Things That Make You Go Oooooo (September 2015)

Happy Autumn! Even though it has quite possibly been one of the coldest gloomiest summers here I'm excited about Autumn and all the awesome foods it brings, carrying round a steaming hot beverage in a warm gloved hand is one of my little pleasures, it's strange to think at the beginning of this month I was in Sicily cooling myself down with copious amounts of gelato!

♥ 5 Steps for Creating the Perfect Morning Routine

♥ I recently joined club 30 to so these life lessons Megan shared are certainly something I can relate to

♥ Let Other People See the Awesome Person You Are

♥ So I finally got myself a new fancy iPhone and photography is definitely something I'll be using it for

♥ Total nostalgia reading this post, Today's kids will never know... 

♥ Love this post of how to deal with blog copycats

♥ Why We Get Attached to Fictional Characters

♥ A Punk Rock Approach To Living The Life Of Your Dreams

♥ How to have a happy childhood... as an adult!

♥ I can relate so much to this post on how to be mindful of your nerd life

♥ Loved this post by Gala on how she learned to love exercise, this is definitely something I can relate to as exercise has become a big game changer in my overall health and well-being

♥ I've been asking myself this question a lot lately

♥ Stop hiding behind your Fear of Failure 

♥ When Benevolent Sexism is Mistaken for Female Empowerment

♥ 40 Ways To Live, Laugh, And Love Like A Child

♥ I definitely need to implement a few of these awesome tips onto the blog

♥ To The Women Who Chose Not To Have Kids

♥ Here are some awesome tips for blogging beginners

♥ Something I need to do more of is blogging on the go so these tips will definitely help me out

♥ 5 Tips Every Successful Woman Should Know

Love & Ginger Tea

Cate

xoxo

On Fake Geek Girls & Trolling

The awesome dePepi nominated me for a Free Spirit Award and the topic of discussion was to talk about fake geek girls and trolling which I thought was a really interesting topic and something I've not really spoken about before but have a lot of different feels for so I thought I would use it as a sort or writing exercise, push myself out of the box and get a little personal, so get ready for a random stream of conciousness...

On more that one occasion I have been accused of being a fake geek girl which just seems completely ridiculous to me because why the heck would I spend all my hard earned cash and a very large portion of my life doing something I didn't even really like? Answer I wouldn't and neither would anyone else, life doesn't revolve around you, who made you the geek police and get off my damn lawn!

Growing up I was very much into things like Ghostbusters and superheroes but I also loved fashion and dressing up, these interests are very much a part of who I am now but there was a time that people thought I couldn't be a "real nerd" and be into fashion or beauty and that for some reason I could only like one or the other and it got to the point where I started to get really anxious and depressed and even started to question myself, which looking back now seems completely ridiculous but those comments can really affect you especially when you're growing up and still learning about yourself and trying to find your place in the world.

My knowledge on certain subjects like comic books and movies has been questioned on more than one occasion by some idiot who thinks he rules the world of geekdom, said idiot somehow thinks I only like superheroes because they're hot (not going to lie they are hot and that helps) and I'm only trying to look cool for the boys which makes me laugh because boys I ain't trying to impress no one especially narrow minded idiots who ask stupid questions, you want me you gotta impress me!

Which brings me onto trolling which is something I've never really experienced online. I find it kinda bizarre and stupid, the whole thing of being a dick on the internet just for the sake of being a dick kinda baffles me because why waste your time doing something so pathetic and wasteful when you could be looking up photos of cute puppies or even watching videos of cute puppies and generally doing something more positive and bringing joy to your life and others, positivity is infectious I mean who wants to hang around with someone who is full of doom and gloom and is constantly dragging people down?

Fake geek girls don't exist we can all love the things we love and we don't have to know every little detail about everything and anything to prove ourselves in fact we don't have to prove ourselves to anyone as my queen Peggy Carter says "I know my value. Anyone else's opinion doesn't really matter" so what does it matter if someone is wearing a "Geek" T-shirt but doesn't really know much about the subject what harm are they actually doing? We're all a little geeky about something whether it be comics or nail poilsh or both, you do you and you be happy ♥

Love & Ginger Biscuits

Cate

xoxo

The Free Spirit Award was created by UNOTAKU and Marvelously Mismatched

• Write about the topic your nominator gave you
• Place the Free Spirit Award button somewhere in your post
• Nominate bloggers (no requirements or limitations, so you can nominate just one or 10, or millions)
• Give your nominees a new topic to post about
• Have loads of fun!!!

I'm breaking the rules a little as I can't think of a subject or anyone to nominate so if you like the topic and want to write about it please feel free to do so OR if you have a great subject you want people to write about then feel free to do this and even tag me back if you want to hear my thoughts xoxo

5 Fandom Friday: Pumpkin Items Cannot Wait To Make

For some silly reason pumpkins are not as big a deal here as in America, I mean you'd be lucky to find anything pumpkin spice or pumpkin flavoured in stores although I will admit the pumpkin trend is growing now Starbucks have finally started doing the infamous PSL in U.K. branches I also really enjoyed the pumpkin spice bread they had in stores last year to. Last pumpkin season I took it upon myself to make my own pumpkin treats so this year I'll be doing the same, I have a whole bunch of delicious recipes bookmarked and hopefully I'll share more with you all once I've tested a few out, so onto the nommies....

Vegan Pumpkin Spiced Scones

Pumpkin Quinoa with Pomegranate & Candied Walnuts

Maple Pumpkin Donuts with Spiced Glaze

Vegetarian Pumpkin Curry

Vegan Pumpkin Cinnamon rolls

Check out #Fandom5 creators The Nerdy Girlie & Super Space Chick & join in on the Fandom Friday fun!

Love & Pumpkins

Cate

xoxo

Why I No Longer Eat Meat

I made the choice nearly 5 months ago to give up meat for good. Being a big lover of animals I've been debating my choice of eating meat almost my entire life, there was a time when I was just 5 years old I came home to my parents and said I don't want to eat meat because it's animals and eating animals is mean! A big part of me wishes I was a strong as Lisa Simpson back then and stood my ground but I was eventually forced by the parents back on the meat eating diet and told I need meat to help me grow and get healthy, which of course I know now is completely untrue.

Earlier this year I suffered so much with illness to the point where I could hardly move or eat so I was living on smoothies and soup, I ate a meat free, dairy free diet for a few weeks as I recovered and my life was changed I felt so much healthier and in the process I was educating myself on nutrition and starting my days watching vegan YouTubers create these beautiful meals and discuss the meat and farming industry and just how damaging it actually is not just to us but to the planet we live in.

Like many I always believed that a plant based diet was expensive and hard to sustain but I was completely wrong rice and beans are the cheapest things you can buy and you can find so much fresh fruits and vegetables on sale in the supermarkets it's ridiculous. I've bought huge bags of salad for pennies and I nearly always get my bananas on sale because for some reason supermarkets don't like to sell perfectly ripe bananas. I'm also growing salad, potatoes, tomatoes and other fruits and veggies at home and that saves money and is even more rewarding, I swear food tastes better when you grow your own. I get so excited to try out new recipes and believe being on a plant based diet has definitely made me a better cook, food has never tasted so good!

As a meat eater I felt like a hypocrite, I wouldn't kill or harm any insects, I'd volunteer at animal charities and I would protest against animal cruelty but I would happily eat a burger, I mean seriously it makes no sense to protest against animal cruelty but then be ok with the mass slaughter of animals to make my meals so I gave up the meat because I don't think my selfishness and the death of an animal is right or necessary. Eating meat is a pleasure I no longer feel pleasure for and I honestly feel so much happier on a plant based diet, it's like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders now I'm meat free.

At the end of the day it's your body, your diet and your choice I'm not going to criticise or force my beliefs onto you, I'm only writing this as so many people have asked about my recent diet change after seeing so many of my food photos on Instagram and also because of the interesting conversations I've had with people regarding various animal rights and health issues. I'm still learning so much about this lifestyle and figuring out what works best for my body but I'm loving the journey and feel so much happier.

Are you vegetarian or vegan? Be sure to let me know in the comments

Love & Bunnies

Cate

xoxo

5 Fandom Friday: Favourite Things About Autumn

Is it really Autumn already? I don't even think we've had a summer this year with all the rain and gloom but I do enjoy Autumn it's such a beautiful time of year and I love all the apple spice and pumpkin spice things that are invading our supermarkets everything just smells and tastes so yummy and hearty which is exactly what you need at this time of year, so HECK YEAH AUTUMN!

The Trees

The trees are so beautiful in Autumn I love the ricj golden tones and crunching through all the leaves in the woods, this is the best time of the year for taking the dog for a walk.

 

Apples

Specifically from my own garden well actually my Nan's Garden, in fact I love them so much it was the one of the first things I wrote about on my old blogspot and although that specific apple tree is gone now we have 2 others and they taste just as good in fact our newest apple tree has a variety of apples called Katy.

Hot Tea

I love tea it's so warming and refreshing and I always crave a little spice in my tea during autumn so sometimes I boil some black tea apple slices, cinnamon sticks, cloves and add a touch of maple syrup for sweetness, trust me it's pure heaven!

Halloween

Halloween has always been my favourite holiday although it's not really celebrated as much here as it is in the US but I still absolutely adore Halloween and all the awesome merch and sweeties and dressing up and movies basically every thing Halloween!

TV SHOWS!!!

I LOVE this time of year because there's new seasons and new series a plenty, I always find new things to love and obsess about and because it's colder outside I have a perfect excuse to stay home with my hot tea and my veggie casserole and watch copious amounts of TV, pure nerdy bliss!

Check out #Fandom5 creators The Nerdy Girlie & Super Space Chick & join in on the Fandom Friday fun!

Love & Apple Tea

Cate

xoxo

Inspirational Quotes #66

“When I was a teenager, I thought that love was drama and fireworks and the fact that you’d bleed for each other. But now I feel like love is when the person you’re with really wants you to be the best version of yourself and you want the same for them and you can sit at home watching True Detective together for like five hours and be completely disgusting.”

- Emily Browning

Wishlist Wednesday: Geeky Chic Vests

♥ Kawaii Star Wars Vest ♥ Raptor Vest ♥ Thanos Tank ♥ Spider Gwen Hooded Tank ♥

What are some of your favourite geeky finds? Be sure to share in the comments.

Love & Lightsabers

Cate

xoxo

Kawaii Box Giveaway!!

If you checked out my Kawaii Box review and want to get one for yourself now is your chance because Kawaii Box have very kindly offered one to give away to one of my lucky readers YEY! You will win the September 2015 box so the contents will be a complete surprise but guaranteed cute, so for your chance to win one just follow the instructions in the widget below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good Luck

Cate

xoxo

Super Cute Surprises from Kawaii Box

Kawaii Box very kindly sent me the August 2015 box to review which made for a very awesome end to my birthday month. I'm a bit of a kawaii addict so when I heard about Kawaii Box it sounded right up my street, for just $18.90 or $17.90 if you subscribe for 6 months or more you can get a surprise box of cuteness in your mailbox every month and even better that price includes worldwide shipping, my box arrived in the UK all the way from Singapore in less than a week, that is amazingly fast!

Quite often with subscription boxes you get a few things you're not as excited about but I'm happy to say I loved every single item in my Kawaii Box they were all super cute and definitely things I will make good use of in fact the Kawaii Neko Plush and Popsicle Squishy Cham went straight on my bag to give it extra kawaii cred.

Whenever I'm in Thailand I always stock up on all the cute Japanese and Korean stationery I can find because they're not as easy to get in the U.K, so this is a great way to get my kawaii fix and also a lot cheaper than a plane ticket. I absolutely adored all the cute stationery especially the Macaron Ink Pen and the Tin Dinosaur Pencil Case, I love dinosaurs and kawaii dinosaurs are even better!

I absolutely adored my Kawaii Box and would definitely order from them again everything was super cute and great quality, there's so many cute things in the package I can't wait to play with and really I'm excited to try out the Naru Naru Gumi Nomi DIY Candy Kit. I really love the idea of these monthly subscription boxes because you're getting a cute surprise every month and I mean who doesn't want to get cute goodies in the mail?

Do you subscribe to any monthly subscription boxes & which ones are your fave?

Love & Little Clouds

Cate

xoxo

5 Fandom Friday: 5 Fandom Deaths I’m Still Upset About…SPOILERS!

So I'm gonna admit this is a pretty depressing way to kick off Fandom 5 this month but I'll try and keep it light-hearted and gulp down those tears. Of course there will be SPOILERS although most of these deaths are pretty well known and kinda old but the feels are still there whether it's 2 weeks or 20 years so grab some tissues and a tub of ice creams and let's do this...

Littlefoot's Mother

The Land Before Time was one of my favourite childhood movies and it ignited my love for the long-neck dinosaurs (so much so my imaginary friend was a Brontosaurus) this scene however broke my heart and quite often my family would fast forward through it because they knew how sad I would get and well it still kinda hurts. When I went to see Jurassic World I was so excited to see the long necks in 3D IMAX but not only did I get a really sad death scene with one, I got a whole field full of mauled dead ones which just brought back all that childhood trauma, seriously why did I have to see that?

Mufasa

When The Lion King was re-released in 3D a few years back I had to go see it, so "that" happens and I'm trying my best to hold my tears back when I hear a little girl saying to her mum "Is he dead? Why is he dead mummy? I don't want him to die" and she starts sobbing so of course I can no longer hold the tears back and completely lose it, yep 20 years and I'm still not over it.

The Starks

When talking fandom deaths I had to include The Starks, it seriously still hurts to watch The Red Wedding and I even get a little teary when I watch the 1st episode and see them all so happy, all together in Winterfell..... DAMN YOU GEORGE R.R. MARTIN!!!

Seita & Setsuko

When I think of movies that broke me Grave of the Fireflies is pretty high on the list. I adore all the Studio Ghibli movies including this one but it makes me extremely upset so I can't watch it that being said I think it's a beautiful movie and does an excellent job at highlighting the plight of war orphans and that's what makes this movie even sadder.

The Eleventh Doctor

Doctor Who has been a part of my life ever since can I remember thanks to my Dad. When I was little we used to frequently visit the Doctor Who exhibition in Llangollen (during the shows long hiatus and before it moved to Cardiff) and I even met Tom Baker there although we don't have photos because it was back in the 35mm film days and someone forgot to load film in the camera DOH! Anywho that being said I was never big on the show until Matt Smith became The Doctor and then suddenly I understood why my Dad was so obsessed and I even became a little obsessed to so when he left the show I was heartbroken, I cried a little and it just hasn't been the same since he left, Oh Eleven how I miss you...

Check out #Fandom5 creators The Nerdy Girlie & Super Space Chick & join in on the Fandom Friday fun!

Love & Tissues

Cate

xoxo