Milky with a dash of ginger! Coffee culture in modern society.

I have an addiction to caffeine.
No seriously.

Born and raised in West Yorkshire, I was practically weaned off the breast and onto a teapot.  Aged nine I sampled my first espresso and my God it was grim.  However,once my dad showed me the magic ingredients that are milk and sugar I was hooked.
On average I drink about 8/9 mugs of tea a day during the week, and 4/5 coffee's on the weekend.

I like to experiment with different flavoured syrups, sugars, different types of milk, froth, no froth... this has resulted in me being called 'such a white girl' by my housemates.  When I asked what that statement meant I was told that I was obsessing in the culture of coffee that was introduced to us from America.  That, and my VERY active Instagram account fueled with snaps of my latest beverage and my 'mugshots'* apparently resulted in making me a stereotypical 'white girl'.

In light of this I decided to take a look at the nation's obsession with tea and coffee.  Why do we spend such a great amount of money on drinks from a franchise when we are perfectly capable of making a decent brew ourselves?  What exactly is so good about a mochaccino, or a skinny soya decaf latte? Why are we allowing huge corporations to take over our towns and buy out the quaint little coffee houses we spent out Saturday afternoons in
as kids?

British culture and tea drinking.

I do however LOVE a nice cuppa though.  It is very typically British to partake in the consumption of a mug or two of tea during the day.  So if it's so British to drink tea, why are the majority of our hot drink franchises coffee shops? Why are tea rooms diminishing to make way for multiple Starbucks' and Costa's in each and every town in the UK?  After a tad of Googling I found that my love of tea is not to do with me actually enjoying the drink, but rather to do with my astounding patriotism to my country and it's national drink (though we did steal it from China...), and also the geography of where I was raised in England.  Why is it then, that I cannot purely enjoy tea?  Why does it have to be that I'm English and was raised in the tea capital of Britain?  

Americanism and coffee culture.

If tea is associated with Britain, and coffee is associated with America why are there so many coffee shops in the UK whilst drinking tea is suddenly a trend in the US?  I mean the town I live in currently got a Starbuck's in the Student's union two years ago and it was in all the local news.  We got a big one in the town centre a fortnight ago and no-one can stop talking about it.  (Though in fairness it's probably mainly to do with the incredibly bad Welsh translations they have on the walls.)  I went into a small cafe a few days ago with a friend and asked for a cuppa tea and was told that they only served coffee (of at least 40 varieties), hot chocolate or iced drinks.  I then found a 'proper' British cafe that agreed with carrying the apparently outlawed tea.  When ranting about this atrocity to my course mates an American friend of mine told me that she didn't understand why I 'needed' a cup of tea and that whenever she felt like a beverage she walked towards the coffee pot, hands shaking with anticipation.  I told her that her dirt water did not appeal to me in any way unless it was pumped full of milk and sugar to a point where it tasted at least somewhat like a bad cup of tea.  She then got very huffy with me and told me tea tasted like piss.
After this utterly hilarious conversation (which we are now laughing about) I thought about how we were so riled up and eager to defend our 'national' drinks and for the life of me I cannot understand why we have claimed these as ours and why we get so defensive about them.  I guess it's because they're everywhere we turn, coffee shops cropping up on every street corner.  Cafes luring hipsters in with promise of book sales, open mic nights and the best damn hibiscus tea you'll ever Instagram.  I guess the real reason we give a crap is because tea and coffee has been drilled into our heads as a national emblem to the point where obsess over them endlessly.  We are literally being Starbuck'd.

Starbucking: corporations taking over.

Starbucking is the taking over of small businesses in order to make way for large corporations and franchises.  The best example of this is in fact the popular coffee house Starbucks.  With so many shops popping up all over the globe is this the reason that we have become so obsessed with coffee?!!  Are we being forced into it by some mad coffee dealers, Fairtrade, or even the governments?!!  I'm not sure, but whatever way you look at it, we're participating in the hostile takeover of small coffee shops, tea rooms, and book nooks to make way for empty framed, ironic permed, skinny jeaned dicks who think they're 'cool' because they have their name incorrectly spelled on the side of a cardboard cup...  I know for a fact I'm guilty.  My university campus has a Starbucks in the Union and with 5% student discount and a further 10% off for student reps I'd be a fool not to take up the offer of reduced rate froth with a shot of coffee underneath it, right?  RIGHT?!!

Starbucks v Costa.

So what's the difference between Starbucks and Costa?  Other than the Christmas drinks of course.  Pumpkin spiced latte or black forest hot chocolate?  The decisions, the decisions...  

Here is a nifty litle poll which has decided this for me, take a look...  http://worldversus.com/CostaCoffee-vs-StarbucksCoffee


Have I piqued your interest..?

If I have then here're a few sites and articles that I found pretty interesting when looking into this.  And also a couple of definitions for you.  Perhaps you should pop the kettle on before you read these... ;)

The origins of tea in UK society
http://www.tea.co.uk/a-social-history

Americanisms swamping the UK?
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1282449/Americanisms-swamping-English-wake-smell-coffee.html

Simon Pegg explaining Starbucking
http://www.villagevoice.com/2013-08-14/film/the-worlds-end-interview/

Urban Dictionary definition of 'Starbucking'
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=starbucking

Politically incorrect jokes about coffee
http://www.anti-anti-americanism.com/blog/2009/01/the-fly-in-the-coffee-cup/

*'Mugshot'

A 'mugshot' is a photo of a person's face half hidden behind their mug as they drink their latest beverage of such importance that it is then published on the internet.  Kind of a 'selfie' with drinks...



nicholaannexx

A few of my favourite things... nail edition.

Something you don't know about me is that I am obsessed with nails and makeup!

I've always been interested in fashion and beauty and in the past few years I have become very passionate about makeup and nail care.  At uni I gained a bit more confidence with both of these things and began experimenting more and more.

I've been spending a lot of time pissing about with nail art since uni finished and I've found a few of my new favourite products and designs in doing so.

So, for your viewing pleasure here're some of the nail art designs I've been loving this season.

This particular look was created using five nail colours and some striping tape.  It is a little fussy but not too difficult and looks great so is worth it.

The Process.
I started by applying a base coat of BarryM Silk Nail Paint in 'Pearl' - I did this because I wanted the white lines in between each colour to be of a different texture and to have a ethereal shine to it.  Then I left this for a minute to dry.

Next I put a few strips of striping tape along the nail in the design I wanted.  I decided upon slightly diagonal stripes as it was a little different without being too faffy.
The next step was putting the bold colours over the white nail pigment stopping each colour at the tape.

The colours and brands I used are:
BarryM Nail Paint in 'Shocking Pink'
City Color Nail Polish in 'Hollywood Hills'
W.I.P. in 'light blue'
Essie Nail Polish in 'Resort Fling' (Resort Collection)

I allowed these colours to dry, topped them off with a second coat and allowed them to dry again.  Then I peeled away the striping tape to reveal the white silk nail varnish beneath.  I find that if you leave the top colours to dry before removing the striping tape it doesn't smudge the colour.

For this look I used three nail colours and a nail art pen.  I would recommend using nail tip templates to do this look but they are not necessary.

The Process.
For this look I used the same pink nail varnish as before; I gave it two coats and allowed each to dry fully before beginning on the 'rind' of the watermelon.
I wanted to create a dual layer 'rind' for the nail as the inside of a watermelon usually has a pale green/yellow colour running between the outer shell and the flesh inside.  I used a nail colour that came as a free sample with a magazine.  The above nail polish is from Company magazine, most high street shops will carry a similar colour; the one I used is a mint green shade. I allowed this to dry and then moved on to the outer shell.
For this I used a dark green shade similar to that of a watermelon's shell.  I chose another BarryM paint.  I painted the tip freeform but would recommend using a tip template for a neater finish.
Once this had dried I took one of my black nail art pens and created the seeds of the watermelon.  I allowed all of this to dry and then sealed it with a topcoat of clear nail varnish.

The colours and brands I used are:

Barry M Nail Paint in 'Shocking Pink'BarryM Gelly hi-Shine Nail Paint in 'Watermelon'BarryM Nail Art Pen in 'black'

For this look I wanted to use a silk texture nail paint again as it leaves a nice shine to the nail without looking glossy - sometimes I don't like glossy nails.  I wanted to create a bee that had a 3D body and 2D detailing.  The product I used to give the 3D effect took quite a while to dry which infuriated me as I am impatient as hell!! However, I really enjoyed creating this one.

The Process.

I applied a base coat of the pale blue silk polish and allowed it to dry before applying a second coat.  This created a solid foundation for the main design to be placed upon.  I chose a pale blue silk to look a tad more like the sky than a glossy polish would allow...
Once the base had dried I took my 3D nail art pens and put a small ball of the product onto the blue base.  The product I used it slightly spongey when dried and is full of air bubbles when wet - these do go away once the product is dry - I used the applicator to spread the colour out into the size and shape I wanted.  This product took an hour or so to dry but would dry much faster under a lamp.
Once the body of the bee had dried I took a black nail art pen and drew on the bee's stripes, sting, antennae and face.
I waited for the black nail polish to dry before applying the wings as I didn't want the two colours to bleed together.  Once completely dry I then used a white nail art pen to draw on the wings.

The colours and brands I used are:
BarryM Silk Nail Paint in 'Mist'
Fringed Iris 3D-Art Pens in 'yellow'
BarryM Nail Art Pen in 'black'
Barry M Nail Art Pen in 'white'

I didn't apply a topcoat to this look as I didn't want the clue to be glossy.  I prefer it to be silk and ethereal but topcoat can be applied if this suits your preference.

This nail was created using three nail colours and a dotting and marbling tool.  I would usually use a nail art pen to create flower petals but decided against it for this look.  I wanted a rustic finish that wasn't too neat but was still quite neat.  One of the products I used for this is 11 years old so the label has worn off but fortunately I can still remember what shop it's from and have checked to make sure they still sell it, which they do!

The process.
First I chose a pale blue nail polish that would show the design off well without drawing attention away from the daisies.  I decided on blue over green as I thought it made the yellow stand out a bit clearer.  I applied my base coat and a second coat to create the foundation of the nail.

Next I took a plain white nail polish and put a few drops onto a piece of card.  I then got a dotting/marbling tool and roughly drew on the petals.  I placed them quite far away from each other to prevent them from bleeding together.
Once the petals had dried I took a yellow nail varnish to make the pollen inbetween the petals.  I chose a neon nail colour to add a little bit of shine to the centre of the flower drawing all of the eyes attention to the flower as opposed to the base colour.

The colours and brands I used are:
Essie Nail Polish in 'Find me an oasis' (Resort collection)
BarryM Nail Paint in 'Matt white'
Claire's Accessories's nail varnish in 'neon yellow'

I added a clear topcoat to this design to keep it intact and add a little more shine to the neon yellow polish.

Of course there are a tonne more designs which are out there, several of which I daren't attempt, but these are my current four favourites.  I think that all of these work really well as feature nails and should be worn on only one finger per hand and paired with a block colour on the remaining digits.  The daisy design however is simple enough to apply to all nails without looking too fussy.  I hope you've enjoyed looking at these designs and will attempt to have a go at some of them yourself.  If you have done a similar design to one of these or have an idea you'd like to share let me know below.  If you have any different products you'd like to recommend I'd love to know about them.

Take care,

nicholaannexx

A brief introduction...

I don't know you, and I can guarantee you don't know me.
Not many do.
I have my friends and family who like to think they know me, but who ever really knows themselves fully, never mind others?!!
I think there are only two people other than myself who know me very well at all; they are my brother and my boyfriend.

So; as you've made the decision to waste away your days reading my ramblings I thought perhaps we should get to know one another.

Hi I'm Nic.

I am 21, from Halifax in West Yorkshire.
I'm ginger, blue eyes, 5'5", weigh A LOT more than I should do, and I'm about 70% happy with my life.

To any of you who read my post on Sunday night (11th) you can probably guess the 30% of my life that I'm not happy with.  To those who did not, it's just general self doubt and disappointment with the world.

I'm relatively quiet when I want to be.  I spend most of my hours reading, writing, drawing, sleeping and torturing Sims into having 'perfect' lives whilst simultaneously neglecting their needs for my own sick pleasure.
Sometimes however, I'm incredibly loud.  I have a laugh like gunfire, I can belt out a tune louder than any amp, and I can definitely talk.

I study English literature and education at Aberystwyth University and I aspire to be an English teacher with a bit of moonlighting as a writer.

I drink a flip load of tea, I eat what I want in moderation, I walk less often than I should - but for medical purposes... (shallow femoral grooves under my patellas resulting in repetitive dislocation)

I like hugs.  /i mean I reeeally like hugs.  A hug can save lives, just remember that.  You never know when someone will need a bit of comfort.

And in all that's about all you need to know about me right now.

If there is anything in particular you'd like to know about me, let me know and I'll try to let you know.

But for now, thank-you for your eyes, ears, and most importantly your abysmal taste in bloggers.

nicholaannexx

Resitting my second year of university...

Since I was four years old I have wanted to be an English teacher.  Don't ask me why... something about the excessive hours, general abuse from students and ten years off my life expectancy appealed to me.  As such, I have spent almost 18 years working towards being a teacher.

Being 21 and having spent the majority of your life working towards something and still not being there is a tad frustrating as I figured out over the Summer...

I was flitting between the West coast of Wales and West Yorkshire every few weeks and had no stability to help find myself a Summer job.
This was the first stepping stone.
My boyfriend was spending the whole Summer with his family in the Midlands, and a fortnight with his grandparents in Spain.  In total I think we spent nine days out of the whole Summer together...
This was the second stepping stone.
Two of my housemate were working in our uni town over the Summer and were going out a lot with their new mates, spending days going on road trips and earning enough money to not worry about anything.  I however did not have a job...
This was the third stepping stone.
I found myself spending all of my overdraft on Summer rent, bills and food.  In just two months I'd blown through the whole £1000.
Since then no matter how careful I am with my loans and grants, I am always £1000 down.  I'm not in debt, but it does add pressure to me for when I eventually graduate.  Having this financial matter looming over me like a dark cloud for 9 months has slowly driven me mental.
This was the final stepping stone.

So over the past few months I have been considering either leaving university or resitting my second year.  I've not been enjoying my course and came to a realization that I was deliberately failing without realizing it.  I have a habit to self-destruct.  It's been that way since I was eleven; I just surround myself with bad people and negativity until I drag myself down into a submissive state where I don't matter.  As such, I've not spent enough time thinking about how my degree is just that one step closer to my dream.
Instead I've been thinking that it's clearly not going to happen and that I should therefore just pack it in.
As I'm sure you can guess, this is not a good way to think.  I've not got myself to the point where daily breakdowns where the question 'what am I doing with my life' are a perfectly normal way to spend your mornings.

I'm now in the process of applying to resit my second year pending my exam results over the Summer.  Though this is only a formality.  I have an exam on 20thC British Literature tomorrow afternoon from 2-5pm and I cannot for the life of me think of a word to say.  I've read and reread the books more times than I care to think about but I can't retain the information.  I've never been so scared about an exam in my life.

So for now I suppose I have to pull up my bootstraps, have a nice relaxing shower and spend tomorrow morning cramming Joyce until Ulysses pours out of my ears.  After that..?  I don't know yet, but I'll keep you updated.


Thank-you.  I needed someone to listen, you're my rock.




nicholaannexx