WTF - How To Be A Teen

'Lads, these steps are actually really uncomfortable. And you didn't even get my head in the photo!' (Thanks for the pic, http://iam-dollparts.tumblr.com/post/38059719612!)

A while back, I was distraught to read a blog post by a girl I've come to know and admire. Upon her sixteenth birthday, she wrote about how she was coming to believe that she was doing adolescence wrong - that she should be:

...doing things.

I feel like I should be sneaking out at night, going to parties, making memories. I feel like I should be buying cheap beer in the supermarkets and hanging out with my closest friends, talking about nothing and everything for hours. I feel like I should be taking lots and lots and lots of pictures in my camera. I feel like I should be lying on the floor of my room, looking up the ceiling, and listening to some sad indie music in my denim shorts and tie-dyed shirt. And yes, I know this is so stereotypical and even a tad discriminative of me, but, it just makes me worry. What if I'm not doing enough?

I want to be able to look back on these years and remember the rollercoaster feel of the time I've had. And I mean, I have made great memories. I have friends and a Friend who I wouldn't trade for anything in the world, and we've had amazing times with each other. But I just wonder if I'm making the most out of my youth. I wonder if this is enough. I'm sure that I would make more memories as I grow older but I'm already half-way through my teenage years and I'm not sure if I've lived in it enough...

As a seventeen year old, and therefore someone older and wiser, I feel it is my duty to set this straight.

That, first of all, is bullshit - that being seventeen gives me the authority to tell you how to be a teenager. Actually, no one really has that authority. And I think it is disgusting that we are given to believe that there is a formula for How To Be A Teen. I mean, it's easy to see why there is such a thing - so we buy stuff, but I'm not going to get into all that. You're sick of it anyway.

If you want to be sneaking out at night and going to parties and drinking beer and taking photos and listening to music on the floor of your room and all of that... if you want to, if it suits you, that is completely fine. What is not fine is that for this writer it feels obligatory, as if there's a mile-long checklist of important tasks that must be completed by the time you're 18 or 19 or 21 or whenever. That's just needless pressure that prevents you from doing what you really want to do with your time. And if you spend your time how you like, that's all that should matter. The only goal adolescents should have regarding their adolescence is getting through it without hurting themselves or anyone else, and emerging as an adult on the other side, even if it's hard to feel like an adult. And once that's done, you've just completed a successful adolescence. Gold star!

All of us who are teenagers now - I really don't want to use the word generation, it's become over-used - are 'doing' adolescence in a much different way than our parents did. With this new-fangled internet that's rotting our brains, for one, which I don't need to tell you about. And it's easier these days to be a person of colour or a girl or LGBT or all three than it was forty or thirty years ago, which is good. There are those that despair because teenagers these days don't have much to rebel against, apart from each other, but conformity years ago was more of an essential part of Being An Adult Person and getting a job and spouse, especially for women, which made rebellion lots more fun! But maybe it's this lack of conformity, set goals, a direct route to being a grown-up, that has resulted in record companies and film studios and retailers trying to put us on their routes instead. And everything is very confusing now.

I just think it's really sad that people who are leading perfectly adequate lives, even really good lives, people who are talented and kind and warm, feel as if they are not doing their life justice for no reason. That's all.

Smarter Than You Because I've Been Seventeen For One Month and Seventeen Days,

Eleanor Roscuro

Discretion Is The Better Part of Valour

Picture found on http://weheartit.com/entry/21164566

Last night, I was leaving a rehearsal chatting to a friend of mine. There was a lull in the conversation when suddenly she turned to me and said 'Oh my God Eleanor, I love your blog!'

A year ago, this would have frightened me to death. It did, I wrote a post about it and everything. The frightening part was that people I knew in real life would be able to know things about me that I obviously hadn't told them, sad things, angry things. I kept thinking 'THEY ARE GOING TO KNOW EVERYTHING.' Now, I realise everything isn't actually everything, but it seemed like a lot, and it was. That was only four people, my own age, but I kept thinking 'What if they tell everyone? What if everyone reads my Musings? What if they laugh at me, what if they hate it, they'll know THINGS!'

My IT teacher just looked over my shoulder as I'm writing this post. Now she knows stuff. She didn't say anything though. She's looking at her computer now. Oh my God what if she's reading my blog right now?! Wait... ah no, it's blocked by the school's servers as a personal website. That's alright then.

I suppose my biggest problem was the lack of secrecy. I am quite a discreet person. I've gotten better since then, but mystery makes a person more interesting, right? Anyway. as my writing has matured, as I have matured, I've learned not to freak out over things as much (even though I still do), I don't whine or rant on Apostrophe, not about personal things, and I've learned to distinguish between being a real person behind this blog that people might be able to relate to and being too real, embarassingly personal. This isn't a reality programme.

Whenever someone brings up Apostrophe in public, whether it's someone I know to read it or a surprise, my heart always stops for a few seconds. Last night, it was a surprise, but I'm better at people knowing about the blog now, so my heart only stopped for one second. Old habits die hard...

It was during the last year that I got more comfortable with people knowing about Apostrophe, adults even. None of my family read it (I hope) but now it's a lot, lot more than four people. Now that my classmates are jumping on the Twitter bandwagon (please, I've been here since Second Year, people) they're starting to follow me. And if you follow me on Twitter, you'll know that I link to the blog whenever I post something new, and the link is on my profile, so maybe it'll become a lot more public, and I hope I'm ready. I should be.

But back to last night -

'Oh my God Eleanor, I love your blog!'
*heart stutters* '...What? Really?'
'Yeah, it's so hilarious! I was talking to Bronagh last night and she told me about it so I looked it up, and it's so good!'
'Wow, thanks!'
'Yeah, it's brilliant Eleanor. Anyway, see you!'

And I walked on with a grin on my face, safe in the knowledge that I had already deleted the more embarrassing posts some months before.

Eleanor Roscuro

Dear L.N.R...

A few days after this blog was created. A post about this event here - http://apostrophe-rules.blogspot.com/2010/01/ive-been-very-sad-recently.html 

At Musings' first birthday, November 2010. Forgot to get any cake.

In which I get the knack of smiling in photos. March 2011.

Insert photo of present self here.

Dear L.N.R...

This is the moniker you like to go by, isn't it? L.N.R. - Eleanor! If I've done this right, you should be reading this just as you're starting your blog, Musings of an Undiscovered Genius in November 2009. It's your birthday soon, isn't it? You're going to be fourteen. Wow.

You're probably wondering who I am, right? I'm Eleanor Roscuro. Sixteen. February 2012. I know, that seems so far away, but it came, and we're here. And I'll be eighteen next year and everything! I know! Amazing! But anyway. 

Listen. Between where you are and where I am now, things are going to change. Huge changes for us, and for the country. I can't say too much, but here's just some tips.

• Twitter's fun, isn't it? You know that American girl who's followed you for some reason, The Vintage Vixen? She has a blog too. Read it.
• When was the last time you re-read Harry Potter? When you're done, go onto that website Tumblr and search it. Also: Have a little think about Slytherins. Just because there was a really bad batch of them during Harry's years doesn't mean they're all... evil.
• Start going to more plays. Even if it looks really serious and boring. That usually means it will grip on your heart in a way you never imagined, and there's nearly always some funny bits. 
• There's this young theatre company in Kilkenny, Devious or something. When mum asks you if you want to see the play with the poster in green, pink and orange, go. For fun. Also: Just because they're so big and older than you and everything doesn't mean they're scary. Only at first.
• There's absolutely no need to be some kind of martyr. I know you want to seem professional and everything, but not being a martyr will make you more professional. Funny how that works.
• If you are unsure about telling mam (or dad) something, it is probably best not to tell them. Imagine it was your daughter.
• No one's out to get you, not anymore. If you are extremely patient, they will flock to you, but for now, be the kind of person that has loads of friends already.
• They're not bitches, they're dizzies. It's nicer.
• Keep writing. On Musings, in your diary, poems and stories, everything. Keep it all for when you're my age and even older.
• You may have heard of a man named Michael D. Higgins. He's a TD, a really arty one. He's got a few books out too, read them. Remember him.
• When people laugh at you for boycotting Penneys, don't mind them. Research sweatshops and child labour more.
• Don't seek out romantic entanglements. Let all that stuff come to you.
• I know you're secretly in love with that other youth theatre, but they don't mean to upstage you. You'll  get to know them in the end, and you won't even have to leave KYT to do it.
• I know you love Paramore, but don't let them be your favourite band. Explore. There's a whole world out there (on the internet) you still have to discover.
• There's nothing wrong with how you look. Keep experimenting with your hair colour and cut, and you're going to lose that weight. How, I have no idea, but it happens.
• You're going to love blogging. You're going to love theatre, not just acting. You're going to love Kilkenny even more than you do already. You are worthy of all the good things that have happened and are going to happen to you. 
• Be your own best friend. I know it sounds silly, but you have to enjoy yourself. I'll say it again, it's that important: BE YOUR OWN BEST FRIEND. That's the secret.

I know I'm only sixteen, and I still have loads left to learn, but I feel much happier than I have since primary school. Things are going to be brillliant. 

The most love in the world,

Eleanor Roscuro

Keeping the Apostrophe

So will this blog last if SOPA gets through?

Or ACTA?

Tomorrow at midday, Ireland and the UK will be signing a bill called ACTA in Tokyo. It's basically like SOPA, but even worse. Like everyone else on the internet, especially those my age, I'm freaking out. I usually download all my music from iTunes (yes, with money and everything) but, regarding here, I'm not really sure what is copyright and what isn't. What if I've accidentally done something on Apostrophe and I didn't know? And then all of a sudden, it's gone? The whole blog?

That would be really annoying.

I've signed all the petitions! At the bottom of this blog, it says 'Copyright 2009 - 2012 Eleanor Roscuro (unless otherwise stated). All rights reserved.' Maybe that's illegal! I have no idea! OK, so maybe as a person on the internet, I should be more savvy about these things, but it was always so hard to believe I was doing anything wrong. I'm so small. And I've been running this blog for more than two years.

I don't know. And this will affect the rest of the European Union too, it's their bill.

Eeek.

Eleanor Roscuro

P.S. I'M FREAKING OUT YOU GUYS

September 1st... Welcome.

*shuffles onstage*

Today is September 1st, 2011. It's a Thursday.

This summer has been one of the best summers ever, for me anyway. Why? Because I felt completely free, completely free to do whatever the hell I wanted. Whether it was reading on my bed for hours on end, something I haven't been able to do for years, meeting friends that I hadn't seen for years and connecting again, which is lovely, rediscovering my love for Tumblr/Harry Potter/shipping Ron and Hermione/Horrible Histories, and generally just having a good time.

And then everyday, I would think 'I should blog now...' but then I would realise that I've been saying 'I should blog now' all year, and not 'I have something really good to blog about, so I'll write about that then'. Well, not as often as I should. It became 'I should blog now' because I would feel guilty that I couldn't come up with anything, and then just write lists, lots and lots of lists.

And I've really missed you all, I have. I'm just scared of not doing my best, giving you my best, what you deserve for being so wonderful. But I think I'm ready now. Yes, I am.

I think it's time for a song, to celebrate.



Alka Jessie are a local band set up last summer - but I'll talk about them more in my next post. Which I have actually planned. Getting back on track, I am.

Encore! Encore! Ah, go on.



Have I ever told you how much I love Mary Poppins? No... no, I haven't. We don't talk about films much, do we? I suppose that's my fault.

Also, dear Minnie and XxLadyBugxX, I am still alive. Thank you very much for asking! *glares at the rest of you, you inconsiderate...* Ah no, I love you all. It's great to be here.

Bye now.

Eleanor Roscuro

See you this weekend?

It's The Apostrophe Summer 2011 Giveaway!

Hello everyone!

I've finished my exams, and the summer's here! What does this mean? It means I'm doing a blog giveaway!

WAIT!!!!!!

This is not a normal blog giveaway. Really, it isn't.

There are two sets of prizes to be won:

The Blossom Parcel is dainty and feminine, and very summery... It's just really really cute.

• Ring-bound notebook from Monsoon Accessorize (matches pen).
• Ball-point pen from Monsoon Accessorize (matches notebook)
• Set of five badges from Monsoon Accessorize
• Lilac Waldo Pancake bookmark from SWALK - text: 'Bookmark (as in actual bookmark, not one on the internet)'
• 'Warning: When I Am An Old Woman I Shall Wear Purple' by Jenny Joseph from Dubrays Books
• Fabric bunting from Bridie's

The Rainbow Parcel features lots of bright, vivid colours - isn't colour blocking a trend this summer? - and is inspired by the rainbow, which hopefully we'll see a lot of this summer!

• Orange Waldo Pancake notebook from SWALK - text:'Writing things down is the new thinking them'
• Purple Waldo Pancake ball-point pen from SWALK - text: 'Tap on stuff annoyingly'
• Rainbow bangle from Oxfam
• Red Waldo Pancake bookmark from SWALK - text: 'I know how it ends.'
• Rainbow beaded necklace from Oxfam
• Hanging charm from Butterslip

Each parcel will also contain a lovely letter from me! (Not pictured - I haven't written them yet.)

'But Eleanor,' I hear you ask, 'How do we get the chance to win such fabulous parcels?'

Well, this is not a traditional blog giveaway. Tweeting or blogging about this does not equal an entry - although if you do want to tweet or blog about it, feel free to do so. Since this giveaway is celebrating the end of exams... You're getting a QUIZ! Aren't I the best?!

Question One: Where is the Sea of Tranquility?

Question Two: What is the only word in the English language ending with the letters 'mt'?

Question Three: Which company is the biggest toy distributor in the world?

Question Four: In the Hans Christian Andersen story, which female character was found inside the petals of a flower?

Question Five: After the King/Queen, which comes first: Earl or Duke?

Question Six: Name the month I (me, Eleanor Roscuro) was born.

If you want to enter:

• This giveaway is open to all followers of this blog, because I love you all, and it's all because of you guys that I love doing whatever it is I do here at Apostrophe! Also, you'd have to be following to read this post.
• To be eligible for an entry, you must be following this blog. (Just in case.)
• You must email your answers to me at eleanorroscuro@hotmail.com, or drop them in a comment on this very blog. If you do leave a comment, please leave your email address or another form of contact like a Twitter username, in case you win.
• The people who get all the answers right will be entered into the draw. One person cannot win both parcels. The winners will be randomly selected from an extremely cool hat, by an impartial and neutral outsider (i.e. not me).
• 'But Eleanor, this quiz is hard!' Google it. You can find the answer to Question Six on this very blog. 
• 'But Eleanor, why are you doing a quiz?' I could have just gotten you to tweet or blog about the giveaway, but I never liked that. I know you're all smart, or have the ability to use the internet, and I respect that. That's why.
• The giveaway closes on WEDNESDAY 29TH JUNE 2011 at 12 noon GMT. That's next Wednesday. 
• It is open internationally.

I do hope you all enter, and best of luck to you all!

Eleanor Roscuro

More Stuff You've Always Wanted To Know!

AHAHAHAHA

Evening all.

I've gotten some new followers recently, I do believe. Hello everyone!

One thing I believe about blogging is that for the first few days or weeks of reading someone's blog, you don't really know them, and it can be hard to get excited when their posts pop up on your Dashboard. I am going to try and fix this now. I did this before, almost a year ago, so I will try not to repeat myself.

• On my bedroom door hangs a Horrible Histories poster, inscribed 'DARE YOU ENTER THIS ROOM OF DOOM?' It's magnificent, but I can't find a picture of it online unfortunately.
• This week, I have mostly been thinking about superheroes and evil villains, and how they can represent what people are most scared of at any particular time. Oh, and they're really cool too.
• I'm re-reading Philip Ardagh's Book of Absolutely Useless Lists and thinking of some useless but interesting lists of my own, then thinking about how often I'm using lists here on Apostrophe and wondering if that means my attention span is lacking in something. I hope not, although it probably is lacking in something.
• I still think that Treats by Sleigh Bells is one of the best albums ever.
• I think Tyranny by Leslie Fairfield is one of the scariest books ever, and this is because even though Darren Shan is scary too, I know that there are no demons out there really that are coming for me when I am tucked up in bed, but Tyranny could get me easily. I hope not.
• London Classic Theatre are touring Ghosts by Henrik Ibsen in the UK and Ireland and came to Kilkenny for one single night, Wednesday night. I do not exaggerate when I say it was amazing, but as I sat waiting in the audience during the interval, having already gone to the bar, I kept thinking 'Why am I the youngest person here by about fifteen years?' The exception to this was my almost twenty years old friend, but he was doing techy stuff and wasn't a member of the audience. I didn't regret going, but it did make me wonder 'On a Wednesday night, what is everyone else my age doing that's more fun?!' It also made me wonder why most of my friends are older than me, either doing the Leaving Cert, in college or even older, but I already knew the answer to that. I just like older people.
• My hair is now an inch below my ear, the longest it's been in a year. It feels weird!
• What am I doing now? Besides typing this, I'm looking at Friends pics on We Heart It. What are you doing?

Also, a lot of my friends have blogs now. It's fun. I'd tell you who they are, or even dedicate a whole post to them, but I don't know if they'd mind or not. Tell me, will ye?

Eleanor Roscuro

This Week I...

THIS WEEK, I...

• Did my Home Economics practical for my Junior Cert. Made Fruits of the Forest Crumble and Chilli, Spinach and Carrot Soup.
• Moved into the final week of Shifting rehearsals before Production Week.
• Won a table quiz. Using my intellect. Got an Easter egg.
• Got a cold, or flu, or something. Still have it. Hope not to have it by Sunday.
• Was away from the internet for five days SHOCK HORROR DISASTER
• Still haven't started my Script Frenzy. Fifteen days to go.
• Was complimented on my Apostrophe by a cast member of Shifting, who has started her own awesome blog. Her name's Ruth, the blog's A Healthy Kind of Vanity. Minions, you know what to do. (Like, read it. And follow. You know?)
• Was frustrated by the approach to History in the Junior Cycle in Ireland. The paper is flawed, the Chief Examiner has admitted that. It needs to be easy enough for students that find history more difficult and for the growing number of students in Irish secondary schools for whom English is not their first language, but hard enough so that only 8% of candidates will get an A. Teachers are encouraged to make lessons more 'fun' by getting their students to teach history to their classmates or playing games, but these won't help. They won't help in the exam. If your goal is to make only some students learn something, then cop the fuck on, because the Department is messing around with people's futures here. Including mine. (And I will be getting an A in Honours History.)
• Was tired. Living on pure adrenaline, which is fun.
• Got The Fear. Fear for Shifting, for my HE practical. The week before a show, I take The Fear out on my bottom lip, and it keeps bleeding now. I know you all wanted to know that. Lovely.
• Tried to draw some sort of Apostrophe header but got sad when I remembered yet again that I can't draw.
• Am HAPPY! And excited, and worried, and frustrated, but happy.

Eleanor Roscuro

Let's Talk About Our Feelings

Let's have a chat over a nice cup of tea. Well, you can have coffee if you want. I've never liked coffee, but I'll be having some of that rainbow sugar if you don't mind. With my tea. I take milk.

Hi there.

Sorry about my absence. I feel like we never chat anymore, you and me. We should do that now! OK, I'll start. This is my blog after all.

1. So a few days ago at rehearsals, we were having a short break and I was playing with one of the juggling balls and trying to keep it up with my hands and moving around and eventually I found myself standing in the middle of the room and facing the back door and outside John and Ross were talking and on my left Alan and Geoff were talking about playing the guitar and someone was rattling around with mugs in the kitchen and behind me Angela was doing something and on my left down the ramp Jess was playing the guitar and singing with Connie and I was just standing there and staring at the ball, tapping it with the palms of my hands and humming the song DFTBA by Hank Green in my head and under my breath, and while I was standing there I realised how utterly amazing my brain was to take all of that in and think about all of those people at the same time and what they were doing and why and reprimanding myself at the same time because it was really none of my business what they were doing, and also thinking about things I needed to get in Educational Supplies for school and then thinking about school on Monday and if I needed to do any homework and thinking about
what I was going to eat later and also thinking about the ball I was trying to keep up with my hands and how amazing my brain was for being able to think all of those things at the same time and trying to decide if my brain was simply a brilliant organ or if I was too scatterbrained and flighty to concentrate on one thing at a time. And then I dropped the ball.

2. WAIT A SECOND!!! I haven't told you anything about any rehearsals yet! Um... Can you wait, just for a few days? Before I tell you, I'd like to have something to tell you. Know what I mean? Oh, never mind.

3. This year, both Barack Obama and the Queen of England will be visiting Ireland, within fourteen hours of each other! That's nice of them. Apparently Obama's oldest living relative lives somewhere near where I live, so he might pop over. Princess Margaret, the Queen's sister, once visited the town where my mother grew up when she was a little girl, and I still have one of the dresses Lady de Vesci used to wear. It's gorgeous. Anyway, the visits will be great for the economy. That's good.

4. Bo Burnham will be coming to Kilkenny in June, as part of the Cat Laughs festival. I'm not really a big fan, but I'm glad people on YouTube and the Internet are being seen by IRL people as real entertainers, not just teenage crushes. Not that I'll be able to go, the Cat Laughs is strictly over eighteens. Still, it brings €8 million into Kilkenny!



5. I read an amazing book recently, called The Queen Must Die by K.A.S. Quinn. I think I'll write y'all a review! But not in this post. You might have noticed the new Reading List over at the left there. Thing is, I keep buying books, but I never have the time for reading them anymore. So I've decided to be very strict with  myself and I am not allowed to buy anymore books (sob) until all the books in this list have been read. Every single one of them. I've just finished To Miss With Love by Katharine Birbalsingh, which is a MUST if you go to, or have ever gone to, secondary school. No matter where you live. Go read it.

Goodbye...

Oh, and thank you all for your kind, supreme patience.

Eleanor Roscuro...

Apostrophe - Where Social Warfare Meets Social Media

So next week, I'll be going along to see a play in Kilkenny. It's called Scratcher, by The Devious Theatre Company. It looks like this:

Don't worry, they don't look that menacing in real life. Although...

But anyway.

According to Devious, 'Scratcher is a dark, satirical comedy set in a social welfare office on a gloomy Tuesday morning as 6 unemployed people slowly begin to transform into a revolutionary outfit bent on holding the country hostage. Signing on has never been so fun. This is social warfare.'  That sounds fun! It's written and directed by John Morton, and starring Alan Butler, Annette O'Shea, John Morton, Ross Costigan, David Thompson, Ken McGuire, and Amy Dunne.

It's being performed in Dublin as part of THEATREclub's theatre festival The Theatre Machine Turns You On: Volume 2 on Thursday 17th February, (yes, the day after tomorrow) at the Project Arts Centre, and in Kilkenny from 22-26 February at the Arts Office, No. 76 John Street. You should come. I'm going. It's going to be great.

Oh, and they've released a nice little promo video for their Scratcher performance in Dublin. It's basically a checklist of everything they're bringing with them. Y'know, guns and stuff. Lots of guns. And as we all know, guns = excitement and fun! And violence. But mostly fun. Chances are I could get arrested for this sort of talk... ah well.



So... you should come. Yep. Besides, it's on in the mid-term, and you'll probably have nothing else to do. No offence.

Oh, and just so you know... (Scratcher plugging ends here, so if you're not interested in anything else, then you might need to broaden your horizons a bit, and you might like to click here for Devious Theatre. It's a lovely website.) Anyway, just so you know, I feel that Apostrophe will, slowly but surely become a this-is-what-I'm-doing blog, a lot of which I have been reading recently, rather than a this-is-how-I-think-and-feel-about-things blog. Of course, it'll still be a blog where I feel and think about things, I can't not do that. I'll just be talking more about what I do be doing with my life. And this is my bridging sentence to my next paragraph.

Here we are. On the topic of posting... Usually, my aim is to post something in between every Quote of the Week, but, and I don't want to seem whiny, but it's a lot of pressure, and if I have nothing to post about, I start posting silly 'fillers', which are basically rubbish. You and Apostrophe (Yes, I'm referring to Apostrophe as an actual living being) deserve better. So on 20th February, I will be posting Quote of the Week #43, my last. I'll be posting more than one quote, so if anyone wants to say something good in the comments, go ahead.

Eleanor Roscuro

Quote of the Week #37

omgomgomgomg don't you ever to that to me again, Eleanor, you scared me half to death. With you off gallavanting with your hip friends changing your url and me sitting at home worrying you had deleted your blog. I WILL NOT BE THIS EASY ON YOU NEXT TIME.

Ace-of-Aoife

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...

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

An Introduction to Something Extraordinary and Radical

So, I blog. I'm a blogger. I read a lot of blogs, and I have come to discover that the blogosphere is filled with all manner of strange things. Musings would probably be classified as a 'personal' or 'lifestyle' blog, which I think is a rubbish generalization, but anyway. This week, I want to get out of my comfort zone. This week, I will be posting every day and hopefully, Musings will become something diverse and unique, and I will learn how to write better. Today is the start of ALTERNATIVE BLOGGING WEEK. Look, I made a banner and everything, just to make it official:

I know.

This is how it will run:

• Monday - In which Musings becomes a fashion blog. This one makes me really, really nervous. Especially since today is Monday.
• Tuesday - In which Musings becomes a political and current affairs blog. This will be about IRISH current affairs, but wherever you're from, you're bound to know what's happening. If you don't, come along on Tuesday!
• Wednesday - In which Musings becomes a showbiz and gossip blog. This also freaks me out, but I will hopefully come out of Wednesday unscathed. I'll be glad to reach...
• Thursday - In which Musings becomes a book blog. Considering how much books are important to me, I don't really blog about them much. This ends Thursday!
• Friday - In which Musings becomes a cooking blog. I have to say, I'm really looking forward to this!
• Saturday - In which Musings returns to normal, and I evaluate the week.
• Sunday - Quote of the Week, and rest.

What do you think? Now I have to finish this introduction to ABW, and start writing about fashion. Wish me luck!

Eleanor Roscuro

Happy Blogday Everyone!

I am an idiot, and I'm sorry.

So on Sunday 7th of November 2010, Musings of an Undiscovered Genius was one year old! One year! I can hardly believe it! Thank you all so much for your support and words. I'm so, so pleased that any of you read what I write here, and I am just so grateful. Thank you!

Oh, and I got my hair cut in September. Much longer now. I'm sorry, I can't smile in photos.

Eleanor Roscuro

Other People Think I'm Great Too, You Know.

I've gotten another award! I love it when people apart from myself think I'm great. Ace-Of-Aoife thinks I have 'a Blog With Substance'. Wow. I have requirements to fill too! I like those ones. Let's get on it!

Thank the blogger who gave me the award.

Dear Ace-Of-Aoife,

Thank you so so so much for this award! This means a lot, and I'm so glad you think me deserving of it. Have a nice day!

Sum up your blogging philosophy, motivation, and experience in five words.

Enlightening, lucky, inspired, funny, creative.

Pass this  to 10 other bloggers who you feel have a substance in their blogs.

Grace
Rae
Macky
Leanne
Jenny
Daniel
Derek
Muireann
Skylark
and Jamie

Thanks everyone! I'm actually uploading a new video as I type. 164 minutes to go...

Eleanor Roscuro

WTF - Taylor Momsen And Me 2.0

I can't believe I'm doing this.

I think Taylor Momsen is a fantastic musician. Yes, I know that she wears very small dresses, and that she might have forgotten on an occasion to remove a tampon. But I don't want to give very precious space on Musings to talk about that when everyone else is. The thought that someone is actually searching the Internet for pictures of Taylor + tampon, then zooming in on them and broadcasting them over the Internet is truly terrible to comprehend. She's still a minor! This must be illegal somewhere!

She's a brilliant actress. Jenny Humphrey is a fantastic character. I know that she isn't the nicest, most confident person on the Upper East Side. She has lots of flaws, but that's why I would love to play her. I will probably not get to, unless Gossip Girl is adapted into some sort of play, but shinawil.

Like I said before, Light Me Up is a fantastic debut from The Pretty Reckless. If you're a fan of Paramore, give it a listen.

This is the post I originally intended to write.

Eleanor Roscuro

My Taking Over The World Is Going Quite Well, Thank You. For Example:

Most of you will know of one of my favourite bloggers, Anna McGarry. (If you don't, become one of us. Quickly now!) Yeah, we're starting a collab channel on YouTube together, just thought you'd like to know.

Shall I elaborate?

Me and Anna, who is also a fellow video blogger (channel here although her videos have mysteriously disappeared...) are going to be video blogging through a collab channel. Don't worry, I'll still be making videos for myself! But the thing is... We need a name. A cool name. And we want YOU to give us name for our channel! We'll probably start making videos this weekend. Our videos will have a different theme each week, and they will also be chosen by YOU. It's really interactive!

And so, to recap:

Me + Anna + YouTube = Channel
You + Me + Anna + YouTube = Cooler Channel With Name And Themes

Got that? Good.

NOW GIVE US A NAME! AND IDEAS FOR THEMES! NOW!

Eleanor Roscuro

All Time Low Clear My Head

My blog is now read by four people who I know in real life.

I'm not sure how I feel about this.

I mean, I'm immensely grateful for the support, don't go away! But as you will know by now, I don't like telling people stuff. I believe it shows vulnerability. I don't know why, but it must have been something to do with when I was a child, but I don't like showing vulnerability or weakness to anyone. Musings was a way I could vent my (edited) thoughts. I have a written diary, but that is a depressing place (even though the cover features pastel colours!), and I usually use it when I'm in school. And of course I use Musings to talk about music, and people I aspire to, and to improve my writing, etc.

And now, I be (pirate grammar!) in a strange situation.

A girl I know recently deleted her blog, saying that she wasn't comfortable with saying personal stuff to strangers. I can understand that, but I'd rather have strangers knowing my secrets than the old man living next door. And that's just it - I don't know how I can share personal stuff with people I know through the Internet, when the information isn't exclusively for them, and then, the next time we meet, have them forget what they read. Of course, the obvious situation would be that I don't share my feelings, but I can't not do that! Then blogging would be no fun. I'm just going to carry on like normal, in the hopes that I will keep Auto-Editing myself. But then, even if Musings was only read by a person in Finland, I would keep Auto-Editing myself, because this is the Internet! So what was the point of this post?

Here's a point: new video going up later today, I think. Thank you so much for the feedback on my Harry Potter one! Eight comments is my new record! If you want me to explain something else with Post-It notes in three minutes, drop it in the comments!

And now, a picture: