Lunchtime Ramblings: Feeling Crafty

For someone who really likes crafty things I'm really lacking in any craft like ability.

A few Christmas' ago my boyfriend got me a crossstich book because I mentioned I'd like to try it. I thought back to my home economics teacher treating me like an idiot for my inability to thread a needle and I gave up. 

I put learning to crochet on my 28 things before I'm 28 list and struggled to make the first loop, I've made a tiny bit of progress since then, although I haven't yet given up, my plan is to master at least a line before I'm 29. 

Even as a kid, anything artisic or craft like was my least favourite thing to do, it was my idea of hell. Now I'm older it's something I wish I was better at as I think it would be a great creative outlet.

I'm really envious of my friends who do have hobbies like that, which they are amazing at but I try and remind myself that some of them had to learn too. Maybe that's my problem. I don't like it when I can't just pick something up and do it. I want to have all the skills with none of the learning!  

I can do origami, nothing massively complex but I make a good crane, an epic bat, a pretty cool swan and a passable dragon.

I'd like to try and do more crafty things. If you've got any suggestions or tips for picking up crafty hobbies, feel free to suggest. 

Read More

Lunchtime Ramblings: Creativity and Routine.

Yesterday I was thinking about being organised and today I'm thinking about routine. 

Routines are great, I thrive on them. I like having a sense of what usually happens and when, it keeps me in check and keeps me in a semi state of organisation.  

My nephew Ben is autistic and he also relies on a sense of routine and watching his sense of routine amazes me because while he relies on similar patterns of circumstance, he fills each one with something new and different and creative. It's made me look at the way I view routine and creativity and the ways they can work together. 

I like the reliability of routine. You know where to go, what to do and have a rough idea of what will happen so that you can then equip yourself with your plan of how to go about your routine.

Where I can come into a bit of bother with routine is when it doesn't stimulate me. Sometimes I get myself into routines of behaviour and activity for the sake of them and if I lack passion for it, I begin to stagnate.  

I think it's why I chose a creative path, to allow me to take new strands of thought and channel them into new ideas, creations and adventures.   Sometimes though, I succumb to the creature of habit mindset and find myself doing the same things repeatedly and expecting new results.

I've recently started doing these lunch time blogs and putting myself into a bit of a routine with that, but the second it stops being enjoyable or I'm just doing the same thing every day I'll stop.  I want to use these little impromptu blogging moments in my day to reach into my mind at the quietest point of my day and see what inspiration and creativity lies in there.  

Sometimes I feel like I need to break the routine in order to be creative but I think my problem is conditioning myself into patterns of behaviour within my routine which then limits my creativity. 

I'm gonna try every day to be more of a free spirit, to try new things and identify new ways of being creative within my routine environment.

Read More

Lunchtime Ramblings: Organised Mind

I like to think that being organised is one of the strongest skills I have. I can plan things in detail and I think well on paper which helps in a work sense.  In a personal and work sense I often have a to do list for my to do list. 

When I was at college and university I had a list with all my tasks organised my tutor and due date taped to my bedroom door so that whenever I left or entered my room I'd be reminded of what I needed to do and could highlight as I completed things.

This year, I've let my organised side slide and allowed my brain to become frazzled and overloaded while I fly by the seat of my pants. Starting today - that stops! I need my head to be in a place of tranquility and clear vision not scrambled among different things. 

Here are a few tools and methods I find useful - mainly to serve as a reminded to myself to use them but if they are useful to anyone else - then awesome!

Mind-mapping

I love a good mind map, getting all my thoughts out on paper as I'm planning things and organising them into branches of thought.  Paper and online are both good for me. Some good online ones to try are Barvas and XMind.

Passion Planner

I ordered a passion planner at the beginning of the year to help me stay organised in my planning of personal goals at work and in my personal life like blogging and volunteering.  I did great for a month or so and then I let it slide.  I'd like to use this properly. I might by another one and start again.

Calendar on the wall

I have a big monthly calendar on my wall that I use to write important things on in bright colours to remind me of things I can't forget! Again, I've let this slide. Although for the sheer benefit of having Sherlock characters on my wall, I've just kept it up.

Good old fashioned pocket diary 

I like to have a pocket sized diary for writing down important things I can't Miss that lives in my bag and I can refer to at any point. Not used one at all this year, bit late in the year to start one. Next year for sure! 

Phone reminders

I've probably utilised this one the most this year, I could be more militant with it though. That's the plan going forward anyway. 

How do you stay organised? Any tips? Let me know! :-) 

Back to my desk time, with a more organised brain than the one I left the house with this morning.  

Read More

Lunchtime Ramblings: Open Doors

I forgot to bring my house keys with me today, a genius move if ever there was one. Thankfully my parents are likely to be home when I am heading home from work or if they are out enjoying the sunshine this afternoon, I can head to my boyfriend's house so it won't be a massive catastrophe.

It set me off thinking about that phrase when one door closes another door opens. I didn't always believe in that saying and thought it was just something people say to make you feel better when something doesn't quite work out for you but there have been a few instances in my life where it has been true. 

When I was finishing up my internship a few years ago and had absolutely nowhere to go to next and was completely clueless as to what to do, a short term opportunity at my brothers work opened up. While it wasn't in my preferred field, it was an opportunity I enjoyed and allowed me to spend time with my brother that I otherwise wouldn't have. 

Before I began my current role, I had previously had an interview with another company and hadn't got the job and a few weeks later they recommended me to another company and after a successful interview I found myself with a job! 

There are plenty of times when an opportunity hasn't worked out for me or I feel like I'm some aspects of my life I'm stagnating and can't see a way forward but I've now started looking at those occasions as opportunities to keep an eye out for what might come along.

Read More

Lunchtime Ramblings: Sleepy

I'm sleepy today, properly could lie down for a kip sleepy, I'm at work so there won't be any afternoon naps for me today but never mind.

I have something of a reputation for being sleepy, in my later years of school and my college years. I was notorious for my desk snoozing, there are even some historical photos of me on some friends facebooks where I'm snoozing when I ought to have been learning.

Sometimes I'm sleepy because I've stayed up too late and needed to be up early, sometimes I've gone to bed early and had too much sleep and sometimes I've had too much caffeine and thrown my energy levels out of whack. 

I don't think it's really any of the above this week, I'm just feeling really lethargic and unresponsive. I think I need to start addressing my diet, not in an oh my goodness I need to lose weight kind of way (although it wouldn't hurt) but I think because I've had to cut a lot of things out of my diet with my dairy intolerance, I've over compensated with other sweet things that I know I can have. They are probably adding to the whole sluggish and drained thing. 

It probably doesn't help that I'm not massively keen on exercise either, I could also be looking at ways increase my energy levels in that way too. 

That can be this weeks task, to identify small health changes and try to increase my energy levels and actually be awake during my waking hours.

Recommendations are totally welcome, if anyone has any! 

Read More

Lunchtime Ramblings: Shopping

Anyone who knows me or has read my blog has probably gathered I enjoy ambit of retail therapy.

I enjoy visiting stores and soaking in the colourful array of shoes, clothes, accessories and items around me, sometimes I'll even buy some! 

At times, my insessant shopping chat can come across a bit 'airhead shopaholic' but I swear I'm not trying to be the Scottish answer to Cher Horowitz, although I'd freaking love to have her computer operated outfit selector and access to her wardrobe space.

I perhaps just like to shop but sometimes I think back to when I was a kid. 

I was sometimes made fun of for wearing what someone identified as a hand me down or as not very fashionable or socially acceptable to wear.  At the time, this was the worst thing in the world, to not be wearing the right thing and I'd be a bit of a brat about it. I of course understand now that while we weren't poverty stricken, having the latest version of trainers every three months couldn't always be a priority.

While I couldn't give two hoots what anyone thinks of what I wear now or whether I have the latest thing. I do have a sort of feel a need to have my own stuff. I now have far too many clothes which I fleetingly clear out and rehome and end up building back up again so at some point I probably hace to be a bit more selective. 

I am by no means a shopaholic and don't go shopping every week or anything like that and while my outgoings don't really extend beyond my car, insurance, phone and Netflix, I'm doing no harm....but may I could donate a few things to charity for every new thing I buy. 

Right, nearly time to get back to work.....and look at a few shoe sites :-) 

Read More

Lunchtime Ramblings: Friday

It's Friday! I wouldn't exactly say I have the Friday feeling but I'm feeling somewhat chipper about the weekend.  Weekends never last long enough, you wait a whole week for them to roll around and then they have passed before they've even begun! 

I've always quite liked Friday's at Primary School it was the day we had 'Golden Time' where for the last 45 minutes of the day you could chill. As I got older it was the day I had off of college and uni.

Until I started working it was a day my parents and I spent with close family besties (hi H&D) in some shape of form. In fact, as I type my parents are enjoying a lovely day with them, about to embark on lovely home made baking and treats. 

My current Friday routine post work is to visit my boyfriends house and consume food of some description, either his or his mothers cooking or one of the lovely takeaways where he lives. Tonight I'm deviating from routine and going out with a friend and while I'm looking forward to it my brain is crying out 'but this isn't what happens on a Friday!' 

I used to work with a man who came into work every day with a big smile on his face, wishing everyone a happy day and asking if they had the Friday feeling, because for him every day felt like a Friday!  I'd love to have that attitude every single day and I try to have the same kind of spirit but some days I do succumb to the less than chipper moods the working week or poor sleep patterns can bring.   I think I'd like to try and make this an active challenge every day to try and spread the Friday feeling whatever the day - wherever I am.

The Happy Days theme tune usually plays on the radio on a Friday morning on my drive into work, I left far too late to hear it today, so I'll sing it internally as I type it instead! 

Sunday, Monday, Happy Days,
Tuesday, Wednesday, Happy Days,
Thursday, Friday, Happy Days,
The weekend comes, my cycle hums
Ready to race to you

These happy days are yours and mine, these happy days are yours and my happy days. 

Read More