The Negative Consequences of a Drunken Fool

I know I have been a bad blogger as of late, but the last few months of Uni have stretched me to my limits and finding the time to sit and write for leisure's sake rather than for the needs of my course was an impossibility unfortunately. However, Uni is now over and I am now off out into the world of work (I shall keep you posted on the job hunt over the following weeks) - but until the eagerly awaited day comes when a great company decides they simply cannot function without me and snaps me up as their latest recruit, I have the time to dedicate to my writing here on Twenty-one and Invincible.

So...I'm back and boy have I got a story for you! Having been invisibly tied to my computer for the last two months on an almost permanent basis I decided that my first week as an official ex-student should be spent catching up with my friends, who I have to admit I had neglected whilst in my darkest hours of facing many looming deadlines. So first stop was a drink in my local with the lads.

As it was a Sunday, I was hardly expecting it to be a mad one, but certain people had other ideas! On arrival I found one of my friends to be suffering the pitfalls of that old chestnut "one too many" - he was loud, lairy and somewhat out of control, so his car keys were confiscated and he was sent up to one of the B&B rooms to sleep it off. So that was one of us down and out already, and it had barely gone 9 o'clock!

As the night progressed, the drinks flowed and frivolity took over. The pub had the jukebox blaring and myself and some other pub-goers got up for a dance. There was lots of silliness and a fair bit of banter - even some impromptu pole dancing lessons of behalf of myself and a very fit and healthy 60 year-old - but it was all in good fun, and everyone was having a good time.

Little did we know that the devil "one too many" was about to rear it's ugly head again so soon. What follows next is still a little bit of blur, as it happened too fast for me to register, so you will have to bare with me. I was propped up on the bar, rooting around in my bag for my phone or lipgloss or something of the like, when I felt this heavy weight press down on my left shoulder. It was so heavy in fact that my knees gave way and I struggled not to fall off my 6-inch heels! I looked over my shoulder to tell whoever it was leaning on me to remove themselves, when I heard this almighty smash and was immediately showered with bits of broken glass and china.

At this point I think I was momentarily in shock as I tried to register what had happened. The pub had gone completely silent and all eyes were on me and the destruction that now surrounded me. I turned around to find a drunken fool grinning like a Cheshire cat at the antique lamp hanging above my head which he had just smashed into a million pieces. I did not see how this had happened of course, but was informed later that this gentleman had been attempting some Jackie Chan moves and had round-house kicked the lamp over my head, whilst using me as a prop to help propel himself off the floor!

Once the immediate shock of being showered in broken glass had worn off and I had checked I was not cut or bleeding, I suddenly realised how incredibly lucky I was not to have been seriously injured. If I had turned to look over my other shoulder at the exact moment that this fool had kicked the lamp this story might be a very different one, as my face would have been towards the barrage of broken china and glass and I could have been scarred for life or even blinded. Upon realising this I think it is fair to say I lost my temper quite a bit, and though I shall not detail the ins and outs of my torrent here, the gentleman it was aimed at got the very clear impression that I was not best pleased with his actions. He was, of course, escorted from the pub by several friends of mine, who were not too pleased with his sudden out burst of material arts either.

As silly as it may sound in hindsight, I could not get over how lucky I had been. If the glass had hit my face instead of the back of my head who knows the lasting damage it could of caused. For simply being in the wrong place at the wrong time I could be suffering from a serious injury now, and that really is just unthinkable.

Thankfully I wasn't seriously hurt, just a little shaken up by how reckless some people can be when they've been drinking. This man was well into his forties and may possibly have had children not far from my age, yet he had little to no concern for my well-being at all. He knew full well that I was right underneath the lamp he was about to smash to pieces and even held on to me whilst he did it, so there was never any chance that I wouldn't have ended up covered in broken glass. We all do stupid things under the influence of alcohol; many of us will have woken up and remembered sending an embarrassing text to an ex, mixing up your words as you try to talk or even falling over due to your inebriation - but the only person that is really affecting is yourself. I have never caused harm to another person because of what I have had to drink, and I would like to think I never will.

It is these little incidents that make you realise that "one too many" is not always just the cause of some rather outrageous banter; sometimes it can be the reason why someone ends up seriously hurt, and as a forty-something he should really have known better. I did receive a lovely big bunch of flowers the following day by way of an apology, but I still think that the gentleman in question needs to consider the fact that his drunken tom-foolery could have resulted in a very nasty situation, and it was not just himself that he could have ended up hurting. So much for a quiet drink in the pub ay!

Eat better, sleep better, be better?

After a month of back to back parties I am glad to be having a few weeks off the beer and without the late nights to re-cooperate. After all, I'm a twenty-one year old who's starting to look every inch her age...and then some! So as May rolls into play, and with my dissertation, project and exhibition deadlines looming on the horizon, I have had a new burst of "better myself" energy and have made a solid resolution to eat better, sleep more, exercise as often as I can and be more focused on my work.

This all started after I spent Sunday afternoon rolling around on a sun lounger in the back garden thanks to the mammoth hangover I'd induced as a result of three - yes three - 21st birthdays over the previous two days. Although it was the last of them, I entered the new week feeling so run down and under the weather it was unreal. There is definitely such a thing as overdoing it, and that's certainly what I had done.

So, I came home from work Monday, had a decent tea of pasta and meatballs and then scurried off to bed as soon as I could to rest up, and be up bright and early the next day. Tuesday I woke at 8am, went straight down stairs and wrote an article for my final year project and then got stuck in to a good chunk of dissertation writing - and all before lunch. By the time the evening rolled around, I was feeling much calmer and more relaxed, knowing I had done my work and made the most of my day, so I treated myself to a meal out with the boyfriend, followed by a quiet night in.

After complaining about how rough I felt and how run down I'd been to the Mr for most of the night, he made a point of suggesting it might be down to my rather poor, mostly junk-filled diet. I was just about to protest when I realised that he was probably right. I'm very lucky that I can eat whatever I want and barely put on a pound; I've never been on a diet and usually only exercise in the run up to a holiday. But I really don't think I put half the stuff I should into my system, as I'm not a lover of fruit and veg and I don't eat a great deal of red meat either - so there must be some major nutrients and vitamins that I'm just not getting.

So, first step towards a healthier me came with a resolution to eat more fruit and veg. So far I've managed an orange and a jacket potato, but it's a start! Secondly I have decided to get back to the gym more often, although it has been hard with all the work I've had on. I've seen it as being an hour in the gym that could be spent doing my work and therefore I've barely been going, but I did go for an hour-long jog last night and did a set of stomach crunches when I got home - and I do feel all the better for it today.

Further more, I have decided that as there are probably a few nutrients and vitamins that my diet doesn't include very often I should probably give my body a helping hand in that department, so I'm setting out tomorrow in search of general Good Health vitamins to try and balance out what my system is likely to be missing. Don't worry, I'm not going to get crazy and pepped up on diet pills - that definitely is not what I need - but taking some all-round good health vitamins and maybe drinking some herbal tea every day can only do good things for me.

So, the health kick has started once again, and I'll keep you updated on how it goes. I do wonder how long it will last for this time?! But having said that, I'm off on holiday in July and I do need to be looking far better than I am doing right now. Wish me luck!

Diary of a Birmingham Party Girl (March)

She’s back, and boy has she been busy! In this month’s diary snippet, The Party Girl has been searching further afield than just the City Centre, as has been sampling venues in places from Tyburn to Moseley. With reviews on another 4 venues, sit back and enjoy the Diary of a Birmingham Party Girl...

March 10^th – Nandos

It’s the boyfriend’s birthday today, and despite being told it was my treat and he could go any where he wanted, he chose Nandos at The Fort Shopping Centre, out near Tyburn. Hardly the lavish birthday meal I was expecting him to opt for, but for a chicken-lover such as he is, there is no better place. It is quite simply a spicy chicken haven!

Famous for its unique Peri-Peri marinade, Nandos is a bustling and often busy restaurant chain that serves a wide variety of Mexican chicken dishes to suit all tastes. The restaurant was brightly lit, with colourful paintings on the walls and an authentic Mexican theme throughout.

The menu is quite unique in it’s design, as you choose your main, then you choose from a selection of sides, then you choose the spice of the marinade on your chicken (ranging from plain to extra hot), and then you can choose to an extra such as cheese to your burger or Peri-Peri salt to your fries.

You can choose from chicken on the bone, family platters, burgers, pittas and wraps as your main, and add chips, spicy rice, corn on the cob, and even Macho peas (made with parsley, mint and chilli). It’s not all just chicken on the menu though, as Nandos also offer a Steak Roll and Veggie, Beanie and Mushroom burgers, wraps and pittas too.

Prices for most main meals are in the region of £8-£9 for a main with two sides, so it certainly won’t break the bank and you do get good portion sizes. Nandos also has its own range of Peri-Peri sauces that you can taste and try, and I love to splash a selection of these all over my burger and chips!

It does feel slightly like an upmarket fast-food restaurant in some ways, as you have to order your food at the till and pay upfront – and it can be quiet noisy and crowded at times. The food, however, makes up for all of that. Nandos has to be one of my favourite places to eat; it’s reasonably priced, the portion sizes are definitely enough to fill you up and there really isn’t anything quite like Nandos chicken.

March 24^th – Llyods Bar & Walkabout

Tonight Arcane’s Press Officer Rachel and I headed to Birmingham for a spot of fun and frivolity, whilst we discussed the future plans for Arcane. It turned out to be an eventful evening for all the wrong reasons, but that’s another story entirely! So instead I’ll just stick to telling you all about the two venues we visited tonight.

We first headed to Llyods Bar, which was surprisingly quite for a Thursday. The bouncers took about ten minutes to check our IDs and let us in (as they were too busy messing around with their phones taking pictures of themselves, would you believe), which could be a reason for why there were no other young people in the whole place except for us! We then waited a further five minutes at the bar, despite the fact we were the only ones waiting to be served, as the bar staff were too busy talking to notice we were waiting. Not a great start to the evening at all really.

I have always liked the layout of Broad Street’s Lloyds Bar, as there are plenty of places to sit, and a separate dance floor area, so that you can choose to get up and dance or sit down and relax – which is a nice change from most of the bars and clubs in Birmingham, as most have very little seating and you have no choice but to stand on the dance floor all night, even if you don’t want to dance.

The drinks aren’t too pricey, as it is another conquest of the Wetherspoons group (see February’s Diary for full drinks and food list), but for me the atmosphere was all wrong tonight. It’s usually a lively and exciting bar to be in of a weekend, but tonight we sat in near silence amongst a large group of business men and woman, who were just there to wind down after a hard days work. They weren’t doing anything wrong in that, but it definitely didn’t have the upbeat party atmosphere we were looking for, so we moved on.

Instead we headed next door to Walkabout, which quite frankly was a mistake this evening! Once we had queued to have our IDs checked, and then queued to pay our entry fee, we then spent a good 20 minutes queuing at the bar. I do understand that it was busy in there, but after Rachel had already been served the barmaid walked away without bothering to serve me, and went off to serve down the other end of the very long bar. I must have stood there for ages trying to catch the attention of someone, and it was only when I started huffing at the fact that people who had just arrived at the bar were getting served before me, did the barman who had been ignoring me for ten minutes decide it was finally my turn!

Other than the ridiculously long wait at the bar, I can’t really complain about Walkabout. The drinks are cheap, with lots of £1 shots and special offers on Vodka Redbulls and cocktails, and the music is always good in my opinion. The main point of interest for me was the great atmosphere the place had in comparison to where we had just come from. There was definitely a party vibe, which is exactly what we were looking for. The one thing that can be guaranteed with Walkabout is that it will always be full of young people and students, and there is always a good party vibe – so if that’s what you’re looking for on a night out, then Walkabout might just be the place to head.

March 30^th – Diwan Restaurant

This evening I joined the rather crazy women of Pinsent Masons law firm (in Birmingham) for a meal at a small Indian restaurant in Moseley. I wanted to wander a bit further afield in my search of great venues in Birmingham, and I thought it would be interesting to see where other people choose to spend their time, so the Diwan Restaurant seemed the ideal place.

I have to say, the place totally won me over. It might have been down to the brilliant company I was keeping this evening, but I’ve got the feeling it had much more to do with the delicious food on offer. The only whinge for me really was that we were a large party of about ten, and yet they had squished us together on a table not really big enough to hold eight of us. We did ask to have a bigger table, and the restaurant wasn’t that busy when we arrived that we couldn’t have been given a bit more room, but they didn’t seem to appreciate the fact that we ended up having to climb into our seats and had next-to-no elbow room whatsoever!

Other than that slight niggle, however, the Diwan is a lovely place. The staff were friendly, the service was prompt and the menu is vast and filled with plenty of choice. The Diwan doesn’t have an alcohol licence, which might be a problem for some, but as I see it it’s a chance to “bring a bottle” instead of spending loads on expensive drinks during the night.

They have a vast range of starters (including the delightful Diwan Kebab – say it fast and see the comedy value!), mains and desserts – with mixed and half portions of the mains, meaning you can order exactly what you like, and mix and match to get the perfect meal for you. The Nann bread we had was the size of the table, and the staff will even offer to alter dishes to fit your specific tastes or dietary needs, as all food is prepared fresh and as ordered.

We got everything we had asked for, just the way we liked it, and being as we were such a large table we even got free coffees with the bill. Each and every woman at the table said her food was just divine, and when the bill came it was barely £10 per head for each person’s starters and mains – so the staff made double that it tips! Despite being a bit out of the way, the Diwan is not far from town, and has free roadside parking seconds from the door. It is definitely a must-try if you are a lover of Indian cuisine and looking for something a bit different to what you have locally.

Diary of a Birmingham Party Girl

As I am in full editor swing at the minute, I thought I'd share with you all a sneak preview of Arcane Magazine's first feature reviews...Diary of Birmingham Party Girl. Feel free to comment and make suggestions. It's all about improvement for me.

Diary of a Birmingham Party Girl

In the run up to the first ever edition of Arcane, our Editor Louise decided she should get out and about in Birmingham and see what the city has to offer – and she certainly didn’t do it by halves! With reviews on no less than 7 venues, sit back and enjoy the Diary of a Birmingham Party Girl...

February 1^st – Pitcher and Piano

Tonight my best friend and I were out celebrating some personal successes, as we have both done well recently in our professional careers and decided that this was a definite cause for a trip to Birmingham City Centre. We headed to Brindley Place for a quiet drink near the canal side, and chose The Pitcher and Piano to spend the night in.

The venue is laid out beautifully, with plenty of seating, comfy sofas to relax on and a roaring open fire to warm your bones near. From the ground floor, you can look down to the basement room below – which is far from dingy, and instead is bright and welcoming; opening onto the canal side in the warmer weather.

Considering the venues upmarket feel, the price list was not bad at all. Red, White and Rose wine from £3.45 by the glass or £13.25 a bottle. The Pitcher and Piano has a wide variety of draught and bottled beer and cider, as well as a nice selection of shorts and spirits – but it is their cocktail menu that really impresses. With a massive choice of no less than 34 different cocktails and shots, ranging from the classic Mojito to the more exotic Choc a L’Organe – which is an exciting mix of vodka, Cointrea chocolate liqueur, milk and cream – there is sure to be something to suit everyone’s tastes, and many of the cocktails are as little as £6.25 a glass.

However, as this was intended to be a night of celebration for my friend and I, we opted for something with a bit more fizz. The Pitcher and Piano also boasts a decent selection of sparking wines and champagnes, ranging from as little as £18, right up to the extravagant £150 a bottle bubbly. Seeing as how we were not out to break the bank that night, we opted for the £18 Segura Viudas Cava and it was so nice we had another one!

The Pitcher and Piano gets the thumbs up from me, and after hearing they serve food as well, I have a feeling I’ll be popping back there before too long.

February 3^rd – Big Wok and Indi Bar

Having barely recovered from my trip to the Pitcher and Piano and our two bottles of bubbly, I headed out tonight for an evening of fun, frivolity and fancy dress to celebrate Chinese New Year with some of my fellow journalists and industry peers. As it is Year of the Rabbit, we had each donned a pair of bunny ears and headed first to the Big Wok for a meal, before drinks at Indi Bar in the Arcadian.

If I’m totally honest, there are very few Chinese buffet restaurants which don’t feel like the school hall at dinner time, but the Big Wok definitely hadn’t done much to make the dining experience any more pleasurable. The place was hugely noisy, cold and the layout and decor screams greasy spoon cafe – which is a real shame as the food was really very good. They have a wide variety of different dishes on offer, and the freshly made chicken satays were a really nice touch. At only £9.99 for the evening menu, I could hardly complain at the price, but in all truth I have been to much nicer Chinese buffets, and the Big Wok could really do with a revamp.

From there we headed over to Indi Bar in the Arcadian, which is quite a small bar with very little seating, and most of the space is reserved for the DJ and the dance floor – but it somehow suits its purpose. The drinks are really cheap, and it’s not hard to see why this is a student favourite. On a Thursday, when we went, selected drinks are as little as £1 – with draught beer only £1.50 a pint and bottles of wine only £6.

The music is mostly current chart toppers, with some dance and old school R&B thrown in for good measure. Overall, it’s a nice bar, with cheap drinks and a good atmosphere, its only downside being it is quite small so it does get crowded quickly, and the lack of seating is a problem if you aren’t the type to be on the dance floor all night.

February 9^th – Briar Rose and The Victoria

Tonight an old school friend and I decided to have a catch up over dinner and drinks, and so we headed off to the Briar Rose for some food, before heading to The Victoria pub for some drinks later. The Briar Rose is part of the Wetherspoon family, so the menu boasts the same good value for menu and wide range as the others in the chain. The meals are substantial and they really are very good value for money, with many options on the menu falling under the “meal and a free drink” promotion which is offered throughout the week – and, as with the other Wetherspoon restaurants, they offer a wide variety of drinks from across the world. They are one of the only places I know which sell my favourite foreign beer, Efes, so that always goes down well with me! The bar staff were friendly, the food was prompt, there was plenty of seating and the whole bar is nicely decorated and has a warm atmosphere.

After dinner we headed to The Victoria pub, which has become one of my favourite places to drink over the last year. During the week, it keeps its appearance of a quiet local pub - despite it’s location in the city centre – but of a weekend it comes to life with two rooms of alternative and indie music and classic 60s, 70s and 80s records too. The prices are a bit steeper than other pubs in the area, but the atmosphere in The Vic is second to none. With bookcases around the seating areas, carpeted dance floors and antique furniture, it takes you back in time through both the music and the decor of the place. An absolute must for all serious music lovers!

February 10^th – Ask restaurant

Ask is a fabulous Italian restaurant chain, which seems to often be overlooked by food lovers for some reason – despite the fact that in my opinion it produces some of the best Italian food I have ever eaten. I took my best friend for dinner there tonight, and she loved it just as much as I did! With a wide menu of authentic Italian pasta, pizza and risotto dishes (to name but a few), and a bustling and interesting atmosphere it will appeal to all lovers of Italian food – and a fair few who aren’t I should imagine!

The Penne Paesana (pesto drenched pasta, with pine nuts, mushrooms and strips of garlic chicken) is my favourite dish, and at only £8.95 you could afford to eat there every week. Ask also offer great 2-for-1 offers several times a month, so if you want a tasty treat without the hefty price tag I’d suggest you sign up to their mailing list and start receiving the great deals they have on offer.

March 2^nd – Reflex

Having been crazy busy recently, and not managing to get further than my local pub most weekends, I finally made it back to Birmingham tonight for a long-overdue trip to Reflex. Reflex is THE place for 80s music, and ever since I have been old enough to go, this club has to be my favourite on Broad Street.

Venues which are part of a chain usually guarantees you cheap drinks promotions, and you will not be disappointed with Reflex’s offerings. Most bottles, including beer and alcopops, are just £1.49, double vodka Redbulls are only £1.99, and each Thursday all cocktails are £1.99. Bring on the Cheeky Vimto!

The music is great, the atmosphere is great and the whole night is always a blast. Everything from the revolving dance floor, to the DIY pole-dancing podiums just screams wild night out, and my friends and I just cannot get enough of the place.

That’s it for now folks, but for more reviews in Diary of a Birmingham Party Girl visit www.arcanemagazine.wordpress.com to read Louise’s blog.

The curse of the birthday bash

Sunday was an eventful night in my humble home-town, to say the very least. One of my good friends was turning 24, and had arranged to have a few drinks in a couple of pubs here in Coleshill. Nothing big, just a nice, cheerful evening out to celebrate his birthday. Well, that was the plan any way, and couldn't have been further from what we actually experienced that night!

I caught up with the Birthday Boy and our other friends about 9pm, by which time he was already on the Sambuca's and any chance of a quiet drink had long flown out the window! Although little did we realise that our slightly-too-merry with the drink mate was going to be the least of our worries, as less than five minutes later there was screams, shouts, shots and a whole heap of smashed glasses.

What started as a silly scrap between a teenage Blues fan and a teenage Arsenal fan, turned into a whole pub brawl, with men hitting women and women throwing glasses. It was like the mosh pit at a Slipknot gig all of a sudden, and people who didn't even know what was happening were just getting involved for the hell of it apparently! Your's truly was excluded from that of course, as I'd grabbed my bag and my drink and taken cover in the corner. Getting a smack in the face was certainly not on my list of to-do's for the night. Tables full of drinks were knocked over, there was smashed glass every where and more black eyes than I could count. The police were called in the end, and it all diffused, but not before the Birthday Boy's cousin was given a nice shiner for his troubles!

And so, when the dust had finally settled, myself and the other sensible fellows in the group hijacked the Birthday Boy and moved him on to another pub. It was a much nicer atmosphere over the road and I'd just settled down with an ice-cold beer to enjoy the rest of the night, when the next big drama occurred. Whilst outside smoking, one of the lads from our group had spotted a rather drunk regular from the pub trying to walk home. He had stopped him and asked if he was alright, but he insisted he was fine and headed off into a dark alleyway between two buildings. Seconds later, our friend watched opened mouthed as the drunk regular tripped and fell face-first into the pavement - before lying there, unconscious in a muddy puddle.

Naturally our friend went to check on him, and when he couldn't rouse him, he rushed back inside the pub to call for help. And so it was that myself and the Birthday Boy had to help carry our poor drunk regular back inside the pub, and up into the B&B to lie down. It was only then I noticed he had split his eye open and was bleeding quite badly. Obviously this meant one thing only: Nurse Louise to the rescue. So there I sat, on a night out, mopping up the forehead of one highly inebriated fellow, whilst he muttered drunken apologies for being an inconvenience. Shameful as this is to admit, although I was very worried for his safety, I couldn't help but think: "Don't you dare get blood on my nice top!". I mean, how would I have explained that to my parents?

After that the night finally calmed down a bit, with nothing more than a few tears and drunken ramblings on the behalf of the Birthday Boy, but it got me thinking about a few things. Firstly, to those who started the fight, I would just like to make one thing clear - football is only a game, and is certainly not a reason to start kicking seven shades out of each other. Secondly, for all those who joined in with the ridiculous fight, have you no shame? You were throwing punches at people you didn't even know, for a reason you didn't even understand. Are you cavemen and women, because I thought the rest of us had evolved beyond the need for senseless violence? Thirdly, for all those who like a bit too much of a drink, learn your limits. Our drunk regular could have woken up face down in a puddle, having been mugged or beaten or worse. He could've ended up in a hospital bed, being treated for concussion and alcohol poisoning. Sort it out!

It also got me thinking about the curse of the birthday bash, as Sunday - like many others I can remember - was the result of another overly-dramatic birthday night. It seems that every party I've been to in years has ended in tears for one reason or another. Either there's been an argument, or a fight, or a falling out. Or someone's been sick, or gone missing. My 20th was a nightmare, and my 21st nearly ended up heading down the same road. A fair few of the Women Folk's birthday's have fallen foul of the birthday bash curse, and I'm sure Ray would agree some of her's have been far from perfect. It just seems that any night out where you label it a Birthday Party is doomed to end in disaster - and it's all drama, drama, drama. And so, with a month of solid birthday parties heading my way this April, I'm asking for a little gift of my own - just one, great drama-free night. Fingers-crossed for me on that one ay!

The Women Folk

I would like to introduce you to my kindred spirits whom I call my Women Folk. Ever since I was young I have always had more male friends than female friends, as I will happily admit that us women can sometimes be quite difficult to handle - and men (generally) spend less time bitching and fighting and more time having a laugh and enjoying themselves.

From left to right in the above picture you have The Hood, Jessicat, Clare-bear, Eccabell and Claireibell. We all attend the same uni, four of us study journalism, one studies PR and one studies art. We all share similar interests and pastimes, and yet not a single one of us is anything like another, which is what I believe makes us such a great group. There have been fallings out, there have been ups and downs, but after two and a half years together we still have a great time together regardless of anything else.

For years I have craved the male mentality in my life, but after meeting my beautiful Women Folk during my first year at university, I can honestly say I've never been happier and more at ease in a group of friends. They have made my uni years what they are, and I couldn't very well sit here telling you all about my life as a haphazard twenty-something without bringing these colourful characters into the limelight. These ladies will be featuring in a great deal of the posts on here, of that I have no doubt.

As I currently demonstrating in my choice of imagery for this post, we have numerous shared interests: mainly dressing up, dancing and drinking. Since our time at uni, we have partied across the scene in Birmingham, and donned no less than 8 different costumes in the process. We have been UV ravers, St. Trinians school girls, Greek goddesses, Australian lifeguards, Rocky Horror Show tarts, Geeks, Golfers and, after last night (15/11/10), NYPD officers - and that's not including our Halloween party attire!

We have shared birthdays, end of year parties and we even took a long-over-due girls only holiday in September of this year. We have gone through bust-ups, break-ups, rekindled romances, heartache, disappointments, celebrations and all other manner of situations - which have all become firm memories imprinted in my mind.

I know when I am old and grey, I can look back on my Uni years and think "Wow. I did all that with these great girls. How lucky was I?". So I would like to thank my lovely Women Folk for giving me some of the best years of my life. You are all part of why I feel so lucky to be Twenty-one and Invincible.