I have a job

Tis true. Victorious Marketing are employing me to sell talktalk, a phone thing. Am I pleased? Frankly, not really. I am completely not happy about it, I think that the hours are going to be rubbish, and I don't think I'm going to enjoy it, but everyone who is doing it is earning a lot of money, and that's reason enough for the moment. Sure, if I hate it, I can go back to temping. Because that's been so lucrative so far, hasn't it? The worst thing is that it is completely going to cut back on the amount of time that I can see The Boy, and he has really not taken that well at all. I'm between a rock and a hard place.

not a good feeling

I have just noticed some wayward pixels at the top left hand corner of my screen. This does not make me feel good at all. Badly behaving screens are no fun, right? I am guessing the best suggestion is to turn off, leave, and come back to, to see whether they have started behaving themselves. Fingers crossed!

study time

Why didn't I think to do this at "the office"? He he. I can say "the office" now. This, by the way, is marketing research. No, not market research, but marketing research. As in, what the hell is marketing in the first place? I haven't got a clue - something about anticipating and satisfying customer's needs. Am I going to blow this interview tomorrow? Most likely. Well, its not like I'm doing anything else instead.

One thing I haven't been doing recently is doing much publicity - ie, marketing - for this website. I need to think about that. And about making myself look ship shape and super smart tomorrow. And of all the clothes I want to buy!

The Boy has disappeared into another room whilst I work on this. He's beginning to realise just how easily I can entertain myself for hours on end. Like with the new Kennedy book I'm reading, which I am loving. Much of it I knew already, and even that is pleasant - like an old friend.

skills

Last week's skill was using a switchboard; this week's is binding. My goodness, one at a time I am becoming a regular little office assistant! One skill a week is a little slow to say the least though.

working girl

I am alone in the office, because my temp pal has gone off to dump her boyf. All this responsibility! Well, so far nothing at all interesting has happened. I have wasted just about a whole tree printing and binding some proposals about the Westlink, a big motorway link in West Belfast. The waste was the fact that the photocopier kept spitting them out in the wrong order, and, instead of taking the time to sort them, I just reprinted the whole thing. I used to be so ecologically sound. Not any more.

Today's lunch is consisting of some cheap shortbread biscuits that I am a little terrified of eating, mainly because I know that I will get a crumb stuck in my throat right when the phone rings - classy chick.

The boys I am working with are pretty cool. Laid back, and not seeming to mind my lack of secretarial skills. Although I was able to quickly turn someone's rubbish word doc into a fancy-schmancy tabled affair. Yes, I know, not that hard, but times are tough, I need to feel valued.

je suis bold

Ha ha, I'm posting from work. Doesn't it feel good? Work is, as you guessed it, dull. Temping in Arup, the engineering firm, again. Easy peasy. Yeh, now that I've said that, I'm going to get swamped, and then break the switchboard or something stupid like that.

sunday morning

Once again, it’s a Sunday morning and I’m hungover. Not too bad, but enough for my eyes to hurt and feel like they want to sleep, but they won’t. We went out last night to Tatu, a “trendy” bar near us, and it was jam-packed with lots of people trying very hard to have a good time. Whilst we were standing in the queue, this girl who was very small, only about 5’, but with biiig blonde hair and even bigger boobs (I mean, these were massive boobs) kept boshing Mo and I. She was obnoxious. Truly so. And she was determined to use her boobs as a weapon to get herself in before Max and I did. No such luck pal. Ha ha ha.

Last night made me realise how much I’ve slipped out of LJ’s and Z’s lives, and it made me sad. I really want to get back in. I miss them a lot; I was worried about the fact that I felt that I’ve moved on, but actually I’ve realised that we’ve all moved on, and we’re all slightly different, but that’s entirely ok. However, The Boy just felt quite uncomfortable. As he said he’s not a “townie” (think derogatory), and I’m not entirely sure how happy he is here. I have no idea what to do about it though. He could go home, and then we could just go back to visiting each other, and I think that would be ok, but its nicer to be together and have more down time. I guess I could go and live with him, but I don’t fancy my chances of working, and that would get me down. There just always seems to be something, doesn’t there?

lazy afternoon

Its a Saturday afternoon, and nothing's going on. We had delicious crab for lunch, after having delicious langoustines for dinner last night, and Lil Sis is playing with her new Nokia. Its the bog-standard phone with a camera in it, and it is currently making bip bip sounds. The Boy is sitting beside me playing Grand Theft Auto on his playstation, and all is ok. I would say good, but I've been spending the last hour looking for yet more jobs, since none of my applications have paid off, and my non-delightful agency did not bother to return my calls yesterday. I feel like a loser.

The Boy just suggested going to Southern Ireland tomorrow. I think he thinks that (a) it is all the same place, and that (b), it is just a hope, skip and a jump away. It sort of is, and it sort of isn't. It's just the way he says it.

I think we are all heading out tonight; we all being Z, LJ, maybe FMN3, and The Boy and I. It should be nice to get drunk and that sort of thing. I hope so; I need a break from routine. I feel so lethargic these days, even though I've been going to the gym loads trying to get thin again.

Eek. The Boy is determined to feed me chocolate. Should I give in?

morning all!

I had my first temp job yesterday, and now I'm back to being unemployed. A whole day's work! It was pretty easy - working for an engineering firm as a receptionist and doing some filing etc. I liked it well enough, but it's not regular 5 days a week, so I'm going to have to look for something else. Still, its nice to have done my first day.

One of the reasons why I don't think I got the Halifax job is because I think I came across as too much a creative person - too much of a person who will question the system. They said I was over qualified as well. Bad things for banks, really. Shame really. I would have liked that job a lot. Well, liked it for long enough to earn money to go travelling.

The Boy and I went to see Shrek 2 last night. I did like it, but not love it. Some of it seemed kinda stilted or forced I guess. I mean, I just didn't really warm to Puss at all. The Fairy Godmother character was great though. He went surfing yesterday whilst I was at work, the lucky sod.

Sooo, vast failures due to "lack of imagination" then? I find that quite no blamey, but I haven't checked any of the online news things this morning, just read the British papers.

I've been such a rubbish disjointed blogger recently. Its quite frustrating me actually. My writing has gone appallingly downhill. Ironically, my stats are up - weird.

busy busy

Yup, that's me. The Boy arrived yesterday, so we've been playing "getting to know you" which is fun, and then I had my job thang with HBoS, which I think sucked, but we shall see. I've also been to a demoralizing interview about sales at LA Fitness, which I clearly did not get. Boo. I am working tomorrow, so at least there is light at the end of the tunnel. I'm doing some sort of event management thing.

Gosh, boring post. I think I must be tired from being assessed for the last 3hrs, and the deliciously hot bath has fried all my brain cells. Good work. Am going to a glam wedding party tomorrow night, so I think I might have to be drowning my sorrows. Woe is me! I'm unemployable. Ha ha ha. I clearly am, but I just don't know what at yet.

I'll try and write something (a) more coherent and (b) more interesting tomorrow. Here's hoping.

final mcsweeneys list

I'm putting this list in because it has so many of my loves on it already, that I feel that it demonstrates my love for mcsweeneys. They even have zatarain's jamabalaya mix, er, and brad melhau - some of my favourite, lesser known (or cool) things. Rock on. To bed, in my case.

another list

I really like this list too. I should stop these super short posts, shouldn't I?

McSweeney's again

Remember Judy Blume? Check out herlesser known philosophy texts.

bookdom

I just finished Brideshead Revisited last night, and I found it perfectly enjoyable, much more than I thought I would. Having said that, I really feel that I "missed" major chunks of the novel's meaning, or import, by simply not getting them, not paying enough attention, or not really thinking of the symbolism of the text. And to think I got firsts in my English courses! I've just started Robert Dalek's biography of John F Kennedy, and it has bonus points already by starting with a Yeats quote. I also have to tell Big Bro that JFK used to wander round Lismore Castle in Co. Waterford wearing chinos and a crumpled seersucker jacket. Big Bro has just bought himself a seersucker suit, and wears it for every possible occasion.

potential dream job

Today I applied for my dream job, or at least, a dream job, but I really doubt that I will actually get it. Its to work as a travel sales consultant for STA Travel, because I really like their whole travel ethos, and its an industry which genuinely interests me. However, my lack of experience will probably hold me back. However, my CV does have a gold star on it for being able to offer advice on drinking ages in Mexico, which was a bonus. I hope it makes the difference. I really do. I don't want to work in a call centre.

I have an interview tomorrow to be either a sales advisor or receptionist at LA Fitness which is another job that I really don't think that I want, but I'm still going. I mean, the idea of being a receptionist in such a place appals me - its just so uncool! Having said that, the gym does have a pool, and that's quite tempting. But really, I feel so, well, underwhelmed by it.

It's quite ironic that all the interesting things that happen in my life exhaust me so much that I am too tired to type them, and you never get to hear about them, for instance, the grad ball. That was a fantastically funny, gossipy night, and yet, I never got around to typing up the stories. So, for that reason alone, I'm making sure that Saturday gets typed up.

It really wasn't that interesting. Interesting for recent times, but that is because my life hasn't exactly been fun and games recently. Well, its been fun, but not interesting. Anyway, I went out for cocktails with Z and LJ, and it was awesome to just drink and chat and be totally normal. Z told us of her freaky experiences with a medium in Australia, and LJ shared her married life experiences, and it was just nice to be back together, girlies again. Then, lo and behold, D, a guy I used to date, turned up, and I knew things were bad when I went to give him a traditional Edinburgh two-cheek kiss, and he went for a full body hug. Hmmm. Anyway, he made small talk for a while until I sent him away to his friends, where they sat and basically spent the whole evening checking out us three blonds. I just knew this was bad news.

We headed over to another club, because The Apartment closes at 1am, and whenever I got there, he proceeded to tell me that he wanted to go back out with me, and that he had tried to find a girl just like me, and couldn't. We are talking about really a non-relationship that happened over 2yrs ago - what?? I actually had a finest hour, because I was quite mean, and just said that he had never treated me as well as he should have, and that he was never going to have a chance with me now, because I have met The Boy, who makes me more happy than he ever could. Harsh? Most definitely. But really quite fair. I got a late night text, and nothing since, thank god.

Wish me luck on the job interview tomorrow. I'm off to have a bath to prepare me for The Boy's arrival tomorrow. I have a countdown!

Yeh me!

I rock! Well, she thinks I do anyway. Go me!

back on the town

Got in last night at 4am, so technically I should feel a lot worse than I do. Actually, I feel ok. A little tired, a little dehydrated, but not even remotely as hungover as I normally do. Still, not actually well enough to recount the evenings activities here, so I'll have to come back later and do it.

favourite words

I like most of these words, but I don't even know what defenstration is, so it certainly wouldn't be my no. 1.

good things bad things

iPod tragedy

I know this is old, but its also hilarious, in a kind of sick, twisted way. iPod Used in Domestic Murder! I wonder what Apple PR had to say about that? Something about how integrated iPods have become in our everyday lives?

where's my post?

yeh music!

more mixtape suggestions! I love these guys - without them I would never have heard, well, I was about to say The Postal Service, but I just remembered that I had them on a free Virgin CD. Okay, paid attention to The Postal Service. And I'm sure other people who I really like now. Anyway, go get suggestions. It's fun.

feeling a little bit blue

Tis true. I have no idea why, especially since I have had quite a good day. I went to another recruitment agency today, which was promising enough. I have to admit I didn't really like the girl - I have a thing about girls who wear too much make-up, especially blusher in stripes. I often wonder if they look in the mirror and think "yeh, I look good", or whether they think that if they've paid for the blusher, they're going to damn well make sure everyone can see they're wearing it.

I had to make the trip to see my grandparents today, which is always just about the most depressing thing in the world. My grandfather is completely lucid, and knows exactly what is going on around him, and hates it, and my grandmother is suffering from dementia, so has no clue about anything. Today she thought that my sister was a doctor, and that I was a medical student. My sister is a medical student by the way, so she is not completely doolally, but instead, sort of. Rather upsetting.

Aha! The cupcakes have been made. I made two batch's of Nigella Lawson cupcakes: her simple fairy cakes, and then her chocolate cupcakes, and both were delicious. However, I have a problem with frosting, and I hope my American friends out there can help me. I made butter cream frosting, and it wasn't what I wanted; it was too buttery, too creamy. What I was trying to make is the frosting that Americans put on their cupcakes - that white, creamy thick frosting, which I am not sure what goes in it. A lot of recipe sites tell me to use a particular brand, which of course is no good to me, living in Britain, with very British supermarkets. Please, your assistance is required.

Finally, I have been thinking about what I shall spend my first paycheck on, and the prize will probably go to TOPSHOP as my fashionista pick of choice. I am particularly interesting in the "coco" range, and the vintage stuff to create my sexy wardrobe of a working woman. The Boy has fantasies about being seduced by women in suits, so maybe I can make that come true for him...

Ah, summer romance.

The Boy and I got together as a summer romance; he's the only one I've ever had, and I'm not if it counts if you are still together a year later. Anyway, I think summers are a magical time, and it makes me sad that I'm not having a proper one this year. However, the lovely Washington Post is making up for it with this story by Amy Bloom.

Mmmm, something smells good...

I'm in a complete baking mood, so I think that tomorrow I'm going to make some cupcakes after I come back from visiting my grandparents, and then Lil Sis can take them over to her house. I think I was inspired by Jessica Simpson's shoot for her fragrance line, dessert, which apparently is edible. Mmmm. Sweet things. The Boy is doing the GI diet, but I know I just couldn't hack it. I've got far too much of a sweet tooth.

feeling rather productive today

I feel like I managed to do a lot of the things that I wanted to do today, which is nice, and also unusual. So often my time just drifts away from me, and somehow its 4.30 and I've accomplished nothing. I even managed to sneak in a little nap to catch up on yesterday's horrible sleep.

I got offered a job on the spot from the job agency, but had to turn it down because it was part-time. It was particularly flattering since it was for a fashion store, so obviously I was looking good today. I only have one smart outfit, so at least I know it works! But yeh, the agency, Opus seemed quite promising, which I'm sure they all do, and said that they would keep a particular eye out for things involving arts and culture, which of course would be a dream come true. I'll just have to keep my fingers crossed. I have another interview tomorrow, and a third on Friday. Surely one of them will be able to find something for me!

I finally went back to the gym today. It was absolutely exhausting, and I was completely hopeless, but at least its a start. I absolutely adore gym mirrors - I swear they put something in them that make you look extra tan and skinny, so that you are pleased with yourself at the end of your workout. Today was the iPod's first adventure, and it did well, although it got ditched when I saw that Newlyweds was on. Nothing can make me get through a workout more than Jessica Simpson looking gorgeous and being hilarious. Fantastic. However, walking home, I felt sorry for anyone near me, since I was singing along to whatever classic song was playing on my iPod - that included Elvis, Maroon 5, and The Libertines. Although, I was walking home a kind of sketchy route, so it was probably a good tactic for scaring off any potential attackers with my incredibly horrible singing.

I sold another book today. Amazon rocks for selling your stuff. Of course, after this, I'll probably never sell a thing again, but whatever. So far I've made about a tenner. Not going to pay for a digital camera, but a donation towards my new working woman wardrobe, which is my complete obsession right now. I have a new game called "what will I spend my first pay check on?". Yes, I'm a complete loser, and a materialistic one at that.

6 days til The Boy gets here - woo hoo!!

"let me put you through.."

Now I know where my tax money (ok, I’m unemployed, so I don’t play much in tax) goes to: people to answer the phone and then say, ah yes, I’ll put you through, and then the next person says the same thing, and so it took about 8 or 9 people to ‘put me through’ until I actually spoke to the right person to set up an interview to start my benefits. Furthermore, the phone number wasn’t even listed in the phone book. Even more furthermore, I can’t get an appointment until the 28th July! What if I had bills and I had to eat? I clearly would have to starve. And besides, by 28th July I am really hoping the be employed.

I have also set up some interviews with agencies today, tomorrow, and Friday. Let’s hope they work.

I have been having the worst time sleeping recently. Last night I didn’t get to sleep until well past 3am, and so was knackered when my alarm went off at 9am. Still, things to do, people to see, so up I got.

The evil windowcleaner is here. When he’s here, I spend all my time trying to hide from him, since he just turns up, and then demands cash, which I invariably has. Yes, I know, he does work, I should pay him, but we don’t ask him! And he is so incredibly rude about it. Urgh. Anyway, too late, he’s spotted me.

working at working

I have been working all evening filling in job applications, and I am mightily sick of it, even though I am keeping going. So far, I've applied to the Halifax, British Airways, Fitness First, LA Fitness, Travelex, and some office assistanty jobs. Urgh. Boring boring boring. And tomorrow, I get to go down to a recruitment agency and do that too. I am so depressed by the whole scenario.

However, tis not all bad news. First good news - The Boy sent me a chickapee text today. I haven't had one in ages, and they make me so happy. Second. Amazon.co.uk is the best selling place ever! I posted seven books, and two hours later, two of them had sold! I have since posted about 30 more, but I don't think they are going to be as popular. But anyway, I get to make a trip to the post office tomorrow, and in a few weeks, a nice little (emphasis on the little) deposit goes into my bank account. I can't complain about that.

Okay, back to the grind. Wish me luck.

I sell stuff

I have started selling my old books on Amazon.co.uk in an effort to get rid of some of my belongings and make some money. My seller name is scarlettholly, and I'm in the process of posting all my belongings as we speak. I doubt I will make stacks of cash from this endeavor, but its a nice little time filler.

As you might have noticed, I have redesigned the blog. Personally, I don't think that it looks as nice as it did before, but it is all my own work. Well, mostly my own work. Some of it is cribbed from my old design, until I learn properly. As you can see, I am currently being inspired by 1950s ice cream shades, and I am thinking of doing a lot more with my fonts soon. If anyone can give me any tips, please do, and tell me if things aren't showing up.

nine layers

I stole this meme from Pixel Sphinx and she stole it from a few people as well. Feel free to steal as well.

LAYER ONE:
-- Name: scarlettholly
-- Birth date: august 27th 1981
-- Birthplace: Belfast, Northern Ireland
-- Current Location: ditto
-- Eye Color: green
-- Hair Color: Kind of a light brown... with highlights
-- Height: 5'8
-- Righty or Lefty: righty, but I wish I was a leftie
-- Zodiac Sign: Virgo

LAYER TWO:
-- Your heritage: Irish
-- The shoes you wore today: ugg boots
-- Your weakness: notebooks, postcards, diet coke, sweet foods
-- Your fears: failure, unhappiness
-- Your perfect pizza: olives, mushroom, chorizo
-- Goal you'd like to achieve: happiness

LAYER THREE:
-- Your most overused phrase on AIM: yeh, dear lord
-- Your first waking thoughts: no no no no, oooh, my bed is waaarm
-- Your best physical feature: My tan tummy
-- Your most missed memory: early morning drunken arthur’s seat climbs

LAYER FOUR:
-- Pepsi or Coke: Diet Coke
-- McDonald's or Burger King: Chez McDo
-- Single or group dates: Us Brits aren’t good daters in general
-- Adidas or Nike: Nike
-- Lipton Ice Tea or Nestea: Not sure, I think I like all ice tea
-- Chocolate or vanilla: Chocolate
-- Cappuccino or coffee: cappuccino, with a shot of vanilla

LAYER FIVE:
-- Smoke: Nope.
-- Cuss: Not even half as much as I used to.
-- Sing: Incredibly badly. I would clear rooms in kareoke
-- Take a shower everyday: I should say yes, but there are times when I know I am not leaving the house, and I cannot be bothered. Yep, I’m gross.
-- Do you think you've been in love: Yep, twice. Once right now.
-- Want to go to college: Been there, done that, got the MA(Hons)
-- Liked high school: Yes, strangely.
-- Want to get married: Yes.
-- Believe in yourself: Sometimes. Not as much as I should.
-- Get motion sickness: Never.
-- Think you're attractive: Some days yes, some days no.
-- Think you're a health freak: ditto
-- Get along with your parent(s): Disgustingly well. Happy happy family.
-- Like thunderstorms: adore them.
-- Play an instrument: No. I am a horrible musician. Completely devoid of talent.

LAYER SIX: In the past month...
-- Drank alcohol: Ohmigod yes.
-- Smoked: Nope
-- Done a drug: Nope.
-- Made Out: yes
-- Gone on a date: nope
-- Gone to the mall?: Been shopping, so yes.
-- Eaten an entire box of Oreos?: I wish.
-- Eaten sushi: I wish part II
-- Been on stage: No.
-- Been dumped: Nope.
-- Gone skating: No.
-- Made homemade cookies: No.
-- Dyed your hair: No. Bad roots.
-- Stolen Anything: No. But I think about how easy it is.

LAYER SEVEN: Ever...
-- Played a game that required removal of clothing: Yes.
-- If so, was it mixed company: Yes.
-- Been trashed or extremely intoxicated: Yes yes yes yes.
-- Been caught "doing something": Probably. Nothing serious.
-- Been called a tease: Yep.
-- Gotten beaten up: No, thank goodness.
-- Shoplifted: Yeh, a 5p piece of bubbalicious gum when I was seven. Man, I am such a loser.
-- Changed who you were to fit in: Yeh, of course. But never uncomfortably so. Just enough to have fun and be someone else for a while.

LAYER EIGHT:
-- Age you hope to be married: 24-27
-- Numbers and Names of Children: I want 3 kids, with Irish names.
-- Describe your Dream Wedding: family, friends, sunshine, Ireland, cake.
-- How do you want to die: quickly
-- Where you want to go to college: Went to University of Edinburgh and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Would like to go to Berkeley or Stamford or maybe UNC again. Or Georgetown.
-- What do you want to be when you grow up: Happy. Comfortable. Loved.
-- What country would you most like to visit: Mexico, Thailand, Vietnam, China, Russia

LAYER NINE:
-- Number of drugs taken illegally: 1
-- Number of people I could trust with my life: 7
-- Number of CDs that I own: Not enough, but quite a lot
-- Number of piercings: Use to have my tummy, now none.
-- Number of tattoos: None.
-- Number of times my name has appeared in the newspaper?: a few, mostly when I was a kid.
-- Number of scars on my body: a few.
-- Number of things in my past that I regret: a few, mainly when I was young and being mean.

food for me!

Yes. Put Down the Donut is going to be my new drug. Even though I am totally supposed to be dieting after all the food I ate over the weekend. Actually, I hate to diet. I love to go to the gym, so that will replace denial. But I have been having real cooking cravings since I got back, mainly because I am used to eating lots of food, and the thought of a fully functional kitchen is like a red flag to a bull. Bring on the baking!

design design design

Yes, I've been working hard on my rewrite, and some of it is going well, and some of it is a complete disaster zone. I think its going to take me a long time to get it right. Furthermore, I am so lazy, and I am only reading the parts of the book that actually apply to me right now, and so am learning pretty much nothing about actual website creation and CSS. Well, never mind. The hardest part for me is all the Blogger code. There are so many variables! I know, I sound like a complete loser, but remember people, this is my very first site redesign, and I want to make it pretty. Maybe I have ideas above my station...

bad bad bad writing

Ah ha ha ha! I know that I can be a bad writer, but at least I'm not as bad as what Just Like a Dream has found. It gave me solace. I will never say "the little boat gently drifted across the pond exactly the way a bowling ball wouldn't". Dear oh dear.

local news

Living in Belfast, I feel obliged to share with the world the glories that are The Twelfth: that is, the day that all the Orangemen go marching to show how happy they are to be a part of Britain. This is by far the worst holiday of the year, so much so that I cannot even remember a 12th that I have been at home for; most people go away, and leave the marchers and the anti-marchers to fight it out. Because of the traditional violence that happens, people stay indoors, and basically the whole country shuts down. This is not a holiday. It is truly no fun. I can hear the bands from my house, but not see them, thank goodness. Its times like these, few and far between, when I hate where I come from.

colour tool

what a wonderful little colour schemetool thing. I'm in love. My design plans have just been hardcore helped.

to do list (again!)

Yes, I know, I haven't even finished writing up the weekend, but I'm instead posting my endless to-do list that is required for me to become an adult, get a job, and started earning some money. Here goes (prepare to feel exhausted!):

1. Tidy room. Yes, I'm still doing this, mainly because I don't have place for my belongings. I think boxes of winter clothes in other places in my house will be my answer.

2. Order contact lenses. Actually, I just did this one second ago. But I'm leaving it in, so I can tick it off later.

3. Thank you letters.

4. Change doctor.

5. Sign on to the dole.

6. Go to Grafton and become a temp.

7. Job hunt - this is kind of dependent upon no. 6.

8. Put my CDs on my iPod.

9. Redesign this site.

10. Sell my old books on Amazon.

11. Pay phone bill.

12. Send all my friends email updating my details.

All whilst I am also going to the gym and eating healthily in an effort to become fit again. Furthermore, loads of these tasks cannot be done until Wednesday when Northern Ireland reopens for business. Urgh. I don't like the idea of being productive. I can't even find my moleskine to write these all down and not forget them. Eek.

Designs on the White House

Buy shirts from Designs on the White House now!!! For a start, they are fabulous, second, you'll be a walking Kerry-Edwards billboard, and third, you have to do it soon. Please please please please. Ps, I live in Britain, and even I am thinking of getting one. Do it now!!!

weekend news

Wow. Ok, I am in a much better writing place than I was a few hours ago. A few hours ago I was most definitely a horrible hungover mess, but now I have finally woken up. I suppose waking up at lunchtime means that I won’t be able to sleep until 1 or 2am. Oh well, no matter. I have nothing to get up for tomorrow, being housebound due to the parades.

Graduation weekend was the most lovely amazing fun I have had in ages. My parents, my sister and I flew over to Edinburgh on Thursday morning, after having had a horribly stressful few days dealing with my grandparents’ house and my mum’s family. I honestly thought that everyone was going to be too tired to have any fun, but we all got totally into the moment. So, we flew over, and then checked into the Balmoral, which is the most sumptuous hotel experience I have ever had, and most likely ever will have. We even had those fluffy towel bathrobes. Amazing. Once we had checked in, we went ‘family shopping’, in which we went places that we all wanted to go to, like a jewellery shop to get me a gorgeous Georg Jenson cuff, and then Jaeger for my dad, and Jo Malone and Thomas Pink for my mum, and a pashmina for Lil Sis. See, everyone did well. Everyone was just in the most perfectly relaxed and happy mood. I was so happy.

Big Bro and his wife came through and we went for cocktails at Harvey Nick’s and then dinner at the Atrium, where I had the nicest dish I have ever eaten, in the form of a warm pigeon breast salad, where the meat was a gorgeous scarlet, and just fell apart in my mouth it was so tender. Amazing. Delicious. Perfect. The food was of a much higher standard than I really could have imagined. I knew it was going to be good, but just not that good. I even had whiskey after the meal. All of us together had a blast, and had a really jolly meal, just lots of fun, lots of toasts to me, and then to my parents, and everything was great.

And then the hangovers begin. All the rich food, the three different wines, the champagne and the whiskey began to catch up on me, and I just was not feeling that hot the next morning. However, lazing in bed was not an option when the best breakfast spread I have ever seen was on the table downstairs, as well as formal shoes, bags, and scarves had to be bought! I sent Dad off to Orvis, whilst the girls looked at shoes, and I managed to get a great pair from Shuh, which was the biggest surprise. I usually hate their stuff. But never mind, because they were sexy fifties – incredibly high, flat ribbon bow in a lemon on a minty shoe. Awesome. Sexy and stylish. Perfect for a black dress. With that purchase I headed back to the hotel for a nap so that I would be perky and fresh for afternoon tea and the big walk.

Whilst I knew the meal on Thursday night would be amazing, what I was really looking forward to was afternoon tea at the Balmoral, because a good meal can be found anywhere, whereas afternoon tea is a preserve only for high class British hotels these days. And my, what a spread! Tiny finger sandwiches, amazing scones, tiny meringues, cakes, and other mini-desserts, all with a harpist playing in the incredibly genteel background. Just how I wanted it.

Graduation really didn’t take very long – a 50 minute ceremony, and I was the proud owner of a very fakeable wipe-clean scroll. Ha! Actually, it was strange, I didn’t think I would be nervous, but I was. I didn’t think I would grin like a maniac, but I did. Wow. And best of all, I walked out of the hall and straight into the arms of a very drunk FMN1. We screamed and giggled and spun each other around. She was just the person who I wanted to see at that second, and it was fantastic. I am officially a graduate.

entering the real world

I have properly and completely graduated. I'm sure being done with being a student would be wonderful if I wasn't so damn hungover and exhausted. More posts later with news from the last few days, but graduation was most definitely wonderful. Family and friends were perfect. More news later.

its finally over (well, nearly)

Tomorrow I fly to Edinburgh avec la famille to go gradumatate on Friday. I'm looking forward to a very fun weekend where I simultaneously get to be the centre of attention and see all my family - how wonderful. However, I still haven't packed my bags, which seem to need about 8million changes of clothes for every eventuality, which is just not my best suit. Packing for for weeks ranging from desert to snow - just fine. Packing for casual and dressy? I'm lost. Such a rubbish girl.

My mood veers from high to low very quickly these days. I woke up this morning so grumpy with the world, well, really, my extended family who had taken over my house that I could hardly talk to anyone. Then I became quite chirpy, and then walking along the Lisburn road today, I realised that I would have to go to job interviews and really convince people that I am lovely, skilled, and talented, and depression came rushing back.

Favourite thing of the day? The sign outside a church saying:

we wrk on yr wkd sde

Awesome.

summer lovely

Its a gorgeous day outside, and I have just stuffed myself sick with cherries. Delicious. I went with my mum this morning to visit her parents, which was exhausting and depressing. The moral of the story is not to get old enough to lose autonomy. They are so miserable, just sitting, waiting to die. Pretty horrible stuff. But at least its a nice day.

The to-do list keeps getting longer. Pass my driving test. Find a tech course. Install broadband. Go to the recruitment agency. Clear my overdraft. Get my hair cut. Still tidy my room. Enroll with a doctor. Get my mole removed. Redesign this site. It just goes on and on. Endlessly depressing. But thank you to all those who have been leaving nice comments.

Ah yes, comments. I get lovely emails telling me that I have a new comment, and that is great. But, I would love to be able to email these well (and not so well) wishers back, but it doesn't seem to be an option. Boo. So, this is me, right now, saying hello to you, my commenteers. Merci boucoup.

summer burns

I missed it again!FunJunkie! are running a summer burns cd swap for non-us peeps, and once again, I was too slow on the uptake. Boo hiss. Guess what? I'm having a crappy day.

favourite google terms

I have been looking at my site sats, and apparently my review of the July episode of Cosmo has earned me the highest site hits in google, but my favourite was the search term "moonie bums" - I am sure whoever came here was very disappointed by my lack of footage. I would just like to apologize to that person, should they ever return. Unlikely, though.

where there is mess, run!

Despite the fact that my room is the most horrible, messiest, unliveable mess that I have ever seen, I have not yet even attempted to tidy it today. I had a ten-minute battle with an Ikea wardrobe, and that put me right off the whole thing. My mum really wants me to move upstairs to my brother’s room, and there are lots of reasons why it makes sense, but it is just so far away from the bathroom, and that scares me a little. But we shall see. Right now, I am just avoiding my own room.

My mum has actually been really encouraging today. She thinks that I should definitely get onto some sort of IT training course, o it be online or in a classroom, as well as whatever crappy job I take up. She’s also determined to get broadband and a wireless connection set up, so that I can do this up in my room, and have my own workspace. Its actually been really nice; I think she’s come to terms with my lack of doctor status, and is all about me doing something that I want to do, and helping me with that. I’ve just got to find the right course now. I’ve also been looking for jobs, and applying for a few, but we’ll have see how that goes. I’m not actually expecting anything until I go down to an agency and get involved. Tuesday of next week, that’ll be. The beginning of my new life – ha!

I gave my dad a shoulder massage at the dinner table today, and he positively groaned in a very sensual manner, basically in his usual mischievous way of totally embarrassing way – it most definitely worked. It brought about a quick end to his massage, that’s for sure. His loss, not mine.

I have been feeling so terrible for my mum. Her sister has just been wearing her down for the last few days that she has been here, and my mum is just completely exhausted by her never-ending instructions. She is like a sledgehammer crossed with a bulldozer, and my poor mother, who has been dealing with her parents on a far more daily basis than anyone else in her family, since they all live in England, is just exhausted. It makes me so angry, because I get so very protective of her. I just keep giving her hugs and doing all the rubbishy household stuff that needs to get done, whilst they deal with the house.

urgent plea

FIND ME A JOB!!!! please, and soon. I don't want to be poor anymore. I'm fun, adaptable, friendly, warm, I make a great cup of tea, I can type, I'm literate, I speak excellent English, I'm good with large and small quantities of info, I don't hissy under pressure, I'm flexible, adaptible, I'm great on the phone, I can usually fix your computer, I read the papers every day, I'm reasonable with numbers, I've got an eye for detail, I'm a Virgo. Hire me. It'll make your day and mine. We're sure to have a wonderful relationship together.

urgh, so tired

Argh. So, so tired, and yet still up typing this. I think its because I can't face going to the chaos that is my room. Its only half been dealt with, so is in a terrible state. I'm also in a pissy mood because of my extended family who have taken over my house, so that I can't use the phone, or the internet, or eat what I want, or even talk to my own mother without being constantly interrupted. Gosh, I'm grumpy.

The Boy just bought me an iPod. What a wonderful specimen of a man he is. I can't quite believe it. It's very exciting. And also rather hilarious. I innocently dropped it into converstion at the dinner table, and then my mum told my dad who is away on bidness at the minute, and apparently Big Bro also was about to get one, but was saved at the last minute. iPods are like buses; none and then two at once.

Lil Sis came round and bought her boy, D. It was the first time I spent any time with him, and I most definitely liked him, even though he had the most Belfast accent ever. So not how I would imagine anyone with Lil Sis, but I think she is smitten. Sweet.

big love

The sun, America, mountains, stars, music, American boys, flip flops, vanilla, notebooks, postcards, email, reading, lip gloss, knickers, hiking, sunglasses, the smell of my skin when it has been in the sun, biting my lip, Chapel Hill, Mizen Head, being up high, making a duvet tunnel, just shaved legs, dancing, trucks, reading, fireman’s lifts, the Kennedys, black and white photos, dogs, backs, skinny dipping, sleeping under the stars, maps, water being sprayed on me, black pens on white paper, my handwriting when its having a good day, subway maps, balconies, roof tops, scarves, North Bridge at sunset, caps, sitting in coffee shops, France, sunrises, whale watching, eating outside, shouting out of windows, going to the movies, leaning out of windows, lightning, sunflower fields, walking home at sunrise, gin and tonic, hot chocolate and brioche, radio 4, flying over the US on a clear day, cliff jumping, sneezing, lighthouses, waking up the day after exams are over, daddies playing with babies, toes wriggling in the sand, that feeling of being smart, john frieda ocean waves, the west wing, jude law, dr carter, day dreaming, waves, foing fast on a boat, the smell of surf wax, buying books, my iBook, ugg boots, magazines, new t-shirts, my tanned belly.

These are some of my favourite things. What are yours?

to do list

Eeek. The things I have to do this week are just far too numerous and scary for me to even start on them. But start I must. Here we go:

1. Throw out all the crap that is in my room. It is most obviously crap, since I have been doing without it for three years already. However, I have a feeling that I will have my "that might come in useful someday" hat on, which makes chucking large amounts of non-useful belongings rather hard.

2. Once a suitable space has been cleared, I must unpack the 13 or so boxes in my room that are filed with belongings that I actually do use. There are too many things for my room, and this stage will inevitably be a very depressing, boring nightmare.

3. Rewrite my CV to make me endlessly employable. I will market myself as a flexible person who loves to work with people, has an eye for detail but can see the big picture, fluent in 8 languages, including three computer ones, as well as being willing and able to go and pick up the boss's dry cleaning and think that I am making a meaningful contribution to the workplace. Ha.

4. Find a dress, shoes, jewellery etc for the grad ball on Saturday.

5. Write thank you notes. I actually like this one.

See? This is going to take forever, but I only have until Thursday to get it all done. Plus, none of it is actually going to be fun. I don't think I like being a graduate.

However, there is something I do like: Andy Roddick. His post-match interview on the bbc was just brilliant. Humble, funny, perfect. I have a new crush. Swoon.

finally!

I know I said I was just going to bed, but I'll just slip this in first. I have finally found another belfast blogger, journalesque via globeofblogs. And she even sounds cool. I think I'll be reading her every day. Awesome. I can go to bed feeling like I have new company in life. Cha-ching.

beddy byes

Yes, its finally time for me to go to bed, after having spent a good couple of hours getting back into writing here, and also pretending to search for a career. Really, its because I've been avoiding my unpacked room, which, before I've even unpacked, I have to chuck out all the rubbish in it. Watch out for my books going on sale at amazon in the near future. And please, buy them off me. You'll get a real-life piece of 'confessions..." and I'll get a real life piece of your cash - everyone's a winner. Night night y'all.

organic boxes

I have a feeling that I have talked about organic boxesbefore, but I would just like to give them a big up again. Naturally, I am not actually involved in a scheme yet, having only moved home for, oh, 8hrs. However, tomorrow I will start a campaign to get involved in such a scheme. I know my dad will love it, since he cares deepy about his food, whether it is organic, and also the locality of it. Tip top on all accounts.

my future

As you well know, I have to find a job at some point, and the field I am currently most interested in is social responsibily, especially corporate social responsibilty. So now I'm doing a lot of research as to how I get involved, mainly using the Business for Social Responsibility site. I don't really know anything about it right now, so I'm just going to keep reading and investigating until I get suitably informed. Maybe I'll have to start a new blog and publish all my research, and kind of use it as a CV. I remember reading that in a "how to make money from your blog" skit. We'll see.

thank you thank you

Just like to say a nice big thank you to C'est La Bombe! for putting me on the "new sparks" page. Mucho appreciated. Its always nice to be noticed.

reading list

Like I said, I did an awful lot of reading on the beach whilst I was in France. I really enjoyed
Nigel Slater's Toast, even though I thought that the vignette, single episode style would wear thin. It didn't at all, although I would definitely not recommend the book to anyone on a diet. It makes you very hungry reading it. But most definitely enjoyable, easy reading.

I also read Finding Myself by Toby Litt. This was a strange one, because I spent a large quantity of time hating the novel, and its "clever" style, the narrative voice, and the general story. However, I could hardly put the book down, so it must be compelling in some way. I'm not sure I could recommend, since I'm still not entirely sure whether I actually liked it. However, I can definitely say that you will not feel any smarter, or better for reading it. That's about all I can say for the moment.

The third book I read was Elegance by Kathleen Tessaro. Definite chick lit. Had a strange moment of plot symmetry with Finding Myself, which was bizarre. Not at all bad, but not at all good. By this stage I was beginning to tire of conversationally toned contemporary novels, and have turned instead to the elegant prose of Evelyn Waugh's Brideshead Revisited which makes such a correct and proper change. I have been told that I will bore of the Catholicism, but for the moment I am enjoying Sebastien Flyte and his teddy bear. Sure, if I bore, I can always stop. There is nothing to keep me reading should I desire to stop. I am a free agent now, and never have to read a "proper" book again, should I not choose to. But to give up reading! Never. It is such a complete joy.

Neurotic Fishbowl: Burn It - The Summer 2004 Edition

Ohmigod! I so want to get involved in this. Its a big CD burning swappy thing. Maybe I should try and start my own UK equivalent. That would be awesome. Leave a comment if you are interested.

gmail

I noticed thatConfetti Falling was giving away another gmail invite, so I think I am going to have to open up competition again. Soooo, go on, tell me why you deserve to give hotmail the boot, and be opened up to the world of gmail. Leave your email address in the form of myname [at] ladeda.com and I will send it to the most sychophantic.

style over substance?

Being a chick who definitely values style over substance (why else would I buy an iBook?), and also someone who is just about to start designing her very first blog,Blogs By Their Covers is just my sort of thing. Click through and see something stylish.

I'm back!

Yes, I know you all have been missing me, but I have finally come back from my general wanderings. France was just wonderful, although I am a little tubby as well as a little tan. Not such a hot look for the grad ball on Saturday. I will just have to wear a very flattering dress. All we did was sleep, tan, and read, and therefore it was incredibly relaxing, but I have no wonderful stories to report. Whenever I think of them, I will get back to you, but really, they are not too exciting.

I am finally back in Belfast, about to start upon the official next stage of my life. I can officially live up to the title of my blog. I would like to say a big "thank you" to those of you who left me supportive messages and emails telling me that my degree was good. I would also like to say that right now I am a very happy person, and it turns out my family are incredibly supportive; they just took their time to show it. So all is very well that ends well.

Right now all of my mum's side of her family are over because they are clearing out Granny and Grandpa's house, since they went into a home. Naturally, its very sad, but there is also quite a carnival atmosphere because it has been a while for them all to come together, and with me moving home. Really rather jolly.

Finally, absense makes the heart grow fonder. Its been almost 2 weeks since I saw The Boy, and its going to be just over another 2 until I see him again. I am most definitely counting the days.