Five Years Ago: 1999

Posted on May 15, 2014 by sh

Time to do some time travelling again fabulous people! This time we’re going pre-noughties and jumping into 1999.

Yup, it makes me think of that Prince song too. Why not click this link and listen along whilst you read this blog post for a taste of true nostalgia?

In 1999, I was nineteen. I’d finished college and was taking a year out to decide if getting a degree was really for me. I was temping in a small office of financial advisors where the boss chain-smoked, drank endless cups of black coffee and took more paracetamol than was surely safe – all whilst sat at her desk! It’s difficult to imagine an office filled with cigarette smoke these days – thank goodness!

I was dating a guy I’d met the previous year. We stayed together for around five years, but it was a tumultuous relationship and now I wonder why we stayed together as long as we did.

I started my uni course in the Autumn. I studied Journalism and Editorial Design at the University of Wolverhampton and lived at home to make it more affordable. I remember being freaked out in my first design lesson, when it was a bit more cutting, sticking and gluing, than I’d originally anticipated.

I met one of my very good friends on the first day of uni. I was in the queue to pick up my library card when a slightly creepy rocker-type (i.e. not my type at all) started talking to me and asking me if I fancied going for a walk around the library with him. I’m sure he was just trying to make friends and in the nervousness of the first day it came out more creepily than he’d realised but either way, I was freaking out inside! Fortunately my now-friend was in the queue in front of us and started talking to me. It turned out we were on the same course and we’ve been friends ever since. Happy days. Not sure what happened to the ginger Metallica fan.

Looking at my photo album it seems I went to see Dru Hill in concert at the Aston Villa Leisure Centre. I seem to remember my then boyfriend and I being the only white people in the building. I don’t mean that in a racist way, but we did, er, stand out a little! Ha, ha!

Erm, and judging by this photo of me in my Ted Baker T-shirt I was a bit of a chav (my god, how far has Ted Baker clothing come on in the past decade?!)

What were you doing back in 1999?

Five Years Ago: 2004

Posted on April 10, 2014 by sh

We’ve already time travelled back to 2009. Now it’s time to head back another f-friendly five years to 2004!

Takes deep breath…

OK, I don’t have that many photos from 2004. Y’see to quote Queenie, 2004 was kinda my annus horribilis. I split up with my ex, which at the time seemed devastating (there’s something to be said for hindsight), got made redundant and discovered that the girl I was flat sharing with was a pyscho.

Here are some of the events I thought were worth remembering…

I was living in London at the time (Finchley to be exact) so a world of exhibitions were right on my doorstep. Hence my ticket stubs from 1920s: the decade that changed London at the Museum of London (really well put together, so atmospheric and just up my street as I adore the 1920s) and Roy Lichtenstein at the Hayward Gallery (one word ‘Waaahm!’).

I attended an amazing wedding and a 21st birthday party on the same day! Typical really. A truly rubbish year, yet two of the good things happen on the same day, what are the chances, eh? Here’s me rocking a bit of Kat Slater make-up look (classy!). Just realised I look naked in that photo – erm, even classier!

Erm, I went out drinking – a lot, such is life when you’re 24!

I moved back to the Midlands, but missed London so booked myself into a hotel down there to visit friends and re-discovered family (long story) before Christmas.

I went to the now (sadly no more) Leonard Road Christmas lights on Christmas Eve…

…And then went out drinking (again)…

Other stuff that happened…

I found my half-sister again * I temped * I explored the wonders of internet dating and speed dating * I fell over at Gods Kitchen at Air one night and knocked myself out *

Five Years Ago: 2009

Posted on March 17, 2014 by sh

Happy birthday to meeee

Yup, today it’s my 34th birthday, so it seems a fitting time to kick off this new series. Think of it as a ‘throw back Thursday‘ kinda deal where (in the spirit of all things f related) I time travel back five years at a time and take a look at what I was up to back in the day. Expect lots of embarrassing photos and ‘Oh no she didn’t’ moments – enjoy!

Today we’re going to head back to 2009.

We kicked off the year by moving from our rented house to our mortgaged apartment.

Our new-build apartment was still in the middle of a construction site when we moved in and this was the view from our spare room for a number of months.

Moving is always stressful, but the excitement of being property owners for the first time and the fact that we managed to get all of our stuff moved across before the snow arrived counteracted some of the stress! We’re still here five years later and we love it!

There were plenty of celebrations….

A cocktail party to mark my 29th birthday.

A wander around the Wyre Forest for Mother’s Day.

A trip to Chester Zoo for Hubby’s birthday. In fact, this was the year where my obsession with Orangutans began. In he Oranguatan house, we were busy looking at a snake in a glass tank, when we heard tapping on the glass across from us. We turned around and a female Orangutan was sitting on the ledge of the window, literally beckoning us over. As we got closer she turned and proudly showed us her baby. I melted and I’ve been in love with these beautiful, intelligent and sadly endangered creatures ever since.

A trip to the Trafford Centre for Bestie’s 30th which was successful both in terms of shopping…

and cocktail supping.

Our first visit to Daniel’s Mill for Mom’s birthday.

We would return later in the year for me to partake in a 60 foot abseil in aid of Hope Hospice. Thoroughly nerve wracking, yet also throughly enjoyable.

We collected a lot of ticket stubs: The Prodigy (where we got sweaty and beer soaked), We Will Rock You (starring Jonathan Wilkes at the time – so I kept checking the audience to see if Robbie was hiding out somewhere), Style in the City, Michael McIntyre (where I had a stinking cold and collapsed into a fit of coughing every time I laughed)