The Buffy Tag: 2017

8/15/2017

Buffy the Vampire Slayer is my all-time favourite show. Hands down. Ever since I watched my first episode when I was 5 or 6, and saw this pretty blonde girl kicking some ass. I know the show too well and often find myself reciting the lines before the characters have the chance to. It's a problem, but one I'm happy to be flawed by. There are countless reasons why Buffy has defined so much of my being, so much so that I find it hard to put into words. The show saved me when I was a young girl afraid of change. When others my age were waiting for their prince to come and save them from a tower, I felt empowered with the knowledge of knowing that sometimes a girl can save herself and have that be enough. It enriched friendships in my eyes and taught me to not settle on anything less than someone who will tell you a tale of a yellow crayon when you're falling to pieces. Season six helped my young mind understand depression, and taught me that there is nothing to be ashamed of. Tara McClay helped me not be ashamed of my overwhelming shyness, even when it felt like it may define my life. The show gave me kickass clothing taste. But overall, the most important and valuable thing I gained from watching this show repeatedly throughout my childhood, was the belief that there will always be a light at the end of any tunnel. Not matter how dark and impossible it may feel at the time.

Buffy (and Angel) played a huge role in my and my mother's relationship. It was our outlet and defines almost all of our favourite memories in front of the TV, well, underneath the TV as we sat on the floor for our dog Jess to have the entire sofa. It seemed logical at the time. Buffy easily opened up the world of feminism to me, and taught me to have great taste in TV shows. Thanks to Buffy I have never not believed that females are just as powerful as males, nor have I ever had an "eye-opening" moment when seeing a girl-on-girl or boy-on-boy scene. It was always just the norm to me, which it should be to any child. This show broke almost all stereotypes, and watching as an impressionable young girl, I can safely safe that it taught me to be the person I am today. In the words of the Gilmore Girls "It's a lifestyle.".

From that stage of my life, it led to my obsession and collection of over 80 Buffy books, graphic novels, posters, the offical Buffy magazines, VHS tapes, DVD specials, board games, card games, SFX Buffy specials, and even a POP vinyl or two (The latter is a total shock, right?). Not to mention the yearbooks, episode guides, and scripts. You may say I had a teenie weenie habit of just buying everything Buffy that stumbled into my path - yeah, you'd be right.

8" Lighter || Cutting My Hair For Little Princess Trust

8/05/2017

You may of heard of people chopping (or even shaving) their hair off in aid of a charity - most notably, the Little Princess Trust. I had been wanting to revamp my hair for years, but being a creature of habit and a gal who once had a hair disaster at the hairdressers, I kept chickening out. Big time. I'd grab my scissors with the declaration "I'm chopping loads off!" and end up with a mere 2 inches off. But as I promised in my "21 Things I Want To Do When I'm 21" post, I was no longer being a wuss and instead going all balls in. Is that a saying? It ought to be.

The charity just gave me a final push. Little Princess Trust is a UK based charity that provides wigs for children who are suffering with hair loss. It's an incredible organisation and I urge you to give their site a browse - whether you're planning on donating hair or not.

As a child/teen, I used my hair as a mask to hide from the world. I thought it was the only semi-pretty thing about me and although I now know how unhealthy that mindset was, I think any child deserves the option of having something that makes them feel pretty - a part of the crowd. And hopefully that'll eventually lead to them realising how insanely brave and special they are. Sometimes we all just need a little thing to help us accomplish the big.


I first got this idea from Carrie Hope Fletcher when she donated a big ol' chunk of hair in THIS video. From there, all it took was a quick trip down Google lane to see which organisation I wanted to choose (I advise you do the same before settling on one, just to triple-check you're 110% happy with the information and such - no one wants hair to go to waste), but alas, I wound up choosing to go with Little Princess Trust as they accepted donations of 7"/17cm or more. Not being yet brave enough to chop more than absolutely necessary, I went with the safe option. Next time, I pledge to be a little more adventurous. Nevertheless, a donation is a donation, right? And this is a beyond worthy cause.

Having a few questions before wanting to take the chop, I emailed the folks that run the Little Princess Trust site and they replied within 12 hours with all the answers I could possibly want, plus extra pointers, which I thought was really kind. The people behind the screens are truly lovely human beings and that is always a pleasant thing to experience with any company - charity or not. So if you are reluctant due to some queries or you simply want more information, don't be shy about contacting them. I'm sure everything will be five-by-five.

If you want to donate hair or money, you can find all the info on Little Princess Trust. But I will give you a quick run through of the hair donation rules/regulations (as written HERE on their site):

Suitable hair:
  • Clean, dry hair in good condition (no split ends) from any gender, and of any natural colour
  • Straight, wavy, curly, permed or chemically straightened
  • Containing the occasional grey (less than 10%)
  • Dyed, bleached/highlighted (any dyes must be of a natural colour)
  • Ponytails(s) cut a long time ago, preserved in good condition
Unsuitable hair for our wigs:
  • Dyed an unnatural colour (blue, green, purple, dyed red)
  • Hair that is less than 7"/17cm in length
  • Largely/mostly grey hair
  • Afro (the wig-maker is not a specialist manufacturer of Afro wigs. The Trust buys in these wigs separately)
  • Dreadlocks
  • Hair extensions
New guidelines:
  • Wash and dry your hair
  • Do not add conditioner or styling products
  • Put your dry hair into a ponytail(s)
  • Secure at both ends with a hair band, and one half way down for good measure!
  • Ask your hairdresser to cut above the band/s nearest your head
  • Now have the rest of your hair styled as you wish
  • Put your dry ponytail(s) into a clear resealable plastic bag
  • Place them in a padded envelope and post using a standard service to:

Little Princess Trust

Broadway House

32-35 Broad St
Hereford
HR4 9AR
UK


  • Please have your parcel weighed to make sure you use the right postage
  • Include your email address, clearly written, using this Hair Donation Slip, so that we can email you a Thank You!
It's that easy! I'm so glad I did it, as it gave me a small nudge on the confidence scale and it's always a lovely feeling knowing that you've done something for a worthy cause. I feel like a new woman.

Have you donated hair in the past? Are you planning to? 
Let me know!

A big thank you to the Little Princess Trust for being so supportive and just making the overall experience enjoyable. 

- Anne x

A Photo Per Day || July

8/01/2017


July 2017 was the first month that I spent entirely in the USA. And boy, has it been an interesting experience. I've been happy for a good portion of this month and it's been equally thrilling as bewildering. I don't know whether it's because I'm adjusting to my surroundings or if it's just plain ol' stupidity, but my mind is currently taking over a little too much for my liking. So I vow to zip that trap shut in August. Alas, lets concentrate on the good. This month saw my first ever 4th of July bash, which included as much food and beer as shown on TV shows. I found a somewhat rhythm to my blog, that is particularly refreshing as I'm now slowly working my way through the "draft" section. Books have certainly been a reoccurring theme as I - well, my kind fiancé - bought over 50 used books from various libraries and recycled book stores to see us through any possible zombie apocalypse, twice over. I've rekindled my love for photo taking and looked into delving headfirst into the world of bullet journals. I guess you could say this has been a month for including new things into my life. It's been a good one. Here's July:
-
02/07/2017: Currently Reading: Massive by Julia Bell. A short book tackling the subject of ED's and how they affect both the individual and those surrounding them. I'm roughly 70 pages in and am currently enjoying it. May write up a review once I'm done as I hadn't heard about the book until I stumbled across it in a charity shop. (Click HERE to read my review)
03/07/2017: Sleepy kitties are the cutest of kitties. True story.
04/07/2017: Happy 4th of July! As I'm currently with @billiamswn in California, I have the opportunity to celebrate a holiday that I've never even paid attention to before (obviously, way smart, Anne). So, yay, exciting! From what I've gathered thus far, it's mostly about family and food. Two things I'm always down for.
05/04/2017: New Post: "2017 Book Wrap-Up: January - June" || Click HERE to view. I started the year wanting to read 50 books. We've surpassed the midway point, so how am I doing? Check out my post to see! Disclaimer: photo not mine.
-
06/07/2017: Is there anything more refreshing than new notebooks? It's like a clean slate for the mind (and hands).
07/07/2017: Black truffle and garlic fries, fish & chips (yuk) with lots of coleslaw (yum), and cocktails. What more can a couple want for a date night? We also caught Spider Man: Homecoming today and it was a Web of fun. Get it? Yeah, I'll leave. What's your ideal date? 
08/07/2017: I went for a super short hike (? Kind of. Just down and up a hill. Kinda counts. Ish.) earlier, and stood beneath many redwood trees. There is nothing quite like it.
09/07/2017: Ocean views with @billiamswn. The peacefulness that is this never gets old. 
-
10/07/2017: 'I felt my lungs inflate with the onrush of scenery—air, mountains, trees, people. I thought, "This is what it is to be happy."' - Sylvia Plath, The Bell Jar.
10/07/2017: I finished The Martian the other day after having it on my TBR for what felt like years (let's face it, with the speed of which the years are passing, it probably was). Worth the wait? Most definitely. Mark is a great character and this is a first science fiction novel that I've read from a man's POV. So that was a nice change. I enjoyed the journal aspect of it the most, which is surprising as I usually find that in a book annoying as it prohibits me from bonding with any other character than the main. Have you read it? What did you think?
11/07/2017: Little bowl of happy. This is a way better take on the "taste the rainbow" thing. 
11/07/2017: This was a snapshot of my face (wow, spoiler) from earlier. Today was a good day, despite the current pain situation. chronic pain and fibromyalgia both suck, as do most invisible illnesses. It feels like a creature living inside your body not daring to show its ugly face to the world, but oh yeah, you definitely know it's there. I thank the Lord for @billiamswn and his unwavering understanding and help. But anyway, back on topic, yay for day trips! 
-
12/07/2017: How dreamy is this used bookstore? There was meant to be a kitty roaming but we (@billiamswn and I) didn't see him/her. Sad times. Shelf goals though.
13/07/2017: This is an accurate representation of how I feel right now. Thank you, Charlie. 
14/07/2017: Do you want to know how to make a cottage cheese and broccoli breakfast bake? Of course you do! Because it's yummy! Click HERE to view. 
15/07/2017: "Loneliness adds beauty to life. It puts a special burn on sunsets and makes night air smell better." I feel like life is currently on a ticking clock counting down and I hate it. I hate that changes are so often here that you can never really seem to gather your bearings. I just want time to stand still for a little while.
-
16/07/2017: New Post: "The Second Collective Book Haul" || Click HERE to view. It's been years since I discovered the haul side of Youtube and thus the blogger side, yet I still have a fascination with seeing what people have bought - especially when it's books or clothes. What type of posts/videos never get old for you? 
17/07/2017: Can we all take a moment to appreciate the fact that I haven't killed mine and @billiamswn's second child Henry 2.0, despite the fact I sleep in the same room as him? Go me! The curse must be on my mother, and not my plant loving soul. (No, fiance. That doesn't mean you can bring home another. Our room will resemble a scene from The Jungle Book.) 
18/07/2017: Currently Reading: The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker. So far I'm liking it! It's written in a rather poetic way and the characters don't seem annoying. Yay! Have you read it? What did you think?
19/07/2017: American sizings never seem to not astound me. My mouth is happy for it though. 
-
20/07/2017: New Post: "Massive by Julia Bell || [spoiler-free review]" || Click HERE to read. I hadn't heard of this book prior to picking it up in a charity shop. Covering the topic of a teenage girl's fall into an eating disorder and the mistakes it takes to get there, Massive isn't your lighthearted tale, but nothing written about this topic should be. Due to the current online controversy surrounding To The Bone, I thought now would be a good time to give you an alternative option. Have you seen the movie? What did you think?
21/07/2017: Do you like movies? Do you like podcasts? Do you like nerdy stuff? Boy, do I have the greatest suggestion for you... *drum roll*... Future Flicks@somenerds very own @billiamswn has a podcast that now has over 50 episodes! Find out what is getting released on the big screen each week and get a glimpse into the future of the movie world (Get it? Future? Talking about flicks? Future flicks). You can check it out on any podcast listening app or just click HERE to view on the official SomewhatNerdy site. You can thank me later.
22/07/2017: American gets merged with an Irish fella. Who isn't a cat person? How is that even a thing? Look at their little faces. *grabby hands* 
23/07/2017: Take me back to cheese, avocado, sprouts, red onion and mustard filled bagels on a park bench. Why do we take photos of our food? It feels a little like torture when you scroll past something yummy but can't have it. Damn you, modern world.
-
24/07/2017: Anniversary flowers is only one of the many kind gestures my better half does. I'm incredibly lucky and I am unashamed to yell that from rooftops (depending of course on how tall the building is, I mean, I'm not insane). I've been thinking of doing some wedding related posts on my blog, as in what style of dresses I've been admiring/flower arrangements/ideas/ favourite sites to browse/yada,yada. But I don't know whether it's content people would enjoy to read as nothing is set in stone yet. What do you think? I'd appreciate feedback. 
25/07/2017: Minor sneak peek at an upcoming haul. Which are new? Which are rented? Oooooohhhh. The mystery. But seriously, I love library discount stores. 50c for a book? I'm down. My poor suitcase. What do you tend to buy on vacation? 
26/07/2017: “... you can only hope that in those moments of dark reflection ... that you are not alone ...” - Lucas Scott, One Tree Hill. 
27/07/2017: Am I a sandwich girl now? Because.. plot twist.
-
28/07/2017: New Post: "Material Girl in a Material World" || Click HERE to view! I have a lotion fetish. Okay, wrong wording. But I really enjoy lathering my skin up with something that smells nice and makes me feel like a butter stick (I'm Hannibal's dream gal.. yay?). These were a kind gift from my fiance's family and I forgot how soothing the more natural lotions can be. One of the many items that makes my newest blog post. Be sure to check it out! And do you have a favourite lotion? Let me know! 
29/07/2017: Happy Caturday! I'm missing my little fella more than words can express, though Charlie (the cat in the photo) is being a great distraction. He meows.. a lot. Hard to feel lonely with that background noise. 
30/07/2017: After finishing The Secret Life Of Bees I'm going to be picking up this YA favourite. I've heard a lot of good things and the movie is meant to be quite alright too - especially for an adaptation. Have you read Everything Everything? What did you think, if you have? The cover is beautiful.
31/07/2017: Just call me the homemade breakfast queen. (She says after burning one pancake, getting another two stuck together and then finishing it off by burning 2 slices of toast. Smooth.) But yum! Now for the big question... British or American pancakes? Which is your pick?
-

And there we have it! There have certainly been many book photos and food this month, aye? I'll try and branch out a little next month. Pinkie swear! 

What's been your highlight of this month? Let me know!

- Anne x


-

Latest Instagrams

© Rooting Branches. Design by FCD.