Sex, Lies and Twilight

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Poor Kristen Stewart. It almost seemed too shocking to be true but the simple fact is, Kristen has been publicly caught red-handed cheating on her boyfriend, Robert Pattinson. The Twi-hards are in mourning and feel it is the end of the world, for what is the point of living without Edward and Bella united as one? Everyone, myself included, have come together in wondrous confusion as to what has happened to what was the love story of Hollywood and sci-fi dreams. One question, What the FUCK were you thinking Kristen?

Edie Sedgwick

"You're the boss, apple sauce", was one of the many adorable catchphrases said by artist Andy Warhol to his waif of a muse Edie Sedgwick in the semi-biographical film of their time together, Factory Girl. The story of Andy and Edie has fascinated me for years, it seemed a real love story of sorts, even though it would of probably only been a platonic love.
Edie Sedgwick was born into American Royalty and was thus the heiress to a mass fortune, with her long dark hair, elphin features, slim frame and big bambi eyes, she was beautiful as well as educated, talented and wealthy. Being an excellent artist herself, Edie moved to New York to attend art school and found herself in the middle of the mass sixties social revolution, in which people did not conform to societies usual straight-laced attitudes towards life. Hippies, rock and roll and Pop Art were introduced to the world simultaneously at this time, the birth place being that of New York City, and as the old saying goes, "If you remember the sixties, you weren't there".

The Real Fear dot com

Fear is something we all have to endure as a species, after all, it's that flight or flight mode which separates the strong from the weak. Survival of the fittest and all that. However, are we now becoming so preoccupied with fear that even just the idea that it's coming, even without any actual arrival, is causing us more harm that what it is we fear?
For example, are we so afraid of the idea of burglars breaking into our house at night that we behave in irrational ways, barricading ourselves in with ten bolts on the doors and a loaded gun in our bedside table, that we would actually feel less frightened by a burglary happening. Have we all been incorporated into a fear culture which is making us paranoid and terrified to the point of phobia?

Modern Day "Celebrity" Culture

Something strange has happened in the last fifty odd years, gone are the days of beautiful Hollywood Glamour; with women wearing long evening gowns, wrapped in a fur stole, evening gloves on and decked out in diamonds sashaying along red carpets, suave gentleman on arm. It has been replaced by a breed of fake-tanned, fake hair, fake nails, barely-any-clothes-on clones who embody this craze of faux notoriety. How can these people, who are famous for no apparent reason, become icons in this day in age? How can common women such as Katie Price become such household names and have hoards of young women turning up at their book signings - for books they didn't even write?

Fifty Shades of Sex

Never in all my years have I seen such hype over a particular book. Everywhere you go, you will see signs of Fifty Shades, whether it be a supermarket with noticeably empty shelves or every single magazine with reference to this new wave of "mummy porn" culture. All of my friends have read the said novel, even my mum just finished it, and truth be told, it is an erotic masterpiece of sorts which definitely gets the ladies going.

The Big Gay Debate

It appears everywhere you turn now is a story regarding gay rights and, in particular, gay marriage. The current US election hopefuls campaigns are completely focused on whether gays should have the legal right to be married under law. To be honest, I personally think there currently are far bigger issues to be primarily discussing and heading the limelight, such as our horrendous economy and the fact millions are out of work and I do believe that the US candidates are just avoiding the bigger issues at hand by using gay marriage as a smokescreen, however, I also do understand this is fast becoming a human rights issue verses a morality one.

My Idea of Modern Day Feminism

Does modern day feminism actually exist? It's a question thats been plaguing my thoughts as I've reached my womanhood years, especially when looking at the roles of women in todays society as opposed to that of my mother's/grandmother's generation. Women have choice to do as they please now, with most being expected to gain careers first and leave marriage and motherhood for later. However, isn't it ironic that since we have become the most independent we've ever been as a gender, we feel the most insecure about ourselves?

Women's Health

This blog post was inspired by my findings whilst clearing out my handbag, such a mundane task. Anyway, I was flicking through my random crumpled up papers and found two letters with invitations to attend my first smear test. The irrational part of my brain told me to just tear it up, sure I was young and healthy was I not? Was there any need to put myself through something so uncomfortable for no reason? These thoughts are incredibly foolish, I know that, but justified it by my having a bad phobia of most things medical related. Whether it be a needle or a speculum, I severely dislike any foreign objects going into my body and especially loathe the agonising week long wait for results. I doubt I'm the only one who feel this way.

Stellar Recipe: Easy Veggie Fajitas

This recipe is a personal favourite of my family and friends. It's a more hearty dish which all the meat-loving men in my life can be satisfied with, seeing as it's a vegetarian dish. Again, like my other recipes, it's inexpensive and easy to make; with just a frying pan, knife and spoons being your tools of choice for this one. This fajita is full of flavour and packed with vitamins and nutrients. My recipe makes 4 servings - enough for the whole family.

When the Music Takes Over

This post will be about some of my favourite albums and musicians. When I was a youngster typical pop music was my preferred noise of choice, with Britney, Christina, Nsync and S Club 7 tapes littering my bedroom floor. Inoffensive manufactured music was the peak of my childhood years, with my older brother trying in vain - and failing miserably - to get me to listen to anything else. He even took me to my first Radiohead concert when I was about fourteen to convince me that his type of music was more appealing and interesting than mine, however, I recall spending the entire concert looking bored and painting my nails with a little light up compact mirror I had in my bag. I just didn't get it, the way today I have some friends who still don't get this style of music.

Those Incredibly Stylish Twins

Yes, I'm referring to the Olsen Twins, with their quirky, tailored outfits, pretty faces and luscious long locks. My generation particularly have grown up with these girls and witnessed them evolve from innocent mini munchkin's in Two of a Kind, to the grown up business women and fashion designers of the day with an empire worth over a billion dollars. The former child stars could of followed the steps of so many of their peers down the Hollywood scandal lifestyle, full of DUI's and STD's, and ended up a joke in the industry. Not these girls. They have recently won the most prestigious award from the CFDA (Council of Fashion Designers of America) for their fashion line, The Row, and they are still only twenty-five years old.

As they grew up and out of the bubblegum children's television networks, the twins began to form their own identities. Some saw this as an act of rebellion, however, I think that they were just becoming young adults and developed their own individual tastes. Today, Mary-Kate is seen as the more daredevilry twin when it comes to taking chances with fashion, and with that some of her outfits are completely hit and miss. She also thinks nothing of wearing dresses which look fives times too big for her, with long mermaid hair and an abundance of costume jewellery.
Ashley on the other hand, is more tailored and quintessentially feminine with her outfit choices. Lots of casual structure, monotone colours all mixed with nude make-up and beautifully glossy blonde locks is her safe bet fashion choice.

Personally, I prefer Ashley's look as I don't think I could confidently pull off the more daring outfits of Mary-Kate. I like a classic look that isn't too over-the-top, however, maybe in a few years time I could be eating my words and dressing in oversized apparel.
The Olsen twins have such a dedicated following of fans that there are even blogs just dedicated to pictures of them and not much else. Such example can be found at this link. I feel a lot of this almost obsession is that fact that today, they rarely covet the spotlight and hardly ever give interviews. They value their privacy too much nowadays. They want to be seen as dedicated designers and don't want to be involved with the superficial celebrity culture they were once contracted to be apart of. That in itself is very inspirational, along with the fact that their designs are actually very good and not at all what some people would of expected. Yes, they still get the odd bit of bad press for either using too much fur and/or animal skins or for the fact that some of their accessories pieces are ridiculously overpriced, however, one thing you cannot deny is that these twin's have an eye for style and they have impeccable taste. Their achievements should only be applauded, not criticised.

(images via favim and pinterest.com)

Marchesa Sex

There are some designers that I can only refer to as fashion porn. You will hear me describe beautiful threads in this way quite a lot, as, a well crafted piece of fabric excites me in a way no other object could. This may sound extreme to my readers who are not interested in the fashion world per se, however, you will probably never heard of Marchesa.
Any time you look at a major red carpet event, be it The Oscars or The Golden Globes, you can bet that carpet is overflowing with structured, delicate fabrics that drape the female frames on show in a way that could correlate to a fairytale dream land. These stand-out ball gowns, along with the cute and desirable shorter cocktail dresses, are the artistic creation of Georgina Chapman and Keren Craig, the co-founders of Marchesa. 
The brand name is taken from legendary socialite Marchesa Luisa Casati, and, both Chapman and Craig met at Chelsea College of Art and Design in London. They brought together their strong points, Chapman's draping and design paired with Craig's textile creations resulted in the birth of Marchesa in 2004. 


Nowdays, the elite of the entertainment industries are all vying to be dressed in the girl's couture creations and I'm sure the fact that Georgina recently married Hollywood heavyweight Harvey Weinstein helped her brand somewhat.
Personally, I feel Marchesa is one of the most beautiful dressmakers of all time. They are still quite a new brand, and will no doubt keep coming out with bigger and more visually stunning pieces in the years to come. If I had the money, I would absolutely make my first shopping spree stop at one of their stores, regardless of if I had anywhere to go in them in - I would just be eccentric and wear the ball gowns whilst watching television - as I would like to know what it felt like to be a real-life Disney princess for a day. They have also recently added a Bridal section to their designs, can you imagine?

(images via pretty stems and pinterest.com)

Stellar Spotlight: Ryan Murphy

Ryan Murphy is a name that will probably ring a few bells with the vast majority of you. Ever get that feeling that you know a name, you've heard it before, but pester yourself wondering where have I heard that name? Well, you will more than likely now remember this particular name running across your television screen as credits for well seen programmes such as Glee and Nip/Tuck. Ryan Murphy is the producer and genius creator behind such shows and also has the groundbreaking horror drama series American Horror Story under his belt.

Murphy started on his career by working as a journalist for various news publications such as The Los Angeles Times and The Miami Herald, and ended up getting his big break into the entertainment industry when legend Steven Spielberg purchased a script be wrote titled Why Cant I Be Audrey Hepburn? With his foot in the door, Murphy continued to write and eventually - with a few lesser successful pilots done and out of the way - created Nip/Tuck which is basically a drama surrounding two best friends and business partners, who are plastic surgeons, and live in Miami. The show itself completely captured the divine mixture of beauty and the sheer ugliness hidden beneath such a superficial way of life. This, along with plenty of sex, drugs, scandal, doomed relationships and very lifelike surgeries being carried out, all came together to make a drama so great it ran for six seasons and won Murphy numerous awards including a Golden Globe for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series.
Tell me what you don't like about yourself? became the now iconic tagline for the series, which the surgeons opened most episodes with, when interviewing new patients.

Personally, I absolutely adored Nip/Tuck whilst it ran and was so heartbroken when it ended. Usually I'm one to shy away from any medical-themed television series, however, Ryan Murphy was so good at what he did he made the show ooze style and class; even the set designs were perfection. It didn't feel like a clinical type of show were I had no clue what the doctors were talking about, it was done in such an intriguing way with each new episode having a new patient with their own personal story and therefore particular chosen surgery. This way I, the viewer, witnessed all different types of surgeries from the common breast enlargement, to the likes of a clitoral reconstruction (from a character who suffered female genital mutilation). The main show characters, Dr Christian Troy (played by Julian McMahon) and Dr Shaun McNamara (played by Dylan Walsh), have a deeply passionate, volatile friendship that is balanced with a pure brotherly love for each other, a love that can stand the test of time, and, throughout the six seasons, their love was surely tested. This incorporated with some of the most bizarre love triangles I have ever witnessed, makes Nip/Tuck a show which in years to come, will be looked back upon as a classic.

Coming out of my mourning for the loss of Nip/Tuck, I wondered what Murphy would come up with next. Glee isn't exactly my kind of program, it is fun, uplifting and the young ones have an whole new set of starlets to idolise, but I prefer my shows with a little substance. Then along came American Horror Story.
This is the latest show from Murphy and is a horror-drama with an absolutely stellar cast. "The first season takes place in 2011 and is themed on infidelity. The story follows the Harmon family: Ben, Vivian and teenage daughter Violet, who move from Boston to Los Angeles after Vivian gives birth to a stillborn baby and Ben has an affair with Hayden, one of his students. The family moves to a restored mansion, unaware that the house is haunted"(link). It isn't before long that the family encounter strange goings on and meet peculiar people, including the sexy young house maid, Moira (who appears as an elderly woman to some of the family but not others) and next door neighbour Constance. Constance is, for me, the stand out character in the drama and knows all of the ins and outs of the haunted house. Jessica Lange plays Constance in a way that can only be commended, with such grace and wisdom and has since won various awards for her part. She is confirmed to play in the second season of the show alongside new addition, Adam Levine. The best thing about American Horror Story is that it is actually scary, very scary indeed which is such a nice change from so many horror genre shows that aren't particularly frightening. It takes me to pluck up some courage to attempt to watch an episode with the lights out and I usually end up regretting it. I like my sleep, God knows I don't get enough of it, but now I'm scared of a strange faceless man in a rubber suit crawling in besides me wanting some happy times.

I look forward to what masterpieces of television Ryan Murphy has up his sleeve for the next chapter in his amazing career. Titillating times ahead I suspect.

(images via AmericanHorrorStoryFan and zimbio)

The Tory's Strike Again

Now, this isn't some Conservative bashing post full of uneducated ramblings by some muesli munching, left-wing head case. Well not completely anyway. The news channel have been dominated over the last few days surrounding plans the Government (or "big G" as I like to call them) have to completely take away housing benefit money for under 25's in order to save a couple of billion, which can be better used on public services - or so they say. Well, I'm not on benefit money but I definitely know quite a few people who are and this is the first problem we encounter with this joke of a coalition. David Cameron nor any of his Tory members are able to truly empathise with the average, working class man who is surviving on minimum wage. They don't have a clue what it's like to have money worries or what it's like to panic at the end of every month wondering whether or not there is enough rent money; nor do they understand using the spare change at the bottom of your handbag to buy food with. These are actual examples I've encountered with people and I feel as though the Government doesn't seem to understand this. How does creating more money worries, solve money problems? It's like Cameron is dying to leave some sort of legacy from his time as Prime Minister by pushing this "we need change"-esque mottos into our lives. His ego is getting in the way of doing the right thing. I'm no finance expert, but even I can see the madness in thinking we can solve a multi-trillion pound debt within the world's economy in a few short years. It will take time, years and years probably to get our economy back to anywhere near what it once was, and by taking such drastic actions over and over again in such a short space of time can only be detrimental to the society as well as the economy.

Obviously it's the PM's advisors who are also to blame, but, Cameron put himself forward as wanting to be in charge of the country so he should take the blame when the ideas, that are his parties are being pushed forward, are reckless. First it started with the tuition fees and the horrid u-turn of Nick Clegg (who I voted for) and his party for the rise of over triple the cost to attend university. When the country is in such a debt, where money is hard to come by, when people can't get jobs, is it really wise to start mimicking the education system of the likes of America and charge ridiculous fees for the average teenager wanting to better themselves? If I had been in the UK at the time of the student protests, I would of joined them. Does the Government not realise it's the youth of today who will be in charge tomorrow? By making going to university an elitist option, society will inevitably suffer and the divide between rich and poor, as well as bitterness and hatred, will only grow. Sure, if there are no jobs anyway, why would the average student risk taking a loan of over thirty grand without the guarantee of a job. Only the wealthy can afford to take such risks, it's probably what got us into this mess in the first place.

Regarding the housing benefit, now young adults will be forced to move back in with their parents and not live the independent life they should be doing. When you reach those vital years, from late teens to early twenties, and move out on your own for the first time, you gain confidence as well as life skills which all go hand in hand with looking, applying for and hopefully getting a job. How demoralising will it be now for young adults? Even embarrassing for some to have to be forced to go back home because the Government say so. Unemployment is so high at the moment as there aren't enough jobs available for graduates as employers want experience, yet you can only get experience if you get a job. It's a vicious circle and if the Government wanted any suggestion it would be to make all internships paid - first and foremost. I personally know a few people who are wealthy enough to do internships for no pay for months on end. Internships are one of the most vital tools you can use to end up in full time employment as it gets you a foot in the door of a particular company and it's unfair that they are places secured only for the well to do. They should change the current system to give everyone a fair chance.

I suppose as I am an under 25, I realise how the real situation is. Young, single people with no dependants are seen as an easy target for Government cuts. This isn't like the olden days where families all stuck together and they children only left the home when they were getting married. Times have changed, we as a society have become more independent and pay enough taxes in order to have temporary support when it is needed. Of course I am not referring to the benefit fraudsters who have never worked a day in their lives and somehow live rather extravagant lifestyles - I will do a post on them at a later date - but the genuine members of the public - my friends included - who are panicking about what to do should their housing benefit stop and then still not have a full time job. A lot of them live in London where there are the most opportunities, should they have to move back to various parts of the UK to cities that are even worse off? I cannot see the sense in it.

If you want to save a couple of billion, then get at the 1% who keep their billions in offshore, tax haven accounts to pay their taxes. I'm sure Cameron and his companions know a few of them.

(images via Guardian and toonpool)

Remember that movie 'The Aviator'?

I was recently doing a bit of shopping at my local charity shops (they are a gold mine) and came across the DVD section finding The Aviator for a pound. Having a little nostalgia induced twinge, I purchased said movie and watched it. Do you ever get one of those feelings where you can't understand how you forgot about such a good movie from years earlier? That was me, and I thus went on to search for documentaries about Howard Hughes as he was such an interesting and complex character.

The movie is a biopic of the life of Howard Hughes, who, acquired many job titles throughout his career including businessman, investor, aviator, engineer, film producer, director and philanthropist. He lived a very privileged life and was one of the richest men in the world at the time, since the death of his parents who left him their fortune. He romanced some of the worlds most beautiful women, made some of histories most expensive films and created groundbreaking aircrafts which broke all the world air-speed records.
This amount of talent mixed with unlimited limitations would to some be seen as a recipe for greatness but for Hughes it would end up a disaster. Being diagnosed as having Obsessive Compulsive Disorder would be the ultimate limitation for a man who could have everything. OCD is described as, "an anxiety disorder characterised by intrusive thoughts that produce uneasiness, apprehension, fear, or worry, by repetitive behaviours aimed at reducing the associated anxiety, or by a combination of such compulsions and obsessions. Symptoms of the disorder include excessive washing or cleaning; repetitive checking; extreme hoarding; aversion to particular numbers; and nervous rituals"(link).

The Aviator is one of the most stylish films I've seen, with incredible detail for every set and garment worn. The women character clothing is beautiful and give me a longing for the hope that the fashion world will somehow revolve itself to bring back some of the fashions of that time. It oozes sophistication and glamour, showing the world how it's done properly.
Leonardo DiCaprio plays Hughes in the movie in what I feel is the best role he has ever done. The character is played with such resounding sadness especially at parts where Hughes himself is finding his condition extremely painful to live with. At times even opening a restroom door-handle gives such great distress to Hughes, it is reminiscent to that of a terrified child who hates the dark.
Love is a major theme throughout, with the main loves of Hughes being that of Hollywood movie stars Katherine Hepburn (played by Cate Blanchett) and Ava Gardner (played by Kate Beckinsale) who both played the now iconic females of the time with complete grace and elegance. Blanchett particularly stood out for me, she is one of my favourite actresses anyway and can only be described as an acting chameleon.
The movie shows Hughes love for Hepburn which was so great that there is a touching scene where he takes her out for a impromptu private flying lesson and shares his bottle of milk for her to drink out of, showing him letting his guard down in his own way. However it wasn't meant to be as Hughes determination to constantly be the worlds best aviator/director/businessman took centre stage and Hepburn felt left out and then fell in love with someone else, someone who gave her the attention she was so accustomed to in her professional life. It also didn't help that Hughes was frequently pictured out with every starlet in town, a fact that humiliated and infuriated Hepburn.

This heartbreak was to set Hughes off into an oblivion of mental health disorders which gained more strength everyday. The more the pressure got to him, the more grasp his OCD took hold, as if his own illness fed off his self. He began bugging his phone lines and repeating sentences before eventually becoming a self imposed reclusive, stuck in a deep depression and locking himself in a screening room where he didn't wash and even went as far as urinating in his empty milk bottles - before lining them up in order. The movie captures these painful times with, what I feel, is great respect and honesty.

I remember watching a documentary years ago about the life of Howard Hughes and it was more traumatic than the movie. It interviewed those who knew him back then (they are elderly now) and some shocking claims were made. Apparently during the last years of Hughes life, he signed his company assets over to a cult-like organisations (reportedly that of a Mormon background) who severed what little contact he had with the outside world, including friends and business associates who had always loved and worried about him. This group played up to his metal illness and even encouraged it with harrowing memories being retold such as the time Hughes wanted to live in a hotel in Las Vegas. Vegas to Hughes was the dessert. which was clean and empty, therefore comfortable and somewhat safe for him. When took to a hotel and shown to his suite, Hughes apparently saw a bright room with a view out over Nevada and stated he liked it and asked whether they (his 'people') thought he should stay there. They then disgustingly said no and ushered him into a windowless room where he was told he would be safe from germs. He had an excruciating ending to his life, full of neglect and mental abuse and upon his death in 1976 weighing as little as seven stone which for a man who was six foot four inches tall, is horrendous. His legacy now lives on with the Howard Hughes Medical Institute being funded with some of his billion pound fortune left in his estate. This is a non-profit medical research organisation which Hughes founded in 1953 and is now the second-wealthiest philanthropic organisation in the US and is the second best endowed medical research foundation in the world.

Personally, I feel as though Howard Hughes story is as relevant now as it was then. Speaking from a mental health point of view, I can only imagine how hard to must of been for him back in those days to live with something like that. I mean those were the days where people with, what now is classified as schizophrenia, were lobotomised for acting odd. Even now almost eighty years since the time of Hughes, are the general public that different when it comes to mental health disorders as they were then? To me there seems to be a great shame in that subject, which is still a taboo condition to talk about openly and accept. Hopefully, though, as the world is evolving and we understand ourselves better as a species, we can educate ourselves and not be prejudice to those who need our sympathy and help with mental health problems.

(images via GoogleImages and altgf)

Stellar Recipe: Tomato, Mozzarella and Pesto Pastry Puff

This is the first recipe I am going to share with you all on this blog. So I thought I should provide my all time favourite quick dish. This meal is simple to cook, healthy, inexpensive and delicious. I have tried many variations of this dish and have settled on these few favourite ingredients, spices and herbs. You can also play around with the ingredients as much as you want to get a taste which is perfect for you and a dish that is completely unique. It is also vegetarian which is a plus as you can guarantee healthy vegetables are essential addition to most vegetarian dishes.

I have been vegetarian for about four years and have never enjoyed food more. There really is a wealth of flavours out there that can get overlooked of you solely rely on meat for taste. Recently, I decided to make as much of my food as I could from scratch and started off small by buying a couple of different spice jars per week. I have quite a good collection now and I'm actually rather proud of myself for achieving this small goal.

Now onto the recipe;

INGREDIENTS

• 3 Bell peppers (I used 2 red and 1 orange), sliced
• 1 red onion, Diced
• 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 1 radish, sliced 
• 1 packet of buffalo mozzarella, thickly chopped
• 1 pre-rolled puff pastry sheet
• 1 teaspoon of dried chillies
• 1 teaspoon of dried mixed herbs
• 1 teaspoon of dried paprika
• crushed black peppercorns
• 2 tablespoons of tomato puree
• 2 tablespoons of green pesto

METHOD

• Pre-heat the oven to 180oC 
• On a baking tray, roll out the puff pastry sheet and add the tomato puree.
• Use the back of a spoon to evenly spread the puree and make sure to leave an inch-wide boarder on the pastry. This lets it rise.
• Once puree is spread, use the green pesto to add small dollop's around the pastry.
• Sprinkle the crushed garlic onto the pastry.
• Start to arrange the peppers, onion, radish and tomato's onto the pastry.
• Add the mozzarella and the spices/herbs.
• Top off with a quick drizzle of good quality olive oil.

• Put baking tray into the oven and cook for approx 15 minutes.

• Keep an eye on the pastry throughout

• Once cooked, slice into quarters and serve with side salad. Enjoy.

Reader's Block

Writer's block is a well known syndrome amongst us, it is an irritating condition that toys with our minds and prevents us from doing what we usually find oh so simple to do. It is predominantly defined as a condition in which an author and/or writer loses the ability to produce new work. The severity of this can be vast, from minor difficulty at a current assignment or, on the other end of the spectrum, writers giving up their careers altogether as they have had a mental 'block' for years.
As yet I have been fortunate enough to only endure to lesser of this problem. I can't imagine how dreadful it must be to have your passion, your hobby, your love even cruelly snatched away from you.

However, this post is about something in relation to writer's block, a mirroring torment of sorts. It's reader's block and it's an exasperating evil that's currently plaguing my life and preventing me from partaking in my most essential skill. Usually, I go through phases in which I need to read everything in sight - this includes those leaflets that come in Paracetamol boxes - to mild periods in which I take a much needed break to recharge my mental batteries. It has been four months now and I have a pile of a dozen books on my dressing table, unread and gathering dust. I have tried copious amounts of times to read the first couple of chapters of said books but my attempts seem fruitless. Basically I read them and absorb nothing at all and need to re-read almost every paragraph. Not normal. The situation is manifesting itself so I'm finding myself watching television and barely understanding the plot of most programmes. I wonder why this happens? Do any of you, my readers, have any problems like this one?

Since inheriting this from my Mother, reading has become one of the biggest parts of my life in which I profusely enjoy. Its quite amusing to think of the many people who give up reading books once they leave school or university. It became too studious for them to enjoy and only saw as a learning task, however, I only really started to experiment with my reading material when I left uni. I used to play it safe and focus on easy reading, chick lit, trilogies and the like. Now having read some classics and material from a much more niche market, I can say that variety really is the spice of life.

Hopefully, this reader's block will burn itself out and I can once again get back to my passion. I can only think that it must be suppressed stress that is causing this delay and if I find a solution, I will definitely be posting it here. For the time being though, writing and working on this blog is sure helping me from falling into a no-novel induced withdrawal.

(images via GoogleImages and csebastian)