Meeting my best friend for the first time.

Being a female entails the age old argument of "who's REALLY my best friend?" - there are several answers to this question. I have the "Jon is because i spend all my time with him and i love him" and i have the "Lora because she knows too much" and the "Nat because we've been friends for ages and gone through hell and back"

None of these answers is the correct one, they are all true, but not correct. The form of my "best friend" lies within a 24 year old American lass who's been there for me for over 11 years of my life, longer than anyone else who isn't family. We met through a mutual ex girlfriend when i was 13 & she was 14. This girl was a total psycho (even by my standards) but was also one of the best things that's happened to me because she brought Ashley into my life.

She's been with me through break-up's, depression, suicide, good times, bad times, drug habits, lunacy and god knows what else - & that's just her supporting my problems. She's a marvelous human being with a kind soul and the personality of a 12 year old who's eaten too many poprocks. Somehow she's stuck around all these years, with a 5 hour time difference, a fortune in parcels & general awesomeness. Don't get me wrong, i've got friends locally who support me the same, but this is different. She changes the topic of conversation to let me talk about my shit whilst cheering me up at the same time. She has the most wonderful girlfriend, who incidentally has become one of my great friends as well.

Being so far apart geographically, financially and time wise has proven difficult over the years but somehow we've come out the other side. We never thought we'd actually get too meet. Ever.
This year i took my student loan and paid for flights for myself & Jon to get our arses over there, we're doing it. No fucking about, no "i'll save up and come next year", it was a do or die decision and i don't regret it one bit, we've been power saving for spending money, the whole holiday is booked, paid for and confirmed.
I am shitting myself.
Never in our lives did we think we'd meet.

In 52 days i'll be on the same continent, waiting to meet her, i'm going to cry, i'm going to hug her until she pops and then i'm going to play with her dogs and swim in her pool.

Have any of you ever met a long distance friend/partner?

Homeware Wishlist.

It's that time of the month - too far from the last payday and too far to the next one.
Here are some gorgeous housewares I've got my peepers on.

1::2::3::4::5::6::7::8::9::10::11::

What're your current home-ware wants?

My Name Is Beki & I Am A Photographer

Buenos Dias Beautiful.

As i spend much of my time on here rambling and raving about god knows what, i thought it was about time that i told you some things about me (without boring you to death).

I am first and foremost a photographer - picking up a camera and capturing the world has always been a passion of mine - for over 10 whole years. September 2013 was the year i decided (after a 5 year gap yarrrrh') to plunge into the deep depths that i higher education. I study at Bolton university, not as prestigious as some but it allows me to live with my boyfriend at home and be able to see his mush every single day. 

These idiots mean the world to me:

Clockwise from me- Jon (my other half), Reece (main man), Beany (boyfriend's Wife), Ant (sisters boyfriend) & Kayne (my bestest bro)

Sam (worlds most beautiful unicorn)

Nat (best milf friend)

Lora, Emma & Amy (long term college friends)

Bedy (slovakian lunatic), Gav & Mike (brum friends)

Jordan, Fender & Bethy (best brum bro's)

Here are some other fun facts:
- I am scared of the dark, sharks & marionettes/puppets (this is excludes Muppets)
- I am OBSESSED with the Muppets :P
- I am a Capricorn (for those, who like me enjoy star sign and horoscope related faff)
- Kelly Osbourne is my heroine

- I like pens, and stationary in general.
- I do NOT look good in gym clothing. It's wrong.
- I scrapbook almost everything, it's the one thing i'd save in a fire.
- My favorite dessert is Banoffee Pie.
- I suffer from several mental health issues.
- I'm obsessed with the idea of a wedding...

Some Photography

What're your weird habits/hobbies/fears?

Radical Lifestyle Chance - Happier, Healthier Me

As of last week i decided that i needed to sort my life out. I'm not happy at the size i am (which is a UK20 by the way) - not to say that ladies of this size are "gross" or "disgusting" at any point, i am a firm believer in self happiness, and if ladies who are my current size - or even bigger - are happy and feel luscious and gorgeous, then my god i admire you for your amazing bodies and your self confidence, i however have none, i feel disgusting, i wont let my partner see me naked, i wont prance round in my underwear & i often cry in the shower looking at my body.

I joined a gym - £16 a month as a student, which i consider to be a good price as i get use of 6 swimming pools in my borough, 6 different gyms and any/all workouts classes that i fancy. I couldn't grumble at that sort of deal.
For those in the Wigan/Leigh/Hindley borough - it's the WLCT lifestyles gym (Link) and with that you get a full induction and a 1-2-1 with a very competent instructor who will ask you your needs and wants and set you up a personalized workout - so you're not going in all doe eyed and freaking about what does what and what scary looking machine is going to get you next. I got set up with 88 minutes of cardio, leg exercises, tummy crunches and some cool running type machine (no, not a treadmill) which takes the impact from your legs since i have a dodgy ankle - i ran a whole 10 minutes on this thing, i could've gone longer - this i find an achievement because i can't usually run for the bus without having a mild asthma attack.
Yesterday i had my first attempt at not dying in the gym and i felt great after, i was spurred on to eat a healthy lunch & i slept like a log - i was so damn refreshed when i woke up this morning.

My workout album:

Alongside this i've been eating ALOT more veggies, i've cut down chocolate and crisps and all that type of junk food to maybe one or two nibbles a week - and my god i feel proud of myself.

My biggest step however (yes, bigger than putting my gigantic body into Lycra and exercising in-front of strangers) is becoming vegetarian.
I'm not going to get all political and over the top about my views, but animal cruelty is something i feel VERY strongly about, i saw this Facebook page & saw a few videos and articles and that was that - end of my meat eating reign. Hopefully i can keep this up.

What're your exercise routines?

P.S//

Also, completely non-related to this post, i found this on the internet and i couldn't not share it, i thought it was so wonderful :) it made my tummy go all funny and happy.
Take a look, you wont regret it.

March Wishlist.

Being a poor student, having no money & a ton of credit card debt means that i have to window shop online and hope to god i can sweet talk some poor sucker into buying me pretty things (this never ever works by the way..)
These are the beauties I've found today that i desperately need, a life or death situation if you will..

1;;2;;3;;4;;5;;6;;7;;8

All of these goodies are fabulously created & a few of them I've had my eye on for a while.
The Captain Morgan's would go down a treat.

What're your current *wants*?

Berlin - January 2014.

23rd January 2014, I jetsetted off to the glorious place that is Berlin.
Now - if you've never been, I suggest you get your asses into gear & go - you will NOT regret it.

Now, I can't go telling you everything single thing in detail, because lets be honest - it was a month ago & I spent half the time drunk.

(source)

There is some AMAZING graffiti I saw whilst I was in & around Berlin. Now, over there Graffiti is a work of art, it's not shunned into being anti-social and destroying buildings, they embrace it into their culture and practically frame it. It's far better than the "Debz i luv u, marry me" crap you see over here.

It's such a magical place, with a million & one things to do and see.
I will NOT be hesitating to go back and see more of it, considering I went on an educational trip - I spent most of my time trying to find museums and wandering round looking at art I'm not too bothered about. 

If you ever get chance to visit this magical place, do so. Don't think twice, pack your bags & get on that damn plane, trust me - you will NOT regret it.

It's the sort of place you want to get lost in, because every corner you turn you'll find something weird and wonderful, from a man jumping on the U-Bahn and playing the accordion to finding the sweetest smelling bakeries, it's home. Topophilia kicked in, big style.

(source)

University Quibble.

Speaking as a student, a lazy lady & an "artist" I think I'm entitled to an opinion on a few things, well I have an opinion on almost everything really - yes, I'm "one of them"

Image Source - Here

Uni life seems easy to begin with - "3 days a week? is that IT?" I beamed when I first started - now it's like "3 days of 6.20 am wake-ups, bad skin & carrying round heavy books? eugh, fuck that" - please pardon my French, I am NOT articulate and enjoy a good profanity. Don't get me wrong, I love my course, I love my lectures, I love finding out new things & discovering myself on my epic journey of on-line research & nacho breaks but the hassle - am I right? I'm one of the rare few who chose to go to a University relatively close by because I wanted to be with my nearest and dearest so this entails a 6.20 am alarm, the most minimal amount of make-up you've ever laid your peepers upon, angry grunts, heavy bags & clutching my bus pass between my teeth as I find a seat on the oh-so-glorious bus filled with screaming children, old people who look at me like I've just spat on them & teens who enjoy talking as loudly as possible about how wasted they're going to get on Friday night.
This is not okay, I spend £45 a month for a bus pass, and even if I could be arsed learning to operate (legally anyway) a vehicle then I still wouldn't drive because it'd cost me £45 a week in petrol. You see my dilemma?
I have to put up with it in order to continue my educational journey.

Between looking like a scruffball & grunting through conversations I can generally communicate well with others and get through the day with maximum input. Other people don't like this, they don't seem to like my input - as they sit clock-watching as the lesson ends in 3 minutes and I'm having a wonderful conversation with my tutor about semiotics and all sorts of other weird and wonderful topics (that when brought up with Jon he seems to look at me all doe eyed and then shrugs it off as though I've just asked him to change the bedding) - my point is that I enjoy a good ramble, a good discussion and I LOVE finding out new things and taking on a new perspective on the world. So why is it that you find other students itching to leave the class BANG on the second it turns 12pm? Where's the fun? If I'm paying 7k a year to be taught, then I'm milking it for all I can. Screw what everyone else thinks. Bitch, I'm here to learn & pass out with a first, not sail idly by and come out with whatever I can be bothered to do. Not a cat in hells chance. 

University is supposed to be one of the best times of your life, so why do I and so many others think it's okay to just not go to class? I'll tell you why - because it's so bloody easy to just have a lie in, doss about and watch RuPaul's drag race all afternoon, eat pasta & contemplate updating our journals but never getting round to it - then pick up the missed work on-line afterwards. Granted, the internet is a wonderful invention and I'd be lost without it, but it's so easy to just skip out of classes because the ENTIRE lectures are just there, sat waiting for us - in fairness, we do miss the lecturers commentary, but that's also not hard when we have friends we can pinch notes off.
I myself am guilty of this crime, and I'm not proud of it.
So guilty in fact that I have work due in on Monday & I'm sat here writing a blog post. Am I worried? Actually, no, because I know that I'm going to spend a good few hours on Thursday finishing it off - but I know at least 5 students in my class haven't even started it. These are the people who are also the ones itching to get out of class bang on the second it's scheduled to finish.
My priorities are in order, others are not. This post was not designed for me to sit and state how wonderful I am at University, It's more of a platform for people to give me some answers as to why getting home to your boyfriend or TV is more important than putting in the hours in the library or doing actual physical work? I really do not understand.
Drinking is more important than your future?

I want my future to include my own business, my partner to be able to work part time and a gorgeous family. Tell me how a person is supposed to achieve goals like this if they're not willing to put in the effort to get there?

Go big or don't fucking bother.