The little things

As I'm sure the last thing anyone needs is more whining about snow, I have decided on a more positive post for today (I'll save the weather rants for tomorrow, when I've actually attempted travel). 

At the risk of sounding a total Pollyanna, here are some of the little things that cheer me up on grey days:

...I'm such a girl

1. My purple umbrella (yes, that's what that odd cylindrical thing is). I got it from M&S years ago and still enjoy surrounding my head with colour when it's raining. 

2. My favourite socks (not all pictured). For some reason, a lot of my favourite socks have animals on them. The pink pig ones are my absolute favourites at the moment. Who could be gloomy wearing those?

3. My most colourful scarf. Knitted by my mother, with enough colours in it to go with anything. Also very warm, which is much appreciated at the moment!

4. Nail polishes. Somewhat hypocritical of me to include these, as I still haven't got around to repainting my nails despite a weekend of doing precisely nothing, but they snuck in anyway. I'm quite tempted to go straight back to blue, actually...

5. Books! I'm still devouring My Name Is Red on my train journeys (and often my bus journeys as well, although that's more risky), but I've included its precedents. Norwegian Wood was amazing, and Year Of The Flood was the sequel I didn't know I was looking for, so I'm pretty pleased with my choices! I can live without books, but it feels like something's missing (similar to music). Wedged in between irritable commuters for half an hour, reading is time travel!

6. Magazines! (Under there somewhere... You can just see Carey Mulligan peeking out.) I read these much, much slower than books, but they still never seem to last. My chosen field of work, so yeah... I read quite a lot of them. Can't say I find it a chore, though!

7. Jewellery. Man, I love shiny things. (This isn't a fraction of my collection - most of it's still in Scotland, and I have to admit I miss it.)

8. My iPod. No, it's not a shiny new touch-screen thingamabob with bells and whistles, but it compensates with a very decent battery life, and as all I want it for is music, that's fine by me! Currently playing quite a lot of Christmas carols (it's time!).

9. Crafts (represented by my pincushion). I really like making things! Not much of a seamstress yet, but I'll get there. I really like being able to fix my own belongings, though. In my university days, my sewing kit did sterling service. Make do and mend!

10. Make-up (there are a few representatives dotted around the place). I'm not really into heavy make-up (I hope... this is one of those areas where you set your own standards) but I do like a bit of colour, especially on grey days! This winter, I have turned to blusher to make me look alive. Sometimes, make-up is the enemy, as demonstrated by the whole Black Lipstick Affair (as it shall now be known), but on the whole I like the way it makes every day a little bit special.

What little things cheer you up?

On the subject of cheeriness... We've had an email telling us that our video journalism teacher has been struck down by flu, and what with the weather and everything, those of us who do want to turn up to Journalism School tomorrow should leave it until noon, at least, and phone up ahead of time to make sure there's actually someone there to have unlocked. The rest of the week may be similar. Exciting times!

Sad person that I am, I actually want to go in tomorrow, as I really need to get all the filming for my VJ project done. Whether I manage or not remains to be seen... It'll be good to be able to clock off at my own discretion, though, as my mother is coming down tomorrow! I really hope she makes it, although she is the sort of person to initiate a spontaneous sing-song on a stranded train so I'm sure she'll be fine whatever happens. I do very much want to see her, though!

Right, that's quite enough blogging for now. Time for bed, methinks.

Goodnight, and I hope no one gets stranded/snowed in/eaten by wolves!