Ash: Monday, 7th January 2013

First post of the New Year! Wow I've sucked at this haha!

So well! There's a lot happened since I last wrote. I got into Nottingham Trent University (KACHING!) That was supposed to be a money making noise by the way, them gaining from this news, obviously.

So here I am now in my little room, in Blenheim Halls, casually living the life of a Broadcast Journalist. Well, in training of course.

I really need to change the battery in my clock. Just casually looked round the room to tell you that. Anywho.

Hope you all had a fantastic Christmas and New Year! Mine was definitely... interesting. I spent a majority of the night puking my guts up. New Year that is. Will teach me not to drink 1/2 a straight bottle of vodka within 45 minutes.

So I can't really remember how I entered this year. Judging by what I've been told, I'm not sure I want to remember.

Anyway getting back to uni, I have some amazing flatmates, so much so we're all getting a house together in September and I can't wait! Y'know it's nice here but it'll be lovely to feel more cosy and like home.

Has anything else really happened? Not as far as I can tell but I'll keep you posted!

Laters!

Ash x

Mathilde: Sunday, 11th November 2012.

To start off, whoa, it's been a while, haha. Sorry about that. Long story short: I got my results, didn't do as well as I'd hoped but still got into Uni, but am on a gap year now just to try and make sure that I actually want to go!

Secondly, it's Remembrance Sunday today. I kind of think that today, it doesn't matter whether you're a pacifist, or what side your relatives fought on: we should value each life equally. My grandad had a pretty complicated life early on and was conscripted into the German army, so I'm always a bit hesitant to discuss the war, but yeah, I just think it's respectful to remember everyone. I'm not altogether sure if that made sense :S

To lighten up this blog a little today, I'm also going to talk about something that's been bothering me lately, and that's people's views to women in society. So, basically, I'm going to talk about feminism. This should be fun.

I recently read a book by Caitlin Moran about feminism and after reading it, I just thought to myself, I get this. I am this. 

Because there seems to be this huge stigma about feminism and this idea that a feminist believes that a women are better than man/ women hate other women if they act like women, etc., etc.

But it's not.

Feminism is about wanting equality, and, above all, respect, really. And if that's something I can talk about, believe me, I can talk about it for hours.

Despite all my oddities and quirks, I am really, essentially, pretty much the stereotype of a girl. I like having nice nails, reading stupidly expensive glossy magazines, wearing make-up to cover how horrific my skin actually is, breaking my ankles in high heels and spending most of my bank balance on clothes. I really do like that. But here's the thing: I am not just that. I can hold my own in a debate any day, I'm damn good at solving a problem, and I could go on, but I'm sounding like a narcissist. 

The other day, I thought to myself "But am I still a feminist if I go out and get drunk and get chatted up by men? Surely not." But, well, I was wrong.

I don't get dressed up just to look nice for men, and neither do I go out with the intention of meeting people. I go out to be with my friends, and I buy most of my own drinks, not least because of drink-spike scares. I am still a feminist. Wearing a short dress isn't going to change that.

However, feminism is still something that's really, really important. Realising that gave me the courage to report someone next door to my workplace who'd been touching me up and harassing me with constant sexual innuendos. Because that's not part of the job. I am entitled to the same level of respect that my male co-workers get, and more than entitled to challenge that kind of behaviour.

(So sue me, we didn't exactly get far with the 'lightening up' idea. Oh well! PS, Wilma failed her MOT :'( )
Mathilde, xo

Ash: Saturday, 30th June 2012

Well! Here comes my long awaited rant!!!

Note to self, always wear shorts under a dress! I think my most embarrassing moment came a couple of days ago when I decided it was a warm enough day to go to town in a dress. Lovely dress it is, bought it with my best friend Katie when we went to Manchester!

Anywho, I walked out of my house to my car enjoying the sunshine. I drove to town, no problems at all. However, it started when I was walking from my sister's into town.

Now my sister's house is about a 10 minute walk to the centre of town, so when it started to get quite windy I got a bit worried, only just realising the lightness of the dress.

The skirt must have blown in my face, what, 3 times before I actually got into town? It got worse as I stood in front of a shop waiting to meet my friend, and it blew up yet again. Probably wasn't the most suitable underwear to be on show in the circumstances either.

Anyway, I turned around to look in the shop and saw this woman standing and laughing at me! I pulled my most embarrassed face and ran away. Jeeze kill me now.

So anyway, that was the happy start to my week! Haha! Had prom yesterday, that was fun too. Thought I looked a bit like Rose from Titanic which was cool too! We decided not to actually go to the prom meal, but to Prezzo's instead where the food was nicer. Yum.

Had work today. Wasn't really fantastic to be honest. I kept struggling to find everything and feeling really stupid every time I got things wrong. Working tomorrow as well, wish me luck </3

Got some awful customers as well to be honest. Never knew it took so much of an effort to say thank you! Granted got some lovely ones as usual, but when you get corrected on your own stock it's bound to irritate you.

Was properly drunk for the first time on Saturday too! Never again. Being sick is not fun. Mixing shots is not fun either. Guess I had to learn!

Anyway, that's it from me for now, see you later! <3

Mathilde: Saturday, 30th June 2012

(It's 5:10AM! D:)

So, I'm sorry this is really late! Ash and I are planning to do some kind of video blog on Monday, which might be quite cool.

We had prom last night. Our group - by that, I mean, Ash, Alex, Stephen, Zoe, Dan, Katie & I - went to Prezzos instead of going to the meal held at the prom because, well, I don't know, it seemed more our kind of thing. I liked that - these were the people that I was going to prom for, so it made sense to do it this way.

Prom itself - I'm not sure. I mean, there were bits of it that were really good and it was nice to be able to see some people, but part of me is like....I don't know. Haha. I'm always tempted to just forget everyone apart from like, two people. Does that make sense?

Stuff's been a bit hectic lately - we had exams, and I found out exactly in the middle of my exams that my granddad was dying, and then I managed to get bronchitis before having an allergic reaction to my antibiotics and worrying that I was going to be sick in the actual exams. It wasn't fun!

But I mean - wow! Ash and I have finished our A-Levels. Foreverrrrr.
I'm doing some more song-writing at the moment; I've missed it so much! It's good to have time to do the things you love.

That's me, over and out.
Mathilde

Ash: Wednesday, 20th June 2012

So finally finished all the A Level exams! The English one went pretty shocking today in all fairness. Didn't feel as if I had enough time, so hopefully not chucked all chances at university down the toilet!

Anyway, right now listening to some old songs, looking through some old photos, talking to some old people, yep, it's reminiscing time! Some ways, I'm so glad to get out of Lynn, especially after today. Everywhere I went there were faces I'd rather not see. Think I've just grown out of the place now to be honest.

Y'know some people sometimes post those chain letters? They really freak me out, no joke. I don't sleep very well when I see one. Well anyway, this guy posted a picture saying 'You have been cursed! You must break the curse or you will be visited!' so I unfriended him. Seemed to work. I didn't get any ghostly figures decide to pop into mine for a coffee last night. Mission accomplished.

Went to the park with my friends today, to be greeted by two of my other friends telling me a couple on the other side of the field were having sex. Well. Unexpected as it was, we all stood in a line to see if they were. That makes me sound like a pervert, but actually it's just something you can't help but look at. Not that I wanted to see details or anything, I was just curious to whether they actually were!

Still unsure as to whether they were, but when we saw them up close as they walked past (don't worry, we didn't move in to get a closer look) it wouldn't surprise me if they had been. Though she couldn't have been more than 15, the foundation was slapped on thick. Didn't I just write a blog the other day saying not to judge other people? See told you I'm not perfect!

But anyway, on that note I'm tired! Just wanted to write something to keep everyone updated! Night! I shall be having a relaxing 3 months! <3

Ash and Mathilde: Monday, 18th June 2012

So...we just sat our penultimate exam. And, well, we never have to do Psychology ever again. Thank God. I'm not really sure of how it went - I'm not feeling too hot right now and so Ash, who had the dubious pleasure of being next to me, had to put up with me sniffing the whole way through. Ahahahahahahahaha.

Well, I wouldn't like to say how it went, because as you may know last year, our psychology exam results.... Well we all failed basically. But not to worry! Chances are we can't do any worse this time!

(That was Ash just now. Can you tell the differences between our writing manner things yet?)
I'm still not sure what to write about! So I'm going to talk about my favourite customer at work. Well, second favourite. Ash says that she wants to be first, but she's never actually come into my shop....DOESN'T WORK LIKE THAT TUTTLE.

Anyway. My favourite (overall) customer is this BRILLIANT little old lady. She comes in every Saturday and always, always asks for a Cafe Latte while she's waiting for the Kings Lynn train. She's always happy and smiley, and she's just pretty much the nicest customer ever!

BUT ANYWAY. MY SECOND FAVOURITE CUSTOMER. :3333
(is really kind of awesome!)
Basically, if you're weird and funny, I'm probably bound to like you. So anyway, this one time at work, this smartly dressed young-ish guy walks into the shop. My boss is in the back room arguing with his wife reeeeally loudly and it's a bit awkward because I'm alone in the shop. Anyway, 'Jar of Hearts' is playing at like, full volume over the radio and this guy just walks in and goes "It's okay to browse the magazines, right? Some people get mighty funny about that!" so I just kind of went "Yeah, yeah. Just disappear when my boss reappears, okay?"
Anyway, he comes up to the till and Christina's reeeeally going for it at this point, really kind of bemoaning how much men suck and he just looks up at the radio and goes, "Man! Forgiveness really is a beautiful thing."
Which is kind of guaranteed to get my attention.
So anyway, we wound up chatting about how terrible the music was.

Usually when I get an awesome customer, they neeeever ever come back Ever. But he came back! He came back to the shop for the fourth time yesterday and he is STILL awesome.

I like having regular customers.

Hey Ash, your turn!

That was so cheesy. 'My life is not a love story.' 'It could be.' Guess who said what. I bet it won't take you three.

Well, I don't really get regular customers... I just get random old guys come in and say 'You thought I was gonna squirt you then!' after making a hissing noise and throwing their hands up at me. Yes. That's exactly what I thought you were going to do.

Ah I remember one customer! A man and a woman came in buying a corset. They then went on to explain that it wasn't something they wear usually. Frankly, I'm not bothered by what people do in their spare time, as long as I don't have to hear about it!
Anyway, so I sell this corset and the guy goes to me 'Hey, are you interested in a photoshoot?' I was like, sure, why not? The he proceeded to ask me if I was 18. Should have sent alarm bells off really! I told him no, and he told me the sessions would have to be supervised. Oooookkkkk....
Anyway he gave me his card. Once he left the shop I had a look and there were 2 girls posing naked over one another... Urmm... Thanks, but no thanks!
Slightly odd to say the least. Not as nice as Mathilde's customer! Haha!
And no, I didn't call him up on his offer.

(Don't lie Ash, you totally did. ;))))

Alright, we're going now. This is Mathilde again - updates might be a bit slow on my end because things are just a bit ://////////////////////// at the moment, but I'll be back ASAP and Ash talks enough for the two of us :L

Bleh.

Mathilde: Wednesday, 6th June 2012

Mathilde is in Yorkshire. In the rain. Yeah.