Today I turn 29! I'm not massively into my own birthday, I much prefer celebrating other peoples and giving gifts, but I do enjoy getting to see my family and loved ones. For something different this year I thought I'd share 28 things I've learnt in the last year, some daft, some not so, but all new to me. So, here goes....
1) I really, really love BBQ sauce. Specifically Red's Unholy BBQ sauce. For some reasons I was convinced that I didn't like BBQ sauce but ended up trying a little bit at some point, and I fell in love. It is soooo good. Red's Unholy BBQ sauce is also vegan, so extra awesome points to them! Gimme it in pasta sauce, with fries, on pizza, with onion rings and cheese, mmmmmm.
2) There are some (not many still) but some retailers who do actually size women's shoe styles in a size 10. This year is going to be all about shoes!
3) That I still think peppers are the grossest thing ever, and I definitely won't ever not hate them. Their skin feels like flesh to me, they creep me out so bad.
4) That I can blog 3 times a week, every week, and not just because I'm forcing myself to write and shoving filler on my blog. I've really worked on my blog this year and am really proud of how far it's come. My aim is to carry on in the same vein for the next year too.
5) That Twitter is my favourite social media platform. I'm on it every day and I love it. I've met so many inspiring people because of it and learnt so much about myself and how to love myself because of the people on it. It's made me more focused and more political. You can follow me @kittyrambles
6) To embrace my height more! I've always swayed away from heels, at 5ft 11 I always felt self conscious in them. I'm probably going to write a whole blog about wearing heels and being tall.
7) That I cannot help but either think that something is just 'ok', or become completely besotted with it. I always end up super obsessed with my interests and get so into them. I never just like things a little bit! I still play PokemonGO every day...
8) That how much I fancy Freddy Flintoff is actually quite inappropriate. I am quite inappropriate.
9) That I cry at everything, and that's ok. I'm a hyper emotional person and I feel other people's feelings so much. I cried for half an hour the other day watching How To Train Your Dragon 2, and I am banned from watching any kind of programmes about vets.
10) That buying good, comfortable pants is an absolute must, and I really have to do better at this. Wearing bad pants all day is not OK!
11) That having my photo taken by someone else really isn't that traumatic, and that I can love photos of myself, even ones I haven't taken. My blog has forced me to be photographed by people other than myself, and it's been liberating.
12) That pink or colourful hair feels much more me than my natural hair colour. I feel so much more confident with my brightly coloured ombre hair!
13) That I really suck at wrapping gifts. It generally ends up looking like I've done it with my eyes closed and my hands behind my back.
14) That I have to have really hardcore cases on my phone, or I will smash the screen. No pretty cases for me, only the mega bulky ones to protect them from my clumsiness. Two screens this year. FFS.
15) To stop saying sorry so much. I used to apologise for everything, from a genuine mistake to the weather not being what someone wanted. I apologised for everything, whether in my control or not. This is a direct result of the relationship I was in before I met my husband, and something I need to continue to work on. Things that aren't in my control are not my fault, and I don't have to say sorry.
16) That there are never enough purple lipsticks. I need every shade ever.
17) That as pretty and cool looking as they are, square plates and bowls are a pain in the arse and do not fit in a dishwasher properly. Stick to round ones if you want them to fit!
18) Also, never ever buy scatter-back sofas. They will never look as good as the day you got them, and you will spend your life fluffing pillows and trying to make them look good again. I regret buying scatter-backs so much.
19) That while we have successfully trained Ashen out of his fear of jumping (yes really), his fear of the tight rope at the local park knows no bounds.
Ashen, the clearly terrible rottweiler who is very concerned whenever his human's feet leave the ground.
20) That when I talk to any and all animals I do a ridiculous voice that I don't even know I'm doing. I only know I'm doing it because my youngest step son now also does the same voice when he talks to animals... oops.
21) I will never get tired of spicy chips with cheese and garlic mayo. Nom.
22) And that I will never understand why Stu thinks cheese on chips is basically sacrilege. It's awesome!
23) That I am officially an adult because getting a new kitchen is the most exciting thing that's happened in ages!
24) That getting a new kitchen is also really stressful but will be so so worth it to be rid of our seventies nightmare that is literally held together with sellotape.
25) That maybe 40 succulents or cacti might be about the limit when it comes to our house. Because all the window sills are kind of full and maybe I should calm it down a little bit. Obsessed.
26) That cognitive behavioural therapy can be completely life changing. It was for me! I went from panic attacks whenever I was going to a social situation, or just avoiding them whatsoever, to feeling brave enough to walk into a pub on my own (providing that I know people who are already in it!). It's been incredible and I am so grateful that I found a therapist who 'got' me and helped me so much.
27) That 3 cats is the perfect amount of cats.
28) That sometimes life really does work out how you dream of it.
Because I got that beautiful long haired man, and I got the giant rescue puppy dog Ashen. I'm so lucky.
Happy birthday me!
Much love,
Kitty xxxx
