It's all about the reader...

Hello there everyone!

After a few weeks of trying to get back into the swing of my assignment, my mind still remains blank so I started to think about what to do next. Should I keep going and just hope that I finally get through my chosen topic or start completely afresh? My heart was still keen on the topic of youth and gangs but knew I couldn't carry on with the way things were with it.

After a brief conversation talking about the assignment, I have decided to start something new and completely different. In the guidelines from the tutor, it says you can write fillers, readers letters and main articles so therefore made my mind up about writing a readers letter instead. Thought this would get me back on track with the course and would be a little more fun to do.

Referring back to the information and the notes I made for the original article topic, I will keep them for another assignment/piece of writing I may undertake in the future so none of it has gone to waste. I do feel slightly gutted and maybe a little defeated at this decision but think this is the best idea for both me and my course success.

Have you ever been in this situation and how have you handled it? Do you think I am right in doing this? I will let you know how I get on as soon as I'm half way through the piece of work.

Speak to you soon xx

Technology ain't all it cracked up to be!!

Many years ago when I was at school, I was able to work technology really easily and pretty confident but nowadays, I think I'm like a snail. Technology has become so far advanced that even me can't keep up!

When I last wrote my blog post and linked it to my Facebook, it kept linking it onto my friend's profile as if he has written it. I don't understand why it is doing this, it always asks me to sign in so I sign into my own account yet it goes through his?! This only happens when I use my phone though so won't be sending any blog posts from that in the near future unless I randomly forget.

It's a good job my friend knows that I wouldn't hack into his profile and he laughed about it. It made me laugh too but proper confused me to why it has done it in the first place.

I just want to say, be careful of where you are linking and if you know how I can stop this from happening again, then please don't hestitate in getting in contact with me.

Technology ain't all it cracked up to be!! ;-)

Reflection of 2011 and thoughts on 2012

Now is the time for a brief reflection from 2011 before I start the new year properly. One simple sentence to describe 2011 is = it was like riding the tidal waves.

This time last year I remember thinking that I had a fair few things to look forward to =
My friends/and family birthdays.
Going to see Take That in Manchester.
My sister's Hen Do's - one in Barrow and one in Liverpool.
My sister's Wedding - and me being a bridesmaid (which included the dress fittings.)
Hopefully going back to Hydrotherapy.

Well I've done all of them and they were the good and highly positive highlights of 2011. I am so glad that I enjoyed being a part of every one of the above.

The down sides of 2011 were mostly personal issues which included the aches and pains of living with Ehlers Danlos Syndrome but that is something I can't control (in a matter of speaking.)
I've learnt that no matter what life throws at you, to not take it out on your nearest and dearest as it can cause a lot of pain and unnecessary hurt. My radar of friends has definately changed to unforeseen situations that took place. Although I still find myself replaying the bad times psychologically, I try to focus on how my life is now and who is in my radar nowadays. I wouldn't change my little radar for the world!

For 2012, I haven't really set myself any new year resolutions as you can't always predict what is around the corner, but I've taught myself to just be happy and don't let the pain bark too loudly. As I try to loosely follow aspects of Buddhism, I'm trying not to let the negative influences tackle me and to just keep at peace which can be an uphill struggle at times.

Towards the end of 2011, things started to look up and kept me smiling. Life is what you make it so go ahead and take it. (lyric from a song.) This gave me the positive vibe that 2012 could be magical and I'm so excited to see what this year will bring me.

Sorry if this blog post is a bit deep for some of you but I try to compartmentalise all the little things for you to follow easier.

What are your thoughts and reflections of 2011 and 2012?

All the best, peace, love and happiness for the new year... :-)

Merry Christmas!

Happy Christmas everyone!!

Well here I am, sitting at my family Christmas party surrounded by many of my aunties/uncles and cousins. How I love the family and the time we spend together.

Tonight as usual at the yearly party, there's plenty of games and quizzes for everyone to join in as they wish. I won the quiz thingy (with the help of my dear cousin.)

The party is traditional for us as a family to help remember my grandparents who started the parties as there were too many grandchildren to buy presents for etc. It's a lovely way to keep them alive in our hearts and memory.

So far, my Christmas has been lovely, time spent with my loved ones. My greatest present was the iPad that I got from my sister and brother-in-law which I absolutely love! Although I really like and appreciate all of my presents. :-)

Last night, my uncle arrived at my house ready for the new years' eve celebrations. Tomorrow, I will be going over to my cousin's house for a slipper and bottle of wind evening with the girls. Friday night I may be having a girls night with my friends. Then on new years eve, I'm going to a local club place where they are having a band performing which will be good. There will be my family and my dear friend. I can't wait for it!

How is your Christmas going?

See ya soon and be merry!!

Brief update

Hey everyone!

How are we all doing?

Just a few lines to share what I have been up to since my last blog post...

• Doing my fair share of partying - which include family gatherings for birthdays
• having a trip to Manchester with my sister, we went shopping and then went to watch the Dirty Dancing at The Palace Theatre. It was very good but it had a lot of scenes where it doesn't even exist on the actual film and some of the words were different (I'm a very big DD fan, know it from word to word!)
• Spending quality time with my closest friends
• Trying to rest my shoulder but also having slight problem with my knee - think I may have twisted it in bed somehow)
• Going to Hydrotherapy
• Visiting the dentist - having teeth extractions due to over-crowding (still)

That is all for now. I will keep you updated on my video diary and on my assignments too when I'm underway on them. Keep smiling everyone.

Little Miss Dinky Kt's Video Diary & Cherylee Houston (Corrie's Izzy)

Hey up peeps!

I hope you are all keeping well and having fun in whatever it is you're doing.

After a moment of watching other people with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome on videos uploaded onto YouTube, a thought popped into my head... maybe I could upload some videos about how I live with the condition? I needed time to sleep on it and think it through before I do anything, so therefore I went to bed.

The next day, I was still thinking about it but I was suprised at myself by feeling like positive about making/uploading videos. I was anxious and worrying about what people thought of the idea: what if people didn't like it or feel comfortable in watching me talking about the condition so openly.

Anyway, later that day I found myself writing down notes with some of the things I wanted to say and filmed myself. Although I did do some research first just to make sure the facts were correct. When I watched the video back, I found out a few things about myself which I wasn't necessarily aware of beforehand but this is a good way to discover these things, don't you think?

I wanted to edit and make it as good as I could before uploading it online. As my friend said "You're going to be presenting yourself to the world and saying "Hi, I'm Katie and I have Ehlers Danlos Syndrome." I didn't really think of this to be honest, it's kind of frightening but exciting that the world can see how I am and being strong at doing this project.

So on YouTube there are some video diaries that I've uploaded, I want to make awareness about Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and what it is like to live with. I never see any promotion in helping the EDS charity or just basically about the condition itself. Only recently, there is a character on the Coronation Street (Cherylee Houston who plays Izzy) who also suffers from the same condition but still they haven't gone into too much detail about it yet although I keep hoping that they will one day soon).

Cherylee Houston

http://youtu.be/fn-_cAQ4lGs << this is a link to my first diary entry. Have a look and see what you think. Let me know your thoughts and don't hestitate in asking questions etc.

Or go to: My video diary-EDS ( account username is: KatieMarieWe )

Anyhow, this is just what I wanted to share with you. I'll be with you soon, keep smiling! :-)

Hallo, I'm back!

Hiya everyone!

How are you all doing? Lately I've been on a bit of a journey to find myself once again. After having all the wedding/preparations, Take That concert and trying to get my shoulder back right again, the strain of it all left me feeling somewhat tired and lost in the world.

You kind of forget about yourself when busy doing things and having plenty of things to look forward to then you realise that there's nothing to keep you on the ground. That's not just a negative thing but also a slight positive in the way of getting to grips with reality again. I suppose if you think of it this way, like if you're a pop star being on tour for several months and when it's finished, that is the end. Like a sudden drop from the high-life, it can be a little unsettling.

I'm still having trouble with my shoulder but starting hydrotherapy in about three weeks time so hopefully that will ease it. I used to go to hydro every week back when I was in school. I gained so much benefit from it so have missed it since. (Hydrotherapy is a pool of heated water that is used for pain relief and treating illnesses.)

I've been doing lots of research for my assignment. Managed to get to the library and collected lots of printouts and photocopying which will hopefully help me with it. I decided to write an article about the gangs and youth dissillusionment which links in with riots. It's a good subject but proving to be quite a heavy and never-ending topic. I will let you know how I get on with it.

Well I've got to go now but you'll see me soon. Keep smiling! xx