Let's be having you, 2015!

The final hours of 2014 are approaching us.  It's a little exciting and in some ways, for me at least, a little unnerving.  I mean, another year?  Allready? Really?

 Reflective Facebook posts are dominating our feeds, snap chats of celebratory pics await us on our smart phones and we bask in the final hours of the year.  2014.

 It had its ups and downs, for the world in general and for the majority of us individually but now it is coming to a halt.  That's it.  Throw away that old one direction calender because pretty soon the year will be done and dusted, or it already is if you find yourself living in Europe.

As I think over the year behind me and the one awaiting me, I feel excited about the prospect of new beginnings.  2015 is unwritten and waiting for each of us.

I have a couple vagueish (that's a word now) resolutions cause I'm still old fashioned like that.  I know it's a lot cooler to be like "I'm over resolutions, researchers show they don't work and I prefer making dedicated lifestyle changes" but I'm not cool like that.  My resolutions are as follows...

1.  Grow your hair out and then chop it off
2.  Have loads of fun and chill out a little
3.  Work hard
5.  Be kind even when its difficult
6.  Read a tad
7.  Learn to draw somewhat decently

That's it really.  I don't have any massive ambitions yet for this coming year but I am definitely ready for it.  2015, lets be having you!

-Madsyroo xx

The most wonderful time of the year...

As you may have noticed, lights have been appearing on rooftops down the street, rich tones heralding from the lips of Michael Buble have been filling the air and you're local grocery store is stocked with peppermint ice-cream.  This ladies and gentlemen, is the holidays.  Well almost... We've still got a week and a bit.

As a lover of peppermint ice-cream, gift giving and hot cocoa I am very much looking forward to Christmas.

So much so, that I got a shirt adorned with Will Ferrell's face in honor of my favorite Christmas movie.

Walmart, guys.  Walmart.

This is my first Christmas back in America and I'm pretty excited.  American Christmases come with optional Christmas oreos and Christmas Hershey kisses (they taste amazing actually).

Anyway, I hope you all have a lovely Christmas and get to watch way too many cheesy Hallmark specials, or you know, eat Christmas flavored everything.

-Madsyroo xx

Thrift Store Scores

Sometimes I go to thrift stores and buy loads of scarves.  Actually that's only happened once but I hope it happens again.

Thrift stores and scarves.

These are two things which are often quite underestimated.

Scarves, are just strips of fabric but they have the power to bring an instant sense of style to an outfit (or warmth to your neck, if you happen to buy the fuzzy kind).

Likewise, thrift stores are essentially holding pens for racks full of rejected clothes, yet are full of vintage finds you simply can't find anywhere else.

I love thrift stores.

I love scarves.

As you can see I was somewhat successful in my last thrift store scarf hunt.  Apologies for the shamefully blurry pictures to your left.  I was kind of proud of it, not going to lie.

Filters

Sepia, Amaro, Rise.

Sound familiar?  If you're any old average-joe with an instagram account, these words should ring a bell.  Filters.  When we look at our friends cappuccinos we're not seeing the flimsy paper cup and runny whipped cream, presented to them.  Rather we, see what they'd like us to see. We see the bright white of the cup's background contrast with the iconic, hunter-green Starbucks logo.  The cappuccino they share with us isn't an ugly dull shade of brown.  No, it looks rich, vibrant and full of highlights.  Oh and that cheap plastic-coated table your friend is sat at, looks more like a mahogany pedestal, for the art-form that is, Starbucks coffee.

Are eyes are blinded by high contrast levels and color enhancement.  We don't grasp a full picture of what is being shown to us.  What we see is lovely of course.  Don't get me wrong. I'm not anti-instagram.  I'll still double tap your cappuccino shots.  Yet it must be noted that what we see is innacurate, nonetheless.

We must consider however, that it isn't only while we are doctoring our coffee date pics that we use filters.  I don't know about you, but I use them all the time and not just on ritualistic Sunday selfies or Throwback Thursday photos of "yesteryear".  Don't we all?  Filters affect my speech, the way I act, how I approach people, what I share with the people I'm with, even how I dress and how much food I eat.

Where do our filters come from?  Obviously, not all of them are from the social media geniuses over at Instagram.  A filter a lot of us chose to apply daily is comes from the media.

I know what, you're thinking.  You're more unique than that.  You're an individual.  You don't look to a group of magazines and newspapers, for a set of rules to follow.  You make your own.

Congratulations you're not a robot!  However, while your claims may be partially true, you have some things to think about.  Why aren't you wearing crocs, right now?  (If you are, you're probably cooler than me and if you're wearing the little jewels that fit in the holes you deserve a medal)  You probably wore them several years ago when they were "the most prized plastic footwear", you even thought they were mildly attractive for plastic foot shields but for some reason you've lost interest.  In fact like me you probably laugh at the thought of yourself strutting around in those gaudy "wannabe" sandals.

(Around age 11 I had some pretty sweet green ones.  They were the bomb.)

Anyways, that little thing inside of you that stops you from pursuing yourself some candy colored crocs, that's a filter.  Some may call it a "fashion conscience" but in reality is a filter, thrust upon you by..... you guessed it the media.

Marc Jacobs, doesn't like crocs.  Cara Delvigne, do you ever see her wearing them?  No.

We filter our decisions and sometimes even our tastes and desires.  You've hidden your old croc-loving sense of fashion so long that you now scoff at croc-wearers everywhere.

We readjust our own opinions, views and interests.  We apply a filter.  Or at least present our ideas, opinions, views and interests, in a way slightly more palatable to filterers everywhere.  (That's right, I just made that word up.)

The people who don't filter themselves to some extent are often considered socially awkward or just plain crazy.

If this filter is something we live with constantly, sub-conciously or not, shouldn't we analyze why we use it?  Shouldn't we look at the filters we're using or, at least who created them?

Before you write me off as an anti-filterist, (It's a thing now.  Someone should start a movement.) let me just say that I don't view all filters in a negative light.

For example, we all filter our speech based on who we're talking to right?  You're not going to walk into a job interview and be like "Hey, gurrrl, we should hang."  You might mess with your friends like that, but relaxed language probably won't go over as well with your future employer.

This is fine. It's a good thing we alter our speech to fit societal norms SOMETIMES.  With out doing this we might all be jobless and lonely.  Not my ideal kind of life.

If the media creates filters, then don't others as well?  Yes, of course. Societies have filters.  Subcultures have filters religions have filters and then there's that other guy.  Oh, Jesus.

Have we ever thought of filtering all our decisions through the values and words of Christ?

If we did this, I think there would be a lot more peace and contedness in this world.

Think about the enriched lives we could live, if we exchanged all our old muggy filters for God's filter.  If we saw people as he sees them.  If we lifted up others as Jesus did.  If we sacrificed-our own desires for the privilege of doing his work.  Think about how much freer we'd be?  We could be wearing crocs (or not) and worshiping Jesus, rather than, coloring in our eyebrows and highlighting our cheekbones, to look more like Kim Kardashian.

I challenge you to try out a new filter.  Put aside that ugly set of unwritten rules that says you have to be x y and z to be of any value.  God accepts everyone and although we're not forced to, when we chose to follow him we find ourselves living enriched and more purposeful lives.

Sorry this post is so long and deep.  Enjoy instagramming that cappucino of yours.  1975 is always the way to go ;)

 -Madsyroo xx

Socks and Sandals. It's a thing now.

Just when you think a fashion statement can have no redemptive qualities, the masses start trying to make it "cool".

Socks and sandals.  A combination embraced by swarms of balding men and cringed at by, well, the rest of us.  Until, now that is.

With the worlds revived obsession with jelly shoes (As a 90s kid, I'm all for the nostalgic comeback) we find ourselves faced with a problem.  Amidst these candy colored plastic shoes, our toes are a little cold.  Faced with two options on cold days, the fashion world has chosen to sport frilly socks under their beloved sandals rather than giving them up for an alternative shoe.

To all of you who wore socks and sandals before it was cool, I applaud you for not being swayed by the crowd because the crowd is now standing beside you wearing patterned socks and gaudy footwear.

It just goes to show that the rules of fashion were meant to be broken.  So, break them when you feel like it.  Wear those socks and those sandals.  Wear red and pink.  (I seriously never got why those two colors were banned from being together in the same outfit.  As, a five year old girl, pink and red were a match made in heaven!)

Should we really follow a list of unwritten rules when choosing what to adorn ourselves in?  If we're on our way to a job interview and are trying desperately to look as presentable as possible than that one's probably a yes.  However, when choosing outfits in everyday life we shouldn't limit ourselves to what society deems the best combos.

We know what looks good on us, right.  Don't let the haters tell you too ditch those sandals.  Unless the hater is your boss, then abort mission.

As a conforming non-conformist (though admittedly not a socks/sandals fan) I salute, those daring pioneers in fashion who so boldly marched through the world in socks and sandals before swarms of teenage girls started copying them.  Thank you!

-Madsyroo xx

America, America...

After a trans-continental flight, I find myself in day 4 of American living.  I have lived in America, but well not in the last 4 and a half years or so and I've established a few things...

1.  I looove target.  

It's true.  No Northern Irish supermarket quite compares.  Target is a one stop shop (with cute clothes and nice makeup, I might add) It feels, kind of like Tesco and Primark mixed together, only a little classier.  

2.  Sunglasses are more than a fashion statement.  

I was expecting heat.  What I wasn't prepared for was the light intensity that comes with it.  It hurts.  For the first time in a long time I've actually had use for them.  I can look people in the eye, behind tinted shades and nobody will find it suspicious.  Jealous?

3.  All tea is better with tapioca balls in it.  

Boba tea?  It's a thing. Well not really in Northern Ireland... I mean there is one place that sells it in Dublin which I haven't had the pleasure of visiting but as I said, not in Northern Ireland.  Here, it's kind of a different story.  Seriously though (as a pretty committed tea enthusiast myself, I'm rethinking how I drink tea)

4.  NEVER buy a large drink.

A couple days ago I was at In-n-out (They're burgers are divine) and I asked my Dad for an iced tea.  (I do, have a bit of a weakness for good old iced tea)  When my Dad handed my drink to me I was a little surprised.  Expecting a smallish paper cup, I found my hands cupped around a, well, not-so-smallish drink.  I  guessed my Dad must have gotten me a large but when I asked him about the matter, he confirmed that it was indeed a medium.  Not only was this "medium" iced tea rather too big for my liking, it was refillable for no extra cost, with any fountain drink of my choosing.  (I have to admit, I did take advantage of that perk.)  After this experience I'm a little frightened of what larges and extra larges look like.  I have also resolved not to even go there.

5.  McDonald's is not really THAT good.

Ok, so I like healthy food.  Let's get that straight from the get-go.  I always have.  This having been said, I've always had a weakness for perfectly salted fries and processed bits of chicken that come with a toy.  McDonalds had me hook, line and sinker from a young age.  I am now having second thoughts.  After experiencing In-n-out for the first time (in a long time), I must admit, McDonalds, has some pretty tough competitors.  Something tells me my McChicken sandwich days are over, or at least may have greatly reduced.  It's on to greener pastures.

So those are just a few things I've established over the past few days.  Re-adjusting and re-learning the American culture may take a while but it's very, very exciting.

Lot's of, See you, laters

Photo Creds: The lovely Andrea Africa ;)  And thanks for offering your tea, for a photo opp, Meera Kattakayam

I'm moving later on this month.  Not quite down the street or to a new cul-de-sac.  Not even to a town a couple hours away.  I'm moving to another country.  Not a neighbouring country.  You see, there's this little thing called the Atlantic Ocean and the country I'm moving to is on the other side of it.  America.  I've moved country, before of course, when I was little I moved from America to Northern Ireland (my current location).  I was thrilled. Not that I didn't love my homeland or wouldn't miss my friends, I was just caught up in the novelty of going somewhere new.  New, new, new.  I've always loved going new places, seeing new things and meeting new people.

The trouble is as you get older, it's harder to leave people.  Although, I'm still thrilled at the possibility of change, I'm devastated to be leaving friends.  I've come to realise, that it is inevitable that we face change in large and small portions, at all points in our lives and it's best to embrace it, taking each day as we're given it.

Needless to say, although the Atlantic is a bit of an obstacle, I won't lose the friendships I have here.  Thank goodness for Skype!  Good ol' 'Norn Iron' will always have a place in my heart.  Now that I'm moving, I've got a pretty good excuse to come visit!  

With less than two weeks until I depart this beautiful country, I'm intent on savouring every last moment.  Even the rainy days, which each and every local seems to detest so intensely.  I think I may always miss Punjanna tea, Primark and the lovely people that live here but hopefully I'll find things I love about America as well.  These past few years of my life have been seriously lacking in Redvines, Root beer (A non alcoholic fizzy drink.  It's like Coke, only much, much better) and sun.  However, I have appreciated rainy days spent inside eating scones and sipping tea by the fire.

As, the title, suggests these past few days, weeks and months have been full of "See you Later!"s.  Goodbye, sounds a little too finite at the moment.  After all, I'm determined that this place hasn't seen the last of me!

Today was spent drinking iced tea, eating pastries, chilling at the park and being idiots with some of my best friends.  It's days like today that I will miss, which is why it's a little bit extra hard to say "See you Later" but it's only a "See you later."  Not a goodbye!  Here's to many more days like today, hopefully on both sides of that little ocean.

(Bye the way, I highly reccomend Tazo's 'Passion' iced tea, as pictured above.  It's delish, and my favourite colour.)

 -Madsyroo xx

Five Ways to Stay Creative!

I love lists which is just a little ironic, considering I'm probably the least organised person I know (when it comes to feats such as room-cleaning at least).  So, because of my dorky love of lists I  have decided to compile a little list of ways to stay creative.  I'm in the middle of an exam week, well an exam month actually and I find this especially difficult.  Staying creative doesn't always mean pulling out a sketchpad, composing a symphony or knitting a sweater.

1.  Write.  Write anything.
A poem, a song, about your day.  Whatever.  Putting a pen to paper or sitting down at a keyboard (to write!) always helps.

2.  Pick up an instrument.
Your little brothers old guitar?  That clarinet that's been collecting mothballs in the back of your closet?  Endless hours of creative possibilities.  Endless.  

3.  Bake?
Making great food is a wonderful creative outlet.  If you have the time and ingredients, go for it!  In the end, you may end up with some tasty and edible bi-products.  That, or, you could of course end up with some burnt chocolate chip cookies.  Either way, you just made something.  Yay!!

4.  Reorganise that messy room.
This is a tough one, but what encourages creativity like creating a clean space in which to do the creating? Who knows, it could be the perfect time to get out your hammer and nail a couple of those framed portraits lying in your cupboard on your actual wall.  While your at it you might as well do a rearranging, right?

5.  Go, outside and face the day!
Take a walk, anywhere but honestly just getting outside in a new environment will do you wonders and, maybe just inspire you to create something AMAZING.  All, I know is I'm less likely to have a mind full of ideas while I'm scrolling facebook.  Sorry for being a total hippie, but nature really helps.

Anyways, hope you enjoyed my list of ways to "stay creative" when all sense of creativity is being sucked out of you by heartless examiners (tear, tear).  I'm sorry if these little ideas don't work for you.  Maybe you're more into sketch pads, symphonies and sweaters? (If so, I apologise, for this waste of your time.)

Goodbye!

Happy Easter!

Warning:  This is a kind-of serious post with no pictures.  I am very, very sorry.  I like words, a lot.

If the Facebook updates or "#eastersundayselfie's" haven't informed you by now, let me do the honour.  Today is Easter Sunday.  Easter, a word that has a random flurry of connotations stuck along with it.  Brightly coloured eggs, chocolate, bunnies? Crosses?  I mean, really what does this all have in common?  What is Easter all about?

When I questioned my four year old little sister, asking her what Easter was all about, she told me, "I don't know.  I've never done these things before!"  I'm not going to lie, that kid kind of cracks me up.  Obviously, her three previous Easters hadn't left a lasting impression and she still wasn't quite sure what this whole holiday thing signified.

We all know there's more to Easter than letting ourselves go and having a few extra pieces of chocolate along with our tea.  More than just a new dress to wear.  More than a nice, little excuse for a couple of weeks off school.  More, more, more.

I think for some reason, it's uncomfortable for us all to think that somebody actually died for us and there's nothing we can possibly do to repay them.  It's very uncomfortable in fact.  We all like to feel self-sufficent.  Independent.  The realisation, that our future is dependent on someone who we can't manipulate, is well, kind of scary.  Not only are we faced with this fact on a regular basis but there is an entire holiday in celebration of it.

So, in light of this, we try to make Easter a little more 'comfortable' by spending our time instagramming our easter eggs, taking selfies in our new clothes, or proclaiming the Easter bunny the face of Easter.  Either that, or we adorn ourselves in our Sunday best and go to church, so we can enjoy a guilt free Easter season.

The truth of the matter is, there is no reason to feel guilty on Easter, or any other day on the calender because, someone did die for us and we can not repay that person but that person did not die, so we could feel awkward once or twice a year around Christmas and Easter.  This person died so we could live GUILT-FREE lives full of purpose, joy and hope.  Just to clarify this person's name is Jesus.

As I write this post in my new Easter dress, whilst listening to the Civil Wars using the little red pair of headphones I found laying in my Easter basket, I'm thankful for the Easter surprise that beats Cadbury's Easter eggs hands down!  Happy Easter!

The Netherlands

I am a travel addict.  It's true.  I find myself gazing at the travel section on pineterest far too often.  Airplane's and boats are my favourite modes of transportation, and I find myself smiling at strangers in airports because every time I find myself in one, I'm genuinely happy to be there.

Earlier this week, I found myself pulling along a bright red carry-on and awkwardly making my way through an airport- completely unaccompanied.  That's right.  No, big deal but I flew by myself, for the first time ever.  Straight to Amsterdam.  Can you tell I was excited?

As I stumbled through security (after dropping many items) and browsed overpriced magazines before boarding my plane, my mind was busy mulling over what was to be of the journey ahead.

1 hour and 10 minutes after boarding I felt my suede boots hitting Dutch soil (well not really soil, more Asphalt, but that just doesn't have the same ring to it, does it?).  It didn't take long to fall in love with the country.

The friends I was staying with quickly introduced me to the beauty of Dutch culture.  Here's a few things I loved about Holland

1.  Bicycles.
 It seems everyone in the Netherlands is jetting off on bikes in every colour under the sun.  While in the Netherlands I spotted an older couple holding hands whilst cycling side by side.  (That's the kind of cool stuff you see, in the Netherlands).  Also it's not just the sport ones who cycle.  In the Netherlands practically everyone does. While I was roaming a street in Haarlem I spotted a woman in a dress coat and tights followed by a man with a cigarette in his mouth, both cycling.  It's cool to see so many different people on bikes.  Businessmen in suit coats and young children alike.

2.  The Food
While in Holland, I had amazing food.  From ribs, to Turkish pizza but one thing I found especially interesting was their frites (chips/fries).  We stopped at a little food place which sold chips wrapped into a cone of sorts.  The chips by themselves were lovely, but what made them particularly interesting was there topping.  A common topping for chips is mayo and peanut sauce.  Actually quite nice.

3.  Iced tea.
I've always liked iced tea and Holland had lots so, that was kind of perfect.

4.  The history
While in Holland I found myself visiting Rembrandt's Birth place and Corrie Ten Boom's House.  It was lovely to go somewhere with such a cool history.

Rembrandt's birth place

Statue by Rembrandt's birth place

 5. The canals
The Netherlands seems to have an abundance of canals, which makes it ideal for transportation by boat.  Very, very cool.

6.  The architecture

The cities I visited (Leiden and Haarlem) seemed to be full of gorgeous old architecture from centuries ago.  I often caught myself staring in awe at the intricate designs of architects from a time, long before mine.

7.  Flowers
There seemed to be fields of flowers EVERYWHERE, not only tulips but other varieties also.  I don't think I realised how fun it is to walk through fields of flowers until I actually did so.  While strolling flower fields with friends, we even managed to find some kool-aid smelling ones. Who knew flowers could smell so good.  Mind. Blown.  I was glad to "stop and smell the roses", it's not something I do often.

All of these things made it increasingly to march my grey canvas Toms on an plane back home.  As I flew across Europe I was reminded of how fortunate I was to visit a place as beautiful as this.  I do indeed love the Netherlands.

Until next time...

Afscheid!