If I was young I'd flee this town, I've buried my dreams underground.

I found out at about 5 o'clock on Tuesday that Beirut were playing in Dublin at 8 o'clock that same day, and was completely devestated at the prospect of missing it. When I asked around as to why NO ONE TOLD ME everyone said 'well I presumed you knew!'. I didn't let it faze me however, and myself and a friend who I shall call Candy Warhol made our way to Tripod armed with a lot of hope and some faith that fate would come through for us. There were quite a few people standing around looking at each other shiftily, not wanting to make eye contact in any sort of friendly manner in case a ticket came along and you had to push them out of the way/slap them. It was getting closer and closer to Beirut O'clock and we were obviously looking quite desolate because a blond guy wearing a nerdy/cool blue and white checked shirt and smoking a rollie who was walking past in a group of similarly Brooklyn-trendy looking people slowed down and said 'Hey, are you guys looking for tickets?'. I replied with a very cool 'eh..yes!'. 'Oh thats cool, just say you're (name blank in case I get him in trouble!) on the guest list plus one'. Once again I was the picture of laid back appreciation as I stumbled over the words 'oh my god...thank you...thank you so much' and tried to contain my ridiculous happiness. With a brief awkward smile and a 's'cool' our knight in shining armour was gone. For now. We made our way to the front of the crowd so as to have a good view of the band and lovely Zach Condon, lead singer of Beirut and, apparently, cat owner (I read an interview with him in which he talked about his cat, which made his lovely status shoot up at least 9 points). When they walked on, we were surprised to see that our check-shirted friend was none other than Beirut's trumpet player!
They played up a storm, opening with Nantes, the song that made me fall in love with Beirut/Zach in the first place. The musicians were amazing, and Zach's singing was even better in real life, spineshiveringly soulful and different. They played all my favourites as well as a some new ones. As he came back on stage for his second encore, Zach leaned into the mic to confess that last time he 'stumbled his way through Hallelujah'. When the crowd roared its approval he ran his hand through his hair and half laughed 'not again. I'm not so good with other peoples songs'.



It was such a great gig, it honestly made me ridiculously happy, and it lasted for about 2 days afterwards.

The unexpected dose of happiness came at the right time, as the rolling around of the 28th of August marked the official end of my Sarah Lawrence dreams. I still cry every time I get post from them. But it was not to be. It was a hard lesson to learn that no matter how much you want something, or how hard you try, sometimes it just doesn't work out.

After wallowing in a pool of broken dreams for a few weeks, I had to get my act together and formulate some new high hopes so I decided I wanted to go to New York anyway on the 1 year work/internship visa available to Irish students and try to take a 10 week novel writing course at NYU at the same time.

On a happier note, I am now the proud owner of a Nikon D40 :) I had been saving up to buy an SLR for a while, and whilst in York I had used my friends D40 and loved it, so when some birthday kindness meant I had enough to buy one, I started looking around. The D40 isn't being made anymore so I was looking for a 2nd hand one, and I had a few incidents where sales clerks said 'You don't want that old one! For only 400e more you can buy this D3000! LOOK, new and shiny!' but my heart was set and I just sadly shook my head. Finally, my lovely friend Paul directed me to Conns Cameras where they had one in stock and the rest is history. I named it Paul after Paul. It really is a great little camera :) I'm still only learning how to use it but we're best mates all ready.

I gotta get to the passport office now to make me an official Irish person. I hope I don't have to wait around for ever. I'm bringing a new book just in case; Columbine by Dave Cullen. I've been reading up about high school shootings for a character I was writing about, but I've had this book for a while and not gotten round to reading it so I'm looking forward to starting today.

Hope everyones enjoying the last of the summer sun :)

Sarah Lawrence dreams

With the knowledge that I didn't get the Fulbright came a brief shaking up of the chances that I'll make it to Sarah Lawrence next year, which made me very sad. 

BUT...

a few days on now and I'm feeling hopeful once again :)

Someday that might be me strolling across the lawn...diligently watching out for potholes, of course. 

Trying to navigate the world of American banking and loans is like standing at the edge of a dizzying precipice, but I'm counting on the famously good spirited folk to help me safely across some kind of secret (but safe) rope bridge. 

Diamonds, Chanel and Demons

'I am Marina, and you are the diamonds'.

I wanted to write a bit about Marina and The Diamonds, because despite being unable to decide wether her music rocks my socks like Florence does, she is definitely cool, has a weird-in-a-good-way voice and is rapidly becoming the next it girl of the indie music scene. And, lets face it, she has awesome hair and style.

Marina hails from 'Wales and Ancient Greece' and trained in West London Music school, but her wikipedia bio suggests she wasn't a big fan of school and college. Watch out for her when her album drops at the end of February because I have a feeling she's gonna be big. Some of her lyrics I like :)

You are so magnetic, you pick up all the pins- 'I Am Not a Robot'

Never fell down like a princess, but at least I picked myself up as a queen- 'Seventeen'

I'll leave my Marina rant with this video for her song Mowgli's Road which The Guardian review described as 'think Gary Glitter, but if he kept pictures of the Wicker Man on his hard drive'.



Another thing I'm liking today is the Chanel temporary tattoos that Garance Dore wrote about on her blog. I love Chanel and its fabulousness, as well as the way its constantly changing and evolving with fashion and never allows itself to go stale but manages to maintain a distinctive Chanel vibe.


Last but not least, the demons :)
I am currently quite guiltily absorbed in City of Ashes, book 2 in the 'Mortal Instruments' series by Cassandra Clare. I never read fantasy but a fellow Twilight lover lent them to me and I have to say I am enjoying them (despite the fact that they are giving me awful nightmares!). Theres vampires, werewolves and dangerously attractive demonhunters. Seeing as its dull and grey outside and real life is being placidly monotonous, whats not to love?


Also, the series takes place in New York City, and since my visit to NYC and Sarah Lawrence in November where it suddenly became reality that I may well be living in the most amazing and mental city in the world this time next year, I have been devouring any piece of literature I can find that takes place in the Big Apple in the hope that it will provide helpful insights and make me feel less lost once I'm actually there. So far this collection of books has included What I Loved by Suri Hustvedt and a Marian Keyes book I picked up in a charity shop for 1 euro which will provide as a usefull manual if I ever have a make up crisis in Manhattan.

Anyway, thats enough snapshots of my current mind.
Good afternoon.