Category: travel

World Adventures: Manchester Books

So I want to start a new segment on my blog dedicated to travel. To my world adventures. Even when they’re just around the corner. Cos I think it’s fun to hear where other people have been. But also getting recommendations for sights and bars and food and pubs and bookshops (most importantly) is really handy. Also I just think it’s fun to be nosy sometimes. So here begins the world adventures. We’re starting small by just hopping over to Manchester (I’m from Liverpool for any of you nerds that don’t know).

In 2018 I challenged myself to buy only 12 books. Whether I did that or not is for a future post (I know, what a tease). But here I find myself in mid-December absolutely sure I shouldn’t be buying any more books yet wanting to explore all the excellent bookshops in Manchester’s Northern Quarter. Enter my excellent boyfriend, Danny. This little gem treated me to five, read em, FIVE, new books on our weekend away and I guess that’s why he’s the best person ever. Basically all we did on this trip was eat, drink and browse bookshelves so I figured I’d start with the books!

Magma

Book Purchased: Devotion – Patti Smith

For the first couple of days of our trip we kept walking past this shop. Every time a different book caught our eye in their front display and we ended up stopping to look. Whoever curated that display, and indeed the entire shop’s catalogue, is a bloody genius. It’s quite a hipster little shop with a boutique feel. But as I say, could not fault the book choices. I wanted every book in there! From the Corbyn Annual to feminist non-fictions and from the illustrated Communist Manifesto to books on plants, it was bougie and spectacular!

Oxfam

Book Purchased: Dept. of Speculation – Jenny Offill

An oldy but a goodie. If you didn’t know that Oxfam stocks amazing books then literally where have you been? This one is no different, many secondhand gems. However the moment I saw this book I knew it would be mine. I read the Kindle edition when I was at uni in America and I loved it. This book is excellent. On further browsing there was about fifteen other books I would have had as well!

Paramount Books

Books Purchased: Aminal Farm – George Orwell, The Yellow Wallpaper – Charlotte

This amazing secondhand shop is only open the later half of the week so beware. It’s open til late though and blasts excellent tunes onto the street all day long. It’s a Black Books type of shop were there is so much to look at and you don’t want to miss a thing yet it’s overwhelming. Also you don’t want to piss anyone off. There’s ‘no mobile phone’ signs everywhere (literally Bernard) but the atmosphere is friendly and the collection is vast. When we made our purchase the guy also offered us a piece of fruit from a bowl at the register. How boss! I also found a lovely edition of Animal Farm for like £4 so how could I not?

Travelling Man

Book Purchased: Quiet Girl in a Noisy World – Debbie Tung

We happened to stumbled across this hidden treasure as we were walking to Chapter One Books. It’s literally next door. I’m not sure it’s a bookshop so much a geeky shop. I don’t know the technical term, but I mean no disrespect. I loved it! There was endless manga and board games and funko pops and merch. There was also I gigantic section of graphic novels and the like. I enjoy graphic novels but I don’t know much about them. Then I noticed this book by Debbie Tung and I was completely drawn to it! A quick flick through promised beautiful illustration. A shop I’ll definitely be adding to my favourites.

Chapter One Books

One little bonus was this wonderful cafe! We didn’t buy any books here although there are some on display that you can buy. We went there expecting more books to browse to be honest but we weren’t too disappointed. The staff were friendly, the coffee was good and the atmosphere was chill. Gave us time to admire all my new books! Would go again.

Pt.2 Coming Soon. (Featuring many ciders and vegan treats.)

You’re Not Alone – Astræa

February 6, 2019

adventure, amwriting, blogger, books, bookshop, bookstagram, life, manchester, selfcare, selflove, travel
Tattoo Origins: 53 03’ 40’’ N 9 21’ 46’’ W

These are the coordinates to my favourite place on earth. Yesterday I got to visit there again after three long years.

It’s been quite a while since our last tattoo origins story. I guess that’s because I find them quite draining. I love tattoos. And I love my tattoos. But the gravity I think comes with inking something permanently onto yourself means all my tattoos have very personal and emotional reasons for being there. They’re not secret, obviously, since I’m telling you about them. But sometimes they’re hard to write because I want to articulate their importance perfectly and that almost never happens. So it’s been a while. But yesterday made me realise this was the next journey for us to conquer together. So, onwards.

If you’ve read any blog post by me ever, or even just had a conversation with me, then you’ll know my family are the single most important thing in my life, bar nothing. Their journey is my journey. And my journey is theirs. We’re so wonderfully intertwined. I love them. Put in the simplest terms possible. Diving deeper, they are the reason I breathe. The reason I get out of bed. Fight Live another day. Hearing their voices, reading their sarcasm, feeling close to them is all I need to sustain myself.

You’ll probably also know that I love Ireland. The country just holds a special place in my heart. It’s my family’s home, so it’s my home. Aside from Liverpool, it’s where I feel most safe.

So how do these two facts collide to create this tattoo? And where is this place I’ve drawn on myself forever?

My favourite place in the world is a small slice of the Burren that stretches out alongside the Wild Atlantic Way. Driving from Doolin towards Fanore, just as the road turns to give you a breathtaking view of the Atlantic Ocean, there is a small gravelled area to park a car. Park there. Cross the road, carefully. Climb down onto the world’s largest limestone pavement and breathe. Feel the harsh breeze from the water hit your face, close your eyes. Breathe deeply. You have arrived. You are alive.

My family and I have been travelling to the west coast of Ireland since the eighties, my brother’s first time being when he was still in our mother’s tummy. County Clare is our favourite. The Burren is possibly the world’s biggest playground and as kids we were mesmerised. I don’t recall the first time we ever found this little spot. But I’m thankful every day that we did. Every visit we’d park the car, wrap up in hats and scarves and coats, and just go. Whilst my sisters would hang back with our mum, casually exploring (they were older and more relaxed), my brother and I would run until we felt the sweat dripping down our backs beneath the winter layers. Under the watchful eye of our dad, it is a clifftop, we’d play the Burren game: no stepping on anything other than rock. You touch grass and you lose. Working our way to the cliff’s edge we’d all eventually pause. Blown away by the crashing waves below and the endless vastness that lay out in front of us.

It’s standing in that exact spot, looking at the ocean, that I’ve continued to come back to over the years. It calls to me. There’s nowhere in the world that I feel vibrates with such possibility. I could stare at the water forever. Yesterday was one of the windiest times I’ve ever been there. The powerful, white waves crashed so hard into the jagged black rocks next to me that I was periodically sprayed with fresh salty water. Feeling it hit my cold skin I felt alive. Peaceful. But secure. And loved. I don’t know how a place can make you feel that way. I think it must be magic. But all I know is I am one with that nameless piece of land. It is me. It has a way of emptying my mind and making me see clearly. About what I want. About what’s important. About what my life should look like. It guides me. Just as my mother guides me. It makes me feel safe. This spot is mine.

I’ll be attached to that place forever. It is my past, my present and my future. I just hope I don’t wait so long next time for the craving pull to ignite action inside me.

All I Am – Jess Glynne

October 9, 2018

adventure, amwriting, atlanticocean, blogger, burren, countyclare, family, fun, ireland, love, ocean, peace, tattoo, tattoomeaning, tattooorigin, travel
Veggie/Vegan Liverpool

I think the world would be a better more fabulous place if it was just a tad more veggie so here are four of my ultimate favourite veggie/vegan joints in Liverpool!

The Egg Café

No Liverpool vegetarian or vegan article would be complete without The Egg. This is the original Liverpool veggie hangout and a great place to start your adventure. Housed in a listed building off Bold Street, The Egg offers delicious casual dining. Perfect for meeting friends or enjoying a quiet lunch to yourself. There’s some staples on the menu like soups, hummus, quiche and cheese on toast. The garlic bread is a must! However, the café also rotates ever-changing mains like lasagnes, moussakas and curries. If that’s not enough they also have a BOYB policy! Corkage is a quid each and makes the treacherous walk up the infamous spiral staircase worth it.

http://www.eggcafe.co.uk/index.html

Sanskruti

Liverpool’s first ever veggie and vegan Indian restaurant, housed in the business district, is the perfect next stop on your veggie journey. Located right by Moorfields, Sanskruti offers a wide variety of dishes to match India’s vibrant cuisine and culture. Whether it’s the ‘Thalis’ of Gujarat, the ‘Dosas’ of South India or the ‘Chaats’ of Mumbai you’re in for a unique experience. The daal makhani is an absolute must as is the mushroom rice. Your visit is also not complete without ordering the family naan (even if you’re on your own). It’s gigantic and comes presented on a massive skewer. Lovely staff and very pleasant atmosphere.

http://www.sanskrutirestaurant.co.uk/liverpool/

Down the Hatch

Possibly the place you’ve all been waiting for. Praise for this relatively new venue has been spreading like wildfire. Although when you’re boasting vegan junk food how could it not? People are curious what that looks like, possibly deep-fried salad? Well what it looks like is decadent burgers, delicious pizza fries, comforting mac and cheese as well as endless homemade cocktails. Residing in a basement on Duke Street, the restaurant has a cosy and casual feel. The staff are very friendly and helpful to any newbies. They’ve also started selling their own vegan mayo and the sriracha one is not to be missed!

https://www.facebook.com/downthehatchLIV/

Greendays Café

If you’re looking for something a bit out the city then this gem on Lark Lane is perfect. It has a similar vibe to The Egg and is very bohemian and relaxed. The portions are huge and the prices are low. The veggie breakfast is a definite must! The staff are friendly and the venue feels very homey. This is partly due to size, so try to go off peak if you want to ensure you get a table! There’s also a Groupon for vegan brownies and milkshakes currently on offer: https://www.groupon.co.uk/deals/greendays-cafe-2

https://www.facebook.com/greendayscafeliverpool/

Best of My Love – The Emotions

September 3, 2018

adventure, food, independentliverpool, junkfood, Liverpool, plantstrong, vegan, veganfood, vegetarian, veggie
Summer in the City

Proof that Liverpool is the best city, I’ve got the next few weekends sorted for you.

Brazilica

14th July

Starting in 2008 as part of Liverpool’s Capital of Culture celebrations, Brazilica is a parade that celebrates Brazilian music and culture as well as the magic of carnival. The parade sucks in around 30,000 visitors each year; this is probably due to the intoxicating atmosphere. There’s so much going on between drumming bands, samba dancers, colourful costumes and intricate floats. The parade begins on Abercromby Street and will wind down through the city and end in Williamson Square. The event will also host live Brazilian/Afro Latin music on a stage at the waterfront. It’s not to be missed! The event is free. http://brazilicafestival.co.uk

Liverpool International Music Festival (LIMF)

@ Sefton Park, 21-22nd July

As always this is one of Liverpool’s biggest events of the year and you should be there. The two day festival showcases music from many countries and cultures to celebrate the vibrant history and diversity of our city. This year LIMF has named their theme ‘Co-Exist and Connection’ which seems like an excellent idea to explore this year given the current world political climate. It’s also a great way for Liverpool to celebrate it’s ten year anniversary of Capital of Culture. Artists include Basement Jaxx (DJ set), DJ Jazzy Jeff and Jax Jones. Tickets start at £5 and under 11s go for free. http://www.limfestival.com

Liverpool Pride

28-29th July

Pride is always guaranteed to be an excellent weekend. As it’s still quite a new event in Liverpool, the event continues to blossom an get bigger and better each year. Ran by an entirely volunteer-led charity Pride aims to combat homophobia and transphobia in Liverpool and across the world. Their website states their core values to be FREE, INCLUSIVE, VISIBLE. So whether you’re part of the LGBTQ+ community of just an enthusiatic ally, this weekend is not to be missed. Whether you want to be in the colourful parade through our streets or celebrate from the side of the road it’s up to you. The march will start at Liverpool Central Library and twist though the city to end on Tithebarn Street where a main stage will be set up full of excellent performers including, Atomic Kitten and Sophie Ellis-Bextor. This year Pride will also be hosting events on the Sunday that are more casual, family-friendly. Sunday is about learning, experiencing and making a difference. This event is free. https://liverpoolpride.co.uk

There’s just something magical about the summer, don’t you think?

T-shirt Weather – Circa Waves

July 4, 2018

booze, capitalofculture, culture, diversity, festival, fun, international, Liverpool, music, new adventures, pride, summer, sun, travel, whatson
Beer Gardens and Roof Terraces

We’re finally starting to see some sunshine here in Liverpool so I thought it was about time for an Indie Liverpool pt.3! To match the warmer weather I thought it would be perfect to share with you some of the excellent beer gardens and roof terraces Liverpool has to offer. To all you parents though, this article is not going to be very kid-friendly so start digging out those babysitter phone numbers now!

Ye Cracke

An oldie but a goodie. If you remember from the first Indie Liverpool I mentioned this pub as a perfect independent location to visit in our city. You may also remember that I mentioned it had a beer garden. Well it was winter then but now that we’re heading into summer this is a must-see! The atmospheric beer garden is situated right in the middle fo the city with many tall buildings around it. You get a great slice of blue sky there though and it’s just a sublime place to sit with a scrumpy cider and bask in Liverpool’s glory. http://www.yecracke.co.uk

HUS

Now again, if you’ve not managed to get to this venue yet after it was mentioned in a Indie Liverpool pt.2 you might want to get it on your list. HUS’s rooftop terrace is the best place to while away your evening hours. From the rooftop you can see the beautiful Liverpool skyline including St. John’s Beacon as well as a lovely slice of the Mersey. The terrace is fitted with a grill, some lovely grass and some twinkly lighting making it the perfect place to spend sunset. https://www.facebook.com/HUSLPOOL/

Kazimier Gardens

There has been many reincarnations and renovations of the great venue Kazimier and whilst the main indoor music venue was closed down a couple of years ago the excellent sister location Kazimier Gardens is still going strong next door. This boho kind-of-indoor, kind-of-outdoor bar is brilliant for a mulled wine or gin and tonic alike. Whether you’re huddled in the bustle of excited conversations or the entranced crowd of a bluegrass show this venue is a must visit. All the wooden furniture and wild plants give the location a great outdoor feel whilst really being in the centre of town. https://www.facebook.com/KazimierGarden/

OH ME OH MY

This Water Street venue boasts one of the most intoxicating views of Liverpool with their roof garden, Goodness Gracious. The good news is they’ve opened it for summer again! From the top you can see the whole front and all the Graces. With the same owners as Leaf on Bold Street you know this venue is going to deliver. So whether you want something casual and creative or something a bit more classy, this is the venue for you. https://ohmeohmyliverpool.co.uk/roof-garden/

Other honourable mentions (I know you want a bar crawl really!): Heebies, Red Door, 30 James Street, The Peacock, Constellations, Botanical Garden, District, The Lodge, Pump House, Free State Kitchen.

Pt.4 is coming.

In The Morning – The Coral

June 22, 2018

adventure, amwriting, bar, beer, beergarden, blogger, booze, coocktails, indie, indiebusiness, life, Liverpool, pub, roofterrace, tourism, travel, whatson
St. Patrick’s

Now this week’s self-care post may seem a little counter-intuitive but stick with me.

So growing up in Liverpool with an Irish grandma, a family who loves Ireland and a surrounding that is predominantly Irish, I’ve always felt a great affinity with the country. More so than with the UK. In fact, I’ve never relished my British identity but found it somewhat embarrassing. I mean the whole idea of splitting land into countries has always felt bizarre to me. Throwing our racist, religious or xenophobic views behind a flag is just pathetic. Patriotism. One of my least favourite words in the English language. A blind belief that you are worth more due to the coincidence of your birth. And the British Empire? Don’t even get me started.

So that’s not how I see my relationship with Ireland. I don’t obey it and I don’t worship it. I just feel drawn to the land. Like I’m coming home. It’s the ideas of family above everything; respecting nature; always striving to be a kind person but remembering to have a heck of a lot of fun along the way that embody the Irish spirit for me. Because that’s been my upbringing. Those are the lessons I’ve learnt from the people I love. The fact all these sentiments bind in my mind to equal Ireland is almost incomprehensible because they’re not tangible, they’re just how I live my life. It’s hard to articulate. Because my family is Irish I’ve seen those lessons as being passed down through ancestors. The people teaching me these lessons may have thought differently but that’s how I’ve always interpreted it. So I hesitate to say I’m proud to be Irish because I don’t ultimately agree with countries and I think pride can be harmful. But I’m very happy to be Irish. I’m thankful that it’s my heritage. Because it’s happenstance of birth that has created the family that I have. And they’re pretty boss to say the least. Liverpool and Ireland did that. I have no doubt in my mind. So I’m grateful for their existence.

But if we’re stepping out of the spiritual world into the physical world I do love the country’s hills and green lands and pubs. I do fully plan on spending time in Ireland every year of my life. Many of my favourite childhood memories are the other side of the Irish Sea and I hope to make more in the future. I just feel comfortable there. Whether it’s pub crawling through Dublin or staring at the Atlantic Ocean from atop the Burren in County Clare. Again, it’s because I feel so connected to my family when I’m there. Either because they’re stood right next to me or because when I breathe I know that’s where we’ve come from. This island.

You’re probably wondering where the point to my article is coming in. It’s here. Go out today for St. Patrick’s and get pissed.

I know. You didn’t see that coming. Well I like to be unpredictable. Makes life more interesting. Now why am I telling you about my Irish heritage and drinking. And how is this anything to do with self-care? Because whilst yes, alcohol will not solve life’s problems (never forget that) it is acceptable to indulge occasionally. Whether you’ve had a long, hard week at work. Whether you just want to meet up with some friends you’ve been neglecting. Whether you’re Irish or not. Go and celebrate. Because whatever it was in the past, or whatever it is to other people now, to me March 17th is about celebrating culture and heritage and family. That’s why it’s my favourite day of the year. Don’t you see? It doesn’t matter what your life or beginnings are. Everyone can celebrate their culture, heritage and family so why not do it with booze, with the Irish. You all know we’re the funnest anyway. So when you’re blinded by a sea of green today, and maybe after a Guinness or two, have a think about what those three words mean to you right now. And what you’d like them to mean always. Then maybe act on it. Or don’t. I mean, you’ll probably have a wicked hangover tomorrow anyway so you might as well get something out of the drunken fun whilst it lasts.

If someone reading this disagrees with my view of St. Patrick’s Day then that’s totally fine. It is traditionally a religious holiday, yep, we are celebrating a saint. But I’ve found since turning from Catholicism to Atheism I enjoy having other ways to connect to my history. And yeah, St. Patrick’s Day famously was a day of alcoholic abstinence. But the Irish government overturned that years ago to improve tourism and celebration of all things Irish. So whether you consider it a bit of a piss up or a serious day I wish you a boss St. Patrick’s. And I hope you spend it with people you love.

And remember to shotgun a beer.

Peace.

Lisdoonvarna – Christy Moore

March 17, 2018

adventure, family, guinness, heritage, ireland, irish, selfcare, selflove, stpatricks, travel
Indie Liverpool Pt.2

The long-awaited second instalment of Indie Liverpool is here. In case you missed the first one, I’m just telling you some of my favourite independent bars, pubs, clubs, restaurants, cafes in Liverpool. If we’re honest, this series could go on for another sixty-three parts because there’s just so many boss places in Liverpool! I’m glad a get to call it my city and I’m glad I get to show you some of the cool hideouts. Enjoy.

HUS – If it’s a great pint you’re after, look no further – HUS offers the first Tank Beer in Liverpool. This new venture by the Baltic Social owners has Scandinavian vibes, a rooftop terrace (I’m super excited for this to reopen) in the business district and amazing cocktails with chilli in them. Weird, I know, but worth a try. https://www.facebook.com/HUSLPOOL/

The Egg Cafe – An awesome hideout off Bold Street if you can hack the winding stairs up to the cafe. It’s BYOB as all the best places are, just pay a contribution. The Egg is one of Liverpool’s original vegetarian hangouts featuring many classics on the menu as well as new rotating mains, very quirky and excellent anytime of day. I would definitely recommend the garlic bread meal after years of eating maybe eighty of them. Offers Independent Liverpool Card Discount. https://www.eggcafe.co.uk

Leaf – Whether it’s food, tea or a boss gin cocktail you’re looking for, Leaf has it all. Obviously named after their tea, this venue offers a ridiculous array of lose leaf teas just waiting to be brewed for you. With a relaxed atmosphere in the day time, Leaf also turns into a pretty busy bar at night with live music. I don’t think you could go wrong with any time of day. Offers Independent Liverpool Card Discount. https://thisisleaf.co.uk/liverpool/

The Grapes – This hideout is a must for any good city centre pub crawl. It used to be known for the squish you’d have to endure from one side of the venue to the other but after having a facelift last year, the pub now boasts almost double the amount of seating space as well as an upstairs roof terrace. Fair warning, it will still get crammed in the evening, what can I say, everyone wants to go here! There’s not much to say about The Grapes other than that it is quintessentially Liverpool. It’s good booze and good people. And what more could you want? https://www.facebook.com/pages/Grapes/160498220633965

Matta’s – Something a bit different. Matta’s is not a bar or a restaurant but a supermarket. Why is it on the list? Because it has literally everything you could ever want. It has all your bougie grains and nuts available in bulk. It also has a wide range of vegan essentials that you can’t find in many other places, for example Vegenaise! The grocer also offers almost every spice, herb or condiment you could dream of including a lot of great international foods. Offers Independent Liverpool Card Discount. https://www.mattas.co.uk

Pt.3 is coming.

Mersey Paradise – The Stone Roses

March 14, 2018

bars, booze, cocktails, food, independent, independentliverpool, indiebusiness, Liverpool, pubs, tourist, veganfood
take yourself somewhere

Today, instead of sleeping in or hanging around watching Netflix, I took myself to an exhibition at Liverpool Central Library. Since October they’ve been having a History of Magic exhibit around the country’s libraries to celebrate twenty years since the publication of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. The one in Liverpool ends this weekend. I’ve been meaning to go for weeks but isn’t that just what we always do? Put things off til they’ve passed or we’ve lost interest?

I think we also don’t do things because we think we can’t do them alone. But that mentality doesn’t serve us. We end up missing out on our own life because our schedule didn’t match up with our mates. When what’s really stopping you from going somewhere yourself? Societal norms and pressures? Your shyness? Or your complete inability to be alone with your own thoughts for a few hours?

Whatever it is, I think we need to do something about it. When I was travelling in Berlin last summer I’d been casually eating at cafes or grabbing snacks from shops because that was more comfortable. Somehow a cafe seemed less scary and awkward than a full blown restaurant. But then I figured I just needed to get over myself so I took myself to a Vietnamese vegan restaurant and it was delicious. And you know what? It wasn’t weird either. People don’t care what you’re doing because they’re living their own lives.

And that’s my message for you. Nobody cares. So you’ve got to stop caring. You can have self-care, sure, cos that’s what all these posts are about. But you can’t care about thoughts and actions you can’t control. So stop waiting for your mate or your brother or your girlfriend and just go and do something you want to do. Take yourself on a date, if that’s what you wanna call it. But really it’s just called living.

Go to the cinema, go on a walk, travel to a new city, just go the corner shop. Just do it alone. Because you should be able to spend time with yourself. You need to. And you never know what you’ll find. Maybe you’ll discover a new album as you travel on the train, or maybe you’ll have a novel idea as you walk through the museum, or maybe you’ll just have a random conversation with yourself in your head as you wait for the cinema to go dark. Either way, I think you’ll learn something. And we’re never done learning.

Dosage: For adults of eighteen and over I’d suggest at least once fortnightly.

Peace.

Knots – All The Luck In The World

February 2, 2018
rain

Sometimes I hate the rain. Especially in the north of England it can be relentless and unending. It’s dark and it’s cold. It seeps right into the worst parts of you. It makes you shiver and it makes you sneeze. It makes you question whether you really need that shower if you’re going to be getting one on the way to the train station anyway. It makes you ponder whether you even need to get that train or could fork out for a door to door taxi instead. And it makes you wonder whether you even really actually need that job if it means going out in that shit.

I feel you, and I agree. But I also think rain gets a pretty bad rap. I mean, it waters our earth and feeds our plants. It gives us drinking water. It cleans our cars so you don’t have to pay to. And if it’s really heavy it can cancel that football game you really couldn’t be bothered to go to and act interested in.

And yeah, rain is definitely not all good. It can lead to floods and other natural devastations. It can wipe out homes and memories and futures. But if we focus on the day to day, relatively calm but persistent downpour then I think we could give it more slack. We could be nicer to rain.

Now for people with seasonal affective disorder, I see you and I respect you. This article is not about you. It’s for the annoying people you know who walk around claiming to be SAD for the sake of small talk, lightly peppering over the fact it’s a serious mental health issue. To those people I’d say: what are we all complaining about?

At the end of the day, it’s water. That’s probably the least offensive liquid on the planet. You drown yourself with it in your morning shower, you use it to keep hydrated and to maintain your pearly whites. You use it for cooking and cleaning but as soon as it comes out of the sky it’s a problem? That seems a little hypocritical.

I think rain can be cleansing and a little liberating. Now when you’re running to work definitely do that quick cos no one wants to be sat going damp in a miserable office. But if you’re on your way home to a warm house and you have a spare second I encourage you to just stop and stand in the torrential rain. Just let it soak you. Completely. Let it drench through your layers so that you feel it trickling down your back. Close your eyes and point your face to the sky, let the water roll down your face. Let any bad feelings wash off you. I challenge you not to smile at this point. You’re stood purposely soaking yourself in nature that laughing seems the only natural reaction. This is so bizarre and frowned upon my social norms. But you’ll feel refreshed and new. You might also feel a bit cold so don’t stay out there all night.

And if you’re worried about people staring at you. Don’t. Fuck them. They wouldn’t know fun if it rained on them.

So next time it rains you’re allowed to groan and swear under your breath. But also remember to enjoy it.

Black Water – Of Monsters And Men

January 31, 2018
Tattoo Origins: oneeightzeroeight

I haven’t graced your screens with a tattoo origins for ages so I thought it was about time.

Now, in all honesty I’m at this impasse where I cannot for the life of me remember the order of the next four tattoos because they were all done on the same day. This was less than two years ago but I was hyped up on adrenaline and excitement so it’s a bit fuzzy. If I even tried to work it out it would just be a lie so I’m just gonna go in an order that makes sense to me.

But why did you get four on one day anyway? Simple, at uni I could never justify it over rent or, you know, vodka. But in September 2016 I’d been made permanent at my then job and I decided if I didn’t do what I wanted now then I’d spend a lifetime waiting for tomorrow. It’s the little things.

Sarah, hurry up and get to it. What does oneeightzeroeight mean and why is there no spaces? Simple, it’s my PIN number.

I’m totally joking.

It’s a date. The eighteenth of August. On this date in 2014 I ventured on arguably the biggest adventure of my life. At least it was at that point in my life. My first big adventure. I moved to America. George Mason University, to be specific. For my exchange year.

But why does that need to be tattooed on you? Well is was one of the most mad things I’d ever done. Since I was sixteen sitting in IT classes looking at university courses I knew I wanted to do a year in the States. Believe me, I’m super glad it was Obama’s America cos I couldn’t have gone now.

But it was something I had wanted so I worked hard to get myself there. I worked in sweaty kitchens in the summers and I took up any shift I could at the bar during my semesters. It definitely wasn’t coming cheap. Even when my uni said I wouldn’t be able to go if I didn’t start going to lectures, I made sure I was there bright eyed and bushy tailed at nine am for a full semester to show them I was serious. Yeah, some of you are probably thinking I should have just been at those classes anyway. But that’s not who I am. So that was a big thing for me.

When I finally got there there was this huge pressure to make it the best year of your life but what people forget is you’re really just moving your life to a new place, laundry still has to get done and essays still have to be handed in. And man, did I miss my family and friends. So it took a while to adjust but eventually I met some of the most awesome people and then I really did have one of the best years of my life. I won’t say the best cos I’m an optimist. There’s more to come for me in this life. But then I got home, to ‘reality’ and all of a sudden laundry seemed a lot less glamorous. I wrote a dissertation then graduated with no savings and no job and no real idea where my life was headed. And it got me thinking about my year abroad and how I made something happen.

And I had all your usual year abroad revelations. I learnt a lot about myself and I discovered a lot about life. I learnt a lot about friendships and people and I just felt so connected to the world. I felt like I was living a dream, yeah, what a cliche. But I’m just telling you what it was like. It was boss. It was so wildly different from my normal life that it felt like I was living someone else’s if only for a year. And when it ended I knew I needed that feeling of freedom and culture and fascination in my life again. Always, if possible.

So I got this tattoo to remind myself of that. I got this date because it’s tangible and I can touch it. But also because it’s the beginning and I think the beginning is important. It’s to remind me to always chase adventure and that feeling of adrenaline and fun and euphoria. It’s on my arm so I can see it. So I’m confronted with it every day. I can’t hide from it. So when I’m staring absentmindedly at my work computer wishing I was anywhere else in the world but in that office I can see it in my peripherals. And I can remember, oh yeah, I already knew that; I want more for myself. Then I feel a fire inside me to find the next adventure, no matter how small.

It’s also just to remind me of that year and of all the beautiful friends I made. And the fun we had together. I felt so connected to you guys there, and I hope you know that. I love that it’s almost unreadable, because it’s for me not anyone else. There’s no spaces so it’s almost in code. It’s also in numbers to solidify the code. Nobody else knows what this one means so you better all hush!

So, anyway, it means a lot of things. And people think you just aimlessly ink words on to yourself. Pshh.

Ritual Union – Little Dragon

January 3, 2018

adventure, america, exchangeyear, friends, friendship, fun, life, love, tattoo, tattoomeaning, tattooorigins, tattoos, uni, yearabroad