September 2013 Issue by RYL eZine

Editorial Meet the new eZine Members This Month Last Year A-Z of RYL: September Edition How my Autism affects me Recipe: Gooey Chocolate Brownies Recipe: Cheesy Autumn Mushrooms Recipe: Autumn Cheesecake Recipe: Thai pumpkin soup Creative Writing: Life Image Collection Poem: Dirty Foot Girl Film Review: Now You See Me Make-Up Review: Maybelline Gel Eyeliner Make-Up How-To: Maliâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Guide to Eyeshadow Signature of the Month Random Facts: Sherlock Edition New Artist of the Month: Twisted Piglet Art Competition Winners TV Show Review: Sherlock Edition Creative Writing Book Review: Golden Boy Photography Competition Winners Pet Parade Game Review: Tomb Raider Mini Member Interviews

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Hey Guys! I hope you all have had a fantastic summer and had fun with your friends and family. I am delighted to be bringing you this issue, as everyone on the eZine team is incredibly proud of this issue and are so excited for you to read it. There have been a few changes – most notably, we have a few new team members! Lucy (Accidentally Abstract), Steph (Kyaneos), Lana (Alpha Bitch), Nikki (Nikki Kaulitz) and Chrissy (banana_bearxx) – I’m so excited for them to be on the team, and they have brought so much already! I can only see things getting better and better, so please give them a big welcome! This issue I’ve been particularly excited about as we have had the most member submitted content than we have ever had before. It makes me so happy to see you guys enjoying the eZine and wanting to get involved, the articles we have had submitted are very interesting and there really is something for everyone. This issue, we have a fascinating article written by Olympia (Steel Maiden) talking about how her autism affects her, this came after an interesting thread and discussion about autisim and how if affects people a few weeks ago, she thought it would be interesting for people to see it from her point of view, and I agree, the article is a very interesting and insightful read. Another member article is one that I have felt a long time coming, I contacted Malison to see if she wanted to do an article about make-up, as I know a lot of you (myself included) are a fan of her bold eyes in the thread in the picture board, and are avid readers of her brilliant make-up blog, so she has done something fabulous, and something I think a lot of members may find useful – a how to guide! I also just want to mention Ami and Dan – two, very much loved, members of the site who we sadly lost in the past few weeks. Our hearts go out to their friends, family and anyone affected. Stay strong, and please don’t feel like you are alone. Ask for support if you need it, it’s okay to ask for help. It is a difficult time, so please know that should you need to talk to anyone the Supporters are always there to listen and advise – their email is Support@recoveryourlife.com . Ami and Dan will be very much missed and will always remain in our hearts and our thoughts. We now have a new system and schedule we will be putting in place for the eZine – There will be an issue released every 2 months, on the 1st that month unless we have work commitments – then it will be released on the 2nd. We are also working on having our own page on the mainsite where you will be able to find all previous issues of the eZine, aswell as the most current issue and also all the information on who to contact if you want to speak to someone about the eZine or want to submit anything for a future issue. (Of course, you can still PM anyone on the team too!) I really hope you enjoy this edition of the eZine as much as we loved making it, we are very proud of this issue and are excited for you to read it. Please let us know what you think or anything you would like to see different. Enjoy! Take Care, Amy (GlitterTrashDoll) eZine Editor

As we have some gorgeous new members of the team, the lovely Steph suggested, like before, we have a section where they can introduce themselves and you guys can get to know the latest additions to the team a little better! Kyaneos: “I'm Steph, I really love writing and I am really glad to be a part of the eZine. I have 4 guinea pigs and 1 cat, and I adore animals, hence my first article being the Pet Parade! My favourite colour is blue, and I am a teaching assistant. Ermmmm I never know what to say in these things, but I am excited to be here and look forward to the future of being an eZiner :D *toddles off*” Alpha Bitch: “My name is Lana. I am from Germany and many, many years of age. Right now I am doing my MA in British and American Studies and hope to do a PhD after graduating (whenever that will be). I like the English language and writing and reading and eating and breathing and trolling and gifs. I am happy to be a member of the eZine and to contribute to a community that has given me so much. :)” Banana_Bearxx: “Hey I'm chrissy and I love art and being creative hence my first piece been a poem I'm really excited about been an eziner and happy to give back to this aMazing community lookin forward to seeing you all around :)” Accidentally Abstract: “Hey I'm Lucy, I'm 24, I live & work in London & have four cats. I have been a member of RYL since 2004. I'm really pleased to be part of the team to give more back to the community & help out some of the other lovely members in producing the eZine. I've always wanted to try writing for something & am happy to have been given the opportunity. I hope that I can contribute to the eZine in a positive way. :)” Nikki Kaulitz: “Hi I'm Nikki, I'm 33 and from Ireland. I also love writing, it is my passion along with singing. I am also never without a good book and my iPod. I have a cat who is my baby, and I love my family and friends. I have been on Ryl 10 years but I am almost 2 years free! I wanted to be part of the ezine to practice my writing and hopefully actually have it read by someone. Plus of course, I love being able to give back to the site and all the lovely people who have helped me over the years. Xx”

After I agreed to write this, I started to panic a bit about what I was going to write and potentially making myself vulnerable. Then I realised, I shouldn’t feel that way, as I have nothing to be ashamed of; there ARE some positive changes happening right now, even if I struggle to see it sometimes. I graduated from university 3 years ago this summer, like most graduates, thinking I would get a job straight away in the child care/teaching sector. I couldn’t have been more wrong. I had to sign on to Job Seeker's Allowance, which I thought would only be for a few months but like many graduates; I was in a no-win situation from the off. A year later, I found a temporary job in customer service, working for British Airways - you would think that would be a good job. It wasn’t. After 4 months I was back on Job Seekers Allowance and have been on it ever since. Despite maintaining a volunteering position at my local primary school, and becoming a Brownie leader, and having countless interviews, I was still getting nowhere and becoming more and more disheartened. I have wanted to be a primary school teacher since I was 14, and given that I needed to be in a teaching assistant role before I could do my teacher training, I felt like my dream was slipping further and further away. So, this month last year I was getting ready to do a two week work experience placement at my local vet practice, just to see if it might be something I could see myself getting into. After one day I quit, and I NEVER quit; I couldn’t handle the atmosphere and the work in general, which I should have expected as an animal lover, but I was quite naïve about it. So I went straight back to my usual voluntary placement at my local school. I honestly thought that was going to be my lot in life; relentlessly trying but getting nowhere at 24 and still living at home with no job, no prospects and an, apparently useless, degree. Over the last year, things have been very much the same. Until recently, things finally started to look up a little bit. After a million job interviews, I was offered a VERY part time job of 5 hours a week in a primary school It begins this month, and ultimately will not make any difference to me financially, due to travel, and I will still be on Job Seekers Allowance. However, 5 hours paid work is better than what I have had from any other interview, and it will get my foot in the door, which will hopefully lead onto either more work at that school, or more work in another school; as I keep being told, it is easier to find work when you are already in work. In addition to this, I have a place on a Borderline Personality Disorder day service, run by Mind in my area. Given that for the last three years I have had next to no support due to the CMHT being underfunded, this is a fantastic development, and one that I hope will go from strength to strength; I am glad to be a part of it.

These two things may not seem like much to most, but this time last year, I had no support and was honestly expecting to be unemployed for the rest of my life. I was basically just existing, doing the same thing day in, day out and hoping desperately that one day my luck would change. I think the point of this ramble, is that change doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to be massive, it can be little things that can change in subtle ways during a journey that you feel is pointless. Those little things that give you even a tiny bit of hope that your journey is worth something and that your final destination will be worth the hurdles you faced on the way. If there is something you want, even if it is just an ultimate goal of happiness and well-being, keep going, because you never know when your luck might change.

Steph (Kyaneos)

A is for ASKING FOR HELP and ADVICE B is for BRAVERY C is for CONFIDENCE D is for DETERMINATION E is for EZINE! F is for the FUTURE G is for GROUNDING TECHNIQUES H is for HELP AND HOPE I is for I CAN DO THIS J is for JOURNALS K is for KEEPING STRONG L is for LETTING GO OF BAD MEMORIES and LIVING LIFE TO THE FULL M is for MOVING FORWARD N is for NOT GIVING UP O is for OPTIMISTIC P is for POSITIVITY Q is for QUALITY OF SUPPORT R is for RECOVERY! and REACHING OUT! S is for SUPPORTERS! T is for TEAMWORK U is for UNDERSTANDING V is for VERY CARING AND LOVELY MEMBERS W is for WORKING TOGETHER X is for XYLOPHONE, BECAUSE I CAN'T THINK OF ANYTHING ELSE Y is for YOU CAN BEAT THIS Z is for ZOO, BECAUSE MY MIND HAS GONE BLANK OF ALL WORDS BEGINNING WITH Z.

Invincible

I was diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome when I was 16, but it had been suspected for a while before that. When I was a small child I had severe behavioural problems and I was diagnosed with ADHD, but I do not agree with that diagnosis, as my behavioural problems were most probably reactions to external stimuli that I found upsetting. I was kicked out of nursery for being violent, and was sent to a special nursery after that, which helped me a lot. Not everyone with autism is aggressive, but when I was upset, I didn’t know how to express my emotions, so I became aggressive. I still have problems with meltdowns and aggression, but not as bad as when I was a child. I went to three primary schools. The first one I was expelled from (after two weeks of being there) for being violent towards a teacher. The second school was dull. I did not get any satisfaction from it: the teacher was teaching at too low a level for me (as I had started learning how to read before I was three years old, and by the time I was three and a half, I was reading at a 9/10 year old level and I could do some arithmetic on paper). I remember feeling so bored at the second primary school and I would often get into trouble. My parents realised that I wasn’t a typical kid and they sent me to an educational psychologist who gave me an IQ test. It came out that my IQ is 160. I would only be quiet and sit still if I was given difficult maths problems, or a book for kids about science or maths. My parents realised that and sent me to a primary school for gifted children. I flourished there, learning how to program computers in Visual Basic at 9 years old and getting to GCSE maths A*grade level at the age of 10. It was fantastic for a while, until I got to secondary school. I remember my first day, feeling sick and dizzy from the anxiety of having to meet new classmates. Remember that at that time I hadn’t been diagnosed with Asperger’s so I had no support. A year onwards, I had been suspended once, had been subjected to a few detentions, and I had no friends, I barely talked to anyone else except when I attempted socialising (and got it terribly wrong). I was bullied. By the time I was doing my GCSEs, I had two friends who I could classify as friends (however I was convinced that they were only my friends because they felt sorry for me). However when I was 15, I had a psychotic episode (which had followed on from a slowly developing psychosis). I do not really want to discuss my psychosis here as that is not the subject of this text, but it has badly affected me throughout my teenage and early adult life so far, and has led to Section 2s, Section 136s and various other hospital admissions. When I was in hospital on the adolescent unit, my Dad had a meeting with the consultant psychiatrist there, about me. They came out and they said that I should have an assessment for Asperger’s Syndrome. I researched it and it all made sense to me. Not being able to comprehend emotions, finding other people (and the whole world) really confusing, having severe problems with social communication, taking things literally, meltdowns, communication disorder…; it was a relief to realise that I wasn’t “weird” or “messed up” (as the bullies at school had said I was), I had Asperger’s. My Dad decided to pay for a private assessment as the NHS waiting lists were huge. I had the three hour long assessment and the report was typed up. My GP, CAMHS team and my school were all informed about my Asperger’s and that’s when the school started to make me feel more comfortable (as opposed to the hell that was school beforehand). I was introduced to the learning support teacher and I was given assistance during group work. I was made exempt from having to do the presentation in front of the whole class for my English GCSE, and I just had to write a speech (but not deliver it to people). I had a handwriting assessment and as a result, I was allowed to type my A8

levels on a computer. I was allowed to sit in the library during assembly and other performances (like the Christmas concert) as they gave me sensory and people overload. It made me feel much better at school. I ended up with 9 A*s and 1 A in my GCSEs, and average 95% in my A-levels (which of course were biology, chemistry, physics and maths!). Now I have made it to university. I got into Cambridge to study Natural Sciences in 2008, but unfortunately I wasn’t supported well enough and I relapsed and had to leave. In 2009 I moved into supported housing (as due to my autism, I find it hard to learn independent living skills, and I also have a communication disability) and in 2010 I started studying Pharmacology at University College London. I have a full-time support worker for my lectures, lab work, etc. I also have allowances for my exams. Sometimes people think I’m “taking too much from the system”, but these adjustments really help me to show people that I am capable of succeeding in life. Having Asperger’s is not a tragedy for me. I have “special interests” in some topics, and this means that I accumulate huge amounts of knowledge about Forensic Pathology, Neuropsychiatry, Psychopharmacology, Clinical Medicine etc… I don’t read fiction at all as it has no purpose for me; I only read textbooks and I have 131 textbooks in my bedroom. I also have a unique way of seeing the world, and I have focus that means I can study for hours at a time on one of my special interests (my rote memory is good – I am in the process of learning the whole of South England’s train maps off by heart!). However there are many ways in which my autism makes life more difficult. Imagine that you’re walking on a fairly busy street. Every time a car comes past me, the noise of the tyres on the road, the “whoosh” that the car makes, and the engine noise, all sound like I’m standing right next to a passing freight train. Every time a siren or a car hooting comes past me, if I don’t block my ears it would be excruciatingly painful for me and I would most probably scream. If it is a sunny day, the brightness of the sunlight feels like someone is shining a 500 Watt light right into my eyes. If someone were to touch my arm or similar, it would feel like they’re sticking a needle into my body, and I would react aggressively and defensively. These are my sensory overload difficulties and I wish so much I could be without them. I live in noise-cancelling headphones and sunglasses. People know not to make physical contact with me. Also social interaction is extremely challenging for me, and leaves me so exhausted that I need to sleep for a couple of hours afterwards. This is because I do not understand body language, tone of voice and figures of speech: conversation becomes confusing; gesticulations look like mad dancing of the arms and fluctuations in the pitch of voice sound like a song. I find it easier to communicate with someone if they don't demand eye contact, if they don't use metaphors, and if they speak literally, clearly and without too many gesticulations / changes in the pitch of the voice. I sometimes try to socialise with people, but I often go on a monologue about some scientific theory and they lose interest (I do not know any other method of long conversation). I may be clever academically, but socially I am the opposite. I met a man with Asperger’s on an online Asperger’s forum. We’ve known each other for almost six years now. But we are not in a relationship as we have great trouble grasping the nuances of love. We consider each other extremely close friends, but not in a relationship: we have no sexual interest in each other (we are both completely asexual). He has quite literally saved my life however, as before I met him I had no contact with anyone else with Asperger’s; we understand each other so well and we care about each other’s welfare. When I’ve been ill in hospital, he has come to the ward to visit me almost every day after work. We meet up once a week at my supported housing after his day at work. Our ideal socialising session will consist of watching sci-fi, messing about with programming on my laptop / doing something with electronics, and reading. We don’t like going to the cinema / coffee shops / shopping / etc. We don’t like traditional holidays either: what is the point of lying on a beach in the sun when that just equals a heightened risk of skin cancer?

I hope that this article has helped you understand my autism. I live in a “different world” to other people, but this “other world” is a world of textbooks, science and computers, it makes me feel happy and comfortable. Sometimes people are scared of me when they see me have a meltdown or they are offended when I say something that could be construed as offensive without realising (I often do that as I do not understand Social Protocol much), but I asked my Dad if he had ever wished for me to be more “normal”: his reply was “you are perfect”.

Olympia (Steel Maiden)

Gooey Chocolate Brownies.

These brownies are pretty new to my recipe book, but my family has quickly put them to the top of their favourite baked goods list... so as it happens, I'm always making brownies these days. I use a 20cm silicone baking case. Baking will take 25-30mins, but it's a good idea to check on them before the 30mins is up. You want them solid on top, with a slight wobble underneath the crusty top, well browned, but not burnt. Ingredients Needed: 75g Plain Flour 250g Soft Brown Sugar (alt 250g Caster Sugar will work) 3 eggs 175g Butter/Margerine 40g cocoa powder 150-175g Dark Chocolate (for melting) 25-50g Dark Choc (for chunks) Splosh of Milk It's entirely up to you how you split the dark choc up -I'm basing the quantities on a standard 200g bar. As a quick tip: the more chunks you use, the gooeyer the centre will be dropping the melted choc below 150g changes the consistency of the mix. For the best of both worlds, buy 300g of dark choc. What You Do: *Preheat your oven to 180C (gas mark 4) *Prep your tin; -if metal; with parchment/baking paper or lightly wipe a layer of butter inside before dusting with flour. Shake any excess around the tin until covered entirely, then tip any left over flour out. -if silicone; this prep should be unnecessary. *Melt the dark chocolate and butter/margerine (you can either use the over the bowl of hot water method, or blast it in the microwave for 1minute). Once melted mix up well.

*Whisk the egg and brown sugar together in a bowl until they form a thick mixture. *Pour the melted chocolate and butter mixture into the bowl and mix until combined. *Sift in the flour and cocoa and mix well. *At this point you will probably notice the mixture is quite thick, so, to loosen it up some now you're going to add some milk. It shouldn't take heaps, so go with small sploshes. The consistency you're looking for is that of a moist cupcake mix. Just loose enough you can stir it with ease. *Cut the desired amount of chocolate squares into half and mix in. *Pour the whole mixture into your prepped baking tin, making sure the mixture goes well into the corners and your chocolate chunks are evenly distributed throughout. *All done! Now just put it in your preheated 180C oven and bake. ***As previously stated, 25-30mins is needed. *You'll know theyre done because the top will be crusty, and there should be a soft, delicious wobble underneath. *Once you pull them out, you will want to use a knife to go around the tin edge, loosening the brownies, and cut the pieces now, then you can leave them to cool. *Even cooled they are still gooey in the middle (unless refridgerated, if refridgerated they should return to being gooey if left at room temp for a little to soften). *Serving suggestions: -Sift icing sugar over the top and eat as they are - sooo delicious. -Serve with scoops of vanilla icecream.

Spyroprice87

Cheesy Autumn Mushrooms Serves 4

Ingredients: 4 large field mushrooms 100g gorgonzola or other blue cheese, crumbled* 25g walnuts, toasted and roughly chopped** 4 thyme sprigs knob butter, cut into small pieces rocket leaves, to serve *If you don't like blue cheese, substitute it for a milder cheese you prefer! **If you don't like walnuts, substitute it for a different kind of nut you prefer, or leave them out. Method: Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Arrange the mushrooms on a baking tray. Scatter over the cheese, walnuts, thyme sprigs and butter. You can do up to this stage a day in advance. Pop in the oven and cook for 10 mins until the cheese is melted and the mushrooms are softened. Arrange some rocket leaves on plates and place the mushrooms on top.

Autumn Cheesecake Serves 12

Ingredients: 100g digestive biscuits, crushed 60g finely chopped pecans 3 tablespoons caster sugar 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 60g unsalted butter, melted 400g (2 tubs) cream cheese, softened 100g caster sugar 2 eggs 1 tsp vanilla extract 500g apples - peeled, cored and thinly sliced 4 tablespoons caster sugar 1/2 tsp cinnamon 30g chopped pecans Method: Preheat the oven to 180 C / Gas mark 4. In a large bowl, stir together the biscuit crumbs, 60g finely chopped pecans, 3 tablespoons sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and melted butter; press into the bottom of a 23cm (9 in) loose-bottomed or springform cake tin. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes. In a large bowl, combine cream cheese and 100g sugar. Mix at medium speed until smooth. Beat in eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Blend in vanilla; pour filling onto the baked biscuit base. In a small bowl, stir together 4 tablespoons sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon. Toss the cinnamon-sugar with the sliced apples to coat. Spoon apple mixture over cream cheese layer and sprinkle with chopped pecans. Bake in preheated oven for 60 to 70 minutes. With a knife, loosen cake from rim of cake tin. Let cool, then remove the rim. Chill before serving.

Thai Pumpkin Soup Serves 6

Ingredients: 1Â˝ kg pumpkin or squash, peeled and roughly chopped 4 tsp sunflower oil 1 onion, sliced 1 tbsp grated ginger 1 lemongrass, bashed a little 3-4 tbsp Thai red curry paste 400ml can coconut milk 850ml vegetable stock lime juice and sugar, for seasoning 1 red chilli, sliced, to serve (optional) Method: Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Toss the pumpkin or squash in a roasting tin with half the oil and seasoning, then roast for 30 mins until golden and tender. Meanwhile, put the remaining oil in a pan with the onion, ginger and lemongrass. Gently cook for 8-10 mins until softened. Stir in the curry paste for 1 min, followed by the roasted pumpkin, all but 3 tbsp of the coconut milk and the stock. Bring to a simmer, cook for 5 mins, then fish out the lemongrass. Cool for a few mins, then whizz until smooth with a hand blender, or in a large blender in batches. Return to the pan to heat through, seasoning with salt, pepper, lime juice and sugar, if it needs it. Serve drizzled with the remaining coconut milk and scattered with chilli, if you like.

Steph (Kyaneos)

Life. the tears silently fall down, shes breaking inside, no one hears her cries, she reaches for her tools, just one more time she says, in that moment she loses control, then all is calm in the dead of night, shes lying there bleeding and crying, ill do better she says, have faith just hang on, sweet little girl, so lost, so alone, BROKEN, lost all hope, morning comes, she tidys her self up, its as if nothing happend, her secrets safe for now, so fake a smile, for tommorows another day.

- Chrissy (Banana_Bearxx)

- Ami (On.My.Way)

Dirty Foot Girl Laura Ziemba I want to be a dirty foot girl Solid in my understanding Standing in my truth Earth under my feet Oozing up Between my toes Filling the spaces With a cooling comfort That only the earthly know Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t pedicure, pamper or patronize me With the notion that you think you know Who I am Or who I want to be I want to be a dirty foot girl

Albert Fuller

Now You See Me

Now You See Me is a 2013 directed by Louis Leterrier, starring an international cast. It follows the story of four talented magicians brought together by an unknown benefactor; after some initial reservations, the group bands together to form The Four Horsemen, a headlining act in Las Vegas who perform daring tricks – like, for example, robbing a bank. This stunt catches the eye of the police, who spend the rest of the film attempting to catch the Horsemen – who spend their time attempting to stay one step ahead. The twists and turns are frequent and dramatic, and this film will definitely keep you on the edge of your seat. Follow the Horsemen as they travel across the country, amidst a swirl of colours and magic, in their efforts to achieve their mysterious goal. If you’re on the ball, you might just be able to anticipate some of the twists and figure out the logical explanations for some of their tricks – and if not, you’ll at least enjoy the theatrics and the drama. This is an exciting and suspenseful film, and will definitely keep you guessing.

Frankie (Wakeful Dreamer)

Maybelline Eye Studio Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner 24h This is an amazingly pigmented gel eyeliner, that lasts and lasts. I wear this on a night out, and it doesn't smudge - in fact, on the occasions I don't take my make up off at night, I can get away with it the next day! All these photo's are unedited!!!! It comes in a little pot like this, with a brush.

You can get a thin line by turning the brush on it's side, like you can see here.

This is how I have my make up. This was taken at 3pm.

*mascara is MAX FACTOR 2000 CALORIE DRAMATIC VOLUME

I'm always asked about my eyes, and I make them the main feature of my make up :) I've used this since about December 2012 and am just onto my second pot! I've got a bit of the old one left to use, and it's now September 2013! I use a lot of eyeliner doing the top lashes and the waterline, and it's lasted me 9 months, so it can't be bad! Bare in mind I use this product every day! It has a really smooth formula and is really easy to apply! Much much easier than liquid eyeliner, and gives a smoother line than pencil. I've used eyeliner for a good 5 years, if not longer, and this is 100% my favourite. It's a little more expensive than the Barry M liquid liner that I used in the past (ÂŁ4.99), but one of those would last me 3 months tops! This one, at ÂŁ7.99, is well worth it though! It comes in black, ultraviolet, brown and black gold. I've only tried the black one though. I've seen them in Boots and Superdrug. I mentioned earlier that the photo was taken at 3pm. It's been pretty warm today, and I've been tidying and then went out shopping. This photo was taken at 9.30pm (so 6 and a half hours after application)

This is a comparison photo, from application to 12 hours later! (yes I was up late!). This is how I manage to wear it on a night out and still have it on when I wake up the next morning! :) Definately worth the money. I haven't tried any of the more expensive ones, such as Mac or Bobbi Brown, because I think this one works incredibly for ÂŁ7.99!!!

Invincible

Mali’s How-To: Eye Makeup! Hi everyone! I was really pleased to be asked to write a makeup related article for this month’s eZine. Even though it may seem like a silly thing to obsess about, for me makeup is an important feature of my own self care and recovery, plus I love writing about it! What I probably get asked the most is how I do it, so I thought I’d put together a little tutorial on a basic smoky eye. Before I start, I should probably warn you that I only ever wear green on my eyes – the brighter the better! You can use any colour choices if you decide to follow this tutorial, so don’t be put off by the bold colours if that’s not your thing. Let’s just get right to it! Step 1: Apply primer

Eyeshadow primer is basically the base or the glue I use to stick the colour to my eyelid. You don’t have to use it if you don’t want to, but I’d recommend it because it makes the shadow last longer, prevents creasing, and it makes colours look brighter! (I’d recommend Urban Decay’s Eyeshadow Primer Potion, and have heard good things about Too Faced Shadow Insurance, or the e.l.f. primers, but haven’t tried them myself.) Step 2: Apply white base

After applying primer, I like to apply a white base as it helps colours pop. This is completely optional, but as I tend to go for brighter colours, this really makes a difference! (I’m using NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in Milk and would wholeheartedly recommend it.)

Step 3: Apply base colour

I apply my base colour all over the lid using a medium-sized fluffy brush. I do this by initially patting on the colour to help it stick to the primer/white base, and then brushing over to ensure even coverage and a smooth finish. If I want a really vibrant result, I dampen the brush using a face mist or regular water to apply the shadow wet. This gives better colour payoff, but can make it more difficult to blend. You’ll notice there’s a lot of powder ending up on my face, but I’m not going to worry about that yet! (I’m using Sugarpill Acidberry here. Perfect lime green.) Step 4: Apply darker colour to outer corner/crease

Next, I use a small brush to apply a darker colour into the outer corner of my eye. I also bring the colour into the crease of my eye socket. This adds depth! (I’m using Sugarpill Midori here. Yummy forest green!) Step 5: Apply highlight to inner corner I use a very small detail brush to apply a pale shimmery shade to the inner corner of my eye. This highlights the eye and really opens it up! (I’m using MAC Zestful, a really sparkly white lime shade.)

Step 6: Blend

Taking the brush I used to apply the base shadow, I run this over the entire eye to blend out any harsh edges and make it look like I know what I’m doing (I don’t). Step 7: Clean up the outer corner

To make the outer corner nice and clean, I take a cotton pad soaked in makeup remover and fold it in half twice to get a point. I use this to clean up any fallout/unclean edges, giving me a nice sharp point! Step 8: Apply liquid eyeliner to upper lashline

I then apply liquid eyeliner, starting in the centre of my eye, then adding the inner corner, and finally the flick using short sketchy movements. Again, this step is optional! Step 9: Clean up

I use a cotton bud soaked in makeup remover to clean up the flick if I’m not happy with it (which is always, I can never get it perfect!)

Step 10: Apply mascara

I apply mascara by brushing from the roots to the tips of my lashes several times. I try to blink onto the brush at the same time. I’m sure I don’t need to tell you how to apply it! I don’t apply mascara to my lower lashes as I don’t like the way it looks, but that’s down to personal preference. (I’m using Maybelline The Mega Plush here.) Step 11: Apply pencil to waterline

Finally, I pop some pencil on the waterline – it can help to melt the lead a little with your fingers first to ensure smooth application. Again, this is optional! (I’m using Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Freak here… such a perfect colour.)

All done!

I hope you found this helpful, and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve love to see if you give it a go yourself! Love Mali x

Malison

Every month we look around the RYL forums in search of our favourite signature. This monthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Signature of the Month belongs to..

CrazyKat

Ah yes, the past can hurt. But the way I see it, you can either run from it or learn from it. ~ We love this signature because of it's positive message! We believe it's something all of us can use in everyday life - we all have a past, and we all have things that have happened in the past that still haunt us or hurt us in some way today - some things you think have scarred you for life, or people have betrayed and hurt you, or you have made mistakes. It has happened to all of us, and this great message is something that we can all use with the things that have happened in our past - use these negative things that happened to us, and turn them into a positive. Don't let them bring you down, take control and make them into something meaningful and useful. It's your life, so take the reigns and show nothing can beat you. Learn from everything you have experienced and things will only get better and easier in the future. It's your life, make it what you want not what others want. ~ If you want to be in with a chance of being next months Signature of the Month, then get creative!Remember, it doesn't need to be busy and full of colour to win. It can win because it's funny, inspiring, creative or just shows off your personality! Remember as well, when it comes to signatures, they also help other members remember who you are because they remember a phrase or a picture in your signature! Have fun getting creative!

- Amy (GlitterTrashDoll)

Matt Smith auditioned for the role of Doctor Watson before his Doctor Who audition. The actual address used for filming the exteriors of 221B Baker Street is 187 North Gower Street, London NW1. As in the Sir Arthur Conan Doyle stories, the term "deduction" is misused. Like medical diagnosticians, hunters and yes, detectives, what Holmes actually uses a form of inference called "abductive reasoning," which is a form of inductive rather than deductive logic. In the original stories, Dr. Watson has also done military service in Afghanistan. In this series, Watson was wounded in the shoulder but has psychosomatic/psychogenic pain in his leg. This is a sly reference to the original stories in which Arthur Conan Doyle was inconsistent about the location of Watson's war wound. The typeface used in the overlays is Johnston Sans, well-known for its use in the London Underground. Benedict Cumberbatch was cast after Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss watched his performance in Attonement. They thought he looked like a perfect Holmes. During the hiatus between the first and second series, Martin Freeman and Benedict Cumberbatch were both cast in Peter Jackson's The Hobbit. This time Freeman took the lead as Bilbo, and Cumberbatch provided the motion-capture and voice for Smaug the Dragon and The Necromancer. As part of his preparation after being cast as Holmes, Benedict Cumberbatch read every original Conan Doyle story. In the summer of 2011 Danny Boyle created a National Theatre production of 'Frankenstein' in which Benedict Cumberbatch and Jonny Lee Miller played the creator and monster and alternately changed nightly. Both actors then went on to play another Victorian creation Sherlock Holmes, both set in the present day, allbeit opposite side of the Atlantic. Sherlock sometimes uses a memory technique that he calls a "Mind Palace." This is not an invention of the screenwriters; rather, it is a method of aiding memory that dates back to ancient Rome. One of history's most famous real-life practitioners was the sixteenth-century Italian Jesuit missionary Matteo Ricci, who introduced the method to China. 28

Through the series, several Holmes stories by Arthur Conan Doyle are alluded to, either as episode names or in passing. For instance, "A Study in Scarlet" becomes "A Study in Pink", "The Greek Interpreter" becomes "The Geek Interpreter" etc.

Lana (Alpha Bitch)

South Norfolk based band Twisted Piglet have been exploding onto the Indie music scene since 2007. The three piece Indie/Electro band are made up of Brodie (Lead Vocals, Guitar), Stacey (Backing Vocals, Keys) and Paul (Drums/Percussion). The Piglets have recently finished a tour supporting The Proclaimers around England and are performing all over the UK in the next few months. Alongside supporting The Proclaimers, the boys have supported Scouting For Girls, LuLu, The Hoosiers, Rick Astley amongst others. With years of experience behind them Twisted Piglet are making their mark on the music industry. Twisted Piglet are signed to Spectra Records, who are one of the largest Indie labels in the world. Their debut album, Eternity, will be released in the next few months. Recently the band had the privilege of representing Norwich at Exitfest in Serbia, they played to a massive 250,000 people and loved every moment of it. They boys love touring and being on the road so keep an eye out for them at a venue near you and look them up on YouTube. More info can be found here on their website, http://www.twistedpiglet.com/ Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/TwistedPiglet/info And they are on twitter, @TwistedPiglet

Ami (On.My.Way)

This theme for this issue's art competition was Colour. Members were asked to submit pieces of art work, using any media of their choosing which they felt fit the theme.

The winners were voted for by the eZine team and here they are. In 1st place is Kibou with their fantastic poem:

Crayola has the right idea Every color in the media Every tone of every flaw Yeah, Crayola has them all The lovely red smudged on your lips Is the same red running down his wrists The perfect pink that blushed your cheeks Is the color lost without food for weeks The bright lively blue you love in his eyes Is the same thing she feels every time she cries The black of her skin you claim to hate Is the black of the dress you wore your first date But I bet when you used a crayon of this hue The label didn’t stand out to you ‘Cause it’s not about labels, titles, or names We’re all made of wax, we all melt the same

and in 2nd place is ironholly with her vibrant art work:

Well done both for you! Your entries were brilliant. Unfortunately due to the lack of entries it has been decided that the Art comeptition will no longer be running alongside the Photography competition. This does not, however, mean that it cannot be reestablished in the future. A big thank you to everyone that has taken part, it has been wonderful to see your creativity. - Lavalamp.

Sherlock When I first heard about the BBC doing a Sherlock show that was set in contemporary London I was anything but thrilled. Having read the stories many times since my early childhood I was skeptical if it would be possible to transport the charm and arrogance and mystery of one of the most iconic fictional detectives of all times. Turns out it was. The show stuck to the original character constellation of Holmes, the arrogant yet likable genius, and Watson, the relatable everyman and perfect companion. Casting Cumberbatch and Freeman was a brilliant choice; they have chemistry as a duo and at the same time manage to portray two individuals who just happen to meet each other. The plots of the episodes are handled pretty great: titles as well as stories keep some of the original cases as well as add their own unique and very contemporary twist. I had never imagined seeing Sherlock work so great in a modern setting. Use of technology to solve the mysteries as well as to enhance the characters is creative and well integrated into the bigger whole of the show. The writing and directing are above average, it is fascinating to see the means which the makers have come up with to create a world that manages to unite a Victorian character with up-to-date technology and contemporary issues. As far as episodes go I find that The Reichenbachfall is easily the best; it is intense to a degree where it gets physically painful to watch it. The ending is mind-blowing and leaves many questions unanswered, fans around the world are eagerly waiting for the start of series three this fall. That said, if you don’t like crime shows and if solving puzzles and mysteries isn’t your cup of tea this show will probably not do a lot for you; though you might find that just the characters interest you enough to tune in. I’d definitely recommend this show to readers of the original stories as well as newcomers to the world of Sherlock. I won’t even attempt a rating as I would simply give this show ALL the stars that are out there in the universe.

Lana (Alpha Bitch)

I chose this piece that I wrote in 2005 while in hospital, I entered it into a creative competition on Ryl and to my surprise and delight I got into the top 5! So I thought it would be good to use it for this (if it's not too triggering), I have rewritten it since and also people can hear me sing it at here on soundcloud if its not appropriate I understand. I'm going to work on the book review now. You've got scars, I'm alarmed You've got scars, all over your arms You've got tears on your face I've got tears, cos you're all over the place I want to love you I want to need you Got to help you Got to see this thorugh I see hope is here Deep in my heart I see hope is there Inside your eyes You've got scars, I'm alarmed You've got scars, all over your arms I see blood, on your wrist You see hurt, cos I'm in a twist I want to love you I want to need you Got to help you Got to see this through Worst night of your life Left all alone You push me away Nothing to say I see it in your eyes I see it in your eyes The pain you feel inside I see it in your eyes I see it in your eyes The pain you feel inside Inside I want to love you I want to need you Got to help you

Got to see this through I see hope is here Deep in my heart I see hope is there Inside your eyes I want to love you I want to need you Got to help you Go to see this through Worst night of your life Left all alone You'll get through this one day I'll show you the way

Nikki (Nikki Kaulitz)

Golden Boy by Abagail Tarttelin

This book tells the story of Max Walker, a 16 year old boy who appears to be the "golden boy" of his town. His parents are well known also. However, Max's family have a secret; Max is in fact intersex, which means he is both male and female. When a close family friend sexually abuses Max, it is to have consequences for the whole family, as Max struggles to come to terms with just what or who he actually is. This story is told from Max, his girlfriend, his brother and his parent's points of view. Some of Max's thoughts and feelings struck a chord with me. Who are we really? What makes us "us"? All in all they tell what I thought to be an important book for this day and age, as it deals with what might be considered "abnormal" gender issues. It was very informative and enlightening. I also felt it to be in the style of Jodi Picoult, as in dealing with serious issues head on. This is a book which will stay with me for a long time to come and I would highly recommended it.

Nikki (Nikki Kaulitz)

Photography Competition

The theme for this issues photography competition was: Colour. We asked members to submit a piece of their photography that they felt fit the theme. The response was overwhelming and it was fantastic seeing all the entries that were submitted. The eZine team voted for the winners and here they are: 1st place goes to Too Shy:

"Apologies for the Christmas photo in August...! I love Christmas though, it is my favourite times of year by far. I love all the tinsel, sparkly things, decorations, just the atmosphere, it makes me so happy. :) This was 2011, which was an absolutely awful year and I wasn't looking forward to Christmas, but I was playing with the camera on Christmas Eve, shaking it while I was taking pictures, and I liked the effect!" 37

2nd place goes to On.My.Way:

3rd place goes to Sans Peur:

Thank you to everyone that took part, all the entries were brilliant and it was incredibly hard picking the winners. If you didn't win this time, don't be discouraged, there is always next issue!

- Lavalamp.

1. What is your name? Crybaa (real name Marshmallow) 2. What are you? A tabby cat 3. What is your human's name? Nikki (Nikki Kaulitz) 4. What is your favourite food? Chicken and ham 5. What do you do in your spare time? Sleep, eat and hunt 6. If you could be any human, which human would you be, and why? Bill Kaulitz cos then mammy would kiss nd cuddle me even more 7. What do you love? My mammy, food, sleep, the human's beds, being cuddled, hunting 8. What do you hate? The Hoover, hair dryers, the noise of bottles opening and the noise of tin foil 9. What is your favourite thing about yourself? I is just awesome 10. What makes you unique? I never shut up, hence my name! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------

1. What is your name? Yin Yang. 2. What are you? A beautiful black and white kitty. 3. What is your human's name? Liv (Griddlebone) although in reality I have no owner! 4. What is your favourite food? Prawns and chicken. 5. What do you do in your spare time? Scale buildings to walk on roofs, pretend I want tummy rubs when really I want to savage hands, hunt, climb, nap, scratch the catnip box, sleep, eat. 6. If you could be any human, which human would you be, and why? The Queen, I already rule my own house, now for the rest of the country! 7. What do you love? Sleeping on radiators, being a ninja, neatly ripping through cling-film, shredding newspapers, pouncing, killing mice, fraternising with the ginger tom down the road, rolling in dirt, cleaning, sleeping on people's clothes, nipping (its called kitty kissing!), walking on my lead. 8. What do you hate? My son throwing his considerable weight around, being picked up, people prodding my back legs (my hips pop out sometimes!), harvest mites, the vet, injections. 9. What is your favourite thing about yourself? Even after 3 children I still have a petite figure, I'm really tall on my hind legs and my coat is really unique. 10. What makes you unique? I am extremely clever, I can open locked cat flaps and when I want to come inside, I knock on windows!

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1. What is your name? Fudge 2. What are you? I am a Beautiful Syrian Hamster 3. What is your human's name? Hannah (Ghosted Liberation) 4. What is your favourite food? Baby food, my human gives me a little frozen baby food when it's a hot day. 5. What do you do in your spare time? I like to sleep, run on my wheel, climb, shout at my brother (his cage is on top of mine) Eat and then Sleep some more. 6. If you could be any human, which human would you be, and why? I would be my human because she has a huge bed and gets to go to the outside place. 7. What do you love? Cuddling with my human, eating, sleeping, running on my wheel and running around on the floor. I also love chocolate drops but I'm not allowed many. 8. What do you hate? Not being allowed as many chocolate drops as I want!!! 9. What is your favourite thing about yourself? I love my fur because my human always tells me how beautiful it is. 10. What makes you unique? My human has 2 other hamsters and I am the only one who snuggles her face when she's upset. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- --

1. What is your name? Sootie 2. What are you? A labrador/staffordshire bull terrier cross :D 3. What is your human's name? Chelsey (Taraxacum) 4. What is your favourite food? Chicken 5. What do you do in your spare time? Chase squirrels, nom bones, play rugby, give kisses, jump out of the window to chase more squirrels and I play Baby sitter to my Hooman's nephew :P 6. If you could be any human, which human would you be, and why? Bradley Davies because he's a Welsh Rugby Union captain and I love to play rugby :D 7. What do you love? Nomming bones, scaring the postman, my hoomans, chicken, small hoomans, baths, playing rugby (did I mention that?) 8. What do you hate? Thunder, lots of sun, getting thorns in my paws and sometimes my hips dislocate. I don't like that at all :( And I'm a rescue dog and my jaw was wired shut so I have lots of blisters and scars that still bleed sometimes. I don't like it when they hurt and bleed :( 9. What is your favourite thing about yourself? My funny ears :D Sometimes they stand up like an alsations, sometimes they're floppy but they're always really soft and strokable! 10. What makes you unique? I'm a staffie-lab crossed rescue dog that keeps Chelsey happy :D ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------

Pink is so not my colour!

My "stroke me" look!

â&#x20AC;Śâ&#x20AC;Ś and sleep! My "zoned out" look!

1. What is your name? Harry 2. What are you? A very special beige pussycat! 3. What is your human's name? Rowie (~Grace~) 4. What is your favourite food? The neighbours fish and mature cheddar cheese. 5. What do you do in your spare time? scratch owners rug, get given scratch post, scratch owners rug "0n repeat", sit and stare at owners or where the treats are until they get the message (they are so slow at times!) rest in shady part of garden, search for frogs and chase flies 6. If you could be any human, which human would you be, and why? I'd like to be Bear Gryll ''Cat versus nature'' (see what I did there?). Ive been in a rescue aid shelter for a year. Id like to brush up my hunting skills. Try new feasts, and ways to camouflage my body...become the cat who brings treats home for my owner. 7. What do you love? pawing and pummelling my owner. Snuggling and having cuddles. That first contact in the morning and a good tummy rub. To go trotting over to my owner when she's hanging the washing out...she always stops for me. That is real devotion...and more tummy rubs. 8. What do you hate? An empty food bowl!! Being rubbed dry if ive been playing in the rain, or the neighbours fishpond. 9. What is your favourite thing about yourself? Im an all round kind of cat. likeable (I hope) Ive been through difficult times and ive survived. 10. What makes you unique? That I am who I am and I still feel loved and wanted. I also have a special skill. I have learnt to scoop and drag....scoop under the edge of pond and drag... My owner thinks im beige. I am a 'toned down ginger'

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1. What is your name? Sweep. 2. What are you? I'm a cat! 3. What is your human's name? Amy (GlitterTrashDoll) 4. What is your favourite food? I love to eat fish, it's so tasty! And Milk! Milk is my favourite to have. 5. What do you do in your spare time? I love napping, especially in my favourite spot on the back of the sofa. My human laughs at me because i've moulded it to my shape so it's comfy! 6. If you could be any human, which human would you be, and why? Some kind of celebrity, but one that doesn't do much. Because I like getting my own way and having lots of attention but i like being lazy. 7. What do you love? Napping! and I love when i'm given milk and then have my belly tickled. I always walk up to my human and flop down and on to my back so they have to tickle me! I love it! 8. What do you hate? Loud noises and the hoover. It's really loud and big and it could eat me! My human laughs at me when I run away from it and hide upstairs. I think it's evil though! I don't like some of the other cats that live near me either, they can be really mean! 9. What is your favourite thing about yourself? My chubby cheeks and my eyes, i can get away with anything! I really like my voice, humans always tell me I have a cute meow that makes me sound like a kitten even though i'm a big boy now! 10. What makes you unique? I like my belly being tickled, other cats I know don't like that and I don't know why because it feels really nice! I'm really clever too, I know how to ask for things I want - like going outside and asking for food or a drink, or if i'm lucky I get a yummy treat!

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1. What is your name? Vincent 2. What are you? A Blue Tongue Skink 3. What is your human's name? Flem (Flem Fatale) 4. What is your favourite food? Snails 5. What do you do in your spare time? Bask under my heat lamp and occasionally eat some wormies but I don't really like the ones I have been getting at the moment much. 6. If you could be any human, which human would you be, and why? I wouldn't want to be a human I don't think. My human gives me lots of nice snails. 7. What do you love? Basking, sleeping, eating snails, shedding my skin. I also rather enjoy sitting on my human's head and being up high. 8. What do you hate? I don't like it when my human cleans out my tank because I get scared that something will get me when the branches are taken out. 9. What is your favourite thing about yourself? My bright blue tongue because it's cool. 10. What makes you unique? I like to kind of snort air through my nose sometimes. My human thinks it sounds cute.

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1. What is your name? My name is Sky, and I'm part of 'Flash's Place Rabble'- There's too many of us to do all of us individually (17), so we'll do it this way, that way it's fair, although I'm writing because I'm the most important. 2. What are you? I'm a very proud and beautiful rabbit- the rest of the Rabble are also rabbits, mostly with disabilities, medical conditions or special needs that our large funny shaped rabbit brought home to make better. 3. What is your human's name? We don't have a 'human' or whatever you call it, we just have a rather large rabbit leading us, but she doesn't have any long ears or a tail and she's quite naked and has to cover herself with something she calls 'clothes' because she doesn't have proper fur. She is apparently called "Trace" - whatever that means! 4. What is your favourite food? At the mo, I'm up for anything, but I nom grass all day long. I love my pellets and after my meds I get a craisin which is the ultimate treat- as a rabbit I'm supposed to eat 80-90% hay but I'm severely allergic so I can only eat grass. The large funny looking rabbit cut it for me with scissors. the rest of the Rabble love their hay and readigrass. For a super treat we are allowed a teeny weeny bit of banana which is lush. 5. What do you do in your spare time? I like to get into trouble, as does everyone else. Mostly, doing anything I know I shouldn't be doing because that's much more fun. I love to run in the massive run in the garden. I like to lick my big funny shaped rabbit, and I love it even more when she grooms me back. Now I'm old and ill I sleep a lot, but that means I have a lot of energy for doing all naughty things. 6. If you could be any human, which human would you be, and why? I don't know what this human is you speak of, because I don't think outside of my little world. Quite happy as I am. 7. What do you love? Oops, I answered this to the other one. I've always been different. But I love my large, funny shaped rabbit- she is my bonded friend and I want to be with her all the time but she leaves me to go to work and see the other bunnies! How Rude! 8. What do you hate? We all hate the other rabbits we don't live with, our large rabbit cheats on us with them! I can't stand Piriton or my nebuliser. Some of us don't like the car, NONE of us liked the vaccination we had last week! Mostly life is good and we are not subject to things we don't like (oh and Sunny says she can't STAND being held). 9. What is your favourite thing about yourself? What's not to like? We're all awesome! 10. What makes you unique? Ha ha, not many bunnies have an allergy to hay! I've always been awkward and ridiculous. But I'm happy that way.

Message from Trace: "My wonderful friend Sky was battling cancer while answering these questions - he never said as we didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t tell him. We helped him to Rainbow Bridge on Wednesday 28th August 2013. Binky Free my Very Best Friend."

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1. What is your name? Leafy. 2. What are you? I'm a Spider Plant. 3. What is your human's name? My humans name is Mike (FabulousMike). 4. What is your favourite food? My favourite food is water and sunlight. 5. If you could be any human, which human would you be? I'm not totally sure, maybe Mike my owner, he seems pretty cool. 6. What do you love? I love just chilling out and watching the world go by. 7. What do you hate? I hate being alone at a night time when my owner is sleeping. 8. What is your favourite thing about yourself? Well, my greenness, I like how green I am. 9. What makes you unique? Well, i'm a plant.....

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1. What is your name? My name is Webby Webb 2. What are you? I am a Snowshoe Siamese brat cat 3. What is your human's name? My human's name is Lilly, but I call her Meow. I figure if I say her name enough, she might do her job and make sure my dish is full (to the rim, no less) 4. What is your favourite food? I just love some tuna juice. I could drink that stuff down all day. A girls gotta keep her shape, huh? Tuna juice is good for a girl, right? Should slim me down some? 5. What do you do in your spare time? Spare time? I have spare time? When? I have to constantly remind Meow to make sure that dish is totally full! She thinks it can stay partially full. What good is a deep dish if you aren't going to use the depth of it and keep it full? I mean come on.....I guess I do manage to get some good naps in. After that dish is filled that is.... 6. If you could be any human, which human would you be, and why? A human? I dont think I wanna be a human. I like being a boss. Cats are bosses. Yea, I wanna be a cat. But if I had to be a human, I would be a therapist personâ&#x20AC;Ś and definitely one that did hypnosis. That way, I could hypnotize others to feed me.. 7. What do you love? I love those things my Momma puts down. She calls them cardboard. I love to sharpen my nails on them. They get nice and sharp. My Momma did say if I get them too much sharper, I am going to get fake nails. I wonder if they are like the fake nails that humans get? Momma says they are called soft paws. I dont know. Momma better be treating me right.... 8. What do you hate? I hate when people don't pay attention to me. I AM the master queen after all! People shall obey me! 9. What is your favourite thing about yourself? My favorite thing about myself? Everything's awesome about me, so you must be joking right? Well, I guess if I really had to pick one thing, it would have to be my coat. It is so nice and shiny. 10. What makes you unique? I am the most unique because I have the funniest voice ever. I have to make my meow sound go into two whole separate syllables. Most people laugh at me, but I am the queen, you shant laugh, you shall listen! Ya hear? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------

1. What is your name? Mandy 2. What are you? Tabby cat 3. What is your human's name? - Emma (Lavalamp.) and Jocelyn ([Awakening]). 4. What is your favourite food? Fish and chicken 5. What do you do in your spare time? Sleep, chase flies and spiders, sleep, eat, poop, sleep, run around, climb, sleep .. Did I say sleep? 6. If you could be any human, which human would you be, and why? I would be the Queen. Everyone should worship me. 7. What do you love? Being stroked, being fed, eating food from my humans plate, sun-bathing, playing with my toy mice, attention, sleep, having my tummy tickled, sleeping in warm places like on top of the laptop or on my humans face. 8. What do you hate? Being woken up, when my human picks my nose, going outdoors, not being fed, going to the vets. 9. What is your favourite thing about yourself? I love everything about myself, I'm amazing! 10. What makes you unique? I have a bit of my ear missing from when the humans had pet rats and one of them took a bite when I was playing with her. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1. What is your name? Sophie (on the left) 2. What are you? My human mum was told i'm a West Highland/Cairn Terrier but when you look at them and at me, i think i have part Maltese Terrier in me somewhere. 3. What is your human's name? I have several humans in my life but the person who took me home at 8 weeks is called Dianne. 4. What is your favourite food? Cookies. 5. What do you do in your spare time? I talk to the birds telling them that it's my backyard and not theirs and when they don't listen, i chase them away. I also follow my humans around when they have food, hoping they will drop some on the floor for me. 6. If you could be any human, which human would you be, and why? I don't really know. 7. What do you love? Breakfast time, because i get a biscuit from each of my humans that live in the same house i do, so that 3 biscuits. I also love cuddles and sitting on the couch even though I'm not supposed to. 8. What do you hate? I hate bath time, when Arrow walks over me, thunder storms, other loud noises and having hair cuts because my fur doesn't fall out. 9. What is your favourite thing about yourself? How quickly i learned a recent trick i was taught by one of the humans that love me. I was taught to lick my lips when they say "lick your lips". 10. What makes you unique? Although i am very clever when it come to tricks, i am also very cheeky and steal my humans slippers and socks.

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1. What is your name? Buddy 2. What are you? Black Lab/Springer cross 3. What is your human's name? Kymmie (Myimmortalgirl) 4. What is your favourite food? Anything 5. What do you do in your spare time? Eat sleep, Bark at cats, Sleep, Play, sleep, sleep, play some more 6. If you could be any human, which human would you be, and why? Probably someone in royalty as I can be a bit of a snob 7. What do you love? Napping, eating, being lazy, cuddles with the humans, being fussed over 8. What do you hate? Bath time, no one paying me attention, having my ears cleaned, being left alone 9. What is your favourite thing about yourself? My ears and eyes ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -----------------------------------

1. What is your name? Angel 2. What are you? I am a staffy 3. What is your human's name? Mich (Cheeky_Monkey) 4. What is your favourite food? Chocolate for dogs. 5. What do you do in your spare time? I love going on walks, Sleeping :) 6. If you could be any human, which human would you be, and why? I would be a little girl, because little girls are cute 7. What do you love? Being with my mum I adore cuddles 8. What do you hate? I don't like being left alone. 9. What is your favourite thing about yourself? My mum loves me 10. What makes you unique? I always make mummy happy when she's sad ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -----------------------------------

1. What is your name? Muffin 2. What are you? A gorgeous ginger guinea pig! 3. What is your human's name? Steph (Kyaneos) 4. What is your favourite food? Cucumber 5. What do you do in your spare time? Nap, eat hay, nap, bicker with my brother, nap some more, eat more, and if I get any more time I do enjoy a good nap! 6. If you could be any human, which human would you be, and why? Baby Prince George, because he is getting far more attention than me at the moment, and I don't like it! 7. What do you love? Napping, eating hay, eating grass, being lazy, popcorning, veggie time, lunch time, clean cage days, cuddles with the humans, grazing in my run, being fussed over, running through tubes. 8. What do you hate? Bath time, the hoover, thunder storms, other loud noises, my brother stealing my veggies, when my human takes too long feeding me even though I have perfected the art of climbing up the edge of my cage, when the other guinea pigs get fed before me, when people make fun of my (apparently) comically large testicles! 9. What is your favourite thing about yourself? My nose and lips, because they make the humans smile and get me lots of attention, apparently my yawns are really cute too! 10. What makes you unique? I am a big chunky monkey! The biggest of all my brothers!

Steph (Kyaneos)

Tomb Raider: Reboot

Tomb Raider: Reboot is the latest game featuring Lara Croft, it came out early this year after much anticipation and excitement. The game is set before any of the other games. It’s the story of how Lara Croft became who she is today and how she learnt her skills to fight, climb and be the action girl we all know her to be. The big thing about this game is that there is no loading screens, it’s just one continuous movie with cut scenes that flow so smoothly between game play and cinematics that you don’t realise it’s time to play, until you notice the character has stopped moving and is waiting for you to control her. The graphics are simply beautiful, and the small details make the game breath taking, whether It be the rain and blood hitting the camera as if you are actually there, or simply the way Lara movies and speaks – it’s so flawless and an absolutely joy to play. The storyline is brilliant and makes you want to keep going. As always, there are secrets to be found – even secret tombs, which all help Lara develop her character to make her the woman she is today. A big selling point of this game is, when you begin, Lara has no weapons and doesn’t know anything about survival. You have to find the weapons, and continue to find scrap in order to improve and upgrade your weapons to help you make your way through the way. As you play Lara gains skills, such as climbing and fighting which help you as the quest gets harder in the game. I give this game a 10/10. A definitive must have and one of the big games from 2013, that can be played again and again as you discover new things each time you play, this game just leaves you wanting more. -

Amy (GlitterTrashDoll)

Palladion

What's your name - Christine How old are you - 20 (If the eZine comes out after July 31st though I'll be 21) Where are you from - London What inspires you the most? I feel that I gain inspiration from lots of different places, music, books, films but most of all I would say other people in general. Hearing stories of amazing people who are so full of kindness really inspire me to become a better person. What gives you strength and motivation? I would definitely say my friends give me a lot of strength and were instrumental in my recovery by supporting me and providing me with a lot of motivation even though in reality they knew very little about the issues I was facing. Good friends can be hard to find but I feel so lucky to be surrounded by such a large group of wonderful people I get to call my friends. Three things that make you smile no matter what? My pet dog, she is so silly and always makes me laugh. My best friend who is the funniest person I have ever met, and animals in general. I love all animals. What are three positive things you like about yourself? My optimism, my sense of compassion and my friendliness. What is the best piece of advice you could give someone? I think the best advice I could give would be to always try and see the positives of a situation. There is often little you can do by being negative so why not turn a bad situation around into a positive. I started doing this around three years ago and I have found that I'm a happier, generally more optimistic person because of it. What animal would you be and why? I would be a bird, I would love to be able to fly whenever I wanted :) What three items would you take on a deserted island and why? I would take the book Looking for Alaska, as it's my favourite book and I couldn't face never being 47

able to read it again. A photo album so I could see pictures of my friends and family each day, and an Ipod with all my favourite songs because I listen to music every day. If you could combine two animals what would they be? Hmm I would probably combine gorillas or any other endangered species, with chameleons so they could camouflage themselves better to avoid hunters. If you could have any superpower what would it be and why? Teleportation. How cool would it be to instantly go anywhere in the world. No more airports, or long, uncomfortable flights. It would be amazing! What is your dream career and why? My dream career would be a wildlife rehabilitator. I'm actually going to Canada to work as a volunteer rehabilitator with bears and other wildlife in a few weeks, I might already be there by the time this comes out.

Rainbow_Dash

What's your name? Katie =] How old are you? I'm 23, 24 this year. Where are you from? Well I'm from Kendal in Cumbria, United Kingdom but currently living in Montpelier, Vermont with my fiance Richard. What inspires you the most? People who have been through terrible things & yet still come through & have a smile on their face. Those people are inspirational to me. What gives you strength and motivation? My fiance, Richard, & my best friend Leighanna & my mother. They are always there for me when I need them. When I'm going through rough patches I can always count on them. What three things make you smile no matter what? Seeing the children on the psych ward where I work, Karaoke and My fiancĂŠ

What are three positive things you like about yourself? I like my hair, the fact that I am a good listener & that I am more confident than I used to be What is the best piece of advice you could give someone? To never give up, ever. Things may be bad but there is always a silver lining, there's always a reason to keep fighting. What animal would you be and why? A cat... imagine all that sleep, & free food! Bliss! What three items would you take on a desert island and why? Kindle, xylophone (to make music, would be pretty dull otherwise), & my iPhone If you could combine two animals, what would they be? Oh gosh, hard question. I think, it would be an eagle & a lion. A griffon. Just so I could kill my enemies, you know. :P If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why? Ability to fly, to travel to other countries for free. What is your dream career and why? I'm already doing what I love. I work in a children's psychiatric ward & do art therapy, cooking, karaoke etc with the patients. Just to help them forget why they are in there, help them to have fun. It's an extremely rewarding job, one I love very much. I'm also an author & do have a publishing deal, but my first book is yet to be published (early next year). Those are my two dream careers, I feel blessed to be doing what I've always dreamed about already ~

Akita

What's your name? My name is Andrea. How old are you? I am in my 38th year. Where are you from? I live in Melbourne, Australia. What inspires you the most? My mum inspires me because she beat breast cancer. It's probably a bit soppy but that's my reason why. 49

What gives you strength and motivation? Being supported through the hard times i experience. Knowing that i'm supported gives me the strength to fight through them. What three things make you smile no matter what? Pictures i see on facebook, my dogs and my friends. What are three positive things you like about yourself? I would say the three positive things i like about myself are, the colour of my eyes (they are blue/grey), i'm a friendly person and i think i'm a great cook. What is the best piece of advice you could give someone? The best piece of advice i could give somebody is probably the advice i was given. Don't hide away in your room and wallow in self pity, come out and get the support your need and deserve. What animal would you be and why? I would be a giraffe, simply because they are tall and i am not. What three items would you take on a desert island and why? I would have to take a book, water and a tent. If you could combine two animals, what would they be? I've spent some time thinking about this before answering and i've come up with giraphant. If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why? I would have the superpower of making short people tall. What is your dream career and why My dream career used to be that i wanted to be a child carer because i loved kids so much, but now i'm not so sure what i want to do as a career. ~

Thumbelina

What's your name? Sarah How old are you? 25 50

Where are you from? Near Manchester but have lived in Yorkshire for the last 7 years What inspires you the most? The thought that tomorrow I could see something amazing and new. What gives you strength and motivation? Friends, family and strangers. I’ve met some fantastic people from all walks of life and excited by the prospect that these are just the first people I’m to meet, I’ve hopefully got 50 years of meeting new and interesting people ahead of me. What three things make you smile no matter what? 1. My 3 year old niece, she is amazing with infectious energy that never fails to brighten up even the darkest days. 2. Stationary!! Coloured pens, paper, crayons, folders! I geek off on it all! 3. The word “curtains” don’t know why but I find this word hilarious! What are three positive things you like about yourself? 1. My half mutant status - ginger hair but brown eyes! 2. Being pint sized and enjoying the perks of being a grown up whilst still being able to squeeze around play centres with my niece 3. I’m a rather driven and determined person and through the opportunities it has opened up to me have met some great people and friends. What is the best piece of advice you could give someone? If you don’t look after yourself there is no guarantee that someone else will come along to fill the void and always prioritise looking after yourself as your number 1 priority others second because that way you can give more to them. What animal would you be and why? A meerkat! They remind me of my family, we are all rather short, I think there is only 2 inches difference in height between the tallest and shortest. When we are all stood as a group we look like a bunch of meerkats stood on patrol. What three items would you take on a desert island and why? 1. My kindle, would be lost without my portable library 2. Paper and pens. 3. Plenty of tea bags! If you could combine two animals, what would they be? A dragon and a lion If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why? The ability to teleport. I love my own company and I love being there for other friends and family but sometimes I wish I could be unreachable, sat in a cave watching the sun rise for an hour or so. 51

What is your dream career and why? A research scientist. I am currently doing a PhD in chemistry and just love that almost every week I'm doing something different. Discovering stuff that has never been seen or understood before is incredible and certainly makes up for things not working for weeks on end! I have met some remarkable people; my two supervisors are truly inspirational. One of them is well into his 60's but gets properly excited when you show me some new results and gets annoyed when he's made a rare over sight. If after 40 years in science I am even a fraction like him I'll be very happy. ~

Day Tripper

What's your name? Shannon How old are you? 27 Where are you from? California What inspires you the most? At this point, with personal stuff I've been struggling with, it's others managing survival. What gives you strength and motivation? When people make it known they care. Sounds lame but when people show that they care about me it gives me a glimmer of hope and makes me want to push forward. What three things make you smile no matter what? Cuddles, my kitty and pho. What are three positive things you like about yourself? Honesty, empathy and having an open mind. What is the best piece of advice you could give someone? Listen to your gut. A lot of the time it's going to be right. What animal would you be and why? A snake. They're pretty good at hiding, pretty good at escaping, people fear them and leave them alone in most instances. Seems nice.

What three items would you take on a desert island and why? A stocked space station, a friend and my laptop. I'd be set for aaaaaaaages. If you could combine two animals, what would they be? This one is hard. A snake and an elephant. Just because... can you imagine how it would look? If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why? Invisibility. I could freak people out while driving and be able to walk around without being worried about people seeing and judging me. What is your dream career and why? Pharmacist. It's just always interested me.

MyImmortalGirl

What's your name? Kimberley but peeps know me as Kymmie How old are you? 29 and 5months Where are you from? Cornwall What inspires you the most? Music and Sunsets What gives you strength and motivation? Music, Heather Peace, Photography What three things make you smile no matter what? Heather Peace, My best friends, My dogs and Music and also being by the beach What are three positive things you like about yourself? My hair, The fact I have a job and that my family love me for what I am

What is the best piece of advice you could give someone? Never change to please someone else. And Just be true to who you are What animal would you be and why? A dolphin or a Girraffe What three items would you take on a desert island and why? My Ipod, So I could listen to music, Eeoyre teddy as that keeps me safe, and a book so I could write poetry If you could combine two animals, what would they be? A pug dog with a polar bear If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why? I would have the power to speed a day up so It would make work quicker so we could get everything done in an hour. What is your dream career and why? Scriptwriter for Casualty or a Make up Artist for Casualty

Insignificant_one

What's your name? Dawn How old are you? 32 54

Where are you from? Wrexham, North East Wales What inspires you the most? My late uncle. He was at Hiroshima when they dropped the bomb, and suffered such bad radiation that they couldnt x-ray him. He was a POW in an Japanese camp, of which he managed to escape. He was in a jungle in Java and only survived because a monkey fed him a banana. What gives you strength and motivation? I am not sure to be honest. I know I am a fighter and wont let my mental health problems win. Similarly I always fight against SI urges. I dont always win, but at the moment I am (I am currently over 2 years free of SI). What three things make you smile no matter what? My cats, my best friend Lynn and food! What are three positive things you like about yourself? My love of animals, my ability to keep a secret and my artistic ability. What is the best piece of advice you could give someone? Be yourself. Just because you dont live up to other people's expectations doesnt make you a worthless person. What animal would you be and why? A cat because all they do is eat and sleep. What three items would you take on a desert island and why? My ipod, a good book and some decent toilet roll! If you could combine two animals, what would they be? A cat and a horse. If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why? The power to become invisible because I could play practical jokes without being caught! LOL

What is your dream career and why? I am torn between 2 careers. Firstly to become a CPN (which I dont know if it is possible due to my diagnosis). This is because I have a CPN of my own who has helped me immensely and I would like to help others in the same way. Due to my experience of having mental health difficulties I am not scared of the mentally ill. My second choice is to do something with animals, because I have always loved animals since I was little, and I think it should have been my career choice when I left school.

FabulousMike

Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s your name? My name is Michael but mostly everyone calls me Mike. How old are you? 23. Where are you from? I'm from a lovely town called Wrexham in the North of Wales. What inspires you the most? Well, my trade union inspires me the most, it's amazing to see what can be achieved when people unite and work together for a common cause. What gives you strength and motivation? That's a pretty hard one because I do lack motivation sometimes but just knowing i'm doing the right thing and people agree it's the right thing to do, of course i'm not always right about things but when I am it gives me motivation and strength. What three things make you smile no matter what? Well, of course my friends, they always have a skill of making me smile. Things sometimes people say to me can make me smile, like if they tell me i'm doing good at this or that. I can't think of anything else, sorry! What are three positive things you like about yourself? Well again my trade unionism is a really positive things with me, it's helped me soo much and makes me feel better knowing I have brothers and sisters that are always there. Helping people, that's a big 56

one for me, I just love helping people although i've been slacking lately! I can't think of a third, sorry! What is the best piece of advice you could give someone? that would be, if you think it's right then go for it, that could be about anything! What animal would you be and why? Well, I would like to be a cute doggy, dogs are just cool and soo friendly (mostly) and just are cool haha. What three items would you take on a desert island and why? I would take a axe, survival book and something to start a fire, why? BECAUSE I'M BEING SENSIBLE FOR ONCE :P. If you could combine two animals, what would they be? I wouldn't, i'm not a mad scientist :P If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why? It would be cool to be able to go invisible at will, why? because I could get into places for free! What is your dream career and why? My dream career would be a union job (shocked, yes? :P) I just love doing that sort of thing and would make me so happy.

September 2013. Cover by Ami (On.My.Way)