Harry Potter Studio Tour; A review.

So, the day arrived! I have wanted to visit for so many years as I am a massive fan of Harry Potter.

We were booked into the 3:30pm entry. The timed entry worked very well. Once in, you can wander through at your own pace and it wasn't uncomfortably busy, even though it was the school holidays. We had a 13 year old, 12 year old, 10 year old and 9 month old, complete with pushchair. When some places are busy, it's hard work and tiring getting around them with a pushchair, but didn't find this problem here.

The initial part of the tour was in the great hall following a short introduction film. We were lucky to see the goblet of fire demonstration. After not long in the hall we were told we must leave to start the rest of our tour, which was self led. We didn't get nearly long enough in the hall to see everything properly. However, staff told us we could come back in with the next group a few minutes later. So we waited behind a rope and then re entered. It did seem a little silly and unnecessary that we HAD to leave, given that there were staff still in there the entire time.

The rest of the exhibitions were fantastic. We wandered as slowly as we liked having being told by a friend not to hurry as, once you're through it, you're through.

There was the opportunity to fly, using a green screen and you could purchase the DVD of yourself. We didn't do this as it would have been about £40 for four of us which isn't as expensive as I would have expected to be honest. The queue wasn't too big either as they had several stations working at once.

Towards the end of the attraction, we send the kids off to buy butterbeer; the famous butterbeer! We should have checked the price before shipping them off with a £20 note to buy 4 of them as we only got about £5 change and the kids didn't even like it! We should have bought one or two of them just to try it. I have had butterbeer in universal studios and really liked it. This one however was different and I can't say I particularly enjoyed it either. It had a slight carbonation which just didn't work with it at all.

Then we came to the end of the tour... The gift shop...and as expected... It was so overpriced. Very disappointing. We would have loved to buy souvenirs but it was extortionate (as these places usually are). They had some really nice merchandise in there and if they lowered the prices and put on some offers etc I've no doubt they would double their sales easily. It just seems greedy.

But all in all, a fantastic experience. Was very glad to finally have the opportunity to visit and, although I shan't return in the immediate future, simply as I have now seen it, it was very enjoyable and I would recommend it 100%.

CBT - Giving it a Go

So two weeks ago I started CBT (Cognitive, Behavioural Therapy) to try to fix the anxiety I've had for the past 12 or so years. I've always 'coped' with it, but it just puts a dampener on many things and I feel like it's actually gotten worse over the past few years. I don't want to end up a nervous wreck. There is so much to do and see in this world and I really want to enjoy it all.

Today was my second session (couldn't make last weeks due to my university exam).

The lady is really lovely, she puts me at ease. I know how to fix the anxieties, or the bulk of it at least, as a lot of my is coming from avoidance behaviours I've acquired over the years. The solution? Stop avoiding these things.
However, if it was that simple, I wouldn't be going for the CBT. I was a little sceptical at first as my thoughts were 'If I won't listen to myself, why am I more likely to listen to you?'. But I feel a lot better about it after this second session. I have small milestones to try and reach and I need to keep an 'anxiety diary' so she can get a better idea of where to focus.

We discussed Negative Automatic Thoughts (NATs) - the way that your brain automatically flies to the worst possible scenario - and she said we will work on trying to get rid of these. That we will never totally have none, as everybody thinks like this at some point, but aiming for a lot less, and working on how to deal with the NATs that do pop into my head.

Hopefully this is the right track. I actually don't want to do this. I just want to be 'normal'. To not have these anxieties in the first place. But...that ship has sailed! So I really have to try hard with this and hope it will be for the best.

Well - what happened then?!

So I disappeared from my blog for, what seems to be, four years. FOUR YEARS?! That's a really long time! It really doesn't seem that long.

So to all my, non-existent, followers, I offer my apologies.

In that time - I've mainly been studying to be quite honest. I'm studying for a mathematics degree part time, and I just completed year 5 last week. It's pretty time consuming alongside working full time as well. I may have mentioned that before as I did start it in 2011.

So, on my 'to-do now I'm not studying for the summer' list I have, to mention a few:

• Start to learn a new language. I was looking at Korean (having recently gotten listening to the band Big Bang), but a few of my students are wanting to learn Japanese so I think I'll plump for that instead. It sure looks interesting and I hope to find some resources which suit everyone.
• Update my Harry Potter fanfiction. You can read it here: Two Letters - Fanfiction but I've been lazing off and as I've managed to get nearly 200 followers, I really have to update soon.
• Learn to play the banjo. Okay, I bought this last year because I thought it would be cool to learn. However, I can't find a teacher! So I need to teach myself, and it's another thing which has gone on the backburner this year.
• Relax. I'd really like to just sit and read a book. Something I've not read before. However, I just don't feel in the mood to try something new. I went to the USA over Easter and I bought the Sophie Kinsella -Shopaholic to the Rescue (I think it was this one) in the airport in case I found myself with book-reading time (I didn't). I love these books, but I never read Shopaholic to the Stars as it had pretty poor reviews, and I didn't want to ruin the series with it. But I really should read it and form my own opinion.
• Spend time researching the family tree. I bought my Dad an ancestry subscription for his birthday and we've been having fun researching. It's very addictive!
• Ideally get a start on next years maths modules ('Graphs and Networking' and 'Applications of Probability' or something like that!). But I say this every summer. And don't!
• I also need to follow up on commitments I've made this year. I fundraised for a new wheelchair for a girl I know who suffers from cerebral palsy. (She lives in an institution in another country). I raised the money, but still haven't sorted the chair out and I feel so bad about that, as I know she is so excited about it. I did go into the shop the other day and get the ball rolling though, so hopefully over the next few weeks we'll be sorted for that. I've offered to help fundraise for something else too and really must get started.

I know this list isn't even exhaustive.

I have a terrible habit of sitting down when I get home, and not getting things done. In work I keep a to do list on my notepad, and it really helps keep me focussed. I am thinking of doing the same at home to see if it helps me keep on top of things.

Anyway, now I've treated you like a diary, I'm off!

But I will try to get back on track here too.

Maybe I should add my blog to the list above!

Mini Water Vortex Lamp - a review

I was given one of these two years ago for Christmas. I think. Or maybe one year.

Anyway, it has sat in its box all this time, even though I wanted to get it on display, I didn't have anywhere to put it.

This year I bought one massive desk, so tonight the lamp got its first outing.

It is really easy to set up, not sure where the instructions are, but I may have gotten them out when I received the lamp. I filled it with water, set it on the desk and plugged it in.

There is a lovely show of different colours, and the water really did vortex. Little air bubbles swoosh around in the water. Really captivating to watch. The only, major, downside is the noise. It is really noisy, and I actually had to turn it off so I could study, which is a shame, because it is lovely to look at. It sounds like a fish tank when the filter isn't quite submerged.

All in all, a great product, but not executed as well as it could be.

Here is a little film clip, to show the lamp off.

Hmm.. Well there will be soon.

**cue next post about Googles apps!**

Extreme Makeover - Home Edition

Just started to watch this show, and quickly realised why I stopped watching.

In tears already! It is so emotional. What a great show though, I love what these people do, of course it is all tv etc but what a great thing to do.

It does make me laugh though when Ty says;

'you all live in this small house? You'll have to fit in this small sitting room?'
or
'all 3 of you have to share this one bathroom?'

Has he ever been in a British house?! One bathroom is more than normal, and the sitting rooms he condemns on his show are about the size of the whole downstairs of a normal semi detached house in the UK!

But still, Americanisms aside, it is a fantastic show! Just keep the tissues handy for all the tears!

Oh, I almost forgot to add, how adorable is Xzibit? What a nice guy he seems!

The Room review

I downloaded this app/game for my third generation iPad. 

It cost £2.99

Wow, well worth the money! 

The idea is, you are locked in a room and need to get out. You are presented with a box with multiple connected puzzles which you must solve. It reminds me of a Japanese puzzle box slightly. Different parts affect other areas of the box etc. 

The graphics are beautiful. Not often does something really wow me, but this did. Absolutely stunning graphics and design as well. The game is well thought out and planned, hints available when you need them, and they are good hints. They don't just tell you what to do, but actually give a hint which is unusual in most puzzle solving games!

I seem to have lost sight of the Room part of the game, because, as you progress you seem to go further in, but it seems irrelevant anyway, as you are so immersed in gameplay.

Sadly, the game was over all too soon, although you are left with the promise of more to come.

Massive congratulations to Fireproof games, what an achievement for your first release. I will be keeping a close eye on what else you have to offer in future.

Queen Elizabeth's Golden Jubilee

I have just caught the end of the concert on tv. The poor Queen. She looks a bit stressed. Her husband is in hospital and no doubt she is really worried, but doesn't want to disappoint the nation who want to celebrate her jubilee with her. Here is hoping that that Prince Philip recovers well, and of course a massive congratulations to her majesty on her 60 years as Queen.