Hey everyone! 

Well, well, well... It's certainly been a while. 

This is just a quick post to shamelessly plug my final year journalism project which saw me to travel to Russia to speak to people who had grown up in the care system and get their thoughts and feelings on life after an orphanage.

The project includes a 7 minute documentary (feel free to leave some feedback!), an interview with a Harvard professor and neuroscientist about the long term effects of institutionalization, a video diary, accompanying article and then a couple of infographics thrown in for good measure! 

It really was an unforgettable experience and I do hope you enjoy what I've created. 

http://buzz.bournemouth.ac.uk/children-of-mother-russia/

Anna 

Is this normal?

It's Sunday.

Sunday's have never been great in my opinion.

Sunday's are the days that consist of 'Shit, I've forgot to do this... Or I haven't done any uni work... Or, bollocks... my washing's been left in the washer for 2 days' 

I know why I feel like this though.

I got a shitty mark on one of my assignments. The same time last year, I did an assignment, the exact same one albeit interviewing a different person and I got a worse mark this year than I did last time. 

Surely, I should be getting better at this writing malarky? 

Last year, I got 64. This year I got 60. Someone got 70 fucking 5. That's better than a FIRST?! How the EFF is that even possible?

I'm catastrophising. I know I am. I think my life is over. I've failed uni already. I'm shit at writing. I should go work in a butchers. 

I might transfer. Closer to home. But then again, I want to stick it out. I want to push myself so I end up as good as these others who are getting good grades. 

If I transfer, I feel like I'm giving up. Not taking the rough with the smooth and all that crap.

So now, I'm just sat in a blind panic, getting all anxious about fuck all really. 

I need someone to slap me. There's no-one here though. Damnit. 

I'm gonna see if I can do some work and see if I feel any better. Peace. 

Am I ready for those flashing lights?

So it's been a while, but I thought I'd make an unscheduled appearance and ask for some advice.

My university is producing a new newspaper. We have been asked to take part and I decided I'm probably more suited to a feature story rather than a news story. So, we have been asked to gather ideas. The problem is, I am stuck. 

I don't want to do music, nor am I really very good at reviews.

I want a fresh idea that would be good. But it's hard to think of one when it's never been done.

I was flicking through Elle earlier and I came up with 2 idea's... Neither seem very good right now.

1 - A beauty column... Which unfortunately means I am going to burn an even deeper whole in my tobacco stained, crumpled receipt filled, 2 pence city that I call a pocket. 

2 - A piece on up and coming talent. No, not the fit boy in Nike Air Max's who gets on my bus, or the guy with the earring in Evisu Jeans and a tight grey cardigan who, again, I was drooling over on a bus journey or even the Polish looking, hair-in-better-condition-than-mine guy who has a penchant for odd socks....Sorry, I'm getting carried away. Annabellka, control yourself! 

 OK - So yes. Ahem. Talent. By this I mean, the elite of the university. I have a guy on my course who is now the editor in chief of his own music website and has had the privilege of meeting some our most famous UK bands, artists, DJ's. Along with someone who is maybe, trying out for the Olympics, someone who has made an amazing invention. That kind of stuff. 

The problem with the last idea is that, the aim of the new newspaper is for it be available to people outside of the university. General citizens of Bournemouth might not really give a shit what the drunken youth's, that piss all over their front door at 2 a.m, have a talent in. 

I have also decided I am probably going to do a post on here in the next few days. It's going to be slightly different. Whilst speaking, I am very colloquial. By this I mean, 'F**k off, you ******* **** **** bag, you look like a *** ***** ********' or something along those lines, depending on the day. Yet, surprisingly, my writing style seems to be mature - at least that's one thing - and so I might try the more crude, vulgar way of writing. Yes, it's not going to be to all tastes but this blog is all about finding out what I am best at so I'm going to give it a bash. 

For now, I am going to contemplate any more idea's for what I should write about for the newspaper and if anybody flies past this page and has an idea please do share! I'd be very grateful. 

Peace. x

Scribblings On A Postcard

It's Tuesday.

Its 13:00 hours.

I'm sitting downstairs on my cold, leather couch. In my dressing gown.

It's raining outside. Not like cute rain. Like heavy, grey, soaking wet, horrible rain.

I've got the ' Tuesday Blue's.'

August....Pfft. Yeah right.


Anyway, on to more pressing matters.

I had a read through this blog the other day and realised that my original vision to create a portfolio of work which would have a certain amount of journalistic credit, has somehow become a distant memory.

So what did I do? Felt sad for a while, felt like a failure for 2 minutes and then decided to make a new blog.

Yeah I know? Blogaholic.

Anyway, I am going to keep this blog as I do still need a page to scribble my everyday musings about life.

My new blog, however, is a simple page - no embellishments. Just my work. Work that I produced whilst at uni, but also work that I have written over the last few days.

Nothing major and ( in my own cynical view) not that good but don't forget I am attempting to get back into writing from a bit of a break.

I also, quite strangely discovered this whilst lying in bed last night, found my niche.

I loved writing features whilst at uni, I like writing things with a bit of emotion put into them rather than a straight forward piece of reporting on a subject.

I like to, not only give my opinion, but to put a little bit of raw emotion into my pieces. To, hopefully, make people think, question and argue.

Maybe this is my market?

I did love the idea of music, but my tastes expand so far and wide that I'd never have an audience. I doubt people who love a little bit of Adele would also listen to a bit of Tarkan, Valeriya or Aventura.

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh............. Nearly forgot to put a link to my blog.

Here it is. Enjoy.


scribblingsonapostcard.blogspot.com

I'm attempting to get back into the swing of things

So....

The last year has been turbulent.

Uni didn't work out for me. I fell ill and had to drop out.

I had a chat with the powers-that-be, however, and I'll be back in September.

Good news right?

Wrong.

I'm scared. More so than last year. Because I cannot afford (literally and financially) to take the year again after this, so effectively it is my last chance. No pressure.

This really explains the lack of posting for the last few months... I am now trying ( have left it a little bit late, no? Maybe I'm just a pessimist) to get back into the swing of things.. Attempting to start writing again.

As the month's has flown by, I have noticed a lot of my friends from the course have dived into the world of Journalism head-first, some even writing for MTV!

So anyway, I realised.. I need a subject. I need an area and an audience for whom I am going to write for. Up until this point, I have just loved writing. But now it's time to get serious! It's time for a target audience, a pitch, a subject I am going to love.

Any ideas?

In other news, I made a book.

No, no... I am def not turning into good old JK Rowling. I mean, I have made a book to inspire me. It's got my goals in it. For example:
- Study and practise Russian.
- Make a timetable with certain amounts of time for each activity each week.
etc..

Also, I have put some motivational phrases in to inspire me to carry on and not give up ( That is one in itself, oui? )

'Be yourself.'
'Its OK to have an opinion. You will be respected for that'
'Choose your own miracles'
'Someone is rich, not by the belongings they own but by the qualities they possess'

And my favourite:

'Everybody dies but not everybody lives' ( Taken from the philosopher herself, Nicki Minaj, haha! )

The last one is something I have pinned up in my room. I recite it over and over again... Yep, I'm becoming NEW AGE! It's def something I am going to remember for the rest of my life. I was even considering tattooing it on myself... Kinda like 'Memento' so I can look and remember... But I'm still unsure of it.
P.S - I don't mean PHYSICALLY tattooing it on myself. I have a very gifted tattoo artist who is a dear friend of mine... So obv I'm gonna rope him into it :)

Ciao x

Seems I did cry after all.....

I sprained my ankle :( Bad times.

Bed beckons.

Shall update the story behind the cankle tomorrow......

It's my birthday and I'll cry if I want to

It's my birthday!!!

Another year older and another year wiser.. So I'm told :)

Hope you all have  a good day on my birthday!! xx