Never Turn A Gypsy Away

Continuing on from yesterday, I have now discovered where all this luck has come from.

I feel pretty bad actually as only recently I had a little rant on Twitter. about how excessive bragging usually tends to mean that you're just trying to prove a point and that if you're main concern is proving a point to everyone else, you're probably not being honest with yourself. But this mainly applies to relationships in my eyes! Anyway, I don't think informing your friends and family of a new part of your life really counts as bragging?

So anyway. Yesterday my parents were out shopping and a gypsy approached my Dad asking him for money, so he gave her a pound. In return she gave my Mum & Dad a little shell each, claiming them to be good luck.

Yesterday my interview went extremely well and obviously I got the job. I also got offered two more interviews when I got home, one in person today (which went really well and I'm very confident about) and a phone interview I am currently waiting for. My Dad was also offered a job yesterday (after only having the interview the day before - on Wednesday) AND my Mum won £10 on a scratch card yesterday.

Apparently there's a myth that you should never turn a gypsy away else you'll miss out on good luck.

I am seriously thinking that all our recent luck comes down to this gypsy! Very odd thing to think about, but pretty cool nonetheless :)

I'm over the moon for my Dad as well, we've had a bit of a struggle recently so it's nice to have a change of luck. Although I stated in a post when I first started this blog that usually when everything goes so well it means something bad is around the corner but we've already had our 'down' time so to speak. We're off to see The Avengers tomorrow and even if bad news is on its way, we're going to celebrate and stay positive about our luck in the meantime!

Maybe I should put the lottery on...!

It's My Lucky Week...

I explained in my last post how unfortunately (down to my incompetence!) I missed a rather important meeting. Luckily the guy I was meeting with was very understanding about the whole thing so instead I made my way into London today for the meeting! The meeting went extremely well and I am unbelievably excited about this new project. Basically when I applied for the job I thought I'd just be contributing. However, instead today I found myself walking away from the meeting (when it was finished of course!) with something I'm pretty bloody chuffed about.

I am now the editor of London.com!

(Please don't go on the website, it's a mess at the moment, we're relaunching it in July!).

You might think it's just a fancy job title but in fact its a lot more. To begin with, it's practically my dream job. My role involves developing the content for the website which we're hoping is going to be the 'go to' guide for everything London. So that means writing about everything thats going on in London and everything there is to do. Exciting right? That's not it.

Not only have I jumped on board at the very beginning - which means I am pretty much helping the whole project evolve from start to finish but this will look amazing on my C.V. It's going to be such a great opportunity and the guy I am working with, who is setting up the whole thing, has a ridiculous amount of contacts most of which I'll be meeting.

I am also getting paid to attend different events around London which I get to attend for free! I get access to different media events where I can mingle with top media contacts, I get to attend gigs and theatre shows for free and even get additional tickets for friends and family..I'm basically getting paid to be a tourist and write about it all! It's such a great opportunity!

I'll also be creating a lot of contacts along the way too. My boss/manager (again, who has set up the whole thing) has contacts and leads in everything. My ex, if he ever hears wind of this, is going to be one jealous person because he's a DJ and I'll be meeting and getting the opportunity to attend events by Ministry of Sound! I really can't believe the perks of this job!

Finally, we have some really big plans for the website. Hopefully if it all goes well, my manager is even looking to creating a similar idea/website for Paris, New York etc.

And I get to be a part of it all!

So as you can imagine I am EXTREMELY chuffed to be offered this amazing opportunity and I honestly cannot believe I am now an editor of such an amazing project.

Why I Am A Class A Div

Usually I'm a pretty professional person. I know my professional etiquette and I actually love how polite I am. I know never to sign off professional emails with a kiss and if I'm meeting someone for an interview or otherwise, you can bet I'll have checked the route 5+ times on google maps, walking to the destination using street view just to avoid getting lost - AND writing out my route. But times? You can absolutely guarantee that being there on time - or being there at all - is my downfall.

9 times out of 10 I'm a 'leave it to the last minute' type of girl, much to my dismay. I love my sleep and I'll leave it till the last possible minute before I drag myself from my peaceful slumber and get ready. I'm hopeless with public transport so without a doubt I'll 'just miss' the earlier bus/train and end up getting the one that will get me there late or just in time. 9 times out of 10 though, I always manage to land on my feet and make it.

Most times it was because I'd get my times and dates mixed up too though. My Mum would insist I double check my ticket a million times both for the date and time. I would do, yet I would still end up somehow telling them the wrong departure time or, even in some cases, find that I'd booked the ticket for the wrong day completely! In the end my Mum insisted on checking all my tickets after that. Many, many, MANY times at university, whilst traveling to and fro Luton/Sunderland myself and my parents would embark on a typical ritual of almost missing the coach or train. Usually you'd see my parents rushing - almost running - to the station/platform with the train or coach due any second only to find me strolling along behind casually as if missing my train or coach didn't matter. (Usually it didn't. When I was at home I was so settled that I didn't want to go back to uni and do all that work and whilst at uni I didn't want to go home and not see my boyfriend at the time for months). But alas, I always made it. Once, I was late getting the train and it was only by sure coincidence that the train was late too and was only just pulling into the station as I was. If it had been on time I'd have missed it!

There was only once I actually missed the train and that was coming back from Newcastle to Luton. Deep down though I'm pretty sure I missed it on purpose though as I'd just gotten into a relationship and couldn't bear the thought of leaving my boyfriend for a few months when we were still very much in the honeymoon phrase. My Mum was livid. I just shrugged before we went and got a Burger King.

That's the only time I haven't fallen on my feet. Except now.

Quite possibly on the day of meeting someone for one of my most exciting projects yet, typical incompetent Louise rears her head yet again. Seriously, incompetent is practically my middle name for my family. I spent most of yesterday evening getting ready, double checking my meeting place and yes, downloading an MP3 tour guide of London Canal Museum, something I'd hoped to visit if I had time after the meeting (as it was nearby). I decided on my outfit and woke up this morning although not early, but with enough time to get ready with time to spare. And then I get a text. From the person I am supposed to be meeting. Telling me they are there waiting for me.

Wait, what?

I panic, wondering why he's there two hours early.

That's right. In my usual fashion, I got my meeting times mixed up. Somehow (I'm blaming the fact that when I skimmed his email I spotted the number 2 when he was talking about his next meeting) I thought we were meeting at 2:30 rather then 12:30. How unprofessional!

Luckily for me, my writing is just that good that people are willing to take another chance on me ;). No, but truthfully, it happens. Very luckily for me, he understood and re-arranged the meeting for Thursday instead whilst I sit here cursing myself for double checking every detail except the most important one.

The lesson to this post? If you are ever on the receiving end of someone being late or having to reschedule altogether due to something like this, understand! It does happen and it's such an easy mistake to make. It's never done on purpose. And always, always double check EVERY detail INCLUDING THE MEETING TIME.

In the meantime I'm going to get into the habit of updating my year planner with everything, even the non important stuff (what it makes me look busy) so I never make a mistake about this again. Oh and I'm also going to, in the wise words of Fall Out Boy, start 'setting my clocks early because I know I'm always late'!

Please note - if you are somehow a professional reading this having stumbled across this blog and you think my writing style is excellent yet tut and shake your head at seeing how incompetent I am - I'm not really, I promise you! I am hard working, confident, extra polite and will never, ever do something so silly again ;)

Growing Up?

My 'Big Plan' is still underway :) Just a quick update regarding this, I've ordered some books, I'm looking into some part time courses and I'm currently carrying around this gorgeous vintage notebook...

...which I'm scribbling down ideas in constantly!

But I had a thought last night that almost put me off the whole idea altogether.

If I'm going to run/own my own magazine and be an editor, does that mean I have to stop making stupid choices and grow up?

I mean seriously. Have you ever heard of a magazine editor who still fantasizes constantly about marrying a rockstar? Or one that has only used an iron maybe 5 times tops in her life? Does this mean I have to stop flirting and sleeping with men unless they have the potential to be my future husband? Does this mean I have to settle down, live with a bloke again and get a pet? I know I'm only 22 but if I'm going to be a magazine editor, I need to stop blaming my stupid decisions on growing up and start, er, acting like an adult...

Additionally, I've found one of my biggest issues to be motivation! Once I get motivated I'm absolutely fine but its getting motivated, or rather the times I get motivated which seems to be the problem. When I wake up in the morning I'm perfectly happy spending my day lazing in bed, watching TV/movies, chatting to friends, reading etc. I just can't find any motivation to work, even when I'm up and about. But as soon as it gets dark out and its the evening, suddenly I want to do everything. I'm perfectly content making a cup of tea, sitting in the dining room and working though the night! I'm definitely a night owl..!

My Big Plan

I've always been a very ambitious person.

I know that to get what I want I have to try very hard but deep down I know that no matter how long it takes, I'll get there. Journalism is one of the toughest areas of work to get into, but I have no doubt in my mind that one day I'll be the editor of a top magazine.

Since leaving university, many people have asked me why I've not thought about setting up my own magazine. The truth is, I have. A lot. But I've always dismissed the idea. Why would I set up my own magazine when I can get a job working for Cosmopolitan, Company or More! magazine? Why would I waste so much money on something that probably wouldn't be successful? I mean, it's so hard. I know first hand how much effort goes into a magazine, I could never do that. For starters I really don't know much about current affairs and although I keep somewhat up to date on the life of celebrities, I couldn't give a monkeys arse about how Tulisa's leaked sex tape taught us more about her blow job skills then we'd like to know. Sure, it's interesting ish. But it doesn't really effect me, does it? So why would I care? Secondly, I really don't know much about InDesign or creating my own website or even printing costs. I simply wouldn't be able to do it.

Except as I've received job rejection after job rejection (well, actually, just silence since no one bothers to get back to you unless you've gotten the job), I've indulged in the idea. Suddenly I'm thinking what if I set up my own magazine? What if I get off my bum and learn the skills I need to do it? Who cares if I'm not interested in celebrities, from what I've heard most women would like to read about real inspiring women anyway. And yknow what? I bet other editors have been in my position too. Everyone has to start somewhere. I'm starting here.

This might be my only blog regarding this issue for a long, long time. Or I might be blogging with more progress next week. But I've decided, it's happening. My general plan is to get myself onto a course that will teach me Indesign or website design. Then my blog will turn into either a website and then a magazine, or just straight into a magazine. Or I'll even publish my magazine online. Who knows.

I do know however that I'll be blogging along the way. I have NO idea where to start and I bet YOU might be someone in my position too, reading this as soon as I publish this post or even in five years time. I bet you might want to set up your own magazine too, but don't know where to start. Overwhelmed with how much you need to research? Worried about how exactly this is going to fit in with you making a living? Wishing you had someone you could ask EVERYTHING to, or just a definitive guide that includes even the smallest issues like er is it acceptable to flirt with any good looking men you have to interview? Yeah, me too, I hear you sister.

This is my account from the very beginning, from the moment I've decided its going to happen to the very moment it does.

Taking Chances

So I'm wide awake at 3am with so many things on my mind and so many things to write about. I figured this would be the best place to post my current ramblings ;)

So far, 2012 is looking to be an amazing year. I said I'd make changes and I did. I saw the year in by celebrating in the best way possible, and since then I've kept so positive that I can't even remember the last time I was genuinely unhappy. I decided to put myself and my happiness first this year (which to be honest I decide to try and do every year anyway) and so far so good! I also decided to take a leaf out of 17 year old Louise's book and give this whole 'saying yes to everything/taking chances' thing a go. The last time I did this was in 2007 and I recently read an old blog that I ran during this year and quite clearly it was one of the best years of my life. I had an amazing social life, I finally had the hang of dating boys (my god the stuff I got up to!) and just generally had fun. So that's what I'm doing again this year.

I celebrated NYE in Paris. I visited Sunderland again last month. I tried paintballing the weekend before last, and the week after next I'm starting snowboarding lessons. I've been out with old friends I haven't seen in ages and going out with new friends too. I've cut the ex pretty much completely out of my life (although he still continues to leave me anonymous blog comments?) and I'm dating again which is a lot of fun! I don't have a job yet but I am still looking. I've lost weight too, which I'm extremely pleased about and I've still got loads more of 2012 to look forward to. 

I'm really pleased at the way things are going right now. I know it won't be long until something comes along and fucks everything up BUT I've definitely learnt that life is what you make of it. By taking chances and saying yes to things you wouldn't normally, you open your life up to so many great opportunities. Pushing myself out of my comfort zone is definitely my 'thing' of 2012 and I've found that even if I don't have a great time (which so far I always have luckily), I'm still happy to have at least taken the chance to try it so it's a win-win situation. 

Here's to taking chances :)

Visiting Sunderland

Back in February I visited Sunderland which is where I studied at university for three years. This was the first time going back since July last year and also the first time seeing two of my close uni friends for so long. We'd discussed making the trip for months beforehand, I hadn't seen my friend Jo for over a year as she'd taken a gap year in France, and I hadn't seen my other friend Becky since graduation. We made sure to coincide our visit with the towns biggest pub crawls, going on pub crawls being some of our favourite memories from being students.

Becky is originally from London so we both got the same coach up, me hopping on at Milton Keynes. We immediately launched into gossip about men, as usual. After a long six hour coach ride we arrived in Sunderland and I cannot tell you how weird it felt to be back.

I had some of the best years of my life in this town. My student days had their ups and downs but it was definitely an experience. Upon graduating I pretty much had come to hate the town. It was only when I stepped foot off that coach that I realized that in fact I missed it more than I had ever imagined.

The pub crawl was amazing. We felt a bit old in that it was mostly filled with 18 year old freshers but it was still so much fun. It was so good going to all the bars I used to drink in, dancing to all the songs I remember from being a fresher myself and just generally having a good time. The theme was nurses and doctors and I think we customized our outfits well - I even made my own paper hat!

Argile refers to someone I've been texting/was texting at the time (in all honesty I'm not quite sure what's going on, I don't think we're talking at the moment after he accidently offended my downstairs ha) and it was one of those nights where you just knew something was going to happen as we'd been talking constantly and were both out that night. I used to work with him but obviously nothing ever happened because I was with my ex when I worked with him. Anyway my friend knew we were texting and insisted on writing this on the back of my t-shirt! Myself and 'Argile' later ended up making out for about two hours straight, ha.

This is me and Jo in the amazing hot dog joint they had in one of the clubs. I was absolutely amazed at this fact.

I am all class...

Me and Jo eating ice cream..this is really just to prove that I didn't go up there and just spend the whole time getting drunk!

And finally the state of Jo's room by the last day!

All in all it was one of the best weekends ever. It was so nice seeing the girls and having a catch up. Even though we talk all the time it was just a nice change to have some food, watch a movie and just spend actual time with them in person. I bumped into my ex whilst there as well and this made me feel really weird, which I hadn't expected to have felt. I pretty much spent the last half of last year going through the motions with him - from being together to breaking up, missing each other, hating each other, arguing constantly and finally to nothing. It was so weird seeing him in person for the first time in so long as well. The last time I saw him was before I moved down south, we both cried and hugged each other, saying 'I love you'. Then when I saw him again it was like we were strangers! I always knew it would be weird though but I was glad I had the chance to say hello. It wouldn't of felt right going back up to Sunderland where he was once such a significant part of my life and not seeing him.

Me and the girls usually do the St Paddy's Day pub crawl for Becky's birthday as well but as we're all skint I think we're giving that one a miss this year and going to Amsterdam next month instead. Besides, I'm hoping we go up again for the Halloween pub crawl!

Oh and of course I can't not mention some of the hilarious quotes/inside jokes from the weekend -

'Pre menstural singletons'!

'Fit as chips!'

'Pick up my stethoscope - now'!

The 'single man in a club' pose!

Becky nicking some of some poor blokes beer which he left with us for safe keeping

The random loner in the hot dog joint that sat with us in deep conversation for a good half an hour

Jo deciding she no longer likes 'Dedication to my ex' after hearing the real version of the song

Green liptstick

'Do me..I'm not a slug btw!'

Poor Dumbo getting sweet and sour sauce on his hat!

Other than Paris, this weekend has also been one of my favourite weekends of 2012 :)