Summer

Ah, summer! I don't even know where to begin. So much has changed for the better over the last few months. I was pretty happy enough with my life, friends and grades at uni, but since summer began it's been literally non-stop and I can hardly believe how lucky I've been with some of the opportunities that I've been given!

So I'll start with the most exciting news.

I'M GOING TO BE A REALLY FAMOUS REALLY GOOD PUBLISHED WRITER. 

Aha. So a few months ago my friend Nikash created a publication company, Art and the Mannequins. This is no student project. It is a legalised company, with financial backing and a huge team of editors, project managers, research writers and the like!

AATM's first project was an anthology, open for submissions on any topic. Of course I submitted a piece of work, a short story that holds a special place in my heart, and it got a yes from every single editor! The book is now available to pre-order on Amazon, and AATM are going on tour in September at various theatre venues performing stage adaptations of stories within the tome. 

Please pre-order a copy of the book and order your tickets for the showcase! You can do so here and here!

The second (and even more exciting!) project that I'm working on for AATM is an e-book on depression. I'm working with a fellow writer on pieces including depression in the media, pro-suicide websites, male suffering and much more. We are also in need of artistic contributors, so if you're a poet, prose writer, artist or photography than get in touch with me because we need you! We're also looking for people with personal experience with depression for interviews and memoir so if you would like your story to be told than get in touch!

Anyway, onto less exciting news, so after finishing uni for the summer at the end of May, I had a pretty busy June. I was working part-time at a dentist, where I was a decontamination nurse, and had just got a new job at a pub. Working has been great as I don't actually need the money anymore. At the beginning of June I was beyond skint, living on as little a week as possible while all my wages went on saving for my holiday, but now I'm financially secure again and I've even treated myself to some new clothes and funky stuff for my bedroom. 

On top of working, I had some amazing things on socially! Some family from Italy and Scotland visited and we had a lovely weekend going for meals and drinks and generally catching up, it was my best friend's birthday so we went for a lovely meal and cocktails, another friend Amelia had a birthday gig in the Northern Quarter which was made even better by the fact that me and my friends were able to smuggle cans of Strongbow into the venue. Student life haha. 

Something else that I did in June was attend Parklife festival! I got a cheap ticket thanks to my friend Liam, and so, on the weekend of the 7th June, I made my way into Manchester centre to Liam's friend Liz's apartment which was to be my home for the weekend. Parklife was amazing. I'd been a little nervous because I'd never properly met the two girls that me and Liam were going with, but it turns out I had nothing to worry about as they were both lovely! The weather was gorgeous, allowing us to sip our Kopparbergs in hotpants, not having to worry about the possibility of rain, and the acts themselves were amazing! 

I'd originally wondered why people choose to go to Parklife over a "proper" festival, but within an hour of being at Parklife, I'd been convinced that the atmosphere was just as amazing as any other festival, but with the added comfort of being able to sleep in a bed (or couch!) at night. On Saturday we saw AlunaGeorge, Rudimental, Jessie Ware, The Macabees and Plan B, while Sunday brought Todla T, Wretch 32, Iggy Azalea, Rita Ora and Example. While I was initially looking forward to the bigger names, acts like Todla T and Iggy Azalea instantly won me over as I fell in love with their amazing music and Iggy's raw sex appeal. 

I won't harp on much more about Parklife because I'm sure nobody really cares but let it just be known that it was bloody brilliant!

The start of July brought even more excitement. On the 1st I moved into a beautiful new house with some of my best friends, and it's safe to say I've been pretty much drunk since then! We've had countless nights sat in our living room playing drinking games and relaxing, I've spent time with my friends Connor and Josh, who are back from their years studying abroad, went to a house warming party/night out in the gay village and celebrated my six month anniversary with my man :) Technically we've been together for about 10 months but you know, it wasn't real until it was on Facebook, haha. To celebrate we chilled in the sunshine for a while, before going for a beautiful meal on Deansgate Locks (blue steak, mmm), and then to The Comedy Store. 

We then went to my home from home, Murcia in Spain for two weeks and I had the best time. Spain has changed a lot, with my main hangout being closed down by Spanish gangsters (no really!), and I didn't get to see a couple of my friends because they were busy studying, but we still managed to have a fantastic time.We saw a couple of gigs on the beach, watched proper flamenco, ate oysters on the seafront, drank wine on the beach as the sun set, went snorkelling, and spent hours drinking gin and playing competitive card games!

 I also spoke to my friend Veronica, who says that if I can speak Spanish by next June, I have a summer job at her new bar on the Mar Menor. SO EXCITED. I've been learning bits and bats since I've been back and I am just too excited to spend three months working in the only place that I'm really happy (I love England but it does bloody depress me sometimes). 

Since I've been back I've spent time with my family, gone for cocktails with friends, caught up with my girl mates and generally relaxed. Last Friday my house mate Aaron invited some people he met at a film workshop to our house for drinks, and it was lovely being around new people, people that are passionate about creating art. I feel like I spend so much time talking about meaningless things that it was nice to talk about film ideas, poetry and our futures. Then, the day after, my boyfriend took me to his hometown to meet his entire family for their restaurant opening! I had a chinwag with everyone from his grandad to his uncle, and I even met his dogs! It was a really nice night and I was made to feel so welcome, especially considering as his parents had brought me a present back from their holiday! So grateful to be included.

So, to sum up, in a year I've moved house, got a First in my second year of uni, written for two websites, made some amazing new friends, settled in a great relationship, become a published writer in more than one project, lost a stone and secured a job after I finish my studies! It's safe to say that life is sweet.