Thing #3: Spend a rainy day watching movies in my pyjamas

If you are going to do this, do it right.  Follow my tips for the full therapeutic benefits of this kind of duvet-day:

• Check the weather forecast to make sure the day you have planned will be rainy.  There is no pleasure in staying indoors while the sun is shining.
• Schedule nothing else for this day.  Have your meals prepared (or order pizza?) and have plenty of snacks at hand.
• Get the right mix of drama/ humour/ romance in your movie choices and maybe include 1-2 favourites that you know and love.
• Shower in the morning and change into clean pyjamas.  This makes the day seem intentional and productive and you’ll feel less of a slob.

€5 has been donated to The Ride to Conquer Cancer for the completion of this ‘thing’- read about it and donate online by clicking here.

Paris Vs. New York

If I was stuck in a lift with you for an hour, you would find out that one of my dreams is to live in either New York or Paris some day.  To live in New York, I need a visa.  For Paris, a reasonable grasp of the French language.  Unfortunately I have neither right now.  But, I’m working on it.

Illustrations by Vahram Muratyan

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you choose?

Thing #53: Join the Library

Aside from the libraries at university, of which you are a member by default, I have not had membership to a library since I was about 8 years old.  It’s such a shame, isn’t it?  Well, that has all changed and for the bargain price of €2, I am now the proud owner of this:

Yes.  A library card.

Even though Galway Public Library, with its dismal selection of books, wasn’t all that I had envisaged, little could take away from my sense of productivity at checking another thing off my list!

I am interested to know how everyone else is getting on with their Day Zero Lists?  Did you know the website is now back up and running? So if you haven’t already written one, maybe now is the time- you can see my full list (and my progress) here.

€5 has been donated to The Ride to Conquer Cancer for the completion of this ‘thing’- read about it and donate online by clicking here.

Ten Words You Need to Stop Misspelling

This illustration by The Oatmeal addresses one of my ultimate pet peeves (as you might have already read about).  I applaud any attempt at correcting this worldwide issue.

If you like this, you should also check out 7 things you really don’t need to take a photo of, What it means when you say literally and Minor Differences (that aren’t really that minor).

Thing #64: Go to a Comedy Gig

Okay so this is a little out-of-date because I went to see Des Bishop’s My Dad was Nearly James Bond back in February and I’m only posting about it now.  The show was a tribute to Des’ father, Mike Bishop who was terminally ill with lung cancer at the time.  In this show, Des abandons his usual stand-up style in favour of chronicling his Dad’s life- a story of a successful model/ actor who gave up his glamorous lifestyle in favour of a steady job as a department store manager once his three boys were born.

Following a year long battle with cancer, Mike Bishop passed away on the 4th February 2011.  Our tickets were booked for a show in the Town Hall Theatre in Galway on the 12th, which was postponed.  At the last minute, Des decided to go ahead with the scheduled dates and returned to Ireland to perform just a week after his dad died. 

The show was emotionally very touching and funny in that funeral kind of way- where you laugh but with a lump in your throat.  Overall, an amazing performance from my all-time favourite comedian!

€5 has been donated to The Ride to Conquer Cancer for the completion of this ‘thing’- read about it and donate online by clicking here.

The little t guide to… French Style

During a visit to Paris in 2009, I was mistaken for a local by two separate French people within the space of a couple of hours.  It was, honestly, one of my proudest moments.  As everyone knows, it is the ultimate compliment from a French person to be considered one of their own.  It was also no accident-  although it is rare that I summon the energy to dress ‘French’ on a regular basis, I still consider myself to be a studied expert on French style.

Here are my tips for, at the very least, blending in:

1. Wear stripes.  Yes, it’s true! French people do wear stripes.  (They do not wear berets).

 

2. Gym gear is for the gym only.  If you see a French person in runners, chances are they will be running.

3.  Wear your trousers/ jeans one inch too short.

4.  Wear your hair up.

5.  Wear a scarf.  Remember Paris is the home of Hermès and Hermès invented scarves (I think).

6. Wear black.  Ignore any thinly disguised insults suggesting you should do otherwise.

7. Invest in good shoes.  Heels are preferable, but ballet flats are a good alternative.

8. The sexy detail.  Garance Doré (French fashion blogger and style icon extraordinaire) claims that even the most disorganised French girl never forgets the sexy detail:  red lipstick, a touch of lace, the t-shirt that falls off the shoulder…

9. Tone down the make-up.  And the fake tan.  And the false lashes, highlights, gel nails… less is more.

10. Un certain je ne sais quoi.  That certain something so difficult to emulate.  I don’t know if I can help with this one… maybe try appearing bored by everything, then randomly getting passionately worked up over mundane conversation topics.  That should do it.

Thing #30: Buy Fresh Flowers

Yellow Roses are my favourite.  I picked these ones up at Lidl for a snip- and checked another thing off my list.

€5 has been donated to The Ride to Conquer Cancer for the completion of this ‘thing’- read about it and donate online by clicking here.

Best of…April 11

The best of April, for me, included splashes of colour from My Daily Style and Fashion Toast,

Rumi’s reinvention of the little black dress,

Pairing wardrobe staples in classic colours, like Rachel (from That’s Chic)

this girl, via The Sartorialist,

and these girls, via Facehunter.

Also, a man who understands how to stick to the basics (via The Locals),

and a Dad who has passed some good style sense on a generation via Caroline’s Mode)

Finally, Lulu has to be the coolest 4 year old in the world (via Hanneli).