Birthdays, Waxworks and Royals

Benedict Cumberbirthday with Madame Tussaud

So it was the Batch's birthday last week but as my Weekly Thought Catcher post last week was all about my Graduation, there was no room for the Batch apart from Cumberbatch the Cardboard Cut Out! (Read more about it here!)

You may wonder why I'm bothered that it was Cumberbatch's birthday, and though it was very hard to ignore with #HappyBirthdayBenedictCumbebatch trending on Twitter and my whole timeline being full with nothing but Birthday Batch, it was what the Cumbercookies did collectively that I want to congratulate.

There were many charitable initiatives that the Cumberbatch fans launched in celebration of Birthday Batch. From a Batch of Kindness which was simply doing a good deed for the day and spreading extra smiles to charity fundraising. One of the charities that fans fundraised for was the Prince's Trust which is a charity that Benedict is an ambassador for. The Prince's Trust is a charity that helps disadvantaged young people in the UK to help and support them to get into education and work. Currently the Birthday Batch collections has raised over £15,500 for the Prince's Trust which is amazing! Despite the negative stereotype of fans being overly obsessive, I love how so many people from all over the world can raise so much money in the name of one man: Benedict Cumberbatch.

I believe the fundraising page is still open for donations. So if you'd like to get involved and donate to the Prince's Trust you can do by clicking here.

Also sneaking in some newer news, the Batch will finally be able to photobomb himself by means of his own Madame Tussaud waxwork! I personally have never been to Madame Tussaud's but would really love to wander round one day if I get the chance to. Maybe I can upgrade my picture with Cumberbatch the Cardboard Cut Out to Cumberbatch the Waxwork!

Read the official Madame Tussauds announcement on their website here! 

(Picture taken from Madame Tussaud's site.)



Baby Royal Birthday!

Can you believe that Baby Prince George is already 1 years old?!

 

(Image released for Prince George's birthday by John Stillwell)

Who remembers the hysteria that this little chubby brought upon his arrival? It was all over the news worldwide and on every single channel that you flicked on. There were running updates all over the place and was pretty hard to miss even with your eyes and ears closed!

As exciting as it was to know that we'd be having a new little edition to the Royal Family, I did feel that the media coverage got a little too overcrowded. There were reporters and media camping right outside the hospital for days wanting to get the first glance of the baby prince. I understand it's something everybody wants to be the first to catch and that it's their job to report such a momentous moment but I did feel sorry for them, especially Kate, with all this attention. She looked great having just had a baby, but I imagine when you've just had a baby, the very last thing you want is the whole world watch you and take pictures of you as you leave the hospital. I definitely admire Kate for still being courteous, despite having just delivered a baby!

There are a few people who are skeptical of the whole Royal Family, and I definitely have my opinions on certain members of the family but I really do love the little family unit that is Kate, Will and George. There's just something about them being young and just genuinely nice people, that makes them so loveable. And quite honestly, Kate really reminds me of Princess Diana (whom my mum has always admired - to the extent of collecting books on her - and has rubbed off me!) and as sad as it is that Princess Diana isn't here to see her eldest son, daughter-in-law and grandson, I'm sure she would be so proud!

Happy First Birthday Prince George!

Click here to see a funny but incredibly cute BuzzFeed post on Prince George!
(includes 45 chubby pictures with funny BuzzFeed captions!)

Keep smiling xxx

Snapperoon: University of Manchester

Capturing My Life in Snaps

If Sherlock was in Manchester.

"There are no secrets to success.

It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure."
- Colin Powell

I did a thing: GRADUATION!

After being sent that in an email near the end of my final semester by my University, I actually did it. I made it. And it is the most surreal, unexplainable, indescribable feeling that when it happens it's like you're just wandering around in a dream.

Graduation Outfit

So after my little panic at the end of my School, Sherlock and Style post two weeks ago, I dug into my smart clothes basket and decided to wear this green, skater dress which has an indented print in the material along with a pair of black, smart trousers and a matching plain, green scarf.

I was all set but then two days before my ceremony, my mum walks into my room and says "Right, let's go and buy you some Graduation clothes." and off I was whisked away!

I didn't want my mum to spend much, if anything at all, but we ended up getting this knee-length, sleeveless, navy blue dress which had a black strip around the bottom with a pink belt accessory. We also a white, chiffon blouse to go underneath and a pair of chino-cut, smart, black trousers with a bold hem down the front. And actually, the blouse was several sizes too big but as it was on sale, it was the last one. But it all worked out because as it was being worn under the dress, all that could be seen was the sleeves anyways.

I paired this new graduation outfit with my own pink scarf to match the pink belt that came with the dress and a pair of blue wedged heels that I bought from my local market months ago but had never found an occasion to wear them. But man, my feet were pleading mercy by the end of the day!

Graduation Ceremony

Now the ceremony was scheduled for an hour-ish. We were advised to arrive at least 90mins before as even though there were tickets allocated for guests, the seats were first come first served. So we arrived at 10:30am and my ceremony started at 12:15pm. I got dressed in my graduation cap and gown, took some pictures with the professional photographer, took a picture with Cumberbatch the Cut Out (I shall explain later!) and then to the graduation ceremony queue it was.

Graduation Etiquette

As we entered the hall, we were told to take off our caps as the majority of us were already wearing them. We sat in our seats and waited. A speech was made and the guest were welcomed as lecturers and academics processed to sit on the stage. The graduands all sat on the left and all the guests say on the right of the Hall.

After speeches were made,

 the calling of graduates' names began.

As names were being called out, students queued up by the side of the stage where two graduation gown staff were poised ready to fix up your misbehaving gown ready for your big moment. As you reach the front of the line and the stairs to the stage, your name is read out by the President or Dean of your faculty. You walk on stage with your graduation cap in your left hand and shake the head of your faculty's hand with your right. You walk down the steps at the centre of the stage on the left and are handed your graduation certificate where you then return to your seat. And just like that, that moment is over in a flash.

After all graduands have returned back to their seats with their certificates, a few more words of congratulations is spoken on stage. You think it's all over until all graduands are asked to stand. We do and then we are congratulated once more as we are asked to put on our graduation caps with the tassels on the left. After a few moments of fiddling, the hall erupts with applause and shouts and whistles.

We did it. Class of 2014.

The organ plays and we follow out in the procession.

Now Cumberbatch the Cut Out. He, along with other well known names such as Professor Brian Cox, Alan Turing, Jack Whitehall and Emily Pankhurst, are alumni to my university which means that they have studied there. And a fun little thing that the university did was have cardboard cut outs of them, amongst other famous alumni, on campus. So naturally, the batch and I picture needed to happen.

Also, there was a photo booth by the cut outs with silly props which my sister and I jumped in and all but one picture came out perfectly as we weren't ready for the last one. I had some really funky pineapple glasses ready for that one too!

Graduation is such a momentous moment
and I wish you all educational success in the present and future.
It can be hard, stressful and sometimes even feel pointless but let me tell you,
the hassle is most definitely worth the tassle!

And honey, I should see you in a cap and gown!

Persevere and keep smiling xxx

Footie Took Over My Life!

So very unlike myself, my week this week has been consumed by football. Intriguing how I have no interest in watching football throughout the rest of the year and the second the World Cup is on, I become the most patriotic football fan that is physically possible. But now that England were out, it was just a matter of watching how the pros do it!

Did 7-1 really happen? Like REALLY??

So I'm one of the people who missed the first half an hour of the Brazil Vs Germany match. But I was on twitter and my timeline was pretty much blowing up. My little sister came running into my room shouting the madness that was the 5-0 to Germany score and I was like

(I feel like the more you stare at this gif, the more sarcastic Tennant seems!)

Decided to be anti-antisocial and went downstairs where my family were watching the match and again similarly to myself, they too have a sudden patriotic boost when the World Cup greets us every four years.

As I was watching, I did not think that anything else would happen for the rest of the match. I thought, "Yep, I've missed the good part. Germany went all out in the first couple of minutes and now they're just going to cool off.". Oh how I was wrong! They carried on fighting harder like they were still on nil points and hats off to them. 7-1 is an incredible score which I believe broke records. Unfortunately for Brazil, the host of the World Cup, my heart went out to them but a game's a game and Germany definitely brought their A-game; a well deserved win.

Brutal and Long; Holland Vs Argentina

So Holland Vs Argentina were next in the limelight and after Brazil's thrashing by Germany's unsuspected win, there was a lot of eyes on this game. If it was going to be anything like the repeat of the Brazil Vs Germany match, nobody wanted to miss football history in the making and everybody was going to tune in - footie fan or not! And again, man was I wrong!

In a few words:

The game just felt like a game of piggy-in-the-middle with the ball just being passed around the pitch back and forth with only too-close-for-comfort goals. But genuinely, I felt that bought teams were playing really well but they were just so well equally matched, which made it hard for either team to score. So expectantly, the game went into penalties even after an extra half an our overtime.

Let's just say, I would NOT want to be the goalie during penalties! The pressure of it all in a regular match must be intense anyway as it's all down to you who wins, so the pressure during the World Cup is pressure that I wound most definitely not be able to handle in any case.

The End.

 

It indeed was the final countdown, and to put it simply Germany won the World Cup against Argentina and good on them! Out of the teams that I saw play in the World Cup, I definitely feel like Germany played like a team of football players rather than pinning their hopes on one good player what many believe is exactly what lead to Argentina's loss.

Germany played strong throughout and what a great win!

England have got four years to pull their socks up!

And that's me all "footied" out! Time for a foot massage!
Keep Smiling xxx

Snapperoon: Homemade Cheesecake

Capturing My Life in Snaps

Love is a fruit in season at all times, and within reach of every hand.
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/fruit.html#7T2XhJpPxWAgOCh8.99 

"Love is a fruit in season at all times and
within reach of every hand." - Mother Teresa

 ...Love is also cheesecake.

Love is a fruit in season at all times, and within reach of every hand.
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/fruit.html#7T2XhJpPxWAgOCh8.99

Love is a fruit in season at all times, and within reach of every hand.
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/fruit.html#7T2XhJpPxWAgOCh8.99

Love is a fruit in season at all times, and within reach of every hand.
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/fruit.html#7T2XhJpPxWAgOCh8.99

Love is a fruit in season at all times, and within reach of every hand.
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/fruit.html#7T2XhJpPxWAgOCh8.99

Love is a fruit in season at all times, and within reach of every hand.
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/fruit.html#7T2XhJpPxWAgOCh8.99

Love is a fruit in season at all times, and within reach of every hand.
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/fruit.html#7T2XhJpPxWAgOCh8.99

Love is a fruit in season at all times, and within reach of every hand.
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/fruit.html#7T2XhJpPxWAgOCh8.99

Love is a fruit in season at all times, and within reach of every hand.
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/fruit.html#7T2XhJpPxWAgOCh8.99

Love is a fruit in season at all times, and within reach of every hand.
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/fruit.html#7T2XhJpPxWAgOCh8.99

Love is a fruit in season at all times, and within reach of every hand.
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/fruit.html#7T2XhJpPxWAgOCh8.99

Smile, I'm Yummy.

School, Sherlock and Style

The School Life

As part of my SKE course that I'm currently on as a pre-PGCE Teacher Training course, we were sent out to local high schools just to get a feel of what it is like to be back to school again and what it was like back to school but from a teachers perspective. As it hasn't really been a while since I was in high school, it wasn't much of a change of how I remember it being. It's definitely a lot different from a teachers point of view now though as you have access to areas where I may have previous been denied. Also just for being someone other than a teacher at the school or a pupil, you get a lot of inquisitive looks and even questions.

I got to see different teachers teach their IT and Computing lessons which was a good insight to what I would be doing once I start teaching. But what I found a lot of fun was doing a Pupil Trail which basically meant I followed one pupil for the day to all their lessons. At first I was a bit nervous, I must admit, purely because I didn't want the pupil who I was paired up with to feel uncomfortable with me following them around to their lessons. But I soon felt this was not the case as they seemed more than happy to and was so lovely about it. I managed to see an RE, Maths, Music, Science and Food Technology lesson which all brought their very different methods of teaching which was really was great to see.

These few days really reminded me the buzz of a classroom and it's pupils and the fun you could really create with them. And quite honestly, children are the most interesting people you will ever meet because they generate an insight to the world that us adults seem to forget.

#221back

This Friday I was supposed to publish a post on Sherlock a Series 1 on my Coach Potato page but I was just so busy with my mini school placement and so pooped out by the end of it, I just hadn't got any time to produce it. But don't worry, it's definitely on the to do list!

Having said that, a very exciting Sherlock related announcement was made this week almost to cover up the lack of my Sherlock post! On Wednesday, Mark Gatiss and BBC One on twitter decided to be a  little sneaky and quite the tease reminding us of Moriarty's "Did you miss me?" scene from the end of Series 3, Episode 3. And naturally, my whole twitter timeline was blowing up along with the Sherlock fandom.

Soon after a long wait, and I mean loooong wait, it was announced that the official announcement would be announced the following day, which was Thursday, at 2:21pm. (I like what they did there! ;)). Unfortunately for me, I was away from any means of access to twitter at that time so had to wait till I got home to see what the announcement was.

I jumped on twitter the second I could and it was announced that the game is on for Sherlock Series 4 for 2015 including a special. This basically means that we can definitely look forward to more Sherlock goodness but we do will have to wait at least another year and a half! The Special is assumed to be broadcasted around Christmas of 2015 followed by three episodes in the following start of the year similar to what we had for Series 3.

But by golly, my timeline was full of the Sherlock fandom exploding which is no exaggeration and a massive understatement. I was just swimming in memes.

Non-Sherlockians Reaction Vs The Entire Sherlock Fandom

 Non-Sherlockian: Relax, it's just a TV show.

Sherlock Fandom:

Fandom Aftershock:

And the wallpaper we all love:

(Tweeted by @arwelwjones who is the Production Designer on BBC's Sherlock)

I have seen people complain about the long wait, but I actually quite enjoy the hiatus - dare I say it! I feel like the anticipation of it all adds to the hysteria that Sherlock creates and makes it that bit more exciting when new episodes do air. Moftiss are definitively doing that right despite giving the fandom severe palpations in anticipation of it all!

Wait, what do I wear?? 

And finally, it has actually just dawned upon me that Graduation is fast approaching and I have not got the slightest clue what to wear!

I've never been to someone's graduation, nor do I really know anyone who has graduated. As the oldest in my family, I am the first to graduate so it's quite the new experience for us all!

I did a bit of a Google on what we females would typically wear to graduation to give myself a bit of an idea and the general consensus seems to be a white blouse and a pencil skirt. Now I don't own either or even wear pencil skirts for that matter, so I've been browsing pictures of people who have graduated. I think as long as I look smart, I should be okay. I do have quite a collection of smart clothes as I've always had to dress smartly during particular events during university, so it shouldn't really be too much of a problem to dig something acceptable out to wear.

Anyways, I'll be sure to report back once I've decided!

Thanks for reading!

Take care and keep smiling Sherlockians as we will survive this hiatus together!

Much love, Skeena xxxx