Beong

“Sometimes the right person tells the right story at the right moment, and through a combination of luck and design, a creative expression gains new force.” ― Lin-Manuel Miranda

Feeling 22

June 24, 2020

You know, I have waited my whole life to have that T Swift lyric apply to me. I’m writing this addition of the yearly birthday post while Nottingham looks lush from my bedroom window. The storm outside is a pretty affair, so I wanted to mention it to…

On Nostalgia

May 26, 2020

Nostalgia is a topic I have both written and not-written about, frequently. Perhaps, growing up as a third culture kid, I’m accustomed to pay particular attention to the beginnings and ends as a measure of my own self, relative to the shifting…

Finding Joy 🐠

April 13, 2020

It’s especially difficult to figure out what to write or talk about when there’s a pandemic happening and we’ve all been mostly stuck at home, our usual routines made meaningless and the fragility of life is brought to the forefront. The importance…

Rizidual#01: On Women's Day

March 09, 2020

"Residual is used to describe what remains of something when most of it has gone." Rizidual is what's left over after I'm done trying to write. The ritual of pouring your mind onto a blank word doc is one I come back to frequently. Amid a life that…

Unapologetically, (Hire) Me

March 02, 2020

This is meant to be a short, simple blog post with a short, simple announcement. My usual writing is laden with clumsy magic tricks to let Clarity slip through the trap door in the ground (poets are after all, part-time magicians 🧐), so I’ll be…

A Dream For The Future

January 15, 2020

Over the past few days, I’ve had a thought occur to me, seemingly, out of the blue. I wear many hats (as in the idiom, because I don’t literally wear hats unless you loosely count a hijab as a hat which, let’s be real, is an incorrect classification…

Year In Review (Not)

December 31, 2019

Originally written on Dec 27th, 2019. 2020 is four days away and soon, your extended family will start to send you those stock ‘happy new year’ photos by the billions. Folks will buy discounted fireworks and fall asleep, in impatience to the moment…

All Qs and Doubts

December 11, 2019

(Nottingham-famous, Tom Jepson, has laid out a challenge to create content, daily, for the month of December. This is day eleven. #Dec19ContentChallenge ) I’ve just spent the last 20 minutes scrolling through my Instagram feed of poems, utterly…

wonder

December 10, 2019

(Nottingham-famous, Tom Jepson, has laid out a challenge to create content, daily, for the month of December. This is day ten. #Dec19ContentChallenge ) 10 days into writing daily and I think, today, I have hit the mark of worrying that I no…

Rizanting, i.e. Riz Rants

December 08, 2019

(Nottingham-famous, Tom Jepson, has laid out a challenge to create content, daily, for the month of December. This is day eight. #Dec19ContentChallenge ) And would you look at that! The clock has passed by midnight yet again, and I’m only just…

Life As A Commuter

December 07, 2019

(Nottingham-famous, Tom Jepson, has laid out a challenge to create content, daily, for the month of December. This is day seven. #Dec19ContentChallenge ) As a preface, I’m not hugely Gryffindorian (i.e. courageous, brave, daring etc.). However…

Starry, Starry Night

December 06, 2019

(Nottingham-famous, Tom Jepson, has laid out a challenge to create content, daily, for the month of December. This is day six. #Dec19ContentChallenge ) Welcome back. This is the 6th day you might be reading some words I put together for you…

Jolly One

December 05, 2019

(Nottingham-famous, Tom Jepson, has laid out a challenge to create content, daily, for the month of December. This is day five. #Dec19ContentChallenge ) I went back to reread all my previous four posts to gauge how I’ve been doing on this…

This Isn't New

December 04, 2019

(Nottingham-famous, Tom Jepson, has laid out a challenge to create content, daily, for the month of December. This is day four. #Dec19ContentChallenge ) The thing about writing every day is that your find yourself with the freedom to string…

Tomorrow's A New Day

December 03, 2019

(Nottingham-famous, Tom Jepson, has laid out a challenge to create content, daily, for the month of December. This is day three. #Dec19ContentChallenge ) I feel as if I’m merely floating through some days, Moving, in some direction, without my…

My Mundane Monday

December 02, 2019

(Nottingham-famous, Tom Jepson, has laid out a challenge to create content, daily, for the month of December. This is day two. #Dec19ContentChallenge ) Let’s be real. I’m that person in any public transport that just needs to be using their…

That it's the start of something new

December 02, 2019

(Nottingham-famous, Tom Jepson, has laid out a challenge to create content, daily, for the month of December. This is day one. #Dec19ContentChallenge ) I’ve began and failed, already. It’s 5 minutes past 1AM on Sunday night (or is it Monday…

🎙️ Rizamblings - Episode 11 (Blend In With The Puffs)

November 28, 2019

What a joy it was to chat with my dearest friend, Emma Seward, for this episode. We rambled (and laughed, endlessly..) on doughnuts, bees, hobbies, harry potter, life, words, Hamliton (duh), & loads more. Longest ramble YET! Find our guest: Emma…

Succinctness

November 23, 2019

I seem to arrive back to the statement of ‘I’ve been meaning to write’ as a catapult for inspiration, for it to waltz in for your amusement. See, lately, writing academic reports, has left me feeling, uninspired. I now put thought into only succinct…

🎙️ Rizamblings - Episode 10 (Money Don't Make You Happy)

November 21, 2019

I got to sit down and ramble with my good friend and fellow colleague, Dwayne Codling, for this episode. We rambled on Jamaica, teaching, collaborative work, opportunities, diversity, & yes, also ranted on getting visas...amongst so much more…

Belong, A Poem

November 13, 2019

I’ll get just about six hours of sleep if I manage to finish writing this quicker than I usually do. See, sometimes the words show up at the worst times possible. As I’m sat on my work desk tomorrow, I’ll both lament my missed hours of sleep and…

🎙️ Rizamblings - Episode 9 (Saving Icelandic Hip Hop)

November 07, 2019

I had the remarkable opportunity to sit and ramble with designer/writer/genius Simon Collison for this episode. We rambled on design (and some of the medium’s grimness), poetry (and its significance), New Adventures (which you must attend), Iceland…

🎙️ Rizamblings - Episode 8 (Not A News Channel)

October 30, 2019

A deep dive into Project Function with special guest and fellow Co-Founder, Daryl Cecile. We ramble on orange juice, my issues with saying the word "water", and loads more on our Project Function journey (including a very exciting #PFAnnouncement…

'My Bloody App' — An Intro

October 14, 2019

It’s past midnight yet again on a Saturday night (technically, Sunday morning?). Whilst I had intended to get this written and published much earlier, I appreciate us right now; you, reading this, and I, well, having written it. Forgive this…

Analytical Engine

October 08, 2019

On #AdaLovelaceDay19: “How can I be concise, and accurate? How can I best pass along my intention, my information, to my readers?” (credits) Isn’t that the sole intention with which we pick up a pen to write? To measure into ounces, these thoughts…

Subpar

October 04, 2019

It’s been nice, frankly. Laying letters into a semblance of a blog post. I’ve ran into the act of writing something, anything, yet again…for good reason. A word of caution: This, I type, past midnight on a Friday and while I’m not particularly sleepy…

tryin'

September 24, 2019

Every so often, I take up a blank document and agree with my brain’s demands to pen some prose. See, I’ve gotten too comfortable by staring at blank documents, transforming these into written, wanna-be poems; leaving the discovering of the subject in…

🎙️ Rizamblings - Episode 7 (Some Snazzy Salads)

September 23, 2019

In which, I actually read you an essay. Plus, I dabble on final year of uni, what it means to be a perfectionist and salads that resemble some animals. A mixed bowl; as always. Don't forget to #RizambleAlong on Twitter, find me -> @rizbizkits

settlin'

September 10, 2019

This is me typing into Visual Studio Code during lunch break in a Subway, around the corner: I'm unsure why the muse bothered me on this occasion? I have nothing in particular to say to you, Reader. Perhaps, it was, then, the prospect of settling…

🎙️ Rizamblings - Episode 6 (For Lin-Manuel Miranda)

September 09, 2019

Our guest, (THE) Andrew Seward, rambles along us, making for the longest episode in Rizamblings history. We chat Hamilton, Hufflepuffs and an extra SPECIAL, INSIDE SCOOP on Tech Nottingham from (the man, the myth, the legend) Andrew, himself. Find…

🎙️ Rizamblings - Episode 5 (Melting Into Potatoes)

September 02, 2019

This time we venture into some real talk, with particularly sporadic ramblings on humor, penguins, home etc. i also butcher the pronunciation of naivety...which is unsurprising. Don't forget to #RizambleAlong on Twitter, find me -> @rizbizkits

🎙️ Rizamblings - Episode 4 (Math By Mini Coopers) ft. Jonathan Relf

August 19, 2019

We have our 2nd Guest (and fellow podcaster!), rambling together on podcasting, creativity, buses etc. all whilst sitting in a noisy, neighborhood cafe. Find our guest, Jonathan Relf -> @jbjon Don't forget to #RizambleAlong on Twitter, find me…

🎙️ Rizamblings - Episode 3 (Dumpster Fire Experience) ft. Farhana Akmal

July 31, 2019

We have our first Guest (cough * my sister * cough) and so we ramble on a multitude of random topics ranging from Chernobyl to Spongebob... Don't forget to #RizambleAlong on Twitter, find me -> @rizbizkits

The Kay(e)’s in London — A Recap

July 25, 2019

This is my ramble-y recap of attending and volunteering for Sarah Kay and Phil Kaye Live in London, on 17th July, 2019. You ever looked at a moment whilst in that moment and thought to yourself: How will memory contain this? How will memory alone…

🎙️ Rizamblings - Episode 2 (Saltpots & Soundpicks)

July 14, 2019

RizambleAlong -> hashtag activated. This podcast needs YOU and YOUR decisive brains, metaphorically speaking...of course. (p.s. take a shot every time i say 'AND' 😅) Twitter: @rizbizkits

Beyond Them 20s.

June 29, 2019

So I’m writing this on the train back to Nottingham from Lincoln. A journey I undertook 5 days a week for the past year. And while I’ve begun writing this today I doubt I would ever be able to finish it in one sitting, much less finish it at all…

🎙️ Rizamblings - Episode 1 (Shaky Beginnings)

June 27, 2019

So, yeah? We're doing this. The Announcement, some Introduction, and my mumble-y voice. Like, what more could you want..right?!

My New Adventures 2019

January 31, 2019

Let’s be straight: I’ve never, ever recapped conferences. Words are a messy alternate to the multitude of GIFs that I find, express my most sincere feelings in a much natural way. Whether that’s because I’m 20 and thus influenced by my Millennial…