Days like these...

It all started when I decided to do overtime and get into work for 7 this morning but only wake up at 10 past! I then proceeded to make a slight, and I mean slight, dent in the copious amounts of work that needs doing with the help of some Skittles and Starburst this afternoon.

I also planned to go to the gym this evening because I am in need of a good workout so decided on a different (and quicker) route but got caught in a traffic jam and was diverted only to get stuck in more traffic, and yes, another diversion. When I finally got there and parked my car I realised I left my kit at home! I cannot tell you how annoyed I was!

Plan B was a quick stop off at Morrison's which turned out to be the worst plan ever because I soon found out everyone in Northampton had the same idea, except the staff! I'm guessing they were either all on strike or just enjoying the sunshine! The queues to pay were ridiculous and someone even abandoned their shopping on an empty till point it was that busy.

After finally getting back to my car I resigned to pouring myself a large vodka and diet coke as soon as I got home. It was all I could think of until I got stuck in more traffic! I couldn't believe this was happening to me. Thankfully it wasn't too bad and I soon neared home, until I found myself stuck behind a learner driver....

It's safe to say today definitely wasn't my finest but I am home now, enjoying my second vodka after the first went down a little too quickly! Let's hope tomorrow is a better one!

In an octopus's garden with you....

Without sounding like an opening to an advert for shampoo, when it comes to styling my hair, I’m no expert! I love looking through magazines or pinning ideas on Pinterest but I can never quite master the look I’m aiming for. Even learning to curl with straighteners was a mission. Thankfully, due to a win at a local charity event, I have been lucky enough to indulge in some much needed hairapy after winning a month’s free gold membership at what is now my new favourite salon, Octopus Hair.  

Based in St James, Northampton, the newly revamped salon has become a gem of a place to be pampered. It was obvious from the moment I walked in and met the owner, Dana, that I was in for a treat. Now I’m not one for taking hair risks, unless of course you exclude the time when I was 12 and opted for a Kylie Minogue perm which I thought looked amazing, especially with my goofy teeth and my favourite pair of washed denim jeans with zips at the ankles!  However, sitting me down with a latte and biscotti to discuss my hair needs I suddenly felt very important! She explained the membership included unlimited wash and blow dries, treatments specific to me, styling sessions and ending with a colour and cut. I was in heaven!  

Spending most of my life opting for blonde highlights my hair has been through a lot of dye and bleach, not to mention the copious amounts of spray, styling products and straightening so it came to no surprise when Dana suggested a course of conditioning treatments to start me off. Leaving the pro’s to it, I was more than happy to let them take control and do what they needed in order to replenish my mane! I assumed my first treatment would be one of those 10 minute deep conditioning packets you can pick up in your local supermarket but little did I know that it was so much more! Sitting back I relaxed into a deluxe four step process that involved stripping my hair of all its toxins and replacing it with goodness, along with having the most amazing head massage I have ever experienced!  

Styled and ready to party

Staggering back to my chair feeling drunk-like, I sobered up with another latte and biscotti whilst my hair was brushed, dried, styled and curled. Perfect timing as I was going out for a friends’ birthday that evening and I’ll admit I felt really good. I even got a few compliments throughout the night too!  

The rest of the month consisted of various other conditioning treatments from the team, who also tried out different styles on me too. From sleek and straight to wavy and loose curls, I feel like I have been thoroughly indulged and spoilt. My favourite of them all had to be the final cut and colour where I was treated to both foils and paint, something I have never had done before and I absolutely loved how it looked at the end. Definitely the best colour I have ever had. It’s no wonder they call themselves colour experts!  

Sleek and Straight

I enjoyed every appointment I had with the membership and actually found myself getting excited about each visit just so I could see what they were going to do next. All the staff are so friendly, nothing about them is pretentious or clicky like I have felt in the past from other hairdressers. Every member of staff comes across as extremely passionate about their job and want to make sure you walk out feeling good and most importantly, have great hair! They are dedicated and focused on ensuring your hair is well looked after and maintained and they give great advice on how to look after it too.  

Since winning the prize, I have been back for a colour and cut, and once again, they didn’t fail to disappoint. I’ve even booked in for another appointment next month along with one to get my hair styled for a wedding I’m going to…I can’t wait for that one! I’m so pleased I won it because I feel like I’ve found a business I didn’t even know existed and absolutely love it. I would definitely recommend them even to the fussiest of people because they have the ability to take you from feeling like an ogre to princess in an instant, and that is something worth shouting about. 

 

The end result!

 

 

To find out more about Octopus Hair, you can check out their Facebook or follow them on Twitter @Octopushair

Here comes the bride...nearly

Wedding fever hit me this afternoon as I went to see a friend try on her bridal dress for her big day next month. Seeing her standing in front of us looking so beautiful and elegant filled me with much excitement because it will be 1 of 2 weddings I am attending in the next few weeks, along with the hen party too! Admiring all the beautiful dresses on display and looking at the gorgeous accessories made me wish I was getting married!  

One day, maybe… 

It did get me thinking again about what I should wear though. I ordered a dress last week but that’s already gone back to the shop and bearing in mind the last wedding I went to involved me buying about 30 dresses and not keeping 1 of them, I am slightly worried about what state I’ll get into this time!  I’ve started browsing around, but as yet nothing has grabbed my attention. I’m thinking I may have to invest in a personal shopper purely for the sake of all of my friends so they don’t have to put up with my drama!  

Whatever I choose, the only important dress on the day is the brides and seeing how amazing she looked today, I don’t think it matters what I wear, so whether I choose something elegant or turn up in a bin bag (don’t worry, I won’t) she is going to be the most beautiful person there and have everyone admiring her, and that is all that matters.

The Nation's Favourite Indian (The Shirley version)

It’s not every day you get to meet someone famous, especially when you’re sweat laden and fighting against a steep incline on a treadmill at your local gym, but it happened to me. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I can’t quite believe it, but recently I had the pleasure of finding out for the last year and a half, maybe even longer, I have been working out unknowingly in the presence of the Nations Favourite Indian. 

Now you’re probably wondering who, of such an accolade, would spend their time in a gym in the middle of Northampton Town. Well let me tell you; he’s a funny, witty, fleece wearing, bicep building hulk of a man, otherwise known as, Par Dhonsi… 

Oh come on, you must know who I’m talking about? No? Well let me tell you. Par is a personal trainer at Pure Gym, Northampton who entertains us all with funny stories, provides great PT sessions and does one hell of a spin class. In fact, I would even go as far as saying he’s my second favourite instructor there!  

The ironic thing about this revelation is I have known Par since becoming a member of the gym, but never realised the extent of his popularity. We did get talking about blogging one day after he befriended me on Facebook and I noticed in a not-so-stalkerish-way that he also likes writing too….for Hollywood! Yes, that’s right. He only casually dropped into conversation that he’s a visionary screenwriter.  For crying out loud, that’s stuff small town girls like me dream about! I remember asking him how he got into it and he simply replied ‘by accident!’ As.If!  I wish those kind of accidents happened to me. The most I get is falling flat on my face after drinking too many glasses of wine!  

It’s no wonder he’s so popular. Despite telling me he thought my name sounded like a toothpaste brand, and finding it hilarious to dial 999 on my mobile, the guy is so laid back and understated it’s easy to see why everyone loves him. He’s obviously really passionate about the work he does and you only have to look at his photos on Facebook and Twitter to see why.  

If you don’t know him, you need to, and if you do already have the privilege, I can completely understand why he’s been dubbed the Nation’s favourite. He’s definitely one of a kind, and if I’m honest I do feel quite lucky to know him. Seriously, the guy is a legend, and he didn’t even pay me to say that!  

Girl power continued...

I have taken my female empowerment to the next level today by getting involved with the Cancer Research campaign which is encouraging girls to take no make-up selfies, post onto Facebook and text a £3 donation to raise awareness for breast cancer.

In just under 24 hours, girls all over the country have united and already raised a staggering 1 million pounds...and the donations haven't stopped yet. Posting photos and nominating friends to do the same has swept across social media and is taking cancer awareness to a new level.

The only downside to this phenomenon is the backlash of rude and derogatory comments being made by some of the boys. Criticising our looks and accusing us of being self indulgent, it appears that there are a few people out there who need to open their eyes and look at the positive impact our actions are having...after all we show our support for Movember! Thankfully, for every one of those boys, there is another proving they're not all bad by donating and even posting various selfies of their own! 

I think it's great what us girls are doing, and who cares if we don't have any makeup on. When it comes to cancer, everything else is irrelevant. 

If you want to support the cause text BEAT to 70099. In the meantime, here's my photo!

I tell you what I want, what I really really want....

Today I feel empowered! I feel proud to be a woman; proud of my achievements and ready to take charge of my life, both professionally and personally. This wake up call has been a long time coming and it finally happened today and no, there wasn’t a burning bra in sight!
 
This sudden burst of enthusiasm is all thanks to a seminar I attended, organised by my company in aid of inspiring female talent. Working in logistics for the last 7 years, I have been aware that I am in a predominately male industry, and although I have never had first hand experience of this within my role, listening to some of my colleagues throughout the day has made me realise the difficulties they face working alongside their male counterparts.  

The seminar was designed to inspire, and that is exactly what it did! We had the opportunity to hear stories from senior female directors as well as our male chief executive, the journey they have been on and how they are using their skills and knowledge to be the best they can me. I learnt the value and importance of having women within various levels of the company, the barriers faced and what we need to do as a company to break those down, but also what I can do myself to develop and grow with the same success that men have had within the business.  

There was a lot of focus on career development and self perception, something that did resonate with me because I am so eager to grow yet seem to have an insecurity that is holding me back, something which a lot of women could also relate to. What I did take from this however, was the understanding that I am in charge of my career. How I want to develop, and what I want to do, is down to me. I am capable of making decisions, and the only way I am going to get there is to have confidence and belief in myself that I can do it.  

Times are changing and I am in a position now to reach out and grab exactly what it is I want and today has given me the push I need to do it so I’m digging out my platform shoes once again and reliving the meaning of girl power!

It's been a while...

So it’s the 16th March today and I’ve suddenly realised it’s been nearly two months since I wrote a blog. TWO MONTHS! That’s shocking. I seriously can’t believe I have taken so long to get back here; then again, life has been crazy for me of late. But that’s no excuse!

So here I am, sitting on a camp chair in my new flat watching Babe: Pig in the City on a beautiful Sunday afternoon, windows open, sun shining, finally getting back to what I love most: writing. Despite another 6 week wait until my new sofa arrives, I am slowly but surely settling in. It’s taken longer than expected, but I finally got round to buying a cutlery set today and even treated myself to some chopping boards too…I think that’s what folk call living dangerously!

It is a little strange living alone, however I can’t knock my neighbours (yet) as they seem like a friendly bunch and living in a block of flats does make it feel less isolated that if I were in a house, I guess.

The dreaded flu virus that is circulating got hold of me last week and left me bed bound for two days and despite getting over it now, I do still feel a little lethargic, then again, that could have something to do with the involuntary 7.30am start today prompting an intense gym workout and 2.5 hours shopping in town!

So now the evening is drawing in, I am planning to chill out, cook some dinner and get writing. I’m back lovelies, so watch this space…