TWENTY ONE

Evening all,

Already into my fourth week at uni, boy time is going fast! Currently working on my dissertation - focusing on Identity and Fan Culture, I hope you aren’t surprised about that. At first I thought it was super cliché to write about Fandom, but hey it interests me and current, so I’m having a blast to research it. However books are a problem, since most I’ve looked at are 2011 and onwards. Fan Culture is quite a new topic, so books relating to modern fandoms like Doctor Who or Supernatural are a clean fortune. I paid £55 for one book, broke the bank and broke my heart! 

Anyway, University has been fun this year - it’s been busy but I’m happy. I had my 21st on the 6th Feb. It was quite low-key but I didn’t want to do much when my friends were away, so I had a little family gathering instead. I had a tea-party and cake night for my granny, aunts etc. It actually was really nice. Plus Mum got me THE BEST CAKE EVER. See the pictures!! I also went out bowling and cinema with my classmates which was really lovely. Good fun indeed.

I received dollars mostly as gifts, which was appreciated for New York in July! I’m very excited. But before that I have my End of Year show (presenting my work) and of course, my Graduation! Also other fun things are booked, including Panic! At The Disco and Comic Con in Belfast. The next few months be a hoot! 

So yeah, I’m sorry this has been brief but life has been good! 

- Claudia x

20

Last Wednesday marked the unfortunate end of my teenage years, that’s right - I am now twenty! I find this very hard to believe, but believe me, I have no intentions of becoming a sensible and responsible adult anytime soon.

I was fortunate to have more than one party too! Since my birthday fell during the week I celebrated one with family, one with university friends and one with my home friends.

On Tuesday 5th, Hannah, Emma, Rebecca, Seb and myself went to Yoko Noodle Bar - a popular and delicious restaurant at Coleraine Jet Center. They didn’t disappoint, as my Crispy Honey Chili Chicken was amazing!

For desert, I chose brownie (they gave me two, wow) which was served on a plate which gave out steam?? We were amazed by this. 

Following that, we went bowling at the Jet Center which was so much fun, best bowling trip in ages! 

After Christian Union the next evening, I was finally allowed to open my presents! My housemates and classmates joined together and bought me a whole pile of gifts - which ranged from Sherlock on DVD, jewelry and One Direction merchandise- to a comb, M&Ms and a hot water bottle! 

On Saturday, my friends back home went to Italian restaurant, Villa Vinci in Newcastle. (Yes I have ate out a lot this week..) The 12 of us enjoyed a choice of pizzas, pastas, burgers and spaghetti bolognese. I was surprised by a birthday cake, with many thanks to Kerri and Elizabeth!

Outside I was target to the Birthday Bumps. Oh dear...

We returned to my house for a night of party games - probably the best games of Mafia, Fishbowl and Consequences played ever!

Thank you to...

Hannah St - for INCREDIBLE present choosing and organising.

Emma H - for choosing the ever-so-gorgeous One Direction poster.

Rebecca - for choosing the most amazing cracked nail polish.

Sebastian - for a wicked game of The Sims and Eyetoy on Playstation.

Alison, Danielle and Shannon - for an amazing meal cooked on Wednesday.

Charlene - for a lovely walk on my birthday with Hannah in Portstewart.

Rachel - for the really cute scarf!

Tina - for her impression of James Bond (I’m an actor...) haha!

Aimee - for such a pretty present, especially the little book!

Hannah S - for the most amusing conversation at dinner on Saturday.

Laura - for buying me a beautiful gift even though she couldn’t attend the party.

Elizabeth - for being absolutely wonderful all the time.

John - for creating the most disturbing consequences game ever played.

Mark - for making everyone laugh with his transvestite Beyonce impression?

Kerri - for deleting all my photos!! LOL jk - for buying me a beautiful hat!!

Kathryn - for doing the most hilarious impression of Stephen Hawking I’ve ever seen.

Alison and Hannah (for buying me the most beautiful bird ring!

Emma - for never failing at buying me the most disturbing and brilliant presents. AHH.

Thank you to everyone who made my 20th birthday one to remember! 

- Claudia

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

I am now 19, this gives me 365 days of being a teenager left.

I must make this worthwhile. Let’s list all the things that needs to be done.

1. Meet loads of new people.
2. Be nicer to my family.
3. Live for God.
4. Pass my exams.
5. Always try my best.
6. Reconnect with friends whom I have lost contact with.
7. Start sketching again.
8. Have faith in myself.
9. Have confidence in everything I do.
10. Stand up for what I believe in. 
11. Remain close with my friendship group from school.
12. Have a bit of romance in my life.
13. Eat more fruit.
14. Wear my retainer to bed.
15. Go on holiday.
16. Learn to cook.
17. Write letters.
18. Save money and spend it on something great.
19. Obtain my dream weight.
20. Become more inventive.
21. Buy a new pair of glasses.
22. Plan something awesome.
23. Learn how to use my graphics tablet.
24. Walk the dog more often.
25. Do something dramatic to my appearance.
26. Compliment others.
27. Get a job.
28. Take more photographs.
29. Continue to do my photo-of-the-day until 31st December 2012.
30. Spend more time with Jared.
31. Learn to drive.
32. Don’t stress.
33. Read more books!
34. Don’t worry.
35. Make more eye contact with others.
36. Redecorate the container.
37. Do something which would usually scare me.
38. Stop caring what others think of me or my interests.
39. Take vitamin tablet daily.
40. Go to a party.
41. Stop snacking, especially in the evening.
42. Travel alone.
43. Practice my signature because it's a mess.
44. Turn off the internet and dive into other hobbies.
45. Look after a plant.
46. Build up my physical strength.
47. Give money to the poor.
48. Get out of my comfort zone.
49. Make a movie.
50. Take make-up off before bed.
51. Go on holiday with friends before we all go our separate ways.
52. Spend less time online.
53. Recognize and praise the accomplishments of others.
54. Explore and widen my music taste.
55. Start baking more often.
56. Apologise for any wrong-doings.
57. Create a list of my favourite films.
58. Make more phone calls.
59. Work on being more flirty.
60. Pray consistently and earnestly.
61. Control my temper.
62. Drink less tea.
63. Stop being a horrible person.
64. Join an extracurricular activity.
65. Enjoy every day as much as possible.
66. Go to the beach.
67. Schedule some me-time.
68. Express how I really am to people I don’t know well.
69. Read my Bible regularly.
70. Smile at random people.
71. Stop, break and breathe.
72. Eat food from around the world.
73. Help out round the house.
74. Use the stairs instead of an escalator/lift.
75. Get experience a paid or voluntary job relating to my career.
76. Become less reliant on my mobile phone.
77. Stop being shy...
78. ...and even worse, snobby.
79. Tell someone I love them.
80. Practice willpower.
81. Sort out my skincare regime.
82. Look at the stars.
83. Keep secrets.
84. Turn down my music volume or I will go deaf.
85. Improve my posture.
86. Be more friendly and approachable.
87. Look after myself.
88. Spend more time with my Grandparents.
89. Continue to look for bargains, like a boss.
90. Bake a cake.
91. Watch different T.V shows.
92. Look after my hair.
93. Enjoy a bath.
94. Stop Facebook stalking.
95. Mend any broken relationships.
96. Keep my wardrobe organised.
97. Drink loadddsss of water.
98. Work on things early and get them done and out of the way.
99. Do what I love and what I want to do.
100. Live life to the fullest.

HEARTBEATS

Next up, the Birthday post. My birthday was Sunday the 6th of February. Yes, this post is quite late.

After lunch (A.K.A leftover food and cake) we gathered the presents and opened them!

Here are some of the cool things I was given:

• 2 watches
• A jewelry box from Josh

• Perfume from Jared
• Vivienne Westwood jewelry :O
• BEAUTIFUL Irregular Choice that my friends put money together for
• Photo album (Gonna print 18th pictures from Snapfish and put them in it)
• Makeup and the awesome Claudoll from James, complete with catboots and coffee stained hair.

• A lavalamp from Emma
• Vouchers, a Victoria Square card from Alison, Alison and Hannah!
• An amazing drawing from Mary-Jane.. which has managed to go missing...it will turn up eventually.
• Money
• Liverpool!!
• Dr Dres: Heatbeats from Uncle Gordon! Yay!!
• Lots more too :D

Once again, thank you all very much. :)

PARTY ANIMALS

Okay, as promised, here are some snaps from my Birthday Party. This took place on Saturday past. Most of you probably have seen these already, but I like keeping the toe in the blogging business too, incase Facebook goes to pot (it will, look at Bebo) So then I’ll have somewhere already in store to post my day to day thoughts and ramblings without nosy parkers commenting on things, liking them or telling me to go away even though I quite enjoy posting crap that nobody cares about. Far too long sentances, alright, here are the photos.

Decorating the rooms at Mar and Jim's House

As you all know, my birthdays are the bomb. Even if I say so myself.

I went into operation party planning a few weeks ago: researching games, making playlists, decorating etc. I think it was a success, it was good craic anyway. I don’t like birthdays where we just sit around and talk or worse, watch a film, usually something I’ve already seen- that means nobody speaks at all! And since it was an 18th it needed to be special and Claudia-ized. That meant pass the parcel, k-pop videos and just being silly.

Cake- Yes, it had my face on it. I didn't choose this. I do like my hair like this, I may wear it to the formal in a similar way.

Cupcakes, with my face on it! Super sweet, but very tasty.

Granny Green

The Aunts (Yes, I was made to pose with everyone there..hm)

Jared, myself and Diane

Cake, cupcakes, party hat and balloon

Me and Father

We also discovered the game of Lapstacks, which we played a number of times, most of these photos are my friends sitting on each others knees.

Emma loves me- note here I was screaming for her to get off, but it doesn't even look like it.

Forever young, I want to be forever young.

Kerri and Emma love

Yay

One of the most interesting moments of the evening was during pass the parcel, when Elizabeth and Adam both had a go at licking Amy’s toe and ear. See the proof!

Adam was on a role that evening, when he sung Annie’s “Tomorrow” in the highest voice he could, and later took on dancing to Ring Ding Dong by SHINee.

John also done another rendition of Sex Bomb to Kerri. She looked mortified....again.

My friends joined their money together and got me a pair of Irregular Choice, which I’m super pleased about!! They are shiny, green and very comfortable. Gonna wear them in Liverpool. I specially love James’ Claudoll and Emma’s Lavalamp. Thanks to others who got me the most beautiful and hilarious gifts, I love them all. Means a lot!

And thank you all who appeared for the party, it was great craic and wouldn’t have been if you all didn’t turn up. So yeah, that’s the birthday party post.

- Claudia

I WANT A SNACK TOO

I am completely exhausted.

The party is over.

The birthday is over.

The interview is over.

The three things I’ve been planning and thinking through for months are actually now in the past. It’s such a weird feeling. Don’t know if I like it or not...

I will blog about all these subjects in my next few blog posts. I haven’t had time to properly post anything in a long time (3 days feels like a long time..and not a single person that I follow have posted anything either- what’s going on with you all?!)

I do have an exam tomorrow but it’s not even going to be attempted because it does not matter!

Birthday Party.

18th Birthday.

Presents.

Interview.

My new hat!

Formal dresses/Yearbook.

Broken things.

Liverpool.

How things are basically back to normal.

I'm actually too tired to write a decent post, sorry guys! I shall return when I feel less like deth.

I'm away to get a snack.

- Claudia

OH! IT'S A HARD DAY'S NIGHT!

Guess what!

I have finally finally finally finally FINALLY found out my surprise!!

If you don’t recognize the title of this blog, it’s a Beatles song, just subtly suggesting that I AM GOING TO LIVERPOOL!!

I don’t talk about The Beatles that much, but I have loved their music for about four years now and I am a big fan.

We (as a family) are staying in the Hard Days Night Hotel in Liverpool, which is home to most Beatles artwork and merchandise in the world. I just looked up their website which looks absolutely class. The building is right round the corner to the Cavern, where the Fab Four used to play. Ah! It’s going to be so good!!

Feel kinda bad that Mum and Dad are organising a party and that holiday next weekend too.

I’m super excited though. Really am.

Party tomorrow, need to get some sleep. I’m absolutely wrecked after setting tables all evening and moving chairs, tables etc. Still so much to do before people start arriving. Ah.

Photos will be up soon.

Okay night night.

CASAMANIA

Hello fellow friends and followers of Claudblog,

It seems like a lifetime since my last post, it’s cliche but I’ve been so busy, and this week has gone super slow.

Another boring thing to add is, my portfolio is ALMOST COMPLETE!!! I can actually see the light at the end of the tunnel. Don’t get me wrong, I loved making it all, it’s totally my thing, but now I just can’t wait until it’s all done and out of the way.

My birthday/birthday party’s next week so I’m looking forward to that too. I don’t know if I wrote about this before but Mum granted me permission to have a proper 18th, with friends and family down.

Our house is too small so I’m having it at my Granny and Granda’s, who lives directly in front of our house. So I’m going into super-party-planning mode, a mode I have not been in since my 16th. I’m currently researching party games. Decorations were bought today and music was sorted last night. (BTW, guests, if you would like any songs in particular in the ‘Party Playlist,’ please let me know.)

I’m playing a Find the Badge game, self explanatory really, so I ordered all 20 badges on ebay. The first batch arrived yesterday, and they looked so cool! People chose really good images: they were meant to pick something that would relate to them. So yeah, portfolio work and party time, I love this!

If I wasn’t going into graphic design, I so would be a party/wedding planner. I totally could own that job.

BUT look!

4th February- James’ Birthday Party

5th February- My Birthday Party

6th February- 18th Birthday, woo

7th February- MOCK ENGLISH EXAM

8th February- INTERVIEW!!!

See that! See! How horrible of silly school to give me that in between the two most important days of my life! And no, I’m not being overdramatic!

And alas, I found out something else! About the precious bum chair.

It’s only £228.00!

A little bit out of my price range! However I found out it was called a Casamania.

Yay,

- Claudia

PAINT PAINT

Quick post.

Heya, I’ve been busy lately, and ironically to my last post, Blogging hasn’t even crossed my mind.

I’ve got an AS English resit a week and a day away, and I haven’t even started revision on it. I’m so engrossed in art, which isn’t a bad thing, but because it’s taking away from precious revision time it’s more of a burden lately.

Thankfully we are off on Study Leave until Thursday, so I hope I’ll get some crammed in this week. Also on Thursday is the Belfast UU Art Open Day, so our art class is going to it. Should be good craic as well as interesting and useful, because art is good fun recently. The other day Gareth sketched me, due to the challenge request of Mary-Jane to draw me in 15 mins. It turned out really well. It scared me though when he was sketching because he kept looking directly at me and made me feel uncomfortable. I meant to have the photo up here (much to his dismay) but I think it’s in the house. I’m in the container taking a break from painting.

I actually think I’ve got better at painting. In the past 24 hours I’ve done 2 A3 paintings: one of Jaejoong and one of Jared. I’m painting one of Jared at the moment. It’s my new craze, I’ll just keep going until I simply can’t do anymore then pick the best for the portfolio. Yeah, no wonder English isn’t done. Boo. Give me ideas of who to paint next.

I’ll leave the best news to last. I’m having an 18th Birthday party! Like a proper one, with many friends and relatives. Mum granted permission for it today, thankfully I had a guest written already. ;) But she was being silly and saying how I don’t talk to a lot of these people- how does SHE know who I talk to during school?

So I’m very excited about this now: the party, interview and the *BIG* surprise which I still don’t know about yet is all ahead of me. And that’s just February.

I’ve decided what I want for my Birthday. A bum chair!!

Cheeky. And disturbing, eh?

I can't stop watching it.

Love u all.