Let's just call this A Post

Today means two things to me:

First of all I have an appointment at the doctor's. It's just a routine thing, nothing to worry about, but I know there will be at least one needle so I'm pretty scared right about now. Linda is trying to calm me down, and to be honest it's not too bad at the moment, but it will be in the waiting room. Before I get into that treatment room I will be shaking in my boots. It'll be fine though... I've come through it alive before...

Second of all I'm starting something new today. Let's call it an experiment ;) I'll tell you more about that later, I need to get started first, properly. Now I'm going to go make breakfast!

Oh, and before I go;

Dear dad,

I'm reading the book you gave me and I do find it very interesting, more so than I thught it would. So far it makes a lot of sense. I will reserve any final statement until I have finished reading it, so we can talk about it at Christmas :)

Huggles all!
Saga xx

Birmingham German Christmas Market

Yesterday Rob told me we'd go down to the German Market in Birmingham. I'd never heard of it but he told me it was a crafts market. So after he watched some football this morning we took the train into Birmingham New Street. Apparently Birmingham and Frankfurt are twin cities, so that's why it's a German market. Bratwursts, Frankfurters, pretzels and Berliners a plenty!

Just outside the Bullring Shopping centre the market started, with little wooden chalet style stands with food and drink, garden gnomes, Christmas baubles, jewelry and clothes. You get the idea! It's on every day from the 15th of november to the 22nd of December. It was really nice with the Christmas ligths and decorations up in the streets and loads of people around. Here are some pictures! Rob is in one of them, only got the back of his head though xD

On the serious side

Last night before I fell asleep I got to thinking about something I haven't thought of in a very long time. It's memories I wish I didn't have, but in the long run I think they have helped make me who I am. Sexual harassment starts so early, and it happens to both girls and boys. It's something I am very touchy about and I will not suffer jokes on that expense, because I have been there and it is frightening and infuriating and most of the time I have felt my only defence is to get away. There hasn't been words I could say and I have always had to face it alone.

The size is a lie

Shortly after I moved here I noticed I needed somewhat bigger clothes. That was all fine because I new I had put on weight during the spring/summer. To my horror though I needed clothes that were 2 or 3 sizes bigger than what I anticipated as my "normal" size wouldn't even get past my thighs. How could I balloon 3 sizes in one summer!? This has been eating away at my mind for the last couple of months and came to a pinnacle just a few moments ago.

I'm browsing through the Oasis website looking at dresses and I notice it says in the description "Model wears size 10" to which my first reaction is "Snowballs chance in hell she does, that's like size 40 european! She's a stick!". I can't quite let it go though, I have to prove myself right, so I find a size converter. Turns out UK size 10 equals EU size 36... However US size 10 = EU 40. I was right, just in the wrong country. So that explains my "ballooning" this summer (which didn't really happen). I have been looking at numbers in clothes here and thinking US sizes, not UK.

It's a relief, since apparently I'm not the quivering mountain of fat I thought I was, and at the same time I feel like a right doughnut. It took me 3 months to figure out I had the wrong charts in mind!

Where's my head at?
Huggles
Saga xx

Homesick :/

Today I have felt truly homesick for the first time. I got a package in the post from my sister and my father containing a letter, a card from Nan, some presents, liquorice and lottery tickets. They had also sent me a recipe for pork neck, which I found funny. I don't really know why they put it in there, but I don't mind as I really like pork, and so does Rob. Will definitely try it when I get an opportunity!

Reading the letter from Dad and the card from Nan really gave me a harsh reminder how much I miss my family, though... I love it here in England but this is the first time in my life that my family are more than a bus or trainride away. If I miss them I can't just get on a bus and go home for the weekend to see them, so that made me shed a tear. Just means I will be that much happier to see them in December though. Only four weeks now till Rob and I come home for Christmas.

I really am looking forward to that. I need some hugs.
Love you all <3
Saga xx

Closer to 30 than ever!

So, yesterday was my 26th birthday and a good one at that! Besides being my birthday my sister Hanna got her driver's license! I'm so proud of her :D Just hope she drives safe (I know she does though, she's not stupid). It all made the day that much better :) I'm not too bothered about getting older either I might be more than a quarter century old but I still, prbably, have 50 more years to go. If my family history is anything to go by, I might have closer to 75 more years!

In the morning before he went into work Rob gave me my present so I would have something to look forward to during the day: He gave me tickets to go see the Spanish Riding School of Vienna when they perform in Birmingham tonight! :D It's always been a dream of mine to go see them ride.

Me 'n' my peeps

So, Rob's off at a stag do tonight in Birmingham and going to stay the night there which means I'm home alone. What better then, to do, than snuggling up on the sofa with my two best pals, catching up on some TV series and just having a good time? (Rob's at a stand-up club, I'm not jeallous AT ALL.) Joining me are Mr Ben and Mr Jerry, two good friends of mine (sorry about the unhealthy choice of snack Dad, but in all honesty - You taught me to love ice cream :D).

Something I find very funny is the guy at the garage where I buy B&J's. The two times I've bought ice cream there his eyes have sparkled and he's gone "Those are my favourites". He is obviously a passionate fan of B&J's - but still he looks in a very good shape. I love B&J's as well but am in no way in good shape. I do wonder why that is? ;)

No, I do know why. I'm lazy.

But there's a gym down town with some sort of offer on at the moment. I'm thinking of joining that till I can afford to join the health club. That's for tomorrow though.

Now it's time to indulge in the world of TV dramas. Pretty little liars - Lie to me!

Huggles
Saga xx

Almost got my foot in the door...

So I called Jobcentre Plus yesterday to apply for a National Insurance number. I have made the initial application and have an interview booked for the end of November. The meaning of this whole interview thing is that I need to provide proof that I am who I claim to be and for some reason I get this bad feeling they won't believe me. Even if I can bring both my passport and my drivers license. It's just a routine thing, I know, but I still get nervous. Do you ever get nervous when you're out driving or walking and you see a police car or an officer? That feeling that you've done something wrong and you just don't know about it? Maybe it's just me and my paranoia... It's the same feeling with the interview. I know it's ridiculous really :) I spoke to Thomas last night and I told him about it. He can relate to it as he got to go to the same kind of interview when he first moved here. He said it will probably only take a few minutes and then I'll get my number and be done. I'm a citizen of another country of the EEA, so there shouldn't be any problems. I know my rights! ;D

Took me some time to find the number to Jobcentre Plus though. Or rather to find out that was who I needed to call. Sneaky bastards at HM Revenue & Customs made me run in circles there for a while. But I prevailed :)

Aaaanyway... Today I'm printing a CV and taking it down to one of the stores. Heard yesterday that someone there was quitting, so it's worth a shot.

On my Christmas wishlist: A job.

Huggles
Saga xx

Just some thoughts on the election

Today it's election day in the United States. I am not fully informed on the two main candidates, far from it, but I have read a lot about one particular subject. If you have me added on Facebook you probably already know what I'm talking about. Abortion. I am pro-choice and have always been. I think abortions should be kept at a minimum but I maintain that it's a woman's right to decide over her own body.

The discussion has, at times, reached low points I never could have dreamt of. Republican politicians have been quoted saying everything from "abortion should only be legal to save the life of the mother" to abortion should only be legal in cases of "forcible" rape. Views as these, views that are seemingly motivated by and based on the Bible, are dangerous as they overlook and disrespect the human right of women to have autonomy.

The World Health Organzation states, as one of its human rights, "Reproductive rights" and defines it as quoted:


"Reproductive rights rest on the recognition of the basic right of all couples and individuals to decide freely and responsibly the number, spacing and timing of their children and to have the information and means to do so, and the right to attain the highest standard of sexual and reproductive health. They also include the right of all to make decisions concerning reproduction free of discrimination, coercion and violence."


A woman has the right to decide freely the spacing and timing of her children. She has the right not to carry to term a pregnancy she does not want or can not support financially.

If Romney is elected President of the United States he intends to overturn the ruling of the case Roe vs. Wade from 1973 where a woman's right to abortion was decided. Overturning this ruling would give the individual states right to make their own legislation on abortion, in turn this means that in several of the states abortion would become completely illegal. The pro-life lobby is (largely, I can not say all of them definitelly are) simultaneously against contraception as it is percieved to be an abortifacient. Women with unwanted pregnancies would be forced to carry them to term or to face illegal, possibly dangerous, medical treatment.

All because religion is entering politics. Some people still try to impose their religious or personal beliefs on others, regardless of the consequences.

If Romney is elected he is prepared to impose restrictions on human rights, with ramifications on a deeply personal and private plane, founded on his own personal beliefs. He is prepared to go ahead and let his religious beliefs set legislation above all individuals, no matter if they adhere to this same religion, a different religion or no religion at all. The question is, are the American people prepared to support and defend this imposition?

I can only hope Obama is reelected tonight, for the sake of women's (and LGBT) human rights in the United States.

Saga xx

Guy Fawkes night :3

Last night me and Rob went to see a firework display at Lichfield Golf and country club. I love fireworks, so I'd been looking forward to it for a few days :) I wasn't aware that it was Guy Fawkes night though. First and only time I'd heard of Guy Fawkes was at University when Simon gave a presentation about it in English class. For those of you who (like me) haven't really heard  of him before he, together with a bunch of other people, conspired to assassinate King James in 1605 by blowing up the house of Parliament. It failed though, and so they celebrate every year in November with bonfires and fireworks. Despite the cold it was a really nice night. Loads of people came to see it.

Halloween!

So, yesterday was the 31st of October and the rain poured down. I spent the day sending out job applications, hopefully this month will be a better one for me... Anyway, me and Rob were planning on spending our Halloween watching horror films and cuddling on the sofa but apparently showing horror films on TV during Halloween isn't much of a thing here. We watched the Addams Family and Sixth Sense, but there was nothing truly scary on. On tuesday night I'd carved a pumpkin so that got to sit in the drive way (picture at the bottom of this post), looking spooky and hopefully, if there were any Trick or treaters (which I doubt due to the weather) they enjoyed seeing it :) When we went out to place our little pumpkin in the drive way I could hear something and asked Rob if it was thunder but he said it was fireworks. Couldn't see them though as it was far too cloudy. I had even bought some sweets in case they would come kocking on our door but it's quite hidden from the road, so I'm not sure they would have even seen it :P I also bought a selection of Halloween beers for Rob. Really liked them xD One of them (Spooks Ale) had a little spell on the neck that read