MIA

Okay, so my last post was way back in June. I know. I'm terrible at this! A LOT has happened in the past 2 months. In early June I got my top braces put on which at first I wasn't too sure about but now I'm completely fine with it! It just feels like they've always been there. Getting them tightened however is horrible. Honestly, it makes me want to rip them off of my teeth but I'm pretty sure that would hurt significantly more. I also undertook my GCSE exams and got my results just last week. I was so happy with them; I passed all my subjects and got a B in biology which enables me to continue it in A-levels where I will also be studying psychology and photography. I have to say I was a little disappointed as I found out I was close to getting an A but overall I'm just glad I got that B! I am just so so relieved that it is all over the whole the was completely new to me as I had never had any tests or exams as stressful and pressurising as this.

I did post an update video for June on my YouTube channel so if you want to know more about what I've been up to you can check that out there is a link to my channel on the 'Where to find me' widget. Unfortunately I don't think I will be uploading to my channel anymore, for now at least. I don't feel motivated to film, edit and upload like I used to and now it just feels like something I have to do rather than want to do, like a chore. I would rather not do that than use forced content otherwise it's just pointless. If it isn't entertaining for me it won't be entertaining for my audience. So- for now- I have decided to postpone YouTube. I may upload in the future, possibly on another channel, but I guess only time will tell...

So yeah. I get that I have been Missing In Action for a while, but since quitting YouTube I feel more motivated to continue with this blog. I know it will be hard work because it's a lot harder to get noticed through a blog than through YouTube videos because blogs involve a lot of reading whereas videos are obviously just visual and audible so there's no necessary "work" for the audience. However, I am up for a challenge and I'm ready to take this on!

So in a few days I will be starting the next level of my education - A-levels. I'm leaving my current school and starting somewhere new, which is scary for me. I wanted a change, a new place to make new friends (hopefully hahah) and I was going to go with a friend but unfortunately she didn't get into the school because she didn't get the right grades from her GCSE exams. So I am starting at this new school completely on my own. I do know a few people going there but I'm not really friends with them so I think I will feel quite alone on my first day! Thinking positively though, I think I will enjoy this next school year.

As for my other friends, quite a few of them are going to college to study different courses and they're really excited about that. I'm excited too because they are all amazing and I just know they will do so well and make so many new friends. I have to say, it will be strange not seeing them as regularly as I did at school and I will miss them a lot. I really hope we all manage to stay in touch and meet up often.

I'm so glad I decided to put more effort into this blog because I've only just realised how interesting and relaxing I find it writing about my life and my opinions and sharing my adventures. I will definitely be writing much more. I already have a few things planned :)

I hope you are all having/had an amazing summer and I will be writing about mine soon!

All my love
Anna xx

Orlando Shooting: What Is Our World Coming to?

As you probably already know, earlier today a mass casualty shooting occurred in a club in Orlando. So far 50 people are confirmed dead and 53 injured. The shooter came from inside the club, Pulse- one of the biggest nightclubs in Orlando, and was shot dead by police. This is believed to be some sort of terrorist attack, most likely from ISIS, but it was not confirmed. Although, there is strong belief that the shooter (Omar Mateen) was anti-gay and did not agree with the LGBT community which explains his actions in Pulse, a gay club. His father has said that his son become very angry when he saw two men kissing in Miami recently. It has been described as the "worst US shooting in 25 years" on the BBC News website. The scene is horrific.

I have watched a couple of eye-witness videos and I can't even begin to imagine what it must be like. As a UK resident I am so very pleased and grateful to say that I have never been in a situation like this at all because guns are illegal in my country. There was one video of someone filming from their car as the police and Omar Mateen fired shots back and forth. The sound was deafeningly loud and probably even more so in real life. I can honestly say it sent chills down my spine. It is truly horrifying. One witness described it as a 'scene from a horror movie'.

It must be terrifying hearing those gun shots so early in the morning. As of now, police haven't confirmed that Omar Mateen was the only shooter present today. I'm sure everyone is anxiously waiting for more news on this.

This brings so much attention to the gun law in America. I think it is truly wrong to allow guns to be sold and bought in America because it causes so many problems and situations. Many innocent people have died because of this allowance. I understand that there may not be much that can be done about the law because it would be nearly impossible to control the trade of guns when so many people already have them. However, it doesn't mean that nothing can be done.

It also raised a lot of awareness for the LGBT community as a gay nightclub was involved. It saddens be so deeply that people still hate on this loving community who mean no harm. I am sure you have seen the hashtag on twitter #LoveIsLove and it is completely true. Love is love and there is no way of preventing that or changing that. It is what makes us who we are and without it we are no one. No matter who or what you love everyone deserves to be respected that they choose to express this. I know and have met many people who are gay or lesbian or bisexual and have come across a transgender. Do you know what I see when I look at them? A human being. Someone like me. They are no different to people I see everyday of my life. I can't even begin to think of why anybody would be against someone being a human being. It really frustrates me how people of this day and age can still think like this. I don't just mean sexual orientation but race, nationality, religion, looks, clothes, speech...the list is endless. Sometimes we don't realise it, but most people judge others daily. Even if you are behind a screen dragging someone on Twitter or posting a comment on someone's selfie on Instagram. It is the same thing as doing it in real life, face to face. That would probably be a completely different situation. I am not trying to be a hypocrite here because I admit I do this too. I do judge people's opinions and actions and gossip about it with my friends even though I mean no harm. Everyone is guilty of it in their lifetime. But taking it to the next level is what really angers me. Of course, the shooting situation is a very extreme level but it is still the same thing: attacking a group of people for being who they are.

Prejudice is a very broad  problem that is not easy to handle and control. But it isn't unstoppable.

I don't know about your school, but my school are very strongly for equality and they teach us a lot about respecting each other and even have a respect for all policy. Last year we had Ian McKellen (a.k.a Gandalf) come in and talk about being openly gay. He taught us a lot and told us a few experiences about being discriminated for who  he is. I think this is such an important thing to teach children in schools and allow them to open up their eyes and see how harsh the subject is and influence them to not follow the dark road down discrimination and hatred. Some people have no idea how much power children and teenagers and young adults can have over the world and the way we see it. Our generation is the future and we need to guide them properly. Together.

This nearly turned into a rant but I saved myself from letting my passionate anger roam widely into this post! I am absolutely disgusted by the events from today and I am really really hopeful that the world is not coming to destruction. It is awful to see events like this growing up and to see the real world and how it changes.
My heart is with those affected today and everyone from past and future attacks

All my love
Anna x

London Lumiere Festival 2016

On Saturday 16th January I travelled up to London to see some spectacular art at the four day event - Lumiere London. It was a free light festival in 30 locations across some of the capital's most iconic areas including Mayfair, King's Cross, Piccadilly, Trafalgar Square and Westminster. I visited King's Cross, Trafalgar, Westminster Abbey, Piccadilly and St James's.

The first one I saw was in King's Cross. It is called IFO (Identified Flying Object) by Jacques Rival. It changed colours and was so vibrant it made really great photos. You can also go and stand inside the cage-like structure and there was a swing in the middle.

Next, we went to Trafalgar Square where a ring of lights and plastic was in a circle around the fountain. This piece was called Plastic Islands by Luzinterruptus. It was inspired by the ‘Eighth Continent’: the ‘Garbage Patch’ of marine litter that accumulates in the North Pacific Ocean. It represents the alarming rate that rubbish is swallowed by large areas of the Pacific Ocean and the lack of action to tackle this problem.




This photo wasn't taken by me

We then spent ages trying to look for Westminster Abbey. You'd think we would have been able to spot such a large building! We eventually got there and turned a corner to see a massive crowd staring up at this spectacular light display. This amazing show of colours was called The Light of The Spirit by Patrice Warrener.

 

 

We also went to St James's where we spotted these beautiful structures floating in mid air. These were called Les Voyageurs (The Travellers) by Cédric Le Borgne and we saw 8 of them but there may have been more.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Last but not least, we went to see the light show at Piccadilly. We turned a corner and saw these spectacular, lit up structures floating in the air. This piece was called Luminéoles by Porté par le vent.

 

I had such a great time in London, I really love going up there even though it is sometimes a hassle on the tube haha! I do hope they do this again next year and that it's even better! You don't have to pay for tickets or anything although I did see on the internet they had to close the four day festival early due to the crowds but I'm just praying this doesn't stop them from considering it next year because I would truly recommend going.

 

Here are some other photos I took in London.

 

 

I hope you enjoyed reading and sharing this memory and experience with me

 

All my love

Anna xx

 





2016 Resolutions??

I hope you had a great Christmas at that it was filled with lots of smiles and laughs. It's so sad that it all had to come to an end as does this year. 2015 went so quick! I didn't even have time to think of my new years resolutions and there's no time left now; another year is already on the way. Not that it would be much point though I hardly ever bother trying to fulfill my resolutions or think of any to begin with.

For 2016 I thought I'd do something different. Instead of lying to myself saying I'll do this I'll do that I'm just going to see how it goes and change little things along the way. It may not seem like it to me, but I know I am young and I have so much ahead of me. I'm starting to realise just how quickly time goes. So this year I'm not going to set myself resolutions. I am just going to enjoy myself.

These past 12 months have not been the happiest or the easiest. It seems that whenever I get a little bit of happiness and forget my worries it all comes flooding back in a matter of seconds. It's like I can never escape it... But I can change this, a little bit at a time. I don't need to escape my worries because it won't do me any good if I run away from every problem I face. All I need to do is solve it.

Now I've never stuck to a personal timetable: revision timetable, to-do list, it just doesn't help me and frustrated me. So new years resolutions are useless to me because I won't stick to it. Or I'll just forget it. So as I said, I'm just going to change things as it comes. If I worry about stuff in the future it sends me into a spiral of panic that most of the time involves me crying into my hands like tears will just send it away. So I don't want to make a fuss over something that I don't even have to deal with yet. Which will be hard considering all the pressure us teens have now about choosing a career path and working towards it. I think that whole idea is a waste of time. Most people aim for some sort of job, work their socks off to get the qualifications then realise it's not for them. Besides, of course I'm going to change career at some point.
1. I don't want to be stuck at the same place all my life.
2. A ladder is only so high and I have to stop climbing at some point (the career ladder if you don't understand)
and 3. We're always discovering new things and gaining new interests and aspirations. Although pressure like that does make me work hard especially towards my goals but it can get all a bit overwhelming at times and makes me want to quite everything. Which is not the attitude I want to be having right now.

So, that's what I want to work towards in 2016 - making my own decisions and changes little things as they come and stop worrying about the future and where I'll end up. And if that doesn't go to plan there is always help for those who need it. You just need to ask the right people.

Have a fantastic new year!!

All my love
Anna xx