Welcome To Apostrophe

Hello? Is anyone there?

Oh, thank God. I was beginning to get worried.

Everything looks different, doesn't it? All white, and a bit less red (although you're reading red at the moment. It's my favourite colour) and blue and look! A new name! You see, I warned you this would be coming.

Apostrophe.

Less of a mouthful than Musings of an Undiscovered Genius, isn't it? Cuts to the chase, which is what an apostrophe does.

Shit! What am I going to call Music at Musings now?! SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT GIVE ME SUGGESTIONS PLEASE

Of course, this blog has a new URL, http://www.apostrophe-rules.blogspot.com. Apostrophe.blogspot.com was taken by some blog with one post from 2000 entirely consisting of the words 'testing....mic check'. That was extremely annoying. But remember now, it's APOSTROPHE-RULES.blogspot.com. Or dft.ba/-apostrophe.

And now, onto matters at hand.

I am typing this at 05:42 on 30th December 2010, early Thursday morning. New Year's Eve tomorrow. Some of you might remember this time last year, when I said...

'I don't believe in New Year Resolutions. But I do have a List Of Things I Am Going To Try To Do And That I Won't Beat Up Myself About If I Don't Happen To Do Them. I haven't thought of a catchy name for it yet as you can see.'

A few days later, I rejected that in favour of a 'dreamboard' with some catchy slogans, nice shots of cities like Paris and New York actresses and singers who inspired me, and still do (eg. Saoirse Ronan, Emma Watson, Florence Welch) and some random models that I thought looked cool. This is how it looked the last time I updated it, a few months ago.

Two hours ago, I decided to take it down, without a replacement.

You see, when I made it, I made it with the intention that it would inspire me. For the past twelve months it's been on my wall beside my bed, and it hasn't been inspiring me at all. Not that I haven't had a year without inspiration, I've had plenty of that! I'm just disappointed with the dreamboard, because for me, it didn't serve it's purpose. Besides, now I have room to put up my copy of the Irish proclamation of independence! It was fun making it and everything, but that was it. If you want to make one for yourself, don't let me put you off! Show me when you're done! But anyway.

I haven't really made New Year's Resolutions before. (Aha! 06:00!) I just didn't think there was anything I needed to drastically change. Of course, there's nothing wrong with me that I need to drastically change either. However, I have decided that I need rules, otherwise I will explode, and bring everyone else down with me. This must not happen.

The Apostrophe Rules

Rule #1 - I will make myself lots of rules, which I will stick to. These rules will be inscribed onto one of the walls of my bedroom in chalk.

Rule #2 - I will try not to worry too much about exams. I will allow myself a brief, sensible period of worry the week before the exams, but that will be all.

Rule #3 - I will find something to do during lunchtimes at school.

Rule #4 - I will try to eat less sweets and more apples. The fact that they hurt my braces shouldn't count.

Rule #5 - I will try to read books more. 

Rule #6 - I will stop watching reality TV shows, to leave more time for relaxation.

Rule #7 - I will finish what I start.

Rule #8 - I will keep my promises.

Rule #9 - I will not be an annoying and/or irritating friend.

Rule #10 - I will try to go to the cinema more often, especially now that I can watch 15 films (although there is the matter of whether I look 15 enough to be let in...)

Rule #11 - I will try to get enough sleep.

Rule #12 - I will learn first aid, because it is about time.

Rule #13 - I will take more photos.

Rule #14 - I will cycle more, at least twice a week to start with. Weather permitting.

Rule #15 - I will get rid of the books that I don't read anymore, and read the books I've been meaning to read.

Rule #16 - I will not say things I don't mean and things I know will be bad to say.

Rule #17 - I will not start drinking or smoking, because I've gone this far already, and I can't afford it, and I would be disowned, and alcohol doesn't taste nice (I've tried it enough times to know that) and I know better.

Rule #18 - I will stop whining on my blog.

Rule #19 - I will learn new skills, and be the best version of myself I can be (without being perfect of course, that's impossible) in 2011.

Ta da!

I'm not sure if this is my last post of 2010 or not. Wow. I'm never any good at writing thank yous or anything, because it just sounds fake to me. But I hope you all know and appreciate how highly I value you. Thank you so, so much for all your kind words, and for reading, and for making me a better person, and for allowing me to see things differently. You rock.

Take care.

This has been Eleanor Roscuro...

Music at Musings - Paramore, Imelda May, Tom Milsom, Von Bizmark, Charlie McDonnell, Eddplant

Hello, and welcome to Music at Musings! I would say that this is the third last Music at Musings of the year, but we all know by now what happens when I promise to do things - I don't do them and let everyone down. So um... let's get on with it, shall we?

Paramore - Playing God

I was quite surprised when this was released as a single, more than a year after Brand New Eyes came out. But I must say, I'm glad they did all the same. So, let me ask you a question - OMG DID YOU HEAR JOSH AND ZAC ARE LEAVING PARAMORE OMG OMG. Will talk about that more at a later stage... Anyway. I love the spots from old cinema screen, at the start, and doesn't it take on a completely different meaning when you read Josh and Zac's exit statement?



Imelda May - Psycho

Imelda May has equal amounts of style and substance, and really inspires me. All she does is make awesome music and have cool hair. That's it. No need for her own fake eyelashes brand, or reality TV show, or 2011 annual. Just her and her cool hair.



Tom Milsom - Catsongs II (Livia Deliberated)

So you all know I've been raving about Tom Milsom for a while now. I mean, why not? Originality and ingenuity are hard to come by these days... Catsongs II is refreshing because even though it's about love, it's not about romantic love. The boy's parents love him, and he loves his cat. Who's dead. And it's a completely ordinary situation, but it's just so charming.



Von Bizmark - Address The Silence

I've always been fascinated by voodoo dolls. This feeds my addiction quite well. Before I go on, I would like to point out that domestic violence is wrong, even when fuelled by supernatural energies. There.



Charlie McDonnell - Bread

For the last three weeks, this song has been stuck in my head. I'd hate it by now, but I can't! It's so charming and cute, and beautiful, and simple, and sad, and ironic, and pretty, and original... I'd love to animate like that. One day! And did you see that speck of evil in the eyes of Victoria Sponge?! Also, this comes with a good nutritional message for youngsters. 'shudder'



Eddplant - Less Than Three

Yes, yes, I know. 'Eleanor,' you're shouting at me, 'not ANOTHER Admiral?' Well, if you don't like what I write, you don't have to read it. Anyway. The way Eddplant sings is quite... well, 'shouty' but I like it. All these singers today, with those fake accents and weird voices and lilts! Your lilts sound stupid! And Eddplant doesn't. Thank you.



Sorry for the long, long absence. Just in case I don't get to post before the New Year, thank you all so, so much for being there for me through everything. Love you all.

Eleanor Roscuro

Christmas? What Christmas?

So it's a week until Christmas and I haven't said anything about it yet.

Wait, I have! That's done. Thank God. (You can tell that I haven't got any presents for anyone yet, or put up any decorations or the tree.)

Anyway.

It has become apparent that in 2011, I will be very busy.

The Junior Cert - For the uninitiated, if we all went to Hogwarts (!) I'd be doing my OWLs. 'shudder' Mocks in six weeks time, which is basically the same exam, but a little harder.


Kilkenny Youth Theatre - Remember a few months ago, when I kept talking about a strange play about vampires? Yeah, that's happening again. Only with less vampires and the teenage characters are undoubtedly human. Although I'm trying to get my castmates to come around to the idea of zombies. They're not budging. Killjoys. Oh, and the play is 'Paving Paradise' by Richard Conlon, if you're interested in coming. (COME COME COME)

Red Square Kibosh - So do you remember that thing I did during the summer where I became an art critic and everything? That didn't end when school came around. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to make any of the meetings since September, thanks to Number One up there. However, I was able to meet with the group a few weeks ago and we have gotten the opportunity to raid the archives of the Butler Gallery and curate our own art exhibition! But the months in which the exhibition will be open are May, June and July. June is the month of Number One, so I'm not sure if I will be able to do this. But I'll be damned if I won't try. That was what I said before Number Four. (Wait! What if I'm not allowed to say anything about that yet? Shit! Shit shit shit!)

Something That Is Absolutely Brilliant, I Can Assure You, But I'm Not Going To Tell You About It Yet Until A Bit More Time Passes - Sorry. But because of this, there is a very good chance that I probably won't be able to help curate the art exhibition. Interestingly, if it weren't for the Red Square Kibosh I would never have done this. But there you are. Irony, and life, and things.

And that's what I'll be doing for a good bit of 2011. Mostly until the summer time. Longer if I'm allowed back to kibosh things. Hopefully. I hate the taste of coffee, but maybe I should start drinking it. For the caffeine, you know? Ugh, no. I can't bear it. Tea and Coke it is!

Eleanor Roscuro

Quote Of The Week #34

Ah chose not to choose life. Ah chose something else.


Mark Renton - Trainspotting by Irvine Welsh.

WTF - In The Confession Box

Me Forgive me Father, for I have sinned. It's been a while since my last confession.

Father McRosca And what would you like to confess, my child?

Me Well, you see Father... You might have to put the kettle on for this, it's going to take a while. And you might want a cushion.

Father McRosca Please, get to the point.

Me The thing is, I read the book Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll last year, because I've heard so much good things about it. It's a classic and everything, you know?

Father McRosca And whatever's wrong with that?

Me I didn't like it. At all. I mean, it's just Alice popping down the hole, then shrinking and growing, talking to weird creatures, eating strange things, it just doesn't make sense! There's no beginning, middle and end, no real plot or storyline, it's as if I wrote a book which described me walking to the shop to get a carton of milk, then going home. No, my book would be BETTER than Alice in Wonderland, because mine actually has a plot even if it is a little mundane, and it would make sense. People buy milk all the time. This may sound like I don't like fantasy books, but around half of my favourite books are in the fantasy genre.

Father McRosca And what's wrong with not liking that book?

Me Father, I'm supposed to like it. I'm supposed to like it because it's so flyaway, and iconic, and hipster. I'm supposed to quote it on Tumblr, and wear the t-shirts, and dislike the Tim Burton movie, when in fact I really like that movie. I'm being told to like things like leather couches all the time. But why do I like leather couches? And why am I supposed to like leather couches and Alice in Wonderland? I can't answer the first one, but Alice in Wonderland is supposed to be cherished by kids from the Nineties, with Twitter, Tumblr, Harry Potter, Doctor Who, daisies, Friends, We Heart It, and all the rest. And I shouldn't be bothered that I don't like Alice in Wonderland, but it kind of unsettles me. And what does that say about me? You see, there's the thing, the thing that I can't shake off. But I don't like it. I read it, I gave it a fair shot, and I didn't like it, and that's all that matters. Right?

Father McRosca This just gets curiouser and curiouser...

Me Father, are you quoting it? So you've read it then? What did you think?

Father McRosca Why Alice, I haven't the faintest idea.

Me God no. This can't be happening.

Father McRosca Oh, we're all mad here. All mad here.

This Is Musings of an Undiscovered Genius

So last Sunday I was going to put this as my Quote of the Week...

Thousands of geniuses live and die undiscovered - either by themselves or by others.


Mark Twain

And I thought that'd be great, since Mark Twain is usually quoted a lot and it mentions undiscovered geniuses and everything, but something made me read it again. And again. And again.

And now I've just realised that I need to change the name of this blog, even though I don't want to. Labelling myself as an Undiscovered Genius is automatically saying to myself 'Eleanor, you're fantastic and everything, but let's make sure no one else knows about it, OK?' And I don't want to do that. The name Musings of an Undiscovered Genius was incredibly easy for me to come up with when I first created this blog. I just thought 'OK, my blog needs a name... Musings of an Undiscovered Genius! Yes!' And I thought I was being kind of cocky and confident about the genius part, which I am (both cocky and confident and a genius) and the undiscovered part simply meant that... I'm not sure. I think it meant that I wasn't really well-known, (which seems incredibly superficial now that I'm fifteen and wiser) and that my potential still needed to be... discovered. Musings was created at a time in my life where I wasn't exactly bouncing around with happiness. And 'Musings of a...' has been used SO MUCH. Ugh.

But finding a new blog name is going to be really hard, and that's why I'm reluctant to change. And Music at Musings worked so well, it was simple and there was alliteration! But I NEED to change this name. And I'm so afraid I'm going to eventually pick a completely rubbish name that won't appeal to anybody (because something I've noticed about blogs is that the best blogs have rubbish names and the worst blogs have absolutely brilliant names) and I can't just call it Eleanor Surname because I'm still only fifteen. Safety and all that. Oh God.

I don't know whether to thank Twain or dance on his grave.

Oh, and this counts as a Quote of the Week.

Alternative Blogging Week - The Evaluation

Hello my darlings! This post is a chance for me and you to look back over the week that was Alternative Blogging, and discover some... (DOT DOT DOT) things.

Monday - The Fashion Blog


Ah. The fashion blogging. I wish I could blame it on the snow, but I can't. I will continue to blame a little bit of it on the snow, because I don't like being blamed for things, but most of it is to do with the fact that I don't know how to write about fashion, or analyse collections from famous, influential fashion houses in Paris and New York. I wear my brother's jeans! But I do show loyalty to a particular label - Nomads, all fair-trade clothing and are sold by my aunt, which is handy. But I will never be Tavi. HOWEVER - this does not mean that I will never blog about fashion... (DOT DOT DOT)

Tuesday - The Political and Current Affairs Blog


This may seem hard to believe, but I really enjoyed this! Part of it was actually finding out, and having my father explain the situation to me. and finally understanding. I like my daddy. Anyway. You seemed to like it too, and I'm glad! I should explain things like that more... (DOT DOT BLOT HA HA GOTCHA)

Wednesday - The Gossip Blog


I get all my showbizzy news from Silly Old Daniel, which is brilliant, and you should definitely follow him. Yes.  Anyway, it was quite hard to find up to date showbizzy news that actually interested me, but I think Mean Girls 2 was a shocker in itself. Again, if something interests me enough, I might talk about it and go WTF?!

Thursday - The Book Blog


I enjoyed this! Yes, I did! I'm glad I did this! I should do this more! Yes! And DOT DOT DOT should become a regular Musings THING! YES!

Friday - The Cooking Blog


This was great fun, of course, and the practice for my Home Economics practical exam in April is a bonus! I've never really liked cooking blogs though, because it's really not the same. But it's a blog. How can it ever be the same? Of course I'll be baking again, I just won't be blogging about it again.

Dammit! I should have done a PHOTOGRAPHY blog!

But will Alternative Blogging Week return next year?

We'll just have to see.

What about YOU? Would you like to see ABW return?

Eleanor Roscuro

Alternative Blogging Week - The Cooking Blog

Hello everyone, and welcome to Friday, the last day of Alternative Blogging Week! Apart from tomorrow! Today, Musings will become a cooking blog. I know a few of you have said you were looking forward to this, and I was looking forward to this too! And today's the day! Let's get started!

Today, I made Blueberry and Almond Muffins, and Bread and Butter Pudding. Unfortunately I couldn't get pictures of the end results, and I apologise profusely. These don't look as good as mine were, but there you are.

I got the recipes from Rachel's Food For Living by Rachel Allen and Smart Cooking by Marita Mcgeady & Martina Cribben respectively.

Blueberry and Almond Muffins

200g (7oz) plain flour
1 generous teaspoon of baking powder
1 level teaspoon ground mixed spice
50g (2oz) ground almonds
175g (6oz) sugar
200ml buttermilk
1 egg
50g (2oz) melted butter
100g (4oz) or so of blueberries
2 tablspoons of almonds as topping (optional)

Preheat the oven to 200C, Gas Mark 6. Line a muffin tray with 10 paper muffin cases.
Sift the flour, baking powder and mixed spice into a large bowl, add the ground almonds and sugar.
Place the buttermilk, egg and melted butter into another medium-sized bowl and mix together.
Add to the dry ingredients and mix to make a smooth batter.
Fold in the blueberries.
Divide the mixture between the bun cases, filling them three-quarters full.
Scatter the remaining almonds, if you are using them.
Bake in the oven for 20 minutes or until golden brown.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before turning out onto a wire rack.

Bread and Butter Pudding

8 slices bread
raisins or sultanas
350 ml milk
2 eggs
2 tablespoons caster sugar

Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 5.
Remove the crusts from the bread and lightly butter the bread, then cut each slice into fingers.
Line the bottom of an ovenproof dish, buttered side facing downwards. Sprinkle with raisins or sultanas.
Repeat until all the bread is used finishing with a layer of bread, buttered side facing upwards.
Heat milk and sugar in saucepan until quite hot but do not allow to boil.
Beat eggs, stir in the milk. Pour over the bread.
Glaze with beaten egg yolk, sprinkle with sugar, bake for 25-30 minutes.

Both turned out perfectly, and if you try any of these recipes, please tell me how it went. We'll be... the Musings of an Undiscovered Genius Betty Rocker Club! Yay!

And this, I am sad to say, marks the end of Alternative Blogging Week! It's been great, I have to say. Tomorrow I will be evaluating the week. God, I'm tired.

Eleanor Roscuro

Alternative Blogging Week - The Book Blog

Good day everyone, and welcome to Thursday! Today, Musings will become a book blog. Books are one of my favourite things, but I really don't blog about them that much. This ends TODAY!

Today, in the words of Lemony Snicket, I will 'Think of that secret favorite book of yours - not the one you tell people you like best, but that book so good that you refuse to share it with people because they'd never understand it. Perhaps it's not even a whole book, just a tiny portion that you'll never forget as long as you live' and show you my utmost favourite books. Although, if they are my secret favourite books, I shouldn't be talking about them. Damn it! This is my effing blog!

Harry and the Wrinklies - Alan Temperley

In Harry and the Wrinklies, Harry lives in a fine London house with his nanny, whom he calls Gestapo Lil, while his rich parents gallivant all across the world. One day, he is left orphaned and sent to live with his great-aunts Bridget and Florrie, who he soon finds out are the leaders of a gang of geriatric master criminals, robbing banks to give money to charity. But Gestapo Lil soon returns into Harry's life, threatening his life and the lives of his new family... DOT DOT DOT
This book is an excellent adventure story, and the Wrinklies are so kind, so criminally talented and so funny that you wish they were real. Harry is a wonderful hero, clever and quick-witted, and he is a good person, most of all. This book is so, so much fun to read!

Muddle Earth - Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell

I hate the Lord of the Rings series. I read the Hobbit, and it was so boring. Muddle Earth is, well, it is based on the Lord of the Rings, but it's so funny, and so good you'd never notice the similarities. Joe, a boy from ordinary Earth, is accidentally summoned to Muddle Earth with his dog Henry by the wizard Randalf, the only wizard left in Muddle Earth after the others 'went on holiday'... Randalf tells Joe he must fight evil on behalf of the Horned Baron, who has problems even Randalf can't fix - his wife, Ingrid, is incredibly demanding, which the evil villain Doctor Cuddles uses to his advantages... DOT DOT DOT
This book, like the Lord of the Rings, is divided into three parts - Engelbert the Enormous, Here Be Dragons and Doctor Cuddles of Giggle Glade. Chris Riddell is also one of my favourite illustrators, but don't let that fool you into thinking this book's just for little kids. Seriously, don't. Please.

Blart: The Boy Who Didn't Want To Save The World - Dominic Barker

When the old and wise wizard Capablanca visits Blart and tells him he has to save the world from the evil Zoltab, Blart refuses to go. He doesn't want to leave his beloved pigs. But Capablanca drags him along anyway, and they set off on an epic quest, with Beowulf, the warrior who loves killing and whose greatest ambition is to be a knight, the obnoxious Princess Lois who loves slamming doors, and Pig the flying horse (who was named by Blart!)
Blart is one of the funniest books I have ever read in my entire life. Even now, years after I first read it, it still cracks me up every page or so. (By the way, has anyone else noticed that these books are all adventure stories? Well, except for the next one... DOT DOT DOT)

Gingersnaps - Cathy Cassidy

The book starts with an eight year old girl called Ginger, who is bullied for being overweight and having red hair. Four years later, Ginger has reinvented herself and is best friends with the cool, confident Shannon. On the first day of Year Eight, Ginger catches the eye of the weird and wonderful Sam, who plays the saxophone (and we all know the saxophone is one of the coolest instruments) and seems to like Ginger more than Shannon. The two start dating secretly but Ginger must decide where her loyalties lie... DOT DOT DOT
Yes, this book is Pink Lit. But unlike many books for the teenage girl group, with style but no substance, Gingersnaps is finely balanced between an excellent storyline, memorable and well-written characters, a wise message and a glossy cover (which is of course the most important thing to judge about a book. Seriously, it's very nice.) Shannon is so delectably... frenemial (I've made a new word!) and Sam is one of those characters that you wish were real people, just so you could be friends with in real life.

And that's it for Thursday! Don't forget, tomorrow is the last day of Alternative Blogging Week, and Musings will become a cooking blog!

Eleanor Roscuro

Alternative Blogging Week - The Gossip Blog

Morning all! Snow is falling thick and fast here! All schools in my area are closed, and today is Wednesday. Today, Musings becomes a Gossip blog!

1 - Mean Girls 2 is so not fetch.


Being creatures of the internet like myself, you've probably already heard about Mean Girls 2. If you haven't, here's the trailer:



WTF? They're not putting it in the cinemas, which really says enough. I mean, Mean Girls was a hit when it came out. If they waited this long to make a sequel...

2 - Turn Off The Dark might suffer from vertigo.

Bono and The Edge from U2 have written a musical, a la American Idiot. It's called Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark and it's first preview performance opened on Broadway last Sunday and sold over $1 million worth of tickets within 24 hours. It has the most expensive Broadway set ever made, costing $65 million dollars (strangely, the previous record holder was Shrek: The Musical! What on earth happened to that money?) There's a lot of wire work, with Spider-Man swinging on his web into the audience, they had to renovate the whole theatre for that. During rehearsals one actor broke his toe and another broke both his wrists. I'd give a review, but I haven't been to see it. Yeah. There's a hiccup. But I'm sure this will be remembered for years. But in what light? We'll just have to wait and see...

3 - Different faces, same problem.


So this might have fitted better yesterday, but whatever.

After Christmas, Ireland is having another general election. I mean, I'm sure our present Taoiseach (prime minister) Brian Cowen would have done fine without the recession. Ten years earlier, perhaps. But now, for the first time ever, maybe the Labour party will be in power. Well, it's not like I'm going to get the chance to choose. But there are people campaigning to lower the voting age from eighteen to sixteen... Roscuro for Taoiseach! I should make election posters...

And that's the showbizzy, gossip blog! It was quite hard finding interesting news, I must admit. And I checked  Silly Old Daniel and Perez Hilton and everything! Tomorrow's Thursday, when Musings will become a book blog! I must admit, I'm excited about that one. Halfway through!

Eleanor Roscuro