From bad to good just like that...

Its a new dawn
Its a new day
Its a new life for meeeeeee...
and I'm feeling good.

I am full of good vibes today.... and do you know why?  Well, my friends... the answer is simply -
NO alcohol. I finally achieved a totally chilled and SOBER weekend, and o do I feel all the better for it! Now, don't get me wrong, I couldn't do this every weekend (as we all know I am a bit of a social butterfly and I do love a good party). However, I have seriously been lacking the odd quiet weekend of no set plans, no alcohol...  and subsequently of that no hangovers! Needless to say, I will definitely be ensuring that I do this much more regularly from now on. I feel so energized! Rarrr.

All I had to think about this weekend was simply what I wanted to do on each of the days.  If that had meant laying in bed all day, than I would have done just that, but with such brilliant sunshine.... all I craved for was to lay down beside the pools of the gorgeous One & Only Hotel and to soak up the summer heat. Just bliss.  I had just one set plan the whole weekend long, which unfortunately, just couldn't be ignored...

It was a follow up appointment to something that had happened to me in back January of this year, and without going in to it, it had been an extremely unexpected and tough time for me. Saying that, I endured through and I am genuinely fine now. However, just to be on the safe side of things... I do just need the odd check up to ensure that I am in fact all good. So I am sure you can all understand that with this appointment looming over me for the past month,  I have understandably been silently panicking  myself over the ''what ifs'' and ''what will I do'' if my check up this weekend doesn't go too well.

And so, I am sorry to say (admit) that with all my silent worrying, I have stupidly taken to smoking again (grrrr stupid, stupid girl!). Not good... and now looking back to last month I wish I had never started again, even if I did have my reasons.  Anyway, the appointment was yesterday and even though I am still waiting on my results... the time to stress and smoke has been. So here we are... Day 1 of no smoking (again). Hmm.
... Actually, to tell you the truth, I really don't feel too bad so far. I think the chilled weekend has made me so relaxed that I quite literally feel as though I could take on the world! Quitting smoking feels like a sinch right about now  and I will do this! (I am fully aware that I will most likely not be feeling like this later today or come tomorrow, but I will take this for the now!)

So for the now... I am going to desperately try to keep this momentum going, and only allow chilled, positive vibes to stay with me...This is going to help me to quit smoking and to also deal with the waiting for the outcome of my appointment. Who knew the wonders of just one relaxed weekend could bring?! I am determined to keep this feeling, and so for the rest of the week,  I will be devoting myself to quiet evenings after work, and no mid - week drinking shenanigans! Instead, I will be indulging in  some rare and stolen me time, and hopefully I will even feel energized enough that even after my 11 hour work days I can finally get back to tackling the gym also. Blimey. This may be a record changing week for me. I wonder if I can make it... no smoking and committing to gym time.....

Wish me luck !

x o x o

Single girl no more..

So here's an update for you all.... I am in a relationship... that sounds rather mature doesn't it. Basically, I am currently no longer the single girl about the city (well at least for now anyways)....

I, myself, am not even sure how this came about. I mean, yes, I was on Tinder. But as we all know, no one ever really expects to meet anyone they actually like on Tinder. Maybe a date here or there, or even a cheeky kiss... but never anything more than that. Well, ladies and gentleman.... surprise, surprise - the darn thing actually works. I am now a Tinder statistic. That's right.. I met the boyfriend on Tinder.

We had been messaging for about 2 weeks before deciding that a date was now clearly in order. So
pushing aside any ''Tinder'' assumptions that we may have already had, we bit the bullet and arranged said date....

The night started of quite promising with drinks at The Observatory Bar - (a sophisticated bar situated on 52nd floor of a Dubai Marina Hotel that showcases panoramic views of the Dubai Marina). However, at some point through the night (when we were both clearly influenced by the alcohol) we decided that our next stop should be the Tecom club-  Rock Bottoms (think dark club, pool tables, old school music and extremely drunken banter from whoever you bump into) .. and so we dived right in and took to playing drinking games whilst gulping down Rock Bottom's famous cocktail - Bullfrogs. Needless to say... I was well and truly drunk.

 

A drunken kiss was shared and we bid our goodnights (extremely drunken good nights), but we did leave the night at that. I woke the next day to feel like I was quite literally dying, the date had been my first drinking experience since completing my ''Dry January'' and now my body was definitely feeling the shock of alcohol running through its system again. It seems the same went for the boy. Therefore we agreed that a hangover day of movies and junk food was required. Obviously.

 

So that was the start of it. We met up later that week and there on continued with our weekly dates... until we made it to official ''relationship'' status. O yes, we all know that moment... the awkward ''are we boyfriend/ girlfriend?'' moment. Someone.... sooner or later will bring it up... and o my... doesn't it just make you feel like you're twelve years old all over again. Still super cute though when that moment comes.

 

That's about it in regards to the update of my new relationship status. I have a boyfriend. We are a few months in now and so I am  over the shock of giving up my single status so...yes, currently I am very much enjoying being with someone again. Aww.

 

Anyway. That's as far as I have to say on this for the moment. But.....on a slightly side note - how fun is it dating in Dubai?!! By the way....this is a rhetorical question, because I already know the answer and the answer is BAGS OF FUN.   I am literally already planning a blog post dedicated  to writing up a list of the top dates to try in Dubai as there is just so much to do.... so watch this space.

 

x o x o 

Letting go of sensible

What's been happening maaaaaate?! Mayhem. That's what...

January saw me sticking to my guns and maintaining a ''Dry January'' (well, pretty much.)

February... therefore was always going to be a month full of drunken catch ups and ultimately just madness. Which it was. That also goes for March, and so far.. for April too!

Thing is, after such an awful start to the year..with some personal things that I had going on, I entered into February basically adamant to put January behind me, and that to do this... all I needed now / wanted to do was to enjoy myself. I was in need of a temporary swap from my responsible, working life for some overdue carefree, random fun instead. So that is exactly what I did.

Don't get me wrong, I didn't just get up and quit everything to become a drinking, partying all hours, no care in the world hippy chick (although that does sound quite appealing to me currently). No, my day -to-day routine was still exactly the same with 11 hour work days (although, I will admit my job commitment was not quite so dedicated after too many nights out in a row but I maintained and struggled my way through, still ensuring that I completed whatever needed to be done). Its not like I completely went off the rails. Its not like that at all. I just let go off sensible for a bit, which I actually think is perfectly healthy to do every so often. And so it began..

A brunch here, a girls night out there... and before long... I had made new friends to go out and socialize with... and so the cycle continued... another brunch, another girls night... and again more friends were made and more parties were had with old and new friends alike. (Hence.. this saw my fun loving February extending into March and still now.. into April).   Ah... I love it though, this really is just another reason why I love this city! Dubai is such a social place...and the majority of us are all away from loved ones and life long friends, resulting in many of us similarly wanting to make new friends in a continual bid to feel settled in our new playing ground. This constant need to socialize mixed with numerous drinking deals and countless bars to choose from makes for a dangerous mix of extended Dubai drinking debauchery!

I really must start to reign my ''sensible'' back in..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

.. Just a few snaps there. Thankfully, I don't normally snap away too much on a night out, I have my moments... but usually I am far too busy sipping on wine or dancing on a bar somewhere..weyyyy

 

So. As you can clearly see,  I have defo turned my 2014 around.. when I think of this year, I will now recall just one big party of new friends, drinking, chatting and ridiculous fun. Amazing. Basically this is how I think my life should be right now at the grand age of 25 years old. An experience... (of course with the added odd responsibility of making my way up that career ladder).

 

Life is sweet.

 

x o x o

 

 



Christmas Catch up...

Ok ok... so I have been incredibly slack with my blog over the past few weeks. Reasons being a mix between taking time in designing my new blog look, being ridiculously busy at work, some rather unexpected personal issues on my mind and more recently... having far too much of a social life... ultimately leaving me with absolutely no time whatsoever to actually write or post to my blog.... However, the good news to this is that I now have rather a lot of posts in need of publishing !

So without any further a due.. let me start from where I left off.....

Flying home for Christmas....

Excited wasn't the word. For the first time in almost two years, I was flying home for a visit... and I couldn't have asked for a more perfect way to spend Christmas! Catching up with all my lovely family and friends in the UK... AND really experiencing Christmas how it should be.... wintery, festive and fun!

No other words are needed... a photo diary of my beautiful Christmas holidays is enough...

 

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As you can see... lots of festive fun was had.

 

There were plenty more drinkies and catch ups with friends had... including some rather drunken bar crawls on Christmas eve... which resulted in a slightly tipsy Jessie for Midnight mass with her family (definitely was in the Christmas spirit that evening... and hugging everyone in the church ... opps!)

 

As always when i visit home, I have such a bloody brilliant time that I spend my holiday wondering why I ever moved away.... I think this is fairly natural when being reunited with loved ones. However, as soon as I was back in Dubai... as much as I miss all my lovelies uber amounts... I am quickly reminded to why I just love living in Dubai.

 

Anyway... Cant wait until my next visit home for more catch ups and silly shennanigans

 

Miss you all

 

x o x o

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hello 2014

 

Hello 2014! So far you have been a little shit bag but that's OK. I forgive you. Now you have had your moment with me, lets put this to rest and make the next 11 months of this year simply amazing....

Pleased to put January behind me, and now moving forward into February... I am ready to get to my blogging ways once more (complete with my new blog look of course).

I have been a busy little girly with holidays, work and of course... my random nights out are always worth a write up, so yes I have lots to catch up on and so I best get''a writing.....(Just as soon as I actually have a quiet night in ) !

For now though.... 2014 may just be another year, but lets make it exciting and full of wonderful memories.... you never quite know what may be around the corner so start saying yes to new adventures. Who knows what you may discover, who you may meet and what opportunities may come your way

x o x o

Tinder Loving

 

In case you don't know...  Tinder is a new ''dating'' app that seems to be taking the world by storm.

Yes. A dating app. Sounds dodgy... I know, BUT it is actually well worth a peek... and even more surprisingly Tinder is rather addictive

To those of you that haven't yet been ''Tindered''..... let me introduce you to the Tinder way...

Lets get straight to the point of it, Tinder is based purely on looks....  it literally lets you decide whether you fancy someone or not by just looking at a few of their piccies...

AND...more importantly, ALL likes are completely confidential, so no one will ever know if you have liked them UNLESS if you have both liked each other... which then makes you a MATCH

If you MATCH with someone, then CONGRATULATIONS.... you like the look of them and they like the look of you... and so Tinder now allows you both to message each other on the online app

The idea here is that you start chatting to your match...and hopefully begin to find out more about them as a person. Its then up to you if you arrange a meet.

...and that's it. That is Tinder.... it really is as simple as that.....

HOW TO SET UP TINDER.....

1. Download ''Tinder'' from your app store on your smart phone

 

2.Open up ''Tinder'' and sign in with your Facebook account details

(don't worry this DOES NOT show up on your Facebook... so thankfully all your family and friends will not be made aware that your having a perv on all the single people in your area!)

3.Click the options menu to find.....
a. Recommendations    
b. Matchmaker   
c .Profile    
d. Settings    
e. Invite Friends

  4. First things first... get your Profile set up...

 5. Now to establish your Settings options...

                   

6. Return to options menu.... you are set up and ready to start using Tinder!

         7. Click ''Recommendations''

This is where the fun begins.... You will now be shown a photo of a potential ''person of interest'' within your area, with this, you will also see their name and their age.


IF you think that you are interested in this person... then you can actually click on their photo.. which will then allow you to see their ''bit about me'', your shared interests on Facebook, if you have any shared friends on Facebook... and more importantly other photos that they may have added...

After you have had enough time to consider this persons pictures.... Return to the main page, by clicking DONE. Finally... it is time for the all important decision making moment... are they buff or are they rough?!

1. Buff... (I want you) = click the green heart
2. Rough... (Hell noooo) = click the red X


That person of interest has now been dealt with in whatever way you chose fit, and now your next potential's photo will appear.... This will continue on and on until you have had enough of looking for suitors at that particular time...


YOU HAVE A MATCH !
 

Just as you are searching through potential profiles.... people will also be searching through yours. So.... when you have liked someone, and they have also liked you.... then Tinder will notify you of your new match....

Now the question is simply... who will message who first?

O... and FYI.... you can have multiple matches... so go ahead.... have a peek... have a flirt... and get going on some dates... why the hell not?

....ps. If when you start chatting away... the potential in question appears to be a complete nutter... then simply all you have to do is BLOCK them

Also... lets remember this is an online app. You don't actually know the people. So if you do get to the point of meeting up... be sensible. Tell someone where your going and meet in a public place.

With all that said... go get yourselves Tindered

x o x o