Get Fit, Feel Epic - A Competition and a Challenge

I am the world's laziest bum.

Yes, you read that correctly, I am the world's laziest bum. That is a statement of fact, mixed in with a little smidge of shame too. You may remember that I mentioned in my 2013 Goals Post that I wanted to be healthier. This involved drinking less, eating less crappy foods and exercising more. How am I getting along with this? 2 out of 3 of these have happened entirely by accident; I used to be prone to a cheeky glass of wine with dinner every evening, now I've been either drinking water or fruit teas. I used to be really bad for eating huge portions and pigging out on junk food constantly, now I'm eating less during the day and my boyfriend Kris is helping to control my portions at meals. The lack of drinking and the eating less during the day occurred because since New Year I'd been suffering with the flu, so my appetite went flying out the window.

Where I've been less active is getting more exercise, which brings me back to my original statement: I am the world's laziest bum! I know why I've been lazy so far though; Since the bells heralded the beginning of 2013, I've either been ill or working (both at times too.). Right now, however, I have a week off work, and still not much has happened. After seeing this "Get Fit, Feel Epic" competition over at Sandra's Black Pearl Blog, I've decided to use this post as my manifesto to help me get fit and feel epic!

Under the heading of getting fit and feeling epic then, I've set myself some mini-goals to (hopefully) help me and give me a skeen bootin' (kick up the back side if you want the English translation).

1. Getting Fit - Don't get the bus you lazy swine!

Let me explain... Right outside my front door is a bus-stop. Only one service goes past, and it's every 15 minutes. It's called the K6 and it's a local service that takes me down into the town centre. Convenient no? NO! It's only a 15 minute walk into the town centre, so I need to stop using this devil-bus and walk more. Small step, but walking everywhere helps.

2. Getting fit - Use your diary.

During the summer, I attempted to either go jogging in the morning or swimming in the afternoon every day. When you work on a shift pattern, that's a terrible idea, because with rota shifts and extra shifts coming out of every orifice, it leaves very little time and energy to do so much exercise. What does work however, is scheduling time for it. Such an obvious thing to say, but it makes such a difference. If I set aside 2-3 days a week where I can do more exercise it will make all the difference in the world. Not only will I be helping myself become physically healthy, but mentally I will feel epic, knowing that when I put my mind to it I can be healthy.

For me getting fit isn't really about losing weight, although ideally I'd like to do that as well as a by-product. I just want to make sure that I'm looking after myself and not eating/drinking myself into an early grave (as some Scots are prone to do with our penchant for all things deep-fried...) In a perfect world, I'd like to get back to being as size 10/12 as I was when I was about 19, but I'd be just as happy if I stay the way I am now, because I'd rather be happy and healthy than painfully thin and miserable because I can't eat anything I want to. Not that that will happen anyway, I have boobs, hips and an arse, always have done and I always will!





This is what I looked like at my slimmest. I was happy then but that's not to say I'm not equally happy now. I just want to be healthy and not feel like crap!

Feeling Epic

Us lucky folk in the UK get to see the adverts for Money Supermarket, so whenever someone says "Feel Epic" this is how we hear it:

To help myself feel epic, I'm going to do a number of things.

1. Pay someone a compliment every day. I don't want to do this in any kind of forced or contrived way, I just want to spread the love and remind people that they're brilliant, fabulous and beautiful :) Awww!

2. Challenge myself. I'm already doing this in a way; I'm organising a fundraising gig night in March for the charity I work for, Scottish Autism. Last year, I abseiled down the side of the Forth Rail Bridge for them and raised £641, and I felt so good about meeting that challenge so I thought I would do that this year too by organising this concert. It's something I've never tried before and I am terrified but still excited about it at the same time. It feels good knowing I'm trying something new and helping people with a difficult condition too.

3. Don't be so hard on myself. This is going to be extremely difficult for me. I am the world's most neurotic worrier and I panic about the most ridiculous things. I am very lucky my boyfriend has a lot of patience and understanding for me, but I really need to learn to relax and not to sweat the small stuff. I'm also really critical of myself and I need to focus on the positives more.

And just to remind myself that I'm not that bad, here's a picture from my abseil:

I was completely shitting myself at this point, but I made it to the bottom. BOOYAH!

So hopefully, this is all going to help me get fit and feel epic! Now that I've put this into words, I have to do it :P at least that's the theory right?

Here goes nothing...

Christina xo

Glasgow Smiles Better - A Weekend at Home

My name is Christina (hello!) and I live in Kirkcaldy, in Fife (also known as the Kingdom of Fife, hence the name of my blog.). I haven't always lived here, just for the last 15 months. I'm originally from Glasgow, the West End of Glasgow if you want to be exact. I always try to get home to Glasgow whenever work allows, so I can see family, friends and relax in the city I call home! The reason I wanted to write this post was because there's been a few murmurs of discontent (myself included), that we Scots don't really get to see many events for bloggers (Not begrudging any other cities, or London, but it's just a fact of life it seems). I wanted to write this piece about my home-town, simply because I have so much love for it, and I want to share how awesome Glasgow is with everyone :)

This is the (slightly rainy) view from my parents' living room. Yes it's a motorway, but beyond said junction, that's Glasgow's Riverside Museum. And just out of shot to the right, are some of the Govan shipyards across the river that made Glasgow a famous hub of industry during the Victorian period (and beyond... Until Margaret Thatcher ruined it.) Also you can just faintly see Glasgow's Science Tower beyond that, and on a clear day, you can also see the BBC Scotland building at Pacific Quay. Isn't it lovely fact fans?!

Already, you can see so much of Glasgow, and we haven't even left my parents' yet :P Next up, one of my favourite places in the city...

This is me with my boyfriend Kris on my graduation day from Glasgow University (I'm an MA in English Language and Literature :D), and we're standing in the Cloisters. They look like something straight out of Harry Potter! Glasgow University is a beautiful place, nestled in the heart of the West End of the city, well worth a visit if you're nearby.

The main thing I love about Glasgow, however, is its constant cycle of reinvention and betterment. I mean that in a non-snobby way! Every time I return home, somewhere has been refurbished, or sold and re-opened as somewhere new. It's like a new adventure each time I return home and I love it! Following on from here are some pictures of what I got up to this weekend, with an explanation as to how this links in to the cycle of reinvention...

This is The Grosvenor, and this is now part of a cinema, bar and cafe, all under the same name; this part used to be just know as the Loft, and it was one of my favourite haunts while I was at uni. It's mainly a bar/restaurant, but it also regularly hosts events, craft fairs, even film nights. I met my friend Lisa here for lunch, and it was just the perfect place to sit and people-watch (we even spotted Colin and Justin, the fabulous local interior duo, as made famous by I'm a Celebrity :P).

In Glasgow, we have our own subway system. It's just one loop, going in two directions, the Inner and Outer Circle (a whole lot less complicated than London, yes?), and at the moment all the stations are getting a face-lift in time for the 2014 Commonwealth Games. The first station to be completed was Hillhead, which was finished with an amazing mural from the artist Alasdair Gray (author and artist extraordinaire, he also created the murals in the nearby Oran Mor.) It's beautiful, and it sums up Glasgow perfectly, with its mix of people, local characters and more.

Finally, Glasgow always has some of the most delicious eateries, and while I was home, I got to try out a new one! A bar/eaterie that's so new that we visited on its 3rd day of opening!

Cocktail and Burger is on Sauchiehall Street in Glasgow, nestled between all the bright lights and razzamatazz of the bars and clubs which surround it. There's a local blogger named James, who, along with his partner Pamela go around Glasgow looking for the best burgers, and they've reviewed it here. My thoughts? Amazing. Delicious burgers, and some of the nicest cocktails I've had in the city. It is so good, that it actually pains me to share it with people cause I love it so much that I don't want its beautiful simplicity to be ruined by over-crowding!

This is one of the cheeseburgers they serve, photo taken from Cocktail and Burger's Facebook Page. Kris, my friend Vicky and I each had a burger, Kris had a beer and a White Russian (the best he's ever tasted), and Vicky and I both had a daiquiri and a mojito each. Total cost for all this deliciousness? £23!! I literally died and went to foodie heaven after reading the receipt...

Cocktail and Burger sums up what I love about Glasgow. Every so often, somewhere new pops up which utterly blows people away with how good it is, whether it's a new shop, exhibition, or a new restaurant. And there's something for everyone in Glasgow too :) just ask and ye shall find!

I hope this post has helped sum up my feelings for Glasgow in a way that people can understand. I just want people to love my hometown as much as I do!

Have you ever been to Glasgow? Would you like to go? And if you have been, what did you enjoy about it?

Christina xo

Meanwhile, in the real world...

Hello there blog fans! I thought I might take some time out from talking about make-up to talk about what I do for a living, and something special I'm doing as a result of that.

When I'm not sitting glued to my laptop at home, I am a support worker for a charity named Scottish Autism, who support individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs), and help them develop their independence and teach them any skills they need to maintain that, as well as promoting awareness of and education about ASDs in the wider community. My role specifically is as a support worker within our Housing Support division, supporting adults with Autism in their own tenancies and helping them may their way through the world.

I only started working for the charity 9 months ago, but I absolutely love my job. I can honestly say I work hard at what I do, and even though sometimes I am totally shattered when I come home, I still feel good about it. It can be difficult at times though. All people who are on the Autism spectrum are completely different, which means their talents and skills, alongside their needs and anxieties, are all unique to them. This can make it hard to predict how a person might react to certain circumstances and surroundings, and as a result, I have borne the brunt of my service users' anxieties. And that's tough. But I still love my job. Because the people I support, like everyone else, have off-days: days where they feel tired and don't want to do much, or don't want to go out because it's raining, and I know I always do my best to help. So chin goes up, and then time to move on.

My job is the main reason why I don't post on my blog as often as I'd like. I work shifts so I'm often in work at unsociable hours, leaving me mentally and physically tired, so sometimes the last thing I want to do is talk about lippies. Although when I do want to blog, HOLD ME BACK! :P Today, the thing I really want to post about is something rather awesome I am doing at the weekend.

On Sunday (After a birthday meal on Friday and a Wedding on Saturday, all at opposite ends of Scotland I may add), I am going to abseil down the side of the 165ft tall Forth Rail Bridge. Here is a picture to give you an idea...

So yeah...pretty fucking big bridge. And I'll be doing it in aid of Scottish Autism. So far, I've raised £641 and I am so amazed and thankful that I've been able to raise that much, thanks to the generosity and support of my wonderful friends and family.

A lot of people have asked me why am I doing such a crazy stunt, i.e. why not do something simpler and less death-defying? Simple answer is that I just decided to do it on a whim. Not to fundraise, but to abseil. I received an email in work looking for volunteers to abseil, and a few hours of hand-wringing later, I was in! The long answer is this: after I decided to leave my previous job (I was a probation-year English teacher for all of 3 months), I was desperately applying for any job I could find, and all that came in return were no-thank-yous or no replies at all. I even had someone telling me in a completely un-ironic tone that I was too qualified. HOW THE FUCK!

It was a real low point in my life and career, but Scottish Autism came along and put their faith in me and my abilities when I needed it most. My job has given me a career, confidence and happiness, things that I didn't even think were possible when I first applied. My main reason for doing the abseil, then, is a thank you to Scottish Autism for giving me a chance to excel and a chance to prove myself and gain some confidence once again.

With that in mind, I have a serious question to ask of you all. Would you consider sponsoring me? Even £1 would make me super happy, because every penny goes towards helping people with ASDs have a chance to excel, to learn and to become independent in society. If you want to see the kind of work Scottish Autism does, go to www.scottishautism.org and look at all the amazing projects and centres they run to support people with autism, their families and carers. If you have a look and like what you see, then go to http://www.justgiving.com/Christina-May and sponsor me.

And here's a picture of me in my funky fundraising tee!


Thank you for reading folks. It means a lot!

Christina xo

What's a Liebster Award?

I was pootling about on my emails yesterday, and saw one telling me I'd received a comment from the lovely Chloe Leonard (http://chloeleonardmakeupartist.blogspot.co.uk/) telling me she'd nominated me for a Liebster Award. I have to admit my first reaction was WTF is a Liebster award? So I went and had a look at Chloe's (rather lovely) blog, and found out that the Liebster Award is a nomination for bloggers who are new to blogging and have less than 200 followers. The word "Liebster" means 'beloved' or 'dearest in German and it's a term of endearment. Thank you very much Chloe, glad you like my blog! Hopefully you all do, but it's nice for someone to say so!

In order to be able to accept the award and to be able to display the badge on your blog, you have to do the following:

1)  Each person tagged must post 11 things about themselves.

2)  They must answer the 11 questions the tagger has set for them.
3)  They must create 11 more questions to ask bloggers they tagged.
4)  They must then choose 11 bloggers to tag with less than 200 followers.
5)  These lucky bloggers must be told.
6)   There are no tag backs.

So here goes nothing...

11 Things about me :)

1) I'm a support worker for adults with autism spectrum disorders. Challenging job, but one I love! (I love it so much I'm abseiling down the Forth Rail Bridge to raise funds for the charity. Sponsor me here: http://www.justgiving.com/Christina-May)

2) I have 2 degrees from the University of Glasgow: A Master of Arts in English Languages and Literature and a Postgraduate Diploma in Teaching. I was only a teacher for 3 months before deciding I didn't like it!

3) My favourite writers are: Edwin Morgan, Alasdair Gray, Tennessee Williams and Oscar Wilde.

4) I used to be an Irish Dancer. Never wore the wigs though, or the fake-tan, which is why I never fitted in with the other dancers :P

5) I love Brewdog beers. I always pay a visit to the Glasgow branch when I'm home. Check them out http://www.brewdog.com/   Also if you're in the UK, watch Food Unwrapped on C4 and you'll see the Brewdog co-founders James and Martin, being themselves and generally taking the piss :P

6) My boyfriend and I have been together for 2 and a half years. And he's still as awesome and lovely as the first day we met (baaaaarf)

7) I'm a bit of a closet geek. I quite like Doctor Who, Torchwood, CSI, Ultimate Spiderman, Batman, Firefly/Serenity, Red Dwarf, House, and anything Batman.

8) I have a birth-mark on my back which looks a bit like a UFO.

9) I hate Ed Sheeran. He is awful. Compared to some of the extremely talented unsigned singer-songwriters I have seen over the years (and I've seen a lot), he is a little toad. 

10) My favourite singers at the moment are Joshua Radin and Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly. (aka Sam Duckworth). Both fabulous lads and brilliant musicians. Go check them out :) 

11) I love playing Xbox sometimes :)


11 Questions from Chloe Leonard:

1) What do you love most about the summer..?

Being able to sit outside with a cool drink (preferably a nice G&T). And that's about it, I'm not that big on the summer-time...

2) What's your favourite t.v show/movie..?

My favourite TV show has to be Gossip Girl, and my favourite movie would be Some Like it Hot. At least for now, I'm fickle and will probably change my mind in half an hour...

3) Who's your favourite you tube guru/ blogger and why..?

My favourite You-tube guru probably has to be Kandee Johnson, just because she's so full of energy and is always so happy. It's contagious :P my favourite blogger would have to be my friend Claire (http://eyeliningobsessions.blogspot.com) because she inspired me to start writing my own blog, she's honest, and she's just all-round lovely.

4) Who is your Celebrity crush..?

It used to be Johnny Depp (until my ex was mistaken for him in a pub by 2 well-known local actors, and caused a world-wide shit-storm with people thinking Johnny Depp was secretly partying in Scotland... Yes really. Apparently being too lazy to shave or get a hair-cut makes you look like Johnny Depp, who knew?) I think now my ultimate celebrity crush would have to be Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Mainly because he seems more intelligent than the majority of the Hollywood crowd...

5) What is you favourite meal..?

Steak. I love me a big slab of red meat still slightly bleeding in the middle, served in a mushroom and red-wine sauce, with chunky chips and loads of veg. Mwah!

6) What do you do to stay fit and healthy..?

Not an awful lot. I walk everywhere, but that's about it. Should get back into swimming when I have the time, but because I work crazy shifts I don't often get the chance.

7) Whats your favourite item of clothing..?

My Aldo court shoes. I have 2 pairs, in pink and blue, and I love them! They are my party shoes. High heels, platforms, comfy and classic. Love them!

8) What's your favourite perfume..?

A the moment, it has to be Valentina. I bought it on holiday and it's just gorgeous! Also loving Paco Rabanne's Lady Million and Black XS, and anything from Marc Jacobs :)

9) What's your favourite makeup brand and why..?

My favourite designer brand is Chanel. It's worth paying the money for the beautiful products and outstanding quality. Plus I always feel utterly classy when I'm wearing Chanel! For their value and the quality of their make-up, my budget favourite has to be Make-Up Academy (MUA).

10) What's your go to makeup look, if your in a hurry and cant be bothered..?

Hehe if I can't be bothered then I don't wear make-up! (I know, gasp!) But if I have to put some on, I go for neutral smokey eyes with a little pencil liner, and just some lip-balm on my lips.

11)And last but not least: have you any regrets since starting your blog..?

Not really, though I feel I should try to post more often...

And that's it. No offence to anyone, but I can't really be bothered with the whole tagging another 11 folk thing. If you want to do the quiz, please feel free, you can let me know and I'll generate 11 questions for you to answer. I enjoy doing these things but it doesn't necessarily mean everyone else does. Plus I follow so many blogs that it would be impossible and unfair to choose just 11 to nominate. So have a go if you like :)


And with that, I bid you adieu!


Christina xo

The Beauty Bloggers Tag

True to my word about doing more blogging tags, I saw this tag on Beautifully Superfluous written by the lovely Helen, and enjoyed reading it so I thought I'd give it a go!

1. Is your hair naturally curly or straight?

It's what I would call kinky (ooh-er). My hair's fine, reasonably straight but it tends to flick out a lot. Especially now it's shorter.

2. What is your natural hair color?

It's probably strawberry-blonde. It's reddish, but goes blonde when the sun comes out, and gets darker in the winter. Chameleon hair!

This is me, hello!  

3. Do you dye it yourself or go to a salon?

I was once told by my Mum and Dad that if I ever dyed my hair they would disown me! I've never dyed it because I don't really want to test that theory :P also I love my hair, I'm the only one in my family with red hair, so it'd be a shame to hide it.

4. How often do you wash your hair?

Every 2nd day usually, or more if I have a lot of events going on.


5. Do you wear the same style every day or change it?

When I'm at work it's usually up in a pony, or natural. I prefer curling my hair and making it look bedheady to straight when I'm not working.

6. Do you do your own mani/pedi or go to a salon?

I generally do my own nails, but if I'm going somewhere fancy I'll have a manicure. Last time I had a manicure was in Feb/March before I went to my friend's film premiere (glam!).

7. How often to you change your nail polish?

Not often, because I don't generally wear it to work. I'd say maybe twice a week?

8. Do you polish your toes in the winter, too or just in the summer?

Usually just during the summer, I'm too lazy sometimes!

9. How long does it take to put on your makeup?

Bog-standard work day? Around 20 mins. If I'm going out it usually takes longer, anything up to an hour.

10. What do you do first? Face or eyes?

Eyes, I'm so messy, so I do my eyes first so I don't get make-up stuck to my base.

11. Do you "collect" makeup or just buy what you need when you need it?

A bit of both, I have a few things I've collected, and I like collecting my MUA palettes. Mainly though I just go with what I need.

12. How often do you wear false eyelashes?

Never. Though this might change at Halloween! I just don't find them comfy at all, so I avoid wearing them. If I want longer lashes I use fibres.

13. Do you do a full face of makeup every day?

No, I'm quite lazy a lot of the time! At work there's not much point in me wearing make-up and on a day off I just want to sleep all the time!

14. Do you wear makeup when you are home alone (or with family)?

Sometimes I do if I'm experimenting, or trialling something. But generally not.

15. Will you leave the house without makeup?

Yes. I don't know if you've noticed yet, but I'm a right lazy bitch if I'm not working. Sometimes I just can't be bothered with make-up (gasp!)

16. How many high end products do you have?

A lot. Not as much as some beauty bloggers I imagine, but still a lot.

This is the extent of my collection so far. I think my favourite high-end brand is Chanel. Chanel always makes you feel classy, without fail :) (N.B. the Dainty Doll make-up was sent to me by Debenhams, I didn't pay for it, but I figured it counts as high-end still.)

17. How often do you wash your makeup brushes?

Less often than I probably should. I don't have time in the mornings! Or if I'm in a hurry, I know my boyfriend would kick my ass if I held us up just to wash brushes :P

18. Do you plan your OOTD every night or decide when you are getting dressed?

If I'm getting up for a day-shift (starting at 7.30am), then I'll leave clothes out the night before so I don't have to faff. Otherwise I tend to go with the flow!

19. How often do you change your handbag?

Probably every 2 days, it depends on what shift I'm working, or if I'm off, on where I'm going and for how long etc.

20. What time do you get up & go to sleep?

Usually about half 10/11 on a work night, and I always wake up about 7am, no matter how late I go to bed.

21. How often & when do you workout?

...No comment! Again, lazy bitch. :P

22. Left-handed or Right-handed?

Right-handed.

23. How tall are you?

I am not tall at all, I'm around 5ft and half an inch.

24. Do you speak a foreign language?

I can speak a little of: Spanish, French and Scottish Gaelic.

25. How many pets do you have?

Does Kris count? :P I don't have any pets, I would love a pug though. Only because I could call him Frank and get him to wear little MIB suits, heehee!

26. How often are you on Blogger?

Around once a week at the moment, mainly due to lack of time at home, and lack of energy when I am at home.

27. Do you read the comments posted on blogs?

Yes, I don't get many, but I enjoy getting feedback and having a chat with folk generally.

28. Do you keep a list of products to try as you see other posts?

If I see something I like, I can usually remember to try it at some point, but I also sometimes post things to my Amazon wish-list, to remind me.

29. How did you come up with your blog name?

I live in Fife, also known as the Kingdom of Fife, and this blog is partly about my life and also about beauty, so that's how I came up with "Tales From the Kingdom".

30. What kind of camera do you use for photographs?

My Samsung Galaxy Nexus cameraphone. I should try using my digital camera more I think.

31. How often do you clean your house? (Daily, weekly, other)

Let's just say that I don't tidy it as often as I should. I try to, but I just tend to leave everything lying around. Ooops! Lazy bitch syndrome strikes again...

32. What is your favorite color?

Purple, I love all things purple!

33. What is your favorite beauty/fashion magazine?

I don't really have a favourite per se. I really like Elle and Glamour, but I will read most fashion and beauty magazines.

34. Do you swear?

Constantly. Which is a barrel of laughs when you work with people who have echolalia, let me tell you!

35. What are you doing with the rest of your day?Having spaghetti with my boyfriend Kris, then we're heading to our local for the pub quiz, ROCK ON!

And here is a picture of Kris and me, just because :)

I hope you have enjoyed this brief snapshot of my mind, and hope I haven't freaked you out with my rampant laziness :P

Christina xo

So I'm jumping off a bridge....

...For charity that is!

I work for a charity called Scottish Autism, a charity which aims to supports people with autism and autism spectrum conditions such as Aspergers syndrome amongst others, as well as provide advice and support to their families also. The charity does this by running day services, outreach and can even provide 24-hour support in someone's own home if they need it (which is what I do, I work in Housing Support), as well as also having their own school in Alloa, which is purpose-built to meet the needs of children with ASDs who wish to learn. If you want to learn more about Scottish Autism and their work, visit their website here or visit them on either Twitter or Facebook. I advise you to, they're nothing short of lovely and helpful!

Now it takes a lot of money to run so many much-needed services, and in October I'm going to do my bit to help by abseiling down the side of the Forth Rail Bridge in Fife to raise money for the charity. That's 165 feet of abseiling I'll be doing folks! I have to raise at least £125 to be able to do the abseil, but ideally, I'd love to raise £1000 for Scottish Autism.

Why am I doing this? Well, basically because I love my job, and I would do anything to help those in my care. So if it means making sure there's enough money for the facilities they need to access the community, to give them as full a life as possible, then throwing myself over the edge of the Forth Rail Bridge is what I'm gonna do! And what I would love even more is if folk could sponsor me to do it. If everyone I know gave me £5, I'd be well over my target in no time. So if you believe in what I'm doing, you can find my donation page here: www.justgiving.com/Christina-May

Thank you for listening!

Christina xo

I belong to Glasgow (sort of...)

Hello, my name is Christina, and I am a Glaswegian. *Phew* big confession out of the way and now on to my main point...

I'm originally from Glasgow, I moved up to Fife to start a new job, so every chance I can I like to go home and visit family and friends. Usually, these experiences are pleasant and I love being able to have a catch-up in my home-town. However, last weekend when I went home for a friend's engagement do, for some reason I didn't really enjoy being back in Glasgow. The purpose of this post is to discuss why this might be, through discussing Glasgow's pros and cons.

PROS of Glasgow:

It may be a city, but it is one of the greenest cities in the U.K, which means it's lovely on the rare occasions that we have good weather.
Shopping. Glasgow is the biggest shopping city outside of London, with an astounding array of high street names, designer boutiques and unique independent stores. A girl's dream city then...
Nightlife. In Glasgow we have amazing pubs, clubs, concert venues, comedy venues, late-night restaurants and cafes, independent cinemas and theatres. You name it, Glasgow probably has it, there's something for everyone.
Events. There's always something happening somewhere in Glasgow. Comedy festivals, markets, Mela, West-End festival, Commonwealth 2014 etc.
The People. Glaswegians are an amazing bunch. Friendly, generally approachable, full of stories and often very unique and slightly mental. They also have real pride in their city, and will happily tell you anything you wish to know (or not know sometimes :P)
Culture. There's so many different cultures that have settled in Glasgow: Polish, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Russian, Bangladeshi, Pakistani, Indian, Brazilian, Venezuelan, you name it! And they all bring their own music, cuisine, art etc to the city, which means their is a huge array of events that go with it.

And now on to the Cons...

Greenery. Yes there's a lot of green space, but the minute the sun comes out it's all taken up with screaming weans and fat people with little clothing. Bleurgh. And yuppies stealing all the good outdoor seats at my favourite haunts. I WAS HERE FIRST!
The People. Now I love all my friends dearly, however at the moment, all I ever seem to hear when I visit is: "When are you moving home?" ... Eh whenever I'm bloody well ready! I miss Glasgow, but it gets me really annoyed and upset when my friends assume that I'll move back because why would I want to live in Fife (Having a fantastic job that I love isn't enough apparently...)
Nightlife. There are some real shit-holes in Glasgow. Just saying...
The People- Part II. If you've tried getting around Glasgow city centre on foot you'll know what I mean by this. People move so. friggin. slowly! They're always staring at something completely pointless as well, like a new shop that's actually been there for months, or looking at a development and wondering what it will become. It's Glasgow, it'll either be a new shop or new flats!
Snobs (i.e. People Part III). I grew up in a rather nice part of Glasgow, the West End. It is often described as the cultural heart of the city, with an abundance of high-end bars, restaurants, shops and salons and more. But it also contains an abundance of pretentious a-holes. Folk with names like Farqhuar and Jacinta who 'lunch' in the Ubiquitous Chip and don't balk about paying £20 for the cheapest bottle of Chardonnay because they want to be "seen". You also get folk who SAY they're from the West-End, when in reality they're from Govan. Or Castlemilk. Or Bridgeton (these are places that get marked as "dodgy"). At the end of the day, there are nice bits in each of these places, and there are shitty parts of the West-End, so why lie? Be proud of where you're from, it's no different to anywhere else.

Rant over. Dunno if I feel any better though...

Christina xo

A little bit about me...

I've had this blog a little while, and I'm horrendously bad at remembering to blog. What'll happen is this: I'll think of something I want to talk about (while I'm out at work or on the town usually) and by the time I sit myself down to write it, all my witty observations have gone *poof* into oblivion. So I thought I'd try and start afresh, and begin by telling folk a bit about myself by way of an introduction.

Name: Christina
Age: 23
Lives: Kirkcaldy, Fife. I'm originally from Glasgow, but I moved up around 8 months ago.
Relationships: I'm living with my boyfriend Kris. He's pretty awesome.
Favourite foods: Pizza, steak, bacon. All the stuff that's terrible for you really :P
Least favourite foods: Cucumber (unless it's in my G & T), some fruits.
Job: Support worker for Scottish Autism. Go read their blog here.

And now for a general list of my favourite things:

Going to gigs
Taking photos
Baking
Trying new drinks (particularly gins and vodkas, but not fussy haha!)
Playing with make-up, particularly eye make-up.
Pretty vintage dresses.
Playing RPGs on the Xbox, right now I'm engrossed in the Mass Effect trilogy. Another favourite is Red Dead Redemption.
Batman.
Doctor Who and Torchwood.
Gossip Girl.
Reading Charlie Brooker. He makes me laugh so hard at the world.
Tapas food.
Spanish culture in general, I love going there on holiday!

So there ya go, that's a little bit of info about myself. Anything else you wish to know? Is there anything in particular folk want me to write about? Open to suggestions :) x