The past year

First of all, thanks to Ciara for making the blog pretty and for keeping it alive with lovely content this past year. Secondly, thanks to Megan for reminding me how much fun this blog is as a place to write, rant and rave. Legends.

Well, Dee is ueber busy in college, coping admirably with her final year while balancing a promising career in radio (hi Dee!). Megan too is surviving 4th year superbly and of all of us, is the person I've seen the most since returning from my far-off travels. In fact, we might be going for lunch on Friday! 

Ciara has gone away to be a proper grown-up over the water. I sincerely doubt there is a more fitting city for you, Ciara. I too have been bitten by the book-bug (worm?). One of my New Year's Resolutions was to read more and while I don't have a mantelpiece, I have a window sill full of past loves and a few that are yet to be read. 

My big goal of the year is to read the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy, something I have been putting off since I was 11. That very battered-looking book on the top of Chomsky is the first volume, which I am about 30 pages shy of finishing. Maybe tonight is the night!

The last proper post I, well, posted here concerned the state of panic I had gotten myself into concerning my FYP/Bachelor's Thesis. In the end I did really well, despite being abandoned by my supervisor at the last hurdle. She was utterly useless in the run-up to the deadline and as it turned out I didn't need her counsel in the end, so HA unnamed teacher. Wish I had known that at the time though -  would have saved many exasperating late nights.

That was early April 2012 and it is now late March 2013. Sorry for the big ole absence. I can only ask the forgiveness of anyone who has persevered and checked the blog for signs of life. Thanks for sticking with us, guys. I think all of us can agree that the last year has been mental in very different ways. 

On a slightly somber albeit honest note (for what is a personal blog without a bit of honesty?), I have to say that 2013 was a highly-anticipated year for me. I'm a bit nervous about admitting all this here but sure here is as good a place as any. All I can say really is that 2012 was just an absolute stinker of a year for me. Like really, really terrible. Between family things, getting fired from my job, suffering academically to the point of nearly failing my study abroad year, encountering a horrid group of supposed colleagues, a funeral, and basically losing sight of myself completely, I can honestly say that I have never been more relieved for the clock to strike twelve on New Year's Eve. God, that sounds very melodramatic. I'm in quite a pensive mood actually, so sorry if that sounds like a year's worth of Eastenders' story lines. 

Before I shut Pandora's Box, I just have to say that I really appreciate anyone and everyone who was there to listen, advise, and provide much-needed support and distraction, although I doubt many will read this. To be honest, not a lot of people know the full extent of all of the above -  and that's entirely my fault, but I have a lovely group of friends who do deserve acknowledgement.

So thanks for the advice-giving, listening, Skyping, jokes, stories, chocolate and bitching! To anyone, I haven't really been in contact with the past year, please forgive me. I'd a very big plate but I intend on righting those wrongs asap. After all, 2013 has been really good so far. 

Right so, consider Pandora's Box firmly shut. Sorry about that. Now onto the positivity!

Now, there were some absolutely brilliant parts of twenty twelve too! I had some brilliant experiences and met some great people - many of whom I'd like to consider friends for life. I'd be silly to dismiss 2012 as being purely shit. 

 I mean, I had the opportunity to study in a foreign country for close to a year, and had some wonderful visitors and great experiences. I know Vienna like the back of my hand now - a city we should all try and live in at least once in our lives. 

I made some lovely friends over the summer, working in both Scotland and England. 

I had the best class I've ever had the privilege of teaching. They were so cool and up for learning English, that we were able to make a music video; a parody on Call Me Maybe.

(Plot is a bit ambiguous apparently so just enjoy the comedy aspect of it!)

I got to see even more of Europe, including cities like Prague, Edinburgh, London and Venice. I can't complain about that, though have to say that Prague was disappointing - being followed by a creepy old man over Charles Bridge certainly didn't help matters!

I made some truly wonderful friends on Erasmus too (bar the odd unpleasant American and Czech - exceptions to the rule, I'm sure).

I volunteered at Electric Picnic for the second year running and had a good time, making some new friends along the way and dancing around a lot in a hi-vis jacket. 

I got to come home and be with friends that I hadn't spent time with in nearly 2 years. 

And of course, lots of family time but I had best keep those snaps to myself. I came home and took a year out from college, got a job in a lovely sweet shop, went on a road-trip to Fr. Ted's house through the Burren and down to the Cliffs of Moher, and this that and the other inbetween.

I also heard my new favourite shitty joke of all time.

What's the fastest drink in the world?

Milk.

Because it's pasteurized before you know it.

ZING!

Well, I don't know how much more I can write seeing as I have another episode of New Girl to watch and it's nearly midnight. Back to light and hearty stuff for future posts - expect lots of pictures of puppies and other various animals, maybe even the odd Panda or Sloth.

S

'i'll make your i-pod hotter than a lighter would'

I spent much of the last two days organising, discovering that my bulging wardrobe is filled with a ridiculous amount of clothes that I don't wear anymore or (hadn't ever worn)..whoops,  realising my camera is broken (how upsetting), dodging planning lessons, listening to Childish Gambino, Saul Williams and Anis Mojgani,(BTW there's language some may find offensive floating about some of these guy's songs, just a heads up before clicking),  trying to plan how to sort the mountain of photographs I have about the place and catching up on reading the Sunday magazines I have such a fondness for.

First evening in a long time that reminded me of what living at home was like before I started college, when half my belongings weren't in a different county/ country or suitcase. 

thanks tumblr

And then there was rice pudding to be had which reminded me of yumo San Fran rice pudding cafes.

Successful day all round.

c

x

Snaps and Sunscreen

My dog Bart, "mind the fucking gap" - London, a very frosty Limerick morning, our meggers praising the lord above, that's what I call a true Irish cornershop, welcome to my uni, a real Argentinian asado, central Madrid,  a sunset at home, jumping with friends in Madrid, squiggly crowd, these shoes were made for bowling, one of those weird anomolies that turn out to be amazing photos, step one of leaving home, watermelon, whose size is yet to be equaled.

S

P.S. We all love Megan and she is most certainly not alone in her panic. I was near having a heart attack before I went to Argentina and spent my first week with my host family teary-eyed and pining for home. With less than 7 days left here, I feel silly for having wishing any of the time away.

It's a natural feeling and it's part of growing up, which isn't very nice and is most certainly not easy. These are my words of advice. 

In the words of Baz Luhrman's "Sunscreen",  

"Don't worry about the future; or worry, but know that worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubblegum...".

Wise words. I highly recommend that you turn off the lights, close your door, sit on your bed and listen very carefully to this advice. It'll make you feel a whole lot better. Believe me. It's a tried and tested method of remembering the good things.

Peace Up! A Town Down!

Keep Calm and ...

Or to bring the Harry Potter references back from the "An Ode to Emma"  post,

I'll keep it short and sweet and tell you all to enjoy this most wonderful of songs. Keep calm and remember, all my dear friends, back at home. It's.only.an.exam. You are all genius' as it is. Suerte!

AND HAPPY BIRTHDAY CASEY!

S