30 Before 30 – Another Update

Wow, how is it already 2019?! Now that the end of January is just around the corner, I thought I’d re-evaluate where I am on my list of 30 things to do before I’m 30 – especially as I’ve only got four months left to complete it!

30 Before 30 – A Quick Update

Back in June, I wrote a list of 30 things that I want to do/achieve before I’m 30, with the whole idea being that surely I could stick to something if I wrote it down where people could see! Given that I’m now four months into my 30th year, I thought I should re-evaluate how much I’ve managed to tick off the list…

 

30 Before I’m 30!

I’ve never really bothered with milestone birthdays before – turning 18 wasn’t really much of a thing for me given my new parenthood status, and 21 doesn’t seem to hold the same significance as it does elsewhere in the world. I wasn’t even aware that people make a big deal about their 25th until I met Paul, shortly before he reached his. In any case, I will be turning 30 next May, and the change in the first number of my age hasn’t happened for a while, so I guess I should mark it with something!

Where Have I Been?

Gosh, it’s been such a long time since I wrote anything here, almost six months to be precise! The last time you heard from me, I was living the luxury cinema life at the new Odeon Luxe in Glasgow, but that now feels like an age away. I’ve had a lot of things on my plate in recently, mainly my PhD thesis, but I now feel like it’s time to come back – especially when I’ve always found my blog so helpful for dealing with stressful life situations.

Guest Spot on Caffeinated Reactions

Guest posts are great, not only do they share the work of other fantastic bloggers, they also help to fill a spot on you own blog when life inevitably gets in the way! When Sarahjane over at Caffeinated Reactions asked to feature me in her monthly ‘Ladies Who Lab’ spot, I was more than happy to help – after all, I am a lady who works in a lab!



I love Sarahjane's face in this pic!

Bringing Back The Happy Thoughts

Yet again, I feel like it’s been ages since my last post. With work getting busier and wedding plans now moving forward with increasing speed, I seem to have fallen out of step with my blog – but I’m determined to get it back! Given the rather grim outlook for the UK currently after the ‘Brexit’ vote – and also the fact that we have just scared ourselves silly watching ‘The Conjuring 2’ – I figured that recalling the happy events of the past week wouldn’t be a bad way to go. Despite the fact I’m typing this after midnight, I doubt sleep will come easy when I’ve just spent the past couple of hours sat in the dark with a demonic nun!

 

 

My Happiness Non-Negotiables

Hi guys, I’ve been a bit quiet of late due to various wedding stresses and, at the weekend, my venue cancelled on me! Now the dust has settled a little, I decided to take a look at my life and remember all the great things I have to be thankful for. When I saw that the lovely Jenny, over at ‘Midwife and Life’, had nominated me to take part in a ‘happiness non-negotiables’ post, I thought this would be a great place to start!

 

Parenting Stories - A Successful Teen Dad

Last month was the start of my new regular segment - Parenting Stories - where I hope to provide readers with an insight into the lives and struggles of other Mums and Dads. The first post discussed the challenges associated with bringing up a young family after travelling to a new country, and the difficulties associated with such a move.

 

For the second instalment in this new segment, I asked Thomas McGlone to talk about his experiences of parenting. As someone who was also a teen parent, he has proved that having children young does not necessarily hinder your career progression, but can add to the level of difficulty you may experience...

Thanks to Nikki from 'Young Mum Getting Rid of a Bum' for her help with the picture :)

Parenting Stories - The Great Trade-Off

After the success of my post discussing the problems of being a teen parent, and my recent collection of parenting experiences in academia, it got me thinking about the variety of difficulties other parents may face. Parenting, while an experience many have in common, can often bring with it a whole host of different challenges unique to each person. This new monthly segment - Parenting Stories - provides an insight into the lives of other Mums and Dads and the struggles they encounter while bringing up their children.

Thanks to Nikki from 'Young Mum Getting Rid of a Bum' for her help with the picture :)

Raising Children Whilst Working In Academia

Traditionally, academic research has been dominated by unmarried individuals with no direct dependents who rely on them. The long hours and unpredictable nature of the work often make sticking to a strict schedule very difficult. Combine that with the everyday stresses of raising children and you could potentially have a recipe for disaster!

 

Reducing Stress by Eating a Raisin…

For those of you who have been reading my blog, you will know that I suffer from depression. I recently talked about how I want to make 2016 ‘my year’, therefore learning to cope with my mental health problems will be one of my goals. My university run a course called ‘Mindfulness’, which aims to help reduce the levels of stress in our lives and allow us to better manage our anxieties – sounds like just the ticket for me!

'Rules' for Completing a PhD

I had a rather unsuccessful day in the lab today and gave up trying to make any sense of my results, so I thought I would share a post I wrote a wee while ago when I was struggling with the notion of continuing my PhD. Bringing up two kids, along with studying full time, is a pretty tough thing to do, and can often lead to a great deal of stress. I find writing helps to relieve some of that stress...

A PhD is a demanding job, with many deadlines to meet, so it is very important that we don't forget to relax in our free time and take part in enjoyable activities as a way of relieving stress. One of my favourite things to do is watch horror movies, particularly those involving zombies and other apocalyptic scenarios. One of my favourite examples is “Zombieland”, a film which manages to combine both the guts and gore of a juicy horror film with the sarcasm and laughter of a comedy film – a Zom Com if you prefer! The story follows a young college student, known as “Columbus” as he treks across the states, surviving by adhering to his own practical and simple rules.