Ive got no motivation (and even though I can not say that without the Greenday song dancing around my head) this lack of motivation is not helping with my blog posts!!
*What blog posts??? hahaha
I would like to say I have been super busy trying to change the world or training for a marathon - however that would be lying!! Ive spent more or less this past month trying to sort out the families financial situation seen as the other half is now unemployed due to his ill health! Entering competitions (for a change), battling with my ears and the ENT Docs (for a change!), helping kids with their homework (both have huge projects due in within 2 weeks). I have also been signing up to Uni after finally coming to a massive decision about my career!
So in a quick round up - being doing well with my competitions - won quite a lot this month (Feel free to check out the specific page on this blog dedicated to my wins!) had to sell quite a few of the prizes so I can afford clothes for the kids. But I have had some nice beauty treats which I have kept because like any other girl I like to have a bit of a pamper every now and again. I'm now trying to win a few things to put away for Christmas! I know that it is months away but unless my lotto numbers come up it will be a huge struggle financially - if I can win a few things to stash away and wrap up in December I am sure my purse would be grateful. So fingers crossed I will have a few more wins - I got a £10 cheque this morning so I am hoping it is a sign of things to come!
The financial situation is too boring to explain and I will end up going on a rant about the economic climate and current affairs - but slowly we are battling agencies and government policies to try and stay alive.
My ears are even more boring to talk about but its a massive part of me so I am not going to spare the details - since November 2012 they have been leaking that yucky gunk! Well finally they have just stopped piling me with Anti-biotics and drops and have changed their tune. Apparently it is mucus which is leaking from my ears - so I am now on an intensive course of flushing out my nasal passages for 6 weeks to see if this helps? At the moment it is painful on my sinus' and does not seem to be working on the wet lugs - but its early days and I want to give it a fair shot! In general my hearing is rubbish and sometimes even with my aids in sounds are muffled and can be difficult to understand! It is so depressing when it is constant and the hospital just seem to shrug it off as it is nothing. Would they like gunk dripping from their ears for 6 months? Probably not so why do they seem to think that it is nothing to me??
Oh and saved the most important update for last - IVE SIGNED UP TO UNI!! Again - and at the moment it is only Open University but I have studied with them before and am happy to have another couple of years with them whilst I try to sort out a degree! Because them I am going to a local Uni to do my PGCE which is Post Graduates Certificate of Education! I want to be a teacher! Well always wanted to be a teacher but life happened and circumstances told me otherwise! Well now since I have been volunteering with my daughters school I have realised how fulfilling and rewarding I find it so I figured why not reach for the stars and get my degree!!
So in a nutshell you have the reasons I have been absent from here for a while. I am sure I will add more updates on Uni and my ears in the future - I will also pick up my A-Z of dislikes when I get the chance!!
Showing posts with label books. Show all posts
Showing posts with label books. Show all posts
Monday, 1 July 2013
Saturday, 23 February 2013
My reading so far.... 26 books in 2013
26 books so far (23rd Feb)
I love reading and have done since I was little, I was once told by my paternal Grandma that I used to wait for my dad to come home from work so I could pinch his newspaper to read - I was 2!
Since then I have moved onto 'proper books' and enjoy a wide variety of genres. To fund this addiction I make the most of my local library, where I live there is a function to log online and reserve books free of charge. This means I don't have to spend hours walking around with my neck to one side as I browse the titles on the shelves. Don't get me wrong I love browsing books but it can be a bit repetitive week in week out. But now I just log onto http://www.goodreads.com/ and check out my recommendations then reserve them online at the library.
Yeah I might have to wait for the latest releases, but I can always do research on which books I would like to read which are similar and then try another author in the meantime, and this way I still get to have a book to hand without it costing any money.
I feel odd without a book on the go, even more odd when I have not got any on my 'to read shelf'. Am I the only reader who feels like this?...
Sunday, 10 February 2013
Update positive, competition wins and puppies!
It has not all been doom and gloom however.
On the competitions side I have had some joy because the other day I received 2 parcels and was notified about 2 wins. All in the same day!! I got some fantastic nail varnish through a blog and some herbal botanics cream which looks to be amazing stuff. And I am still waiting on £100 love2shop vouchers being delivered and some erotic fiction. It is these wins like these which give you incentive to keep entering more competitions whilst crossing your fingers that one day the 'Big Prize' will come my way.
I do update my competition win page when I receive a prize so as soon as my new wins come my way I will be adding to that list!!
On another note we are getting a puppy. I did mention this on the post I wrote on my birthday, but now they have been born. It is my mums dog which is a mixed breed spaniel type heinz 52 pooch and on the 5th Feb she delivered 4 healthy puppies. Although times are tough we believe another dog will help Cherry the pooch we already have, and the kids adore animals so in a couple of months we will have a new baby to add to the household. (The hardest thing is choosing which one to get because they are all so incredibly cute!!)
There are a few people who have mentioned in passing that we must be silly to get another dog when we are going through a tough time. But it means to afford it I need to cut down on my smoking, this will be hard but worth it for the kids and my health. I firmly believe pets are a benefit to children and a household, and because my ears are so bad I always feel reassured that I have a furry friend to help me out when someone is at the door or the kids are shouting me! (A doorbell on legs! someone said the other day!)
When I have photos and other news on this new addition then I will do another post!! But I am like a big kid and so excited!
On the competitions side I have had some joy because the other day I received 2 parcels and was notified about 2 wins. All in the same day!! I got some fantastic nail varnish through a blog and some herbal botanics cream which looks to be amazing stuff. And I am still waiting on £100 love2shop vouchers being delivered and some erotic fiction. It is these wins like these which give you incentive to keep entering more competitions whilst crossing your fingers that one day the 'Big Prize' will come my way.
I do update my competition win page when I receive a prize so as soon as my new wins come my way I will be adding to that list!!
On another note we are getting a puppy. I did mention this on the post I wrote on my birthday, but now they have been born. It is my mums dog which is a mixed breed spaniel type heinz 52 pooch and on the 5th Feb she delivered 4 healthy puppies. Although times are tough we believe another dog will help Cherry the pooch we already have, and the kids adore animals so in a couple of months we will have a new baby to add to the household. (The hardest thing is choosing which one to get because they are all so incredibly cute!!)
There are a few people who have mentioned in passing that we must be silly to get another dog when we are going through a tough time. But it means to afford it I need to cut down on my smoking, this will be hard but worth it for the kids and my health. I firmly believe pets are a benefit to children and a household, and because my ears are so bad I always feel reassured that I have a furry friend to help me out when someone is at the door or the kids are shouting me! (A doorbell on legs! someone said the other day!)
When I have photos and other news on this new addition then I will do another post!! But I am like a big kid and so excited!
Saturday, 19 January 2013
Instant Happy!!
ANOTHER LUCKY WIN!
If you read my last post then you will see I nearly missed out on a prize. This was because the competition was on Facebook and I missed the original post where I was named as the winner. It was only by a stroke of luck I caught my name on the last day I could claim the book!
I received the book this morning from Publishers Group UK and am so pleased with it. I love reading and this book is full of 10 second attitude makeover quotes.
My favourites include
"Talk to yourself the way you would talk to someone you love!"
"Angry thoughts make your mind messy!" &
"We're all beautifully different. cherish what makes you YOU!"
This is a useful little book for me because I can be so negative and full of self doubt a lot of the time, which comes from 16 years of depression. I do try to be positive but some days it feels impossible. Maybe now I can get my little book out and inspire my mood and make over my attitude?
Monday, 7 January 2013
Competition addiction and my 1st win in 2013
Like a lot of people whose blogs I follow - I love competitions!
It all began about 10 years ago when my son was little and over this time I have reaped some rewards from it! About 5 years ago I had a super lucky year and won a laptop, £500 Debenhams vouchers, Designer handbags, a bumper collections of books and DVDs etc...
Unfortunately although I am still winning the odd prize I haven't had a massive win since then.
But here we are the 1st week into the year and I have received an email saying i've won a £50 voucher from Shoezone. Who doesn't love shoes??
Now I am sat thinking my luck may be about to change - in the advent competitions I won several books and as a reader I was pleased with this. But we are scrimping every penny at the moment so a treat like this voucher is very much appreciated!
My fave site for finding competitions is www.theprizefinder.com - here they are layed out in a way I can easily select the ones that I want to enter. Plus with the new improved tracking system it is easier than ever to save comps, mark them as read and even add notes to a link! If you have a bad memory like me this is perfect.
I did check www.loquax.co.uk on occasion too - however this site is no longer listing new comps. I still believe the useful and friendly forums are available and it is still a useful website but without regular new listings then it isn't as effective at finding competitions as prizefinder.
Social media is also a fab tool for competitions, especially combined with Rafflecopter. I must admit I am getting to the point with Twitter where I have reached my follow limit - and unless I become mega popular overnight i find myself having to unfollow people I don't want to. I'm debating whether to set up another twitter but following those who follow me because I follow some but i now realise I should follow ALL who follow me.
Potentially that could raise almost ethical questions and I will have to limit myself to just entering a competition using just the one twitter account! - Definitely something to think about!
Any hints / tips or even comping questions please comment - I am by no means an expert but I do know a but from over the years.
It all began about 10 years ago when my son was little and over this time I have reaped some rewards from it! About 5 years ago I had a super lucky year and won a laptop, £500 Debenhams vouchers, Designer handbags, a bumper collections of books and DVDs etc...
Unfortunately although I am still winning the odd prize I haven't had a massive win since then.
But here we are the 1st week into the year and I have received an email saying i've won a £50 voucher from Shoezone. Who doesn't love shoes??
Now I am sat thinking my luck may be about to change - in the advent competitions I won several books and as a reader I was pleased with this. But we are scrimping every penny at the moment so a treat like this voucher is very much appreciated!
My fave site for finding competitions is www.theprizefinder.com - here they are layed out in a way I can easily select the ones that I want to enter. Plus with the new improved tracking system it is easier than ever to save comps, mark them as read and even add notes to a link! If you have a bad memory like me this is perfect.
I did check www.loquax.co.uk on occasion too - however this site is no longer listing new comps. I still believe the useful and friendly forums are available and it is still a useful website but without regular new listings then it isn't as effective at finding competitions as prizefinder.
Social media is also a fab tool for competitions, especially combined with Rafflecopter. I must admit I am getting to the point with Twitter where I have reached my follow limit - and unless I become mega popular overnight i find myself having to unfollow people I don't want to. I'm debating whether to set up another twitter but following those who follow me because I follow some but i now realise I should follow ALL who follow me.
Potentially that could raise almost ethical questions and I will have to limit myself to just entering a competition using just the one twitter account! - Definitely something to think about!
Any hints / tips or even comping questions please comment - I am by no means an expert but I do know a but from over the years.
Sunday, 30 December 2012
My 1st blog - about me
The 1st post!!
All about me;
I am totally new to this blogging malarky - however after looking at other peoples blogs and how much support and fun they seem to have has encouraged me to start my own.
I've called it muffled rants - mainly because my world is muffled. Let me explain - I need to wear hearing aids otherwise I can't hear words. I'm not 100% deaf and can lip read to a degree but telly is a no-go (unless its subtitled) and in general day to day life I can struggle - even with the aids in.
I don't want to just write about my impediment though - there are lots of other things that make me stand out and make me.... well me!!
I love tattoos and piercings and will try to add some photos of my collection as I extend my blog. I read a lot, I crochet, I adore entering competitions (which is why I came across so many amazing blogs!), I enjoy writing, learning about history. I cook and bake, I am a life long chocoholic and coffee-holic!
So that's what I like!
But that's not all - I'm approaching my 30th year (27th January), I've been married for 8 years, I have 2 amazing children (11yr old boy & 8yr old girl) and a pretty fab stepson too (he is 17). Oh best not forget our dog too - we adore dogs in our house!
At the moment I am trying to look for work, obviously the job market isn't as big for me because I am limited. (Noisy environments and lots of telephone calls not an option!) But my hubby is off sick so is willing to take care of the household duties whilst I try to start my career - having had the kids young I put it all on hold.
Thats enough for now I think - I do tend to ramble on when I write! However as I get the hang of this blogging I am sure I will fill people in more. I'm sure you are all very interested. ?!?!
If there is anything you want to know - just leave a comment - any tips on doing this blog thing- leave a comment!! haha
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