I'M BACK

So lately...

✱ EMPLOYMENT! I’m working in a photography studio designing wedding albums and it’s awesome - weddings are fascinating. I feel a real sense of duty working on something so significant. It’s really rewarding when the couple come to collect it and are delighted with the album. So thankful for a job doing something I actually like!

✱ I GRADUATED! First Class Honours. Three years at University of Ulster was worth it all in the end. I would do it alllll again, I loved it so much. Graduation day was probably one of my favourite days of my life. Thank you to my brilliant lecturers, tutors and wonderful classmates, I'll miss everyone so much.

✱ NEW YORK! In July our family went to America, and it was incredible! New York is just like how it looked in the movies. We saw all the sights then went on a Caribbean cruise too! It was UNREAL, I really want to go on another cruise. Food...good. Sun...good. Best holiday ever.

✱ WEDDING! Not me, ha, but one of my high school friends got married in August. She’s the same age as me! We are all getting so old. It was a brilliant day catching up with old friends. Congratulations to Noelle and David! 

✱ CONTAINER! All my friends came home from their studies abroad so we had a big reunion party, in the almighty container of course. I didn’t realise how much I missed their faces until we were all together again.

✱ QUEENS! I started a Masters in Msc Educational Multimedia at Queens University, Belfast. I’m only a few weeks in but I’m loving it already. The whole education theory is new to me (since I previously studied Media) but it’s interesting and definitely a worthwhile course. Our practical workshops focus on interactivity in design (like making apps and websites) so as you can imagine I’m super psyched for that already!

WOOP WOOP LIFE IS AWESOME.

In other news...

✱ NETFLIX! I watch far too much T.V normally but now that I’m subscribed and paying for it I feel obliged to watch even more. I heard others say about how Netflix was addictive but I didn’t believe them. I was wrong.

✱ IPAD! I never buy myself anything expensive but Amazon had a sale on and how could I resist...sadly it increases the Netflix watching experience.

✱ CRAPPY TV! Gossip Girl. Kardashians. Made in Chelsea. Anything on E! Devastated by the death of Joan Rivers - no more Fashion Police. :(

✱ DIET! Lol I know I’m always dieting, but my cousin’s wedding is next week and I don’t want to feel like a whale beside my relatives.

✱ AUTUMN! It’s getting colder and colder and I’M EXCITED FOR WINTER.

✱ CAPTAIN AMERICCAAA! My enthusiasm for The Winter Soldier intensified after I watched it TWICE on the plane going to America. Then it escalated again when I showed it to Emboot...whoops. *cough* Sebastian Stan *cough*

✱ HIMYM FINALE! No. No. NO. 

✱ GROBAN! Josh is dating KAT DENNINGS!! Two of my favourite celebrities are dating EACH OTHER. I cannot cope.

✱ BOOKS! I’m terrible and don’t read, so I made it my new month’s resolution in August to read more books! And since I have eBooks on my iPad I don’t have an excuse. I’m still on my first one though I’m a really slow reader. (Cure for the Common Life, Max Lucado - it’s great).

yoooooooo I’m sorry if you read all that crap but another resolution is to try and blog at least once a month...stay tuned kidos.

- Claudia XOXO (Gossip Girl)

GROBAN

I love going to concerts, but what makes them so much better is when you absolutely love the artist performing. My latest experience of this was the absolutely delightful Josh Groban. I’ve posted about my adoration towards Josh’s music before, and since then I was lucky to snatch up tickets for the last leg of his recent European tour on 23rd June in the O2 Arena, Dublin. 

Josh’s show to say the least, was phenomenal. It exceeded all expectations. Entering the stage with no introduction, he opened the show with ‘Brave’, the title single from his newest album released this year with the same name. It’s only when you can see how gifted this man truly is when he is performing live, witnessing beautiful deep vocals and sustained notes filling the entire arena. 

Josh performed many songs from the new album, such as ‘False Alarms’ ‘Happy In My Heartache’ and ‘Falling Slowly.’ I was delighted to see him also play some of my personal favourites ‘February Song’ (the song which introduced me to him back when I was 16), ‘Awake’ and of course, the well-known ‘You Raise Me Up’. He further demonstrated his talents singing in other languages, with other songs sung in Italian and French.

Also present on stage was an orchestra which accompanied the husky baritone voice, who performed as breathtakingly and full of energy as Josh did! In particular, I loved musician Christian Hebel - unbelievable skills on the violin. Josh started to play the drums (much to the surprise of many of the audience, including me) and he was awesome!

What really topped of the show was witnessing how down-to-earth Josh is, revealing an unexpected friendly and witty persona. Throughout, he interacted with the audience - learning to jive with a fan that he brought onstage. Additionally he brought fans from the back of the arena to empty seats in the third row! He answered questions submitted by fans, responding in an amusing and self-depreciating manner which helped him connect with the fans. How is he still single??

What really was the topping on the cake for me was when we waited round the back to see if he would come out and say hello! Since it was the last night of his tour and his only night in Dublin, we all would be amazed if he didn’t. The age group ranged from 15 year olds to very old women on a night out! I was about 4 rows back from the railing, and if I was a row closer, I undoubtedly would have got an autograph. However seeing him was enough for me! (And I got good photos and bought a tour t-shirt!) Although by the above picture he might not want to meet me...*shifty eyes*.

What I loved was the sense of community between everyone - when he arrived, a lady at the front lifted a ticket from a girl near me and passed it forwards for him to sign! Grobanites are the friendliest fanbase I have ever encountered - still amazed that someone could be so kind!

Josh was so lovely and so gorgeous too, but have a look at the photos! So close! We also met the talented violinist, Christian Hebel. I’m still a mess with the excitement of it all!

A night to remember - thank you Josh Groban, you are a marvelous human being!

Claudia