Success = one-sidedness?

I feel like in order to be successful, you have to be one-sided. 

Let me explain.

I have always enjoyed being talented in many areas - it's a bit of a family trait. Not that I can do everything, or that I can do all that I do excellently, but I have enjoyed interest and a certain amount of talent across a number of subjects and activities. 

For instance, I've always loved music, and it is one of my greatest passions. I play piano, flute, guitar, and I love singing. However, I also enjoy dance - I took ballet and tap as a child, took Dance GCSE, and found a lot of enjoyment in dancing in local musicals. I also like art - creating visual art is something which satisfies my need for creativity, and I also did Art GCSE. My grandmother was an artist, and many of my friends study art, and so is is something I understand and appreciate. But for these reasons, I never was Grade 8 in any musical instrument, and although talented, I have never been as good of a dancer or artist as many people I know. If I had focussed on one, would I have achieved more?

It's the same in academics - I was different to some in that I took English Language, Maths, and Psychology for A-Level. Three different disciplines, instead of three related ones (such as Chemistry, Physics, and Maths like some of my friends did). 

I really loved Psychology at school, and so I chose to do it alongside Education Studies for my degree, which is working out well. However, I've now decided to become a secondary school Maths teacher, which will probably require me to do an extra year of Maths knowledge enhancement after I graduate. It seems silly in some ways to have chosen Psychology instead of Maths - but I know that although I am good at Maths, I wouldn't have coped at university level. 

I worry that in order to get into a good teaching course for Maths after I graduate, I should get lots of experience in Maths-related things in the next couple of years to show my commitment to the subject. However, the love of English and reading won't leave me alone either! I have a genuine passion to see people learn to read well and to get children engaged in books and reading. It's something I've considered doing my dissertation on in some way. Today I sent an email to the local library in the town I'm at university in to ask if I can volunteer at any reading groups or help with any initiatives they have to get children excited about reading. 

But as I thought about it, I'm wondering if that is the best course of action. As I said, I should probably improve on my Maths experience, not my English experience, if I want to get into a good course and get a good job as a Maths teacher. And where does that leave the Psychology side of my degree? 

It doesn't bother me to a great level, it only really occurred to me this afternoon - but it is frustrating that I feel like I can't be a well-rounded person. I know that many employers etc. look for well-rounded people, so hopefully it will pay off one day! I guess it just feels like right now, I need to make myself more focussed in order to be successful. 

Hmm. What to do?

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Happy thing of the day: Tea. Enough said.

Sleepy

I'm sleepy. So this may be short. :o)

Today was awesome! Perfect Bank Holiday weather... sunny, mainly clear skies, relatively WARM! I took the opportunity go on a (just under) 10 mile bike ride down the nature trail in my town. I hadn't done that for ages, and I'm so glad I did. Was nice to enjoy the weather and it made me feel nice and healthy... And on the plus side, I think I'm fitter than I used to be because it wasn't as painful as I remembered! Haha. 

Good times... lots else happened today too, but I don't feel like writing any more. Sorry! I'd rather not bore you by pointless ramblings about everything I did today. 

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Happy Thing of The Day: Homemade Cherry Pie (although the photo linked is not the pie I made, I did make a cherry pie today!)

Easter, Camp Rock, and Waffles

Yay for Easter Sunday! Those of you who saw my Twitter or my Facebook status today (which is probably none of you) will know that I am "joyful because Jesus Christ changed the world forever". :oD I had a funny comment conversation with my friend on my Facebook status that went like this:

That made me smile :o)

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This afternoon Camp Rock was on the telly... we didn't plan on watching it, I think we were all a bit ashamed to admit that we thought it might be fun. But we ended up all sitting round and enjoying the Disney cheese and predictability and general hilarity. And surprisingly, it wasn't that bad - not top quality entertainment, but definitely fun. 

We had waffles for dinner - with bacon too! Yummmmm. I think waffles and bacon on Easter Sunday evening should be a new family tradition to add to the existing tradition of pizza on Christmas Eve. :o) hehe. 

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Happy Thing of the Day: When the two characters in a film/tv show finally get together, when they clearly have loved each other all along. :o)

Babies

I absolutely love babies. They're just so adorable, and have that natural talent of being able to make people smile. They're so cuddly, and just generally are amazing. I can't wait to be a mum! Don't get me wrong, I don't want to be a mum yet! I'm happy to wait a few years until I'm married and settled and all that. I love my life as a student at the moment, I wouldn't want to be a mum right now. But I can't wait for when I do become a mum. :o)

This morning my mum had some younger mums and babies around at our house for a mum and baby group she runs. I generally hid upstairs in my room so that I was out of the way, but I did get to see one absolutely adorable little girl. Her eyes were huge, and she was so alert, checking out the new house and new people. Awwwwww! *girly moment*

On a related note, here is one of my favourite videos to make me smile:

Hehe.... :o) There's something so amazing about baby's laughs - not those funny 'evil baby' laughs that you find on many videos on YouTube - but genuine joyful laughs... I love it. 

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Happy Thing of The Day: (besides baby laughs!) Colourful Highlighters

A Day at Home, Taylor Swift, and TV

Hello! 

Today my family were all in London, so I had the house to myself... YES!!! I love this. I enjoy being completely by myself once in a while. But I think the real reason I love having the house to myself is I can watch whatever I want on TV and eat whatever I want whenever I want and not be judged by my family members (namely Mum and Dad). Admittedly, now that I'm 20 and I live away from home when it's university term time it doesn't have the same charm it used to, but I still enjoy a good day at home by myself. 

I also took some time to play guitar and sing, one of the things that I love the most in life. You know when people say that the thing they love is the thing that makes them feel most alive? Yes, that is true for me. I feel so right when I am singing and playing guitar. I probably should have sat down to work on some songwriting, or just sing my heart out in a way I might not have done with my family around, but I just enjoyed doing what I usually do.

On that note, I have to slightly ashamedly admit to loving the song 'Love Story' by Taylor Swift. *cringe*. It's a good song, I probably shouldn't be that ashamed. However, I think I have pinpointed two reasons why I feel like I shouldn't like the song. 1) It's kind of a bit to close for comfort to country music... which I have some objections to, and 2) it's TAYLOR SWIFT!!! *hides* I guess I feel the need to rebel against liking the outrageously popular teen singer image she is a part of. She's a bit too similar to Miley Cyrus and co. She has a sparkly guitar for goodness sake. A SPARKLY GUITAR. Bad times.

But, I find myself actually really liking a lot of her songs, possibly against my better judgement. Perhaps I will have to get over my shame and just admit that I like her music. And slightly back to topic, in particular 'Love Song'... It's so DARN CATCHY! Haha. I had a great time playing and singing that today... Love it. :o) 

If you're reading, leave a comment giving your opinion on Taylor Swift. Good? Bad? Cheesy teen pop? Talented singer-songwriter? Should I be ashamed of my newfound liking for her music? Or is it acceptable? Haha, I'd be interested to know... 

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Happy Thing of the Day: Slightly trashy Teen Dramas (if that's even the name for the genre?! - One Tree Hill, Smallville, The O.C. etc.)

Procrastination

Ha, I should so be doing my Psychology experiment write-up right now. I think that actually this new blogging project is really an extended procrastination method. :oP But, maybe writing some words down in this form will make it easier for me to get the words on paper when I'm getting down to work in a few minutes. 

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On another note, I remembered yesterday when setting up this blog how obsessed I am about how things LOOK. Layout, design etc. Maybe it's because my dad is a designer, and so I've inherited some of his design 'snobbery'. But before I even wrote my first post, I had to be fairly happy with how my blog page LOOKED. Haha, surely the content is what is important? Apparently not to me! 

This is true when it comes to reading other blogs and websites too. I'm sorry guys, but if I look at your blog and it's chaotic and not well designed I'm going to be a lot less likely to read it. Sorry! It's not an intentional choice of "This looks bad so I'm not going to read it", but it's all part of those quick assessments we all make when we come across something new. For me, design and layout are very important! 

I'm not entirely happy with how this blog looks, but it's good enough for now. It doesn't make me unhappy or stressed out, and I'm not involved enough in this whole blogging thing yet to spend ages trying to find a good layout to use and/or customise. 

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If you're reading this, I'd be interested to know! Leave a comment so I know I'm not alone. But maybe I am...? :o)

Happy thing of the day: Oreos

Jumping on the bandwagon... slightly later than everyone else.

So, I caved in. I've made a blog. Hello! 

I've been inspired by various people I follow on Twitter and/or are subscribed to on YouTube (e.g. hayleyghoover, italktosnakes, lauren) to take part in Blog Every Day April (BEDA), which was started by Maureen Johnson. 

But as you may have observed, I'm a few days late starting :o). Something I've noticed about myself recently is that I'm not one to take part in the latest trend just because everyone else is doing it. It's not as much for the reason that I particularly want to take a stand against 'being a sheep', but I like to observe from a distance for a while before deciding to get involved. YouTube, for example. And Twitter. And on a less internet-related note, fashion trends such as skinny jeans tucked into boots (but NOT Ugg boots!). 

I tend to look at a trend, decide whether I think it's cool/fun, and if I think it's interesting, just watch for a while and keep up with what's going on. Regularly watch a few YouTube channels, for example. Or keep up with a few Twitterers. Then I often decide that it's something I'd like to do, and I'll get on in there. Of course, this means that I am slower to jump on the bandwagon, but I like it that way. It means that once I start doing something I know it's something that is in line with who I am, not just because I want to be like everyone else. 

So, I'll end it there. I have a tendancy to ramble, and I won't subject you to that from the word go. :o) Who exactly 'you' is I'm not quite sure yet, and this may end up being a project for my own personal amusement and creativity. But if others decide they like my small observations on life then I'd love to have you along for the ride. 

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Oh, and because I am a sheep, even if a slow one :oP, here's something to add at the end of each post to be some sort of amusing ongoing collection of thoughts:

Happy thing of the day: Heart-shaped post-its