So, How Does That Foot Taste? Quite Good, Apparently!

Posted on May 15, 2014 by suzie81speaks

Replace Carli with Suzie and this is pretty accurate right about now…

The weather has improved dramatically here recently and what has seemed to be an endless, dreary winter appears to be finally coming to an end. Consequently, I decided to treat myself the other weekend and took myself shopping for some new clothes. I found a beautiful summery top that fitted perfectly – it was a nice pattern, flattering and made me look and feel pretty good.

The perfect opportunity to debut this new top presented itself yesterday when I woke up to glorious sunshine, and so I decided to take advantage of this and spend a little more time getting ready for work. As I don’t drive, I decided to order a taxi as The Bloke had left by the time I had finished. The driver was a man who I knew from previous journeys, but I haven’t seen him in a while. Smiling, I greeted him and asked him how he was, and we made polite conversation for the first five minutes. All of a sudden, he said:

“So, you look like you’ve got some good news? When is the baby due?”

I’m not pregnant.

I was unsurprisingly caught off guard by his question, and could only mumble in response that I had put on a bit of weight since I last saw him, but I wasn’t pregnant.

Most people would appear uncomfortable or embarrassed and would generally be attempting to pull their foot out of their mouths. Not this guy – he followed up his question by helpfully and tactfully giving me diet tips. All. The. Way. To. Work.

In the fifteen minutes it had taken for me to get to work I had gone from feeling good, confident and happy to repressing the desire to punch someone in the face. While I made a joke out of it when I was regaling my colleagues with the story I was secretly mortified – my self-confidence can be quite fragile and this wasn’t something that I particularly needed.

So, Mr Taxi Driver, I’ll take your advice, and eat it – after all, I’m apparently eating for two! And as a side note, I hope that your crotch becomes infested with the fleas of a thousand camels, and that your arms are too short to scratch.

What about you? Have you ever had your confidence knocked by insensitive and tactless questions?

You can also find me on Twitter and Tumblr @suzie81blog

I Could Murder a Cocktail Right About Now…

Posted on May 12, 2014 by suzie81speaks

I’ve been in work today, on a day which would usually be my day off, and I really want a drink. I don’t want to get ‘off my face crawl on the floor covered in my own vomit’ drunk, just what my mother refers to as ‘merry.’

I’m not a big drinker. I used to be – in my late teens and early twenties I used to push myself to the very limits in alcohol consumption, simply because I could. However, I’m what can generally be termed as a ‘lightweight’ – one snifter of it is enough to send me silly and start telling poor unsuspecting revellers how much I like their shirt – so my version of an alcohol limit is most likely to be a lot lower than that of others. Despite this, it still didn’t stop me from giving it my all. I started as a classic binge drinker – I wouldn’t have anything for several weeks and then I would consume several weeks worth in a single night. When I moved to university and away from home and any element of parental control I started to go out almost every night. I got into a routine – I would get up, go to my lectures, spend the evening working in the local pub and then would go out drinking until 3.00am. I’d get up the next day and repeat the cycle, sometimes for up to five days in a row.

Looking back, I don’t know how I, or my body coped with such a routine. These days, a lengthy night out for me ends at 1.00am and is inevitably followed by the world’s biggest hangover. My once tiny items of clothing, selected specifically for the purpose of posturing around a nightclub have been replaced with classier, more sensible ensembles, and my six inch heels have shrunk by six inches. Gone are the days where I would spend hours attempting to ignore the excruciating agony that my poor feet were in, or braving minus temperatures without a coat in an effort to show off my new dress. It’s now extremely rare that I go to a nightclub – I prefer to spend my time in quieter bars, where a can sit down, hear what my friends are actually saying and enjoy the music at a level that doesn’t make my eardrums bleed.

Sometimes, I feel old.

I haven’t been able to drink for the last couple of months because of my hospitalisation a few months ago, and I haven’t missed it, but tonight I have a real urge for a cocktail – a Raspberry Mojito or an Amaretto Sours would certainly hit the spot!

What about you? Do you get the urge for something stronger than a glass of wine?

You can also find me on Twitter and Tumblr @suzie81blog

Today Was Going To Be The Day… Or Maybe It Wasn’t

Posted on May 10, 2014 by suzie81speaks

Today was going to be the day that I got my life in order. I was going to get up, clean, tidy, organise, print, file, mark… I was going to go to bed with a sense of accomplishment, achievement, and satisfaction.

However, it’s now midnight and I find myself moulded perfectly into the sofa with The Bloke and the cats, feeling refreshed after a lovely bath and stuffing my face with party snacks as we have just finished watching Conchita Wurst – the ‘Bearded Lady’ from Austria – win the annual Eurovision Song Contest. There has been no housework, marking or filing done, the washing I had planned on doing is still in a pile and even though the house isn’t dirty I still wouldn’t be comfortable inviting any of my friends round in its present state!

I love Eurovision. I love the cheese, the lights, the… beards. It’s a veritable smorgasbord of the weird and wonderful from all over Europe and always good fun to watch. For example, tonight’s performance props have included a man in a hamster wheel, a woman on a trapeze, Polish girls using their boobs to gain votes, a circular piano and a see-saw. There have been blatant rip offs of already established artists and songs – Germany’s singer looked and sounded like Pink, Bruno Mars’s less talented doppelgänger made an appearance, and The Netherlands sang a slightly altered version of The Police’s ‘Every Breath You Take.’

Britain’s song came 17th. It wasn’t a bad song – we’ve done much worse in the last few years, but the political side of the the votes hasn’t worked in our favour since the Iraq war. Similarly, Russia, who usually do quite well, we’re booed throughout the voting process because of their current disagreements with their neighbouring countries. I felt quite sorry for Russia’s performers – they were only 17 years old and didn’t deserve it.

However, the ‘Queen of Europe’ tonight is Conchita Wurst, a drag performer who belted out a song that could easily have been used as a James Bond film theme. He/she absolutely deserved the title. Just to answer your questions.

1. Yes, he is a man.

2. Yes, that is a real beard.

3. No, it isn’t Kim Kardashian, or Cheryl Cole.

Today wasn’t completely unsuccessful however… I won £1 on the lottery. That will get me very little but it’s the principal of the thing…

You can also find me on Twitter and Tumblr @suzie81blog

When Life Knocks You Down…

Posted on May 5, 2014 by suzie81speaks

I follow several hundred blogs, and of those I would put most of them in the ‘Lifestyle’ category. Perhaps it’s because this is the same area that my own blog falls into, perhaps it’s because I enjoy seeing and hearing about the experiences of others, or perhaps it’s because I’m a little nosy, but I have spent the last thirteen months getting to know some of the blogging community a little better. I’ve met their families, travelled the world with them, listened to their favourite music, salivated at their favourite foods, jealously admired their art and/or craft capabilities and been inspired by things that they’ve had to say.

Unfortunately, and all too often, life is cruel and unjust, and recently I have found that my online friends are experiencing things that they don’t deserve – loss, grief, illness, financial troubles, worries – 2014 appears to be testing kind and good people to the limit to see how much a human being can take before they snap. Indeed, the last six months have been some of the toughest I have known in a long time.

Regardless of the individual troubles that a person faces, the message within the blogging world remains the same… You are not alone. I am beginning to lose track of the number of times I have witnessed acts of kindness to make the lives of others better, and the last few days have been no different.

Remember, we’re here. While life may try and kick you down, there are always those who will pick you up and dust you off. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Hard times will always reveal true friends, whether they are in person or not.

You can also find me on Twitter and Tumblr @suzie81blog

Retail Therapy

Posted on May 4, 2014 by suzie81speaks

I went shopping this morning. It was quite a novelty for me – I haven’t been able to buy anything for months because of the astronomical bills I’ve had from the vets, but after a bad night’s sleep I decided that a little retail therapy was in order. The plan was to buy a new pair of jeans. However, it was bright and sunny and four hours later I found that not only had I managed to buy two pairs of jeans, but I had also seemed to find several summer tops to go with them.

And why not!

I don’t usually spend much time shopping for clothes, even when I do have the money. I tend to dress like a teenage boy, usually wearing sweaters and jeans and I shop like a man – I shop alone (I can’t stand shopping with other people because I’ll inevitably end up sitting outside the changing rooms for half an hour waiting for whoever I’m with to try something on that they won’t buy), I know what I want, I go in, buy it and leave – but today I wandered around aimlessly, trying on lots of items and silently cursing the disgustingly fashionable girls who were effortlessly wearing outfits that I would look like a sack of potatoes in. I’ve managed to find a few things that I can’t currently afford but I will revisit in the summer, I enjoyed a nice breakfast, and I was able to take a little bit of time just for me.

It’s also the unofficial International Star Wars Day, so May the Fourth be with you! My best friend is at his Godson’s christening today. His Godson’s name is Lucas. It couldn’t be any more perfect – I have images of him saying “Lucas, I am your Godfather…” at some point during the day. Awesome.

Hope you’re enjoying the weekend! You can also find me on Twitter and Tumblr @suzie81blog and Facebook: facebook.com/suzie81speaks

Advice For Life

Posted on May 3, 2014 by suzie81speaks

Baz Lurhmann’s ‘Everybody’s Free To Wear Sunscreen’ is a musical version of “Advice, like youth, probably just wasted on the young” written by Mary Schmich and published in the Chicago Tribune as a column in 1997, but often erroneously attributed to a commencement speech by author Kurt Vonnegut. Both its subject and tone are similar to the 1927 poem “Desiderata”. (This source and it’s links are from Wikipedia).

The format of the song is simple – words of advice are spoken by actor Lee Perry over Luhrmann’s sampled, remixed version of the song “Everybody’s Free (To Feel Good)” by Rozalla. I remember the first time that I heard it – it was so effective and motivational, yet the advice that is given is basic common sense.

I thought I would take my inspiration from this format and create my own list of advice for life.

1. If you are lucky enough to have good parents, take the time to appreciate them.
2. Choices in life will always have consequences, whether they are good or bad.
3. Don’t eat garlic the night before a job interview.
4. Only tell others things that you wouldn’t mind the rest of the world knowing unless they have consistently proven that they are trustworthy.
5. Don’t let others be responsible for your own happiness.
6. Chances of winning the lottery are increased significantly by actually buying a ticket.
7. Remember that life isn’t fair – good things will happen to bad people.
8. Use deodorant.
9. Accept that you are allowed to fail.
10. Friendships and relationships should be based on mutual respect, trust and easy communication, not on monetary gain or status that can be made from it.

11.

12. Never be afraid to ask for help.
13. Sometimes, it’s important to mind your own business and keep your mouth shut.
14. Don’t take on the responsibility of owning an animal unless you are fully prepared and financially able to support it for the rest of it’s life. If possible, adopt from a shelter.
15. Deal with small problems quickly, before they become big ones.
16. Have manners. Use them.
17. Regardless of where you live, make it homely and a place where you feel safe and at peace.
18. Never apologise for or be ashamed of your interests and hobbies.
19. Avoid playing mind-games with others. Be honest, up-front and let people know where they stand.
20. Pursue your passions, even if there is no money to be gained from it.

21.

22. There is usually another option.
23. Look after your teeth and your feet.
24. Accept your body size and shape and dress appropriately.
25. Trust your instincts.
26. If you day that you are going to do something, do it and do it to the best of your ability.
27. Don’t proclaim your love to someone unless you absolutely mean it.
28. Try to forgive.
29. Know your alcohol limits. Stop drinking when you’ve reached them.
30. Don’t promise when you’re happy, don’t decide when you’re sad and don’t reply when you’re angry.

31.

32. Apologise when you’re in the wrong.
33. Understand that some may not always be willing to accept your apology.
34. Share.
35. Do a favour because you actually want to, not because you are expecting something in return.
36.Don’t lend money that you can’t afford to lose completely.
37. Smile as often as possible.
38. Give time some time.
39. When feeling overwhelmed by problems try to ask yourself: ‘Will these problems actually matter in a year’s time?’
40. What others think of you is none of your business.

41.

42. Shut down your computer, go outside and meet people.
43. If you need to delete messages and emails so that your partner won’t see them, you probably know that you shouldn’t be having that particular correspondence to begin with.
44. If somebody confides their secrets in you, keep them.
45. Never respond to other people’s rudeness – that is a representation of their character, not yours.
46. Turn up on time.
47. Don’t do something permanently stupid because you are temporarily upset.
48. Wash your hair regularly.
49. If you want to eat pizza, eat pizza. Just don’t eat pizza every day.

And finally…

50.

What about you? Do you have any that you can add to this?

You can also find me on Twitter and Tumblr @suzie81blog, and on Facebook facebook.com/suzie81speaks

14 Silly Ways To Get Over a Bad Day

Posted on April 25, 2014 by suzie81speaks

Having a bad day? It happens to everyone, but it’s important to remember that it won’t last forever. However, as I’ve had a run of bad days recently – it’s been a very emotional time – I decided to be silly and provide you with a list of 14 ways to cheer yourself up…

1. Imagine doing this to the person who has upset you. If she can do it, we all can. (senorgif.com)

2. Have a good cry (gifs8.com)

3. Take a leisurely walk to calm your nerves (icanhasgifs.com)

4. Help yourself to something nice to eat. (ohmagif.com)

5. Work out. (Gifsoup.com)

6. Have a nice long bath (senorgif)

7. Smile! Think about all the things you should be grateful for! (muver54.tumblr.com)

8. Look! This chocolate bar actually exists... (Mirror.co.uk)

9. As does this mojito… (facebook)

10. And remember, your day isn’t as bad as this person’s: (gifbin.com)

11. Or this persons… (icanhasgif.com)

12. And if all else fails, there is always Star Trek Meets Monty Python: Knights of the Round Table…

Uploaded by Starship Conductor

13. And Bad Lip Syncing to Game of Thrones

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WDxJ2T21PsE

Uploaded by Lip Readings

14. And finally, if this doesn’t make you smile, nothing will…

Uploaded and created by Benjamin J. Ames

What about you? What do you do to cheer yourself up after a bad day?

You can also find me on Twitter and tumblr @suzie81blog

Don’t forget to ‘like’ my Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/Suzie81Speaks

Stephen Sutton: Lemonade and £1,000,000

Posted on April 24, 2014 by suzie81speaks

I wrote this post a few weeks ago, when Stephen became extremely ill…

The last few days have been tough. If I am being honest, 2014 has been tough. I’ve been handed lemon after lemon. However, when life has handed me those lemons, instead of making lemonade, I have got into a rather self-destructive rut of letting the lemons rot on the sideboard whilst blogging about my hatred of them.

Yesterday, I was attempting to distract myself from thinking about the loss of my little friend by trawling about on the internet, hoping to be inspired. I didn’t have to look very far. What I found wasn’t just inspirational, it jumped out of the screen and smacked me in the face.

Stephen Sutton is a 19 year old from the UK, who is dying from terminal cancer. As I write, he is in hospital and still fighting.

When Stephen was diagnosed he created a bucket list and started to blog about his life and his adventures on Facebook, including crowd surfing, sky diving, hugging random members of the public, hugging an animal bigger than himself, having his face cast… Over a short space of time he gained a large following and set up a ‘Just Giving’ charity donation page for the Teenage Cancer Trust, in the hope of raising £10,000, spending the last few months of his life fund-raising. He reached his target, and on Tuesday the total stood at £579,000.

Stephen posted a final message on his Facebook page on Tuesday.

It’s a final thumbs up from me! I’ve done well to blag things as well as I have up till now, but unfortunately I think this is just one hurdle too far.

It’s a shame the end has come so suddenly- there’s so many people I haven’t got round to properly thank or say goodbye too. Apologies for that.

There was also so many exciting projects and things I didn’t get to see out. Hopefully some will continue and if you want to carry on the fundraising please do (justgiving.com/stephen-sutton-TCT is the link to donate to).

All future updates on this page will probably be from a family member. I hopefully may have the energy to write a few tweets (@_StephensStory). I will continue fighting for as long as I can, and whatever happens next I want you all to know I am currently in a good place mentally and at ease with the situation.

That’s it from me. But life has been good. Very good.

Thank you to my mum and the rest of my family for everything. Thank you to my friends for being amazing. Thank you to my medical team for the hard work and effort they’ve continually they’ve put towards me. And thank you everyone else for sharing this wonderful journey with me.

I love you all x

Stephen had a final wish – that his charity page could reach £1,000,000. And the world listened and responded. As I write, the total stands at £1,612,000. Donations have flooded in from all over the world and thousand of pounds are being donated every minute. Comedian Jason Manford, who has supported Stephen throughout and who has spent the last few days tirelessly promoting the campaign on national and international media tweeted “He bloody did it.” Stephen’s response on Twitter was amazing:

“Wow. Just wow. Thank you all so much.”

Jason Manford has continued the fundraising, starting a #thumbsupforStephen, which has spurred the campaign on even further.

And as an aside (which made me cry), on his bucket list at No.40 is

‘Get Tim Minchin’ to write a song for me.

Tim did just that, and emailed it across to his brother yesterday. I hope he liked it.

Stephen was handed lemons, a whole bag of them. And with them, he didn’t just make a bit of lemonade, he created gallons of it that he shared with millions of people around the world.

And if that doesn’t motivate you to get up and do something with your life, nothing will.

My love to you Stephen, you’re an inspiration to us all. Safe journey.

If you wish to donate to Stephen’s Just Giving page, simply click on this link

https://www.justgiving.com/Stephen-Sutton-TCT

You can also follow his story on Twitter @_StephensStory and see his achievements on his Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/StephensStory

Edit: Stephen passed away this morning, Wednesday 14th May. He has raised nearly £3,500,000. My love and thoughts go out to his friends and family. What an inspirational young man…

Great Expectations

Posted on April 21, 2014 by suzie81speaks

I dislike the idea of expectation. To expect something suggests a sense of entitlement and this can often lead to disappointment.

In the last thirteen years there have been only two things that have remained unchanged and constant in my life: my bank details, and my little cat. Everything else is different. My family, my friends, the place that I live are different. Indeed, I am different.

As I was growing up I had a simple, if somewhat naive plan. I was going to go to university, become a session musician, get rich, get married, buy a house, have children and live happily ever after. I did everything that was expected from me, in what could have been deemed to be a socially acceptable order. I didn’t make waves or cause problems. I was a good girl.

What I discovered is that even the best laid plans do not always come to fruition. At the age of 32 I find myself working as a music teacher. I live in the UK’s second biggest city with my long-term, long-suffering partner and our three cats in a rented property, and I’ve moved house six times in ten years. I have no savings (thanks to astronomical vets bills over the last year) and I’m not rich. My parents are divorced and I haven’t seen or spoken to my father in twelve years.

I realised that I wasn’t cut out to be a professional musician – the competition for performing roles was too high, and if I am being brutally honest I was devastated because I simply knew that the profession wasn’t the right one for me. My expectations of what my life was going to be were dashed, and I was left feeling disappointed and lost. However, hard work, a little bit of luck and being in the right place at the right time gained me a teaching role, and it was through this that I met my partner.

No, my life isn’t what I expected it to be. It’s far better.

I work in a profession that I enjoy, where I get good results and have a great relationship with the students. My mother is my closest friend and a constant source of support. I have fantastic friendships with genuine people and a relationship with a man who has supported me throughout it all. I am not financially rich, but I don’t want for anything. I’ve eaten good food, drank good cocktails and listened to fabulous bands in concert. I have been able to travel a little and see places and things that I could only have dreamed of when I was creating my life plan all those years ago. While the trials and tribulations have been tough, the journey has been exciting, I have worked hard and I love the idea of not knowing what is going to happen next.

I have few expectations from life, and make no apologies for this. Of course, I have dreams and little goals that I set myself, but I can only expect from life what I am willing to put into it. Always hope, always work hard, but never expect.

http://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_writing_challenge/great-expectations/

Weekly Word Challenge: Happy

Posted on April 21, 2014 by suzie81speaks

I have been wanting to create a community challenge for Suzie81 Speaks for some time now – I have gained a following of wonderfully talented and creative people decided that the best way to do this would be through a weekly word challenge – I will post a new word every week on Sunday at 7.00pm – with today being slightly different as it is the first challenge.

Happiness. There are a million posts published every day that focus on the idea of being happy – what makes us happy, how to achieve it, why we need to be happy in our lives…

For the first ever weekly word challenge the theme for this week is ‘happy.’ How you respond to the word is entirely up to you – here are some suggestions.

1. Create a list of things that make you happy.

2. Recall the happiest events of your life to date.

3. Create a poem that reflects on the word.

4. Share photographs of things that have made you happy recently.

5. Write a ‘how to’ guide on how to be happy.

6. Create a short story.

Once you have finished your post, include the link back to this page so others can see it or post it in the comments section. If you wish to place this badge on your blog or on the page, feel free! The challenge will remain open all week and anybody can participate whether they follow Suzie81 Speaks or not! Each Saturday I will reblog some of my favourites… It will be a brilliant opportunity for you to gain more traffic and followers!

Enjoy! Share with your friends! I’m looking forward to seeing what you create!

You can also find me on Twitter and Tumblr @suzie81blog and don’t forget to ‘like’ my Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/Suzie81speaks