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?

DECEMBER AGAIN

Hello, remember me?

I’ve missed blogging. Coursework got the better of me. I’m now half way through Final Year, and wow, it has gone so fast. I had a great few months and now I will share...

University

I’m really settled at uni this year, as I mentioned in my last post. I realised how important my friends are and feel I’ve got a lot closer to them this year. Work has tightened up for third year but I really enjoyed what coursework I was working on. You can see here and here where my time has gone during the 12 weeks of Semester 1. In late January I’ll be starting my dissertation (8000-1000 word essay) on a topic I’m interested in, and will also produce a final practical project which will be on display at the End of Year Show in May. Yikes! Although it seems daunting, truthfully I'm excited to working on a topic that focuses on my interests. I think I know what I’m working on, but an assigned supervisor helps me along who I meet once a week to discuss how I'm getting on.

Friends

Home and University life was weird due to a couple of my friends not being at home. Rebecca, Kerri and Emma were studying/working abroad but were coming home for Christmas. I was counting down the days until I saw them again so December was an exciting month! 

Christmas

Christmas is so wonderful I felt it should have it’s own section. Lots of festivities at University, including the Christian Union and my course Dinners. As well as shopping, films, Starbucks, days out with friends and sorting last minute presents.

Remember in my last post I fell in love with a jacket? I am excited to announce my Mother picked up on my many hints and bought me it! (shown above) I think I’ve worn it everyday so yeah I was delighted. I got lots of other awesome pressies too - perfume, an amazing laptop bag from Emma and an external hard-drive. It was nice spending time with my family and chilling for a few days. Hope everyone had a nice Christmas! 

- Claudia

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

LIAM DAY

Hello!

Another quick update on my celebrity watching! Last Monday (28th January) famous actor Liam Neeson (Schindler’s List 1993, Batman Begins 2005 and Taken 2008 to name a few) took a trip back to his home town of Ballymena, County Down - which so happens to an hour away from where we study at University! Not wanting to miss the opportunity to see someone so famous (and Hannah to meet the man of her dreams), Rebecca, Emma, Hannah and myself travelled early Monday morning to see if we could catch a glimpse of the movie star.

Although we arrived in Ballymena at the ridiculous hour of 8am, after a yummy McDonalds breakfast and a few hours of retail therapy, we were excited to see Liam at the Town Hall. It rained horribly for the majority of the day but that didn’t put off a crowd of over one hundred people gathering.

Our early start did not go to waste! The four of us found a place at the front of the barrier which gave us a perfect view of everything that was happening. However it also appeared to be an opportunity for the local news too! We got interviewed four different times and posed for endless photos. Although it felt really awkward at first, it was a good laugh.

The weather magically cleared up and just after lunchtime Liam appeared! The camera men went crazy trying to get photographs and we were also snapping away, praying he’d do a round of the barrier. Unfortunately we didn’t get to shake his hand, never-mind get a photo with him! However it was very exciting and I took some photos with my new camera.

When we arrived home, we made sure to catch all the news and by 7pm my Facebook newsfeed was filled with notifications that I was on television!! I’m very awkward on camera but thankfully, they cut the majority of the interview out. We appeared on UTV (below), BBC Newsline and RTE and also some photos appeared in a local newspaper and the BBC website. Here's the clip from UTV - I am on at 0:28 seconds! 

All in all, it was a excellent day and a great way to start Semester 2! Many thanks to Rebecca, Emma and Hannah for making it so much fun!

Lots of Love for Liam,

Claudia

HIDDEN AWAY

Hello,

Just a quick update to show I am still alive. I would apologise that I have got out of my habit of my weekly update but my hands are quite full with stuff at the minute, so really it couldn’t be helped. 

University

So yes, I have returned to the North and am currently habituating in a beautiful rented house in Portstewart with five other girls. I really like it, though I don’t know if I love it yet to be honest. Like second year is rather average compared to first year - where everything is new and exciting. Last year was all about making new friends, this year I think it’s more about maintaining the friendships that matter. This is an odd adjustment to get used to, it’s more settled and in some ways, less exciting.

Although I’m definitely enjoying myself, I’ve had many hilarious moments and terrific memories so far, and quite a few pictures to prove it too.

The work load for my course is quite noticeably heavier than last year and it takes a lot of effort to stay on top of it. Lots of reading, writing and practical work. I’m afraid I won’t be able to keep track of it which could bring my mark down. I’m trying my best though, I don’t want to to start getting stressed out. Like I’m only here for another year (my course is a 3 year course) then I’ll be graduating, it’s really flying in, so I want to enjoy every minute!

Life

My life seems to be revolving around two things at the minute: university and my own life. That may sound incredibly selfish, but I’m trying to get my life into order. I’ve been spending a lot of time by myself praying and pondering, because I feel there’s so much I want to do, but I don’t know where to begin.

After working and socialising, I just want to sleep. It sucks. Any other spare time I have, I put into over-analysing everything and it’s actually cracking me up because my brain doesn’t have enough power left to THINK that much. It’s preventing me from enjoying the moment and loving life. Aragh! It’s so hard to explain. When I make more sense I shall return to this confusing topic.


Things That Aren’t Nice:
I shall start with the bad list then we can end the post positively. 

• Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s make-up in Looper - NOO he doesn’t LOOK right, why mess up his beautiful face? 
• Confliction - Although we have great times together, a six person house can be... let’s say...tense. Especially with girls . Sometimes I feel a negative aura, where people are just in a mood for a good complain and I hate it! It brings me down. Also unnecessary shouting and noise in general within the house is unpleasant.
• Posters falling - My Portstewart bedroom is exposed to various temperatures throughout the day - from ice-cold in the early afternoon to moderate heat from 7:30pm-8:30pm. This has a horrible effect on the blue-tac which holds my posters in my room up. At least one poster a day has fallen off my wall since term started. The slight dent in the Inception one breaks my heart.

Things I Like:

When I’m not being crazy, sad or self-reflective, I do like some things. Recently I like:

• Josh Groban - I started listening to Josh Groban’s albums on Spotify and now I am totally hooked! Yes, I have a free month subscription to Spotify and now have realised I cannot live without it.
• Tumblr - Eugh why is this website so addictive. I have 17 posts of Joseph Gordon-Levitt queued from now to Sunday - that’s not normal behaviour, Claudia.
• Weather - it's now my favourite time of year again! It's dark and cold, it makes me happy, despite the lack of heating in the house. Hat season has begun!
• New Friends - I’ve built relationships with people that I’ve realised I no longer can live without. I look at them and think, wow, you are SO amazing - I actually love you! (In a friendly way of course, haha)

Yay I feel better after blogging!

Night night,
Claudia

TIMING

Right, it’s time for another catch-up post. 

Fused:

Team Adventurers!

I was reading old posts of mine and saw how I was unsure if I was going to do Fused, the Summer Bible Club which runs for two weeks at the end of July in Newcastle. Now, I am SO GLAD I did! It was absolutely marvelous! I met lots of cool people on the team and felt I fitted in so much better than last year. I even used my talents to help Jo to make t-shirts for our team, the Adventurers. (left) They look so class, is it weird I feel proud? Also the fortnight helped my walk with God; which I was worried about before I left because I felt I wouldn’t be able to teach others if I was neglecting my own faith.
The kids were little sweethearts, we helped with the Primary 4-7s, so they were old enough to listen and behave but still were young and easy to talk to. The girls loved my jewelry and wanted to try on my rings - it was so cute. I had my own Small Group this year - a group of round 7 or 8 girls. This really boosted my confidence because I usually turn into a big, nervous mess when I have to lead anything. By the end of the two weeks, three of the girls gave their life to Christ, two of them which I prayed with. I was so emotional when I came home I sobbed - it’s such an extraordinary thing to witness and share in someone’s life. Other kids made professions too, please keep these kids in your prayers.

With some of my Small Group

If that wasn’t enough for my brain to handle - I SPOKE at the front during the two Josh’s talk...VOLUNTARILY. If you know me at all, there’s no flipping way I would want to speak in front of a crowd unless I had to - but I just felt the timing was right, or else I was losing my mind.
Jeremy, Jo and myself were asked to speak about how God transformed our lives.
Even as I was standing up, I was still unsure what I was going to say, and as I look back on it, I hardly remember what I DID say - basically I spoke about settling into university - having to make new friends and rely on God when alone. I couldn’t have possibly constructed all those sentences in my head logically and articulate them clearly without the power of the Holy Spirit. God is so good. 

So glad I filled in that form back in May time - or else I wouldn’t have be involved in two of the most wonderful weeks of my summer! Time well spent!

The Dark Knight Rises:
Haha I’m very late with this one! I am a massive fan of great GREAT films - like blockbuster films - I guess most people are but it seems to be that most of my favourite films are legendary ones (the other genres would include Classics, Disney or Asian cinema) So naturally The Dark Knight trilogy is included in this legendary list. (Other films include Inception, The Social Network, Slumdog Millionaire and Harry Potter.)
I was very, very excited about this one from geeking out so much in 2008 after seeing the second of the series. It was later I also realised that Batman Begins was the first of the trilogy - not sure how I didn’t realise that before, whoops! 

It was outstanding as expected - it was like a big yummy sandwich with all my favourite actors - Christian Bale (with his amazing sexy mouth) Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Anne Hathaway, Tom Hardy, Gary Oldman and Michael Caine. Then to top it all off with a small cameo of the wonderful Cillian Murphy as Dr. Crane. (I actually love that man - he’s very charismatic and so striking, could watch him for hours.) So yeah, amazing. I hope to see it again before I go back to university - so if anybody wants to go... hit me up.


The Amazing Andrew Garfield:
Let’s put it this way - it was a mistake seeing The Dark Knight Rises before The Amazing Spiderman. I was very excited because I am a long time Andrew Garfield fan and have waited two years after hearing he was cast as the lead. I really did enjoy this though, it was better than I was expecting... but maybe I’m just being biased. No seriously, it’s worth a watch.

Granny Gordon:
Unfortunately I have even more bad news since my last update. My Great Granny, Ethel (also known as The Granulator!) passed away at the grand age of 93 on the 11th August 2012. The pain was pretty raw since Granny Green’s death so it was horrible that we had to go through it all again. She had fell and broke her hip a few days before, but wasn’t well enough for an operation so she was in hospital. She also suffered from dementia and other health issues, so it appeared she was getting worse each day.
Thankfully I took up the opportunity of visiting her in hospital the day before she died. Even though her condition was deteriorating, I wanted to see her, I was kinda scared though. Astonishing to us all, she was her usual witty, humourous and slightly forgetful self! It was a joy to see her like that, and being able to remember her that way is something I’m incredibly thankful for. She will be sorely missed. 

Family:
Despite losing two members of my family this summer, I feel like I’ve built many new relationships with other family members. Here the impact of death has brought the Green family/McCullough family closer. To be honest, before I wouldn’t really have called my relatives family - because I never saw them and they knew very little about me, same vice-versa. Poor Granny Green would have done anything for the four of us to socialise with the others, but it was only through her death did that become possible. Same with the McCullough family - it was through Granny Gordon’s death brought us altogether as one. Hopefully these relationships will last. It was God’s perfect timing that Charles (my cousin), his wife Kate and 1 year old Stanley arrived from England and were able to see Granny Gordon for the last time, the weekend before she died. It was also my first time meeting Stanley, this was exciting because we haven’t had a baby in the family since Jared was born. My other cousins Gregor and Gareth and their ladies, Sharon and Kirsty also arrived down that weekend too so it was a big get-together for all of us. Above is a photo of us all that weekend, hoorah.

Titanic:

I visited the Titanic Belfast last week with my Parents and Jared. This is a new building opened this year to mark the 100 year anniversary of the sinking of the world’s biggest ship. This is situated in the Titanic Quarter, beside where the Titanic’s was built. The building has 6 floors of galleries containing a variety of interactive media including CGI, film, audio, artifacts and replicas. This was interesting for me. Each gallery was well designed and used varied ways to display the historical details of the ship’s construction, launch, maiden voyage and tragic end.
It certainly was a visitor experience - the whole place was packed too. It was a great day out, but wouldn’t be something you’d return to for a few years at least. I think if you’re really interested in history it’ll be very enjoyable to read everything (like my dad), otherwise it’s a great day out - recommended!

Yay,

- Claudia

CONTROVERSIAL #1

Gonna answer all the dangerous/controversial/awkward questions in a single post.

If you bumped into the person you dislike or if you were stuck with them in an elevator, what would you do or say?
Well I’d probably try to be civil and either say hello, exchange a nod or just say nothing at all if they don’t make eye contact.

Someone who made your life hell, or treated you like shit.
There are certain people who spring to mind here. I find it difficult to forgive people who bullied and made fun of me when I was younger, around 10-14 years old. And no, I can’t say I have forgiven for them yet - I know it sounds ridiculous but words hurt. I still hear those harsh words ring in my ears when I’m feeling crappy. I remember not being able to sleep at night, sick with worry thinking of the next day of school. And if I see them, I feel such a burning anger for making my life so horrible, I can hardly look them in the eye! I hope I will be able to forgive them in the near future.

Someone you didn’t want to let go, but just drifted.
I notice as you get older this happens more regularly. It becomes ten times harder to keep in touch with people, and there’s also some you just have to let go because there is no room for them in your life. This is quite sad really. The ones who have drifted I can’t say I miss much - then there are others who I don’t see but if we would meet up, it would be just like the way it used to be - then there’s some I meet and feel so awkward I can hardly make conversation with. I was afraid I would lose contact with James since we left for university, but thankfully we haven’t drifted apart, which I'm very thankful for!

Someone you need to let go, or wish you didn’t know.
There are a few people who I’ve met in my lifetime who I really didn’t like or wish I never knew. But I think there’s a reason for everything - even if I didn’t impact their life, it maybe was showing me who were good friends for me to have and who were not.

What do you think of religion? Or what do you think of politics?
What’s this now? Religion and politics are in the same question?!
Religion - As most of you know, I am a ‘religious’ person. I have been blessed in a loving Christian family who involved me in church and which also influenced my morals and lifestyle choices. I gave my life to Christ when I was a child, probably round 7 or 8 years old. I never fell away from this faith - and still live by these moral principles today. I don’t drink, smoke, sleep around...etc. It amazes me how stuck by these values for so long - it’s by faith obviously. God has provided me with such a strong faith and I’m not easily swayed, plus this kind of lifestyle never appealed to me anyway. I wouldn’t label my faith a religion, although it probably looks like it is, it’s more a personal relationship. The closer you are to God, other things such as relationships with others, struggles and worries are easier to deal with. I think I would be a paranoid, stressed and horrible human being if I didn‘t have God in my life to conquer my obstacles. I think it takes an open mind to have a faith in something, any religion actually. I can understand that it doesn’t appeal to everyone. It’s not an easy choice though either. I see why people want to live their own life, which saddens me, because I see how powerful and wonderful God works in my life. But flip, I could talk about how God has transformed my life for hours, but it’s something you gotta feel for yourself.
Politics - I am afraid I have a lack of knowledge and understanding in all things political. I wish I even understood what it’s all about - so I would have an opinion. But since I don’t, I shall say nothing at all.

Your views on drugs and alcohol.
Personally I don’t understand why people drink or smoke, never-mind do drugs. Purposively damaging your body never quite appealed to me! Well I actually think it’s very sad when I see friends, flatmates and fellow students away out to nightclubs or parties. I don’t understand this lifestyle at all. Again, I feel I shouldn’t criticise because I’ve never even been to a nightclub, bar or party. Or drunk an alcoholic beverage for that matter. I choose not to drink because I think if I started, I would not stop. There’s a few reasons actually but I’d rather not bore you all to tears. And for drugs, well drugs are stupid, just no thank you.

What has been the most difficult thing you have had to forgive?
A few people do spring to mind unfortunately. In my childhood I was a child who was rarely shouted at (not by my parents though) so when someone actually told me off about something insignificant or said something mean, I tended to held a grudge against them forever. I think I reacted like this because I’m kinda sensitive, believe it or not. Although I try to hide that side of me. I’d rather not list these individuals here because it seems petty. I need to forgive these people for what they said, but more importantly be forgiven for holding these pointless grudges against them.

Your best friend is in a car accident and you two got into a fight an hour before. What do you do?
Eugh! What a horrible question! It’s worse when you’ve already been through a similar scenario before. Thankfully Jordan and I were not fighting before she had her car accident. (I thank God that we weren’t, because we definitely had our tense moments in school.) To be honest I don’t even want to answer this one, I pray none of us will have to go through a similar situation again.

Have you ever did something bad or lied to your parents but got away with it?

No I can’t say I have, haha! My mum can read me like a book. And by a book, I probably would be a children’s book. Very, very easy to read.

The reason you believe you’re still alive today.
I believe I am still alive today because God feels my work on earth is not yet complete. And what this reason is...only he knows. I would LOVE to know what he wants me to do, but for now I will live by his word everyday and believe everything will fall into place when the time is right. God’s plan is good!

SUMMER TO-DO LIST

In case I lose the note Kerri created, here is the list of Summer activities and events we have planned. Add more in the comments if you can think of any!!

Oh, and Mary-Jane vandalised the sheet by adding her own ideas. (I don’t even know what Dothaki is!)

• Kilbroney Forest Park 
• Pudding/Baking day 
• Cinema Crawl (MayJay edit: Illegally watch films) 
• Get Arrested (?) 
• Bonfire on the beach 
• Ultimate Game 
• Beauty Night 
• Make a Youtube Video 
• Picnic 
• Coneing 
• Beach at Dawn 
• Geocaching 
• Come Dine With Me 
• Movie Marathon at Home 
• Disney Day 
• Arty Night 
• Carboot Sale 
• Fancy Dinner 
• Take part in a Photoshoot 
• Play old Birthday games 
• Singstar 
• Dye someone’s hair (??) 
• Play with fire 
• Learn Dothaki 
• Theatre 
• Hobo Night (??) 
• Road Trip 
• Go Camping 
• Fishing/ Rock Pool 
• Stone Place 
• Learn a new skill 
• Send a random person post 
• Teach a new skill 
• Typography 
• Break into someone’s house (May-Jay once again) 
• Knit something 
• Make bracelets 
• Feed ducks/birds

EASTER POST

Some words which have come into my head which I want to write about, eh?

Easter

I’ve been off for Easter this past week and next week too. So far I’ve had a lovely time off - meeting up with people I haven’t seen and also creating my Motion Graphics Visual Diary. We’ve also got some Easter Eggs which I plan to tuck into tomorrow. Yummy!

Car

I like driving now - how hypocritical of me, but I when people say getting your test is so much more better than learning, it’s definitely true. I never thought I’d like it though. Although I enjoyed the craic with my instructor, learning did get very tedious after a while. I’m glad that part of my life is over. I’ve my whole life ahead of me and I am free. Driving alone is so much more fun!

Social Networking

Okay, okay this is the very very last time I will rant about this. In the past few months, Twitter - you all should be familiar with it - has been increasing in popularity. I used the Twitter sphere to ESCAPE from silly Facebook friends’ updates - and now they all are making a Twitter account and FOLLOWING ME.

GO AWAY. GO AWAY, I SAY. I miss my freedom of expression, where I could tweet whatever I wished - now I feel I must censor it according incase it offends any of my followers. Hogwash!! I will only follow my friends and a few special others - this includes people from my course, celebrities and interesting/amusing people. Oh! And finally, don’t say Twitter is better than Facebook - it certainly is not. They both have their own features unique to the site - so just, eh, just shut up....and now I will too.

Friends

I’ve met many fantastic people through university, but nobody understands me like my friends back home do. We’ve been through so much together this past couple of months and we still stick together. I actually love you guys. Let us have many more laughs and memories together.

Diet

My weight is the bane of my life. For a while it was great, I actually had kinda lost my appetite - still not sure why, but alas, it has returned to it’s all-powerful self. I miss last year...I want my confidence back.

University

Would I go back to school? Not in a million years. I adore university - the freedom, the opportunity to meet new people and to study what I love.

My Classmates: Hannah, Seb, Rebecca and Emma in particular,

The other IMA guys who have made us all very welcome to our course: Eoin, Wilson, Michael, Nick, Louise, Lance, Sam and many others too!

My Flatmates in Cranagh: Kerri, Deirdre, Joanne and Anne.

CU friends: Shannon, Alison, Rachel, Danielle, Hannah S, Jenna, Alannah and some others too...

You guys are all awesome!

Music

I’ve been trying to re-evaluate my life this past fortnight and I’ve been cleansing myself from some certain music. Sometimes you can get carried away and you don’t even realise. I need to get my priorities right and my music is a good place to begin. I told a few people I’m trying to sort myself out, and honestly I don’t think they took it seriously - but I feel in my heart it’s time to move on. Although it won’t be easy, sacrifices need to be made to make room for greater things.

Faith

Last Monday we were challenged by our Small Groups leader to wake early and have our Quiet Time in the morning before we get up. Normally I would do a quick Bible chapter and prayer and conk out at night. Some nights when I was too tired I wouldn’t even bother. I knew it wasn’t very effective but it was just a bad habit I was stuck in. So I took on this challenge, and seriously, it’s been the best choice I’ve made in a long time.

I’m most focused in the mornings - so it’s a perfect routine for me and I’m able to spend more time praying and understand what I’m reading easier because my concentration level is higher. It’s also affected my whole day - I swear I’ve had the most fulfilling days since starting it. I’m happier and I feel closer to God, which is incredible. I love it!

Time for bed,

- Claudia

BLUE

I was about to introduce this blog post stating how I haven’t blogged for a while etc. but decided that is not the way to go, since 1. it’s very boring and 2. it was only a fortnight ago.

I haven’t had any time to chill so have spent my evenings doing that instead of blogging. (That means pigging out in front of the laptop stuffing my face and staring at my Facebook/Twitter/Tumblr feeds all night)

The interesting thing now is because I’m at university, it is a lot more likely that one or more of these are someone a lot of you don’t know. Which means you can't guess them unless you live inside my head. Not trying to twist your minds or anything, it is fact.
I don’t compose these to bring attention to myself or my blog, I like having somewhere I can document and express my thoughts freely. Kaboom!

- Explosion of ponderings -

One.

I miss being close to you, I feel like we are drifting apart and I’m trying desperately to repair what we have lost but I genuinely don’t know what to say anymore. I feel like I’ve been cruelly left out - not intentionally though - and I miss the craic. I miss you more than anyone, because you are so lovely and genuine and you were my first friend. Can we please try and fix this because I’m at a loss of what to do. 

Two.

You are messing with my head, like seriously. Why must I fall so easily, especially of all people, why must it be you! I swore to myself I wouldn’t let this happen again, except this time it’s much worse because it is you and I can’t, and won’t, even tell anybody. I hope these feelings will go away because it’s all too confusing and I’m being silly and will therefore shut up.

Three.

I’m very glad you are back in my life. I know I am losing hope others and feel I am welcomed back with you. It’s comfortable and I feel so at ease talking to you. Just like old times. I really appreciate your company and hope we can become really great friends again. 

Four.

This is far too difficult, I want to help you but it is just too much effort. I physically can’t help you if you can’t help yourself. I have others and don’t need you either. Just don’t hurt yourself. Sorry.

Five.

I can’t kid myself, and I certainly can’t kid Emma. YOU ARE STILL MY KING OPPA.

(Honestly I think oppa is one of my favourite words ever. C:) Oppas make Claudbag happy, I need many oppas. I collect them and keep them safe. Hehehehehe.

I’ve been feeling very negative and sad lately, please someone cheer me up. I guess I’m feeling BLUE.

My boys are back. I love BIGBANG. ♥

TEXTS

This morning I started scrolling through my texts from Jordan. I decided immediately that they needed to be written down because they are hilarious and I would be very annoyed if they got lost or deleted. They bring back many fun memories so obviously the best place to put them would be on my blog. So please don’t be freaked out because I find them very comforting to read and would like to read them again in the future.

Note, Jordan’s spelling is atrocious. So I typed it out the way she did in the text.

These texts start from late 2009.

New Moon

“New moon next week?....Yea, ill brave ur crazy taylor obsession....akakaka. The general boy obsession going on, but No one will be obsesed with robert patinson.”

The day we wrapped up the boys’ football (because they kept playing with it in the Lecture theatre)

“Ahh kerri told john what we did, and he says that balls worth £25. And theyre gna be angry”

On Glee

“Hahaha. I noticed the asian boy and his dancing and thought of u”

“Im gonna regret this so much, but mike chang is kinda cute”

“Kurt talked about the American Dream! Ewww”

“In lisburn and I just saw a boy who looked like mike chang!”

“Im only just watching glee, and lol at asian camp?!”

Noting my Asian-loving days:

“Why oh why am I watching the asian music awards???”

“We were just in newry and saw like 3 asian guys. Are super junior on tour here?!”

“Im watching south korea play football. They all look identical claudia!”

“I’m in Lisburn and there’s an adorable asian child in the que. I thought of you. lol.”

Joel

Jordan: Lol I walk into my halls at uni and looked in the kitchen and the first thing i saw was an asian boy! Thought of u immediately.

Me: LOL LUCKY YOU. is he in your halls?

Jordan: Yes! He’s from Singapore and really nice.

Me: Awesome what’s his name?

Jordan: Joel but not pronounced like that. He’s doing medicine and he’s also kind of cute.

On Twitter and The Great Gatsby

Jordan: “Is dr tj eckleburg following u on twitter 2?!”

Me: “turns out it’s Matthew Quinn!!”

On Moths

“Ahh there was just a massive moth at my window! Not big enough 2 be wearing a suit but still pretty big”

“Hey mothmath (mothmath??) just visited me, he says hes heading out to your house now.”

On Driving

“Claudia I had a dream last night that you passed your driving test! Yay. But u told me that you’d done it on the internet, that sounds a bit illegal. Ha.”

Rocket Power

Me: Rocket Power!! With Otto, Reymundo, Tito and silly other names!

Jordan: Lol. Good job on finding that claudbag!

On Clothes

Let me explain, in late August Jordan and I went shopping. Extreme shopping. I picked out lots of new clothes for her to wear to uni. It certainly was a successful day because we bought 2 blouses, 2 jumpers, DKNY jeans, 2 t-shirts and later a new jacket and trainers.

Jordan: I can’t decide what to wear claudia!!”

Me: Hahaha you sound like me - cos you have new clothes to choose from?

Jordan: Yes. lol. And I’m not sure what matches what...”

Me: What are you choosing from?

Jordan: Think I’m going to wear the blue stripy top from river island. But what goes with that? I need another layer

Me: Isn’t that the one I ranted that you needed an orange cardigan...lol

Texts which few will understand:

“Lol. U gotta be adventurous claudia. Dishy steven!”

“AHHH I was just uploading pictures on facebook and I accidently put the happy 10th birthday Jimmy one up!! I think I got it removed b4 it was seen tho.”

“Aww i miss the days when weekends ment futurecup lol.”

“Im at fusin AND CASPER IS HERE!”

“Lol! It’s because of their poorly designed menus.”

“Open your gates Claudbag.”

Me: Jared went into the container and first thing he saw was TAMPON MAN!! :O

Jordan: LOL!!

Facebook Hack and other randoms

One day at Emma’s house we all hacked Jordan’s Facebook after she accidentally told us her password was the same for everything. 

Jordan: I’m a muslim, inbred, superjunior loving, hemaphrodite, in a complicated relationship and it’s my birthday. Also why is there a swearword in there, thats just unnecessary!

Me: My only input in this hack was suju! What swearword??

Jordan: It says ‘religious views - muslim shite.’ Or is that like a type of muslim?

Jordan: Do yous want me to bring some ice cream?

Me: Yes sexy bbz. When you get here I can’t wait to tickle your bum. 

“Hey Sexy”  (Nice one James)

“Coming now my girlfriend”

Other amazing texts:

“U know what I say? OFF WITH THE HEAD”

“Im looking ur memories on bebo”

“I just caught myself singing along 2 hollys camprock cd. SINGING TO JOE JONAS. What have i become”

“Is Emma in the country?”

“Kk. Party animals!”

“Thanks for inviting me. I had great fun. Ive had sex bomb in my head all day.”

“Yearbook is fabulous claudia!”

“Big sexy laurence is on tv. I started to laugh thinking of your mother. There’s also an asian man who looks like a woman on the show. It’s like your family made it.”

“Book beans. Was just wondering.”

“Make sure yous miss my presense.”

Don’t worry Jordan, we do! We all miss you like crazy! ♥

- Claudia x

LIGHTS GO ON AGAIN

I feel super guilty that I haven’t been properly active in Blogger in ages. Usually I would have one or two posts just waiting but unfortunately I haven’t written anything in ages.

This is because:

1. I’m too lazy.
2. I’m too busy.
3. I’m too tired.
4. I’ve ran out of ideas.

This makes me sad because I want to blog. It is frustrating!

Anywho, here is the list that I prepared before my exams had ended. Shall we see how it is getting on?

Completed:

• Finish my exams: Yes I have completed this, not successfully, but it is done.
• Get a job and earn some money: Laugh if you will, but I am currently employed in my Dad’s electrical business. I’ve been out working with him. Yes, manual work. No, I’m not joking. Money is money, serious stuff.
• Clean out my room: I recently got my whole room varnished (it’s entirely built of wood) so it was calling for a makeover. I shall blog about this soon! It just hasn’t been tidy enough to even consider taking pictures of it.
• Send a MAMMOTH amount of fan-mail to different celebrities and test how many will return: YES! I sent away 9 letters last week. Those included were Helen Mirren, Michael McIntyre, Kenneth Branagh, Judi Dench, Colin Firth, Daniel Craig, Jamie Oliver, Keira Knightly and Sienna Millar. Will I get any back...who knows! Fingers crossed.
• Get my ears pierced: I got them pierced a fortnight ago, which means this is ticked off my Bucket List too. You may wonder why I did, after waiting for 18 years. Mainly because I felt I was missing out. It was annoying shopping and seeing an awesome pairs of earrings and not being able to purchase them, so why not just fix the problem and stop being so awkward about it?

Not Completed Yet:

• Learn how to use Adobe Photoshop, Dreamweaver, Flash, Audacity and Premiere to prepare for my Interactive Media Arts course in Colraine: I actually had forgotten I had planned to do this...I still have two months off.
• Learn how to use my graphics tablet: Again, two months off. I’ll get round to it.
• Attempt to practice some photography: Why on earth did I write this one??
• Prepare stuff for university: In due time my friend.
• Order more Snapfish photos: I had planned to do this tonight, but I’m blogging instead.
• Paint some big-ass pictures with acrylic paint: I need to practice little paintings first. I’ve done a total of two but hope to produce more in the next few weeks.
• Have a container sleepover party: This is in preparation. I am currently cleaning and redecorating the container (I shall blog about this too) we just need a night that suits everyone!
• Organise a meet-up/dinner with ‘our lot’ from school: Forgot about this one too, but I think John or Kerri is planning something instead.

Getting there...

• Start driving again: Yah, if someone else asks me about driving I’ll slap their head in. It’s annoying enough that they have changed the test at the end of June. Just making it more difficult for me. I have been out numerous times but it’s surprisingly hard to make times for things you don’t like doing.
• Exercise loads and obtain my goal weight: I’ve been at Slimming World for about 12 weeks now and to be honest, I’m getting nowhere. I lost 1 1/2lbs last week but I could do so much better. It’s hard when I’m out and about to keep following the plan.
• Get a £1 coin money box, collect £1, £2 and notes and not to touch it. Behold! Hundreds of pounds gathered very quickly! : This is going well! I still haven’t touched the money box. It’s very tempting to though. It’s a good way to save so I recommend it.
• Have some more container parties before my friends desert me forever: Friends have been here numerous times already but when the container is finally decorated it will definitely be PARTY TIME.
• Redecorate the container: It is time for the container to get a makeover. It’s a sin I don’t look after it as well as I could. It’s currently getting walls done with new posters and pictures so fingers crossed it will turn out nice.
• Photo blog on Chictopia regularly: For those who don’t know, Chictopia is a community where the users post photographs of themselves, for fashion purposes, and the others post their opinions. Most of the users are absolutely gorgeous, and their photos are very professional, but James, Kerri and I do it for the craic and ours is pitiful. You can find our profile pages here, here and here.

No.

• Go to France and see SM Town on the 10th June: Clearly this did not happen because I did not get tickets (those tickets were as hard to obtain as the 2012 London Olympic tickets) and I would have otherwise blogged about it continously forever.
• Go to London on 19th June and stalk SHINee: Again, this didn’t happen because I’m broke and to be frank, just don’t care enough. Although it was extremely painful watching fancam footage of the five gloriously walking through Heathrow airport.
• Get back to the gym! : Blah! Super angry at this one, I CAN’T go back to the gym because my membership has been cancelled. Since I’m going to university in September Mum thought it would be more sensible to save the money spent there to put towards uni funds.

I have also added a few extra ones:

• Watch a new drama.
• Upload new art pieces onto Deviant Art.
• Meet up with various people over the summer.

And so it may continue...

Until next time,

- Claudia

P is for...

Presents.

Today I am Santa Claudz. It is not Christmas. I am not rich or have excess to unlimited wealth. But I shall grant gifts to all who have been fortunate to be in my presence this past few years. I’m feeling generous so I will give presents to my friends who I may not see as often now that we have left school so they can enjoy for their rest of their existence.

Emma:

Today, Emma Thelma Louise Hanna, you have been given the gift of a massive castle where you can live happily with all your medieval stuff you are interested in. Knights, horses, wizards..merlin.. etc. Yes, since you’ve been my friend longest you get the biggest present!

I do not understand all this medieval nonsense so I will give you the opportunity for you to refurbish this grand castle in any way you wish. You do not have to work, because you have worked enough for 4 A-Levels which accounts for enough work for the rest of your life. You don’t have to do anything at all, and that suits you. There is a horse and carriage which Caspian drives about the large pollen-free land around your castle to prevent hay fever. You have a large library stored with your published fanfiction and every book you have ever read.

You also have slaves: one from each country of the world: which you can speak to in their own language. In the dungeon there are many Korean boys that are trapped there because that’s what you keep them after capturing them during hunting. Occasionally you throw some leftover rice down there to ‘keep them going’ but there isn’t really any need for feeding them or holding them under capture either! But you do because they are so pretty. And sometimes they teach you dance.

Lastly, you get one more present: a big grade C. You’ve never had a C before so now this has tainted the perfect A’s you have received. (C is for CLAUDIA. So that makes it good.)

(Sorry that was much longer than I thought it would be... got carried away when I got into the dungeon bit.)

Amy

Amy Grace, I will give you the gift of nothing other than, a car! It doesn’t seem fair that you work so hard and you are not rewarded! In this car is a big Scottish man with a beard and an accent. You’ve always said you wanted one of them. (Sorry I’ve got the K-Pop Cd jammed in the player...with glue.) I’ve also went to the trouble of moving Dundee to the coast of Annalong. Now you don’t have to travel too far but you will still be in Dundee, except just not in Scotland!

May-Jay

Lady MaryJazzleyJane, today you receive the gift of usefulness. Throughout all my years knowing you, I’ve never seen you do anything worthwhile. Well, apart for your skills in the use of graphic design. I shall give you a beautiful solid gold graphics tablet which you must use everyday, or it will disappear in a puff of smoke and you won’t get it back again.

You also do not have a car of your own, so I will buy you this straight from Japan. I can imagine you driving round this already. You would look so cool. Inside this car is nobody else but Adam Young!! Cos you like that guy.

I saw during the art exam your Skull Candy earphones didn’t really fit you right, so I’ll get you these to match your car!

Elizabeth

Elizabeth, today you receive the gift of a beautiful white cloak! This cloak has a hood and little holes for ey...wait..you already have one of these? Why...?

Naomi

Naomi dearest, I understand you are a bit uptight about next year and what you are going to be doing. Today I give you the present of not being worrisome. I can see you will do better than all our friend group put together: better than Kerri in Law, better than James in mirotics or whatever it is... Yes you will! I give you a ticket for a trip around the world which would be so much more fun than university. You can meet Kellen Lutz and lots more hunky men. I will also give you a recycling center that only recycle Ribena, Barney and Plein Sud drink cartons and you can rip away at the cardboard too. You’ll have a blast!

Kerri

Kurry, today I grant that the act of polygamy is now legal in Northern Ireland. You are scheduled to play Adrianna’s half sister in next month’s 90210. I also have got in contact with Derren Brown who has predicted this week’s lotto numbers so you should be safe with that one too. When your winnings are confirmed, I will call Camelot to send your winnings in cash in several Louis Vuitton suitcases. Lastly, I will fly big smoker face Gaspard over and you can play to him with your big ass golden cello.

James

Sir James, yes, that’s right, I just called up the Queen to knight you. Congratulations Sir James Mooney! You wonder why you are knighted? Why it’s because of your globally famous retail store, Half Moon! Your invention of ‘Moon’ sizes has revolutionised the fashion world completely and the whole world is going hay-wire for this new style (including Glee characters Kurt, Mike Chang and Blain mmmm Blaine) All thanks to me! I told you the Dump would be the perfect place to set up a business, and you didn’t believe me! Plus, hiring out Gaga to model was a gold idea!

Jordan

Jordon, today you receive the gift Mothman visiting for tea! Hey, don’t be insulted, that’s like the best gift ever. Lol clearly I started this post with great ideas for some people and by the end I had ran out of ideas. Sowee....Oh: better idea. Jordan, comment exactly what you want me to do for my next post in the comment box and I’ll write all about it. Need to keep blogging interesting. Anything at all! I accept the challenge. Even if it’s something gay that I don’t like, maths or whatever.

(Same goes to Elizabeth, she didn’t even get a gift. Ya’big racist.)

Can't wait for tomorrow night!!!!

- Love Claudia x

ANY QUESTIONS?

So today Kerri began a new trend spam on our Twitter accounts. The question game. Each user who plays are given the opportunity to ask another ANY question at all to them. With only one veto, you must answer these questions honestly and willingly.

See, I’m meant to post these answers to my Twitter account - but that’s far too messy and disorganised for my liking. And I can write longer answers here. So here they are!!

Naomi: What was your first impression of me? (I was always curious of this)

Heya Naomi. To be honest, not much of an impression was made.. no offense! Just you were very quiet and I thought you were very pretty. And since I was going through an emo phase I really liked your clothes so therefore visited Fresh Garbage, which you recommended to me in 4th year, but the shop scared me because I thought it sold drugs.

Mary-Jane: Where do you see yourself in 10 years time?

Mary-Jane, I honestly don’t know at the moment. Career wise anyway. I don’t even know what I’ll be doing in 10 months, never mind 10 years. We’ll see what happens with uni and all.

Other than that, I’ll be 28 (GROSS) so I hope I’ll be married with at least one child living comfortably with a good job, or else just being a housewife with a part-time job. In the next ten years I hope I will have travelled to Asia, lose more weight and have my teeth whitened...short term goals, haha.

Hazel: Micky Yoochun or T.O.P?!

OH HAZEL WHY DO YOU DO THIS TO ME :(

Ahhhhhh that’s like the worst question ever, gurrl. At the minute, they are completely equal. I love both equally as my biases. :D

Not sure why I find Yoochun my favourite, I just think he’s attractive and I love his voice. (Random question, do you think he looks incredibly old for his age?)

And AH T.O.P the most gorgeous man who has ever lived!! Those eyes will eventually kill me, and that voice fcghjknbhvcfgvbhkml.

Sorry I couldn’t answer your question properly, I think you understand why!

Matthew: What are you getting me for Christmas ’11? Also, your favourite sweet which is packaged in a tube shape?

Matthew I am planning to buy you a library. It seems appropriate because you like English...books..etc. (I do not understand this, but every man for his own.) The library will be grand: with over a million books dated from the beginning of time.

My favourite sweet in a tube shape is Love Hearts. I like reading the messages on them and giving them out to people telling them the message is from me. Yes, that’s sad. But you do follow me on Twitter and you know I live a sad existence.

Emma: If you had the opportunity to go to Korea but ALONE, would you go?

Pfft! Of course I would! There’s no stopping me when I’m trying to get what I want! Yeah, it probably would be straightforward enough apart from the dangers of death and me raping someone. Yenny lives there so I’ll live with her for a week. If she doesn’t mind. Of course, I would text you first and say “HAHA, going to Korea BRB. Enjoy doing your exams.”

James: If you became a lesbian and could elope with any and only one of your friends (female of course) who would you choose and why?

Ew James, you are so disgusting. I wouldn’t want to elope with any of my friends. Look at the cut of them! The only girl I would even consider eloping with is CL. And that’s only to get to T.O.P, to elope with him. Eloping is fun.

CL and CLaudia = POWER!

Elizabeth: What is the first object that comes to mind when you think of me?

Extremely curly hair. Sorry Lizzie, boring answer...but it’s true! And when I think of you your voice always speaks in my head? Weird.

James: If Elizabeth fell preggers and told you that there wasn’t a father would you believe her?

All these questions are now about Elizabeth!? Truthfully I’d prefer if they were about me. James, what kind of question is that: does Elizabeth think she is the Virgin Mary or something!? And no, I’d probably not believe her at all. Elizabeth is the most unlikely in the world to get pregnant out of wedlock.

James: If you could describe yourself as a weather event which one would you be and why?

I think I would be thunder and lightening. Because I get angry randomly and shock a few people. I’m also quite moody which explains the dark clouds. Cloudia. Hahahaha.

James: If you found out you had female baldness, I died and was your only match. Would you take my hair in a transplant?

Lol no. Because if I went bald I think, (this sounds awful) that I would quite enjoy wearing wigs. It would be something else I could customise. Everyone would understand that I needed to wear wigs and then I could collect lots of different styles to match my outfits.

James: If you lost your hands in a goose attack and the only hands you could have transplanted were Mark Campbell's would you?

Yes I would. Hands are hands James. That’s a really gross question btw.

Mary-Jane: If you could change anything about yourself, appearance or personality, what would you change?

Hmm, okay I shall list:

Appearance: Weight, vision and teeth colour.

Personality: NOTHING at all. Yes, I can be rude and nasty sometimes but you need a few flaws to keep you interesting.

- Claudia (I'M GOING TO FAIL MY EXAMS BECAUSE OF THIS.)