tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23587824170415424132024-03-05T03:14:39.812-08:00Rosie Writes ThingsRosiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07265673436219768159noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2358782417041542413.post-49282057452550807812012-02-15T13:26:00.000-08:002012-02-15T13:26:33.644-08:00Death by Dissertation<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">As the title suggests, I have been somewhat absent from, well, life recently, due to that dreaded thing called my dissertation. Because of this, I have the most horrible feeling that this blog is going to go the same way as my last one. I told myself I'd really work at this one and make something of it, but I feel that so far I've only let the poor little blog down! I blame this entirely on being a mere 2 and a half months away from finishing university (holysh*ttakedeepbreathsetc) and just over a month away from handing in the final version of my dissertation. Dissertation. Now, that's a word I definitely won't want to hear again come the 23rd of March. </span><div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I am normally one to leave my work until last minute and not panic too much, but I really want to do well in my dissertation and I can't bear to leave it too late. I'm lucky that my dissertation tutor is my favourite lecturer who has an amazing wealth of knowledge on my dissertation topic, and so she's made me want to be a bit more organised when it comes to writing it. At our first meeting she told me that I should be aiming for a first and I almost went 'LOL' in her face, but now I'm feeling the pressure but unfortunately not the motivation. I am a complete procrastinator. The internet doesn't help greatly, particularly my love of beauty and fashion blogs, so I've been trying to stay away from anything blog-related recently, hence the lack of love I've given to my own blog.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I did say in my first post that this probably wasn't the most ideal time to start up another blog, but I did, and so I'm going to stick with it. You might have to bear with me a while, though...</span></div>
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<br /></div>Rosiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07265673436219768159noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2358782417041542413.post-7466039940661577602012-02-09T10:46:00.000-08:002012-02-09T10:46:28.800-08:00Staking My Claim<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/3395398/rosie-writes-things?claim=9jbdrtxw2ng">Follow my blog with Bloglovin</a></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Apparently if I want to 'claim my blog' on </span><a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Bloglovin</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> then I have to post a certain link they've given me onto a blog post...so this is a completely pointless blog post. Seriously. Don't even bother reading it. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Actually...here is a funny picture....</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixrW5_UJGgv101ZmiDO3WzVkRraNuaT6s6mUIPAugn36Gb3yqx80iHiz6QzTiYST8QF9a9KkbaGkpraoAQQnTLxocDScMcs8tfjovK-56qLiUWQynKJgRqMBn-6Sc7F2hjEHNrTW0IXjk/s1600/rofl128420417966490000.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixrW5_UJGgv101ZmiDO3WzVkRraNuaT6s6mUIPAugn36Gb3yqx80iHiz6QzTiYST8QF9a9KkbaGkpraoAQQnTLxocDScMcs8tfjovK-56qLiUWQynKJgRqMBn-6Sc7F2hjEHNrTW0IXjk/s320/rofl128420417966490000.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Mmmkay thanks BYE.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>Rosiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07265673436219768159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2358782417041542413.post-89274312944294512192012-02-09T10:06:00.000-08:002012-02-09T14:28:00.050-08:00Liz Earle Skincare<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Something that I will no doubt continue to bang on about is
my new-found-love for beauty blogs. I literally cannot get enough of them! Unfortunately
this addiction has led to a few rather expensive purchases as the beauty
blogging world is full of reviews about the next-best-thing in the beauty
industry. I have extremely sensitive and dry skin (a blog post on this will
probably pop up soon!) and so I am always on the look-out for products that
will make my life that little bit easier. Like many bloggers, I imagine, my
first major purchase, and the topic of this blog post, was what is probably the
most well-known beauty product in the blogging world – Liz Earle’s Cleanse
& Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser. I had read so many reviews about the product
(all singing its praises!), but I was disappointed that very few of them were
any help to me, in that none of the reviews I read were carried out by people
who had very dry/sensitive sensitive skin. As with all high-end beauty
products, I prefer to know roughly how a product will react on my skin before I
shell out a large portion of my student loan for it, which is why I am writing
this review, even though many people may not be interested in it, and despite
the fact that I am by no-means a beauty expert. Then again, being a ‘normal’
person, who has never received anything from PR companies to review, may just work in my
favour and add credibility to my review.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> When I went in search
of this product, I had originally only intended to buy </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">just</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> this, but I fell into the all-too-familiar trap of buying a
bundle of goods on offer. This bundle included the cleanser, as well as the
Instant Boost Skin Tonic and the Skin Repair moisturiser (for dry/sensitive
skin). All I can say is that I am SO pleased that I did fall into the trap. I
have the most horrifically sensitive skin (E45 cream made my skin sting!) and
it also has the tendency to dry up, especially during the winter months. This
product has made my skin look and feel a </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">whole</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">
lot better and I literally couldn’t live without it. It doesn’t come without a
hefty price tag unfortunately (the whole set cost me £41, not including
p&p), but I did get a little freebie with it, in the form of the Superskin
Concentrate (which would’ve set me back approximately £12/13) and they kindle
popped in an extra Muslin cloth for me. Don’t even get me started on the
packaging; I know it sounds silly but when something is nicely packaged,
instead of coming in a black plastic kinda bag (looking at you, online clothing
stores!) then it makes me feel a bit special, so as soon as I opened the box, I
knew I was on to a winner.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjViKEL5oqgsOdrPpXe5P1-OJ3JXS_I_J4VCkAVdBf2Premi5K5Z_-8lbyzjaddEzcpbZK-H7lNB91jTWSJx4vsjgI2EO1fFd1HFuy-RrXWBtG1OIxidGGQP90fJPvmQey_1uUUzDvg8bw/s1600/cleanse-and-polish-100ml-pump-starter-kit-med.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjViKEL5oqgsOdrPpXe5P1-OJ3JXS_I_J4VCkAVdBf2Premi5K5Z_-8lbyzjaddEzcpbZK-H7lNB91jTWSJx4vsjgI2EO1fFd1HFuy-RrXWBtG1OIxidGGQP90fJPvmQey_1uUUzDvg8bw/s320/cleanse-and-polish-100ml-pump-starter-kit-med.jpg" width="169" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Let’s start with the Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth
Cleanser. For a beauty novice like me, cleansing has always been done using
some form of lotion and a bit of cotton wool, but I’m happy to say that this
will never again be the case for me! I found this new idea of cleansing a bit
daunting at first but it’s really very simple; you start by filling a basin
with hand-warm water and then begin applying the creamy cleansing lotion onto
your dry face. Next, soak the muslin cloth in the water, rinse the water out
thoroughly and begin removing the cleanser from your face with the cloth. I don’t
know if you’re meant to apply a little pressure when doing this, as it is
effectively exfoliating your face, but I tend to do it very lightly due to the
sensitive nature of my skin. Although my skin does go a little red as I first
start using the cloth, the redness disappears within a matter of seconds –
something which was unheard of when I used to use normal face washes. Pat your
face dry with a towel and you’re ready for the next step...</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgH530Z8OVNorayllxjhvC8RBJdnt1HFfImOsEAj85Q9HdiWpTEtM6TPvFGDjFVnCR3jWkDQiKlKnkts4rmVCItLTiOpKoNFHxQo01DMXs0XhkZwck0zE5RMMWuUBqDv1ildAkxw7DFZc/s1600/instant-boost-skin-tonic-200ml-bottle-med.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgH530Z8OVNorayllxjhvC8RBJdnt1HFfImOsEAj85Q9HdiWpTEtM6TPvFGDjFVnCR3jWkDQiKlKnkts4rmVCItLTiOpKoNFHxQo01DMXs0XhkZwck0zE5RMMWuUBqDv1ildAkxw7DFZc/s320/instant-boost-skin-tonic-200ml-bottle-med.jpg" width="182" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">...The Instant Boost Skin Tonic (which I assume is just a posh
name for ‘toner’), just needs to be applied to a cotton wool bud or pad and
then gently swept over the face. I was a little worried that this would cause
some discomfort with my skin at first, due to the slight exfoliation that the
cleanser had provided, but I needn’t have worried as it only made my skin feel
extremely clean and fresh. It also helps that I love the smell of it as well!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkPog5Sc64JoJpwa3l0G8PnIe63wdKutAFNyZVc_W-zK6jDFvq2F8xAINii9PDVHkITWENHA61wzxElXqWbEFhqyHesS5lfpfN3XPvVmfmw16hiLBR-WY0syr4GVAmk4yRFOchsKUWrGM/s1600/skin-repair-moisturiser-ds-50ml-jar-med.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkPog5Sc64JoJpwa3l0G8PnIe63wdKutAFNyZVc_W-zK6jDFvq2F8xAINii9PDVHkITWENHA61wzxElXqWbEFhqyHesS5lfpfN3XPvVmfmw16hiLBR-WY0syr4GVAmk4yRFOchsKUWrGM/s1600/skin-repair-moisturiser-ds-50ml-jar-med.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Now, the Skin Repair Moisturiser (Dry/Sensitive skin) is the product which I was most
concerned about. My skin does not react well to 99% of moisturisers on the
market, and once I even tried E45 as a bit of last resort, and it made my skin
sting and I looked like a blotchy red thing for a good hour – </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">not</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> a good look, despite the fact that E45
is meant to be one of the most gentle moisturisers on the market! I am by no
means saying that E45 is not a good moisturiser – everyone’s skin will react
differently – but it just left me in a lot of discomfort. The moisturiser smells
delicious too but I was worried that something even the slightest bit fragranced
would bring out the worst in my skin. Thankfully, it didn’t! I cannot describe
how much of a relief it was to finally find a moisturiser that made my skin
feel gorgeous but didn’t cause discomfort or redness; it really was a miracle
moisturiser!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I now use these products every day without fail, and
sometimes twice a day if I can be bothered (although Liz & her team
recommend following this routine in the morning AND evening). I do use the
Superskin Concentrate at night time every now and then, but I don’t care for it
too much. It’s quite heavily fragranced and, although that doesn’t bother my
skin (another miracle!), I don’t particularly like my face to smell too much,
especially not at night. I’ve never quite been able to describe the smell, but the
first time I used it I did ask my boyfriend what my face smelt like, and he
said “You smell like one of those healthy tea bags!” which I’m not sure is a
good thing or not.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">But basically, what I wanted to say is that these three
products have practically saved my skin’s life. I’ve always struggled with
finding the right skin care for my face, usually carrying on with a product
even if it made my face turn bright red, but now I’ve found such a great
product and I’ll definitely be repurchasing once this collection has run dry. Not
that that will be any time soon – the bottles are rather large, and despite
getting the products just after Christmas, I’ve barely made a mark in the
moisturiser! Hurrah! To put it simply, these are three of the best products I’ve
</span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">ever</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> used, and believe me, I’ve used
a lot. Thanks Liz Earle!</span></div>
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<o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">If you're interested in giving these products a go yourself, you can find them all on the Liz Earle website </span><a href="http://uk.lizearle.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">here</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">.</span></o:p></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">[Images taken from the Liz Earle website]</span></div>Rosiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07265673436219768159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2358782417041542413.post-76829998654063231662012-02-07T11:23:00.000-08:002012-02-07T12:16:45.355-08:00Out with the old, in with the new<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe-pq053QmJA-qwa2XstpRg5WzMFGXkpjOE43XTPvNzXdUaucJ_f2umQoku65XrQ4q7UGBDDOI6Uisrq2apydUqAFUBqqwimBqLGWNTbrPT8ALAAwd1AA-SuAuqLou5THk9akRxTlGJp0/s1600/work-in-progress-md.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe-pq053QmJA-qwa2XstpRg5WzMFGXkpjOE43XTPvNzXdUaucJ_f2umQoku65XrQ4q7UGBDDOI6Uisrq2apydUqAFUBqqwimBqLGWNTbrPT8ALAAwd1AA-SuAuqLou5THk9akRxTlGJp0/s1600/work-in-progress-md.png" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">I am fully aware that my blog is less than aesthetically pleasing at the moment, but I promise I am working on it. Right now, as we </span></span><s><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">speak</span></span></s><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"> type, in fact. You'll have to bear with me though; my knowledge of websites/blogs/HTML amounts to almost nothing, but with a little help from one of my modules and a friend and fellow blogger, </span></span><a href="http://anon-troll.blogspot.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">Annie</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">, I am slowly (very, very slowly...) getting there. I'm not especially proud of my blog at the moment, and that leads to alack of motivation to write anything on it, but when I started this blog I told myself I'd make something of it, which is what I'm currently trying to do!</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">Here goes...</span></span>Rosiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07265673436219768159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2358782417041542413.post-78234658470303250882012-01-31T12:51:00.000-08:002012-02-07T11:30:37.240-08:00Watching My Weight<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">I've
become a Weight Watchers member...again. I’ve always been a little overweight,
especially in comparison to my friends. It’s never really been that much of an
issue to me – my friends, boyfriend and family all seem to love me regardless
of my body shape - however it’s got to the point where I no longer love me
regardless of my body shape. That’s a sad thing for me to admit but it’s also a
great thing to admit; now I know that I feel that way, I have 100% more
motivation to do something about it, compared to 6 months ago, when I knew I
wasn’t completely happy with how I looked, but I </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">was</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"> happy to
plod along through life, ignoring it. I did sign up to Weight Watchers Online
at some point, maybe mid-May? But without the motivation to lose weight, it
never really worked for me, so come October, I cancelled my account and put the
£10 that I would’ve spent on membership each month towards a beauty box
subscription (JolieBox, for those who are interested).<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">Fast
forward to a couple of weeks ago, and I decided to give it another go (not just
because of the constant emails I was always receiving from Weight Watchers,
despite cancelling my account). I must admit, I did well for the first 4 days
and then sort, well, fell off the bandwagon. I blame it completely on my lack
of routine; I spend some time at home with mum, some time at my boyfriend’s house
and now I am back in Oxford for the last term of Uni…before going home again
for my birthday on Thursday…and then back to Uni on Monday…and then to London
the week after…you see? No structure! I have told myself that from next Monday,
I WILL stick to it and I WILL ultimately find myself with a body I’m happy
with. Basically, I want to not dread that moment when Facebook tells me
'So-and-so has tagged you in _ photos' (don't we all?).<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">I’ve
decided I’ll do a weekly weigh-in post, probably titled ‘Wednesday Weigh-In’ or
something terrible like that. Will I stick to it? I hope so! I feel that if I
make a commitment to something like this through such a public forum, I’ll have
even more motivation to stick to it. That, and all those amazing spring/summer
trends that keep popping up in my email inbox.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">Hopefully
doing it the online way will avoid situations like this one...</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">Wish me luck!</span></span></span></div>
<br />Rosiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07265673436219768159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2358782417041542413.post-7982177125501513042012-01-19T14:55:00.000-08:002012-02-07T11:27:43.663-08:00Confessions of a Mickey Mouse Student<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlMOAwq9u899BPfTGchQCIBOqQxZbgJKM8L6wcFcLI91itGiVlXjT25K3gKQ99HIe33Ft8meXekqdt-kL-Eu9phDxzpyoqA4xG8fcS-PO71rni_YWWj9ZF8b5DjYumktuthWipmC2cubs/s1600/msg-121730907617.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlMOAwq9u899BPfTGchQCIBOqQxZbgJKM8L6wcFcLI91itGiVlXjT25K3gKQ99HIe33Ft8meXekqdt-kL-Eu9phDxzpyoqA4xG8fcS-PO71rni_YWWj9ZF8b5DjYumktuthWipmC2cubs/s320/msg-121730907617.jpg" width="270" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 22px;">As previously mentioned, I am,
unfortunately, a media student – well, a Communication, Media and Culture (CMC)
student. Not unfortunately for me, but unfortunately to a large group of
people. A group of people who, I discovered last Friday, include one of my
elderly relatives. Ouch. I was at a family gathering and I’d answered the
dreaded “what are you going to do with your degree/life” question more times
than I care to count, and so the conversation with my relative unsurprisingly
went down the same route. When I answered the question with “I have no idea”, I
waited for the obligatory “oh you silly sausage” laugh, but instead I was faced
with this; “well that’s what happens when you take a completely pointless
degree”. <s>Double </s>quadruple ouch. I was completely and utterly
gobsmacked. Also involved in this conversation were my older sister and my dad,
both of whom just nervously laugh (as did I) and, bless my dad, he did try to
stick up for me but I think we were all abit shocked at such a blunt (and,
let’s be honest, downright rude) response that we did the very British thing of
ignoring the remark and swiftly moving the conversation on. But I won't lie, I
just wanted to burst in tears (something which I did do when I was finally home).</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFCWBj3PwWhvJOOiBl3jq-Yz2V_4030pUbFEwTaSEnCKgm1wqAw60hYECtlAEvL3PTEuDFCj_gGspSc6e3bCiU1d8IGB8uQ0xZOTgnSBQe1HXvIHfVGvERngkygbwYHJj_kIA9go2Gj48/s1600/degree.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFCWBj3PwWhvJOOiBl3jq-Yz2V_4030pUbFEwTaSEnCKgm1wqAw60hYECtlAEvL3PTEuDFCj_gGspSc6e3bCiU1d8IGB8uQ0xZOTgnSBQe1HXvIHfVGvERngkygbwYHJj_kIA9go2Gj48/s320/degree.gif" width="185" /></span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; text-decoration: none;"></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">The
idea that my degree is pointless is by no means news to me. The media
(ironically) spend much of their time slamming media students, believing they
could be doing something a little more worthwhile, like Maths, or Science.
Where, may I ask, is a maths degree going to get me, not just for the fact that
I CANNOT DO MATHS? I think plenty of students will nod in agreement with me
when I say that during the first year of A-Levels, I had absolutely no idea of
what I wanted to do with my life (nothing’s changed, then), and at the young
age of 17 we are asked to make one of the biggest decision of ours lives; leave
education and enter the working world, or soldier through yet more education. I
chose the latter, meaning that I then had to decide exactly what I was going to
study. I’ve always been interested in the media, how it works and the effect it
has on society (which, might I add, is a lot more than most people realise),
and I had been doing well in my media class, so I thought, hey! Why don’t I
study something I’m actually interested in? I don’t tend to make the best
decisions, but I truly believe that the decision to study media was a great
one, for me, even if it wasn’t for anyone else. Because I’m actually interested
in what I’m learning, I’m willing to put a lot more effort into going to
lectures, writing my assignments and doing the vast amount of background
research that is required of any degree. I do not appreciate it when people
tell me that my degree is pointless, because they are effectively telling me
that my life itself is ‘pointless’, my future is ‘pointless’; I am basically a
big bag of pointless-ness. Grrrreat.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">These events led me to feel the need to
defend my degree. I know many who read this (if there are any, at all) will not
be interested in this sort of thing, but someone’s gotta stand up for the
Mickey Mouse club! So I present to you:</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><u><b>Reasons why Media Studies is anything
but ‘pointless’:</b></u></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">· The
study of media, communication and culture (my degree, specifically) is said to
stem from Psychology and Sociology i.e. they are all interested in society, how
media plays a part on both society and the effect on the media users. Now I
don't know about you, but I've never heard anyone call these subjects
pointless, so surely media isn't either? So I fail to see how a subject that stems from such well-respected degrees can be classed as pointless.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">· Unfortunately,
one of the more common misconceptions of media studies is that we spend all day
watching television and reading magazines, and sit in a classroom chatting
about it. Whilst looking at film, television, magazines, newspapers and
advertising are all part of the teaching aspect, students are also taught to
look behind the scenes of the media. Examining why these forms of media are
structured and produced the way that they are leads to questions of social and
political issues. Why does The Daily Mail present such positivity towards the
Conservative Party, yet criticise most actions of the Labour Party? It’s all a
question of the politics surrounding the media and this is something which
is <i>key</i> to society. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">· It
has been proven (through a study by the University of Sunderland in 2008) that
media graduates are in one of the best positions employability-wise when they
leave university. Our degree teaches us so many valuable industry skills, such
as how to research communication, being aware of different cultures and the way
in which communication between them is important, the politics of the world, the importance of the media in how it portrays the everyday world, and how
this portrayal can be so influential in society. Obviously advertising is one
of the key ways in which society is influenced by the media, but consider how
the way in which news stories are portrayed on television and in the newspapers
will alter our view on a particular topic.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">· Media
studies are not merely based on fact, but allow a creative element. Students
within the field are encouraged to use their imagination and their input is
widely recognised. However, in a subject such as maths there is only one
definitive answer, meaning little room for creativity. It is also open to the
concept of new ideas and theories, unlike many academic practices. The field
welcomes debates and contradicting theories, believing this it only adds to the
value of information, and provides students with different perspectives.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">So there you go, rant over! I really am
rather sorry that you had to put up with a post like this, but if I can stop
one person from thinking I am completely wasting my life away, then I’m happy.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">I promise my posts will begin to get a
little more interesting from now on…I hope.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">So it's goodbye from me, and goodbye
from Mickey.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">..</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>Rosiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07265673436219768159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2358782417041542413.post-23423759948583410012012-01-19T05:11:00.000-08:002012-02-07T11:30:02.515-08:00BRIT Me Up, Baby<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 22px;">So it’s almost that time of
year again, when British music is celebrated with the respect it deserves and
so longingly craves. Forget the Grammy’s – their constant need for drama and
headlines could never outshine the wonderful British institution that is the
BRITs. I’ve not missed a show for as long as I can remember, and it never fails
to deliver spine-tingling performances (most notably last year’s performance
from the ever-wonderful Adele) as well as tears (but no tantrums, thank you
very much) and a glamourous opportunity for all the fashion junkie folk out
there. And let’s not forget those famous collaborations; I’m not afraid to
admit that my favourite has to be when Queen met 5ive – genius! And rumour has
it that this year's duet will be a mouth-watering collaboration of arguably two
of the most successful acts in the British music industry this year - Ed
Sheeran and Jessie J!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">The music industry has been
bursting with incredible music from around the world for such a long time, but
let’s be honest, British music has not always been high on the agenda. In the
last couple of years, however, British music is emerging back from under the
sea bed and is proving to be nothing less than extraordinary. New talent such
as the previously mentioned Adele, Jessie J, Tinie Tempah and Ed Sheeran (can I
get away with not mentioning One Direction, I wonder?) are perhaps most popular
on not just the nominees list, but also on everybody’s lips. You can’t turn the
radio on for more than 10 minutes without hearing from a great British talent –
a bold statement to make, I’m sure, but it only demonstrates the growing talent
we have in this country. And thank the Lord for the BRIT Awards. We, the
British public, are given the opportunity to reward our favourite and most
treasured stars of the music industry, and we sure do it in style.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">This year’s nominees appear to
be a ‘who’s who’ of the music industry. The ‘British Male Artist’ award, in my
eyes, has to go to Ed Sheeran; is there a harder-working man in the industry at
the moment? I don’t think so. And to be quite honest, I don’t think he’ll have
any concern over whether he’ll scoop that prize or not – yes, the other
nominees (particularly Professor Green) have had a great year, but Sheeran’s
army of fans (me included) certainly won’t let him down in the voting stakes. I
hold the same view for ‘British Breakthrough Act’ award, though I do dearly love
The Vaccines and their album ‘What Did You Expect From The Vaccines’. The
‘Mastercard British Album of the Year’ is where I’m slightly torn; I love
Sheeran’s ‘+’ an awful lot, in fact it is perhaps the most played album on my
iTunes, but ‘Mylo Xyloto’ really is a musical masterpiece, and it seems that
Coldplay put so much blood, sweat and tears into the production that they are
just as much in the running, along with Adele’s heartbreaking ‘21’ – the album
featuring the famous ‘Someone Like You’, which I’m sure will win best ‘British
Single (perhaps fitting, after that tear-jerking performance that she gave at
last year’s awards) and let’s be honest, she will probably win the ‘British
Female Sola Artist’ award, too. I have fingers, toes and any other potentially
crossable limbs crossed that Coldplay will win the ‘British Group’ award,
though any of the other nominees (bar Kasabian, I. Cannot. Bear. Kasabian)
would be worthy winners. I care very little for the ‘International Female Solo
Artist’ award, but it’s unquestionably a three-horse-race between Lady Gaga,
Beyonce and Rihanna – sorry Bjork and Feist. The remaining categories I can’t
call - I hope that Foster the People win the ‘International Breakthrough Act’
award (but I fear that’ll go to Nicki Minaj), Fleet Foxes win the
‘International Group’ award, and Bon Iver win the ‘International Male Solo
Artist’ but there is strong competition for my favourites in all of those
categories.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">I’m also very excited for the
return of Blur! I am a little young to say that I was their number one fan when
they were at their prime, but my older sister was quite the fan and so I have
inherited some of her knowledge (and albums!).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">So the evening of the 21</span><sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">st</span></span></sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"> of
February is already planned for me; glass of wine, plenty of snacks, good
friends and the BRIT Awards on television. Unless, of course, the people behind
the Brits want to change that through the #BRITsblogger competition… ;)</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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</span></div>Rosiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07265673436219768159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2358782417041542413.post-14005135459944972902012-01-09T05:35:00.000-08:002012-02-07T11:31:05.632-08:00Blogging Re-Birth<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">So here I am, throwing myself
back into the blogging world once more. Just over a year ago I started writing
a blog about, well, about not a lot really. I posted about 5 times, but to be
quite honest, I just didn't have enough to say; there was no direction for it,
I didn't start out with any idea of what I would talk about and it just didn't
seem particularly interesting to me. I was newly-broken-hearted at the time,
and I seemed to ramble on an awful lot about that (breaking up with a boyfriend
of 4 years is not fun, and I've come to realise that it's even less fun
reading about it). However, not long after my last post, me and the ex decided
to give things another go. Now, I can imagine anyone who is reading this would
recoil in horror at the idea of going back to an ex, but we're approaching the
first anniversary of our 'new' relationship - living proof that a broken
relationship </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">can</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"> be fixed, with hard work and a little time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">Within the last two months,
I've become addicted to reading the blogs of other people, particularly beauty
blogs. Now, if you know me, you'll know that I'm a bit of a novice when it
comes to things like fashion and beauty, BUT I'm slowly starting to take a
little more pride in my appearance. So many of the blogs I read credit the
internet for their impeccable knowledge on beauty and fashion, and I'm slowly
learning about it all, bit by bit. I'll get there one day! The boyf seems quite
bemused at the amount of time I spend watching beauty 'vlogs', but I let him
get on with his gaming habit and he lets me carry on with mine.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">I am a complete media junkie,
though. I buy most magazines going, both weekly and monthly ones (my bank
balance suffers greatly due to this habit), and from this you can probably work
out that I'm a complete media gossip </span><s><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">whore</span></s><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"> lover. Studying a
degree in media does help a little, but unfortunately I spend less time reading
magazines and watching tv, and more time studying Freud's complicated ramblings
and writing about feminism, contrary to popular beliefs about my 'Mickey Mouse
course'. I'm about to enter the final semester of my final year (eek!) which
terrifies me </span><s><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">a little</span></s><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"> A LOT. My dissertation is due in two and
a half months and the mere thought of that makes me want to have a mini
break-down. Setting up a new blog at this time, when I'm supposed to be doing a
lot of academic writing, is probably not the smartest idea I've ever had, but
at least it'll be a little more productive form of procrastination than
painting my nails!<br /><br /><br />
Here goes...x</span>
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</span>Rosiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07265673436219768159noreply@blogger.com3