Stuff

I didn't know what to call this post so I thought I'd get together some things I wanted to talk about but didn't have enough information to write a full post on.

BABY BOMBSHELL

I'm gonna begin with something I can't believe I haven't mentioned yet. I actually can't believe I haven't mentioned it yet. My auntie who got married in August is pregnant. *silently freaks out* I'm so excited... I currently have 5 cousins but I can't really remember much about when they were born. I remember lots of hospital visits and a few christenings but... I was quite young. My memory is atrocious. It's just me, it always has been. It'll be nice to have another baby arrive in the family. It's gonna be so exciting!

DOCTOR WHO

Doctor Who was brilliant, did you see the Christmas special? I remember watching David Tennant's last Doctor Who Christmas special. I was annoyed that he was leaving Doctor Who. He was the first Doctor I had watched and I really like him, but one episode of Matt Smith as the Doctor and I had a new favourite Doctor. Now it's happening all over again. Did you see Matt Smith's regeneration? If not, watch it here;

DERREN BROWN

I got an iPad mini for Christmas and it's fantastic. I may be slightly addicted to it. I particularly love the TV catch up apps; 4od, 5od, ITVplayer, BBC iplayer. Recently I've been watching a lot of Derren Brown on 4od. I'd watched some of his shows before but it was the kind of thing I just watched if there was nothing else on. That has changed. He is pretty awesome. I think my favourite show of his has to be the Secret of Luck. Have you seen it? *gasp* Criminal! Well, not to fear. You can check it out on 4od. And because I am so nice, I am giving you this link which will take you straight there. You're welcome.
4od - Derren Brown - The Secret of Luck (The Experiments)
It's really good. It tests the strength of our belief in luck and how important it is to be on the lookout for new opportunities coming your way. There is a big twist at the end and someone's entire life's savings is bet on the roll of a dice. Just watch it. It will blow your mind!

SHERLOCK
I just wanted to let you know that I will be doing a detailed review of Sherlock series 3 in a separate post and it will be full of spoilers, so when I post it don't read it unless you have already seen all of series 3. But if you have seen it, wasn't it fantastic?! I mean what a cliffhanger... Series 4 & 5 are being planned as we speak. I can't wait!!!!!!

I can't say much on series 3 because I don't want to give anything away here, but I reckon I can talk a little about Charles Augustus Magnussen. I know there are many people who weren't particularly keen on someone replacing Moriarty. I was one of those people. Moriarty was such an awesome villain. But if you liked Moriarty, you'll love Magnussen. Where Moriarty is elaborate and a little insane, Magnussen is smooth and softly spoken. Moriarty is the opposite of Sherlock in the way that he is nuts and he kills people, and Magnussen is the opposite of Sherlock in the other direction because he is quiet and manipulative. Magnussen doesn't kill people, he's not a killer. He just likes to get what he wants. He's manipulative, smart and sneaky. You'll just love him.

BOREDOM

So recently I went to my friend's house to help her with her flute practice and it was going well and we had a good few hours to practice, but then we got bored and, well, this sort of... Happened.

NIALL DE BURCA

Niall De Burca came to our school today and he is absolutely hilarious. He's an Irish storyteller. a few months ago we had a visit from an author called Alan Gibbons, and he was really funny. When I heard Niall De Burca was coming to our school I thought "How can you top Alan Gibbons?" But Niall De Burca was just brilliant. He had me laughing from the moment he opened his mouth. He told us three stories and the way he tells stories is fantastic. The facial expressions, the voices, the way he moved around the stage, all added to the hilariousness of his storytelling. If you ever get a chance to hear him storytelling, take it. You will love him.

New year... New me?

2013 is now 5 days gone, and everywhere you look all you see are videos and pictures and blog posts commemorating the year we've left behind. I don't know what I think of it to be honest. I usually have an immediate opinion on everything, but not this time. Photographs I don't particularly like; you spend the whole year cringing at the horrible ones your friends decided to put on Facebook only to be reminded of them when the new year comes. Hm. For me in particular this isn't good because being as self conscious as I am I hate every photo of myself. But there are always some great photos. Those photos where everyone looks like a moron or when your best friend's gangnam style makes them look like a chipmunk on caffeine. There's always one person who blinks and ends up looking drunk in every photo; that person would be me. But videos are the best aren't they? Photos blur easily and they only capture one moment in time, but videos are brilliant. There's always one video that everyone hates but you keep it hidden away in your computer because it always makes you laugh every time you watch it. Those videos where one of your friends is singing and dancing and they thought they were a superstar are always brilliant to keep. When they watch it it's hilarious to see how much they cringe. I keep all the videos I've taken over the years so that when the time comes to put together a brilliant 18th birthday gift I can proudly present my friends with DVDs showcasing their finest moments. Ah, yes, I am a truly thoughtful friend.
I have millions of photos and millions of vides to laugh at but I don't have a new year's blog post. I'm not gonna do one of those detailed reflections on 2013 and talk about how busy my year was; I've written about most of the stuff that happened to me in 2013 in past blog posts so instead I'm gonna write about the one thing that annoys me most about beginning a new year; new year, new me.

Oh how this gets on my nerves, it really does. Every year it's the same; everybody's saying "it's a new year, time for a new me." So just because you're signing a different number at the end of every date you write, you think this a good cause to try and make some changes? Balderdash I tell you! People try too hard to make changes just for the new year, making new year's resolutions that, let's face it, they might not keep. I haven't made any new year's resolutions and I don't intend to. I'm perfectly happy with the way I am right now. Ok, so it's a new year and that means another birthday and the beginning of another school year, but that's the same as every year right? I don't like the whole change thing. It's just so... Ugh! It's like picking through your life with a nit comb and saying "that's not good, change it. That's not good, change it. That's not good, change it." Not all people try too hard to make changes, why I don't even try at all. But it just gets a little annoying.
What is good about the new year though, I suppose, is the whole mindset people get about a fresh start. In a way I suppose New Year's Day is like hitting a refresh button, or wiping a slate clean and starting over. That's the bit I like, hitting refresh. I love the whole mindset at the beginning of a new year, knowing that you have 365 days ahead of you full of new oportunities. I think it's that sort of mindset that helps you to create new opportunities for yourself. If you have a strong belief that the next 365 days will be great, then they will be. You might say I watch too much Derren Brown but I say your life is in your hands.