Books

Hello.

 

I have an ereader.

 

And I have books.

 

And I see the benefits of both.

 

I love real books. I love holding them, feeling the weight in my hands. I love flicking through the pages and the feeling of physically popping in a book mark (or old receipt / train ticket / biscuit wrapper). I like reading the back in a book shop and sometimes getting it signed by the author. I like the smell. I like how the furnish a room. I love noseying at what people are reading on the train. You can be reading anything on an ereader but books are a statement about who you are.

 

But I must admit, I like my ereader too. It's light. It's easy to read. I like how you can adjust the size of the text to suit yourself. I like that it tells you what percentage of the book you are on. I like how it doesn't take up much space in your bag. And how it doesn't weigh down your bag either!

 

I know there's a lot of debate about books vs. ereaders. E-reader people claim they are the future. That they are easier to use. That "why do you need all those books anyway? They take up so much space!"

Book people talk about the romanticism of the printed page. About how reading from a screen is cold. About the memories that the physical book can evoke.

 

I see both. As do many people. But, as the smart observer will have noticed, if I had to choose. I would choose books. I like my ereader. But I love my books. And today I think I realised why. With an ereader you can recommend a story.

But with a book you can share it.

You can lend them and borrow them and leave post-it notes in them.

You can't give an ebook as far as I know, only a voucher.

But you can give a book. You can choose it based on their tastes or because they've hinted or it's an author they like. I am always happy to receive a book. Even if it turns out not to be my cup of tea. It's genuinely the thought that counts.

 

Books are social.

Ebooks aren't.

 

Don't Waste My Time.

So, unlike some other months this year I am not undertaking a daily challenge for September.

It's just a weekly thing, to watch a film that I haven't seen each week.

While it might seem straight forward to you, I am not known for my film watching. I like films don't get me wrong. But I rarely choose to sit down and pop a DVD on. I like going to the cinema if it's to see something I am excited about, but I am less bothered about just going to see whatever the latest release is. And the same is true at home. I'd rather watch a couple of episodes of a box set than a film as somehow I feel I'm getting more out of the time. Or I wil be watching a film and start thinking about all the other stuff I could do with that hour and a half. The fact that I would probably not have done that and just procrastinated the time away is irrelevant. The idea distracts me and often I find myself watching a film in chunks because I feel the need to do something else.

And that is what I have ended up doing. It's taken me a week to watch my first film. So I'll just have to try and cram the other 3 in somewhere...

 

So, what did I choose for my first film of September? Nothing more apt than In Time starring that Justin Timberlake chap!

As you can see, the DVD is still in the wrapper. I can't actually remember when I bought this but I reckon it was about a year ago. That's how bad I am at watching films. Watching this will help me with another challenge I am working on but that's for another post.

 

So, the basic premise. Everyone lives to 25 just fine and dandy. And then you stop ageing. Sounds lovely. But you die at 26. Rubbish. I've just turned 26 and I haven't managed to do anything! WAIT! We can get out of this dodgy situation because you get paid in time. And you buy stuff in time. You literally spend time. If you can get hold of enough time you can become basically immortal. I like this concept but I wouldn't want to live it.

Mr. Timberlake is poor, basically trying to scrape enough hours to get to the next day. He meets an old chap. Although because people don't age he still looks young - this would be confusing enough. The old chap has LOADS of time but is fed up and just wants to die. He says you can only live for so long before your mind wears out even if your body doesn't. He thinks the world is corrupt and secretly donates all his time to Timbers while he sleeps leaving him the message 'Don't waste my time'

Now Timbers in on a mission.

A mission to take down the corrupt rich and redistribute time.

Obviously there's a pretty rich girl and hit men and rozzers and going on the run and ghettos and whatnot.

 

I enjoyed the film, I did and I would recommend you give it a watch but... I dunno, it just felt a bit shallow to me.

Not shallow as in, you know shallow. Like Shallow Hal (also a film I haven't seen). Not because it's all about looks and titles and what people see on the surface. Shallow because I didn't feel like it really got into the depths of the world it created. It felt like we stayed on the surface even though it was meant to be about uncovering and righting corruption.

 

And, one thing that really bugs me is that the leading lady is wearing very high heels.

 

I like a pair of heels. I do. I have nothing against women (or men for that matter) wearing them if they want. I have some very high heels. But I would never wear them if I was on the run. I wear them if I'm getting a taxi to the restaurant and home again. Not to run the 400m!

But not film women. Towards the end, the heroine is literally running for her life as she tries to get to JT who has a fresh supply of time as her clock ticks down. She would get there much faster in trainers.

(I'm sure in the running scene the actress was probably wearing flats)

It is also unfair of a Timbers to think she can easily keep up when he is wearing six inch heels and he is wearing a sensible shoe.

 

I hope my analysis of the footwear situation doesn't ruin your enjoyment if what is otherwise a pretty decent film. Enjoy spending a couple of hours of you time wondering if you would've bothered watching it if you could see your clock ticking down.

 

 

 

Ballet Bites Back

Hello!

This is a very late review and I can only apologise but I apparently am a busy person. Who would've thought it!? Not me that's for sure.

 

Last year I went to see A Midsummer Night's Dream by Northern Ballet.

I'd never been to the ballet before. Well... Actually I had but I can't remember any of it so I don't think it counts. Anyway, this was essentially the first ballet I had ever been to see and despite not really knowing my Shakespeare as well as maybe I should, I really enjoyed it.

 

So when I saw that Northen were back and that they were doing Dracula, I simply had to get tickets.

Again... I'm no literature buff and despite having a childhood holiday in the flat where Dracula was written (I know, I had the best childhood based on that one fact!) I've never read it nor seen any of the films... But I know the jist and that was good enough for me. (Is it jist or gist? Neither look right to me).

 

After attempting to find a Subway that wasn't chock-a-block we made our way to the theatre and took our seats. Ooo it was exciting. What was it going to be like? Would it be scary? Would I have any idea what was going in?

 

After an unexpected first scene of a naked Dracula getting out of his coffin (don't worry, it was just a bit of bum, nothing too rude for a Saturday afternoon) I quickly decided I was in for a treat.

The sets were beautiful and intricate and clever. Stuff came up through the floor and down from the ceiling and curtains fell and stuff loved on wheels. Very good. Very good.

The costumes were incredible. Mr. Dracula, I like your cape very much and if you ever are thinking of a change of style I will gladly take it off your hands. It was so huge I could probably live in it. The guy who played Count D did amazingly well to dance in that thing.

Of course, all the dancers were amazing. So graceful, so beautuful. They managed to convey the dark nature of the story without turning it into a bloody horror show which suited me just fine.

 

My only problem was not quite knowing what was happening.

 

As I say, I'm no Dracula or ballet buff, so watching a show with no dialogue and no real idea who anyone was meant it was rather tricky to keep up with the intricacies of the plot. I knew what was going on of courses. But I wasn't sure who everyone wad and what their relationships to each other were. Once I had gotten my hands on a programme during the interval I was able to get up to speed.

 

If you get chance, go have a look see. Not necessarily just at Dracula but if you see Northern Ballet putting on something near you, I would say (based on a hit rate of two out of two) to go for it! It fun, it's accessible, it's not just people twirling around in tutus.

What's the worst that can happen? You find out you don't like ballet. Or you find that there's a whole new thing you can enjoy. Or maybe just something in between. But the point is you will have had an experience. And that's what life is all about.

 

Love Charlotte x

 

Age is just a number

Hello.

They say you should never ask a lady her age, but I never understood what the problem was. Also, I'm not sure I've ever described myself as a lady so maybe that comment doesn't apply to me. In fact, I'm so not bothered that a few months back I got this guy to have a guess when using the phrase 'mix tape' apparently really threw him off his age calculations.

People tell me I look younger than I am. I think this is to do with not wearing make up for 99% of my time. Remember that #nomakeupselfie thing that went around a while back? All my selfies are those. I'm just too lazy to spend time on my face when there's a tea that could I could be drinking.

 

I sometimes feel worried that I should've done more by the age I am. I know people around my age with PHDs (well she's almost finished it), who have the job they've always wanted, who run their own business, who have travelled the world.

I haven't done any of that.

I sometimes feel that I pretended at being a grown up when really I'm trapped being a kid and I wonder if I ever will make it being a 'proper adult'. And them I think, who wants to do that? Being a grown up is nothing like as fun as I thought it was going to be when I was about 8.

 

But other times, I feel old beyond my years. I went out for a birthday celebration last night with my oldest friends (not in terms of age, just the ones I've known longest) and we got back home at approximately 9.30pm. It is this sort of moment that I like to use the phrase 'Rock and Roll' to describe myself. I don't like getting drunk, I don't take drugs, I tut at graffiti (just the tagging kind, not the more arty stuff that can actually cheer up a sad wall) I like to be in bed by 10pm and I really like a hot water bottle in winter.

I don't know who the celebrities are. I don't care about how many friends I have or whether it will be awkward if I miss a social event. I've definitely never drank from a 'fish bowl'. I don't blow all my money on pay day. I do pay into a pension and have a savings account. I would like to buy a house.

 

I don't know what any of these things mean anymore. Yesterday I was 25. Today I am 26.

Does it matter?

No.

 

I might not own my home or business. I might not be working my dream job or travelling to forgeign countries. So what if I like to go to bed early. I know I don't function well if I haven't had enough sleep. It doesn't make. Any difference.

 

The best thing I have managed to do in my 26 years on the planet is make it to this point knowing who I am and being happy with that.

 

And that is enough for me.

 

Love Charlotte x

 

Hello...

Hello

Is there anybody in there?

Just nod if you can hear me.

Is there anyone at home?

Come on now

I hear you're feeling down

Well, I can ease your pain

And get you on your feet again

Hello.

I seem to have gone from a blog a day in August to no blogs at all in Spetember.

Sorry.

 

It's been a very busy couple of weeks and even though there have been a couple of very high high points there have also been some less fun parts. And despite having 4 half written posts sitting in my drafts file I just haven't managed to finish any of them. My brain hasn't rallied round for it.

And that's okay.

Everyone gets down. Sometimes for no reason at all.

I didn't start this to write because I felt I had to. I started so that I could write if I wanted to.

And now I feel like I want to.

So... Hopefully, I will be able to finish those posts and get them up soon for you to read.

 

See you soon,

Charlotte xx

 

 

Ps. If you don't know the lyrics up at the top there it's Pink Floyd: Comfortably Numb. Give it a listen. It's good. (But if I'm really honest, I probably prefer the Scissor Sister's cover... Shush didn't hate me).

City Centre Office + Lunch Break = SPENDING

Hello.

 

I work in an office.

In a city.

In a city centre.

As soon as I leave my building I am bombarded with shops and offers and sales and enticing window displays.

It's hard for a girl to resist.

Especially when there is so much nice stuff. So what if I don't have room for another dress. It's only £15!

Bargain!

 

Another peril of working in an office. Particularly in a repetitive type job is the boredom hunger.

Hmmm... What would make this spreadsheet more interesting? This packet of crisps.

Ooo, I feel hungry now. I'll just have my biscuit too.

And before you know it your lunch is gone before 11.30.

 

But that's no bother because there's loads of food retailers right on my doorstep all offering me delicious lunches and snack options to get me through the rest of the day.

 

 

And it's this spending that annoys me most.

Unlike a dress, there's nothing to show for it at the end. Sure I didn't need a dress but at least I have one at the end of the day. With food, there's just crumbs, an empty purse and a guilty feeling lingering in your stomach. Yes it is guilt (and maybe a bit of overeating).

Worst of all it's preventable.

All that I need to do is bring more food to work with me. Hardly difficult. Just pack more snacks

 

So that's what I've been doing this week. I've packed so many snacks I've been bring stuff home. And how much money have I spent on food while at work?

 

NOTHING!

In fact, not spending money on food has made me want to try and avoid spending all round. (Although this is partially motivated by an expense week coming up next week). And I've suceeded. I didn't buy anything when I went to get a shirt for my sister today despite there bring loads of stuff I wanted to buy.

 

And it's all thanks to packing smart and this beautiful lunchbox that makes me excited to bring a packed lunch to work again.

Lovely isn't it?

I've had that lunch box probably getting on 10 years so yes it is a bit beat up and scratched but I still love it.

And you can get a lot of snacks in it!

Who wouldn't want to eat that? Sainsburys, Subway, M&S eat your hearts out. What you can't see in there is the chocolate biscuit. You can't get through the day without a bit of choccy!

 

I recommend packed lunches as one of my top money saving tips. Just a shame my little friend Philip doesn't listen to me. That's why he's got about 30p left to last until payday!

 

Love Charlotte x

 

Happy times.

Hello and Happy First of September!

 

Now I know I've finished my blog a day challenge but I just wanted to do do a little post about a few things that have made me happy over the past couple of days.

 

This view:

 

These freebies:

 

This sugar rush:

 

This chap:

 

This early arrival:

This flower:

 

I'm sure it can't last but I really hope the rest of the week carries on in this fashion.

And the rest of the month.

Yes please.

 

Love Charlotte x