Song of Moment

This young lady is incredible.

Lissie - Everywhere I Go

Youtube Link - Apologies I can't find an official video
Spotify Link - For those of you in the UK
itunes Link - Because everyone should own this song

And i fall on my knees
Tell me how's the way to be
Tell me how's the way to go
Tell me all that i should know

And i fall on my knees
Tell me how's the way to go
Tell me how's the way to be
To evoke some empathy

Danger will follow me now
Everywhere i go
Angels will call on me
And take me to my home
Well this tired mind
Just wants to be lead home

And i fall on my knees
Tell me how's the way to go
Tell me how's the way to see
Show me all that i could be

And i fall on my knees
Tell me how's the way to be yeah
Tell me how's the way to go
Tell me why i feel so low

Angels will follow me now
Everywhere i go
Angels will call on me
And take me to my home
Well these tired eyes
Just want to remain closed

I don't see clearly can't feel nothing no
Can't you hear me?

And i fall on my knees
And angels will call on me
Now everywhere i go
Angels will call on me
And take me to my home

And angel will fall on me
Everywhere i walk
Angels will call on me
And take me to my home

And angels will call on me
Now everywhere i go
Angels will follow me
Now lead me to my home

10 Best Disney Films

1) Jungle Book
"Many strange legends are told of these jungles of India, but none so strange as the story of a small boy named Mowgli." - Bagheera

2) Beauty & the Beat
"Couldn't keep quiet, could we? Just had to invite him to stay, didn't we? [imitating Lumiere] "Serve him tea. Sit in ze master's chair. Pet the pooch!" - Cogsworth

3) Aladdin
"Thank you for choosing "Magic Carpet" for all your travel needs. Don't stand until the rug has come to a complete stop. Thank you." - Genie

4) Peter Pan
"You can't stick it on with soap, Peter. It needs sewing. That's the proper way to do it. Although, come to think of it, I've never thought about it before... um... sewing shadows, I mean." - Wendy

5) Pocahontas
"You can own the earth and still. All you'll own is earth until You can paint with all the colours of the wind." - Pocahontas

6) The Little Mermaid
"If only I could make him understand, I just don't see the way he does, I just don't see how a world would make such wonderful things, could be bad." - Ariel

7) The Lion King
"Let me get this straight. You know her. She knows you. But she wants to eat him. And everybody's okay with this? " - Timon

8) Robin Hood
"You know somethin', Robin. I was just wonderin', are we good guys or bad guys? You know, I mean, uh? Our robbin' the rich to feed the poor." - Little John

9) The Aristocats
"Shang-hai Hong Kong egg fu yung! Fortune cookie always wrong! " Chinese Cat

10) Cindarella
"Get up. Quick, this instant. We haven't a moment to lose. Anastasia? Anastasia. Get up, Anastasia. " - Step Mother

3 Close Contenders

• Lady & the Tramp
• Snow White & the Seven Dwarfs
• Pinnocchio

Preparing for a date.... Logistical Nightmare?

Tonight I am going on a date with a lovely Italian man and I feel (in this order):

• Nervous
• Excited
• Happy
  
• Cautious
  
• Vulnerable
  

The added pressure of the evening include the fact that most people in the damn town seems to know one or both of us thanks to our jobs. Can you imagine being on a date and having people you know coming over to chat and ask awkward questions? Bad News! This makes the venue choice is a bit of a mission.

1. Meet at 8 and go for a drink a gorgeous wine bar (none of my customers, lots of his!)
2. Head off to a unknown location for dinner (he is choosing venue and I've been warned that there will be none of his customers but some of mine)
3. Go for a drink in a lovely bar at the river. (Possibly frequents by our customers but unlikely)
   

On top of this I have the usual stressful crazy date preparation to get through!

My Date Preparation (up to and inc. tonight):

• Consider outfit and realise I have nothing remotely suitable in my wardrobe
• Rush out to buy some gorgeous black trousers that I 100% cannot afford
  
• Give my self a facial

- 1 Day before

• Pluck eyebrows
• Exfoliate
• Try on outfit and realise the gorgeous new trousers are too big.
  
• Panic and run over all the bad men I have ever met in my life before convincing myself that Mr Italian is not like any of them.
  

- Day of Date (morning)

• Set out the suitable parts of my outfit for quick change later
• Set out a contingency outfit
  
• Rush out before work to change the trousers for a better fitting pair
• Arrive late and flustered in to work and proceed through my day more stressed than necessary
  

- Day of Date (p.m. - 1 hour to get home, ready and back out)

• Have a super quick shower (I am great at these!) - max 5 mins
  
• Jump into my outfit (that now hopefully fits!) - max 5 mins
  
• Blow dry, straighten and back comb my hair - 25 mins
• Start Make up, natural but flattering - 10 mins
• Run for the bus which will inevitably be late - 10mins
• Continue Make Up while on the bus - 5 - 10 mins
• Run up the High Road - 5 mins
  
• Arrive looking windswept and no doubt awful with a big smile (fashionably 5 -10 minutes late)
  

So here goes, hopefully it will be a good night - I think it will - I hope it will! Wow, how stressful is dating? Shoud it really be this tough?

Wardrobe Essentials for a Wannabe Classy Lady

Seldom do people discern Eloquence under a threadbare cloak.
Juvenal
Class is timeless, it effortlessly displays the epitome of feminine beauty and best of all, from what I have read, we can all shy away from the ever-changing fashions and move towards the styles of a more glamorous time. I’m thinking Chanel, Audrey Hepburn, or for a more modern day example think of Catherine Zeta Jones.

OK so the majority of us mere mortals are unable to afford their style, but basics are the key and I badly need a new wardrobe.

Unfortunately in the past year my wages have been too low to allow for any luxuries what-so-ever (I do not doubt the vast majority of people are in the same situation!) and it has now reached the stage that everything I do have is covered in holes or rips and it looks awful. I cannot rock the scruffy look any longer. I need well fitting clothes; I need clothes that I do not feel embarrassed to wear. It is time for a new look, time for some style and elegance in replacement of my current hobo-esque gear.


“Fashion is made to become unfashionable.”
Coco Chanel
So here I go, with a (slight) pay rise on the horizon I am going to gradually build up my essentials by investing in clothes. I must first purchase all my basics as well as a few ‘classic’ pieces. I.E. spend a little bit more than I can afford but get plenty of use of the piece for years.

The Staple Diet of Clothes,

• 2 well fitting, well made short sleeved T-shirts (1 black, 1 white)
• 2 well fitting, well made long sleeved T-shirts (1 black, 1 white)
• 2 pairs of well fitting, well made jeans (1 casual, 1 smart)
• 1 slim line / pencil skirt (perhaps less the pencil skirt as I seem to always be in a rush and the penguin run does nothing for anyone!
• 1 blouse (purchased from Bravissimo to stop the gaping look!)
• 1 pair of black trousers
• 1 pair of tailored trousers
• 1 well fitting cute cardigan

“The difference between style and fashion is quality.”
Giorgio Armani
The Elegant Extras (any links are likely to be way out my price tag - but I can dream :)

• Winter Jacket… ideally something long in a neutral colour, or black, get it right and it will last you 10-15 years easily!
• The Perfect Little Black Dress Something that flatters my shape and that I feel great in. Can be used for any occasion
• Little Shift Dress Ideal for lunches or teaming with your fancy jacket and some cute shoes
• Blazer jacket… difficult for us bigger bussed ladies but one of the most versatile items of clothing many of us will own… cocktails, interviews, meetings, dates… it works for them all.
• Cute but comfy toeless sling backs Some amazing shoes to go with my newly formed basics.
• An Authentic Birkin Bag Amazing! I would kill for one of these!
  

“Looking good and dressing well is a necessity. Having a purpose in life is not.”
Oscar Wilde

Tips / Advice for Relocating to London

This morning I found a To Do list that I had written upon my arrival in London and over it brightened up my day, as the top 10 things on my list… the top 10 things I considered important to me, I have completed. It has reminded me that I actually have achieved a lot since coming to London. I have done a lot, and it has not been a complete disaster.

London is an amazing city and I would highly recommend it to anyone. It is a fantastic place to live (unless you live central… ) but I thought I would write my top tips when moving to a big city.

- Pick a nice area to live
Do your research! Like all cities, London has its good areas and bad areas… You do not want to live in a bad area of town – it takes away your freedom! But then again, a very good area of town is going to be mega pricey. I chose to move to Acton – typically a rough neighbourhood but the area I live in is closer to Chiswick a middle class area and therefore I get the best of both worlds, a relatively cheap (by London standards) place to live and close to a lovely area (if a little too posh) I haven’t had any trouble whatsoever! And it has almost been a year!

- Find some great friends
Easier said than done in this city! Everyone is very concentrated on their own lives and will not look twice at you unless you make the effort first. But then they are very wary of this. I made friends through my second job and I wouldn’t change them for the world. A great mix of people - I love them all! Or use meetup.com
(yes I am aware that the photo is awful!)

- Discover the ‘countrified’ things in your area
In London people are so bogged down in city life, they tend to want to be in the country. Therefore there are many farmers markets, gorgeous park spaces, canal / riverside cafes and bars etc. It really eases the stress of the city and works whether you are alone, or with a great bunch of friends.

- Have a regular place
If you head to the same café at the same time every few days, you will tend to see the same people, meaning that you become a familiar face and then if you can, work up the courage to speak to them… another way of making new friends.
My place of work became my regular haunt... meaning I made mad friends, like the madman in this picture! :)

- Know what is 'close' by you
All of a sudden you have moved from somewhere that everything was familiar to a strange urban wilderness which at first can seem daunting… but if you need out of the city for a while, be aware of how close you are to so many other places! Head to Kings Cross / St Pancras and take the Eurostar to Paris for a couple of days. Or jump on a train to Brighton for the sea air, or even head to Bath or Bristol… it is all close at hand now!

- Learn to love the tube
By far the easiest mode of transport. But learning to love the people barging into you, or the 5 people squashing you on a packed tube at rush hour is far more difficult. Develop a thick skin and deal with it. If need be barge back… or say something! Believe, they sh*t themselves.

- After a while find yourself a lovely partner in crime
Whether that be a friend that you meet that you instantly never want to lose or a special man / woman.
Someone to share great things with, and someone to lend a shoulder to cry on when you are feeling down or homesick. I was lucky enough to find a great friend in Fiona… not so much luck on the man front… for a massive city with such a diverse population – I have had zero luck with men - Massively attracted to a man who is both inappropriate and emotionally unavailable… typical!


Like I said, London is a great city, I would go as far as to say London is the best city in the world! (That I have visited) This is probably due to the great friends and the great experience I have had.

Reading my list earlier today made me realise that while moving here and starting a new life has been difficult and while things have been mad the past couple of month, I have made the right decision. Moving to London was worth it and I love it!

Now the stressful things just have to ease up a bit and all will be well in my world :)

10 Things I Love and Miss About Scotland

The concept of 'Home is Where the Heart is' has concerned me over the past few weeks. I have realised that I am becoming more and more at home in London. Does that mean my heart is here? 

I would find it very difficult to leave London, and I have not yet been here a year. I still miss Scotland and all things Scottish of course but these days they seem less important than they did before. 

To remind myself of why I will always want to call Scotland home I have made a list of 10 things I love and miss about Scotland. When I first wrote these, they also acted as a relief to homesickness!

• Scottish News
  

Newspapers are television are far less ‘British’ in Scotland. A fact I did not realise until living in London. The Scottish Parliament, the fish farms, Glasgow, Edinburgh - I miss it all being discussed (in a Scottish accent of course) It can be a struggle to relate to full UK politics as opposed to issues that affect your ‘local’ area.
Tip: Keep BBC Scotland website as home page. I have to keep up to date some how!

• Scottish Football
  

Football is without a doubt Scotland’s national sport and the title race was often a talking point in conversation with my family. It is different now. I used to love going to the pub to watch the old firm matches. Down here it is all Irish bars and walking into a sea of green is more than a little daunting for ‘gers girl. The atmosphere that surrounds the sport in Scotland is very different to down south.
Tip: Keep up to date with what is going on with your team and persuade a neutral friend to come along and watch the game in a non ‘team themed’ bar!

• Socialising
  

The comfy sofas in Beanscene – the high tables in the tree house – the uncomfortable benches in Wellies – the long sharp grass at Wellingston Square. I miss it all! Going places you recongise, with people you have known for years is comforting. It gives you a sense that everything is OK. Nothing is changing too 7803 1300quickly and you can deal with it. Suddenly everything becomes new when you leave and I found that particularly hard to deal with.
Tip: Get a regular coffee shop / pub / bench in one of London's gorgeous Royal Parks and pay attention to the new routines that you witness.

• The Beach
  

Living by the coast is something you cannot truly appreciate until you are no longer there. Having lived by the coast my whole life I never realised how important it was to me. The long walks, watching the boats coming in, listening to seagulls and watching the sun set are all things I truly miss. There is something so calming about the sea that the Thames can simply not match.
Tip: Go to Chiswick and take a long walk west along strand on the green. Its gorgeous and semi-relaxing. Failing that, hop on a train to Brighton!

• The Food
  

Who new Scottish food was so different from food in England? For one thing, no tattie scones or square sausage. (Rule number 1 – do NOT be fooled into buying spermarket square sausage in an English supermarket. It is awful!) Even restaurants are different! It could well be that they don’t fry everything as they do in Scotland. Either way… it is not the same.
Tip: Whenever you have friends or family coming to visit, encourage them to take the train and bring you a Scottish food parcel. Lovely! Failing that - make your own!

• The Old Regular Haunts
  

The places I used to love going such as Ronaldo’s in Ayr for some new and exotic flavour of homemade ice-cream, or The West Kirk for burger and pint.
Tip: See above in Socialising! Also, find novelty places, such as cafes that specialise in chocolate ☺ treat yourself every once in a while.

• Glass Bottles of Irn Bru
  

They don’t exist in England. You can buy cans in most shops (not in pubs or restaurants) but you cannot get a glass bottle and every Scottish person knows it tastes best out a glass bottle. It is my number one cure for a hangover and it is non-existent. Bad news!
Tip: As with Food – get friends and family to bring it to you!

• General Courtesy
  

Everything from people saying sorry when they barge you on the street to complete strangers saying good morning on the streets. That doesn’t happen in London – not even in Chiswick!
Tip: Do as you would do in Scotland. Graciously apologies if you collide with someone. Thank people for holding doors, say hello to friendly looking people if you are the only two on the street. It makes them a little happier and you never know – they might follow your lead with the next person they see.

• Live Music
  

The atmosphere at a gig! People say that the Scots are the best crowds in the world – I can see why now! The venues are amazing, the bars are cheaper, the sound is phenomenal and crowd are immensely supportive.
Tip: Go to small local band gigs. The band’s friends provide the same atmosphere in a far smaller level.

• The Humour
  

Sarcasm is a permanent fixture in a Scot’s personality. Apparently it doesn’t work like that down here! I had to learn this the hard way!!!
Tip: Save it for when you visit Scotland.