The one where: Dear mum...

Dear mum, have I ever told you?

You're my best friend. 

Dear mum, 

I just wanted to say thank you for being the best role model I could possibly ask for. For all the times that I moaned to you about something that wasn't that much of a big deal - thank you for keeping me sane and assuring me everything would be "okay in the end". I really really would be lost without you. 

Your constant guidance and love has taught me a lot of things through the years. Without you, I would never know right from wrong. Without you, I wouldn't know how to ride a bike, how to drink from a 'big girl cup', how to laugh, how to love. Without you, I wouldn't be half the woman I am today. You have always been there pointing me in the right direction, allowing me to make my own mistakes but being the shoulder to cry on when I made them. 

You always inspire me. You never fail to cheer me up when I'm sad or send a simple "Love you babe x" text... just, because. When I'm having a bad day - one minute I'm in a really good mood and next I'm the worst person in the world - you never get upset with me for my constant mood changes and that's what I love about you mostly.

I know I will always get the truth from you, no matter what. Whether I really need to hear it at that moment or not, you know what's best for me and you make sure I know too. I know I can always come to you for advice - be it about boys, work, health or even what to have for tea, you always seem to know the answer. I guess there is such thing as brains and beauty! 

Lastly, thank you for being my best friend. I know a lot of people say that their mum is their best friend and majority of them don't mean it - but I do! I can't think of anyone else I would rather spend a lazy Sunday with than you, mum. I wouldn't be the person I am today without you. I am the luckiest girl in the world to have someone as amazing as you in my life, let alone for you to be my mum! I wouldn't change it for the world. We've had a few petty arguments here and there but we always make up for it with the laughs and memories we share. I just want you to know, you're the best mum in the whole wide world and I hope someday I am half the woman you are. 

Lots of love, forever and always, 

Your little girl - 

The one where: I review 2015

Goodbye 2015, you served me well. 

So, 2015 was a umm... a crazy year! I met a lot of new people and said goodbye to a lot too. I finally got the hang of my new (amazing!) job and I think I also grew up a bit. I have written down, in bullet points, a few things I did this year. Hopefully you enjoy.

• January 2015 - I promised myself I would become a better person and really stop caring what people thought all the time. I think I got the hang of this around February last year and decided it was time to change. 

• February 2015 - A weird month! I met someone who I honestly don't think I could live without today. It's not even been one year yet and it already feels like I've knew him for an incredible amount of time. He's taught me how to appreciate the smaller things in life and not to be so serious all the time.. 

• March 2015 - I was starting to really get the hang of work and (finally!) got promoted to PR Assistant... can you believe it? Coz I can't! It was hard getting my head around things but I knew once I stuck with it that it would be worth it. 

• April 2015 - I'm classing this month as the first month of my new life. I went on my first proper date and realised that not everything is always what is seems (future Paige will know what this means). 

• May 2015 - I can't really remember much of this month - whether it was good or bad - it seems to have totally gone out of my mind. I remember that - now one of my good friends - Roxie joined us at work and I didn't think I'd like her at first. Fast forward nearly nine months and I couldn't be without her. 

• June 2015 -  This was a great month, really. It was one of my best friends' birthday, my nan's birthday AND I got to pretend to be a lady for the day (on June 7) as I went to a really really posh restaurant. 

• July 2015 - Another great month. My beautiful mum celebrated her birthday and I told her we were going to see The Carpenters (see review here). 

• August 2015 - Nothing properly amazing really happened in this month either - nothing that I care to explain anyway. 

• September 2015 - I turned 20! Obviously a brilliant month because I became one year older (I'm not going to feel much happier about becoming older for much longer so taking it in my stride). 

• October 2015 - I went to Manchester to see Circa Waves. It was my first 'real' gig (I'm not counting going to see One Direction four times as a proper gig, sorry). I also went to see The Carpenters Story at the theatre with my mum. That was really good, I reviewed it here.

• November 2015 - Nothing much happened in this month. The year was nearly over so I was getting ready for Christmas (one of my favourite times of the year!) and the New Year.

• December 2015 - A month to reflect on the previous year. It was in this month that I realised who my 'real' friends were and that I don't need as many people around me as I thought I did to be able to succeed. I planned my year (so to speak) in this month too and I was trying to work out the person who I wanted to be in 2016. 

Here's to a great 2016, it's February now and already it's flying by. I know it's going to be a good one because... well why wouldn't it be? I have great people around me and I have A LOT to be thankful for. 

Until next time, 

The one where: I review The Carpenters Story

Review: The Carpenters Story, Liverpool Empire - Tuesday, October 20 2015

Growing up, The Carpenters were a very big part of my life. Always singing along to the words I knew in the car with my mum and learning that Close to You was my favourite song at the age of 11. When I seen that The Carpenters Story was coming to the Liverpool Empire, I couldn't help but jump at the chance to buy me and my mum tickets - knowing we would both love every minute of it and would finally get the chance to enjoy mother-daughter bonding time at the theatre.

It's the opening night and the curtains are lifted to reveal a huge projection screen towards the back of the stage. A recording of an Eagle FM DJ is played and he is talking about The Carpenters then introduces their first song. This is when the band strikes up and a few songs follow before again going back to Eagle FM for the next song. As much as I would love to say this isn't it for The Carpenters Story, it is. That's about it for the 'story' part of the production's misleading title and it does tend to lack any more than just some wonderfully sung songs.

Quite simply put, The Carpenters Story is a concert of covers. However, the lead singer, Claire Furley, really gave an excellent performance. She has a very strong voice and seemed to convey Karen's voice with studied professionalism. You could tell that she has spent a lot of time working out how to replicate such a beautiful voice and delivery. As well as this, she did give a really bubbly and cheerful performance along with the excellent musicians who stood behind her - particularly the saxophonist who also played the tambourine and jazz flute. 

Although the 'story' lacked general information about The Carpenters, which was really a disappointment as I was expecting a play about how The Carpenters first started out or a background to what Karen and Richard were like growing up as kids. The good thing about it though, was being able to sing along to some of their best songs with my mum sitting beside me. The general atmosphere of the theatre was electric and by the end of the night, everyone was on their feet dancing and singing to the music - which, I suppose, is what it was all about. My mum seemed to love it and that means I did too.

Speak soon,

The one where: I love my job!

Is it better to do something you love, or learn to love whatever job you do? 

At the mere age of 19, I'm proud to say I've found a job I truly love. It's like I almost wake up every morning and think "Wow! I can't believe I've found one I love so much at such a young age!" I still remember coming in for the interview and instantly feeling like I was at home in the office. Nearly one whole year on and I feel at home even more and I still can't believe how lucky I am to say I work here - my dream job.

Ever since I took English Language in school and started to learn about how different people spoke and why they spoke in that way, I became suddenly interested in the media background of things. Taking up hobbies like writing stories and handing them in to my English teacher for her to mark, or even updating this blog! Writing has and always will be a big passion of mine and probably one of the main reasons I love my job so much. I'm constantly wanting to write the next social media post or type up a new blog post - it's such an interesting job and I love it more and more each day.

One key reason many people like their job is also because of the people they work with. If you love them, it makes your job that tiny bit better. One of my best pals in work is probably Richard (although I love them all) - he brightens up my already bright days and makes me feel at home even more. He's the older brother I always wished for growing up and although he moans at me...A LOT, I know he only means well and is preparing me for future life. I don't think anyone actually realises how happy I am that I didn't go to University! To think I spent many months umm'ing and arr'ing over whether to go to University or not, it's so silly now! I've never been more happy in my life than I am right now. My life is good - I have good people around me and I'm ready to take on the world :-) 

To anyone out there that is wondering whether or not they should take up an apprenticeship in the field they love or go to uni and work hard for 3+ years to maybe not get a job in the end of it, 100% do the apprenticeship! My life has changed drastically since I started this in July and I couldn't be happier. Live for you and follow your dreams. 

Until next time, 

The one where: A new start means something different

Something different for the new year

It's a new year which obviously means one thing; we can all stop regretting what we did 2 years ago and move on. For me, the new year brings positivity, new beginnings and even more happiness. Yes I know, we're nearly in February and this post is beyond old but it needed to be done sooner rather than later. This year I plan on doing A LOT of things so thought I would share them with you all. 

1. Travel more! I spend 90% of my days wondering what certain places look like so, this year I'm going to see them. Whether I'm alone or with amazing new friends, this year is my year to see amazing places before they become less amazing. 

2. Stop caring what others think. This one  is a must! Does that boy I seen on the bus last Tuesday really remember that I had my best perfume on that day? Does that girl across the road really care that my hair doesn't look it's best today? No. Literally no one cares what I look like and why I look like it. I need to learn this year to start living and loving my life for me. 

3. Be braver. This year I need to learn to say yes more...even when I'm scared of what might happen. I don't want to get to 50 and be like "why didn't I just go out that time when I was 19?" I'll regret it when I'm older, I know I will. 

So that's it...for now. My top 3 "things to do this year". I seriously hope I do them. 

Until next time, 

The one where: I think about getting a tattoo

Is a tattoo a bad idea?

So, I've been so busy with work, sorry. Although I'm 100% convinced no one reads this blog, I still want to make time to edit and have fun with it. Like I've said in the past, I want this to be something for me to look back on and remember the good(and bad) times I've had in my life.

Recently, I've been thinking, why not get a tattoo? What do I have to lose? I haven't really thought that much into it. I mean, I'm not doing an entire blog post on it or anything...I would like to get something that meant something to me but at the same time, was silly. So silly that when I look back in five - ten years time, I look at it and think "wow remember how crazy I was trying to be back when I was 19 and attempting to live a care-free life!?".

Tattoos are a topic that often pull up a lot of arguments. Are they attractive? Are they a masculine thing? What will you look like when you're a 75 year old woman(or man) with all these tattoos? I say, you will look like an woman who has actually lived her life! Don't get me wrong, if I saw an older woman with 'love' printed on her knuckles and 'Billy' tattooed to the side of her arm, I'd instantly think 'wow...it's not every day you see something like that'. It's natural to instantly relate tattoos to these huge men with even bigger egos, but tattoos are becoming more and more popular as time goes on.

From A-list celebrities to unknown wanna-bees, people everywhere are jumping on the 'get-a-tattoo' bandwagon and they're heading for the hills! Take a look here at Harry Styles' tattoos. Now, I'm clearly not the best person to be slagging off his tattoos (how I would kill anyone that said a bad word about him) but, did someone let a 3 year old lose on his arm?! Yes, tattoos are a way of showing how you feel without actually showing how you feel (weird, I know) but, c'mon Harry...random squiggly writing above a heart on your left arm, is this really what we are coming to?

It's not only Harry that seems to have lost a train of thought whilst at the tattoo parlour. Miley Cyrus' newest edition to her tattoo family is this beauty. Three questions to ask with this one. 1. Why does it look like she has just drew this on with a biro pen? 2. Is that supposed to be a dog or a cat and 3. Just why Miley, why? Maybe with a little help from her 'fwends' she can learn how to spell, hey?

The word tattoo comes from two major derivations - the Polynesian word 'ta', which means 'striking something' and the Tahitian word 'tatau' which means 'to mark something'. Simple, right? Wrong! These things are staying on our bodies for the rest of our lives, unless we pay even more that the actual tattoo to get them taken off.

Think before you ink. 

Until next time,