The man

yes

I've always liked the time before dawn because there's no one around to remind me who i'm supposed to be, so it's easier to remember who i am.

Brian Andreas

Wanderlust

I have a perpetual dose of Wanderlust.. I always have and hopefully, I always will and right now, I have a serious hankering for Paris.. I don't think there's anything as romantic or as, seemingly, full of fashionable opportunities as Paris in winter time.

Plus it makes a pretty darn good picture!

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"Not all those who wander are lost"

Thanksgiving

So, I've never really understood the history behind Thanksgiving and even after trying to read about it online it's all just a jumble of words if I'm honest (could be something to do with my absolute minimal interest or inability to read, one of the other). Nonetheless, I adore the general idea behind it. A whole day dedicated to simply giving thanks and being grateful for what you have in your life, it's heartwarming. I am also aware that a lot of it is about the food but, that can be overlooked, enjoyed, but overlooked!

So, I decided, in the spirit of Thanksgiving, all the way from Ireland, I would mention all the wonderful things I have in my life to be thankful for.

First of all, like everyone I'm hugely grateful for the wonderful groups of family and friends that, sometimes unfortunately, are always there for me!

  

I'm grateful for cold winter night with fluffy socks, tea and candles.

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To-do lists, my god, I love to do lists.

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A full playlist and a stack of books.

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Quiet moments alone with nothing but a cup of coffee and your thoughts.

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Friendships that last through thick and thin, cause after all, friendships with history are rare and beautiful.  

For the future that is ahead of me, the opportunities, the chances and the experiences I will gain!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING.

 On the 16^th of November at 12:20 am I turned 21 years old. 

The final foray from my Teenage Years into, apparently, Full Blown Adulthood. As someone who is repeating a semester and currently working full time in a shop and absolutely no idea how to actually conceive the image I have of how my life should be at this stage, and as someone who had such high hopes for herself when I was younger, I’m fighting a losing battle with my opinion of myself and how unsatisfied twelve year old Ciara would be with twenty one year old Ciara... I digress...

 Basically, I’m not where I want to be or where I thought I would be at twenty one so I was avoiding this birthday ominously and when it was discussed it was with some serious trepidation. I was not looking forward to being an old, single, uneducated, barely employed spinster.. As my friend Hannah would say, I’m off to GSPCA to collect my cats in the morning.

However, despite my trepidation, my friends and family made my birthday into four or five of the greatest days of my life, legitimately I cannot exaggerate how great they were. 

Initially, the night before dreaded birthday night myself and five more of my friends went to a Mexican Restaurant and went out after. The food was absolutely fabulous, and I love food, I eat a lot of food, so I’m not easily impressed but my golly, I was impressed with this place! Then we went, embarrassingly enough, because each of us is broke, knacker drinking and continued onto a club from there... I left to go home early but I was so so happy that my friends had come out because their exams are looming pretty fast as well!

It’s also my Mother’s birthday on the 16^th, best birthday present she ever got some might say, so we intended to celebrate together as we do every year! We like to say that the fact that we’re born on the same day is one of the reasons we’re so close, however, I think most of it is to do with the fact that I like to talk, she likes to listen and we make each other laugh, nonetheless, the pretence shall continue! We went and got our hair, nails and eyebrows done in town, which is very unlike Mam and I, wouldn’t be into spending money in general to be honest :P We then went shopping and roamed the streets for a while.

That evening myself and my family went out for another fabulous dinner, I know, more food, I hear ya! It was fab and it was so nice to just all sit around and enjoy each others’ company rather than wondering who was going to make tea after dinner or clean up. An added benefit would be, of course, that you can’t really fight in public so any disagreements get glossed over ;)

Then on Saturday night I left work and went back to my friend Hannah’s house and here the biggest surprise was waiting for me.. Hannah sent me to the bathroom to check it out cause she had “cleaned it” and I, like a fool, went and who jumps out at me ONLY MY BESTIE GILLIAN!!! ALL THE WAY FROM BUDAPEST!!! I have never been more in shock or happier in my life, I think anyway! Aideen, Shauna and Andy came over then and we went on to have one of my best nights ever.

I just can’t believe the effort people went to from texting me Happy Birthday to sending me cards to buying me presents and vowing to celebrate with me every night, big up to Aideen, Hannah and Shauna for that especially!

I have the most fabulous group of friends and family who have made me completely forget that I am currently a bum with no aim or direction in my life and I couldn’t love them more for it!

I’m officially ready to take my 21^st year and make it my bitch.

Musical Monday

This woman... She's just the best. The lyrics, I mean, it;s heaven for your ears...

 Listen, and remember, Mondays really aren't that bad when you have music like this.

"This is how it works
You're young until you're not
You love until you don't
You try until you can't
You laugh until you cry
You cry until you laugh
And everyone must breathe
Until their dying breath"

So simple, yet, so great!!

The Rest of my Life?

I work as a retail assistant. Every morning, every single morning, I wake up dreading going to work. No matter if it’s a four hour shift or an eight hour one. I dread it. On my days off I don’t enjoy the day, I spend my whole day trying to squish in as much as possible while dreading the next day and the inevitable return to work. I know this isn't what I wanna do for the rest of my life, and I know, I know, it’s a part time job to get me through college, but I want to enjoy my part time job. I want it to mean something. To satisfy me. To help me become whatever it is I want to be in years to come?

I hate working in Retail.

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Does this mean that I’m a snob? That I’m destined for greater things? Or just that I've a much bigger sense of entitlement than I should?

Despite the fact that I hate my current job, I have no idea what I want to do with the rest of my life, I mean, I have a general idea... I want to be rich, happy and love life and my career, not so difficult, right? Hmmph.

I once read that whatever you do when you have free time is what you should be doing for the rest of your life. With this in mind, I sat down and really considered my options.. I came up with quite a few options.

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The things I love to do when I've nothing else to do:

Reading.

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God, I love a good book, there’s nothing I like better than getting stuck in a book so good that you cannot physically or mentally drag yourself away. I love when you find a book that’s so good that whenever you get a chance, lunch, morning traffic or waiting for that elusive doctors appointment, you have to whip it out cause you just HAVE to know what’s going to happen next. From here I deducted that I could be a publisher, that’s what they do, right? They read a lot of scripts til they find one good enough to publish. My only problem, I hate bad writing, guess who couldn't finish the Twilight series? Yes. Me.

On to the next!!

Food.

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I love food. I love eating it, I love thinking about it, I love talking about it and anyone who follows my instagram will know I love taking photos of it. I just think there hasn't been a more wonderful thing ever made. When Kate Moss said “Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels” I nearly dropped, clearly the woman hasn't eaten enough good food. I could never be a chef though, I simply don’t have the patience, waiting for the kettle to boil irks me. Trying to get a recipe or dish just right would tip me over the edge.  My mother suggested I be a food critic, I considered it but I couldn't do it. I understand more than most just how frustrating cooking is and I just couldn't destroy someone’s day by telling them what they’d poured their sweat, blood and tears into just didn't satisfy me.

Next!

Clothes.

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I also adore clothes. I love buying them, reading about them and there’s nothing better than when you’re wearing an outfit you feel really super comfortable in. I've started a styling part time course now and I really hope that it will be part of my future plan. Someday. I’m not gonna lie, the only negative I found about this was the price.. I can’t afford all the clothes I want, but hey, when I decide what I wanna be I’ll inevitably be rich and therefore “the limit does not exist”.

One last time!

Writing.

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I've only recently discovered my love of writing. It’s the best. I literally have so many thoughts running around in my head on a daily basis that if I didn't get things out on paper there’s no way it would be good for my mental health. I always feel like once you start typing or writing you continue and revelations and epiphanies come to you that would never have come to you without the assistance of a pen and paper. There’s no denying, I also love a good rant. Writing about it ensures that no one person has to listen to it unwillingly and whoever reads it has put themselves through the misery :P

So, I lied at the start.. I know exactly what I want to do with the rest of my life. It’s not what I’m doing my undergrad in and it’s certainly not retail, it does, however involve all of these things. Even if the food is just me eating it.

I can’t wait to start!

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