28 February 2013

Quick February Round-up



1|Sample from the collage I made at my friend Warren's art night #CutNStick 
2|Make-up-less "selfie" after a very enjoyable night 
3|Valentine's card and present from my long-term girlfriend, Sophie

For a month that has always been one of my least favourites, I've had a really enjoyable February - plenty of working and playing hard has been tiring, but rewarding. With deadlines looming over next month, I can't see that things are going to get any slower in pace, but I shan't be complaining just yet. Today's peek of sunshine is also very promising, I really can't wait for a little more Spring in our steps, Sheffield is 100 times more pleasant when the sun is shining.

The three photos above are taken from my instagram - you are all more than welcome to find me @TashaFranek which matches my twitter. Feel free to leave me your twitter/instagram/blogs, I'm always looking for new people to follow. 

27 February 2013


Life is very busy and exciting at the minute. I feel like I don't have any time to sleep, but it's not so bad - I haven't completely burnt myself out just yet. I'm finally learning to actually put my priorities in order and spend as little time as possible feeling deflated.

I have a night out planned for Saturday, which I'm really looking forward to. The plan is to drink and dance the night away with some of my favourite people I study with. Fingers crossed people will come along, we're promising punch and potentially even some G&T cupcakes if I can squeeze baking them in, between shifts at work - tedious but necessary when cash is in such short supply. To be honest, even if it ends up just being the handful of people that I know for certain I can bully into coming out, then it'll be wonderful. I've even bought a disposable camera for the occasion, so look forward to those candid snaps.

22 February 2013

Film Club Fridays:
A Liar's Autobiography


On account of being a big film nut, I've decided I'll start posting up a couple of reviews and recommendations. This week shall be the turn of the fairly new flick which is still gracing the screens of many cinemas across the UK - A Liar's Autobiography - The Untrue Story Of Monty Python's Graham Chapman.

The film is a bio-pic on the late Graham Chapman from Monty Python (as the title suggests), and was constructed by 14 different teams on animators - it's pretty out there to say the least. Although its presented as "untrue", it tells the tale of Chapman's life including gory details on his alcoholism and coming-out. I went to see it almost as soon as it was screened as I was particularly looking forward to seeing how mad it would be after catching the advert when I watched The Sessions (another fantastic watch - and potentially next week's review). It definitely didn't disappoint on the surreal front, and as a fan of all things weird and wonderful I was impressed by the way it was all put together. Some of the sections were definitely better than others, but in general it was really sharp and very funny. If you're a fan of Monty Python-esque humour and are looking for something a little different, I would 100% suggest you check it out.

Watch the trailer, it might all make a little more sense:



Next time I go to the cinema I might take a few snaps of me and whoever I've dragged along to make these Friday posts a little more bloggy and cute. A film experience kind of review? I don't know, I'm just testing the water with this, any excuse to throw my opinions at people. If any of you have seen it, be sure to let me know what you made of it too.

18 February 2013


A little while ago I wrote a short piece for my friend Jess Sanders' feminist blog: Mum I'm a Feminist. It's a sweet little girlie hang out with loads of great inspiring posts and pictures, anybody who is interested in equality in any way shape or form will probably find it pretty interesting. I'm not exactly the die-hard, man-hater that springs to mind when the word Feminist is thrown around, but that's pretty much the point I'm getting across in the feature. Check it out here.

Jess is always after submissions too, so get involved and write about your opinions on Feminism/Equality or being true to yourself. I'll probably be writing again soon, I don't think the internet has quite enough of my opinion smothered all over it just yet.

16 February 2013


This evening I've been in one of those really nice and mellow moods that strike me only on occasion. I feel very at peace with the world, and surrounded by love. Valentine's was perhaps a little strange, but lovely all the same. I feel very honoured to have such wonderful people in my life at the minute, and I sincerely hope that they all plan to stick around.

Welcome new followers.
I hope you all had a brilliant Valentine's too.

13 February 2013


Valentine's Day is tomorrow, believe it or not. This year will be the first in about six years that I haven't been in a relationship. I've actually not even considered that until I wrote it just then, how absolutely bizarre. I'm not at all upset by this fact, however, as it's never really mattered to me. Don't get me wrong, I have been spoilt with thoughtful gifts in the past, and I'm never one to turn down the opportunity to buy a loved one a cute card, but it has always seemed a bit contrived for my liking. Perhaps I've become bitter and cynical as a singleton, but I don't think you should need a mark on your calender to tell you when to prove that you like somebody? It also doesn't bother me that I'm breaking the chain of being "officially taken" on Valentine's, because I'm completely happy with my relationship status right now. It's kind of nice having things all a little up in the air and I've been having a whole lot of fun these past few weeks.

I think tomorrow will be quite lovely actually.

I wish I was Alison Mossheart

10 February 2013

This month's Now Then is on the streets and on-line ( http://nowthenmagazine.com/ ) featuring my review of The Payroll Union, my new favourite piece of Folk from Sheffield. If you haven't checked them out before I strongly suggest that you do -  they score top marks on both grizzly vocals and luscious beards, there isn't really anything not to like.

Today is being spent with Sophie making all kinds of plans for after we graduate in the Summer. We've started to seriously look into prices for two beds close to where I currently work, which is pretty much the best news in the world ever. Our house will be full of records, fairy lights and food in attractive packets. We'll cover our mantel piece with badly photo-shopped pictures of her with Sting, buy twosies, and never frown again. Excited just ain't the word.

1 February 2013

Twenty Facts

A fair few of these have cropped up on my reading list, so in the spirit of blogging I thought I'd join in. Excuse the shoddy little web-cam shot above, it's not the right hour for fine photography.  Here is some random, and fairly honest information about yours truly:

1. I'm incredibly average. Height, weight, shoe size, hair colour, eye colour. I don't even have any allergies. Through my childhood I was never recognisable, and even through college tutors wouldn't know my name or my face in a crowd. It probably doesn't help that I'm not very out-spoken in public either. I think it's probably partly the reason that I like to alter my looks now as an adult.

2. I'm absolutely terrified of change. It's held me back a lot in life, as I tend to settle into situations rather than rock the boat and cause drastic change in any aspect of my life.

3. I have a handful of friends that I would do anything in the world for, but in general I'm quite reserved about people. I'm very judgemental and always presume that people don't like me. I do, however, usually have quite a good judge of character, and if I feel a good vibe from somebody I'll make a good effort.

4. I'm currently obsessing over Charles Manson. Yes, the "crazy-cult-leader-murderer-guy". I recommend that everybody reads "Without Conscience" before they make their minds up about him. I'd like his adorable face tattooing on my foot. 

5. I would very much like to be covered in tattoos. Well, not head to toe, but I would like plenty more. I see them as art, and I am still very much in love with all of my current ones, including the ones that were done with the tattoo gun that is sitting downstairs in my house. I am still yet to tattoo my house-mates, but I feel like it's going to happen really soon.

6. Ginger and Chai are my favourite flavours. Especially in tea.

7. I suffer from panic attacks. There is more to it than that but I don't really like talking about all of that boring stuff. I'm my mother's daughter in terms of my crazy little mind, and I know she hates it, but I don't blame her one bit. I also have her arthritic knees. Sometimes you wouldn't believe I'm only 21 from the amount I click/seize up. I'd go to the doctors about it but I'm afraid of them.

8. I'm an on-off vegetarian, basically due to the fact that I wouldn't be able to kill an animal myself, so I feel like I have no right to eat them. I think if I lived alone I would be totally veggie, but it always turns out to be more convenient to share with meat-eaters. Terrible, I know.

9. I have terrible claustrophobia, which is a real pain when the submission desk and many of my lessons at university are on floors ten and eleven. 

10. Going to Sheffield for university was one of the best decisions that I ever made. I've really come into my own as a person here, and met some people that have and continue to totally shape my life. I hope to stay on here for another year at least if I can find a job. I don't think I'm ready to move on just yet.

11. I love buying gifts for people. Whether that be something that I spent a few pence on, or a pricey present, I don't think there are many things that can make you feel so brilliant as brightening somebody's day a little by bringing them something unexpected that they would appreciate. It's probably why I am always poor, but I'd rather go without certain luxuries myself if it means I can keep up that habit.

12. I hate public displays of affection. But I like them when they're secret.

13. The number thirteen makes me uneasy. I'm not particularly superstitious but there is no harm in avoiding it. Also the number fifty two crops up in my life all of the time. If anybody knows anything about all things numerology, maybe let me know if that means anything?

14. I'm a little bit of a feminist. 

15. Pressure decisions are my worst enemy. I will always rather the person/people I'm with tell me what we're doing. Unfortunately I seem to attract other indecisive folk as friends.

16. I love film. I love the cinema. I love collecting DVDs. I love watching new films and I love re-watching favourites. Film is an absolute passion of mine that I never wanted to study so that I didn't taint it with over-analysis.

17. I cry incredibly easily, in terms of laughing too much, or shedding a tear at an emotional film. At school my friends used to say that my eyes were so watery they were constantly on the brink of spilling. Maybe it's because they're quite large.

18. I think that people who aren't a little weird are boring. Quirks and even flaws make a person.

19. My best friend and house-mate Sophie is in the process of making me a plaque to put up on my wall that says, "Just because you're a cunt, doesn't mean everybody else is". She's told me it's a rule I need to learn to live by because I'm automatically assume the worst. And that's pretty much why she's my best friend. Also because a lot of the time we look like a couple.

20. I live in hope that when I die my bucket list will be completely ticked off. I haven't even written it yet though, so fingers crossed I have a few years left in me.