May 2016 | Monthly Wrap Up

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Friday, 3 June 2016

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May’s been a bit of an odd one. But oddly good.

Favourite part?

My last official day of school was a week ago, and while I had an exam that day, it was mostly spent my friends and we had a great time. I’m oddly going to miss school, but at the same time I can’t wait to be properly gone! I went to see Judgement Day at the Millennium Stadium which was so much fun! It’s always great watching a rugby match (or two in this case).



It was also this blog’s birthday oh my god! My baby’s growing up…

Best read?

I’ve actually read something other than Moranthology this month! I read Darcy’s Story by Janet Aylmer really quickly, as I already knew the story inside out and back to front and I loved revisiting some of my favourite literary characters! I’ve also been quite obsessed with Rapture by Carol Ann Duffy. It’s a book of love poems but each seems really unique to me and they explore the theme in different ways.

I'm currently reading Me, Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews, which is interesting so far.

Favourite tunes?

I’ve been listening to a lot of songs from YouTube this month. The most recent I think is An Unsolved Mystery by Melanie Baker. The lyrics are brilliant and really create a story that I just love so much! If you don’t know Melanie already go and listen to her songs, they’re so worth it!

What did I learn?

That hard work beforehand pays off and saves a lot of stress in the long run. I also came to the conclusion that Pride and Prejudice is actually my favourite book. I feel like I’ve betrayed J.K. Rowling - I’m sorry my Queen!



What’s happening next month?

I’ve got 3 weeks left of exams and then I’m free! I’m looking forward to see this summer so much! 

Something you may not be aware of is that I’m going to be contributing to a new blog soon. It’s me and six other bloggers. We’re each going to have a set day to post on in the week. Hopefully there'll me some familiar faces in the other contributors and really hope you guys like it once it's running. It’s so exciting! To keep updated with that new adventure follow the blog’s Twitter account!

What’s been on my mind?

First and foremost exams, but let’s be honest, that’s been on here for basically every post in this series. I’ve been thinking a lot about poetry and I've found that I've been more thoughtful this month. Don't ask me what I've been thinking about this month because it's been practically everything! My head gets a bit full sometimes.



Favourite blogger/vlogger?

I discovered Sam Chaplin this month. He’s a smaller YouTuber who has been blogging for a long time and I really enjoy his videos. 

Favourite post?

Well, posts have been a bit thin on the ground this month haven’t they? Oops. My favourite I think would have to be Why We All Need To Dream because I got a load of stuff off my chest and I think a lot of you guys feel the same way about it. I also liked reflecting on the past year in Happy Birthday Another Ranting Reader!


Biggest inspiration?

I don’t really know to be honest. My love for Rapture has spurred me on to write more poetry, I think, and I really love it. Truthfully the thought of the summer ahead is keeping me going - just 3 more weeks!

Any other favourites?


Downton Abbey. I’ve been binge watching it so much and I’m on Series 5 already. I’m also only a few episodes away from the end of Glee. I’ve been putting off watching the last series quickly and I don’t know what I’m going to do once it’s finished!

Found




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Niçoise Daydreams | A Poem

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Wednesday, 18 May 2016

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I dream of the place where the flowers grow,
Where blue waves lull against the stones
and carnivals dance the colours of the rainbow.
Do you want to visit the Old Town or the New?

Follow me into the maze
of les vieilles maisons
and get lost amongst the millions
of shops hidden in there.

Run with me, up the hill - 
Up the cobbled stone streets
and colouring book buildings,
until we can look out for miles
Upon the artist’s sheet
that is Nice.






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How Blogging Has Affected My Life | Another Ranting Reader's 1st Birthday

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Wednesday, 11 May 2016

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A year ago today my first blog post went live. A year! Can you believe that?! The time has seriously flown by - I know that probably sounds clichéd but it’s true. This year I’ve become part of the blogging community and have seen how blogging has affected my life, writing and mental health (and believe me, it’s been a mixed bag!).

Having my blog has definitely added to my workload. I knew that would happen and have definitely got no reason to complain. However, I have noticed that most people underestimate just how much work blogging can be. I mean there’s writing the post (which is definitely the easiest bit), adding pictures and links, trying to understand SEO, promoting a post and ensuring everything is up to date. And that’s just for one post.

When you’re trying to do multiple posts a week along with trying to do your best in your GCSEs, that workload gets a bit too much, which is why I was forced to cut my blogging time down a bit until my exams are over.

This increased workload can cause extra stress. I, as a blogger, am basically setting myself extra homework and providing myself with more pressure and more deadlines. But I love it. I do it because I freaking love blogging, and I genuinely think it’s had a great impact on my mental health (despite the added stress thing).

I’ve met so many positive and amazing people through the blogging community and my blog has helped me develop my relationship with friends I already had. It’s allowed me to clear my head and keep going. It’s been a constant thing in my life for the past year.

Then my writing? How has blogging affected my writing? Well, I actually wrote a post on that topic a few months ago - read it here (plug plug plug). Personally, I think my writing has improved since I started my blog - or at least I hope that’s the case. Having this blog has meant that I have had to keep writing and to keep my creative juices flowing. Blogging has also, somehow, caused me to find a real love for writing poetry and has made me open up my writing in terms of both skill and medium.

Thank you all for reading and following my blog for the past year; I know some of you have read every single post and I can’t express how thankful I am for that. 

If you’ve not read my first ever post or want a trip down memory lane go over and have a read: Why do you wear makeup?


And here’s my most recent post, to round things off nicely: Why We All Need to Dream



I hope you guys have had a great year and I look forward to hopefully sharing much more with you.

Happy 1st Birthday Another Ranting Reader!

Jemima x


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Why We All Need to Dream

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Monday, 9 May 2016

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I honestly can’t tell you how many times in my life I’ve been told to “be practical”. I’ve been told to “think of something else” and push my passion in life to the sidelines - to keep it as a “hobby”. Even the thought of that causes my insides to tear into shreds and emotion to swell up inside me. I simply cannot do that.

I cannot stay in a job I don’t want to be doing just because the one profession I’ve always wanted to be a part of isn’t the steadiest career path out there. Just because it won’t necessarily give me the best income.

The words “put your dreams on hold” may not have been spoken to me directly, but they’re the words I’ve heard. Those are the words that cut me in two.

When I was younger, when careers and adult life were just a distant thought thrown about here and there as a rough reminder, many of the adults around me would praise my writing. I suppose it was the fact that I was being creative or developing a skill. They said I wrote ‘maturely’ and teachers would always mention book deals to me whenever I showed them some of my work (something I’m not sure they should have done now that I think about it).

Then I grew up a bit. I became a teenager, nearing the end of my school career, heading off to college with uni around the corner, and the praise turned into “you should look at your options”. The talks of book deals switched to “have you ever thought of this?” Talk of accomplishing my dreams morphed into the serious conversations on practicality.

“Keep writing as a hobby.”

I don’t know where my love for writing stemmed from. Perhaps it was the bookish family I was born into or the stories we were told in nursery. All I know is that, since I can remember, I’ve had this intense need to tell the stories locked up inside of me. For me it’s something I’ve been called to do and have to do; if I didn’t I’d simply implode.

I know that I’m going to have to make sacrifices and take up other jobs in order to create my writing career. Believe me I know that. Let’s be honest, who doesn’t have to take on another job while they chase their dreams? But whenever anyone asks me what I do, being a writer will always come first, because that’s what I primarily am.

We all have dreams, and they are there for a reason. Without my dreams I would not be motivated to do anything - I mean anything. It is my dreams that give me the drive to work hard and get on with it; to keep doing what I love and ensuing that I will grow into the best writer I can be. Without my dreams I would be nowhere, with no sense of self and no apparent purpose. I would be like a version of myself after a dementor’s kiss.

I will not give up on my dreams. I will not shunt them or push them to one side. I will fight to make my dreams a reality.

I am determined.


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The Disney Tag

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Wednesday, 4 May 2016

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As you are probably aware, I am a huge Disney fan. So when I saw this tag hanging around the Internet, I needed to take part. Hope you enjoy!

1. Favourite Disney Film?

No! How can you start with that?! In my mind they’re all brilliant and my favourite changes all the time! Let’s just list a load: Cinderella, Robin Hood, Mulan, Beauty and the Beast, Hercules, Inside Out, The Lion King (I don’t know which one I cry more at out of those last two), Star Wars, Pirates of the Caribbean… You see how I could go on forever?

2. Favourite Disney Character?


How d’you expect me to pick when there are so many?! This is almost as bad as that last question! I genuinely can’t pick any one character - this is going well so far, isn’t it?

3. Favourite Disney Princess?


Either Belle or Aurora, but I think Belle. I relate to her a lot being really bookish and loving stories so much. And plus I love the way she stands up to Gaston.

4. Favourite Disney Side-kick?


Mushu - he’s hilarious and I would love to have him narrating my life!

5. Favourite Disney Song?


So This is Love, without a doubt. It’s just so beautiful and makes me feel all mushy and romantic. I Won’t Say I’m In Love comes in at a close second!

6. Which Disney character would be your best friend?


Minnie Mouse! She’ll always be my no.1 gal.
Credit


7. Who would be your Disney pet?


Pascal! He could sit on my shoulder and give me high fives and make faces at people and generally be hilarious. Also can I have Jack and Gus-Gus from Cinderella? They’re pretty fab.

8. Have you ever been to Disneyland?


Yes! I’ve been to DisneyLand Paris twice when I was a lot younger (before my brother was born and a few years after he was born), so I can’t really remember it much now but I know it was amazing! Whenever I think about it I get really happy, even though I can’t remember lots of details of it. I need to go again so badly - I think I've cried before when I'd been thinking about it too much. Oops.

9. Who is your Disney Alter Ego?


Mulan - I mean come on! She’s really badass, I’ll always want to badass. But then let's be honest, I am probably more like Anna who is just generally more clumsy and socially awkward.

10. Who is your favourite Disney villain?


Hades. The amount of sass is unreal.


11. Do you collect anything Disney wise?


I’ve got 8 Tsum Tsums at the moment and plan to get a load more! They’re ridiculously cute I can’t see what’s not to love about them.

12. What Disney film would you star in if you could?


The next Star Wars? That one seems kind of obvious. 

13. How old were you when you watched your first Disney film?


Oh I don’t even know. I must’ve been tiny! Like 2, if not younger.

14. What do you love about Disney?


I don't really think there's one thing I can pinpoint to be honest. Loads of them have really poignant messages and are always really feel good film and can lift my mood practically as soon as I put one on.

15. Who is your favourite Disney couple?


Um… Minnie and Mickey? They’re the ultimate Disney couple. I think that Aladdin and Jasmine and Giselle and Robert are up there as well.
Now it's over to you guys! Feel free to take part in this tag if you're a Disney lover - the only person I'm forcing to do this tagging is Katie (Katieswaytohappy), have fun with the first two questions!




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