Thatmfeeling

10 Alternative Christmas Tree Ideas

2014-12-01T10:56:00.000-08:00

Are you tired of the same Christmas tree every year, the decorations do not seem as sparkly as they did the year before? I recently purchased a very modern and abstract tree, something that I have never had the urge to do before, it got me thinking about alternative designs that people have for Christmas. Here are just ten of my favourite designs that I have discovered on the web to make Christmas just that little bit different this year.

1. The Wooden Replica

2. The Artwork

3. The Cardboard Cutout

4. The Tree of Lights

5. The Bits & Bobs

6. The Log Tree

7. The Abstract Teepee

8. The Elegant Crystal Tree

9. The Labeled Twig

10. The Shelves

Do you have a favourite or have seen other trees of alternative inspiration? Let me know!

Brompton Tube Station To Reopen

2012-04-22T10:36:00.001-07:00

Now I do not know about you but I find the London underground fascinating and also rather creepy. Creepy in the sense that there are parts of it that have been closed off, disused or are being changed. We do not know really what goes on down there as we are sealed off in a train that darts so quickly through the tunnels (well usually unless there is a delay) the surroundings are all a blur and aren’t usually taken in. When it comes to disused stations, there are a couple that come into mind that are usually talked about in one way or the other. The stations that come to mind with me are York Road (just next to Kings Cross) Brompton Road (just next to Knightsbridge) and Aldwych station (on the strand) all of them have had rumors about reopening and to be completely honest, I think they are in desperate need of being revived into this day and age (more so Aldwych and Brompton road) as they are in areas that have great congestion at times and could be used to ease the manic rush. In the last couple of weeks it has been confirmed that there are plans to reopen Brompton Road tube station, just not as we know it. It looks like there are plans to reopen it as a museum. Ajit Chambers is the man behind the talks to change the station into a tourist attraction and has said that he has more tube stations in his eye that he would like to transform also. Whilst I think that it is such a great idea to open up and reuse all of the old tube stations, a part of me is a little sad that they are not being reopened in the correct way and being used as train stations once again. In the long run I guess that as long as they are re opening then it can only be a good thing. Whilst there are still not concrete plans about the development of York Way, which remains extremely intact externally, I think with the development of the Kings Cross site and the views of all these tall buildings going up, it will only be a matter of time before this station will be needed once more to help filter people around. Aldwych on the other hand still has a use as an intact station that is used for filming and tours. Whilst it is not in my own opinion the best use for this station, it is still an option that has kept this station alive until today so I can not speak too harshly on it. What ever plans come out of these three and the other eighteen or so other disused stations, it is nice to know that all these years later they are still there. They may need lots of work but they all still have the potential.

Signing out, Thatmfeeling

22nd April 2012: Photo Of The Day

2012-04-22T09:55:00.000-07:00

I took this photo and uploaded it on instagram and it reminded me so much of the apprentice that I watched it after. I love the way that the buildings are displayed in that program and you really a get a feel for how the city is moving. It is my photo of the day because I love the prescence that this building has (and how shiny it is!)

The Only Way Is Essex: Series 5

2012-04-16T05:49:00.000-07:00

Last night, The Only Way Is Essex returned to our screens after a short hiatus with series 5. I was watching with little hope after such a disappointing series 4 was broadcast earlier this year. I was not expecting much at all for the show but I will honestly say that TOWIE managed to come back in full force and it had me laughing all the way through. Early figures show that the premiere of series 5 was watched by an audience of about 1.16 million so the show is still holding in strong. It is because of characters such as Lydia, Gemma and my new found love for the show, Charlie that are keeping this program at top form. One thing that I have to admit that I was disappointed with was the axing of the twins Dino and Georgio. I understand the reasons for this as they were not very dominant characters and barely had an impact on the program, but they were fantastic to look at and they just seemed really lovely people to have as the cast. Arg has returned and is looking slimmer and “reem” to the rafters which is fantastic but, I can not help and think that they are trying to fill that gap that Mark left with someone that really is not naturally comparable. The moment that stole the show for me was the “Titanic” evening between Charlie and Gemma. Charlie is so lovely and I think that many of us can relate to him, he is funny, cute, romantic and genuinely nice but putting him with Gemma, who just wants some nookie by the looks of it now is going to keep me gripped all season. Whilst I was very impressed, there were things that I would change. I love Joey Essex but I feel that he is becoming boring now, he is very repetitive and seems to do the same thing in ever episode of the show. I am not a fan of Georgina Dorsett so it was fantastic not to see her in the opening episode (lets hope it stays that way) and the final person that gets my back up that I think would be better to leave the show is Ricky. I just do not see him as a real person. He seems fake, contradicting and just a little weird. For any of you that are thinking about watching the show then I would recommend it, it has improved (and yes it is not the best show in the world) life is short though so we should laugh as much as we can. I really hope that TOWIE can continue to be as funny and entertaining as the first episode of this series. It was so lovely to see it being “Reem” again.

Above: Two people that I think put the downers on the last season (Ricky & Georgina)

Above: Goodbye to the cute little twins :( (Dino & Georgio)

Look reem, Smell reem, Be reem, Signing out, Thatmfeeling

Facebook purchases Instagram

2012-04-10T17:55:00.004-07:00

I am somewhat miffed as to why it is such a huge thing that Facebook bought Instagram? Is it the amount of money that Facebook paid for Instagram? I mean $1billion is a huge amount but then I convert it to £600million and then it does not seem as much. Is it because we all use Facebook and they have purchased something that most of us do not use? There are many reasons why the news story has been told and I accept that however, the media seems to be rather bored and are spinning this into a massive story when I do not think that it is that amazing. Maybe I was not taking much notice at the time but I did not see the story of the Youtube takeover by Google being as huge as this? Instagram has acquired a strong following of supporters and was nominated by Apple as app of the year in 2011 but it still does not even take a chip out of the amount of followers that use Facebook. In my personal opinion I think that only bad things will come out of the purchase of Instagram as Facebook is very commercialised and has far too many adverts, constant changes and things going on. What I love about Instagram is that its pretty silent when it comes to the social media side. You take photos, you add vintage effects, you like and follow with no other complications. I feel that even though Facebook has stated that it will barely change the app, I can’t help but think that it is a big lie. What is done is done and we will just have to sit back and see how this one rides out but I do not have the best feeling about this. I do hope that this news story disappears very quickly though as it is boring already (says he writing about it!) Do you think that the takeover will be a good thing?

To check out more of my Instagram pictures then have a look at my Tumblr: http://thatmfeeling.tumblr.com/

Signing out, Thatmfeeling

Will They Ever Raise The Titanic?

2012-04-08T15:41:00.000-07:00

Titanic fever has hit most of the world recently as it is has now reached 100 years since the Titanic set sail on her first and last voyage. A question that always comes to mind when thinking of the Titanic is, can it or even will the Titanic be raised from the sea and taken back to land? In answer to the first question, the ship could be raised from the sea bed but with huge difficulty. Even if the ship was raised, there would be great risk of it breaking up and settling back down on the sea bed. After reading numerous documents and articles on this magnificent ship, it was very clear that it will forever more remain in the location that it has settled for all of these years. My initial opinions on this was rather sad as I liked the idea of the ship returning to the United Kingdom so it could at least complete a journey before it was preserved. After reading all of these articles however, my opinion has changed. What changed my mind was the thought of all the people that had died in this catastrophe. Why should the Titanic return to land when all of these people will forever remain out in the ocean. The Ship is a marking for a grave and I personally believe that it should always remain on that site until the sea finally finishes her off. If the ship was no longer there then people would forget about the place she come to rest and with that we would loose all the memories of the people that traveled with her on her maiden voyage. Because the Titanic remains on the ocean, these people have a grave but without her they do not. In an article with BBC News, the man suggested that the ship should be preserved under water. It could be cleaned up and repainted which would protect the ship from decay for many years to come. If preservation does not happen then this ship is nearing the end of its recognisable life. Rust has set in, submarines have weakened the remains and it is only a matter of time before the sea erases her. So in answer to the question I initially asked. Yes there is the ability to raise the Titanic to the surface however, it will never be. We should focus on the preservation so the memories of those who died that day and the great ship itself will last with us into the distant future.

What do you think should happen to the remains of the Titanic? Signing out, Thatmfeeling

8th April 2012: Photo Of The Day

2012-04-08T08:26:00.000-07:00

I thought that this photo would tie in very well with the day. There has been a huge egg hunt going on in London recently. You may now this if you have been following my blog previously, the eggs are all designed by different artists or celebrities and are being sold in auction to raise money for charity. I think that the idea is such a good one from many angles. It also opens up peoples findings of London, going to places that they may have never been before. It creates great art and more importantly it has created so much money for charity. I hope you all have a fantastic Easter and rest of the year,

Signing out, Thatmfeeling

Why Do We Have Easter Eggs?

2012-04-06T16:27:00.000-07:00

I thought to myself this morning “Why do we have easter eggs?” after seeing all the adverts in the shops and adverts on television and so, decided to look it up. For those of you that did not know, Eggs are a forbidden food during Lent so it is a welcome return to the menu on Eater day (more so in the olden days) Easter as we know is a Christian holiday and the giving of eggs over easter celebrates new life as Jesus rose from the dead. Easter has become a very commercialised holiday for some and we give chocolate eggs without thinking about where they have originated from. The first types of eggs given at Easter were painted birds eggs in bright colours and patterns (I have been told they were painted and decorated to further their meaning as a gift) Some people still give decorated birds eggs no, however they are now only chicken eggs. Whilst this had explained the reason for the eggs, there was another question that I also had on my mind relating to easter “Why do we have the Easter Bunny?” and after some research I also discovered that it is an Anglo-Saxon legend. Anglo-Saxon tells of the Saxon goddess Estre. She found a wounded bird and transformed it into a hare, so that it could survive the Winter. The hare found that it could lay eggs, so it decorated these eggs every spring and left them as an offering to the goddess. Now all of this, I found on the internet so it may be true or it may be a complete lie so please so not quote me on anything. I found it rather interesting so I thought that I would share my new found knowledge with you over this Easter break. If you celebrate Easter then have a great one and do not eat too much chocolate,

Signing out, Thatmfeeling

The Shard Tops Out!

2012-03-31T13:04:00.001-07:00

At long last, the time has come for some amazing news relating the Shard. Today the Shard has officially topped out which means that the building has ever so nearly been completed externally (but is not at full height). An interesting fact that I have learnt today is that there is a reason as to why the Shard may have a rather dull, Matt appearance to it. The reason for this is that it is covered in a layer of protective plastic that now has to be removed ready for the windows to be cleaned which will be a painstaking process.This means that the Shard will actually have a more reflective, shiny appearance compared to the lesser one that we have now become accustomed to. I personally like the Shard’s look already so this is amazing news on top of the completion as I think the structure will look extremely super sexy being reflective. The building’s exterior is due to be completely finished, washed and looking sexy by June, ready for the Olympics. The interior will not be complete officially until mid next year. As you can imagine, there is a huge amount of work to be completed inside and what is great is that the inside will again slowly transform what we see on the outside. Once the building is complete however, the building fascination is far from over as there are two other breathtakingly amazing towers that are also rising at a rapid pace. Both on the northern side of the river, we have 20 Fenchurch street, the building that leans over itself and finally the ultra quick growing Leadenhall building that will nearly reach full height at the end of this year. If you have not already familiarised yourself with these buildings then never worry as they will become ever so popular as they start reaching for the sky.

So here is it.... here is is going to stay. Signing out, Thatmfeeling

31st March 2012: Photo Of The Day

2012-03-31T12:43:00.001-07:00

This is the photo of the day because as I look back on the amazing week that I have had, I have managed to capture it through this camera. The sun, the parks, the fountains and the architecture. I have such a fantastic week to look bac on and I really hope that there are many more for this year also.

Signing out, Thatmfeeling

Pouring Petrol Indoors with the Hob on

2012-03-30T17:32:00.001-07:00

It has been on every cover of the newspapers, all over the news channels and I just can’t seem to get away from it. A woman has managed to get 40% burns because she was pouring petrol from one container to another using a jug. It gets worse. She was pouring it in her kitchen with the hob on! Now whilst I feel very sorry for this woman, because I would not wish anyone to go through what she is going through, I do have to stop and question what on earth she thought she was doing!? I can not believe that someone would firstly have petrol in their own home. Petrol is extremely smelly and if you have it exposed in your home then apart from it being extremely dangerous, it is going to fill up your house with gross smelling fumes. Also you just would never have the hob/oven on when you were doing it. The thing that comes into mind when you are at a petrol station is not to have any flames, no smoking and nothing that causes sparks. We know this because petrol can ignite and blow up. Why on Earth this lady thought that in your own home there is an exception to do this. On top of this what really frustrates me is that the government have asked people to fill up jerry cans and fill up their tanks just incase. That is fine and to me is a very reasonable thing to do but then people go stupid and panic buy far too much and you hear stories of men filling up washing up liquid bottles, women filling up jam jars and I just have to wonder to myself has this country gone insane. I loved a comment that someone has written on a news website saying “if the government asked you to swing from wet towels on power lines would you do it?” The worrying thing is that I am sure that there are some people out there that would! People need to start thinking for themselves and use the government as a prompt for ideas rather than strictly following silly suggestions in silly ways. We should all use this as a lesson to ourselves.

I hope this lady recovers well and that she NEVER messes around with petrol again, Signing out, Thatmfeeling

Battersea Power Station: All Beauty, No Beast

2012-03-27T17:41:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I managed to go somewhere that I have been wanting to go for a long time. It was beautiful and sunny so I decided that the day had come for me to go and explore Battersea. Whilst I have wanted to see the park for a while, the real reason for my visit was for one particular building and I think you can guess exactly which one it is. You hear on a yearly basis about the Battersea power station redevelopment plans and nothing ever seems to come from it. Either the companies involved seem to go bust or the project just gets so expensive that no one can cope with it. What fascinates me with the power station is exactly that of what I find fascinating with the West Pier in Brighton. It has a sense of love about it yet it is starting to decay and fall down. What would usually be classed as an ugly building just doe not even come into the picture with this power station. For some reason I find it so beautiful. I think to myself that it is an old dilapidated brown brick factory with four decaying chimneys on top but I just can not see its ugliness. This is another building that I really feel sorry for. It stands there year after year just screaming for help, looking sad for everyone to see yet no one can do anything about it. Many people want to as you can see for the support for this structure but I can understand what people mean when they say it is just simply too big. I mean if this place was converted into anything it would be massive beyond belief. Just walking down one side of the building was like walking down about for our five blocks in New York. Street after street pass and the building just continues. To imagine how many apartments and shops could fit in it would be crazy. I really hope that in my lifetime I see this building restored into something greater than it was originally. I do not want to wake up one day and hear that one of the chimneys has fallen down or that they just have to knock the whole thing down, it would break so many peoples hearts. Now that the building has finally gone onto the open market for no less than a small 500million pounds! I will be interested to see who or what will be willing to take on such a catastrophic project. I would like to see the project completed in three stages. (I am no architect or building planner of this scale so I have no idea even if it would be possible) I think that firstly the exterior should be restored and repaired with the chimneys painted a new gleaming white colour. After this I think that work should start on extending the London Underground to Battersea. It is not like people will not use the tube there as there are still so many people that live around that area. Finally I think that they should then start to build around the station to fill up the area and get the space lived in with works on converting (or adding as there is not much station left) flats and shops to the actual station nearer the end of the project. As we all sit here though I am sure we all know that we have no control over the project whatsoever unless one of us has a spare 500million to throw around. Go and enjoy this beautiful landmark and let your curiosity take control because sadly, one day it may not be there for us to admire anymore.

signing out, Thatmfeeling

Team GB Olympic Kit: Good or Bad?

2012-03-22T17:57:00.000-07:00

The Great British olympic games kit, or is it? This is the question that seems to be on many peoples tongues at the moment. With a rather impressive reveal of the kit on the 22nd, some people have instantly responded with negative criticism. Most of the criticism has been that the kit is predominantly blue which is not the main colour of our flag. Other negative criticism is that it does not display our flag clear enough. One comment that I must mention however was from a general member of the public that stated “The Union Jack is so iconic, the beauty is that you can mess around with the colours and you can always tell what flag it is” I have to say that I completely agree. On closer inspection myself I have to say that I am rather disappointed that the kit is mainly blue, however I also need to say that the team do look great in it which I am not sure they would do as much in a red kit. I am proud of our country and like many other people, if asked what colour represents the United Kingdom, the top answer would be red. It does seem rather odd to leave the colour out but that may be the whole entire point. In an advert about the new games kit, there is a union jack logo in the background that is made up of only blue colours. This logo looks amazing and very catchy which also makes me like the it more. My only worry about using so much blue is it seems to look like the Scottish flag. This is the London games. London is an English city. If it was the Scottish games being held in Glasgow then I could understand but why should be be representing a country that wants a separate olympic team (I understand that many Scottish people want to stay part of the United Kingdom but there have been so many stories of Scotland wanting to be separated in so many ways that it is just getting annoying) Something so simple as adding red incorporates both England and Wales into the kit and everyone would be happy (well most people!)

I will stand by my original answer and I have to admit that I like the it. If it was up to me then I would have added more red however I think it represents us in a modern and positive way. The people wearing the kit look amazing (and rather sexy too!) so as it was said, if they look good, they feel good and if they feel good they play good. Team GB has a kit now everyone just get behind it and cheer our team on!

not long unti the Olympics now! signing out, Thatmfeeling

Canary Wharf: The Visit

2012-03-20T17:16:00.000-07:00

There had been somewhere in London that I have wanted to go for a while but it was one of those places that I just hadn’t got around to visiting in such a long time. Canary Wharf is a guilty pleasure to me. I have no need to go there yet I just love visiting because I find the place so beautiful. When I visit Canary Wharf it is like I have been taken out of the London that I have been living in for all these years and taken into a new, perfect, architectural paradise where everything sparkles, is equally spaces and just planned to be exactly how it is suppose to be. I know that many people will not agree with that statement but it is just the way I feel about the place. What is also great is that it changes depending on the time of the week and the time of day that you go. If you go during the week then it is full of shirts and ties, the money and there is a very professional feel about the place. If you go during the weekend then you will see that it is full of tourists and that the place is much more relaxed. For my birthday week I decided to go on a Sunday. Last time I visited Canary Wharf, it was known that if you visited over the weekend then it would be dead and completely silent. Oh how things have changed and it was nice to see that this area is now being used seven days a week. There were tourists everywhere, the shops were open, restaurants buzzing and it just had such a different feel compared to the times that I have been during the week. Architecture in Canary wharf as you will already know by know is mainly glass towers. What I love is that this is a contrast to the towers in the main city. Whilst I love buildings like the Shard and Leadenhall, it is lovely to go to a place where all the buildings work together to create a space because none of them are fighting for attention. Apart from One Canada, Citigroup and HSBS, I think it is almost impossible to think of a tower that really stands out of the crowd (and even Citigroup barely manages to do that) By the towers all being similar and merging together it creates a place rather than split buildings and this is what really gets my creative juices flowing. The day that I visited the area was the day that many tourists were going on the London egg hunt. I decided that I would join in with my friend and have a look around for these eggs. There are some great designs out there and these are very picture worthy. There are also some horrible ones and some of these should be pushed to one side. It was freezing and we must have picked the coldest and wettest day to go. Taking photos did not last as long as I would have hoped but when your hands are falling off there really is nothing you can do. I could not even press the shutter button to take the photos so after a few hours me and my friend decided to call it a day. I did on my way home, manage to make one more stop off and that was to the O2 arena. I had not been here for years so I wanted to see how everything was progressing as buildings and areas seem to shoot up all the time around this place. I was surprised to find some new buildings, restaurants and shops that had opened up, one of the buildings being rather photogenic so as you can see by some of my photos, it is in there! (the one with the tiles!) Sadly it had gotten to the point where I needed to leave because it was the most unfriendliest day and my body was shutting down due to all the rain and wind. I really loved the visit and I can not wait to visit again when the sun is shining. If it is a place that you have never been then I would recommend that you go. Its very different to normal London and even if you do not like it, its an experience and a taster of a very different side of London.

20th March 2012: Picture Of The Day

2012-03-20T17:02:00.000-07:00

I had to use this photo to represent today as I am blogging about my visit to Canary Wharf. What I love about this photo is that it was completely unplanned I am moving in it yet it has manage to capture the best part of it. It was so windy, wet and gross yet the photo looks amazing. I also love the photo because I am in it! haha! It just reminds me of Singin' In The Rain and I really want to see it in the theatre!

The New Kings Cross Station

2012-03-18T13:31:00.000-07:00

Well today was the unofficial opening of the new Kings Cross station. Officially opening to the public tomorrow, the new departures concourse can hold and will see many more people ass through it. As you can tell by the pictures, the new glass canopy is stunning. When visiting the canopy was lit purple but you can tell that this can be changed easily as they were still working on the lights when I was there. The canopy frame work visually leads you straight to the main entrance which is the restored victorian ticket hall and has a contrasting feeling to the new concourse. With a new selection of restaurants and shops now available around the outsides of the station, there is now even more reason to go and visit the station. On it’s first day there were so many people standing and taking photos. I felt like I was part of the crowd doing it which is the complete opposite feeling that I usually get when I am taking pictures in public with a bustling crowd around me. This is the completing phase before the olympics start with the entrance being at the new concourse and the exit being where the old green canopy still remains. After the Olympics the final phase will be completed when the ugly green canopy is removed to make way for a public area full of benches and trees and the original victorian facade of the building will be restored to its former glory. This will be the first time “in living memory” that people will be able to see the original facade of the building, which I have to add is more beautiful that you think it is! As I could tell by everyone there, I am not the only person that has been taken away by this magnificent station. Go and have a look at it yourself, you will be impressed.

have fun exploring! Signing out, Thatmfeeling

My Instagram Addiction

2012-03-15T17:25:00.000-07:00

As most of you are well aware, I am struggling with an addiction at the moment. My addiction is Instagram and I am rapidly spreading it on to all of my friends around me. What I love about Instagram is that it is not just a “here is a vintage photo that I have taken of a dog” even though I am sure that there are many people that use it in this way, there can be more depth to it. I use it in such a way that it acts as a sort of picture diary where as you look through it you can see the places I have been or the types of things that I have been doing that day. I have to admit that when I started to use it at first the photos are rather random but if you look more closely they are actually objects that I have had some interaction with that day. This app is also brilliant because everyone uses it in different ways. There is a guy that I follow and he has the most breathtaking photos of architecture that I have ever seen. The amount of inspiration I get from this guy really pushes me to go out and take my own photos. I think that there will be topics to suit almost anyone (unless they despise photography!) For all of you people out there that have not tried it then I really recommend having a go. Most people that I have convinced to use it originally thought that it was a bit pointless but its all about having fun and going out there. You all must remember, do not diss it until you have tried it. I thought that I would also share with you some of my most favorite Instagram photos that I have taken. You can find more of these on my Tumblr: http://thatmfeeling.tumblr.com/ as this is where my Instagram automatically uploads them to. Have fun Instagramming peeps!

Signing out, Thatmfeeling

The Thermae Baths

2012-03-10T16:13:00.000-08:00

It was the day after Parliament and I was already on a high when I had to get my things together, make sure my full body tan was gleaming and my swim shorts were packed because I was on my way to Bath. There is one thing that you have to do whilst in Bath and that is go to the Thermae spa! I had never been before as last time I visited I was by myself and it is one of those places that I really did not know what to expect. Me and my friend had traveled up specifically to go to the spa and we were both really excited! Once we arrived we made it straight to the spa and it was great because there were no queues (as we discovered there would be when we left) We changed and made our way up to the roof straight away to see the landmark swimming pool. It was amazing! It was such a beautiful day yet was still cold so as we walked towards the pool you are thinking “I hope this pool is really warm!” I stepped in and I knew from that moment that I never wanted to leave. The water was about 33 Celsius and felt like heaven. We stayed in this pool for a while just admiring the view. It is not a tall building but as Bath is in a Bowl and the other buildings are also low rise, you can see everything. We finally made it downstairs into the indoor pool area, the pool size was better and it also had a jacuzzi in it so you know that that was one of the first things we charged towards. For those of you that do not now about the Thermae spa, the water is naturally heated from thermal springs. The water is also full of minerals so you feel great at the end of the day with amazingly soft skin (well I did anyway)

We had one final stop at the spa and that was the steam rooms. This is the thing that I fell in love with. There were four steam rooms and they all had different fragrances in. I could manage three of them as the one that smelt of eucalyptus and mint was over the top strong and I found it impossible to breathe in. It was the most relaxed that I had been in a very long time and I could have spent the whole day in one (even though I would have died!) I was left with overall positive impressions of this place and am already making plans for my next visit. It is so easy for me to get there and I seem to think of Bath as my pamper place now which is how I always want to keep it. After Thermae I had a fantastic meal with my friend and lots of wine. It had to be the perfect evening to a perfect day. If you have never been to Bath then it is something that you just have to do.

hope you enjoyed, signing out, Thatmfeeling

10th March 2012: Picture Of The Day

2012-03-10T15:44:00.000-08:00

This is the picture of the day as I have been seeing so many of the art eggs scattered around London. It is such a great idea to have these eggs that have been designed by famous people and artists scattered around London as it makes for a great tourist attraction but also goes towards a great cause. The eggs will later be auctioned off to make money for charity so best get your cameras out fast!

To see more of my photos then check out the link to my Tumblr:http://thatmfeeling.tumblr.com/

A Day At Parliament

2012-03-09T17:19:00.000-08:00

so as I said in my previous blog, I have had a week of doing the things that I wanted to do. After my birthday celebrations the next thing on my agenda was so have a tour of the houses of parliament. This took a while to organise but I have to admit that it was better that I thought it would be! The first part of the day was me going through security checks. It is a government building and an extremely important one at that so I wouldn’t expect any less. Once all the security checks had been completed, we were taken underground through a tunnel into the main building that we all love and know very well. We were given warnings that there were many steps to walk up and that from previous experiences, not everyone makes it to the top. This was fine as I am use to walking everywhere and I have walked up more stairs that this from other random adventures that I have taken myself on. What was amazing is that when you looked up the centre of the staircase you could see all the way to the top of the clock tower. It was a very long way up! We aren’t allowed to take photos inside which is a huge shame because the photo opportunities were endless. These pictures however will have to remain in my memory and I am sure they will be there for a long time to come.

Nearly all the way up to the top and you get to visit a room that has all the gears in it. It is fascinating to realise that this clock is over 150 years old now and that these gears have been moving around for most of that time (apart from the times that things have gone slightly wrong with some of the gears shattering across the room into the walls but this was a long time ago!) We heard the gears move and wind as it was time for the quarter of an hour chime. I was really surprised how loud they are and also how many things move at the same time. It sounded as if a gun was going off repeatedly so you did not know where to turn or where to look. We were given a history of the tower and told some very interesting facts too such as the pendulum has coins on it so make sure it keeps the clock at the correct speed. After these facts it was time to go up all the way to the top. once you get outside the first thing you see is the huge bell. I am not to sure what I was expecting really. Part of it was better than I expected but I imagined the Bell to be taller for some reason. Ignoring my previous comment, the bell was big! I am sure they could turn it upside down and use it as a 6-8 person jacuzzi! We were told to put ear plugs in as it was coming up to three o’clock and that meant one and only thing.

To be standing next to something that is making the noise that is so familiar all over the world made me shiver. When the other bells had finished ringing and Big ben was chiming it made me feel so proud. The lady that was standing next to me said that she felt really emotional. I understand where she was coming from because it is such a huge symbol of London and we could basically feel the vibrations shaking through us. After we had a look at the spectacular views (and they were fantastic! its an angle of London that you do not usually get to see) we made our way all the way down and back into the houses of parliament. We were asked if we would like to have a sit in at the house of commons and listen to a debate and we all jumped at the chance. Apart from getting lost and seeing so much of the breathtaking interior, we finally made it to the debate. I was gobsmacked that I was sitting in a chamber that I have seen on TV so many times. The chamber its self is smaller than I imagined but it was more beautiful. The details everywhere were stunning and the famous green chairs just finished off the experience by knowing who has sat on them and how close we were to them.

After this we had a brief stop at the House of lords. This chamber again was spectacular but in reds. Most people would say that this is the more beautiful of the two but I think that the fame and publicity of the house of commons just makes it all that better. After this it was time to sadly leave parliament as I had other plans for that day. I managed to walk around Waterloo, the London eye, Bankside and down to St. Pauls Cathedral. As you can tell by the photos, it was the perfect end to another perfect day.

I hope you enjoy the photos, I most certainly enjoyed taking them

Signing out, Thatmfeeling

9th March 2012: Picture Of The Day

2012-03-09T16:48:00.000-08:00

I looked back at this photo today and had to choose it as it reminds me that there are still so many things to do in my life. I had made a promise to myself that I will start to do the things that I want to and also try and explore somewhere new or go on a big adventure at least once a month.

To check out more of these photos click the link to my Tumblr:http://thatmfeeling.tumblr.com/

The perfect birthday!

2012-03-06T06:50:00.000-08:00

I have been away a bit recently as the week that has just gone was my birthday week. I decided to take the week off work and celebrate it in a different way. As I have said in previous blogs, this year is about me doing the things that I want to do and not just push them aside. I decided for the week that I would do something that I wanted to do every single day and I have to be honest, I swear that it was one of the best weeks of my life so far. The first main date to talk about was my birthday when me and a friend went to the V&A (as I had not been there for years because it was the place that I was forced to go all the time for university study so I just needed a break from it) It was rather fun and to see some amazing collections and then some not so (as you will see by the pictures!) Once I had finished at the V&A we waled a short journey next door to the Natural history Museum. Now I have an odd relationship with the natural history museum. I visited when I was about eight years old and then did not have a visit there until about 12 years later and all I remember is it being exactly the same!

When I visited this time, no surprise but it was exactly the same but with handles missing and more things broken. I love the idea of the natural history museum and I find the topics really interesting but when the museum does not change at all, I mean it even said that Pluto was a planet so their facts are out of date. Whilst here however I did find some new places that I had never been to before like the dead animal part and another stone collection! It was a fun trip to the museums but I think I will have to give the NHM a rest for another ten years or so (the birds heads just freak me out so me being me, took a photo of it!) After the museums wee out of the way I did something that I love to do and that was to buy some tea! I love to have a huge collection because you are not always in the mood for the same flavour so I just have millions and then I can pick the one that I am in the mood for that day!

We were then off to Cafe Boheme which I have to mention because I had never been to the Cafe and it was beautiful! I recommend that everyone goes because it is fantastic and we need more of them around! So there we were sipping tea and talking about the thing that we have done that day. It may sound rather “old” or “OAP” of me to do this for my birthday but I did not want a birthday that I would forget because I was too drunk or just sat at home doing nothing so this to me was perfect! After the Cafe we moved to the kitchen and had a bottle of wine and a really nice (but filling!) meal. The Boheme Kitchen is my favorite place to eat and they never seem to disappoint even though the people around us had the most irritating laughs so as you were talking you had to pause and let the witches laughs finish before you could finish your conversation.

I finished the night in a small bar with a few more friends and left before things would have turned messy (I am so proud of myself) I went home with the hugest smile on my face and think that I will remember this birthday for a very long time as next year is going to have to top this one and I would say that that will be difficult to do. Take a look at some of the pictures from that day (they are rather random but I would say it was a random yet fantastic day!) Defiantly beats my twenty first when I was the only person that did not manage to make it into the club!

The Random Day's Adventure

2012-02-23T14:47:00.003-08:00

Oh I had one of those days yesterday, a day where nothing really happens but you feel like you have gotten so much done. I woke up and thought that I would either go to Stratford, Canary Wharf or Bankside. In the end I decided to travel to Bankside so I could have a little lookie at the Tate Modern. The Tate Modern is a great place but because I had already been recently, nothing had changed so I didn’t really want to spend too much time there. I have no idea what day it was (well I know it was Wednesday) but there were so many French people around! It must have been French heart London day as everywhere I turned there were French people! Clearly Paris was full of English! anyway, not that that matters it was just rather odd. I wondered across the millennium bridge which was vibrating like a... well you know what it was vibrating like and it did amuse me! It was a great foot massage! As you can see by some of the photos that I took of my day, I had my monitoring of the Shard done and decided to move onto One New Change. Back tracking, I have to mention that the Shard is oh so close to being complete. The photos that I have taken you can roughly see that the top is glazed on the other side so it will not be long until they glaze the remainder. Back to me walking to One New Change, however and I wanted to go and take some panoramic photos of St. Pauls. Whilst up there, looking around at the surrounding scenery, it was odd to think of how ugly London looked. I barely ever say that but the weather had given it a side that looked rather dark, gloomy and lifeless. I cant wait until Summer to see the place injected with colour again. This Summer I am once again going to make the most of going out and touring the city. It is great to see those hidden areas and hopefully I will be able to expose them to myself and also to anyone else on here. My day ended rather abruptly as I spent lots of money that I did not have on ties and belts so I thought it would be best to finish up and get home in the light with some of my money left! Take a look at the pictures from my day and let me know what you think.

Above: Panoramic photo from the Shard on the left to St Pauls on the right

Above: The London eye in the distance and St Pauls in front

Above: Two photos from the Tate gallery. Love both of these works of art even though the one on the left ruins your brain after viewing it for a while

Above & Below: photos from Bankside. St Pauls, some random trees at the Tate and then the Shard below.

Signing out, Thatmfeeling

23rd February 2012: Picture Of The Day

2012-02-23T14:37:00.003-08:00

This area has been on the news so much recently that when I was looking though my photos of the adventure I had yesterday it made me sit and think for a while. This photo reminds me to do the things that I want to do no matter what stands in my way.

The BRIT awards 2012: What A Shame!

2012-02-21T15:33:00.000-08:00

With such a fantastic 2011 under their belts and being this being an olympic year for our country, I could only imagine how big the BRIT awards were going to be this year. I imagined huge performances, big remixes and massive collaborations. Oh how disappointed we were. Whilst I can not say the show was a complete disaster, I can say that the show has extreme making up to do next year. We start the disappointment with the revealing of the 2012 BRIT award. It looks like Sir Peter Blake had the award sent into a primary school for the kids to vandalise in comparison to the beautifully elegant design of Vivienne Westwood’s award last year. We should have seen doom from the start but being the BRITs I have to let everything go as I know that they will throw us some big surprises... won't they? There were surprises but in all honesty, I do not think that any of them were great. Florence and the Machine just seemed a little to normal for my liking. It was a usual performance from an album that has been over played recently. I would have expected something a little new and different to make her stand out but we just got the usual standard performance from them. Rihanna added nothing to the table with a song that has also been over played in all corners of the world with people running around covered in paint. I got the feeling that the performance was packed away safely from last year and reused this time around (I know it wasn’t it is just that we have been there and heard it) I wanted her to mix some songs up from pervious albums and then give us something that the world had not seen. The balloons, paint and confetti, whilst pretty much standard for her were a nice effect to the arena.

Above: James Cordon presents the awards ceremony again proving that he has no sense of humor at all.

I have to give it to Bruno Mars, whilst he again used a song that we can all sing as it is etched into the inner depths of our brains, I thought the change to the song and the setting of the stage made it different and cool. Adele’s performance was as usual stunning but I just do not understand why he picked a song that is probably the most played song in recent UK history and also one that was also played recently in the Grammys. I will not even bother with Blur’s “headlining event” I thought it was completely pointless and do not understand why they were picked for an award since they have been away for God knows how long, their albums have been stored under our beds and away from the radio. They have not contributed much in recent years and seemed a little dead to me. Speaking of the dead... the Witney Houston section lasted about five seconds and was pointless to even have it in there. I am not a fan of her songs but it would have been nice for someone to cover one of her songs rather than show a few pictures and then carry on and get drunk. I felt like it was added because people demanded it and that it was not taken seriously. We remember Witney Houston on the show however I cant remember anyone remembering Amy Winehouse in this ceremony (my TV did cut off so correct me if I am wrong) I think there should have been a recognition award for her as she has given us some fantastic music. Ed Sheeran kept things very intimate and focused and I have to give that to him. It was a very simple performance but that is what he does best.

Award left: The 2012 design by Sir Peter Blake / Award Right: The 2011 design by Vivienne Westwood

Adele won two awards and what horrified me and probably many others watching was the fact that she got cut off at the end by the presenter because Blur needed to sing. I think this is awful and disgusting that we kick off someone that has given this country extreme notability for talent has to be pushed off at the end of an achievement of hers whilst some chavs that have been around for a long time can scream down microphones to people that are horrified. I want to give the ceremony some notability because I love the BRITs so much but the more I talk about it the more I realised how much of a flop this year has been. I always see the BRITs as fresh, different, the ceremony that takes things to that extra step (the naughty teen of the family) but this year it has been a letdown, a letdown full of adverts, ad breaks and constant reminders of who will be singing next. If you missed the show then I would recommend watching 2011’s instead. It was much more worth it,

signing out, a very disappointed Thatmfeeling