water races down

I needed to be in college about an hour ago, I've also a weeks worth of dishes to do so here I am. It's a grim day weather- wise but I'm on half term so all is well. I've rearranged pictures on the wall and moved some books around.

It's a good day.

Another  Red Cross winner. 

c

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you've gotta feel it on your own

I can go through very dry spells when it comes to music. I get stuck in a rut and listen to the same album on repeat, not really listening to the music or hearing the words. Then I get annoyed that there's 'nothing good to listen to' and frantically seek out something or someone new to give me that soul soothing, full hearted  sensation that reminds me time and time again, that I was wrong.
There is so much to listen to. And then all is right with the world once more.

C
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because the internet

Good Morning.

So glad to see we've all resurfaced and that all is going well for Megan, Sarah and Dee. I can't wait to hear about this first expedition in adulthood with an Undergrad under our belts. (I include you Sarah as a confidence in how swimmingly it'll go for you!)

 I'm still kicking it over here in London with Jam, teaching the tiny people. Come January I'll be here a year! Does that count as 'having lived in London?' legitimately then? Like a true resident I haven't taken advantage of many of the great things the city has to offer. I use my weekends to sleep in and experiment with cooking brunch using what's left in the fridge from the week(very often beans on toast.) If I were one for resolutions, ticking off some must sees would definitely be number one.

We have undertaken challenging construction projects...  

There have been plenty stumbled upon gems however, like this old school French bakery.

It's been a busy term in school finishing up my NQT year and getting into a routine that works for 30 small people and 3 adults who need to spend 6 hours a day together as harmoniously as possible. I hope not to have to eat my words when I say it's been ok so far...cue some blurred classroom pics.

Just understand maths already small folk!

My room was decorated in the summer and feels so...bare.

I've put up and decorated my first fake Christmas tree. The lack of wilting in the branches has been my greatest peeve about the transition  (I do accept that I should have anticipated this.) Winter geansais have been pulled out of the wardrobe and have made a very welcome return to my days and nights. I'll be home Christmas Eve for a few days and fingers crossed that schedules can be aligned so I get to see you all buds!

This years addition to my ever growing jumper collection.

This album blows my mind btw. It's currently on repeat.

Merry Happy Folks!

Ciara

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these days

surprise flowers of a Tuesday

a fine decorative choice

all of the tubes

There's been lots going on round these parts the last few weeks, including lots of the above.

 We came upon an outdoor ping pong table at a nearby park thats much less crowded on sunny weekends and holidays than Greenwich park, so our loyalty has been diverted over there recently. It's fun and free, very little additional explanation needed.

So much Qi in our lives these days. Can't beat a bit of Stephen Fry.

As the Summer holidays near (they're already on break in Ireland now...) Jam's been teasing with summer cocktails when I get home from school. That's a sex on the beach in bed doing school reports... school reports for the first time are a bit of an endless battle I think.

There have been visits from my nearest and dearest and a mandatory trip to the Harry Potter Studios was made. Needless to say we're now re- watching the series.

First school trip done and dusted. No casualties, no (major) tears and no one left behind. Success!

I can't get enough of Tyler these days.

c
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you've got the luck of a Kennedy

It's half term round these parts, and on account of no photographic evidence I've been putting off documenting the goings on in life. But you know what, sometimes theres plenty to say and you don't need pictures to do the talking so here goes.

I got to go home for a few days and celebrate existence with some friends and family. I love trips home that involve lots of favourite people in a short space of time. It did mean driving an hour one way to drive an hour and a half back and make another fifty minute trip back the way I'd gone originally to touch base before my flight, but it was all intentional and all very worth it. My mom cannot be beat when it comes to kindness and generosity. Mother Teresa and my mom are on par. Fact.

I've gone to see everything in cinema. Worth it.

There's been cooking and eating out - Prezzo caesar salad you disappoint. Home made bolognaise however...mmm... I am very lucky to have such a master chef in my life.

It's feeling like summer so I don't know how I'll feel about going back to school on Monday. This is my first summer in far too long spent without plans of epic proportions or galavanting abroad. HB and Chicago were fantastic, but I look forward to London with the man himself. 

Speaking of whom, he's snoozing at the end of the bed and we're due to visit a local comedy club so wake him up and go follow through on those plans I shall.

I've also been listening to Vampire Weekend's new album. LOVE.

WELL DONE SARAH!! so very proud of you for not only making it through CELTA but for doing so well!

C

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I've been thinking bout your face..

Glen Hansard has for a very ling time long been one of my most favourite people. Since Oxegen 2005 if we're being specific. The Frames, The Swell Season and his solo work have accompanied me through lots of highs and lows, several ages and school years and inumeral bus trips. His lyrics are written on book covers, folders, in notebooks, on scraps of paper and when I had bunkbeds I used to write the lyrics from 'The Cost' underneath the top bunk...(where my Mom wouldn't be inclined to notice...clever thinking or what.)
I thought of him again when I was flicking through liked videos on youtube and it revived all those feelings I have for his music. It's nice to revisit, it's been a while.

I've seen him play live a few times with and without the rest of the band (I'll always consider The Frames to be his rightful home) and I've been lucky enough to meet him on a few occasions. He's always been so gracious and charming and generous enough to give his time to talk to an underage superfan. What a great man.

There's a particularly unflattering photo to accompany the story of my first time meeting him but I was 16, only in town because I was on the way to the orthodontist and it was a Wednesday so I was fully school- uniformed and also, it was raining. That's never gracing the internet.
Key things to note however are that he told me he liked my shoes, ( I was wearing checkered Vans) he put my name on the guestlist for the gig that night and I sat third row from the front, with my school bag in tow and haven't forgotten it since.

This is a particular favourite. It brings back all of the memories.

He says such wise things. 

C

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I feel it in my bones.

I feel really very lucky to have been able to visit and live in (albeit briefly) a small handful of exciting places in my years to date. I've travelled to at least as many cities as my age, seen more sights than I can remember offhand and experienced uncontrollable laughing bouts with buddies, quiet strolls in some of the worlds most bustling cities and watched the world go by half a dozen time zones.

Love these weigh ups.

 you heard it there first.

but Wimbledon...

this one time, in Chicago.

C

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My head told my heart...

When I find myself with some spare change at the bottom of my bag after bills/ rent/ food/ bus fare have been paid for I don't usually spend it on clothes or necessities I've been in need of for weeks, it's not a deep, meaningful, philosophical motivation but I tend to spend it on books.
When I visit a place I like to pick up a book, and by dating and noting it's point of purchase it becomes my souvenir of choice.


When I see a mountain of books in a second hand shop, I basically have to buy one or my mind won't let me sleep for a few days.

 So today when I passed by the red cross store after spending all morning in the bank I popped in and added to the growing pile of yet to be read books on my windowsill.

I've heard such mixed reviews of On The Road that I've never forked out full price for it, but for less than 2 pounds I was quite happy to pick it up. And then when I opened it to write my usual date etc I spotted this little charmer, and in French! I was only weak for it...

I love a good story. I wonder what the story behind this is? And why whoever owned it was okay with parting with it when it was given to them originally with love.. and whether they gave it away forgetting where they had gotten it! or if it was time to let this old love go..

I just really want to know. Like, really.

C
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State of Illinoise

I solemny swear that i am up to no good  I will provide a full update very soon. I have been lazy, there's no other way to put it and so this charming space has become neglected on my part.
Let me leave you with a few nuggets to bide my time.

• Chicago is a most beautiful city full of some great people. There is water, city, laughs, lake, GF sprinkles cupcakes, Intelligentsia coffee, old smell second hand books for less than a quarter, sun, rain, laughs, trains with spectacular views, trains with zero views, colours, singing, bikes, cab rides across town for half the cost you'd spend at home, Walgreens on every corner, laughs, pretty streets and polite homeless folk who you can't help but return to with a sandwich, sushi, korean food, bus weirdos, McDonalds, dive bars and LOLLA.

Lichtenstein at the Institute

View from the lake

View of LakeShore Dr from the Hancock

Shedd Aquarium

At the Bean

• I had a great summer for music. These types of summers are my favourite.  rekindled my love for many and found some new favourites. Here are a few:

• Now I'm home it's time to face the real world. Let's see how this endeavour goes..

C 

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13 Lovely Things to Enjoy #2 (+1 for Ciara)

Fast forward a week and a half and I'm still REALLY stressed. I have today to finish off my thesis. I was wearing the scent of shame and acute procrastination yesterday resulting from a rather disastrous evening out and thus, felt sorry for myself under my duvet, eating popcorn and watching Community, Graham Norton and Ferris Bueller's Day Off (which *shockhorror* I had never seen before). Now I have a whole chapter on analysis and recommendations for my 13,000 word whopper of a Final Year Project to submit to my supervisor by tomorrow. It's not looking good for me so please pray. I need a bit of a break from the stress of it before I tear my (newly-dyed-black) hair out so here are "13 Lovely Things to Enjoy #2".

#1: It's an alarm clock AND a grill. Imagine how much more motivated you'd be getting up every morning... And it couldn't possibly be dangerous... right...?

#2: Forced perspective is a photography style that is quite hard to achieve but I think you'll agree it works beautifully here.

#3: Play this. Going to the beach. With your friends. With the sun beating down. And the windows rolled down. 

#4: Found this gem written on a "Tree of Wishes" at Electric Picnic 2011.  Good man John.

#5:  Creativity is where you make it.

#6: I have rekindled my love for Blackadder as of late.

#7: Childish Gambino a.k.a. actor, tv writer and comedian Donald Glover absolutely KILLED at Coachella last weekend with this mix of Adele's "Rolling in the Deep" with samples of John Legend and Jamie xx's' takes on it. 

#8: View from below.

#9:  Always a mistake. Trust me.

#10: Judi Dench, back in the day. Stunner.

#11: Classic funny animal picture. Give it a second.

#12: He's been to jail. He knows what he is talking about.

#13: And finally from the "Two Ronnies"...

 

Cheers to tumblr and stumbleupon for these gems. Now back to this soul-wrenchingly slow research and writing process. See ye at the other side.

P.S. Congratulations and commiserations to Ciara on a/ finishing her Bachelor's Degree when it feels like yesterday we first met in Rang Ailis and b/ sorting out Ch- town for the summer. You've got to do it for Ferris! 

S

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so thats college then..

Today was my last day of lectures in my undergrad. I had an exam and an essay to submit, how memorable. These are some of my favourites on our last day..we're from far and wide so the effortlessness of seeing each other in college makes me forget that this will require effort from here on out. boo. 

 chicago deets

Childish Gambino  plays on the 9th of May Bruce  is playing in Dublin in July and Chicago in September. I go the end of May, I come back the end of August.This is my response:

c

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I was in love with the place, in my mind

I don't understand this new blogger layout... aaaahhhhhh.

FYI I'm spending the summer in Chicago this summer, right from June through August and I think I may die with excitement. Gotta love leaving the country, especially for the charming feeling it brings when you come home to friends and the famo. Absense makes the heart grow fonder etc etc etc 

If registration wasn't full and I could run I would totes do The Color Run  Doesn't it look unreal!? (via cakies

 she's mentioned she's doing it in SoCal! what a spot..)

I have a million assignments to do for the week after next. Please pray this goes smoothly. I am not efficient in these things. 

Since I started driving I've become such a radio person. Particularly in the morning, cannot beat a bit of Ray D'Arcy and Ray Foley. I hope MEGAN DEE and SARAH haven't lost the love for Irish radio.. we do alot of talking compared to other countries.... but we do it so Well!!

In  other news..

via..

Mad Men is back! I am particularly happy about this. 

via..

It doesn't seem like two years since I was in Dingle 'next parish America', isn't it pretty? 

via..

Or almost a year since I saw MGMT on the beach in California. 

via..

And this of course speaks for itself.

Gotta love tumblr. 

mwah mwah 

c

you're just jealous cause we're young and in love

Can we all please just pause for a minute and acknowledge the absolute greatness that this picture of a photo of my beloved grandparents exudes? Just study it for a while. This was before they were married and were just young and in love, how it should be. Round about 1940 or so.

I'm back to college next week..cannot wait! It's my last semester too..saywhaaaaat, I know. I can hardly believe it either. Then I'm out in the real world and able to teach all the babies? I never really thought the day would come. Let's hope this is a fun one. Won't be the same without ye Dee and Sarah! 

I've been listening to alot of Brand New again recently. I used to listen to them ALL THE TIME when I was 16. And then I got to see them and felt my life was complete.

And it partially was.

All so very nostalgic all of a sudden.

woo.

c

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i came i saw i conquered

Santa came. I did well and scooped some lovely surprises, like a mini cupcake maker, not one but two pretty rad hats, a festively baubled jumper and a collection of Roald Dahl books. (for research purposes..obv.) 

Hope Christmas everywhere else was enjoyed! 

c

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I just can't take it anymore..

I have something I need to share. 

I'm almost obsessed with Taylor Swift. Enchanted rings through my ears for an extended period at least once a day, i'm lucky when it's not more. 

This tends to happen to me alot, songs stick in my head, and I mean Really Stick in there until I can take it no more and almost go so far as to deafen everyone I know and love with the lyrical and musical genius and beauty that is my chosen song for which I have temporary OCD.

Some of the last few songs that have graced the list include..

Foster the People- Pumped up Kicks

The Dodos- Winter

Cat Power- Sea of Love

In Ivory

By the Amazing Carissa of Andrew and Carissa (and now Rinah too!) Love love love everything about these peeps.

and a Christmas favourite..

The Leave Behind- Fort Christmas

Be prepared to be swallowed whole and not let out until you claim mild insanity.

kthanksbye.

c

x 

glas

How about a bit of green from my tumblr? I enjoy pinning but my heart is for now still true to tumbling.

All images reblogged from the wonderous world of tumblr.

c

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