– The quality or state of being conscious or aware of something.
– A mental state achieved by focusing one’s awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one’s feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations, used as a therapeutic technique.
Mindfulness in the present is often a certain aspect of our everyday lives that can help us to develop and grow, whilst we also get a sense of understanding. In this case, our sense of understanding would need to rely on the life experiences we have gone through.
For example, if you lost something that was of sentimental value to you or you lost someone close to you, whether it was a piece of jewellery or even a photograph, or if you lost a family relative, family friend or a friend you knew either from school or college, especially work, your sense of understanding would require being aware of what you as a person may be going through, as opposed to what others go through.
I’ve learned to be more mindful now than I was last year, as I have been able to not only be open to everyone, but opening up about what I have or may be going through was a big step, as it was a small step for me, but is one giant leap over leaps and bounds to mindfulness.
To show mindfulness is to experience life, but to show mindfulness means you can open up to others, but in doing so, you become stronger and more confident than you were before.
Mindfulness is powerful, and if used correctly, can help you get the best support possible, but can also help you to get to the best places in life.
If you are someone or you know someone who has been through that stage in their life and has experienced a sense of mindfulness that has helped you or someone you know to get back on track, please tell me. I would love to hear your story.
To be as open as possible about what I feel and how I feel, I just want to put this out there for everyone to hear as it’s time I made my feelings well and truly clear as I refuse to hold back how I actually feel.
I will not tolerate, let alone mix with the judgmental type who are in-equal, that lack diversity for others regardless of where they come from, what sexuality they are, what culture and background they are, what skin colour they are, the language or languages they speak, what ethnicity they are, what religion they are, what beliefs they have, what country they come from and the gender and sexuality they choose to be identified by.
I’ve written this because after having to tolerate inequality and a lack of diversity from a small number of those who don’t know how to be equal and diverse towards others including me, this is my way of saying get a life and stop acting like I don’t exist, like we don’t exist, like all of us don’t exist, but more importantly, like you don’t exist.
We all exist and so do you, so be grateful and be thankful for the fact you actually exist, that I actually exist, that all of us actually exist, otherwise, what would be the point of living?
The point of living is to start living now, to embrace life and to treat one another equally and diversely without spreading inequality, hatred, a lack of diversity and not an ounce of respect and dignity for others.
Don’t ever tell someone to ‘man up’ as you’re only adding to the problem. Let someone open up to you about their problems and how they actually feel and give them all the support they need.
Don’t ever let someone tell you to ‘man up’ because they’re only adding themselves to the problem. If someone actually wants to support you and actually be by your side even when you get back on track, open up to them about your problems and how you actually feel so they can give you all the support you need.
Don’t let anyone, and I mean anyone, take advantage of how you really feel. If someone tells you to ‘man up and sort yourself out’ and someone tells you that you should be ‘strong’, then my advice to you is this.
Forget them.
Opening up actually makes you stronger than you think, stronger than you once were, but more importantly, gives you back your confidence and strength.
Even if before you didn’t open up, you were never weak. You always were strong, but sometimes to be strong is to not be strong as you can open up about how you actually feel so that you can regain that lost strength, but more importantly, the confidence you once lost.
It’s okay to not be okay and that’s totally fine. To open up to everyone and show you’re not okay even when you’re okay makes you stronger and more confident than you think.
There…I’ve said it! Now you know how I actually feel and I refuse to be unrealistic. This is me being realistic to reality and I refuse to change that.
I’m a realist and I certainly will speak how I actually feel and no-one and I mean no-one will tell me that I can’t be a realist where reality is concerned. No one shall stop me being myself and no one shall stop me from being a realist.
I would rather be at one with reality rather than be singled out and left out like I don’t exist and it’s about time you started to be at one with reality too and not be singled out and left out like you don’t exist.
It’s time to stand up and be counted.
I am keen to know if you feel or have felt the same way I felt now I’ve made myself perfectly clear about how I actually feel. If you have, please comment below. I would be most grateful to hear if you felt the same way I did before, during and after I finished writing this personal note to reality.
This is a topic of discussion that needs to be talked about and I want to make sure this happens.
I’m just throwing this out there if you’re willing to read this article as there is a bit of fruity language included in this article, so my sincerest apologies in advance. I’m just expressing my views and venting my frustrations at certain core areas that revolve around social media.
Social media, as we know it, is often a foregone conclusion to the digital world nowadays, as it is used in many different ways, either to criticise someone based on their appearance and how they choose to appear, as well as what they look like.
The harsh reality of social media is this; a messed-up overzealous world that looks to criticise and judge those around them to make others feel low when they don’t deserve it.
It’s all well and good using social media where other’s comments are concerned, but how do people expect to treat others with total disrespect and then not have the bottle to say what they say to someone over social media to their faces? It is hypocrisy gone wild! The art of communication now has truly gone out of the window and it is no thanks to social media and the media in general, and I shan’t be ashamed, to say the least.
I always live by this rule. If you can’t say anything nice about someone on social media and then not have the bottle to say what you said to them on social media to their faces, then keep your mouth closed. No one wants to know your business. No one wants to know what you’ve got to say about others, so stop bitching about someone on social media if you haven’t got the nerve to say it to their faces.
To clarify, I do apologise if you feel I am aiming this at you because I’m not, I’m only aiming it at those who are willing to twist and manipulate others whilst also criticising them without them having the bottle to say it to the person’s face.
I had that fair share of experience last year when someone twisted and manipulated my kindness emotionally and it did get to me briefly, much like it would for anyone else who has had that fair share of experience themselves and I shan’t deny that but I felt better about myself after learning that that person who did that to me got nowhere and took control and learned to not take shit.
I won’t lie, for me to take no shit and give it back to those who gave it to me first has made me feel better and has made me more confident as I will treat that person the same way back if they aren’t willing to be nice.
Like they say, when push comes to shove, if you cannot handle the heat, then get out.
If the language I have used in this topic of discussion did by chance offend you, I sincerely apologise.
Have you had that fair share of experience from someone who has made comments about you or to you on social media but they didn’t have the bottle to say it directly to your face? Please feel free to sound off in the comments. I would love for you to express your views freely on the harsh realities of social media.
Welcome to September on Mother Nature! As this month is set to be just as busy at the last, it is safe to say I may be publishing not as often as I used to, considering I am making sure to prioritise my time as effectively as possible, given that I have been looking around for jobs, with some good news in mind.
I sent off my CV & Covering Letter late yesterday morning for a photography job, and received a phone call within 24 hours of applying as I’ve been invited to go along for an interview on Wednesday 6th September. It’s a big step for me considering it is my first ever proper job interview and I am nervous to tell you the truth, but hopefully it will go well. This came at such a good time, to be frank, as my dream job is to become a photographer, and hopefully, fingers crossed, if the interview goes well, then I might get the job. At this stage, as I’m preparing myself for the interview next week, I will be making sure to plan the route in advance so that I can get to and from Camden before, during and after my interview. It’s a big step for me so fingers crossed! This does mean I will be inactive a bit more often than usual as I am making sure to be as flexible as possible considering I really want this job.
Meanwhile, over the course of this month, I will try and get some more of the photos I produced last month for the photography series: “The Concept of Expression” published on here, as I have been noticing some of the photography work I have published for this self-produced photography series has gained quite a lot of good traction and feedback on Instagram, and while we’re on the subject of photography work, expect some photos to be edited to black and white to add effect to the original photographs, as I will be experimenting further with some of the photos I choose to edit.
What are your plans for September, everyone? I am keen to find out what you plan to do over the next few weeks. Please feel free to submit your responses below in the comments.
This month sure flew like clockwork, didn’t it? I’ve been so busy and so productive lately with job-hunting and other things, whilst going out and enjoying myself with friends that it’s officially the end of the month.
I would love to hear how your month went, I am keen to find out whether you enjoyed August, and if not, please feel free to submit your response below in the comments. I would love to hear what you got up to over the course of August.
Without further ado, I will take a look back on the articles I published over the course of August.
1.8.2017 – Welcoming all of you to August, I mentioned that the next few weeks were set to be peaceful, but also a little busy, as I had my next batch of photographs on the way very soon, which would feature a certain someone who is a very close friend of mine.
2.8.2017 – “Should We Change at the Expense of Others?” was my way of getting all of you to see the way I see things from a personal perspective, considering that changing ourselves at the expense of others would mean we would put ourselves in a position where we’re made to change ourselves in order to be socially acceptable to everyone else.
9.8.2017 – A few weeks prior to writing the article: “Croydon Murals Defaced Beyond Recognition”, I spoke about the beautifully exquisite Amy Winehouse: “Tears Dry On Their Own” mural, which was produced by the artist, Bareface, in conjunction with and as commissioned by the RISE Gallery.
I published this article, because on Saturday 5th August 2017, me and two close friends of mine paid a visit to Katharine Street because we wanted to find out if the mural of Amy Winehouse was still in the same finished state it was when I photographed it just a few weeks before.
Sadly, on closer inspection, I was devastated to discover that not only had the mural been defaced, but a grey block and teardrop were drawn just below her eye, with some graffiti etched onto the back of Bareface’s clothing, which ultimately destroyed Bareface’s true work of art.
15.8.2017 – It was a long time coming! Sonic Mania finally arrived and officially marked a nostalgic return to form with the help of Christian Whitehead, Tee Lopes, PagodaWest Games, Lola Shiraishi & Headcannon!
Reliving 26 years of some of the most iconic levels from Sonic the Hedgehog, Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Sonic the Hedgehog 3, Sonic CD and Sonic & Knuckles, Sonic Mania revisited Green Hill Zone with an easter egg of an old landscape that was ditched from the final release of Sonic the Hedgehog, with the zip-line being re-introduced, and a lost level which was meant to appear in the original Sonic games but never got used finally came to Sonic Mania, and that was Mirage Saloon Zone. Studiopolis Zone, which is an all-new level, officially débuted in Sonic Mania with a city-like landscape that made it feel a little like Stardust Speedway, Casino Nights and Carnival Night Zone mixed in.
22.8.2017 – Following on from when I photographed my close friends, Saviyon Thomas & Shaquille Roachford, I was honoured to have been given the opportunity to photograph my close friend, the actor and mental health awareness campaigner, Oli Regan, again, but this time for my photography series: “The Concept of Expression”.
As I look to explore the concept of expression in the subjects I photograph, photographing Oli gave me the chance to explore his personality, regardless of the angle, but more importantly, as body language is a consistent boundary for the subject’s facial expression, photographing Oli again gave me the chance to explore his personality through these photo headshots, as well as his persona, so in this case, because he’s an actor, he puts on a serious face, which makes the photos interesting, considering that being serious really makes him stand out.
Thanks for such a great month everyone. Although it has been quite the busy month, I wanted to take a moment to remember the TV legend and Strictly Come Dancing presenter, Sir Bruce Forsyth, who sadly passed away on the 18th August 2017, but I also wanted to take this opportunity to also pay my full respects to all the victims and all the families who have lost their loved ones as a result of Hurricane Harvey. My thoughts are with all of you at this time.
Again, thanks for a great and busy month everyone and I will see you all in September. To everyone going through Hurricane Harvey, stay strong, but always know I’ll keep you all in my prayers and hope this hurricane ends soon.
Following on from when I photographed my close friends, Saviyon Thomas & Shaquille Roachford, I am honoured to have been given the opportunity to photograph my close friend, the actor and mental health awareness campaigner, Oli Regan, again, but this time for my photography series: “The Concept of Expression”.
As I look to explore the concept of expression in the subjects I photograph, photographing Oli gave me the chance to explore his personality, regardless of the angle, but more importantly, as body language is a consistent boundary for the subject’s facial expression, photographing Oli again gave me the chance to explore his personality through these photo headshots, as well as his persona, so in this case, because he’s an actor, he puts on a serious face, which makes the photos interesting, considering that being serious really makes him stand out.
The serious impression and the modelling approach that Oli has taken to make sure the photographs I have produced look visually eye-catching are out of this world. Whilst I remember, keep an eye out for Oli on the latest EE advert that’s been on TV recently. You don’t want to miss it. To spot him, wait for Stormzy‘s song: “Big for Your Boots“, taken from his album, Gang Signs & Prayer, to come on after Kevin Bacon finishes with the word: “INCOMING!” and you should see Oli on the left-hand-side of the screen skanking to Stormzy’s record. It’s a bloody good advert and you will not be disappointed.
Below are the photos I’ve produced of my close friend, Oli Regan.
1 – Model Vibes
2 – Casually Focused
3 – Greater Focus is a Virtue
4 – Digging Deep into the Depths of Concentration
5 – Look at Life from a Different Perspective
6 – What Did I Just See?
7 – A Sense of Focus is All You Need
8 – Be Yourself. Don’t Ever Change
9 – Think of the Best in Life & Never Look Back
10 – Are You Serious?
11 – Calm & Collective
12 – Really?
13 – Live & Enjoy Life
14 – Cover Yourself
15 – It’s Time to Be Realistic
16 – A Positive Mindset Goes a Long Way
17 – Confidence is All About Being Yourself & Who You Are
18 – You What!
19 – Now You’ve Gone Too Far!
20 – Don’t Push Your Luck!
21 – Think About the Best in Life
22 – There’s Hope & Light at the End of the Tunnel. Believe in Yourself.
23 – It’s Good to Be Happy & Truly Content
24 – Express Yourself
25 – Never Be Ashamed to Show Your Real Emotions
I am pleased with the way these photographs turned out, but I won’t lie to you, naming each photograph based on the expression and emotion is quite hard, and the photography work I produced when I was at Croydon College is living proof that naming each photo based on the expression and emotion is harder than it looks.
What I will need to improve on is angling the camera when I photograph any subject, so that rather than photograph the subject the way I would usually photograph them, I would need to put the camera up higher, but with the camera angled down a little so that there is little to no head-space on the portrait photographs. These photographs I have produced are really good as they capture the expressions and emotions I wanted Oli to make, but I will be making sure to improve on certain photography-based areas I may or may not be so good
These photographs I have produced are really good as they capture the expressions and emotions I wanted Oli to make, but I will be making sure to improve on certain photography-based areas I may or may not be so good at so that this gives me a better chance next time.
Other than that, I am actually pleased with the overall outcome from these photographs.
These photos will be in my E-Folio so please make sure to check my E-Folio as I will be updating the E-Folio as often as I can.
If you like these photographs I have produced of my close friend, the mental health awareness campaigner and actor, Oli Regan, please leave your comments below. I would love to hear your response and if there are any further improvements I can make for next time, please let me know. I am open to criticism as this will help me to improve the photographs I take for next time.
It’s been a long time coming! Sonic Mania has finally arrived and is a nostalgic return to form with the help of Christian Whitehead, Tee Lopes, PagodaWest Games, Lola Shiraishi & Headcannon!
Reliving 26 years of some of the most iconic levels from Sonic the Hedgehog, Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Sonic the Hedgehog 3, Sonic CD and Sonic & Knuckles, Sonic Mania revisits Green Hill Zone with an easter egg of an old landscape that was ditched from the final release of Sonic the Hedgehog, with the zip-line being re-introduced, and a lost level which was meant to appear in the original Sonic games but never got used finally came to Sonic Mania, and that lost level was Mirage Saloon. Studiopolis is an all-new level that officially débuts in Sonic Mania with a city-like landscape that makes it feel a little like Stardust Speedway, Casino Nights and Carnival Night Zone mixed in.
After such a long wait, Flying Battery Zone has officially been revived and is officially a part of Sonic Mania, which wasn’t just a fan favourite, but is also one of the most iconic levels taken from Sonic the Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles and Sonic & Knuckles, a level of which I absolutely love. Both Acts for Flying Battery Zone have had some changes here and there with access to some new and unseen areas, giving all gamers a chance to discover certain parts of both levels that have never been seen before.
Chemical Plant Zone has returned in Sonic Mania but with a difference; Chemical Plant Act 2 contains an upbeat sound whilst giving gamers like myself the chance to go inside the Chemical Plant. This gives the Sonic franchise a new lease of life considering that Chemical Plant is often seen in some or most of the games released in the Sonic series. The last known appearance that Chemical Plant made was in Sonic Generations, but this time, it’s back with quite a few changes. The songs for Chemical Plant receive up-to-date futuristic sounds, modernising the old into the new.
The man behind the soundtrack for Sonic Mania is Tee Lopes, who, just like Christian Whitehead, is also a massive fan of the Sonic the Hedgehog series and his work on making the soundtrack for Sonic Mania is sure to make everyone’s eyes water with joy.
Special Stages are back and have an eerily similar feel to the Sonic CD Special Stages, though you will need to think quickly and act quickly to catch the UFO that carries the Chaos Emerald per each Special Stage that you play.
Eggman is back but with a difference. Working alongside him, the Hard-Boiled Heavies aim to manipulate the timestream by stealing the mysterious gemstone, which is revealed to be the Phantom Ruby, which is the energy source Tails picked up on one of his energy readings far away from Angel Island Zone.
The new levels that make their début in Sonic Mania are Press Garden Zone, Oil Ocean Zone & Titanic Monarch Zone, though the other few notable levels that have been revived for Sonic Mania are Stardust Speedway Zone, Metallic Madness Zone, Hydrocity Zone and Lava Reef Zone.
Does Sonic Mania live up to the hype and anticipation?
Of course, it does! Sonic Mania brings about the nostalgic days of Sonic the Hedgehog, Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Sonic the Hedgehog 3, including Sonic CD. With past levels, such as Green Hill Zone, Chemical Plant Zone, Flying Battery Zone, Lava Reef Zone, Hydrocity Zone, Stardust Speedway Zone & Metallic Madness Zone making a comeback, Sonic Mania truly lives up to the hype and anticipation me and everyone else have waited for. Sonic Mania was delayed earlier this year as more time was required and some more levels were being added in, but I was glad it was delayed until today for its release as a delayed game is better than a rushed game.
Does Sonic Mania capture the true essence of old-school retro games?
Definitely! Because Sonic Mania has revived some of the well-known and well-loved levels from the 16-Bit Sonic franchise, the old-school retro appeal gives Sonic Mania the true essence that it needs. The true essence of old-school retro games is the nostalgia the games carry, and for Sonic Mania, it does exactly that, it captures the true essence of old-school retro gaming.
How many levels are in Sonic Mania?
In their particular order, the levels that are in Sonic Mania are:
Green Hill Zone
Chemical Plant Zone
Studiopolis Zone
Flying Battery Zone
Press Garden Zone
Stardust Speedway Zone
Hydrocity Zone
Mirage Saloon Zone
Oil Ocean Zone
Lava Reef Zone
Metallic Madness Zone
Titanic Monarch Zone
I must admit, when I heard that Titanic Monarch was a completely new level, I was a little bit stunned at first with the name, but I was pleased the name was used as the name pays homage and pays tribute to the RMS Titanic ship that sunk on the 15th April 1912, 105 years ago. Although this might not seem like a relevant connection between the level and the ship, it certainly pays tribute respectively as the name remembers the ship perfectly. Fair play to Christian Whitehead, Tee Lopes, PagodaWest Games, Lola Shiraishi, Headcannon & SEGA for paying homage and for paying tribute to the RMS Titanic, I think it’s a perfectly respectful and touching gesture.
Below are the screenshots for Sonic Mania that I managed to gather together during gameplay.
Below is the video playlist I’ve created for Sonic Mania. Please feel free to watch the gameplay footage I have uploaded to my YouTube Channel, and if you have a YouTube Channel and want to see gameplay footage from Sonic Mania, please make sure to like, comment and subscribe.
Sonic Mania hasn’t just proved to be so popular, but because Sonic Mania has brought back the nostalgia and magic of past games, this gives the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise a new lease of life and also brings to the table the potential for more Sonic games and potential sequels now that Sonic Mania has exceeded mine and everyone else’s expectations. Sonic Forces follows on from Sonic Mania this holiday season, but I can be absolutely sure from my own perspective, that the Sonic franchise will be open to the potentiality of more games and sequels.Sonic Mania has me falling in love with retro games once again.
To conclude, Sonic Mania has me falling in love with retro games once again.
If you haven’t yet purchased your copy of Sonic Mania, I strongly recommend you do, because Sonic Mania isn’t just a nostalgic game worth playing, it’s a game that stays completely true to the entire Sonic the Hedgehog franchise. What are you waiting for? Purchase your copy of Sonic Mania now! If you pre-ordered the PC version of Sonic Mania on Steam before today, the PC version will be released on the 29th August 2017. To make up for polishing the PC Version, those who pre-ordered the PC version of Sonic Mania before the 15th August will receive a free copy of the first ever Sonic game, Sonic the Hedgehog.
SEGA, Christian Whitehead, Tee Lopes, PagodaWest Games, Lola Shiraishi and Headcannon, including all those involved in the making of Sonic Mania, you are awesome! Thanks for making Sonic Mania the perfectly crafted masterpiece it truly is, but more importantly, thanks for taking me and everyone else for a nostalgic trip down memory lane. You are all awesome and all of you rock!
From a personal perspective, changing ourselves at the expense of others means we are putting ourselves in a position where we are made to change ourselves in order to be socially acceptable to everyone else.
I personally refuse to change myself at the expense of others because I am happy with who I am, what I look like, including how I present myself to other people.
So what, I don’t give a damn if some people don’t accept me just for being myself, at the end of the day, I refuse to let anyone change me so that I can appear acceptable to them.
It’s a messed up world, there’s no other way of describing this world, but at the end of the day, if no one can accept you for who you are, what you look like, including how you present yourself to others, and if they expect you to change yourself at their expense, forget them and just be yourself and never change for anyone.
Never change yourself.
If you feel what I have said here is powerful and eye-opening, please let me know. I would love to know if I inspired you as I want to inspire you all and for you to be yourselves and to never change yourselves at all at the expense of others.
Welcome to August on Mother Nature everyone! As the next few weeks are set to be peaceful, but also a little busy, it is safe to say that time sure will fly this month, as I’ve got my next batch of photographs on the way very soon for my own photography series which will be of a certain someone who is a very close friend of mine.
I have photographed this person before, but I will reveal the person I will have photographed very soon once another article goes up for: “The Concept of Expression” Photography Series.
What are your plans for August? I would love to hear what you are planning to do over the course of this month. Please feel free to submit your response below, I would love to hear what plans you have got in store for this month.
This month certainly has been busier than the last, though I have been working on finding jobs in the meantime, whilst also trying to fit a few articles in. I can only apologise again for being less frequent with publishing articles, I’ve been making sure to prioritise my time more on finding a job whilst also going out and enjoying myself with friends following the end of my time in education at Croydon College.
I will be publishing some articles over the next few weeks but please keep in mind that it might be less frequent depending on how busy I have been lately considering I am searching around for jobs, so I can only apologise if I don’t publish articles as much.
Without further ado, I will take a look back at the articles I have published over the course of July.
1.7.2017 – Welcoming you all to July on Mother Nature, I described that the weather was expected to be getting much hotter and more humid, whilst also mentioning that I would be looking around for jobs considering that my time at Croydon College had almost reached the end.
14.7.2017 – This day officially marked the end. My education came to a remarkable close as I finished my final year at Croydon College. The end result from my final year of the two-year UAL Level 3 Extended Diploma Film & Photography Course was that I passed with my final grade being a Pass.
25.7.2017 – After hearing about the beautifully artistic mural that the artist, Bareface, had produced of the late music legend, Amy Winehouse, who sadly passed away at the age of 27 on the 23rd July 2011, on the Croydon Advertiser, I just could not resist seizing the opportunity to photograph the mural.
31.7.2017 – Would you find it hard to believe that it was exactly 21 years ago since Crash Bandicoot graced our screens? Remember the days where you would jump over obstacles, smash through boxes and tackle side-scrolling levels? Well, those days are finally back! As the Crash Bandicoot: N⋅Sane Trilogy is back to true form, with all three of the original Crash Bandicoot games completely remastered from scratch.
Well, those days are finally back! As the Crash Bandicoot: N⋅Sane Trilogy is back to true form, with all three of the original Crash Bandicoot games completely remastered from scratch.
Also, to kick off my own photography series, titled: “The Concept of Expression”, I photographed two close friends of mine as I mentioned I would be intending to explore the concept of expression, as well as to how a facial expression can alter or change the mood of a photograph. In this case, the two close friends I photographed for my own photography series were Saviyon Thomas & Shaquille Roachford.
Thank you so much for such a great month. It’s been quite a busy month but it sure has been a great one.
Thanks again for such a great month and I shall see you all in August!
