LIFE EDIT: MARCH
Busy. That is the one word I would use to describe the month of March. I felt so rushed off my feet that I was not too surprised when I ended up being ill for the last few days of the month. But thankfully March was not all bad. It was jam-packed with fun days and a few meh days. I guess my body just wasn't used to being that active seeing as how much of an introvert I am at heart. So, let me take this time to clue you in on what went down last month.
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#FEMINIST TAKEOVER
First up, I was kindly invited to the Feminist Takeover event that took place in Manchester Art Gallery on the 5th of March by no other than Emily. It was a fabulous way to spend a Wednesday evening. There were a number of thought-provoking performance pieces and very cool pieces of art work that highlighted the very topical issue of Feminism and the works of some very talented female artists in the area. I do not know much about art at all but one thing that did strike me as quite odd was the shockingly low number of famous female artists I did know of. The night was not only fun but quite educational. And although I did not catch all of the acts, I was glad I got to see as much as I did that night and hope there will be more events like this in the future. One of my favourite performances of that evening was the one by the Mighty Heart- 'When I feel Like Crap, I Google Kim Kardashian Fat'. Let's just say I could relate to some the answers a bunch of women gave to questions asked in magazines. I am thinking of doing a more in depth post on this so keep an eye out if you are interested in finding out more.
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FIRST AID TRAINING
You are now reading the blog of a semi-recently qualified first aider...at work. I was appointed to be the new female first aider for my office which required me attending a 3 day First Aid at Work training course. I am not going to lie I was slightly nervous about the whole thing but it turns out I did not need to be. I actually enjoyed it. Well, enjoyed might be the wrong word to use as I got completely freaked out by the number of injuries and ailments out there that I ended up over analysing people and their "symptoms" for days, poised and ready to whip out my first aid box. But in all seriousness if you do have the opportunity to do this course or one like it I say take it. It cannot hurt to know a little something about these things.
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STORYTELLING
As I mentioned earlier, I had the opportunity to interview a few artists and will be sharing their answers on here as part of my And that's My Story series I created late last year. Storytelling is something I love to do as I am sure some of you are aware - whether I am any good at it is another question haha. And getting the chance to learn a bit about the stories of other people have (and are willing) to tell is something I grab hold of with both hands as I love hearing about the differences and similarities between us all, no matter how subtle they are. I hope you all enjoy reading their entries as I much as I did. I cannot wait to share them with you!
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HEALTHY LIFESTYLE
My workout routine was a bit touch and go this month. I normally workout 4-5 days a week but that slowly declined towards the end of the month. And my diet? Wowza! Let's just call March a cheat month. Haha okay, it wasn't that bad but I did struggle with making healthier food choices more than usual. I did get my hands on a copy of Deliciously Ella's cookbook a while ago in the hopes that it would widen my repertoire of healthy recipes but I got lazy and into a bit of a rut and reached for the custard creams instead of a fruit bowl. It seems I still have quite a bit to work on regarding the relationship between food and my mood swings especially when it's that time of the month... *attempts to reach for carrot sticks and a dollop of peanut butter with a strained smile*.
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CHECKING IN WITH FRIENDS
Caught up with quite a few friends this month that I had not seen in a while which was great. Of course we did this over food which did not help with the healthy eating but I still do not care because the food was delicious. It has been amazing seeing how far we've come and how much we've changed over the years. And I am grateful that we are all still here for each other whatever the weather. March did not fail to remind me of the importance of communication, patience and the art of being there for people whether they want/need you to be there or not. It is so easy to get wrapped up in your own world of joy, pain, peace, loneliness & such and forget that others are also going through something no mater how happy they appear. And whilst it is very important for you to take time out and tend to yourself, I think it is also equally important to make a conscious effort to lend an ear, shoulder, hand and other acts of kindness to those around us.
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HUNT & DARTON CAFE
Got to say, celebrating Christmas in March is one of the best things I have done this year. On the 25th the Hunt & Darton girls set up shop near Piccadilly station for the Manchester SICK! Festival where they served food and drinks with a different theme each day. I swung by the café with a couple of colleagues from work and had a grand ol' time. Sweets were flowing, a Christmas themed "pub" quiz was under-way and the customers were as interactive as the store owners. And with the menu for that fateful Wednesday I opted to get a bacon buttie which may not seem Christmas-y but trust me, when I took that first bite I heard those Christmas bells ringing. It was sooo good. And I have it on good authority that the Roast Dinner sandwich - both the nut and turkey filling - was very yummy. I will have a more detailed post on this lovely café as I do have quite a few more pictures to share.
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