Halloween '10

Halloween is coming and it's one of my favourite holidays for several reasons.

Firstly, it's always fun - dressing up, sweets and partying with friends? Sounds like fun to me. Secondly, there doesn't have to be any other connotations to it. You don't have to see it as religious, or sacrilegious, you can simply see it as a silly holiday which gives you cause to dress up with your friends. Thirdly, it's great for all ages. You can trick or treat with your siblings/friends when you're a kid, you can go to a proper Halloween party with your friends when you're older, or you can have a horror film fest with lots of sweets and popcorn if you're not in mood for either of those. And since there's no age limit with Halloween, I still get as excited about it now as I did as kid!

But this year, I fear my Halloween night will go uncelebrated. No-one really seems to want to do anything and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't gutted. How will I get to wear my devil horns if I have no means of celebrating? I think I'll have to watch The Crow in my room with them on. Sad and lonely - but by Jove I have to do something.

Also, it's the Day of the Dead on November 2nd, and I think that holiday is kind of really cool. It's quite a beautiful, if not slightly morbid, celebration where people celebrate the lives of the loved ones they've lost by building shrines to them and celebrating with their families and friends. They make skulls of sugar which they paint with bright colourful patterns, make amazing food for them to eat, and light candles for the ones they've lost. It seems like a nice idea to me, and if I was Mexican I would definitely try and take part, but I think it's disrespectful to encroach on a particular culture's traditions for the sake of it being "cool". But I think it's nice way to deal with death and loss.

Anyway, after that tangent, I'm off to scour Facebook for Halloween related events, and friends to maybe go with me. Wish me luck, blogsters.

-A

Shopper's justification

Despite having almost no money and anticipating a heavy dip into my overdraft in the coming months, and despite getting so stressed out about money that I've literally gotten upset enough to cry, and despite the fact that I'm struggling to get a job...

I spent quite a bit of money in the Topshop sale yesterday. No, I've not developed a shopping addiction or gone mad with greed - I simply treated myself with my leftover birthday money. There are two things you might need to know beforehand in order to explain my shopping justification:

1. I didn't get a lot in the way of presents this year for my birthday, and I've been hanging on to the money my Mum gave me as a present with the idea in mind that I might buy something substantial when I figure out what I want. But usually what happens with that plan, is that I end up putting it in my bank account and using it as I would any money - spending it on food shopping, train tickets or rent. Nothing too exciting or birthday-like.

2. I have come to dislike almost all of my clothes and feel like I have no style at all. I tend to stick to scruffy t-shirts and worn jeans - not a particularly fashionable look! So I've been planning on buying some more statement items, some pieces to make my wardrobe seem at least a little fashion conscious.

So when I got an email from Topshop informing me of the sale that had just started on their website, I couldn't help but take a look. And to my absolute glee at the moment I found that many of the items I'd been eyeing up for a while where half price or even cheaper. I ended up buying a floral crop top (down from £20 to £10), some fabulous taupe biker trousers (£40 to £20), a gorgeous jade green lace top (£35 to £18) and a print tunic top (£35 to £15) - and I think, for Topshop, those are some absolute bargains!

Whilst I did experience some sharp pangs of shopper's remorse, I simply told myself that I was allowed to treat myself with money that has been put aside for that specific purpose, and carried on my merry way. Besides, better it be sale items than splurging on full price. Although it has made me wary of sales now, as I did only intend to take a quick peek and ended up buying almost £70 worth of clothes...

So after my Topshop online shopping free, I went to town today and spent even more money. Oops? Sort of.

I bought myself a nice winter coat from New Look, where they have 20% of all coats at the moment, and some black skinny jeans, which I have been after for months now. And of course, 10% student discount.

And then we went to Topshop and they had the sale on in-store. Now I have had a £26.80 to spend in-store with a voucher left over from my birthday, so I ended up buying some £20 trousers, £2.50 earrings and £5 earrings with the voucher. Now I'm not ridiculous at maths, I know that that comes to more than I had on the voucher, but student discount took it down to my price range. And yes, Topshop let's you get student discount on sale items - genius!

So whilst it seems like I have bought loads these last couple of days, technically it's all been allowed. I even rang my Dad when I was in New Look to ask whether he minded he spending my money this way, ha! Score!

-A

A "proper" blog

I have had a lot of blogs over the years on various different websites, but generally speaking I keep them to myself. Either keeping the privacy settings set to private or friends only, or just not telling anyone I had one so they wouldn't go looking.

That's sort of changed now in the fact that I have a blog on tumblr which I allow friends to see, although I guess that is more of a collection of random images, quotes and videos rather than a personal lengthy written blog.

I figured maybe it was time to do this blogging thing properly. Write about my life, about the things around me and in the world that effect me or relate to me, share things - and most importantly of all, let others read it if they so wish.

So here it is. My "proper" blog. The one where I'll write for an assumed internet audience, with structure and meaning. Although, having said that, this blog post is rather dull and presumptuous for a "proper" blog, so this is more of an introductory post and the serious blogging will begin soon. I think.

-A

PS - Since I'm still a tumblr girl at heart, if anyone wishes to view/follow/enjoy/critique my humble tumblog, it's http://alexpage.tumblr.com