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Thursday 28 November 2013

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

Hello everyone!

On Sunday I went to go see the new addition to The Hunger Games trilogy with my dad and sister. I loved the first film so much, and with this long wait between both films I was expecting something amazing. And I was not disappointed, it was 2 and a half hours of awesomeness.
When the first film came out last July, the trailer didn't really sell it to me. To be honest I don't really remember it much! I wasn't too fussed about paying to see a film I wasn't 100% in to, so I never went.... for quite some time. I think it may have been one of my friends who told me I should go see it, as she had also previously read all 3 books. She told me the film was so good and that she even cried (at the part when Rue died... Spoiler alert!) The time then came around for my dad to take me and my sister to the cinema to watch a film, and The Hunger Games happened to be the only film we all agreed on. I didn't have a clue on the plot, or who was in it. We just went in, not expecting much from it. Walking out after it had finished, I was highly impressed and couldn't wait for the next film to come out.
To fill the void over the next year and 4 months, my dad bought me the book trilogy. Apart from Harry Potter and Angus, Thongs & Full Frontal Snogging, I'd never watched a film, loved it so much that I just had to read the books. Between the lengthy time of the two films I managed to read both books and start the third (due to work and college, I have not yet had time to finish it :( But I will!) Whilst reading the first book, it was hard as I already had a pre-set imagery of the characters and set from the film, so it took me a while to stop only thinking about the film, as some parts were not the same. Reading the second book was much easier, I could imagine everything as I thought it would be like. The book was full of action, and made me even more excited for when the time was to come along in November 2013.
Catching fire came out on Thursday 21st November, but I couldn't go to see it on the day of release as I was working the late night shopping shift; 4:30pm-7:30pm. Also neither me or my dad had any money to go to the cinema, so I had to wait a few days. I don't usually mind waiting, but this was 'The Hunger Games', I just had to see it. On the Friday of that week my dad found out that he actually did have enough money, so we planned to go on Saturday evening after I finished work. That was until 1D Day came along. It was a 7 hour live-stream of One Direction completing challenges, interviews and games to give back to fans for their support. In the UK it went it went from 7pm to 2:30am and my sister sat in front of the laptop for 7 hours straight, and refused to move to see the film. We eventually went on the Sunday evening and Oh my.... it was sooo good, how did I wait this long!? During the film I tried so hard not to judge some parts if it was different from the book or if some parts weren't there. For me, the majority of the film's set was how I pictured it in my head which was great to see it come to life. Saying that, I did notice parts of the book that weren't featured in the film (I won't spoil it for anyone and give any of it away) but I obviously do realise that the film was long enough and the book goes into way more depth and detail.

I would recommend that you all go to see the film now, or wait for the lovely surprise on DVD. I also think that if you do like the films then you should read the books too. 

Monday 25 November 2013

Bloglovin

Hello Everyone!

I have recently, as in just a minute ago, joined Bloglovin to follow the blogs I am loving! ;) hehe see what I did there!? By clicking on the link here; Follow my blog with Bloglovin you too can follow my blog, if you'd like to. 
It would be lovely to gain more followers, meaning that more people are reading my content, which will all help me in the long run with my future career aspect to become a journalist.

Thank you for reading yet another short and informative post. I really need to blog some more full content posts, and hopefully this week will be a productive blogging week for me :D

Favourite Clothes Shop


Hello Everyone!

This weeks actual #BritishBloggerSelection topic is about your favourite clothes shop. Oooo, I love clothes so very much, so this is quite a toughie choosing a favourite.
I work in a clothes retailer, and some people when getting a job in certain places can make them hate the things they sell. Like if you worked in a chip shop, you may become sick of the smell of greasy chips. However, this is not the case for me. I love my job, even if it is only 4 hours on a Saturday and 4 on a Sunday. I don't know whether it is the clothes, working on the till, being able to help customers or the lovely people who also work there that make me LOVE it!? Oh.... I’ve just realised that I missed out saying where it is I work, that place is Primark!
I know a lot of people talk down about Primark, saying because it is cheap it will break easily. I'm not trying to defend it just because I work there and have to be positive, but yeah it is cheap, but the selection of lovely clothes is amazing. When I am often working on the tills, I see all the nice things customers are buying and secretly in my head I think 'when I get paid, I'll buy that'. The Primark in my city, Portsmouth, has just recently been extended, making the shop bigger in size. 
My other all time favourite shop is H&M! They too have such beautiful clothing designs for a fairly decent price, I would say the majority of my wardrobe is from H&M. Infact, the top I am currently wearing whilst writing this post is from H&M a few years ago. It's still going, and is still one of my favourite tops.
Every now and then I go through phases of loving everything in Dorothy Perkins to loving a few items, to absolutely nothing at all. I thought I would include it in my list of favourite clothes shops. I would say that my love for Dorothy Perkins has come from my mum, as I remember she used to like shopping in there, but it now seems quite expensive (especially for a college student, saving up for car insurance and university).
Of course Topshop is a favourite, but maybe just to browse as I can hardly ever afford anything from there on a frequent basis. I often find myself scrolling through their website finding sooo many clothes I really like and want to add to my wardrobe. As it is getting so close to Christmas, I will be asking my mum and dad very nicely for just a few clothes from here >_<

Thank you for reading about my favourite shops. Where are your favourite places to buy your clothes? If you would like to tell me then please feel free to leave a comment below.

Monday 18 November 2013

Q&A/Interview

Hello Everyone!

This is a bit late compared to other bloggers posts, I have just got confused with the weeks and when the #BritishBloggerSelection posts are supposed to be published! :/ arhh So I think this was supposed to be up last week, but here goes.
This week is a Q&A set up, with 'Little Vintage Camera' asking 9 questions to all bloggers taking part. By answering these questions I hope you get to know me a bit better.
 
1) Why do you like blogging?
I like blogging as it is a way of expressing yourself through writing and sharing moments in your life with others. You can get across your personality through blog posts, by the way you write. It is also great experience for my future to become a journalist, to practice writing skills. Sorry for the long answer, aha :/
 
2) How did you come up with your blog name?
My hair is blonde (ish, it's gradually getting darker) and curly. Back in school I used to say some really stupid, silly things so my friends kept making fun of me calling me a stereotypical 'blonde'.
 
3) Where from the UK do you come from?
I come from Portsmouth, in Hampshire. Portsmouth is at the very south of the UK, along the South Coast.
 
4) Favourite colour?
I'm really into mint/jade green at the moment. I used to absolutely love pink!
 
5) Do you like Lana Del Ray?
I'm not really fussed about her; she has a lovely voice and some great songs. I'm just not overly amazed by her.
 
6) Hidden Talents That You Have?
I can touch my nose with my tongue, ewww ok thats disgusting! :P Ermm, I'm quite good at art (like drawing and painting) if I take my time, I got a Distinction (An A) at GCSE.
 
7) Celebrity Crush?
Oooo, that's a toughy! At the moment I have 'a thing' for Alex Turner (from the Arctic Monkeys, if you didn't know!), I went to see them at the iTunes festival in September and the image I took of him is now my phone lock screen. Oh and of any member of One Direction, how could I not include them ahaha ;)
 
8) Favourite Blog Of All Time?
Standard options would be; Zoella and Sprinkle of Glitter
 
9) What made you want to join #BritishBloggerSelection?
I thought it was a great idea, for British Bloggers to come together and publish posts based around a common topic. It would be great to hopefully make some friends along the way :D
 
Thank you for reading this post, I hope you got to know a bit more about me! Don't forget that if you want to join the #BritishBloggerSelection, you can do so by contacting Ellie via her blog.... http://littlevintagecamera.blogspot.co.uk/

Friday 15 November 2013

Alternative Halloween

Hello Everyone!

Halloween has been and gone for another year, and for this blog post I will be talking about how I spent my night. This post on 'Halloween' is part of a #BritishBloggerSelection topic.

I don't normally celebrate Halloween as my mum and dad never thought it was 'morally right' to go trick or treating, as to them it's 'give us sweets or we'll do horrible things to you/your house'. :/ So I think during my 18 years of life I have only been trick or treating once with friends. I remember being invited to my best friends Halloween party when I was about 7/8 and my parents wouldn't let me go, I cried as I was so upset! :'( aha As a child me and my sister had a fancy dress box, full of princess dresses, and somehow we also had a scary vampire mask which terrified my mum, so that got thrown away!
In my house we even go so far as to put up this sign in the front room window. Halloween is a no go for my family!

This year however, we actually did something on Halloween night (that to my dad’s delight, avoided any trick or treaters at the door). My dad took part in a panto (for children as an alternative Halloween night) as an evil henchman, this involved acting stupid, being picked up and thrown on the ground, having a moustache and wearing women’s leggings! Yes, that's right I said WOMEN'S LEGGINGS, on my dad's legs, which are slimmer than mine! :/ Despite all of these embarrassing factors, it turned out to be a brilliant performance by all the cast.  

The story of the panto was based on Jack and the Beanstalk. Men dressed as women and women dressed as men. It was £1 entry to get in, this included free popcorn, sweets and drinks. If I'm being honest I didn't think many people would turn up, they’d be too busy actually trick or treating. Why would they come to see a group of amateurs fool around on stage!? I was totally wrong as on the first night they pulled in 370 people to watch, and then when it was extended to a second night they brought in a further 300, making the two nights total 670 people. My sister and I had seen all of the rehearsals over the weeks, seeing it all come together, as we helped out with the costumes and props which I found very fun! It was a great achievement seeing all the costumes and props I'd helped out with being used on stage. To top it all off on the last night, they congratulated everyone who had helped out (from directing, make-up, hair, costumes and props), they called them up on stage to give flowers or chocolates. Me and my sister were called up, it was such an embarrassing experience looking out, only being able to see the kids at the front due to the power of the lights. :/
Thanks to anyone who has chosen to read this post, about how I spent my 'Halloween' night. This is the first topic in the #BritishBloggerSelection and in the coming weeks I will continue to write more posts on the topics set out. :D

Wednesday 13 November 2013

British Blogger Selection

Hello Everyone!

This is just a quick post to tell all of you lovely people that I have recently joined a group called #BritishBloggerSelection' along with 200+ other British Bloggers. Exciting times! This amazing idea came from Ellie Fortley (http://littlevintagecamera.blogspot.co.uk/p/britishbloggerselection.html)
Join #BritishBloggerSelection

If you are a British Blogger and would like to take part in this group, then all you have to do is contact Ellie and she'll add you straight away.
Contact Ellie here: littlevintagecamera@gmail.com with your blog name, blog URL, your first name and last name.

It's that easy! :D


Tuesday 12 November 2013

Cute Surprise!

Hello Everyone!

This is just a short post about a cute little surprise that came through my letterbox today in the form of a card. 
I remember before I turned 17 and was able to drive I used to look in the congratulations section of the card shop. Whilst looking in this section, I used to find cute 'congratulations on passing your driving test' cards. There were some with funny puns on them (how puny.. :/) As weird as it sounds, I used to hope I'd get one of them when I pass. And that day was today!


My mum sent me this today, which was such a nice surprise to come home to! She is so cute, she is always quick to send congratulation cards for exams or even happy Easter cards. I love the thought of sending cards to people, as random as it may sound ahaha :/ 

Best Day Ever!!

Hello Everyone!

The 7th November 2013 was the day I had been dreading for 5 weeks, my practical driving test! 
My instructor allowed me to complete a mock test so that I could get an idea and feel of what an actual test would be like. It was a really weird experience as all of sudden my instructor went from having a joke and a laugh with me, to being very serious in test mode. :/ I started on the top of Portsdown hill as it is near the test centre and from there I drove around for about 40 mins, at the end of the 'test' my instructor revealed in the say way an examiner would, 'I'm glad to tell you that you have been successful in passing your test'. For this mock test I only got 3 minors, which was amazing!! This put more pressure on me for passing my test first time, also both my mum and dad did it in one attempt.

In the morning, waiting for my instructor to pick me up I was getting so nervous and feeling like I really didn't want to take my test. I felt I wasn't ready, even though I clearly was! :/ All sorts of thoughts were going through my head, 'oh no what if I fail, what do I do next!?' 'What do I tell people if I fail?' Whilst driving up to the test centre my instructor was trying to keep me calm and aware of what will happen before, during and after the test. At the test centre I was placed into a queue of about 4/5 other cars awaiting their tests, one by one we all completed a bay park and strolled into the waiting room. Looking around, everyone's faces were so scared and panicked. Not too long after, the examiners came out to collect their person. They look at your license and ask if you would like your instructor in the car with you at the briefing and at the end of the test, I said yes to both!

During my test, the examiner had me drive to Porchester to complete my manoeuvre, the dreaded parallel park! :O In my lessons it took me longer to get to grips with this, as I would either hit the curb (which would be a fail) or come in too far away from the curb. It is ok though as you do get a chance to correct it if you feel you won't go in first time, which is exactly what happened to me! I swear that I hit the curb, so I quickly moved out slightly and reversed back in. Luckily I passed that with a minor! :D Next it came to the part of the test where you have to independently follow road signs to a certain destination for 10 minutes, I was asked to follow signs to Fareham and then onto Titchfield. I quite enjoy being independent and following signs to get somewhere, it's like an achievement when you reach your destination. It was just my luck when I was told to pull over, and the examiner then told me that I was going to conduct an emergency stop when he thinks it's safe enough to do so. Only 1 in 3 tests will have to do the emergency stop, and I was that one. At this point I panicked as it had been a while since I had last practised this, how do I do this again!? :/ When he said stop with his hand held up, it took me a while to register what he meant, aha but I did abruptly stop eventually. 

On the way back to the test centre, just before I parked up, I looked into the rear view mirror and saw my instructors face and to me I thought he looked worried and a bit disappointed! However, I was wrong as when we got back and the examiner had added everything up, he uttered the words 'I'm so happy to tell you that you have passed!' AHHHHHHH I freaked, I was so happy, this was the scariest experience I had ever gone through in my life and I did it, first time!!! :D The examiner then told me that I had got 9 minors, but he was shocked I got so many as he said my standard of driving was really good and he felt really safe! Later that day I had to go to college, which was great as I could tell everyone how happy I was. 

I am now currently waiting for my license to come through the post, and then I need to do some serious saving for insurance on my dads car (Ford Fiesta Style). I also think I will complete a course called pass plus, which is £160 for 6 hours with my instructor and it could knock 25% off my insurance. With my instructor we do 3 hours of driving to Bournemouth and back and then 3 hours of driving to Brighton and back. I just can not wait to get back behind the wheel of a car again! :D

Thank you so much for reading this. I hope you enjoyed reading about my experience of the driving test, and that it becomes clear that all you really have to do is show the examiner that you are a safe and sensible driver, then you'll pass. 

Saturday 9 November 2013

My future decided

Hello Everyone!

A few blog posts ago I talked about attending Southampton Solent University's open day, it's now been 2 weeks since I went along with my dad and I thought I'd write about how much I loved it!! 
Although I don't live too far from Southampton (about 30-40 mins), it was still an early start, making sure we get there on time for the first presentation which was at 10am. Once we got to Southampton it took us a while to find a place to park as the University only has a staff car park, when we did it was in the town centre (not too far from Solent Uni) and because of this it cost £10 to park for only 5 hours! :O Oh yes to top off the most expensive start to a day ever, on the way my dad managed to very cleverly get caught by a speed camera doing 36mph in a 30mph zone! Tut Tut!
The first presentation was for the Magazine Journalism and Features Writing course, which was my main reason for coming to this open day. When I first walked into the University I was bombarded by comments from my dad telling me all about how it had changed since he came here to study art, he even went as far to tell me that I was walking on the same stairs he used to walk up!? what?? ahaha As soon as I walked into the presentation room I was greeted by such friendly staff welcoming me, the room was laid out exactly like a typical newsroom (like the messy one you see on BBC news). During the presentation it just confirmed it all for me, THIS is the place I want to study at and THIS is the course I want to do. What interested me most is the fact that you get to actually complete work experience within the journalism industry, which I cannot wait for!! Southampton Solent bring in the best guest speakers from the industry to help assist you with your work and to give you tips for the future. My second career choice would be to become a infant or primary school teacher, as I enjoyed my year 10 work experience, working with year 3's, so much! On this course, should I decide to not like journalism for any reason you can move onto a teaching course with ease, this helped draw me into this course even more.
To round off this very positive and descriptive post, I just wanted to say that I now have my future decided and I just cannot wait to start! ahhhh :D
Thank you for reading!