Putting The 'Living' Back In My Life

So on Monday the thing I've been wanting for so long finally, finally, happens. After viewing what feels like hundreds of houses-some of them nice, some of them not so nice-after being repeatedly turned down or just never contacted again, after getting my hopes up only to have them dashed, I am finally moving back to the city that possesses my heart, the place that is home more than anywhere else for me.

While on the one hand, I'm elated because this what I've wanted to do basically since I graduated, I'm also a little bit terrified! This move represents me MOVING OUT-actually leaving my parent's house for good and never (hopefully) going back again-and that's pretty scary. For while I know that there will always be a place for me here, it will cease to be my home, my sanctuary, my safe place. I've lived here for my whole life (except when I was at uni) and I've done so much within these four walls-I've laughed, I've loved and I've cried-and now I'm saying goodbye. After this, it'll never quite be the same again, coming back here, the balance will have shifted slightly and I'll always be a visitor rather than someone who lives here. It'll still be the same old house but nothing at all will be the same. It all feels a bit strange somehow, to be leaving.

This move also means that I am going to have to join the ranks of what I've been referring to for the past year and a half as "real people"-people who have a job and pay rent and bills and who are entirely responsible for their own lives. I'm going to have to finally be a grown up and do all of these things for myself rather than spending my time in my pyjamas watching tele. And again, one part of me is relishing the idea of all that independence and autonomy, and the other half is scared because this all means I'm stepping out without a safety net, no parents to help me out this time, it's all on me.

It's fair to say I'm having somewhat mixed feelings about everything. Overall though, I have to say I'm excited because it means I can finally kick start my life again. I can start to do all the things that have been on hold almost since I left uni-I can get back on stage, I can pick up my bass lessons again, I can live again and really start to enjoy life again. I may not have a job yet but I've already found a choir to join and some auditions for a show and I'm making so many plans. I feel like I'm coming out of hibernation or something-blinking into the sunlight of a new world full of prospects (hopefully), a myriad of fun things (definitely) and the realisation that I never have to leave my favourite place behind me again, that's it's finally my home for real as well as in my head.

As M-People said*, "I'm moving on up, I'm moving on out!" and overall, I really can't wait to be back!

-Jenni-

*check out the 90s floppy hair! Oh nostalgia...

Awesome Things IX

Hello lovelies! I thought I'd kick my 2014 blogging year off with one of these posts because I really like them, they make me kinda happy-and it's always nice to recognise the little things every once in a while!

-People buying your stuff on eBay
Now I don't know about you but I have heard that eBay can get addictive, but for me it's not in the way you'd think. I love selling stuff-endlessly refreshing to see if there are new bids and secretly willing that all the people 'watching' your item are going to want to buy it before it ends. It's an excellent way of getting rid of stuff and making money, both of which are kinda awesome.

-Coming to the tin of Christmas chocolates when it's nearly empty and discovering one of your favourites still left
For me? Strawberry creams, every time. Nom.

-Having the perfect number of something by coincidence
There's just something very pleasing about this-whether it's the perfect number of sweets to divide evenly between you and your friends or the perfect number of hooks to hang a curtain or what ever it might be. When there's exactly the number you needed and you didn't even have to try, it feels good.

-Buying someone something that they love
I really like getting presents for people-I like picking them out something that I think they will love and buying something that'll be really personal to them. It's such a good feeling when you give them their gifts and their faces light up as they open it, or when you see them using them all the time, or when you just know that they love them as much as you hoped they would.

-Bubblewrap
Pop. Pop pop pop. PoppoppoppoppoppoppoppopPOP. So much fun!
In case you haven't got any to hand, here's some virtual bubblewrap for you to enjoy, just because I'm nice ;)


Until next time,

-Jenni-

Previous Instalments: One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Eight, Autumnal Edition

Awesome Things VIII

This was actually meant to go up yesterday so it was part of September's blogs but I sort of forgot a bit so I'm posting it today instead. So there.
Yes it's time again to appreciate some more of life's little awesome things just because they make you smile and make your day in the smallest of ways.

-Holding a new, empty notebook and imagining the possibilities
Following my previous post I thought this was particularly relevant. There's just something about purchasing a new notebook, when the pages are all pristine and perfect-not curling because you've written on them in biro-that's awesome. When it's just a blank slate before you fill it with ideas and dreams and thoughts and to-do lists to remind you to wash your pants. It's almost exciting-you don't know exactly what it will hold but one day it'll be full of your life and go on the shelf with the rest-you can enjoy its newness, its possibilities for only a short time.

-Taking a chance on the weather and it turning out well
When you decide to leave the umbrella at home and it doesn't rain or you forget your jumper but it turns out warm enough not to need it anyway. Excellent.

-Getting something nice in the post
I don't think this one's just me-everyone loves getting things through their letterbox that aren't just bills or junk mail, don't they? Whether it's that nice thing you bought yourself that's finally been delivered or a silly postcard/letter from a friend, getting something through your letterbox that's actually meant specifically for you to enjoy it is always always wonderful.

-Flirting
Flirting is excellent. Flirting can be so many different things, but all of them are fun-flirting with someone just because that's the type of friendship you have, knowing it means nothing on both sides, flirting with someone you kinda fancy but know nothing will happen about it for whatever reason, flirting with someone in a way that you hope implies "I really want to take off your clothes and do things to you" and hoping that that's what their flirting also means-it's all good clean (mostly) fun. It makes you feel good on a fairly basic level and I heartily encourage it.

-Singing along to all the words with a friend when one of "your" songs comes on
Ah, is there a better feeling than belting out all the words to a song with a good friend as you drive along? I mean you don't have to be driving along even, just the act of singing the songs you've grown up with, or make jokes about, or just love because it reminds you of good times together is brilliant. It never fails to make you feel good, and we could all use a little of that sometimes.

There we go then, another 5 tiny little awesome things

-Jenni-

Previous instalments:  One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Autumnal Edition

Awesome Things VII

-People who go above and beyond to give fabulous customer service
The other day I went into a branch of Subway and caught the guy behind the counter rocking out to Bon Jovi's 'Living on a Prayer' which was on the radio. He noticed me standing there and looked up sheepishly to find me grinning at him. Whilst he was making my sandwich we had an awesome conversation about music and our favourite bands (Him-Hendrix, me-Queen) and as I left he told me to "Keep rocking on". He seriously made my day just by being that little bit more awesome.

-Having something you've looked forward to for ages happen
Whether it's just that your holiday has finally rocked around, or that gig for that band you really like, or just something as simple as getting to see that person you're missing again, it's always really awesome when something you've been excitedly anticipating for ages actually arrives so you can finally enjoy it. It's probably made all the more awesome for the wait too, isn't it?

-When you get to the bus stop at exactly the right moment
You know, when you get there and look up and see the bus in the distance approaching. Knowing you don't have to wait at all and also realising that you timed it perfectly to not miss it is awesome.

-Your best friends adding your other half on Facebook
This happened to me recently-my best mate added my new boyfriend on FB and it made me feel brilliant. It kinda says to me that she thinks that it's going to last long enough for her to bother getting to know him and also that she approves of him enough to want to see him in her newsfeed. It doesn't sound like much but considering it never happened in my previous relationship, it's an awesome thing, trust me.

-Welsh accents
I LOVE a good Welsh accent, I think they're fabulous. There's something about the sing-song-ness of it that just makes it sound like the happiest accent in the world. Whenever I hear someone with a strong welsh accent it just makes me happy too.

What's been making your day in the smallest of ways this month?

-Jenni-

Previous instalments: 

One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Autumnal Edition

Awesome Things The 6th

-This is a pre-scheduled post as I am currently away visiting a friend-hurrah!-

I reckon it's that sort of time again where I take a moment to appreciate some more of those little things in life, the ones that really make your day, or just make you smile for a moment.

-When your music player groups a run of totally awesome songs together.

We all have those songs that we can't help but dance and sing along to, the ones that make us feel fabulous and alive and wonderful. It's like a little burst of happiness straight into your ears. When your music player is really feeling your mood and plays one after another after another it's just joyful and makes your day a little bit more awesome.

-Hugs exactly when you need them.
We've all had those days where nothing seems to go right or where you can't help but feel a little bit miserable at the world and you just need something to cheer you up. When someone comes along and offers you a hug, either because they like hugs or because they can see that you might need one-it's like a tiny ray of sunshine going straight to your heart. Yes, it might not make the problems go away but for those moments when someone else allows you to cling tightly to them, it's a little bit of comfort and solace and love that you can keep hold of for the rest of the day.

-New Clothes.
Whether or not you are someone who likes to shop or not, I bet you still love the feeling of putting on new clothes for the first time. Sliding that shirt out of its packet or taking the dress off the hanger and putting it on, when it's still a bit crisp and new and strange feeling. Whether it's something you want people to notice or if it's something you're just wearing for yourself, the first time is always the best time.

-Glow in the dark nail varnish.
Sounds totally childish and ridiculous. Is actually wonderful and tremendous amounts of fun. I wore some the other day and could NOT STOP STARING AT MY HANDS. I mean LOOK:

you cannot possibly deny that that is reallyfrickencool. And if you do well I just won't listen, so there.

-Being approved of by your significant other's friends.
This is an excellent feeling because meeting their good friends is as important as meeting their family. And while in my case I haven't actually met many of them (due to my significant other being from an entirely different continent to me/the one he's currently on), I have been in a Skype conversation with a couple and I know for a fact that a lot of them have been visiting my Facebook page to assess my suitability. So far, I seem to be doing OK and that's a huge relief to me.

That's all for today, see you next time!

-Jenni-

Previous instalments:

One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Autumnal Edition

Awesome Things Part V

I'm reviving this series of little things that make your day because I feel that sometimes it's just really lovely to reflect on the little things in life.

-Happy bus drivers/train conductors
You know the sort-the ones who whistle and sing and smile. The ones who stop to chat to you and don't glare at you as if they're wasting your time. The ones who make your journey a little bit brighter, or make your day start a little better just because they're really happy and jolly and it's infectious. The ones who have hole punches in novelty shapes, just because they can:

Why yes, that is my full name...

-Predicting the end of a (good) book

I could add 'film' on there too, but I think a lot of film/tv series endings are so inevitable you don't have to try though. Books though, are different somehow-it's harder to get it right because the plot can trip you up when you're least expecting it. I love it when I guess who's the murderer or who's going to fall in love with who or just how it's going to end, it makes me feel like I've got one up on the author. But actually it's just as good when I'm convinced I know whodunnit and then they go and pull the rug out from under your feet and take it in a different direction to the one you were expecting altogether. 

-Being in people's profile picture

One for the modern era, this, and I know some people will disagree. But I think it's always a nice feeling when someone chooses a photo of you as their profile pic-it's like they're saying "this is me and a person/some people I love" which is a great feeling. 

-When you introduce someone to something you love and they love it too

I'm always wary of introducing my friends to things I'm really passionate about because it always kinda sucks when they just don't understand why you love it so much. Whether it's music/books/tv/films it's a bit deflating when they thought it was just OK. But when they love it as much as you it's brilliant-you can enjoy it together by discussing every episode/having epic listening sessions/quoting along to the movie together etc etc. It's fab!

-Finding a pair of heels that are incredibly comfortable

Everyone (well, the ladies at least) knows the pain of heels-and it's always worse when they're incredibly beautiful shoes but too painful to wear (aka 'restaurant heels' to me) so they just gather dust. It's a rare thing when you find a pair of heels that look good but also feel good too-but isn't it an amazing when it happens? I bought a new pair of wedges recently and they were SO comfy I walked 2miles home in them and didn't have sore feet afterwards-basically they're brilliant. Now just to buy one pair in every colour, ey?

That's all for today, but I'm going to try and get back to posting one of these a month, because sometimes you just need to appreciate those awesome little things, don't you?

-Jenni-

Previous instalments:

One, Two, Three, Four, Autumnal Edition

A Wonderful Thing

Yesterday I had a horrible evening but also a wonderful thing. Let me tell you my tale of woe: 

 Yesterday (and today) I had a training course in the art of phlebotomy so I can be a phabulous and phlamboyant phlebotomist now. This was held at a hotel that's near East Midlands Airport actually in the middle of smegging nowhere, meaning I had to get the airport bus into town so that I could get a bus home again. This is where all the fun started.

My course finished at 5pm and the next bus wasn't until 5.49 which was a teeny bit annoying but not much I could do about it. I set an alarm on my phone for 5.45 and sat in the lobby of the hotel doing sudoku, and enjoying the 90s music that was playing on the TV in the bar area.

Westlife-Flying Without Wings is playing on the tv in this Hotel bar...they all look about 12. Big floppy blonde curtains and spikey hair!
— Jenni Thompson (@CircleThinker) February 23, 2013

 At 5.48 I checked my phone to realise my alarm hadn't gone off. I legged it outside to the bus stop (literally outside the hotel door, up 5 steps) to watch the bus pull away in a cloud of horrible smelling exhaust fumes. Slightly cross, I trudged back into the bar to resume my sudoku for another hour.

Missed my cocking bus, next one is in another hour. ARSE. Stranded at a Holiday Inn near an airport, FUN TIMES.
— Jenni Thompson (@CircleThinker) February 23, 2013 

That was rather annoying, and I was now a little bit cross, but life was still bearable. Then this happened:

Hotel bar has now turned off awesome 90s music and put some kind of sports game on. FML.
— Jenni Thompson (@CircleThinker) February 23, 2013

It was the rugby apparently.

Now I was annoyed. And by this time getting really rather peckish as I hadn't eaten since lunch. Wisely I had decided to spend my last £1 on 20 minutes of internet rather than something I could put in my face and so now my stomach was rumbling. Luckily, I found half of Friday's flapjack in my bag. Result.
So I sat and whiled away my time, constantly checking my phone, and at 6.45 I went to stand outside for the next bus. Which either didn't show up or was so early it hadn't stopped at my bus stop, and just so happened was the LAST BUS that went by that stop. By 7.05 I was cold, exhausted, hungry, really ill (have had a horrible cold since Thursday) and close to tears with the realisation that I might now have to go home via a whole extra city which would add another hour/hour and a half to my journey.
Another bus pulled up on the opposite side of the road, and I ran across so I could ask the driver what my best course of action was. In response to me running across in front of him with all the grace and dignity of a baby hippo, he looked me square in the eyes, shook his head, shut his doors and pulled away. I did what any sensible person in this situation would do; promptly burst into tears. After about 5 minutes of this, I realised that it was snowing, and it was so cold that my tears were hurting my cheeks. So I pulled myself together (read: wrapped my scarf around my face so no-one could see me) and scurried back inside the hotel to mop myself up in their loos.
No-longer tear stained and wretched, but still feeling pretty miserable, I plonked myself back in the lobby to wait for the bus that would take me to another city. Then I got out my phone and fired off this text to 5 lovely ladies:
"Darlings, if one of you is free please talk to me because I'm in major need of a cheerup right now"
which was probably the most sensible thing I'd done all evening.
This is where the wonderful thing happened. Over the next couple of hours, every single one of them replied to me with messages of sympathy, encouragement, concern and things to make me laugh. One of them completely filled my Twitter and my Facebook walls with things that made me smile and giggle like a loon when I saw them, whilst simultaneously repeatedly texting me the words 'Boobs' and 'Pants' to make me laugh (Don't ask. I'm not going to tell you even if you do).

No, really

One of them offered me a lift today so I didn't have to deal with the same horrendous bus issues and I was the gratefullest of grateful things. They all helped me feel better in one way or another so by the time I was finally, finally on a bus on my way home, I was feeling much more like myself and a lot less like I was going to just sob at everyone endlessly until someone took pity on me. I think sometimes I forget just how much we can rely on our friends for the little things, as well as the big ones, and I forget just how nice it is to have people who will try to make you smile just because you tell them you're having a sad. So thank you ladies, all of you, you were all wonderful  and exactly what I needed. I will buy you all a drink/tea/cake/awesome cocktail/toffee toffee flapjack pie/your poison of choice next time we hang out together because you're marvellous.

Oh and I did get home in the end. EVENTUALLY. These tweets were sent about 20 minutes apart:

MANGO is like an Oyster card but only for buses in Nottingham k?

And when I did get home I ate Ben and Jerry's because I felt like I'd earned it.

So yeah. Look after your friends, and they'll look after you. I'm looking after you all by sharing this video that was sent as one of my cheerups (it'll make you go gooey, promise):

And for future reference, this is my wish list for cheery things:

Oh and hugs are good too.

Tata!

-Jenni-

It's Behind You!

Dick Whittington Kid's Performance in 2011,
In which I get exuberantly pied in the fizzog.

Pantomimes, to borrow a phrase from Marmite, you either love em or you hate em. Me? Well, you can probably guess- I love a good panto. To be fair, I love a bad panto too. While I feel I have grown up a lot recently and grown out of a lot of things I used to love, I don't think I will ever lose my childish enthusiasm for going to/being in a Pantomime at Christmas time and having a thoroughly silly romp. I know that some people just cannot stand them, and it seems that (after talking to some of my colleagues) when you've seen one the general consensus is that you've seen them all because the jokes are always the same and there's always a happy ending. But that's why they're so good as far as I'm concerned, you know that the 'Butter face' and 'Sheepdog bra' jokes* will make you groan, and you know that the good guys will always win but that doesn't stop you from enjoying every thigh slapping, "he's behind you"-ing minute. In no other type of theatre (apart from possibly stand up comedy) can the audience join in with the show in such a way- in fact, the audience interaction is usually fairly integral to the plot. After all, how on earth would the good guys save the day if you didn't tell them that there was a ghost/bad guy behind them and to get out of the way/hit him with a sword? I honestly love everything about pantomimes, from the innuendos that go flying over the kid's heads to make the grown ups titter to the costumes and the sets to the plot-holes that are neatly avoided by sidestepping them altogether to the fact they're inexplicable to people who don't hail from Barmy Britain. "Well it's a fairy tale, right, and there's a man pretending to be a woman and a woman pretending to be a man and it's really very silly *trails off*" Believe me, I've tried to explain them to international students from my university and seen the baffled looks on their faces; I always just ended up saying "It's a very good example of British eccentricity."

My first USLES Panto...and a very good example of British Eccentricity! 

I think for actors as well, pantos are a different experience to any other type of performance. I've told people that I did pantomimes at uni and almost visibly watch them turn their noses up at me like they were too good for comedic theatre. But as an actor in a panto you have to be so much better at skills like not corpsing and being quick on your feet to respond to heckles as well as the usual facing the right way on stage and remembering which way round your lines come. You have to make the audience fall in love with you if you're a good guy, and hate you if you're a bad guy and be OK with being overly theatrical and silly about every movement. You have to not mind getting a plate full of shaving foam to the face, or getting water squirted down your trousers and try your hardest not to laugh/object when the dame sweeps in and steals the scene away from everyone. But they're really rewarding to be in as well- you have freedom like no other to make stuff up as you go along, to improvise, to heckle the audience back and to have as much fun as you possibly can. And you get constant feedback from the people who watch too- cheering for the goodies, booing at the baddies and shrieking "OH NO IT ISN'T" as loudly as they can-it's all such fun. I don't think you can go to a pantomime and not enjoy yourself, because you just get swept up in the merriment and frivolity of the whole thing and come out with a big smile on your face. And here's the thing, they don't need to have z-list celebs in to be a good show-you need local actors who come back time and again because they love to make a tit of themselves on stage so that people will get to have an awesome night out full of fun.

Pantomimes will always be up there with my favourite Christmas traditions, they're not just fun for kids but big kids too. As one of the older customers said to me the other day when I took her ticket "Yer never too old, are yer?" NEVER. Get yourself down to one and shout "IT'S BEHIND YOU!" to see how much fun you can have. Brill.

And so as it's Christmas Eve tomorrow and I shall be working and hopefully watching some of the show whilst I do, I will wish you all a very Merry Christmas and hope that whatever you get up to is full of fun and happiness and too much food.

Tata!



*If you don't know I'm not telling you.

Autumnal Bliss

I know we're almost rocking on into winter and the dreaded C-word (Not that, I mean Christmas, you rude person) but we're still currently in Autumn, my favourite of all of the seasons. There's a million and one reasons why I love it and in lieu of a proper post while I'm still doing NaNo I thought I'd tell you why to brighten those dreary nights a little:

-It's so pretty everywhere!

I mean, PHWOAR Mother Nature kinda pretty.
(Source)

-Hot chocolate with marshmallows

Nommity. Right now I'm drinking my current fave-
Whittard's Hot Choc with Chilli and Lime.
Sounds gross but it's totally delish. Swing by sometime , we can have a cup together.
(Source)

-Snuggly warm clothes

I'm loving big chunky jumpers and my lovely warm chocolate brown cords atm.
And of course, my Doc Martens and thick socks to keep my feet snuggly too.
(Source)

-Conkers!

While I no longer collect them religiously like I did as a child,
I will always pick up one or two of the shiniest ones because they're hard to resist!
(Source)

-Bonfire Night

Fireworks will never not be magical, plus bonfires smell amazing.
(Source)

-Coming home to a house that's warm

Coming in from the cold night to a welcoming blast of central heating
is just a little bit lovely.
(Unless you're a student that is)
(Source)

-Snuggling on the sofa to watch a bit of awesome tele

Autumn tele is usually pretty awesome, and sometimes when
it's cold and dark and rainy outside there's nothing better
than just staying in and keeping warm.
(Source)

-Goose Fair

In the first week of October every year one of the world's largest
travelling fairs comes to Nottingham-it's been happening for well
over 700 years. For me it means a night of fun rides, candy floss and doughnuts,
spending too much money and having a fab time.
(Source)

-And possibly the best thing about autumn:

Scrunching through piles of crunchy autumn leaves!
Never fails to make me smile, it's just one of life's little pleasures. Wonderful.
(Source)

What about you? Do you have a favourite season or any things you love about autumn?

-Jenni-

Awesome Things the Fourth

It's been a while since I've done one of these, but I've been feeling pretty good recently so I thought it'd be nice to appreciate some more of life's little awesome things coz life ain't all bad, y'know?

-Discovering new music and really liking it
Now I love my music collection as much as the next person and have a sizeable amount of stuff that I listen to on a regular basis. Sometimes though, I wish I could take my favourite stuff and erase it from my memory so that I could learn to love it again-the feeling of putting a new album on for the first time and listening to it non-stop for days is pretty cool, gradually learning the songs unconsciously just coz you've heard them so often.

-Picking scabs/Squeezing spots/Plucking a particularly stubborn hair
Everyone knows that you're not supposed to do it, but come on, everyone does, right? It's just such a satisfying feeling! *splat*

-When people tell you that they miss you (and the feeling you get when you see them again)
It's always nice to know that you're wanted and loved/missed by people isn't it? The simple act of someone telling you that they miss you and it's been too long since they saw you can really make your day, but when you see someone you haven't seen in a while and you get the big squeezy hug and the endless chatter about all the things that have happened since last time you saw each other it's definitely an awesome thing.

-Going into a shop and them having that thing that you want left in only your size
Well it's like fate is telling you to buy it then, isn't it?

-Baking
I don't know about you, but I love baking. Every so often I get the urge and then my friends and family end up with cakes and biscuits to gorge themselves on. It's really fun and quite a gentle relaxing activity to do by yourself plus there's the bonus of cake lickings and cookie dough to enjoy. There's also the great aspect of giving the stuff you made away to people to eat too, then everyone's a winner aren't they? OM NOM NOM.

So there we are, until next time. Add yours in the comments!

-Jenni-

Even More Awesome Things

It's July, it's a new month and there will be sunshine. There has to be, it's the law. So here's this months awesome things of awesomeness.

1: Counting down to your birthday.
I know that this will be a contentious point as I know I have annoyed my friends with this my whole life. Maybe it's because my birthday is in summer, so much later than all my other friends', but I still get ever so slightly excited about it even though I am nearly 2-little-ducks years old.* I've always enjoyed seeing the number of days until my day decrease in number until it's tomorrow and then it's time for Bucks Fizz at midnight. (Family tradition. On my 18th Birthday my Dad gave me 3/4 pint of the stuff. Ooer.) In fairness I like counting down to all exciting things because the excitement can only build as it gets closer and closer.

2. Singing very loudly in an empty house.
LA LA LA NO-ONE CAN HEAR ME AND I CAN BE AS LOUD AS I LIKE! It's the most fun ever.

3. That SMELL when people are cutting their grass.
Plague of people with hay fever (not hey fever as was previously written. I am an idiot.), I'm sure, but to me it's the smell of summer! You know when people start mowing their lawns again that soon it must be time to put a barbeque on it and cook many parts of many animals for me to put in my face with gusto and glee. Plus it smells amazing in its own right. Win.

4. Drying your washing outside.
For me this has always been one of life's simplest pleasures. It's good for your wallet, it's good for your environment and it's good for your clothes. But more than that, it's a household job that I actually enjoy doing-hanging out my washing and letting the sun and the slight breeze do the difficult task of drying it, then collecting it a couple of hours later all sun warmed and smelling lovely. Just hope it doesn't rain.

5. Stretching.
I just did an awesome one. Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. You know it's good.

There. 5 more of life's littlest things that make you smile. Can you beat these? Let me know

-Jenni-


*It's on Sunday 8th by the way. 5 days!

More Awesome Things

So last time I did this I mentioned that I might make a regular thing of it because sometimes it's nice to just reflect on the nicer things in life. I guess this is me, making a regular thing of it. Or at the very least there's a pair of them now, and all the best things come in pairs. Like boobs. And socks.
So here we are:

Number 1: The satisfying feeling of completing something.
Now, I may be slightly talking from experience here, seeing as yesterday I finished university! But everyone has had that sensation in life of finishing something they started a long time back, and have been working really hard on. The freedom to do anything that you want, without feeling like you really should be doing something else is wonderful. Knowing that it's done and you never have to worry about it again is also pretty awesome. It means you (and I) can relax and enjoy yourself, and start looking forward to exciting things ahead. For me, this means it's officially summer. And of course that also means it's raining. Which leads me rather nicely to...

Number 2: The feeling of standing in the rain when it's been a really hot week.
Totally and utterly revitalising, it makes you feel ALIVE and quite amazing to boot. It's like the weather is coming along and pushing a big old reset button and the world can breathe again. Lovely.

Number 3: Being totally relaxed without a care in the world.
Whether it's chilling out on the sofa in your PJs with a glass of wine and a good tv programme, lying in bed with a book or getting a massage at the spa* it's a really nice feeling to feel completely comfortable and happy and not worried by anything, maybe not even thinking about anything-just turning to mush and not letting any stresses and annoyances touch you. Wonderful, and good for you too!

Number 4: Home-made bread, straight out of the oven, slathered in butter. 
*drools* IT'S SO GOOD.

Number 5: When something reminds you of a private joke in public.
We've all done it, sat on a bus, or on a bench, or at work grinning like a loon for no visible reason. It makes people try and edge away from you a little because you look a bit mad, but isn't it a lovely feeling? Never try and explain because no-one else will understand, just enjoy your moment of mirth while it lasts, and text the person who will get it, to make them smile too.

So there's my five this time. But I thought I'd share an awesome website with you too, to try and continue the tradition. Not Always Right  is a favourite procrastination website of mine-filled with stupid things customers have said/done as written by the workers. Great for a laugh, but only if you have either a lot of time on your hands or a strong will to quit early on ;) Enjoy!

Until next time, you stay classy Blog Readers! (And thanks for stopping by)

-Jenni-



*I did this today. Proper LUSHHHHH

5 Awesome Things

Right now I am currently doing a couple of things. Firstly, I am rebelling against a friend in Canada telling me to go to bed (Sorry GB!) as it's half past stupid o clock in the morning. But I'm not really that tired having napped for an awfully long time today and I also know that everything will feel worse if I sleep now. The other thing that I am doing is discovering this blog: http://1000awesomethings.com/. It's basically a list of (now over) 1000 little things that make the author's life a little bit more awesome each day. If you look at the list, I'm sure you will agree with at least some of them (Number 950 and 809 are personal favourites of mine, for instance). This has inspired me to make a list of my own of some of the tiny things that make my life just a little bit more awesome. I won't be doing a thousand though, because, after all, it is 20 to stupid o clock in the morning so I'm not functioning on all cylinders right now, plus it's been done.
These are my five then, not necessarily my top five or in any order. Just 5 little Awesome Things.

Number 1: Getting into bed at the end of a long day.
We've all been over sleep deprived before, haven't we? Or just had a day of too much stress and not enough nice things happening to us. That's why it's just SO GOOD to get into bed-where you don't have to think about any of that any more, where the only thing you have to do now is one of life's most enjoyable-sleeeep. Just curling up in that big squishy quilt (or big squishy person) and closing your eyes and letting everything just relaaaaaax. It's bliss.

Number 2: Saving your change and then realising how much you have.
I have to confess that I do have a few habits that I am slightly anal about. They're all silly little things, but I just always feel a tiny bit happier if they are done. One of these is emptying my purse at the end of each day to take it back to a round number-a whole pound or 50p. The rest of my change goes in my money boxes. And sure, it can get annoying when something costs 40p and you don't have the change, but on the other hand what's really really great is when it comes to checking how much you have. My bank has cool machines that you can empty your change into to pay in, and that's fun on its own because it makes a cracking noise. But 20ps add up quite quickly, and I empty my money boxes once a term and it's always nice to see that I have amassed at least £20 out of my "spare" change. It's a good feeling. Plus it means I can now treat myself to that thing that I have been wanting for ages and couldn't quite justify buying.

Number 3: The first warm day after Winter.
Winter is decidedly not my favourite of seasons-it's just too cold! I am an Autumn girl myself, the temperature is just about right for me, the colours are gorgeous and there are piles of leaves everywhere which are just amazing to kick through. Winter is cold and grey and rainy and cold. That's why the first warm day is just so lovely. The first day you can walk around in just your T-shirt and it not be too nippy, the first day you get sunburn because you sat outside in the sun too long and your weak winter skin can't hack it. It's glorious. And the British public love it too, people suddenly take the chance to sit outside and have a drink in the beer garden, or a picnic with their friends. It brings people together, their faces upturned towards this strange light that they haven't seen for months and they bask in it. Lovely.

Number 4: When someone takes a photo of you feeling awesome.
You know those days, we all have them, where everything has just gone wonderfully today. Your hair has done exactly what you wanted it to, someone complimented your outfit, you've not been stuck in traffic or in a long queue at the checkout or anything. You just feel like every single thing in your world is going right today. And then someone takes a picture, without you asking or prompting. Now not only do you feel awesome but you have a record of it too-something tangible you can keep forever to remind you just how good that day was. The ultimate perk.

Number 5: When you wake up feeling GREAT.
I know this may be something that happens to a lot of people all the time. But not me, oh no. I am 1bazillion% not a morning person. I generally hate anyone who crosses my path, and woe betides you if you dare to be chirpy at me! *shudder*. But sometimes even I wake up and just feel great, and it's brilliant. To feel alive and awake when the sun is barely up is a miraculous thing, as far as I am concerned. And when it happens (rarely), I enjoy it. I actually talk to people rather than glowering at them until they stop talking to me. I'm probably much nicer to be around too because I feel MUCH happier. There should be some way to bottle this feeling to use on less fortunate days but until that happens I am going to continue to rely on large doses of caffeine.

So there you are. That's my five, for now. I might try and make this a regular thing-once a month or something. It might take me a while to reach 1000, but it's quite a nice sensation to reflect on some of the lovelier things in life. But, for now, it's 25 to stupid o clock in the morning and I have got to find something else to occupy myself.

Tata

-Jenni-