Quote of the day Monday...

 

 Happy Halloween bloggers...I celebrated slightly earlier as you can see!! Hope you're having fun!

A supermarket discovery...

As it's Halloween coming up I thought I'd stock up on my Vodka for pre-drinks before going out. So as I always do, I went to browse the vodka section and knew I'd probably buy the same as usual..Hello Smirnoff!! Today though, something caught my eye:

Yes..I had to look rather like an underage drinker and act suspicious in the alcohol aisle to get the above picture. Can you spot what made me look twice? It's the statement of: 

English Potato Vodka

Now I was standing feeling rather confused because vodka and potato are not exactly two things which I put together. After looking a bit strange and loitering I took my Smirnoff and headed off. It was still bothering me when I got home as surely such a vodka drinker like myself would know if it were made from potato...wouldn't I? Well I didn't, so here (after feeling like a failure) are some vodka facts I've found to share so you don't feel as bad as I d:

-It is composed mainly of water and ethanol with some impurities and flavorings. 

-Vodka is made by distillation of fermented substances such as grains, potatoes, or sometimes fruits.

-EU must have a minimum of 37.5% volume and US must have 40% volume.

- The "vodka belt" countries of Northern, Central and Eastern Europe are the historic home of vodka and is the are of highest vodka consumption.

- Before the 1950's, vodka was rarely consumed out of Europe. 

- It became more popular after being marketed as 'the drink that leaves you breathless' due to it not leaving an alcohol smell on the drinkers breath.

So there you have it...some vodka facts just for you!! It's not exactly made of potato but potato IS involved in the process and obviously Chase vodka thinks using British potatoes is such a selling point they advertise it on their bottles. When in reality it just made me confused and not want to buy it!

However it does lead me to the thought of...does it count towards my 5 a day?

Is vodka your tipple or do you prefer something a little different?

Where the lines overlap...

When I started blogging I was unaware of all the friendships I would make. I have made a few very good friends who I can actually share a little bit of my 'real life me' with too. This past week I have become 'real life' friends with Rebecca who blogs over at A day in the life of a German girl.

She is a fabulous blogger and we seemed to have an instant connection in the blog world. We saw little bits of ourselves in each others posts, assured each other that 'No, you're not the only one to think that,' and lately we've began to chat in real life. Now it seems strange to use this term 'real life' because well, my blog IS real life and everything on here is true and is me. I suppose, as my titles suggest, the lines over lap somewhat. Now I see her in a blogger world and also in real time world.

In blogging we can edit and refine our words. As honest as posts are they can be censored, written in witty ways and polished. Myself and Rebecca have been able to talk and actually get each other and realise that there was a reason why we were drawn to each others blogs. We are similar, we do have the same insecurities and issues. Through talking we have bonded and I truly know that in her I have found a good friend.

I know people complain about the likes of Facebook and technology for making people more distant but in fact it's helped us to be able to form a new friendship regardless of where we actually are in the world. So it isn't all that bad now is it? 

So i just want to say that I am pleased that some of my lines have overlapped because through this I have made not just friends with Rebecca but another couple of blogger friends (Yes yes- that's you El Grande :-) and Lindsey!). 

So if you're a new blogger and you're reading this... enjoy because you are going to make some fabulous friends!

Have you made any good blog friends since entering the world of blogging?

Quote of the day Monday...

 

 

 

Today's quote is from a favourite show of mine, One Tree Hill. I am definitely a type of person this quote applies to. I don't do it purposefully in relationships but there is this thing in me which when it clicks in, clicks in hard. I hit a point where I just put up those said walls and I don't do it as a challenge for other people. I do it to protect myself. That day when someone breaks it down will be the day when I realise I've finally met someone special enough for me. I will know. All relationships take time and hard work and sometimes, I feel like that is forgotten.

 

 

 

Quote of the day Monday...

Today is a special quote day as it is the first ever guest post quote!! Today, the quote comes from Ramblin' Bess. If you would like to see her fab blog just click the link...

I have to admit, I received this quotation in my inbox from the Happiness Project the other day. So, no, it’s not highly original. But it struck a chord with me. Why? We all know crappy things happen, and that sucks. Wouldn’t it be nice if it didn’t completely suck?

                          

You’ve probably heard the sentiment that you can’t fully appreciate the good in life without experiencing the bad. After all, if you’ve had a float-on-a-boat life, you don’t really know how great it is—you have nothing to compare it to.

What the two lines have in common is the idea that bad things aren’t necessarily all bad. They help you appreciate the good and put things in perspective. But this quote takes this idea further. I think Marilynne Robinson is also saying that when everything is going normally, you are less likely to contemplate your life; instead you unthinkingly go along with the status quo. But when something awful happens, you become more aware of the fragility and transience of life and better able to tell the difference between what matters and what doesn’t. 

I looked up this quote and realized it’s from Robinson’s novel Gilead . In the book, a father writes this line to his son as he’s trying to convey life lessons to him. Learning that made me think this passage is also about sharing “what matters” with others. We probably all have the ability to effect change in our lives, but a lot of times, we just don’t. Which brings me to my last point. I also believe this quote is about trying to remember the important things in life even during the most normal times.

Wouldn’t it be nice if we didn’t need a crisis to wake us up? 

If you would like to guest 'quote' just send an email my way:

takeallchances {at} gmail {dot} com

Lazy Sunday Post...

Happy Sunday everyone!!! Hope you've all had a fabulous weekend. Today I want to share some of my favourite posts of the last few weeks. Hope you like them...click on the caption to go to the posts.

Finland Fun!!!

A Rut

My body thoughts...

Have you got a link to one of your favourite posts this month? I would love to feature them this week!!Just leave it in your comment.

Unusual...

Today I went out for a treat day...massage and pub lunch!! Both were very much needed!!! You may be wondering what was unusual about the day?! Well that would be the weather...It is October, we've had a week of rain in the North of England and today was glorious. There was sunshine, and mild weather.  I was actually able to not wear a jacket. There's something about sunshine which just makes me happy happy happy.

On my drive home from my friends I was struck by the lovely scenery and the lazy sunshine. I thought I'd share a few photos. They don't 100% do justice the amazingness of the view but you get the idea.

Hope you're having a fabulous weekend, whatever you're up to!

Letter to my body...

I was reading my Elle magazine at the weekend and was inspired by one of the articles. It was honest, thoughtful and inspiring. It made me want to write my own...

Dear Body,

We've spent 26 years together and I still don't think I fully appreciate or know you. I often look at you and do nothing but criticise...for that I am sorry.I know you try your best, I really do, but sometimes you're the easiest victim. You may not speak back but occasionally you give me a sign which says loud and clear- Slow down!! Yes, I'm talking to you knee and head. You constantly yell at me with knots in my shoulders and what do I do? Ignore you... again, I apologise. Sometimes I give you so much fuel that you don't know what to do with it and you make me unsettled and hyper. Other times I withhold as if we've fell out just because I don't feel like it. I suppose I sometimes don't know what to make of my moods and feelings and take it out on you again.

I have insecurities towards you, but who doesn't have that? However, I very rarely look at you and think you're too big or too small or just not right. Occasionally, and I freely admit it, I will judge you far too harshly but you always take it and never laugh or make me feel worse. You just stare back and let me have my moment of doubt. Thank you. As I get older, I spend less time looking at your flaws and I am beginning to appreciate you and what you can do. I hope you appreciate the effort I have been giving lately in feeding you healthy food!! Don't worry, I will still keep the chocolate coming!! 

I just want you to know that regardless of some of the negativity I am glad you belong to me, I love what you've given me - the legs, the hidden freckle, the green eyes and of course your boundless energy!! 

While I may not always treat you the correct way, I do appreciate and love you and I want to let you that I thankful for you loving me back.

Missy 

xoxo

So, there's my letter.Honest, frank and open. What would you say to your body?

It would be nice to have a few of you email a letter to make a special 'Letter to my body' page.... I think it would be an inspiring and honest look into the minds of others. If you would like to contribute drop me a comment or email me your letter and I shall link to your blog too.

takeallchances {at} gmail {dot} com

Quote of the Day Monday...

I was browsing about the other day at various quotes and came across some from one of my favourite story book characters, Winnie the Pooh. Now I know the genius that was A.A.Milne wrote the quotes but I like to think Winnie the Pooh came up with them!! 

There were many that I nodded at and felt an understanding of but this quote is one which stood out for me. So often, advice is given to us which basically tells us if we wait long enough, that person, be it friend or lover, will come to us. It's a nice thought but surely a little lazy too? I mean, this quote has it all right, sometimes just waiting will get you nowhere and no-one. Even when you think you've done 'nothing' your attitude probably came across differently. 

Maybe Winnie the Pooh is right, perhaps we need to go and search too and meet at a middle point. This is not to say this makes you crazy or desperate or whatever else people think it would make them. It shows a belief in yourself I think, that you can get to the point where you are happy enough to go out and say this is me, I'm willing to work for something I want and not sit and wait.

If you would like to contribute a quote for Quote of the day Monday, send me an email (all lower case):

takeallchances {at} gmail {dot} com

Lazy Sunday Post...

How my day has gone so far...

Chocolate...yum yum!

Tea...how very British!

Gotta love Glee!

Yes...more TV guilty pleasures!!!

As you can see I have had a rather relaxing Sunday!! Not very often I let myself do this and I am thoroughly enjoying it!

What are you up to today?

People help the people...

As I've been having a few days where I haven't quite felt the best, I have been more sensitive to people’s behaviour, words and feelings. Almost like my heightened feelings have made me more aware of others. The teacher I work alongside within the other Year 4 class is going through a stressful time with workload so I have been trying hard to cheer her up and help her regardless of the way I was feeling. I like to make people feel happy and bright. 

While I was away, Miss Aussie was having a down day unbeknownst to me. I kinda sensed she was a little homesick but hadn't realised the extent. Knowing this I tried hard to make her smile and be a positive influence. Sometimes I find all you need to do is make someone smile and you see them visibly lift. From saying something nice and kind, can make all the difference. You can really help someone more than you think. I informed Miss GG today that I may be too unwell to join her birthday night out on Saturday and she replied with:

" Aw, I hope you can come. You're the only one I care about being there."

These two sentences made me smile and feel good about myself. Two little sentences was all it took to make my day.

In such a busy world, we sometimes forget how easy it is to make another person smile with a simple sentence. People CAN help people by just being nice and giving a compliment and a meaningful compliment! On the topic of helping people I would like to introduce you to a site from my good friend TexaGermaNadian. It's based on the premise of nobody need wait to make someone’s day and called, 'Nobody Need Wait'. She is wanting to collect a mix of stories about how we, as people, make can make each others day. Pop on over and have a look around, submit a story even and be sure to follow.

Click *here* to go to site...

I am going to leave you with a pretty great song which I am loving at the moment. It is a cover of a Cherry Ghost song called 'People Help The People'. Hope you like it. 

 


Has someone helped you lately and made you smile? How?

How I'm feeling right now...

This song sums me up at this moment right now...

 

Coldplay - Paradise

What song describes you at this moment in time?

A rut...

“Very often we are our own worst enemy as we foolishly build stumbling blocks on the path that leads to success and happiness.”

 Louis Binstock

You know when you have that feeling, that feeling like you are on top of your feelings, work load, your thoughts and life in general. Then BAM, all of sudden it hits you that you're not. Well that's me. I became such a stronger person over the last couple of months, and I still feel like I am but I am now having to fight so many things to stay this way and that in itself is so difficult.

In a lot of ways the above quote describes me. I manage to make things harder for myself in many ways. Be it the amount of work I take on, my crazy ideas, my allowance of my thoughts to drive me crazy and unwittingly allowing the past to have some effect on the way I behave in the now.

At the moment, I am  trying to get past some kind of flu like illness which is unknown. It's just hanging around and making me feel oh so tired and I think that contributes to my fragile feeling nature at the moment. It's so hard to be a strong person when you feel weak in body. 

How do you keep your head up and keep moving forward when all you want to do is keep still and silent? You just have to, you gotta keep going and sometimes the hardest thing in the world is to do this. Each person has their own weakness and when that kicks in, things are difficult, and you feel all the better when you hit that grounded state of mind again.

It may seem like this post is some kind of pity post but it's just some kind of mental babbling on screen based on my feeling of out of synchness. Who doesn't have one of these moments once in a while? I'm gonna keep going, finding the happiness and work out the rut (and get better).

I was having a browse through pintrest and came across something which made me sigh and I realised that at this moment in time it was all I wanted. Just one of those days when even surrounded by people, you can feel so alone and that feeling of being needed is enough to put a smile on your face.

{Source}

How do you get out of ruts be them big or small? 

Well hello there Mr Draper...

As I mentioned last week, I treated myself to Series 1 of Mad Men as it had been something I'd always wanted to watch just never had. I am quite happy to stand up and say that I am now addicted to the show. I have just started Series 2. I love everything about it, the outfits, the scandal, the humor, the egos and of course Mr Draper.

Are you looking at me? .... Yes, yes I am!

Apart from his adultery, chain smoking, alcoholism, work-a-holic and fake life he is quite the catch! Now I'm not usually one for the suited guy however, I am unfortunately a fan of the bad boys and there is no denying that Mr Draper is a bad boy. But doesn't he look so suave in his fedora?!

As mentioned before, I also love the fashion in the show! Miss Hendricks always looks just amazing- hair and outfits!! I have a want to wear every one of January Jone's dresses. I love the prim and proper look with the net skirts. I can't say Elisabeth Moss's character isn't completely unstylish...she's getting there!

Oh so pretty!

Any other Mad Men fans out there? Who's your favourite character?

Quote of the Day Monday...

It's Monday and that means 'Quote Time'. Today is a quote of the lyrical variety and from a songwriter I often reference, Conor Oberst. The guy has so many songs and a lot are relateable. This lyric is about promises being broken.

I for one am terrible at forgiving and thinking it was just a mistake and then end up in a circle of broken promises. It's a weakness of mine and something which I wish I was tougher about. When we let people into our lives, we expect honesty and reliability. What happens when we don't get these qualities? Do we just break the relationship and forget it? I personally tend to carry on and on and fell worse about myself each time I am let down and in some ways blame myself. This quote says it all, surely we should be more braver to say, "Forget it, I deserve better," if someone breaks a promise. After all, more often than not another promise is made and then broken again. I know that I need to work on this and there are second chances, but do I really need to give people 3, 4, 5 etc chances to make me unhappy? Shouldn't I just look after myself and my heart more than this? Maybe Conor is right with one chance, or maybe 2 is a good number of chances. Whatever the number I know that the more promises broken, the more unhappy you become.

Here's the song it's taken from...it's rather haunting but beautiful at the same time.

What's your take on promises? How many broken promises is one too many?

Gift from Finland...

It would appear that I have been 'on a break' with my blog this week however that is not the case. I have spent the week unwell and basically working then crashing out when I arrived home which has left no time for blogging. Hopefully after this weekend of self imposed rest I will be back to my usual self. 

On Friday, when I arrived home from work I had something waiting to cheer me up! Myself and one of my favourite bloggers, TexaGermaNadian, decided to have a sweetie swap. If you have never read her blog then hop on over there and you wont be disappointed! She is currently living in Finland with her husband who is playing hockey there. 

After a post on the love of liquorice in Finland (TGN did not like the stuff) we decided it would be fun for us to swap sweeties from UK and Finland.So on Friday, to my great delight, I arrvived home to this:

I was very intrigued with the 'TV Mix' as it looked so 80's. Regarding your warning TGN, there was liquorice in it!! The white sweets are like a minty casing around liquorice and the black sweets are also liquorice tainted. Some of the others were quite nice.

The chocolate, well that is very different to the UK chocolate. The caramel isn't the soft caramel that I'm used to either.I tried it but I can't say I'm bowled over by the Fazer chocolate.

I opened the Hyvaa with great excitement thinking I would have some jelly sweets. I choose the blackberry looking piece and guess what?!More liquorice! There were some other strange tasting sweets I had when I tried the rest of them and they were also so much softer than I thought.

Then I moved onto the last bag of sweets and had no clue. The colours didn't give any clue as to what I would be eating. All I thought was that I would come across liquorice at some point. As you can see in the picture below, some of the sweets have polar bears (Mints perhaps?!) and others had kittens with the words 'kiss kiss' on- well I've no idea about that one.

I was kinda right with the 'polar bear' sweets as it had some hard candy around a minty paste type sweet. It's not extremely minty but it was pleasant. The kiss kiss was some hard lime candy around some kinda chocolate paste which wasn't tasty. It reminds me of some sweets we have here in the UK, possibly called chocolate limes? The Rex sweets were kinda like mints, the Tosca ones were quite nice- they had a nice toffee taste to them. The Tosca sweets were probably my favourite of the lot.

Now for the liquorice...

I was warned from reading Miss TGN's post and was very apprehensive but I gave them a go. Well, words can not decribe how ridiculous I looked eating one. It was one of the most unpleasant sweets I've tasted!! I can't believe the popularity of these in Finland?! I even made my Mam try one and her reaction wasn't quite as sudden but it ended in her having to spit it out and she said, "That's not like liquorice as I know it."It definitly isn't. Then I gave it to my Dad and guess what...he LIKED them!!! Maybe it's the whole Dads will eat anything or maybe that's just my Dad? So TGN, I have managed to find someone who likes it! Proud?

I have sent my UK package off to TGN and hopefully she'll like some of the goodies!!

Do you have a favourite sweet either now or from childhood which you can't get anymore?