Excitement For Summer

Summer is on its way. - I apologise for stating the obvious.

Summer is my favourite time of the year, excluding when the weather randomly decides to be spontaneous and we have a week of rain. "Raining cats and dogs" would be a good quote to use for the English weather that we get occasionally, well.. more than occasionally.

I'm more excited for the times down the beach with friends, family and others and the long morning walks where the grass is still wet and the water causes the grass to glitter in the sun light. Once your feet leave the ground to take another step in the desired direction, it leaves an indentation causing the glitter of water to frame the trail of your footsteps...

Beach days are the highlights of summer and probably one of my personal best memories. Running along the beach and playing football with a slight breeze and feeling the spray of the waves and the heat from the sun is beyond perfect in my eyes. However, one of the best/worst part of the beach seeing the water reflect the sunlight, causing the water to have a heavenly reflection and entices you into it to paddle. Although this can cause the occasional times when you misinterpret a rock for a mound of sand, about the size of an eleven year old rucksack, (Massive if you are wondering the size.) Stump your toe and cry for the poor toe that is suffering due to the stupidity of looking into the light, or the naivety of thinking it's something it isn't - It's happened to me countless amounts of times, as I'm sure it has happened to you.
The beach is one of my favourite places too go, this is because I can go street surfing with my head phones plugged in and make my own personal music video - It happens with everyone who plugs headphones in and looks out the window when it is raining feeling like Warwick Avenue by Duffy. Swimming is another highlight, the sea isn't so cold as to get numbing pains, it's the perfect temperature to splash around attempting to look like an Olympic champion but looking like a duck who is possibly drowning. Or just mess around paddling and running on the beach, unfortunately for my friend it would consist of everyone running after him trying to trip him and then it would soon turn onto the next victim.
The beach brings back memories of my cousins and I often taking weekend trips to the beach and running over the patches of sand trying not to stump our little, vulnerable toes and carry on skipping into the sea until the sea hits our legs from underneath us and causes us to fall flat on our face in the water, if that didn't happen then we would all be 'doggy paddling' paddling after them until they panicked and tripped.

The walks are another things that are the second most enjoyable part of summer. the mornings are cool and gradually heat up into a searing heat, so much so that you could probably cook a egg on the path. - If you had inserted under-floor heating and turned it up to maximum and also waiting for at least six hours before it is fully cooked (the troubles of England).
The walks are perfect when the fields are abandoned, it is basically just you in touch with nature. No  cars, bikes or people. Only the wind in the trees and animals - Often birds, occasionally cows. - The morning dew still on the floor waiting to have a foot imprint that will last until the sun has caused it to evaporate. Its a whole new, different experience to standing on frosty grass that gives a delightful crunch. In contrast, summer grass causes a familiar and an exciting bounce to your step.

The most addictive part of Summer is the never ending sun. The sun sets around 10pm and even then it's light and warm and welcoming. Sitting outside during the night and seeing the stars slowly emerge is the highlight of the day and the perfect way to finish the night.

My excitement currently is indescribable and I'm dreaming about icecream.
~Soph.

Becoming Employed.

      Recently I have become employed by a farm! I was job hunting for about 5 months and after emails and emails of repeated rejection my motivation decreased and then lacked until I found out about a local fright night that needed actors, jumping at the chance I applied, attended the meeting and got the job... as a clown. My job was to have my own little section within a scary adult maze and get into everyone personal space and make loud noises and blow in the person's ear. I'm not complaining, I loved the job so much!
      Throughout the day time there was a range of activities ranging from pumpkin carving too face painting, cake decorating and actors along with woodland walks etc. The actors were aged 16-18 and dressed up as things like Frankenstein and other scary monsters. However, the younger the children got, the more scary the actors seemed and sometimes it wasn't even the actors that scared them, often I, being a normal person, not dressed up, holding a pumpkin was enough to make them fall to the floor and bellow out a scream that seemed unnatural for the size of the body of the child. - Boy, oh, Boy. Did some of them have a pair of lungs on them, what seemed even worse was it was a small section of a pen that was originally used for animals, there was only one door to escape from and the child was in the way of it. Its scream basically forcing me into the corner.
     The nights were the most eventful part of the time period there. I never knew how many people had bad phobias of clowns, I had people peering round the corner so they could prepare themselves, people crying in the corner, people not even hesitating, they just ran through without even opening their eyes. - To be fair, I wouldn't blame them, the lighting down in our section was enough to make you just rely on shutting your eyes and having your brain repeat the flash, even when your eyes were shut.
     We had actors ranging from "The Bitch Witch" - this actor would insult any one or flirt with most of the male people that appeared to be with a partner. The other actors ranged from Zombies with gashes down the face, blood pouring everywhere and you would have had them stumbling after you often stopping and then running straight at you. - Occasionally, the mud would be too much and would cause them to do a cartoon type run without even moving. -this was enough to put people over the edge and start stumbling themselves up the hill into the arms of other terrors - By terrors, I mean things ranging from emus to other half dead people.-
    This job I found hilarious and so enjoyable. The compliments from people kept pouring in from people who cried, ran the opposite way and got chased by others or cornered and people who just laughed right in the actors face. People kept coming back too, many people often attended for two or more nights, obviously they still didn't expect certain things.
    One person who went through had their collar right up and was laughing with confidence until he peered around the corner and was confronted with me - A clown. - His head shot down into his collar and his eyes were shut, he glued his back to the wall and slid around the corner, trying to keep as far away as humanly possible from me. Once he passed me, his head rose slowly, thinking and assuming he wouldn't be confronted again - Oh, how wrong he was. - He turned a corner, bounced along a mattress and was confronted by not just one clown but two. His reactions would have been more effective and amusing if it was in slow motion. The whimper that escaped this 6 foot man's mouth resembled something a school girl may do if she were scared, his head shot down into his collar. His eyes still open because with the flashing light you wouldn't want to shut your eyes and risk walking into a wall or even a clown. -Never Assume Anything.

If ever you have a chance to visit or even work at a fright night, I would strongly recommend it, the thrills and the confrontations of people can be heart stopping!

Enjoy and I hope you take my advise - Never assume anything because throughout life you will be confronted by all types of things, you just need to work up the courage and battle through it, even if hiding in your collar is the last option that will help!

~Soph.

Increasing Stress, joining a new study.

Within school we think that it is a constant bore and it is just another form of punishment, having your freedom taken away, having your socialising time constantly decrease into nothingness.

I admit looking back, it was the best time of my life. I met my closest friends there, I learnt things that I was curious about and didn't understand and whilst on my study leave I realised that if I didn't go to school I wouldn't have learnt the vital skills I need and I would be constantly bored, I wouldn't know what to do. - Sounding boring, I know, I apologise.

Taking the next step into education seems intimidating, it is. Instead of having teachers basically cut open your head and pour in a liquid form of knowledge into your brain, that was fun, wasn't it?

Sixth form is a new experience for me, I haven't done it before. It was like starting secondary school all over again, except this year we get a common room with sofas and a personalised panini lady. Yes, we get the luxuries. One step away from the plastic chairs that make your bum and legs fall asleep quicker than anything, constantly causing you to stand up and either stumble or walk in a strange alien type way.

The work, Oh, the work. The work comes in a different form. Instead of the pupil having their head cut open, they are mentally pinning down the teacher and forcing and squeezing all the knowledge and information out of them, in return the teachers will set essays, homework, coursework, research, all to see if the information has actually gone through the ears and eyes and straight into the brain to see if it has mentally morphed itself to the skull, leaving no gaps just so the skull can increase in size taking along the brain until your head has to be supported by a special device. - Obviously I am being sarcastic about your head growing, unless you are more focused about your ego and would like to boast about your extremely ordinarily normal knowledge that your class shares, in that case, please do tell us more...

The essays require you to stay dedicated and mentally split yourself between multiple subjects, in my case, I have to have a Graphic, Sociology, Film study and travel and tourism mind. As these are diverse subjects my mind sometimes cannot copes and my brain mentally deflates until I readjust myself so I can keep up with it. Occasionally you have the people who will waltz by who have their work sticking out their ears, eyes and having words dribbling out their mouths and onto the paper, these are the people I envy. This is because they simply seem to know everything off the tip of their tongue. As frustrating as it is we are all basically running our own personal race and have too keep each subject in rhythm with each other in order to have a harmonious race.

Sixthform is all about the paninis and sofas. - to be read with sarcasm.

I am enjoying my subjects because I'm not forced to do subjects that I don't want to do. - Apologies to my maths teachers and food tech teachers. The subjects are more complex but however you go at the speed that is managable if you can get the information. I'd fully recommend going to a sixthform because it's not all bad and scary, may seem difficult at times but you have to try something before you think you dislike it. You are talked in a different manner by the teachers, this is because you basically are taking the next step towards being an adult. Yes, you are almost an adult.

You have to keep up otherwise you are drowned by multiple definitions, essays, work, deadlines, words, ideas, yellow slips. - THE FULL MONTY.

Just keep organised and eat as many paninis as possible throughout the two years is my aim, I will probably be the size of an elephant by the end of it but if you're enjoying yourself let the haters, hate.

Oh, the joys of further education.

~Soph.

    The start of the life as a teenager. From what it seems too the family, the child goes too sleep, wakes up and instead of being the lively, enthusiastic child and changing into what seems too be another form of a monster. A grunt the only response you will receive - if you are lucky.
   I'm joking, we're not all monsters.. well, some can be. - I know I can cause the few minor storms within the household. Screaming and shouting when something goes wrong or upsets me. It could seem like the world was ending or my phone contract was messing around. Either way, after an hour I'll be happy as Larry.






Many teenagers have habits. Be it trying too:

• Get the airbrushed look in reality without all the extra computer pixels and crafty work.
• Win an argument or debate with friends, family or even the pet next door. 
• Attending uncountable amounts of parties .
• Drinking uncountable amounts of bottles of alcohol.
• Hunting for a Freddo that is still 15p, instead of it being almost £1.50.
• Walking around the house in underwear until 2pm.
• Eating everything that you like in the fridge and then complaining because there is no form of "Edible" food within the household - Seriously, don't worry. It wasn't your fault, it just went..
• Music playing on the loudest volume possible because having the volume one bar less just felt odd and uncomfortable.
• Judging people you don't know and then finding out they were the complete opposite.
• Being self conscious of everything. Weight, looks, clothes, you name it.
• Looking at the media and putting themselves down.

Many teenagers read the media and in a few of the magazines, newspapers, programs, teenagers can be classed and labelled as "reckless youths" or "hoodys." neither are said with a positive light, how can they be? Everyone is prone too judging people and submitting too the views of the media, negatively. whether we realise it or not, it plays on our mind on the article we may have read or heard or even gossipped about, we will link it with our life sometimes causing paranoia and distrust. Sometimes if we take away the negative and attempt too put in a positive, it makes life easier, lessens the stress and on top of that, you can be more open too things, like buying more edible food for us youths. I'm once again, joking. 

~Soph.

Pointless Rebellion and life choices

  Throughout our life we are given guides and constant instructions on how too do things. They often occur within cooking, jobs, school, swimming pools, gyms and anything with health and safety risks... - Like a big step that is marked with 8 strips of black and yellow tape instructing too "Mind your step." This is all too make sure that you can see it a mile away and prepare yourself for this step that people may not easily see, even if it may be in the direct sunlight and lead up into a doorway that would look odd if it was floating a metre off the ground.

   People often rebel, it's obvious, isn't it? Living by rules for most of your life, you want too break the conditions and not think about the conciquences later in life or in the next second. A way of feeling free and a posibility of having power or recieving respect? It's all debatable and it's down too how you think and feel about things.

"Life's all about fun and games until someone else is put in a position or in jeopardy."

Life is like baking a cake.  - Apologies if that sounds cheesy, I find it's the easiest way too describe something.

Flavours - Friends.

Basic Needed and Wanted Ingredients - Family.

Mixing and Blending and Toppings - Your Life Choices and Experiences.

Once Finished - Your Life within a cake, it's original and unique, made the way you wanted it, with minimal instructions.

By not following instructions and making your own twists on things is a form of feeling free. You can have the flexibility of making changes that could improve the end result or change it for the better. If it doesn't work out the way you think it should then you start over and or work with it until it is the desired result or better.

Working with what you have and not what you need is a way of opening your mind too new posibilities, enjoy.

~Soph.

Just a short blog.

"Give someone one of your smiles, it may be the only sunshine they see all day, it can change the world, maybe not the whole world, but their world."

  Smiling not only makes you feel better as a whole, it effects other people. Seeing someone smile is contagious in some cases and can just make you feel that little bit 'Lighter' emotionally. 

   I understand when you take a step outdoors into the typical English rain that soaks your clothes and just dampens your spirits you can often think; "Seriously, why me?" Instead, roll your shoulders back, hold your head high and think "What's the worst that can happen?" and stay optimistic, it's only as bad as you can make it out to be.

   Life may not be all fun and games but I'm sure if you try and be happy or positive, those moments where it wasn't so great will slowly melt away into nothing. I can guarantee that not everything will be a smooth sail but you have to have the challenges in life to make you appreciate what surrounds you everyday. 

Love and life. So, live your life with a smile.

~Soph.

Photography.

   In life we see things and some of us will get out our phones and probably take a picture. Updating Instagram with this 'wonderful memory.' Half of the time I hear that most of the people update a picture of their dinner. Sometimes people will go into a restaurant and snap pictures of their latest plateful of bangers and mash decorated with a "Sprinkle of rocket."
   Photography is a chance to create memories and inspire people. It's a form of art that can be shared with millions. The reason why I love photography is because of the effects people use, the focus and the dedication to getting a photo that they would maybe advertise to others for them to view. 
   I can't quite get to grips with the cameras like Hasselblad H4D-60, Canon 600D or the new NIKON. However some people just contain the knowledge on how it works and instantly snap away. 

  CLICK. CLICK. CLICK.
   Photography could be a way too keep memories digital or not. It may also be a way to show people how something as simple as an drop of water or a stream can have such an impact, and enlightening them on this power. It gives people a way of seeing life in a different light, and capturing something that sometimes the human eye can't process quick enough. 
  I would personally see this as an art, something that you can use too express yourself and in some cases manipulate onlookers emotions too, it gives people a chance to understand or view things in this new light. - In a good way.
   I know a little about  photography but I just think that if you have the talent to produce something that could inspire others you should grasp it in your hand and build from it. 
   Even something so simple as someone smiling could change spectators emotions.
   A picture paints a thousand words.

 The photos I used were from one of my friend's websites, it is worth looking through. He has a lot of skill with his camera.
http://reececobb.co.uk/ 

 

 ~Soph.