CHRISTMAS BREAK, OH SORRY I MEAN "SEASONAL WORKING HOLIDAY"

Merry Christmas, cereal fans! Yes, as quickly as it was over, it's come round again, December hit me like the sack of coal I probably deserve to find in my stocking this year. As I write this from the uni library, procrastinating and thinking about which wine will be the cheapest for my predrink tonight (told you I deserve coal) I can overhear the chatter of students talking about festive knitted jumpers.
Maybe it's because I am cold, hard hearted, numb to the pain of university life being a fourth year or I'm just mean, but I feel like Scrooge. Sat in a corner by a window scowling at the young'uns having a whale of a time, I am envious. Here I have sat, every day this week in this same library, working my little fingers to the bone, not really sure how they're managing to be so...HAPPY.
Yes I know, I know, I'm a final year, the words "EMPLOYMENT" and "MASTERS" hanging over my head like the ghosts of Marley and Marley. Don't you have work to do, first years? Don't you have a list of books on request from the British Library? Is your Christmas Pinterest board not filled with expensive hardback books on French propaganda?!
In fact, maybe I am not the Scrooge, but the Tiny Tim of this situation. Sniffling and shivering as I so often do in my cold student bedroom, wailing because I can't afford to buy a goose for Christmas dinner and hobbling around on my crutches. Okay, those last two are a lie, but I am conflicted in my feelings of festivity. On the one hand, ding dong merrily on high, it's almost Christmas - family, food, Mariah Carey and that coat I've been eyeing up from Topshop, mum? I can eat stuffing and trifle and parade around in a jumper that has ducks on wearing a paper hat, all in the name of the season! But then that sinking feeling creeps in. Work. It's always playing on the back of my mind, the words of my dissertation tutor ringing in my ears: "READREADREADREAD" and no, it's no coincidence that that looks like both "read" and "dread". I am fully aware of the extent of work I have to do this year in order to do well and not let my parents down. I totally get it, I do, but ruin my Christmas with writing 10,000 words on France, Nottingham Trent how dare you? If Hugh Grant was the Prime Minister like he is in Love Actually, he'd never stand for this.
Perhaps I am being dramatic. I have thrived in the library this week, an introvert's paradise. Books, my laptop and getting down to some serious working business, there's even a Starbucks on the ground floor! I will need to remember this as I continually traipse back and forth to Nottingham to renew books this festive season. I need all the encouragement I can get. I'll wear tacky jumpers, listen to Slade on the bus, paint my nails with glitter and wear reindeer antlers. I'll eat turkey sandwiches whilst I slave away over my research on World War Two and my goodness I shall make snowmen out of balled up paper at my desk.
This is getting too much. I need a mince pie. I don't even like mince pies. 
Cheerio,
Hope x

The Returner - An Ode to Bruce Springsteen.

Blimey, I'm glad I remembered my Blogger password. It's been a little while since I've done this hasn't it? I apologise to you, if you've decided to read this, and also thank you. I award you a virtual "thanks pal" nod. I've started back at uni and working and suddenly everything piled up on my desk and I panicked a bit. But here we are again! I'm trying this blogging thing again, because I love it and as a bit of a word-lover, need an outlet other than my dissertation on French propaganda. I appreciate that this returner post might not be to everyone's taste, but maybe if not, it will be and you'll go away from this taking a lesson in music with you. Here we go.

Never forget.

My love for Bruce Springsteen came from nowhere. My Britpop loving parents are not massive fans of The Boss and I'm not a 45 year old New Jersey truck driver with Born in the USA running through my veins. Instead, I just heard him once and fell in love. YES MUM HE'S 40 SOMETHING YEARS OLDER BUT I LOVE HIM. My auntie had somehow landed loads of vinyls in her shed one day years ago and asked if I'd like to have a look. It was then that I found it. The River. BITUSA, Born to Run, Greetings from Astbury Park NJ, The Young, the Innocent and The E Street Band and Darkness on the Edge of Town followed in this one box of dusty records and I'd hit the jackpot. The vinyl covers went up on my wall when I moved into my uni halls and my 19th birthday was the day I got a record player. Badlands was the first song I listened to (Darkness on the Edge of Town) and the crackle that came from the needle hitting the vinyl sent shivers down my spine. A month later, I saw Bruce live. I screamed every lyric and danced in the dark and had the best night of my life.

There he is in all his glory

When people ask who my favourite musician is, I don't have to think. "Bruce Springsteen. I love Bruce Springsteen." I say, almost instantly. More often than not, this makes people chuckle. "Seriously." I reiterate. I am such a Bruce Springsteen fan, it is boring for other people. Including you, probably.
But why do I love Bruce so much? It's because no matter how I feel, where I am, who I'm with, there is a Bruce Springsteen song for that occasion. Regardless of anything, I know a Springsteen song for that. Hell, I know an album. The E Street Band, Bruce's band from New Jersey also produce the most electrifying music I have ever heard, both recorded and live. Seeing Bruce collaborate with Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Bob Dylan, Stevie Wonder and world class musicians gives me goosebumps. My genuine belief is that if Bruce Springsteen can appeal to a middle aged man in the States and a 21 year old cynical student in the UK at the same time, he's got to be pretty special. He is in fact so special that when I have considered getting a Springsteen lyric as a tattoo, I cannot settle on one. I want them all, because he gives me all the feels.
I also fancy him a little bit, and if you were to see my saucy laptop background, you'd know why. 

So I've babbled on a bit about why I love The Boss, it seems a bit shallow and odd for me to do this, but if like me, you're in a rut for whatever reason, stick on Spotify. He even has a cover of Santa Claus is Comin' to Town. How seasonal. 

As a starter pack, here's a list of some but not all of my favourite Brucie tunes. Get stuck in. Let me know what you think. And remember, if you don't know how to say it, there'll be a Bruce Song that does.
Cheerio,
Hope x

MOTIVATIONAL MONDAY - HAPPY CHAPPY

Do you ever find yourself complaining about your day? A long, horrible, stressful, tiring day, and the first thing that comes out of your mouth when you step through the front door is "UGH, you'll NEVER believe the day I've had!"? Yes, yes you do and if you say you don't, you're lying and I am disappointed.

But think about this. When was the last time you had a fantastic day - you made witty banter to the bus driver, a stranger complimented your shoes and you got the last lemon and poppyseed muffin at Starbucks. And you told someone? When did you open the front door and announce "I HAVE HAD THE BEST BLEEDIN DAY!"

Recently I completed the #100HappyDays challenge on Twitter, finding a silver lining in my day every day for yep, you guessed it 100 days. And it was surprisingly hard! Granted there were days when I was hungover and didn't leave my room, so I struggled a bit there, but I managed it! And even though now I'm not tweeting about the little things every day, I am still finding the good in every day, or I'm trying to. For a little while, I was quite blue and felt like everything was going wrong, so a few months back, I made a list of things that make me happy, make me smile, things I like doing etc. And when I do have a bad day, I've been heckled on a bus, had food stuck in my teeth or lost my headphones, I look aRt it and remember actually the world isn't a bad place. Sharing some of my happy things (I hope) will make you also look on the bright side of life, as the bae Eric Idle would sing. 

Morrissey dancing

Carl Sagan's Cosmos

Pugs.

The "Baby Monkey" video

Good music

Kinder Eggs

Second-hand record stores

twitter.com/BILL_NYE_THO__

Bruce Springsteen

The word "aplomb"

Brighton

Vinyl

Hay-on-Wye

Bookshops 

Jon Snow.

Sloths in pyjamas

Going out for breakfast

Tea loaf

80's/90's hip hop

Hugs

Lush bath bombs

Star Wars

Really the list goes on for about 30 other things but I'll save those for a rainy day. I hope my list of little happy things inspires you to have a little chuckle today about something you find to be happy. And if all else fails, remember you're a Womble and tomorrow will be better. You're a champion. 

Cheerio,

Hope x

THE DANCE PARTY VOLUME 1

I'm really into music. Like really. Granted my taste in music may be totally all over the place and disjointed, but I like to call it "eclectic". So I've decided to compile a little list of jams I've been belting out and listening to recently! There's a bit of a Glasto theme running throughout, I've been having Pilton withdrawal symptoms, but there's some other tunes there that I may or may not have been choreographing routines to in my mirror. Maybe a little. What's the hot gossip, the 411, what's the cool jams? 

1. Out Tonight - RENT
2. Flawless Remix - Beyoncé and Nicki Minaj
3. Way Back When - Kodaline
4. Le Temps de l'Amour - Françoise Hardy
5. Waterloo Sunset - The Kinks
6. My Sweet Lord - George Harrison
7. Sing - Ed Sheeran
8. Ritual Union - Little Dragon
9. Tous les Memes - Stromae
10. Carry You - Bombay Bicycle Club

Look out for The Dance Party Vol. 2 coming soon!
Cheerio,
Hope x

AUGUST FAVOURITES

Hands up who likes a favourites post? I know I do, which is why I thought I'd do my own! Recently I went a little splurge crazy with my wages and what would've been a quiet day reacquainting myself with Nottingham this work ended up being a great day for new purchases but an exhausting exercise for my debit card - though I think it was worth it! I thought I'd share what I bought, minus the fish finger sandwich from Homemade in Nottingham, plus a few other bits and bobs I have been "all about" recently!

1 - The Taming of the Shrew at SSC, Stamford

It's no secret that I love Shakespeare. I listened to Stephen Fry read Macbeth in Hay, I performed monologues from Romeo and Juliet and I can watch 10 Things I Hate About You over and over and never get bored. Which is why when the fam and I took a trip to Tolethorpe Hall in Stamford to see the Taming of the Shrew, one of my all time favourites, made even more excellent by the surroundings of 1950's Italia, I adored it. The Stamford Shakespeare Company put on a few Shakespeare performances every year in an outdoor ampitheatre and I highly recommend you check it out! Or at least pick up a copy of the Taming and acquaint yourself with Katerina, Bianca and Petruchio. 

2 - Rent at The Curve, Leicester

I am a sucker for a musical, more specifically Rent. My cousin and I went and saw the Curve's production a couple of weeks ago and I am still playing Out Tonight 24/7, miming along like I'm Mimi Marquez herself. Watch the movie on Netflix and immediately contact me for Seasons of Love harmony rehearsals.

3 - Françoise Hardy vinyl

My most favourite place in Nottingham is the arcade of vinyl stores. And this week, I am thrilled to announce, I found a Francoise Hardy LP! I love Yé-yé music (60's French pop) and I feel like backcombing my hair to the moon and wearing the smallest of skirts and dancing around a beach like they do to Les Temps de l'Amour on Moonrise Kingdom.

4 - Blackberry bath bomb from Lush

I take a lot of baths, okay? I could happily spend ages in the bath, reading or listening to Spotify (what exactly? Look out for the next post!) and this is my favourite Lush bath bomb! It turns your bath water a misty lilac, smells AMAZEBALLS (ha) and comes with a cute note in the inside! I don't know whether I can wait to use it or if I should save it! I suppose I'll just have to buy more!

5 - How to be a Heroine by Samantha Ellis

I am a bookworm, well and truly a bookworm. So when my mum bought me "How to be a Heroine" - a compilation of literary badass women, I immediately devoured it. Samantha Ellis talks about the women of some amazing books and how they influenced her own life. Amazing reading for anyone. 

6 - Crop top from Topshop

So call me "late to the party" but I needed a crop top to go with my ever-growing collection of midi skirts. This grey number from Topshop goes great with any colour and it's a nice alternative to black, which is my favourite colour. What can I say, I'm branching out on the colour scale!

What are your favourites this month? Anything I should be aware of? Let me know!
Cheerio,

Hope x

BOOK CLUB WEDNESDAY - BOOK 1, CHAPTERS 1-2

"Hallo daar!" Nombeko would say! I've started reading TCD's book of the month, The Girl who Saved the King of Sweden and it's already fantastic. I will be honest, I was a little slow to pick up the book in the first place, it just sat by my bed asking to be read, but I ignored the cries until yesterday when I went on a little jolly to Nottingham and took the book for a spin on the bus. So far I've read the first two chapters and I'm engrossed. The writing is engaging and funny, with short, astute sentences hinting at the fierceness of our heroine, Soweto teenager, Nombeko Mayeki (she thinks). Without giving too much away, because so far I would easily recommend this book to anyone who wanted something to read, chapter one sets the scene for us in Soweto, South Africa and the startling reality that millions of children such as Nombeko face. But that's where she is a different sort of teenager. With the majority of the Soweto population illiterate, Nombeko has the uncanny ability to add, subtract, divide and multiply in her head. Like Roald Dahl's Matilda before her, a girl who in the eyes of those in charge should just be another statistic proves her worth in her amazing abilities, breaking free from the life she was meant to lead - short and unimportant.

Chapter two takes Nombeko out of Soweto and crashing (literally) into the life of a Swedish engineer. It's then that we are transported across the world to my spiritual home of Sweden and introduced to some fairly topsy-turvy characters. Jonas Jonasson writes easily and keeps the reader hooked on his every believable word. I can't wait to read more of this brilliant story and update you on Nombeko's adventure!

What I did yesterday.

MUSICAL ACCOMPANIMENT: Die Antwoord, ABBA, Nkosi Sikelel (South African National Anthem), Du Gamla Du Fria (Swedish National Anthem) 

MOTIVATIONAL MONDAY

Do you ever have those days that make you want to give up? Someone may have lost their temper with you, a man might have cat called you in the street, you could've had food in your teeth or something may have happened to you and as you collapse into your bed, you sigh "Why does this happen to me?"

Yep, we've all been there, I'm pretty certain. Even the Queen, I bet. Though I'm not sure anyone would lose their temper with her. Here's the thing though, I think we should all forget about those things. It's true, yes, terrible things happen sometimes - awful, unavoidable things that take up so much of our thinking time and exhaust us, making it hard to get through the day. Enjoying the little things helps. Remembering small details of your day today, yesterday, even something last week can give you that extra push to get through a tough time. Remember that lady on the bus who asked where your shoes were from? The viral cat video your brother sent to you? How delicious dinner was? It's so easy to get sucked into a barrage of upset and feeling low, and I am a total advocate of allowing yourself to feel and soak in your sadness and feeling your feelings, but at one point, you have to dust yourself down. You have to enjoy the little things. Learn to say "yes" to opportunities, a trip to the cinema, dessert, a chance to bond with a child (often hilarious) and savour those feelings. Watch YouTube all day and buy a tub of ice cream and GODDAMMIT ENJOY IT LIKE IT'S THE LAST TUB OF ICE CREAM ON EARTH AND IT'S ALL YOURS. Take a chance to be happy, even silly jokes can be the silver lining on a dark cloud. If someone offers you a crisp, eat it. If you spend all day in your pants watching reruns of Breaking Bad, hell yeah that's a good day. Let yourself be sad, but never ever forget the little things. Enjoy them, and your day might seem a little brighter. I hope you had a wonderful, motivational monday.

Cheerio,

Hope x

SUNDAY BRUNCH - BEAUTIFUL BROWNIES

Hey everyone, happy Sunday! I hope whatever you're doing today is fun, happy, lazy or exciting and you're making the most of today! If however you're a bit stuck for ideas and don't have much to do, may I suggest you join me on my kitchen exploits each and every Sunday whilst I make a mess of flour and eggs and share a new recipe! Since this is the first Sunday Brunch we're going to attempt here at The Cereal Diaries, I thought it'd be best to kick off with a classic, something one of my best friends and I would make several times a week during my second year of uni and an all round favourite, BROWNIES. I like to think I'm somewhat of a connoisseur when it comes to the humble brownie, adding walnuts, chocolate chips or orange extract to spice up ya life, but this week, we're going for the simple, understated and frankly addictive plain brownie, but do feel free to embellish these bad boys with any extras you deem suitable.

WARNING WARNING, THESE BROWNIES ARE EXTREMELY MOREISH AND UTTERLY DELECTABLE, EAT AT YOUR OWN RISK. I REFUSE TO DO SKINNY BROWNIES. I USED BUTTER.

Avengers, assemble!

First things first, you'll need your ingredients. 

• 200 grams butter
• 113 grams cocoa
• 454 grams brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
• 225 grams plain flour
• 2 eggs

I always find it best to use Stork butter, as it's good for baking, but you mustn't forget your most important accessory! Your little sister ES and yourself in some quite frankly snazzy aprons.

                   

Looking fly.

Now you have your ingredients and little adorable helper, you can begin! So let's go!

Method

• Preheat oven 180C and grease 30x20 tin
• Put butter and cocoa in big pan and melt gently, being especially careful to not boil. Add sugar and vanilla and stir really well!

• Take off heat sift in flour.

                   

• Add eggs and beat really well (easy enough by hand) - ADD ANY EMBELLISHMENTS HERE (Here at The Cereal Diaries, we like walnuts)

Esme S, expertly mixing, even with a fresh manicure.

• Spread evenly in tin, and allow to bake for 20-25 mins. Let cool, cut into squares, and devour instantly.

And after 20 - 25 minutes, these beauties should look like....

Beautiful if I do say so myself. They're really easy to make, super quick and they taste fab. A quick whip around the room on a plate meant this particular batch were gone before I could even take a photo, but take it from me, you won't regret making them!

Have a wonderful Sunday, whatever you're doing, happy baking, and I'll see you soon!

Cheerio,

Hope x

OUTFIT OF THE DAY - LA SPERANZA ITALIANA

Oy, I'm nervous about this! Yesterday my cousin Cassie and I went out for sophisticated drinks and highbrow conversation so I decided to don a new outfit - entirely new! I have been hunting for a midi skirt for some time now, since Forever 21 sold out of their black version, I came across this navy blue beauty in Primark for just £12! I was a little wary about it as although I am in L.O.V.E, it's like nothing I have ever owned, but after a mojito or two, I felt like whizzing around the Colosseum on the back of a Vespa circa 1952! 

Just doing a spot of gardening.

I chose the t-shirt I did (also from Primarni) not only to relax the look of the outfit, but I just adored the colour, it's a berry-ish purple and the loose fit and soft material means I can wear it with a midi skirt, or jeans or anything in between and Primarni Loughborough has a fab selection of cool shades - at £4 I could have bought out the whole lot!

There she is, casually posing amongst the foliage.

As for accessories, I went with a neutral sandal, also from...you guessed it, Primark! They're a sort of "geek" style sandal, and just so versatile to jazz up a pair of jeans or add interest to an outfit, rather than a usual flip flop or ballet flat. I also wore my most favourite statement necklace that I bought out in New Look when I lived in France. It's detailed enough to be worn at night, but not too garish that it can't work in the day either. I went for a ponytail for my hair, and a swipe of liquid eyeliner and Jemma Kidd lip crayon in a berry shade to pull it all together. I loved wearing this outfit, and think midi skirts are the way forward! What do you think?

There we are, la speranza Italiana, the Italian Hope. Share feedback on this look below, grazie!

Cheerio,

Hope x

BOOK CLUB WEDNESDAY - THE GIRL WHO SAVED THE KING OF SWEDEN

"Hej!" as they would say in Sweden, which is incidentally not only my spiritual home but the setting of this month's book club book - The Girl who Saved the King of Sweden! Oh ja, here at The Cereal Diaries, we love a good book, and so in honour of the fact that books are the greatest thing ever, I have decided to open Book Club Wednesday! Each month I'll be reading a new book that I haven't read before, it might be good, might be bad, might be sad, thrilling and oh me oh my - might be all those things! Each Wednesday I'll do a summary of what I've read so far, filling you in on my thoughts and theories on the book, before finally summing up my grand ol' opinion in a few weeks time!

 So why did I pick The Girl who Saved the King of Sweden? Well several reasons really. As I have mentioned, Sweden is my spiritual home, despite never having been, I think I'd fit in just sublimely. Secondly, my mother, the impeccably cool GS as she shall be known on The Cereal Diaries has read this book, could not put it down and insisted I give it a whack too. And finally, from reading the blurb, the author, Jonas Jonasson sounds like he's a bit of a good bloke, the book has several great reviews and seems like a nice read to ease me into Book Club Wednesdays. I also love the top line of the blurb - "Just because the world ignores you doesn't mean you can't save it."
What can I say, I'm a sucker for an inspirational quote! So let's be going shall we? Join me on my bookish quest across to Sweden as we discover more about the girl who saved their king.
Cheerio,
Hope x

TAG YOU'RE IT TUESDAY - GET TO KNOW ME

Tuesday here at TCD means only one thing! Well, maybe more because there's an outfit of the day post coming later, but still! Tag, you're it Tuesday! I've not been "tagged" per se just yet, but I thought since this is the start and general launch of The Cereal Diaries that I'd go ahead and use a tag so we can all learn some more about me, my weird habits and there's a question on cereal which I think is quite fitting. Let's go, shall we?

1. ARE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? 
Ah yes, yes I am. I discovered not so long ago that I was named after a TV character from a show called Thirtysomething, and the lady who played "Hope" I have also just now discovered has amazing cheekbones, that sadly I do not.

2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED?
Last night, I watched Ghost with my mum for the first time, and I lost it, which obviously I announced to the whole room. 

3. DO YOU HAVE KIDS?
No. No. No.

4. IF YOU WERE SOMEONE ELSE, WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH WHO YOU ARE NOW?
I would like to think so, I'm loyal and thoughtful and to be honest could never be a bad person, I'm clueless on how to be. And I have a terrific collection of Dad jokes.

5. ARE YOU SARCASTIC?
Yes. Oh, am I being sarcastic or truthful?

6. WOULD YOU EVER BUNGEE JUMP?
When they invent jumpsuits that are flattering, then I will bungee jump. 

7. WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE CEREAL?
I don't end every post with "Cheerio" for nothing!

8. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE IN SOMEONE?
Their eyes. Not just the colour or anything, but you can tell so much about someone from how they look at you.

9. WHAT COLOUR ARE YOUR EYES?
Very blue. Not bright, but stormy blue. 

10. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? 
Happy endings, jeez what kind of monster do you think I am? Though actually I was repeatedly told the ending of Ghost was meant to be happy, but he was still a ghost and Demi Moore was still in mourning so I'm not sure how.

11. FAVOURITE SMELLS?
Lavender, vanilla, Chanel Chance, the sea, Soap and Glory Righteous Butter, strawberries, petrol, old books, fresh bread, Marc Jacobs Daisy, hydrangeas, the smell of my house even though it's not of anything in particular, but when you've been away and forget it, the second you step inside you go "ahhhh" and you know you're home because it smells of home. I think my mum uses scent diffusers.

12. SUMMER OR WINTER?
Winter, hands down. I'm pale, clumsy and bruised and have more jumpers than one cares to imagine, I think I was made for winter. Also when you've spent six months in Strasbourg during the winter, nothing compares.

13. COMPUTER OR TV?
Computer, because you can watch TV on it. Clever cookie, aren't I?

14. FURTHEST YOU'VE BEEN FROM HOME?
Ibiza, I believe is the furthest in distance. I was 8, and even now 12 years later, that holiday remains one of the greatest memories of all time. 

15. DO YOU HAVE ANY SPECIAL TALENTS?
What I consider "talent" greatly varies from what the rest of the world considers talent, but I am one badass rapper. I can also twist my arm and wrist a full 360 degrees

16. WHERE WERE YOU BORN?
I was brought into this world in Leicester Royal Infirmary. 

17. WHAT ARE YOUR HOBBIES?
I like watching films with foreign subtitles, writing, reading, fashion, Pinterest, music, Instagram, working on my rapping. 

18. DO YOU HAVE PETS?
You bet your bottom dollar I've got an Irish Setter named Daisy.

19. FAVOURITE MOVIE?
Of all time, The Breakfast Club. Followed by Ferris Bueller's Day Off, The Blues Brothers, The Royal Tenenbaums, Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Pulp Fiction, The Grand Budapest Hotel, A Hard Day's Night.

20. DO YOU HAVE ANY SIBLINGS?
I do! I'm the eldest of four, I have two brothers and a sister. It's as chaotic as it sounds.

21. WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?
"they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down ‘happy’. They told me I didn’t understand the assignment, and I told them they didn’t understand life.”" - John Lennon.

And in a nutshell, that's a bit of basic information about yours truly. Expect more next week, and more posts until then!
Cheerio,
Hope x

Motivational Monday

I have always thought it was quite important to have ambition. I have never understood people who do not dream. In fact, I think we all have ambitions, but there's a fear of failure, or the opinions of others that keep us from reaching for our dreams. In an ideal world, there'd be no fear of failure, no worrying about what people might say about what we want, and there'd be a freedom to just live out our ambitions. No matter how small, how silly, how massive and ridiculous, everyone has goals for themselves, ways in which they'd like their life to be, or things they'd like to do, not just for ourselves but for others. I have ambitions for my friends, family, hell I see people on the street and have ambitions for them. I think we should all be more open with our dreams and goals. We shouldn't worry about failure, because at the risk of sounding hideously cliché, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. And goodness knows what failure might bring - a new perspective, a new dream, a new ambition. Why would we worry what people think? I'm going to share some of my own silly, big, small and possibly ridiculous ambitions in the hope that maybe you, yes you reading this, may be motivated to share yours too, and go for it.

I want to see sunrise in another continent.
I want to do a Pinterest DIY and actually succeed
I want to see Kate Bush in concert and dance to Wuthering Heights
I want to be the person that Bruce Springsteen picks out of the audience to dance with him during Dancing in the Dark
I want to open a pancake café and serve pancakes on mismatched china plates

I want to be the cool tambourine player in an all girl indie britpop band
I want to have an article I've written published

Hell, I want a thousand articles I've written published.
I want to be in The Guardian, but not for a crime or anything
I want more followers on Twitter
I want to write my autobiography and include the story of the one month I worked in Oxfam
I want to learn to surf
I want to own a florist in the hope it will conquer my hay fever

I want to learn how to make my own soup.

I want to have something I've written published abroad.

There we go, some of my madcap ideas and aspirations I hold for myself. These of course do not include the wish for about a billion pugs and cats, a house in Chelsea and maybe a statue built in my honour. My dreams have changed since I was little and wanted to be a nun, an architect and a DJ - not all at once - but I like to think I was always true to them and was always totally unapologetic about them all. Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions - Mark Twain.

Cheerio,

Hope x

RULE BRITANNIA: THE BRITISH TAG

So I have seen my Canadian doppelgänger Essiebutton  do this tag I think created by Beautycrush on Youtube. I am of course too awkward to put my fairly circular face in front of a camera just yet, so thought I'd do it via my new blogging home so we can all learn some tidbits about myself. Tidbits, that's a nice word, don't we agree?

1. How many cups of tea do you have a day? + How many sugars?

I think I'm fairly average when it comes to tea consumption, because off my own back, I'll have about two a day. However, if you're having one, it'd be rude of me to decline. My tea order is a bit weird, so I know you're a good egg if you remember I like it with one sugar and the teabag left in please, guv'nor.
2. Favourite part of your roast

YORKSHIRE PUDDING. Why anyone would say anything but a Yorkshire pudding I do not know. 
3. Favourite dunking biscuit

This is where things take a trip for the Australasian. If you're Aussie or Kiwi - my mum's from Perth - you'll know what ANZAC biscuits are. For those of you yet to be enlightened, they're like Hobnobs with coconut and golden syrup and absolutely the most delicious biscuits you will ever find. Ever. Maybe I'll do a blog post about them.
4. Favourite quintessentially British pastime?

Complaining. Tutting. Sarcasm. Cynicism. I'm also partial to a bit of baking, I am a huge GBBO fan.
5. Favourite word?

Of all time, it's probably "ludicrous", but if we're going British, I must say "BLOODY HELL" about six times an hour.
6. Cockney rhyme slang?

I can't say I'm too partial to Cockney rhyming slang, I like northern slang instead, such as "let's have a deeks" for "let's have a look" but I do love the word GUV'NOR
7. Favourite sweet

Oh mama, flying saucer sweets. The sugar paper ones filled with sherbet. They always hit the spot. 
8. What would your pub be called?

The Hope and Anchor, quite obviously.
9. No.1 British person

Ah jeez this is a hard one. It'd be rude not to say my mum, I suppose, but if we're going non-familia, I honestly think John Barrowman is my hero.
10. Favourite shop / restaurant

Maybe it's the quintessential Brit in me, but if we're going to say chains, I love a bit of John Lewis. I just love furnishings, what can I say? Or a record store, me oh my, I could spend hours in record stores. 
11. What british song pops into your head?

IIIIII'M A LUMBERJACK AND I'M OK, I SLEEP ALL NIGHT AND I WORK ALL DAY. 
12. Marmite.

Ooh, yes please.

And there's my Britishness! Now we've done that. let's get on with some Cereal Diaries shall we?
Cheerio,

Hope x

Hi, I'm Troy McClure, You Might Remember Me...

Oh hey! It's that time again when I start writing things, weird anecdotes about my life, funny stories, maybe a review about books and such, and things I like if it all goes well. Whoa, pony that's exciting. Also, in case you're wondering, I really like cereal. So The Cereal Diaries are a collection of goings on in and around my life and times, like a cereal itself. Wish me luck.
Cheerio,
Hope x