; I want to have it, but I really can't afford all that much. It's at about £40 already, including postage.

I'm also playing a lot of Dragon Age: Origins on the Xbox, as anyone who has spoken to me in the last few weeks can attest to. I've played through the whole game as an Elf Mage called Neria. That was a good game, but there are things I would have done differently. So, I started again as a Human Rogue called Arianwen (a name I chose myself; one of my favourite Welsh names). I'm enjoying it a lot more this time round, and doing things properly. I do find I'm skipping through the dialogue a lot more now though; I probably should have left it a while before I started playing again.

I just sent my details off to VSO this morning. I'm very excited about the prospect of volunteering- it's something I've been actively trying to do in a couple of different ways now, but to no avail. Fingers crossed I'll hear back from them soon, because I'm itching to get out into the great wide world and live a little.

Will post when I get a response...