Tumble Weed

"The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page."


A blog about my travels, and other ramblings that may spring to mind.

The Definitive List of The Six Most Annoying/Baffling Things People Do On Facebook

I’ve come up with a list of some of the most annoying things that people do on Facebook. Now, I know I’m no Facebook angel but I like to think I’m not thaaaat bad… Anyway, here’s my list.


The Definitive List of The Six Most Annoying/Baffling Things People Do On Facebook:

1. Taking Photos of Food

Yes, your dinner does look very nice. Wow, congratulations, you made another batch of cakes. Why do you think your Facebook friends want to see your food? Do you really think that uploading a photo of your lunch is interesting to anyone else? Why do people go on holiday, take a few photos of the scenery and then fill the rest of their photo album with pictures of the meals they ate every day? I see no reason why people feel the need to do this. The only excuse I’ll give you is if the carrot you’ve got looks particularly phallic or you found a newt in your salad. Otherwise, yes, it may have been the best paella you’ve ever tasted, or yes maybe the chef made it look pretty, but in twenty minutes you’ll have digested it and in a few hours it’ll have turned into shit. Just like the photo you took of it in the first place. Stop doing it.

2. Checking In to Your Own Home. Every Day.

In particular, checking in at “my bed” or “The Castle of Smith”. Seriously, you don’t live in a castle. I know, because you haven’t put any photos of your castle on Facebook. Why do people need to know that you’re at home? By checking in, you’re also letting everyone you know on Facebook find exactly where you live. I don’t think that’s particularly a good idea, especially if you’re friends with some random people. The only places I will permit checking in at isif you’re somewhere good or exciting. Not at home, not at your friends/boyfriend/girlfriends house. Also please do not check in at Tescos or Sainsburys. I do not give a crap that you’re shopping for ingredients for the food you’ll show me in an hour in your photos. And don’t check in at the gym every time you go!

3. Sharing Chain Photos and Statuses.

“Put the colour of your knickers on your status to raise awareness for breast cancer, but don’t tell the boys what your status means!” Sorry if I’ve ruined this for you. But firstly, how is writing “pink” on your status raising awareness of breast cancer? How is a status that doesn’t mention breast cancer anywhere, going to raise awareness? And if it somehow does, by not telling the boys, you’re cutting out a whole gender. Unless there’s an actual fact, that’s educating people about the specified subject, then don’t do it. Donate money to Cancer Research instead. Trust me, it’ll go a lot further than telling the world you’re wearing pink knickers.

No one forwards on chain emails anymore, so why should it be any different on Facebook?


4. Boring Statuses


I don’t care. I honestly don’t. I don’t think the rest of your friends do either. I just wonder, do people actually think people are interested in the minute boringness of their lives? They must, as I see it on Facebook all the time. I’m not even going to go into examples because it’s. Just. Too. Boring.



5. Over Sharing.

Point 5 must be split into several subsections, as below.


A. Too Much Love.

Public Displays of Affection (PDAs) are a no no. Cries of GET A ROOM echo if people kiss in public, yet it seems that on Facebook, it’s acceptable to declare your love for your beloved for all to see. It’s nice that you’re happy, that you’re besotted with your boyfriend/girlfriend/husband/wife, but I just don’t understand why you’re moved to click on Facebook, type your status and send it to the masses rather than profess your love in a more personal way by actually speaking to the person in question? At least call them, at least text them, at the very least send a private message! If you’re doing it to make people jealous, grow up, you’re not fourteen anymore. If you really think it’s a romantic way to profess your love then seriously, get off your computer, read some Shakespeare, some Jane Austin, watch a few cheesy rom coms and get back to me. And if you get back to me saying that it’s still a romantic way to declare your love then perhaps I could write a film about it and ask Jennifer Aniston to be the lead?

B. Too Much Hate.

While on the subject of publically declaring your feelings over Facebook, I must say that I do enjoy watching a nice fight going on on someone’s status/wall. The juicer the fight, the better. It’s like Jeremy Kyle, but I actually know the people, However, you’re really embarrassing yourself. It’s a classless way to go about things and I really do believe if you’re having trouble with your boyfriend or a friend you should resolve it in private!


C. Too Much Information.

The photos I’ve chosen (from Lamebook) for the purposes of illustration, are, in fairness, worse than any I’ve seen myself on Facebook. But, people really do give too much information about their lives on Facebook. I really don’t think that Social Networking is the place to discuss your medical, financial or work-based issues as you can see in these pictures.


D. Withholding Information.

So D doesn’t really fit into part 5, but it can go here anyway. Ok, I’m only still friends with you because as much as I hate your statuses, I do find them enjoyable and entertaining to read at times. So please, don’t put a status up about how much you hate something, or about some awful thing that’s just happened, and NOT GIVE THE DETAILS! Even old Jeremy Kyle only leaves cliff-hangers for the 4 minute ad breaks! If you don’t want people to know about it, don’t put it up. Don’t tease us.


6. Awful Spelling.

This photo is particularly good because another thing I really hate is racism. How can you possibly complain about people not being able to speak English when you can’t speak it yourself? These days, it actually must be harder to spell things incorrectly (lyk instead of like, wen instead of when, etc etc etc) than properly due to auto-correct! I know I’m a spelling and grammar freak, but it’s really not hard to use correct English. Please, please try.

The excitement is mounting!


I have a feeling that 2013 is going to be the best summer yet. I’ve got loads of things planned and at the moment I feel like a child who’s just been told they’re going to Disney Land!



In 25 days I’ll be boarding a plane to Bulgaria. My boyfriend, Jamie, and I, booked it back in January. We’re going to stay at the Helena Park resort hotel, which apparently is a 4.5* resort. I don’t really understand what that means, but I’ll let you know once I’m back! The hotel is based at the top of the Sunny Beach resort near Bourgas, on the coast. We chose to go to Bulgaria as it’s cheap and cheerful and we’re guaranteed good weather. The cost of an all-inclusive package from Thomson was just over £360 each which is a great price, and I’m so excited. It’ll be my first proper beach holiday - I’ve only ever been to cities or volunteering, although I have spent a few glorious days on beaches here and there in Borneo. I’m looking forward to a week of relaxing by the pool and the sea, and hopefully sightseeing if I can drag Jamie along with me!

The weekend after we get back, we’re heading up to Manchester to see Muse at the Etihad Stadium. I got Jamie tickets for his birthday - but since his birthday’s in April and I bought them in January I had to keep quiet for over three months!! It was so hard, especially since he talks about them all the time!! So I’m excited to be able to talk about it now and also to actually see them! Muse are definitely one of the best live bands I’ve ever seen. I saw them at Glastonbury in 2010 and their set was incredible. They played hit after hit, the atmosphere was amazing and their performance was flawless. I’m looking forward to them playing their own gig though, rather than at a festival, as it’ll be a different kind of vibe and hopefully they’ll play a few songs that are a bit less well known to the masses, but equally just as good. Doors open at 5pm and Dizzee Rascal and Bastille are the support acts, which is quite interesting. I don’t know too much about Bastille except that I love that Pompeii song which is everywhere on the radio at the moment - I shall be giving them more of a listen prior to the gig though, they sound like they’ll be good live. I’ve seen Dizzee Rascal twice, and I’m excited to be seeing him again - he definitely knows how to get the crowd going and he’s a born performer.

A week and a bit after, I will be undertaking my first driving test. I say first as I reckon it won’t be my last. I’m quite confident about it, I just don’t think I’ll pass first time. I really can’t wait to be unleashed onto London’s roads though and I hope that once I have a car I’ll take full advantage of it!

And then comes the festival of all festivals, Glastonbury!! I’ve already blogged about it (see my post The Field Of Dreams ) and can happily announce that I was extremely lucky to get myself, Jamie and two friends tickets on Sunday! We will be travelling down by coach, which will be a new experience, but I’m seriously looking forward to it! I’ve decided it’s probably a better idea anyway as we can have a few drinks on the way down. I’ve been welly shopping, since my wellies ended up dead after the mud trudge of 2011. I’m really looking forward to seeing The Rolling Stones and Mumford and Sons (obviously), but also would love to catch Primal Scream, Alt J, maybe Jake Bugg, Editors, Tame Impala, the Alabama Shakes, the Lumineers (just for the I Belong with You song), and hopefully loads of other bands. I’ll admit I haven’t properly looked at the lineup yet as I really didn’t think I’d get tickets, but I know it’s a good one. I also can’t wait to party in Arcadia, get lost in Shangri La, and I think this year might be the year I head to the Healing Fields and get my palm read or something.

A week later, I’ll be headed to the Olympic Park for the “Gentlemen of the Road Summer Stampede”, with sets from Mumford and Sons, Vampire Weekend, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zero, Ben Howard and Haim. If you know me, you know I LOVE Mumford, which is why I bought these tickets (I really did think I’d miss out on the Glastonbury resale). I’m slightly regretting it now, having looked at my bank statement, but it will be worth it as they really are such a fantastic live act! I’m also really looking forward to seeing Edward Sharpe, as I’m totally in love with the song Home. I’ve never seen Vampire Weekend, and although they’re playing at Glastonbury I might give them a miss if there’s a clash as I’ll be seeing them here. It should be a really good day and will be great to get into the Olympic Park as I didn’t go last summer.

Of course, I’m also participating in Hyde Park’s Race For Lifeon the 14th July. Hopefully I’ll make it round the 5K without doing too much lasting damage, and we’ll raise funds for a great cause at the same time. Think we’ll definitely be headed to the pub for a few drinks after though!

The exciting thing about all this is that this only brings us to the first weekend in July!
Later in July (after probably trying to get our bank balances back in the black!) Jamie and I are planning on getting a group of friends together and going to London Zoo’s Zoo Lates night. The zoo runs these adult-only nights every Friday of June and July. We went last year and it was a great night out, with bars + food stalls based around the animal encloures, and entertainment throughout the zoo. You can wonder around most of the enclosures without any screaming children, with a drink, and as entry is limited, you get a much better experience than you would on a busy summer’s day. A silent disco also goes on, along with comedy shows and lectures. You can have your face painted and buy animal costumes, and sample food from around the world. It was a great night and we’re both looking forward to returning again this year. I’d highly recommend it! I’d definitely say you should get there as early as possible though, as it runs from 6-10pm which doesn’t seem to cover everything!


So here it starts, and I can’t wait!! Roll on summer!!

CANCER. WE ARE COMING TO GET YOU.

I’m extremely unfit and have decided that I need a good kick up the bum to get myself back on track. Actually, just on track. I decided to sign up to Cancer Research’s Race for Life, in Hyde Park on the 14th July. It’s a 5 kilometre run, which to some of you may seem like a walk in the park (or, run in the park…) but to me, 5K, or 3.1 miles, is a big challenge.

I decided that it would probably be best to get some friends on my side and hopefully we could motivate each other, as well as raising more funds for the cause. I signed us up as a group, and I’m the team leader, which I suppose is even more added pressure! At the moment I’m trying to come up with fun fundraising ideas for the team. The money raised really does make such a difference, and Cancer Research has provided fundraisers with information on how far the money really can stretch.

£40 buys a key textbook to ensure our Cancer Information Nurses never stop learning. That way they can answer as many questions as possible that people have about cancer.

£50 could buy around 22 thermometers – indispensable for many experiments that need to be performed at very precise temperatures.

£94 could cover the cost for one woman to take part in a clinical trial aiming to improve survival for post-menopausal women with early-stage breast cancer.

£677 could cover the cost of one person taking part in a clinical trial testing chemotherapy before and after surgery, and the antibody drug Vectibix, to improve survival for bowel cancer patients.

At the moment we have 10 team members. If each of us raise £100, we’ll have £1000 which would cover the cost of 10 women taking part in clinical trials, or could buy 25 textbooks for specialised Cancer Nurses.

To sponsor our team, please visit http://www.raceforlifesponsorme.org/footloose7

Thank you so much.

bunnytoastt asked: hi i saw your post on glastonbury and it'll be my first time if i go this year. i wanted to ask - what's the security like there and are they well staffed? x

Hey! you’ll have a great time :) what kind of security do you mean? They do have guards and police officers who walk round but I’ve never seen anyone being dealt with. There’s security on the door and they do have dogs at some points from what I remember, but once you’re in, you’re in. In terms of leaving stuff in your tent, you should be fine but I’d rather keep money, phone, camera etc on me than leave it in there. Never seen or heard of anyone’s stuff being stolen or any fights breaking out in the 3 years I’ve been. Hope that answers your question?

The Field of Dreams

My favourite place in the world. A haven from the outside world. A bubble.

Of course, I’m talking about Glastonbury. The first and greatest festival in the summer calender where 150,000 people yearly pilgramage to spend five blissful days in whatever weather god sends listening to fantastic music, dancing till the early hours, spending time with friends, discovering new things, and having the BEST. TIME. EVER.

I’ve been to Glastonbury 3 consecutive times, 2009, 10 and 11. This year, 2013, I’m hoping beyond hope to get a ticket. Myself and my boyfriend, Jamie, along with some other friends, didn’t manage to get one in the first sale in October. Actually, only two of the group we usually go with managed to get them! So I’ve got everything crossed for 9am, Sunday morning, that we’ll be able to get the golden tickets. I’ve got a team of people hopefully helping me - I’ve even offered to pay them each a fiver! A friend who’s in Australia at the moment but who will be home for Glastonbury will be trying out there too and I’m getting every electronic device there is that will connect to the internet to try and get them. I haven’t really been able to think about anything else for the past few weeks!

I know that seems extreme and dramatic, but Glastonbury definitely is the highlight of the year, and I really will be so gutted not to get tickets. It’s not just for the line up (which I must admit, I believe to be weak compared to other years) it’s the whole festival experience! I’ve been to other festivals which don’t even come close (see my Optimus Alive! and Bestival blog posts). It’s like a whole new atmosphere you’ll never experience anywhere else is created; everyone forgets their worries, people speak to one another (which you definitely don’t get on the Underground morning commute) and help each other out, and a hippy kinda feeling you didn’t even know existed washes over you!

You don’t really mind that you probably stink like a sewage pipe, because everyone does. You embrace the mud (some may even accessorise by scooping mud off the ground and applying to faces and bodies). You embrace the weather - should it rain, you don a poncho and your wellies, should it be blisteringly hot, you dig out your sunnies and flip flops (which then get stuck in the drying mud and you realise it was probably for the best to have just worn wellies the whole time anyway). You embrace the warm cider that has been gradually boiling in your tent over the week. You embrace the STENCH from the toile…. okay, maybe that’s taking it too far - I don’t think anyone could ever embrace that smell!

Some festivals are defined by their line ups as once the headliner’s finished, it’s time to shut up for the night. Glastonbury has entertainment 24/7. Once the main stages have closed down for the night, revellers head off in various directions to various zones around the festival site. There’s so much to do and see, but here’s a top 10 must-do list I’ve put together of things I think you shouldn’t miss out on if you’re lucky enough to get a ticket!

1. Watch the sunrise at the Stone Circle. I’ve done this every year I’ve been to Glastonbury, usually on the first or second night before the headliners start. Since you’re likely to be up till the sunrise anyway, head up to the Stone Circle with a few beers, some friends (and if you’re intelligent enough,a few blankets) and watch the sun come up. A cheer always washes over the hillside when the sun peaks at the horizon. It’s a lovely experience :)

2. Dance like a maniac at Arcadia. Arcadia is a stage based in the Field of Avalon. It’s a huge metal structure, shaped like a spider, which shoots fire into the air. There is a DJ booth and a platform running around the edge which you can get up and dance on. At night, the sight is spectacular - the field is heaving with people dancing like they don’t have a care in the world, with fire shooting into the air. One of the best nights I’ve ever had involved torrential rain on the last night of the festival, dancing on the platform to music I’ve never heard until the sun came up. An amazing way to end the festival.

3. Chill out at the Strummerville fire. The fire is kept lit the whole way through the festival by a team of volunteers (who get a free ticket, lucky gits!) Around the fire are some old sofas, and it’s a great place to sit and just chill out, have a chat with friends, meet new people and you’re almost 100% guaranteed to find a few people with guitars. The staff there will look after you if you fall asleep and start melting your wellies….. and it’s a great place to go if it’s been raining and you want to warm up a bit.

4. Take a walk through the Kids Field. It’s a magical place, with hundreds of things for children of all ages to do. However even if you’re not a child, you’ll still walk through it feeling about 5. It’s gorgeously colourful and bright, with streamers and characters including magicians and people dressed up as carousel horses walking round. It really makes you feel like a child again!

5. See the Sunday headliner. No matter who it is (this year it’s Mumford, 2011 was Beyonce, the year before was Stevie Wonder), see them. The field is full of people who have had a fantastic week and although everyone will head off to the nightlife afterwards, the headliner is a way to end the festival and something you’ll always remember. Groups of people join together in huge group hugs, jumping up and down and singing along to the music. And the Sunday headliner WILL always perform - they’ll play all their hits, classics, and crowd singalongs. It’s such a great feel good vibe that you’ll be gutted you missed out.

6. Head up to the Park for lunch. A week full of stodgy burgers and hotdogs is never good for anyone! At the Park there’s a wide array of various foods including lots of vegetarian options. (You can get this around other areas of the festival site, but it’s nice to head up to the Park in the sun). It’s refreshing to feel the crunch of salad or the taste of some fresh fruit and gives you the energy to trudge back down the hill through the mud to watch some more bands!

7. See a band you’ve never heard of. One of my favourite Glastonbury memories was stumbling around the Field of Avalon area late at night, and coming across a tent with a band playing, the crowd jumping and the bass pumping. We walked in to find “The Destroyers”, a 15 piece folk band. They were absolutely brilliant and really got the crowd going. As much as you may be excited about the listed line up on the main stages, have a wonder around and see what you can find because you might find something you really love!

8. Go to Shangri-La after dark. Shangri-La is a themed area - 2011’s was the Apocalypse. It’s a maze of corridors with rooms coming off them, each filled with something different. You never know what you’ll find, you’ll see strange things, you’ll be fascinated, you might even be scared. But just have fun, have a wonder around and enjoy, because you’ll never find a place like it other than at Glastonbury!

9. Go to the Circus Field. Wake up, get dressed, grab some breakfast and head over to the Circus Field. You never know what you’re gonna find, it may be comedy, dancers, gymnastic performances, impressionists, circus performers. Who knows! Check it out, it’s worth it.

10. Try something new. No matter what you do, try something new. Whether it’s listening to a genre of music you’ve never heard before, getting your palm read at the Healing Field, trying kangaroo or ostrich at one of the food stalls, or just talking to new people, do it. Glastonbury’s a field of new experiences and it would be a shame to waste it!

ENJOY!

And keep your fingers crossed for me and my friends getting tickets on Sunday!!


I have taken some of these photos from Google search or used friend’s photos I’ve been tagged in. Thanks guys, if you want me to credit you just let me know.

I’ve been gone a while…

Almost a year, in actual fact. Recently I’ve been feeling that I’ve let my creativity slide and so I thought this would be a nice way to get it back, a bit. Also I think it’s nice to have a log of my thoughts and feelings at the time, before they’ve drifted off and are forgotten about. To follow are some blogs I’ve written about the past year.

Sigh

Sigh

It’s a scary thought….but if you think about it, it’s true….

It’s a scary thought….but if you think about it, it’s true….