What I've Been Up To!

Hey, guys!
It feels like I haven't wrote on here for ages, which I actually haven't so I apologise! It's been the easter holiday break so I have been out a lot with friends and doing various bits and bobs. I thought it was only fair if I let you know what I've been doing lately to make up for my lack of blogging; so enjoy!

Thorpe Park

Sick weekend!!

To start off what has been a great 2 weeks for me, me and one of my closest friends Polly went to Thorpe Park with her Mum and her Mums bestfriend. We had such an amazing weekend! If you are in to rides and thrills then I would HIGHLY recommend visiting this park. It features rides such as Saw: The Ride, Stealth (centre photo of the collage! It goes half a mile in to the air, reaching the speed of 80mph in under 2 seconds!!), Nemesis and my favourite; The Swarm!!
Thank you so much to Polly, Gina and Lynsey for making it such a legendary weekend!!

Sun, sun, sun!

Bonfires, skating and siblings

It is a very rare occasion that North Devon gets sun this time of year, but we were lucky enough to get a lot of it this Easter! These photo's are from a day out with Harry and Sam (largest photo). I spent the day watching them skate, adventuring with them and then sharing an unsuccessful camping trip with the guys and Leah! We ended up packing up and leaving at midnight, but it was cute while it lasted.

Best friends in the world

Crazy amounts of memories!!

Okay so the main thing I think I learnt this Easter was how amazing my friends are! The amount of amazing memories I've made and sick nights out with them is enough to make me feel like the luckiest girl ever. Whether it was secret house parties or a chilled afternoon in Rock Park, mental barn raves or sitting with my girls drinking slushies at the beach. I cannot thank my friends enough for making my life so special! This is all cringey as f**k but I dont really care, my friends are the most hilarious and genuine people I know, and honestly...they know how to party! 

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I've missed a few things but that was my Easter holidays wrapped up! I hope you enjoyed reading it and I apologise again for being so inconsistent with posts!

Loves XXX

General Update

Hello, guys!

Well I'm having a super boring evening in watching Frozen and scanning YouTube- as always *sad face*- so I thought I'd just write a post about some stuff I am liking, loving and disliking right now! This probably won't be very interesting but I thought I'd give it a go.

Make-up:

• As always I am LOVING the Rimmel London Stay Matte compressed powder. I naturally have quite oily skin and putting foundation on top of that skin type will increase the shine. I, personally, don't feel comfortable without foundation on, so adding this powder on top is very helpful and produces a natural pigmented colour!
• Liking the Loreal Paris lipstick in the colour 235 Nude. It is an gorgeously subtle colour and is perfect for casual days out if you don't want plain lips but not the full sha'zam! 
• One product I have a love-hate relationship with is the Maybelline Dream Matte Mousse. I originally heard very bad reviews on this so stayed well clear of it, but I noticed my friend had it and tried it out. I must admit it has a lovely soft texture/look and isn't too heavy, but I wouldn't use it every day as it is known for drying out skin. No one likes the flaky look!

Hair:

• If you have troubles with thin hair or just want a boost then I highly recommend the VO5 Texture Spray. It isn't as heavy as a back comb spray but adds more volume than a salt spray...aka perfection!  

Recently I have started using wired bandanna's more. If you don't know what I am talking about I will attach a photo below, but I just think they're really cute and a nice way to style your hair if you are sick of the same do!

Me wearing a wired bandanna from Primark!

Clothing:

• Recently I have been wearing a lot of blazers and cardigans as it has got to that awkward weather stage in England where it's not warm enough to go without a jacket but you would get too stuffy in a coat- typical! I find Urban Outfitters is ace for cardigans and highly recommend Newlook and Eden for blazers! 
• Bottoms wise, I regularly wear my light denim high waisted jeans from River Island as they are comfortable and easy to match tops with. Also, the jumper and skater skirt combo has been a favourite of mine recently- try it out and see if you like it! 

  

  Awful quality, but this is an example! (Not a thong in the background)

Films and Shows:

• Frozen- If my friends are reading this they will know that my best friend and I have a devoted obsession to Disney films. Now that Frozen has been released online as well as on DVD, we are in our element! It is a perfect lazy day film and great to sing along to (at the top of your lungs, I may add).
• Anything Goes- The local college in my area, Petroc, recently put on a production of Anything Goes. I had never heard much about this musical apart from that it was a hit on Broadway and the songs were very catchy. Well, safe to say I was blown away by it. The level of excellence in the acting and dancing was crazy for such a young group of people! If you would like a full review don't hesitate to let me know in comments or on my Twitter, as there is so much more to say!

Well, I hope that was remotely enjoyable! If you did find this interesting or what not then let me know as I'd love to do more things like this. In fact, I may make this a monthly thing...but who knows!

 

Lots of love xoxo

'Sweeney Todd: Barnstaple Amateur Operatic Society' Review 


I sat in the theatre, nervously awaiting the arrival of the cast on stage. Matt Cowan, who played Tobias, sat silent on stage staring out at the audience, motionless other than the occasional change of glance. The Beggar Woman, played by Elizabeth Drayton, also stood on stage staring out, walking around the back of stage right. The impressive set was lit with a dim green light and fog filled the area. I was excited and the tension rose in the pit of my stomach. Knowing my sister was to be playing Johanna also made everything 10 times more exhilarating! 
The Ballad Of Sweeney Todd; the powerfully sinister opening number. Spotlights highlighted several solo singers before the chorus came together with some beautiful harmonies and haunting voices. A highly impressive beginning. 
As the show progressed we were introduced to the main cast. Neil Rudd had the challenge of playing Sweeney Todd, which he'd perfected to a T. Although some of his movement could of been slightly toned down, I thoroughly enjoyed his performance. His partner in crime Mrs Nellie Lovett, played by Debbie Hadley, had the whole audience in stitches at her sarcastic yet simply clever attitude. Neil and Debbie have worked together in shows over the years so this helped their relationship within the show. 

Eva Chokarian, who played Johanna, displayed grace and innocence in her performance and performed outstandingly beside Ed Gist, who played a very convincing Anthony through his voice and great acting. After the show, many people congratulated Eva on how she ‘made the show’ and complimented her on her elegantly operatic voice. In duets, their voices complimented eachothers with harmonic tones and a romantic storyline. 

If you haven't watched the film version of Sweeney Todd before or the musical itself, it is about a barber who lost out on his wife and young child to the corrupt Judge Turpin at a younger age and was transported away. In later life he returns to London on what he thought would be a journey to find his once humble family, only to find out they had fallen foul to the same man. Teamed with Mrs Lovett, he plans gruesome revenge on the judge and the hell he once loved, unaware of how far this so-called 'plan' was to spiral out of control. This was presented well with some delicate directing by Baxendale. 
One thing I noticed stood out well was the progressive rise of insanity in the characters Tobias and Sweeney himself. With Tobias, you really see him get attached to the idea of family life with Mrs Lovett and the business, this is clearly shown in their affectionate mother-to-son duet 'Not While I'm Around', so when he discovers the twisted truth behind their lives, it understandably drives him insane. I highly sympathised this character and rated him highly. 
The same with Todd. He was so desperate for the sour revenge he needed that he turned to a life of awful crime and mass murder. The secrets and thoughts that circled his daily life drove him to a horrific end; firstly murdering his own partner in crime, then being killed himself by her fellow worker Tobias. 

Overall, I was thoroughly impressed by the musical and it's majestic cast. Lee Baxendale is a very skilful director and produced a breathtakingly adventurous production. The use of lighting and props worked well on the clever set and the chorus along with the main cast complimented it well. I am very glad I saw it and if you didn't, you missed out! 

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Thank you very much for reading this review! I thought it was quite a different approach to my blog and I enjoyed writing it. I am very much a fan of journalism so if this interested, let me know and I shall do more! Now that the big operation mile stone is over with, I am going to be doing a variety of different posts. They will be based around reviews like this, also various purchases such as clothing, makeup etc. You will know that I am a drama geek so when I am part of them I shall be blogging about my shows and different things like that.

Lots of love. 

Updated Youtube!

Hello, everybody!
Just a quick post to say that I have recorded, edited and finally uploaded my video on Gorlins Syndrome and it is live here!
Please don't hesitate to ask me any questions in the comments or on my Twitter (link in video description), the more the merrier!

Also a MASSIVE thank you for the 1000- or 1036 to be precise- views on my blog! Very happy and glad a lot of you are enjoying reading it!

Lots of love.

I did it!

I am soooo happy to say that today my operation went successfully! Unfortunately, my camera died on me at 6 o'clock this morning, which sadly means no vlog. But I have pictures attached to this post and I am going to a video on today as soon as I feel up to it to make up for todays technical faults! Incase you're not a Youtube user, here is what happened today. 

At 6.15 this morning I awoke with immediate butterflies in my stomach, but I was also quite looking forward to it. Not to the operation, but to getting it over and done with. 

Mum and I left for Barnstaple Hospital at around 7am and arrived in the day surgery ward at around half past. My full name is Anouche-Alana Enid Chokarian so the doctors and nurses tend to call me Anouche, apart from the nurse that called me in this morning who seemed to thing I was called 'Anochee Chokarina'!

I was second on the waiting list so me and Mum spent at least 2 and a half hours playing Angry Birds, the aggravating Flappy Birds and watching Shark Tale on a portable DVD player the nurses kindly gave us. Me and the girl in the bed next to me, coincidentally also having mouth surgery, had to pick from a range of children's DVD's, the most adult probably being Harry Potter. The nurses came and numbed my hands ready for the cannula and put my wrist band on. 

It seemed to become a lot more real when she went in for her surgery because I knew I was second. Her mum sat patiently with a cup of coffee,  as nervous awaiting her arrival as I was waiting to go. Soon enough I could hear phones ringing and the nurse on the end of it would be saying 'bed 4B'- my bed. 

''Okay, Alana, we're ready to take you now!''

Once I was wheeled to the anaesthetic room my nerves began to build, but I knew it was the right thing and I was only going to get better. They started by putting a cannula in my hand, then injected liquids through that in to my system. The first liquid felt cold but not much of a difference, but the second one hit me straight away. I went light headed and starting laughing hysterically, I remember Mum laughing with me and the nurses as well. I had tears streaming down my face because I was laughing so much! ''Mum I don't know why I'm laughing, for Gods sake!''

Next thing I know, I'm in recovery and the operation was over. I couldn't stop thanking the nurse that woke me up and told her to give my thanks to Mr. Esson, my surgeon. I felt so much more awake than last time! It was a great difference.

When I was back with my Mum she kept laughing at me because apparently I was talking really loudly, she kept telling me to whisper so I did so and she found that even funnier. I was in a lot of pain and could feel the stitches in and around my teeth. My mouth occasionally filled with blood so I had to, and still have to, spit a lot. I got moved to my own private room and managed to eat a pot of jelly and drink a small cup of Lucozade to keep my sugar levels up. I closed my eyes for a while and as I opened them and looked out the door, I saw the girl who was in the bed next to me. She was standing wearing her normal clothes again, looking well! She waved and I did too.

After a few hours I decided I'd prefer to recover at home. We thanked the nurses and made our way to the car. I was so thankful to be home. I arrived back at around 2.30pm

Im currently in my bed at home and I am so grateful for everything! The surgeons, doctors, nurses, everyone! It was such a hard procedure and I will be eternally thankful for what they have done/do to me in future. Thank you so much to everybody who supported me and helped me through this, whether it was a simple 'good luck' or if you were by my side everyday, it all counts!

Like I said there will be a video up asap of all this and more, keep an eye out!

xoxo

top left, top right and bottom right is before the op, middle right is as soon as I came out and bottom left is soon after I woke up!

Countdown to my Operation

Hello everybody!

So today is Monday and as some of you may know it is getting scarily closer to my operation. 'Scarily closer' meaning it is in 3 days time! Admittedly I am getting more nervous by the second but my friends and family are being incredibly supportive. Some people however have taken me writing a blog as a way to laugh at me I think, but personally I think it is an easier way of getting news to the people who care and would like to know more about my illness.
Thursday is a big deal for me as well as many others, unfortunately only my parents will be there with me, so I've made a decision. I am going to vlog (video blog) my journey from the moment I wake up and throughout the day as much as I can. People may think of this as attention seeking or irrelevant, but I actually think it is the right decision and will educate people even more on my illness and experiences with it. The video will be on my Youtube and may be uploaded to Facebook, I haven't made that decision yet.

On a happier note, my best friend and I ordered our Oceanfest tickets last week! We are very excited, be sure to message me, tweet me (@fuuucklana), or comment on this if you are going too! I have a lot of big plans this year such as festivals, going to London to see two more West End shows, going to Paris with my best friends, it will be incredible! I'm hoping to make this year just as good as the last even though it's been a pretty bad start. Here's to good things!

♡♡♡

Starting Out

Tuesday 21st January 2014

Hello all!

Wow, I never know where to start with blogs. I've tried them multiple times in the past but my inconsistency is crap so they haven't succeeded. But I'm determined to make this one work!

I guess I should explain who I am and why I'm here. My name is Anouche-Alana Enid Chokarian, but everyone knows me as Lana. My main hobbies are singing, acting, performing, writing and art. I am a full on drama geek and not ashamed to admit it!

One of the main aspects of why I'm here though is very different. I suffer from the genetic disorder called Gorlins Syndrome. It is very rare and tackles people around my age at first, but it is incurable. It causes cysts and tumours around the body; some cancerous, some not. So far I have had one cyst removed in an operation in April 2013, which was from the bottom right side of my jaw. To remove it they took a lot of bone, leaving a gap in my jaw. Recovery was painful and emotional, but I got through it.

A week ago on Thursday, they found another cyst in my jaw. This time on the top left hand side. It isn't as big or dangerous but it will still take an operation and a lot of recovery to overcome it. I'm not going to lie, I am very scared and cautious of it but it is something I am going to have to get used to.

But this blog isn't just for medical related posts, it's for me to talk to you all about my life as well! I also do this through my Youtube (click to go to it, subscribe!), but writing is a passion of mine so I thought I would start blogging as well as vlogging!

I hope you enjoy my posts and I will keep you updated as much as possible!

♡♡♡