2020 Round Up and How I Have Handled Losing My Job

Alas, Miss Rona has dealt my career a fatal hand and taken my job from me. 

2020 has been a tremendously challenging year for everyone - emotionally, financially, physically and mentally. In March, we were plunged into lockdown which saw me plummet into a state of anxiety and worry that I had never experienced before but getting put on the furlough scheme was obviously a much needed lifeline and what felt a bit like a blessing in order to protect my home. For those who don't know I live alone and therefore pay all the bills myself so the last few months have been very grim financially. 4 months on full time furlough would send anyone a wee bit mad but you can read what I got up to here (HOW I'M STAYING SANE DURING LOCKDOWN). 

In July, I got a very welcomed call to go back to work part time. I couldn't wait to get back to a bit of normality and a bit of a proper routine. Even though we were never really out the woods I still felt an overwhelming feeling of relief that I was going back to work after a long time away. The same month my sister made the hard decision to postpone her wedding due to covid which was devastating to the family after months of excitement and planning and not only that her hen do was also cancelled due to the restrictions so if any brides to be or grooms to be are reading this and were due to get married this year we stand in solidarity with you! 

When August and September hit, I was so sure that things were going to start to turn around for, not just myself and my family but all of us. Boy was I wrong. My gran was rushed to hospital, she had been battling COPD for years but she had entered the final stages of it and needed constant 24 hour care. At the time my gran was admitted to hospital, the restrictions changed meaning no one from the family was allowed to visit her despite her fragile state and three very close calls. Thankfully, she was released after 5 weeks in hospital and got to come home. Unfortunately, she passed away 6 days after being released but we all managed to say our final goodbyes and she passed peacefully and comfortably. 

Mary Stewart 1939-2020

My Gran was the nicest and warmest person ever. She had a wonderful smile that would be brighten up the darkest of rooms. First on the dance floor and last to leave it, she was full of life and had a really great life full of love, dancing, happiness and bingo! She was strong minded Possil born wummin and  didn't take anything nonsense from anyone.. particularly my Granda calling him a smart arse until the very end. She always inspired us to be the same and with 2 daughters, 3 grand daughters, 1 grandson and 1 great grand daughter  you better believe we're all cut from the same cloth. My gran and Granda met when they were 18 years old and toured the country jiving back in the day, they were together 63 years which is truly remarkable. My gran had the biggest personality and will very much be missed by everyone who knew her. 

A month after my gran passed, I lost my job. Now, if you're all still reading this, you could probably imagine that I needed a drink. I joined the Monday Wine Club that night, followed by the Vodka and Tequila club as well and effectively drank the flat dry to nurse a very battered and bruised ego accompanied by a helluva lot of tears. 

When you feel like life is bullying you, its easy to let yourself fall into a very dark place. Even though life has been rotten for me and dealt me some really bad luck recently, I feel really positive, empowered and motivated to keep moving forward for new opportunities. If you find yourself in the same position as I have, please don’t take the decision to terminate your employment personally! Unfortunately it’s the reality we live in right now. Update your CV, look at your skills , experience and absorb them whilst adding a dose of confidence into order to radiate them onto new opportunities. Ask yourself if you can transfer your skills and experience to help clients in a freelance capacity. It’s only natural to allow yourself to feel what you need to feel in order to move on and I did that on Monday night. Even though I lost my job and source of income, I take a lot of positives from my previous employment, I have learned so much and can only take my skills, experience and top class patter that will only benefit another business. I have already had some really exciting conversations and I can't wait to see what life throws at me next... think I'm due some good times. Rx 

April: Book Review

Welcome to April's Book Review!

During lockdown I have been reading to my hearts galore and I thought it might be helpful to note down quick reviews for them because I can't think of anything else to do with my time. I read 4 books in April, my favourite undoubtedly was Normal People and my least favourite was definitely My Sister The Serial Killer and here's why.

The Smiling Man by Joseph Knox ★★★★



First up was The Smiling Man by Joseph Knox. This book is actually the 2nd in a three book series that follows Detective Aidan Waits investigating murders with links to the gang and drug scene in Manchester. The first book is called Sirens. I read that in January and loved it! So easy to read and grips you right from the off with the short and snappy chapters so naturally I had big expectations for this book. This book didn't really capture me as much as the first one did, I felt the story quite slow but I gave it 4 stars because it has a really good ending so glad I stuck with it. If you're looking for a good crime series to sink your teeth into during lockdown, I would recommend these 2 books. The next in the series is called The Sleepwalker which I've just to read. Its my on my list though! 


My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite ★★★

I seen this book pop up on social media with rave reviews so I followed the herd and gave it bash! I read it in 3 days so its a relatively short read. I hate to admit that I was quite disappointed, I wanted more a juicy ending to it. The book follows the story of 2 sisters in Nigeria called Korede and Ayoola, Ayoola has a dark hobby for killing boyfriends and so the story takes shape when she links up with Korede's crush. I won't spoil it but I will say the crush did sort of get what was coming to him for being such a wet blanket. They say you should never judge a book by its cover but the cover is badass haha. I hereby give this book 3 stars! 

The Cows by Dawn O'Porter ★★★★★

Next up is The Cows. I have had this book on my shelf for a wee while and just didn't have the time to get fully into it when I was working. When lockdown began I kinda made a vow to try reading the books on the shelf first before hitting amazon and buying new ones. I haven't actually stuck to that but I did give this book another bash. I have to say that I couldn't rave about this book enough. I absolutely LOVED IT and definitely deserves my 5 stars! This book follows the stories of 3 women, Tara, Cam and Stella, women from all walks of life. These characters represent all women in some way or another, single mothers, career driven women, the women that don't want kids, the psycho women out there, the lonely women.. I could go and on! Its a lovely piece of literature that reaches younger women in todays society and tells them its ok to be different and live life you're own way. The three characters stories intertwine so perfectly and each stories concludes with absolute shockers.  I couldn't recommend this book enough! READ IT! Dawn O'Porters next book is called So Lucky and it's out in July - I'm not even ashamed to admit that I have already pre-ordered it and I have never pre-ordered a book in my life. 

Normal People by Sally Rooney ★★★★★

Last but certainly not least was Normal People by Sally Rooney and yes just like the general population of the world I completely fell in love with these two characters. I am ashamed to admit but I tried to read this book months ago and just couldn't get into it, couple of months later, bam coronavirus, bam furloughed, bam sunshine, bam finished this book in a day! The book follows the story of Marianne and Connell, two complicated souls in a small Irish town who basically become friends with benefits in school and remain close friends/ on and off boyfriend & girlfriend throughout University. Connell is a complicated mess and Irish, my type in a nutshell so naturally I completely and utterly fell in love with him and he reminded me so much a guy I used to know as well ! The ending of this made me physically scream in frustration haha those who have read it will understand but if reading isn't your thing, the 12 part TV series has just came out on BBC and honestly its truly heart wrenching and perfect. It's soo true to the book which I love. 

Thanks for reading! Let me know if you enjoyed this!

Next post: Do you have an Avoidant Personality when it comes to dating? Find out 12pm on Sunday! Rx 

How I'm Staying Sane During Lockdown

Hello all, it's been 558 days since my last confession. 

Nah, I'm joking - it's been way longer than that! 

 It's been 558 days since my last blog and yes I am that sad that I googled it to find out.  It's bittersweet to be back writing as it's currently 01:30am in the morning and I'm only here because  I can't sleep anymore. My brain won't sleep but it will write. Weird!

Don't know about anyone else but lockdown is really starting to take it's toll on my bank account. The amount of money I've spent on ingredients for the Wagamama's recipes, baking mixes, dining tables, pouffes, and most importantly alcohol is eye watering (PS the person who is stock piling all the flour and Chambord from Tesco St Rollox, I'm coming after you!). Wowcher has also taken its fair share from my hard earned cash, so far I've purchased a cocktail kit, a pair of skipping ropes, wireless ear pods, a jigsaw of  New York and a Peppa Pig painting by numbers! All essentials of course! 

My coronavirus experience is just like the movie Eat Pray Love, that one with Julia Roberts, albeit without the size 6 figure, traveling the world and all the hot guys but apart from that it's pretty accurate. I've also taken up running after I was nominated to run a 5K for the social campaign #run5nominate5donate5, it took me 45 minutes to complete and I cried pretty much the whole way through it! I donated my fiver to Glasgow Women's Aid, an organisation who help women and young people who are suffering with domestic violence, they do hugely important work during normal times but even more so during this lockdown. 

From that nomination, I set myself a wee challenge to get my fitness up so I run 2 x 3K's a week, the goal is to complete a 3K without stopping and tears and then work my way up to a 10k without stopping and tears.  I've already hit a wee bump in the road though because I busted my knee joints due to not wearing proper running shoes. Doh! Who Knew! So my nights have consisted of me sitting with deep freeze patches on both knees. New all singing all dancing running shoes have been ordered and en route as an early birthday pressie! Thanks Mum and Dad! In the meantime, I've cut down to only running once a week with the hope of outrunning the limp by the time my new shoes arrive. 

Dress ASOS // Sandals: TEVAS 

In other news, I'm proud to announce that I have won exactly 3 general knowledge zoom quizzes over the last 7 weeks as well.. yes.. me - the gal who doesn't consider spiders animals and can't crack an egg to save her life, however on the egg point, I may not be able to crack them but I have become an absolute expert at fishing out the wee bits of shell which is NOT an easy task btw! I read a total of 5 books during the month of April, (PS you need to read/watch Normal People, it's juicy)! I have a book review blog coming on Wednesday at Noon so stay tuned for that! I have tried my hand at cooking, my famous fajitas, some of Wagamama's recipes and Just Jess Food recipes and it was all going so well and people seemed quite impressed until I tried to make pizza. I read the recipe wrong and ended up putting double the amount of vegetable oil in the dough mix, it ended up a disaster and instead of fajita pizza, I ended up having leftover spring rolls for my dinner. Safe to say I will be leaving the pizza making to the pros! Honestly, I'm like a new woman, well not completely new I still drink the same amount as before. In fact as I am the bouncer, the bar tender and the customer in Rachel's Tavern so it works out better and I can shake myself a decent cosmopolitan which has become my go to lockdown drink!  

Every day of this lockdown is getting harder and harder for me despite all the activities. There's only so many times you can watch Tiger King on Netflix, you know what I mean, Carol Baskin is a Queen though! Another special shoutout goes to all the people who have taken the time to read this blog and are sitting thinking they have learned absolutely nothing new about my life during this lockdown as I document everything on my Instagram story. I'll say sorry to disappoint but thanks for the continued support and nosiness! 

Hope my wee update brought some laughs, please remain safe and healthy! Please let me know if you enjoyed it. Please don't highlight any spelling or grammar errors either, I know there will be loads. Positive vibes only.

Lastly, I would just like to say a massive thank you to NHS Scotland, carers, police officers, firefighters, supermarket workers and all other key workers for their amazing work on the front line! Thanks for reading, Rx 

Dockyard Social: Review

I was very kindly invited down to the Dockyard Social in Finnieston for a blogger and influencer night by One For Events.  I have been dying to try the Dockyard Social for a while after hearing such rave reviews.

It is made up of roughly 10 food tracks and a very fabulous bar with trade experts behind every counter. Very low key, chilled out and affordable - so right away very much up my street. The staff were so lovely right from the off. There was a brilliant variety of food on offer from all over the world. Lots of options for vegans and vegetarians too. I personally went for Thai Chicken Noodles which to be honest would blow your head off as they were pretty spicy but delicious all the same. Prices vary but I don't believe I seen anything over the £7 mark. Fabulous sized portions from each truck as well so you get real value for money.

I absolutely loved my experience at Dockyard Social. Food brings folks together no matter age, religion, nationality or sexual orientation and this space really reflects that. Very sociable friendly place where I felt really comfortable from the moment I stepped in. I think its important to state that as they are bars and restaurants in Glasgow that I feel really out of place in. We got to hear a wee bit from the founder, Kyle Steel, who spoke about why the venue was created and whats next for them. A true proud Glaswegian who is looking to build on the success of the Dockyard Social to start a movement. They are planning an extending the venue by 4000 square feet for a training school to help those who are homeless, unemployed and young people in care to help them achieve success in the hospitality industry. I urge every single person to get down there and see for yourself. Rx 

#RoyalBank100women event

I was very kindly invited along to the RBS event by Stripe Communications. Basically the event was about celebrating 100 years of women winning the right to vote. When I go to these events I can't help but think that us, women, are still fighting for a cause. To be listened to. To be seen as equals. To be respected in business as well as every other industry out there. I personally have been working in male dominated working environments since I was 17 (7 years) which might not seem like a long time to some but in that short space of time I have been subjected to sexist attitudes and degrading comments. I am not saying for one minute that all men act or think like this but I do believe there is a mentality amongst some men that they are the superior race and our place as women is in the home. My experience with men in the workplace and the influence of my wee maw has definitely made me the strong feminist I am today which is why I appreciate events like #royalbank100women so much more. 

It was a fanastic evening listening to Susie Cormack Bruce, Emma Gannon, Chloe Milligan , Louise Rusk and Yvonne Greeves from RBS. Talking all things impostor syndrome, the multi hyphen method, self value and self worth. Sitting listening to their stories was just incredible and truly influential career advice. Talking about going with your gut, not letting fear or intimidation hold you back from amazing opportunities and overall self development and success. I highly recommend that you check out Emma Gannon's book The Multi-Hyphen Method: The Sunday Times business bestseller ! Rx 

Club Scene Veterans

On Saturday night, the gals and I went out for a boogie in celebration of Jade's 24th birthday! It was standard procedure, 9pm pre-drinks at Jade's gaff, getting the guestlist sorted before arrival and talking about the good old days when we used to do this 5 days a week. Cuppla quick photoshoots and boomerangs, we set off for shots of patron and over-priced vodka cranberries.

We were one of the first folk there with a fashionably early arrival time of 10:30pm so it was a bit of slower burner as we were waiting for a tune that we knew to come on. "Gold digger " by Kanye West Ft Jamie Foxx is enough to get any night started .. paired with a cuppla shots of patron. 

 

The gals instantly felt a little older in the crowd but I couldn't really see it until I went to the bathroom and realised I was fixing my make up with, what can only be described as an 18 year old fetus who was complaining that she will be single forever. This hurt my soul. I wanted to give her a wee prep talk but I found myself unable to give any good solid advice as there I was 6 years older, single, drunk messaging a guy.. doesn't exactly scream "things will get better". Reflecting on it now,  I wish I had told her to never forget her self worth and stay true to herself. Ah well hen, if you're reading this there ye go!

 I guess in a way its the club circle of life. Out with old and in with the underage with fake lips. I think i'm ready to accept that my future seshies with be held in respectable mature adult venues like the Horseshoe bar and Quinn's. Home by 11 with donner, chips and sauce. HWFG. Rx 

Labels and Love

Goodbye July and hello August! I don't know about yourselves but I have definitely felt a wee chill in the air recently. My spidey senses are telling me that summer is coming to an end and that autumn/winter is on its way.

This autumn/winter is going to be slightly different for me as I will be grabbing my tartan woolen wrap coat rather than a beau to keep me warm! I have been on the auld Tinder app which is still as terrible as it was 3 and a half years ago. Some guys just have no class and jump straight in with the lines like "We would have fun together" BOKE! I definitely believe that " Hey, hows it going" or "Hello, what have you been up to" are still pretty effective when trying to start a conversation. Call me crazy!

I am personally looking to get my own wee flat and concentrate on my work and blog right now so I am not really looking for a new relationship. However, I'm not being too strict with myself, I am still going on dates and talking to guys and if I meet someone then great, if not, I'm not fussed. At least, I will be have an excellent A/W wardrobe which is what the post is gonna about but I'd thought I'd fill you in on the search for that special someone. 

There are some really great trends coming up the autumn/winter and here they are: 

Animal Print

This one is a goodie! I am absolutely obsessed with leopard right now. All the big high street names have stocked up on the print however a couple more are joining in on the fun... ZEBRA and SNAKE! Zebra and Snake prints are looking to find a more hit with the streetstyle fashionistas. 

Zebra Print Pinafore Dress £55

Aubrey Snake Flat Leather Boots £79

Zara SNAKESKIN PRINT BLOUSE £39.99 

Zara LEOPARD PRINT TROUSERS £29.99

Tartan 

I know that some folk it plaid or flannel but to us Scots.. its TARTAN! I personally am the lookout fot a tartan woolen trench/wrap coat this winter! I completely feel in love with the Burberry PVC tartan trench coat at the start of the year and since then have had my heart set on finding a winter version and lucky me its also a AW18 trend so fingers crossed one will be easy to find. 

Topshop Brushed Check Beret £12 

Reserved Suit  Checked blazer £49.99  Suit Trousers £24.99 

ASOS DESIGN tartan check mini tux dress with pephem £55.00

Silver style 

I personally find it really hard to style sparkly or silver coloured accessories and clothes. I got a pair of kitten heeled boots from Marks and Spencer last christmas, I think i've worn them twice. I absolutely adore them too so I am really glad this is an upcoming trend this season to help me with some inspo! 

Silver Sequin Jumpsuit - Topshop £99

METALLIC BIKER JACKET - Zara £69.99

Trim satin trousers Mango - WAS £59.99 NOW £15.99

So there are a few trends to look out for this season and if you spot a tartan woolen trench coat pretty please send me the link!!! Please leave your comments below if you enjoy this post. Rx 

Block out the negative noise

People always comment on how strong a person I am and often ask me where I get my strength from.

I know who I am as a person. People have tried to bully me over the years or paint me out to be something I'm not. The only person who truly knows who you are is yourself. I am strong believer in that. When I was a counsellor in America, I had the opportunity to inspire young people to express themselves, to set out goals and achieve them and to block out the negative noise that people  try to inflict. 

One of the kids sent me this message as a result of my advice: 

"I feel like I should thank you for being a great counsellor at camp. You taught me a ton throughout the time which makes me want to be a counsellor even more now. I have set goals for this year such as reach for my dreams and really express who i really am rather than hiding it. In conclusion, thank you for everything you did for me. You're the best" 

Every time I feel really down and unimportant I re-read that over and over again. It honestly puts the biggest smile on my face knowing I made a difference to someones life. That was a 15 year old girl who had little to non self confidence. I used to be that girl. I couldn't stand back and do nothing. Happiness comes when you are the purest form of yourself. Bad or wrong decisions do not define who you are as a person - you learn from them and you move on. Life is always moving forward and so should you be. 

Folk regularly forget that the longest relationship you are in is the one with yourself. Don't let negative noise make you feel like you're not good enough, pretty enough, smart enough to achieve success or find love. You are fabulous and never let anyone tell you otherwise. Rx 

Maybe our Girlfriends are our soulmates and guys are just people to have fun with?

I had such a wonderful weekend hanging out and catching up with a couple of my favourite people.

The working week is a long one and when its pretty much 25 degrees and above everyday, it makes it even more unbearable. I have to admit, I am starting to get bored of this sunshine and heat. I canny handle much more - bring back the pissy rain and the 10 degrees bitterness that we all know and hate. Since it looks I am stuck with this weather for the foreseeable future, I thought it best to adapt to it so I planked myself down in a beer garden on Friday night and enjoyed an ice cold pint of Strongbow Dark Fruits with my best pal Jade. 

What started as a couple of drinks in the local pub The Crow quickly turned into a pub crawl of Bishopbriggs cross. Vodka, cider, vodka, cider as we went and then eventually we decided to patch Bishy and head into town ending up in Malones. Malones is my favourite pub in Glasgow city centre - always guaranteed to have a belter of a night, it's an excellent lunch spot too! The live music started at half 10 and the place turned into a mini TRNSMT festival. Cutting all kinds of shapes and drinking pints of Magners. 1am, we decided to call it a night. Quick pit stop to Subway ending a fabulous Friday night! 

Saturday during the day was a real struggle. Saturday night was with my bestest gal pal Gillian. We were both skint so we did a Saturday night out on the cheap, a 5pm voucher to get dinner and a discounted rate at the cinema. We were laughing! Dinner was at The Chippy Doon the Lane which was very lovely indeed! The night started with a confusing turn, I was the first to arrive so I decided to get the drinks in and head to our table, when Gillian arrived she couldn't spot me at all and then it came to light that she upstairs in the restaurant and I was downstairs in Bread & Butter - OOPS! 

Alas, we made it!  We sat down to 2 sausage suppers and a bottle of the house white wine. Probably the best house wine I think we both ever had. The deal we had was 2 suppers and a bottle of wine for a total of £20.  So decent! 

We went to see Ocean's 8 at the cinema and it was honestly so good! Really recommend going to see it if you haven't already done so. Absolutely stuffed from the meal, we decided to skip the cinema snacks and go straight for the Ice Blasts - of course we added our own little cheeky ingredient to the mix . 

The movie finished at 9:30 and me and Gill just were not ready to call it a night. We decided to go to Malones (again) for a couple but it was so packed there was no way of getting served. Next, we tried St Vincent's - can you tell I was leading the charge - but they couldn't take card. We don't carry cash. 

We were beginning to think that fate was telling us to just go home, until the odds changed in our favour and I spotted Gusto and we thought we'd end the night in a classy manner. We consumed 8 cocktails in less than a hour between us. Oh so classy. Those strawberry and vanilla martinis are what dreams are made of. 

We both missed the last trains home so Gill had to get the bus. On the walk up to the bus stop we spotted the outdoor rave across from Bread Meats Bread and we went right amongst it giving it yaldi. An absolutely brilliant end to a brilliant night with my besto. It took me 40 mins and a £20 uber to get home and it was deffos worth it to have a wee night on the town with my fave. Rx