*Two days later and all I've done is watch two seasons of That's So Raven in bed with nachos and tea*
So, apparently I have this genuinely rare and amazing talent called 'procrastinating'. It's ridiculous, I've got to a point where I genuinely even procrastinate from doing things that I enjoy doing. A bit like when I force myself not to listen to music I know that I'll like.
So I've decided, to put a stop to my laziness and actually start making the most of this 5 months of freedom, I'm going to pick 10 things which I am going to go out of my way to make time for, in the month of May.
1.
Reading
Reading
I love to read as much as I love to write. They are symbiotic; I cannot produce good writing without some damned good reading behind it. Yet I still find myself saying "Ugh I just don't have time to read these days." Well, look out Procrastinate-y Katie (Come on, that's fantastic), you got 5 months of spare time ahead of you, so you are going to read all the books!
2.
Smiling in photos
Okay so maybe not that smiley. I never seem to smile in pictures unless I'm pretty drunk, and that kinda makes looking for a Uni/CV/Job Application picture pretty challenging. I think it's partly because I've managed to convince myself I'm some sweet supermodel who can totally get away with countless pouty/brooding selfies, and partly because when I actually smile, I look a bit like a toad. Unless I'm doing a funny (as per above) my genuine smiles make my face all squish and look gross. But screw it. I've decided I want to look gross, because at least looking gross means I'm happy.
3.
Taking care of my hair
I fight with you everyday. I drag a tool full of needles through you, I scald you with temperatures of over 200c, only to instantly freeze you afterward with a whole can of Silverkrin. I paint you with chemicals and strip you with ten million products, I tug you, wrap you, plait you, pull at you... but never ever forget, hair, how I do this all out love.
I think it's more or less a borderline miracle that my hair still looks as passable as it does. I've decided that this month I'm going to lay off the GHD's as much as possible, not dye my hair (which for me is a BIG deal) and just give my poor little follicles a breather. I even bought this special shampoo from Canada that is like an ultra-super-uber repair potion for your scalp and is supposed to make your hair grow at 200x it's normal pace! It is as eye-wateringly expensive as it is pungent, but nothing is too expensive for the love of my life.
4.
Taking care of my body
I guess this whole 'knowing you have the potential to achieve greatness but being too ignorant to do anything about it' thing spans not only over internal matters. It's external too.
I'm a young adolescent female who is unhappy with her body image.
Shock horror.
I've been unhappy with how I look for as long as I can remember. I can think of countless times where I've decided 'Oh I'll start eating healthily', 'I'll join the gym next week', 'I'll start going for runs'. But never done anything about it. But then, I think to myself now, 'If I had actually started that time when I said I would... just think what I could have looked like now?' Even if just for once in my life, just for one summer, one month, one week even, I am happy with my body, then it'll be worth the toil. I've started ordering something called Graze Box, which is awesome, and I'm determined to make a change.
5.
Writing
Okay, writing I've never really procrastinated with, but I want to start writing for fun again. Not writing because I have to, because I have an essay due in, or a blog post I've got to write. I mean, just sitting somewhere and being struck by a thought that is so inspiring, that I just want to write about it. I miss those times. Writing is my peace and words are my sanctuary. Let's go home again.
6.
Blogging
Hand in hand, yet still somewhat conversely, I want to dedicate more time to blogging. Not just posting on my own blog, but truly getting out there are investigating the blogosphere. Finding the most incredible blogs like this one here. Meeting other bloggers, guest posting, learning, developing and adventuring as much online, as I do in reality.
7.
Learning about Philosophy
Whenever I tell anyone about my blog and my views on life, existence and the silver & the grey, nine times out of ten they'll say to me "Have you ever studied any Philosophy?"
I am someone so determined by fateful beliefs, higher powers at work and ruled by my existential frustrations, that it genuinely does not make any iota of sense as to why I have never taken the time to learn about what it all actually is. Marcus studies Philosophy, as does Jasper of The Interesting Boys, and we all have the most intense discussions, yet when they start talking about theorists, I am lost. I was at Marcus' house yesterday and took three books from his shelf to start opening my mind to Philosophy and broadening my horizons. I'm excited.
8.
Saving Money
Massive contradiction after my confession of spending an absolute bomb on special herbal shampoo all the way from Canada, but hey, after being a Procrastinatey Katie, I'm also widely regarded as Captain Contradiction. But anyway, I really need to stop spending money. It's unfortunate how much my life is controlled by money (although I guess its the same for most people) and I feel out I miss out on quite a lot because I just can't afford it. I want to be able to say 'Screw it!' like when I randomly went to Poland for the weekend, and it not be completely financially irresponsible. I need to adventure and adventures cost money, so aside from buying stupidly priced Canadian shampoo, I'm gonna have to cut back on the smaller things. Yes, that means you, part of me that decides it's perfectly acceptable to drive to work each day when it's three streets away.
9.
Persevering with online shopping
Captain Contradiction, so we meet again! Okay, so when I actually have money, I don't spend it on stuff I need like clothes, I spend it on ridiculous things like a Mr Bean mask from Singapore or a 7-piece inflatable rainforest. (All for one incredible party, was a SWEET night, regardless of how expensive.) When it comes to clothes shopping online, I get bored so easily and there's also an 80-year old woman inside of me narrowing her eyes in skepticism, reluctant to buy clothes without actually ever seeing, feeling or trying any of them on.
10.
Making the most of the weather
I live in England. England. You want to know what summer is in England? Three days of 15c in which every single inhabitant crams into any spare inch of beach/grass/pavement, in between brawling over who moved who's beach towels and administering the death sentence for queue-jumpers in line for a Mr Whippy.
Then after that three days, the nation collectively puts it's clothes back on, wincing in pain of their sunburns as they do so, and heads back into the offices, sighing in reminiscence of the fading memories of rotating sizzling sausages on the barbecue and cowering in fear at the seasonal discovery that ants sometimes say 'fuck nature' and grow wings.
So, when that ever elusive British sun does decided to poke out its head, I am not going to hide indoors, watching That's So Raven (which to my horror, is not on Netflix. Like, seriously. Priorities.) I'm going to take all of the above, and do them outdoors.
Summer, you shall not escape me.
Scarlet-Ophelia