Feeling Christmassy

My family and I have had a busy time this weekend.  We put up our Christmas tree, decorated it with baubles and fairy lights, and put various ornaments around the house.  It took a few hours and we were all exhausted at the end, but it is worth it because our home feels warm, cozy and Christmassy now.  I can’t wait for Santa to visit.  I hope you’ve all been good!

 

 

I walked into the Form Six Common Room this morning to a chorus of “Hurrahs” and applause.  I wondered what was going on.  Then they all burst into “Happy Birthday to you”.  I couldn’t believe it!  I was left speechless, and that doesn’t happen very often.  Then a girl shouted in “It’s tomorrow!” and we all burst out laughing.  It was a really nice thought though.  Thanks guys! J

 

 

I thought I would post another video of one of my favourite Christmas songs.  When singing to this one I can't help but smile!

 

Wizzard – “I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday”.

 

The Show Must Go On!

Last night, I had my first rehearsal for the Viva! Christmas Pantomime.  This year the staff and members are putting on a production of “Cinderella”.  I hope it will be the first of many, because we had so much fun!

 

 

 

As many of you know I am playing Cinders’ best friend Buttons, and I’m so excited!  Buttons is a big part to play, but he doesn’t say a lot.  Even though I am in one scene, it’s an honour to take part in the show, which is next Friday.

 

 

I’m so excited because I get to sing two songs in the show.  They are “(Is This the Way To) Amarillo” by Tony Christie and “Celebration” by Kool & the Gang.  Last year, “Amarillo” was re-released as a single to raise money for Red Nose Day 2005.  The video was hilarious!  It featured well-known comedian Peter Kay and other celebrities miming to the words while walking on the spot, as if they are on a treadmill.  ROMFL!!

 

Tony Christie – “(Is This the Way To) Amarillo?”

I tried to stand on the stage to say my dialogue, but I couldn’t.  I felt really unsteady.  People thought for Health & Safety reasons I’d be better sitting on the stage.  But next time, I am going to stand on the stage.  I’m sure once I get comfortable, I’ll be fine.

 

 

I was quite surprised at how quick I had learnt my dialogue.  With my GCSE Drama group, we used to have eight weeks to rehearse a show.  On the day of the performance I still had to be prompted from a script!  But I’m confident that WON’T happen this time. Positive thinking equals positive results!

 

Brilliant Brussels [Part Two]

We arrived at our accommodation at 19:15p.m later on Tuesday night.  It surprised me (and a few others) when I found out we weren’t actually staying in Brussels.  We stayed at a three-star hotel in Lille, which was an hour and half drive away from the Capital of Belguim.

 

Then we unpacked.  The hotel room was lovely.  It had a double bed, a sofa which could be converted into a bed.  Also there was a T.V and cupboards for storage.  There was also a room with a bath and sink in, and a separate room for the toilet.  It felt really odd, because in Britain and many other places, the toilet, sink, bath and shower in one room.

 

Unfortunately, the hotel did not have any access for disabled people.  I found this a bit shocking, particularly as it was a new hotel.  You would have thought the owners would have spared some Euros to make the hotel disabled friendly.  It was okay for me, as I can walk, but other people with a more severe disability than mine may want to stay there, and they couldn’t.

 

We left the hotel the next morning, and made the 2 hour journey to the European Parliament Building.  Inside the building, we had very strict rules to obey.  All of us were searched, put through a metal detector too.  Our phones had to be switched off, as it could affect the technical equipment.  We were only allowed to take photographs, but only when the Members of European Parliament weren’t in the Chamber.  I did take some in the Chamber, but they didn’t come out very clearly.

 

~ A Guide to the European Parliament ~

 

 In my opinion, the visit to the European Parliament Building was not orginised properly and very rushed.  I thought we would be spending a lot more time there than 2 hours!

 

Fran, Helen, Kelly and I spent the rest of the shopping and looking at the architecture of Brussels.  When I stepped in a Belgian chocolate shop, I thought I’d died and gone to heaven LOL! Fran said “Leigh, you were in your element in the chocolate shop!”  The assistants were offering free samples of everything.  In the end, I decided to treat myself to a bar of milk and white chocolate, and bought an assorted box for mum.  They say that Belgian chocolate is the best in the world.  Is it?  I love ALL chocolate!

 

   

 

With love,

Eureka!

 

I was clearing my room out on Saturday morning and I found a CD.  It was the first CD mum and dad ever bought for me.  It was called “The Woman in Me" by Louise Redknapp.  My parents bought this CD as a gift for my tenth birthday, and it went missing from my collection, or did I give it to a charity shop?  Whatever happened to it, I am glad to have found it again.

 

 

 

As I listened to the CD on the weekend, the songs brought back many memories from when I was ten.  When I younger, I used to think songs were good if I could dance around and sing-along to them, but now I listened to the whole of the album and its lyrics.

 

I like to listen to older music, because it is positive and the lyrics are easy to understand.  Nowadays if a singer is unpopular in the charts, they would probably be considered to be naff or uncool.  Well, sometimes it helps to have a little variation and dig out the “old stuff” from your dusty cupboards.  Then play, listen and remember the good times!  Some of the old singers really were good vocalists, although some of the songs were a bit cheesy.

 

So now I’ll leave you with a video.  Then you all can make up your own minds, whether Louise is ‘pop perfection’ or just ‘pure cheese’.

Personally, I think she has a good voice and amazing looks. What do you think?

Louise – “Naked”.

"Tis the Season to Be Jolly..."

This time of the year is magical for me.  I just love everything about Christmas.  I like to watch the old films shown on T.V, which are only shown during December.  Some of my favourites are “It’s a Wonderful Life”, “The Santa Clause” and “White Christmas”

 

The preparation of the turkey, the wonderful smells that come from the kitchen then sitting down to share Christmas Dinner with my loved ones, is great because there is a special feeling of togetherness.

 

 

There are the Christmas cards received and sent out to friends oldand new. Decorating the Christmas tree is always a hassle to move from the attic, with its baubles and tinsel.  But it always looks wonderful and makes the living room feel warm and cozy.  Putting the star at the very top of the tree is very special too.  It gives you a very satisfied feeling knowing that the job is done. 

 

 

It is always nice to hear the carol singers, and the special songs associated with this season. 

 

 

All the things I have mentioned make the season happy and fun.  But we must not forget what Christmas is really about, the birth of baby Jesus in the stable at Bethlehem.

 

 

Usually on the last day of term before the Christmas term, my school holds a concert.  Children from the local Special school come along, and sing songs from their play for us.  Also our teachers dress up and perform in their own Christmas pantomime.  What a hoot!

 

 

O.K guys, I will leave you now with one of my favourite Christmas songs.

 

Bing Crosby – “White Christmas”

Brilliant Brussels [Part One]

 

Well last Tuesday I awoke at 5:45a.m.  My head ached, my eyes were droopy.  I felt like something out of the movie “Nightmare on Elm Street”.  I forced myself to drag myself out of my bottomless pit of a bed and have a shower.  After a bowl of Kellogg’s Frosties and a cup of coffee I began to come to my senses.

 

A taxi had been arranged to pick me up at 6:00a.m to take me to my local youth club, where I was met by the other members of the forum.  There were about twenty of us altogether.  We were all excited about traveling to Brussels so the cold wind didn’t seem to bother us.

 

The journey on the coach seemed to pass quickly.  I watched two films, “Bruce Almighty” and “Big Momma’s House 2”.  I enjoyed both of them, they were both hilarious!  Also we played games of bingo and had a quiz.  I won two lines, so I wontwo packets of chewy sweets.

 

In Surrey, we passed Cilla Black’s home. For those who don’t know, Cilla Black became a huge star in the 1960’s singing songs of Bacharach and David.  But she’s most commonly known to millions as the host of “Blind Date”.  I did try to get a photo, but we passed it too quickly.  On the way back home, it was too dark to see anything.

 

 

 

I felt like the dog from the Churchill car insurance commercials as the bus drove over the bumps in the roads.  I couldn’t help but nod my head.

 

 

On the ferry from Dover, it was a good crossing.  I didn’t feel the ship moving at all.  Well, only a few vibrations at the start.  A bottle of Evian mineral water cost £1.85 though, Shocking!!

 

Stop Bullying Now! (Anti-Bullying Week)

Bullying takes many forms: name-calling, hitting, spreading rumours, stealing, excluding people and turning someone’s friends against them are just a few examples.

 

Why do bullies do it?

v     They could be angry about something, having problems at home or school, feeling insecure, unliked or jealous of their targets.

v     Although it’s hard to feel sorry for bullies, it might help to understand that happy people don’t need to make others feel unhappy or small.

v     Bullies try to make out it’s their target's fault for being different, but none of us are the same.

v     Remember, it’s the bullies who have a problem, not the people they target!

How can I make them stop?

v     It’s important to speak out. You have the right to live without being tormented.

v     Hitting back at bullies can make things worse and get you into trouble. Even if it helps you, the bully will soon be picking on someone else.

v     Keep a diary of what happens. It’ll help you decide what to do. It should also stop you missing out anything important and help show you’re telling the truth.

Who should I tell?

v     Tell as many people as you can. Sometimes just having things out in the open can be enough to make bullies stop.

v     If it’s at school, any of your teachers should be able to help, and your school should have an anti-bullying policy.

v     If you can’t tell your teachers, ask a parent or another adult to speak to them for you.