Tis the season...

Well lots of people would say its not yet the season for anything, but I am feeling decidedly as if Christmas will be here any day! This is, of course, no thanks to eBay who have a countdown to Christmas Day on their homepage.
Argos also have all of our Christmas decorations up and literal hordes of people buying literal hordes of presents for kids every single day.

Plus there's been the added pressure of the annual Christmas meet-up with Tom and Sarah which means that I have to really think about what to buy them! The current situation is one down and one to go - but I'm not saying which one, cos that would be telling!!

I've also heard tell that the Coca Cola advert is on TV - I haven't seen it yet - when I see it, it'll definately be Christmas, that's for sure. I sure do love seeing that ad, it never fails to get me in the Christmas spirit!

As for the 'rents, that shopping is also well under way, which is indeed very good - cos in previous years I haven't had the faintest idea what to buy them, but this year I do, so that's great too.

I'm also looking forward to 2011 - it should be a very good year and I'm anticipating lots of great and nice and memorable things happening. I hope 2011 will be the year that I move onwards and upwards with my life and career - with any hope I won't be the only one either!! I've had the whole of 2010 to - not vegetate - but to be at home, work at Argos, go back and forth to see friends and to be free to see and do and experience things and just be chilled out.
Now I need to go and be proactive and get a nice (hopefully well-paid) job, to be able to fund all of th crazy adventures that I want to get up to in my crazy life! I really like the idea of being financially independant one day and having a good and stable job is the key to that.
Now, being a History graduate, doesn't exactly lead to a career (in most people's minds) except teaching, so I've kind of been a bit at sea and not really - if I'm perfectly honest - applied for any jobs this year. This week, I'm appying for two. I'm also considering a mission trip for next summer.

However, that's all for next year. Right now we are 38 days away from Christmas, celebrating Jesus' birth in the most un-Christlike manner possible. So I need to nail my shopping - selected gifts and also a great many cards to get - and make a move on gettin ghte house tidy so we can have some semblence of decorations up...

Also it'll be my birthday and I'll be 23. I think its quite grown-up to be 23, what do you reckon?
Enough of my ranting and postulating on the subject of Christmas, the nights are drawing in and the days are getting much colder. Today we had to have the back door open all day because we have workmen here to do the guttering and they needed to plug their tools in - it will be great when their done, cos the guttering won't leak outside my bedroom window all night when it rains - but right now it must be colder inside than out!!

See's you soon peeps!

Remembrance

As October goes on and November approaches, all talk and a lot of time in our house goes on the Poppy Appeal.

It's very important to us not to forget the sacrifices made by members of our Armed Forces in times of war and dangerous duties overseas and also to preserve the memories of conflicts past now that those who fought in them are few (and dwindling) in number.

Mum and I were out selling poppies right from the 20something of October and our duties didn't end til Sunday just gone. For me - designing and editing the programme for the Festival of Remembrance at the White Rock Theatre - work had begun much further back in the summer and I saw the programmes (600 of them plus inserts) right through to completion. I was onhand at the Festival (14t Nov) to sell the programmes and poppies and to help Mum and others going up on stage with their bits and pieces.

We always make sure we watch the Festival of Remembrance from the Albert Hall, the morning's events at the Cenotaph and Songs of Praise for Remembrance Sunday on the TV too. All in all, its a busy weekend, having been at work both days but its well worth it. I also get to see some of the serving members of the Armed Forces who are local to this area as they take part in the Festival. I always find it a powerful - and important - thing to remember that they are my age, some of them younger and yet they do a tremendous and courageous job, one that I could never do.

It also reminds me of the links Hastings and East Sussex have to the Armed Forces. Not only are young men & women of our town represented in all 3 Armed Services, but we have links to 47 Reg Royal Artillary (who have freedom of the town) and the Princess of Wales Royal Regiment (one of the most senior in the Army) has East Sussex as one of its recruitment counties. It's important for me to remember these guys and girls because of the great work they do and their close connection with my home town/county.

So, as of before the Festival, Hastings and St Leonards had raised over £30,000 for the Poppy Appeal with lots more collecting tins still to be counted etc. So I say "good show" to the people of our town!! I can't wait to hear what the actual grand total is...!

So the Poppy Appeal is over for another year now, but the work of the Legion goes on: 24/7, 365 as does that of HM Forces wherever they are in the world. I look forward to getting my Poppy Press throughout the year and seeing other ways that I can support our troops.

Lest We Forget

Also in November, the wondorous occurance of me getting to go to Southampton occured!! I stayed with the wonder that is Miss Ruth Gill, in her palacial student abode. I got to see the Uni again and the city - we also went to Portsmouth and Winchester (where hilarity ensued over parking) to o some shopping and just spend some quality time together, while Ruth had a week off. Now she's having to get stuck in to the joys of 4th year and the dreaded dissertation :-(
It was a visit that was long overdue and very thoroughly enjoyed indeedy!

Work at Argos (of course) continues to proceed in Christmasy type fashion; we're getting busier, customers are getting stressier - all in the name of celebrating (supposedly) the birth of our Lord. So that brings me up to date with the life and times of yours truly.
I want to dedicate this blog entry to Ben and to Ian, and also to Brian - stay safe guys.