Summer Bucket List

I had randomly planned some things I had to do before I turned 18. And since my birthday is in September, I have decided to complete what I consider to be the most important during the Summer.

And here it is:

1. Get my driver's license. This means studying for my theory test, completing at least 10 driving lessons and then passing my driving test.

2. Dye my hair. Really random but I want to try it just for the fun.Nothing drastic maybe even just a darker shade than my original hair colour. (BTW I have never dyed my hair and my hair colour is a really light brown.)

3. Read at least 7 books. It doesn't sound like a lot but it's a realistic goal. Before I started secondary school I used to read a lot of books. I used to enjoy the wind down time before I went to sleep. Now when I come back from school I spend hours doing homework and studying and by the time I have finished studying I'm way too tired to read.

4. Love myself. This may sound really...well...extreme. But it's not at all what your thinking! Lol. I am the type of person that really doesn't credit myself. I have extremely low self-esteem and I'm always putting myself down for the littlest of things. 

5. Treat myself. Again the selfishness is overwhelming. I am being 100% honest here when I say I have never bought anything for MYSELF over €30. And the only reason for that is that I never feel like I deserve it.

6. Break the rules. I'm not talking about having a complete rebellion but just to do something I usually wouldn't do. Sneak out. Get drunk. Put a banana in the freezer. Maybe I might try saying yes to everything for a day.

7. Take more pictures. I am literally the worst person in the world for taking pictures. Well maybe second after my mother. Lol.  When I am at some event (that I'd really like pictures of afterwards) I'm always too lazy to take any pictures. I ALWAYS regret this!

8. Print/develop pictures. When I was younger, like every other 90's kid taking a picture was such a novelty. My mother would always buy me a disposable camera when we would go on holidays. I would have most of the allowance used up on the journey. I have loads of photos that I would like to print that are currently on my computer. I don;t need to but like music I just prefer to have the paper.

9. Get my ears pierced. Don't laugh! Seriously I am 17 years old and I only got my ears pierced before Christmas just passed. I cleaned them as instructed and keep the studs in for the 6 weeks. After the 6 weeks were up I changed the studs but they made my ears really sore and so I removed them. No joke 2 weeks later, the piercings on both ears had completely closed up. Even to feel them you would have no idea they were ever pierced! But I really want to get a piercing on my cartilage on my left ear, re-pierce my lopes and maybe (maybe) get seconds.

10. Learn how to cook one dish. Without burning it or giving anybody food poisoning.

11. Social media/technology break. For a few hours every week to turn off my phone and my laptop and stay away from the t.v for my own personal well-being. This will help me focus on personal goals such as reading a book or to spend time on my artwork.

12. Finish decorating my room. Almost 2 years ago now, I revamped my room, with the help of my Dad. It was badly needed but I never made it ''my'' room. There isn't one picture to be seen or anything to mark the room as mine. I really want to change this over the summer.

13. Volunteer. Do something at least once a week that helps somebody else. Doesn't matter how big or how small it is. Just do it.

14. Finish a wreck this journal. When I was younger it was a trend to keep a journal. I have started one almost every year...even this year and i have not finished it. My goal is for this summer write in it every morning until the end of the summer.

15. Make a bonfire. Pretty self explanatory. I can then burn my journal at the end of the summer in style!

16. Make a scrapbook. I want to make a scrapbook for my family. My parents have a lot of pictures of us when we were younger all thrown into a box. I really want to make a book of all our favourite memories together. And it will be done!

17. Start a short story and actually finish it. I am always writing these stories in my head but never record it for it to be read again. My goal is to begin writing a short story about anything and finish it.

18. Follow  a healthier lifestyle. I am not really unhealthy but there are some things I could change to make it better. I want to create a fitness program. Nothing major but just a routine for everyday (and actually follow it this time!) and eat less junk food and more fruits and salads.

19. Send a message in a bottle. Really random and since I don't live near any lakes or rivers it will be hard to complete but I will do it.

20. Try out yoga. If I find it calming, helpful or relaxing in any way and if I like it I will make this part of my routine.

21. Throw away things you don't need. I'm not a hoarder but I am the kind of person who does keep the most random things ''in case I might need it someday''. Even though I know well that I will never ever need it.

22. Travel alone. Not foreign. But maybe just to the city to do some shopping or to visit a museum.

23. Buy a pair of Vans. I know its really sad.

24. Watch fireworks. This will definitely be one of the hardest to complete.

25. Buy a lighter. I've always been too scared to buy a cigarette lighter in case I get rejected because I'm too young. I'm going to buy one this summer. 

26. Get a sun tattoo. If you don't know what this is, it's a fancy tan line. Google gives a better description.

27. Play in the rain. This should be easy since I live in Ireland.

28. Get a descent handbag. Well the handle of my last one broke and the other two...well..okay yeah I need a new handbag.

29. Catch up for all the lost time in school. After all next year is my final year.

30. Don't waste a single day.  YOLO. Make memories. 

And that's pretty much it. There are other things I want to do and I will document them and most of this. 

If you have a Summer Bucket List please comment the top 5 things you want to do.

Thanks for reading.

Summertime Sadness

I hate summer! To cut a really, long, boring story short - I genuinely suffer severely from hay fever. None of the medicines work any more and so summer for me usually consists of:

Wake up: 8.30am - 9.30am (depending on the day)

Stay inside away from the sun: 9.30am - 7.30/8.00pm

Get some fresh air: 8.00pm onwards...this usually doesn't last long as there are always midgets eating me up outside.

Early morning capture around 6.00am

Last summer, I was promised a job at the local supermarket by the manager who knew me through my week of work experience there. I worked my damn ass off that week just so he would have a good excuse to give me a job. I didn't even ask, he just offered! Then about two months later, he resigned as manager and my promised job went down the drain. I was (and still am!) really pissed off about it. But at least I am not alone. Three other guys I go to school with  were promised a job until this dude resigned and now the new manager is getting rid of workers that were always in the shop and no new jobs are up for grabs! 

Then last Christmas, my parents went out for dinner one night in the new hotel and restaurant in town. One of the waitress' that worked there knew them and asked if I was looking for a part-time job. My parents told her about the whole 'promised job' story and how I still have no job. She suggested that I apply for a job in the hotel. Later, when my parents were leaving, the waitress introduced the manager to my parents. The manager told my parents that she wouldn't be able to bring me in every weekend because the hotel wasn't busy enough but she still would have work for me. All I had to do was call in to her after school the following week with my C.V and she would fill me in on all the details.

I did so, but she was never there to meet me any of the evenings for the following two weeks! I left my c.v in the first evening anyway but still never met her. This left me and my parents a little bit angry at the whole situation. After no reply for at least a month, I emailed me c.v. to the hotels job vacancies email and explained the situation. One week later, no reply. One month later, no reply! Not even as much as a ''...there are no jobs available at the moment''.

Because I live in such a remote area between a village with only one shop and two pubs and a town with one hotel. two supermarkets (one of them will only employ their own family and friends), two butchers and three hairdressers there is unbelievably little jobs available.

I babysit a few neighbours at least once a month if not more for eight to nine hours and get €25. Now there is something seriously wrong with that price when they are awake the whole night and I am expected to play with them as well. But I suppose it could be worse...or could it?

As I knew this summer would consist of no solid income and high pollen levels, I decided that I would complete a few personal tasks between now (literally this second) and September 1st. The first thing on that list, believe it or not, is to actually make the list....!

Taken on a summers evening in 2014 (before I started sneezing)