A Breath Of Fresh Air.

I have just finished watching 'Noel's Christmas Presents' and it has been a complete breath of fresh air. It has reminded me of all the brilliant people which live in this world who give their time, money and sometimes lives to benefit other people.

For people who don't know the programme Noel Edmonds surprises people who have done alot for their communities and families with gifts just in time for Christmas. From a teenage boy who has looked after his grandmother, three younger siblings and mother since the age of six because of his mother's cancer and rescued five young children from a house fire to a man and his two sons who have raised in excess of £70,000 for a hospice which looked after their wife and mother during the last few months of her ovarian cancer battle. This programme rewards their efforts with many different types of presents including family holidays and mini buses or house refurbishments for their charities.

This programme always makes me think of the wonderful people which inhabit Britain and the rest of the world ands shows me that people are not all terrible. Many of them are extremely good. The media pelts us with images of people who rape, people who kill, people who con, steal and hurt and we should be reminded of the good which people are doing all the time. Many people aren't nasty or cruel. Many people go a great deal of work for charities and take alot of time out of their lives to help other people. I'm not saying that everyone is nice, especially not all the time, but the majority of people are.

The work which people do for free and often at their own expense astounds me and I can't believe the lengths people will go to help others. The strength and positivity which radiates from these amazing individuals is overwhelming and a humbling lesson can be learned by all.

Another recent example of human kindness has been shown because of all this snow. People with 4x4s which are able to drive in these conditions have flocked to the local hospitals to ferry patients, doctors and nurses around. People have been helping their elderly and infirm neighbours get around and they have been driving people to important appointments, train stations and airports.

These things really have restored my faith in the human race. And it's all just in time for Christmas, the season of family, friends, loving and giving.

What An Excellent Day.

Well, today has been a bloody good day to be honest!

Firstly, I went to find out about my job and it looks like I'll be able to find the placement I wanted. The guy I saw was pretty positive about being able to find me a job in childcare even though I don't have any qualifications to do with children. Anyway, they're basically paying the employer to employ me so I should be able to find something, ANYTHING. I am so bored with being at home now, at least blogging is getting me through the day.

Secondly, I'm going travelling! I've been trawling the internet all afternoon looking at places in Europe which I want to go to and I've found some amazing looking places with absolutely beautiful scenery. I'll be going for about eight weeks and I'm setting a budget of around £2000. I think that doing it 'on a shoestring', as it were, will be a benefit rather than a hindrance, enabling me to see a more personal and unique view of the places I'll be in rather than blurring my vision with city tours and posh restaurants. I've never been a very 'touristy' person but I would love to travel and see sights which I would never normally see. If I don't throw myself out into the big wide world now, I may never do it. And, judging by the beauties which this world has to offer, that would be an immense shame.

I'm planning on getting the Eurostar (basically a train which goes under the sea) from London to Paris and then making my way from there. I've done a little plan of where I would like to go and planned it so that I go round in a circle. My first destination is Paris, my second is Brussels in Belgium, followed by Berlin in Germany, then from there I'll go to Krakow in Poland. I will then travel to Prague in the Czech Republic, Bratislava in Slovakia, Salzburg in Austria and finally Rome in Italy. I will then either make my way back to Paris to catch the Eurostar back to London or fly back straight from Italy.

This whole idea has gotten me so excited and I can't stop thinking about visiting the harrowing concentration camp memorials or the absolutely stunning monuments. I'm going on my own but I think that will suit me the best. My ex-boyfriend was always talking about us going travelling together but I don't want anyone to hinder my exploration. If I fall in love with somewhere I want to be able to stay a few extra days, I want to go on a 'Sound of Music' tour in Austria and I don't care how atrocious this idea may seem to some people, I want to do it, and I will. Simple as that. I don't want anyone telling me what to do, this trip is for self-exploration and development of myself. Sure, I'll miss my family and it would be nice to have someone to share these experiences with but I can tell them everything when I get back and I promise that I'll keep you all up to date! There are loads of forums etc. on the internet now to enable travellers to meet up once they reach their destinations so I'll probably do this for a few of the places I'm going.

My biggest worry is remembering everything. There is so much I want to see and experience I don't want to overload myself with information and images. I want to soak up every detail with each of my senses and remember it for the rest of my life. I'll be keeping a diary of course, writing on here (as regularly as possible) and I'll take so many photos you'll all get sick of them but I just want to make the most of this opportunity.

Another reason why this day has been so amazing is that I think my mum and step-dad are finally getting into the Christmas spirit. We put up loads more decorations tonight whilst singing along to the Christmas songs on the radio and it just seemed to...happen. Everyone's moods were uplifted. I think we've had some good news today moneywise so that is a huge weight off their shoulders. I need to get my last few Crimbo presents and then I'll be all done. I may do a spot of wrapping tonight so that it doesn't take me five hours on Christmas Eve.

We went to dad's last night and had a really good time. We had a lush dinner cooked by my step-mum and then cosied down to watch a brilliant film (which I will review later). It was a fun night and I'm looking forward to next week already. We're having a separate Christmas with dad around the 27th I think so that should be good. Me and my brother really enjoyed last year.

And last, but certainly not least...WE HAVE SNOW! Not just a spattering of sleet and frost but real snow. It was like a blizzard earlier, thick glittering flakes pouring down but its eased off now. I love snow, it makes everything look so pretty and photogenic. I just wish I had my new camera so that I could take proper photos.

Don't you think it's strange how silent snow makes everything? I mean, after a heavy snowfall you can go outside, especially at night, and the whole world is silent. The only thing you're able to hear are the small group of people in the pub down the road and a few cars driving past. It never ceases to fascinate me, no matter how many times I stand out at night and listen to nothing but my own breathing. We seem to live in such a noisy, overstimulating world its strange to just stop life and enjoy nothingness.

'Its kind of fun to do the impossible' - Walt Disney

100 Things To Do Before I Die.

Yes, yes, I know, not a one hundred percent original idea but I've tried to keep out any ideas which made me sound like an emo scene kid and tried to include more personal ideas. I tried to avoid all of the usual crappy cliché stuff like ‘kiss in the rain’ and ‘make love on a forest floor’ because they are not what I think of when I visualise goals and achievements, they are basically scenes from a movie. I’ve adapted everything which I found on the internet to suit myself perfectly.

The list is compiled of many different subjects. I haven’t included any goals like ‘graduate from university’ and ‘lose weight’ because these aren’t really the type of goals which I want to think about, it goes without question that I will complete these.  I want the goals on my list to stretch me in as many ways as possible, culturally, emotionally, physically and intellectually and there are many things on the list which I have really wanted to achieve for a long time. Each point on the list sparks within me an excitement and passion which have only been made known to me since starting this list. I can visualise myself completing these goals, ticking them off one by one and gaining such a sense of achievement from their completion that I will become extremely proud of myself.

I've only done one of these things so far but I don't have a photo so it doesn't count! I want a photo of myself doing each of these things to validate them, it would make a pretty good photo album! So, here's my list :-

1. Attend one major sporting event.
2. Go skinny dipping at midnight.
3. Make my own skittles vodka.
4. Send a message in a bottle.
5. Write a fan letter to my idol.
6. Write a novel and get it published.
7. Drink beer at Oktoberfest in Munich.
8. Spend a night in a haunted house.
9. Spend Christmas on a hot beach.
10. Visit every state in America and see all the most famous tourist attractions.
11. Sleep under the stars.
12. Go to a carnival in Rio.
13. Scuba dive off Australia's Great Barrier Reef.
14. Attend a festival.
15. Kiss the Blarney Stone.
16. Visit a concentration camp.
17. Attend Royal Ascot.
18. Take part in the bog snorkeling championships.
19. See the seven wonders of the World.
20. Run a marathon.
21. Take part in a bungee jump.
22. Climb the highest mountains in Wales, Scotland and England.
23. Set off a fire extinguisher.
24. Spend New Year's Eve in London.
25. See the Northern Lights.
26. Water ski.
27. Go wine tasting in France.
28. Cliff jump into the Blue Lagoon, Abereiddy.
29. Write the story of my life.
30. Don't use any electric for a week.
31. Bury a time capsule.
32. Plant a tree.
33. Host a cocktail party.
34. Get re-married in Vegas.
35. Read the BBC's list of the top 100 books. (Which can be found here)
36. Learn to surf.
37. Get my fortune told.
38. Stay up all night talking to someone I love and watch the sunrise.
39. Write a letter to my grandchildren.
40. Register for bone marrow donation.
41. Watch the 250 greatest films of all time. (Which can be found here)
42. Learn a new sport.
43. Stand on the equator.
44. Learn sign language.
45. Ride a mechanical bull.
46. Go white water rafting.
47. Visit the Imperial War Museum, London.
48. Complete the Monopoly pub crawl.
49. Visit Amsterdam.
50. Celebrate the summer solstice at Stonehenge.
51. Get a tattoo.
52. Do some volunteer work.
53. Become a mother.
54. Go on safari.
55. Hold a tarantula.
56. Go whale watching.
57. Buy something from Harrods.
58. Eat frog's legs and snails in Paris.
59. Swim in the red sea and the dead sea.
60. Go to Wimbledon (even if it's just sitting outside on the grass).
61. Cook a full three course meal from scratch for friends and family.
62. Try proper sushi.
63. Throw a drink in someone's face.
64. Ride a jet ski.
65. Give something up, properly, for the whole 40 days of Lent.
66. Meet someone famous.
67. Go snowboarding.
68. Touch a dangerous animal.
69. Go to Ireland for St Patrick's day.
70. Go ice skating.
71. Keep a photo journal by taking one photo every day for a year.
72. Fly a hot air lantern.
73. Bake and decorate a truly awesome cake.
74. Try to cook something really unusual.
75. Become a vegan for a week.
76. Learn origami.
77. Go on a road trip with friends.
78. Watch every Barbra Streisand film ever made.
79. Upload a video to YouTube.
80. Spend a night at the ballet.
81. Learn to ski.
82. Go badger watching.
83. Make a self sufficient meal using only things which I have grown/produced myself.
84. Visit a nudist beach.
85. Meditate for half an hour a week for one year.
86. Bet on a horse in the Grand National.
87. Complete a military style obstacle course.
88. Go on a camping trip with friends.
89. Ride a horse along a beach.
90. Visit every continent in the World.
91. Catch, prepare and eat something myself.
92. See a drive-in movie.
93. Visit a rain forest.
94. Cross a country on a bicycle.
95. Learn a new language.
96. Visit every country in Europe.
97. Watch an opera.
98. Be hypnotised.
99. Knit a scarf.
100. Be a member of an audience in a TV show.

'Its kind of fun to do the impossible' - Walt Disney

MY FIRST FOLLOWER.

Hurrah! My first follower. I feel now that people are actually looking at this rubbish which is spilling out of my brain, down to my fingers and tapping out onto the keys. It is partly unnerving but mainly reassuring. So thankyou to Treebytheriver for being the first to follow me :)

I don't know why this is theraputic, pouring out these words and booting them off into the realms of cyber space. It's a little bit like writing a diary but enabling other people to read it and comment. Why do we do it? I'm not entirely sure. But it feels pretty damn good.

'Its kind of fun to do the impossible' - Walt Disney

Bah Humbug.

With only eleven days to go until Crimbo I made the decision to try to disperse the feeling of 'bah humbugness' which has descended upon the household. Today I lit a cinnamon and clove candle, dragged the battered boxes of Christmas decorations (there are now four boxes and a bag full, I swear they multiply without us knowing!) from the basement, brushed off the surprising amount of dust which they accumulate over the year and got to work whilst listening to the familiar Christmas tunes blaring from the TV.

We don’t have a tree yet but I certainly went to town on the masses of fairy lights and tinsel which were in giant tangled balls. The two windows are now dripping with Christmassy, twinkling bulbs and almost every surface holds some sort of Christmas paraphernalia interwoven with gaudy, glittering tinsel. I maybe went a bit overboard but the room certainly looks more Christmassy and made me feel a little better. I think Mum had a nice surprise and I seemed to lift everyone’s mood for a little bit but it just doesn’t feel the same this year.

Twinkling Fairy Lights

Tinsel Donned Fireplace

Mum and Dave are really worried about money, like almost every person in the United Kingdom, but I think that things are much worse than they let on. We aren’t getting any presents this year but it doesn’t really bother me. None of us have any money and I think the main thing that’s getting me down a bit is the fact that I can’t afford to get anybody any presents.

I’ve bought a few but I usually love getting them each a stocking and filling it with nice little bits. I know everybody says that the giving is better than the receiving but I really do believe it. I’m always the last to finish opening my presents because I’m too busy seeing what the others have got and watching them unwrap the presents which I bought them. So this year is going to be a bit… I don’t want to say disappointing but that’s the word which seems to fit. I’m sure it’ll be all brilliant on the day and I’ve said that I don’t really care about the presents as long as we have a fun day with some good food and booze but I have to admit that not getting any presents will be a bit strange.

Well, the countdown has begun and pretty soon everyone will be panic buying milk and bread because, God forbid, the supermarkets will be closed for one WHOLE day and there will be no parking spaces in the towns because people will be buying every last item off the shelves to carry them over the Christmas period. I know I sound rather Scroogesque but the Christmas spirit has seemed have deserted me and I’m not quite so excited for this day which is usually my favourite time of the year as I should be. I don’t want to sound completely self indulgent or boring and I’m sorry if this post has turned into something of that nature, my mission over the next eleven days is to truly get into the spirit of Christmas and shake away my Ebenezer alter ego. Its not all about presents and money but about being around family and having fun together…this is what I’ll have to keep telling myself!

'Its kind of fun to do the impossible' - Walt Disney

Some Bits About Moi

Well. I suppose I should tell you a bit about myself before I begin ranting, raving and baring the deepest depths of my troubled soul! I'll begin with a highly clichéd description of myself and hopefully some more interesting topics will develop. This is probably a greatly boring post but please bear with me because I don't know where else to begin.

My name is Cathy,I'm nineteen and I live in Clynderwen with my mum, step-dad and sixteen-year-old brother. We have two dogs, two bearded dragons, two chickens and a guinea-pig who is the size of a large cat. My parents are landscape gardeners and own a garden centre. My dad lives in Pembroke with my step-mum and their cat. Dad's a driving instructor and my step-mum works in the garage which her parents own.

I am currently unemployed. Bad, bad times. I was a student last year, studying a Primary Education degree but it wasn't what I expected or wanted so I'm not going back. I think I'll do a childcare course in Pembrokeshire College (urgh, back again) and just see how life goes from there. This blog will undoubtedly be a place for me to air my worries and thoughts about all this in the future so I won't say too much about it now. I really don't care what I do as long as I can work with children.

I love reading and writing. Give me a good book or a pad and pen and I could keep myself occupied for days! One of the reasons I'm starting this blog is to develop my writing skills. To get used to writing regularly and to get ideas for stories and poems.

I also like crafts, cooking (especially baking and cake decorating) and photograpy. I'm saving up for a new camera because my old one is buggered. Too much dropping and alcohol spillage for it to survive! The beauty I've got my eye on is the Panasonic Lumix DMC-G2  in red. I think I'm in love.

PHWOAR!

I like musicals, the beach (told you this was going to be cliche), my beautiful little car and Barbra Streisand. If I am away from home I talk to my mum at least once a day and I live by some very odd routines which I'm convinced have been passed down from un-named obsessive compulsive relatives. There's nothing in this world which compares to a great cup of tea.

Don't count on understanding me any more after this post, my mind often feels unpenetratable even to myself.

'Its kind of fun to do the impossible' - Walt Disney