63. Lifestyle // Recently...

I thought I'd do a little lifestyle update as it's been a while (well, probably not that long really...) since I last did one, and it's a nice change from product reviews and recipe posts. Plus, it means that (if you're interested) you can get to know me a little better! So recently I've been...

...Reading: Backstory by David Mitchell

I'm not usually a big fan of autobiography's but David Mitchell (from Peep Show, That Mitchell and Webb Look, Would I Lie To You, etc, etc) is an exception I'm willing to make. Peep Show is my favourite programme, so I wanted to get to know a little more about Mark David's true personality. I'm absolutely loving this book so far and I've laughed out loud (much to my colleague's wonder, whilst I'm sat at my desk on my lunch-break, sniggering at a book) quite a few times. If you like David Mitchell you'll love this book.

...Watching: Dexter

Anybody who follows me on Twitter is probably sick to death of all my Dexter related tweets and hash-tags! I'm not usually into following TV series, especially not American ones as I find them so far-fetched a lot of the time, but Shane and I recently started watching Dexter and we're hooked. We're only just nearing the end of Series One so there's still a long way to go! NO SPOILERS PLEASE!

...Eating: A LOT

From my most recent recipes post, it's clear to see that I'm not exactly the cleanest of eaters. Oreo Cheesecake anybody? or how about Peanut Butter brownies?! *yum* Yesterday I baked some cranberry flapjacks which were also so tasty! I'll try and kid myself that their healthy... because of like the oats and frnuit, and stuff? (ignore the syrup, sugar and butter!)

...Spending: No money on beauty products or clothes! (but lots on food...)

I recently blogged about my self-imposed spending ban after I was inspired by lots of other bloggers doing the same thing! So far, so good. I'm only about a week in but I've bought no make-up, no bath products, no clothes, shoes or accessories! I'm planning on sticking to this spending ban right through until October so wish me luck.

In amongst what I've been eating, watching, spending and reading, I've also been working everyday, seeing Shane (but only if he promises to let me watch Dexter... just kidding!) and catching up with friends now that they're back from university.

I'm off to a barbeque and a gig tonight (hence the flapjacks - they're supposed to be a present - if I don't eat them all beforehand!) and then a wedding tomorrow, so I'll be doing an OOTD/OOTN post very soon. My first one ever *nervous* eek!

I hope you enjoyed this quick post about what I've been up to lately.

What have you been up to?

Lots of Love,

Becci xo

37. Lifestyle // Where have I been?!

As some of you (well, anyone who actually chooses to read my blog) will have noticed, I've not been very present over the last couple of weeks and I thought I owed you all a bit of an explanation and a catch-up.

I've been working night/early shifts at work since last Monday and these have messed up my schedule so much, I can't even begin to describe it. I've been starting work at 1am; which means getting up at midnight, having tried (and failed) to sleep since 4pm (this is super difficult in summertime as it's so bright, gah!) and working through until 9am. 

As I don't drive this has also meant I've had to spend every night at my boyfriends. Now, don't get me wrong, I love staying at my boyfriends & we're planning to move in together very soon (more on that in a later post!) so I'm not complaining, but it's meant that I've only been home once in the last 17 days, so I'm missing my family (you won't hear me saying that very often...) a lot. 

Also, the time I've spent with S hasn't even been quality time; he works until mid-afternoon so, by the time he comes home from work, I'm having to prepare myself to go to bed which means we've not had a chance to go out and do anything or even to do something as simple as watch a film together!

It's also meant that I've struggled to settle into a routine so when I've come home from work (promising that I'll have a productive day and get some studying done, a bit of tidying up and then see a friend or go for a coffee) I've actually ended up flitting between lying in bed doing nothing and, well, lying in bed and doing nothing (on the laptop). Basically, it's been an incredibly unproductive fortnight for me. But, thankfully, I've managed to get the rest of the week off which is fantastic and I'm only working 3 days next week and then that is nightshift over and done with! I cannot wait.

So, that's why I've been so lax with blogging lately. Although I've felt as though I've had plenty of topics I'd like to discuss; I just haven't had the energy or the motivation to do so. 

On a more positive note; I'm planning on spending the next 5 days catching up with my Open University studies and I'm really enjoying the topic I'm working on at the moment (the art of Benin, if anybody is interested? A mix of history and art) so I'm feeling positive about my next assignment. 

I also had some fantastic news this week! I applied for a job at a local newspaper and managed to get an interview which I attended on Monday. I thought it had gone terribly but I got a phone-call the next morning, asking me to go in again this Friday for some ability tests and an interview with the 'boss,' so I'm incredibly nervous/excited/terrified/flattered. The job - which I won't go into too much detail about just in case I don't get it - would be absolutely perfect for me; it's full-time, it's local, it's challenging, it plays to my strengths and it will provide me with so many opportunities for the future, in terms of career and skills, as well as actually having the money to 'do stuff' such as go on holiday, treat myself and move in with my boyfriend. So please keep your fingers (and whatever else.. depending on how flexible you are!) crossed for me on Friday!

I'm also going to catch up on my sleep and spend a bit more time on myself; I need some pampering as I've neglected myself a bit recently. I've not caught up with any of my friends for over a week and I can't even remember the last time I had a proper bubble-bath with candles, music and a glass of wine. 

I've also been thinking a lot about my future in blogging. I'm aware that my blog isn't the best; I seriously need to work on my writing but - you know what? - that's what a blog is for. I'm not an author or a poet or a journalist; in other words, I'm not a professional writer. I'm just a girl who loves reading lifestyle, beauty and food blogs and decided to give it a shot by doing it myself! 

I know I don't have a massive following and I'm, by no means, an established blogger but I write my blog for me and if other people enjoy reading it then that's obviously a bonus, but it's not the main reason that I blog. It's a release for me; it's a way for me to share what I'm interested in with like-minded people and it has become a hobby recently.

I'm also having a bit of a change around (you'll notice this in a couple of weeks when I get my new blog design - eek!) and streamlining the topics I'm going to cover, but I'll do a proper post about this again soon!

Sorry this has been such a long, disjointed post but I felt like I needed to write something, anything, and so I wrote exactly what came into my mind! I'll be blogging again over the weekend as I have lots of ideas so keep your eyes peeled.

Thanks for reading,

Becci xox