I'm Still Here...

...I promise!

I hope to be back next week!

In the meantime I hope you will all be good girls (and boys), and will have a wonderful week!

In the meantime, I'll leave you with something cute to look at:

{wehearit}

A baby panda!

xx

Little Updates

Thank goodness it's the weekend - it's been one busy old week. So much has been going on, and I've barely checked into Blogger, so I thought I'd give you a little update:

Work

Is amazing. I am so lucky to be working with a wonderful bunch of people, some of whom I have become really good friends with. They challenge me to be a better person, and that's definitely what I need in life.

I am working from the back of a bike shop at the moment, so dresses and skirts have been abandoned in favour of jeans and t-shirts. This makes me a little bit sad.

This week I've done a LOT of cycling for work. Although it killed me at first, I've started to notice just how much more energetic and motivated I am after doing exercise, and I have to say I'm hooked on cycling.

Moving House

Moving day is T minus 6 days (Friday). We are currently lost in a world of packing and a sea of boxes. It feels like we've packed a lot, but then we look round our flat and then we realise we are nowhere near finished. It's a thankless task.

Moving is a good way to reassess what things we have. We've given a lot of our things to charity shops, and binned the things that are falling to bits. Strangely, decluttering has made me feel a lot lighter, and clearer headed.

Decluttering has also provided me with an excuse to buy some nice things for the new house. A fancy shower curtain from Habitat, and some nice kitchen appliances from John Lewis. Few things in life make me happier than buying new kitchen appliances.

Anyway, boyfriend is off on a boy's night out, so I am having the ultimate girly night in - Breakfast At Tiffany's and a nice hot bath. Yum!

Hope you all have wonderful weekends.

xx

I Must Be A Geek - I Love Bulleted Lists...

My weekend:

• A Friday night after my first week at working drinking beer and playing Super Mario Brothers on the Wii (we fought about who was Mario and who was Luigi!)
• A Saturday afternoon spent wandering around town, and enjoying the delights of Habitat.
• A Saturday night dancing my little boots off to Hot Chip, live at the Picturehouse. Who were amazing - I haven't danced so much in a long time.
  

{I borrowed this picture from the gig from Flickr}

• Followed by cocktails drank from china tea-cups and saucers at Bramble. I've come to realise that cocktails should ONLY be drank from a china cup and saucer!
  
• A Sunday meeting up with a new friend in town, with tea and scones at the National Gallery. I love making new friends - but I've found that it's so hard to do once you leave education.
  

I could have done with one more day to be honest. I was also completely rubbish at taking my camera anywhere, so sincere apologies.

xx

ps: An advance warning - the next few weeks will be a bit erratic I'm afraid. I am still adjusting to a new schedule, with my new job, so am still trying to balance work life, home life and blogging. We are also moving next week and are lost in a sea of packing. I hope you can please bear with me through these bumpy times.

Dear 16 Year Old Micaela...

I was so excited when I got an e-mail from one of my very favourite bloggers - Micaela from Dolce Vita - containing her Dear 16 Year Old Me letter. Micaela writes with such refreshing honesty and emotion, and isn't scared to write about the less shiny things in life that many bloggers choose not to share, as well as the exciting things, like her engagement to her love.

---

{16 Year Old Micaela}

{25 Year Old Micaela}

Dear 16 year old Mickey,

(you won't go by Micaela til college) What a learning year this will be for you. Brace yourself for incredible joy you will discover while at the same time losing chunks of yourself in the beautiful mess.

Stop working so hard to try and act "grown up" --- slow down and enjoy being your parent's daughter. You'll miss coming home to a yummy made dinner as only your Momma can cook and watching Oprah. No job to go to-- no responsibility just yet.

Your 25-year-old self aches for that time with our Mom and sisters.

You'll be happy you listened to your journalism teacher Mrs. Lee who refused to let you do yearbook and put you in Newspaper instead. You'll perfect your God given gift of writing. And your Dad will keep each front page article that's published.

Oh your Dad, Mickey. Stop being so dramatic. You're hurting him trying to believe you're so independent already. Listen to him. He could have saved you from slipping into a warped version of yourself when you refused to eat. You'll make your twin sister cry at how little you'll take care of our body.

You're beautiful with curves, trust me Mickey. Men will tell you this and i giggle as i remember those who have.

Men... I know this is the subject you're most curious about. You'll fall in love for the first time this year. That child-like naive love does blossom into the real thing. It'll turn you inside out.

And yet, it will leave you empty. Mickey i wish i could tell you nothing will hurt as much as this first serious boyfriend but this guy was just training wheels for the real ride of your life.

This other guy was your heart's first lesson.

I'll let you live that cos you won't want to miss out on that chapter(s) of our life. But when you're crying and feel that empty pit in your stomach? I'll let you in on this....

All that heartache will lead you to God's blessing for your life (for our life) in the way of a guy with kind eyes. His name is Max, so you'll know when you meet him.

He will love all our glorious faults...

He will love our curves (didn't i tell you?)

He will even help put the broken pieces of ourself together.

And he will ask us a very important question one day.

So enjoy 16 Mickey. Keep the closeness of your family & friends / Keep praying / Keep failing/

Keep Learning.

And like God promises, you'll have all the desires of your heart.

Love & Affection,

your 25-year-old self.

---

Thanks so much for taking part Micaela!

xx

ps: Remember, if you want to take part then you can e-mail your letter to me at red.boots{at}hotmail.co.uk

I Always, Sometimes Never...

The lovely Laura over at Madness of Mundanity is hosting the most amazing competion for a lomolito, and a variety of other goodies.

The rules are you have to fill in the blanks to 'I always __, I sometimes __, I never __'.

Here's my little shot at it:

I always:
Try to find joy in the little things in life.
Eat chocolate, even when I tell myself not to.
Need my own space.
Forget where I've put my keys.

I sometimes:
Forget to take my vitamins.
Can be a little bit grumpy.
Wish I had my own personal stylist and hairdresser on hand every morning.
Stop listening to important conversations.

I never:
Can get out of bed in the morning.
Stop day-dreaming.
Stop believing in my dreams.
Remember to charge up my mobile phone or Ipod.

I almost don't want to share this with you (I want the lomolito to myself!!), but (begrudgingly) to enter go here!

Forgive me if I don't wish you good luck!

xx

More of My Holga's of Edinburgh...

...just because I love this city.

xx

ps: sorry, some of these aren't my finest holga moments.

In Case You Ever Wondered...

...what it's like living with a talking parrot then wonder no more - here's Lily, our parrot, babbling away:

Yes, she speaks in myself and boyfriend's Scottish accents. And it's all Lily - even though I'm filming I didn't say a word.

You can tell that boyfriend has being playing the Xbox a lot lately, as one of her favourite noises is making the noise of the Xbox being switched on.

Lily also mimics a fart in the video (oh the shame).

xx

Edinburgh Photo Swap...

...so the other day I published photos that Megan sent me from North Dakota.

Well, at the weekend Megan published the holga's I sent her of Edinburgh, here.

They've come out a little strange. The sun is a little non-existent in Edinburgh in November, so even though the sun was attempting to shine the day I took the photos, and even though I religiously used the flash, some shots have come out very very eerie, and grainy, giving Edinburgh a very sinister feel to it.

See what you think:


xx

Adios...

...Today marked my last day at the cinema that I've been working at for the past few months. It was quite a sad day, saying bye to friends, and not least because I don't get to go and see movies for free anymore.

In spite of my complaints about my working hours, the cinema has actually been really good to me, and I'll miss working with some pretty awesome colleagues in it's pretty environs:

{all images from google images}

On Tuesday I'll emerge blinking into the sun, ready to re-enter the world of full-time work. Which will be good, don't get me wrong: but I know I'll miss my little cinema.

xx

Fill In The Blanks Friday...

{Image Courtesy of Lauren}

Lauren at The Little Things We Do... has the best regular feature - Fill In The Blanks Friday, and last week I promised Lauren I would give it a go this week, so true to my word, here is my shot at it:

1. If I had two hours to myself today, I'd go thrift shopping in Morningside (home of some of the best charity shops in Edinburgh) .

2. If I could travel anywhere today, I would go to Iceland (I've dreamed of going there for as long as I can remember) .

3. Our camping trip round New Zealand is my happiest memory.


4. Sometimes you're loving other times you're loved .


5. Beauty is accepting the skin you're in, especially first thing in the morning.


6. I would be embarassed if anyone knew just exactly how many blankets and layers I need in bed (I have the worst circulation and am always cold) .

7. Love at first sight is magical. I still have, etched in my mind, the first time I ever saw boyfriend. What he was wearing. What I said. What he said. The expression on his face. The music playing. What I said to my friend after seeing him for the first time. Everything. It wasn't until over three years later from that initial meeting that we got together, but I still hold that first glimpse dear.

Thanks Lauren!

xx

Dear 16 Year Old Nahl...

Today's Dear 16 Year Old Me Letter comes from Nahl at Bonfire of the Impassive...

---

{17 Year Old Nahl}

{21 Year Old Nahl}

Dear 16 year old Nahl,

Your new house will not remain with your family. Quit worrying about whether it will. You will not move on to bigger things, but there will be brighter ones. And yes, you're pretty. You're even hot, if you just make yourself believe that. Trust me, that girl from high school who everyone is crazy about doesn't stand a chance as compared to you. It's all because of the way she comes across...her interactions with people.

You're about to go down a crazy road. The next two years are going to be hard, and they'll get you clinically depressed for no reason that you'll know of. My advice to you? Control it now, if you can. You know the traces that you see? Those episodes where you want to stay within yourself, not make friends, and endlessly think about how hard things are getting for your family..stop right there. Learn to see the bright side in everything.

Your family is happy and together, it has a few problems, but help them face it. Be yourself and don't give a damn about what anyone thinks in your junior year at high school, cuz trust me, there will come a day when you won't give a damn about what they have to think about you. You'll have your life very much intact, and without their approval. And for God's sakes, stop negating yourself and gain some self acknowledgment, because take my word for it, you were the world at 16. You were beautiful, and smart and an amazing person, if only you believed it. And even if you can't stop the future from happening..it's okay. Just know that you'll get through it. Three doctors later you'll find a therapist you click with, and life will very soon bring you to a place where you'll be happy, grateful and completely normal.

Look closely around you. Amongst the people in your new school who you've barely talked to, is a guy you'll fall madly in love with. What is it that you say? That you can't imagine any one of them being the one you fall in love with even in your wildest dreams? Look closely. Who do you think it is? No, not Z. He's got nothing of a character, so please move on. No, not S either. He's going to remain a friend, always. No, don't panic, it won't be "one of these losers"...you seriously panic too much for your own good.

Look for a guy with unruly hair. Spectacles. Always joking around and cracking people up. You haven't met him yet. But soon at a meeting for Social Events Society, you'll notice him hiding under the principal's desk, trying to pull someone's leg. He'll then notice you looking at him, and will pretend that he is absorbed in what he's trying to do. Every two minutes, he'll turn to see whether you're still looking at him. Yes, he finds you hot. But no, he is not interested in you as yet. Two years down the lane, he would have completely forgotten this even happened. You'll keep seeing him around, loving the fact that he manages to be the center of the attention - always so good with people, so happy and so funny all the time. The complete opposite of yourself.

One day Mira, who is having a thing with him, will introduce him to you. You'll be studying for your Economics exam, sitting with Mira, when he will come and sit next to Mira and then notice you. He'll say, looking towards you:"What's your name?". "Nahl" you say. "Excuse me, who's talking to you? I was talking to her (pointing at Mira)" he'll say.

You'll smile and go back to studying. He'll ask your name again. Again, you'll answer and he'll say the same thing. Mira will chuckle, and you'll grin at his goofing around. Third time he'll shake you and ask your name again. You'll ask,"Are you sure you're asking me?" He'll answer,"Obviously. You're so dumb. Why else would I shake you?" You'll crack up...Mira will introduce you both.

Throughout your junior year, and his senior year, you'll have a little crush on him. He's cute, and always so witty. Once you'll sit with a mutual friend when she'll be playing cards with him just in the hopes of having a conversation with him. As I said before, you'll fall madly in love with him. but not now; not this year; not even the next year. Once you've graduated from high school, and he's finishing his first year in college, you'll get a chance to talk to him online which will gradually become one hour conversations. You'll start off your relationship with him via long distance...

Yes, you'll be moving abroad with family. To America. No don't get too happy, that doesn't mean you'll be doing university there. It'll be just for a year after which you guys will move back, and your dad will not let you stay abroad alone for studies. It's okay, don't be sad. A year later you will find an amazing college right here in Karachi, doing what you love, past all the regret of not being able to go abroad, with the man that you love (yes, you'll still be with him!)

So my lesson to you? Surprises are hidden in the most unexpected places. And...everything passes. Everything does become better. I assure you that you'll be happy, one day. So relax, and be happy now. =)

Love 21 Year Old Nahl

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Thanks so much for taking part Nahl - I love to hear about a happy ending from a long distance romance. I hope so much you find a way to keep your blog going (go private!)

xx

If you want to see your letter here, e-mail it to me, including a photo or two, to red.boots{at}hotmail.co.uk

A Long Long Time Ago...

...(well, November) I took part in a photoswap, hosted by the lovely Rhianne.

I took some holga's in around the old town of Edinburgh, and posted them off to Megan, from Studio M.M.E. Blog.

In return, Megan sent me some black and white photos of Fargo, North Dakota (where she's from) and Moorhead, Minnesota.

I received the roll of film at the start of December, but life got in the way of my good intentions of developing them promptly - work, Christmas, New Year, buying a house, a new job... But this week I finally got them developed (sorry Rhianne and Megan for the wait).

So finally, without further delay, I present to you some of Megan's photos:

I love how timeless they look - how they could have been taken at any time in any era.

I've e-mailed Rhianne all of the photos for inclusion on her It's A Photo Swap blog. I can't wait to see them there!

xx