Winter + Single = Disaster?

Hi,

I think it's safe to say that summer is definitely over. Despite certain speculations that we may be getting a freak heat wave in these last few days of September I'm going to remain realistic (and maybe somewhat pessimistic) and declare that we can officially welcome winter.

But winter's not all bad; think wooly jumpers, bonfires, Christmas, snuggling up by the fire...And that's where it gets tricky. Because snuggling up by the fire would require some form of boyfriend which, quite frankly, I don't have. Whereas being single in summer was fun (think flirting drunkenly with anyone and everyone at BBQ's and eyeing up potential on the beach) winter doesn't seem to bring quite as many opportunities for us singletons. It's all about seeing couples holding hands in matching his and her's mittens (vom) and hearing about romantic winter getaways.

However, when I relayed this view to a friend who HAS a man in her life to buy matching knitwear for (vom) she looked at me like I was insane. "But winter is a GREAT time to be single!" she declared, genuinely shocked. "Just think of the money you will save on Christmas presents!"

And really, she has a point; boys are notoriously difficult to buy for. Blindly picking out shirts he will probably wear once and asking the irritated woman in Boots to show you about 68 different types of aftershave is NOT fun. Similarly, receiving a gift which was definitely not on your carefully selected list, with your boyfriend eagerly watching you open it and having to thank him as if you mean it, also doesn't do much for your Christmas cheer.

So really, I may re-think my attitude about being single during winter. After all, Christmas also means plenty of opportunities for parties, drinking, getting glammed up and meeting fellow (hopefully hot) single blokes. And let's face it, not knowing who you might be kissing under the mistletoe this year is kind of exciting...

Lots of single love, Anna .x.

Blogging Debut

Hi...(is that how you start a blog post?! Any hints appreciated...)

So here I am, finally losing my blog virginity... No coincidence that this happens on a day when I've stayed off work sick and am confined to bed with a severe case of boredom!

I don't really have a specific idea about the topics my blogs will cover. I'm thinking more along the lines of taking ideas as they come to me and then Anna-lysing them (see what I did there?) on here. I'm moving to London in March to start a course in Journalism, and my dream is to one day write features for a young women's magazine, so my topics will most likely cover female issues...but I know guys secretly love reading that type of thing anyway! So something for everyone really...

So taking inspiration from a day of bed rest is fairly difficult... There's not a huge amount to discuss about Lemsip and the Gossip Girl box set. OK, I lie, I could spend hours discussing Gossip Girl with my friends, but somehow I don't think that swooning over Chace Crawford is quite the point of blogging!

Although I do find it slightly strange how a series such as Gossip Girl, full of rich and arrogant characters, manages to reach out to and capture the interest of so many (usually not particularly rich) young women. I mean, I love programmes such as Gossip Girl and The Hills, despite usually avoiding pretentious designer shops like the plague, whilst frantically saving up for aforementioned move to London and living by the mantra of 'I'm sure Primark sells something similar'.

For me, the appeal lies in getting lost in a fantasy world of beautiful people and gorgeous clothes for approximately 45 minutes at a time. It's a bit of a guilty pleasure to enjoy the drama when real life is getting a little boring. Plus, despite usually getting a little lost in the laps of luxury, there's always the lesson to be learnt that rich people aren't usually any happier than the rest of us. And, on a superficial note, you are guaranteed some serious eye candy ;].

So, to round this pilot episode of blogging off, I think I'm going to go back to my Lemsip and lose myself in a bit of Gossip Girl again...Hey, it can definitely be justified on a sick day!

Any views and comments appreciated!

Anna .x.