Liebster Award

I won an award! I'm so chuffed, I didn't even know anyone read this blog to be fair. I received it from the lovely Librarian Girl! I won't be tagging anyone/passing this award along because I've received this award on my main blog and have already tagged people a million times before (so would only end up tagging the same people again) but I'm still rather pleased!

The Liebster Award is given to upcoming bloggers who have fewer than 200 followers. Liebster is a German word that means sweetest, nicest, kindest, dearest, beloved, lovely, kind, pleasant, valued, cute, endearing and welcome. It's a fun way to say welcome to the blogging community.

Here are the rules for receiving the award:

1. Each person must post 11 things about themselves.

2. Answer the questions the tagger has set for you and create 11 new questions for the people you have tagged

2. Choose 11 people and link them in your post

4. Go to their page and tell them about the award (social networks accepted)

5. If you have not done so yet, follow the tagger and visit at least three nominees

6. Remember, no tag backs

11 Things About Myself:

1. One of my favourite childhood films is Willow, and I'm going to watch it after I've posted this!

2. I have a pet tamagotchi on my phone called Bob, however I tried to kill him off as he was the third pet I'd got that had evolved into an Octopus (the other two, my only pets, are called Roger and Sandy). I felt too bad though, so I'm sticking with him.

3. I have my tragus pierced and it is my favourite piercing (although I miss my lip piercing!)

4. I am on pretty much every social media site going (hey, I'm a journalist, it needs to be done)

5. I used to love music like A1, Lou Bega and Busted. I still have Busted on my iPod...

6. I really want a tattoo but I'm too scared to get one.

7. I have a skull in my room (it's paper mache, don't worry!) called Roger. He was named after Roger from American Dad as he has big eyes.

8. My favourite colour is Red.

9. I never want a relationship again unless the person is 'the one' and the one who I'm going to marry.

10. I'm so bored with my hair.

11. I've spent far too much money lately!

Questions from Librarian Girl

1. What was your childhood nickname, if any?

I had a few - Lou, Loopy Lou or Louish-Ann!

2. What is your favourite colour?

Red.

3. What inspired you to start a blog?

The chance to inspire others.

4. Do you have a favourite film? What is it?

I have loads so I couldn't pick just one, but my last favourite film of all time that I watched was Back To The Future.

5. Have you ever done anything scary, such as skydiving?

Does snowboarding count? I'd love to try skydiving or go bungee jumping or something one day

6. What's your favourite city?

London, without a doubt.

7. Something you are proud of.

Graduating from university (not only that but one that was a five hour drive away from home!) with a degree in Magazine Journalism.

8. What are your vices?

Falling far too quickly for far too many bad boys.

9. Heels or flats?

It depends on the situation, but heels for a night out definitely. I just can't feel sexy without them.

10. Can you play a musical instrument?

I can play two songs on guitar - Daniel Beddingfield - Gotta Get Thru This and Joshua Radin - Winter (which is supposed to be really tough to play so I'm pleased about that!)

11. What's your favourite sandwich?

Ham & Tomato!

As I said, it would be pointless for me to tag 11 people because I don't actually follow any blogs with less than 200 followers that I haven't already tagged in a previous award! However, if you click here, you'll be directed to my main blogs 'Blog Awards' page, where you can click on each post about award's I've won, and where I've therefore tagged other blogs - phew that was a mouthful! 

Finally, just as I haven't blogged recently - what have I been up to lately? Well, I've been working my bum off, going out on far too many nights out and partaking in short but sweet (and passionate!) 'flings?' which we're amazingly fun whilst they lasted :)

Nostalgia

This time last year I was graduating with a degree in Magazine Journalism at the University of Sunderland! At the time, I couldn't believe how quickly three years went by - in fact I still can't - and I can't believe I graduated a year ago now.

One of my best friends Jo only just graduated this week too as despite going to uni together, she spent a year studying in France. I'm feeling very nostalgic as it's dawned on me how long it's been since I've been a student.

I still remember leaving home for university like it was only yesterday - the long drive, the nervous unpacking, the first night out with my flat mates! University gave me so many amazing memories that I'll treasure forever, as well as giving me some amazing friends. I also learnt so much about myself in those three years.

I also remember the week I graduated so vividly. To this day, I still cannot grasp how much of my life changed in a matter of days. 

When I graduated, I had no idea where I'd be in a years time. But am I happy? I'm ecstatic. I've got a job relating to my degree and I'm still as close as ever to the girls I met at uni. I don't have my own place, but in all honesty I love being at home so much especially after spending three years away! 

Going to university was one of the best decisions of my life and sometimes I really would do anything to just pack up a bag, hop on a coach and spend a week there just for memories. I miss the town, the people, the food, the memories - everything. There's so much I didn't get to do, but so much I still want to do. I've promised myself that I'll hurry up and pass my test, get a car and visit again soon.

Of course, it won't be the same. It wasn't when I visited in February. Things will never be the same. But that doesn't mean me and my friends can't visit again for memories and to create new memories, doing all the things we said we would. We still need to have our big Newcastle night out and visit Amsterdam.

And when I visited in February, there are only two things I regret not doing. The first would be not getting a Chillino's pizza (oh my god my mouth is watering at the thought!). The second would be not visiting South Shields beach again.

South Shields beach, on my first ever visit, taken by me

To this day, South Shields beach is still one of my favourite places in the whole world. I never grew tired of living near the coast and spent almost every Sunday evening at this beautiful beach. This beach was my favourite place to be in Sunderland and is home to so many memories. It was one of the few things that still gave me good memories during my last year of university when everything else was going to the shit (for lack of a better word!).

Sunderland was my home for three years and I practically became an adult in that little town. It wasn't special - it wasn't home to the top university of the country or even the best nightlife but it was just right for me. I can't wait to go back.

Feeling overwhelmed

I'm feeling so overwhelmed lately. I know I'm having one of those weeks, but I can't shake this feeling that I'm trying and not getting anywhere. It honestly baffles me how people find the time, money, effort and inspiration to do things. There's so much I want to do with my life but getting to that point is near impossible.

Setting up the magazine is on the back burner at the moment, I'm afraid. Although I'm constantly thinking of new ideas, knowing what to do with them is a different matter. I'll be having some meetings in September to see about getting a business loan, but until then, what can I do other than research? And I said I wouldn't tell anyone about my idea to avoid pressure but I did to get some interest and contributors. Although they understand, I can't help but feel like I'm letting them down when I tell them about my big plans and then they here nothing from me in weeks. I just don't know where to start, I can't make any progress on content at the moment.

I guess I am slightly worried about failing. Not because I'm not good enough. I know for a fine fact that my writing is top notch and I have some really big challenging ideas, it's just getting the word out. Promotion has never been my strong point and the majority of hits for my blog for example are returning loyal readers who genuinely enjoy my writing. But finding new people, people to read my blog and buy the magazine? That's the tough bit.

The other main thing is travel. I still want to take a year out, but how will that fit in with the magazine? I can't go ahead with it all and decide later on that I'm going to take some time off, then just leave it for a year.

And travel. That's the thing! How can people afford to do it? It's like one thing at a time for me - concentrate on work for money instead of a career and somehow save to go traveling, or concentrate on putting my writing first.

There's just so much to do. There's not enough time in the day. And then I find a week or two have passed and before I know it it's been a month and I've not gotten particularly further with anything. I think if I'd just done a little bit each day, I'd be considerably further by now. But it just doesn't work like that.

Life's much too short. I need to hurry up and do things before I turn around and realize years have passed and I haven't yet done what I want to.