HIGHLIGHTS OF 2014

Best Moments of 2014

• 21st Birthday - My birthday cake!!!!
• Media, Film and Journalism formal - doing an Oscar selfie
• I got a job!! A real job!!
• Two concerts in a week: Panic at the Discoo and Rend Collective with Emma
• End of Year Show
• Comic Con in Belfast
• Dublin
• Graduation :) - practically perfect in every way...and James Nesbit was there!
• NEW YORK and the glorious Caribbean cruise
• Noelle and David’s Wedding - first school friend's wedding, potentially the first of many!
• My home-made office shed, it’s great!
• Starting my Masters degree Queens
• Gregor and Sharon’s Wedding - the first family wedding like...ever.
• Making a gingerbread house on Christmas Eve :D

Biggest Achievements:

First Class Honours with Dean’s List!! Ahhhhh (I’m still geeking out about it)

Biggest Failures:

Thankfully nothing really, except I discovered I’m definitely allergic to pure orange juice :( Fail.

Happiest Moments:

Finding out my results (I cried) and of course...my graduation day

Taking photos in Times Square, New York

Jared singing in the school musical ‘Les Miserables’ as Javert

Saddest Moment:

My Mum’s best friend passed away at the start of the year :( It was really tough.

Biggest Shock:

Lots of different shocks throughout the year...

• Joan Rivers death! No more Fashion Police. 
• How I Met Your Mother finale! There are no words...
• They cancelled Perception T_T 
• Josh Groban and Kat Dennings - YAASSS

Best Purchase:

iPad Mini and a poncho!! 

Greatest Musical Discoveries:

Prince, Il Divo and The Avett Brothers

Best Film of the Year:

THE WINTER SOLDIER

Best MV of the Year:

THIS

Greatest Discoveries of the Year:

• My graphics tablet
• Pinterest
• I joined the Netflix bandwagon!
• MBTI types (I’m an ISFJ)

Biggest Addiction:

FAR too much television...
Gossip Girl, Gogglebox, Pointless and Keeping Up With The Kardashians were the worst offenders..

Favourite Person Award:
Sebastian Stan - I’m sorry but really could there be anyone else worthy of this spot in 2014?

SUMMER-ARY (JULY/AUGUST)

I’m actually dying of the cold right now and have been up for 3 hours feeling restless. I feel disgusting but since I’ve been a slob all summer, I might as well write a blog post.

Usually I would write posts late at night but to be honest I haven’t been staying up as late as I used to, I’ve also been busy during the day and kept putting it off. So here you go...a SUMMER-ARY of my holidays. 

Aaron and Diane’s Wedding

Highlight of my summer was of course, Diane’s wedding. Diane is like a family friend/sister to me since we were both young, and I was privileged to be asked to be her bridesmaid back in July. This past year and a half, you’d soon see the wedding was all I talked about - it was fun having days out for bridesmaid dress shopping and the like. The wedding itself was superb - it was wonderful to see so much planning come together so beautifully. 

The couple got married at our church, a lovely service complete with flowers which coordinated with our dresses and a pretty little bicycle outside.

The weather was perfect, probably the warmest day of the summer. We went to the Silent Valley and took photographs there. Then we headed to the reception in a LIMO! (One of my favourite parts) And enjoyed a delicious meal after more photographs at Canal Court Hotel in Newry. After a video and slideshow, we danced the night away. I can’t seem to put into words how perfect the day was. Many congratulations to Aaron and Diane!

Fused

I took part in Fused Summer Scheme again in Newcastle this year. This is the 3rd year I’ve been a leader and I was involved working with P.4 - P.7 age group. It was different than previous years due to having no American team from Lexington, Kentucky, so it was originally meant to be made up of Northern Irish leaders. However God provided us with a team of 11 Americans from Washington and Oregon. It was really fun to work with different people, plus a bonus was that some were Doctor Who and Sherlock fans! As usual it was wonderful working with the children, some familiar faces, and also some new people too. A great way to spend two weeks of my summer.

Art

Remember last year I worked on a mural in my local village? Well this year I helped create a big fish at our Village Fete. Ashley and Susan created the structure beforehand and during the fete, we encouraged children to glue tissue paper and get a photograph of themselves taken to stick inside the fish. We only had a few hours to decorate this one, so it was rewarding to see the fish ascend down the steps and around the fete. It was so much fun, I love working on creative projects like this!

Friends

I’ve had a number of awesome days spent with some incredible people. Rebecca and Emma came to my house for a sleepover and tour of Mourne. A group of us also celebrated Hannah’s 21st birthday on Cranfield beach with a BBQ and singalong. I met with Seb, Dave and Becca in Belfast for a catch-up and Cosmo. I had a housemate meet-up and saw Uncle Gordon a few times too. I also caught up with James last week and had many, many Container Parties.

It’s been excellent, however I’m losing three of incredible people - Kerri, Rebecca and Emma! Kerri and Rebecca have headed to U.S A to study for the year and Emma is leaving for Spain in a few weeks! I shall miss you all dearly but good luck and have a wonderful time. :D

- Claudia x

HIGHLIGHTS OF 2012

Best Moments of 2012

• Zumba Container Party (yes, that was January!)
• Meeting The Wanted after their concert in Belfast
• Seeing The Dark Knight Rises (twice)
• London with Emma to see EXO-K, Baker Street and Andy Warhol paintings
• Singstar Container Night - reliving the golden days!
• Learning how to create Motion Graphics and my Doctor Who website
• Leading two girls to Christ during Fused Summer Scheme
• Art Night at Kerri's house!
• 'Thorsdays'
• Roadtrips with the IMAmates listening to Mentallll Breaakkkkerrrrr
• Seeing BIGBANG in London!

❐ Biggest Achievement of the Year:

Learning to swallow tablets!
❐ Biggest Failure:

Missing an exam.

❐ Happiest Moment:

BIGBANG coming on stage at Wembley Arena.

❐ Saddest Moment:

Funerals - Granny Green and Great Granny Gordon.

❐ Biggest Shock:

Hearing Gangnam Style by PSY on UK Radio for the first time.

❐ Best Purchase:

2 pairs of Moschino jeans on sale!!

❐ Greatest Musical Discoveries:

Josh Groban and Hans Zimmer.

❐ Best Song of the Year:

The Chaser by Infinite followed by Mental Breaker - Block B in a close second.

❐ Best MV of the Year:

Fantastic Baby - BIGBANG
❐ Best Film of the Year:

The Dark Knight Rises, of course!

❐ Greatest Discoveries of the Year:

Sherlock and Sweetcorn.

❐ Biggest Addiction:

Buying and selling stuff on eBay over the summer.

❐ Favourite Celebrity Figures:

Matt Smith and Alex Day.

That was fun!
- Love Claudia x

CONTAINER

This past few weeks I’ve been cleaning and redecorating the container. I wish I had taken before and after photos because to be honest these photos do not look impressive. Anyway here are the results. Click on the photo for greater detail!

The Container: In case you didn’t know, I received the container as a Christmas present one year. (Weird, right?) Dad bought numerous containers and he got two free. The other one is vile and used for storage, but this one got lucky and was transformed into my second home. And no, I’m not spoilt - Mum wants to use it as a new office when I leave home.

I collaged many walls with magazines. This was the most time consuming.

I also had numerous snapfish photos leftover so I made a mosaic on two walls.

Those are the Andy Warhol cushions I was given for Christmas last year. The purple sofa is actually a fold-up bed and the blue one was donated by my Uncle Gordon when he was moving house.

I FINALLY put up the Audrey Hepburn canvas, which had fallen many moons ago. The Doctor Who poster is meant to represent the Jared wall, but he really hasn’t had much say during the redecoration process. I spend much more time in the container than he does. The Doctor looks like he’s dancing to Ring Ding Dong though.

More snapfish! This time it is all landscape pictures. This wall still needs to be completed but I have ran out.

I attempted to do a frame wall too because I found a stash of photo frames and I think this turned out effectively. I still need two A3 sized pictures.

Super Junior Clock: I made this clock in my very boring last summer. Always thought it looks kinda cool, but I’ve been criticised that it never tells the correct time. It’s telling me it is Ryeowook past Heechul but it really should be Eunhyuk past Siwon.

Now for the “Office” side of the container. The table shown is just used for studying or writing. There is another older table which is used for painting. I think the walls here could be improved upon but I used all my pretty pictures on the other side.

The Flying Cat: James and Jordan thought it would be a good idea to hang the cat puppet on the light. It hasn’t been moved since. And although I know it’s there, it never fails to frighten me if it hits me on the head.

Shelf: Hurray! I brought out the shelf which used to stay in my room and now have all my art supplies neatly on it.

I am in possession of a Barbie bin with my name on it. I love my bin!

- Claudia

FOREVER ALONE!

Hey,

Last night I had a Ladies’ Night in the Container. (It’s a monthly event that we do, to catch up, chat about things..y’know, not gonna go into details because it’s top secret business.)

We spent a lot of the evening discussing romance and love as one of the topics.

Some of the girls were saying how they loved how a guy could be sweet and caring to them, understanding how they feel and being a comfort when they are needed.

Is it bad that I don’t expect a man to do this for me? I don’t get this concept at all.

I don’t know how to be affectionate. I feel awkward giving hugs to people, even my family sometimes, never mind a boy. I would catch cooties, heh.

This sounds awful, but I feel too capable and occupied with my own life to even make time for a relationship. If this is how I feel now, will this be worse in the future when I get a job?! I’m such a selfish cow.

I just don’t understand how couples can be just right for each other. Well, I do get that. I can’t grasp how I could be right for someone else.

I’m skeptical about the whole idea of love. I honestly think it’s because I don’t think it will happen to me! Forever alone.

Well these were the thoughts that were flying through my head while the rest were gushing about all these perfect romantic proposals. (They had moved on, while I still was detesting love in my thoughts)

Then this came into my head!!

Like everything else in my brain, I related it back to this drama I watched. Well it was IRIS, because it’s the only one I’ve fully seen so far. And this thought immediately restored and enlighten my belief in love and romance!!

I blurted this part of the drama out to the other three I was with, dumbly explaining it because it sounded disgusting. This didn’t make much sense to them at the time, but I think it’s idealistic but slightly unrealistic presentation of the two nearly made me cry. (It had made me cry before but I forgot how wonderful it was, it gave me butterflies because it’s soooo sweet.)

Let’s cut to the point. IRIS, although an action packed and exhilarating show, it also entwined the most beautiful romantic scenes I’ve ever seen on television or film.

I’ve made a short clip of the scene with my own subtitles (because the one I downloaded didn’t have any) but if you don’t want to watch it all, you can read the description below.)

So this part of the show is, Hyun Joon (the most gorgeous, old Korean guy you will ever set your eyes on) and Seung Hee (Hoe-Face) was in Akita in Japan on holiday. It was White Day, as they call it. (I think it’s something similar to Valentine’s Day) but the point is the man was to buy a present for the lady on that day.

So it begins with him entering a store to purchase something, leading Hoe Face to smile ridiculously thinking the present was for her. (Greedy girl)

She demands that he gives her the contents of the bag he had during dinner. Hyon Joon doesn’t understand what she wants (typical man, they are all the same) but it turns out he only bought a pair of underwear. (LOL typical man indeed.)

Seung Hee is miffed that he did not get her anything (COS SHE’S A HOE), not even candy for White Day. She refuses to talk to him, prompting him to leave the restaurant. (Honestly, she’s a terrible actress and you would slap her if you watched the whole series because I wanted to) She pouts, expecting him to come back, but he doesn’t.

She waits outside the restaurant, wondering if he’ll ever return. (They are in Japan, I don’t know how far he was thinking of going...)

Soon enough, he comes round the corner, STILL empty-handed.

Seung Hee is annoyed BUT then he grabs her face and kisses her. As he does, he puts a piece of chocolate in her mouth!

That might have been anti-climatic for y’all to read there, but when I was watching it, I was dying inside.

MY FAITH IN LOVE HAS BEEN RESTORED!

I know this is just acting between two people but it affected me much more than if a couple did this in real life. People who display public affection should be shot.

“You forgot underwear too?”

If you want to watch the real version which is bad quality but has real subtitles, click here and skip to 5:14.

MESS

i can't study....

EVE'S EVE :D

Hey
Okay this will be a quick post, as my hands are cold and I'm hungry.
I got more coursework done today! Whooo. But I doubt it's gonna be done before Christmas. Like, it's Christmas Eve tomorrow. TOMORROW! Flip why am I not more excited? I bet tomorrow night I will explode or something.

I love the Christmas holidays! Well I love all holidays, but Christmas is clearly the best. I've already got into my "no school" routine. Go to bed super late, like between 12-1.30am, that is after spending hours on the laptop doing nothing. Then listening to my iPod all night as I sleep. Usually, I end up yanking my earphones out in the middle of the night unconsciously and throwing them on the floor. But it's just habit. Then waking late (round 10-11) and just wandering about all morning if I have nothing to do. Today was one of these days, except I ran out to the container to do as much coursework possible. I got a enough done which I was happy about.
Then I got distracted and made a banner for my blog. *scroll up* See? I think it turned out better than expected.

The official "Cool" list

1. Conrad Chow- I discovered him on A.C.T. He's not like a celebrity or anything but he just looks so cool! It's effortless! He was "born and bred" in Hong Kong and now lives in London. AND he works in Louis Vouiton! I looked at his pics, he's very stylish and cute. Naomi and I looked at his YouTube page, where he has posted videos of himself playing guitar: Check it out. Yes, effortlessly cool and sexy.

2. Lee Donghae- Okay, undoubtedly I will be posting a Super Junior member here. But it's Donghae, the sexy sexy one! What has drawn him to my attention recently is how amazingly photogenic he is, and how on screen he's just pure man. basically. It's an infaction just to watch his facial expressions. He's also the best dancer. I wish I could dance. Check out Super Girl by Super Junior M (he's the one in the grey suit) and Super Junior dancing to Sexy Back live. Woah Donghae.

3. Charlie Mcdonnell- OBVIOUSLY Charlie is here. I don't think I've mentioned Charlie yet on my blog. He's an 19 year old English guy who makes YouTube videos. He's hilarious, cute and smart. You may have seem him on the BBC Switch show "Chartjackers" where him and his 3 friends tried to conker the U.K charts with their song "I've Got Nothing." Well the song didn't get to number one, but they made a pile of money for Children In Need. I strongly advise you to look at his Youtube videos. He's a darling. And he is awesome at music and just being himself.

If I fail to post anything tomarrow or who knows when.. MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL.
Ok, my stomach just fell off, I'm gonna go eat.
Claudia x

CONTAINER

Hello again,
I guess today at school was a lot better than yesterday. But, I'm still discontented with stuff.
Thankfully, the day flew by, and when I got home I drew Super Junior for a few hours in the container. Note: a green shipping container all kitted out inside with my cool stuff that there isn't room for in the house. It's also a great escape from chores in the house and to have more me time. It’s MINE and I love it. :)

I can't wait for Christmas!! I'm getting a Macbook, and I'm majorly excited about everything to do with it: setting it up with my iPhone, trying out the photoshop/video making software and, of course, naming it!! I think it will be called Mac-Original. Unless I think of something better. (unlikely.)

I got my school mid-term report today. All ones from my subjects EXCEPT for art, which I got twos in! Not impressed! Our art teacher was just being mean. I work super hard that subject. >=(

This isn't a recent picture, but basically my workspace in the container ^_^
I love Audrey Hepburn!! :)
I have an Amy shrine. One of my friends gave me a photo frame with photos of her in it for my birthday.
A Man Wall round my door frame. It has grown since this photo.
And I see cigarettes on the table..but that was for my art topic in G.C.S.E's, which was smoking. haha. :)