This is a random little post, but I just wanted to share this fantastic video I came across thanks to Punch Bowl Blog.

I am a huge fan of Beyonce and always have been; having grown up loving the queens of power ballads like Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey (who in my opinion have since gone pretty downhill), when Destiny's Child/Beyonce came along I could marry my adoration of strong soulful voices to my love of R'n'B - and Beyonce became my idol.

Anyhoo, enough with the gushing - the video speaks for itself. This is Jay-Z filming his wife in rehearsal singing 1+1, and unsurprisingly she sounds abso-bloody-lutely amazing. Enjoy!

UPDATE: Just noticed this video was removed... rubbish! You can see her perform 1+1 in her Glastonbury performance though - it's when she's sat on top of the piano.

I was one of the hard workers at school. I was in top set for everything, I didn’t get anything below an A for any of my GCSEs, and I always got my homework in on time. Great, you might think. I must be really smart thanks to all those years of learning. Hey, I even have a degree – I must be super clever, right?

Well, wrong. I don’t feel smart. Because no matter what grades you get at school, they neglect to teach you about the fundamental things you will have to deal with in later life. In school we are repeatedly taught about osmosis. Henry VIII. Trigonometry. Now I don’t know about you, but I haven’t needed to work out the lengths of the sides of triangles since, ooh, year eleven, and while Henry VIII had a fascinating life that I’m sure could inspire a great horror movie, he has not helped me to understand how the country works and how to be a grown up. So, if the government happens to be reading – can you add these to the curriculum, please? It’s too late for me, but let’s give the kids a head start.

1.    Tax
The inspiration for this post and the most mind-numbingly painful task you will ever have to endure is completing a self assessment tax return. Oh. My. God. The deadline may be January 31st, but I only got mine sorted a few months later thanks to a system that makes no sense, appalling customer service and a complete lack of help available. After spending hours, and I mean hours, on the phone to people who should not be working for HMRC if their advice to me to pay two grand more than I owed ‘or else they’ll fine you’ is anything to go by, I eventually got through to someone who knew their job and told me what I needed to do in two seconds flat. Now, if school included a few lessons explaining how the tax system worked, I would not have a massive phone bill and raised blood pressure, and the tax office would have had their money much sooner. Smiles through gritted teeth all round.

2.    Politics
I used to be one of those people who thought, ‘I don’t do politics’. To me, it was boring, not relevant and far too complicated to understand. Then I grew up a little, went to uni and started to learn the basics about elections, parties and the way the media works to support them, and suddenly it became relevant. I also developed opinions of my own and left my conservative hometown behind. Don’t get me wrong, I still find it a little yawn-worthy and don’t know as much as I probably should – but I wish I knew more and that I’d been taught about how our country politically ticks along back in school. Even an explanation of how the voting system works would have been handy…

3.    Banking and money
Surely, surely this is something that they could squeeze into the curriculum. They could teach it in Maths along with Pythagoras and standard deviation. Just a few lessons on credit ratings, how to get a mortgage, pensions… money makes the world go round but no one tells you this stuff. A friend of mine is about to buy her first house and has been relaying the complicated saga of getting a mortgage, and I feel incredibly stupid just hearing about it – so I suppose it’s a good thing that I’ll probably never be able to get on the property ladder. But still, I’d like to know how it all works. I like learning.

I could go on – useful skills such as basic mechanics (my first car broke down a lot), IT (now that we live online) and maybe even a bit of plumbing (my boiler exploded a bit) would be more useful than learning about photosynthesis and sketching the physical changes to a potato when it’s kept in the dark (seriously, did I go to a stupid school?).  Plus, it would make the homework a lot more interesting. ‘Daddy, where are the keys to the car…?’


(And yes. That's me throwing my hat in the air.)

Well, what's the point in making resolutions if you're not going to keep them? Or, more to the point, why blog about them for all to see if you're not going to at least have a go? You may remember I had five little life to-dos back at the start of 2011 (can you believe it's May already?!) so I thought I would write an update, if anything to motivate me to keep going. It's definitely been a better year than the last so far, and being 25 is treating me pretty well. Here's why... 

Resolution 1: Get me healthy

Still a work in progress - that doctor wasn't listening carefully enough - but I am taking my health into my own hands. I've tried out meditation with a wonderful lady who contacted me through Wahanda, and am probably going to sign up to her online membership (Julie records all her sessions and puts them up online so those of us who find it hard to fit it in can still take part). I am also power plating my way to (hopefully) abs that could be mistaken for J-Lo's, and power walking around the block whenever I get the chance. It's still not enough but it's a start, right?

Resolution 2: Get me outta here

OK, this one is a little harder to do in a short amount of time. But, I have just got back from a family trip to Swanage and am planning a girl's holiday for fun in the sun next month. Plus, my best friend just moved to Dubai (sob) so I am already plotting to go and visit once it cools down out there. As for the rest of the global travel to-do list, who knows... 

Resolution 3: Get me writing again, properly

Those tiny nagging inklings of doubt are still lurking, but I am trying to blog more these days and am still enjoying it - so that's the main thing. I seem to be most inspired at around one in the morning after watching a few too many episodes of Sex and the City, which makes it difficult to get stuck into writing anything solid (unless I want to be up all night), but I have written a few intros to stories that I am pleased with - I just haven't finished them yet. Maybe I'll start with short stories instead of a novel! On the upside, I did write my train etiquette post after one painful train ride too many, and it got picked up by a transport website as well as turning me into an official Grumpy Young Woman - so I am pretty proud of that...

Resolution 4: Get me a life

This one is going fairly well if I do say so myself. I booked myself in for Spanish lessons and am around halfway through. I am loving it. Not only is it great to be learning again (I am such a geek, I LOVE learning), but the language is as pretty as I thought it was and the people are lovely. If I can afford it, I'll be doing level 2 without a doubt and carrying on for as long as I can. I've also got my eyes on a few creative writing courses, am trying to find a cheap piano teacher in London and am generally busy every night of the week these days. I might be a bit exhausted when it gets to Sunday night, but it's so worth it. 

Resolution 5: Get me happy

This one was always going to be the hardest because I tend to compare myself to others with a glass-half-empty mentality - positive thinking doesn't come naturally to me. But, doing all of the above is certainly helping and I am keeping busy enough that I'm enjoying London more (separate post on that to come), feeling more active and, most of the time, looking forward to those slightly blurry goals rather than looking back with regrets. I've just finished reading Eat, Pray, Love - the film of which I've watched around ten times already - and it definitely inspired me to just start living. 2011 is already a big year and it's going to get bigger - so hopefully I will grow with it. Wow, that's cheesy. But true! 

Oh, and the photo is one of me and my sisters that my dad dug out - it makes me laugh every time I look at it. I'm the one in the middle. And I own a pair of sunglasses just like them now, at age 25 - so things can't be all bad!

What about you? Have you kept to your New Year's resolutions?

Any of my Twitter followers will know that I'm a bit of a TV addict - put Tweetdeck in front of me when one of my favourite shows is on and you're guaranteed to find your timeline filled with chat about people and things that don't even exist In Real Life. 

When talking about my love of TV shows with real-life people, I've sometimes found there's a certain snobbery on the subject - I often get a slightly upturned nose, along with the comment 'Oh I don't watch a lot of TV. I'd rather listen to music'. Well, good for you. I do both. It doesn't make me an overweight couch potato who eats Pot Noodle for dinner, eyes glued to the screen - in fact I've never had a Pot Noodle in my life. It just means I love stories.

So, with the return of one of my most-loved shows this week (Desperate Housewives), I thought I'd do a round up of the best TV series out there - past and present:

1. Desperate Housewives
My inspiration and my guilty pleasure, Desperate Housewives has always been a firm favourite and I've never missed an episode. I can't believe it's on Series 7 already - there have been a lot of laughs, murders, guns, affairs and more, and it's still going strong. Yes there is way too much Botox involved (Bree's forehead makes mine feel funny - I wish someone would cut her a fringe and hide it away) and the men are somewhat lacking since Jesse Metcalfe left, but it's still brightening up my Wednesday nights. 

2. Sex and the City

This had to be in here, didn't it? The ultimate girls' TV show will, despite the not so great films, always be top of my list for entertainment. I recently bought the boxset (no, I can't believe I didn't own it either) and I am starting from the very beginning, where Carrie had awful brown hair (for all of one episode - quick learners) and she spoke to the camera constantly. An episode of SATC always inspires me to write something and gives me ideas, and it never gets boring no matter how many times you watch it. Oh, and Aidan is hot. 

3. Damages

What do you mean, 'what?'? If you have not heard of Damages, never mind seen it, SHAME ON YOU. I cannot stress enough how amazing this show is - and it is coming back this year for season four... I. Can't. Wait. With Glenn Close, Ted Danson, Rose Byrne and the swoon-worthy Timothy Olyphant as its stars, it's brilliant enough. Throw in a fantastic, twisty twirly plot that will have you gagging for more and you've got one of the best thrillers around.

4. Harper's Island

Sadly this was a one-off show but my god, did they make the most of it. You can read my full review of this frightfest on Screenjabber; but all you need to know is that if you like horror, you will LOVE this. I do love thrillers and horrors but would not dare watch this alone, nor without a cushion at hand - it's scary, jumpy, make-you-scream-in-your-living-room stuff but the story, and pleasingly the acting (despite it being full of teenager-type people) is fan-bloody-tastic. It also has a great soundtrack and introduced me to Civil Twilight - what more could you want?

5. Friends

This obviously had to be in here. Friends, without doubt, has a line or episode that can be applied to any single situation in life. I probably quote it daily whether it's out loud or in my head, and I can't go long without watching an episode because I would miss it. It's perfect for when you need a little boost, when you're tired and just need background noise, when there's nothing else on and you don't fancy a film... etc. I still can't decide who my favourite character is, though I adore the Rachel and Ross love story, and I still cry when I watch the final episode (despite knowing she gets off the plane, it hurts when she gets on the plane). Will they do a movie? Who knows, but I would be first in the cinema if they did...

What are your favourites?

I love romantic comedies. They continue along Disney's path of lulling us into a false sense of reality, making us think that some day, we'll all meet Mr or Mrs Perfect, Prince or Princess Charming, and all will be wonderful and happy-ever-after-ish. Sometimes it's what you need, whether it's to pretend Matthew McConaughey is going to knock on your door one day or simply to perv over Angelina Jolie. A good rom-com can cheer you up, inspire you to write, help you to remember the happy times with an ex, or simply give you an excuse not to do the laundry you've been putting off. 

I may have skipped a few of the 30 Day Blog Challenges since some were for things I do all the time, but I liked this one since I've been addicted to looking at Blogger stats every single day of late. I'm amazed that I get traffic at all, let alone people from all over the world (I appear to attract the Russians, weirdly), so thanks for reading! 

As one of these bloggers who can't choose a subject and therefore writes about all sorts, it's interesting to see what people read more and comment on. In honour of today's challenge and to share what content gets the most hits, here are my top five blogs:

I am surprised this is my most read post and reckon it may be because I left it in the top slider for so long... that or you're all just looking for inspiration for New Year's resolutions! Now that we're a quarter of the way through the year there will be an update on those shortly...

Given the number of tweets about the dire state of public transport in my feed every day I am not surprised this is number two. It even got me a contributor's position at Grumpy Young Women and was published on a transport blog... now, Boris, if you're reading - let's get it plastered all over the trains, yes? 

This one gets me a lot of SEO traffic so I'm not surprised it's in here - it's a topic that is continuously debated about. I still think internships are a great way to get into journalism and necessary, but there are limits. Just make sure you know yours!

Actually, the next three most popular are my X Factor posts but here's the one that came up top. I enjoyed these and can't wait for the next series to start... Saturday nights just haven't been the same since Take Me Out finished!

After the X Factor posts, this one about the very weird repetition of three boys' names in my love life was the next most popular. Luckily I am not alone, but still, when I do (rarely) look at online dating sites, there are four names (three plus the ex) I most definitely avoid...

So that's three personal or 'Just Judy' blogs, one dating (Single Scoop) blog and one review/TV blog. Interesting... what would you like to see more or less of? Do you think it's better to specialise in one subject?

So today's task in the 30 Day Blogging Challenge ('today' meaning day five, though I am well aware I am a week late) is to say something nice. Now I may be a bit of a grump but when I started brainstorming it amazed me how big a list of things I had to rave about (in a good way). 

But, what did I want to commend most? My favourite blogs, that's what. I know how great even a little blog comment - hint hint - makes me feel, so I thought why not share the love and recommend a few fellow bloggers and their wordy greatness. I do have a long blogroll on the right hand side of this site of all the blogs I read, so feel free to take a look there too.

The Beauty Bloggers

In my day job I have the pleasure of contacting lots of brilliant beauty bloggers - there are so many out there and they all amaze me in their dedication to it (beauty can be hard work). It's impossible to narrow down but my shorlist of blogs to always check out would be: British Beauty Blogger, Product Placement, and Beauty Scribbler. All are witty, informative and of course, mad about makeup and the like - what else could you want?

The Dating Bloggers

I love catching up on dating blogs - after all, who doesn't have a story about the last guy or girl they saw? Whether you want tips about online dating or you simply love a good read, I highly recommend The Single Filez for honest, funny updates; Sex and the Cosmo Girls for Mullies' latest love-life news; and The Loves and Life of a London Girl for Sarah's try-anything-once approach to men!

The Funny Bloggers

Like laughing? Thought so. If you need cheering up (or even if you don't), have a proper giggle and follow some blogs by writers who can not only string a sentence together but can make it damn funny too. Top of the list is Luv & Hat, full of debates over everything from beards to fish pedicures and phrases that will give you the best mental images you could possibly ask for. Next, and yes this is slightly self promotional, but The Grumpy Young Women tend to make me laugh into my teacup (I actually only have mugs, but 'teacup' sounds much more Grumpy Woman-like) so go follow. Shoo.

The Helpful Bloggers

Ahh, the ones I couldn't live without. Not only do I love reading these blogs, but they post about content that actually helps me in some way - whether it's blogging, discovering new web tools, top tips that I can use at work... they are informative and easy to digest. Friend and fellow blogger Emma Cossey is first with her blog on everything from blogging itself to social media and shoes... it's all there and I always learn something new. There's also ABC Copywriting which, if you're a web writer, always has interesting posts on the industry complete with a handy how-to every so often. 

Do you have a blog, or suggestions of blogs you never miss? Comment below and if it's up my street I'll add it to my blogroll!

This post is part of the 30 Day Blogging Challenge series - see all posts in the challenge here!  

As any reader of this blog may know, I'm a bit of a moan-y sort. It's not something I'm proud of (apart from when it allows me to write for Grumpy Young Women, which is great). I've been pestered by panic attacks, dabbled a bit in depression and am generally a my-glass-is-half-empty-and-now-you've-gone-and-knocked-it-over-you-idiot kind of person. More importantly, overly cheery types get on my nerves and I am truly suspicious of anyone who walks around smiling all the time (what? It's not natural!). Which is why this blog title is already making me feel a bit queasy but hey, even we grumps can share some happiness sometimes. 

Honestly, I am trying to be a little more positive and a little less of the life-sucks mentality (and doing quite well at it!), and recently I wrote myself a little list of things which helped relax my face into a smile last time I found myself in a bit of a hole. On a serious note, it's not fun when there's a dark cloud hovering over everything while everyone else plays in the sunshine - but there are ways to make it better. 

Music

If you're not on Spotify, rectify that right this minute - you don't know what you're missing out on. Well, I'll tell you - you're missing the Musical Prozac list that myself and Emma Cossey created and listen to fairly religiously when we need a pick-me-up. Admittedly, we're 90s kids and there's a lot of S Club, 5ive and Steps in there (and that's just my contribution) but I defy you not to get up and jump around when any one of the songs on the playlist comes on. Hairbrush hits and dancefloor favourites are in there aplenty, and it's a collaborative list so you can add your own happy hits to it. Music is the biggest helper when I get a bout of the blues - whether I'm jumping around my room like a moron or singing my heart out to Beyonce, I forget what I was sad about and just feel grateful for having ears (not vocal chords).

Exercise

OK, so we all hate hearing that actually, the key to happiness is not slouching on the sofa watching Friends (though in fact I will come to that later) - and working up a sweat can work off those negative feelings. Whether it's dancing around your bedroom (see point one) or going for a quick jog round the block, getting your heart pumping and throwing your energy into something else other than being angry or down is a good way to at least take your mind off your troubles. Do as I do and follow it with a rewarding cuppa and a Hobnob and you'll wonder what all the fuss was about...

Chat

This is a tricky one. I was explaining to a friend recently that when I fall into that pit of self-pity and sadness, the very last thing I want to do is talk to anyone. I, obviously, prefer to shut myself in my room and put 5ive's Keep on Movin' on repeat. But, when I do need a pick-me-up, I find that picking up my phone is often the best way to go. Whether it's to hear my mum talk to me about what she did to her hair this week or to text my friend to simply share that I am blue so she can send me some virtual flowers, just telling someone about it (or distracting yourself with someone else's life for a while) can make things seem a lot simpler. Not sure who to talk to? Get yourself onto Twitter. We're all pretty good listeners.

A fail-safe film

If you're not a lover of film and TV, firstly, what does your furniture point at? And secondly, well this may not work for you, but hopefully you have something to relate it to (a good book?). As a bit of a telly addict and film fan, I have a few fail-safe movies and shows that are guaranteed to make me feel better when I'm down. Obviously, Friends is an easy one and so is Sex and the City (this is not a time for Eastenders). My personal favourite is Home and Away - stop laughing - because I love the show, it's set in Australia where they are forever on the sunny beach and it's easy viewing. Film-wise I have so many I wouldn't want to bore you, but How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, Confessions of a Shopaholic and anything Disney are always top of the list. And Bourne, for obvious reasons...

Remembering the past, looking at the future 

One final thing that chills me out a little is to stop thinking about the present. When things get too much, it's always because there is a lot going on and I'm feeling overwhelmed by it all. Whipping out the photo album (or, you know, Facebook) and reminiscing about the good old days is always fun, so long as you don't start sobbing over the waist you used to have or the boy you used to date. I have one particular memory involving my ex, his nan and a very unstable picnic chair that has me crying with laughter every time, and photo-wise a picture of my baby nephew is all it takes to make me smile again. Just look at the happy memories. Even better - plan some new ones. My love of travel always cheers me up, and I look at my globe (a very dear present that takes pride of place in my room), think about where I'd like to go and look up some holiday deals on the net, just to browse. Even if I don't book any, knowing it's out there and that I could do it is something for me to look forward to. 

Everyone will have their own happy list - this is just mine. If you feel down more than you feel up, take a sheet of paper, write down five things that make you smile and stick it on the wall. It might just make you feel better next time things get tough. Oh and also - this is part of a blogging challenge where you have to have a question for a title. Typing 'how to..', 'what is', 'why is..' into Google provides oodles of giggles if you need a quick happy fix. People search for some weird stuff.

What are your happy songs/films/tips?

This post is part of the 30 Day Blogging Challenge series - see all posts in the challenge here!  

After watching and adoring The Blind Side last night, I started thinking that, bad blonde hair dye or not, Sandra Bullock is pretty damn good at her job. And she picks her roles well - I am struggling to think of any terrible films that she stars in, other than perhaps Miss Congeniality 2 which just sounds dire even as a title - they should have stopped at one. So, as I'm a huge film fan and wanting to write a little more about movieland, here are my top five films that the lovely Sandra has starred in...

Easily becoming one of my all time favourite films after having just seen it for the first time, it's safe to say this made an impression. It's captivating from start to finish, makes you want to adopt Michael and the other adorable kid, and won't leave a dry eye in the house - but for all the right reasons. I loved Bullock's character and she suited it down to the ground.

Not a huge Blockbuster, but Hope Floats is a film I love to catch whenever it's on. Sweet,  heartfelt and with fantastic actors including Gena Rowlands (of The Notebook fame) and yummy Harry Connick Jr, I always cry like a baby throughout but it's worth the tears. It's also the owner of a brilliant quote I posted about before - "Beginnings are scary, endings are usually sad, but it's the middle that counts the most."

3) The Proposal
Obviously, the best thing about The Proposal is that Ryan Reynolds is in it - but I thought Bullock was on a different level in this film. She does do comedy well but her uptight, emotionally-closed-off character in this really suited her acting style and had me giggling the whole way through (and my cold heart melted when it had a happy ending, of course). It may just be a silly rom-com but it was one of the greatest films of 2009. 

4) Miss Congeniality
Many a Sunday afternoon was spent wearing out my video (yes, video) of Miss Congeniality back in the day - it's just one of those movies that you can watch again and again. It helps that Benjamin Bratt is gorgeous, of course (sorry, there's a bit of a running theme here isn't there? Nice one Sandra!) but it's also just a fun story in which a superbly camp Micheal Caine gets to dress up Bullock in pretty dresses. Gets my vote.

5) A Time to Kill
I haven't watched this thriller in ages because it's tough viewing, but it is a firm favourite in my DVD collection (yes I have advanced to DVDs now). Matthew McConaughey is flawless alongside Samuel L Jackson, and while Bullock is not the star of it she plays yet another determined, hard-working woman who helps to make sure justice is served at whatever cost. Proof that she is way more than just chick-flick material.

I've left out a few other guilty-pleasure gems such as Two Weeks Notice, Premonition, Practical Magic, Crash and Speed (the latter two are up there with some of my favourite films, but she ruined it with Speed 2 because Keanu wasn't in it) but all in all - Bullock, you rock. 

Whose films do you always love, no matter what the genre? Let me know - I might even blog about it... 

Remember that fantastic Sanctuary facial oil I was telling you about in a recent blog post? Well, I'm still using it religiously because it has solved my winter skin woes and then some - hello silky skin, it's been a while. 

And now thanks to Wahanda - yes this is slightly self-promotional but with good reason - you can try it out too, along with a few other Sanctuary goodies for less than half of the usual cost. Oh, we are good to you...

So, on Monday 28th March we have MobDeals going up for two Sanctuary skincare gift sets, both with more than 50% off the RRP. Plus, these aren't iddly piddly sets of travel-size lotions and potions - these are full size products. Amazing, no? Each set will be £20 and there's a limited number available - so don't wait too long to check them out!

You can either grab the Skincare Spa Heroes set which is pretty much all you need for a mini at-home facial (including my tried and trusted oil), or you can give your skin a boost with the lovely Pro-Collagen kit. Or you know, you could buy both. You are saving money after all...

P.S. Tweet me if you want an extra 10% off as I have a little promocode that I'm allowed to give out to my friends. Perks of the job and all that...