Doing Something Different This Christmas

Every year I get stressed about Christmas. What should be a wonderful, joyous time of year ends up with a last minute dash to the shops because you've left it too late to do the shopping, or else panicking about how much money you've spent. You want to get everybody the perfect gift and only the right thing will do. Then when, like me, most of your friends live all over the country, there's the stress of getting parcels posted on time to worry about.

Enough, I say! This year I decided to take action and try and prevent this yearly Christmas stress. I've asked a lot of my friends to not swap presents this year. It was a pretty hard thing to do because I feared coming across like a Scrooge, but hopefully this will help me cut down on spending, as well as not having to worry about last posting dates and whether I have enough jiffy bags. Most importantly, though, I've asked people not to get me anything in return. I don't want or need presents, and I don't want people going through those same stresses for me. I wouldn't think any less of a friend if they didn't get me a present and I would like to think that the same applies in return. And when a lot of my friends have those very same worries as me about Christmas, then getting me something is just not worth it! I'd much rather my friends saved their energy and didn't waste money on postage.

When I decided to try and cut down on swapping presents I knew there was something I wanted to do to keep that Christmas spirit alive. After all, Christmas is about giving, right? I don't want to take that away completely.

That's why I decided that I was going to raise money for charity. My idea was to suggest that instead of swapping presents, we swap small charity donations instead. Why waste money on a cheap present when that same small amount of money could make a huge difference to a worthy cause? There's no stress - you can donate from your bed, no shopping to do and you get that warm glow knowing you're helping people who really need it. If people would still like to do something that would make my Christmas special, then rather than spend money on me or waste money on postage, I want them to give whatever they can spare to the charity I've chosen to support - St Leonard's Hospice. Donations to them would mean a lot more than presents!

I volunteer in a shop for St Leonard's Hospice and it's something I adore doing. You get to meet so many great people and I enjoy the atmosphere in the shop, but most importantly is the feeling that you're helping a fantastic charity. I first became aware of St Leonard's when I was in primary school and we would raise money for the charity through wearing yellow and creating giant sunflowers out of pennies and even people (read more about that tradition here).

Here's why they're such a great charity to support (taken from the St Leonard's Hospice website):

"St Leonard’s Hospice, which was founded in 1985, is a registered charity caring for people with life-threatening illness, which is often – though not always – cancer. 
 
Our skilled and specially-trained medical and nursing staff offer
 In-patient care in a purpose-built, 20-bed unit
Daycare to which people living in their own homes can come
A Hospice@Home scheme for people in their own homes
The many members of the Hospice staff work together as a close and integrated team, sharing their skills and experience for the benefit of our patients.
Doctors and nurses work with a team of other professionals and are supported by an army of volunteers. Everyone contributes to the special nature of hospice care."
 

You can find out more about the brilliant work they do on the website here.

If you would like to contribute to my fundraising efforts then you can donate via my JustGiving page at the link below.

http://www.justgiving.com/SarahBChristmas

Thank you!

Poptastic

I'm a huge fan of pop music so I thought I'd share some of my current favourite songs!

 

Amelia Lily - You Bring Me Joy

 

Now, I wasn't the hugest fan of her on X Factor, but I could see she had a great voice. She's teamed up with Xenomania (who wrote most of Girls Aloud's back catalogue) and I pretty much love anything Xenomania comes up with, including this!

 

 

 

 

Little Mix - Wings

 

I DID like Little Mix on X Factor, but I was worried they'd disappear into obscurity or come out with some completely naff debut single. I'm glad that wasn't the case! I LOVE "Wings" :) It's the perfect girly singalong song.

 

 

Owl City and Carly Rae Jepen - Good Time

 

Most of the world is probably pretty sick of Carly Rae Jepsen after Call Me Maybe, but I think we can forgive her because this is a fab tune. I loved Owl City's album Ocean Eyes so I was excited to hear more from him too.

 



York Science and Innovation Grand Tour

For today's post I wanted to share my experience of the York Science and Innovation Grand Tour, after taking part of it at the weekend and having a great time. Enjoy!

What is it? From YorkGrandTour.co.uk:
Join us on our amazing tour and experience what some of the city’s innovative people, businesses and organisations have brought to the city and how they have impacted on our lives.
60 large-scale, science and innovation themed, images and messages are displayed in prime locations around the city.

When is it?
From 30 May to 31 August 2012.

It was my dad who first let me know about the York Grand Tour and so this past weekend we decided to go hunting around town and try as find as many of the images as we could. Armed with a map and information about each of the images we set of on Sunday morning (when York would be that bit quieter!) to do the tour.

The Mumbo Jumbo roller coaster displayed in Coppergate

We started in Coppergate where several images are displayed. After a fight with my camera (zoom error! zoom error! zoom error!) I resorted to using my phone to document our trip. The pictures didn't actually come out to bad I'm happy to say! The first image we came across was a picture of the Mumbo Jumbo roller coaster at Flamingo Land North Yorkshire, which holds the record for the steepest drop. I've actually seen this roller coaster up close (from the safety of the ground!) on a visit to Flamingo Land and I can confirm it's just as impressive (i.e terrifying) in real life.

The images are all about local science acheivements and innovation and a lot of the pictures are linked with a particular company or organisation, from Aviva to Nestle, Bootham School to the University of York. The images are pretty spread out so planning a route is key if you want to try and do them all in one go. We didn't do all of them in one go so we still have some left to discover, but we managed to tick off a fair few on Sunday.

The inside of a mint Aero displayed on Blake Street

After Coppergate we headed up Coney Street, to St Helen's Square and Davygate. One particular exhibit our map informed us was on Davygate took some effort to find (it was hidden round a corner) but we got there in the end! Then we visited Blake Street and Lendal before heading up to Museum Gardens. All of that was enough to warrant a tea break in Costa whilst we refuelled and planned the rest of our route. To the Bootham Bar and the Minster next, then Monk Bar. Eventually we worked our way back to the Shambles and Fossgate, where again one of the images evaded us! We've still yet to spot the Fossgate one but hopefully I'll get the chance to see it eventually. The up to Picadilly before heading home.

The way we approached the tour was to try get round as much of it as possible in one go. It's a lot of work (not the most M.E friendly of activities but we managed to fit in plenty of rest stops to give my legs a break!) and the images are quite spread out so we're leaving some of them to do another day (Micklegate and the images by the river). You don't have to do it like that, though. You can still get enjoyment out of these pictures by chancing upon them on your trip to the shops or your way home from work. It's something to share with all the family and I'm planning on dragging more family members back to get a chance to look at some of the images (particularly the member of my family interested in photography!) so try and share the experience with other people.

It's geared up for tech-lovers with Twitter hashtags for the images and QR codes to scan with your smartphone, so it's a super-interactive experience.

 It was a really enjoyable day. Here's a few more of my favourite images!

Resources:
York Grand Tour Website
Twitter
Map
Smartphone App
Gallery

Until next time!

Sarah x

A Brand New Blog Project - Total Teen Fiction

For a while now I've been wanting to start a book review blog, as reviewing them on here has never really seemed to fit in. And finally I've done it! I've decided to stick with books I'm passionate about, so I'll be blogging young adult/teen fiction reviews as they're the books I adore. You can follow that blog over at http://totalteenfiction.blogspot.com/ :) If you love reading and are looking for more YA novels to read then have a look and see if any of the reviews and recommendations take your fancy! I'll be doing weekly book round-ups and news on YA fiction, too.

I haven't abandoned this blog though, don't worry! This is still a place for personal posts and M.E Awareness :) but I wanted to keep all my book posts in one place.

You can follow my new blog on Twitter, too, yay! http://twitter.com/totalteenfic

Until next time,

Sarah x

M.E Awareness Day 2012

Today is M.E Awareness Day! As M.E Awareness Week draws to a close I wanted to do one last post to try and get my message out there. I haven't been able to blog as much as I would have liked (due to my health) but I want to thank every single person who is following the blog, who has read my article and shared my poem, and who has been retweeting my messages on Twitter :) you guys are awesome!

For those of you that don't know my M.E story I'll share a brief history of it now. I became ill in 2005, just after starting year 10, when I came down with glandular fever. I was off school from September until January, when I finally managed to go back part time. It was obvious I wasn't right, though. I would come home exhausted and struggle through my lessons, and although I'd improved I seemed to be stalling. I also kept coming down with bugs that would knock me back. I was referred to the hospital and eventually diagnosed with M.E in around May 2006. I missed all of year 11 after becoming too ill to even attend school, and was home tutored throughout this period. I spent months unable to leave the house. In 2007 I started 6th form, a huge milestone for me after a year out of school, just doing the one subject. I'd managed to gain 5 GCSEs with the help of my home tutor, and by taking my exams either at home or in isolation at school so I could have rest breaks. 6th form went well until Easter 2008 when I suffered a huge relapse.

This was one of the darkest times of my illness. I became completely confined to bed and ended up so weak I couldn't walk unaided. I was struck by light sensitivity, something I'd experienced at the beginning of my illness, which meant I spent all day with the curtains drawn shut. I suffered pain in my muscles and joints that was agonising, and it would be over a year before I left my house again, and even then it was a small trip out into my garden.


I'm in a fairly "good" period now, in that I can walk for short distances and leave my house, and I'm able to see friends and do volunteer work. But I still have a long way to go. There is no cure for M.E, and still so little research happening that it may be a very long time before we see anything like that, but I have to remain positive and hopeful that I will recover. I'd go insane otherwise!


M.E Awareness Week is a chance to wake the world up to the reality of living with this extremely debilitating illness, but it's hard work. The media and general public are so oblivious to our suffering that it is left to the sufferers and charities to get the word out there. The people out there raising awareness are doing so whilst battling crippling fatigue, headaches, nausea, cognitive problems, muscle and joint pain, dizziness, sore throats - the list goes on. YOU can help us, by raising awareness. If you hadn't heard of M.E before this week then please share your new found knowledge with somebody else. Look into the work of M.E charities and make a donation - anything you can spare. Display your awareness ribbon with pride!


http://www.ayme.org.uk/
http://www.actionforme.org.uk/
http://www.meassociation.org.uk/
http://www.investinme.org/




Well done to everyone involved in this year's efforts, you've been amazing! And raising awareness of M.E isn't just something I do in MEAW. I try and do it all year round, so keep an eye on my blog for more posts throughout the year :)


Until next time,


Sarah x

M.E Awareness Week - The York Flyer

For the past couple of years I've spoken to my local paper as part of M.E Awareness Week. This year I haven't quite had the time and energy, but I did manage to write and submit a piece to our local community magazine - The York Flyer. You can read my piece online at the following link or, if you live in York, in May's issue which is available now.

http://www.theyorkflyer.co.uk/latest.html (the piece is a few pages in)

I just wanted to say thanks for all the support and sharing of my poem from my last post! I got such a lovely response and some really nice comments, and thanks to the power of the internet it's gone all over the world. It means an awful lot, and hopefully it's had an impact and raised some awareness! A big well done to everyone blogging and tweeting for MEAW - I know it can be so tough to find the energy to do it all when you're ill, so it's so great to see so many people getting involved.

Hopefully I'll be able to blog again before the week is out!

Until next time,

Sarah x

M.E - A Poem

To mark M.E Awareness Week 2012 I have written this poem as an expression of the emotions felt whilst suffering with M.E, based upon my own experiences. Please take a look and share with others if you can. Thank you!

M.E

Virus, not well, mild frustration,

Missing out my education,

Visit GP, desperation,

Blood tests, waiting, agitation,

Still so sick, a bad sensation,

Return to GP, preparation,

Bloods clear, now what? Anticipation,

Hospital the new location,

See consultant, evaluation,

“You have M.E”, a revelation,

Explains the illness, grabs attention,

I’m not alone, a celebration

List of symptoms, expectation,

“No cure yet though”, hope deflation,

Just more waiting, stirs emotion,

Wiped out, pain, poor concentration,

Sickness, joint pain, bad digestion,

Fatigue, weak muscles, debilitation,

Insomnia, sleep deprivation,

Bedbound, housebound, isolation,

For some comes hospitalisation,

Have to stay strong for duration,

Where’s the help, consideration?

Benefits battle, messed up nation,

Struggle through the registration,

Misunderstood by population,

Media writes words of fiction,

“M.E not real” a fabrication,

Still I fight, no liberation,

Too ill to learn, no graduation,

No job at all, no work promotion,

Charities help, make a donation,

Volunteers at their station,

To help with my incarceration,

Recovery the destination,

For now in my imagination.

M.E often (but not always) develops after a virus, as was the case with me when I came down with glandular fever which developed into M.E. Diagnosis is initially a relief, after being ill for so many months not knowing just what is wrong with you. But then comes the realisation that there is no cure for M.E. It is an emotional rollercoaster that lasts for years.

M.E Awareness Week - 6th-12th May 2012.

http://www.ayme.org.uk

http://www.meassociation.org.uk

http://www.actionforme.org.uk

Sarah x

M.E Awareness Week 2012

It's that time of year again! This coming week is M.E Awareness Week, and if you've been following this blog for a while you'll know that I like to use it to spread awareness of the illness, which I lived with since 2005.

M.E affects around 250,000 people in the UK and currently has no known cause or cure. Symptoms incluse post-exertional malaise/extreme fatigue, muscle pain and weakness, joint pain, cognitive problems such as poor memory and concentration, nausea, headaches, sleep disturbance, sore throats, digestive problems and many more.

I hope to put up a few posts throughout the course of the week to help spread awareness, but I admit MEAW has come at a tough time for me. I'm currently undergoing orthodontic treatment and will be having braces fitted this week (something I was meant to have done years ago but which has been delayed for years because of my health) and so my energy this week will be spent surviving that. I haven't managed to speak to my local paper this year which is a shame, but I have written a short piece for a community magazine which I will try and share once I have a copy to hand.

And I'll be taking to Twitter of course! Follow me @ThatSizGirl to see those updates.

In the mean time, please visit the following websites to find out more about M.E.

http://www.ayme.org.uk/
http://www.actionforme.org.uk/
http://www.meassociation.org.uk/

Thank you.

Until next time!

Sarah x

25 Questions

I borrowed this quiz from my friend Molly who posted it on her blog, and thought it'd be nice to do it myself!

1: Do you have any pets? No, sadly. I love cats and dogs, though, especially westie dogs! Having a westie one day is an ambition of mine :)

2: Name three things that are physically close to you: Pink blanket, mirror, window.

3: What's the weather like right now? HORRIBLE. It's raining. It was hailing earlier.

4: Do you drive? If so, have you crashed? I don't drive, haven't learnt yet. When my health improves, maybe!

5: What time did you wake up this morning? About 10am.

6: When was the last time you showered? Years ago. That's because I take baths, not because I'm gross ;) I used to shower with a shower seat because I can't stand in the shower, but I prefer baths now.

7: What was the last movie that you saw? Best Exotic Marigold Hotel this afternoon. Brilliant film! Hilarious - I recommend it :)

8: What does you last text message say? Something about how amazing Graze boxes are. My friend and I recently signed up for free ones and she got hers today.

9: What is your ringtone? Some generic Sony Ericsson one that came with my phone.

10: Have you ever been to a different country? I've been to France and the Turks and Caicos islands. Both in 2005, before I got ill.

11: Do you like sushi? I've never tried it, but I can't say it appeals!

12: Where do you buy your groceries? Morrisons or the co-op.

13: Have you ever taken any medication to help you fall asleep faster? Yes, I'm currently on amitriptyline. Sleep disturbance is one of my main M.E symptoms and taking ami allows me to get a decent amount of sleep, although even on ami I have phases of really bad sleep.

14: How many siblings do you have? 2. I'm the eldest.

15: Do you have a desktop computer or a laptop? I have my own laptop, but we have a PC in the house. I use both but mainly my laptop as I can use it in bed/in my room.

16: How old will you be turning on your next birthday?  22, which makes me feel old!

17: Do you wear contacts or glasses? I wear glasses and have done since I was about 13, only occasionally at first but now I'm dependant on them.

18: Do you colour your hair? Nope. I have done in the past, though. I went blond for a bit when I was 17 (it wasn't a total success).

19: Tell me something you are planing to do today? Watch The Apprentice!

20: When was the last time you cried? I honestly can't remember, is that bad? I have sensitive eyes, though, so I can tell you the last time my eyes stung and watered. It was at the bus stop earlier ;)

21: What is your perfect pizza topping? Cheese and tomato or ham and pineapple.

22: Which do you prefer, hamburger or cheeseburger? Neither, I'd rather have a chicken burger.

23: Have you ever had an all-nighter? I once tried to stay up all night before I had to catch a flight early in the morning. I ended up falling asleep on a kitchen floor. These days sleep takes priority.

24: What is your eye colour? Brown.

25: Can you taste the difference between Pepsi and Coke? I might have been able to at some point in my lifetime but I don't drink either of these now - I steer clear of heavily drinks with lots of caffiene in.

Thanks for reading! Until next time,

Sarah x

Once Upon a Time...

In my last blog post I talked about TV - specifically The Voice UK - and how recently I'd fallen out of love with television. First of all, I'm still keeping up with The Voice, despite its flaws, and have grown to love certain aspects of the show (no rubbish auditions, Jessie J) but I still have a few problems with the format, all of which are mentioned in the previous post and which I don't need to go over!

So in my opinion, TV hasn't been great lately, but over the past few weeks I've started to see change on the horizon, the light at the end of the tunnel if you will! It's very rare I find a new TV series I stick with. I'll admit this is mostly due to me missing the start of a series and just never bothering to catch up (I like an early night, shows that start at 10pm take an awful lot of effort for me to watch, a genuine excuse!) and so these days I try and make the effort to catch the first episodes of shows when they air. So far Glee is the only success story from this plan, the only show I've watched that I've been there from the beginning, but last week I added Once Upon a Time to this list.

Thanks to the Internet, I'd heard a lot about this show, mainly through fansites/entertainment sites such as Digital Spy and Hypable, as well as through Twitter (I follow a lot of Americans!). It seemed to be getting good reviews, and the lead star, Jennifer Morrison, drew me in as I was a huge fan of her whilst she was in House. So, what was Once Upon a Time all about? Even through reading bits and bobs about it online, I wasn't entirely sure. It had something to do with fairy tales - I'd figured that much out, the title pretty much gives it away! - but I didn't know much about the story, and I didn't want to know.

Any fan of American shows who lives in the UK knows the lengths you have to go to to avoid spoilers (if you're like me and actually wait for the shows to debut on British TV, rather than seek them out elsewhere) and so I decided to wait for it to appear on my telly, and avoid all spoiler-ish news posts about the show itself. Eventually, a month or so ago, trailers started appearing on Channel 5, and it was reported that the show would debut in Spring. And here it is! Episode 2 aired this past Sunday, and I've managed to see both episodes as they went out - an I achievement, given my feeble record with these things.

The show grabbed me straight away. We follow two stories, present day Emma Swan, working as a private detective, who is surprised when a young boy shows up on her doorstep claiming to be her son. Alongside this, we see the story of the past, the fairytale characters who were forced to leave their world thanks to a dark witch's curse, exiled to a present day American town with no knowledge of the fairytale characters they once were. Keeping up? Holding the story together is Henry (the young boy on the doorstep), a super sweet little kid obsessed with a fairytale book he received from his teacher. His fascination with the book? The story is real, and he's the only one who knows it. As the story goes on, we see Henry try to convince Emma that the people he's introducing her to are real fairytale characters. Understandably she sceptical. It really is a great story, and wonderful for those who love fairy tales (Snow White and Prince Charming, Rumplestiltskin, Sleeping Beauty all appearing or mentioned) and for those who love a great modern day, American drama. The flashbacks to the fairytale parts of the plot are visually stunning, making the whole thing feel even more magical.

How long this show will stay on terrestrial television is anyone's guess - it wouldn't surprise me if it turned up on Sky a series or two down the line (House, Glee) but I hope the wider audience gets a chance to see it whilst they can, it's unmissable. Once Upon a Time is on Channel 5, Sunday, 8pm.

Until next time,

Sarah x

Opinion Piece - The Voice UK

In recent months I've found myself watching less and less television, as the quality of shows seemed to nbe on the decline, and I often found myself watching programmes that left me, well, bored. Don't get me wrong, there have been a few glimmers of hope in there, found mainly in documentaries (such as One Born Every Minute and Junior Doctors), American shows (House, Glee, New Girl) and returning shows (The Apprentice) but I wanted something NEW to jump out and grab me, and reunite me with my long lost love, good TV.


The Voice UK, which debuted on BBC One on Saturday night, seemed to fit the bill. I'd heard bits about the formula from the US show, but hadn't seen it in action, and having grown tired and fed up with X Factor, a fresh take on the reality singing show was just what I wanted.

So what's the premise? Blind auditions! Coaches instead of judges! Handpicked contestants! Sounds good so far, right? Big name coaches drew me in, too, with Jessie J, Tom Jones, Danny O'Donoghue and will.i.am making up the panel. So, the show kicked off, what did I think?

 What the format did have going for it was the contestants. They're handpicked by BBC talent scouts, meaning all the acts and can sing, and to a pretty decent degree. Even the ones who didn't get through weren't being rejected because they couldn't sing. It was refreshing to go through a whole show and not have someone victimised by putting them through several rounds of off-screen auditions only for them to be laughed at by an audience and the judges. The joke acts became stale on X Factor years ago, and these days it verges on bullying. And there were some real stand out performances! For me J Marie Cooper stood out, belting out Jessie J's own song "Mamma Knows Best" and doing it in style.

There was one thing that left me hugely dissapointed, though. One of my biggest gripes with X Factor is the over-dramtic build up as we're introduced to each contestent. "Oh look, here's them pacing around looking nervous! Here's them in their bedroom singing! Here's their tale of woe accompanied by sad music!" It's been done before. I was under the impression that The Voice would be sob-story free, or there would at least be LESS of it. It's something that's been mentioned in all the promos. In reality, it's all still there. Yes the judges hear their voice without seeing them or knowing their name/story, but once they've turned around all that comes out anyway. So from now on, those who have got through WILL be judged on their image/sob story because they went and told the judges as soon as they were done singing. I don't know how the show works at later stages of the competition, and I hope it will stand apart from X Factor and continue to let the acts be themselves, but I could have done without all the build up and emotional waffle. My personal opinion, obviously.

As for the coaches, I thought Jessie J really stood out. She's clearly somebody who's passionate about music and wants the best for her acts, and as a singer songwriter who's fought her way to the top you can completely believe she's being truthful in all she says. Jessie clearly empathises with a lot of the acts, making them feel comfortable and I hope this will be reflected throughout the series as we see more of her influences on the acts. Tom Jones and will.i.am seemed to spend most of the time name-dropping, which got very boring very quickly, and the show is in danger of focussing too much on the coaches and not enough on the acts, but will.i.am showed a lot of personality and a surprising sense of humour. I'm still waiting for Danny to shine, which I think he will when it comes to acts who specialise in rocky/guitary stuff as that's really his forte. I'm glad there's somebody there so passionate about the musical side of things, and who will be great guidance to those who wish to incorparate an instument into their act.

It's not what I was expecting, and I'm not hooked. Those disappointments will stay with me but I hope that as the series progresses it turns into something I can take more seriously. I'll still be tuning in next week.

JKR's New Book!

The day has finally arrived! J. K. Rowling has announced she has written a non-Potter, adult novel. This is big news, as you would expect, as it's her first novel outside of the Potter series. As a huge Potter fan, I've always been on the side of the fence that doesn't want a new Potter book, just because I feel that story is done and the ending was satisfying enough, and to go back to it wouldn't accomplish anything. Of course I love the story and the characters, and re-reading Deathly Hallows and getting to the end is just heartbreaking, but the time has come for something new!

I'm an avid reader anyway, and so the prospect if something completely different to the Potter books doesn't scare me. But what am I hoping for/expecting from her mystery new book? With no title or genre yet released, it's speculating time!

1. Genre: I'm pretty much open to anything, but what I'm expecting is along the lines of contemporary fiction or crime fiction. A blog on the Guardian website explores the latter option more thoroughly, and I think a crime novel would be a great way to go. The Potter books contained a lot of mystery and suspense and huge reveals, so I think her writing style would suit the genre perfectly.

2. Main character: Personally I'm hoping for a female perspective for her next novel. Potter proved she could write incredibly strong female characters, and yet we never got to get inside their heads. What better than a lead female character written by JKR who has the whole story to herself?!

3. The hype: So Twitter pretty much blew up yesterday when the news was announced, and that was only the announcement that a book exists. Her website has been replaces with a screen allowing you to sign up for email updates (which I've done, naturally) and she's tweeted about it (a rarity) so what's next? Clues to the title like Potter books? Midnight releases? (I hope so!)

4. Series or standalone: I was talking about this with a friend after the news was announced. Of course Potter was a series and so the end of each book came with an expectation of more, but what about this one? If it ventures into the crime genre then that leaves an opportunity for more novels. I think a standalone book would be interesting, though.

5. Writing style: We've all come to love JKR's style over the course of 7 books, and although the latter Potter books were not strictly children's books, I'm really excited to see how her writing fares when aimed at adults. Will it still feel like JKR?

There's so much more to think about, but those are just my initial ramblings. I'm so excited for this book!

Read more over on HogwartsRadio.com.

Until next time,

Sarah x

House Highlights

One of my favourite TV shows, House, is to come to an end, as announced by the producers last week. I'm so sad! It really is a TV gem and one of the few American shows I've actually dedicated the time and effort to stick with, not wanting to miss a single episode. It was whilst I was ill that I started watching this show, and I am forever grateful to Channel 5 for putting it on in the middle of the day, where I happened to catch it accidentally whilst flicking through the usual daytime rubbish!

For this blog post I thought I'd list some of my favourite House episodes, those which really stand out for their absolute genius. Spoilers ahoy!

Three Stories - Series One - As House faces the moral dilemma of having to treat his ex-girlfriend's husband, we slowly start to learn more about House himself and the limp which dominates his life and fuels his drug addiction. A great look into the character of House, and an episode you'll want to re-watch immediately.

Euphoria Parts One and Two - Series 2 - If having any old patient facing life threatening, mysterious illnesses each week with a countdown to diagnose them keeping the tension up isn't exciting enough, then throw in one of House's own team falling ill with the mystery illness and you've got yourself one perfect drama! As Foreman battles against the symptoms which are slowly killing him, the rest of House's team must fight to save him, which is made tougher by Cameron and Foreman's ongoing animosity.

No Reason - Series 2 Finale - This episodes starts of as exciting as it gets really, with House getting shot. Over the course of the episode we see House's recovery, as he is forced to lie next to his attacker in a bed in his own hospital. Is all what it seems? Of course not! The twist at the end of this episode is one of the stand out moments for me, as I recall exactly just how shocked I was when I first watched this episode! Not seen it? Stop reading, now. The series ends with House's epiphany of how to potentially rid himself of his leg pain, after a dream sequence to put all other dream sequences to shame.

House's Head and Wilson's Heart - Series 4 Finale - House is involved in a bus crash and has to slowly piece together what happens and fill in the blanks in his memory. Being House, he knows something is amiss and so recovering from a head injury, goes on a mission to find out what really happens. Why did the bus crash, and more importantly, who was he with on the bus? Probably the best ever House episode, as you grab the box of tissues and mourn the loss of a character you never expected you would mourn, or even want to mourn.

Birth Marks - Series 5 - Let me hear you say road trip! Wilson and House head out to House's father's funeral, a task made harder by the fact that the two's relationship is still fraught after events at the end of series 4. This episode shows just what a great relationship these two characters have, even if they don't notice it themselves sometimes!

Both Sides Now - Series 5 Finale -  One of the most defining episodes of House, that will change his future for ever. We've seen him battle drug addiction over the past 5 series, but now everything comes to a head. Will House be able to admit what's wrong and change for the better? Another one of those "I didn't see that coming!" endings, on a par of that in the series 2 finale. Also, the Huddy shipper in you will have you screaming "No!" if you're at all like me.

Help Me - Series 6 Finale - Although those sneaky House writers may have teased the audience at the end of series 5, series 6 is everything you want from the House/Cuddy storyline, as we finally get somewhere with those two! As the two of them attend the disaster scene of a fallen crane, there are lives to be saved, patients with legs to be amputated and Cuddy's engagement to address. A true roller coaster episode.

Those are just some of my House highlights, and reading those has made me realise just how much I'll miss this show when it's gone. Let's hope it goes out with a bang!

Until next time,

Sarah x

A Bit of YA Inspiration

I thought I’d do a little blog post on my writing progress, as it’s a subject I haven’t touched on much since NaNoWriMo! So far I’ve found the editing stage to be quite frustrating, which isn’t helped by the fact I really struggle with opening sentences and paragraphs. I wanted to go through and edit my NaNo novel chapter by chapter, but so far chapter one just isn’t sounding how I’d like it yet. In the mean time I’ve started a few other stories, when bursts of inspiration hit me! These include a story about a teenager with M.E, something I’ve wanted to write about for a long time. Also, I’ve recently started a young adult supernatural story, something I never thought I’d write about, but having branched out into the young adult urban fantasy genre in my reading during the past year or so, I felt inspired to dive in there myself!

I’ll own up, with no shame, to being a huge fan of YA fiction. I honestly think it’s some of the best written fiction out there, from the plot to the humour, plus with my health problems I find the writing style a lot more accessible and comfortable to read. I don’t think an “easy-read” has to be a slight, or an insult on a novel. I’m not a book snob, I’ll read pretty much anything, but I find contemporary and teen fiction a lot easier on my tired brain, and a lot of the time more enjoyable, too. This is probably the reason that when I started writing, I immediately wanted to write for that genre. It’s my comfort zone, and I figured I might as well start writing from a teenager’s point of view whilst I can still remember being one!

Here’s a selection of YA urban fantasy/supernatural novels I’ve read over the past year, along with a plot description and my rating from Goodreads (http://www.goodreads.com/thatsizgirl). I’d highly recommend them all!


Dreaming of Amelia by Jaclyn Moriarty – My rating: 4*

 Amelia and Riley have transferred to Ashbury for their final year of school, and everyone is completely obsessed with them. Glamorous, talented and totally devoted to one another, the two of them drift through school in their own world. But there's more to the couple than meets the eye - they have secrets. And some of them are dangerous to share. As Riley starts to lose his grip on Amelia, the repercussions affect everyone around them.

A spellbinding story about ghosts, secrets, madness, passion, locked doors, femme fatales, and that terrifying moment in the final year of high school when you realise that the future's coming to get you.


The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong – My rating: 5*

All Chloe Saunders wants is a life like any normal teenager – the chance to get through school, make friends, and maybe meet a boy. But when she starts seeing ghosts, she knows that life will never be the same again.
Soon the ghosts are everywhere, demanding her attention. When Chloe finally breaks down, she’s admitted to a group home for disturbed kids. At first Lyle House seems okay, but as she gets to know the other patients – charming Simon and his ominous, unsmiling brother Derek, obnoxious Tori, and Rae, who has a 'thing' for fire – Chloe begins to realise that something strange and sinister binds them all together, and it isn’t your usual ‘problem kid’ behaviour.

And they’re about to discover that Lyle House is not your usual group home, either...


City of Bones by Cassandra Clare – My rating: 4*

'It's after dark in New York City, and Clary Fray is seeing things. The best looking guy in the nightclub just stabbed a boy to death - but the victim has vanished into thin air. Her mother has disappeared, and a hideous monster is lurking in her apartment. With her life spiralling into darkness, Clary realizes that she has stumbled into an invisible war between ancient demonic forces and the secretive Shadowhunters - a war in which she has a fateful role to play...





The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson – My rating: 5*

The day Louisiana teenager Rory Deveaux arrives in London marks a memorable occasion. For Rory, it's the start of a new life at a London boarding school. But for many, this will be remembered as the day a series of brutal murders broke out across the city, gruesome crimes mimicking the horrific Jack the Ripper events of more than a century ago.

Soon “Rippermania” takes hold of modern-day London, and the police are left with few leads and no witnesses. Except one. Rory spotted the man police believe to be the prime suspect. But she is the only one who saw him. Even her roommate, who was walking with her at the time, didn't notice the mysterious man. So why can only Rory see him? And more urgently, why has Rory become his next target? In this edge-of-your-seat thriller, full of suspense, humor, and romance, Rory will learn the truth about the secret ghost police of London and discover her own shocking abilities.


You can find my full reviews of these books on my Goodreads page (note: I tend to keep my reviews short and sweet, honest and personal!). Currently I'm reading An Abundance of Katherines by John Green, another YA author whose books I'm discovering a love for! My "thing worth sharing" would simply be The Fault In Our Stars by John Green, go get your hands on a copy :) You won't regret it!

Until next time,

Sarah x

Snow!

Ok, so when it comes to snow I turn into a six year old and get majorly excited! Most of this excitement is when the snow is falling, and I can't help but sit by my window and take in the view. I honestly think falling snow is one of the most beautiful things to look at <3 But when it comes to going out in it, I have to take advantage because there have been times where I just wasn't well enough, and it feels like I'll never make up for those torturous years where all I could do was look upon the snow from afar and not go out and play in it.

The past few years we have had more than our fair share of snow, and I was starting to fear that this would be a rare snow-less winter, but yesterday the snow just didn't stop falling and by evening it was pretty thick. I've been out a few times, which has resulted in very tired legs and a very tired Sarah so I think I've had my fill for now. But this is yet another thing that has made me happy this week!

Now if it could just disappear before I have to go out for my CAB appointment tomorrow that would be great ;) Shaky legs on icy ground isn't a good combination!

Wherever you are, stay warm and stay safe!

Until next time,

Sarah x

Why So Serious?

Recently I've been coming to post blogs on here, writing them up and then saving them as drafts, never to see the light of day. I've figured out the main reason behind this is because I wanted this to be a serious blog, with proper topics and well argued points, but frankly I just don't have the energy right now ;) I'm just getting over a cold (which are hell when you have M.E!) and I'm just about to start my DLA appeal (many attempted blogs ranting about the government, but I can't justify posting a blog post that is 100% RAGE) so I want to focus my mind on happier things ;) Here are some things that have made me happy this week :)

1. The Hunger Games trailer got released this week! A brand new shiny one. I loved The Hunger Games when I read the series last year, and since then friends of mine have read it and everyone seems to be hooked. I honestly can't wait for the film!

2. Charity shop bargains! Recently St Leonard's Hospice opened a charity shop near where I live, and so I popped in for the first time this week. The shop is lovely, and had a great selections of things, especially books! I'm a huge bookworm but due to previously mentioned DLA appeal don't have the opportunity to buy every book I would like at the moment. But when I went in I managed to find a load of books that interested me, for 50p each! And I'm supporting charity :) why not stop by your local charity shop?

3. My volunteer job! Back in December I started a new volunteer job for AYME who I've been volunteering for for over a year now. I love it, and it's a great way to build my skills and keep me busy whilst I'm still to unwell for paid work :)

4. A Storm of Swords: Steel and Snow. I got the Song of Ice and Fire box set for Christmas, and am currently on the third book in the series :) they're pretty big books but I'm struggling to put this one down at the moment, so gripping!

5. F.R.I.E.N.D.S. So the show may have finished years ago but this show is my pick-me-up, no matter how many times I've seen the episodes, they still have me crying with laughter! There is something funnier than Friends, though. That's right - Friends bloopers!

That's all for now, but I'll try and do more posts like this in future <3

Until next time,

Sarah x

Awareness Video

I've posted an M.E Awareness video by the lovely Daisy before on this blog, and she has made another brilliant one so here it is!

I find it hard to express just how much this video resonates with me, because I literally feel everything written on those tiny slips of paper, and often struggle to put into words the things which this video says. I'm so grateful to Daisy for all the great work she does raising awareness, because she often says exactly the things I want to but in a way I never could! This part especially -

M.E makes you feel like the world wasn't designed for you

This is so true, and is something I've been thinking about a lot recently. Last week I was at the hospital and as usual, I stopped by the shop there to pick up a few magazines. One of them is a well-known women's mag which I read regularly, usually when I need change and have to break into a fiver/tenner to get it! But I enjoy reading it each time. Only this time, I was reading this magazine and it really struck me just how irrelevant to my life it is. I'll explain.

Most women read these sorts of magazines because you can relate to them, and I have been able relate to them in the past. But when you don't live the life of an average woman because illness is holding you back, you suddenly realise just how different your life is. Let's take a look at the average topics covered in a women's magazine -

Career- well I can't work, as is the reality for many other sick and disabled people. Tips on how to boost your career or make the most of your office hours really don't apply to me. I would love to work, but it's just not possible with my health problems, and so reading about where I should be in my life or how empowering a job can be is only going to get me down.

Fashion and beauty - I like buying clothes, don't get me wrong. But right now my outfit choices are 99% based on what will be comfortable for whatever task I'm doing that day, or more frequently what is the warmest outfit I own so that I don't freeze and end up in even more pain with my joints? Add to the fact that I'm living on pretty much no money at the moment because the benefits system is a joke, then it is very rare I get to spend money on pretty lovely clothes. As for beauty, I barely have the energy to bathe and brush my teeth as it is. I can't spent hours primping and preening and wasting valuable energy on the many stages I should be going through to maintain perfect skin.

Relationships - M.E is a very isolating illness, meaning meeting new people can become difficult, and most of your time is spent alone or with family. I know plenty of people with M.E who are in relationships and so this isn't a blanket thing, more a personal one. But relationships for me have to come pretty low down the list of daily worries.

Fitness and exercise - I've actually become a lot more body conscious since getting ill, but there is really very little I can do about it. I cannot exercise, I can't join a gym or go jogging or swimming or whatever else they're advising. I really wish I could.

So I sit there thinking to myself, when did women's magazines become escapism? Surely they're designed to be the opposite; to be relevant to every day life.

This is just one example. Another thing I used to struggle with was listening to the radio. Especially stations aimed at a younger audience. I'd listen to shows where people were ringing in, worrying about exam results and uni, thinking "that should be me". People would talk about going out on the weekend, and again that's something I can't do.

Everywhere you hit brick walls where your life doesn't permit you to join in with the rest of the world. From not being in education, to not being able to get into your favourite shop because it doesn't have a disabled ramp and you can't face asking them to go and get the portable one. But we muddle on because we have no choice, this is our life and we're stuck with it.

This is probably a bit rambly and I'm not sure I've gotten across everything in the way I hoped, but I just wanted to get it out there.

Until next time,

Sarah x



2012

First post for 2012! My little blog is over a year old, I feel so proud. I really am an awful parent to it, though ;) But I am back, and hoping to blog again more reguarly once I can get my inspiration back. 2012 will see a new M.E Awareness week, and so I should really start coming up with plans for what I'm going to do!

The start of the year is going well so far, with me settling into a new volunteer role and trying to back into a routine after Christmas, and the year ahead is shaping up to be a good one, so hopefully I'll have a chance to blog about all of my experiences along the way.

So hopefully I'll be posting again soon, please bear with me if I don't post for a while, health comes first and my brainfog has been an obstacle lately ;) so maybe shorter more frequent posts on more topics I'm really passionate about is the way to go! We shall see :)

Here's a "thing worth sharing" to echo the one in my first post, DJ Earworm's 2011 mash-up :)

Until next time,

Sarah x