Life of Lu

Day 22 — Your deepest fear. Day 23 — Write a love letter to yourself. Day 24 — Reveal your most guilty pleasure. Day 25 — If you have tattoos, show them. If not, talk about the tattoos you want or why you don't think they are right for you. Day 26 — Talk about the last "random act of kindness" you encountered. Day 27 — The last thing that made you cry. Day 28 — Say something to your 15 year old self. Day 29 — Hopes, dreams and plans for the next 365 days. Day 30 — Share what you have learned, if anything, about yourself in the last 30 days.

Hmmmm....... This is a toughie. Generally I don't follow recipes. I get an idea, I try to figure out how to do it and I do it. Before I went on my trip I made a yummy curry. Here is what I did: Ingredients: 1 large onion 1 green pepper (bell pepper) I red pepper (bell pepper) 4 chicken breasts (chopped) 2 tbsp curry paste (whatever you prefer, we used madras paste) 2 tbsp of soy sauce 3-4 tbsp cream cheese. 2 tsp olive oil Salt and pepper to season Coriander leaves to garnish. Rice to serve. Method: Add the olive oil in a hot frying pan. Add the chicken and fry until it starts to brown. Add in the peppers and onions. When the vegetables begin to soften add in the curry paste and soy sauce. Stir until the paste is evenly coating the vegetables and chicken. Add in the cream cheese. Allow to simmer until the cheese has melted into a creamy sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Serve the chicken on a bed of rice and garnish with some torn coriander leaves.

The first thing that sprang to mind when I read today's challenge was travelling. Of all the things that I do in my spare time travelling is most definitely my favourite. My hobby has allowed me to see some beautiful sites and scenes. I have met some wonderful people. And best of all, it led to me meeting my James.

I know I am a day late with this. The reason is that I couldn't think of a talent that I have! I asked around and one thing kept coming up. My talent is telling stories. Not really fairytale stories or anything like that. My talent is telling tall tales. They are not lies per say... more stories that I make up about my life for the entertainment of others. Here are some examples. My dad is a leprechaun hence why I'm ginger. The reason that there is a myth about the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow is due to a mistranslation of the leprechaun tradition of baptizing their children on the day of the rainbow (which varies from year to year like Easter Sunday). Because of the children's ginger hair the pot is called the pot of gold. I went to school on a donkey, holding on to is ears for aerodynamic reasons. I have been to Hogwarts and can turn children into bats... There are many more they just aren't coming to mind. As you can see by my tall tale content, my stories a

I know the romantic thing to say is that your partner/spouse/etc. is your best friend. As much as I love my James, there is one person who will always top him in the best friend stakes and that is Edel. Edel and I met over fifteen years ago. There was an open night at our secondary school and we spoke briefly. A week or so later we met in a cafe in Ennistymon, bonded over our Boyzone keyrings and we haven't looked back since. Edel is like a sister to me. She can tell by the way I say hello on the phone if I am upset/happy/ or in need of a confession. She can listen to me tell a story and know exactly what bits are true and untrue. She is the one person I will trust with everything about me. My fears, my complexes, my love sickness and my happiness. She is such a huge part of my life that even my Dad has informally adopted her! Even though we live on opposite sides of the country and don't see each other nearly often enough, when we do meet up it feels as if we saw each othe

This was difficult. There are two artists whose work I love - Salvador Dali and Esao Andrews and having to pick a piece by either felt like a betrayal to the other. I managed to pick one but I'm going to insist upon showing you the runners-up. My favourite: By Dali The runners up: By Dali By Esao Andrews:

The song that always brings a tear to my eye is Paddy Casey's saints and sinners . I know it quite an unusual choice of song. But it does make me teary. The song reminds me of the time my sister died. Music was a huge factor of my life at that time. This song, I felt represented my story. Here are the lyrics with my explanation in brackets: Anyone can loose it all (My family was shattered after she died) Anyone can loose it all If you don't heed your warnings call Anyone can loose it all Anyone can make a mess (My brother's situation) Anyone can make a mess Just take so much and make it less Anyone can make a mess When you got time and streets making saints & sinners Ink on sheets makin' losers and winners Well it's not what your dreams should be Anyone can be a saint (My sister) Well anyone can be a saint Well you just forget that you ain't Well we can go and be a saint Anyone can be a star (Me - People kept telling me I was "a star") Well

I have always loved mythology. Especially Arthurian mythology. This is a poem I wrote about the relationship between Arthur and his sister. According to legend, Morgaine and Arthur were tricked into sleeping with each other at Beltaine. Morgaine was to represent the goddess of fertility, Arthur the stag. It was believed that their child would bring peace to Britain. Unfortunately and tragically things didn't turn out quite as it was imagined they would. The Priestess A pure salubrious priestess awaiting Beltaine for her seed, A goddess to his stag. Sunset, their Beltaine fire his sceptre, her chalice. A licentious lust. A union never to be remembered Their love never to be forgotten. A Greek tragedy to a Celtic air. Like Jocasta to her Oedipus, Morgaine is to her Arthur. A love once pure is now twisted into a web of deceit and pain. All because the hunter fell in love with his Morgaine.

Okay, I don't have any pets so this challenge is not relevant. But if I did I'm sure they would be very cute! Day 14 — Talk about the cuteness of your pets. Day 15 — A poem you wrote. Day 16 — A song that makes you cry (or nearly). Day 17 — An art piece (painting, drawing, sculpture, etc.) that is your favorite. Day 18 — Tell us about your best friend. Day 19 — A talent of yours. Day 20 — A hobby of yours. Day 21 — A recipe. Day 22 — Your deepest fear. Day 23 — Write a love letter to yourself. Day 24 — Reveal your most guilty pleasure. Day 25 — If you have tattoos, show them. If not, talk about the tattoos you want or why you don't think they are right for you. Day 26 — Talk about the last "random act of kindness" you encountered. Day 27 — The last thing that made you cry. Day 28 — Say something to your 15 year old self. Day 29 — Hopes, dreams and plans for the next 365 days. Day 30 — Share what you have learned, if anything, about yourself in the last 30 days.

I have realised that because of my upcoming trip, I'm going to have to rush through this challenge in order to complete it in time! Oh well! How do I think others see me? Firstly, I make a point of not wondering how others see me. To do so is futile, it can be upsetting and it makes you strive to be someone you are not. How would I like people to see me? Well I would like people to see me as me. A fun loving person who will do her hardest to help those she cares for. A strong person who has been through enough grief to realise that life is too short to be afraid. Loyal, dedicated to those I care about and discreet when necessary. I also hope they see someone who does not tolerate bullshit. Or rudeness Or any kind of prejudice. I hope people see me as tolerant. Once people don't purposely hurt others (I appreciate that sometimes people get hurt unintentionally), I like them. I don't care about race, creed or sexuality. If we were all the same we would be incredibly boring.

This has just made me smile the biggest smile. Someday I hope I see this happen in person!

Today should be my sister's 23rd birthday. So little sister, to show that I have been thinking about you, I have gone and found out how to say Happy birthday to you in lots of languages. Here goes: Breithla shona dhuit Joyeux Anniversaire Alles Gute zum Geburtstag Buon Compleanno! Sveikinu su gimtadieniu Achent'annos! Achent'annos! Palju onne sunnipaevaks! qu ni sheng er kuai le

I don't have very many scars. And those I have don't really bother me. Except for one. I have one between my right eye and my nose. I have had it since I was a baby. There was a lump or cyst or something similar growing over my eye and it had to be removed. As a teenager I was overly aware of it. The first time I got my eyebrows shaped the lady reacted weirdly to it. Kids used to point at my nose and ask what is that? I felt like a witch with a dodgy wart! Now however, I love my scar! It makes me that little bit more unique. Kind of like a mini battle scar!

There is one story that my dad tells every now and then that makes me laugh so hard it hurts. He reckons the story is proof that I always had an answer for everything. I guess he is right! My bedroom in my parent's house was at the gable of the house and therefore it had a sloping roof. My bed was beneath one of the slopes and if I stood on the bed as I child I could reach the ceiling. One day, I was aged about four, my dad came into my room and found me sitting "innocently" on my bed. On the ceiling above me, scrawled in crayon was Louise O'Dwyer aged *squiggle* My dad saw it straight away. He pointed to it and said "Louise, what's that?" "That's my name Daddy" was the reply. "I know it's your name Louise, but why is it on the ceiling?" With my most angelic smile I said "Daddy! It's been there for ages! I did it when I was three!" My dad knew well that I was probably sitting on the black crayon as I spoke to hi

This one is a tricky one. I try not to have regrets. It is so stressful to feel bad about something from the past. I firmly believe that it is better to take things, realise the lesson that needs to be learned. And learn it. I think if I'm pushed, the one thing that I would change would be to have taken myself less seriously when I was younger. To have taken things in my stride and not have tried to be like everyone else. I think I only truly began to like myself in the last few years. There are years that were wasted on feeling inferior and I suppose I would say I regret that I didn't learn to love myself sooner. Then again, I guess hindsight is a wonderful tool isn't it!

My computer won't let me upload a photo so today's blogging attempt is a failure. However, check out X factor from last night (below). It was a beautiful moment!

Is he not just amazing. I love him. I want him to win. Oh. Matt. Wow!

Ha! Oh gosh! This is going to be the shortest blog entry ever. Ten years ago I had no style. I didn't know who I was, where I was going or anything. It is too embarrassing to even reflect on. But thanks for bringing that up! Day 08 — Describe the style you had 10 years ago. Day 09 — A photo you took. Day 10 — Talk about a regret you have. Day 11 — Share a story from your childhood. Day 12 — Explain how you got one of your scars. Day 13 — How do you think others view you? Day 14 — Talk about the cuteness of your pets. Day 15 — A poem you wrote. Day 16 — A song that makes you cry (or nearly). Day 17 — An art piece (painting, drawing, sculpture, etc.) that is your favorite. Day 18 — Tell us about your best friend. Day 19 — A talent of yours. Day 20 — A hobby of yours. Day 21 — A recipe. Day 22 — Your deepest fear. Day 23 — Write a love letter to yourself. Day 24 — Reveal your most guilty pleasure. Day 25 — If you have tattoos, show them. If not, talk about the tattoos you want or wh

Me and my dad This is one of my favourite photos. It was taken in a nightclub in Vilnius and it was taken a few months before James and I started seeing each other. It is one of my favourite memories. We were out with a group of people from the hostel, Jen, Donna, Chris, Andrew, and it was a great, great night!

I have put a lot of thought into this. It hasn't been easy! So many people have said such inspiring words, or witty last words, or comical quips. My favourite quote it turns out, is from a cheesy pop lyric. "I'd rather love and lose it all, than never have it to recall, these are the things I will remember, When I remember when" It was the b-side of a 5ive single when I was a teenager. It was released around the same time my grandad died. For some strange reason I took great comfort from these words. Again when my sister died in 2004, these words sprang to mind. It is hard to lose someone you love. It is one of the worst things anyone must do. Be it someone that you are in love with, someone that has been with you for as long as you remember or someone who you loved with all your heart, who didn't know it as much as they should have. At least you have memories. At least you can imagine what was. I no longer have my sister physically beside me, but I can still s

Books, books, books! Oh how I love books! I guess my life is kind of consumed with them at the moment. I work in a bookshop and still I do not bore of those bounded beauties. As a child I loved mythology and fairy stories. I guess being Irish I grew up imersed in stories of the Banshee , the Púca , and all the different fairy folk. I had a great story book , it was quite old, written by Sinéad De Valera. I loved it. I still do. The cover is now torn off it and the pages have yellowed (or oranged in some places), but the book brings me back to a childhood world I loved. A world that has affected how I read even now. My love of magic has lived on through Harry Potter , The Black Magician Trilogy , The mists of Avalon . Naturally, when someone reads a lot their taste changes or becomes more diverse. Their library becomes more eclectic. I have had the most wonderful romances through literature. I have hated yet loved Mr. Darcy , been lovesick with Heathcliff , pleaded on bended knee for Ro

Now I am up to speed! Whooop! My favourite TV show. Hmmm... Again I have a few. I loved Lost and was devastated when it ended. But more devastated how it ended. And vowed never to love a TV show again. Until I watched House. Oh House ! I remember seeing a few moments of it in Hungary and learning the word for thank you from a little girl House was treating. I thought no more of it until maybe three months ago. Then one day James and I stumbled upon it late one evening. And the devotion began. I love him. James loves him. How couldn't we? Hugh Laurie has always been one of my favourite people. Blackadder was a work of genius, as was Fry and Laurie. Oh, Stephen Fry... we must not forget him. I LOVE QI. I always feel so clever after I watch it. For quite a while we kept a fact book of QI in the bathroom. It sounds weird I know, but I must say, it did lead to some fabulous conversations with our friends after they had been to the bathroom. Eventually we started having the same convers

Okay, so I have already fallen a day behind and it is only day 2. That is kind of shameful. In my defense, I had a great Hallowe'en and suffered for it yesterday! Now, down to business... My favourite movie.. Again this is a toughie. I have so many that I am attached to. My favourite movie tends to depend on my mood at a certain time. The top two are Cinema Paradiso and Rear window. I love both equally and really enjoy sitting down to watch them. My feel good movies are The Rocky Horror Picture Show and The Boat that Rocked and The Hangover. They always cheer me up and put a smile on my face. When I need a girlie day Dirty Dancing tends to tick all the boxes. Under a duvet, with some chocolate and a hot water bottle. It is all any girl needs in those times of need. Oh this pointless... I can't decide... how can you ignore Star Wars, Indiana Jones, most Hitchcock movies, most musicals... ahhhh! It is too hard. Lets just say, I have lots of favourites.