Lyrics On Friday

I’ve been listening to the latest Paper Route album on repeat this week. The opening song grabs me every time.

Fell into a hole my ears were ringing
Followed every rule and kept repeating
Could I be a fool?

In the silence, you’re the first one that I turn to
You’re the first voice that I turn to
In the absence of my own

There’s an enemy among us
There’s an enemy among us
And he stole as best he could
He stole as best he could
An enemy among us
There’s an enemy among us
He stole as best he could
Our hearts like an enemy should

And when I awoke my friends were sleeping
I put on my coat to keep from freezing
Something isn’t right

In the silence…

[Enemy Among Us – Paper Route]</font?

What have you been listening to this week?

London

I spent a couple of days at the start of the week in London, having lots of meetings to kick off my new job. By the way – I love my job! I’m doing online PR stuff now, in the same office as before, and I’m so excited about the level of freedom I’m being given to try new stuff.

London is easily one of my favourite cities in the world. Every time I go back, I have this increasing desire to live there for a period of time. I’m sure I’ve talked so often on here about my love for big cities: I adore the hustle and bustle, the interaction, the stimulation of it all.

Thought I’d share a few snaps.

Poverty Over billboard

My first glimpse of the latest Christian Aid billboards, Poverty Over.

Coffee at Scooterworks

A cheeky coffee at Scooterworks.

Southbank

Some fun art installations on Southbank.

Covent Garden Apple Market

Wandering around Covent Garden’s Apple Market.

How about you? What’s your top tips or favourite London places?

Vulnerability, Pain & Ice Cream

You might have noticed a theme in my Oxford trip, and in my trips generally: food.

I love food. Love the different textures and tastes, the sights and smells. Love how a simple smell can get me salivating.

Oxford was no different than my usual trips. A milkshake here. Some Moroccan tapas there. A fresh cookie here. The best ice cream I’ve ever tasted there.

ice cream

We sat over a late night coffee ice cream & hot choc fudge sauce on Saturday night, talking about life. Chit chat. Deep chat. Everything in between.

And I got called out. Caroline asked me questions I wasn’t anticipating. I won’t go into the subject matter here, but she pulled me up on something I’ve continued having & doing; about whether it’s good for me, for my heart. She suggested giving my heart some space by stopping/ removing it.

I resented it. I glossed over it. I defended it.

But really, she’s right. It’s been months, and she’s been the first person to suggest it, to ask me about it. It was painful, and I wanted to move off it quickly. My words and my actions still don’t quite match up when it comes to honesty, to making myself vulnerable before people.

I am so grateful for friends who call me out on stuff, who are not afraid to tell it like it is.

empty_icecream

So yea, there’ll be some changes in my life. Minor ones, that you’ll probably never see.

But I will.

Oxford

I spent the weekend hanging out with my friend Caroline in Oxford. We’re so different, and yet get on well. Another reminder of how diverse the world is and yet how beautiful it is. Caroline had this whole little list of stuff she thought I’d love… genuinely one of the sweetest, most thoughtful people I’ve meet in a long time. I fear she may be a little disappointed when she visits Glasgow next month – I’m not as good with planning things in advance! But hey, she likes me for me – even when it is last minute, blow-with-the-wind me! We saw a couple of great exhibitions at the Museum of Modern Art, including Mapplethorpe’s Polaroid exhibit, and ate a lot of great food. Our mutual friend Cat also popped over and joined us on Sunday… love celebrating friendships over food!

A few snapshots of a lovely little break…

Radcliffe Camera Oxford

oxford heads

bridge

morrocan tapas

milkshake