This picture has no relevance. Cute though, ain't it.
It's a new year and I am a newly positive and happy little lady.
The road ahead may not be smooth and it may not be easy. But nothing worth doing was ever easy, or so my dear mother tells me. Positivity, honesty and patience. That's my mantra for 2009. Small steps my friends, small steps.
I'm feeling lethargic today and far too tired to come up with a meaningful blog post (ha, when are they ever meaningful) so I volunteered to be interviewed by wee-h. Here are the five questions the little lovely chose for me...
1) You admit you are a perfectionist, but what habit do you have that annoys you the most and would you actually change it if you could?
Over-analysing things, without a doubt. I have a tendency to pick on something small (it could be anything... a comment, an action) and mull it over in my mind for far too long. I'll think of it from every possible angle and end up creating a mountain out of a molehill. I have a horrible tendency to think of worst case scenarios. I think it stems from not wanting to be disappointed. If I expect the worst, then I'm not surprised. I absolutely despise it about myself. It's my worst quality by a long mile and it's something I'm working very hard to change.
2) If you could run your own mini festival or gig line up who would you book, where would it be?
Ooh that's a great question! Right, first of all.... location. Either the Lake District or Shell Island (minus the chavs) in Wales. They're both gorgeous settings but there'd have to be sun and lots of it.
Now... line-up. Headlining would be Roisin Murphy because she's bonkers and I love her. Basement Jaxx could headline the second stage. I'd also have the Whip, !!!, Editors, Shirley Bassey and MIA. Plump DJs, Booka Shade and Mr Scruff would be in the dance tent. The afternoon would see Ozomatli and Manu Chao banging out some tunes in glorious sunshine.
There'd be gin and tonic bars at numerous points and decent cider on tap. Food would be pies, pies and more pies. And cheese.
Ooh that's a great question! Right, first of all.... location. Either the Lake District or Shell Island (minus the chavs) in Wales. They're both gorgeous settings but there'd have to be sun and lots of it.
Now... line-up. Headlining would be Roisin Murphy because she's bonkers and I love her. Basement Jaxx could headline the second stage. I'd also have the Whip, !!!, Editors, Shirley Bassey and MIA. Plump DJs, Booka Shade and Mr Scruff would be in the dance tent. The afternoon would see Ozomatli and Manu Chao banging out some tunes in glorious sunshine.
There'd be gin and tonic bars at numerous points and decent cider on tap. Food would be pies, pies and more pies. And cheese.
3) Describe your relationship with your best friend (or group of friends)
If I could describe my relationship with my friends in one word it would be.... uproarious. I just had to double check that that is actually a word. But that would be it. We are loud, we talk over each other, we have ridiculous injokes that go on for years. In short, we are crude to the point of being offensive, rude and we laugh at absolutely everything. I adore them. I've known two of my best friends since I was 13 and 17 respectively and we've had many a fight. But they're like my family.
If I could describe my relationship with my friends in one word it would be.... uproarious. I just had to double check that that is actually a word. But that would be it. We are loud, we talk over each other, we have ridiculous injokes that go on for years. In short, we are crude to the point of being offensive, rude and we laugh at absolutely everything. I adore them. I've known two of my best friends since I was 13 and 17 respectively and we've had many a fight. But they're like my family.
4) What you be your perfect night out in Manchester?
Another great question. Right, assuming money was no object, my night would begin with dinner and drinks at Room. They do incredible cocktails so I'd have a couple of Brambles and then follow that with some champagne with the meal. I'd probably have terrine of some description to start, followed by a nice steak with peppercorn sauce and the amazing chips they do. Dessert would have to be the incredible assiette which is about 10 tiny desserts presented on a massive plate. Perfection. Or I might have cheese and biscuits. I do love my cheese.
After dinner was eaten we'd head to the Northern Quarter for drinks in some of my favourite haunts there. We'd visit Socio Rehab for more cocktails with the Disco Baby being a particular delight. Absinthe in a cocktail? Who said that was wrong. Christ knows what else they put in it but you get a glow stick and a jelly baby on top so that's all that matters.
Disco, Baby
Following that and, assuming we were still able to stand, we'd head down to the Warehouse Project. It's a huge underground car park that used to be a bunker during the war and they now use it from September-January to put on massive warehouse parties. It's incredible. Playing would be Booka Shade, Crookers, Plump DJs, Danny Howells, Paul Woolford, Deadmau5 and a whole host of other delights. We'd stay there till the very small (or large, depending on how you look at it) hours and then go back to the Malmaison for more drinks, a breakfast of bacon and egg muffins and restful sleep. Ha, yeah right. Like I can ever sleep after a large night on the town.
Another great question. Right, assuming money was no object, my night would begin with dinner and drinks at Room. They do incredible cocktails so I'd have a couple of Brambles and then follow that with some champagne with the meal. I'd probably have terrine of some description to start, followed by a nice steak with peppercorn sauce and the amazing chips they do. Dessert would have to be the incredible assiette which is about 10 tiny desserts presented on a massive plate. Perfection. Or I might have cheese and biscuits. I do love my cheese.
After dinner was eaten we'd head to the Northern Quarter for drinks in some of my favourite haunts there. We'd visit Socio Rehab for more cocktails with the Disco Baby being a particular delight. Absinthe in a cocktail? Who said that was wrong. Christ knows what else they put in it but you get a glow stick and a jelly baby on top so that's all that matters.
Disco, Baby
Following that and, assuming we were still able to stand, we'd head down to the Warehouse Project. It's a huge underground car park that used to be a bunker during the war and they now use it from September-January to put on massive warehouse parties. It's incredible. Playing would be Booka Shade, Crookers, Plump DJs, Danny Howells, Paul Woolford, Deadmau5 and a whole host of other delights. We'd stay there till the very small (or large, depending on how you look at it) hours and then go back to the Malmaison for more drinks, a breakfast of bacon and egg muffins and restful sleep. Ha, yeah right. Like I can ever sleep after a large night on the town.
5) If you could re-live any point in your life just to experience it again what would it be?
Blimey, this is the hardest question. I'm 27! How can I pick one moment!! Ok, I'm going to be a bit of a geek and pick the moment I got my degree results in 2005. I had a really difficult time during my degree and I failed second year twice due to various personal problems. I should never have done law, it wasn't for me and I probably should have quit. But I'm no quitter and I couldn't face the shame. So I carried on regardless until finally, in third year, something clicked. The day I went to get my results I've never been so terrified. I was shaking when I opened the envelope and when I saw I'd got a 2:1 I literally screamed the place down. Second only to that moment is the day I graduated. I've never seen my parents look so proud and it was a really lovely day. I finally felt like the bad days were behind me and I felt like I'd achieved something for the first time in years.
Good times.
There have been many many moments that I wish I could relive now. But sadly it's not possible. All you can do is look to the future and create more of those moments. And that's what I intend to do this year.
