Rach's Ramblings Turns One

Well, it seems it's Happy 1st Birthday to Ramblings of a Rachel.

One whole year? How the hell did that happen?

Well, to be honest I know how it happened. SO MUCH has happened in this year, both for the world, and for us individually and I think this year has been one that each and every one of us has learned from and will always remember.

So what have I learned?

Well on a personal note, I learned that I actually like way more vegetables than I thought. After a year of Hello Fresh - our Hello Fresh anniversary is in April I think - I have learned that there is more to a meal plan than just pasta that takes 3 minutes to cook or sausage, mash and beans. Josie and I have probably tried over 200 different Hello Fresh recipes, and I have to say that it absolutely astounds me that we are still in single digits in terms of the number of meals we've had to repeat (and not by choice!). So many various pasta dishes, curries, warm salads and halloumi-based dishes that I've realised there is a lot more you can cook if you can open your mind to stepping outside your comfort zone.

I love food. I love savoury food more importantly, and I can quite easily say that I have loved pretty much every single dish Josie and I have prepared over this last year that's come from Hello Fresh. And for just under £35 for 8 meals (plus more if you stick to normal sized portions), it's incredible value for money, given if you'd had to buy ingredients from scratch it would cost quite a bit. You save money, you save waste and you expand your palette. What could be better, eh?

But going to back to what I've learned about myself over the year, I thought I'd just look back on Ramblings. And looking back over the posts I've done over the last year, I've sensed a theme coming through in the form of these 3 things (now that I've got food out of the way): Film, Music and Photography.

1 - MUSIC

If you asked me when it was that I got into film, I'd have to say that I don't really know the answer to that. Like every child, I watched Disney movies when I had friends over, so one could say I've loved films since I was little, but I think the true love of it probably began after I understood what I actually love about them. And you've probably guessed that what I love most - most of the time - is the scores these films produce, allowing me, thousands, if not millions of hours of entertainment and delight.

Throughout this lockdown, people all over have come to appreciate new things. People have picked up hobbies, started creating things in lockdown that they kept promising themselves they'd do but just never had the time. But when I hear people say they haven't taken up anything new in lockdown, and that they've continued to focus on what they already knew they liked, I love that. I've picked up a few new things over the last year, but I've also grown on my love of music. And it's grown exponentially, I think. I listen to music all the time. When I sleep, work, read, eat. Basically if I'm not watching a film, I'm listening to music.

Reading through all the playlists I've put together, speaking to the people I've done playlists for, it really does bring to light just how different everyone's tastes are. Sure, if you live with someone, or have spent a lot of time with them, you could say that your tastes are similar. But there is always one that surprises you. Over the last year I've listened to countless new songs, introduced my ears to new composers and artists, and I couldn't be happier to be trying things I hadn't thought to try before.

I need to post more music - and I will now that I've got a bit more free time - but I really do hope people get the same enjoyment I get from those playlists. I love listening to them and writing a rhetoric... It's soothing to write down what each track gives.

2 - FILM

But of course, it isn't just the music I love about film is it. It can't be. It's the films themselves I enjoy. I mean, duh? It's the minute details you notice when watching films for a fourth or fifth time, or the characters you love despite the choices they make. In 2020, I watched nearly 340 films. Sure that may have been several Star Wars rewatches and a Harry Potter marathon, but there were several hundred films in between that were new. Ish. I don't have a favourite genre, or even a favourite film to be honest. The other day, my friend asked me the other day what 5 films I would take to a desert island with me, and even though I answered pretty quickly, I also told him that the answer would be different next week, just as it would have been different the week before.

This year I haven't watched too many - I've decided not to worry about watching a film a day and just enjoy each day as it comes - but as the days edge closer and closer to May 17th, I am beginning to get beyond excited for my Happy Place to open. Cinemas. Yep, that's right. Most people are excited for the pub, whereas I'm excited to sit in a dark room in the middle of summer to enjoy a 3 hour movie. As much as I love watching the countless new films that have arrived on Netflix, Amazon, Disney Plus and everywhere else, there's nothing that can quite beat an action or superhero movie in a cinema. There's literally nothing like it.

3 - PHOTOGRAPHY

I've always loved taking photos - my 6,000 postiversary on Instagram is evidence of that - and I can always see the eyes rolling as I stop to take an inordinate amount of pictures. But it doesn't matter. I'm not one of those people that says 'if you don't take a picture then has it happened' but I appreciate something while it's there... so why not take a picture.

But what I have truly come to appreciate over the last year, is my family... and the power of a photo of those ones you truly miss the most. I'm very lucky that my family haven't been directly affected by the pandemic - we haven't lost anyone when so many thousands of people have - but I'm not taking that for granted. The pandemic has affected our family in different ways, in that we haven't been able to see anyone, same as everybody else.

We are big on family. We have big family gatherings at Christmas every 2 years - and then a quorate family gathering on off-years - and last year was the only year where Christmas just didn't feel like Christmas at all. We made do - it was just my sister, my dad and me - and we had as good a time as we could, but it didn't feel right. I love Christmas - everyone knows I love Christmas - but I just wasn't in the spirit this year. We had no tree this year because we didn't see the point, we had no presents because we'd sent them all to Bath (where we were supposed to spend Christmas) and there was a hell of a lot less family. And then when Boris told us Christmas was basically cancelling - after assuring everyone that Christmas will go ahead - I genuinely cried.

Anyway... before I start crying some more over something I shouldn't be... (that happens a lot) I'm also grateful to the family I have been able to see. My dad, my mum this past week, cousin Harry, plus a smattering of friends when we've been allowed. But there is one person in particular that I have to thank for getting me through the last year.

Now I know I've been complaining sometimes about living with Josie, but the truth is that I'm sincerely grateful to her. Yes, she might work late, or take calls in the living room when she promised to take them in her room, but the point is that I have her. So many people have gone through this whole year alone, and I am grateful for the fact I haven't been alone for this year. We've had our moments - as anyone would stuck in a flat - but I feel like we've laughed more this year, which is one of the most important things.

***

So there we have it. A kind of one year reflection I hadn't even planned on writing until I opened my laptop and realised my first post was on 23rd March 2020... 367 days ago. Absolutely crazy how much has changed in a year. And stayed the same...!

I've enjoyed sharing this blog. And it's amazing to see the people who are reading it. The beauty of Wix is that you can choose to let it tell you where people are reading from, so I can see that people from across the world are looking, which is really cool. Some towns I recognise which friend might be reading - some I don't - but even though I started this as just a thing for me, it's most certainly grown to try and help spread as much positivity I can... through infinite musical playlists and insights into the probably-unhealthy amount of films I watch (let's be honest I'm still counting in 2021, le shrug).

So after all that. I just want to say thank you. Thank you for reading, for visiting, for commenting and for showing interest in the things I love. This blog is me, and I try to be as real as I can, and I appreciate being given the chance to be able to share my world with everyone.

Happy Birthday Ramblings... Here's to a better rest of this year, to the cinemas reopening, borders opening, pubs opening... everything opening.

And as ever, please stay safe, stay well, and importantly... keep smiling and laughing. The world needs more smiles!

Much love,

Rach xxx

PS - here are some favourites from the year. People, animals, places, sunsets, films and music.