2017 dreamzz

It's soon about to be a New Year and this marks the last blog post of 2016!

I'm going to set myself some goals for this year so that on January 1st 2018 I can look back and see what I have or have not achieved (here's hoping I've ticked them all off.) 

When New Years looms around each year I usually tend to avoid it; not just the night out and counting down to 12 but the whole idea of celebrating a New year because usually I'm mourning the loss of one. But for once in my life I am excited for what the New Year has to bring; the night out and all, it's the first year in a long long time that I haven't been working and even though I'll be surrounded by my friends who are all in couples, it's time to to grab the new year by the reigns and sure the Jager bomb in my hand will have to suffice as a kiss come midnight! It's been a rough year for the world and I don't think I need to mention what low's there was as each and every one of us watched a number of them unfold, but here's to the new year.  

Good bye sweet '16.

Fitness: It wouldn't be a "New Year, New Me" blog post without jumping on the fitness band wagon, but in all seriousness I am sick of having a hate/hate relationship with my body. I have struggled the last number of months with my weight, I'm not sure what happened (food happened sinead and lot's of it) I just couldn't get control, but I'm finally getting my ass in gear. I know I can do it and I'm actually looking forward to making it happen. With my best friends wedding looming in August, I don't fancy being rolled down the aisle beside 3 other bridesmaids and more importantly even I want to get fitter for my own health and I need to ditch this bad path I'm headed down ASAP.  I want to look back on my 20's and think yes I was happy with my shape and not regret it. So watch this space I'm sure I'll document my progress at some stage. 

Moving Out: Not so much a big step, it's not like I've never done it before, but it is something I have wanted to do for a while since I moved back from Limerick to Sligo in September. While I am grateful for my parents help and my aunts help I need to make this next step for my own sanity if nothing else. So making FA money and paying rent, I don't know how I'll do it. But I need a space I can call my own, instead of living out of a suitcase (Dramatic much Sinéad?). I've moved into a space along with two other crazy cats and I can't wait to see where it goes, even though both of them will be leaving me for Australia in a few months, but we'll cross that bridge when it comes to it.  

Moving Away: Possibly one of the biggest steps I will (hopefully) make towards the end of this year. The Graduate Visa is something that has been on my mind since I finished college in 2013. I never bothered attempting to make the move until I had my masters done, so fast forward 3 years later in 2016 with my Masters completed, I'm giving myself until roughly September 2017 to make the big move stateside. Location: "New York, New York, it's a hell of a town." The dream of being a fashion Journalist is something I've had on my mind for quiet a while. So with several months left ahead of me I hope to gain as much experience in my local paper and doing freelance work. I'm aware of how hard New York will be, and how expensive. I do realise I am not Blair Waldorf, nor do I aspire to leave on the Upper East Side swanning around like Serena Van Der Woodsen but it's my first and last chance to give it a go and I'm willing to slum it in the big bad New York world to make it happen.  

Career Goals: This is going to be a tough, but fun one. The reason why I am so desperate to go to America is so when I move back home I will have some serious (fingers crossed) experience under my belt and on my CV.  So the next few months before I even leave I want to smash a few goals, and one of those includes starting a fashion series on my blog. There are so many blogs out there now with some serious great content and I know there is a lot of work involved. It is something I have wanted to do for the last year but in all honesty I have never had the balls to do. Yes terrified of what people would think of me plus the fact I dress pretty causal most of the time. But it is something I have wanted to do for so long, and I'm working on changing that and hoping to start it up this year. It's been four years that I have spent writing in this blog and not much has ever come of it, I plan on being more consistent, better content, better photography and regular uploads to help get this blog where I want it to be. So that is going to involve me being organised in 2016 I had only 25 blog posts, that is roughly on average of two post a month which was a bit of a fail on my behalf. So here's to the next 12 months and hopefully doubling the work load blog wise. Work wise I plan on doing more freelance work to broaden my CV and to learn as much as I can from working in my local paper. It's an exciting year and I can't wait for it to start. 

Hobbies: Investing in a new hobbie; photography. I love the feel of a camera in my hands and I just want to take as many photos in 2017 as a possibly can. First off: Buy a camera Secondly: Learn how to use it properly. Running is also a new hobbie, while I know it may seem like a strange one, but after spending 8 weeks doing couch to 5K I found that I enjoyed the social aspect of running every Wednesday and can't wait to start it again next week and see how far I progress in 6 weeks!  

So whatever you spend tonight doing, with loved ones, friends or families, or even on your own (me last year thanks to work), know that whatever bad things have happened in 2016, they are going to be left behind. It's a new year and at the rate these years are flying by we need to make the most of them.

I have so many dreams for 2017 and I plan on making it the best year yet. Make sure to watch this space, you haven't seen anything yet! 

x

                                              [All photos belong to me unless otherwise stated.]

16 of my favourite photos of 2016

It has been a year of many highs and lows and with only two days until 2017 I wanted to share some of my favourite photos and memories from 2016. 

strandhill, summer 16'

strandhill, summer 16' my beautiful mother.

my nephew ruari, pinky and princess consuela banana hammock. 

strandhill, summer 16'

   
                                          One of the many long journeys from Limerick to Sligo in March

Presenter of UL News Day in April

curraghchase forest park, Limerick in August.

Killaloe, ballina, Tipperary in May. 

London in October. 

Catch up with my favs at Niall & Clares (Ted) Wedding, June.

Finding out the sex of my Niece in September

My fav-Pip

When the parents came to visit Limerick in February. 

Mum's sixtieth in Eala Bhan in April.  

Harry Potter World, London for Laura's birthday 

Running with Pauline in Rosses Point, Sligo 

x

[All photos taken by me, unless otherwise stated]

Romance is dead and gone.

The title sounds bleak. I sound like a heartless, single, man-hating woman.
I'm not though but if I was I would  have good reason to be.

If you want to know more of why I am a cynical single lady you can read all about it here.
Anyway here I am once again, back to talk about the dreaded app.

Tinder. Delete it. get rid of it. burn it. keep away from it. if you are newly single and want to have fun, then be my guest but do.not. I REPEAT, DO NOT go in there expecting to find the love of your life because you wont get out alive.

Anyway back to the title, romance; yes to me it is dead or it's actually lost on the men (and I use this term loosely) of tinder.

I'm not expecting to be showered in a thousand roses, or bloody flown to France.

All I am asking for is a simple conversation. I expect at the very least one or two questions before I'm bombarded with "sure I'll come over to your house".

Um no thank you Mr.Stranger my parents live there and even if they didn't you wouldn't be getting in.

So when my answer didn't turn out how he anticipated: UNMATCHED.
Yes you read that right. unmatched.
Am I insulted? No. Does it make me question my answer? Hell no.

But is this how every conversation is going to turn out, if I don't agree to you coming over to my house 5 messages in, are you going to un-match me off the bat.

How about having a real conversation and judge me off that instead? it's not that hard and I'm not looking to bloody marry someone off the app, but at the very least I expect a proper conversation for a few messages before you ultimately remind me that you are a creep only looking for the ride.

And yes I know people are on there looking for one thing, and one thing only but Christ maybe you put the smallest bit of effort in and you might get somewhere with anyone. Toolbag.

*que next creep*

"If I was a cat I would spend all my 9 lives with you"

Seems like a normal enough guy can excuse him for the cheesy opening line, so I hit him back with some absolute top quality banter and a GIF or two.

"Are you a tower because Eiffel for you"

Okay two cheesy lines I can forgive him for that, what you got next buddy.

"Have you ever played titanic?"

You mean jumped off a boat with thousands of other people drowning in the middle of the Atlantic um no mate.

"How about you be the iceberg and I go down"

Needless to say I didn't reply to that, instead I was curious to know had that line EVER worked on a girl to which he replied: "No but I feel like I have to keep trying"

what. is. wrong. with. lads. my. age.

If you want to put a face to the story you can follow him on Instagram here.

So I know what your thinking why Sinéad do you continue to torture yourself with use this useless app if all you get are guys looking for the ride?

Well for banter simply and to see what other stories I can get out of it. HA.

So any horror stories from your tinder experiences?


                                                                       x

Maybe he doesn't hit you?

He’s doing it again. I can smell it.

Does he actually think I can’t notice it?

He must think I’m stupid. How can I even ignore it for the night, the smell of it makes me physically sick.

I sit there and nod as he tells me some story about his work, slurring his words.

GET OUT NOW....A silent voice in my head screams.

MAYBE HE’LL CHANGE....I silently scream back.

But who am I trying to fool. He needs help and I need to realise that he isn’t going to change for me 

no matter how many times I beg.

I look back at him concentrating on what he is trying to say.

I drink in every inch of his face. 

The only good thing was that I was never in love with him I wouldn't allow myself. 

I don’t think I ever could be in love with someone who has put me through so much heartache.

SO WHY ARE YOU STILL HERE? the voice silently screams at me again.

All the memories come flooding back like someone is playing a video in my mind.

The time he smashed our front door, when he kissed someone else, finding the bottles hidden under my bed and in the bathroom, our holiday when he was so close to hitting me but smashed the room up instead.....

All the feelings wash over me: sadness, regret, the feeling of being scared, heartbreak, loneliness.

What will my mother say?

What will my friends say? or do they already know?

Am I a push over?  

Doesn’t he seeing he’s ruining this? 

We could be happy. 

I'm too young for this I shouldn't have to deal with it.

I always thought I was a strong character before I met him and that if anyone treated me badly then I would be able to walk away from it all.

But when it’s happening to you it’s much harder.

I’m not in love with him, but clearly I care for him.

Where are you going? I ask him as he stands up swaying slightly.

Bed he replies as his eyes roll in his head.

My bed you mean. 

Go home to your own house is what I want to tell him, that I can’t stand the 

thought of lying next to him when he’s in this state.  

I don’t have it in me to argue and I know it’s better to give in.

What if he went home and drank even more, at least I can keep an eye on him here.

As I follow him into the room he’s asleep in seconds, alcohol fumes fill my room.

I lie down beside him not wanting to touch him. 

Flinching as he wraps his arm around me.

I stifle a cry and another night of fitful sleep ensues.

Dreams turn into nightmares and the nightmare continues as I open my eyes and see him beside me.

________________________________________________________________________________

It’s been a few years now and I finally escaped.

But not before he left me with scars.

Not physical scars.

Instead the scars are ones you cannot see.

Sometimes they’re the ones that hurt the most.

X

Want to know my secret to a balanced lifestyle?

So you probably came here thinking I had some holy grail answer but I'll tell you honestly that I have nothing. No answers to the 'balanced lifestyle' that people talk about these days.

 But what I can offer you is a list of what I do and how I still remain more unbalanced then an ash-tray on a motorbike! 

So on the daily I am popping vitamins B & C  tablets from Holland & Barrett every morning in a bid to:

A- Get more energy

B-Keep away any sickness

C-Because the man in the shop advised me that those where the ones I needed when I begged him: "Please give me something to stop me being so tired." 

I drink more green tea than is actually required and at least two liters of water a day. 

My meals are healthy-ish, with a fine mixture of chocolate to help balance out those greeeens. 

(I promise this is not a post about me bragging about how class I am.....)

But yet to no avail after a 8-9 hour sleep I still wake up EXHAUSTED! Maybe it's too much sleep? Or maybe it's the fact that I have to sit in front of a computer from 9.30am to 5.30pm everyday? I don't drink coffee because I can't stand the taste but I'm beginning to think I need a fix of it lately.

Then there's the 'social life' aspect: 

Last weekend I refrained myself from going out because I was exhausted and couldn't justify having a two day hangover with a busy week ahead. 

So on Saturday night I went to bed at half ten and slept until 9 the next morning but yet there comes Monday morning and I feel as if I spent the whole weekend partying when in-fact I stayed in and watched Winning Streak with the rentals (and I wonder why I'm single....)

I probably should have endured the two day hangover but you know what sometimes it's nice to wake up in your own bed on a Sunday instead of a random couch, floor, bathroom...and god knows where else. 

Now throw in the exercise, by the time I have come home from work, made dinner it is well after 7, the nights are dark I'm tired but last night I dragged my fat ass out the door and ran and walked and then ran some more and then walked.....

All I'm saying is, there is no balance, there is routine to some extent but no balance, its hard to fit work, friends, exercise, socializing, your hobbie, god love you if ya have a boyfriend not sure where they would fit into the equation. 

But I don't have the answer to it all, the last year I have been going going going and I feel like lately I may burn out. The masters, working, the thesis, then straight into a new experience and not to mention the fact that I am torn between houses, with no real place or space to call my own just yet. 

But hopefully that changes soon and it will mean I can get into a proper routine. 

As I write this I have yawned about 50 times, I'm off to lie on my bed for a few hours and read. 

No phone. No laptop. Just a very tired girl. 

X

Wishing my life away! October edition!

Michael Kors

Call me a basic bitch, but one of these bags are still high on my wish list! 

Paris

The city of Love that needs no introduction. A city break anywhere is on my wish list, I've never been to Paris and it's never been high on my list of places to go but I would love to tick it off my bucket list! 

Short Hair?

While I'm not thinking of going this short, I am thinking of taking a good 3 inches off my hair and making it more light in color. 

Distress Denim Jacket

I've been on the hunt for the perfect denim jacket for a long time and being so close to buying a Topshop one on serveral occasions but the colour has always been off for me. I think this Denim Jacket from Lasula Boutique is the one!  

Nude Jacket

This jacket from River Island is a winter staple, with or without the fur I would no doubt get my moneys worth from this jacket! 

Bardot Playsuit

After seeing this on So Sue Me's Facebook page, I fell in love. I'm a play-suit girl: I own more of them than dresses, so while it's on my wish list I already purchased this Missguided one and hopefully will have it before my night out next weekend! 

Drake Concert

Tickets go on sale this Friday, that can only mean on thing.....ya I won't be getting them. Priced at €90 I'm afraid I won't be going, but a girl can wish! 

Over the knee boots

My mind is already thinking of outfits for the colder months in particular Christmas! I never really liked over the knee boots but I think that these Zara ones have changed my mind! 

X

I left my heart in LDN

Last weekend I surprised (with the help of Tom Cat) my bestest bestie with a birthday gift I knew she would love: MOI.

 

 

We spent the weekend drinking cheap wine and getting lost on the underground. 

Fun (it's not) but sick fact: If you go on the underground and then blow your nose, the dust that comes out is black. SICK I KNOW. 

With a population of 8.6 million London City is not for the faint-hearted or the claustrophobic. 

 

              

But I do love it. Buildings that are higher than the sky and people from every walk of life, hustling and bustling around not paying attention to whats beside them.

Shared smiles on a tube full of strangers as you and your 'friends for the weekend' crash on and then fall over because it takes off at the speed of lightening. 

There is no personal space on the tube, chewing gum is a necessity and always live with the fear that the doors will close on you and you'll be trapped on who knows what platform while everyone else takes off to god knows where.

Shopping is like a war zone, every person for themselves. 

I actually have no idea how anyone works in the shops on Oxford Street or the likes of Mc Donalds, it honestly looks like a bomb site has hit the place, clothes everywhere.  

Cheeky tube rides at 5 am and even cheekier cheeseburgers. 

It's my third time in London, and each time it feels like I'm visiting a different city. 

So much to see, so little time.

But I'll be back London......... 

Soon. 

X

          

It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live...

"Words are in my not-so-humble opinion, our most inexhaustible source of magic"- J.K Rowling

This weekend I was in London and got to go to a place I have wanted to visit for quite some time. 

Harry potter world. 

Yes, that's not the correct terminology to use there, but Warner brothers studio whatever you want call it, heaven for the extreme HP fans. 

So I thought I would share my pictures because if not for you, then just for me to look back on and remember. One ticket was 35 pounds and of course I took my fav person for her birthday. I had to book it three weeks in advance because it is always sold out, and I still only managed to get it for 6.00 pm on a Sunday which suited us and our hangovers just fine. 

It is not a guided tour so you can spend as long as you want in

 each area looking at all the little pieces of 'magic'. 

x