New Year, New You?

The bird has been stuffed and eaten, the cheesy movies have been watched and if you're anything like me, you're trying to work out where to put all the lovely Christmas pressies you've received.

One thing that I never really understood was New Year's resolutions.

Also, don't google 'weightloss', it makes for depressing reading, even in the images section.

Ads for weightloss and getting fit have been popping up all over the interwebz, as these are generally the things that people hope to change when resolutions are made. Personally, I could never go on a diet so soon after Christmas. There's chocolate, sweets and biscuits to, ahem, 'dispose' of. We have two boxes of Celebrations and biscuits to nibble through. There's just too much temptation!

I think that so much emphasis is put on changing the physical, that often the mentality behind the changes can be neglected. Instead of wanting to change your body shape, why not work on your own body image?

I could not be described as skinny, I have wobbly parts. And stretchmarks. Not such a sexy picture, but I'm human! Body confidence is still a major issue.


I see it in my own circle of friends, when I compliment a friend's figure or say that they look great, they're quick to swat the compliment away. Why do that? Take the compliment, you look great and you should feel great. Granted, I'm guilty of compliment swatting. I did it for years. It was only when an older and wiser friend told me to try just saying "Thank you!" in response that things started to change.

Confidence is something that everybody struggles with, be it in work, in relation to their body, in social situations, whatever it may be. No one is immune from suffering from a lack of confidence. If you do one thing today, pay someone a genuine compliment. Seriously. If you think they look good, if you like their hair/outfit, a joke, something funny or interesting they tweeted etc., then say so. By paying someone a sincere compliment it can help bolster someone's confidence and really brighten up their day. Guys and girls alike. Try it and see!

Late Late Toy Show excitement!

You would be forgiven if you didn't recognise me as it's been far too long since I've updated my blog. But I am here, and to say I'm excited is a fricking understatement!

If your childhood was anything like mine, the run up to Christmas wasn't complete without the Late Late Toy Show. For anyone outside of Ireland, it's basically a show all about this year's most popular toys which children have played with and then review to the host Ryan Tubridy. Without fail, at least one toy doesn't work on cue, one child always gets a bit dazed when pedalling out during the bikes/tractors/scooters parade and the host has to rock a Christmas sweater.

Ryan Tubridy on the Late Late Toy Show

Christmas cheese tree eh? Nom!

When I was a child I was always so excited about putting the tree up, the earlier the better in my eyes! However now that I'm an adult, I've decided that the official 'Putting up the tree' date will now fall on whatever day the Late Late Toy Show airs. Tonight, is that night folks.

After work I've got a list of groceries to get for the feast. One of my lovely aunts gave me a recipe for homemade Chex Mix, so I'm going to try make that this evening. Each year I put together a cheeseboard and make mulled wine too which is always fun!

Mmm... Mulled Wine!

I'm even wearing a colourful knitted jumper in anticipation for the big event. I, for one, can't wait to release my inner child! Roll on 9.30pm! 

Wedding madness has hit

Last week I blogged about being the most 'unbridey woman' ever. Mere days later I found myself shopping for ring cushion material as I couldn't find anything that we liked. All the ring cushions I saw were either white satin madness with lace and ribbon or rustic faux vintage chintz.

Is this how Bridezillaism starts?! A ring cushion here and centrepiece ideas there?

Ribbon wands - No, I've never heard of them either

I have to admit, Ebay has made a me a little confused about wedding planning. If you type 'wedding supplies' into the search bar, the regular things such as favours and guestbooks pop up. Delve a little deeper and there's a subsection for tulle, aisle runners, planning aids and card holders.

Although my inner bride might be ready to emerge for air, I can't see it going as far as card holders and doves.

I'm not having doves... Honestly.

The mad month of October

If your family is anything like mine, it seems that certain months of the year tend to have everything happen at the one time. April for example has two family birthdays and a wedding anniversary. It looks like October will be our new busy month!

October is home to my birthday, our pending wedding date, Mr. Ree's favourite holiday, Halloween, and the month that he proposed. 

It got me thinking about all this wedding related madness. Recently friends of ours got married and the one piece of advice they gave us was not to leave things to the last minute. Get everything sorted, booked and done as early as you can. I thought we were doing pretty well sorting out the venue, photographer and videographer. But I haven't even looked at flowers, bridesmaid dresses, hair, make-up etc. So much planning goes into a wedding, and the devil is in the detail!

Anyone who knows me, will know that I'm the most 'un-bridey' woman ever. I never dreamt of my wedding day, sighed over Cinderella's horse and carriage or acted out wedding ceremonies with friends. So our aim for the day was to keep things simple, fun and very 'us'. 

One thing I've already learned is to play your cards close to your chest. Some people have an idea of what a wedding should be about. But ultimately  it's down to the bride and groom. What they want their day to be about, to celebrate their love and celebrate with their nearest and dearest. If people plan to spend the day bitching about the centrepieces or silly trivial things then that's their issue. I plan to be having as much fun as possible with my new husband and enjoy the day we've planned. 

Ultimately, that's what any couple wants on their wedding day. 

Action packed week!

Have you ever had one of those weeks where everything seems to come to a head at once?

Last week, I had one. Oh yes! Every day I was working and had something going on either before or after work. (Multi-tasking ftw!)


All in all, my week consisted of meeting up with friends, seeing dinosaurs come to life, meeting one of my literary idols and watching my home county take home the Sam Maguire cup in the All Ireland!

Dino Love!

The lads hanging out with Sam

Caitlin Moran and I, what a legend she is!

I'm still recovering, but sometimes having too much on is more fun than nothing at all! Will keep you updated on any impending madness once I'm fitting fit again! 

Third speed engaged!

This year is officially flying by!

Next month will be pumpkin carving season, there are Christmas trees and festive decorations already for sale in some stores!

Any Sims fan will know what I'm talking about when I talk about the fast forward function on the Sims clock...

Third speed engaged surely?!

Think it's important to remember to kick back every now and again. I've taken my own advice and have bought a new tea pot and some exotic teas, it's a lazy Sunday must!

Perhaps I'm just 'feathering the new nest' a little bit, but I've become a little overenthusiastic about homeware goods. Although I'll buy myself and Mr. Ree the odd treat, I can't resist oh-so-subtly side stepping into the homeware department of any store I'm in.

I really want these Scrabble cushions..

IKEA is my mothership. There, I said it! There are soft furnishings and little bits and pieces to make the place homey. Anywhere I live will never be immaculate, manicured or kept like a show house, but I've always tried to make it feel like a home.

Adding this to the Christmas list!

 Let's be honest, home is where you relax. It's your haven from whatever is going on outside and it's a reflection on yourself. I'm currently surrounded by DVDs, photos, comic books and candles, all things that we both love. Life is already manic enough, it's so important to fit time into relax. If you can't relax at home, where else can you? 

Time is flying by!

What a busy few weeks! I've been so busy out living I haven't had time to blog about it!

So as you know, we've recently moved to 'The Big Smoke' and to be honest, I'm settling in much quicker than I thought I would.

Work has been keeping me busy, but you know what they say: 'All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy, and Jill a dull girl!' It's been great being able to catch up with friends, have cocktails after work, dinner plans and lots of catch ups.

I thought I'd miss the green fields of the country, but city living is so fast moving. You get caught up in the hustle and bustle! You're never short of things to do, which is so refreshing! In one week, we went to the cinema, IKEA (Mm... feeding IKEA addiction!), had dinner with a friend, cocktails and snacked on sushi for lunch.

Time is hurtling by at breakneck speed, so much so that it's only recently hit me that in just over a year's time, I'll be a married woman! I haven't had time to suss out flowers, bridesmaid dresses or booking hair and make up trials. It's all taken a back seat in the toing and froing of moving boxes, going to work and having a social life! I guess it's like anything, it's all a balancing act, so let's give this juggling a try!

Does anyone else think of this music when juggling is mentioned?

Apartment Hunting

As I've mentioned, we have been hunting for a new place to live.

I am an out and proud culchie, oh yes! I even have a membership card somewhere..

Himself has lived in the city before, so paired with his insider's knowledge and my enthusiasm and love of property websites, off we went!

We didn't have a kajillion* euro to spend on a big swanky pad, but we just wanted somewhere safe and clean for just us two.

It has been.. eventful!

One place we went to was about the size of shed, had holes in the ceiling and the landlord did the electrics himself. To quote, "Snip here and snip there, sure it was all grand!" OK, no.

After searching for a few weeks and coming up against a few dead ends, we found somewhere! It's not big, but not tiny! We even have a little balcony and a BATH! Oh it's the simple things in life like having the choice between a bath or a shower that can make my day!

Yet we came away from the apartment hunt with a few lessons learned, so here are my tips:

1. Photographs can be ridiculously deceptive, seriously. With the art of lenses and angles, a cupboard can look 'spacious and modern'.

OK, so maybe not this bad, but you get the idea!

2. In Dublin, (and in other cities too I'd imagine) you have to move fast. Very fast!

3. You have a lot more stuff than you think you do. Uh-huh, you see those cupboards and those bookcases? They all hold stuff. Lots and lots of stuff. Think you have enough boxes? Get more! And plenty of bin bags. But don't cheap out on them! One of the worst first impressions you can give is letting your new neighbours see you pick clothes up off the road and stuffing them into a torn black bag... Trust me.

4. Go with your gut, if you don't like it and you can't put your finger on why then leave it.

5. Accept help from family and friends. They'll forgive you if the place looks like a tip, understand that you can't find anything. They accept that you'll probably be chaos personified, wearing a bin bag and crying because you can't find the kettle or the Christmas tree ornaments. If they didn't care, they wouldn't be there. Hm.. that rhymes. Could put that on a t-shirt.

6. Remain calm. Even if there is a flat tyre, or something goes missing. You'll get there. Rome wasn't built in a day, and some moves take more than one trip!

*Might not be real amount

Goodnight Sweet Prince

It's taken a bit of time for me to write this particular post, as it's not one bringing good tidings.

Our beautiful dog Bruno has been put to sleep after contracting bone cancer.

Yes, the same cheeky lad who made off with my sweets and tried to hide the evidence!

For anyone who has had to put a pet to sleep, you will probably understand the pain and emotions. The decisions you have to make. The uncertainty behind them.

The one consolation that we have is that we had the time with him to get to know him, spoil him and completely enjoy his personality and the love he gave us. 

When people ask us "Would you not just get another dog?" We have to just say "No." Maybe time will change this, but for now the answer is no.

For there will never be another Bruno. The same lad who chased snowballs, watched TV (even having favourite ads and movies), his distinctive howl, the way his tongue would stick out when he was relaxed. All those little quirks that made him unique and, at times, completely hilarious!

For all those who have pets, hold them close and cherish them. Enjoy all the moments with them, even if they piddle on the carpet or chew on the table legs, they're yours and you're theirs. Don't hold grudges against them for silly things, just love them.

On the last days that we had Bruno, we made extra time for him, doing silly things and letting him eat whatever he wanted! But even if we had weeks, months or even years, we would always have wanted more time.

Warning - Rant

Alright, I will hold my hands up. I am a spelling freak. Not only that, but I can be pretty finicky about grammar. I'm sure I'm not the only one.

What brings me to write this blog post?

Well, as part of my new job, I'm using the internet even more than before (less lolcats and general nerdiness being downloaded sadly) so I've been accessing a lot more websites than usual.

It has been an experience. Some of the grammar and spelling errors on all kinds of websites are unbelievable! Whatever about the old school dancing baby style graphics and broken links etc., I'm talking about basic grammar and spelling here.

Although spotting things like this on Facebook puts my teeth on edge, it's a social media site where people engage with each other, not a spelling bee.

But surely on a business site, you'd think there'd be someone there to proofread things before it was put on the site?

Personally it puts me off the page or company, one particular wedding supplier actually used a capital letter for each word, which completely put me off. Can you imagine if they made wedding videos?

'The Beautiful Morning Of June Sixth When David And Laura Became Man And Wife At The Church Of St. Paul.' 

It hurt to type that.

Luckily, the folk at the Oatmeal have put my irks into a fun cartoon. Full link here.

Yes, I know I'm a complete and utter nerd about this, but it grinds my gears! In short, try hitting F7 to check your spelling and grammar. Go on, it feels good! 

Shopping Madness!

I am channeling 'Old Mother Hubbard' as of late, so decided that grocery shopping must be done! Usually I have someone with me for grocery shopping, but today I was on my own-io so just rolled with it. And then the stress began! It's only when it's broken down into little pieces that I realised how much is involved with something as basic as going to buy food!Perhaps I hit the shop on a busy day or just when the trolley enthusiasts were out, but I'll relay my story anyway.

OK, bags in the car first of all, I never have enough freezer bags yet the house is falling down with 'Bags for Life' of all shapes and sizes as I never remember to bring one with me. Forget bags for life, I have bags for a lifetime, which I may just pass onto my kids (chances are the house will still be falling down with them!)

I don't know about you, but I can never remember which shop trollies take €1 or €2 coins, nine times out of ten I'm left hanging around outside like a vagrant waiting to exchange the right coin for the fistful of change I usually have! (And I almost always end up with a 'wonkey donkey' trolley that has one crazed wheel!)

I'm a big believer in lists, if I didn't write lists then things wouldn't get done! So I always write a list, otherwise I'd probably come out with only half of what I need and something random like a foot spa!
Also, I've noticed a definite increase in, what can only be described as 'Trolley Warriors'. Seriously though, these people are the kind that probably don't use their indicators in their cars. They are a law unto themselves up and down the aisles. Almost had a head on collision with one of them, open your eyes peeps!

I've also noticed more 'Squeezers', now I'll holds my hands up, I do squeeze food like bread, fruit, veg etc to check for freshness. But a new breed has come to the forefront, come forth the 'Sniffers'! I'm pretty sure one woman was attempting to inhale a lemon she was sniffing that hard, is this a new thing? Have I missed a newsletter?

Food Sniffers - Coming soon to a store near you!

 So after all the shopping is in the trolley, off to the cashier I trot. Which leads to what can only be described as the 'Cashier Mambo'. It's a bit like changing lanes on the motorway, one seems to be moving, then the moment you join it comes to a standstill.

When I experience shopping like this I can completely understand why online shopping has taken off. Yet when you've a friend or significant other with you, you can laugh off all these mad moments. Shopping is definitely a 'team sport', so make sure you've chosen a decent team member, or at least someone with lots of €1 and €2 coins!

Working woman

Wow, I have been horribly neglecting my blog. Counselling shall be required, hugs will be distributed etc etc.

I have a good reason for my absence though. I've been a busy bee, working away, commuting and learning new things each day. Every day is different and I'm really enjoying the challenge! So what have I learned this week?

1. You definitely trap more bees with honey than with vinegar. It generally pays to be nice to people than to shout, demand and generally be rude. It can be applied to all aspects of life, just play nice!*

2. Running is good for you, particularly if you're late for a bus!

3. Down time is important. The minute I'm in the door, I'm straight into my PJs and chilling on the couch with a glass of wine and cosy booties before you can say "Lisa Time!" Being able to chill and just detach for a while is very important.

4. Some people on buses can be downright obnoxious and completely oblivious to common decency. On the bright side, I have a whole newfound respect for my car! Love you Misty!

Now it's time for some 'Lisa Time', glass of wine poured and a backlog of programmes to catch up on on Sky+. Put your feet up and relax. It's the little things in life folks!

*Unless someone goes out of their way to hurt you, then all cards are off the table!

Crazy Commuting

I have a new job. It is mentally stimulating, interesting and the day flies by so quickly! Then of course, there is the commute.

There is a reason why people wear headphones on public transport. I have categorized the main noise  offenders into a few groups, let's see how many of them you can spot:

- The 'my phone call is so important/interesting, I want everyone to join in' person
- The serial cougher/sniffer. There's always one!
- The 'Excited /had too much sugar child', generally doesn't bother me, unless I'm trying to sleep.
- The 'Teen Gossip Meeting' crowd. Seriously, I know who is going out with who, lads they like and their general likes and dislikes just from listening to them natter on.
- The 'one who can't chew with their mouth closed' person, or the person with smelly food. I honestly don't know which one is worse.

OK, so I really can't complain!

Aaand now I feel better. This blog can be pretty therapeutic, plus if this is all I've got to be complaining about then I'm doing OK. To be fair, I've learned a range of new skills, outside of work I have learned how to sleep on a bus, how to navigate and how to read books without getting motion sickness. Hurrah! Inside of work I'm constantly learning new things and putting them into practice. Genuinely feel very lucky to have this opportunity. (Note: Do not mess it up!)

Will keep you all updated on where the winds of time take us, hold on, it might be bumpy, we might end up on the scenic route, but we'll all get there in the end!

Oh the anticipation!

Tomorrow is the start of a new beginning, or the beginning of  a new start? As of tomorrow I'll be working in the wonderful world of Marketing, I've joined Twitter (shameless self promotion linkage: https://twitter.com/#!/LisaOree ) and reading up on all I can to prepare myself.

The mix of excitement and nerves reminds me of the first day of school, I've got new clothes to wear for the occasion, my parents giving me a pep talk about 'being myself', to have fun and play nice with the other kids etc.

Granted I'm now a woman in her 20s so different rules apply, but it reminds me of how I felt back then. Back when I thought getting extra homework, racking up a big phone bill and falling out with friends at school was the worst thing that could possibly happen, ever!

So now I'm off to direct my energies into reading up all I can about the new job. Fail to prepare, prepare to fail and all that jazz!

Organisation Fail

I've been having one of those weeks where I've been running around trying to get things done, although I now realise I've made as much progress as a dog chasing its tail!

Tomorrow = Progress!

Thought I would nip this in the bud and write a list to keep me on track, I can report that I have lost said list. Next time I'm just putting it on my phone, doh!

Tick Tock...

Awake for the third night in a row at 4 am. I sense a pattern emerging:

 

Lie down and try to empty mind of all thoughts.

Gah! Itchy foot.

Listen to himself snoring happily, silently jealous!

Wonder if there's a new episode of Family Guy/American Dad/South Park etc. Go check.

End up on Wikipedia, crap!

Have song stuck in head, must find it on Youtube. It always seems to be an obscure song that I know four words to, and they may or may not be in the correct order. But I have the tune!

Look for headphones so I don't wake himself.

Can't find headphones, I'll keep the search tab open for later.

Too hot. Kick off duvet.

Too cold. Wrap half of self in duvet.

Have headache. Oh God, what if I've some obscure head related ailment?!

OK, shut up brain and let me sleep.

 4:30 am -  Urgh...

Pillow too warm, flip pillow to the 'cool' side, repeat.

Plan out tomorrow (today?) in head.

Try again to drop off to sleep.

Name of person/song/movie title etc. pops into head from earlier conversation when said information was relevant but evading memory.

I should write that down. No, don't turn the light on, it'll trick the brain into thinking it's time to get up.

Meh, I'll remember it later.

Give up on sleep attempt, stream episode of something nostalgic online.


8:00 am - Wake up with laptop beside me. Oops, you sleep on the floor Mr. Laptop.

Put laptop on floor, now back to sleep.


8:30 am - Still awake, feck!

Deep breaths!

Yesterday I wrote about having a daily treat, something small, doesn't have to cost a lot. Well, today I decided to get a pack of Maynards Sours (om nom nom!) I figured I'd veg in front of the TV, having a slurpy mange to myself.

I went down to the kitchen to feed the dog, at the regular time, schedule is key etc. The moment I walked in, I knew something was up. There was something in the air, something that I could sense.

GUILT!

The dog was in his bed and was looking sheepishly up at me. I checked his bed, he was lying on top of a bag of sweets, not the sour jellies. "Phew!" I thought, but then another thought slapped me right in the face...

You left them in the same place, and he got one of the bags!


I rushed to the spot where I had left them, no sweeties. Checked his bed, checked the floor, checked all the rooms downstairs. Then the stairs itself.

Niente.

Surely I would have heard him snacking upstairs? Better safe than sorry, I investigated all the rooms, no sour jellies, not even a granule of sugar.

A new thought struck, if I was a dog and I'd eaten something and wanted to hide the evidence, where would I put it? Think like a dog, walk a mile in someone else's footprints (paw prints?!) So off I went thinking to myself "Think like a dog", I went straight out to the garden, and there it was, or wasn't!

Oh it was a sweetie massacre! Not only had he eaten each and every one of the sweets, but he had shredded the bag too to cover his tracks.

Don't let that goofy expression fool you, he's a food thief!

I could practically taste them, but I was just too late. I marched back inside muttering to myself, think Joe Pesci's character in Home Alone and you're about there. Oh and the dog knew he was in the doghouse, metaphorically. We don't actually have a dog house for him, he sleeps inside, spoiled dog. And this is the thanks I get? Hmph.

At least he has good taste in sweets, the bugger!

Optimism is key!

I would like to be clear. I am not one of those people who read self-help books or preach about visualising success etc. However, in these times where doom and gloom reign, it is so important to remain optimistic.

I believe that happiness is a state of mind, if you surround yourself with happy people then it rubs off. Happiness is contagious and it is something that should spread. Try treat yourself to something small, at least once a day, it doesn't have to cost anything. Be it an extra hour in bed, watching a movie that you love or having a good laugh with friends, do it! Who cares about getting a few laughter lines? I'd welcome them over frown lines any day.

There are many things to worry about and get stressed over, but in the grand scheme of things, they are barely a blip in a happy lifetime. Focus on the times of fun and frivolity and let the good times roll!

Outdoors vs Television

Spring is here in full swing! The evenings are getting longer, the weather is (generally) better and now I have a dilemma.

I know I should be outdoors frolicking like a lamb and walking through country lanes sniffing wildflowers, but television has started getting interesting again! The guilt of sitting in watching TV when the daylight is knocking on the window is getting to me.

But bear with me! We have a new season of the UK Apprentice, my favourite show Bones is back on after a mid season break (Thank the flying spaghetti monster for streaming!) I have a backlog of One Born Every Minute to catch up on and so many boxsets still to finish.

Isn't the couch potato eating crisps a form of cannibalism?

I am torn, do I sit in and watch the TV shows or enjoy the nice weather while we have it? Wouldn't it be better if television shows were amazingly fantastic during the winter and rubbish during the summer? I know it's all relative, I may love watching One Born Every Minute but Mr. Ree prefers to hide behind his laptop to deflect the sounds of screaming women and crying babies.

It's not even a case of being a couch potato as I'm kept going throughout the day, perhaps a couch potato lite? Or a couch crisp perhaps? Either way, I need to find a way to split myself in too or compromise, unless March starts becoming a little more rainy I should be out enjoying it. Yay for Sky Plus, keeps me in the loop until there's 1% of data left, le whoops!

I suppose I could watch TV outside on my laptop, but there's always a glare on the screen and for the amount of things I'd like to watch, I'd probably need an outdoor charger. Come on Dragon's Den!

Spring forward!

We are now entering Spring, the beautiful time of year when flowers are budding, baby lambs are born and so much of nature is regenerated into new life. I actually prefer Spring to Summer as a whole, although the Summer evenings are wonderful and laid back, something about Spring is so magical. The freshness in the air, it's almost like an air of excitement with everything buzzing with the anticipation of what's to come.

Hand in hand with all things fresh and spring like comes the spring cleaning! I cannot wait to start putting fresh flowers in my home again after the evenings of snugness and candles that Autumn and Winter bring. The pops of colour and the smell of fresh flowers is fabulous. There is something almost therapeutic about de-cluttering the house, cleaning it and leaving it smelling fresh and looking like a room from a magazine! I firmly believe that a bit of de-cluttering is good for the soul, although it can be pain in the arse getting the 'get up and go' notion to go do it, but it is worth it!

With the fresh spring afternoons, I've become inspired to bring the dog for a walk down the country roads, there are new smells that I can take in so one can only imagine what he can smell with his super sensitive dog nose! One of my most favourite things to do as a child was to go for a walk with my Grandad and sister, bringing his dogs through the woods, picking flowers and asking Grandad 101 questions about "What's this?" "Is this poisonous?" "Why are the dogs sniffing that tree?" One of our favourite spots was the Bluebell woods near his home, which blossomed beautifully in the Spring. I can still remember picking the flowers, smelling them and wondering why, if they were Bluebell flowers, why they didn't ring when I shook them. Ah childhood innocence!

Fussy, moi?

The wedding plans are in full swing, oh yes! The dress has been bought, photographer booked, we've almost settled on a venue, DJ sorted etc.

All was going swimmingly, until I started looking into getting  a videographer. "You'll regret not getting one." echoes in my mind from several wedding forums. So I start pricing around. On one particular site, they have 52 suppliers listed nationwide. I looked at each and every one of them and liked a grand total of 6. Showed them to my betrothed and we narrowed it down to two. TWO!

To be fair, both myself and himself are media trained in different fields, so this was bound to be a minefield from Day One, but we've seriously restricted ourselves here. But hey, it's "Our Special Day"*

What I found shocking was the difference in price, we saw some technically awful wedding video samples. White balance being off, out of focus shots, dirty lenses! Basic things people! And I will now sit on the inner Bridezilla.

Yet this doesn't reflect solely in the land of weddings. Shop around people,bargains are to be had. Check out sites like pigsback.com, livingsocial etc. You'd be surprised what's to be had if you're lucky.
 *Tongue firmly in cheek

And on this Hallmark day...

I've come across this video. Scary viewing really.

I was in town yesterday and couldn't believe the amount of people buying flowers, chocolates and of course, Valentine's day cards. I for one won't be celebrating V-day, if anything you should feel loved every day, not once a year in a flurry of heart shaped madness.

Plan of the day is to stay in, cook a nice steak for dinner and watch something like Hobo with a Shotgun.

Romantic dilemmas no more, don't overthink it. If you've a loved one in your life tell them you love them, spend time with your loved ones and don't buy into the materialism. Happy Hallmark day!

OK..

Anyone who knows me will know that I tend to lean towards the kookier and odd things in life, but these little critters are heartwarming.

Now I don't think I'd go down the road of having a black wedding cake, but something about these two just makes me go "Aw!". Sure if you can't be creative on your wedding day, when can you?

As busy as a bee..

I will hold my hands up and admit it. I have neglected my blog, not for the first time, nor the last (knowing me!) But I have a very valid excuse.

At the moment I'm up to my eyeballs planning a wedding, my wedding actually, well our wedding. So far we have sorted out the venue, colour scheme, budget, and just last week I chose my dress. I tried on a grand total of three dresses, a modern day Goldifrocks!

I may shop 'like a male' but it's efficient!

Even for me, this is a record. I don't "do" clothes shopping, I've never had an interest, fashion isn't a factor. It's more "Do I like this?" and it either ends up coming to the till or back on the rack it goes. It's not for lack of trying, in the past I have tried to keep up with fashion. I even had a pair of tracksuit bottoms with popper buttons all up the side, I wonder if they'll ever come back into fashion?

Anywho, I expect there will be a lot more wedding talk mixed with general nerdiness in the coming months, brace yourselves ladies and gentlemen, it might get bumpy!

Lego rings ftw!

Achoo!

Happy New Year folks! My body has decided to greet the New Year by embracing the common cold. At the moment I am a walking medicine cabinet, taking paracetamol, zinc, vitamin C and some seaweed thing that is meant to be fantastic for you.

Whilst at work today, a nurse let me know about the best way to kill a cold. I was intrigued, wondering if this secret was going to be pricey.

She leaned in to divulge said secret, and said "Whiskey, seriously. As much hot whiskey as you can handle." Well... After expecting the name of a protein, drug or vitamin I couldn't spell without wikipedia, whiskey?

I have worked in a museum dedicated to whiskey and had never sussed. Granted, my mother makes the best hot whiskies in Ireland, fact! But a medical professional backing up the medicinal uses of whiskey? I'm all for it.

And now off I go to combat the common cold with some Irish whiskey. Sláinte!