Is this the Summer album you are looking for? Out of the blue I was invited to review Jen Gloeckner’s new release Vine. Intrigued, I found an artist after my own heart, creating blissed-out ambient electronica. If you’re anything like me, you’ll probably not have heard of Jen Gloeckner, yet, but I promise you’ll be […]
Lately I’ve been treading water and feeling a little ‘stuck’, but I guess grief will do that. Luckily my interests in mental health and minimalism mean my youtube recommendations have been insightful! Beating procrastination has been a reoccurring theme and highlights include professional therapist Kati Morton on fear of failure, Med School Insiders on self-discipline, and of my new hero, psychology […]
A recent bereavement put me on blogging hiatus. I’ve been grieving the loss of my dad. Diagnosed with cancer before Christmas we lost him on the first of March. Exactly a year since my spinal surgery, I’m still reeling from the roller-coaster of 2016/17. Tongue tied, I’ve felt like I couldn’t carry on and blog […]
As a Creative Arts student in the 90’s I didn’t know I had ‘Bowie hair’ until one of my lecturers pointed it out. I won’t deny it was often red. And short, which was both ‘in’ at the time, due to the ‘encouragement’ (peer pressure) of a boy with a thing for pixie cuts. I’m late to the party but a […]
Speaking for all of us, 2016 was a “challenging” year. It certainly had its highs and lows. My big positives were successful spinal surgery and finding employment in Higher Education again. But seismic losses in the pop-culture firmament meant I lost a hero, politics locally and globally took a turn for the worse, and on a personal level serious health issues […]
I’m one of those people who struggles at Christmas. This holiday period makes me feel sad, nostalgic, lonely and a little lost. Good job Xmas tunes are so cheerful then, eh? Oh wait- What?! If you have Scots heritage you might know that ‘Greetin‘ also means crying. So why don’t you pop on this playlist and join me […]
Minimalism is an idea that has risen to prominence in 2016. Although there are conflicting opinions on what Minimalism is, and why you should try it. And while ‘internet minimalism’ looks a lot like an alternative lifestyle trend, I believe true minimalism has ties to mindfulness and living intentionally. I particularly like the attitude of YouTuber Anthony Ongaro of ‘Break the […]
I’ve been getting back into creative writing and I remembered this great exercise to kick-start story ideas. When you think about it, every story has a ‘what if’ question at its core- a catalyst for the action. In Science Fiction the ‘what if’s are especially obvious and they often revolve around a moral or technological conundrum pushed to its logical […]
Here’s a little up date on what’s currently floating my boat. Lately I’ve been… Watching: Luke Cage, and Big Bang Theory (series 9). Can’t say either of these are really doing it for me, but I’m all out of shows that I love right now. Obsessing: over Bjork and Radiohead’s old music videos. Fascinated by Bjork’s […]
Today’s exhibit for your amusement is this photograph from my 90’s student days. It’s my only remaining artefact from final year devised performance piece entitled, ‘Splash your face with water and it will all become clear’. My group and I were feeling exasperated, ground-down by all the artsy bullshit of our Creative Arts course. So we wanted to poke […]
Did you know some people are door enthusiasts? (No neither did I until I stumbled on Thursday Doors). But I can attest to the charm of unusual entryways, having frequently paused to capture picturesque portals on camera: These are some of my favourites from the North West of Ireland, including some secret passages to (k)nowhere. I’ve found portals inviting and full of intrigue, […]
Working in a university during the highs and lows of the admissions period is giving me pause to ponder how I ever wound up with the honours degree that I did, because it was an odd one. I still remember the befuddled spring afternoon when my best friend from art class and I headed to the library […]
This summer’s been far from uneventful. I’ve been busy with job interviews, grand days out, and the odd gig for good measure. Taking stock I’ve been… Enjoying: working in a University environment for the first time in years Waiting: for payday before I buy anything Hoping: I’ll be temping for more than a few weeks Liking: […]
Glasgow is fast becoming one of my favourite cities to visit. It’s compactly cosmopolitan and has a rich heritage in the arts and sciences which makes for inspiring places to visit. This year I explored the nooks and crannies of the Hunterian Collections at Glasgow University and strolled through the glass-houses of the 200-year-old Botanic Gardens. I love Victorian […]
Back in the day (in the actual nineties) wearing warm toned eye-shadow that made you look like you’d been crying was dubbed ‘heroine chic’. This edgy look was far from mainstream but nowadays the rust-red ‘grunge’ eye-shadow trend is super popular and shows no sign of abating with yet more brands adding their spin. I’ve scouted my Top 5 New Grunge Palettes from high-end […]
Most of us will never attend a Ted Talk , but there are still plenty of opportunities to see inspiring speakers live. Here’s my ‘claim to fame’ list of Inspiring Speakers from the fields literature and contemporary arts.
On one of my least favourite Bowie albums, lives one of my most favourite songs: New Killer Star. With lyrics of postmodern juxtapositions like “Jesus on dateline”, and post apocalyptic (or simply post 9/11) imagery invoking scars on the skyline. It’s been suggested the song’s title itself is a play on G.W Bush’s mispronunciation of ‘nuclear‘.Fast forward to 2016 when it’s these lyrics […]
I’ve been on a bit of a journey with my hair these past couple of months. Despite yearning for raven locks since January and sporting ruby-red tones in their stead, feeling better post op and seeing summer on the way has left me feeling ready for change. I thought a hair cut might do the trick. I’d been growing it and had some residual […]
While working on ‘reframing failures‘ and delving into strange decisions from my past, I found myself retracing steps in my education, wondering how I ever got started in Art. There’s a strong ‘artistic gene’ in my family and while I sought to prove myself the exception, ‘Art’ in some ways felt inevitable. I didn’t choose to be an art […]
While exploring the idea of ‘re-framing failure‘ I must also examine the flip-side, and consider ‘redefining success’. Since I’m much quicker at assigning failure, I realised I don’t really know what success looks like for me… So what does success look like for you? For some people success comes in the form of achievement, for others it’s praise and external validation, others see […]
Watch enough make-up tutorials on Youtube and you’ll be sucked into a whirlwind of beauty brand hype. Seasoned viewers grow wary of beauty-guru videos becoming adverts, with many ‘influencers’ collaborating with brands on products and promotions. While I wish Youtubers luck, (it’s a brave new world), their videos can leave viewers with unreasonably high expectations and f.o.m.o on […]
