Anxiety & Blogger Events

Hey!

If you have been reading my blog for a while then you will know that I talk about mental health from time to time due to suffering from depression and anxiety. I thought that today I would ramble about coping with anxiety before, during and after a blogger event.

A stock image of a dark room with lights filled with people to represent a bloggers event.

When I get an invite to an event, the first thing that runs through my head is woo. Five minutes later, my brain double checks the reaction and turns it straight into worry which means I then read the invite again and make sure that I put the event down in my calendar on my phone with every detail necessary and then I try to remember it mentally as well. Every day after that, my brain slowly counts down and I worry about everything to do with the event especially if its somewhere that I haven't been before.

The day arrives, I double check that I have everything that I need and more. I also make sure that I triple check that I know where I'm going or think that I'm going or that my phone is charged enough so I have Google Maps to attempt to help me on my adventure. I normally tweet about the event on the day to see if I know anyone that is going so I know that I won't be an anxious mess in a corner trying to avoid everyone so I don't seem like a failure of a professional person at an event.

Once I am travelling to the event, I worry about whether I will look like a sweaty drowned rat or out of place compared to everyone else. When I get into the event, I try to forget about it but there's always a lingering feeling of being judged or thinking that something will go wrong so I always feel like I have to have a social crutch to help me no matter what whether that is a phone in my hand for me to sink my head into, a glass with a drink in for me to drink instead of rambling about nothing or a piercing for me to fiddle with when I feel like I'm just stood there being in the way/doing nothing. I know this all sounds weird but it works for me.

I chat and try to act professional and normal unless I'm chatting with someone that I can trust which is a good bunch of the bloggers from Leeds and the surrounding areas and then I make the venture of going home which normally includes a train which gives me time to think.

Thinking can instantly turn into overthinking and that makes everything worse as I believe that everyone has thought that instead of myself worrying about what everyone else thinks, they just believe that I'm either a bitch or up myself for not interacting as much as I should which then makes me think whether or not if I should really be at events if I'm like this, I normally get some sleep and then get on with the post the next day and then the cycle starts again with the next event.

Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love blogger events! I just wished that I wasn't so anxious at them.

Have you ever had any of these moments before, during or after a bloggers event or any event in general. Please let me know down below.

I hope that you have enjoyed reading this slightly rambly post. I hope that you come back for more!

Thanks!
Jamie x

Has Your Food Ever Been Stolen? | Tips To Stop Food Swiping

Hey!

I felt like I don't do as many student posts as I should so today I thought that I would do a student based post as I know that a good few of you that read this blog and myself are students and we all need something to read from time to time!

Stock Image Of A Kitchen

When it comes to students starting imiversity for the first time, there are many thoughts that run through their head such as will I know where I'm going? Will I have enough clothes? Will I have enough items to cure my boredom? Will I try and not blow through money within the first two weeks? Will I get along with my other housemates?... But the main question that they forget to ask themselves is 'Do I have enough food to last even if someone else that I'm sharing accomodation with steals my food?'...

A survey from Start Your Busiiness Mag has revealed that nearly one third of people including office workers and students living in shared accommodation have had their food stolen from a communal fridge.  Due to the high statics that have came from this research, I thought that I would share some tips on how to avoid the serious problem of someone else stealing your food.

Tip 1; Labels:

You could always get labels printed with something like 'This is my food. Do not steal' with your name on the end or something that comes from the foods point of view so it makes it look more cute. This should cause the food stealer to realise, read and put the food back. This would be such a cute idea to stop food from being stolen and I think that labels from Data Label would do the job well as they will label anything. They also carried out the research for the study so it makes sense to buy from them in my opinion

Tip 2; Just Tell Them.

This tip is plain and simple. find the victim or gather everyone up that you suspect and tell them. This does the job well and means that they have no excuse to be stealing your food!

Tip 3: Boxes.

If the two fail then I would suggest getting very tight lid tupperware to put the food into as they might be trying to take it when they come in from a night out so if the box is hard to get open then they will either cry about it and realise that they need to get some sleep or leave it and try and get something else to eat. You could always get your tupperware from Amazon as Amazon are normally quite cheap. Ebay is also a good place to get a lot of them for cheap.

Has your food ever been stolen? Have you used any of the tips that I have mentioned? Let me know down below!

I hope that you have enjoyed this post and I hope that you come back next time to read my next post! If you are a student then I hope that you have a good week!

Thanks!
Jamie x

This is a collaborative post.

Lush Halloween 2016: Pumpkin Bath Ballistic Review

Hey!

I haven't done a Lush review for a long while so I thought that I would come back with something seasonal and do a review of the Pumpkin Bath Ballistic from Lush.

Orange Jack-O-Lantern designed Pumpkin Bath Ballistic,

Pumpkin bath ballistic is Pumpkin Pie in bath form with a ingredients including Vanilla Absolute and Cinnamon which evoke the scent of cosy baked goods such like Pumpkin Pie, Cookies and other tasty treats. This bath bomb is the one to use for when you want something comforting and is shaped like a cute Jack-O-Lantern! Priced at £3.95

This particular product is quite a fast fizzer when dropped into the water. The scent wafts into the air quite strong and the bath water slowly turns a golden/orange colour which makes the bath water look like a piece of pumpkin pie which is great. I think that this ballistic works well for the Halloween season in the UK but also for Thanksgiving within America.

The scent is a mixture of Vanilla, Cinnamon, Allspice and Lemon which is reminiscent of Pumpkin Pie but is also a scent that I can't put my finger on at the same time. The best way is put it is that it is a mix of Dragons Egg and Yog Nog/Sea Salted Caramel Soap so you get a balanced mix of bright zingy citrus and comforting sweetness. I loved this mixture but I do think that the Lemon needed to be a little less full on as it was citrus then comforting or maybe add some Pumpkin in somehow.

I love the whole concept of the bath ballistic and I loved how it was designed as a Jack-O-Lantern which might entice young ones into using Lush or for people to get more of their Pumpkin fix! I would give this an 8.5/10 just due to the Lemon overplaying the scent. Click Pumpkin Bath Ballistic to purchase this product!

Have you tried this bath ballistic or any of the Lush Halloween 2016 range? Let me know down below!

I hope that you have enjoyed this little Lush review and I hope to see you next time for another blog post!

Thanks!
Jamie x

I Might Be Single Forever But That's Fine

Hey!

Welcome to another one of my ramblings.

I know that it sounds absurd coming from an nineteen year old but I'm quite happy being a single introvert in today's society.

Stock Image Of A Man Staring Into The Distance

I know single means that you're on your own and wandering through life with a sense of never knowing whats going on but isn't that a good thing? Being on your own means that you can do whatever you want, you don't have to depend on someone else for anything. You can create your own income without depending or having to take into account someone else. You can make whatever food you want without having to make sure other people aren't allergic to things. I mean you can even satisfy your own sexual needs with masturbation. Yes, I said it. It's not a dirty word. The limit is endless

Being single means that you can learn to love yourself and take care of yourself and make sure that your self confidence is on the best form ever and that you can walk into anywhere and feel amazing about yourself and not have to care if someone else is wanting you to dress or act in a certain way.

It means that you don't have to put up with anyone else's bullshit. You don't have to cope with someone else being protective or expecting you to do something or not do something. It also means that you don't have to put up with people being sexist, racist, homophobic/just general pigs.

I know that being single either means being out every night trying to get some action or becoming that person with 90 cats and saying that they are all your babies/centralising your life around them all but are either of these two stereotypes that terrible? I mean with the first one you get to network with new people, listen to cheesy music and reminisce the next day/week to a friend or someone at work and with the cat stereotype you get to have a house of fluff/ You get eternal love and affection without having to try and be someone that you're not and you understand each other.

.So yeah, I'm Jamie, I'm single and that's fine by me.

I hope that you have somewhat enjoyed my ramble. I hope that you can relate to this. Let me know what you think down below and thanks for reading!

Jamie x

Having An Onomatopoeic October | Dave Giles & Danny Gruff At The Verve Leeds

Hey!

I decided to go to a gig within Leeds which I haven't done for a long while so I thought I would talk to you today all about the gig and why you should support the amazing artists that were performing at the gig.

All photographic credit to Rachel Kiki. Photo was sent by Danny Gruff. 

Essex born singer songwriter Dave Giles. 31, started his path into the music industry by being the guitarist/'the cheeky onehin a rock indie band which lasted up until 2010 when the band decided to go their own separate ways. Dave decided to become a one man act and released his first EP which was dubbed 'The First Seven' which was released within October of 2010. As you can tell by the title of the debut EP, it consisted of seven tracks. He released all of his solo music under his own record company Cheeky Chimp Records Ltd. If you were going to put Dave's music under any sort of genre then it would probably go under acoustic folk with a cheeky twist. Dave is an amazing person on and off the stage. He also has a YouTube channel if you want to check out his stuff then click here or if you want to buy any of his music then just click on the words.

Wrexham born singer songwriter Danny Gruff got his big banging break after supporting acts like Bastille, Frank Turner and Bastille to name a few. Within 2015, Danny created a project which was dubbed ONTAW which consisted of releasing one new track a week for a year which then led him onto a 2 official UK tours including a first headline tour. Danny is planning on releasing his first album which will hopefully be released around March 2017. Danny is known for his cheeky yet friendly 'lad banter-esque' personality and studied at a prestigious university within Leeds. He also has a YouTube and music which if you want to check out then I will link the words so all you will need to do is click on them and they will go straight to the source.

This particular gig, which is one of many in the Onomatopoeic October Tour, was hosted in the indie influenced Verve Bar which is located within the slight outskirts of the city centre. The other bars that surround the Verve's location include Manhatta, Bar Soba and many more.

I ended up at the venue a tad bit early so I decided to grab a drink with the guest that I dragged along to the gig. We decided to grab a cider and sat down next to a candle lit table and a spacious window looking out towards the other bars.

We made our way downstairs and was instantly greeted by the bubbly and wonderful Dave, we hugged and chatted briefly and then made our way to where we would be watching the gig from. Within a few minutes, the two amazing people tuned the musical instruments.

They talked and joked about the previous night on the tour and got myself and the rest of the audience to chant things such as 'Leeds. Leeds, Leeds.' They both created a bubbly yet chilled out atmosphere to help the performances go off with a bang. They flipped a coin to see who would go first and Danny got the heads up and went first.

Danny talked about his project and performed hits that showed a mixture of empathy, love and cheekiness. He told us about how Dave and himself compared their top hits on Spotify and Danny's was a collaboration with Dave which myself and the audience chuckled at. He also created a three song set that were influenced by his student life spent within in Leeds which included the infamous Hyde Park which is within Leeds. I also urge you to listen to the songs that he released within the ONTAW project as they are all amazing!

Dave then came on stage and flew some brotherly banter across the venue which was received really well. He talked a bit more about the previous night that was spent within Norwich. He then started to play songs which had charisma and cheek within. He then talked a bit more about the fact that the tour was on a pay what you feel basis which I loved the idea of as it shows that every penny counts but at the same time it also means that any member of the public can come along.

There was a intermission after Dave's first set which I decided to go to not out of rudeness but due to having muscle pain and because the guest that I was with wanted money to get a piece of merchandise but by the time we tracked down a cash machine it seemed a bit stupid and a bit tiresome to run back up to get the merchandise so I suggested that they got the merchandise off of Dave's and Danny's websites.

I love all of Danny and Dave's songs and I urge you to go onto YouTube/Spotify/to buy the EP's and to listen to them all as every different song presents a different perception of a story of both of their lives. I haven't linked any particular songs as I think its best for you to go through all of them and
find the ones that you love.

This isn't a sponsored post. I have done this slightly rambly post as I think that these two terrific lads should definitely have more support and recognition than they already have as they are both so dedicated musicians and two of the most loveliest people that I have ever met!

I hope that you have enjoyed this blog post. Please go and check out Dave and Danny! I hope that you come back next time for another blog post!

Thanks!
Jamie x

Drink Suggestions For The Future Months | Monin Syrups

Hi!

I know that it is Monday so I thought that I would do a blog post all about coffee syrups because we all need a flavour boost for those drab Mondays.

The whole background of Monin is that Georges Monin saw that things were lacking flavour and colour and being a flavour enthusiast, he decided to conjure up some great syrups to stir things up and it slowly grew from there. There are many flavours and many ranges including your favourites such as Gingerbread, Caramel, Vanilla, Black Forest, Chocolate Cookie, Hazelnut and many more.

The wonderful people over at the PR that sort Monin out sent me some lovely syrups to try out for the colder days as Autumn is now upon us. The syrups that they sent me were Vanilla and Caramel. Both sweet but delectable! Both of the syrups come in beautifully designed glass bottles and are sold at Tesco's and Sainsburys. They were on offer but I'd purchase them off the offer as well as they're worth the money!

The first syrup that I will talk about is the Vanilla syrup. It smelt exactly like fresh Vanilla and had a fresh yet clean sort of taste to it. Best for things like milkshakes, Vanilla Mojitos/Daiquiris and other things. I cant wait to use this with a White Hot Chocolate to add another dimension to as I know that it will be delicious and decadent! I know that Vanilla seems well quite Vanilla but its amazing in coffee syrup form.

The caramel syrup is sweet yet so moreish. It tasted like warm caramel and I think I am definitely going to be using this a lot during the cold months. I think that this particular syrup would be good for things such as Caramel Lattes/a Caramel Coldbrew or maybe a cocktail that includes Salted Caramel Vodka to add a luxurious feel to the drink.

Have you tried any of the Monin syrups? What Monin syrups would you like to try? Let me know down below!

I hope that you have enjoyed this little post about Monin and I hope that you try their syrups in a nice warming drink or within a refreshingly delicious cocktail. I hope that you have enjoyed this post and I hope to see you next time for another post!

Thanks!
Jamie x

Zeos For Men QU3 Range

Hi!

The guys over at Zeos For Men sent me some amazing male grooming goodies to try out so I thought that I would talk to you guys about them today.

Zeos For Men are all about creating simple exactly what you need male grooming products for the modern man. They started to help the evolution in male grooming products in 2014 via their warm waxing kit and slowly have kept up to this with all of their other amazing products. The whole point of Zeos For Men is to make yourself look as good as possible with the least amount of hassle as possible!

Face Wash: 

Black bottle with a description of the face wash.

The first product that I tried out was the face wash as I knew that I would be using this a lot due to well things such as lactose intolerance causing breakouts and such. This product cleanses deep into the pores so you get a really good sort of fresh cleaned feeling after. It's also got Vitamin E and B5 in and is Vegan so you know it is a great product. The smell of the whole range/this face wash is a very clean sort of spring water scent which I love first thing in the morning as it instantly wakes you up! (£7.95.)

Face Scrub

Black sleek bottle with description of face scrub on.

This face scrub scrubs so well. It gets into all the nooks and crannies of your face to get rid of all of hose dead skin cells and just makes your face feel completely brand new which I absolutely love! Generic face scrubs sometimes are a tad too harsh whereas this one from Zeos For Men has Shea Butter in which means that if your face is a tad sensitive like mine then it won't feel like you've had three layers removed in one go and will feel like a normal light face polish! All the products in this range have the Vitamins within and are all Vegan which I absolutely adore! (£7.95.)

Shower Gel

Black sleek bottle with description of shower gel on front.

I've used this a couple of times now and it works like a treat! It removes odour and dirt so well that you feel as fresh as a new baby! I also think that this product refreshes and awakens yourself due to the smell and sort of cooling feeling it has. I love using this first thing in the morning! It's Vegan and it's great for the hair as well! (£4.95.)

Moisturiser

Black bottle with description of moisturiser on it.

I always love a good moisturiser! Moisturisers always help sort my skin out when I need a boost of moisture plus they're great for when the weather gets quite cold and you need something to keep your skin from getting dry. This product has Shea Butter in so it definitely keeps your face in perfect tip top shape and has good Vitamins in which means that you're always making your face great. I always have this in my bag for when I need it! (£8.95.)

Have you tried any of these? Let me know down below!

Thanks to Zeos For Men for sending me these wonderful products! I hope that you check them out as they are really worth buying and trying for yourself especially if you want skincare thats amazing yet simple. I hope that you have enjoyed this blog post. Let me know if you want more skincare orientated posts and I will see you next time for another post!

Thanks!
Jamie x

Period Is Not A Dirty Word

Hi!

I thought that I would do another post that people would think is TMI because well why not.

Every woman has a period at some point within their life but any and everytime that they mention it to people it is classed as a dirty word and I think that it is time to drop the mic and make sure that everyone knows that it is NOT a dirty word.

Periods are shunned from most mainstream media as people think that it is too explicit to talk about and I personally think that it is not that explicit. It's a natural thing and I think that it needs to be talked about way more. I think that every woman should be talking loudly and proudly about their period experiences. I think that people should be talking way more about things such as period cups, tampons, how to cope with having a period, period sex and every other thing that comes with having a period.

I know that they only happen to women to ensure that they're not having a baby and guys cope with this for a week and think that its a time where they should run away and hide when in fact they should be supportive and just expect the worse because guess what guys they can't help it when it happens but you can help them. I think that guys would benefit from talking to women within their life and asking every question under the sun about periods and asking what would help the women within their life the best when it comes to their shark week so they can make sure they have the things that make that week more bearable on hand.

Talk about your periods in the comments section below and hopefully we'll be able to help each other!

I hope that you have enjoyed this little rambly/ranty post about periods and that you're having a great day even if its shark week for yourself! I hope that you come back to read the next blog post!

Thanks!
Jamie x

What Happens When You're Lactose Intolerant

Hi!

I feel like the title 'Surviving With Lactose Intolerance' sums up what this blog post is going to be all about. I will warn you now that it might be a little 'TMI'-y so I would read this at your own will.

If you have been reading my blog/have been following me on social media for a while then you will know that I am lactose intolerance and being lactose intolerance does include some problems so I thought that it would be best for everyone to know what happens when you're lactose intolerant.

So lactose intolerance is mainly where the stomach can't digest lactose (the sugar found in dairy products) due to the stomach not having enough lactase (the enzyme which breaks down lactose into glucose and galactose which can be easily absorbed into bloodstream) therefore lactose stays in the stomach and ferments with bacteria which slowly turns lactose into gas and well gas comes out via flatulence.

The main problem with eating lactose when being lactose intolerance is well your stomach not digesting it which means stomach cramps that feel like someone is stabbing you from the inside which means that you end up wincing randomly in public. One of the other big problems within the stomach is well flatulence as the stomach is trying to digest it which doesn't happen which means that gas happens which means either constant or quite distinct smelling farts which are quite embarrassing if someone buys you a lactose dish when out together or anything of that sort.

There's also things that personally happen such as having major breakouts happening mainly near the chin area which means that you slowly look like something out of a war genre film which isn't pretty at all. There's feeling sick after eating a small amount of lactose which makes you instantly regretting wanting comfort food and many other things.

There is things such as lactose free things and cutting out lactose but the problems doing that are that lactose free products are kinda expensive for me personally and cutting out lactose and dairy all together doesn't go well when my hormones decide to make me want a massive bowl of Mac & Cheese and a big bar of chocolate and the fact that there is things such as milk powder in things that you wouldn't expect to have milk powder in.

(I know that I have said that lactose free things are expensive but I am tempted to fork out to get to a participating Sainsbury's to try the new lactose free Gary range!)

Do you know anyone who is lactose intolerant? Let me know down below!

I hope you have enjoyed my post all about what happens when you're lactose intolerant. I hope that you're having a great day and that you come back for the next post!

Thanks!
Jamie x