SOMETHING FOR THE BOYS - FIRST DATE TIPS

The mushiest holiday of the year has arrived...Valentines Day! It's amazing how many of you get sucked into this crap fest, on what other day of the year would you think it OK to gift someone you barely know with a card containing your innermost (and often disgusting) feelings along with a vomit-inducing teddy bear hugging a giant heart. Now before you think I'm being all bitter because I'm alone on Valentines Day, I actually do have a boyfriend, we are both just about as romantic as a 2 by 4.

But anyway, getting into the spirit of things I thought I would give the fella's out there a few handy tips for that first Valentines Date, drawing on my own disastrous date history and plain old common sense for inspiration.

• DON'T (and I really mean don't) bring a friend with you for moral support. I turned up to a first date once to find his friend with him and needless to say on a trip to the bathroom I 'took ill' and left without saying anything. Harsh, but fair, how else will they learn.
• DON'T wear fake drainpipe jeans and fake geek glasses, thinking it's cool. A girl does not want to be able to count the change in your pocket through your pants, because if she can count the change, what else do you think she can see...it's cold in February.

So True..

• DO impress your date with a single red rose, but do not overdo, showing up with a life size teddy bear and Ann Summers voucher. It looks desperate, creepy and a little bit rapey. A first date one bought me chocolates, flowers and champagne...I don't even drink. My mum glugged the champers while I lost his number.
• DO remember the grooming - a first date is not the time to reveal that you have a ruthless monobrow that is trying to take over your face, tame it into two separate entities for the night. And I can see you picking up that fake tan, just put it down and back away. Finally, if it isn't already obvious, deodorant is not a substitute for a shower. 

Nutella?

 And remember her eyes are about 10 inches up from where your probably starring....slow your roll romeo!

Happy Valentines Day!

Gems

TREND ALERT: GLOVE CLUTCHES

So I just thought I would start off letting you know that the Cognitive Behavior Therapy is going well. I had my first in person appointment yesterday at Newcastle Talking Therapies and yes it is hard seeing what you do to yourself and the cycles you get caught up in, but I am really starting to believe that knowing is the way to break the pattern. I love life, but I know that there is s much more I could get out of it if I sorted my issues with anxiety, so I'm ready for the journey...nervous but ready.

So anyway back to the whole fashion thing. I have noticed that a new trend appears to be emerging - the knuckleduster clutch, made famous by Alexander McQueen and replicated extensively, has seemingly evolved into the gorgeous 'Glove Clutch'. Simply put instead of a handle or wrist strap, you grip onto your clutch via a fingerless glove that is attached. Amazing.

'How I Met Your Mother' (God awful show, I know) star Cobie Smulders recently rocked the £2,200 Perrin Paris version an that had me lusting after one of my own.

How I Met Your Mother star Cobie Smulders (Getty Images)

A few years ago Alexander McQueen released a range of glove clutches that were to die for and I am still waiting for copies to hit the high street, so if anyone has seen any fab glove clutches anywhere please let me know.

Those fab Alexander McQueen Glove Clutches

I had been eying the fabulous leather glove bag from Maison Martin Margiela for H&M, but slept in on the day of release and they were sold out by the time I fell out of bed. So my search continues.

Maison Martin Margiela for H&M

So has anyone bought any enviable bags recently...I need to live vicariously through others since I am so poor :)

Gems x

BOOK CLUB: THE GOD DELUSION

I'm never one to make New Year Resolutions, if I haven't forgot them by the end of the first week of January, I've already broken them. Promising to get fit and then spending as much of January as possible laying on the sofa is a total cop out, and I feel enough guilt shoving biscuits, cakes and crisps into my mouth at every opportunity.

But one thing I wanted to do more of in 2013, was reading. I used to be such a book worm I could get through two books a week, but when I started working for myself a few years ago all the time for reading just disappeared. Well I've made the time for reading and finished my first book of the year last week, The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins - a Christmas gift I couldn't wait to get stuck into.

As quite an infamous book, most of you will probably know it is Richard Dawkins relentless logical arguments on how religion is unnecessary and how the concept of a supernatural God is beyond the realms of possibility. As an atheist myself due to my love of science and logic (nerd much) I agreed with all of his points and loved the beauty of many of his arguments.

It is a book that should be read by all, maybe you don't agree with Dawkins, but you can't fail to appreciate his infuriating logic. The reason I loved this book so much came with the arguments against there being an afterlife. My favourite message was this: The reason life is so special is because it comes to an end.

Religious or not, challenge your beliefs with Dawkins.

Have you guys read any good books recently? I would love some suggestions!

Gems x