Hennessy's and the flea market gift from the gods

The fateful day of 2oth of April dawned and the Hennessy XO Literary Awards banners were unrolled. I was so nervous as I crossed the cobblestones, it all looked amazing; red velvet ropes, an amazing light show across the ceiling and a whole lot of glasses glinting gold with Hennessy. 

A photographer took me aside to take my picture ('Smile! Give me teeth!', 'No', '....teeth?', 'NO') but despite my lack of teeth I was very happy and felt so honored to be there. I wasn't expecting to win, so wasn't disappointed when I didn't, and was very happy for Madeleine D'Arcy who did. To be honest, after what the judge Carlo Gebler said about my story, I didn't care at all anymore; he said my writing reminded him of Evelyn Waugh and was exactly what we needed right now. He called it 'attack fiction', as it attacks the rising tide of stupidity and forces the slowly crumbling brain to do some work. It really made me feel like I was going in the right direction, and that I wasn't crazy to think that this is something I can do for real. 

Since then time has been flying by in a lovely sunny haze, with the return of the friends London stole and their having to stay longer due to ash clouds (thank you volcano!), night time music watching, movies and reading. I Am Love is an incredible film, it messes with your emotions for 2 hours in a glorious way. I'm currently reading (and enjoying) Cats Eye by Margaret Atwood; her writing is intimidatingly smooth and perfect. I'll write more about it when I'm finished. 

Yesterday was the third Sunday of the month and that meant...the dublin flea market :)

As I was wandering around taking pictures of cool-looking people I don't know and wondering if The Right Way To Keep Ponies would come up with some way in which I could have one in my apartment, I said to my friend 'I really hope I find a pair of Docs today'. I used to have a pair but they didn't belong to me and I miss them. Then, by some miracle, about two minutes after we got inside, I saw them; a pair of Doc Martens, battered but still good, my size and...in someone elses hands. However, she was clearly an angel as she heard me saying 'NO! Just too late!' to my friend and handed them over saying 'You go for it, dear'. I swear, an ANGEL. I don't care that they look like they probably used to be red and someone tried to colour them black with permanent marker; I love them.
This week should be interesting; I'm helping my friend with the script for a webisode she's shooting for her final project as it is QUITE similar to my own life, sorting out my Rogue hair so I can have some super powers all ready and hopefully starting work on my novel. Sometimes Mondays can be nice.

The music thats been rocking my socks

Notorious B.I.G: cool. The XX: super cool. The Notorious XX: awesome! A soundcloud that I've been happily floating on.

The Notorious XX was a free download album but The Man cracked down and now its only available to listen to online. Damn you Man! I have been recommending it to everyone I come into contact with, including my dad and Ezra. It totally paid off when Louise referenced me in her blog post about it. Seeing as hers says it all (she's even got a fancy video) there's no point in me saying it all again; I'll just say this: check out the Notorious XX! Sit back, relax, enjoy, and possibly feel politically incensed. 

A lil closer to home, I went to see my friends band The Jazzberries play in Tripod on Wednesday. They were competing in Trinity's Battle of the Bands for a place at Trinity Ball. They didn't win, which was totally unfair because they were amazing! The musicians are all really talented and individual, and the fabulous Sallay sashayed across the stage whilst singing her sirens songs like a true star.

Last but not least: Laura Marling. I love her. She is my absolute favourite singer/songwriter. Alas I Cannot Swim is the album I listen to morning, noon and night, when I'm happy, sad or sleepy, and I never ever tire of it. I also love what I've heard of the new album. She didn't show up to her free gig in Tower, and I didn't get tickets in time to see her at the Academy, but I don't mind too much. She's one of those I'm pretty sure I'm gonna like everything she comes out with, so I'll see her some day and really enjoy the show. 

Give me to a rambling man, let it always be known that I was who am

The days of Donegal

I spent the Easter break gallivanting around Donegal and it was pretty awesome. We had a very chilled out vibe going and it only rained on us once! Its hard to describe Donegal; its totally beautiful but in a wild, rugged way. As I was standing on a beach surrounded by mountains getting blown to pieces by the wind, I felt very lucky to live in a country that was so capable of being really, really ridiculously good looking.

I kind of fell in love with Buncrana Cinema; it shows one film for a whole week, at 8 o'clock every evening. It also has Bingo Friday-Sunday.

I would love to be able to say 'its raining so we cant race our tractors, want to go see the film?'. Oh for a simple country life.