Favourite songs of 2016...

1. Night Drive Loneliness by Garbage

2. Ten Miles High by Roisin Murphy 

3. All That Matters by Hannah Peel

4. Told You I'd Be With the Guys by Cherry Glazerr

5. Doing it to Death by The Kills

6. Bodies by Philco Fiction

7. This is War by All Saints

8. Doing the Right Thing by Daughter

9. Consideration by Rihanna

10. In God's House by Bat For Lashes

What I got for Christmas...

Hope you all had a lovely Christmas if you celebrate. I had a lovely time and spent the day eating, laughing and playing games with family. Every year I do a post showing the presents I got so here's what I got this year...

I got some new boots by the brand Blowfish, some Lush bath bombs, a Marvel mug, some dvd's including Ghostbusters, an Ursula Tsum Tsum, some pyjamas and fluffy socks,Giant Days volume 2 (can't wait to read this!), Carrie Brownsteins memoir and a box of Lindor.

As you can probably tell I love coffee! I got some Tassimo pods, and a Bodum french press coffee maker with some Costa and Starbucks coffee to use in it. I also got some fancy popcorn and Lindt chocolate :)

My sister got me a bag of M&M cookies from an American seller at the Good Food Show and they look so good!

I got this beautiful Bad Wolf bracelet (which is from Etsy) and I love it

I also got the Harley Quinn Rock Candy figure to add to my collection and some goodies from one of my favourite Etsy shops Oh Gosh Cindy

Books! Quite a few of these I got with Christmas money- I am very excited about the Ghosts From Our Pasts book- it's the book Erin and Abbey had written in the new Ghostbusters film and I didn't know there was a real version of it! :)

Two beautiful graphic novels I am very excited to read and a My Little Pony colouring book!

And finally I got a Himalayan salt lamp. It gives a really beautiful gentle amber light and it is supposed to help purify the air. 

Favourite comics & graphic novels I've read in 2016...

Black Canary Vol. 1

Batman: Hush

Paper Girls Vol. 2

The Unbelievable Gwenpool Vol. 1

The Death-Ray

Lumberjanes Vol. 1

Jonesy Vol. 1

Catwoman: When in Rome

Saga Vol. 6

Limbo

Zodiac Starforce

Patsy Walker A.K.A Hellcat!

A note about Carrie Fisher...

I felt like I just needed to write a brief post about my admiration for Carrie Fisher and my sadness at her passing. 

I'm not much of a Star Wars fan (although I really need to get round to watching them as I'm sure I would be) but Carrie was a hero for me for another reason. She helped me realise and come to terms with having bipolar disorder. When a doctor first mentioned it to me in my early twenties that I had described symptoms of the illness I went home and googled it. I found a documentary Stephen Fry had made called The Secret Life of the Manic Depressive. Carrie was on there talking in her usual warm and witty way about having the illness. That was the moment I realised I had it- everything all of a sudden made sense and I wasn't as scared. Carrie was proof that you could have bipolar and lead a full and fun life. 

Carrie has always been very open about her mental illness and has helped to break down the stigma surrounding it. She is clever, funny, talented, has written some amazing books, and I have always loved and respected her for her ability to be herself and not apologise or be ashamed. She is a true hero and has helped so many including myself in accepting my bipolar disorder.

RIP.

'In her final column, she was asked for advice on how to handle living with bipolar disorder. Her closing line from this has been widely shared as a poetic final message from one of Hollywood’s most outspoken legends. “Move through those feelings and meet me on the other side,” she told the letter writer, “as your bipolar sister, I’ll be watching.”

[Five ways Carrie Fisher fought back against mental health stigma here]

Lately... December

Christmas is my favourite time of year and I love it when the tree is up and twinkling in the corner.

I had an essay due for uni the week before Christmas and was hugely relieved when I finished it as it stressed me out a lot!

I'm also pleased to say I went back to work last week after having to take some time out because of my health. It's been good to get back into a routine. 

After doing some late night Christmas shopping we got some nutella doughnuts and they were bloody delicious!

We always have one of these in the house in December

This angel on top of my Mum's Christmas tree is as old as I am, she's looking a bit worse for wear...

I treated myself to some fancy chocolate :)

Christmas morning carnage!

Some of the amazing presents I got. I'll probably do a separate post

So this is my last lately post of the year and I wanted to share some of my favourite and most popular posts from this blog in 2016...

1. Mental health and my comfort zone (here)

2. Having a mental illness and staying positive (here)

3. 15 Random questions tag (here)

4. Bipolar awareness day (here)

5. A trip to Cardiff (here)

6. The Doctor Who Experience (here)

7. Rock Candy Batgirl & Wonder Woman figures (here)

8. A trip to Devon (here)

9. May reading round up (here)

10. Geeky haul (here)

11. Free Comic Book Day 2016 (here)

12. Panic: dealing with anxiety (here)

13. Indie brand: Snikt and Bamf (here)

14. 20 facts about me (here)

15. Current music picks (here)

Lastly, thanks to everyone who stops by and reads my blog x

My favourite films of 2016....

Ghostbusters

The Conjuring 2

The Nice Guys

The Revenant

Spotlight

Captain America: Civil War

Doctor Strange

Arrival

The Hateful Eight

Honorary mention to The Lobster which was my favourite film I watched this year but was released last year!

Favourite books I've read in 2016...

Yes Please! by Amy Poehler

The Hidden Girl by Louise Millar

How to Build a Girl by Caitlin Moran

The Widow by Fiona Barton

Nomad by Alan Partridge

In a Dark Dark Dark Wood by Ruth Ware

Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng

Nod by Adrian Barnes

Bossypants By Tina Fey

The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware

The Bones of You by Debbie Howels

Eileen by Otessa Moshfegh

Favourite single issue comic covers of 2016...

Mental health and christmas time...

Christmas can be a very stressful time of year. If you are dealing with a mental illness then it can be particularly hard. 

Christmas can be lovely- all the presents, food, decorations, chocolate, family but it can also get too much. It can be a particularly lonely time of year for some, and although I love Christmas the shops and markets are a no go for me as it brings on my anxiety. I wanted to write a post for anyone out there who is struggling right now and is unsure where to turn. Below is a list of contact details for organisations which are there to help. Whether you just need someone to talk to, advice, or you are contemplating harming yourself please contact one of the below numbers and DO NOT SUFFER ALONE. 

Please know that you are not alone in this. There are so many people who are feeling the same as you and you should not go through this by yourself. As much as it's hard to see sometimes, things will get better and you can get through this. The people below will not judge you, they will listen, support and help you through this. So please take that step and reach out. 

CALM is the Campaign Against Living Miserably, aimed at young men feeling unhappy. It has a web chat service, and freephone phone lines. You can find its website here.

MIND is an organisation that aims to make sure nobody has to face a mental health problem by themselves. You can find its website here. The MIND infoline is 0300 123 3393.

It's an old cliche perhaps to call a Samaritan, but then The Samaritans do such wonderful work. You can talk to them around the clock on 08457-90-90-90.

PAPYRUS is a group that supports teenagers and young adults who are feeling suicidal. You can call them on 0800 068 4141.

The Depression Alliance can help those around you gain a better understanding of what depression is, and how it affects you. It has a directory of support groups around the country, here.

Students Against Depression's website is full of resources and information. It's just as useful for those worried about a friend as it is if you're facing depression yourself.

Maytree supports people feeling suicidal, but in a non-medical setting. Its website is here.

SANE offer support for anyone struggling with their mental health. You can call them on 0300 304 7000 (4.30pm- 10.30pm daily) or find their website here for other means of contact.

Bipolar UK are a great organisation for those dealing with bipolar. You can call them on 0333 323 3880 or go here to get their contact email and other information.

Shell... My email address button is right there on the side bar so if you are struggling or need someone to talk to then send me an email and I will respond as soon as I can.

If you have any other organisations that are useful let me know and I will add them to the list.

Wherever you are and whatever you are doing stay safe this Christmas and look after yourselves x

Pink Parcel December 2016...

 Pink Parcel is a 'luxury period subscription box' that sends you a monthly supply of tampons and/or pads and a selection of treats including tea, something sweet and other goodies.

I forgot to take a picture of the rest of the box but you can check back at any of my previous Pink Parcel posts to see the rest of the contents.

December's edition of Pink Parcel also came with the latest issue of Look magazine that I forgot to picture! So lets see what I got.... 

The Vintage Cosmetics Company Blemish Wand... Not something I would ever buy as I don't tend to really get spots and also it looks a little scary!
BRYT Pink parcel Socks... I love socks and I think it's a great idea to include something cosy in the December box. I love it when they include something a little different.
Simple Candles Co scent melt in Fireside... I'm always happy to receive anything candle related :)
Jewellery Box Sterling Silver Bow Earrings... I'm not much of a fan of dainty jewellery but I like that they are silver and they are small enough that I can wear them to work.
Squirrel Sisters Cacao Orange Raw Snack Bar... Another month another raw cacao item. Boooo!
Amie New Leap Deep Pore Exfoliator... Always happy to recieve skincare and will definitely give this a try.
Mudmasky Facial Detox Purifying Recovery Mask... Face masks are always a win with me.
Fudge Kitchen Gingerbread Fudge Dipper... I'm not a fan of ginger so I'll give this to someone who is.
Lola's Apothecary Clementine Calamity... I don't drink tea so I've already passed this onto someone who'll appreciate it!

Overall this box was a bit hit and miss for me. I loved about half the stuff and the other half I won't have much use for. My favourites this month have to be the socks and two skincare items. 

Geeky Christmas clothing picks...

Batman Christmas jumper £21.99 here

Home Alone Christmas t shirt £5.99 here

Sailor Moon Christmas jumper £11.84 here

Die Hard Christmas jumper £11.84 here

Stranger Things Christmas t shirt £19.99 here

Recently watched...

The Ones Below (2015)

'After giving birth to her first child, a woman starts to believe that her downstairs neighbors have sinister intentions.'

This was a decent enough thriller but It was like a million other thrillers I've seen, there wasn't really anything original here. 2.5/5

Arrival (2016)

'Linguistics professor Louise Banks leads an elite team of investigators when gigantic spaceships touch down in 12 locations around the world. As nations teeter on the verge of global war, Banks and her crew must race against time to find a way to communicate with the extraterrestrial visitors. Hoping to unravel the mystery, she takes a chance that could threaten her life and quite possibly all of mankind.'

I really enjoyed this a lot, this film offered a totally different take on the alien invasion film with a very human story that I wasn't expecting. I really enjoy this directors work and this is his most epic film yet but he doesn't pull back on the intensity and trippiness of his previous films. 4/5

Doctor Strange (2016)

'After his career is destroyed, a brilliant but arrogant surgeon gets a new lease on life when a sorcerer takes him under his wing and trains him to defend the world against evil.'

There are so many superhero films being released lately I was pleased that Doctor Strange offered a new take on the genre with a hero with a difference. The visual effects in this film were brilliant and watching Doctor Strange fully suited up on the big screen was exciting. 4/5

Louis Theroux: My Scientology Movie (2016)

'Following a long fascination with the religion and with much experience in dealing with eccentric, unpalatable and unexpected human behaviour, Theroux won't take no for an answer when his request to enter the Church's headquarters is turned down. Inspired by the Church's use of filming techniques, and aided by ex-members of the organisation, Theroux uses actors to replay some incidents people claim they experienced as members in an attempt to better understand the way it operates. In a bizarre twist, it becomes clear that the Church is also making a film about Louis Theroux. Suffused with a good dose of humour and moments worthy of a Hollywood script, MY SCIENTOLOGY MOVIE is stranger than fiction.'

I love Louis Theroux and I loved this. A lot of fun and also a scary insight into scientology this was a great watch. I highly recommend! 4/5

You Beauty December 2016...

You Beauty is a bit different to other beauty subscription boxes in that it lets you choose which items you get. From a monthly selection you can either get 2 items for £6.95, 3 items for £8.95 or 4 for £10.95 (all include postage). I always go for the 2 items as they always chuck in some extras as well.

Here's what I got in my December box...

Firstly the two items I chose...

Nails Inc nail polish in Holland Walk (full size)... I love deep red and purple nail polishes so this was an instant pick for me as it's a perfect plummy mix between the two. This is exactly the kind of colour I love to wear around Christmas time and put it on straight away.

Jurlique Rosewater Balancing Mist (15ml)... I've been really into skincare lately and this facial mist is supposed to refresh and enliven skin and senses. I also love anything rose scented so I'm looking forward to trying this.

The extras were a spray sample of Narciso Eau De Parfum and a discount code for Feel Unique (YOUBEAUTYBOX for 15% off if you want to use it). The extras this month were very meh but I love both items I chose and there was a great selection this month.

Just a post about instagram...

As previously mentioned I've been struggling with my mental health lately and have found Instagram to be a great little boost of self care. I've been trying to post at least one picture a day to my account of something nice or cute that has made me smile. I've been really enjoying taking random pictures and looking back at comforting things. If you want to give me a follow you can find me here. Also let me know your accounts as I love finding new people to follow too:)