Last Christmas...

Now I'm not talking about the popular Wham! Christmas song, but the fact that this could potentially be my last Christmas ever. I'm not going against the idea of Christmas, I haven't lost my spirit, and I'm not moving to another planet that doesn't celebrate it, I just fear that with the number of social occasions throughout December in which i 'have' to drink alcohol I may not last the month.

This week has been a particular struggle. After a few drinks on Sunday turned into a messy 3am finish, this resulted in sleeping through my alarm and being late on a Monday. Not a great start to the week... After recovering that Tuesday was then our international Christmas party. Masquerade ball themed we all dressed up and donned our masks and a fun time was had. I even won a small bottle of champers for being best dressed male. Score. However this also turned into a 3am soho finish and a sore head the following morning. Another day of recovery and we reach Thursday, the big Arcadia Christmas party. This time a Wild West theme, so on with the cowboy outfit and resuming the alcohol consumption. Guess what time this one finished? Yep, 3am or maybe a little later, who's counting? Needless to say Friday at work was horrendous, by this point I am on the edge, clinging onto life by the fingertips. And now we reach Saturday, once again I've more or less recovered but I'm off out for Ruth's birthday drinks. I had decided that no alcohol would be drunk, however Alice already has a bottle of Prosecco waiting for me at hers....

I guess I could do that whole 'go out but don't drink' thing I've heard apparently happens with some people but that's just not my style. Who would people laugh at when I do ridiculous drunken things and look like death the next day in the office? And I certainly don't want to be partly responsible for bars going out of business. There's an economic crisis going on and I'm determined to do my bit to help the spending.

So if this is my last post then I guess I didn't make it. Alcohol won and I'm lying in a gin fuelled coma somewhere. Hopefully I will be posting again in the new year. Hopefully. Watch this space.

That is all.

Tell someone who cares.

I'm known from time to time to have a little public moan. Not just randomly in the middle of the street or while I'm shopping for bread at Sainsbury's, but on one of the many social media sites that are taking over everyone's life. "Work was sooooo long today". "Pedestrians in London are sooooo annoying". "I can't stand all this rain". And numerous other random and quite frankly a bit boring tweets and Facebook statuses. Generally I'll (attempt to) add some kind of humorous spin on them because I'm cool or something, but however much you tart it up it's still moaning all the same. This moaning is not the problem, but when it gets a bit more personal, I start to have issues.

Basically some people seem to have misunderstood the boundaries of sharing. It's almost like that moment when someone oversteps that personal space line, it's awkward, uncomfortable, and just not needed. "Who does he think he is? Well he's nothing, and I'm so much happier without him". Not an exact quote, but an example of some of the drivel you find on Facebook. Usually the 'him' will be a friend on Facebook and so able to read it, but this is intentional so that the author of the statement can have a good old bitch about the person knowing they can see, knowing that they are having some sort of point made towards them. It's ever so subtle and smooth. Ha. And for the rest of us looking in? Well no one really cares do they? No one wants other people's personal problems shoved in their face, especially when the majority of people on social media sites are simply acquaintances from decades ago, or some random types you met once whilst severely intoxicated in a bar somewhere.

It gets worse however. Petty arguments and relationship quarrels aside, I once had a joyous Facebook status pop up that simply read "Labour is going well, currently 6cm dilated!". I kid you not. I guess the only saving grace is that it wasn't accompanied by an instagram photo of the subject. Where does it go from here? Detailed descriptions of their latest bowel movements? Yum.

Come on people, yeah it's good to share, it's fun to read some of the hilarious things people do, the random nonsense that's in some people's heads, the online equivalent of small talk. But don't go sharing your insignificant personal crap, because no one really cares.

That is all.

Friends. Family. Strangers.

How many people do you still know from your school days? Those very first friends you made back when you were just a tiny person. And even those friends you made along the journey of growing into a teenager, into a college/uni student, and then into adulthood. How many lovers, partners, or old work colleagues are you still in touch with? Hell, even family members, especially those more distant ones that you only ever see at weddings or funerals.

People are constantly entering and exiting your life. Now I've got a handful of people that I feel will remain in my life forever. My best friend from college. My best friend from uni. My best friends from Topshop. My best friend in London. Aside from those few people everyone else will come and go. Some silently, due to a job change, a relocation, a simple drifting apart. Some with a bang after something (usually overly) dramatic. In the next 5 years I may no longer know a lot of the people in my life. In 10 years even more so. And in 40 years? Who knows.

We are changing all the time, evolving, learning more about ourselves, picking up new traits and hobbies, getting rid of others. We lose connections with people, and while getting to know someone more and more can lead to getting closer with that person, sometimes knowing a person even better only makes you realise you have very little in common at all. And although every person that comes into your life makes some sort of impact on you, however strong, it is only those really important people that really leave a mark. It's those who you have to hang on to.

I'm not really sure what the overall moral of this was. I guess I'm saying that people come, people go, but what's important is that you enjoy your time with whoever is in your life right now, because tomorrow they just might not be there.

That it all.

Let's get physical...

Fads. I'm well known for them, and also known for my incredibly fickle nature where I become obsessed with something, commit to it taking over my whole life until I get bored or simply forget about it and move onto the next 'big thing' that I happen to stumble upon. Some examples? Taking AS level law in college because Ally Mcbeal and Legally Blonde made the law look so much fun and then dropping it after the first year when I realised it wasn't the slightest bit fun. Joining the gymnastics group at uni until I realised the sessions clashed with my favourite student drinking night. Wanting to become an Olympian during the height of London 2012 mania. And more recently deciding I want to move to New York after my visit over there. I'm surprised I've even managed to continue writing this blog after a year and a half, I would have thought I'd have long ago got bored of it. Well, I'm about to change everything and actually go through with and then stick with a fad. No, really. And the fad in question? I'm going to become an Olympian.

OK, so maybe that's being a bit optimistic and a bit of a long shot, but the unexpected desire to get into sport is still with me, despite the Olympics, and Paralympics ending some weeks ago. And furthermore I've finally done some research online and have found some organisations that I'm going to get in touch with to me kick started into my new sporting lifestyle. First up is volleyball and I've found a club that has teams of various levels including the complete beginners that are pretty much clueless. That's where I'll be starting. I'm sure in no time I'll be working my way up into the more skilled teams of course, however I'm happy to start with the basics and see where it takes me. And who knows in 4 years time you could be seeing me volleyballing my way to Olympic gold victory in Rio 2016. Either that or volleyball will be a distant memory and I'll be learning how to be a stuntman, breaking into political science, deep sea diving, or some other fad that I've discovered after watching a film or TV show. I have faith though, and I'm sure in updates in the future I'll be explaining how well I'm doing in my volleyball team, or still going to the team socials at least...

That is all.

True love? Just found it, thanks.

Wow it's been a long time since I last wrote anything, well, I've been busy ain't I? But I'll get to all that later, once I've addressed the most important thing right: I've found true love.

People say you can wait for years and years to find it, others say you'll never find it, some even say it doesn't even exist. But I've gone and done it, against all odds and quite unexpectedly, I've found my one true love: New York.

OK, sure it's not a person, and technically it can't love me back, but now I've made it to the city that never sleeps I'm a changed person, I've fallen in love big style and I want to spend the rest of my time together with my new found love. Since moving to London I knew straight away I am definite a city dweller, craving the hustle and bustle of city life, the drama, the big lights, the out-all-night crazy times and the grand scale of everything. Except now London doesn't seem so grand. Yes, I do still love the place, it has some amazing sights, places to go, and I love living here, but everything now feels so small, not dramatic enough, not enough lights.

New York to me is the ultimate city, a vast city filled with amazing buildings that touch the sky, an atmosphere buzzing like nowhere else, some of the most impressive sights, fantastic shopping, a million exciting places to eat and drink, and places and people so diverse and full of life. It's like every other big city out there, only much bigger, and much better. Much, much, better.

OK, so enough swooning over New York, the reason I finally made it to the city was for myself and La Pats 10 year friendship anniversary, and after years of saying we'll go to New York but never doing it, we decided to just go full speed ahead and do it. Possibly the best decision ever made. We were there for just 5 days and crammed so much in, although we barely scratched the surface. Wandering down the busy Manhattan streets taking in the everyday life whooshing past us, chilling in central park on the lake, drinking vodka on the roof of a 21 floor building with the Empire State Building overlooking us, seeing the sights so familiar in many TV programmes and films. It was amazing from beginning to end. And literally EVERYTHING amazed us. A steaming manhole cover in the road? Riding the Subway? Asking for the 'check' rather than the bill? Hailing a New York yellow cab? Whatever it was we loved it, and soaked up every last moment of New York life. And the 700 odd photos I took were proof that I loved everything I saw. There's 200 or so on my facebook page should you want to check them out... OH MY GOD, how could I not mention? I finally went to Serendipity, 10 years I after seeing the film in the cinema, I made it to the little cafe/restaurant. A-M-A-Z-I-N-G.

So obviously now my latest obsession is to move over there and live the New York dream. I'm not sure yet how this will happen, although I have already looked at merchandising jobs over there to see what's about (Assistant Merchandiser at Saks on Fifth Ave anyone...?) although for now it's just a distance dream. For now.

So what else in my life? Well obviously last time I posted I was ridiculous obsessed with the Olympics. That didn't change until the very end. I watched more TV, and more sport, in those 2 weeks than I think I had done in my life. AND I GOT TICKETS TO VOLLEYBALL!! The obsessive click-click-clicking on the ticket website finally paid off. Get in. And now the Paralympics are in full flow and guess what? I GOT TICKETS TO THE ATHLETICS IN THE OLYMPIC STADIUM!! Double get in. Not only that but we were 3 rows from the front, right near where they start the 100m sprints, AND I was on TV behind one of the South African men as he prepared fro his race. Amazing night, and some amazing athletes. Truly inspirational. I've decided I want to be IN the Rio 2016 Olympics. I'm thinking rowing, swimming, volleyball and potentially some form of jumping and running. The training starts soon. Seriously, I'm looking into joining clubs and everything.

Anyway, can't spend all day typing random nonsense, I've got to put an action plan together to get a US green card, a job in Manhattan, and a cool New York apartment. Don't try and stop me, New York will be mine.

That is all.

Olympic Gold Mentalist

OK, so it was only a matter of time before the Olympics blog reared it's head, and here it is. With the buzz of the Olympics building over the last few years, and then the utter madness as the last couple of weeks were counting down to the opening ceremony, I wasn't exactly the strongest supporter of London 2012. Not that I was anti-Olympics in any way, just that it was getting a bit too much to take in.

So 9.00pm Friday 27th July came and the opening ceremony began, and with a glass of Pimms in hand me and Stewart watched the ceremony unfold in a slightly tipsy state. And what a freaking ceremony it was! Of course there's that potential 'I'm British' bias and whatnot, but it was a spectacular display, absolutely amazing story, stage, and atmosphere. The buzz in the bar we were in was brilliant, with everyone just enjoying the spirit of it all and having a good time. As the countries all came out in order I cheered for all my Topshop countries (Go Canada! Go Israel! Go Czech! Go Poland! Go Slovenia!) and then of course went mental for Team GB. I'm not sure I've ever felt so patriotic.

And so suddenly I'm an absolute Olympic convert. A complete mentalist who has been hooked to every single event no matter whether I know the event or not. Cycling, archery, women's beach volleyball, sailing, table tennis, boxing, dressage, swimming, diving, gymnastics, tennis, shooting. I don't even know the rules to most of them but I'm glued to the screen and getting very excited indeed. In fact just now I got quite emotional when the men's team gymnastics crept into silver place unexpectedly! (the Japanese appealed though and we went back down to bronze, still good, but I'm a bit anti-Japan right now...). I'm shouting at the TV, my arms are going in the air. THIS IS SPORT! WHAT IS HAPPENING TO ME?! and it's only day 3!!

I've literally planned my evenings around watching as many events as possible. I actually have a schedule. Tonight I started watching when I got home at 5.40. I'll watch until 9pm when I'll pop to the gym for a workout (now more than ever I want the body of an athlete...) and then back for more viewing when I get back. I should be able to cram another couple hours in between gym and bed. Literally obsessed. I now just need them to re-release some of those spare tickets so I can actually go and watch them. I would probably die.

Anyways, writing this is clearly getting in the way of my Olympic viewing. Go watch and support Team GB everyone. Feeling so very proud right now.

That is all.

What's love got to do with it?

An advert has just been on TV for one of those websites that promises you'll find your 'match made in heaven' or whatnot, with some lost soul wanting to find love again as she doesn't want to be the only singleton at dinner parties full of couples. My first thought at this was that this woman is clearly a moron and if I knew her I wouldn't even invite her to dinner parties so she'd have nothing to worry about. But then it got me into thinking mode about the big old search for true love that everyone seems so obsessed with. I just don't get it. Is this what life is really all about?

No-one really knows why we're on this planet, what the meaning of life is, blah blah blah, but is finding the love the closest thing we have to a purpose? And if so why am I not really bothered about it? It's not like I'm scared of commitment, I don't want to be free and single so I can go sleeping around with anyone and everyone, and I'm not a career obsessed loon with my job being my whole life, so why haven't I got the desire to find true love? The man of my dreams? My soulmate? And so on.

Maybe I'm just being the gloomy face of life and love. Maybe after 8 years or so of long-term relationships I'm just being sceptical about them, expecting perfection and not seeing past the flaws and things that can make relationships hard work and therefore not worth the effort. Maybe I'm no longer prepared to settle for anything that isn't just spot on. Maybe I'm just a weirdo. Yes, I like to check out hotties wherever I go (especially at the gym), yes, I love a bit of attention from a cute guy who can make me laugh, but if I was to think of it any further down the line I just, well, I just don't see it further down the line, it just wouldn't work. Why? It just wouldn't, I know it wouldn't, and I wouldn't want it to. Maybe I have some kind of self-destructive cycle thing going on. Too many maybes.

In the time it's taken me to write this that advert has just come on again. "It would be really nice to fall in love again" she says. Nice. Nice? Having a bath is nice. Going for a glass of wine is nice. Is that what finding love is? Nice? Just something on this week's to do list? Buy food; do laundry; fall in love. Is finding love just really about going through the motions? I just don't really don't get it at all.

I do know, however, that they NEED to stop having so many adverts about dating websites everywhere.

That is all.

Go on, entertain me.

OK, so my post holiday blues may have long gone, but the weather is still ridiculous, I'm still as poor as ever, and I still feel like I need something a little extra in my life. A distraction, that's what I need. No, lots of distractions, that's the answer, lots and lots of things to do. I may have said in the past that distractions are just things we use to get away from ourselves, but I think that's just what I need right now.

So, where to start? Well New York is all booked for the end of August (44 days and counting...) so that's my next big thing to look forward to, but what about in the mean time? I've decided I'm back to square one in the 'I neither need nor want a man in my life' plan so a man-shaped distraction is off the cards. I do need a money making project of some sort but so far all I've managed to do is apply for Deal or No Deal (I have actually applied, the show is my secret guilty pleasure so I hope I hear back from them!! Love you Noel! DEAL!!!). Anyway that isn't really a sound-proof money making plan. Also, since the completion of my Beano chair and table, I've no crafty type project either.

Basically I need someone to tell me what to do, or to entertain me. I need a life PA. I mean I could make a list of things to do myself (I do love a good list...) and structure some sort of distraction plan, but obviously that isn't happening. I really want to do lots and lots of different things, but I'm just too lazy to sort it all out. It's a very difficult situation to be in, it's not easy being me.

Fine, I'm being too lazy. I'll make the list and start doing stuff. Watch this space, my next exciting blog could be about me doing something truly amazing. Prepare yourself...

That is all.

Oh, just piss off rain.

This really has to stop. Right now. The rain I mean. It's June, it's summer time and I think everyday for the last week it has rained at some point. Rubbish. It doesn't help that I went to Portugal for a week 2 weeks back, lots of sun, sand, siestas and splashing around in the sea, it was just so good. Perhaps too good, I got quite accustomed to the lazy beach life in the short time we were there (routine: breakfast, beach, lunch, siesta, beach, dinner, drinks, bed. Repeat for a week), and I've had the MAJOR post holiday blues ever since I've been back. Just can't shift it. Well this rain isn't helping that. And to top it off it's a freaking 5 week month so I don't get paid for another 3 weeks, so it's rainy, I have no money to get out and do stuff, and I'm bored. And moany, obviously, I'm sick of hearing myself!

On a more positive note it means I can use these 3 weeks to catch up with everything in my life I need to catch up with: sorting out my room, my laptop, my clothes, my finances, actually writing this blog more, and catching up on tv shows I'm behind on etc. How fun. June is going to be a hoot of a month.

That is all.

Just another manic May...

Ok, so I've not written anything in about a month, and while I was thinking about this earlier I realised that May has pretty much been one massive blur so far. The truth of the matter is that this is pretty much the situation every May, I get a couple of good days at the beginning of the month, then my birthday arrives and it's pretty much downhill from there.

In typical style I got ridiculously drunk on my birthday night out, I drank far too many drinks, I mixed it up between cider, wine, vodka and a whole load of shots, and I hadn't had any kind of dinner or food before going out. Eating's cheating and all that. Then despite spending the rest of the bank holiday weekend sleeping, eating junk food, and generally doing very little my hangover more or less lasted for the following week. Joy. I had already set myself up for a very blurry month.

May is also the time that a lot of our international partners at work come to visit to plan for the season ahead. So planning packs and presentations need to be made, 3 hour meetings occur, we show them round stores, and of course we have to go for the odd drink here and there to network/entertain/socialise with them (such a good excuse to drink, it's perfectly acceptable if it's for your career...). And on top of all that I've been promoted to Assistant Merchandiser (BIG WHOOP!) for 4 months and so have been getting to grips with taking on the extra responsibilities involved with that, whilst still doing my old job while I'm in the transition period. It's very exciting and I'm loving it (despite the odd panic moment here and there...), but it's still all a bit mental and I've not really noticed the last two weeks fly by.

So I've got one more week of the transition where I'll be handing over my old markets so it's likely to be another mental week ahead, but the lovely, bright shining light at the end of the tunnel is that once I've made it to the end of the week I'm flying off to Portugal to say goodbye to the UK and goodbye to May. When I get back it will be June and all normality can resume.

Moral of the story? I'm taking the whole of May off work next year and running away to a remote island to sunbathe and eat crisps.

That is all.

The revised rules of being Adam.

I feel it's another one of those life intervention moments. To avoid the impending destruction of my life and possible untimely death I have decided I should follow, or at least consider the following rules:

You are not actually 21
As much as I would like to believe that I can still pass as a 21 year old, I am not and therefore should stop trying to act/look/party like a 21 year old. I simply can't handle it or keep up with it anymore. Also, there is that incredibly fine line of being cool and some random loser trying to be cool. I should probably leave being 21 to the 21 year olds.

Alcoholism is not a way of life
Alcohol is not part of a staple diet. Alcohol is not my friend. Drinking alcohol on 6 out of 7 weeknights is not clever, funny, or healthy in any way. I probably should have taken notice of the 3 day hangovers as a sign that I really can't handle the amount of alcohol I am consuming these days, but instead I power through and continually hope that my liver hasn't disintegrated completely just yet. Also to note that a happy hour alone isn't a good enough reason to drink ridiculous levels of cocktails, if there isn't any real reason to go drinking, then don't. Alcohol also makes you fat, and I'm just not ready to board the train for Fat Town right now.

You are not rich
The last time I checked I wasn't rich. I'm not currently earning £150,000 a year, I haven't had a win on the Euromillions, and I'm not secretly a love child of a member of the Royal family who is going to pay me vast sums of money to keep my identity quiet. Also, money isn't actually going out of fashion, so there is really no need to spend it as quickly as possible as if I've got to get it all used before it's no longer valid. Yes, shopping makes me happy. Yes, going out makes me happy. This is no reason however to try and live a champagne lifestyle when my budget only allows for tap water.


So, plan of action is as follows: Start budgeting properly, checking bank balances regularly to ensure spending is under control. Avoid alcohol until there is a reason to drink it, my birthday is in a few weeks and there is no reason to go crazy before then. Replace spending and drinking with the gym (which is just money going down the drain at the moment) and get uber fit and healthy and feel fantastic about myself. Get some early nights and go to work with a clear head and looking all fresh rather than looking like I've just risen from the dead.

Alternatively I could follow another rule: Life is too short. Keep drinking, partying, spending, and being generally ridiculous, and worry about the consequences later...

That is all.

Double You, Tee, Eff??

Oh my dayz. WTF happened to the last week?? It's been like a blur of epic proportions. And I now feel like I'm on the edge of death due to over-drinking, over-excitement, under-sleeping, and the general bad handling of my life. Time-out Tuesday with the lovely Sophia was where I think it all started to fall apart. A good catch up, some nibbles and cocktails served in camping mugs was just what I needed to get through the week, unfortunately this then continued with far too many ciders the following evening with the Doyletron, and a very, very messy Thursday. It all started normally with some works drinks with the gang from work, but within the hour I'd already consumed too much wine and was on the train to Crazy Town. A little later headed into soho for some hilarious Admiral Duncan fun with Craig and Stewart, and to be honest after that it all gets a little blurry. I remember lots of Jagerbombs, I remember playing pool badly with Craig in a dodgy old man gay bar, I remember going to meet Pete (a fellow Arcadian of the BHS variety) and his friends for more drinking and dancing, running around Oxford Street looking for food, and waking up dazed and confused in South London the following morning.

So Friday morning began with the tube of shame trek back home feeling a little worse for wear and stinking of alcohol. A woman sitting next to me on the tube literally got up and moved an extra seat down from me. Rude. Obviously I got straight back into bed once I got home and pretty much stayed there. But what's worse than an ultimate hangover? Having to get up the next day at 5am knowing you'll still have the ultimate hangover. La Pats was having her birthday celebrations in Alton Towers on Saturday, all very well except getting up at 5am to be in time for a 3-4 hour journey there does not make me a happy person. Luckily the day was amazing and we had so many laughs my stomach won't need a workout for a week or so. We hardly queued for anything, the rain stayed away pretty much all day, and La Pats even won a penguin toy. It was on a 'prize everytime' game, but that's really not the point. Another 3-4 journey home made Adam the sleepiest person in the land so naturally I have stayed in bed all day today. And quite rightly so. It's fine, I'll get up tomorrow.

That is all.

Photos from my sick bed.

Today I'm off sick from work. I hate it. I hate being ill, I'm bored, and I'm worried what might happen to Raymond (my new found raccoon friend) while I'm not at work. So while I sit here in bed, swamped in illness and self-pity, I decided I would produce my first blog photo exhibition using my new camera and one of it's cartoon-y special effects settings. It's a 4 piece exhibition that is titled 'Photos from my sick bed'. Enjoy.

That is all.

Your life belongs to me now.

Where are you going in life? What do you want to get from life? Why are you living the way you are currently living? This is what we have been asking ourselves in my office this week. Not for actual work purposes of course, but as part of our random chitter-chatter we have going on throughout the day. One of my colleagues had a consultation with a life coach, someone who assesses your life, makes you break down your life into different sections, helps you work out what your goals are in life and then help you focus on achieving the said goals. We're all a little bit fascinated by it all and have started looking a little closer at ourselves and our lives.

So, after these recent conversations regarding life coaches I have now become my friend Vikki's personal life coach. From our discussions she's discovered that she lacks a little willpower, isn't quite sure what her goals are in life, and can't get motivated to achieve any goal that she does have. She is in need of my life coaching and is now my project. Her life is now mine. Which is great as I needed a project in my life after my recent commitment to not dating ever again (12 days and counting) which has left a little void that needs filling. I'm going to get her motivated, determined, and help her the body she wants in time for her holiday to Ibiza in August. I'm not entirely sure that a real and qualified life coach would phrase it as 'her life is now mine', but Vikki's not paying me for my services so she can't expect exactly the same treatment as she'd get from a professional service. Anyway, her goal is now my goal, because her failing will also be my failing, so she had better be ready to put the effort in otherwise I'm going to have to beat her with a stick.

That is all.

One year in...

So it's been a year since the start of my blog. 2000 views isn't bad I don't think, and I've managed to knock out 29 posts ranging from utter nonsense and pointless, to a little bit deeper, and all that's in between. I think the biggest surprise is that I've managed to maintain it all. Usually these things are a bit of a fad for me and it takes very little time for me to get bored and moved on. I'm glad I've stuck with it though, it's nice to look back and see what was going on in my head, however random it may have been. It's a little weird that I'm using the anniversary of a blog to reflect on my last year rather than New Years, but you know, it's nice to mix things up a little bit.

I'm not sure if I can say the past year has been that eventful, I mean a lot of stuff has happened, both good and bad, but not really any of that life-changing stuff. For the want of a better word it's been a 'nice' year. I've had some amazing laughs and good memories, I feel like I've grown a bit as a person (yes, that does sound like cliched nonsense...), I've started to get my finances in order, my career is going well, and I think I'm in a good stage of my life. Who knows what the next year will have in store for me. I've got a good feeling that this year I'm going to fulfil a lot of the things I've been wanting to fulfil, and I've recently decided that there is no man that truly deserves me and therefore I will never date or have another relationship again. Let's see how that's worked out a year from now...

That is all.

Kissing, Katrantzou, and Kanye.

OK, first of all I should point out that none of the 3 subjects in the title are connected. I have not been kissing Mary Katrantzou or Kanye West, and I'm pretty sure the two of them haven't been kissing either. Anyway, last Sunday I told my love/enemy Wine that we were over for good and I was moving on, and I was so very sure I would be sticking to it. Unfortunately 4 days later whilst out on a 1 year friendship anniversary with the Stewster, I accidentally drank a whole bottle of rose. And when I say accidentally I do of course mean I knew full well what I was getting myself into. Very quickly I started to remember the reason for my giving it up as once under it's influence I accidentally kissed a random French man. The same rules apply to the 'accidently' in this scenario. In all honesty it was a harmless act as part of my wing man role (Stewart liked the French guys friend) and it's not like I'll ever see him again as he's going back to France today. No damage done, let's just forget it and move on shall we?

Onto today, and what a random and slightly crazy day it was. First up we had the launch of the fantastic Mary Katrantzou capsule collection for Topshop, which had every girl in the office frantic and hyperactive as they dashed off to Oxford Circus to grab some of these limited pieces. And the collection was simply amazing, with some of the most fantastic prints I've seen. It was one of those (very, very incredibly) rare occasions when I wish I could wear women's clothes, and seeing all the Topshop ladies with all their fancy new items made me jealous and wanting to buy myself new things too. The lovely Alice picked up the amazing print leggings which you can see to the left, and I know she is going to rock them next week. Can't wait!

So then, onto the afternoon and it was Kanye West fever at Topshop HQ. Why? Oh, just because he decided to come and make a little appearance and send the whole office into hysteria. And who was it that escorted him from one side of the building to our brand director's office? Yep, it was me, However I wish the full story was as cool as this sounds. I was minding my own business sitting at my desk slightly zoned out, partly due to the wine hangover, partly as I'd not long eaten and feeling a little sluggish, and partly because I was actually rather busy (it does happen sometimes). A random woman and two guys come up to our team and ask to be shown to the brand director's office. I reply "yeah sure, why don't I take you there", having not given the two guys even a fleeting glance, and off I stroll, cool as an iced cucumber and completely oblivious to the fact that Kanye West and Sir Philip Greens son are trailing behind. On the buying floor the girls were all flustered and practically sweating with excitement, which I did think was odd but I had people to deliver, no time for messing around. Once my entourage were safely in the office I asked a colleague what was going on and she told me Kanye West was here to which I replied something to the effect of: "Oohh that's exciting! Where is he?!". After a pause and a confused look she informed me that he had just been behind me, time slowed down for a second and the penny dropped. Bugger. Anyway, I loitered around the buying floor for a while until he came back out and so did get a proper look at him, so it wasn't a complete disaster, but hilarious nonetheless. And once again poor Vikki missed out on a celebrity spot! One day Vikki, one day!! So, just another day in the office then...

That is all.

I'm sorry Wine, but we're over.

Hello Wine, we need to have a little talk. I'm sorry, but I just don't think we can be together anymore. I don't want to sound too cliché but it's not you, it's me. I know you don't mean me any harm, you want me to enjoy every glass and although to you it may seem innocent, my body just can't handle it anymore, I'm not as young as I used to be. Maybe if your cousin Hangover didn't always come around trying to interfere and cause trouble between us then things could be different. I know you'll continue to tempt me and flaunt 'half price' offers in my face in a bid to win me back, but it won't work, I must be strong, we're over.

Oh, and before you ask, those rumours of me being seen hanging around with your friend Vodka are completely ridiculous and untrue. Well, until you have proof anyway...

That is all.

1 down, 19 to go...

Just a quick one this, just to mention that I have ticked off my first item from my 2012 'things to do' list:

8. Get promoted at least once.

That's right, I am now a 'Senior' Merchandise Admin Assistant for Topshop international, rather than just a regular one. Hoo to the rah! Muchly happy today I am! And this also means I will now have more money to spend on wine/cocktails/clothes/things I don't really need, which is always a bonus!

As for the other 19 items, well, some of them are going OK, I'm gyming lots, but I want to actually keep that up a bit longer before I say I've succeeded, and cutting down on crisps and alcohol has mainly been due to the fact it's January and I have very little money until payday, so we'll just see how February goes for those ones...

That is all.

Enough is never enough.

I went to see Cirque du Soleil: Totem at the Royal Albert Hall tonight with with my friend Stewart. The show is a mix of circus arts, acrobatics and street entertainment, with the theme of Totem being set around evolution. Well, something to do with evolution, although we were both unsure as the actual 'story' or meaning of it all. Nevertheless it was an enjoyable show, the 2 and a half hours whizzed by, it had a very attractive and muscly gymnast guy to look at, a really cool and pretty stage set-up and lighting, and some really impressive performances.

However; despite these impressive performances both myself and Stewart left with the feeling that we hadn't had all our expectations met. And just to be clear this is in no way due to poor or boring performances (with the exception of one act involving somersaults building up a massive amount of tension, only for the gymnast to perform the tiniest of flips and then expecting a standing ovation), as each act was executed brilliantly, the performers were all incredible, captivating the audience and leaving us all wanting more. And herein lies the problem. We always want that little bit more. We're never quite 'wowed' by things as we always think there could be something better/bigger/faster/more shiny to come along that will impress us more. Enough is just never enough.

Films and television probably have their part to play in this factor, with special effects making the impossible possible, superheroes doing all sorts of unimaginable stunts, and explosions and epic battles filling the screens, the real world seems somewhat dull in comparison. Perhaps if one the acrobats in Totem actually flew across the stage before heroically saving the audience from an explosion we might have felt a standing ovation necessary. Maybe next time.

Well anyway, the show was brilliant, and whether it had the wow-factor or not I wouldn't be able to do a single thing they did on that stage, and if I was to try I would undoubtedly kill myself in the process. So surely that's got to mean something right?

That is all.

Out with the old...

...and in with the new. Yep that's right, I decided that as it's a shiny new 2012 shaped year (happy new year by the way) I will get rid of everything I own, throw it all out and start from scratch with lots of lovely new things. Well, that was until I remembered that I only have about £2.43 to my name and can't actually afford to buy anything. So rather it's out with old, then bring it all back in again. Think of it as a life refurbishment, rather than a life reinvention.

So where to start? Well they say that a cluttered home equals a cluttered mind so my first task is to clear out all the junk I don't need that is cluttering up my life, especially in the big cupboard in my room that resembles the cupboard that Monica has in Friends. It started out as a lovely space used to store my toiletries, books, Blu-rays, etc. and was all organised in the most lovely of ways. However, before long it became a dumping ground for anything I didn't know what to do with or things I wanted to hide from view. It now contains empty boxes, gift bags, glasses, computer cables, random bits of stationary, bills that are yet to be filed away, wrapping paper, old diaries, an apron, drinks bottles, old Christmas/birthday cards, shopping bags, soft toys, some robot money counting thing, washing liquid, and an assortment of other bits and pieces. For all I know I Romanian family may have set up home somewhere in the back. What's even scarier is that I also have a large drawer which has a similar range of random items which I've not even dared to open in about 4 months for fear of what I might find. Maybe let's just forget about that one for now and focus on the cupboard. One step at a time and all that...

I was going to then pose the question of what is next to do once I've de-cluttered all the clutter but I don't think I'll have got through it all anytime soon so maybe that would be jumping ahead a bit. And anyway, refurbishments don't happen over night, do they?

That is all.