Long Time No See

Hi

Haven't even thought to update in a while. Lots has happened. I passed my Driving test. I now have a full UK driving licence. I have been put on the press and publicity section of our college's fashion show committee. Birthdays are coming up and been. Mine is this week.

One thing that has been really bugging me since I got my licence is the constant question of when I'm going to get a car. Right at this point in time I cant justify the cost of a car. I'm in the middle of the college year for a creative course which is expensive in terms of buying fabrics and such anyway and I have the possibility that I'll be moving away next year for university. My Dad won't stop talking about it and it's really getting on my nerves. Until I know what I'm doing in terms of university I can't even think about a car. It's not even an option.

Now that I have that out of the way and off my chest on to happier subjects. Glasgow Clyde College, previously Cardonald College, Fashion Textiles course is organising a fashion show and I'm one of the people delegated to organising press and publicity. I think this is mainly due to the fact that I'm good with computers. Just this morning I managed to save my tablet from a never-ending boot-loop of death. I'm really looking forward to getting stuck in. Unfortunately I can't really do anything till the venue people organise the times and dates and things. Once they've done that I can start to publicise the event. At the moment we haven't even got a name but it's coming. I think we're considering Regeneration. Fundraising was suggested to be put on hold till after we get a venue but I thought that wasn't a good idea. If the Venue required a deposit we'd be stuck.

In college feeling really nice and calm. I need to post on my college blog as I now have a working camera after my camera pins for the memory card broke and my phone is doing some strange thing I can't even explain. I need to send it back to the insurance company anyway because the screen is smashed.

This week was both my best friend's birthday, whom I haven't seen yet, and my twin brothers birthday. I saw both of them yesterday along with my Dad, his wife and my youngest little brother. I got the boys the Hunger Games trilogy and a trivia game called Beat the Parents. My birthday's on Friday so I was thinking of asking my best friend if she wants to go to see Catching Fire next week.

The last time I went to the cinema with my friend we went to see Sunshine on Leith which is based on the music of the Proclaimers. I still can't get the songs out of my head. I actually prefer the movie versions of the songs to the Proclaimers.
I also went to see Andrea Borcelli with my Gran which was really great in the new Glasgow Hydro. It was maxed out and we were right in the back row but we could still hear him really well. We couldn't see very good as there was one big screen but the others were pretty small. I really enjoyed the night.

Bobbi Jean
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Playstation 2 vs Xbox 360

Been gone a while again.. but I have been busy doing college work.

Last week was a very stressful end to a project: Details on quintessential-designs.blogspot.co.uk
I am glad it's over now. Not that I didn't enjoy it but it was a bit rushed and I know that all my projects are going to be from now on but I haven't quite gotten used to the pace yet. I'll get there eventually.

So Friday was the September weekend and I enjoyed it alot. 'thisiscarole' and 'spazzyhawk' both came over and we enjoy a PS2 night. We ended up playing Kingdom Hearts to about twelve and then watching anime for another hour after that.

The reason for the PS2 other than the games that are still not avalible on newer consoles is that I don't own a Xbox 360 nor do I own a PS3. For one my mum is not a fan of gaming at all. She doesn't like it and doesn't see the point in it. She tries to talk me out of gaming tendencies at all times saying "but reality is so much better". A bit hypocritical considering just how much time she spends on Facebook playing games on that. Apparently 'they don't count'.

Another is money. Meaning I have no money to spend on a new console nor all the games I need to buy or in some cases rebuy to play on it. *cough*Final Fantasy*cough* I would however like to buy one despite all my reasons against it. I honestly feel like I'm counting the days till my old playstation 2 dies on me and you know what I blame. Game shops. Yes I blame them because the other week I was in a shop seeling games and I saw FFX playing on the screen and I said to the man behind the counter "Oh, I still play that on my PS2" and do you know what he asked me? "Does it still work then?"

Now I know that phones and tablets and consoles do have a lifespan that one day it will just die but I don't want to think about that. I want to imagine that even when I'm old and gray that PS2 will still be working away. I don't want to be reminded of the fact that one day my favourite games will be gone forever.

I am really tempted by the Xbox 360 however I have heard that there is a new console coming out soon and I think I'll wait and see when that comes out as I'm not sure about it especially since it say you can't play Xbox 360 games on it which is a big problem as it will take time to rerelease all those game.

Ahh I'm spilt. Hopefully I'll make up my mind before my PS2 crashes and burns :-)

Bobbi Jean
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Week Two

Hi

This is my second week of going to the gym. I've been going everyday but with Wednesdays and Fridays off. So far I have managed to keep to it. This is also my second week of going to Aquazumba. Which if anyone's thinking of going I highly suggest going to regular Zumba first. Somehow I thought it would be easier but I find it's really hard. Really I almost wish I had made Tuesdays one of my days off but it was a matter of timing. Wednesdays and Fridays I don't really have the time to go. I don't want to stretch to three days off a week because then I'll inevitably manage to talk myself out of going completely. I'm sticking to it and I want to keep sticking to it.

I have also been trying to eat healthier. I make sure to eat at least 5 fruit or veg a day. I do this by making up packed lunches for myself for while I'm at college and I make sure the bulk of it is made up of fruit and veg as well as drinking fruit juice. I also have started actually eating breakfast in the morning. I didn't before but now I make myself have something even if its only a sandwich. I have been looking after my teeth better too by flossing and using mouthwash.

Going to the gym and eating healthier isn't the only way I have been improving my life. I have been keeping organised even trying to start updating my blog more often. I have been keeping on top of the things I have to do and going to bed at a reasonable time I think is helping (Even if I have been waking at six every morning).  I have been working before college and I think that it's helping as it helps to wake me up before really starting my day.

Saturday was my Gran's birthday and I gave her a surprise. I got her ticket to go and see Andrea Borcelli, the blind Italian tenor. My Gran loves him and she was very pleased but... this was a joint present with my Dad. I had told him that I was going up on Sunday because I genuinely thought that was when her birthday was. So when he called her up on Saturday....Let's just say he wasn't a happy bunny. He knows what I'm like with names and dates though so it's not too much of a big deal.

Today I had the day off college and I had a dentist appointment for 12:30 however for some reason I thought it was at 1pm. So they put it back 2 weeks.

I then decided that I wanted to make soup so I cut up all the veg and realised that I should probably get a chicken to make the stock from so I went shooping and picked up more veg, roast potatoes and a whole chicken as well as a lot of things for my packed lunches over the week but when I got to the checkout I realised I had forgot my bank card and I only had twenty pounds on me so I had to put back quite a lot.

Then I went to my Aqua Zumba class and as last week wasn't too vigorous I took heavier weights than last week. Big Mistake. There was a different instructor and she didn't stop at all and it was way more vigorous than last week. My arms actually ache now.

Now I'm just about ready to go to bed. My soups all made and I think I may have that for lunch tomorrow.

Goodnight y'all
Bobbi Jean
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Back to College

Hello,

Well as the title suggests I'm back to college. Today we were at the Hunterian Museum. Details will be posted on my official College blog which is now up and running. I fixed the spelling mistake in Quintessential Go me! Being back at college is fun yet stressful. Moneys have to be paid and time used up but it's all worth it...Well it will be one day... just kidding I love it. It's good to be back.

I joined the gym! Yes I actually am taking an interest in my health. I have been going almost everyday so far and I have been making an effort to actually eat healthy.....er. I have really enjoyed going it really gives me a boost when I go I think "Yes I'm actually losing weight". Whether that's true or not because I don't actually keep a record of my weight exactly. At the moment I'm around thirteen stone but I could stand to lose some weight. I'm about a UK size 16 and my aim is to drop a dress size. Today is my Purge day. The one day a week I get to forget all the healthy stuff and eat what I want and laze about if I want as I have heard that your body gets used to the change in lifestyle and adapts and you end up not losing as much but if you have a day where you can do what you like it resets your system thinking it's still unhealthy and you lose the weight.

Admittedly this does sound like its a load of bogus but it's my way and I'll stick to it. I also take two days off the gym a week as I just don't have the time on those days. Wednesdays and Fridays are my two full college days and I work straight after college till seven so all I can think about after work is getting my dinner, college homework or blog updates and then sleep. This is the first week of my new healthier lifestyle and so far I don't see much difference but I'm sure I'll get there.

It's my Gran's birthday tomorrow and I have got her something very special. I have went halves with my Dad on it as it was quite expensive but it was my idea. I'm going to visit my Gran tomorrow so I'll be able to tell her in person. I've been sitting on what it is for months so I have been tempted to tell her so many times.

My friend 'spazzyhawk' is away to college just outside Edinburgh. He's doing Animal Care so I hope he's having a great time.

The New Doctor has now been announced Woo Wee Ooo.

Have to admit I was disappointed because I had heard rumors that Andrew Scott was one of the favorites in the betting and I had hoped they were true. Peter Capaldi though..... I don't know how I feel about him being the Doctor. For one he's older than all the previous doctors of the new series. Secondly he has in fact been in the series before and though I could look the other way when they did it with Martha as it was explained as her cousin I feel weird about the whole thing. Finally the only things I've seen Peter Capaldi in was Spartacus which isn't exactly family friendly and Torchwood where he played John Frobisher which is set in the same universe as Doctor Who and John Frobisher is quite a spineless character and both of those don't fit with my image of the Doctor. I suppose I'll just have to wait and see what he's like.

Sherlock is back on our screens soon. I can't wait! I've been ogling pictures of BC all summer and watching almost everything he's ever been in. If you ever get the chance I would highly recommend Hawking, Amazing Grace and of course the fabulous Parade's End (Even if he does go blonde).

Played some more of Final Fantasy X. Got unstuck. I'm now right near the end. I've got to entering Sin and going through that map that only shows you where you've already been.

In college we are doing a series of small projects in order to build up portfolios for applying to universities and art schools but I've barely even thought of where I would want to go. Ideally if I could stay at home and still go to art school or university it would be brilliant but it might not go that way and then I'd have to start researching accommodation and part time jobs. In saying that moving away might be fun. Meeting new friends, flat sharing and the like.

I still have alot to think about.

Bobbi Jean
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Summer's almost over

Hi

So summer ends at the end of August. Have I have done alot since I last posted?...Not really. I did to the Glasgow Comic Con and got burnt shoulders from walking about Glasgow. While I was there I bought my first comic books. Which I have yet to read. Mostly Avengers though I did buy some Scooby doo although for 50p a comic it did seem like a good deal. In saying that I spent most of my wages over that weekend.

I also spent about four days in total gaining research for my print project for when I go back to college. I still havent posted on my "college blog" but I think I'll start it when I get back to college. It'll be easier to update regularly if I set deadlines for the college week and update it in that way. I got my timetable for college which I kind of like it but one of the days I have to go in at 2.15 to 6.15 which means later getting home. It also means less money as I usually work Thursday from 5 till 6. The lady I go to is not amused. She hated it when I told her.

I saw the educational psychologist last week who said I may have dyspraxia. She's going to send the report to my college and I'll hear from there. Dyspraxia is confusing. I don't really know how to explain exactly what it is but I known some symptoms are: Being easily distracted, Being uncoordinated, Forgetfulness leading to the misplacing of things, the inability to judge distances properly.
Those arent the only symptoms. There is a whole host of others but not everyone with dyspraxia has them and not everyone with those symptoms is dyspraxic. One of my Mum's friend's son has dyspraxia so my Mum has been joking that it must be the way we were raised as we pretty much grew up in the same house.

Mum's lodger, John, who has lived with us for years, went to England for two weeks so Mum and I have been keeping house. Needless to say while our washing has been kept up with and we have done well with cooking meals we have a surplus of food nearly out of date, piles of ironing and we no longer have any clean dishes. It's my fault. Mum works from 8.30am till midnight every night so I should have done it however I got distracted. I got Netflix so I've been watching The Vampire Diaries right the way through for the first time. I'm such a Delena shipper. Ian Somerhalder is so.. Hot. And the chemistry between Elena is Damon is sizzling.

I found my old PS2 meaning I've been playing Final Fantasy X over again.  I got to the battle with Seymour just before the Zanarkand Ruins and got stuck so I restarted the gameon another save slot and am currently trying to level up in the Kilika Woods after gaining the second Aeon, Ifrit, so I can get round the Sphere Grid before moving on as I realised when I was trying the Seymour battle that I couldn't level up properly with the robot things because I kept dying. So I thought I'd try to get Yuna some actual melee skills because she can't hold her own in the battles. I have to admit I don't have much experiance with the Expert Sphere Grid so I'm still using the Basic. I have played Final Fantasy X2 but as I didn't complete the Final Fantasy X on my own I thought I should probably do that first. I heard that it's being restored for Playstation 3 but I don't have one nor an Xbox 360 so I'm gonna stay true to the PS2 version till it blackout and dies.

I know to most who wouldn't have played the game that the last paragraph will seem like gibberish but I used to watch my step/foster sister play it all the timeand I got really in to it. Video/computer games are my guilty pleasure. FFX, FFX2, Star Ocean, Bloody Roar 4, Ragnarok, Tibia, Ragnarok 2, WoW. These are my secret stash of goodies. I haven't played some of them in a while especially WoW because that one's expensive and I only took the free trial but I can't help but return to them every so often.

Most of my Holidays has been working. Holidays always me work for me because I happen to live with my boss. My Mum won't take no for an answer when she wants me to cover and it's very hard to argue when she says 'but all you'll be doing is sitting watching TV' and of course everyone wants to go on holidays at the same time. Some people say holidays should be banned. Mine kind of are. I still get holiday pay but Mum and I never go on holiday and now that she's a boss she hasn't got the time too. She did suggest we go to Amsterdam for the weekend but then we'd both have to get a passport.

Speaking of passports. With the Scottish Independance refrendum coming up sometime in the future I told someone the other day that they would need to get a passport to go to England if the Yes vote won and he said no because we'd still be a part of the UK.....Don't think he really gets what independance means.

Personally I am against independance. I don't think we have the money to sustain ourselves independantly however sometime that really gets on my nerves is the 'young people' argument. So called due to the fact that its the first thing young people say when they believe we should go independant and try to counter the no money argument. This is the 'but the North Sea Oil'. Here's the problem: This is not a sustainable source of income. Sooner or later the oil will run out and we no longer have the heavy industry of yester year to support us. True we do have the service industry, the whisky, Irn Bru and electricity but is it enough? I don't know, I'm not an economist, but I would like to hear these arguments rather than just 'oil' out of the mouths of young people.

Anyway it's late and I have to wake up early tomorrow for work.
Night
Bobbi Jean
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High on Life

I haven't updated in a while but I've been out enjoying the sunshine. Every day I'm trying to avoid going home because I think it's such a waste to be stuck inside during the summer.

I took my dog to the park the other week and I took my camera with me. Big Mistake. My dog is terrified of cameras. The park is basically one steep hill and I took her to the top and took out my camera and she ran right down the bottom and refused to come back up. I had thought she would just hide behind my like she usually does but no. Right down the bottom and when I went to follow her I slipped and fell flat on my face.

I have gotten some new clients to go to so I have been busier with work. The new clients are really nice. I really love my job. I get to meet so many different people.

College stopped two weeks ago but I just got my summer project or should I say projects yesterday, my first project for a print project inspired by the shop Anthropologie. There are two options for that project. Either an interior based where the project is based towards a cushion design or a fashion project based towards a dress.

I think I'll probably do the interior based project as I want to keep my options open rather than limiting myself to fashion. Plus I really enjoyed my interior project from the end of my first year at college.

The second project set to us is an embroidery project based on the medical/science exhibits at the Hunterian Museum in Glasgow. ( I keep calling it the Hungarian Museum)

I have a plan. My plan is to use my one free day a week to go to the Hunterian Museum and try drawing some stuff  then I can test out ideas before I get back to college. I am also going to research boot fairs and craft fairs to go to over the summer to get interesting drawing source for the Anthropologie project. Our keyword is Nomad so I reckon that might be the best place to get started.

Anyway for my second year of my HND the lecturers have suggested that we all keep a blog. Now as I already have this blog I asked them if I should just use this one. However they said I should keep a separate one just for projects and work and stuff like that so I have started another blog where as I go through my second year at college I will upload my projects as I have been meaning to on this.

Life is going great and I have a whole host of things lined up to do. Next week I'm going to my old school to play in the band for the school show, July I'm going, hopefully, to comic con, August I'm going back to see Rocky Horror with my friends 'thisiscarole' and 'spazzyhawk' (if their still up for it, if not I've got to find someone else to go with cos it was fantastic the last time), then I had got something planned for my Gran's birthday for September however it's been pushed back to November but I cant say too much about that (don't want it leaking back to Gran) so the next few months are going to be good.


Bobbi Jean Shields
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We're all going on a Summer Holiday

Hiya

College is winding down. I only have two weeks left.

I finished making my dress and I finished my work for my CAD class.

I have really enjoyed college this year and since I got accepted into second year I am looking forward to next year now. I have been looking up evening classes but I don't know if I'll be able to go to them.

I have a new client to go to so more of my free time has been eaten up by work and just today my mum who is also my boss asked me to taken on another client.

I am hopefully going to comic con this year!! My best friend asked if I wanted to so I said I'll go if she goes to Rocky Horror with me as it's back in Glasgow in August. I'm looking forward to going and I think I'm going to go as Sherlock from the BBC series.

Doctor Who is finished for this series. I have to say I am quite disappointed by the series finale. There was such a build up during the episode and it was so anticlimatic. However, in saying that, I do like that River Song is back. I hope they don't split the next season of Doctor Who the way they did this season.

BBC's Sherlock is back on British screens in September. The dates for the new episodes are:
15 Sep. 2013
22 Sep. 2013
29 Sep. 2013

And! Sherlock's suicide is apparently explained unlike in the original Arthur Conan Doyle novels where Sherlock Holmes just reappears without explaination. I can't wait! I've been YouTube Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman and watching and re-watching Sherlock till my eyes bleed. I know it's a little early to be fangirling but the BBC just seem to have a knack for getting me hooked on their programs.

I still havent read all of the original ACD short stories I have read a Scandal in Belgravia and the one about the ginger's but I havent quite gotten to Moriarty nor have I read anything about Mycroft yet but I seem to have went off books for the time being. I might get back into them as the summer starts.

Sayonara

Bobbi Jean
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