April Favourites.

I have discovered and experienced some fairly awesome things throughout this month and as I've never done it before I have decided to take part in the ever growing fashion of monthly favourites posts!

A little list of the best things to come out of the month of April -

#1 - All Time Lows live lounge performance.

BBC radio 1 have a segment called Live Lounge which if you're unaware is where bands/artists come in and sing acoustic versions of other peoples songs. Inspired I know.
A few weeks ago one of my all time favourite bands (PUN INTENDED) decided to absolutely kill Elastic Heart by Sia. A beautiful song when performed by Sia but it becomes even more stunning when performed by an all American pop punk band!





#2 - Hummel trainers.

For a while I have been craving some black sneaker type shoes. Originally I wanted Vans as I adore the way they look but unfortunately I couldn't find a pair that didn't have leather in it's make up.
I did a little window shopping on Amazon.... I guess it's more screen shopping as there aren't actually any windows when internet browsing... anyway I came across some that had the design I wanted and finally were leather free!
They are indescribably comfortable and even have a padded heel which was unexpected but is like having a teeny tiny pillow for your foot.

#3 - Jalapeno crisps.

Yup sound weird right? That's what I though too upon seeing the packet nestled among the every day flavours. They are incredible and not overly spicy, jalapenos as a rule don't tend to be the "Oh my god I think my tongue might be melting" or "THE ONLY THING I CAN TASTE IS PAIN" reactions that come from other chilli peppers so in hindsight it was wrong to assume these wouldn't be mild. 

If you fancy something a little different to give you a little pick up with your lunch these are definitely the way to go.

#4 - First day it felt like spring.

There have been a few days this month where the sun has been shining, the birds tweeting away and it's actually been somewhat warm! 

We might be headed back into the realms of chilled weather but I have bee trying to make the most of the gorgeous temperatures we've had this month. It makes getting up in the morning a hell of a lot easier and everyone just seems to be that little bit happier once the worst of winter has vanished.

And just as an fyi that is my awesome puppy (he's 100% not a puppy at the age of 13 but we still like to pretend) his name is Jack and he also very much enjoys Spring walks.

Tunes For Tuesday | James Bay - Craving.

After hearing his song "Hold Back The River" on the radio. A lot. I thought I'd give his other stuff a go and I was very pleased with the outcome.

This one stood out to me mostly due to it's kind of ethereal feel (which is evident throughout the whole album really) and the way it manages to be calming but also quite emotional and hard hitting at the same time. Every single person will have experienced what he is singing about in one way or another and I'm at a point in my life where I relate to this more than ever - which thinking about it is probably why I fell in love the moment the drums hit.....

James Bay is a very intelligent artist and I'm excited to hear more from him, I feel like he would be insanely good live as well!




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Awesome Of The Week | Evelyn.

I came across this video the other day and learned about a truly inspirational lady called Evelyn who is so unbelievably selfless and kind and I think every single person could learn a thing or two from her.

She is 98 years old and lives in a retirement community, they used to have a bus service to take the residents into town but for an unknown reason it was stopped.
Evelyn realised that many of her friends were now stuck at home unable to travel or experience anything for themselves and she wasn't having any of it! Sadly she lost her drivers license a while back simply due to her age! She made a promise to get her friends out and about again, so she reapplied for her license and passed and regained her driving privileges to courier all the locals into town.

I did get the tiniest bit emotional watching this and knew I had to share it, if you are looking for someone to encourage you to be kind and the best you can be watch the video below because Evelyn might just be the person for you.


 
Video from KarmaTube

Click the link to see the whole article.

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Harry Potter Studio Tours: A Video.

At this point I think I'm safe in assuming that you know about Warner Brothers Studio Tours: The Making of Harry Potter in London - however if you have been living under a rock or some apocalyptic cult (yes I started watching The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt....) then take a look here to find out some more about it, because it's pretty freaking awesome.

I have now had 3 trips there and loved every single one of them!
The first time I went I actually forgot my camera but it turned out to be a blessing in disguise, if you know you are going to go more than once or aren't all that bothered by photos then I can't reiterate this enough - don't take a camera on your first go round. It gives you the chance to really just take everything in and appreciate the magic that much more.
My second time consisted of taking photos..... LOTS of photos which is great, I love having the keep sakes as a reminder of all the adventures you've had. Having so many photos did mean that when I went in celebration of my sister and Grandmas birthdays I didn't need to take anymore, I had done a marvellous job of snapping approximately 97% of the tour!!
I almost didn't take my camera this third time but then an idea struck me, I have photos yes but why not make a video. It's like a virtual tour/memory, nice for me to look back on but also if you haven't been and want to get a glimpse at what's there you can take a gander.

So I did just that and have (finally) uploaded the video to my Youtube channel!!

I apologise in advance for the quality of editing and shaky filming... I'm new to this be kind.




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Tunes For Tuesday | Every Avenue - Mindset.

It's a bit of a fun one this week - I came across Every Avenue when I was at uni about 3 or 4 years ago after getting really into punk rock/alt rock music. All their songs seem to have a similar vibe that just makes you smile - I can't help but be put in a good mood after listening, especially to this song.

If you're into very good looking, kinda cheeky and of course highly talented punk bands then this might just be for you so click away.


 I've mentioned before about songs that you can imagine a perfectly fitting music video/story for and "Mindset" is 100% one of those! Now their take on the music video was VERY different to my (very detailed and lets be honest perfect) ideas, they went more funny and I was thinking more cute but hey when the video is this good I'm not going to complain!
Good job guys.

Here's the video for your viewing pleasure.




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Awesome Of The Week | Miranda Hart Book.

This is the first book I've read that's written by a comedian and I was very excited when I found it in a charity shop for less than £1!

"Is It Just Me" is full of unfortunate yet hilarious and (worryingly) really very relatable stories and anecdotes from Miranda's life. If you have seen her TV series you'll already have a pretty good idea of what to expect here, what I love is that she seems no different to the "character" you meet on the show.
Obviously the show is based on events that genuinely happened in her life but it's different when it's not acted or scripted and just her first hand accounts.
I'm so glad I decided to give this book a go as it just left me with this over powering feeling of acceptance and that however strange and unexpected things turn out there is always a funny side. I've never been one to take myself too seriously but after reading this I have realised just how ridiculous life can be and that it's life itself that should be laughed at not just myself.

You have to spend so much time being an adult but why does that mean we have to be grown up about it? I already had strong opinions on this but honestly this book has increased them 10 fold - have fun and be silly because at the end of it all the aim isn't to have money or power or world domination, but happiness. Happiness in what you're doing, who you spend time with and most importantly happiness in who you've become.

Miranda Hart thank you. I recommend this to absolutely every single person but especially you reading this now. Go forth, buy this book and feel empowered ..... and also kinda hungry!

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5 Things They Don't Tell You About Starting Work.

I left university almost two years ago now and let me tell you it hasn't quite gone the way I envisaged it would.

I don't think I'm alone in my thinking that once I graduated I would soon be moving out, I'd have a job that I loved, be earning enough money to go travelling/buy a few luxuries and be socialising with all the other grown ups.
Well here I am 22 months on working in a small office, living with my parents and I have only been away once in that time. My life is by no means bad and I want to reiterate the fact that I am VERY happy right now (the happiest I've been in a long time actually, woo me!) however the path has definitely diverted somewhat and that's what I want to show you here - that no matter what life ACTUALLY has planned for you it's still gonna be pretty awesome!

I might not be an employment guru having only recently delved into the depths of work and can't promise everyone will experience the same things BUT I'd like to share what little knowledge I do have and maybe prepare others for what might happen in the future. So if you feel like you want a bit of info read on!

#1 Education does not guarantee a job -

This might seem obvious to most but lets be honest you kind of expect to have an actual job doing something you planned and enjoy within a few months of searching right?
Nope, sadly this happens very rarely... it can happen though so definitely don't be disheartened, go for your dream job as soon as you can!
Unfortunately for the majority you will start applying for jobs only to find that education is not enough. As so many people have degrees these days companies look for something extra, someone they can see has more than just a theoretical understanding of the industry and who can be plonked into a new position and get stuck straight in!

Do not panic my dear friend though as there are solutions!

 . Experience is the key, to bump yourself ahead of other applicants make sure you get experience when you can, whether it be working part time whilst in education (always nice to earn a little extra cash too), volunteering or simply talking to people in the business, just getting your name known will help immeasurably. It's super important to actually be able to show you have not only an interest but a strong knowledge base in the job you want to do.

. Don't go to uni.

Yup I said it, let it sink in. I know that I went and I am glad I did to an extent but my future plans were and possibly still are to get into science and most of those jobs do require a degree. However a lot of jobs actually don't so although your school, college, friends, parents and dog (yup he's being a bit of an asshole) keep talking about university because it's just the done thing, it's not true for everyone.
No one ever talks to you about the other options but shock horror, there are some. A lot of people will actually find it more beneficial to just start working, there are 1000's of apprenticeships that lead to amazing jobs or it will get you on the ladder of working your way up.

So before you apply because you think it's "the next step" have a serious think about if it's right for you. If it's not then make other plans, but I urge everyone to do their research because it will save you a lot of time and lets face it money (uni ain't cheap yo).

So you have a degree or/and relevant experience but the next point could still be something you face.

#2 You might need to do some unexpected jobs first - 

Your dream job role might not be available just yet, you might not live close enough to it, you might find you need to work your way through a company to get it or it could be that you actually have no idea what that dream role actually is. Wherever you fall on this spectrum chances are your first full time job won't be the one you had in mind.

Finding a job is difficult, like really difficult. There are too few jobs and too much competition so my advice - don't be picky! I was lucky in that I didn't know what it was I wanted to do so was open to any opportunity and free to amble through all the jobsites and newspapers and take my pick (well sort of, obviously a lot of jobs have specific person specifications that I don't meet yet!)
If you apply for pretty much everything you could end up being pleasantly surprised when you're in a job that you love but didn't expect, the more applications you send off the more you increase the chance of getting a job.

A side note to this is if you apply for a lot and don't hear back, don't give up. When it comes to job hunting persistence and positivity is the only way to get through it, no one enjoys writing CVs and cover letter after cover letter but when you are working and earning you won't even remember how annoying it was!

#3 Starting wages won't necessarily be what you were hoping  - 

You're probably at an age where you are starting to gain an appreciation for money and just how much stuff can cost, but I can tell you now it's a completely different story when it's your money that you are working to earn.

A typical starting wage isn't a huge amount sadly, especially for those that have education but little physical experience. Companies will use your inexperience as an excuse to pay you less even if you are perfectly competent. Once you have proven your abilities it will increase so work hard and it will pay off.

The main point here though is to realise that you won't be able to live the life your parents or other older people do because you just won't earn enough. Some sites say that graduates will earn between £18,000-£24,000 but from what I've seen with the jobs that I'm able to get with the work expereince I have it's more like £12,000-£16,000 - which spread over a year doesn't go very far!

Just be prepared that some of your plans might have to wait a little while, but trust me you will get the eventually and it will be saweeeet.

One plan that I had that has been somewhat scuppered is my next point (nice segway, good job).

#4 You probably won't move out (and maybe shouldn't)

Much like going to uni, moving into your own place is just assumed, turns out it's really freaking expensive to do! Most people can't afford to do it straight away, as mentioned in the above point, first salaries don't always cover it - in fact in 2013 over 3.3 million adults in the UK aged between 20 and 34 were living with parents (yeah I know more stats, sorry).

Money isn't the only issue when it comes to getting your own place - you need people to live with as the more people you have in a house the less the rent will be.
The people you'll want to live with are likely to be friends but problem here is you're all looking for jobs and in some cases the only option you have is to move somewhere closer to where you'll be working. This means you and your proposed housemates are wanting to live in completely different areas and living together just isn't feesable. Eeesht who knew it got so complicated!

So if living with your parents is the case for you (as it is for me) do not be shocked or disheartened because a HUGE number of people are in the same boat. If you're lucky this won't even become a problem because a) you will find a lovely bunch of people wanting to live in the same area b) you can house share with strangers who become the lovely bunch of people wanting to live in the same area or c) you earn the big bucks so move out on your own and spend your time rolling around on your mattress made of £100 notes.

Some of these people that have the option to move still choose to stay at home, yes choose! There are so many reasons to take this path - if you have a good family relationship then why not hang around with them for a bit, if you live near your work moving straight away is unnecessary and it can lead to my final and most important reason to stay at home .......

YOU. CAN. SAVE!

Yeah it seems not paying anywhere near as much rent as having your own place (but it's nice to contribute a little something) and not paying for bills or food (whilst having most of your meals cooked and staying in your super cozy bedroom) is cheap!

If you make the most of this opportunity you can end up having A LOT of money and money means allowing yourself a few splurges, like a new camera (I definitely didn't do this) or an ipad (or this) or even a car (nope 100% not) which there is no way you could do if half your pay (you heard right about HALF) is going on rent and bills etc.

Or if you start saving crazy hard you could end up going travelling or even buying your own place instead of renting! See so many positives for living at home!

#5 Don't be afraid to change and try things

Through most of your childhood/teen years you will hear the question "What do you want to do when you are older?" and you're expected to give one, definitive answer and choose a single career that you will do for the rest of your life.
It won't surprise you to hear that between the ages of 14 (when you are supposed to start planning your career goals) and 21 (when you're likely to actually start working) you change. A lot. You're opinions, interests and values will change so drastically in this period of your life that your job dreams are also likely to change - that's okay and normal! Not only that but you might finally get the job and discover it's not for you.

The thing about all this is that you are still soooo young and it's not said often enough but you can chop and change as much as you like! I suggest trying to stick things out for a little while as companies like to see you don't just get bored and move on constantly but if you don't want to do it, you don't have to. Be sensible and make sure you have the ability to actually live before you go quitting, but you're going to spend the majority of your life at work and that life is way too short and important to spend it being unhappy.

If you've made it to the end I'm impressed, thank you for reading and sticking with me! What I really wanted and hope you take from this is your life might end up a little different to planned but different isn't necessarily worse, certainly isn't failure and you have time, so much time.

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Tunes For Tuesday | McFly - Sorry's Not Good Enough.

I had the absolute joy of being at a McBusted show last night and let me tell you it was INCREDIBLE. I've seen McFly play 3 times before so know they always put on a good show and the addition of 2/3 members of Busted was only going to increase the awesomeness.

I am happy to admit to you right now that I am a pretty big McFly fan.
I have all their albums (including both greatest hits), know essentially every word to them.... and most of the B side tracks, I had my walls AND ceiling covered by their faces for many a year (also maybe my school history folder and phone background), spent literally hours of my life watching interviews, met them through being a pioneer member of their fansite and I possibly got a little emotional at the 10 year anniversary show ..... okay okay I cried 3 times!

So having shared more than you probably ever needed or wanted to know about my ever so slight obsession with this band it won't be a shock that they are my TFT. I actually already had a song in mind for this week but after last night I couldn't allow myself to not post a McFly song! My choice is definitely a track that I tend to forget my deep love for and I feel really deserves to be shown some appreciation.

So here is Sorry's Not Good Enough by McFly!





Also just because I can and I know you will enjoy it here's an acoustic version (just look at those baby faces!)




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Awesome Of The Week | Portsmouth Historic Dockyard

So my schedule has already failed! Without warning our internet decided to stop working over the weekend and as I had very little spare time I couldn't get anywhere with wifi to edit and post this. Alas I am doing it now so I'm hoping you can forgive me this once. I have had to spend 4 days without internet so deserve a certain level of sympathy.

On to my AOTW which was our family day out to Portsmouth Historic Dockyard for my mums birthday. All four of us (Mum, Dad and sister) have annual passes to the docks but for me and my sister it was our first visit and we loved it!

There are ancient war ships that you can walk all around, we didn't get any of the books or audio guides as our parents had already been a couple of times but I definitely advise you do this on your first go round as there isn't a whole lot of info on the actual ships. You can however just wonder around pretending you're in Pirates of The Caribbean .... which I definitely didn't do.

The Victory and Warrior are fully intact ships and they are brilliant as they really let you appreciate what it would have been like to travel on them, but my personal favourite was The Mary Rose Museum. Although an entire half of her is missing there are thousands of objects that were preserved perfectly that can be marveled at, all with their own fascinating back story and the half that's left is still pretty damn impressive.
The legend of the Mary Rose is truly astonishing and the museum goes into beautiful detail so you can re-live the history. Plus I've always had a bit of a crush on the Tudor period so to experience just a taste of King Henry's pride and joy is worth every penny (on that note entry is super cheap and lasts for a year so you can go back and won't feel in anyway rushed!).

The weather was gorgeous, the company was amazing and over all we had brilliant day celebrating my Mum and everything she does for us!

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Films I Want To See.

One of my favourite parts about going to the cinema (other than the popcorn obviously, sweet and salt mix if you please) is getting overly excited after seeing all the trailers for upcoming movies. I went to see Cinderella the other day (which surprisingly I really enjoyed!)  and realised I wanted to watch nearly every single one of the films advertised, so I thought why not share them!

A Royal Night Out - Release date 8th May

It's set at the end of WW2 and is all about that one night that princesses Elizabeth and Margaret are actually allowed to leave Buckingham palace and it gets a little wild.

It looks to be filled with gorgeous dresses, disguised princesses and a lot of fun.

Starring Sarah Gadon as Elizabeth and Bel Powley as Margaret.


Far From The Madding Crowd - Release date 1st May

Based on the novel by Thomas Hardy, which no I haven't read but have a feeling I might after seeing this film, the trailer alone was enough to peak my interest.

I think I just like the idea of Carey Mulligan playing yet another unique and kinda badass character (she is Sally Sparrow in Doctor Who), this time with the added bonus of her being a sheep farmer in Victorian England. Pretty boys, mixed up love interests, I'm sold.

Inside Out - Release date 24th July

This one I have seen a few trailers dotted about the place and without fail it makes me laugh every damn time.
Pixar can do no wrong in my book so that is probably enough to make me head to the cinema as soon as it's released, but it's the plot itself that has me intrigued.
The idea that we have a group of little people living inside us that react to everything around us and control what we do. It can only lead to a film that will be hilarious, heart warming and a must see!

Spys - Release date 5th June (my birthday just fyi)

Okay so hands up I didn't actually see a trailer for this one but the poster as we walked to our screen looked so awesome . The cast is incredible and you know straight away it is going to be a truly epic comedy - Melissa McCarthy, Miranda Hart, Jason Statham, Allison Janney and Jude Law. Now that deserves a round of applause and I am VERY excited.

Think a far less sophisticated M from James Bonds having to go into the field because the targets know the identity of all the actual trained, real life spies .... with hilarious consequences.

Who else is going to live in the cinema for the next few months? I know I won't be the only one.

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Tunes For Tuesday | Sam Smith - I've Told You Now.

First post for the new series isn't that exciting?

I thought to kick it off we'd go for someone that is fairly well known and doing somewhat okay for himself right now.... Man of the moment Sam Smith.

Okay so he has been around a while and everyone can appreciate his unbelievable talent but it's only recently that I've actually listened to the entire album.... and it is stunning.
I've had In The Lonely Hour on replay at work for a couple weeks now (and bought the cd just so I can have it in my car) so choosing just one song for Tunes For Tuesday was not an easy task because I want to recommend every single track!

However after much deliberation I have chosen and the one song that I would advise every single person to listen to is I've Told You Now.
It might not be one of his well known singles that shot into the charts on release (quite rightly too!) but the lyrics are poetic, relatable and of course Sam sings it like a freaking angel.

Have a gander below -






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Awesome Of The Week | Wagamamas Vegetarian Food.

Before I specifically talk about the veggie dish I ate I just want to take a minute and appreciate the glorious restaurant that is Wagamamas.
It is Japanese food that is always super fresh and delicious, I would go as far as to say that right now it might be one of my favourite places to eat!

On Wednesday I went to Wagamamas for the first time since becoming a vegetarian/vegan (which I'm sure I will post about at some point!) so I had to make a more conscious decision on what meal to choose... turns out it probably wasn't vegan. I'm still learning which foods are 100% vegan, it can be a bit confusing and sadly this time I was mistaken!

I had the yasai katsu curry and although I am disappointed it wasn't vegan it did taste amazing and I genuinely prefer it to the chicken version. If you are a vegetarian looking for something a little different Wagamamas is probably a very good choice. Also the ingredients are so fresh and pretty darn healthy so you don't even have to feel guilty afterwards, added bonus!

P.s A side dish that actually IS vegan and insanely good is the Yasai Gyoza - Vegetable dumplings. Yum.

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A Re-Jig and Whole New Blog Schedule.

Firstly the re-jig - The change you may have noticed if you've visited before is right at the top of the page. Yup I have changed the name of the blog!
Colourmyworld is a username I have always associated with and is in the URL of this page so it made sense to link it all in!

Secondly the schedule - I am fully aware that I'm rubbish at posting regularly, now the more I have thought about it the more I realise I need a proper structure. It seemed like such a good and easy idea to have no plan, it means I can post about whatever I fancy at any point in the week - gives me time and options right?

Wrong!

All it does is leave me with too many choices (I'm not a decisive person!) and a whole load of excuses to not get it done! So I have convinced myself that by coming up with a plan for at least a couple posts a week it might get me into a more organised and creative head space! So the future of ColourMyWorld will go as follows -

Tuesday = Tunes For Tuesday #TFT
Fairly self explanatory and anyone that knows me to any degree will be aware of my love of listening to music. From now every Tuesday I will share a song that I have played way too many times and fallen head over heels in love with. I warn you it's not likely to be anything new or honestly even in the charts but if it is new to me or I have rekindled my love for it you bet your ass you'll hear about it!

Thursday = General Post
Well .... um... it'll be general.
Ever changing probably with very little structure, I still need some spontaneity!

Sunday = Awesome Of The Week #AOTW
If you have read my blog you will already know how this one works. If you are new this is an old series I had that now will have a specific day of the week to go up which should (hopefully) ensure I actually do it. If something has sparked my interest, caught my eye or just made me smile then it will go here, in essence it is just to spread some extra awesome into the world and share it all with you!

Although these might not seem like massive changes, for me I feel like they will make an invaluable difference to my blogging abilities. I'm making a conscious effort to really get the blog running .... and keep it that way.

So here's to the future and actually having an idea of what this blog is about!

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