Hi everyone!! And if you’re new here, hello!! Thank you so much for subscribing! It really does mean the world 🙂 I hope you are all doing well! How is it June already??
As you can tell, I haven’t been active on the blog for a couple of months now haha BUT I want to get back into blogging! I’m lacking a bit of writing inspo at the mo and I’d love to hear from you guys about what you would like to see on rebekah writes stuff. or any ideas you have!
I’ve made a little survey, it’s just 2 slides. You can write me a suggestion or select from my own list of ideas – or you can do both! Hopefully it works!! Also it closes on the 24th of June. You guys are the best :))
Hey blogsters! Bloggeroonskiis – it’s April! I thought I would answer a few questions. I haven’t done something like this before, so let’s get into it!!
I started blogging for a bunch of reasons: I wanted to practice writing, I wanted people to read my writing and I wanted to be more confident (especially posting my writing!). I definitely struggled getting posts out when I first started and perfectionism really blocked my flow. I worried a lot about what people would think of my writing. Plus, physically setting up a blog seemed so daunting! I’m glad I just decided to give it a go. It took a few tries on different platforms, and now I’m pretty happy with my WordPress blog.
Interestingly, the less I worried about what people might think and whether my writing was perfect or not, the better the words flowed. I’ve realised that the more I blog about stuff I enjoy, and because it brings me joy, the easier it is to press publish!
What’s my favourite blog post so far?
I think my favourite blog post is the thing with spicy food. It was genuinely a lot of fun to write and such a funny concept. I’m not great with spicy food – a mild curry is about my limit – and it made me think lol this could be a fun and relatable post to write about. Everyone has an opinion on spice, you know? They either love it or hate it!
How’s your creative writing journey going?
Yeeeeeah, it’s fair to say I haven’t even looked at my novel drafts in well over six months. It’s hard when you’re busy! I spent a while working on my novels and they say it’s good to take a break and come back with fresh eyes – and I will! Besides, blogging is fun and a good way to keep the writing muscle ripped.
I would definitely like to talk more about my writing and any tips I’ve learnt along the way and hear about your guys’ writing journeys too!! Are you an aspiring novelist like me? Do you want to be traditionally published or self published? Or are you already published?? Let me know!
What advice would I give to new bloggers?
Just wing it! As a new blogger myself, I’m still getting my head around it! It can definitely seem quite daunting. I think it’s helpful to remember why you wanted to start a blog in the first place: i.e to write about whatever it is you are passionate about or that you enjoy or think is interesting! Pizza, movies, cooking, whatever! I write about pretty much anything I think is interesting because I enjoy it!
Don’t get too bogged down about views and statistics. It’s easy to look at some blogs and accounts and compare. Remember, you’re just starting out! Sometimes I feel disheartened when I don’t get many views on a post or followers on instagram – but so long as my stuff is out there and I’m writing, I honestly don’t really care too much! It’s a win when I publish a post! And when I do get a like or a new subscriber or a follower, it always makes my day. I appreciate my little community!! Shout out to you who is reading this! 🙂 So yeah, as a relatively new blogger, just focus on actually writing and getting your stuff out there and the little wins along the way.
Hi new subscribers! Welcome back to everyone already subscribed! And hello new readers – welcome to the blog 🙂
Who doesn’t love a good disaster movie? Now, I know there are some bomb alien and zombie movies, but let’s stick to natural disasters today. These are my top picks!
Are you in the mood for shifting crust, a GIANT wave and secret government shenanigans? Then 2012 is for you.
I don’t care what people (and rotten tomatoes) have to say. This movie is hugely underrated. Sure, it’s a bit long but it’s pretty epic and never fails to give me goosebumps. Plus we all thought that 2012 was the year the world was going to end, remember?
The movie is centred on Jackson and his family, but there’s a whole host of characters all over the world – scientists, government officials, you name it. If you want to strap in for an epic-holy-sh*t-thrill-ride with volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, famous landmarks collapsing – the visual effects though, can we talk about the budget 200 million USD!! – then get the popcorn and strap in for 2012. Also it’s the same guy who directed Independence Day and The Day After Tomorrow soooo I’ll just leave that there.
Are you looking for peak cinema and a modern day ice age? Then The Day After Tomorrow is for you.
This movie cannot be topped. It’s not your classic natural disaster where there is fire and destruction. Nope, it’s a different kind of enemy. It’s the cold.
The Day After Tomorrow made its mark as a top tier disaster film starring baby Jake Gyllenhaal. Climate change AND an ice age?? It’s unconventional, epic and it mostly centres on a group of teens on a school trip, as well as other scientists, and their survival. This movie rules. 4 words for you – eye of the storm. That’s all I’m going to say.
Are you looking for a giant volcanic eruption movie with Terminator lady and James Bond? Then Dante’s Peak is for you.
Dante’s Peak looks over a small American town. This movie breaks down the volcanic eruption, from the lead up to the aftermath. I believe it was inspired by the Mt. St. Helen’s eruption in 1980 that happened in Southwest Washington USA. This trailer is from 1997 – it doesn’t do the movie justice at all. Dante’s Peak is a banger disaster film. If you want to know more about volcanic eruptions, then Dante’s Peak is the one to choose.
Are you looking for a MASSIVE tornado meteorologist adventure? Then Twister is for you
Fun fact, I actually wanted to be a storm-chaser when I was a kid after watching this movie haha.
For this rag-tag group of meteorologists and scientists, storm chasing is just part of their 9-5. However, testing out new tornado alert technology is not without its risks. Set in Tornado Alley (USA), Jo and Bill, who are on the verge of finalising their divorce, team up to trial Jo’s new tech. As the wind and tornadoes get bigger, so too does the drama. Again, another classic 90’s natural disaster movie. Give it some love!
Now, which one do I watch?? What are your top natural disaster movies? What do you think of my choices?
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Before I was even born, humans had created some of the most important, life changing inventions, from the car (1886), the lightbulb (1879), penicillin (1928), to the internet (1983), the polio vaccine (1955) and, dare I say it, plastic (1907). Yup, these are just some of the many clever ideas which have changed our world.
But what about the inventions that are overlooked and less in your face? I can guarantee there’s at least one or two you take for granted everyday – I know I do!
Roads
We don’t have to dig out the spades when we head out to the supermarket (get it, dig out?). You don’t have to cut your way through bramble and bush. You don’t even have to think twice when you’re pulling out of your driveway and heading to work. All that back breaking work has literally been done for you. Sure, potholes suck and rain is becoming a bit more of an issue with climate change, BUT you must admit that roads are incredible. Next time you go for a drive or you get stuck in traffic, be grateful that someone in Mesopotamia 6,000 years ago decided to lay down a path – and that the trend caught on.
A road in a modern city by evening_tao on freepik
The indoor toilet
Need I say more?? Did you know that Thomas Crapper wasn’t actually the first person to invent the flush toilet? As disappointing as it is, Sir John Harrington actually beat him to it in the 16th century. Despite this, most toilets weren’t inside. Roughly 100 years ago, most UK houses didn’t have an indoor toilet. Indoor plumbing is pretty recent and still not the status quo across the world. Think about it. You don’t have to brave the elements for a midnight pee. You don’t need to put on shoes or light a lamp and look for rats outside. Indoor toilets are the sh*t.
An outside toilet (1978-1979), Aberdeen Archives, Gallery & Museum
Toothpaste
9 out of 10 dentists will agree that toothpaste is pretty awesome. I shudder to think about how bad everyone’s breath would stink and just how many of us would lose teeth and need surgery. A breath mint will only get you so far.
Oral hygiene has an interesting history. Most cultures had their own toothpaste remedies, but it didn’t come out of a tube. The Ancient Egyptians, for example, mixed oxen hooves, pumice, myrrh, egg shells and just a splash of water. That did the trick. People of Ancient Greece, Rome, China, India – different variations of toothpaste existed long before modern toothpaste. Doesn’t say people’s teeth were in a good state though. Did you know Tudor Queen Elizabeth brushed her teeth with honey? She hardly had any teeth in the end. Mr Peabody and Colgate, I owe you one.
Sunglasses
Sunglasses didn’t actually do what they said on the tin for many years. Sure, they were fashionable and protected people’s eyes from Michael Bay-esque lens flares, but apart from that, they had no sun protection whatsoever. It wasn’t until the 1930s that protection from UV rays was integrated into the design of sunglasses. Edwin. H. Land invented polarised lenses in the late 1930s and Ray Ban’s Aviator sunglasses became renowned for their utility and style during World War II. Where would my sensitive blue eyes be on those hazy, cloudy days without my sunglasses?
The Barcode
Imagine carting your big shop up to the checkout. The checkout lady stares at the heaped trolley and gives a sigh as you start loading your stuff onto the checkout belt. She picks up a box of cereal and manually types in the number on the back. She does the same thing for the chicken breasts, the chocolate, the washing powder, the pasta sauce. This monotonous routine continues and, by the time she’s reached the bottom of the trolley, the chicken’s gone off.
Yup, those little black lines are a godsend. The barcode revolutionised shopping and stock take forever. Norman Joseph Woodland and Bernard Silver invented the very first barcode in 1952. However, the barcode was ahead of its time and when technology finally caught up, the barcode was integrated into supermarket software. The first barcode scanned at a checkout was a packet of Wrigley’s Juicy Fruit in Ohio, 1974. The rest is history!
Aren’t you just bursting with gratitude? There’s definitely more I could write about!! What other inventions would make your list? Let me know below! 🙂
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There’s a reason dragons exist in your fantasy storybooks and myths of yore. They were enormous, there was tonnes of space and nobody had invented the bazooka yet. Yup, dragons just don’t fit in with the 21st century because everybody has a phone, spacious green pastures are few-and-far-between and the army have a lot more than bazookas now at their disposal.
However, if we suspend our disbelief for just a few seconds … what would it be like if dragons did live alongside humans in the 21st century? In our bustling metropolises, rural villages and our fast food restaurants. Towering over our houses and hopping around night markets. Here are my predictions:
1. Dragons would make incredibly popular (if not terrible) pets.
Not all dragons are the same. Think of them like scaly dogs. Where some are tall and broad, others are small and handbag size. You know for a fact that there would be a market for lap-size dragons and ones you can fit in your purse. Instagram would go off. Would dragons take in the footsteps of dogs? Most likely – but forget fur and feathers. Dragons are not only hypoallergenic, but they don’t shed and they can fly. Instead of going for a daily morning walk, you’d be off for your daily swoop. Yup, pet dragons would protect livestock, jump for a frisbee and sit up and watch TV with you, all in exchange for a large, meaty treat.
2. There would be fire. Lots and lots of fire.
There is then, of course, the other side that comes with trying to co-exist with dragons. Sure, some will sit on your lap and put your fire on for you, but some will eat you. News headlines would be filled with constant reminders of how lethal dragons can be. Firestorm engulfs The Amazon as state of emergency continues. Ice dragon continues to freeze New York in what is being known as its longest winter blast in history.Dragons are eating the African elephant to extinction. You get the gist.
Some dragons will destroy your newly built village a week after it is finished. Some will definitely attack aeroplanes and boats, and some will simply stand on you because they’re too big to remember where their feet are. How does one navigate driving down the motorway if they decide to go for a walk? Forget settling down. We’d constantly be running, relocating and rebuilding. Face it, there is no upside from a dragon having an off day. Just have your go-bag ready and invest in the fire department – if they haven’t already burnt it down.
3. Dragon eggs would be sold on the black market for millions.
Dragon eggs would be a hot commodity and one that people would pay a ridiculous amount of money for. Similar to the endangered/exotic animal trade, I imagine dragons and their eggs would be stolen and sold around the world. Why? For their power, rarity and popularity.
4. Dragons would be weaponised.
Forget dogfights. Wars in the skies would be fought with enormous, toothy beasts with humans at the reigns. Dragons would be utilised as protection for high ranking government officials and countries. They’d be trained to fight in the airforce and the army. They would receive medals and have their photos taken, like the police with their K-9 squad. Whether they’d replace tanks and fighter jets (or simply eat them all) remains to be seen.
Some dragons, like Smaug, had a hide so tough it couldn’t be pierced by an ordinary weapon. It’s fair to say with how much DNA research is advancing, and the popularity of the Jurassic Park movies, making super dragons with impenetrable skin and multiple breaths, would only take pushing a few extra buttons.
The idea of a dragon being used (and feared) for its strength definitely feels more fantastical, more medieval. Like the stories we are used to seeing. Nations attacking one another with their own dragons … this would absolutely happen.
The world loves dragons
Dragons have a firm place in history, mythology, culture and fiction. Humans are fascinated by their strength, power and personality, so much so, that dragons continue to be present in pop culture. Whether or not they’d co-exist with humans is another story. Happy year of the dragon everyone!
What do you think of my predictions? Also, tell me who’s your favourite dragon? Are you year of the dragon?? I’d love to know in the comments below!!
rebekah writes stuff. 