oceans and deserts

Greetings! I'm blogging from my phone!! Which is très exciting. (I understand if you don't feel the same enthusiasm, each to their own)
No updates on my painting today- I didn't get round to it but I've made progress, sort of, by deciding to use ink for the black lines - WISH ME LUCK.

I found myself feeling a bit down today and after eating didn't work (comfort food has its limits), I put my headphones in, blasted some Imagine Dragons and cycled off on my trusty bike. Sometimes it's the only way for me to truly distance myself from things and most often it works, when I don't get carried away and realise I'm in the middle of nowhere with no food, drink, money or ounce of energy. Since I set off late in the day I didn't go too far as it still gets dark around 4.30pm here, but the short break I got was worth it and must have without a doubt burnt off the calories I gained from my lunchtime Nesquik milkshake...

If you're reading my blog and ever feel like this I recommend a short bike ride or even just a walk with your favourite songs playing - it really clears your mind and helps you put things into perspective. Moping is only good for a maximum of 0 seconds. Even if you feel like it's the worst you've EVER felt and nothing more could possibly make your life crappier (excuse my french), fresh air will help, and remember - there are people who don't have half of what you have in your life, and much more with even less.

I've recently been watching two separate TV programmes that have opened my eyes to the world (sounds dramatic but it's truer than Mystic Meg and she never lies):

RHIANGLE RECOMMENDS!

1.) Human Planet - BBC (Narrated by John Hurt a.k.a THE DOCTOR/DRAGON/VOICEOVER KING
I got this DVD from le papa for Christmas (thanking you v. much papa) and have only watched 1.5 episodes ('Oceans' and half of 'Deserts') but WOW. This documentary series shows how people live in raw natural environments and how they've developed their skills to survive with the bare minimum. Compared to what luxuries we have - I'm not talking Lambourghinis here, I'm talking about things like a comfortable bed and clean water - they have...well, literally nothing. And yet they manage to be happy despite some of their jobs putting them in danger of their LIVES each day - one 16 year old boy has to deep-sea dive with dangerous low-tech equipment to the sea floor three times a day, where with one slip-up he could die, to catch fish in order to provide food for himself, his family and to make a 'living' for himself.
It may seem all like a big made-up story here in England but it is extremely real, it happens every day and the people there have no choice.

2.) Coronation Street
"OH NO YOU'RE NOT DRAGGING ME INTO THIS, SOAPS ARE A LOAD OF RUBBISH"
"SOAPS ARE THE BANE OF MY LIFE"
Yeah, okay, so some people think soap operas drag on and over exaggerate real life, failing to depict it, with an excessive amount of murders, divorces, violence, abuse, cheating and general scandal. But Coronation Street is the soap which is really good at delivering important, relative story lines that happen in everyday life in so many families and communities.
Julie Hesmondlaugh plays Hayley Cropper, a character with terminal cancer who is the sweetest I've seen to date on the show. Personally I get quite involved in things I watch, whether it be movies, TV shows or theatre and so it hasn't been easy as a viewer. The writers have done an excellent job to portray her emotions, the reactions of others and the importance/controlled amount of care in the situation. After all, raising awareness is key.

So next time you feel unlucky, down, upset or sorry for yourself, consider the lives of other people like those mentioned above. Chances are, in comparison, you're having a whale of a time.

Rhiannon x

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