Sky Tv or Freeview?

We have been sorting out our new TV subscription since we've been in our new home. Unfortunately we have been forced to go with Sky tv as the house doesn't have have an aerial but has a Sky box. I thought this would be fine, we could get a Freesat box with recordable space and watch the things we really want to watch. However, it doesn't work like that, and Sky seem to use every opportunity to get money off you. 

Recordable Freesat

It seems you can only record on Freesat if you pay Sky ten pounds a month for this feature. Not just this, but you have to buy a certain box from Sky. Even doing this doesn't let you access the On Demand features Sky offers apparently for free, but not really.

Sky box

We bought an old Sky box with recordable space. The company wouldn't let us use this one and said we need to purchase a new one, unless we pay for channels and then get one for free. We also need to purchase a specific card from them in order to access the channels and recordablity.  Another chance for them to get more money from us.

Extra channels

We've finally opted for Entertainment package from Sky, because to be able to record on Freesat, with buying a new box, paying monthly and buying a new card we would end up paying £150 over the year and not get On Demand. With the extra package we are paying £208 for the year and do get On Demand, so we figured 'in for a penny, in for a pound' and went for the more expensive package. This is upsetting, considering we thought we could buy the £50 box outright and be done with it, and we've ended up signed up to a contract that we can't get out of before the year is up and we're forking out money each month.

Freeview or Sky?

If we had had a Freeview box, we could have just recorded Freeview, which is what we wanted to do in the first place! I even have a TV with Freeview built in, which is a waste! With paying a TV license this year we are spending an absolute fortune just to be able to watch Freeview TV. Neither of us are that bothered about watching TV but we would like to be able to record, or watch on Demand key programmes we enjoy as we have busy lives. If you have the option, get Freeview, it's so much more flexible! I'm very disappointed with the service from Sky and the lack of flexibility.

Day one: our first argument in the new home

As we haven't got internet at home yet, I haven't been able to post recently.

We are all moved in now. We've also had our first argument.

My partner took the day off work on Monday to sort things out at the house. He's usually really good at getting things done, and I was expecting to get home to find the fridge stocked, the broadband, electricty and water companies rung and dinner in the oven. Instead I came home to find a note saying he was out and would be back about 7.

After making dinner for myself and him (even though I was the one who had been at work), he came home late so the food was overdone. Obviously I was annoyed but I tried my hardest to let him know I was upset yet not cause an argument. We ate dinner quietly making small amounts of conversation.

At the end of dinner I wanted some chocolate to cheer myself up and get back into a good mood. I asked him if he wanted some to. He said... "the chocolate in the cupboard??". He'd eaten the whole bar while I'd been at work. That was pretty much the last straw and I went from irritated to fuming.

I still didn't want an argument, but I did need to come to some sort of resolution. Unforunately, if a girl goes very quiet and annoyed, men tend to think the best thing is to give her a wide berth and wait for her to calm down. Men of the world, THIS DOES NOT WORK. Most women will get more and more angry until the problem is resolved.

So anyway, I went up to bed and sat in the room. Without any tv or internet there wasn't much to distract me so I just sat on the bed feeling sorry for myself waiting for him to come and see if he could cheer me up. Instead, he came up and pushed the door closed and carried on using the rest of the house. There's nothing like feeling ignored and shut away to push an angry woman over the edge.

We did resolve the issue in the end. He came up eventually and we made up. So all is well in our little house again.

The only thing that's irking me is he told me that his workmates took his side on this one. Surely I was clearly right to be slightly annoyed? I was stressed from work as it was, and worried about all the phoning companies we needed to do. Yet somehow he's convinced them that cleaning the bathroom is enough work for one man in one day. Anyway, as long as he helps me out some of the organising I'll get over it. I don't know what I'm doing and I don't want to have to do it all alone.

How long did it take to have your first argument with your partner?

Moving day is here!!!

I am moving tomorrow!

So far we have got a sexy kettle and toaster:

A mattress and a dyson vacuum cleaner. So we can eat toast, drink tea, hoover and lie down. That's pretty much all we need to survive. But in an effort to have places to put things, and items to entertain us, my boyfriend is picking up everything we bought on ebay tomorrow. It's going to take him hours as the items are all over the East Midlands.

Tonight I need to start packing. Then tomorrow I will be moving my things, collecting the keys, cleaning the new house and making lunch. There are better ways to spend a Saturday, but I'm so excited to be moved in!

Hope you are all excited for a fun-filled weekend!

Moving in with my boyfriend: the things I won't miss

It's my last few days of living in a house with three other housemates. I can't wait to see my boyfriend every day, and all the annoying things about sharing a house are really irritating me now.

Here are the things that I am not going to miss:

1. Sharing a kitchen. Every time I start cooking something, someone comes in and starts cooking something else. There isn't the space and it's so annoying. I can't wait to cook what I want, when I want, without interruptions.

2. Pubes in the bath. I don't like the general grime, but it's the pubes in the bath that really bug me. With men, it could be arm or chest or leg hair, but even so, it's unappealing and I'm SICK of washing them away!

3. No cupboard space. It's so irritating sharing cupboards in a kitchen with 3 other people's food. It means you hardly get any room in the cupboards, so everything I have is always almost falling out of the cupboards and crammed in and hard to find. It sounds like a small thing, but it really does get annoying after a while. The thought of a whole kitchen for just my things.... heaven! I want organised and pretty items, like this...

4. Lack of quiet time. After a whole day teaching, I just want to come home and be quiet for a while. I don't want to make small talk with people. One of my housemates doesn't work, and the others have jobs where they sit quietly at a desk most of the day. This means when I see them when I get in from work, they quite like the idea of chatting. I feel rude if I don't chat back, but there's nothing I want to do less for at least an hour after I get in. This is something my boyfriend will probably have to get used to, but I feel is important for my sanity. Talking all day is physically exhausting, especially when it's in front of teenagers.

5. Everything I own being in one room. I've moaned about this before, but I can't wait to spread my things out! It'll be so much easier to keep tidy (in theory).

6. Lounge area. I can't wait to sit in the lounge. I never sit in the lounge at the moment, because I know nobody will want to watch what I'm watching as I'm the only girl. Hooray for sitting on a sofa and drinking tea!

Anyway, as you can tell, I'm super excited to move this weekend!!!! Do you have any advice for someone moving in with a partner?

Viewing a rented house with messy tennants

Myself and the boyfriend started house hunting today. I lined up 3 properties for us to see, as I have a bit more time at work to do this sort of thing than him. We were seeing two Victorian properties and a village property that was a bit newer.

The Victorian properties had the problems a lot of Victorian properties have, no hallway, small rooms, awkward layout and small kitchen. They weren't very well kept either, and didn't really have many original features. They also didn't come with white goods.

The house we are going for is the newer house in a village. It's in a pretty little village called Great Glen which is on the outskirts of Leicester. It has a local co-op and a couple of pubs. It's easy to get to supermarkets and is just off the main road I use to get to work.

As we arrived at the house, we parked on the drive, which has space for two cars! This is rare in our price range. Then a young-ish ginger guy who had "pubes for hair" as my boyfriend stated after, answered the door. He asked us to take our shoes off.. which is pretty funny seeing as we were more likely to catch something from the floor than make a mess with our shoes. The house was.... disgusting. Thankfully we can see beyond the stuff to see it is a lovely house, but it was really a state.

We stepped into the living room, which had one safe, and then piles and bags of random objects all over the place. There was a huge cage with two chinchillas in, surrounded by mess. There was then a completely empty conservatory. The lounge and conservatory were a lovely size. I have added the original photos from the home website, but the house is actually nothing like that inside at the moment!

We then proceeded to look upstairs where the bed was not made, the bathroom floor was covered in water because the guy showing us round stated "he had just had a shower" and there were more piles of objects. I also noticed some World of Warcraft figurines on the shelf in the study, confirming my suspicions that he was in fact a geek.

Once we came downstairs we saw the kitchen, where he apologised for the dirty plates covering the kitchen and stated "it's great when it's clean". We asked if the house came with the white goods, to which he responded "what, the plates?". I think I actually just laughed in his face to that! 

Then when we checked out the downstairs bathroom, we found there was a chair in there. My boyfriend said "why is there a chair in there?". The bloke said he likes to read on the toilet?! I don't actually want to know why there was a chair in there!

Despite all this... it was a lovely house and had loads of space for our money. I just hope the place is thoroughly cleaned before anyone moves in. If we get it, I will be cleaning it myself regardless before I can so much as sit down in there! Thankfully it doesn't come with the furniture so at least we know they haven't contaminated that!

Have you ever seen a rental property with messy tenants? Would it put you off a nice house?

What should you expect from your University?

It is the time of year when people are accepted into, or choosing their University. But what should you expect when you get there? Your degree might be the most expensive thing you pay for in your life. Don't let yourself get ripped off.

Support for disabilities

If you have a support need, a disability, dyslexia, autism or another learning need, you should make this clear to the University. Many universities have halls designed for those with disabilities, but you should also ask about your ability to access lectures and seminars, and any help available for your situation. The university should help you to access education. You may have had support at school or University, and therefore should discuss what is available at University. Many young people who have had support in place at college or school find it very difficult to make the transition to Higher Education, so do your best to make sure you succeed.

Support for gaps in your knowledge

I was stuck between the marks between a 2:1 and a 2:2 on most of my assignments at University. I would often get just under the border for written assignments, and just over for practical assignments. I sought help to improve my marks, but was met by brick walls, either tutors who weren't interested enough or unhelpful members of admin staff. You are paying for a degree. If you are willing to put the work in to improve, they should be willing to help you to do that. Keep fighting! I wish I had. I ended up with one mark below a 2:1 overall, so received a 2:2. It hasn't help me back, but it is frustrating when I asked for feedback and guidance.

A pleasant atmosphere

A number of my tutors were downright rude to their students. We accepted it because we were younger than them, and felt intimidated. I am now a teacher, and if I could relive those University years, I would not stand for the way in which myself and other students were spoken to by some members of staff. Most were ok, if a little lazy because they were studying a PHD and didn't really care about their seminar hours. I don't like the mentality of complaining about every little thing, but make sure you stand up for yourself or do report times when you feel unfairly treated. Just because they apparently have the knowledge, doesn't mean they can do a bad job or speak down to people.

Crazy housemates

Everyone ends up living with someone crazy at University. I ended up living with idiots every year I was there. It's part of the process, and unless they are abusive, just take it as part of the experience. People will be messy, or grumpy, or a little nuts, but don't resort to passive-aggressive notes. It isn't pleasant and it's the cowards way out. If it bothers you that much, talk to them about it.

Opportunities

It is soooo easy to become lazy at University. You have few lectures, everyone else is lounging around and you go out during the week. Remember though, this is your time to explore. Join societies and take opportunities to meet new people and try new things. I didn't join a lot of groups because they were full of annoying people, particularly anything related to drama. I do wish I'd joined the student newspaper though or some even done a photography course in my free time. I did go running, but I wasted a lot of time too. I have precious little free time now I'm working, and I could have been learning guitar, Spanish, photography or visiting new places when I was at University. Make learning a priority. You will regret it if you don't!

Good luck on your University journey!

Why I am actually Jess from New Girl

I love the show New Girl starring Zooey Deschanel. It's quirky and adorable, and very easy to watch. However, watching it, I started to get a funny feeling. Like looking in the mirror. Wait... that's my life! 

Numerous friends have also said to me "you're Jess from New Girl" confirming my suspicions. Have the producers secretly been tailing me? Here are the reasons why I have concluded New Girl is me.

1. I moved to a new town, I am a 'New Girl'.

Ok, this isn't evidence on it's own, but it's a start. But wait, there's more...

2.  I live with 3 boys.

When I moved in, it was two boys and a girl, but she moved out and was replaced with another male. The rapport between us is bordering on the kind of rapport Jess has with her housemates, although I'm not quite as good friends. However...

3. I lived with Schmidt. 

I had a housemate who was Schmidt. My friend loves New Girl, and recently met him, and said "He's Schmidt". He used to walk in my room with his shirt unbuttoned and say "what are we doing tonight then?". He was into the ladies, but secretly wanted a girlfriend. He is confident and cocky, but underneath has a good heart. Plus he looks a lot like Schmidt. Unfortunately my landlord kicked him out for sleeping with one of her friends.... the kind of thing Schmidt might do!

4. I am a teacher

Ok, Jess taught in a comprehensive school, I teach in a college, but come on! I also make weird little jokes and do little dances for my classes. I recently tried to teach them this... but they ended up just watching me do it on my own. Acceptable for junior school, a bit weird in a college.

5. I sing everything. 

Well not everything, but now and then a little song creeps in. It's fricking weiiiiiiiiiiiiiirrrrrrddddd. Like the time I went on a boat trip with my friends and insisted on singing this the whole time. I like to think I added another dimension to the experience.

6. I wear embarrasing pyjamas. 

And I don't give a damn.

7. I look a bit like her.

I don't want to put a photo up on this blog so my students find it and start quoting bits while I'm teaching and send me into some sort of breakdown, but I have long brown hair that is slightly curly, vintage- cutesy style, and I'm fairly little. I'm also a big fan of the dark eyeliner look and have been championing it for years. Zooey is undeniably much prettier than me, but there are some similarities. My ex even said to me "you look like the girl out of hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy" before I even knew who she was. 

We are also leg-twins. She's thin with slightly stocky legs, I'm thin with slightly stocky legs. We wear short skirts anyway, cos we're cool right.

8. I'm fairly awkward in social situations.

I'm mostly pretty confident, but I often feel a bit stupid, and have been known to put my foot in my mouth more than a few times (the worst being when I implied my colleague was a bit of a slag without meaning to). Not something I want to share with Jess, but unfortunately I do.

 

Therefore, I conclude, I AM JESS. What to do about it? Carry on buying cutesy outfits and making a fool of myself? Done.

Waiting, waiting, waiting

I'm waiting for my man..... It's not just you Lou Reed, it's all I seem to do anymore! He is ALWAYS late.

There's nothing like waiting for someone to make you feel more alone. If I was single, or knew I wouldn't see him today, I would have arranged to see a friend or visit my Mum. But waiting is the worst thing on earth. I think I made it worse by being stubborn and ignoring my phone all day. My thinking was that if I don't check my phone every 5 minutes, and just imagine he's not coming at all, it'll be a nice surprise when he does show up. It also means, when he tries to arrange to come round even later than he said he was going to, I have no way of knowing that. Lose-lose for me really. And makes me more angry when he doesn't show up and I end up waiting longer.

It's not his fault, just to be clear, he has family to take care of and he volunteers. That doesn't make me feel much better though. I want to be near my family and friends and drop in on them when he's busy, but I can't because they're an hour away.

If I lived in the same city as all my friends, or somewhere I felt more at home, it wouldn't be so bad. Unfortunately I live in Leicester, a place I've only lived for 9 months, and commute out of the city so I don't know either place very well. I just feel a bit lost living here, I don't have any memories anywhere. Perhaps that's my own fault for moving away. I put my career before my own feelings of security and feeling at home. I am glad I did it though, mostly so that my Dad got to see me become a teacher and have a proper career before he passed away. That was important to me.

 

I guess I need to find a way to make Leicester feel more like a home, or to occupy myself. Sharing a house with strangers doesn't help with this as I tend to spend hours in my room rather than roaming around the house, making myself feel more isolated. Perhaps I should set myself projects like going to the park and taking photos, or going for a long walk. It's not the same walking without a dog though. I want one of these...

 Affenpinscher (which is German for Monkey-Hound)

Kind of ugly-cute, like a pug. And doesn't need brushing.

Any tips from people who have successfully moved away from their home city alone? It's been harder than I ever imagined it would be. Not alone does my new home not feel like home, my old one doesn't anymore either.

When is it time to move in?

So recently, my boyfriend has been hinting about the idea of moving in together in September. About 3 days ago, we finally talked seriously about it. Well, he thought we talked seriously about it, whereas I'm not sure a five minute conversation counts as a life plan. 


I spend a lot of time with him, and we get on really well, but it got me thinking about when you know the time is right to shack up together. Moving in together is a big deal and puts the message across that you think that you will be together for a long time, if not forever. It's one step down from actual marriage. After 10 months of dating, are we thinking about this too soon?

 I know a couple who met online a week after I met my boyfriend. A month ago they bought a house together. BOUGHT a house together. How can I couple be so sure so early on? Does that make my relationship less secure because I don't feel ready to invest in a property with my significant other? 

I don't want to question other relationships, but I personally think it's better for a relationship to move slowly and for both people involved to seriously think through their decisions. Perhaps that makes me conservative, or unromantic, but if I'm thinking of spending my whole life with someone, I don't see the point in rushing towards the exciting things that are in our future. Saying that, I have agreed to move in with him. Mostly because I don't think we will be completely in each other's pockets: he still needs to spend a lot of time at home and I visit my Mum regularly. I also think we're both easy going and willing to compromise. I love spending time with him, and miss him when I don't see him for a day. I think these are all good reasons to move in with someone.

Now that we've decided, I have been looking at gorgeous vintage furniture on ebay, gumtree and preloved. It's fairly easy to get furniture cheaply, and I plan to paint some white for that shabby-chic look. I'm so excited to get a place and be able to furnish it with my own individual style. Unless we get a furnished property to cut down on costs, but these seem to be in limited supply.

In conclusion, I guess you just know when the time is right. It's different for each individual. I still maintain that it's important to think things through and do things for the right reasons. I'm so excited to start a new adventure, but there are aspects I'm nervous of too, particularly the prospect of getting bored of each other and falling into a rut. I think that must be the next challenge, finding ways to appreciate each other in new ways when we seen each other every day. I'll keep you posted on that one.

If anyone has any tips on how to get  great furniture, or rental advice, feel free to get in touch.

I want my home to look like this!

 

First Post!

So this is my first post! How exciting. I have been blogging on Tumblr for a few months but thought I would step it up.

When writing a document, I always tell my students to start with an introduction, so I thought I would begin by telling you a little of what to expect from this blog.  I love lists, so this is the first of many:

1. Teaching

I am about to complete my first year of teaching in a Further Education College, and have also completed my PGCE this year, so expect lots of interesting stories. My students tend to make me laugh on a daily basis, but they're trailing off at the moment, so the stories should pick up in September. However, I am using my free time at work wisely. I turned my friend's shoe into a face today....

2. Music

I will try to include some links to great songs I would like to share with you. Here's a taster. 
 

 

3. Grief

I don't want this blog to be a downer, but I think it's important to talk about what matters to you. My father passed away two and a half months ago, and I think talking about it is probably therapeutic, and may be useful to others out there. Expect some reflection on the grieving process.

4. Fashion

I love fashion and like to put thought into what I wear. That's not to say I wear the most memorable outfits every day (I'm pretty useless at getting up at a reasonable time, and almost always find myself in a huge rush in the morning) so this won't be primarily a fashion blog, but I will talk about fashion ideas, and new purchases I think you may be interested in. 

5. House sharing

I am currently sharing a house with 3 boys, so they may get a mention from time to time.

6. Love

I am dating a man I met in September last year, and all is going well. We may even move in together in September this year. Stand by for reflections on cohabiting with a partner, and whether it's easy! I've never lived with a boyfriend before so it's pretty exciting.

7. The finer things in life

I'm not one of those generic girls who knits and talks about cupcakes all the time, I feel like they're a dime a dozen these days, but I will mention if I come across any delicious wine or gorgeous cushions. Share the knowledge people!

8. Literature and Psychology

I have a degree in English Literature and Drama, and I will begin studying Psychology in September, so these topics will get a mention. I love to read, but I don't always get a lot of time. I will share about favourite books or anything I'm currently reading. I may share some exciting Psychology finds too, but I promise not to bore you silly!

That's basically the kinds of things this blog will cover, and potentially gives you a little insight into the kind of person I am. I like to think of myself as pretty hard working, and having a good sense of humour. I do find the concept of blogging does scream 'look at me, give me attention' a little, but I also like the way it can be a great way of writing, sharing ideas and reflecting on life events.