“When you hope for a happy ending, you think it is just a fantasy. You never believe it is going to happen. You believe you are destined to die, because you lose the will to live” – Lynda Barton

I hate the snow. More importantly I hate when the country comes to a standstill and I can’t get where I need to go – on time and with ease. Sure, it’s very pretty…but only if you don’t need to go anywhere or do anything!

I guess the positive side to this weather is the free time I have. I’ve used the time to catch up on emails, say hello to old friends and listen to stuff I’d put on the back burner. I’m a huge radio fan – and love radio documentaries specifically – but because I work in Current Affairs radio it’s difficult to find the time to listen to them.

One doc I listened to last weekend is part of the RTE Documentary on One series and titled, “8 Years On”. A friend of mine from college Chris Cleary produced the documentary and so I was especially interested in hearing the final product.

The piece is based on Chris’ relationship with his mother and the story of her journey as a young drug addict to a recovered adult. Narrated by Chris himself, the hour-long journey is personal without being cringey and although the subject is a serious one , a wink and a laugh from Chris brings a sense of warmth and dissolves any possible awkwardness for the listener. Chris’ mother Lynda is a remarkable central character – and her gentle north Dublin accent draws you in immediately and keeps you there for the duration of the tale. Chris also uses the voices of his brother, uncle and his mother’s sponsor to tell the story but ultimately it is the very frank chats he has with his mum that really makes the documentary special.

If you’re interested in personal stories, Irish documentaries or radio in general – I’d highly recommend that you give this a listen!

http://www.rte.ie/radio1/doconone/8yearson.html

PS. Congrats Chris! Can’t wait to hear your next piece!

When I look back on all the amazing books I’ve read over the last two decades – I can’t help but fondly remember the children’s books that have shaped my literary appetite as it is today.

I guess the first book to stand out is CS Lewis’ The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe which I was given by my cousin Joe. The copy I own has been read so many times that the cover looks like it’s been through a tsunami. I loved the fantasy world that it transported me to and that in the end, ordinary children could be warriors, Kings and Queens. the fact that one of the characters was called Susan really delighted me even though I always secretly wished that Susan was as exciting a character as Lucy!. I read the book over and over and enjoyed it without ever needing an explanation. Then, when I was in Junior year of high school we did the book in class. Suddenly, there was all this religious symbolism attached to the classic book of my childhood. Fascinating as it was, it was totally unnecessary for me. I love the book whether it has one level of meaning or fifty.

From a very young age, Lewis Carroll’s  Alice in Wonderland really got me dreaming. The book appeared before the Disney version for me – and as a result, I never really quite got what Disney was getting at. The Lewis Carroll version is so much grittier, more frightening and funnier! When I was a child my mum used to leave me in a main street book shop while she did her food shopping next door. It was during one of these sessions that I discovered Alice, the Mad Hatter, the Queen of Hearts and the Dodo. I still have my hardback copy bought from that very shop in Bray.

Sometimes called the greatest children’s author of all time, Roald Dahl will always hold a special place in my heart. Like the Carroll version of “Alice”, Dahl gave kids a look at fantasy in a slightly grimier way. In a world where you’re small and powerless, Dahl provided a resistance to authority and it was the kids that always triumphed. The Witches was always my favourite, followed closely by Matilda – but I have almost all his books and they’re all cello-taped together or missing pages! I still buy Roald Dahl’s books for my little nephews.

Truly wonderful children’s literature is timeless. You can read it as an adult and it still transports you, endears you and frightens you. Harry Potter did this for me as a young adult and I’m already looking forward to re-reading all seven books with new eyes! Can’t believe I almost forgot to mention Phillip Pullman’s Dark Materials trilogy – children’s books that I couldn’t put down for a minute.

Another book, written as a children’s story but definitely for adults is Sophie’s World by Jostein Gaarder. It took me about six months to finish, but my god was it worth it. It’s a history of philosophy through the eyes of a young girl and takes you from ancient times right up until the present-day. Accompanying the course is a magical tale of confusion and fairy tale fantasies that make you question your own existence and place in the world. I would highly recommend it for anyone who’s looking for something thought-provoking.

So, grab a cup of tea – get out your favourite childhood read and remember how amazing it was.

I’ll be attempting a children’s story here in the next week or two. Wish me luck!!

Happy New Year blogosphere…it’s good to be back!

The arrival of 2010 sees the departure of Desperately Seeking Susan and the arrival of a more confident, independent and better equipped Suddenly Susan. The change comes following a re-reading of my 2009 New Year’s resolutions - which I wrote last January and dug out this morning. Of the twenty or so goals, I achieved or am in the process of accomplishing every single one of them. Pretty unbelievable eh? I was shocked myself.

One of the things I haven’t done properly all year is writing. I have always had this great craving to write. The problem is, I’m not sure what type of writer I am. So Suddenly Susan will be a sort of experiment in writing styles and ideas.

Watch this space.

So..where have I been for the last few weeks? Why finishing my Masters degree of course! And where does that leave me? Well, with two degrees and no experience doing anything except internships and part-time retail work with a bit of travel work on the side. My broadcast production class has jokingly adopted the motto, “Do ya want fries with that?!”

My lovely Masters classmates – at our celebratory BBQ

But hey! It’s not all negative! For the next month I’ll be living in Dublin, working part time in Kay Em and hopefully doing some work experience for the rest of the time. It’ll also give me a chance to rehearse for RENT (more on that later!).

June is a gift. It will give me the time to do stuff that I want to do – rather than stuff I need to do. Like:

1. Get some more driving time in. I have actually convinced my dad to let me drive HIS car. This should be fun.

2. RENT RENT RENT RENT. My old college drama soc are doing a production of Rent that was previously in the Helix – and has now been granted a week’s run in the Olympia! Turns out they needed to fill out the chorus – and I’m giving them a hand! Rent is possibly my favourite musical of all time…so for me – this is a dream come true.

3. Work experience: Radio, TV and post-production work is quite scarce at the moment, so I’ve decided to offer my services on a voluntary basis for the month of June. I just finished a very cool week with Windmill Lane and got to see lots of editing and sound production. I honestly had no idea how much sound work goes into a film, ad or programme after all the filming and picture editing is done. The work these sound designers do is amazing!

4. Get Creative. Now that I won’t be thinking about college or the pressure to find a job NOW – I want to hone my creativity and focus it on something new and different. I have no idea what it is yet…but I definitely hope to be writing more often.

I’m the type of person that actually HATES not knowing what comes next in life. I started looking at college courses when I was 15 for flip’s sake (and actually ended up in the first college I looked at, DCU!). However, I think its a time of uncertainty for most people and it makes me feel better knowing that everyone is in the same boat.

Plus, let’s face the old cliche – Life’s not fair. Maybe we’re not graduating into the best economic situation, but things can only get better! C’mon everyone – positive thoughts now!

who I want to be.

Therefore – life is a bit chaotic at the moment!

However, I try to keep this in mind at all times:

Im also reading cardboard love – which makes things a little better!

I’ve always been a bit of a tea freak. I drink about four or five cups of Lyons a day! That may seem like a lot , but apparently its average in Ireland. After all, we have the highest number of tea drinkers per capita!

Ireland has always been thought of as a tea drinking nation – but as the Celtic Tiger hit the country’s economy, coffee became a hip alternative to the cuppa cha. Words like “grande”, “frapaccino” and “skinny latte” seeped into our lexicon and there’s no going back. Or is there?

This is what my radio documentary is all about. What is Ireland’s national drink? Are we all still drinking tea like our grannies, and their grannies before them? Are people more hooked on an Americano? and the big question is: why? What kind of image is associated with the beverages?

So – please help me out! Take my poll – its only one question afterall.

Tell your friends. Tell your friends’ friends. I need to know the answer!

Please and thank you

I am super excited about this movie!

Thanks to LeLove for posting the trailer

I officially have less than a month to finish my Master’s degree in Broadcast Production. Luckily enough, all of my stuffy academic essays are done, dusted and handed in! Now, all that’s left are my practical assessments.

One of my major projects is a short video documentary on abandoned dogs in Ireland (hence the doggie on the laptop above). So, I’ll be shooting that over the next couple of days and editing away! It’s really hard to be objective and journalist-like on such a heartbreaking topic.

Yesterday, my friend James and I headed up to the local SPCA to get some general dog footage, ya know, tails wagging, tongues panting, paws moving etc. But I just wanted to save them all! We ended up staying for a good couple of hours and taking a few dogs out for a walk. My dog was this eight year old Basset Hound who had a really tough time keeping up with James’ spritely young pup! The poor guy just kept lying down by cars to get shade from the sun and a bit of a rest!

A younger version of the dog I took for a walk yesterday!

As we were walking our dogs in the sun and chatting – I thought, what a great way to spend a day with a friend or other half! In fact, they could market “dog walking” as a type of date – as long as both people were animal lovers! Plus, you’re doing a good thing for the poor dogs involved.

Today, I’m off to the new pound and vet’s in Enniscorthy – and tomorrow I’m visiting the WSPCA, so I’m sure to be in for more very sad cuteness.

I suppose this post is an apology for the lack of posts to come over the next few weeks. I shall be out and about camera/digital recorder attached to my hand!

PS. I’ll have much more on my documentary once its finished!

they’d be watering.

My roomie got one of these Radox Shower Smoothies and put it in our bathroom. He told me to try it. Dear god – it smelled like heaven in a squeezie bottle! Now…I smell it each time I’m in the shower…just for the smell! I’d highly recommend the “Natural Balance” one.

Warning: even if you REALLY REALLY want to – do not drink the shower smoothie. I repeat, do not drink the shower smoothie!

Anyone who knows me, knows that I am a HUGE fan of the hit Broadway musical, Rent (and who isn’t?!). I’ve seen the show three times in NYC and countless times on DVD. I suppose it isn’t hard to be swept up in Rent madness – the music is rockin’ and the message is a solemn one: live each day as if it’s your last and make it count. It’s also very attractive to us 90’s kids – as the show is set in the once bohemian Alphabet City, Manhattan during that decade.

A couple of weeks ago I went to see Rent for the fourth time – this time on the Helix stage. It may not have been Broadway – but it was just as exciting and twice as special because performing were my old drama group: DCU Drama. The leading roles were played by people who I consider to be my best friends! Plus – I was there to support my boyfriend, Conor who played drums in the fantastic band that accompanied the show!

Now, I may be biased, but the DCU Drama version of Rent blew. me. away. There was so much energy, heart and complete dedication to the show.  I spent the last half an hour crying at how amazing it was (am I a sap? yes). And I’m very proud to report that the show won Best Event at the DCU Clubs and Socs Awards the other night!

As part of a radio programme I was producing, I did some interviews with the cast and recorded some musical numbers. Alan McHale (who plays Mark) produced a video using some of his own footage and my radio stuff – to be submitted to the Board of Irish College Societies!

Here it is: