I’m laying in bed, watching Philosopher’s Stone, and avoiding the important conversation I’ve been meaning to have with myself. It’s an all too common conversation and I’m absolutely dreading the thought of having to have it again. Instead, I’m distracting myself with Harry Potter and all the glorious childhood memories it’s bringing back. Back then, I wasn’t such a confused, neurotic individual. Instead, I was convinced that magick, in all of it’s glory, truly existed. I spent my days pretending I was Alice, searching for the rabbit hole every where I went. When I wasn’t desperately trying to be Alice, I instead created my own characters. I would bribe my younger sister into playing with me, forcing her to live out my imagination in front of any family members who would sit and watch for longer than five minutes. I would write stories, countless stories, about the most bizarre things. Some of them were pretty awful (including one ‘novel’ written aged 5 about a boy called ‘Charlam’. I couldn’t pick between Charlie and Adam, so he was stuck with the name Charlam. There was a whole series about him!) but some of them truly captured my warped imagination and limitless optimism. And thinking about all of this has got me thinking: What happened to our imaginations? Why does all of that magick and wonder have to disappear once we become adults? Why do we need to grow up? I’m not too keen on that school of though. So I’ve had an idea. One that will keep me amused, entertained, and enthralled. Send me your favourite stories of childhood imagination to my inbox. Your stories will remain private unless you express that you want them published on my blog. I’m fascinated to hear your stories. Will we ever grow up? Should we ever have to? Let me know… Don’t be shy!

There's a light in the darkness of everybody's life

So, Monday night was Halloween. I didn't fulfil my fantasy of stealing a baby for the day to dress it up as a Big Mac but I did celebrate the night by heading to the cinema for a special one-day-only screening of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Unfortunately for me, it wasn't one of the epic singalong, dress up as Magenta type screenings, but it was still bloody amazing. Sitting there watching Rocky Horror in its full-screen glory reminded me of so many things: my love for the movie, the genius of Richard O'Brien, and just how much some of those lyrics shaped my childhood.

Over At The Frankenstein Place is, without a doubt, my favourite song from Rocky Horror. More specifically, the line (and title of this blog) "there's a light in the darkness of everybody's life" is my favourite lyric from Rocky Horror. Yes, Time Warp is fun, and Sweet Transvestite is the best character entrance in a film ever, but that one line has stuck in my head for years (which feels odd to say given that I'm only 20). I think it's possibly because of the positivity of it. Or it could be that it tapped into the emotions a person feels whenever they're lonely/depressed/at a bad point. Whatever it was, it stuck with me for a very long time. And hearing it in all it's Susan Sarandon/Barry Bostwick glory on Monday night has inspired me to do something I've been putting off for a long time. Bear with me, it'll turn up eventually. I'm definitely gonna do it this time.

Until then, keep your eyes peeled ;)