The worst date ever!

Here is a story about the time I got kicked out of a date by the person I was on a date with. To date it is possible the worst and most hilarious date night that I have ever had.

To start this story off I would like to tell you that it was our second date, we had met previously and that date went so well be both decided that it was time for round two.

This guy who will call Sam* decided to invite me round to his flat, he was going to cook me dinner and we were going to watch Doctor Who , being the nerd that I am it sounded like a glorious date idea.

So, I drove into the center of Birmingham, found Sam’s flat, he cooked me a mediocre meal of pasta we then proceeded to sit, cuddle and watch Doctor Who. After a few episodes things got strange. Sam looked at his phone and said “oh shit I am meant to be meeting my friend soon!” by this I am baffled it was only 9:30 and I hadn’t arrived until around 7:00?? Why would anyone in their right mind arrange to meet a friend when they knew that they had a date??

By this time I knew I had to escape, I just wasn’t welcome anymore so he walked me back to my car and we said goodbye. On the drive home I wondered if this abrupt end to our date was just because Sam was sick of me or he had cold feet, but no… I got home to find a message saying that he had had a really nice night and he would really like to see me again. This made me further confused considering he had just kicked me out of a date.

Needless to say I didn’t go on a third date with Sam, shortly after he obtained a girlfriend. However I will never forget the time I went on a date and was literally kicked out. 

Always

Lauren

Twitter- @LaurenCats7

Instagram – redhairedcatlady

Goodreads- https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/27290164-lauren

lperry176@gmail.com

At the moment I am reading: The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton 

Summer 2015 Bucket list

Have a tidy out- I have so many books, clothes and odd pieces of college work that need to be sorted out, I have already started this and its refreshing and liberating .

Reading – I plan to read as much as I possibly can, I have huge pile of books that I wish to read, I will also be taking part in the booktubathon this year for the first time!!

Quality time with my friends and family- I want to make time for the people that I care about.

Adventures – I want to go to new places and explore or even revisit old ones, making new memories.

Plan for the future- I want to think seriously about what I want to do with my future, this summer I will find out if I have a place to study at university and I will start to make choices which will affect the rest if my life.

I want to document- I like to collect tickets, postcards and photographs, this summer I am to continue to do that. I also make scrapbooks with my gatherings from past adventures, 

Always 

Lauren 

Twitter- @LaurenCats7

Instagram – redhairedcatlady

Goodreads- https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/27290164-lauren

lperry176@gmail.com

At the moment I am reading: The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton 

10 Perks of being single

Falling love is a magical experience which can cause a human great pleasure and joy. However this post is aimed to highlight all of the good parts of being single.

One – Freedom, when one is single there aren’t the pressures of checking in with someone all the time. When you’re out having a good time with your friends you don’t have to worry about texting a worried partner back. I addition to this you have the freedom to make life decisions without having to consult or thing about anyone else. For example if you want to move house across the country you don’t have to consult or consider anyone else within reason you can just do what the hell you like!!

Two- Money, when you are single you quite often are better off. This is due to one not having to pay for meals, presents, daytrips petrol etc. This also means that you have more money to spend on yourself.

Three- Time being single means that you have an abundance of time to spend on the things that matter to you, you can take up new hobbies or just spend more time with friends that you would if you’re loved up.

Four – Guilt free farting! This point speaks for itself.

Five – Bed-room and the full potential for a peaceful night’s sleep. When you’re single you do not have to suffer the deafening snore of your partner or their spread eagled pose as they take up all of the bed and blanket in the process. Instead you can enjoy a nice undisturbed sleep in a roomy bed.

Six – No in-laws, in my previous relationship I had relatively nice in-laws but, being single means that you no longer have to put up with your mother-in-law’s judgmental stare.

Seven – Relaxation of body maintenance, obviously shaving, hair washing and deodorizing is important however, these actions can be cut down significantly for example you can go for a few days without shaving your southern areas without the judgement of another. Furthermore you do not feel the immediate pressure to constantly breath check in fear their this morning’s latte is still lingering.

Eight- The freedom of lipstick! No longer will one’s lipstick be spoiled by smooching is one is single.

Nine- You no longer feel a pressure to share food.

Ten- You have the freedom to talk to and flirt with who you like, no tabs will be kept on you when the office hottie calls also, and no drama will be made over that drunken kiss at the club last night if you are single. You have the freedom to experiment as little or a much as you like. You can discover your true self and interests.  I am not condoning cheating in any manner my point is your spontaneous drunken kiss will not cause volcanic drama; it will just be shrugged off and blamed on the vodka.

Even though love has its perks being single reminds me to make time for myself and consider my own needs. In addition it allows focus on my schooling and enables me to reflect what I want from a potential partner but most importantly it allows be to be reckless and have fun!

Always ,

Lauren 

Twitter- @LaurenCats7

Instagram – redhairedcatlady

Goodreads- https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/27290164-lauren

lperry176@gmail.com

At the moment I am reading: 1984 George Orwell 

How to find motivation.

As a student who has recently finished her A levels I know a thing or two about motivation (or lack of) so here is a list of things that help me to stay motivated especially in an academic situation.

One - Remind yourself of the benefits of what you are doing- Make a poster but a picture as your lock-screen whatever but just makes sure that you are constantly reminded at that end goal. This will help you because it will remind you why you are slogging through this work and hopefully restore faith in yourself.

Two- Treat yourself- If you are revising for exams buy yourself some pretty colours to write things with or maybe get yourself a nice notebook to keep all of your notes in. Other treats could include pleasant smelling candles or bath bombs which may help you to relax when you are feeling stressed.

Three-  Take a break, concentrating for hours on end will not help your motivation. It will just make you feel tired and irritable hence more unmotivated. Make sure that you take breaks as often as you feel that you need the, everyone’s attention span is different so be sure to arrange breaks to suit you.

Having breaks can also be in the form of leaving the house for short periods of time and having fun. 

Going to see a movie , going for lunch or short shopping trips can actually be effective in boosting my motivation because knowing that I have something to do that day makes me plan further and makes me get out of bed which leads me onto my next point.

Four  Get out of bed lying in bed can make you feel very unmotivated set an alarm and keep a routine which should help you keep your motivation up while equally allowing yourself to sleep.

I hope these tricks were useful for you stay motivated; just remember your academic ability does not limit you. We are all different and school does not last forever. 

Always,

Lauren 

Twitter- @LaurenCats7

Instagram – redhairedcatlady

Goodreads- https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/27290164-lauren

lperry176@gmail.com

At the moment I am reading: 1984 By George Orwell 

Smells and memories

Recently I have started to associate specific smells provoke memories. A few days ago I purchased some bath bombs from lush and their smell reminded me of a dark time in my life that I would rather forget. This is not the first occasion in which this has happened so I was wondering if this was a feeling which is unique to me or if others share it too.

For instance I have body spray which whenever I spray it the sweet smell instantly reminds me of the day I met my first boyfriend (now ex-boyfriend) the smell evokes a whirlwind of a day which I feel rather nostalgic about in a bittersweet way.

A further number of occasions all center around smells in association to my Mom, the smell of her deodorant and moisturiser all make me feel a sense of comfort and happiness inside, it reminds me of home. In addition to these two smells I also am oozed with nostalgia by my Mother’s favourite Yankee candle scent (lemon and lavender).

Another smell is the scent of medicated cream which reminds me of my darling childhood friend who has suffered with eczema for as long as I can remember. This smell reminds me of my best friend who is utterly brilliant and still stands by my side today.

This ‘issue’ goes as far to provoke memories of my early teens when someone walks past me wearing the same aftershave as my high school boyfriend did. Despite being over the relationship years ago I am hit with a wave of memories by a single scent.

We have all heard of photographs or songs rousing memories but I have never heard another person speak of smells rousing such specific memories like they do for me.  So please enlighten me with any similar experiences that you may have had. 

Always, 

Lauren

Twitter- @LaurenCats7

Instagram – redhairedcatlady

Goodreads-  https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/27290164-lauren

lperry176@gmail.com

At the moment I am reading: Fan Girl by Rainbow Rowell 

Being a short girl... at gigs

On a good day I measure up to 5’3 which means I am shorter than most people.  This is a considerable problem in many social situations and today I want to talk about gigs.

So this is it the moment you have been waiting for months for, your feet are throbbing, back is aching but you can’t contain your excitement because your favourite band is about to appear on stage so this is all going to be worth it right? Wrong. If you’re a short arse like me.

To start, I love going to gigs I absolutely adore live music however, most of the time when I am standing at a gig I struggle to see. As a result  I crane my neck which causes me to have  considerable neck pain during and days after the event.  

My second problem with being a short girl at gigs is that my boobs are elbow height to most people dancing around me. So the crazed fan to my left hand side not only fist pumps the air in time to the music they  also elbow my boobs to the time of the music..  Ouch!

My third problem with being a short girl with gigs is hair, not my hair but other people’s hair.  This is because most people are of higher altitude than me moreover; their beautiful cascade of long gorgeous hair falls into my mouth which is not ideal when I am trying to sing along to my favourite song.

And the fourth and final problem with being a short girl at gigs is that is that I feel like it limits my experience of the gig because I do see less of the action on stage than everybody else. I don’t get too see the lead singers dance moves and I especially can’t see what amazing shoes they are wearing. During many gigs I have felt like I have seen a lot less than everybody else.

 

I feel like this is a problem for many people including myself and I am often torn when booking gigs because I know the pitfalls of being short but the temptation of hearing my favourite songs played live tends to defeat me every time. I just wondered if there was a logical and fair solution to the problem. Should there be priority standing or short people? Should there be discounted tickets for people under a particular height? I don’t know if any of these alternatives are fair but I make one plea. If you are stood at a gig next to or behind a short person please be considerate towards them and mind your bloody elbows!!

Always,

Lauren

Twitter- @LaurenCats7

Instagram – redhairedcatlady

Goodreads- https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/27290164-lauren

lperry176@gmail.com

At the moment I am reading: Maus By Art Spiegelman

My rude parking note

So a few weeks ago after a long day at work some unpleasant person left this on my car.

I work in a town center where no long stay (more than 3 hours) parking is provided due to my workplace being a small business and the town being a busy market town especially on Saturdays. As a result I park on a side road which is part of the PUBLIC HIGHWAY!! This means as a taxpaying road user I am entitled to park wherever the darn well I please (providing there is no restrictions, double yellow lines, dropped curb etc.) Out of courtesy I did not park blocking anybody’s drive way and I made sure I was parked tight enough to the curb so that it wasn’t difficult for drivers passing by.

So what is this person’s problem?

The thing is I do not know, I can only assume that I had taken their unofficial parking space they were pretty darn salty about it. But, I would like to draw to your attention that this person was so concerned about my choice of parking destination that they one, parked so they were touching my front of my car and two was that they were  cowardly enough to  note leave a phone number or an address  on their note just in case I needed to contact them to sort out my concerns.

So Ladies and Gentleman my message is this, if you ever feel compelled to leave such a note on someone’s car please consider if the person you’re harassing has done anything wrong is they eyes of the law (I had not) and please consider the effect that you may be having on the person you are leaving it to. IT IS NOT OKAY TO THREATEN PEOPLE!! I felt slightly shaken by this whole experience.

Finally in answer to the question: ‘why not just park at Lidl?’ I work a 7 hour day on a Saturday and Lidl (a local supermarket a few streets away) only allows 2 maybe 3 hours free parking for THEIR customers or else they enforce a fine.

I know that the person who left this note will probably never see this and I will hopefully never meet them but I would like express that their act was an act of cowardness you insolent human being!

Always , 

Lauren

Twitter- @LaurenCats7

Instagram – redhairedcatlady

Goodreads- https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/27290164-lauren

lperry176@gmail.com

At the moment I am reading: Maus by Art Spiegelman 

How to recover from a break up in ten not so easy steps

Breaking up with someone is well … heartbreaking especially if you have been broken up with however,with  these 10 stepping stones you may be able to shove yourself on the bumpy road to recovery.

ONE- Cry. I mean it, don’t hold your feelings in, they have to come out at some point so lie in your room with your cat, mom, friend or whoever and just sob your heart out.

TWO- Look after yourself.  When you are rolling through your pit of despair it can be easy to forget to shower but, please make sure you take time to care for yourself this includes making sure that you are eating correctly. The things that you will be feeling are temporary and I promise you that they will fade or change regardless however, your health and personal wellbeing is something that needs to be maintained because neglecting it could have long term consequences which could last far longer than the quest to mend your broken heart.

Photo from https://instagram.com/historyforgetsus/

THREE- Get out of the house. The week I went through my first break up I went out every night for about seven days. You will have people there to support you (I hope) and spending time with them will help take your mind off your shattered heart. This is a better solution that you rolling around in your darkened stuffy room with love songs playing in the background trust me. Going out does not necessary mean the consumption of a large amount of alcohol either, going to the cinema, for a run or even to the shops may help you take your mind off your broken heart.

FOUR-Remove your previous partner off social media. Delete your cute Instagram selfies, remove them off Facebook and take all of the photos that remind you of them and hide them away in come deep dark folder on your computer. You don’t need to delete them however having constant reminders of what once was will not help you move forward. Similarly you need to cut your ex-partner out of your social media space because you don’t want to see your previous squeeze cuddling up to someone new on your newsfeed chances are even months down the line it will still churn sorrow in your stomach.

FIVE-Cut all points of contact .This follows on from my previous point and applies to online situations as well, delete previous messages from your phone and even delete their number because you don’t want to be the fool who is drunk texting your past lover when you have had a few too many. On a more serious note once a break up has been established only contact your ex on formal terms for example contacting them to determine  who gets the joint toasty maker your Great Aunt got you for Christmas and who the hell gets the Mcfly tickets that we booked for next June? Even these points of contact may be too much and if it is too uncomfortable get a friend or a family member to make this contact for you. This one is one of the more difficult tasks however it is very beneficial in the long run.

SIX -Get rid of their stuff. Any present that they may have bought you or communal items of clothing all needs to be out of sight because they are constant reminders of what once was. This doesn’t always mean having a huge bonfire it can just mean putting them up the loft for safe keeping.

SEVEN- Embrace your hobbies or even try something new. You may find that you have holes in your schedule and this will make you feel very empty and lost so these holes need to be filled. Spend more time knitting, reading or even start attending an exercise class. Investing your time in hobbies will fill up the time that you once had in addition it will take your mind off things for a period of time.

EIGHT. REBOUND- I mean it …. Although rebounding may for some be a bad idea it can also be a confidence boost as break ups cause your confidence to plummet below sea level. Chances are you are a beautiful person who deserves to be loved just not by that sleezebag that you used to date.  Rebounding also does not have to be a full blown affair rebounding can be as small as giving the eyes to a cutie from across the bar. My rebound was in the form of the dating app Tinder.  After being cheated on I felt that I wasn’t good enough from anybody, however being matched and communicating with different people (who were quite complementary) I was really boosted in terms of my confidence and I was persuaded into thinking that it was not the final chapter of my dating history, in fact I am probably still on single digit chapters. A rebound will really boost you confidence as long as it is not taken too seriously just take it as a compliment.

NINE. Use this time to make changes. Breaking up with someone can be a huge change in your life so using this time to make change can often prove useful.  For example using this time to start a new exercise regime can be useful as you when you are going through a break up you’re going through a period of change which makes further change seem more organic.

TEN. Remind yourself that you won’t feel like this forever. As clique as it all sounds things will get better because time heals wounds. Over time things will get better, you may even wonder why you were so hung up over that Muppet.

Overall going through a break up is not an easy thing to deal with; it is a life changing, earth shattering experience but hang on in there. I will be fine.

Always 

Lauren

Twitter- @LaurenCats7

Instagram – redhairedcatlady

Goodreads- https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/27290164-lauren

lperry176@gmail.com

At the moment I am reading: Maus by Art Spiegelman