Adventures Over Summer

As I now enter into the last two weeks of school, the last stretch of the track, I have started to think about summer... (A dangerous idea when I'm trying to do exams!) I'm utterly determined to fill my weeks with crazy activities and exhilarating ideas! After a strenuous year glued to a study desk, I'm simply living for that final day of exams...

Below is a short list of the crazy adventures I'm going to embark on over the summer. Hopefully you'll be able to pick up a few ideas...

Go on an adventure:  I'm planning to hop on my bicycle with my friends this summer and roam the countryside. Who knows where we might end up! But never forget, no matter where you decide to adventure NEVER forget to bring a supply of chocolate and sweets!

Have a movie night: I'm going to gather together all my friends (and free my house of family members) and watch a summer movie. I'm pretty sure we'll need to hike a mountain after all the food we eat!

 Have a picnic in a tree: Find a tree. Climb it. Have a picnic with my friends. Simple as...

Blare music: I've often found myself breaking the sound barrier when I'm alone. Nothing beats blasting your speakers and dancing like a crazy fool!

Swim in the rain: In Ireland we're well known for our crazy notions during the summer; a BBQ in 15 degree temperatures, hitting the beach in gale force winds. We seem to think once the calender reaches June it's time to take out the shorts and t-shirts. So, let's carry on the tradition and take it that one step further; swim in the pouring rain...

Buy a hammock: Tie it between two trees and fall asleep under the sun.  

Write a note: I'd love to write little notes to my friends and post them through their letter boxes. Everybody loves opening a letter and nowadays there's something truly special about it.

Take photos: I'm planning to take lots of photos as I enjoy the summer weather (wow i'm optimistic, after all this is Ireland we're talking about)

Make this summer memorable. Don't wait until August to start your adventures...

Farewell To A Legend

Last Saturday night was the final farewell to two Leinster Rugby legends in the RDS (even though they're playing there again this Saturday night!) Never again will we find two such talented players as Brian O'Driscoll and Leo Cullen.

Spanning out on a 16 year career as a professional, Brian O'Driscoll is widely regarded as one of the best centres of all time. During this time, O'Driscoll has 141 Test Caps and is the highest try scorer of all time in Irish Rugby. Although, at this stage we've been saying goodbye to Brian O'Driscoll for the past year, which you might say is a bit ridiculous... But honestly, there's no other way to say goodbye to a man who has shaped Irish rugby forever.

Sometimes it's very hard to comprehend the fact that he's leaving and this 'Long Farewell' won't continue for another year or two! After winning the Six Nations this year, crowds went wild as they basked in the glory and happiness. Knowing that it would be the last time we saw Brian in a green jersey, the Irish were ecstatic to see him end on such a high note.

Below is a video from Rugby HQ outlining BOD's top 5 moments in his career...

However, with all the focus on O'Driscoll it was a shock to discover that Leo Cullen was also hanging up the boots at the end of this season. A true leader of Leinster rugby, he led the squad to numerous momentous wins over the past few years. As O'Driscoll himself stated; allowing other players to lift the trophy when it was Leo's to hold.

Attending the Leinster - Edinburgh match last Saturday the crowd screamed as Leo almost scored a try. As we all know, Cullen has scored a total of 4 tries in his career. In a recent interview by Des Cahill he was asked which try was the best, laughing he replied 'Such a blur I dunno...' In reality, the tries are irrelevant to the man who drove Leinster forward on so many days, when all they wanted to do was give up.

It's truly hard to imagine the future generations who will never witness the true power of these two heroes. They are legends of their time.

#Thankslads

#SpontaneousLiving

“The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience.” (Eleanor Roosevelt)

We've all felt it; that electrifying sensation of living on the edge. Spontaneously deciding to take a trip somewhere or simply daring to do something that terrifies you, sparks a sense of adventure within every single one of us. Don't get me wrong, I'm not implying that everyone should jump off a cliff tomorrow, but a little excitement can really make you feel alive. I've often admired my friend for her spontaneous personality. At this stage I've completely lost count of how many times she has decided at the last minute to go to a concert or hop on a train somewhere. At least I know now that wherever she leads me, I will never anticipate where we land (I'm convinced we'll end up in Honolulu someday!).

Winning tickets to a concert last week, (two hours before it started!) I hopped on the next train into town without even thinking twice about it. People often say you can't beat the thrill of a long build up to an event, but nothing compares to an unplanned journey. There's no time to wonder and worry about what might happen. There's no chance for you to change your mind. It turned out to be an amazing concert in aid of Barretstown, to raise money in order to fund their camps for children with serious illnesses and their families. (www.barretstown.org) The incredible musicians Paddy Casey, The Riptide Movement, The Hot Sprockets, The Stunning and many more, performed an unforgettable concert. Although, I can't forget the fact that I almost managed to get into the Olympia as a photographer. A moment when I still regret not saying 'yes' to the ticket man...

We live in a world of #'s, 'selfies' and snap chatting. We no longer live in an era when 'tweeting' is simply the sound of a bird, or a 'post' is something you receive through your letterbox. At this stage it's impossible to live anonymously or act like an idiot without half the world finding out. Pictures spread like the swine flu and soon enough a kangaroo in Australia is hopping past your face plastered onto a billboard. I personally don't take comfort in the thought that one moment of foolishness will be forever branded on your forehead. Old photographs can be burned or hidden from preying eyes, but social media remains alive even when you try to delete it.

I truly believe the more chances you take in life, the less afraid you are. Soon enough, those ideas you once avoided become a daily challenge you're willing to face head first. I mean, of course you're scared of sky diving but why not give it a go! You never know where you'll end up! (Probably in the Atlantic) How many times have you backed out of something as a result of terror or fear of the unknown? But that's exactly it, 'the unknown!' Nobody knows where you might end up. Nobody can tell the future. I can guarantee that ninety percent of you fear has been created entirely in your mind, (half of which is probably ridiculous) various circumstances and events that 'might possibly maybe' happen.

Admit it, you've written a 'bucket list', which you intend to live and breathe by. You have set yourself tasks... travel to India... work for a charity... save a dolphin! I honestly worry sometimes about human imagination. If you're planning to write a bucket list at least make it worthwhile, put something absolutely impossible onto it, set your goals high and adventure to the end of the world. Don't for one minute believe that just because it seems unreasonable for some people, you can't achieve it.

I don't know about you, but I plan to continue living a spontaneous life (with the help of my friend) Rushing out at the last moment to catch a train, bus, helicopter or submarine, my hair piled up on top of my head carrying my shoes with a piece of toast in my mouth. Hopefully I won't regret the 'selfie' I quickly snap, that will more than likely appear on my Facebook news feed on my birthday...

Who are You, to Judge Me?

“Who are you to judge the life I live? I know I'm not perfect - and I don't live to be - but before you start pointing fingers... make sure your hands are clean!” (Bob Marley)

It has been said that we, as humans, make our first initial impression of someone in the first eight seconds that we glance at them; the clothes they wear, the colour of their hair, the way they walk or simply what they might say. However, even though that might be true... it's not acceptable. Who are we to judge another person, when we ourselves are far from perfect?

'Don't judge a book by it's cover,' a saying known the world over, but yet still ignored by all. I ask you, what use is it preaching an overused cliche, if you have no intention living by it yourself? I'm not going to lie, I judge people, everyone does! It's not intentional and I don't wake up every morning ready to judge every person I happen to cross paths with. We slot people into categories, and live by a status quo set out by generations before us. Higher, middle and lower class society, each judged for their status in society; the rich look down at the poor in disgust and the poor look down at the rich in hatred.

Although, we can also say that we judge others as a result of jealousy and envy. Unhappy in our own skin we seek the opinions of others and live the way others advice us to. That's not a life! That's not creating your own dreams and fighting to make them a reality. People often judge others to convince themselves they are better, more sophisticated, or whatever else they might conjure up in their mind. A sense of false security is created, and they have no understanding as to why they judge every person who they meet.

However, let me share with you the hidden secret of judgement. After every eye

has examined your appearance and every mind has come to their conclusion, you can smile and be one hundred per cent positive that you have been judged incorrectly. You might walk around with crazy blue hair, and people avoid your company, but only you know that you have sacrificed and somebody else has been given a new life. You might find it difficult to feel comfortable around certain people, people who might call you dry and boring, but once you're in the company of friends nothing will stop you from dancing like nobody is watching. So, the next time you notice somebody judge you in the street, smile at them, I can guarantee you, that one smile will throw them completely off guard.

Judgement has been used as a lethal weapon on numerous occasions. It has destroyed reputations in a matter of seconds, some that have been built up on years of hard work and sacrifice. The only way we can overcome this issue is pure human power. We can achieve anything if we simply convince ourselves of it. So, the next time you start to judge somebody, remember that they are also judging you. Remind yourself that appearances are not always what they seem to be, and you will never truly be able to judge somebody until you know them personally.

So, use your appearance to your advantage. Everybody is going to judge you anyway, so give them something worth looking at. Make them create some ludicrous story about you, but only you know who you really are and no amount of judgement can change you. 

2k14 Fashion Fiesta

'Are you really going out in THAT?' Those are usually the last words we hear as the front door slams behind us. That one recurring statement parents seems to prattle at every given opportunity without fail. Every teenager, throughout the history of time, has hit a point in their life when they feel that spark of rebellion kick in. That moment when they cause their dad to gain a bald spot and their mother...to turn into their own mother! We attempt to convince ourselves that they'll never notice those six extra piercings hanging out of our lips, ears and nose. Or, maybe they'll just ignore those ten inch stilettos we shuffle out the door in. It never happens. Ninety percent of the time we're hit by a barrage of rifle fire and shelling, that cause wounds so deep we dare not risk another trip to the front line. 'It wasn't like that in our day!' another famous line rehearsed over several generations. There is no denying the fact that society has rapidly developed over the past few years, especially in the area of fashion.

Exploring through the past, fashion has made a major impact on the development of our world. From the start of time fashion has been an instrument of individuality, protest, creativity and expression. Young people have led the way in new fashion trends for centuries, combining various looks and creating extravagant styles. Women in particular, have the ability to express themselves through their clothing. From 18^th Century gowns to 21^st Century miniskirts, it seems women felt the need to flash more flesh as the years rolled by. Before the First World War, women never dreamt of wearing trousers, but as they were called to the factories, they discovered the magic of moving freely without the wind blowing around their knees. No matter how many centuries pass, women will always have an attraction to fashion. Honestly, who has never heard the expressions 'A woman can never have too many shoes,' or 'I don't care how much clothes I own; I have nothing to wear,’ Although, are those statements simply stereotypical? Does every woman have a desire to spend every last cent on clothing?

Young people of today's world are highly influenced by the media. Their fashion beliefs often originate from a glossy photo shopped magazine or a television screen. Brainwashed into believing shorts that barely cover your ass is the way to go, young people often lose sight of reality. They never think twice about the image they have created and instead convince themselves it's simply what everybody wears. It's not only women who follow the influence of the media, men often go around with their pants around their knees because they think it's 'cool'. I'm not sure who started that trend, but someone should have told them to buy a belt! This issue in my opinion is only getting worse as the years roll by.

People seem to be shot down no matter what they look like, so why is the world so concerned about the 'latest fashion trend'?

 What is fashion...? It is a collective opinion on a particular 'must have' trend. However, these people often forget that the human body isn't a set size. There's no such thing as a perfect body, there's no such thing as the right ass or legs or face or weight. Some people will look like they're drowning in a maxi dress and others just can't squeeze into those super fitting skinny jeans. People should realise this sooner rather than later. It seems to me that the media change their opinion on a daily basis as to how a young person should really dress; one day they're criticized over wearing a short dress the next everybody has adapted the style. It's an absolute disgrace to see such an overwhelming amount of people who think it's acceptable to demoralise each other on the basis of looks. It is not OK to publicly attack anybody.

   

Don't get me wrong! I have a strong passion for fashion and a firm supporter of Lady Gaga 'Meat Dresses’; I can't see any problem with expressing yourself through your clothes.

Sure, if you feel the need to wrap yourself up like a sausage roll fire ahead, but not all fashion trends need to be so bizarre! Fashion can be elegant and trendy without breaking the borders of nudity. As a teenager myself, I enjoy discovering the new trends that circulate the fashion world on a daily basis. One only has to search the internet or flick open the latest copy of 'Vogue', to find their dream dress. Although, for the everyday average person, the prices of High Street fashion limit you to a pair of socks. If you've ever noticed a girl in a shop holding a fashion magazine, you can almost be certain she's attempting to match a dress worth two grand with one on the sale rack. Who can blame her! Woman will always find a way when it comes to their clothes.

Young people definitely have a love for fashion; but that doesn't essentially mean they're fashionable... There will always be those teenagers who decide to defy the basic rules of fashion and are determined to stand out among the crowd. What they don't realise is this; to be noticed isn't always a good thing, especially if the clothes you've chosen are too revealing. At that point, you're being noticed for all the wrong reasons. If one wishes to survive in this world of frocks and frills, one must carefully study the following pointers.

1.       The number one rule according to my teacher, 'When wearing a dress never go high          and go low!'

2.      If you got hit by a bus... Do you really want everyone to see your underwear?

3.      Would you put that dress on, if you knew your photo would end up on a billboard?

4.      Buy a belt – no more to be said

5.      Fluorescent dresses are not cool, and never were (unless of course you want to look like a traffic cone)

6.      NEVER wear anything edible.

 

               

The A - Z of Music

I personally believe that it's impossible to compose an alphabetical list of the best musicians and artists of all time. You can't simply compare Phil Lynott to Rory Gallagher or The Killers to The Kings of Leon, they are each unique and equally breathtakingly talented. 
However, a decision had to be made. So, with the help of a close friend we have compiled this list. I understand that I haven't included many legends of the music world. So, if there's someone who you believe deserves a spot on my list, let me know!

A - Arctic Monkeys
      Fluorescent Adolescent

B - The Beatles
      20 Greatest Hits

C - Coldplay
      Paradise

D - Bob Dylan
      Knockn' On Heaven's Door

E - Elbow 
      One Day Like This 

F - Florence + The Machine
        Shake It Out

G - Green Day
      21 Guns

H - Jimi Hendrix
      Voodoo Child

I - Imagine Dragons
     On Top of the World

J - Michael Jackson
     Thriller

K - The Killers
       All These Things That I've Done           

L - The La's
      There She Goes

M - MGMT
       Kids

N - Nirvana
       Come As You Are

O - Oasis
       Wonderwall

P - Phil Collins
      In The Air Tonight


Q - Queen
       Bohemian Rhapsody

R - R.E.M
      Losing My Religion

S - The Script
      The Man Who Can't Be Moved

T - Taylor Swift
      Love Story

U - U2
      Beautiful Day

V - The Vaccines
       If You Wanna

W - Stevie Wonder
       Superstition

X - The xx
       Crystalised

Y - Neil Young
      Heart of Gold

Z - Led Zeppelin
      Stairway to Heaven
      

Life's Tough Relations

It's a well known fact that relationships are the true basis to life, love allows people to prosper and without it they suffer. People cling to love like a leader desperately holds onto power; the moment it breaks down, the feeling of an entire country caving in is a nagging presence... Life begins and we take everything for granted. A gang of personal servants wait on your every need and even though their job is challenging they just can't get enough of your tiny chubby baby face. Without their stamina and fortitude our existence would be futile. As we journey through those initial few years of school, friendships come and go. A new 'best friend' arrives every week who we claim we simply can't survive without! Arguments arise over the possession of a Barbie Doll and you suddenly become defensive when your favourite teddy bear is insulted for losing his eye. Life was carefree and innocent, and at this point relationships were viewed as a mushy movie scene that you avoided watching. Everyone can recall a moment in their lives when they were majorly embarrassed, while watching a romantic scene with their parents. Don’t lie...we all did it! Your daily routine stayed monotonously ordinary and your family were always there, ready to fight your battles. It was a guarantee. Without even realising it, you had just laid the basis to one of the strongest relationships a person can obtain in their entire life. The bond of a family can withstand war, natural disasters and long distance separation. As children, thoughts such as these don’t even enter our mind, it’s only as we get older that we realise the importance of strong relationships.

The truth about it is this, until we have lost somebody close to us or felt threatened by loss, every relationship we hold is taken for granted. I understand that there are people who will completely disagree with me, everyone is entitled to their own opinions and ninety percent of the time it all depends on life experiences. The horrific agony and shock of losing a loved one transforms your view of life. Suddenly those around you become a vital life-support, and we realise how crucial their presence is. I’m not referring to the loss of your childhood teddy bear (although that can be devastating), parents separating, friends falling out and the death of a family member or friend forces us to change our lifestyle, and adjust to the circumstances. I’ve often considered how different my life would be if I had different friends. Would I be a different person? Would I enjoy life as much as I do now?

There’s no denying the fact that everybody loves the prospect of meeting someone new. The start of any new stage in your life can be filled with endless possibilities and uncontrollable joy; especially a new relationship. This new beginning is also known as the 'Honeymoon Period', the brief chapter when that special someone holds no faults and their 'Godly grace' seems fit to beat the holy man Himself. Next, the 'Realisation Stage', what once seemed to be a halo has turned into flaming horns and you're suddenly convinced every irritating gesture is aimed towards you. It happens every time no matter how hard you attempt to avoid it. Although, this aggravating era is limited if we can simply reverse time...OK, maybe that's not quite possible, but reminding yourself of the qualities that attracted you to them in the first place is always helpful! It's quite a sombre situation to see such an overwhelming amount of people who give up on a relationship due to a breakdown in communication. This seems to be the fashion in the modern day world, moving through relationships hungry for happiness afraid of disappointed.

As we grow up, we soon realise that it's less important to have lots of friends and more important to have real ones. 'Friendship is the hardest thing in the world to explain. It's not something you learn in school. But if you haven't learnt the meaning of friendship, you really haven't learnt anything.' - Muhammad Ali. As said by the great man himself, friendship is not something you simply learn overnight. It takes a great amount of effort and commitment. It's a bond, that if strong enough, can withstand distance and time. Everyone has a friend they'll know until the end of time; connected by a mutual bond of trust that bares no limits. Friendship is one of the fundamental relationships in our lives without which we simply couldn't function.

Sometimes relationships cause more disasters that they’re worth. We often hold onto people that we know will never change. It's difficult to comprehend why; is it out of fear we won't find someone else...or is it because we'll miss them when they're gone. I've never quite grasped the functioning of the brain, or the thoughts that lead us to convince ourselves of a certain 'idealistic' way of life. There's no doubt that this situation frustrates me on so many levels. One must realise that life isn't set out to torment and aggravate you, so holding onto someone who will do just that, will ruin your chances of ever finding happiness. I'm sure at this point my words sound like a preacher's tips to life, but I honestly believe a relationship can only grow from a strong foundation.

So, I hear you ask, what are the most important steps to a strong relationship? I honestly don't know the real answer to that question, but I do know that I have the ability to maintain long term friendships and sustain family life. Reviewing these relationships, I've come to the conclusion; Forgive people and move forward, always be loyal, stay in better touch with those who matter to you and pay attention to who you're real friends are. Relationships are the true basis to life, without them life would be meaningless.