New layout! (+ blog awards)

Guys, guys, check out my blog! I've changed the design!

I've gotta say, I'm pretty proud of it. I'm far from an expert at blog design (my HTML knowledge is somewhat lacking), so when something comes out just as I imagined it in my head, I get all excited and pleased. Whaddya'll think of it?

(I've also changed the URL, so it's now missish.blogspot.com, just FYI!)

---

Also, I've been given TWO blog awards recently, by the lovely Jenni at The Content Notebook and by Steph over at Thoughts and Things. Thank you girls!

Since both blogs awards require me to give seven facts about myself, instead of boring you by giving 14, I'll just stick to 7 ;)

1. I was born 4 days late.
2. I used to have a gap between my two front teeth, but years of dental operations and braces mean that, alas, I no longer do. I miss it a little bit.
3. The Pixar film Up made me absolutely bawl my eyes out, but I didn't so much as shed a tear during The Notebook.
4. I've lived in 6 different bedrooms in 4 years.
5. Ben & Jerry's Half Baked is my favourite ice cream of all time. Seriously, give me a tub of that and I'll love you forever.
6. I went to see the first Pirates of the Caribbean in the cinema 3 times.
7. I spend far too much time thinking about my blog/blogging in general.

I'm passing on the award to ...
Brittany at Adam and Brittany
Aly at It Ain't Always Pretty But It's Real
Bree at Simply Girly
Eric at A Pocket Full of Chuckles

Recently ... [1]

+ I had Sunday and Monday off, yay! On Sunday Dan and I did some shopping in Sainsbury's and M&S, caught up on Don't Tell the Bride (is anyone else as obsessed with that show as I am?!), and visited Dan's mum and sister who recently got back from a trip to Morocco.

+ Dan had the wonderful idea of going out for a carvery last night, because one near us is only £3.69 on a weekday. And because we were hungry and didn't want to wait for food to cook (haha, we're so lazy). £3.69 for all that meat and veg and potatoes and gravy! Happy days.

+ I was at work until 2.30am on Saturday night, cleaning up after a wedding reception and private party. The people having the private party would not leave until 1.30am. And yes, okay, I get that they paid to rent the room etc, but there were only 5 of them left and we clearly were all itching to get that room cleaned so we could get out of there (we weren't exactly being subtle by the end!). A little consideration might have been nice. It's not as if we get paid any more on top of our normal wages for working that late.

+ My manager is currently pretty high on my list of favourite people, because he gave me this coming Saturday and Sunday off, and didn't take away my day off on Thursday either! Which means that, money permitting, I can go to London on Saturday and see (some of) my lovely girlfriends!

+ I'm planning a pretty major blog redesign, involving the newly re-found blog I mentioned in my last post. At the moment I can't decide if I'm going to export all the posts from this blog to the other blog (and risk losing all my followers), or if I'm going to swap the blog URLs (which seems a leetle bit tricky for someone not gifted with much technical computery knowledge), and then change the branding of this blog afterwards. At the moment I'm leaning towards the latter, despite its trickiness, because I don't want to lose and confuse my lovely followers!

Hi, I'm Emma and I'm a serial blogomist.

The other day, for whatever reason, I decided to look up a Blogger URL that I really wanted, but was already in use when I tried to use it for my blog address a while ago (when I was making my previous Blogger blog, actually). And you know what I discovered?

I ALREADY OWN IT!

It was a blog I made years ago, that I last updated in 2004. As soon as I saw it, I remembered it, and spent a happy hour or so reading through the posts I made on there. It was from the beginning of Year 11, after I'd spent the whole of Year 10 keeping a 'web diary' about the goings on in my life. I stopped doing the web diary but wanted to do something similar, just in more of a relaxed way, so I started that blog. I wasn't a massive fan of it, though, and abandoned it in mid October.

Since I really wanted control of it back, I tried to remember what the log in details for the account would have been. I couldn't. I tried the only two email addresses I could think I might have used when signing up, but neither of them were the right one. BUT. By doing that, I discovered another blog that I'd had and completely forgotten about! This one was from my second year of university and lasted a little longer, although with the posts being more sporadic.

I had zero recollection of having kept this blog, but reading through it made me laugh at some of the memories I'd otherwise have forgotten. And then it made me all nostalgic for second year. But I digress.

Today I had another attempt at gaining access to the blog I really want back. It seemed so sad that it was sitting there on the internet, so close yet out of my reach just because I couldn't remember my damn log in details. Then I had a brainwave.
Back in the day, I used to write down the username and passwords to things I signed up for (I know, I know, you're not supposed to do this, but I never did it with anything 'important'. And I don't do it any more. Which might explain why it sometimes takes me so long to log into things when Chrome kindly forgets my password). Was it possible that I'd written down the log in information for this very blog?

Yes I had! Hallelujah!

With baited breath, I entered the log in information. It worked! It actually worked! Google asked me if I wanted to update the account and add it to a current Google account I might have. Why yes Google, yes I do!

So now my wonderfully old blog has been added to this account. I have control of it again!

I'm not entirely sure what to do with it. What I'd really like to do is use it for me now, since it's the username that has been with me since I was 12 or 13 and is still with me today. But it seems weird to add new posts to a blog that has happily been in hibernation for so long. And I can't just delete those posts, now can I?!
Also, I'm establishing myself here. I'm not sure I'd be able to move to a third blog in the space of a little over a year without losing followers all over again (when I moved from The Little Grey Cells to here, hardly any of my 60-odd followers came with me. Seriously, I was more than a little upset at this). I'd just really really like my blog to be 'me'. Truly me, not a fad name as The Little Grey Cells and I Am the Chaser kind of are. And 'missish' is truly 'me'. Hmm. A quandry indeed. I shall muse on this.

Emma's eBay Purchases - Part 1

Confession: I am a complete eBay addict.

The moment I have money, I'm on eBay, looking for new (and unnecessary, of course!) clothes to buy. There's something so much fun about buying clothes from eBay! They're so much cheaper than buying instore, for one (I buy quite a lot of Topshop things from eBay, for instance, because as much as I love a lot of their clothes, I refuse to pay the prices they're asking in store). Secondly, there's the fun of seeing how much an item goes for, the triumph of winning, and then of course getting a package in the post!

So I've decided to start a little feature, of sorts, where I post new things I've won on eBay. Because hey, I like to show off my winnings.

I'll start with this Topshop coat that arrived this morning:

Topshop coat. Size 8. 99p + £3.50 P&P.
(excuse the awkward posing - this is exactly why this blog will never be a fashion blog!)

I've been looking for a new autumn/winter coat for a while, because although I already have three, there's still a gap in their usage (one is too 'smart' for just running to the supermarket, one is too short - I don't like having a cold bum! - and the other is a little too big/box-y, so it doesn't quite sit right on me). I was hoping that this coat would fill it.
It kind of does, in that it's quite a versatile coat but it's a little longer than I'd have liked, and it's actually quite tight! I can do it up fine (although, having said that, the buttons are slightly too big for the hole, so it takes a while), but I'm not sure how it'll fare (fair? Hmm) when I've got multiple layers and a scarf under it. I guess we shall see as the weather gets colder.

Coming soon: 2 bags and a dress!

A to Z.

Totally jumping on the blogging bandwagon with this one. You know you love it.

A. Age: 22
B. Bed size: Double
C. Chore that you hate: Hanging clothes out to dry. Ugh.
D. Dogs: I've never had one. Kind of want one, kind of don't.
E. Essential start to your day: Brushing my teeth. I feel so unclean until I do that.
F. Favorite color: Red or purple.
G. Gold or Silver: Definitely silver.
H. Height: 5'7"
I. Instruments you play: None at all. I'm really quite unmusical.
J. Job title: Food & Beverage Assistant. Which is really just a fancy way of saying 'waitress'.
K. Kids: None. I am not a fan.
L. Live: Southampton
M. Mother’s name: Janice
N. Nicknames: Babez (this started out somewhat ironically between Dan and me, and has now stuck), Emmy-Lou LIZ (for shame), smidgy/smidger
O. Overnight hospital stays: Zero. Except, presumably, when I was born.
P. Pet peeves: SPAG errors, cupboards/drawers left open ... there's usually so many, how can I not think of many right now?!
Q. Quote from a movie: "I would be proud to partake of your pecan piiiie" [When Harry Met Sally. Dan and I watched it this afternoon because, shock horror, he'd never seen it!]
R. Right or left handed: Left.
S. Siblings: None. Only child, yay!
T. Time you wake up: 5.50am when I'm working at 7am, otherwise around 10am.
U. Underwear: The ones I'm wearing today are pink.
V. Vegetable you hate: Brussels sprouts. Gag.
W. What makes you run late: Getting sidetracked. By anything. The internet, TV, Dan, cleaning the bathroom, you name it.
X. X-Rays you’ve had: Lots and lots of my teeth.
Y. Yummy food that you make: Sweet chilli salmon. So good, though I do say so myself.
Z. Zoo animal: I don't know, panda maybe? I've not been to a zoo in years.

Other things:

- Today was the first whole day that Dan and I have had together in what feels like ages. We had lunch in Wetherspoons, found Ben & Jerry's on offer in Tesco (2 for £6) then came back and watched films. It seems like so long ago already that we had every single day together over the summer.
- One of the films we watched was The Assassination of Jesse James [By the Coward Robert Ford]. SO BORING. It just dragged and dragged.
- On Friday night we went to see Dan's friend Simon's band play a gig at the pub he works at. It was a pretty fun evening, even if we couldn't stay all that late because I had to work at 7am on Saturday.
- I've applied to a couple of 9 to 5 jobs. Keep your fingers crossed for me?

Wish list.

In an attempt to put a more positive spin on my working life, here's what I'm planning on spending my hard earned moneys on come pay day:

Garnier's Miracle Skin Perfector.
I used a tester of this when I was in Boots the other day and was genuinely impressed. The colour was really natural looking and gave my skin a nice even tone without looking as if I was wearing any make up. And because it's a moisturiser, my skin felt lovely and soft too. I'm not normally one to buy fad beauty products, but I'm going to give this a try!

---

The Sketchbook Project
I've read about this in a couple of places around the internet, and I really like the idea of it. I've made two scrapbooks previously and loved doing it, but I've been lacking any motivation to do another. With a deadline and the thought of it being shown to potentially millions of people, it might inspire me to get cracking!

---

Clarks Boutique Lace shoes.
I saw these when I was looking for a new pair of shoes for work, and fell a little bit in love. I doubt I'll wear them for work (they're too nice to be trampling through kitchens in and having leftovers spilled on them!), but I need them in my life anyway!

---

CLOTHES
I'm excited to be able to buy some pretty dresses and tops from eBay. I love winning things on eBay and then getting fun parcels full of clothing goodies! I might do a charity shop trawl as well. I am so wild.

Facebook nostalgia.

I'm sure you've all noticed the way that Facebook is bringing up old statuses on the right hand side of some pages, right? It doesn't seem to be for any reason other than to provoke a feeling of bittersweet nostalgia. The other day I had

On This Day In 2009
Emma is going to her first ever American football game today.

Man, that seems like a long time ago. Well, I guess it was two years ago. Still. It's odd to see the passage of time just there, at the side of my Facebook page, reminding me of how different my life was then to how it is now. Luckily (is it luckily? I'm not sure) I don't post all that many Facebook statuses so it probably won't be a problem I have all that often. Just enough to give me a quick stab at the heart every now and then. And I suppose, in a way, it's a little bit nice. I wouldn't remember these exact dates, these exact occasions without them.

Thank you for your thoughtful comments on yesterday's post, by the way. They made me realise that I'm far from the only one thinking these things, and that if I want to travel and not be stuck in this job for more than a year it's entirely up to me to make it happen.

Not a forever settling down job.

I miss updating my blog almost every other day. Even though I've only been at this job two weeks, I feel as if it's dictating my life. I was supposed to have today and tomorrow as my days off, but I've got to go into work on both days - tonight because one of my colleagues has broken her finger so they're short staffed, and tomorrow morning because we have a team meeting. I'm supposed to have Friday and Sunday off, too, so now I'm worried I'm going to be asked to work on one or both of those days too. And I'm useless at lying (I never really thought about it, but Dan commented on it the other day and I realised I really am awful at it. I just can't pull it off at all) or coming up with excuses on the spot, so I know that if I'm asked I'll end up saying yes, no matter how much I don't want to.

I know this isn't a forever job. I know this is just a way to make money for the time being. I know I've only been working there for two weeks and once I settle in a bit more it might get better. But frankly, I'm a snob. I am. I'm a university graduate and working as a waitress isn't what I saw myself doing two months after I graduated with a 2:1 from a Top 10 UK University (so says the Times Higher Education Guide). My main problem there, though, is that I don't know what I saw myself doing.

If I knew what I wanted to do, I'd be doing it. Or at least, I'd like to think I'd be making steps towards doing it. The only thing that I know, that I feel, that I want to do is live in the States again. My 10 months in Colorado has tainted me forevermore. I'm 22 and I don't feel as if I'm in that 'settling down' place yet. I see people I know getting engaged, getting married, having babies and I realise how much I don't want that. Well, I do at some point. I just don't want it at the moment. And now that I'm in a full time job (in a weird sort of way. I did a little over 40 hours last week, so it qualifies. It just doesn't feel like a proper 'full time job' because it's not the standard 9 to 5 weekday job that I think of when I hear the phrase), living with a boyfriend who is also in a full time job, it makes me scared that I may never get the opportunity to go on the kind of adventures I dream about.

It's a kind of vicious circle, really. I need to work to get money to do what I want. But by working, I end up in a place that I'm not ready to be in. I guess a lot of saving is required.

Blog award!

I got another blog award; I'm so excited! Kathy digs my blog, yay!

1. Thank the person who gave you the award.
Well thank you Kathy! And thank you for being such a regular commenter on my blog; it really means a lot to me ♥

2. Reveal 3 random facts about yourself.
- Despite having a boyfriend to cuddle at night, I still have to have my cuddly Eeyore in my arms.
- I sucked my fingers (not sure why I was a finger rather than a thumb sucker) until I was 10, and gave up to prove to my grandmother that I could do it.
- I love trashy reality TV. Possibly too much.

3. Pass the award on.
Kate at Kate As Of Late
Allie at Of All the Nonsense
Ash at Emerald Doodles
Helen at Half the World Away.

Cardiff Castle.

Last week on our brief trip to Cardiff Dan and I visited Cardiff Castle. Since I'm a Cardiff resident (well, sort of. My driver's licence says that I am!) I was able to get a card that gets me in for free - and we managed to get one for Dan too, so score!

The interior of the castle is stunning. If I had an awesome DSLR camera I could have captured it better, but these couple of pictures should give you an idea of how over the top yet awesome it is:

I can't believe that it's been 5 days since I last posted! Work has zapped my days away so fast. I'm only contracted to work for 12 hours a week, but already I've worked for 34! When I said I wanted to do overtime, I didn't realise that I'd be scheduled to do overtime! It's great because it means come pay day I'm going to have lotsa moneys, but the hours I'm working just aren't conducive to a 'normal' life. Dan gets home from work (he's done 2 days as a real proper secondary school Science teacher! I can't believe my boyfriend's a teacher!), and then an hour later I have to leave for work, to not get home until 11.30pm-ish. Not to mention the sometimes 7am starts, straight after a late shift. I've had today and yesterday off, which I really needed because I needed time to rest my aching muscles! I hope my body can get used to that feeling.

Things.

1. Dan and I went to Cardiff (my hometown) for a couple of days on Tuesday. We were planning on staying until today (Friday), but on Tuesday I got an email from the Holiday Inn asking if I could start on Wednesday. Typical! Luckily I managed to get hold of James (my new manager!), who said it was okay for me to start on Thursday instead. So I didn't get quite as long in Cardiff as I'd have liked, but at least my mother had the day off on our one full day so I could spend some time with her.

2. I started my job yesterday! I went in at 4pm to sign paperwork and be given 'the tour', and then started work at 6pm. It was so busy and chaotic, but the time went by so quickly and I really enjoyed it! Everyone seems really nice, too, which definitely helps. I didn't get home until midnight (although that was partially because a road on my way home was closed, so I had to take a massive detour) and was completely shattered!

3. Unfortunately I've been scheduled to work on Sunday. And because I'm brand sparkling new at my job, I don't think it's acceptable to ask to change dates so soon, which means I don't get to go to London to meet up with my girl friends. I'm really gutted, because it's been months since I've seen any of them, and could be months before I get another opportunity to get us all together in one place.
This is the problem with growing up; everyone has their own schedule, and it's tricky to get everyone's lined up. Le sigh.

4. I don't like the new Blogger.