Film Review: 'Begin Again'

So, on Monday evening I travelled back to uni with my parents, following a lovely chilled weekend spent at home before revision truly began. They came and saw me play a Spring Concert with my orchestra, and then dropped me back at my flat where I got ready for bed and snuggled under the duvet for my last few hours of 'guilt-free' freedom.

Having made a promise myself the previous week not to start a new series on Netflix until after exams, I decided to pick a film at random, and that's how I stumbled across 'Begin Again'.


Brief Summary: Greta is a young singer-song writer who has always lived in her musician boyfriend's shadow, while Dan is an alcoholic, declining music producer evicted from the label he jointly founded. When the two meet in a bar following Greta's performance, an unlikely friendship begins, and turns into a project which will get both of them back on track, both in their professions and personal lives.

The story was simple, but feel-good and inspiring. It felt relatable due to dealing with very real issues of failure, heartbreak, addiction and family relationships, as well as the constant struggle to find what you're good at and have the confidence to share that with the world.

Mark Ruffalo, as Dan, and Kiera Knightly, as Greta, were an excellent combo. I'm not always a big fan of Knightly as I think she can sometimes come across as a bit wooden, but the stand-off-wish, mysterious character of Great was a perfect role which highlighted her abilities. Supporting parts, such as that of Dan's daughter Violet, played by Hailee Steinfield (Pitch Perfect 2) , and Greta's ex-boyfriend Dave, played by Adam Levine of the band 'Maroon 5', really helped to shape the film as a whole. Plus James Corden was his usual hilarious self and brought the comedy factor, causing me to literally laugh out loud at points.

While perhaps a little unrealistic (I mean who really happens to meet a music producer who needs you as much as you needs them before extending their stay in NYC to randomly record an entire album on a £0 budget which then sells 10,000 copies overnight... sorry for the spoiler!) in practice, 'Begin Again' helps you remember never to give up because the next big opportunity could be around the corner and hard work and luck can equate to miraculous results... which to be honest was exactly the message I needed before 3 weeks of exam study! Definitely one to catch while it's on Netflix.

Bath&Shower Goodies! (a.k.a. LUSH haul)

 

I recently learnt in an anthropology lecture that vloggers and bloggers who do 'hauls' are considered their own category of society labelled 'haul girls'. I had not realised this was a thing!! This post is totally different from anything I've ever done on here before but hey, since the rest of my blog is a mash-mash of ramble and opinions with no constant theme or organisation I figured I may as well dip my toe into the beauty blogging world. I mean, why not?

For my 18th birthday 2 of my very good friends, who also happen to be twins, bought me a gorgeous gift box of LUSH bath goodies. Prior to then, I don't think I'd ever even been in that shop, far less been obsessed...

Since then, I have spent a fair bit of money in there- but their selection is just incredible! It smells so good! Not too sure how I'll set this out yet, but let's just role with it.... at least half of the stuff is from Christmas (when I was supposed to write this post, but didn't) so hope you all get a nice festive feeling... in April! And yeah, I won't exactly be following a 'beauty blogger' style because, well I wouldn't know where to begin! Also haven't done a post with pictures in a while so I'm a bit rusty on layout... this could go interestingly....

Bath favourites

Bubble bars are my absolute favourite, more so than bath bombs because a) you can get at least 2 baths out of them instead of 1 and b) you have the satisfaction of feeling them dissolve between your fingers under the running water haha. I've tried all 4 currently stocked by the wee LUSH store in Aberdeen and here they are, ranked in order of my preference!

4)  Blue Skies

Blue skies is my least favourite, just because the smell wasn't as much to my taste as the others! It does however have quite a calming, relaxing scent suited to chilling you out, and it's pale blue colour isn't too harsh on the eyes after a stressful day!







3) Brightside

This fiery bubble bar is really great to use before you go out for the night/day, because I find it gives you loads of energy! It makes the bath bright orange (duh), smells like Fanta, and just generally puts a smile on your face. What more an you ask for?!









2) Ultraviolet



Best things about this beauty? It smells like parma-violets and makes the whole bath the best colour in the world. Enough said.














1) Comforter

My absolute favourite, this bubble bar was the first I ever tried as it was the one included in my birthday gift box. I can't even properly describe the scent in words, you'll just have to try it! I think it is officially a blackcurrent scent, but to me it just smells like home, happiness and relaxation! Amazing after a day working outdoors in the rain!










Despite my preference for the bubbles, I have tried a couple of LUSH bath bombs too:





'Sakura' is my Spring/Summer pick due to its light, fresh smell and pastel colouring!   












The 'Yoga Bomb' is awesome at any point throughout the year, but I will make it my Autism/Winter pick due to it's warm, homely scent and cinder-toffee outer colour (purple on the inside).











I'll just slip this wee Easter bath bomb in here too. It was the only LUSH Easter product I indulged in this year and smelled awesome! Like spring and happiness haha! There were a few to choose from, think this one was called 'Fluffy Egg'.














Shower favourites

Don't worry, this section will be significantly shorter as I have only tried two of LUSH's many body washes.

2) The Comforter Shower Cream

Bought this for uni because was gutted that I wouldn't have a bath and would therefore miss out on my favourite smell ever! It was very expensive, for body wash, but worth it for the scent! However, I have been disappointed with the runny consistency of the shower cream, which makes a mess and hardly makes it onto my body, and how you have to shake it or it separates in the bottle. Nothing against the scent but would like to see LUSH make a shower gel version, won't be buying again as a bit of a waste of money for me.




1) Snow Fairy Shower Gel


Technically, this should go in my Christmas section as it is a limited edition festive product, but I loved it so much it deserves a proper review. I was given this as a secret Santa gift from a uni friend and absolutely fell in love from the first whiff! Smells like candyfloss but also somehow like Christmas! And its all glittery and shimmery! Still got a wee drop left as left it at home as my holidays treat, but it better be back this Christmas!


Festive favourites

Between treating myself to a fair few items in a day of much festive excitement, and receiving even more (different ones!) as gifts, I collected so many Christmas LUSH products in the 2015 merry season that I literally used the last one at the weekend just past! For that reason I do not have time to comment on them all, but suffice to say they were all fabby! Here's some wee picks for you to enjoy...

Father Christmas Bath Bomb

Bar Humbug!






 

Secret Santa Gift Box





 

Snow Angel Bath Melt
 

(front and back)

Skincare Saviours

 

My last section I promise. I'm aware this blog post has become rather long (believe me, I've been working on it for 2 hours +) but wanted to end by letting you know about my favourite LUSH skincare products, even though they don't quite fit in with the post title. The staff in LUSH are so good about helping you find something you need, that it makes it feel worth the extra money. I use these products to supplement doctor prescribed skin products, having always suffered with acne and eczema.

 

 

'Pumice Power' Foot Scrub

 

 

 

 

 I've always suffered from awful dry skin on the soles of my feet, so I enquired in LUSH about a remedy and this is what they suggested. It's not perfect, but if you use roughly every second day it definitely makes a difference! I personally use it in the shower, and I can really feel the pumice working its wonders and excoriating my feet. Have even got my mum using these now!








'Let The Good Times Roll' Facial Cleanser

This face wash is made with real popcorn, causing it to both smell and feel amazing! It really excoriates your face without being overly harsh and helps get rid of dead cells on the surface! Would recommend using 3-4 times a week if possible.







Tea Tree Toner Water

LUSH stock lots of different toner waters which are kind to skin. I mostly just picked this one because I adore the smell of tea tree! You can use immediately after cleansing, or first thing in the morning, before bed and as many times as you feel like in between!! I tend to use 4-5 sprays in my (clean) hand, rub my hands together and then onto my face, but you could also apply using a cotton wool pad if you preferred.






'Enzymion' Facial Moisturiser

I apply this moisturiser immediately after my toner water every time, using the classic 5 spots and then blend technique. It contains lots of wonderful natural ingredients including avocado and Aloe Vera. I still use my doctor prescribed moisturising cream elsewhere on my body, but prefer this for my face because I only have to use a tiny amount and also its very light, meaning it is less likely to clog my pores.






'Don't Look At Me' Face Mask

What a colour!! LUSH do LOADS of different face masks, but my main aim was to find on which addressed acne scarring, hence my choice of one which includes lemon juice, known for its benefits in that area. Despite looking like a smurf, I really enjoyed using this product! The one negative thing I would say is that it has a relatively short shelf life (3-4 weeks) for the price, and I didn't manage to use all mine. However, if you make a point of using it every day you're not using your facial cleanser, it should get used up! Plus you get a free one when you return 5 LUSH pots!





Well... considering a year ago I hadn't even set foot in the shop, didn't use shower gel and wouldn't have considered myself a bath person, I quickly became addicted! I even tweet out my LUSH love from time to time (@catrionaa15). Must love it, as just spent over 2 hours on this post. Hope it was useful, and please let me know your LUSH favourites! Back to my normal posts now, enough of this beauty stuff for a wee while! Xx

 





Technology Trends

Last week I finally joined the very popular club of iPhone users. My Sony phone had been playing up for around 6 months, so when my early upgrade date arrived I couldn't have been happier, and decided to splash out and switch from android to ios.

The main reason why it's taken me this long to join the club, as it were, is because up until now I haven't been able to justify paying loads of money monthly for a phone, when I could get one much cheaper which can still do what I need it to. Particularly as a student, money is a constant consideration and I have to prioritise what I spend it on, even more so when it's something I'm contracted into and which will be coming out of my bank account every month.

I've not got anything against android phones, in fact I think they can be even better at certain things and admire people who don't feel the need to swap to an iPhone just because it's cool, or the done thing. However, having had issues with my last 2 phones, I decided it was time to invest.

I reckon the issue is that there isn't any problem with android phones if you're only asking them to call, text, and maybe a few other bits and bobs. But we start to ask too much of them and this is when the iPhone seems to cope better.

I say seems because I can hardly be a fair judge, having only had mine a week... but I must say the difference in speed and efficiency at the moment is remarkable!

However, this post isn't really supposed to be a review of the iPhone haha (I went for an iPhone SE in rose-gold in case anyone is interested!) but more about this idea that we can become quite obsessive about technology.

I must admit I am guilty of this attitude. I get really excited at the prospect of a new phone or other technological device. I wouldn't say that there is anything wrong with that in itself, in fact it's healthy as it shows how much I appreciate things which cost a lot of money. However, when other moods and emotions become apparent such as genuine anger and frustration at a slowly working phone or greed over how quickly my phone upgrade date will arrive I sometimes find myself hating how closely connected I feel to my devices.

I would say on the whole I'm quite good. I don't sit on my phone during meals and conversations and I still read books and do sporting activities away from my laptop or phone screen. But things such as Netflix, for example, can become addictive. And when you start falling in love with pictures of the latest gadgets online you know it's gone too far!

Technology is an absolutely amazing and wonderful thing, in moderation. I'm not suggesting it should only be about necessity, because it's become a hobby and leisure activity too. But I don't believe it's healthy to let it take over your whole life, because I genuinely believe it can start to limit your abilities to communicate and function without it! A year or so ago I watched a really well done, insightful video about what technology has started to do to us as a society (you can watch it here - I really recommend you do!). At the time its message hit me hard, but then I got caught up in life again, and it's not until recently that I've reconsidered the idea of taking breaks from the virtual world and making the most of the real one.

I didn't get my first piece of technology, except for the 5 channel TV and video cassette player and occasional battery-powered children's toy, until I was 11 years old. We didn't even have a computer in the house until then. I remember how excited I was to receive a second hand first edition Nintendo DS and a couple of games for Christmas in 2007. I wish I could go back and relive that excitement because I bet it would seem magical now! I genuinely spent my childhood playing hopscotch and skipping and riding bikes outside; spending hours inventing make-believe games with my sister; mastering board games and reading every Jacqueline Wilson book out there! Looking back, as much as I would have loved a computer or console at the time, I am really, truly grateful to have had that experience as a child. I honestly believe it has made me the person I am today, who enjoys family time and a good book as well as my iPhone and tablet!

I don't know where I'd be today without my technology- uni certainly would be a struggle!! There isn't a single day I spend totally free of both my phone and tablet. Even as I write this I am appealing to a virtual world. I know that I am as, if not more, guilty of falling in line with technology trends as anyone, but I do believe I make a real effort to create a balance: I love discussion and debate, still read paper books as well as my kindle, love to meet up with friends and family and even have a pen pal who I regularly write handwritten letters to. I'm not perfect, and, as sad as it may be, a conscious effort will be needed to maintain that balance and not let the technology take over, but it's doable.

We only have one life in this amazing world, let's really live it.

Can harsh be good, or just rude?

Recently I've had a bit of a hard time with body image worries. Nothing unusual, I think every young person goes through self-conscious periods. But not nice all the same.


I've never been the skinniest girl  (puberty gave me curvy hips and a large chest haha), but ever since  I stopped competitively swimming in 2013 I've noticed that aside from the annoying broad back and shoulders build, I've struggled to retain my figure. I still keep active, and love to swim, but I also love to eat and have an annoying habit of comfort eating.

A few weeks ago I was feeling really great about myself because I was training for a 5k charity Swimathon and so exercising daily, but when that was over life got busy again and it only took less than a fortnight for me to start feeling  a bit rubbish again.

I get particularly down when doing things like clothes shopping! I've never been very good at picking clothes as it is, but I find it even more difficult when I've perhaps put on a wee bit of weight, because even though it's not the case, I feel like everything looks rubbish on! I'm sure everyone can relate to that on some level because the reality is, no matter how 'perfect' your body is, you will always notice your own flaws.

So, on Tuesday I decided that enough was enough and I needed to get back into a regular routine, so I headed for a wee swim. The swim went ok, although I was struggling a wee bit which just further proved to me how quickly fitness slips away. But what really got to me was this: I went into the changing rooms to get changed, and entered a cubicle. Then I heard the centre manager come into the changing rooms (which are unisex). My membership card hadn't scanned properly on my way in, so he was asking a college if he knew where I'd gone and referred to me as "that big girl".

Now it's important to note that the manager didn't sound mean, just thoughtless. And I suppose it's possible that he just meant tall, although I'm no giant. I tried to ignore the comment but, typically, that adjective stuck in my head for the whole evening: "big".

Now, there is nothing wrong with being a big girl, a small girl, a tall or short girl or whatever. But to me (and once again I emphasise that this is personal to me!!), big is an insult, because I've never viewed myself as big. It hurt because it made me think that that's how others view me on a physical level, and because it was something that had already been bothering me for a while, I think it hit me harder than if I had been feeling at my best.

However, the comment also got me thinking, and gave me a new determination to work on my fitness and body image and make myself feel good in my own skin again. I've barely started (I haven't actually exercised since, but its only been 2 days and I plan to tonight!) but now that it's in the forefront of my mind I might be able to get back on track.

It also got me thinking about whether that made what that man said ok, the fact that I plan to use it positively I mean. He hurt my feelings, but if it wasn't for him I'd probably have carried on as I was. I'm not condoning nasty comments or describing people based purely on physical appearance,  but I wonder whether sometimes what we need is for someone to be a little bit harsh and truthful from time to time. It was hard considering this guy was a complete stranger, and not a friend or family member, and because it was said behind my back and not to my face. I'm not gonna pretend I didn't want to cry a bit that night, but in the end I hope his comment was constructive.

I'd be really interested to know your opinions on whether harsh can be a good thing, or if its always plain rude. Friends telling me I'm beautiful or that an outfit looks great on me really boosts my self confidence and sometimes I need that, but it doesn't make me address issues which harsher comments do, so in that moment, while instinctively I hated the man for unintentionally pointing out one of my greatest insecurities, he possibly said exactly what I needed to hear.

2016 Book #3 (Review): 'Fangirl' by Rainbow Rowell

So, y'all know the drill... I actually finished this book a fortnight ago, but I never seem to get round to writing reviews anytime shortly after reading the book! To be honest, just now is the stupidest time to be writing, because I'm supposed to be working on an essay due Monday, but I'm in a good mood and just really feel the urge to write something other than what I'm supposed to be haha! Plus I feel bad that it's been a while since I last blogged.

Anyway, this book was a Christmas present from one of my close friends, and I was really chuffed to receive it because last year I read another book by Rainbow Rowell, 'Eleanor & Park', and I enjoyed that, and was therefore keen to read 'Fangirl'.

This book started off ok, like one of those reads you're quite enjoying but not loving. However, by the time I was half way through I was completely hooked. I can't really pinpoint exactly what it was (but I'm about to try) but something about the characters was just addictive.


Brief Summary: Twin sisters Cath and Wren have always been inseparable, which makes moving to uni and splitting up very difficult, particularly for Cath, who is an introvert by nature and loves nothing more than just to sit inside and write her fan fiction. As she watches her sister do the usual college things like making friends and getting drunk, she struggles to fit in. Until her friendship with her roommate's male friend escalates, and flourishes into a relationship. Can Cath cope with first love and the pressure she puts on herself to succeed as a writer?

I think one of the main things I loved about this book was how relateable I personally found it. I'm definitely not an introvert (well, not most of the time) and I have never written fan fiction. But I do love to hide away and read and write, and as for boys, well my experience is rather limited! Like Cath, I struggle with the idea that I guy could think of me in that way, and long for the confidence to make it happen. I also love my sister dearly, but struggle with regularly comparing myself to her beauty and popularity. I think I loved the book so much because it gave me hope that I will some day find a guy who likes me for me, plus it inspired me to keep writing!!

I think one of the key themes of 'Fangirl' was, for me, self confidence. As much as I often come across as a confident, chatty, approachable individual, I do really struggle with self confidence and self image at times, and Cath had very similar issues. All the characters were very real!


The novel additionally dealt with the mental health disorder of the twins' Dad- I don't remember it explicitley stating what it is he suffered from, but it sounded very much like Bipolar disorder- with manic episodes that could cause him great harm. Although this isn't something I know at that scale whatsoever, I appreciated that an issue that is all too real was dealt with.

Furthermore, the character Levi had dyslexia, and I think the way Rainbow Rowell explains this is amazing- it doesn't make him sound stupid or incapable- he's an intelligent college student! But it brings to the forefront of readers minds the extra struggles in life that a learning disability can cause, and helps us acknowledge that.

The only drawback of this book, for me, were the snippets from fantasy novels and fanficition imbedded within and between chapters- not my preferred genre and after reading the first few, I started skipping them haha!

If you're a slightly geeky person who loves a really down to earth read I would definitely recommend this book! Now, I suppose I better get back to my essay! :(

P.s.: The quote from Rainbow Rowell below pretty much perfectly sums up the stage of life I am at right now, and therefore I think perfectly explains why you should read this book haha! :