Random Life Update: 18, photography, ballet, art, exams


HELLO EVERYBODY!

I'm so sorry I've been neglecting my blog. I've been quite busy with other things lately (which I'll get into now!) but I'm hoping to establish some kind of routine for once and start posting more! I've missed blogging so much - I can't wait to be a part of the blogging world again!

MY BIRTHDAY:
Gosh, since I've barely blogged this month, I have quite a lot to talk about! FIRST THINGS FIRST: I'm officially an adult. Technically an adult, emphasis on the technically. I can't quite believe that I'm eighteen, like, how? I swear it was just yesterday I was fourteen but CLEARLY NOT. Whenever I stop and think about it, it kind of freaks me out to think I'm an actual adult. I'M NOT READY TO ADULT. But I'm sure I'll manage. * nervously begins drinking coffee * (that's what adults do, right??)

Anyway, I had a wonderful eighteen birthday and it's definitely one of the best ones I've ever had! I woke up and it was SNOWING, actual snow on my birthday was incredible. It didn't settle but there were flurries of snow the whole day and it was utterly magical! Quite a stark contrast to the blistering heat of South African Februaries, but beautiful nonetheless. I then opened my birthday present from my parents which I was SO excited for! I had asked my parents for a new phone as my phone is quite old and I really wanted one with a better camera. I said I'd really like the iPhone 6S but if they wanted to get me the iPhone SE (like the 6S but with the shape of the iPhone 5) that would be fine, as I knew the iPhone 6S was a bit pricier and I can't really justify them spending too much on a phone for me. In my heart I was really hoping for the 6S but as I started opening the present my parents were like “Don't be too disappointed. It might not be what you wanted. Etc” so I was like ah, they must have got me the SE which is fine because it's still a much better phone than my current one and GUYS. I unwrapped it and it was the 6S!!! IT MADE ME SO HAPPY, YOU DON'T EVEN UNDERSTAND. It's so nice using a phone with such an amazing camera and a phone that doesn't get stuck every few minutes like my old one! I'm hoping to take a lot of bookstagram photos with it, I just need to find more time!


I then spent most of the day playing on my phone and being with my parents and going to the library (I have to go to the library on my birthday, it's my happy place, you know?) and then that evening I went out with a couple of friends to a club and I got totally drunk and disorderly lolol I'm just kidding I don't drink. Or go out out. I went to Nandos and they came back to my place after for some cake (I'm so wild). I was feeling quite nervous about going to Nandos and so unfortunately quite a lot of my day I struggled with anxiety because I don't really like eating out because it can trigger panic attacks but it went so well and I had such a great time! All my friends (none of them have ever met each other before) got along well and my evening was filled with laughter, delicious food, and good company. I got books, bookish merchandise, a book voucher and a few other pretty stuff which made me very happy! It was also wonderful this year as my mom was so much better with her illness! Previous years she's been very sick but she's slowly improving and so I'm very grateful for that as well! I remember falling asleep that night as the snow still fell softly outside and the golden fairy lights strung under my bookshelves glowed softly and it made me feel so warm and fuzzy inside – it truly was such a lovely day!




MY IPHONE:
Another reason I haven't been around much is because I've been playing on my phone far too much. I've been spending way too much time Snapchatting all my friends (I'M NOT PROUD OF IT, BUT I CAN FINALLY USE ALL THE FILTERS. I'VE ALWAYS WANTED TO USE THE FILTERS. I CAN BE A PUPPY) and using all the amazing apps I've downloaded! ANOTHER THING, I got the Kindle app and I've been reading a lot on my phone (see? I can be productive) and I've read 3 books on it so far (go me) and I think the amount of books I read is going to increase because previously I have not always been able to carry a book with me but I always have my phone on me which means I can literally read everywhere and it's beautiful. I've been wanting to take more bookstagram photos as well but I've been so busy with school and by the time I finish up the lighting is so bad, I can't get good shots. I'm hoping to take a lot this weekend, though – hopefully, I can!

SELF-PUBLISHED BOOKS:
I never read self-published books but once I downloaded the Kindle app I was eager to read a book on there, so I started browsing the Kindle Store 100 Top Free Ebooks and I found so many amazing books to read! I read a novella called A Summer Like No Other by Elodie Nowodazkij which featured ballet and falling in love with your brother's best friend and adoption and I LOVED it...so I bought the whole series and now I'm on the last book. It's so good, guys. It's not the greatest writing and it can be quite cliché but I can totally lose myself in it and that's a good book, in my opinion.

MUSIC:
As you know (or maybe you don't), I play the guitar and piano and although I sadly don't have a piano at the moment, I do have a guitar and I play it a lot. Like whenever I have a school break I'll go upstairs and play some songs or write some songs and it makes me feel so good. Like, it's such a good stress reliever. I've also been writing songs more and I love it so much, I downloaded some recording apps and I've been playing around with them which is so much fun! I'd really like to make an album at some point – but I think I need singing lessons first!

PILATES AND MEDITATION:
I've been getting back into my pilate's a lot and I've been trying to incorporate more cardio into my workout routine as I really want to go back to dancing eventually. I've always started dance classes and then quit a few months later because of my anxiety but I'm determined to get used to cardio again (it triggers my panic attacks) so I've started doing some at home and I'm doing fairly well. I've started doing a 10 minute kickboxing workout which I really enjoy and I want to start working towards being able to do 30-40 minute workouts as that's the average length of dance classes!

ART:
I also love drawing and I haven't actually done much art in a while but the other day I was feeling inspired after watching some Marvel movies (I'm officially a Marvel fan. How have I gone so long without watching them? What an idiot.) and I decided I want to draw some of the characters. So I began working on Thor as that was the latest Marvel movie I watched (CAN WE TALK ABOUT CHRIS HEMSWORTH FOR A MINUTE? HIS BACK MUSCLES. HIS ARMS. HIS ABS. HIS BACK MUSCLES.) and I'm super proud of how it's turning out! I googled pictures of comic book Thor and I found a picture I really liked so I drew it, outlined it and I'm now working on colouring it in. It's taking quite awhile, but it will be worth it!


EXAMS:
A life update wouldn't be complete without me whining about studying and exams, would it? I'm feeling quite nervous about my exams as I need really good marks but I've planned my revision (roughly...very vaguely...it's not really a plan but it's not not a plan so that's something) and I think I have enough time and I think I'll be okay. I'm still feeling quite stressed though which makes my anxiety spike which makes my productivity levels plummet because I'm too busy dwelling on my worries BUT I'M WORKING ON IT!

BOOK HAULS:
I've got a huge haul for this month which I'll be posting on Saturday (hopefully, I'm waiting for one more library reservation and it's taking forever to come in, ugh) and I'm so excited to show them to you! I've received some amazing review books and I've checked out mainly diverse reads from the library which I'm super stoked to share with you guys.

MY FAITH:
I've been trying to make an effort to grow closer to God. I feel like I don't spend enough time with Him and at the end of the day, He is the most important. I've been reading my Bible, praying more and listening to worship music more (if you ever want to give Christian music a go, I have a ton of recommendations to share with you! Here's one of my favourite songs at the moment, I'd love it if you listened to it and told me what you think, but obviously only if you want to! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBHcvJhc6Pk). I've also been researching biblical history and archaeology and it's been so interesting reading up on all that! I also feel like my worrying over silly little things has decreased since I've decided to try to trust God more. The bible speaks with dazzling clarity about how He has a plan for me and He'll lead me through whatever life throws my way and it's awesome feeling so much safer knowing that He's there for me. Just thought I'd share. :)

MISCELLANEOUS:
My poor father had quite a bad fall the other day which scared all of us terribly. The boiler repair guys were here and my dad went outside to say hello them but my boisterous dog pushed past him and as he tried to keep her back (she looks quite fierce and the guys were quite scared of her) she knocked him over and he hit his head on the ground quite badly – he had a HUGE bump on his head. He felt fine but the boiler guys said he should go to ER so they took him (my mom doesn't drive with her illness, although she's doing better she doesn't feel confident enough to drive again yet, especially as we live in a very hilly place) and they said he was fine. It gave us all quite a scare, though! Thank God he's okay!


I also went to the orthodontist again because it seemed like my one tooth was moving back to its original place DESPITE ME WEARING MY RETAINER EVERY. SINGLE. NIGHT. So I was really worried that I'd have to get braces again or something along those lines, but luckily all he had to do was lengthen my tooth (I have quite short teeth) as the tooth had moved up which was fine but because it's so short it looked uneven. I'm so happy he was able to fix it!

Wow, that was quite a long post! I hope you enjoyed reading it! So tell me: do you read on your phone? Do you read self-published books? What's the best birthday present you've ever received? And how's life going at the moment?😀