REP Recall, Striving Back Into Short Stories & Resting & Recuperating In My Own Way!

Hello world! Welcome back to another blog! During this week, which also my week off of my day job, I had some exciting stuff happening. These included a recall for possibly the start of a new adventure, getting back to some creative self-care, and all in all, having some time to properly rest and recuperate. So without further ado, here is what I got up to on the week commencing 19th May 2025!

Professional:

National Youth Theatre REP Recall:

This week I had my REP recall. You know what? It was so much more relaxed than I anticipated. Everyone was lovely, the alumni (who I both saw in one of their shows) who helped out and the information about support (as because I would need to live in London for this course) had been really helpful. I definitely feel like I did my best, and whatever the outcome, to be asked for a recall itself is an achievement. Keep an eye out on my YouTube where I take you through my journey into London for that recall. But I think I need this challenge, as yes it would be so different moving home, but sometimes a challenge is what I need if I really want to expand in my career. And as Ross Grant from act on this says, if you want it, you’ll find a way. If not you’ll find an excuse. And the best part was I managed to get a seat to myself to stretch my legs before (apart from the last stop on the way to King’s Cross) and afterwards to help myself rest and recuperate. That and some goodies I got made the day all worthwhile! 

Actors Pro Expo:

This week I listened to two seminars. The first one was from Mark Jermin, talking about his agency, their academy and all whilst doing it during their podcasts they do. The other one I watched was an American accent workshop with casting director JJ Bee. This one was more talking than learning, but I still managed to get some useful notes out of it which is always good, including how to make the accent your own without getting too overwhelmed and which regions suit you best. And with more than a week to go until the recordings expire, I think I need to look at more carefully which ones I should focus on next. 

Sketch Posting:

This week I released my latest video where was well overdo. Is it perfect? No. Am I glad I got it out there? Yes I am! As sometimes whilst you need to be good (which I hope I am), getting it done is better than getting it perfect. Here is the thumbnail of it below along with the link to the full video itself!

https://youtu.be/z0YgL2-Zpjs?si=xG9frbdOgnKRbaun

Script Writing:

This week I continued to work on my theatre script. I won’t lie though, it did exhaust me, putting so much energy into just writing out a scene. But I’m proud of getting something down, and as I’m writing this, I have about 2-3 scenes left to write (one of which may separate), but I must remember that I need to come back to it when I’m ready. 

Possible New Opportunity:

This week a new networking and possible performance opportunity came up this week and I knew I immediately had to apply for it. I’ll keep you updated on it but it’s moments like this where if there’s anything going on in my hometown I have to take it. But I can’t wait to see the event itself! 

Short Film Update:

This week not only did I submit my film “Unmasked” to two more film festivals, but this week I also announced that we’ve reached the target for the festivals it’ll go to. But I know this is the start of many more film festivals to come, and with my new film now in the stages of planning, I can’t wait to see what magic I can create next! 

Act On This Podcast:

This week I listened to a podcast with Tamara Lee-Knottcut who specialises in casting in America. This was fascinating, from her story into casting, to how to apply for a visa to work in America, and some gossip about how Tom hardy got his breakthrough American film. And I think I can see why everyone wanted to hear about Tom hardys story, as he is one good looking and very talented actor. But it was a very interesting watch. A long one, but one that was worth it!

Coronation Street:

This week I watched the show from 7th and 9th May. Mick is causing more trouble with more residents, one of which is Kit when he had to terminate and interview early. But he covered it up to Sarah as work stuff when she asked what Lisa wanted to speak to him about. And mick is also slowly getting Liam as his next target, pulling a prank on him and also telling Maria about his thoughts on Lou’s life as a Dee Dee also is feeling the strain of letting laila go, but even a chat with Roy didn’t help, as she turned to alcohol to drown her sorrows. But we all need a sibling like Michael, as he managed to help her dust herself off and start making it her goal to help midwives with black maternity care. Todd was also in abit of bother when Theo’s daughter Millie demanded answers, with Theo explaining that like him, she and the rest of the family also had their opposing views on homosexuality. And whilst all seemed okay, she decided to make things worse by chucking paint all over the hearse. And if definitely put a strain on Todd and Theo’s relationship. We also saw Jenny still grieving about selling the pub, and the first lot of buyers didn’t get off to the best of starts. But she eventually opened up to Rita on why it’s important to her, but Rita herself, with some convincing from Brian, managed to convince Jenny to get herself a job at the kabin. Lauren was also suspicious after first being blackmailed again, therefore cancelling her plans with Sabrina, then a slip of the tongue from Bobby made her realise who it could be. But it turns out Jake was behind it all along, but thankfully she didn’t rob him in. But Lauren is about to get herself in a more sticky situation when she decided to keep some money she found that belonged to Bobby. That along with searching for a flat and looking for a job (which aadi mentioned on finding one with perfect carbon monoxide levels and offered her a job but gave it to someone else), had made her situation even more sticky. Carl was also concerned for Debbie when she plans to organise a wedding fair, and when she mentioned extra help, he thought she meant with the dementia, when in fact it’s linking to Ryan at her event. But the biggest moment in the street was Eileen, who after seeing the video and Todd making assumptions, she ended up getting arrested, thinking that she had some involvement in Julie’s death. And with Brian being responsible for reporting her, we all need someone like Roy to see that based off of his experience, he’s clearly grieving, and so is Eileen. Summer also did this beautiful piece on how she felt when Paul initially decided to take his own life with the assistance of Billy. And even though she got released for further enquiries, George was starting to have doubts of her involvement, and after trying to interfere, Craig caught him red handed, which had further strained their relationship. And with sue clevers exit coming soon, something tells me it’s the beginning of the end for Eileen and George. I also watched the show from 12th May. Debbie’s wedding fair was not the best day. First Lou didn’t turn up at Maria’s stand (where she spent the whole day drinking with Tracy and quit her job), and also having a misunderstanding with Leanne on the stands for speed Dahl. This then led a trip to A&E, with Ronnie going with her to find out jeans going on, and also getting help from Kevin (who had a dizzy spell because of it). But Debbie berating him to her May have been the best idea, but it was only later when she realised she needs him more than ever. But she may have some competition when she sees him and Leanne together. But that wasn’t the only drama. Liam playing a prank on mick may have been funny, but his retaliation may have meant for him to “toughen up” when in fact it’s the complete opposite. And Lauren and Bobby’s friendship may be over, when after telling him the real blackmailer and stating why she initially thought it was him, he felt betrayed of him thinking why he would do it. Eileen was also freaking out about the autopsy, with Kit (who’s still getting aggro from Kit and feeling awkward around Lou), confirming her pills in Julie’s system may land her in more trouble. And Glenda definitely made her mark on the pub after Jenny insisted she needs a new adventure, and Carla wondered why she gave the job to Glenda after her first choice Ryan insisted she took it after getting the job from Debbie. But I must say, we all need a voice like Glenda which had mixed opinions from some people, but Craig seemed to like it (although after seeing spoilers I’m not looking forward to his exit). 

Hollyoaks:

This week saw shocking revelations, a gruesome end for one resident, and the race to save 4 vulnerable Chester citizens officially began. Mondays episode saw Oscar go for his implant, but Darren and Nancy each have their own dramas to worry about. Darren tries to get answers from Rex, who found out that grace had something to do with Frankie and Dillon disappearing, and decided to team up with dodger, but on the condition that grace gets out too. I wonder if he’ll accept the deal? And Nancy is in a situation of her own with a surprise pregnancy test, and Mercedes gave her some reassuring words. But she’s shocked when Kat turns up, but it’s obvious she’s hiding something. Frankie is also relieved to see Vicky is still alive, and Vicky herself must be feeling the sense of relief to hear that Robbie is also alive, but only just. And Joel is also in a mess when he mistakenly thinks that Leela wants to get back with him, when really she came to discuss Clara going to nursery, and Jeremy is trying to find out Tommy's secret, Joel came to his defense, brainwashed by the “therapist”. But Joel’s discovery of Leela may not have been enough, as he also found Jeremy’s confession that Tommy recorded. Tuesdays episode followed on from Joel’s discovery, and immediately thought it was a fake recording like his and Leela's. And whilst Jeremy did plan to kill him himself under Tommy's instructions, Leela came just in time, only to find him high and also revealed that Billy is actually alive thanks to a discovery from peri. This obviously sent Joel over the edge, and I do wonder if this is really the end for Tommy? But meanwhile, Vicky and Robbie have an honest chat about life and planning on starting again if they make it out alive. And dodger and Rex try to convince Donny (who miraculously is alive following his incident), to help them take down the exploitation gangs after revealing that without him, there’s not enough evidence to help bring the case down. But the question is will he go through with it? And Darren and Nancy are still at loggerheads following Kats pregnancy, which came at a bad time following Oscar’s recovery from surgery. And after revealing her pregnancy too, Kat came just in time to tell them the full truth, and Nancy then convinced Darren to let her say her piece after mentioning that it’ll help lead them to Frankie. Finally, Wednesdays episode saw my theories about Tommy being right, as the morning after saw Joel in abit of a pickle. But after calling Jeremy, he was convinced that moving him was the only option, providing he kept his name out of it. And after Marie convinced Leela to see Joel knowing that he would relapse, they were shocked to see what Joel had done, following the revelation that he was behind drugging Leela and the cameras in the house. He then made the decision to hand himself in which Marie disagreed with, knowing after Abe she doesn’t want to loose another son, but Joel knew it was the right thing to do, even if it means missing the first few years of Clara’s life. And Cleo and Ste were shocked by this revelation, with Jeremy somewhat relieved. Meanwhile, Dillon stealing the phone gave him the chance to call Lucas, which Frankie and Vicky were confused about, but his reason as to why he used it for Lucas was understandable. But Lucas has other things on his mind, confronting Rex about the whole thing, leading to red revealing his helping Donny and dodger as he wants out, but things took a turn for the worse when Lucas is rushed to hospital again, and Rex saying he’s family says it all. And Darren and Nancy managed to get Kat's side of the story out, which featured how she got involved in the first place and how this scheme works. But they know they’re going to have to piece together the clues themselves after Kat escape. I just can’t wait for next week’s episodes when the plan to reduce them comes into play. 

Eastenders:

This week we saw a diagnosis changing a family, a residents plan to flee the country with  one of the Mitchell’s, and a .m grief stricken resident hitting rock bottom to actually start stepping up for her family. Mondays episode saw lily having to take care of the family following Harvey’s betrayal to Jean. Freddie tried to see that she needed help, but she denied it despite bunking off school. But when Kat did find out, she can see how it’s affecting her, and with Charli having an injury, I think it’s that moment where the family need to pull together. Lauren is also feeling the pressure with baby Jimmy, and a visit from Cindy to let her see Jimmy didn’t help. But confiding in both Zack and Linda (as she also mentioned her experience with Ollie as a mother who’s also an addict), made her feel more reassured. However, a confession from Peter (who was reassured by Ian that he’ll be there for him and Lauren), which Lauren heard on the baby monitor may have made her doubt things again. And speaking of Zack, he’s also feeling pressure when Whitney moves to a different area with dolly to avoid Nicola, and after chatting with Vicki, it’s made him see that he also needs to get away from the village. But he may have other ideas after having a chat with Barney (who explained why the book he’s reading for his GCSEs resonates with him so much), and May end up risking his life to do it. Tuesdays episode saw Zack finding out from jay that Harry has moved in with Billy and honey, meaning that it may give him a more meaningful purpose to take Barney with him, despite Vicki suggesting otherwise. Yolande is also trying to do something nice for Nigel’s birthday, but he seems to think it’s because it’s a burden thing, when in fact it’s the complete opposite. There was also tension with Peter and Lauren where after a visit from the social following Lauren overhearing his conversation with Linda, he thinks following a chat with Kathy (who is helping Harvey look for a job and also is back in peters hood books), mentions about the possibility of being depressed. But Lauren acted on her mothers instincts and decided to seek answers for herself, but Cindy may rattle things once more when she brainwashes Ian on how she isn’t good enough for Peter. But the biggest drama came from the slater household, when Kat calls in a family meeting, with Stacey still being in no fit state, and overhearing lily talking about how she feels May send her over the edge once more. Wednesdays episode was an emotional one, as Lauren’s motherly instinct was still telling her to get Jimmy checked, and the pain she must feel when she’s still not being listened to is hard to watch. Thankfully one of the nurses who was caring for Lauren brought her in and summoned Peter and Ian (who I really disliked in this episode due to his opinion on Lauren following Cindy brainwashing him) and Linda, after chatting with Lauren on Mondays episode. You know when it’s bad when even Linda is noticing what Lauren spotted and the nurse. Lauren is definitely feeling the strain, and after Peter mentioning the tablets, her revealing it was folic acid made him feel even more guilty. But whilst Ian thinks it’s nothing, and I could see Linda getting annoyed on his actions during the waiting room, Lauren’s world turned upside down when the doctor revealed that Jimmy is registered as blind. But what annoyed me the most is when Ian told Peter to “man up” in the hope they can “fox Jimmy”. Yes I get he’s upset knowing this revelation for his grandson, but telling your son to man up is not helping. It also brought Cindy and Kathy together following them point scoring on where to take Louie for his tea. Whilst Peter is still trying to process it all, Lauren, feeling guilty, gave a powerful speech on how she will do everything she can to be the best mother, and the ending just shows how much impact this new discovery has had on her. Finally, Thursdays episode saw Stacey go on this journey through her grief. Whilst there she was helping Lauren, who in turn was still trying to process Jimmys diagnosis. Insisting that Stacey is ready, she decides to cook dinner, but things went wrong when Freddie accidentally chucked her coat with her phone to the launderette, which had photos of Martin which she knows she can’t get back. And despite not getting them back, she told Kat why she keeps sending voice notes on martins phone after Arthur finds it and says to Alfie that Martin is coming back. And lily, getting caught in the cords fire when Stacey tried to get her phone, decided to put Charli first after then confiding in Lauren, who then reassured Peter that everything will be fine (even though he’s trying to process it too). But seeing lily go gives Stacey the courage to finally let go of Martin, and hopefully the start of making it up to her family. 

XO Kitty:

This week I started season 2 of this brilliant show. Episode 1 “KISS Again”, showed Kitty being back at the school, willing to become a new Kitty. Along with Q mentioning that Florian and a bunch of other students left, we also got to see what happened at the plan between Min ho and Kitty, which caused some awkward tension between them. That along with Min ho finding out about his dad sponsoring the new performing arts programme at the school has made his dilemma worse. But a chat later on (requested by Dae after thinking he and Kitty broke up because of his thinking), managed to make things less awkward but it’s obvious they still like each other. But Kitty had drama of her own when she moves in with Yuri and Juliana, and gets a new roommate in Stella. At first she requested to transfer rooms, but a discovery from the new professor Daniel Lee (after it was revealed that Jina left following last seasons scandal), said that Kitty’s grandmother didn’t want her mum going to Korea. And a hang up says it all. And Kitty was brave enough to tell Yuri that she’s bisexual, but Julian grows suspicious of their connection. Never the less they managed to have a good night, but Stella may not be who she says she is after asking Kitty about Min ho and then her parents getting in touch with her by the name “Esther”. Episode 2 “Never Been Kissed” saw the gang hear Dae’s talented voice during a punishment linking to Kitty living in the boys dorm. This then led to Dae auditioning for the advance voice course, where Kitty managed to bag a date with Praveena after Yuri convinced her to find love herself, but backed off due to kitty’s ongoing crush on Yuri. Kitty also discovered from Jina that Simon wasn’t her mums first love, but her cousin, which makes her more determined to find him and ask for answers. She also found out that Yuri lied to her, and explained why that is. But Juliana mentioned it and managed to sort things out. Stella was also curious about where she stood with Min ho, and she gave her some good advice, and also told Min ho how it was. And Stella standing up to his dad following him taking on the least talented pupil in the school singing wise (which Min ho disagreed with on his teaching methods) and finding out that Min ho took her off, it seems that he is purely over Kitty and moving on with Stella. But he clearly still cares for her when she faked “fainting”, only to get Q to his race in time following a night with his rival Jin. But she seems to be in more bother when accidentally revealing that Yuri and Juliana are in a relationship. 

Malpractice:

This week I started the second series of this thrilling drama. This time we saw psychiatric registrar James ford, who already we can see he is someone who has a big responsibility as it is. But it all started when he two cases at once, one where instructed by Kate McAllister, and the other from dr Sophia Hernandez, who the orient seemed okay, but we also got to see why James needed to attend his other patients care in the form of Toni. But Rosie, the patient Sophia was referring to, took a turn for the worse when fellow nurse Bernadette (who realised her understanding for one previous patient), called James to come to the hospital to help out. But even that wasn’t enough as Rosie did the most traumatic thing to end it all, and it was one which James couldn’t believe what he saw. This then brought the MIU back into the equation, and it’s safe to say that everyone has a strong opinion on what happened, and James could be in a lot of trouble when Bernadette mentioned the real time to when he got to the incident. And Sophia received a threat from a mysterious woman. But I wonder who she is? And who is James texting? Episode 2 saw chief medical director Eric mention about the ward being closely monitored until further notice, which is not ideal. But Toni’s traumatic birth had only made things worse, as not only was Toni’s 1-2-1 cancelled, but he had to deliver the babies himself, and did everything he can to stop Kate from getting into trouble. There was also disagreement between James and Sophia on where Toni should be following the birth, and the head surgeon who performed the hysterectomy advised Sophia to say her piece before James. That was the last thing he needed, but the news on that Rosie was in hospital for 4 days with no explanation and an interview with Maria Carter (the person who came to see Sophia) also raised more questions, as surely there’s got to be more to it. He thought that a family meal and a night out may have helped him, but the affect his days had on the tablets she took sent him into a deeper hole than before, and you know when it’s an emergency when he calls over to Kate’s flat for help. But there was also drama during the MIU dinner, as Norma's daughter bringing up that she doesn’t want to be a doctor, and that it was only because her mum wanted her to be one. 

Code of Silence:

This week I started the new drama which had everyone talking. Here we got to know Alison who is a little bit of a gossip, using her lip reading skills to pick up conversations. This came in handy when Ashleigh Francis came in and was ask to lip read on a gang they’d been tracking down for a while, and she managed to pick up their discussion on if she’s capable for it. They also took the skills at a bar, where she managed to pick up that not only is a robbery involved, but something bigger is happening. There was one moment where it did go pear shaped, which made James furious. But thankfully not with Alison, as Ashleigh explained why it was important to capture the gang, following a past burglary that resulted in a death. But Alison also has a problematic home life, as she has to work a second job to help pay the rent, and to also hope her mum and her don’t get abandoned. It’s also heartbreaking to hear that not only is their tent going up, but they wish people would be in their shoes to show the challenges of living in a deaf world. And after loosing her second job (which was totally uncalled for, knowing that she needed that extra support) and stealing some champagne (which I don’t blame her), she managed to get herself at the bar which the gang are linked. Here she came face to face with Liam, who then took her to the hospital following an accident. But I think this may throw the case into jeopardy when being asked what Liam was saying. Episode 2 saw where we pickup where we left off. Whilst Alison got off lightly on why Liam missed the meeting, she then got into an argument on why she broke up, and I have a feeling it’s because she didn’t want to feel like a burden. But whilst things are looking up when Alison’s mum gets a new job, CCTV footage from the hospital showed why Liam wasn’t at the meeting, as he was with Alison this entire time, resulting in her being taken off the case, frustrating James and Ashleigh. She also got a shock when Liam was round at her house, claiming it’s to fix her bike. But she ended up in London, and seeing a conversation with his friend Sammy gave her some vital clues. And during a trip to get some food, she opened up about her dad not being able to cope with family life when things got too much. Liam also got suspicious when she asked lots of questions, but she managed to sway it by staying that she needs to know, which then led to her opening up to Ashleigh on what she saw, and how she may be underestimated by a lot of people, but she can use it to her advantage. This then led her to being assigned as an informant (which is beneficial for her as she can’t pay for the course), which is the biggest and most dangerous task so far. She then also visited Eidith and about how she felt more criticised even though he was trying to help her, which then led to them being on good terms. But it wasn’t long until he revealed that there’s plans for redevelopment in her area, which could have a significant impact on her and her mum. Whilst Liam managed to secure his view of the vault using fake ID, Alison did her best to gather any information in the pub, but was caught in the act by Braden. Even though Liam had to follow orders by him and do a job, he urged her afterwards to leave. I think that was also the moment Alison realised how dangerous this job actually is. 

Personal:

Exercise:

This week due to my week off work, I spent more time in the gym, so therefore less time doing yoga and also on the exercise bike. But I managed to do well when I did my one bike ride, getting to the 10k mark on 12mins 51secs, which for a first time in a week, is not bad. Knowing that I needed to end my week off work on a high, I thought it was now or never.

Cooking:

This week I made a healthier version of Fish and Chips. With the assistance from my Nan and some tasty batter bits, I think it was a proper meal I made and a perfect one to watch the darts with (which I’ll mention later on). It was also a healthier option for when I did my archery (which I’ll mention in a brief moment how it went), and so it definitely helped me have some of that extra energy to put into my practice

Surveys:

This week I managed to fit in a few more surveys. I’ll mention about how I really felt during this activity, but I managed to do at least a few this week. Not much, but anything is better than nothing I guess. 

Stories:

This week I came back to the world of short stories, using new found inspiration to make a start. Whilst the first draft is not finished, like with the theatre script, I told myself to just write something, and it definitely paid off. And I’m pleased with how far I’ve come, and Joe relaxing it was as well. All in all, I’m really proud to get myself back into it, and sometimes it’s mind over matter when it comes to these scenarios. 

Archery:

Archery this week was something to end my second to last day of my week off work on a high. I normally wouldn’t go on a Friday (which is the day I went) but I decided to book on for that day and I’m proud I did! I got to meet new people, see some old faces and for once I didn’t miss the target. And I’m proud of myself for that, all whilst breathing in the fresh air and doing something to not only develop my skills, but also use it as a form of self care. 

Darts:

This week I had 3 sessions where I threw 3 sets of darts. These included getting a double and a treble in one set, which I’m very pleased with myself. I’m so glad to be continuing my skills of this sport which helps me not only de-stress, but also enjoy watching! 

Premier League Darts:

The final proper night took place in Sheffield and record making history happened yet again. Luke littler had no trouble beating Stephen bunting in under 10 minutes, and I’m so happy that Nathan Aspinal has made it to the top 4, but he knows he’s got a lot of competition on his hands, as after Luke littler beat him in the semis, he will have to knuckle down, take his time, and focus. And I do hope he wins the whole thing, as after mentioning his struggles, he deserves it. But I’m also pleased with Michael van gerwan mentality, as yes the premier league was not his best this year, he doesn’t see it as an excuse to not try his best. If that’s not the sign of a legend I don’t know what is! Chris Dobey did a cracking dust against Gerwyn Price, as even though he’s not in the top 4 for play offs, he definitely showed why he was picked for the premier league in the first place. And Luke littler made history again by not only winning his sixth night in the premier league, but also having the lost points in the table so far. And all at 18! I’ll be surprised if anyone can beat him in the first round next week, but this is the world of darts, so anything can happen.

The Piano:

This week I watched the rehearsal process taking place for the final concert. We had it all, we saw Diana being told to feel the emotion, and even if she makes a mistake (due to the emotion getting too much) just carry on and let it be part of the story, along with Anisa finding the child in herself when playing the piece dedicated to her grandad. We also saw josiah telling a traumatic experience family wise and why he wanted to be a pianist, but he definitely had a challenge doing a piece that was only just completed the day before the concert. Zak was told to go back to the basics and then rearrange the medley (which at first he was unsure, but then he understood why Jon decided to do it), and Mia was also challenged to sing as well as play. And Marcus and Phil felt the pressure when doing the first ever duet on The Piano. They also felt the pressure in the space itself in more ways than one, with Zak making an error and Anisa picking up an injury. Let’s just hope the concert will go to plan…

Britain's Got Talent:

This week I saw another spectacular live show. There were lots of acts that couldn’t gotten the live golden buzzer, but I can see why Alesha pressed hers when she did. We also had the appearance from Davina McCall, a trip to see the greatest showman circus spectacular, and the cast of Oliver performing an iconic number. But I’m glad that “Hear Our Voice” went through, as even though some people would see it as a sympathy vote, all I can say is you try being in a situation where a piece of technology has affected your whole life, and some of which are still not paid. And it’s moments like the power of music and drama like “Me Bates vs the post office” where you can turn a negative into a positive. And I do hope they win as not only will the money help those who haven’t been paid, but to have members of one of the most horrific scandals in Britain at the royal variety will surly be enough to help everyone get justice. As something tells me they need more than £250k for those who still haven’t been paid. 

I also caught up on the last semi final, which featured a performance from Steps and their show “Here & Now” the steps musical, along with BGT royalty diversity! There was also so many talent, and my predictions on who would make the final were right, which is scary but also happy. But the standard of the final show was high, and I’m glad the magician who had a stumble in the auditions had no errors in the lives! I just can’t wait to see the final now and who will win, and I must say, it’ll be a tough one! 

The Assembly:

This week I started watching the show originally on the BBC but now a new series on ITV. This episode featured Danny Dyer, which featured questions such as getting kicked out by an ex, play fighting with one of the members, and being open about why he had to go to therapy. He even took us on a guided meditation, and even asked about daughter Dani going on love island and if he prepared his wedding speech. It also did get emotional, but the song at the end was what really got him and very nearly me as well. 

Gogglebox:

The goggleboxers has more interesting stories to share from the week. These included Jake being elected for prefect based on a Michael Jackson song (which I found quite funny), and David’s situation with his teeth. Izzi also had her eldest okay a game where if it was me, I’m not sure if I want my kid playing that game, and Amira and Amani discussing all things toes lol!  Tom Snr also refused to buy Julie some new shoes (which was funny), and Ellie and Izzi's arguing about hair straighteners is like me and my sister lol! And Pete had a very interesting story about his son’s favourite toy, and the Siddiqui's saw the sons talking about their dads hair. There were also lots of show the goggleboxers reacted to once again. These included “Faking it”, where it’s literally like My Fair lady but instead of being a posh person you’re on the other end of the spectrum, and I had a feeling that Estonia's song from “Eurovision” would be the song they would watch. In “Prue Leith’s Cotswold kitchen”, here ice bowl for me personally seemed like a ware of time, and the rest of the goggleboxers agreed, and in “Naked and afraid”, a past contestant managed to make it to the same amount of days despite a injury, her Viking partner leaving (which I was very disappointed about) and her shelter melting. “Night Coppers” the guy being questioned had a bad attitude when really they did their jobs (as they also got him on the case for fraud after testing him for drink driving) and in “The Four Seasons”, Nick bringing a younger girlfriend on his holiday I don’t think is blowing him get over Anne, and getting stung by a sea urchin is the last thing he needed. Builder Lee in “Inside our dyslexic minds” used his dream of being in a musical to express what life is like for him being dyslexic, and “Virgin Island” having yet more role play when discussing the 3 date rule, which was cringy ti watch, but for some it may have worked…

Things That Were Challenging & How I Dealt With It:

I’ve decided to change “Hard Times” to this moment as it sounds more positive when I put it that way. And I also wanted to use this format instead so that if anyone reading faced anything similar, then you can read what I’ve done to take it on board. Some of the dinner was a challenge, like the thickness of the batter for the fish. But thankfully my Nan took over from it and I focused more on the simple yet important things, like making the tartar sauce. I also could’ve done more surveys than I should bearing in mind it was my week off work. But at least I got some done, as it was better than nothing. And the last part was the end of the week where I couldn’t sleep due to not finding my portable charger (as for someone like me, my brain won’t stop until I know exactly where things are) meaning that I couldn’t get the right amount of sleep needed. But I managed to push through it and got plenty of rest later on. 

What have I learnt this week? Whilst it might be abit daunting and tough at first, this week made me realised that I need a change, and a new challenge. Whether that be with the REP Company or something else, I need a new adventure, and if I don't challenge myself, how will I be able to grow?

See you soon for another blog. Until next time...

This is The Autistic Actress signing off :)