Blister in the Sun

Yo kids, I am Officially Done with high school exams! For ever! 

I'm slowly coming to terms with the fact that I really won't be coming back to this school next August and won't see most of these people ever again, except at reunion things. Our last few weeks of school are being spent wandering around in civvies and getting seminars on various aspects of the life that will await us once we are let loose one more time, covering things such as meningitis, budgeting and dealing with a person who is suicidal. All very cheery stuff as you can see, but necessary all the same. To counteract this we also have events like writing sentimental pieces on each other's scrolls, free ice creams, a trip to the beach and leaving our handprints in paint in the common room. It's nice to hang out with friends and not have to worry about the immediate future. 

The weather is set to get a little better at least. It's been completely screwed up here recently, producing the occasional furious spats of hail and grey skies. The wind is not as cold and maybe the sun will make an appearance this month. God, can you believe it's June already? Still can't get my head around the whole 'time' thing tbh.

A short time before my exams began I went to London for a few days to see some friends. As usual, it was much more sunny and warm than Scotland.

Whilst I was there I also got a chance to see the Alexander McQueen exhibition, 'Savage Beauty', at the V&A. It was stunning, and the design of the space was so beautiful and really enhanced the clothing. The final room is stacked to the rafters with some of his statement pieces and there were screens playing snippets from shows, as well as some of the larger dresses rotating in their shelves. It was so intense and detailed, I think everyone spent a good half hour in that room alone. Just before the exit there was an amazing glass prism in a darkened room, which featured a hologram of Kate Moss spinning in it surrounded by a floating white dress. It was for one of McQueen's last exhibitions 'Widows Of Culloden' and it was gorgeous.

I found a video from the actual event in Paris; it's a shame it's not in a higher definition but the real thing was pin sharp and so amazing to watch.

I'll leave you with some jams to smooth out any anxieties you might have about the end of this school/uni year. This first one is so addictive - a chill version of You're The One That I Want. And I thought Grease couldn't be improved upon.

Sending good vibes your way, 

Kit xx

I've been fucking around while you've been saving the world

Hey dudes! It is I, your favourite trashcan of the internet. I can't believe so much time has passed since my last post. I have been consumed with exam stress, procrastination of the most intense kind and generally trying to keep my head above water.

So much has happened, and I feel a little mad at myself for not updating it all here. I'm so jealous of you guys who post continually with the things going on in your lives! Well done! Instead I seem to just let it all build up and then try and condense it into one massive, dense post. Oops. 

As I have admittedly said before, I think (for real this time k) that from now on I'll be able to post more. My final exam is tomorrow; advanced higher English (what was that about procrastination?) and after that I have two weeks left of 'study leave' where the only thing I'm going to be studying is how to sleep for as long as possible. I'm planning to get a few more rolls of film developed as well as shooting a film I'm starting to write with a friend of mine so hopefully it should actually be moderately productive.

After my study leave is over, that's nearly it for me, secondary education-wise. We come back for the sixth year fortnight, which entails the leavers ball, a trip to alton towers and several lectures on how to survive in the outside world, but after that - freedom. I can't quite comprehend it really - school has consumed such a massive chunk of my life that it unnerves me slightly that soon I will be done with it. I feel a bit lost really; I have enjoyed the structure that school has brought but also have wanted to be done with all the deadlines and pressure for so long now. 

Next year, as I'm quite young and not really sure of where I want to commit to yet, I've decided to take a year out, and I'm tentatively looking forward to it. I can't wait to have the freedom and time to try and be more creative and actually indulge myself in things like film and photography, but I'm also petrified of ending up twiddling my thumbs for twelve months whilst my parents constantly berate me for not knowing what to do with myself. I would've loved to move away and do an apprenticeship with a production company but due to my awkward birthday I'm too young for anywhere to consider me, so I'll just have to make do with what I've got. What are you guys doing next year? I always find it interesting listening to other people's plans as they vary so wildly, and they all sound so interesting.

It feels so good to write again - despite my looming exam tomorrow, I'd forgotten what personal writing was like! I need to start journalling in earnest next year I think - how cool would it be to have a tangible document written when you were in your most hormone-addled, formative periods in your life when everything's panned out? 

To all of you experiencing exam stress, I've got some sweet songs I've discovered over the past few weeks. They're so chill and great for listening to just to relax but also to low-key jam out to. I've also been taking a lot more photos on my iphone camera, as more often than not I've been coming home when the sun is beginning to set. I love this time of year as all the blossoms are out on the trees and here in Edinburgh, the sky has been clearing while the wind gradually becomes warmer. 

I've taken too many bus photos recently, but the light has been so gorgeous. I think I'll make a post with all of my recent ones soon, but looking back sometimes I worry they're a bit odd - me lurking on the back seat taking pictures of the backs of people's heads. But I think love them all the same.

Listen to this last one before you go into your exam, just to pump yourself up a bit. My friend, after being left alone to not leave her house for two weeks while she was meant to be revising, has become obsessed with kpop, specifically the group EXO. Unfortunately, she has turned me too. The choreography is so good and they're all so cute and the music is so catchy.... I am a twelve year old girl again.

Hope you guys are surviving the exam period! Summer will be here soon.

Nice to talk again, 

Kit x

Here comes the sun

Yo dudes, how's it going?

I am finally on February break from school, which so far has been great. For some reason my school's holiday is a week earlier than everyone else's, but I'm not complaining. 

Today I finished writing my script for the course I'm going on next week - it's a bit convoluted and over 2000 words but I'll be doing a lot of editing whilst I'm down there. At the end of the week there's a showcase of our finished scripts with a read-through by actors, so I hope mine will be up to scratch!

I think winter is starting to leave now, and I'm glad. I've been hyper aware that the days have been getting longer, which has led to seeing some amazing skies recently and general pretty views. My mum also got a phone upgrade, so I got her old iPhone 5, which has a fantastic camera in comparison to my old version 4. 

As some of you may know, I am in my last year at a Scottish secondary school, so I am in sixth year. As a sixth year we have a special area, which consists of the year teacher's offices, a common room (with a second hand xbox and pool table), a study room (which has desks and computers) as well as a teeny tiny kitchen, that is comprised of a sink, a microwave and a water boiler. I have spent most of my year so far in there, drinking instant coffee with too much sugar in it. 

I've been trying to take lots of photos with my new phone, so here are some of the study room one early morning.

(that's a custard cream btw) (lol)

It's cute, the study room is covered in the hand prints of former sixth years. The windows need a bit of a clean but its always nice and cosy in there.

I've also been taking advantage of the light on buses - I always sit near the back to limit the amount of people who see me taking random pictures but sometimes it looks so nice you have to do it anyway.

Photo taken off my insta, I am too obsessed with Frank Ocean lately.

I've been finishing work at a nice time too now; people are just starting to head home after a day out or are just starting to come out for evening meals. On my walk to the bus on this particular day almost everyone was stopping to take pictures - you can't see it very well here but if you looked down the road adjacent to this one, it looked like the sky was on fire in the distance.

This week I need to try and get some work done on my photography project for school, but who knows how that'll go. I'm wanting to source a nice notepad that has no lines too, so I can start journalling in earnest now that I've finally got some free time.

What's the sitch at your schools on stuff like common rooms? It's been different everywhere when I've asked friends so it would be cool to hear about yours.

Hope your week is going well so far,

Love Kit x

You dip your fingers in the water, You wonder what's your punishment

Hey dudes, how's it been going? I feel bad I've been so absent on here lately but as I have mentioned before, sixth year is hectic af.

Some pretty cool things have been happening since we last spoke, so I'll try and give you a little whirlwind tour of what's been going down.

1) So, I am now officially Dancing Queen for a year! Yup, very quietly and accidentally I turned 17 on the 26th of January 2015. I'm kind of glad because now I don't feel so young compared to my friends, but there are people in my year at school who are already 18 so really, not much is changing. I think as I get older birthdays become less of an issue to me, which I find quite sad. I used to get so excited about them, and still try to, but this year especially I was too busy to think about it and only remembered a few days before. I guess it's a part of growing up but the realisation that nice shit is expensive is a harsh realisation. For christmas I got an instax mini which I was really chuffed about, and these are from my birthday meal with my friends and family (I'm on the right).

2) I was accepted onto a screenwriting course with the British Film Institute, so in a week or so I will be traveling down to Newcastle to develop the scripts that we've been working on and get to attend several masterclasses with industry professionals, as well as meeting 23 other young people from all over the UK with the same interests as me! I went down for the introductory weekend earlier this month and made friends with a lot of awesome people, and I'm really looking forward to going back. 

I'm slightly worried as I don't think scriptwriting is really what I'm best at, but I'm trying to improve  at it so I'm more well rounded in terms of filmmaking. I much prefer visually constructing shots and directing and editing, but have always loved writing stories and reading. I think I just find the process of creating a story idea from start to finish a lot more arduous and not as visually satisfying, but in order for a film to work the plot has to has some substance, right? But anyways, it's been a pretty awesome experience so far and I'm going to be taking lots of pictures when I'm away - I've never been to Newcastle before!

3) Discovered a lot of really fab music lately, to procrastinate revising for prelims. 

My dad got me the Young Fathers latest album DEAD and I love it. What makes it even cooler is the three guys who form the group are all from Edinburgh, where I live, and two went to the high school I live right beside! But on a musical note, their stuff is great and quite hard to describe. I guess I'd say grunge, synth, a bit of rap? Try em out, my favourite tracks on this album are probably 'JUST ANOTHER BULLET', 'AM I NOT YOUR BOY' and 'WAR'.

I've also discovered Jamie T, and have fallen in love with several tracks of his. He's got a pretty chill vibe and I find all his stuff so catchy;

There are a ton of other awesome musicians I've come across lately but I'll end with some of my favourite songs at the moment:

Grimes - 'Go'

Frank Ocean - 'Forrest Gump'

Joywave - 'Tongues'

4) Doesn't really warrant a point on the list I don't think but took a few cute shots whilst making sushi with my little sister. From my grandparents this christmas we got a box full of sushi making kit - a rather eclectic present but one that was well received all the same! 

I've also got quite a few nice bits and bobs clothing wise recently so I think I'll save it and do a cumulative ootd sort of post later on. Hope this wasn't too long for you guys!

Wish you all the best,

Kit x

you remind me of the babe. what babe? the babe with the power.

Yo guys, sorry I haven't been on here in about a million years. Sixth year is very busy and the time is literally flying by. As I mentioned last time, I went to Amsterdam a couple of months ago and had a pretty cool time. Everyone there speaks English and the vibe is awesome. Some snaps from then~

Also went to a friend's 18th birthday ceilidh last week, danced in bare feet with loose hair and got a bit shit-faced on vodka and cranberry juice. Had a great time with some awesome people ~ photo creds to maarji ;* ~

I look so disdainful here and I don't even know what my hair is doing haha

Have been staying in school till the early evening with above bae to finish our dissertations too. Mine is on loss of innocence in Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass and it's been really interesting. I absolutely love the original illustrations by Tenniel; they're so detailed and lovely. 

Because of this, we've been leaving school when it's dark, which is a very odd feeling. That said, you can't beat a generic pretty sunset shot. 

The dissertation is now done and dusted - for now - so hopefully I'll have some more free time to dedicate to other things, like this. 

Here are some tunes that have been keeping me going through the weeks, they are soooo bomb for chilling out ~

Hope your week and school and work and everything is going well!!

love Kit xo

hey shady baby I'm yours

Hey dudes, how's it been hangin? I've been so tied up with school work lately I've had barely any time to myself. Recently my dad had a training course with his work in Amsterdam, so we flew out for the weekend to leach on his expenses etc. It was so lovely there and as my dad's job could take us anywhere, we're thinking of moving out there when my little sister's a bit older - sounds kind of rad.

I've been neglecting this thing for a bit now, and I feel bad -  I keep promising myself I'll update it but never find the time. 

SO recently I've been getting massively into analogue photography, as you may or may not know. I've amassed an awfully irresponsible number of film-taking cameras and carry at least one on my at all times. In school this year I'm doing a Higher course in photography and so far it's been fantastic - since it's the beginning of the year we're focusing on how photography was created which involves, obviously, film. This means I've been able to use a dark room and proper developing chemicals and the like, and I have loved every bit of it.

A lovely girl in my class offered to scan in a couple of my favourite recent prints,  so here they are.

^Taken on a beach in America^

^Vintage hanging lamp in the gorgeous cabin we stayed in over the summer^

^Road trip in my best friend's camper van to Aberdeen to go to a university open day (boke)^

 ^Taken in my school's chapel, for my photography project.^

Also, the other day my friends and I went on a cute trip out to Hermiston gate, a further out part of Edinburgh, on a tram. The trams are relatively new here and we decided to test them out, whilst also giving us an excuse to go the Krispy Kreme they have there. Hey, they're rare in the UK!

So, I made a little film of what we did. It was nice.

A couple of tunes I've been loving;

Hope you've all been well,

-Kit xox

a flood of blood to the heart

Hi dudes, remember me? Sorry I've been an awful blogger lately - life has caught up with me since school started and I'm struggling to keep pace as it is.

A small list of notable things that have happened since I dumped all my teenagery feelings on here;

1) I've started my last year of secondary education and still can't quite get my head around being the oldest in the school.

2) I'm doing subjects I actually am interested in and really enjoy?? A very odd feeling.

3) I got blissfully drunk last weekend on bad wine, rum and Irn Bru (not combined) (usually) and ended up going swimming with some pals on North Berwick beach. In the ocean. In September. Naked. 

4) Told the story of Persephone through interpretive dance in my advanced higher English class. (I, playing Persephone herself, portrayed her with the art of techno-rave, obviously.)

5) Read The Virgin Suicides and fell in love with it.

6) Started volunteering with a scheme that buddies you with a child from an underprivileged background to provide a friend, role model and mentor.

7) GOT A JOB. 

It's weird; at this moment in time I feel like I can almost sense my life moving forward, expanding and stretching and covering new things, soaking up more knowledge and forming relationships with new people. I'm cautiously enjoying it, but the looming stresses of applying for universities or even going to one is freaking me out already. 

On a lighter note, due to my recent influx in income (what a mouthful), I recently bought a gorgeous pair of vintage jeans for about a tenner in the haven that is Armstrong's Vintage Emporium. Here's a wee ootd from the other day.

The soundtrack to the past week or so;

As it's late and I've had roughly 7 hours sleep over this entire weekend, I'll leave it at that for now. Sorry for neglecting this thing and hope to see you soon!

-Kit xoxo