What have I got myself into?

I ran over that tyne bridge! How cool is that?!

Last year, I went to a pub by the quayside seeing people running getting their medals and seeing their massive grins on their faces. You know what I can do that! So here I am, writing this with achy muscles the day after the Great North Run. What was I thinking? 

Most people who run a half marathon train 16 weeks, me nope! I somehow did the Gateshead 10K and haven't put my running shoes on to do serious running since the children break up for summer holiday. What was I doing? I could of logged in some miles at least get my legs going but hey ho. I was walking from town to Byker four days a week, that counts as exercise. Right?

The day before arrived, it hasn't sank in that the next day I'm running 13.1 miles. I did knitting and had to redo my seaming, I was not a happy bunny when I had to take my lastest seaming apart but I must say my knitting does look neat now.  After knitting it was time to get some pasta and oh my goodness look at how many people they are at the Quayside. My friend and I were on a tight schedule, I am not keen on huge crowds either. A a nail hit my head when I was reading the good luck messages while queuing for the pasta party.  That's when reality sank in I am doing the great north run, without sufficient training. What have I done?

So yes, I did the great north run yesterday (Sunday 10th September) with no training. Something I don't recommend! Please don't do it. Note to myself, please train more than you did.

Pasta with leftover chicken from chicken fajitas 

Dinner was two huge bowls of pasta.  I watched a film with cake and a cup of tea before bed. I woke up 6am to make sure i'm up and awake and get a lot of food down me. Porridge, jelly babies, and tracker bar. Yes all of this for breakfast is needed!! Time to get ready, and that's when I cired. I'm doing this!!

I got the bus in to town each direction you looked you saw loads of people, people wearing costumes people wearing charity tops, people wearing running clubs vest. It was awesome. Everyone so excited at the same time nervous. Put the bag on the bus felt like I was heading home. Such a shame I wasn't otherwise I could get a cup of coffee! Then it was time to find my pen and start warming up. That's it, no turning back. I made it! It was awesome, how people talked to each other, amazing people were fundraising for such amazing cause. And yes, I cried by looking at people messages on the the back infact I cried quite often more of that later.

Look at me, at the start line!

The run was good the atmosphere was amazing, people cheering you on, children giving you high fives and throwing water at you. People giving you  jelly babies, ice pops, biscuits and sweets. If you were fast enough and liked beer at mile 10 you could get beer.  I will definitely do this run next year and this time I would train a lot more and maybe get my time down.

I love all of the great north run, firstly was to see Mo running the route backwards. Yes after he ran the route he decided to run it again from South Shields to Newcastle. Because why not? Second was to run on the iconic tyne bridge. I actually ran on the Tyne Bridge where the cars are normally are but not yesterday, yesterday the roads were covered with runner's. Then going underneath the tunnels people were saying 'oggy oggy oggy' towards the end people were saying it though we had no energy to say 'oi oi oi.' Running over the bridge brought me to tears! I was very emotional yesterday.

Lindisfarne, run for home

And they even sang this song, which always gets me. Ever since hearing it in Ryton last year in our local pub at the time just reminded me of all my friends back down south. I was in tears and not just little tears literally sobbing so everyone asked 'Are you OKAY?' I just said yes, it this song. It's weird how a song can bring you to joy but also sadness.

I planned my route out, the first 6 miles was supposed to be a really s-l-o-w pace, then the second half the first half of the half (got that?) was gonna be a really slow parkrun then the second bit of the half a really fast parkrun. What I didn't take into account? Is people. Yes people. Mostly everyone were walking and when you were running it was draining you had to weave in and out of people so sometimes it was quicker to walk than run. How does that even make sense?

Anyhow I made it to the end with a sprint. My instinct is to sprint at the end, don't give me those eyes. When I was younger I used to do running so I can do a mile in a 5 minutes and kilometer in three minutes when I would like to try. I just want to end the run mentally even though my body can easily carry more. Drum roll please. My time was 2hr:58mins:08sec. I'm so chuffed with that, just under three hours with no training mostly walking at a fast pace.

I wanted to phone my Mum saying 'I actually finish the Great North Run, I did it!' Though my phone died or it switched itself off. Hey ho! Why does phone always play up at the moment you need it. I just want my blue hoodie (the one that I'm always wearing). I talked to this person and we were using the same transport to get to town which was the metro. I was so glad we meet each other. Could you imagine queuing a line with no phone, no one to talk to? Me neither. So I got on the metro, it was like back in London on the underground! Yep it was that bad. I went to a shop in the Haymarket (metro station) To ask if I could use a phone to contact Mum to ask where my Mum and Dad are. And this person said yes because A) You ran Great North Run B) The boss is at home. Luckily my folks chose a pub which is two minute walk away and I even had a meal out. And I told my parents and friends, i'm going to run a marathon next. Challenge here I come!!!! With open arms and yes I will do more training this time.

Now phones are weird! I thought my phone was dead, so when I charged my phone up in the pub as you do. I switched it on in order to get to Grandpa's house as I use my phone as a bus ticket. How cool is that? Strava managed to track my run, and even when I was on metro it still managed to track me. How is that even possible? I had to switch my phone on. It makes no sense at all. Technology is now beyond me. You can even get a Garmin watch and pay for something with your watch. That is pretty cool but just weird.

After all that running, i'm having hot coco and rocky roads chocolate brownies!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Monthly Musings: June and July

Did you miss me? I know it's been two months since I blogged, how does time just vanish from you that quick. It's not often that you get two Monthly Musings in a row, is it?  In fact, it's not ever that you've had two Monthly Musings in a row. But I have been so busy, busy as meaning living under a rock. Remember in December when I said if I don't blog for such a l-o-n-g time it means that I am reading. 

Well over the last two months I have been doing? (In pictures)

Lots of reading books, here is just a selection. As most of them are from the library which I handed in!

If you can't tell from the t-shirts, I have successfully completed the Blaydon race (1hr 06mins 2sec) and Gateshead 10K (1hr 16mins 5secs) 

Which means I was allowed to have chocolate brownies!

I don't always drink coffee, I also drink tea and eat plenty of chocolate brownies of the last two months! Though it's fine because I run it off. 

Baking!!!!!!!!!!! And eating plenty of cake, if we had no cake in the house,  I will just make it!

Made scones pronounced to make it rhyme with cone! My church just like to rope me in doing things when I drink black coffee! First time, I went to church was to go to the coffee morning got roped in doing messy church. Second time drinking coffee got myself into toddler group. The last time was making 30 scones! This was my third batch the last two looks more like little rock cakes!!!!! Though they would be nice with a pot of tea, clotted cream and strawberry jam. 

Had plenty of pasta when my folks were out for a weekend break. Well I'm doing running, need all my carbohydrates I can get! The pasta I made that has four servings was buttnersquash mac 'n' cheese. 

Cooked myself potato and parsnip gratin with sausages. Though there are no parsnips as I don't like them!!

Tex mex version of mac 'n' cheese. I can live on mac 'n' cheese and chocolate brownies. Not a very good diet, I know.

The old pound coin with the new pound coin

I have rule when making myself hot beverages, which is to stay in the kitchen, as I keep making myself cup of teas in different stages. Entertained myself when the kettle was boiling to make a flower with a big battery as the middle bit of the flower than my hearing aids battery as the petals.

Every year, I make it my intention to taste all the summer specials in Costa. So here is one of them. I forget what it is! Have I told you have a goldfish memory?

I went to Jesmond Dene received a text from my friend to go the hoppings only to look after her bag. Nope!! I managed to get on the rides for free or half of the price. Have no idea how I managed to do that, though I'm still not keen on rides, I enjoyed it to an extent but I wasn't overall happy not like my friend who was just grinning the whole evening! I was grinning went I went home to do knitting! 

Hopefully, I would August wrap up on time! 

Running is my rescue

Running is a simple! All you need is running shoes and you are off to go, not only that you can do it anywhere. You don't need good countryside to run in and admire the landscape. Nope you can just admire the sound off you footsteps. Or even seeing traffic and you are passing each car by your own footsteps. (Something that doesn't happen up here a lot)

In fact, most of my creative ideas and random thoughts (including this blog post) have come to be while on a run. I like to give my mind the freedom to wander. Thoughts come and go, and for whatever reason, my mind seems to be able to reach and explore areas that i'm not capable of finding when not running.

Though not all runs turn out great, some of them I am mainly walking. But today, I was running and really full of energy even took pictures. As I just got back from running, this is going to be a quick post, as I'm going to have a bath and read my book maybe even use candles.

My feet stick the black rubber

Its like some kind of magnetic tape

Day after day, it pulls me back

For not only does my body demand it,

but my heart yearns for it

Its the cure to all pain and the rescue from all fear

It there when I need it, even if I choose not to feed it

When I want it, I get it, but never abuse it

It never talks back nor says I'm stupid 

Its always there for every stride and every cry

Its my track and I know I'll never lose it

Just a short  poem about my love for running. How it's the most dependable thing I've got. Friends may come and go, but running will always be a part of me.

Photos time, (not all of these photos was taken this evening, but they have been taken while running)

Oh pretty sky, 

Daffodils 

Not to sure, what these flowers are, though they look lovely

I just missed the sunset, but a lovely MR sunshine just about to do his disappearing act

This sort of represents the running wall, oh and the shadow is me

my delicious snack, cup of coffee and peanut crackers and chocolate spread. 

By eating those tasty crackers, got me to do to this!!!!!!!!!!

Now i'm off in my lovely bath, reading "Reading in bed" Yes that is the title so don't worry you haven't read wrong. 

Being very creative in the kichen

What to you think of when teenagers have the house to themselves for more than one night? Maybe you think of them being outrages and inviting their friends over to drink and maybe trash the house down. For me, nope. My parents went away and they trusted me to keep the house intact. Really?

Plus it means, I can have carrots and pineapple for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

I thought you might want to admire some food photos. Which you haven't seen for such a long time. Sorry in advance if it making your tummy rumble. I have warned you. You might even receive a recipe at the end, just in case your tummy is saying feed me, feed me.

I can also make a mess!

Though I can also clear up the mess!!

Most of the time my parents were away, I washed up by hand, I didn't see the point of putting things in the dishwasher. Especially when I use certain things daily! Plus it meant that I was rewarded by hot choco or hot chocolate!! Plus cake. Sorry parents there is none left for you.

I thought my parents gave me £20 pound for food shopping, so I tried to see what's in the cupboard and what's in the freezer. Though some days i fancied cooking whereas not so much. And here is what I created.

It's a bit oragany as someone forgot to change the settings! Though this dish is a tuna hash

I noticed there was some tuna in the cupboard so looked in my student cookbook, and found a dish that doesn't take such a long time to make and was also cheap to make, win-win. Plus it's a good way to make tuna go a long way, It was very yummy! The best thing is that I didn't had to share. I did also had a dollop of HP sauce. I'm not keen on tomato sauce everything that can get dipped is mostly to be HP sauce. Unless chips then it's mayo.

Vegetarian spaghetti bolognese 

I don't like eating a lot of meat, so I tend to eat quite lot of vegetarian food, plus I was doing the parkrun the day after eating this. So I decided to have some pasta. I must say this is the best bolognese I made it was so tasty and juicy and had a different flavour to the normal bolognese. I wonder if my Dad would be able to taste the difference. I better to a taste test to see!

Using the left bolognese sauce to make lasagna!

As the bolognese can be made into other dishes to, I made some extra not for just one person. I could either add curry paste or chilli and eat with rice or baked potatoes. Though I fancied pasta the next day so I made myself some lasagna. Leftovers, are great! Aren't there? Also the lasagna that I made was so tasty as I used whole milk and the proper cheese sauce or the roux sauce as the professionals call it. See my Catering GCSE still comes to play.

The cake is honey cornbread cupcake with cheese frosting. Perfect piping!

I am starting to knit again. I making lots of progress honestly! And it's all my work now! I have made a wonderful friend at my church, who does lots of knitting and makes lovely cakes. So every month we go to each other houses to do some knitting and make cakes. So I thought I could show off to you, with my new knitting skill and my piping cakes skill. Unfortunately not all cakes looked like that. So I shall be doing more cakes baking and getting my piping in tip top.

As I didn't wake up till 12 in the afternoon, of the day I was doing knitting with my friend, I didn't to any food shopping for later that evening. I had about two hours to vacuum the house, oh the hob is dirty I will just clean that up. Oh look the laundry is spilling everywhere, I will just put that in the washing machine and hang it up. Ohmygoodness, the washing up is spilling over the worktop surface. I will quickly to that and put the kettle on for a nice cup of tea. Oh heck, my cup of tea, is cold, I will just put it in the microwave for 30 seconds. Look the table is a mess, I quickly tidy that up. Drink Rebecca! My cup of tea is now perfect temperature to drink. Hang on, what is that in my mouth, it a tea bag that someone forgot to take out.  Now, i'm so sweaty, I just have enough time too jump in the shower, enough time to make myself a cup of coffee and read my book! What it's that time already! Then my Dad saved the day and week, he put my normal money that I get every week separate to the food shopping money. I looked online, to see when the shops close an hour before I looked online. Never mind, it means I can enjoy my evening by going out for dinner. Thanks Dad! I again had pasta, my favorite type, macaroni cheese.

As anyone told, you that I like pasta? In fact every time my Mum asks me 'What would you like for dinner? My reply, 'pasta please' even though we had pasta a few days ago!!!!

Monday pie

I think, before I turn into pasta and get eaten. I should have something else rather than pasta. As I do my running on Monday evening! Yep, you did read that right. And I decided to go in the freezer (not literally), Oh there is mince! Defrost it the microwave. Cook the mince with the onions add some baked beans a dash of worchester sauce put it in the oven for 50 minutes. Bob's you uncle and Nellie's your aunt , you have a meal. Which meant that I could have a shower, a quick shower! And don't forget about the HP sauce!!!!!!

Peanut butter and jam American pancake with a cup of coffee!!!!

I had  a parkrun, didn't want to go. So I had to bribe myself, get up, get ready for running and you can have pancakes. I am trying to get a PB (personal best) with my parkrun, no hope yet. When I do I get a PB  to go to Creams  (Ice cream place)! The next time I pass it when I'm in town. I'm improving but not enough to get a PB. I will keep trying. And another blog post sometime soon about running.

Cup of tea, with a nutella and peanut cake in the mug

It was about 10:05 in the evening, I was reading my book and really fancied peanut butter and a cake. So I decided to put the oven on and get baking. Then my good mind told me not to because I had to wake up early the next day. So I decided to look online how to make microwave cup cake. I found something but the reviews weren't good. So I did what I normally do, bit of bit of this and a bit of that. It turned out really tasty and gooey just like the ones you get in the restaurants. Plus it meant I could get my craving of peanut butter and cake all at once.

Recipe time

 1 egg
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoon peanut butter
2 tablespoon of nutella
1 tablespoon flour
1 tablespoon of coco
1/4 teaspoon baking powder

In a jug or a small bowl, stir the egg, brown sugar, peanut butter, flour, choco, nutella, and baking powder with a fork. Put the mixture in a mug. Microwave for 1 minute. Eat straight away from the mug.

Now if you don't mind, my tummy is saying feed me, feed me. I'm going to make that cake in the mug.

Normal New Year stuff

You know the drill! Every year people make new year's resolutions. Though how many of us actually met our goal at the end of the year? I didn't last year. Don't give me that look. It's not normal in life to move twice. Or why move once within two months when you can move twice.

I haven't been running for ages. I keep saying to myself "I'm going to run and even to a 5K sometime." Yet something happens and I put it in the back seat. Something comes along and running just get abandoned. I am determined to stop this habit of mine. Yet, I left running in the backseat. Thanks to the Great North Run email saying its time to subscribe. I got eight months to train from nothing to run a half marathon. Maybe you could call a bit crazy? I totally agree with you. 

Though I haven't been running for a long time. The last I did some serious running was when I was in Ryton. I'm determined to get back into running. I thought about how to do this. Every week, I'm going to upload my progress for running. OK, maybe not every week.  Though I am a people pleaser and going to use this in my advantage for once. I hate letting people down. The plan is do couch to 5K then attend the park run for a 5K then plan for a 10K then do a race for a 10K then train for a half marathon then my finish line (no pun intended) to do the Great North run. How hard can it be? 

So I'm going to do more running, while you are going to keep reading.

Monthly musings: September

Good heavens, I can't believe autumn is upon is upon us once again.

This month was the most difficult month settling in a new environment and getting my bearings. I know the metro center, Eldon square, Ryton of course and the next village along from where I live which is Crawcrock, Winlaton and Blaydon. Any where else is a complete mystery to me apart from Corbridge and Hexham. This month is where we get back to normality apparently! Though is there really such thing as normality?

I started my new college course. I thoroughly enjoying it. Getting the hang off Abode Photoshop. I have had a workshop doing a Low poly. If you're not familiar with the term, you've certainly seen the style. Simple geometric shapes placed side-by-side to create angular minimalist compositions. The "poly" from low poly comes from the word "polygon," which is a merely a 2-dimensional shape made of straight lines and angles. I have been getting messy with paint by doing Jason Pollock Art. And much more great fun. Plus I met some lovely people and made great friends.

I have days where I finish early so use this time to explore the city or go for a walk by the Quay Side. My Fridays is where I try out a new cafes or coffee shops and read my book. I have been reading books like there is no tomorrow.

I have entered my first ever photo competition and received positive feedback. It was good to see other people photo's and how I can improve to become a better photographer. Well you can only go up!

Well done! You have found a snowdog. 

My Dad had a weekend away doing kite bugging at Camber Sand with his friend from work. Yep that's a thing! So Mum and I had a lovely girly weekend to ourselves. Which involved, going to the town and doing the Great North Snowdogs trail with my Mum friend from school and her daughter. Where you have an app on your phone and you become a tourist in your own city. You have to find 50 snowdogs some are big and small which are dotted around Tyne & Wear, Then we decided to watch a film on Sunday. Whatever you do, do not trust me to pick a film for you to watch!! As my Mum found out. It was between Bridget Jones or Bad Mom's. I decided to watch Bad Moms now I think Bridget Jones would be a better suitable choice. Then had dinner out and my favorite place to eat Wagamama's.

When the great north run happened this year. Parents and I went to Open Heritage, we went to to the old power station for trams called CastleGate though it used to be called Manors Power station.
I won't bore you with the history. Though if you wish to look into it then here it the website. 

Quote of the month:
Me: Next year I am going to do the Great North Run
Mum: Me too
Me: Dad are you going to do the great north run?
Dad: yes!!!!!
Dad: We are talking about the helicopter. Right?
Me: No!!!!!!!!!! The actually running the half marathon.

Right, if I put it on here it means I got no where to back out. Right! I love running and doing my bit to help others in need. I am going to run the great north run marathon next year. It would be a shame not to since you get to the beauty of Tyne & Wear especially when the event is right on my door step. I already started training to get ready to run from nothing (haven't been running since some time in winter of 2016) to running a half marathon. Watch this space for my updates on my running process.

September was the month where I was between three houses. You don't hear that often. Do you?

I just got settled in Ryton and now it time to move across the river to Newcastle in Westerhope. I'm looking forward to put some roots down and being all settled completely. So watch this space for another tour around the house with Roger. Though this time you wouldn't see random things in weird place or boxes.

Now if you could please excuse me, while I just finish the packing. For my last move for a while. So you might find yourself refreshing the browser a couple of times before another blog post makes a appearance.

Monthly musings: May

God makes a way

When there seems to be no way,

He works in ways we cannot see,

He will make a way for me.

He will be my guide

Hold me closely to his side

With love and strength for each new day

He will make a way

He will make a way.

Hi! Did you miss me? Sorry it's been a while since I posted on here. Been busy doing house work on top of getting swamped with assignments and exams. Well O.K. I can count the number of exams on one hand so I really shouldn't be moaning. Right? But who likes exams especially the IGCSE English and GCSE Maths. I know one of my friend got 12 exams. Well least we got the summer holidays on the horizon.

This month has been packed right from the beginning of May where my parents went house searching in Newcastle while I stayed at home doing assignments. Well I did had a night off and watch lots of videos. Can't be bad, can it?

My grandma

I also had a day out with my grandparents to hayling island. Which I'm so grateful. I had an excuse to get away from my college work for a day and spend time in the outdoors. Just mind the wind otherwise it would knock you off your two feet. While Grandma and I walked on the seafront Grandad had a bit of 'me time'. I am officially banned from throwing stones in the water especially next to my Grandma as we went to Hastings for holiday and I throw a stone and it flew right next to Grandma. Since I was by the sea side, I had another excuse to use my photography skills and tried to make a time lapse. Still need practice and some equipment maybe a tri-pod.

Fingers cross, it works

It's summer time!!

Then half way in May, Dad and I was suppose to cycle 30 miles. Sunday before the actual event I had a glitch, don't worry, I'm OK now. But I was really enjoying my cycle ride need to blow my nose, annoying hay fever and then something happen out of the blue. Though luckily I had my phone and was alight in terms of telling Dad how to use my phone. Oh and for dinner it was barbeque with my family before my grandparents are off to Germany for 8 weeks. So it was a good evening and I totally forget what happened earlier that day. Mum was a photographer that evening. I can get used to Mum taking photos of me just don't approve of Mum taking photos while I'm sleeping. Maybe I should have one eye open and the other eye close?

Since I was suppose to be cycling with Dad for British heart foundation. We all thought well we could either travel up there early in the morning and then come back home all on Sunday? Or we could make a weekend break away? So what did we do? Of course we had a weekend away. It was good fun, a lot of reading and admiring the lovely view we had at the cottage. Two evenings in a row we went out for dinner. Friday we drove up, and stopped at Cotswold shopping centre to get me some walking shoes or trainers since I keep walking mine out. Well least's you know I walk a lot! After we unpacked we went down to town for a rewarding drink and look for something tasty for dinner. Saturday we did some shopping really didn't do much because my Dad needs his energy for Sunday. Then Sunday came round quickly, it was only like yesterday that it was January where Dad and I trained. Gosh that was cold and gloves was needed and coats and jumpers now it is shorts and t-shirts.

The event that my Dad participated in went really well. Dad truly enjoyed it. It could just be a new chapter of his bike journey. On the other hand,  I was really annoyed at myself for not getting out of bed earlier enough and hop on my bike and starting training for this 30 mile challenge. But then if I had my bike I would find it really hard as there is about two miles of incline. I can't even do the Crowthorne hill never mind two miles of it. So it was good for me not taking part. Though I must say, this is the start of my new bike chapter as I am more determined to complete my bike challenge. I even suggested it to my friend. Hoping to do a free London ride even though I have no idea how many miles I would be doing never mind how to get there or back or even stay. Though for the time being, you can admire my Dad in his achievement. Way to go Dad!

Then Monday came around and time to get home and get stuck in with college work. I actually managed to get a break from college work and it was a deserving break.

There was a brief period in mid May where I felt like I knew what I was doing and I had a goal to work towards. Needless to say, it didn't last long. Though I have decided to change course and do photography. Don't worry I haven't wasted this year doing level three health and social care because I gained an extra 1.5 A level, well equivalent. You could even admire more fantastic photos then you see now and again.

Then during the week we do some work in the house or wherever there is clutter. One Tuesday evening, Dad and I decluttered the garage before you couldn't walk from the back to the front of the garage without tripping over or step over. I'm glad to say you can now walk the full length without stepping over things and tripping over. What a result? Cleaning is our regular winding down activity it used to be watching TV. Some nights it is though.

What a view!!

It's been a month where I reflect on my Christian life. I noticed I read the bible but haven't followed any routine just been reading bits of the bible which sounds interesting. I tell you something that I learned while I read Numbers 20:1-13. I had such a mountain to climb over the past two months about changing course. Is it really a good decision? Am I making a good decision to move all the way up to Newcastle? What happens if it's not? Is they are net that can catch me if something goes wrong? So when reading this verse, it didn't make any sense. Until I really mediate on it. What it is really saying, Rebekah? Well my answer, God won't ever give you something that you are not ready for. If you aren't he will give you the skills to be able the climb over the mountain whether it's drinking water or just motivation by your side. I want to get more if an insight in the bible. Look onto Google for a nice plan to read the bible in a year. One problem they all start on 1st January. Hmmm this is not going to work. Dig deeper. Found something so useful, it just says Day 1 and the following readings. That will work and I started on 12th May, So hopefully I can carry it on for a whole year.

....because humans in the outside world do not need to see me attempting downward-facing dog. Nope.

I got into yoga a couple of years ago when I was feeling a bit BLEH (a word that is not yet in the dictionary but one day will be.)

Last week in week in May, I had mainly sat down and starting at a screen (due to all revision and assignments that I got loaded with) I sort of subconsciously visited my old favourite yoga workout in an attempt to stretch out my poor back. I guess the warning that should come here is that if you do any sort of fitness at home, you could be doing it very wrong and doing more harm than good. Please be careful and research proper 'form' before you become a yoga queen or king.

Happy birthday to me! I turned eighteen this month, so I guess I'm officially an adult? Whatever that even means. Anyhow I recently had a realisation which I thought was important to share. A few days ago, I was reflecting on my life so far. Something that bothered me was the fact that I would've accomplished more than I have before I turned 18. I constantly hear people my age who have already done so much with their lives, making mine like a joke compared to theirs. However I soon snapped out of it and told myself there's absolutely no point comparing my life to other people's.

No, I may not have accomplished very much over the 18 years of my life. But heck, I've been though a hell of a lot, especially over the past few years. I went through some pretty tough times, but eventually managed to fight through them and come out stronger than ever. That in itself is a great accomplishment in my opinion, and I don't give myself enough credit for the thing for the things that I have been through. In fact I'm actually thankful for having gone through them, because without the hard time, I wouldn't have learnt to be thankful for the good days.

This has been year of growth for me, filled with many valuable lessons, as well as hard times that I'm proud to have overcome. Here's to another year of learning, happiness, and positivity.

When a friend first told me about unplugging from technology, I didn’t really pay much attention. I thought that the idea of staying offline for a day would only faze a handful of computer geeks and kids who tremble at the idea of life with without a mobile phone and tablet.

Unplug to recharge.
Sharpen the saw.

Whatever you call it, we all need to put down the technology and look up and around us every so often. The world will not end if you leave your phone on your desk and go for a 20 minute walk in the sun or meet a friend for lunch. Yes, you may have more texts, emails and voicemails when you return, but think of how much better you'll be able to manage those when your mind is clear and recharged! Did you know that, on average, we humans require 10 "touches" (like a hug or handshake) every day in order to feel interpersonally content? Your keyboard doesn't count :)

Quotes

One of my friends asked me these questions in ways to keep in contact when they are off to UNI and when I'm off to Newcastle. It made other friends surroundings us laugh. Maybe not her at the time but now she laughs it off.

Friend: Do you have FaceBook?
Me: No!
Friend: How about Twitter?
Me: No!
Friend: Do you have WhatsApp?
Me: No!
Friend: Then what DO you have?
Me: A LIFE!!!!

Recipe of the month:

You got to be joking. You think I have time to bake something yummy? Or try and cook a meal just for me? Come back next month!