Hola.

I feel like I've been too busy so I haven't really had time to post anything post-Dry the River/Exeter. I spent most of Friday travelling down to Exeter for the university preview day yesterday and (shock-horror), I didn't bring my computer so I haven't been able to do much/also maybe missed out on a cool conference job.


So, Thursday night Moon came over and we had Chinese food and watched 'Billy Connolly's Route 66' before heading out to New Slang to watch the end of Worship and see Dry the River. The sound wasn't perfect at the Hippodrome but it was nonetheless an enjoyable gig, Peter Liddle's voice is so powerful and beautiful, I didn't even care that I barely knew half of the songs. I think I would like to go to New Slang more too.



I even bought a t-shirt, and Moon shook the bassist's hand! It was awkward and filled with fanboyism, but it was nice. I went for the horse one because I had to. They are actually very nice t-shirts and are very soft, plus I'll have a feeling of dickhead superiority until they break the big time.


16/09/2011:
Blazer: eBay
T-shirt: Dry the River
Skirt: H&M
Leggings: Primark
Because I woke up late, basically the first thing I did the following day was head off to Exeter. I've been to Exeter a couple of times when I've been visiting Moon's Gran in Sidmouth and I quite like it, but because my sister is a genius, she'll probably have the privilege of going to the University there.

It's so nice it made me want to be sick, there are waterfalls and it's full of greenery and the halls are so modern, everything will probably be even better when they finish whatever building work they're carrying out at the moment. It was a full-on open day with lots of friendly students ready and willing to help out with questions about courses and the University in general. I don't even plan on returning to University ever and I was even falling in love with the place. We were supposed to go up to Warwick (because as I said my sister is a genius) next weekend but we're going to put it off while my sister get's over how smitten she is with Exeter.










Next week is looking far more empty that the previous two, with only a driving lesson and telephone interview to really look forward to, and a 'proper' job centre consultation... woo..

Dry the River Official Website
'Like' Dry the River on Facebook
'Follow' Dry the River on Twitter

35mm Underwater Trial.

I was slightly skeptical about what would happen with these images. Particularly from the second roll due to the fact that I opened the back and the film hadn't rewound properly, but only a few of the images were over-exposed and I didn't really lose any, which was good. I do have some classic 'film snapshot' images with thumbs over the lens, which is nice (Moon!). I really enjoy shooting on film actually though. I think the instantaneous process of digital takes the excitement out of photography somewhat, but I think that that view has been pounded into me from being a photography student, even if it is actually what I think as well.

So I'm quite pleased with these, even if I'm fully of the opinion that Boots totally overcharge for 35mm processing and I probably won't be going with them.
These are from Brittany, so they're mainly beach ones, I'm not sure how I would use such a simple camera in any other way really.

Like I said, we've spent a lot of time around the Brittany area in our life, this was probably the first time we've been on this side of the beach, probably the last too because the sea on that side appears to have a bed of clay rather than sand, it's fun for about 12 seconds until you realise you can't really walk properly.

Facebook album

Currently listening to Ed Sheeran's debut album, '+', while uploading this, download, it's perfection. It's everything I was hoping for, even if he's altered 'The City' and 'You Need Me I Don't Need You', I now have a consolidated collection of Ed Sheeran tracks and I am happy, I think I'll be listening to this album for a while until The Maccabees get their arses in gear. My favourite track on it at the moment is Grade 8, it has basically everything I like about music.

Wednesday 14th September.

Day 10 of 'keeping myself active', it certainly is weird to be home while knowing that in a week's time students will be returning to University and I won't be, probably ever again.

Thorpe Park yesterday was good, and it was great to catch up with my friend Laura too, who I haven't seen in ages. I think my favourite ride was 'Stealth', which I forgot was so fast. Probably the best freebie, I've had all year.

It was Mid-Autumn festival a couple of days ago and the moon looked beautiful, so I took the opportunity to get a snap. I don't think that it's quite as good as what I got when the moon was really big (Supermoon), but I like the result, especially as there was no tripod involved and I just took it from my bedroom window.

I've noticed more and more that a lot of bloggers seem to be posting photos taken with their phones, so here's a bit of a weekly digest. It's quite useful to have a camera on your phone, I used to hate the idea of it, but since I now have a decent camera on my phone I tend to use it a fair amount when out and about. Although an actual camera/my SLR (when I'm feeling strong) is obviously preferential.

Ed Sheeran paw prints outside Banquet Record Store, Kingston

Cute prizes at Thorpe Park that reminded me of Moon's drawings.

Sadly, despite being out all day yesterday, I had no replies from any jobs, but I do have a 'professional' blogging opportunity in the works, which I'll link to if I'm successful.

My second driving lesson went much better than the first one, which I'm very pleased about, I actually can't wait until I've had enough lessons and can drive off and around all over the place. I know I've still got a while to go yet, but it's still exciting, even though there's still things like parking to learn and the actual proper rules when it comes to the test.

---

What I wore 14/09/11:

Cardigan: H&M
Dress: Primark
Belt: Primark
Tights: New Look
Nails:

Stripes: Models Own, Sophie's Pink
Models Own/WAH Nail Art Pen, White
Leopard Print: Models Own: Peach Puff (My new favourite colour)
Models Own/WAH Nail Art Pen, Black
It's back to the grind of the job hunting this afternoon, which of course I must write down in my Jobseeker's 'diary'. I just received a rejection for my application to Kingston Disney Store, darn, there goes my post-degree hopes and goals down the drain...

612.

The Job Centre messed up again today, putting my initial 40 minute appointment into a 10 minute slot, but I refuse to dedicate another post to them because the overall experience wasn't too bad - aside from their insistence that I use newspapers in my job search, what decade do we live in?

So I returned a few things whilst I was in Kingston today and also made a few purchases. I think I may have a problem now, I bought some hand cream from H&M, purely due to the packaging, but it was pretty cheap and I do need some new hand cream. I also bought a smart pair of shoes from Primark, to keep me ticking over while I wait until I have enough money for the pair I have my eye on from River Island. I always think it's such a shame when shoes have nice patterns inside and no one will ever see them.



Hand cream from H&M
Shoes from Primark
I'm off to Thorpe Park tomorrow, this week is so full, I have no idea how I've suddenly become so busy.

611.

I'll begin this post by saying that I really haven't got anything interesting to say and that I wish I did. If that part doesn't bother you, then do proceed to read on.

So, on Thursday, after the terrifying ordeal that was my first driving lesson (I'm lying and it was actually fine), I went down to Dorking to see Stephen Merchant at the Dorking Halls with my sister.

He was so awesome and really funny! I laughed all the way through and all the way home, all I wanted to do when we left was re-live those last two hours. His support, Josh Widdicombe was really good as well. I can't wait to buy the DVD, I'm considering pre-ordering it when I have a slightly more respectable amount of money (or I might put it on my Christmas list). Due to how tiny the Dorking Halls is, we actually had really good seats, despite being in the middle of the balcony.

I spent the rest of the weekend with Moon and seeing some old friends. I wish I'd brought out my camera, not that it will be the last time it will be happening now that I'm home forever. We went to Guildford last night for a friend's birthday, not sure I'll be doing that again in a hurry, and definitely not on a Saturday night anyway. It was actually an okay night, if you ignored everyone there that wasn't us. There were far too many 'lads' on the hunt for 'birds' and I felt very out of place due to my lack of slutty get-up, I must remember that for the next time I put myself in that situation...

But I've had quite a nice weekend, I applied for around 5 jobs on Friday so that should keep the Job Centre quiet tomorrow (urgh). It was nice to be with Moon anyway though, but we actually saw each other a lot this week. We made a delicious salad last night from a recipe I saw in Closer. We modified it slightly because it called for cold kidney beans, but it was quite pretty and still good for the next day. I would recommend it, particularly with a bit of warm quiche. Nom.

Nadia's Skinny Dinners: Three-Colours Salad
Serves 2 or about 5 if you make as much as we did

200g can of tuna (drained)

½ red pepper we used a whole one, finely chopped

198g can of sweetcorn (drained)

215g can of kidney beans (drained) replaced with shelled peas

Large handful of spinach leaves we just used a small bag of baby spinach

1 hard-boiled egg we did three because were expecting three but would have done two at least because half a boiled egg is shit rubbish.

For the dressing (we just bought some mango & chilli dressing from Sainsbury's, which was delicious and less faff)

1 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp chopped parsley

3 black olives, sliced

Salt & pepper

---

Step 1: Mix all the dressing ingredients together and set aside
Step 2: Place the tuna, pepper, sweetcorn, kidney beans peas and spinach in a bowl. Pour the dressing over the top and gently toss.
Step 3: Divide the salad on to two plates, halve the hard-boiled egg and share between two (SEE!).
Step 4: Serve immediately with a slice of wholemeal bread (or not bread and something much nicer).

---

I'm basically just posting this to avoid unpacking my stuff from the weekend, and to share a nice recipe with you, obviously. I've got a few photography-related things I'm going to try and get out of the way over the next month or so (if the weather improves). The week after next will be the week that I finally sort out my portfolio and website. I'm also in the process of sorting it out for Moon and I to attend a Graduate Fair in October, it's free and I really think it will benefit us, at least I hope it will (although ideally neither of us will need it and we will have jobs by then). I think the key to not becoming a shell of a person when unemployed is to remain active, I'm definitely glad that I'll have my portfolio to do when I'm not 'scheduled' to do something.

This week is hella busy though, with the Job Centre, Thorpe Park, another driving lesson, a gig and a trip to Exeter, I don't think I'll be bored. I kind of hope I don't exhaust myself though...