Life Update: The Spring Edition

My first official week working at the Edinburgh Playhouse is over. Well i say week, but my new job gives me Bank Holidays off so i only worked four days. I think since it's taken me to the age of 27 to find a job that includes them, i'm going to be enjoying every single Bank Holiday so much more.

So far, everything has been great. I'm really excited about the different aspects of the job, and i'm working with a really nice group of people. We've got some great shows coming to the venue this year, so the plan is to try and see as many as possible. If i had to pick one that i'm most excited about, it would definitely be Wicked. It was fantastic when i saw it in New York in December, and it's coming to The Playhouse for eight weeks at the end of the year. 

I've started writing a bit more recently, and i did my second piece for The Huffington Post too. I wrote a blog about the some of the media assumptions that were flying about after Peaches Geldof died, especially the link to her liking Suicide Girls on Instagram. It's on The Huffington Post website, so if you want to read it then click here. I'm also trying to do as much as i can for The Banter at the moment, so you can also read my review of the new Kaiser Chiefs album here. 

The other areas of my life are going pretty well, or at least have some promise. I guess that's code for i can't really write about on here in case those people read what i'm saying. I also burnt my thumb really badly earlier tonight while i was taking some kale our the oven, so everything from this paragraph has had be to typed with one hand, while the other is stuck in a cup on cold water. 

An Actual Football Manager Ruined My Life

This is how the whole thing started. It was meant to be a harmless tweet directed at the people who tweet me every single time Manchester United play. For some odd reason, people seem to think i am actually David Moyes or they just assume we're related, with most thinking i'm his daughter (who looks nothing like me). Most of the tweets were pretty harmless before this week, and usually just asked me to sort out the team. However what's happened since this tweet was posted on Tuesday night has been completely unbelievable.  

In the first 24 hours, it had been retweeted about 1000 times. That's not counting the hundreds of new followers, favourites and mentions i was receiving every few minutes. By this point i'd already been contacted by the Manchester Evening News and had a call from Key 103 in Manchester about appearing on the Breakfast Show the next day. 

Then on Wednesday evening, Gary Lineker retweeted it and my phone literally had a meltdown. I can't begin to explain how many times per second i was receiving new notifications on twitter. It actually took me about 15 minutes to scroll through them all to see the notification of his retweet because of the volume of mentions coming through. 

I guess that's when the really abusive tweets started. I'd heard about trolling before and i was bulled in school, but i have never ever experienced anything like this. I understand that these people don't know me and they probably do it to lots of other people, but that doesn't make it any easier to read. Here's a very small selection of some of the most extreme ones...

While these are horrific, I've lost count of the number of tweets i got telling me how ugly i am. It's not nice for any girl (i might be 27, but i still feel weird being called a woman) to read. While it can be easy to put on a brave face and brush off the extreme ones, i think i found it harder to read the ones attacking my apperance. You just have to ask my best friends how little self confidence i have at the best of times, especially when it comes to how i look. So by Friday night, i was pretty upset over the sheer volume of horrible tweets that were coming through.

It also makes you wonder if i'd have got the same amount of abuse had i been a guy. About 95% of the abuse was from men, the only girls having a go where those who told me to change my name. But i can't imagine they'd be calling another guy half those names, if it had been a man in my position. 

Lucky i have some of the best friends in the world who lovely throughout the whole thing, and others who i may not have heard from in a while, but who definitely had my back. It was nice to see some comedians coming out to support me too (even if i don't actually know them)...

So when i woke up on Friday, my face was splashed across The Sun, Daily Record and Edinburgh Evening News...

That's not to count the various websites who picked up on the story including Daily Mail and Buzzfeed. I also ended up getting interviewed for Radio Forth, and i spoke to Des and Jennie on the Capital FM Breakie show on Friday morning too. 

One of the main misconceptions from the people tweeting me and who still are tweeting me, is that i love the attention. I've got hundreds of tweets like these telling me so and calling me names in the process...

I can safely say i DID NOT enjoy the attention. I have enough anxiety about things without all this going on too. I was pretty excited to be mentioned on Buzzfeed considering how much time i spend doing quizzes to find out which member of Girls i'm most like. But that doesn't mean i'm an attention seeker at all.

The reason i don't want to change my name is simple, it's because that's what people have called me since i was 16. The first time i got called Moyesy was by a Journalist at the Falkirk Herald when i was on work experience from school. I wasn't overly keen on it at the time, but then Zane Lowe called me during some work experience at MTV, and it just kind of stuck. More friends call my Moyesy than Sarah, and it's also the name i use on various other social networking sites. I guess i'd feel defeated if i changed it now, and i really don't want to do it.

It's now been 5 days since it all kicked off and things are finally starting to die down. I'm still getting lots of new followers, mentions and retweets every hour. And i'm also getting lots of new Facebook friend requests from people on the other side of the world thanks to some Indonesian website called Boladoang posting the story. I think it's fairly safe to say the worst of it is definitely over though. 

I also want to say thank you to EVERYONE who sent me lovely messages over the past couple of days, it really has made all the difference. While some of it has been funny, it's also been pretty intense and i do appreciate the support I've had. 

And before i forget, can we all pray that Man United win against Bayern Munich on Tuesday?!

Thanks!! 

P.S - Thanks to Tony Jameson for the blog post title. If you saw his Fringe show last year, then it'll probably make more sense. 

I GOT THE JOB!!!

If you weren't one of the people who received the “I GOT THE JOB” text last week, then I guess it’s time mention that I got a new job!!! After nearly three years at The Stand Comedy Club, I’m going to be moving two minutes along to road to the Edinburgh Playhouse to take on the role of Press Officer. It’s also ever so slightly closer to Real Foods, so I’m pretty sure that I’m going to be buying even more boxes of vegan caramel shortbread than I do now.

It was no real secret among my friends that I had been looking for a new job for a while. I think it’s pretty important to move about when you’re in your 20s, unless you’re working for a company that has lots of room for you to keep progressing. So after two years at Central FM and nearly three at The Stand, it definitely seems like now is the time to move on to something new. And while I’m going to miss being so heavily involved in the Fringe, I can’t wait to be able to see lots of shows, and not spend August working a minimum of 90 hours a week.

I've had some of the best times working at The Stand and I've made some really good friends. And apart from a few moments/feelings/situations I wish Elijah Wood could erase in an Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind kind of way, I've genuinely had a great time working for the club.

And now it's time to start the next chapter in more ways than one, and i cannot wait!! 

The (very belated) Vegan Life Update

I remember at the start of this year, i had promised myself i was going to blog at least twice a week. It's now been well over a week since my last update, so it's safe to say the plan has totally went out the window.

I figured i would try get back into things by taking the easy way out, and posting some pictures of healthy food I've been eating/drinking/making lately.

1. Baked Oatmeal - (oats, banana, cinnamon and coconut milk) topped with banana, frozen blueberries, coconut, goji berries, seeds (chia, pumpkin, sunflower, linseed and sesame).

2. Smoothie - bottom layer is coconut water, banana, mango, cinnamon and coconut oil and the top layer is banana, mixed berries and wheatgrass.

3. Salad - kale, carrot, beetroot, pomegranate seeds and quinoa with roasted sweet potato and peppers.

4. Haggis Pizza from Stereo in Glasgow - haggis, muhammara (spiced red pepper and walnut), tomato sauce and olives.  

London: Taylor Swift & Vegan Cakes!

I've been meaning to do a London update since i got back last Wednesday, but between catching up on sleep and drinking vodka, I've not yet found the time to do it.

So yeah, i went to London with my sister to see Taylor Swift. People can say what they want about her, but she really can sing. She also sings songs which i can sadly relate to 95% of the time, and i guess there's something therapeutic in singing the lyrics to 'Mean' at the top of your voice. 

First stop on the trip was Camden to find Cookies and Scream. It's this great vegan bakery tucked away in the market selling everything from brownies to cookies, and donuts to pies. I opted for the most delicious banana, cinnamon and choc chip bread I've ever tasted. They even offered to warm it up for me, which is made it even tastier. I just wish i could find a bakery this good in Scotland, although maybe that wouldn't do my healthy eating all that good.

So after a walk around the market, it was time to head to the O2 arena for the show. And obviously, i joined a queue of people waiting to have their photo taken next to the giant Taylor billboard.

We ended up having much better seats that we thought we would have. We were on the raked seating, but just above an exit so there was no one sitting in front of us. I loved pretty much all of the set, although i would have happily done without the new version of 'You Belong With Me' because it was nowhere near as good as the original. For our special guest, we got Danny O'Donoghue from The Script. I never ever thought that would have excited me, but turns out he was actually pretty good.

We spent the next day wandering around the giant Topshop on Oxford Street, and shopping down Carnaby Street before our trip was over, and we faced the long train ride home. 

The Vegan Life: One Month

Happy 1st Month Vegan Day To Me!! 

Well technically it was yesterday, but i didn't have any time to do an update then. So i celebrated it this morning by going for a run along the canal, before i had cinnamon waffles, homemade cake batter ice cream (frozen bananas, baking soda, sprinkles, vanilla extract and agave syrup), and blueberries. I'm pretty sure it's the best breakfast I've ever made myself, especially since the waffle recipe came out a book i picked up from my favourite bakery in San Francisco. 

I've found the past month so much easier than i thought it ever could be. It's still difficult when i eat out, unless i got to places like Mono and eat their smoked tofu, pesto mayo, tomato and spinach sandwiches. I also need to go back soon to try their cheesecake with tequila and lime syrup, because i way was too full yesterday to eat another bite.

It's also done great things to my health too. I've not nearly as tired as i used to be, although my sleeping pattern has been thrown off course due to other things at the moment. I am finding it a lot easier to get up in the mornings, and I've even managed to go out running three mornings this week. I've also managed to lose a couple of pounds, and i'm a lot less bloated too.

So i guess overall, January has been a complete success.

The Vegan Life: Sweet Treats

There are some days in the life of a girl (I still thinking calling myself a woman makes me seem too old) when she just needs something sweet. It could be that time of the month, or maybe she's had her heart broken. Whatever the reason is, i found myself doing a big haul of vegan chocolate, cakes, and biscuits this afternoon.

1. Lazy Day Foods Millionaire's Shortbread - This is the best vegan millionaire's shortbread I've come across so far. It tastes exactly like normal shortbread should, and i could easily eat the whole box in one sitting. I also noticed that Dobbie's Garden Centre was selling Lazy Day Foods in the cafe, which was great considering that it was the only vegan cake in the place. I've also tried the Belgian Dark Chocolate Tiffin, and that was just as tasty.

2. Biona Organic Jelly Dinos - It's jelly in the shape of a dinosaur, i don't know how it could ever be any better. I didn't even realise that Biona did sweets until i had to start searching for vegan alternatives to haribo, but it turns out they do, and they taste REALLY good!

3. Raw Chocolate Pie - Festive Pie - This is the second kind of Raw Chocolate Pie I've tasted, and it's my favourite one yet. They're raw so full of anti-oxidants and magnesium, so a lot better for you than normal chocolate is. They keep for six months in the fridge, although you'll probably eat it within a couple of days.

4. Rawr After Dinner Chocolate - It tastes just like After Eight mints, but it's so much better for you. I've already eaten half the bar since i got home a couple of hours ago. If you haven't tasted raw chocolate before, then this is the best place to start.

5. Conscious Raw Chocolate - Goji & Coconut - This was my first ever conscious chocolate bar, and it's delicious. It's got a soft truffle like texture, and it's contains two of my favourite things in the whole world. They do a whole range of bars with everything from chili to cherry to orange.

6. Lucy's Oatmeal Cookie - These cookies are free from gluten, milk, eggs, peanuts and almonds. They definitely don't taste like a normal cookie would, but they're still really tasty. They were developed by the mum of a child with severe allergies, so they used strict controls to ensure that no nuts go anyway near the factory. So i guess it's a great cookie for an even better cause.

Vegan Super Bowl Sunday!

I'm not entirely sure what has happened to the girl that used to want to eat pizza for every dinner. She's seems to have been replaced by some stranger who actually enjoys eating lots of veg, hence the creation of the Vegan Super Bowl. 

There's humous, crackers, quinoa, carrot, and roasted chickpeas, humous and sweet peppers. I also added a cup of kale which has more iron that than steak you've eaten today, and more calcium per calorie than milk. 

Now all i have to do is resist the bag of vegan cola bottles in my kitchen, and today will have been a healthy success!

The Vegan Life: Week 2

Week two has been ever easier than week one was. I think I've got much more of an idea about what I need to eat, and what I can eat. The discovery that some flavours of Pringles, and even Irn Bru are vegan is definitely helping the transition, especially since Crème Eggs will be off the menu this year.

The highlight of the past week came in the form of my vegan birthday cake. My mum has always made my birthday cake (expect for one year when my brother was in hospital and she ordered me a giant box of cupcakes from London), so it was lovely that she got behind me this year and made me a cake that I could eat. You can’t see it too well in the picture, but it was a lovely chocolate cake with raspberry icing, and I did eat about 2/3 of it in the space of a day.

For part of my birthday, my parents bought me a waffle maker. I spent two weeks eating waffles in San Francisco and LA last summer, so I've been after one since I got back. And let me tell you, vegan waffles are pretty damn good. I've only made plain ones, and blueberries ones so far, but I’ll have much more chance to experiment this weekend.

I've also completely mastered the art of making an awesome breakfast. I used to be the girl who grabbed a giant cinnamon bun on the way to work, but these days my breakfast is a lot healthier. My favourite thing to eat is baked oats topped with banana, frozen blueberries, coconut, chia seeds and goji berries. 

People seem to have this idea that being vegan is unhealthy. I'm not saying it'll be something i do forever, but for now it's working out really well for me. And i bet half the food i'm eating is healthier than a lot of the stuff that others are putting in their mouths. 

The Vegan Life: Week 1

I've been a vegetarian since i was about 12 years old, so i can't actually remember what meat tastes like. There's even some meat products I've never eaten like steak, lamb chops, or even a Big Mac. The vegan lifestyle is always something I've been intrigued by, but it's always been something I've been too scared to do. I'm the sort of person who could eat milk chocolate every single day, and still want more. My favourite times of the year involve chocolate, and i order mozzarella dippers whenever i can find them on the menu. 

Then i read Vegan Freak and realised that i need to stop making excuses as to why it won't work, and just go for it. It's been 8 days, and so far it's been pretty easy. I'm making lots of green smoothies with kale for breakfast, salads for lunch, and things like vegetable chilli for dinner. 

I was disappointed there's no vegan friendly cakes in Costa, although i wasn't exactly expecting them to a giant section especially for me. Luckily, Real Foods is just along the road from work, and today my lovely colleagues gave me all these vegan goodies as an early birthday present. 

So here's to trying the vegan lifestyle. Let's hope i can make a real go of it. 

New Year, New Start.

1. I've been vegetarian for around 14 years now, but I've taken the decision to become vegan. I started replacing dairy products with vegan ones a couple of weeks ago, but i think it's going to take a while for me to get used the fact i can't eat as many chocolate bars as i once did.

2. I usually try to read more than i ever manage, so this year i'm not going to set an actual goal. I just want to continue to read a variety of books, preferably ones that don't make me cry.

3. If i'm not someones first choice, then i'm not going to settle for second best. I found myself in situations last year, involving people already in relationships who would tell me things they shouldn't. I guess this is the year i don't want to be caught up in that.

4. The first thing i plan to do (well, when the weather is nice enough) is jump out a plane. I nearly did it last year, and then chickened out. I'm also going to give all the money to CLIC Sargent, which i'm hoping will stop me from backing out this time.

5. I was lucky enough to visit LA, San Francisco and New York last year. And this year i want to go back to America, and also see Iceland for the first time. I'd also like to lie on a beach somewhere sunny for a week.

6. I am one of the most self conscious people in the world, but this year is brought to you by C for confident.

7. It's pretty straight forward. I really just want fill the year with new experiences and keep my mind open.

8. Life is way too short. I want to make sure i fill this year with memories with some of my favourite people on the planet.