Life is too short...

Over the past couple of months there have been so many changes in all aspects of my life. Some have been good, some have been bad, but each will mould me into the person that I am as well as the person I am to become.

It has made me realise that life really is too short and although this may sound cliche, you should live each day as if it is your last.
Fun filled.
Always try something new, at least once. Have no regrets, and don't look back into the past, look towards the future, where many more changes and experiences are there to happen, to fill your brain with new memories and your heart with warmth.
Always achieve the best that you possibly can, and put 100% effort into everything you do.
Be the person you want to be and don't try to please anyone else. You live with yourself every minute of the day, you have a choice to be your own best friend or your own worst enemy.


"Dress cute every day. Life is too short to blend in." - Paris Hilton


This is a girl who lives life to the full, always has fun and doesn't really give a sh*t about what anyone else thinks about her. She knows what she wants out of life and will make sure that she achieves it. Life is too short to do anything apart from please yourself. This may sound selfish, but if your not happy then ultimately you can't make those happy around you. Although people automatically judge her on her looks, her wealth and her life-style, I personally think that there is more to this girl than originally meets the eye. We only know the girl that is in the papers and magazines, a portrayal, image and a brand. We don't actually know her.
And although she is seen as a "blonde bimbo" she actually has a lot to offer and I think that we could all even learn a thing or two.

Life is too short to be anything but happy. Surround yourself with people that make you laugh and smile and get rid of those that don't.

Christmas Package

News reading review

Yesterday, we had a go at reading some news bulletins in front of the camera in the TV studios. Each of us had a go at all the different roles which play an important part in news programmes, such as the anchors, the floor managers as well as the producers.
It all seemed very real, with the white lights, the cameras and the green screen and it was all extremely exciting. However, I can't say that we were any good at it. With this being our first go, we weren't sure what to do with ourselves and there were many factors, which we soon came to realise, that are just as important as reading the news.
Firstly, running the speed of the auto-cue with our feet was extremely difficult. As news reading has to be done slowly and clear, if we ran it too fast then we stumbled over our words trying to catch up with what was written on screen, but if it was too slow then we were stopping mid-sentence waiting for the rest of the script to appear. Another factor was the "triangle". When your co-presenter was reading, it was hard not to look gormless on screen, staring at the camera looked unnatural, and we had to be aware of what we were doing with our faces and hands. Looking back at what was filmed, we were doing all sorts of strange things that we didn't even realise we were doing. The triangle was important (looking at the script, the camera and your co-presenter) as it made everything seem a bit more natural, and would help to make us look for comfortable on screen. Smiling was also important and the way we spoke. We had to try and make ourselves seem more conversational as what we were saying would be easier to listen too, and we had to put some enthusiasm into the words to get away from monotone reading.
Although extremely fun, it was all quite difficult, but I think with some practise we will eventually get the hang of news reading on TV.

After this lecture, I decided to watch Tuesday's news at 10 on the BBC to analyse how professional presenters read the news. Their body language looked so much more comfortable and natural on screen, and they did indeed put the "triangle" into use. The way they spoke was also slow and clear, and the intonation kept the viewers from becoming bored of what was being said. There was no "faffing" around with their hands, and their shoulders were rolled back whilst they sat up, which again showed their professionalism, as slouching (like we had done) had given off a negative vibe.
I hadn't realised that there was so many other factors involved with reading the news and I realised that it isn't as easy as it looks.

New Cardiff...

This weekend was the first weekend home from uni, and I didn't think I would have missed it quite as much as I have.
However, I was also quite surprised at just how much Cardiff had changed in the few months that I have been living away. On a shopping trip into the city centre I was amazed at how a place which I had known like the back of my hand could have changed as much as it has done into something that I barely knew at all. However, I must make it clear that I am most definitely not complaining.
The new shopping centre, St David's 2 had opened and it was full of new and exciting shops which we had previously never had in Cardiff before, like Radley and Kurt Geiger. It was beautiful and spacious and I was extremely excited looking around. However many of the shops from the other end of Cardiff had decided to move into this centre as well which made me wonder what was going to happen to all the empty spaces. Were they going to be filled with cheap shops that try and sell knock-off versions of designer items? I hope not as we have enough of those already and in my opinion its these shops that ruin the town.
The new centre is definitely worth a visit and with a new John Lewis which also opened a few months ago, Cardiff is now one of the best developed cities in the whole of Europe.
Coincidentally this weekend was also the launch of the Jimmy Choo range for H&M, and to be honest I couldn't have picked a more exciting day to go shopping in the "new" Cardiff. Although the weather was havoc, with the wind blowing so strongly that you couldn't actually put up an umbrella to shield yourself from the rain, this all added to the sense of home which I had greatly missed. After all you don't expect great weather when you come to Wales.
As we reached H&M (which has also moved to the new centre) there were massive ques of people waiting to step into the sectioned off area especially for the Jimmy Choo collaboration. These people had been queuing outside for hours and managed to snag themselves wristbands to be the first to buy a pair of Jimmy Choos. However, this isn't as great as it seems. Looking on, I could see that the people let in through the barrier only had 15 minutes to find what they wanted and go before they were told to leave by the staff who were waiting to let the next number of people in. Everyone was grabbing whatever they could and taking it to the tills, where one of the staff mentioned to another colleague that they had already taken over £18,000 in an hour from Jimmy Choo alone. No doubt that these people are going to sell these things on e-bay as they probably don't even fit.
When coming back a few hours later to see for myself what the shoes were like, I was greeted with empty shelves. Just my luck.

Wintour..

Anna Wintour is the daughter of the editor of the Evening Standard and is an English American fashion editor and Editor in chief of American Vogue since 1988. She helped drive Vogue, modernising and recognised the importance of celebrity culture to the magazine as well as the fashion industry.
This woman dictates what goes on in the fashion world and the fashion industry, some people may see her as a joke, although in my opinion these are the people who think they know a lot about everything but are actually extremely narrow minded. Although i don't entirely agree with her promotion of fur, she is a personal idol of mine and is also a world wide fashion-icon, what she has achieved is truly amazing.
"Fashion is not about looking at the past but about looking forward." - Wintour

The September Issue

On my recent day off from lectures, I got together with some of the girls to watch the documentary film, "The September Issue".
I found it extremely interesting and exciting and it gave a great feel for the goings on behind the creation of Vogue. I also found it extremely inspiring as this is an aspect of journalism that I dream to go into in the future.
Even though so much hard work goes into the issue, you sense the dedication that each person gives to the magazine and at the same time it looks fun. Although you see the stress that everyone, especially Grace goes through, there is also something new and exciting to undertake and there is always a job that needs doing. Everyone is kept on their toes while Anna makes her decisions about the issue, however the overall outcome from fashion shoots as well as the finished issue itself must be a great sense of achievement.
The film concentrates on the people who run the magazine mainly Anna Wintour and Creative Director Grace, although the film "The Devil Wears Prada" was based on Wintour, Wintour isn't portrayed as cold as Meryl Streep, but is shown to be career driven thinking mainly about the magazine, although slightly disappointed that her daughter doesn't want to follow in her footsteps of becoming an editor. After watching the film we don't instantly like her, she is still seen as cold, however a new sense of respect is given to her and I admire her in everything she does and believes in.
This film challenges the stereotype that girls who like fashion must be stupid. In fact it portrays the complete opposite and shows that a lot of thinking and intelligence is involved, giving an insight to the industry that has never been shown before.
This is most definitely a film that I will watch again and I would advise anyone who is thinking about going into fashion publication to watch it.

twinkle twinkle...

As the weather begins to get colder, the days become darker and Christmas draws nearer the shops begin to sparkle.
With the Christmas party season soon starting, the shops come alive with sequins and sparkles, with black and metallic. Everything becomes glitzy and glam, and this is what I love. Lace is seen on almost everything, adding sophistication and glamour to make anyone feel special.

Winter Wardrobe Staples

As winter emerges it’s time to start layering up with cosy knits, scarves, gloves and hats, not to mention the important statement coat. In shops this season there is a coat to suit everyone, from blazers to trench coats, there is no excuse not to be stylish and warm at the same time. With this season’s biggest hitting trends being tweed, faux-fur, classic shapes and military, detail is key. However if you want to go for something that will see you from winter to winter go for a more classic look. Double-breasted tailored coats and belted trenches nip you in at the waist and do wonders for every figure. These coats always re-emerge in shops year after year and you will do well to invest in a good quality classic, this will leave you spare money to update with accessories such as the all important gloves and scarves. If you feel these coats are a bit too “tame” for your liking, you can always give them a modern twist by choosing one of these styles in a bright colour or even faux-fur, guaranteed to perk you up in the cold winter months.

Another winter essential is the boot. Whether they are thigh-high, ankle, flat or embellished, a good pair of boots is a necessity. The best colour to choose is black if you want something more practable, as they will look good with everything. However, if you’re feeling more adventurous animal print or studding is a must. If boots aren’t quite your thing, the shoe boot is a nice alternative. Is it a shoe? Is it a boot? Who really cares? These are a cute replacement to the classic ankle boot and go well with trousers and skirts.

Shapes and textures are also important. Suede and leather bags are perfect to carry all your essentials with you and in my opinion, the bigger the better. Tassels, chains and buckles, zips and pockets, add a stylish twist and in eye catching colours, stand out in the dreary winter cold. Leather gloves and a bright fluffy scarf finish the look, but if your feeling extra Christmassy, do not leave the house without a bobble hat- Christmas card perfection.

VoxPop

This is our first attempt of using radio equipment and creating a VoxPop. We went around the streets of Farnham and asked the local people about remembrance day; if they think that the focus should be moved more towards the present to remember all the soldiers who are losing their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan.

VoxPop by annaverdon