Hey, look.

JUST SO PEOPLE KNOW.

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 10:59:00 -0400

I’ve been wanting to write something about this for a while; not because it eats me up inside every day, not because I’m self-conscious about it and certainly not so I can sit on the internet and be another one of those girls/women/ladies who preaches about loving oneself endlessly and who has gone through a rough experience and come out a better, stronger and more powerful woman the other side- I’ve not at any point been bullied, harassed or belittled by what I’m about to write about.

I’m writing this just so people know.

I’ma start this thang with an extremely short exchange. It’s not contextually true, nor are the people real but it represents so many people and so many contexts that I’ve encountered before that I may as well bundle them all in to one experience. To make it more interesting, let’s bring some unicorns and dinosaurs in to the equation:

Me: Hello Mrs Dinosaur.

Mrs Dinosaur: Hello Olivia, how was your evening?

Me: It was great, ate far too much crap and drank far too much cheap wine though, so I’m eating this very healthy salad to make myself feel better.

Mrs Dinosaur: Don’t be stupid, you’re skinny already you don’t need to watch what you eat. OH HEY THERE MR UNICORN!

Mr Unicorn: OH HEY FRIENDS. Livvy, whatcha doing this evening, yo’, we’re gonna watch Lord of the Rings.

Me: Great! I’ll pop over after my bike ride, I’ve decided to go on a bit of a health kick.

*Judging glares from both mystical creatures*

Mr Unicorn: Exercise? You don’t need to lose any more weight, look at you.

I would like to point out now, before I say any more, that I am in no way insinuating that this insecurity is any worse than another. I am writing to make these points:

Some people can’t help being slim.

Being slim comes with just as many insecurities as being overweight does.

I have always been, naturally, very skinny (cue disdainful and snide glares from all those trying to lose weight. I’m not bragging, this point will come to light in a second). Since the age of 16, the only exercise I’ve experienced is the walk to the fridge, my boobs haven’t grown past the size of a mosquito bite, I eat enough to feed a family of 5, my legs have gotten longer but still remain very slight and my wrists are so slim my hands look more like the grabbing claw in an arcade game box.

I have never been one to be particularly body conscious; I’m aware that after 19 years of being this way, my boobs probably won’t look like Pamela Anderson’s and my bum will never look as pert as Beyoncé’s, and I am perfectly content with the way I look.

What I don’t feel is fair is being made to feel ashamed for wanting to eat healthily or do exercise.

Should I feel conscious for not wanting my arteries clogged with fat?

Should I feel conscious for not wanting to be out of breath from running up the stairs?

Most of all, should I be made to feel bad for something which I can’t control?

The answer to all of these is no. My mother tells me endlessly that people would love to have my figure, and for that I am truly grateful and appreciative. But what I am preaching is to be aware. Know that there are other girls in my position who are not as resilient; just as if you were to sit and tell a curvy, self conscious 19 year old that they are fat and overweight, telling a slim, self conscious 19 year old that they’re skinny and that there’s ‘nothing of them’ can have the same effect.

I don’t usually do serious. After writing this, I’ma go bake some cakes and watch the Rugrats on repeat. I’m not writing this with the intention of changing the world. I’m writing this so people are more aware. I’m writing this so people know that skinny doesn’t always equate to happy.

I’m writing this just so people know.

As such, here’s one of the bands that’s playing,...

Fri, 19 Apr 2013 07:12:29 -0400

As such, here’s one of the bands that’s playing, Bear’s Den. Remind me a little of a toned down version of Frightened Rabbit which I quite like. This song is called Pompeii

Just signed up to this on the 6th of July with the brother and...

Fri, 19 Apr 2013 07:11:01 -0400

Just signed up to this on the 6th of July with the brother and boyf, plus a few friends. Set to be insane!

Night Beds, Ramona. I realise I’m on a bit of a sharing...

Fri, 19 Apr 2013 07:09:24 -0400

Night Beds, Ramona.

I realise I’m on a bit of a sharing mad one, but I gotsta catch up y’know!

Shot and put together by Elisabeth Borchgrevink

Fri, 19 Apr 2013 07:08:31 -0400

Shot and put together by Elisabeth Borchgrevink

It’s been too long since my last post. I feel like...

Fri, 19 Apr 2013 07:00:00 -0400

It’s been too long since my last post.

I feel like I’ve cheated at this whole blogging thing; only having to write when a new song takes my fancy or a new event happens. Truth is lots has happened since my last post in February, but life gets in the way and suddenly posting about your cats broken toe seems a bit irrelevant.

I’ve had an amazing past few months, and it all came to a climax last week at KentSnow’s final tour to Val Thorens from 5th-13th April. I had the best tour yet, met some wonderful people did some wonderful things, and best of all the ‘disability in sport’ thannggg was a great success! Skiing with our disabled skiier Jonjo was a great experience.

Now to summer, which is looking to be pretty tip top (Munich, Prague, Norway, Oktoberfest and 2 festivals anyone?)

KentSnow host The Charity Ball 2013, to raise awareness of...

Mon, 25 Feb 2013 13:08:52 -0500

KentSnow host The Charity Ball 2013, to raise awareness of disability in sports! Such an epic night, one of the best so far, and we raised enough money to bring two disabled students on our Easter Tour. YAY!

Makes you think.

Fri, 15 Feb 2013 15:32:23 -0500

A meteorology professor stood before his Meteorology 101 class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly he picked up a very large and empty glass mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.

The professor then picked up a jar of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles, of course, rolled into the open spaces between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.

The professor picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar and of course the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with an unanimous yes.

The professor then produced two cans of beer from under the table and then proceeded to pour the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the empty space between the grains of sand. The students laughed.

“Now,” said the professor, as the laughter subsided, “I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things — your family, your partner, your health, your children, your friends, your favorite passions — things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full.

“The pebbles are the other things that matter, like your job, your house, your car. The sand is everything else — the small stuff.

“If you put the sand into the jar first,” he continued, “there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for your life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you. Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your partner out dancing. Play another 18.

“There will always be time to go to work, clean the house, give a dinner party and fix the disposal. Take care of the golf balls first — the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.”

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the beer represented. The professor smiled. “I’m glad you asked. It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there’s always room for a couple of beers.”

‘My, oh my, what a year’ So many people start...

Sat, 19 Jan 2013 16:06:00 -0500

‘My, oh my, what a year’

So many people start the new years with a new years resolution. ‘I want to be thinner.’, ‘I want a new job’, or whatever.

Personally? I find New Years Resolutions silly. Why wait? What’s the use in saying ‘In 2013, I’ma be [insert wish here]’ when you could just go and do it?

I make a note not to make Resolutions, purely based on the following fact (and excuse the whimsical crap that I’m about to spew on to my page in an effort to sound more sophisticated and philosophical than I actually am. In truth, I’m sitting here eating Frosties out of the box and listening to Bob Marley on repeat):

Life is not made to be planned.

I think of all the things I did in 2012, all of which I hadn’t planned to do, and how amazing they were.

I didn’t plan to go and work at a festival.

I didn’t plan on white water rafting in the Alps in July.

I didn’t plan on attending a fancy soiree in Central London with famous faces for my 19th birthday.

I didn’t plan on meeting all the wonderful people I met.

I didn’t plan on getting published on the RSC website

and I most certainly didn’t plan on meeting ‘someone’.

My point is that, for me, the best things are those that can’t be planned. Why say you’re going to do something and risk being let down by not being able to do it. Go with the flow, take things as they come and enjoy yourself.

To start my chronicle of 2013, here’s a few picture from KentSnow’s Winter Tour 2013 (4th Jan-12th Jan). Months of hard work boiled down to this epic/messy/unforgettable (although, ironically, some nights I remember very little) week in Les Arcs.

Mumford and Sons

Wed, 05 Dec 2012 09:07:20 -0500

On the 22nd November, Ben and I went to see Mumford and Sons live at the Portsmouth Guildhall.

There are no words to describe how awe inspiring it was, so here’s a bunch of letters which I hope effectively convey how bloody awesome they were:

GAAAAHEIFBEIWFGEFGWEKALFGJOEIFMUMFORDUBFOWIJFWIFJWSSONSEGHE GIEWFNEFIEF.

On another note, this was a send off to my broski who, this Sunday, headed off to La Plagne to start his season as a Ski Host. Supremely proud of him, amazingly enviously and I’ll look forward to seeing him on Tour in a few weeks time!

A butler, God, and a Jedi, walk into a bar…

Wed, 14 Nov 2012 05:40:11 -0500

A butler, God, and a Jedi, walk into a bar…

Photo

Tue, 13 Nov 2012 17:15:57 -0500

That’s What’s Up -Edward Sharpe and the...

Sun, 11 Nov 2012 10:40:55 -0500

That’s What’s Up

-Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros

This week, I went to see Bon Iver with the broski at Wembley...

Sun, 11 Nov 2012 10:31:00 -0500

This week, I went to see Bon Iver with the broski at Wembley Arena. The Staves supported, a beautiful British girl band whose harmonies literally made me swoon. So insanely beautiful. So when they joined the ever-lovely Bon Iver on stage for Stacks, I was almost crippled over in swoon-y, ‘holy crap this is so good I want to cry’-y state.

So pleased I’m able to say I experienced this man live, Justin Vernon really is genius.

Photo

Tue, 23 Oct 2012 17:12:23 -0400

"‘If at some point we all succumb, for goodness sake let us be young. Because time gets harder..."

Tue, 23 Oct 2012 08:57:47 -0400

“‘If at some point we all succumb, for goodness sake let us be young. Because time gets harder to outrun, and I’m nobody- I’m not done.’”

- The Vaccines

A wee bit obsessed with this gem this week. The Lumineers, Ho...

Tue, 23 Oct 2012 08:55:28 -0400

A wee bit obsessed with this gem this week. The Lumineers, Ho Hey.

It’s events like these than re-inforce my faith in...

Sun, 14 Oct 2012 14:51:00 -0400

It’s events like these than re-inforce my faith in humanity and make me so unbelievably excited to live.

Some guy just jumped out of a capsule from the edge space. The edge of actual space.

Felix Baumgartner, free-falling from 120,000ft, breaking 3 records. Sensational.

For a few weeks now, I’ve been trying to figure out what...

Mon, 08 Oct 2012 10:37:00 -0400

For a few weeks now, I’ve been trying to figure out what to say about this album.

And I’m still a little unsure on what words to use to give it justice. And then I realised that that, really, was all I needed to say.

But that would make for a very boring review no? Mumford and Sons earlier album ‘Sigh No More’ is enlaced with emotional metaphors and epic tales. Babel feels a lot more honest. I think that part of the appeal of Sigh No More was that everyone listened to the lyrics and thought ‘Shit yeah, d’ya know what? I HAVE been covering myself with thistles and weeds, and y’know what’s more? I WILL come out the cave walking on my hands.’ Even if love hadn’t betrayed, dismayed or enslaved you, or indeed set your free, the gusto of the song suddenly made you feel so incredibly emotive that you might as well have been.

Not to say that Babel lacks gusto, the album’s drenched in it, but instead of spending my time decoding the metaphors, you’re able to appreciate the songs and their stories for their honesty and genuity.

To summarise: It’s a bloody brilliant album, and I mean that in the very sense of the word brilliant. And I can’t wait to see them in November with ma broski.

theeidophusikon: Nothing But The Blur of Travelling TimeJack...

Sun, 07 Oct 2012 18:35:45 -0400

theeidophusikon:

Nothing But The Blur of Travelling Time
Jack Hardwicke