Thursday 20 November 2014

I'm A Nightmare Dressed Like A Daydream

Hello!

Sorry for not posting in a while, as you probably all know, the last year of secondary school is VERY demanding so I've been studying and revising non-stop for weeks now. Unfortunately for me, yesterday I went home sick from school with plunging and soaring temperatures, aches, pains and a sore throat. Lovely.

I'm at home today to recover so I'll be back in school hopefully tomorrow. I don't generally miss school, this is my first day off school probably since last December! As a result, I physically cannot sit still, despite being exhausted walking from my room to the sitting room for breakfast. I did some of yesterday's maths questions and practically fell asleep afterwards!

Now, after being told by my Mam, I'm in my room lying in bed. So I figure I might as well tell you about what's been going on the past few weeks! *Not much* I've spent a lot of time studying and doing school work, babysitting and drinking coffee due to a lack of sleep.

Last Friday, my brother and I went to see Nathan Carter (he sings Wagon wheel) It was a spur of the moment decision as my aunt and uncle gave us their tickets as they couldn't go. It was a genuinely brilliant night with people of all ages in attendance and questionable dance moves from more mature members of the audience. ''If you didn't like this concert, well then my name is Daniel O'Donnell.''

I also received a certificate from Swipe Festival for my blog post about 'The Digital Age' so thank you, it really cheered me up after going home sick! I also received my Blood Donor card from the Irish Blood Transfusion Service. Over midterm I donated my blood for the first time as I had just turned 18. Giving blood is a big thing with my family so I went with my Mam and brother to donate.

Since being home sick I've been catching up on the television shows I've missed from doing school work for the past few weeks. Watching 3 episodes straight of American Horror Story and The Walking Dead is extremely relaxing, now to watch this week's episodes and catch up on The Fall! Heaven indeed.

Photos from my week!
My brother and I went to see Nathan Carter! Major thank you is needed to our aunt and uncle who gave us the tickets as they couldn't go. 


My brother sent me this saying that I was my ''own worst' enemy'' 
I replied saying ''Smart women scare weak men. We know more than them. They think that prospect is terrifying.'' 

Thank you to Swipe Festival for my certificate! :D 

I'm officially a blood donor! I felt it would be weird to disclose my blood type. Moustaches not included on cards, it was a way to cover up my blood type. 

So that's about it from me, hope you're not all ill like me!
Stay Strong, Happy and Fearless!
Aveen xx



*lyrics: Taylor Swift ~Blank Space

Sunday 9 November 2014

Fat Shaming & Skinny Shaming.

So this blog post has taken a lot of time, effort and thought to write. I would have written this sooner however, with great indecision I delayed writing this post, until now.

I suppose I am known for controversy on this blog, however this subject is deeply personal for me and has been an extremely negative part of my life for as long as I can remember so these are my views, and you may not like them. (And that's okay, we are all so diverse)


I've been reading a lot of blog posts recently about ''skinny shaming'' and how unfair it is to smaller framed people. It's not right, however, I'd like to mention fat shaming and how I have experienced so much of it as a young child and into early adolescence. I was never the thinnest child around the age of 9 or 10, but I would never have been classed as ''fat or obese'' medically. Yet I was by my peers. I experienced such awful abuse at a young age for being ''too big'' yet when we're children, particularly girls aged around 10 or 11, the majority of them are pudgy.

I had such little self-confidence until around the age of sixteen-and-a-half due to this and various other factors. I used to loathe buying clothes, as I would never be wearing a size 8 or 10. I remember a girl in my year during Transition Year talking about her size moaning that ''I'm actually a size 6, but my ass is an 8'' and sighing as if it was a global calamity.

My self-confidence increased when I started writing here on this little blog, yet also with having a growth spurt and thinning out a little. It's the same for a lot of girls. I think it's scary how we place so much self-worth into how others perceive us, instead of our talents and skills. I love school and do well in subjects, but for many, that wouldn't matter, only my looks would. I think this ideology is in a way, terrifying. Many focus on their exterior selves much more than their interior selves. I ask you, what is the point of being beautiful on the inside and be ugly on the inside from putting others down?

Of course it is perfectly fine to care about how you look. I always do something with my hair in particular. Whether I straighten it and put a cute bow or wear a huge doughnut bun. I like to make an effort. But it's when it consumes you and you forget about what's on the inside.

So this brings me back onto skinny and fat shaming. It shouldn't happen full stop. But I feel that I've been reading so many blog posts about SKINNY SHAMING, and nobody will speak out against fat shaming, which I experienced for such a long time during an important time of psychological development as a young girl. I'm better now, I even take OOTD's and take selfies, for fun. I don't hide any more. I stand up tall and wear skinny jeans all the time.

 But girls have to stop putting each other down based on their size, appearance, body shape or even hair style. Just because someone isn't the same body shape as you, doesn't give you the right to call them out on it. I'm 5''8 with curves and hips. A lot of girls have an athletic figure or all sorts of figures, just because they're different doesn't mean you should tell them they're ''weird'' or even ''fat'' It's just disgusting and shows contempt and ignorance (in the context of lack of knowledge) on your behalf.

I think at times that society has conditioned us to believe that unless you have the ''perfect'' body, you have nothing. Excuse me, but I would rather have good grades than a flat stomach (but having both would be preferable!) We've all become so accustomed to seeing Size Zero models on the runways, airbrushed on magazines and on television. I often wonder, if a regular sized girl was to appear on a runway, would she be called normal or would she be considered the awful F word? It's definitely food for thought.

On a final note. Don't partake in body shaming, whether it be fat or skinny shaming. We are all unique individuals with unique experiences. Calling someone an unkind word could lower their self-confidence and esteem even further when they may already have body issues. Nobody is perfect. I've seen girls who look like models, with beautiful exterior looks, be the worst people, constantly putting others down and gossiping in the back of the classroom judging everyone on their appearance. Be kind to people. If anyone says hello to me in the corridors, I always make it a point to say hi back and ask how they are. You don't know what anyone is going through. Some days we need someone to ask how we are, or to say that they like your new hairstyle or scarf. Above all, be a good person on the inside. What goes around comes around.


Stay Strong, Happy & Fearless
Aveen xx

























Saturday 1 November 2014

Penneys/Primark Winter Haul!

Hey Everyone!

Over midterm I paid a trip to my beloved Penneys to stock up on some accessories and t-shirts from their Autumn/Winter collection. Needless to say I wasn't disappointed. Here are some of the items I bought! 

**I bought Christmas items which I will post at a later date. I feel November 1st is a little too early to be singing about a 'White Christmas.' I'm not the Grinch but I always wait until December before getting excited for Christmas! 


Another sign to hang up in my room, it's a similar design to a heart I bought last time in Limerick!
I think it was 3 euros.

Here are some pretty bobbins, I thought they looked really cute and girly.

You may not know about my bow obsession (It's getting serious) so these were a delight to see!

More bows. Oh dear.

I love this bobbin with the pink tinged roses, I wear my hair in a doughnut bun in school so it would be amazing to wear with it.

Owl pyjamas! 

A blouse I bought for only 7 euros. I really like the shape, it's similar to other blouses I have. 

I feel in love with the detail in this cardigan collar! It's so pretty and brightens the appearance of the black cardigan.


Here's a black top I bought, the back is longer than the front and creates a flattering effect. 

So that's my Winter haul! I'll be posting a Christmas themed Penneys/Primark haul closer to Christmas. Warning, may contain cute Christmas cardigans. 

Stay Strong, Happy & Fearless!
Aveen xx