Airport security

DISCLAIMER: This is a rant post

I'm writing this one in response to a link that a friend of mine just posted:

http://slightlywarped.com/crapfactory/curiosities/2009/invasionofthebodyscanners.htm

What are your opinions on the lengths people are going to to look inside your suitcases?

Of all the millions of people who fly every week, statistically, the amount of people who are going to carry a gun or a bomb is SO low yet we are all being persecuted for something maybe a few hundred people have done, ever.

I think it's really ridiculous that we're not allowed to take water onto a plane, or makeup, or perfume or something like that. I know that technically it's for our safety but the chances of anything actually happening is so slim that I don't feel comfortable with people checking what I have in my case, or making me take my shoes off in case I'm hiding a knife...seriously?

And this new technology tells us if someone is holding a weapon, sure, but I don't think it's ok for someone to look at me practically naked on the very off chance that I'm going to blow up a plane.

I can't articulate my feelings about this very well, but basically, I think it's all completely ridiculous and mostly based on unfounded fears and media hype. And, as someone who flies regularly, I think it's worth the risk rather than invade my privacy SO MUCH that they literally know what I look like naked. There are privacy laws in place to guard against things like this, but apparently airports are exempt from such laws.

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Turning 21

Some of you may know, it is my 21st birthday in 7 days, on the 14th of February. I figured that I needed a big celebration, since it is a big deal, as birthdays go.

I was home in January for 5 days, and on the last night that I was there, my parents organised a party for me. It was just in the house, we cooked some food, people brought snacks and a LOT of cake. It was mostly my mum's friends and relatives, but a few of my own friends came and it was actually really nice. I got all dressed up, showed off my new hair (lol) and partied! I got lovely presents and a lot of money which was nice. haha
That was 21st party, number 1.

21st party, number 2:
Yesterday I got up at like 9 so that I could ring my boss and lie to her (lol). It took me ages to actually get the courage to ring her, it was really bad
Anyway, once that was sorted out, I went back to bed lollll. Then, I met Jessbaby and we got supplies for the party and set up the room and all that (BALLOONS!). We then went to meet Helen off the train and we went to the cinema and saw Sherlock Holmes. It was good, but I think I missed all the good bits cos I was texting haha.

Then after, we got back to the flat, I changed and stuff, people came, we talked, we drank, people left, more people came, people came back, we talked, we drank, we laughed. Then we went to a gay club called out, I forgot my ID like a retard so I had to go back to the flat to get it. Anyway, once I got in, I danced a whole heap. OH ALSO! A really cute boy bought me a rose, it was adorable. Anyway, I danced a lot, everyone was drunk and having fun and then I took Jessbaby back to the hostel cos she was very drunk LOL
I came home and went to bed.

Getting up this morning was painful.

But I had an AMAZING night, I'm really glad that the party was a success, I always get so nervous that people are going to just be sat, looking around while an awkward silence takes over the room. But that didn't happen. In fact I like to think, quite the opposite
Anyway, everyone I've talked to so far has told me they had a good night, which was the ultimate aim. Even if I didn't have a good night, it was important to me that everyone else did. So yay!

Anyway. It would be nice to do something on my actual birthday, but is three parties pushing it a bit?

On that note, I will leave you with some lovely music.

Fireflies (Cover) - Kina Grannis

Ok, I am SO SORRY that I haven't been updating as much as I should.
I will try to give a brief overview of my life since the last time we spoke.

First things first, I got a job! I am so pleased, I was a Christmas temp from the start of December until the start of January, but then I got kept on! So yay me. It did mean that I wasn't able to go home for Christmas, but that didn't matter so much because I got home a few weeks later, and had Christmas then. And it was lovely. My sister was there too, because of the snow, and I opened presents and they opened the presents I'd gotten them and there were decorations and we had the meal, and the pudding. It was wonderful, it really did feel like Christmas.

So then, a few days later, my parents threw a party for my 21st, even though it's not for 2 weeks from Sunday lol. Anyway, lots of people came, there was food and wine, and it was a grand ol' time :P
My 21st "birthday weekend" is this weekend and I am super excited. Jessbaby is coming from Luxembourg and Helen is coming from England somewhere (sorry!) and I am really looking forward to it. The plan is to have an indoor picnic with pizza and ice cream, and then we go ice skating, then to the cinema and then have a party! :) I'm looking forward to it, lots.
(My actual actual birthday is on Valentine's Day.)

Urm, I've had a bit of a falling out with Michelle and there has been drama leading from that, but it doesn't really matter, for I am making friends quicker than I ever have before! yay!

I am planning on spending this summer in France. All of the summer! I will live and work there for perhaps two months, which will be fantastic. My parents are moving there at the end of this month, so hopefully they can sort something out for me :)

I think that's all of the major news I have for now. I will leave you with a song I have been listening to a lot, lately.
OH! I have been reading a lot lately. I haven't read so much in a long time. The highlights were "A Gathering Light" by Jennifer Donnelly and "The Kite Runner" by Khaled Hosseini. Both are beautifully written and in both, you can really imagine you are there, interacting with the characters. I recommend them both.

I am signing off now, but first! Here is Ben Folds Five with "The Last Polka":

Quick update

Woah, it's been quite a while since I posted here.
I've obviously settled in quite well, it's been three months. There are a lot of people living in my apartment, though (16!) so it can be a little tough and intense at times, but most of the time, i don't mind it. Great place for hosting a party ;)

I've made some friends, and I am going to make more, it is my new goal haha. Michelle was the first friend I made and we just clicked. Which was really good, it's nice to have someone to talk to and hang out with. She's pretty great, most of the time. As with all friendships, though, there is a little bit of tension at the minute, but nothing I can't handle :)

The course I'm doing is wonderful, I really like it. This year isn't so stressful, I imagine next year will be a nightmare though haha. But, it's nice to relax, last year was pretty mental.
I haven't got a job here yet, which would be nice, but I will get one soon and all will be lovely.

It's almost Christmas time! I am planning on going home on the 20th, looking forward to it a lot. Definitely meeting up with all of my friends, and VERY excited for Christmas dinner! It'll be nice not to have it through a straw :P

In February, it is my 21st birthday. I have started planning it already, since I am asking most of my Irish friends to come to me, as I don't think it will be possible for me to go to them. It's a big ask, but most of them seem to be able to come, so that's amazing. I am looking forward to it a lot, I will most likely have a big snowfight or a citywide game of hide and seek, depending on the weather of course. Then back to my (massive) apartment for hot drinks and then a party afterwards :) Very excited.

I just put my music on shuffle, since I have 44gb of it, and I haven't sorted through most of it yet. It is interesting, I like listening to new music, but I need to be in a certain mood for me to want to. If that makes sense. So, I may update to include my favourites :)
Movies! I have been trying to broaden my movie knowledge recently, so I have watched films like Wristcutters, Rocket Science, Bambi (I didn't have a childhood :P), The Other Boleyn Girl (don't ask, I like historical things), Big Fish and Casanova, while also watching ones I've seen before, namely Sweeney Todd andIn Bruges. So, I'm going to continue in this vein and before long, I'll be a complete buff :D

I promise to try and update more often! I will leave you with this.

Amanda Palmer performing in Harvard Square - "Everybody's Gotta Live"


(yes, she's miming)

Some thinking

Sometimes I think that people kind of talk about what they want from life, rather than going out and getting it. I do that a lot. I always think about how lovely it would be to have loads of friends and be so busy that I don't have one free day to myself, but then that I'd be able to take a day off if I wanted, cos I also love alone time. But, when it comes down to it, I am too awkward to make heaps and heaps of friends (although when I do, I do it good)
But, as for everything else. Sometimes I feel that people should stop thinking about life, and just live it. It's not going to come to you if you're sitting in front of a computer and I do realise that I'm being slightly hypocritical here cos I do it all the time. But! It's all about choice. Everything is. I can decide to wallow in whatever I'm feeling that day, or go out and meet people. I can study or not study and therefore pass or fail a class. I can let myself like someone or not, I can open my mind or not. Everything is a choice.

I've decided that if I don't have a good excuse for not doing something, then I'm just going to do it. Cos it's so easy to just sit in my room and watch movies by myself, but I don't want to wake up in 20 years and wonder where my life has gone. I want to live, experience life and all it's joys and sadness. I want to love someone, I want to be successful in my future career. I have all these dreams, but none of them are going to come true if I don't act.

I think this may have been a bit of a epiphany.

Sorry for boring you all. tl;dr i'm going to get off my ass and LIVE

New starts

I've been in Dundee almost a week now, and I adore it. It feels like I've lived here for years, I already know my way around the main part of town, I live right in the centre in a beautiful apartment that I will gush about for ages. It's called Victoria Chambers (I'm even in love with the name), and each apartment takes up an entire floor of two buildings. As in, whatever dividing wall there was between numbers 12 and 14 is no longer there. There are 15 bedrooms, loads of bathrooms, two kitchens and a common room. My room is really big, and the window is just amazing. As is my view. This is basically my perfect apartment.

Anyway! Since coming over here, I've met 8 other Irish people, 3 from Dundalk, 3 from Dublin, a girl from Donegal/New York and a boy from Mayo. 2 of those 8 are in my course, starting in my year! So, we will be BFFs haha.

I was supposed to go to a concert tonight, Amanda Palmer, in London. I was really looking forward to going, but when I tried to book the train ticket, the ATM wouldn't let me take the full amount out of my account. So I took that as a sign that it's way too expensive. And here I am, looking out my beautiful window at my beautiful view and I am contented despite that.
With the money I would have spent, I bought myself plates and cups and teatowels and food and other such domestic things. I also bought myself a new phone, it's swanky and I love it.

I don't think there is much about this trip that I haven't just loved, and I hope it stays that way.
I've been writing letters also, to my mum and my sister and my mum's friend and some of my friends. Anyone else who wants one, send me an IM or something!

What else...I don't start classes until Monday week so I can't dish any gossip about the lecturers or anything like that, I'm sure they're all lovely anyway.

I think that's really it all. I've found this library that is super close to me, I will live there I think, whenever I can bear to be away from my bedroom.

I think I've just said everything that is important and quite a few things that aren't.
So, I hope you are all well! <3

My amazing window.


Gorgeous left side view

My sink, cos I love it and I'm crazy like that

Another view <3 This is what I see when I look straight outside