Book Corner

Welcome to my book corner!

For a while I have been contemplating creating a separate instagram account to log the books I have read, books I am wanting to read, leave reviews and connect with fellow bookworms but, in line with one of my goals for 2021 (use this blog platform more effectively), I have decided to overhaul my blog and include things I love- one of these being reading.

I love reading but I noticed after a holiday last year in Menorca I don’t do enough of it in my day to day life. On holiday I can quite easily read 7 or more books as I enjoy lying in the sun with my book and have no real desire to move (except for a dip in the water or to get a cold drink). In my day to day life (and I think this can be said for the majority of us), I tend to get too wrapped up in watching boxsets, tidying or doing something that gives the appearance of me using my time well as I feel sitting down with a book can be perceived as anti-social or lazy.

Another thing I noticed when I was looking through my read books on my kindle: I read a similar genre. Now there is nothing wrong with that but after doing English Literature A Level and reading some quite heavy books, I want to push myself in terms of the literature I choose. I have some books on my kindle that have been recommended to me but not chosen because of the genre or I am unfamiliar with the author. This is something I am determined to change this year and to do this I created a ‘Book Jar’.

What is a book jar you ask?! After conducting hours of research into ‘Books You Must Read’, adding to my book pin board on pintrest and making a note of the books left unread on my kindle, I created a list. This list is 100 books ranging in genres, styles and authors that I want to read this year. Due to being incredibly indecisive about what book I should read next, I decided to take that decision away from me and put all the titles of the books on individual pieces of paper and mix them up in my ‘Book Jar’. Not knowing what I am going to read next really appeals to me and by picking a random piece of paper, you are unable to talk yourself out of reading it (I am incredibly guilty of this too)!

In January, I read 9 of the 100 books out of my jar. They were extremely varied and whilst I enjoyed reading some more than others, I have kept engaged and really enjoyed the hour (or three) I spent reading on a daily basis.

As this is just an introduction to explain why I created a ‘Book Corner’ on my blog I won’t share with you my thoughts on those books just yet but my January review will be posted this week. Also, please keep an eye on my instagram & twitter accounts as I will start to share more views on those platforms too.

Happy Reading Everyone!

31 things to do before I’m 31

On April 3rd 2020, I celebrated my 29th birthday. I was in Modena, Italy and in the midst of a very tough lockdown in which we could only leave the apartment to go to the supermarket. At the time I was working as an English teacher and thankfully had a balcony and flatmate who I continue to get along very well with. It wasn’t the birthday I had planned but beer, pizza, zoom chats and FaceTime made it extremely bearable and I comforted myself by saying ‘thank goodness it isn’t my 30th’.

After my 29th birthday I started to compile a list of 30 things I wanted to accomplish before I turned 30 this year. This list was full of travel – both domestic and abroad, trying new food, going to a restaurant or bar I really wanted to but not yet had the chance or experiences such as segway, the zip line in Snowdonia. You get the idea. However, I never published it due to the sinking feeling that restrictions wouldn’t be lifted for me to have the time or opportunity to complete them and unfortunately it turns out I was right!

So with restrictions looking to be in place for my 30th birthday, I started to compile a list of ’30 things to do before I’m 30 – The Lockdown Edition’ in early January and to be honest, it was incredibly boring! Running 5km, learning to play a specific song on the guitar or reading 15 books didn’t inspire me and it would not have made for good reading so I scrapped it.

Due to feeling a little lost and unmotivated this month, my mum she suggested ’31 Things to do before I’m 31′ and after much deliberation/editing/deleting/changing my mind, my final list is below..

Give blood at least 4 times (1st Donation: 09/06/2021, next donation 29/09/2021)
Go paint balling
Learn to play the guitar
Explore Edinburgh
Climb Snowdon
Visit the Lake District
Visit Bath
Read all the books in my jar
Complete a charity race
Learn to play the ukulele ✅
Play an instrument socially
Go to a show on the West End
Eat at Outlaws in Port Isaac ✅
Outdoor swimming ✅
Visit Ireland
Go to a drive-in movie
Watch a rugby game at Sandy Park
Make Sourdough
Raise at least £1000 for charity
Make croissants
Make Panettone
Celebrate St. Patricks Day in Birmingham
Take a dance class
Start regular yoga classes
Have full body massage (Booked)
Take a train journey through the Scottish Highlands
Go to Oktoberfest (UK)
Own a car
Go to a Farmer’s Market
Learn to juggle (I am learning- it is much more difficult than I thought it would be)
Watch at least 15 classic films

Due to Covid restrictions not looking likely to be lifted anytime soon, I have purposefully chosen places to visit within the UK. As soon as I complete one of these goals, I will upload a story about the experience and include any photos and videos I have.

Hello 2021!

Hello 2021,

Is it just me or has the first week of January seemed to last forever?!

When the news broke last week announcing we were to go back into lockdown – I wasn’t angry, I was just disappointed. It wasn’t a surprise to me in the slightest, in actual fact I wanted us to go into lockdown a lot earlier but it still didn’t soften the blow.

This lockdown seems harder somehow and I am not entirely sure why. Sure the lockdown I endured when I lived in Italy was a lot tougher- we weren’t allowed to exercise outside, I had no garden and I was living in front of a computer screen which isn’t my cup of tea but on reflection I think it made it easier. We knew everyone was obeying the rules and those who tried to break them were getting severely punished for their actions. Compare that with the UK, I don’t honestly believe you can say the same thing has happened. We are in the second week of lockdown and yet covid rates are still rising. It is so incredibly frustrating for the majority of us who are obeying the rules and are doing everything we possibly can to slow down the rate of infection in the hope ‘normality’ returns sooner rather than later…

Now that my little rant/moan is over and done with, I am going to look at 2021 with as much positivity and optimism as I can possibly muster. This might be a lot trickier than I first envisioned but I am determined to make it happen and I have set myself goals (not resolutions) to help.

I am not one for resolutions because I normally end up breaking them 2 days after I started them, so this year I decided to start on the 4th January. Yes it was 3 days late but this way I had the time to drink the alcohol I desired, ate as much cheese I wanted, finished any leftovers I craved and enjoyed my goodies from the festive period. By approaching the changes I want to make this way I don’t feel like I am missing out as much as I normally would have done and I am hoping it will prove a good source of motivation…

So with that being said, what am I hoping to achieve this year?!

Walk at least 100km every month/ 5km+ daily
Raise money for Parkinson’s Charity
Do at least 3 dry months from alcohol (not necessarily consecutively)
Blog more
Learn to play my guitar and ukulele
Couch to 5k.
Practice meditation/mindfulness twice a week and increase as I see fit.

By no means is this my extensive list of things I want to achieve in 2021 but these are what I consider the most important. Getting fit and healthy is my top priority for the year I turn 30. Exercise was my lifesaver in my first lockdown when I was in Italy and since coming home, it has been very easy not to exercise at all. This is something I want and am determined to change. I want to become fitter, leaner and I know it is exceptionally good for my mental health. Since returning from Italy I have been walking Barney (my dog) daily and on most occasions over 5km but I want to challenge myself. I want to walk further and find different routes because as lovely as the Arboretum is, it gets quite boring visiting it daily. In addition to walking over 5km a day, I am determined and I can’t believe I’m going to say this, start to run. I hate running! I hated it when I played rugby but the bonus of smashing into people made it bearable but 2021 is the year I am going to run. I have downloaded the Couch to 5k app and under the cover of darkness I will begin this month (wish me luck).

As some of you might be aware, my Nan passed away in December and because of the Covid restrictions we were only allowed 10 people at the funeral which was incredibly disappointing for a woman so wonderful. Nan suffered from Parkinson’s disease but she never complained about the pain she was undoubtedly in and only referred to it as ‘the bloody shakes’ which always made us smile. Due to the small number allowed at her funeral, we didn’t get the opportunity to raise funds for the Parkinson’s charity who desperately need it so I suggested the family come together and should do different challenges to raise money in her memory. This means I am going to be researching different fundraising ideas in order to raise important funds for an illness that isn’t very well understood by many- even the sufferers families like us. In order to stick to this, I will be posting more regular blog posts so I am not only holding myself accountable but you wonderful people can hold me accountable too.

Some of the other goals I have set are to ensure I maintain my mental wellness. As you all know I have encountered some serious problems in regards to the depression and anxiety I experience and continue to deal with on a daily basis. I am on anti-depressants, I see my counsellor when I need to and I am incredibly fortunate to have a great relationship with my GP who continually reviews me and my medication. For Christmas I received a silent mind bowl and I am determined to use it. Mindfulness and meditation is not something I find particularly easy and I think this maybe a result of me trying to do it when I was in a heightened state of anxiety but the results achieved by people practicing mindfulness speak for themselves and that is what is motivating me. I want to feel more at peace with myself and with the strange times we are living in currently, I think it can be a good start and I hope to build upon it throughout the year.

The other goals I have set myself are much more for my enjoyment rather than any end goal. I love writing and when I sit down to write a blog post I am reminded how therapeutic and enjoyable I find it to be. This year I want to use this space more frequently – I want to share more of my life, my experiences and update you with the different challenges I have set myself. Another challenge is learn how to play my guitar. In 2018 I bought myself a beautiful acoustic guitar because I kept having a recurring dream of me playing one on a beach and I decided it was my calling. Well, I’ve had it now for nearly 3 years and have mastered 3 chords. This needs to change ASAP.

Reading, cooking, watching different films are also part of my goals. In the first lockdown I compiled a list of books I wanted to read, films I wanted to watch and it really helped me. It is incredibly easy of me to pick up a book I have read a couple of times or sit down to watch a film I have already seen because it is comforting. I found out my anxiety causes me to choose things where I know what and when something happens so by doing this and setting myself goals, I am becoming less restricted which is only a good thing.

This year I have a lot to look forward to and I need to keep reminding myself of this fact; I am turning 30, I am starting university again in September to do a PGCE course and hopefully it is the end of lockdown which means bottomless brunches, cocktails and socialising isn’t too far away. I know it is going to be tricky but fingers crossed the aims I have set will continue to aid me with keeping my positive outlook, and as I said, I will ensure to write more about it on here!

Happy 2021 to you all- we can do this!