Now 5 weeks doesn’t seem so bad does it? No I didn’t think so too. Until mine turned in to 6!

Due to some unforeseen circumstances I unfortunately had to pull out of my initial placement. This lead to some quick thinking on mine and the WBL department behalf. Kudos to the staff in the University of Chester Work Based Learning Department. Those people can get things sorted quickly! So Tuesday morning I have a meeting with the head of the programme. By 4pm that day I have a new placement ready to begin the following morning. Result!

So yes, this week has been fairly hectic I must say. But I must also admit that I have enjoyed the whole experience. When I finished my last exam I thought that I would enjoy having nothing to do. Being able to put my feet up and not have any responsibilities for anything. Then I realised just how boring that is.

I think this is the time that makes or breaks us as human beings. These next few months will test us in ways that we can’t imagine, and probably won’t even realise. I had dinner tonight with an old friend, and we discussed what the next few months will bring and the choices that we will soon have to make. It terrified both of us when we realised just how far we had actually come in our lives and the paths we have yet to travel.

Next year I will have finished my time at University. I will graduate alongside all of my friends and then it will be time to begin the ultimate journey. I for one cannot wait.

To some this may sound underwhelming. But believe me, when you spend 3 weeks non-stop revising, it comes as such a relief. Now I can only hope that it pays off!

However now I am at a dead end. What do I do with my days? The week after next I spend 6 weeks on work placement, going out in to the big bad world and learning from people will real experience. But after that, I have free time from June – October. That’s 5 months! Wow…I’ve only just put it in to perspective.

Got a lot of summer plans however. Wimbledon, Germany, Scotland, work. But I really want to develop myself further during this time so I can go in to my final year with a focus. So my goals for the summer are:

• Develop my photography. I have finally saved up for a DSLR I’ve been wanting for a while and my trips will definitely give me the opportunity to improve.
• Get graphical. I have recently gained access to Adobe and wish to familiarize myself with InDesign and Illustrator.
• Put pen to paper. My writing was put on the back burner while finishing assignments and taking exams, but there’s no excuse anymore. The travelling should definitely help to inspire the words.
• Volunteer more. There’s nothing more fulfilling than giving back to those in need and helping the community.
• Prepare. Of course, some of this summer will be used to prepare for next year. Do some early reading for my modules and such.

My plan is to never give myself a break. I don’t want to look back at the summer and realise I’ve wasted it sitting at home, aimlessly scrolling through the internet. I want to be up and out there, creating memories.

That’s right. It’s back. Once again I have awoken to a fluffy white blanket covering my garden. It has snowed once again.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m not one to grumble about the snow. It makes everything look so magical. But it’s the affect it has on the country that really gets me down. As soon as we hear one weather warning about ‘possible snow flurries covering up to 5inches’ we’re doomed. The whole of the United Kingdom comes to a standstill. Schools are closed, people skip work because they’re ‘snowed in’, roads are blocked off. We just can’t cope.

I was stuck on the Runcorn bridge for 30 minutes yesterday because of snow on the road. It was manic. Horns were blaring, a few expletives were thrown around (not from our car of course!) and a lot of “Daddy, I’m bored!” was being cried.

Red Panda in the snow. Courtesy of Chester Zoo twitter.

But then this makes it all worth it. The adorable photos that we get. Puppies pouncing about in the fluffy, white stuff melts my heart. The above is in fact one of Chester Zoo‘s red pandas called Lushui. That has to be one of the most adorable faces I have seen.

So we can moan, groan and any other adjective ending in ‘oan’, but in the end, we love it.

Well you can imagine my excitement, it’s safe to say little sleep was had on Thursday night. My mind was a buzz with all the questions I could ask, creating scenarios out in my head. I was just a bundle of nerves.

So around 1.30pm on Friday I was called for a Google hangout with Tom just to check out that everything was working out technically and to give him a little bit of insight about myself. I was then given an hour to wait until we would all be called together for the hangout to start at 3pm. That was the longest hour of my life! I couldn’t sit still, I think I drank about a gallon of water. I was a wreck!

But soon enough the moment came. 2.30pm I logged on to my computer, opened up Google+ and embarked on what was to be one of the greatest moments of my life.

^^^Look it’s me and Sylvester! (I’m in the bottom left)

He was just so lovely. I couldn’t believe that one of the first things he said was “Hi Charlotte!” In that first few seconds I was wonder struck. Being a Doctor Who fan, I was meeting one of my idols. He was just so down to earth and a genuinely lovely guy. He answered our questions with such enthusiasm and wit, it was like talking to an old friend.

The whole experience will stay in my memory for life. Thanks again to Tom and the people of IGN for picking me to be a part of such an incredible event.

For anybody who may have missed the interview you can rewatch it here:

Tomorrow I turn 20. A relatively small number in such a large world we live in. But over the past 240 months of my life I have experienced things many people never in their entire lifetime. And this is only the beginning.

Signs have been cropping up frequently in the past week, sending me messages in the books I have read, the films I have watched and the experiences I have had. Telling me that now is the time time to change. It has really helped me to re-evaluate the place I am in and where I want to be.

So my message for you is this:

Live life each and every day. Make mistakes as often as you can. Don’t hide from the world, be bold and show it who you are. Take every minute head on and make it count. Smile, cry, laugh. Live your life, because you only get the one.

This year my life will be changed by one single number. That mischievous number 1 that has been at the front spot of my age for the past 10 years of my life will say goodbye and be replaced with a shiny, new number 2. And I know what you’re going to say.

“Oh my gosh, you’re turning 20?! How are you not completely terrified by becoming so old?!”

And I can tell you now why. Pure and simple. I’m just not.

If we let every single thing that happened to us affect us, especially ageing which we cannot control, then we wouldn’t amount to anything. Instead we can grasp it head on and shout to the world,

“Yeah, that’s right! I’m 20! Let me show you just what I’m going to do about it!”

So smile, keep your head held high and make something of yourself

Here’s to the next 365 days!

“It is so nice when you can sit with someone and not have to talk.” – Nora Ephron

The act of screenwriting is one of importance. The words you write on the page reflects how we feel as audience. It decides whether we laugh, cry, feel empathy, or dislike. It is the basis on which we form an opinion of a character or situation.

I have recently been given the chance to try a bit of screenwriting for one of my University projects. It wasn’t until I sat down at my desk and stared at the blank white page that a thousand different questions fired in front of me. What do I want to tell? How do I want people to feel? Do I want people to hate this character, or is he just misunderstood?

That’s when I really saw just how much pressure there is on a screenwriter. Not only do they write the words that actors perform, but they also have to write HOW those words will be performed, how they will be absorbed and how they may affect the audience for the rest of their lives.

Will screenwriting become a new part of my life? I sure hope so. Lets just see where the words take me.

It’s now days after the big day and we’re still in the Christmassy mood. Christmas isn’t about the gifts or the food. It’s about the company. It’s about the atmosphere. The time shared with friends and family, playing games and being merry.

Tomorrow brings in the start of the new day. And today begins the ever growing list of ‘resolutions’ that people can only hope to meet in the new year. The classics; “I’m going to get fitter.” “I’m going to give up smoking.” “I’m going to eat healthier.” We hear the same thing each year and then come December 31st the outcome remains to be seen.

So this year I aim to do things differently. I’m going to set myself 10 goals to complete that I didn’t quite make in 2012, and when midnight of December 31st 2013 is upon us I shall reflect on the past 12 months and see just how many I have completed.

• Read more books. My reading severely lacked over the last 12 months so my ideal goal would be to read AT LEAST 2 books each month.
• Pass my driving test. My theory runs out in September of this year so this will be a severe test of my strength to see if I can battle my anxiety issues to make this happen.
• Run the Race For Life. Rather than the typical ‘get fit’ outlook this will give me a clear goal to work towards with a positive
• Total 500 miles on my bike. This one I may find tricky but will be a fun challenge to try to make.
• Write a screenplay. This has been something I have been interested in my whole life but have never really put it into practice until this year. I have a few ideas flitting around so we’ll see.
• Say ‘Yes’ and mean it. I have had problems this year with stress and anxiety that have lead me to missing out on things. 2013 sees the end of this!
• Write what I feel. In someways this feels like me trying to make up a 10th goal as I have already mentioned writing a screenplay. But here I mean to write more in everyday life. Whether it be a short story, a diary entry or a blog post. I miss my writing and I want to share it with you.

So lets raise a glass and toast to the new year. Here’s hoping 2013 is an exciting one. I know mine should be!

xxx

We started off our Christmas movie marathon this evening with The Santa Clause, which is one of my absolute favourites. Purely for this bit:

“Popo Gigio!”

Oh Tim Allen does make me chuckle. So the plan will be to watch the 2nd and 3rd film tomorrow and maybe Monday evening, but then we have a plethora of options which I am equally excited to watch. We have a very extensive collection of Christmas films, adding up to around 15 movies in total to watch before the big day!

Of course the beginning of the month also signifies the beginning of advent which can only mean on thing. Chocolate for breakfast! I absolutely love advent, I have my Milkybar advent calendar that I eat in the morning and then we have an advent calendar that our Mum made us which has little pockets for each day in which she puts treats for the evening. We do also light an advent candle in the evening each day however we have yet to buy one this year. Must get on to that soon!

I do love tradition. Soon it will be time to put up the decorations, we will take a walk around our neighbourhood and look at all of the Christmas on display and then we will go to the theatre a little nearer to Christmas Day. I think this year we’re going to see White Christmas in Manchester which I am stoked to go and see because I love the Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye film. Me and Mum always watch it together of an afternoon. See, tradition

I will go back to rocking out to my Christmas songs, hope you all enjoy your December. Feel free to share any traditions that you and your family have around this time

xx

Joseph Evans’ debut novel hits in all the right spots. A piece for all ages, genders and genre lovers, ‘A City of Falling Sky’ really delivers.

Copyright – Joseph Evans

Bringing together science-fiction, adventure and romance the life of Seckraman ‘Seckry’ Sevenstars is a puzzling one. Starting with the loss of his father and then being moved out of his home and thrust in to the big bad city of Endrin, Seckry enjoys the thrills that is Friction and finds himself in the middle of a mystery after breaking in to Endrin Corp on a covert mission. What is Endrin doing with a girl? And why can’t she remember who she is?

We can compare his tale to the likes of famous franchises such as Harry Potter and The Hunger Games, but the Seckry Sequence stands it’s own. A coming of age story of a young lad, searching for his true identity, making new friends and finding his first love. Watch out JK, Joseph Evans is coming for your way!

And on a last note, don’t do what I did. Buy the book, read it and then search the internet for the second one. It’s not been written yet. Hurry up Mr Evans, we Seckramaniacs want book two!