Thank you Dot. Thank you for sharing this with me and proving that distance is just a number. We - I think anyway-  have already gone through the distance test. We were apart for university and still good friends. We've grown as people and life has taught us many different lessons, both good and bad and through it all, we are still friends. So yes, the fact that you are in Australia, although it's upsetting because it's so darn far away, doesn't worry me much.



So this is a little weird but yes... Good luck Dot :) Love you lots! xxx

Also, one last thing before I finally sign off, keep an eye out for Dot because it may be that she decides to start a travel blog! How awesome would that be!?! If she does I will definitely share the link with you all. :)

The other day I was talking to a friend and we had a conversation in which I said "when I'm older I want to..." and my friend replied with, "how much older?" This really got me thinking, I'm not that old! In her defence, I know what she meant - at the age of say, 15, if I were to say 'when I'm older', I'd have been referring to now... oh dear...

I should probably work on my posture...

1. "I'll keep my eyeballs out for him",
2. "Do you have one (man) on your radar?"
3. "I've got more layers on than the Michelin man",
4. "Do you have clothes on?" - I was asked this over the phone by my friend who lives next door!
5. "Hello. It's me. I'll have my usual." (I'm supposed to: a) know who you are and b) know what your 'usual' is?!)
6. "Hello. You are looking very beautiful today....(insert awkward silence)...I want more chips",
7. "I'll need to ask permission from your parent/guardian before I do this" HAHAHAHAHAHAH
8. Asked for an adult single on the bus, got given a child ticket...
9. "Are you work experience?"
10. "The Vikings made their houses out of poo" - note: credibility of this statement is highly questionable.
11. "Is an adult home?"
12. "Do you have ID to prove your age?"
13. "Is this your sister?" (points at my mother).
14. "Daym girl! You got gooooood"- why thank you, thank you indeed.
15. "You look like a lady today".

1. Graduated - uh huh, this time around I wore a Masters hat :) 
2. Went to Toronto (4 years later than I wanted but I got there!) - it was AWESOME!!
3. Did the Extreme SkyFlyer whilst in CA! 
4. At the beginning of the year, it was an aim of mine to get a job by September and guess what, I started my new job in September!

1. In the past year I've come to know myself much more. I've learnt that I'm way too adaptable and flexible to my surroundings and change. Not sure how I feel about this or what it says about me as a person, but hey ho, I don't mind too much. 
2. This may not be what most people want to hear, but family aren't always there for you. We are all, at the end of the day, selfish humans. Sorry but it's true and this year has really been a test in that respect. 
3. This year I've become stronger in my conviction to the following thought: What we think about ourselves is more important than what others think of us.
4. Friends are important. My friends have helped to keep me grounded. Thank you guys!!
5. A little self belief goes a long way - believe in yourself and watch yourself soar :)

So I hear you ask, how does being 24 feel? Well, I don't feel a day over 23.

What have you learnt in the past year? What are you particularly proud of? 

'it smells in here'

Often, one of the first things I'll notice about a person is their smell. I know, it's really odd but I don't go round sniffing people, honest I don't. I think the reason this is one of the first things I notice is because I myself am really conscious of the way I smell. It's one of my biggest concerns - I work in places that all have different smells. I'm faced with people in the office, people who've just come back from doing intensive exercise, people around food all day and even people who don't care at all about their smell. Fair enough, we are all different. 

Anyway, my actual reason for bringing this up isn't really related to smell at all. It was just, lets say - stimulated by smell. 

Let's continue. 

The other day I was minding my own business, doing my work when a man I know walked past me. As he did, there was this waft of smell that followed him, not entirely unpleasant because I know and recognise that smell. It's that smell of sweat, stale sweat, you know like when your jacket needs to be put in the wash but you sometimes just put spray over it, hoping it hides the smell? Only it only hides it for a while and after the smell of sweat is still there. I say here that it's not unpleasant because I have had to put up with way way way worse smells than this. Plus the smell passes, it doesn't linger for long and therefore it doesn't bother me much. 

However, what does bother me is my thought process on this occasion. Thoughts that ran through my head -


I'm ashamed of my first thought. There, I said it. After I spent ages thinking and wondering why I would ever think this, I mean come on, I'm a feminist who has issues with things like this, so then why was this the first thought that came to my head? Like why?! It does help that it was followed straight after by thought number two. I feel at ease a little now!

After a lot of thinking, I realised something. That first thought is one I'v heard before many times and each time I've heard it, I have, out loud, protested and expressed my opinion on this. My opinion being we should all be try to look after ourselves and not be reliant on others - we should try this! 

I found out where I heard it - that thought is something my grandmother has said to me many times. Admittedly I've heard it from many others too but now I know where it's from. That thought isn't me talking, it's what I've heard from others, what I've picked up from society. And this is something a very good friend explained to me the other day.

Here it is being explained by other people: 

― Terry Pratchett, A Hat Full of Sky

Have you ever examined your second thoughts? 

So I missed it - I'm six days too late but this is my 'New Year' post and what better way to start the year than with resolutions?!

Resolutions:

Initially I decided not to have New Years resolutions because I have, erm, how do I put it, 'issues' following them through. I do follow them through, only much later than I should. For example, last year I decided that getting fit was one of my resolutions.
I did it, yes, only about 6 moths later. Hey ho, I got there!

Anyway, I've decided to have smaller resolutions this year. Actually they aren't really smaller, they are just a lot more personal and selfish. That's right, this year I'm focusing on myself. I hope that's ok.

• Be more decisive, 
• Keep fit,
• Eat better,
• Improve my time keeping, 
• Work on Made By Fatima 

I've decided that 2016 is going to be a creative and productive year. Even more creative and productive than last year!

What are your plans for the year?

Here's to new beginnings!