I can’t believe it. 2026 is upon us already. Only yesterday it was my birthday (November) and then Christmas (December) and I’m writing my resolutions for the new year now!
My top plans for this year are:
Post on Substack twice a month
I have created a great haven of words and thoughts and will be posting more of them. I hope to continue for a few more years.
Read more self help books
I found reading self help books interesting. I found after reading I developed more skills I didn’t have and my general knowledge increased too.
Read up about religion
I have always been a Christian but never understood it. I want to get into researching more about faith – starting with a self help style Christianity book.
Become a happier person
I think of myself as a nice person but I tend to think negatively instead of the bright side. I want to practice being more “positivity” often.
Start up yoga or pilates
I’ve always wanted to try this before as I’ve heard it’s good for pain, anxiety and back trouble.. all of which I have.
Meet friends & family more often
Something I have been neglecting over the past two years, that I wish to sort out. I want to start meeting up with friends more and go to more events and days out places.
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Why I eat local and mostly avoid chain restaurants
What I like about eating local (including being closer to where I live)
I live in a small (yet expanding) village, in Wales. I find eating in local pubs and restaurants easier, than searching out for chain restaurants. This might be because it’s easier to get to, I know the location and it’s always nice when I bump into friends I know and catch up with.
Local pubs tend to be smaller in size and have their own choice of food and specials, so even if they have a sister pub (same landlord, different pub) they tend to have slightly different menus and prices.
I also find local pubs make it easier, as a disabled person, to access because I find it hard going further than where I live most of the time. So when going to a chain pub that tends to be further away and it makes it harder for me to get there, especially as I don’t drive and rely on lifts, or my bus pass..
Some negatives of eating nearby (including different menus, difficult parking and higher prices)
Some of the negative side of local pubs include having a car park that is smaller so when locals try and get a space it is harder, especially on rugby and football big matches such as the yearly Rugby 6 Nations and all major football matches.
In the opposite direction, when it’s a quiet time sometimes visiting an empty pub can be lonely, whereas major chains around the country tend to have an influx of customers all year round and at lots of different times.
The chains also tend to have the same menu, and mostly cheaper prices in all their restaurants, so if you’ve been before you know roughly what to expect on the menu
My final verdict
Although I do like eating and drinking local, supporting local landlords and keeping their businesses open. I am definitely open to, when I’m in the city such as Cardiff, popping into the local wetherspoons for a quick drink or bite to eat. I am not completely dismissive of chain restaurants if I am nearby, but I openly choose mostly my local pub when I can.
LOCAL CHAINS NEARBY (LINKS):
Brewers Fayre: https://www.brewersfayre.co.uk/
Toby Carvery: https://www.tobycarvery.co.uk/
Wetherspoons: https://www.jdwetherspoon.com/pubs/
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Having a blog break/Started a Substack
Hello.
It’s been a long time since I wrote a post on here and felt I owed you an update since 2021/22. I now no long work in my local library and looking actively for another volunteer position local.
I have decided this will sadly be my last post on this blog for a while, however you will be able to keep reading my content already posted and archives.
Also just incase you want to keep in touch via reading my work online, I have created recently an educational and writing based account.
I didn’t come to this conclusion lightly but I decided a Stubstack account is capable, in the long run, of furthering my career and education.
For those of you that are unaware of Substack , it is a website for people to join and read articles. Some free, some paid in a monthly subscription. My article to start up with will be free.
For those who don’t know my future goals, I am interested to a studying for. BA or Bsc degree and a job as a paid fiction writer from home.
I want to thank all my readers and people who have been reading my 5 year journey into blogging so far, and will be here when I come back!
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Update 2020-2022 … FINALLY!
A new blog post… FINALLY. It’s been over a year, right? Maybe even 2 years.
So here goes. An update…
I am in the process of finding myself & purpose in life. I am thinking of starting up Yoga & meditation but I am still not sure how to go about it – as it’s all new to me. All I know is it’s meant to have many health benefits. I’ve also found over the past few years I have gained a few stone & lost some weight in lockdown but I have become more motivated to get fit & healthy which I want to do in the next few years!
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So, what have I been up to over the last few years?
I’ve been to a few events over the last year but the main thing that happened to me was in July 2021 I broke my ankle and had to have surgery and learn to walk on it again. It’s 50% fixed now, but still plays up sometimes, by that I mean it gets stiff occasionally and my walk isn’t right. I’m considering rebreaking it and starting with physio to get me back walking 100% normal again.
Other than breaking my ankle in 2021,
I managed my way through lockdown in 2020. Lockdown was a struggle for me a social bee who loved meeting up with friends regularly. Not being able to pop out for coffee or drinks and food was a nightmare. I did have one socially distanced meeting outside with my best friend. Also on the 75th anniversary of VE DAY, I celebrated in a street party with neighbors.. socially distanced, but it was still fun with music, drinks & dancing outside.
How did I cope with the lockdown? With friends who weren’t nearby or I couldn’t meet at that time. I relied on social media and video calling like Zoom, Google Meet & Facebook Video chat. Over Christmas time all of my friends got in a big group chat & organized a Christmas quiz with drinks, at home over Facebook Video. I was last at the quiz, I’m always rubbish at quizzes but it was great fun.
This may not seem like much as I struggled through the lockdown but also gained great memories too. Other than the ones mentioned already, there was; a clap for the NHS, Queues outside shops, face masks, and loads of other stuff. I managed to lose about a stone that year by going for long walks around the block & the local park.
Lockdown was a different time,
I don’t think it will ever happen again in my lifetime.Take Care,
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Monthly Wrap up – January 2021
This month has been a pretty interesting one.
I have had two ZOOMs with my best friends and a birthday in the family. Also I binged the entire boxset of SKINS (E4/UK series) & organized my diary into 4 categories using coloured highlighters.
Watching TV series (SKINS):
I forgot how much I loved watching that series when it came out on E4 (UK Channel). I don’t want to write too much about this topic as I am going to write a blog post dedicated to SKINS later in the year.
DIARY & ORGANISATION:
As many regulars of this blog will tell you, I am terrible with the organization. I decided this year will be the year I finally up my game and organize my life properly. I found a pack of 4 highlighters that I used to divide my diary monthly spreads into 4 topics (FAMILY, PERSONAL, FRIENDS, and BLOG/WORK). I will in the future show you my monthly spread, starting next month. This worked out well for me because I could see at a glance what I was looking at and what topic I was. I will be continuing this method for the next few months to check it works well.
ZOOM/Keeping in Touch:
Many people are now aware of ZOOM, but have you tried FACEBOOK Rooms? It is basically the same thing but using Facebook instead of the application ZOOM. This month I and friends have used this App twice to have a casual quiz amongst ourselves which went well & to celebrate the New Year together from 10:30 till gone Midnight on January 31st 2020, which was the best New Year’s celebration I had done in years. I was so glad to spend it with my best friends because we couldn’t in person.
So this wraps up the first month of 2021. It’s been an interesting but still quiet month for me and I hope the next few months, things will pick up & lockdown will finally end so I can visit places with friends again, and add more new content, maybe even partnerships with companies on this blog.
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New Years Resolutions 2021
One of the things I always forget to do, is make a New Years Resolutions and even when I do make them, I nearly always forget to fulfil it. So as a fresh start in 2021, I am going to write it down on this blog so I can’t wimp out. Here are all my goals for this year…
- KEEP UP WITH CLEANING & TIDYING UP (weekly)
I am the worst for not tidying up until I need to, I have discovered I love tidying and home comforts (which I wil be adding to this blog too) I always need to have a plan in mind first. I can never tidy aimlessly, I need a goal & use MRS HINCH LISTS!
- MEET FRIENDS & FAMILY MORE, OR KEEP IN TOUCH.
I’m hoping that when lockdowns or restrictions in my area have eased off I will be able to meet up with friends again and enjoy their company once more. If restrictions aren’t loosened or if either me or my friends are in lockdown, I still want to video chat more with them and keep up with their lives too… even if one of my besties lives in England, I’m from Wales, UK, by the way!
- KEEP MY DIARY/CALENDAR UPDATED (daily).
I have a terrible habit of not keeping diaries updated after the first few months. This year I want to look in 2022 & see where I went right or wrong in the year and make resolutions based on the previous year. I think it is useful for organising your life and making plans, even if it is just ZOOM!
- BLOG TWICE (or more) A MONTH
I have been known for not blogging for over 6 months (especially with Covid around, I felt like I had nothing to blog about, which is lieees!). This year I vow to write more regularly on my blog!
- KEEP UPTO DATE WITH COVID NEWS (weekly)
I’m known for ignoring COVID updates and I think this is a bad idea, as it has changed everyone’s lives. This year I’m going to start watching updates whenever I can to be more knowledgeablee!
- WRITE OVER 1,000 WORDS ON “The Dark Man Novel”.
Last year like I said I had a down year, with my mental health playing up slightly due to the COVID restrictions and not being able to do things I would like. This effected my writing terribly as I felt slightly depressed and got “imposter syndrome” – this meant I felt like I couldn’t write anymore & what I had wasn’t my own as I wasn’t good enough to write. I want to change this in 2021
I hope that list of resolutions work well for me this year and I get to achieve them all, but this now brings the list to a close, as I have run out of things to add. I hope you enjoy this new rebrand as much as I do, as it was a big decision to start a new name, with my old blog.
Love,
