A Half-Yearly Review: 2018 H1

Oops, I did it again. Another few months without a blog post, and without a long and rambling paragraph (or five) explaining where I went and why.

In all honesty, there wasn't a big "This Is It" moment which led me to stop blogging. There also weren't any external influences leading me to give up either. However, I have been thinking about dipping my toes again for a while now, and a car journey with Clare on Friday talking about the benefits of blogging for yourself as an online journal (yes I know, full circle blogging, back to the roots, blah blah blah), got me to stand on my kitchen chair and take the above photo with my 50mm lens, which has clearly seen better days.

So, just so it's on record for me to look back to on a rainy day at some point and for anyone who has a vague interest, this is my half-yearly review, looking back at the first half of 2018.

A year ago yesterday (yeah, I’m not exactly 100% on the ball with my personal Instagram atm) I had the offer accepted on my first home. Tbh, it was the 4th place I’d put an offer in on so wasn’t expecting anything until I exchanged 5 months later, but yanno. It’s a nice kinda weird to know the place is yours 🔑 Also, thanks to @dizzybrunette3 for the tip off on the £3.50 aldi peonies! #home #manchester #interiors #farrowandball #myfabhome #hagueblue #peonies #peony #homesense #primark #next

A post shared by Rebecca (@rebeccacohen_) on Jun 28, 2018 at 2:04pm PDT

Home

Back in 2017 (3rd November to be precise), I picked up the keys to my first home.

Hallelujah, I can eat avocados again without the Telegraph raising an eyebrow and tutting at me.

I now live in the covetable M1 postcode (lol), in a two bed flat with exposed brickwork, four sash windows (of which two open) and a semi-functioning dishwasher. It's simultaneously great and absolutely terrifying. There's no letting agent to bitch about when your boiler isn't fixed within 3 milliseconds, and I now have a third bank account after my debit and credit cards that's got a big old minus in front of it.

However, as my mum put it when I was tearing my hair out with stress (more on that later) as my solicitors told me the vendor still wasn't replying to emails, the daily borderline heart attacks and reams of legal text will all be worth it when you can close the door behind you and know that it's yours. Yes, it's a flat rather than a house, meaning I don't own the building, but the secure aspect of knowing that I'm slowly working towards making sure I've got some kind of real asset in my life is reassuring. Of course, the crippling fear of the whole thing falling down one day or it depreciating in value by 50% is hanging over my head, but a lot of touching wood and stalking rightmove is helping me to panic slightly less.

Brb, getting down on Friday 🍾 #prosecco #tb

A post shared by Rebecca (@rebeccacohen_) on Jan 19, 2018 at 10:51am PST

Career

You might not be able to tell, but I'm not a full-time #influencer. Yes, I have a blog I update as an when I fancy, but I've never been one to want to do that all day every day, which some people struggle to come to terms with the moment you hit publish.

Instead, I work for a fairly well known company within their beauty group. Yep, I made the transition from fashion to beauty in November last year, and I think it was a good choice, you know. There were a few hiccups in the changeover, but now I'm in a highly motivated team and learning things daily. It's also the first time I've ever worked as a retailer as opposed to a brand, so learning the nuances of this aspect is a learning curve, and one I know will be beneficial long-term. I'm ecommerce through and through, so it's great to get to know the fast-paced industry from another angle.

Sometimes (read: a lot of the time) I find it really hard to feel okay with having #alopecia, but getting dressed up with these two sassy ladies last weekend really helped to make me feel better 💙 You can shop my outfit on @liketoknow.it here and in my bio http://liketk.it/2wu5u #afflink #liketkit #thgsummerparty #ootd #nastygal #nastygalsdoitbetter #publicdesire #alopeciaareata

A post shared by Rebecca (@rebeccacohen_) on Jul 10, 2018 at 1:47pm PDT

Health

Perhaps one of the hardest changes for me to deal with this year, all my hair fell out. I've had alopecia for quite a while now. I first noticed patches falling out when I was at university. In fact, I can distinctly remember taking these blog photos and point blank refusing to shoot any of the back of my head as a fair bit of hair, or what felt like it at the time, had fallen out at the nape of my neck. Fast forward five years, and I can count a grand total of three hairs on my head, so things have clearly got "worse".

If I were to pinpoint the lowest day, it's a toss-up between the day I decided to not leave the house without something on my head (a hat or wig) ever again or the day I realised my eyelashes were falling out too. The main thing I struggle with is the complete lack of control over my situation; I'm not sick with this being a side-effect of a drug, and I'm definitely not making an anti-establishment fashion statement.

I go through phases with how I feel about it. One day I can shrug my shoulders and get on with things, on other days I'll be crying through an episode of Love Island because I've seen someone brushing through cheap hair extensions, so I just take each day as it comes.

#WHPGetLost 🏔 Although perhaps ironic that I had signal right at the top, so knew exactly where I was 🧐 #snowdon #wales

A post shared by Rebecca (@rebeccacohen_) on May 18, 2018 at 2:04pm PDT

Fitness

I now semi-willingly go to the gym. I do appreciate the irony of having the time to type this blog post up, due to having sacked off today's classes, however it's something I find less and less intimidating as time goes on.

It's fair to say I'm not #bodygoals or whatever weird fitness fad is going down on the gram this week However I feel stronger and more comfortable in my body, so count that as winner. After a lot of umming and ahhing about getting on board with a PT, I've finally bit the bullet and booked in with a personal trainer in Manchester. Sarah was the person who helped me make it to the top of Snowdon, so I'm sure she'll help me with my overall fitness goals, in spite of my near constant moaning.

Pulling out all the stops this #iwd and heading deep into the archives for this money shot. 😉 Always, always support your local girl gang, tagged as many as I could! #iwd2018 #tbt #internationalwomensday #mallorca #luxurybitchlife

A post shared by Rebecca (@rebeccacohen_) on Mar 8, 2018 at 12:30pm PST

Friends and Family

As I become more settled in Manchester (come on, I bought a bloody house, I've clearly committed to it in some way), I've become a lot more settled with my life here as a whole. About a year ago, I quite regularly got upset about living so far away from friends and family, however I'm definitely a lot more chilled out with these relationships now.

It's always hard to feel like you're the one putting in the effort with the four hour train journeys every month. But as life here settles into a more long-term rather than day-by-day routine, I'm learning to accept more and essentially chill out.

As regards friends in Manchester, I'm more than happy with my lot! I'm lucky enough to have met a lot of people I respect and admire in the three jobs I've worked since moving to the city, and I already know that these are friends for life.




So yes, I'm not saying this is The Great Return To Blogging or even that I'll publish something new again this year. But just a little update to run through what's been playing out recently so that when I'm on my fifth husband with 2 King Charles Cavalier Spaniels and botox in 2049, I can look back and have a chuckle about what was on my mind back in 2018.