New Year, New You?

It’s that time of the year again. As December draws to a close, and with that 2014, new year’s resolutions are at the forefront of many people’s minds. For most people the start of the new year is symbolic of the start of a new them; a fresh beginning, a time to make new goals and a time to forge better, healthier habits.

New plans to join the gym, lose the turkey tummy piled on over the festive season, cut back on alcohol or give up smoking once and for all, all seem so achievable on January 1^st. But, as the new year sets in, the novelty can quickly wear off.

Once the crimbo holidays are over and everything returns to normal high hopes of going for a run every morning before college or work become a challenge; eating healthier meals becomes difficult as hectic work schedules get in the way and the fear of trying something new suddenly sets in. Before you know it you’ve forgotten all about the promises you made to yourself at the beginning of the year. Life gets in the way and, once you miss one day of practicing your new year’s resolutions it can become increasingly difficult and daunting to keep the motivation up.

According to Time Magazine the most commonly broken new year’s resolutions include:

• Lose Weight and Get Fit
• Quit Smoking
• Learn Something New
• Eat Healthier and Diet
• Get Out of Debt and Save Money
• Spend More Time with Family
• Travel to New Places
• Be Less Stressed
• Volunteer
• Drink Less

Clearly keeping resolutions can be challenging so why not do the opposite? While some people view January as an opportunity to start afresh, others view it as a cash-strapped dull and dreary month. Committing yourself to giving up something you love can be hard at the best of times; never mind in January! For those struggling with low will-power, doing the opposite and making a to-do list is a positive alternative. Don’t deny yourself. Instead, plan ahead. Be proactive for 2015. Make a list of all the things you want to do (within reason!) and let 2015 be the year you do them.  

Forget the ‘New Year, New Me’ drama. Call me cynical but, just because it’s a new year, doesn’t automatically make you a ‘new you’. Whatever you decide to do, setting new resolutions or making a to-do list of all the things you want to achieve in the next year; none of them will happen unless you make them happen. A little bit of motivation can go a long way and only you can do it.

Happy New Year everyone! 

Limerick Voice comes to an end

And that’s a wrap!

The Limerick Voice has finally been put to bed. After several disagreements, numerous late nights and too many cups of coffee, the 2014 edition of The Limerick Voice is finished. And what a journey it’s been.

There have been highs and there have been lows but I am extremely proud of what we have achieved in this edition of the Limerick Voice. The dedication, talent and commitment shown by my classmates in both the BA and MA class, combined with the guidance and assistance from our lecturers, has to be commended and I feel honoured to work alongside such creative and talented people.

The experience of researching, investigating, interviewing, reporting, designing and publishing a newspaper has been invaluable. It is an experience no classroom or no lecturer could ever teach. I have gained experience I know will stand the test of time and build on making me a better journalist and for that I will be forever thankful.

My previous work placement in The Munster Express definitely helped me as I set out trying to make contacts, organise interviews and schedule photographs. The buzz of searching communities for stories, speaking to local people and visiting new places was all part and parcel of my Limerick Voice experience and one I enjoyed and benefited from very much. The thrill of putting pen to paper, (or perhaps keyboard to Microsoft Word as the case may be) and finally seeing my stories come alive on a page is a just reward for weeks of hard work.

Working as deputy news editor proved slightly more stressful than I had imagined but, in hindsight I am glad I accepted the role. Assigning stories, keeping track of different people’s articles, watching stories develop or fold, subbing copy and giving a helping hand has been an honour and an experience I know will make me a better journalist.

At times the production of The Limerick Voice was challenging and frustrating and, as with all group projects, there are always people who pull their weight more than others. This project (unfortunately) was no exception.

As is the nature of journalism there are times where you will work hard and put a significant amount of time into a story only to find out it has been cut. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t disappointed when I scanned through the newspaper last Thursday morning and failed to find one of my articles. It was a story I had assigned myself from the very beginning of the project and I was committed to getting it done. It took me weeks to get in touch with the source I needed to speak to and when I did (eventually) write up the article I felt it was a solid news story. To put time and work into an article and to then have it cast aside is disheartening but I am aware that this does happen in newsrooms.

As we neared the end of the Limerick Voice tensions were high and, at times, there was a lot of negativity both in the newsroom and at meetings. Although this is understandable I found it stressful and discouraging working in a negative environment. In saying that, no teamwork project would be complete without a couple of arguments. Coming out the other side of these disagreements is the main thing and, thankfully, we made it! Despite maybe wanting to throw the Mac out the window in frustration or scream at the top of my lungs when things went wrong, I wouldn’t have wanted to work with any other group of people. Although things seemed touch and go for a week or two, everything worked out perfectly in the end. As it always does. And we produced a pretty amazing paper too!

To next year’s class: I don’t envy you trying to top this edition of the Limerick Voice. It’ll be a challenge that’s for sure but a little bit of determination and a lot of hard work can go a long way. Best of luck!

Putting the 'pro' in procrastinate

There are certain things you find yourself doing at certain times of the year like shopping before Christmas or carving pumpkins before Halloween. As the end of November creeps up a lot of us now find ourselves procrastinating in the lead up to some all important exams. Feeling guilty about not doing anything when you know you should be doing something is a feeling many of us are oh-so-familiar with. You know the procrastination disease is eating away at your productivity when you find yourself doing the following…

Excessive Cleaning

Sweeping, hoovering, polishing and taking out the bins when you should be sitting in the library working on a 3,000 word essay is a sure sign you know you’ve got it bad. You’re willing to do anything, including tackling the oven or fridge with a j cloth and a bottle of Mr. Muscle, to avoid what you really should be doing. Don’t lie. We’ve all done it. We’ve all been there.

Daytime TV

Now this was ok to do in first year; acceptable even. However hours spent watching quality entertainment courtesy of Jeremy Kyle or Jerry Springer is not acceptable in fourth year when you have a presentation to worry about or you need to submit the first draft of your FYP. If you’re waking up in the morning excited about seeing the lie detector and DNA results Jeremy promised on yesterday’s show then you know you’re in too deep. Way too deep.

Tea Breaks

I’m all for tea breaks and taking ten minutes out but, every now and again, a cup of tea and biscuit turns into a Friends marathon and, before you know it you’ve watched seasons 1-10 and you’ve written yourself into the script as a seventh ‘friend’. You don’t need college anymore you’re just going to hang out and drink coffee in Central Perk where thoughts of assignments, essays and presentations don’t exist.

Library Breaks

Congratulations on making it to the library first of all which means you weren’t procrastinating. But now that you’ve got here you’re not sure what to do with yourself so, after ten minutes of intense Facebook creeping, you decide you need a ‘short break’. Library breaks are almost as dangerous as the aforementioned tea breaks. A so-called ‘short break’ at the library suddenly turns into a wasted hour gossiping with friends and, before you know it, you forgot what brought you there in the first place.

The Daily Mail

As procrastination goes, for many people (mine included!), it’s a guilty pleasure to scroll through the Daily Mail, catching up on all the latest celeb news and gossip. Dragging yourself away and physically x’ing out of the Daily Mail tab can be an ongoing struggle.

Now, if you'll excuse me I have a cup of tea to make and an episode of Friends to watch... 

A learning curve

As the end of the semester creeps ever closer I have found myself wondering where in the name of God the last ten weeks went? It seems like only yesterday we were sitting in the newsroom, without a care in the world, reminiscing and catching up on all our summer adventures. But time waits for no man and now, here, we find ourselves knee-deep in the production of The Limerick Voice.

Although things got off to a little bit of a slow start, the pace is gradually picking up and the newspaper is finally starting to come together.  

What I love about journalism is that you’re always learning and there’s always room for improvement. The Limerick Voice has, most definitely, been a learning curve. I have learned so much about this beautiful city of Limerick that I never knew before. I have discovered people and places I never knew existed and I have had experiences I know will strengthen me as a journalist. Most of all I have learned from the people sitting beside me in class who have worked alongside me on the paper. As a group project I have worked closely with a number of people on different issues who I have learned a lot from. I've learned how to handle myself in certain situations, how to portray to people what we are all about and what we want to achieve in the best possible way, how to get the best answers out of people and how to look for that all important unique angle. I have learned that the best way to get a story is to physically go out and about and talk to people; old-school style! With all the advancements in technology and social media, sometimes we forget that there is a world outside our laptop and mobile phones where we can actually go out and speak to people face-to-face. I have definitely found that this is the best way to get the information and story I want.

One of the main difficulties I have encountered is waiting on people to get back to me but I guess that’s part and parcel of the job. Constantly emailing and calling people can be disheartening when the person on the other side of the phone or the laptop is not responding. But for every person that doesn’t reply, there’s probably at least 10 others that might. A lack of attendance and a general lack of interest from some people has also been discouraging. On the other hand, the enthusiasm expressed by many others must be commended.

As with any journalism project we have met with barriers and I have no doubt we will continue to meet them until the paper is put to bed. Overcoming these obstacles has been a strong learning curve too. With less than two weeks to go before we hit the shelves there is a lot of work left to do but I am positive it will be done.

I am so proud to be working with some of the most talented people I know and I am so confident that this is going to be a fantastic newspaper.

Watch this space!

Nightcrawler

Every so often a film comes along that leaves a creepy, spine-chilling feeling in the viewer. It leaves the mind wandering, questioning, doubting.

Jake Gyllenhaal’s intense performance in Nightcrawler is hard to shake off even hours after the final credits have stopped rolling and the cinema has been emptied.

The movie opens with Gyllenhaal roaming around grimy night-time LA as Louis Bloom, an ambitious but haunting character. Gyllenhaal’s appearance is noticeably different as he transforms himself physically for the role of Lou by losing 30 pounds and appearing bug-eyed and pale.

Lou stumbles upon a car crash and, transfixed by the TV news crew filming the tragic footage of a burning car and injured woman, Lou sees an opportunity. He gets hold of a cheap camera, a police radio and, before you know it, he’s crawling the streets of LA seeking out the worst crime scenes the City of Angels has to offer. He sells his footage to Nina (Rene Russo), a local TV station news editor who tells him quite honestly; “If it bleeds, it leads”. After receiving his first pay check Bloom is like an addict; unrelenting and determined to do whatever it takes to feed his addiction.

As Bloom becomes increasingly obsessed with his new-found passion the film gears up a notch as he races to crime scenes before the police can even show up. He is ruthless in his profession as a camera man and is prepared to sacrifice everything to get the best angle and footage he possibly can. He recruits an assistant in the form of Rick (Riz Ahmed), a nervy homeless man who displays morals Bloom is incapable of.

Rick and Bloom crawl the city’s streets by night eagerly anticipating the next gruesome crime scene they can record. As Gyllenhaal’s character becomes increasingly consumed and equally infatuated with manipulating crime scenes and capturing the most gruesome footage he portrays a blatant disregard for ethics or morals of any kind.

Writer-director Dan Gilroy raises important questions about media ethics when tabloid journalism comes under fire as Bloom disregards the rules and embodies everything a journalist should not be.

Gyllenhaal is captivating in his role as the cunning Lou Bloom. He is the determined, albeit ruthless, antihero we love to hate. Credit must be given to the powerful acting skills of Gyllenhaal who manages to keep the audience on his side even as his character steps up his merciless and relentless tactic, resulting in appalled admiration from the audience.

Nightcrawler delves into the seedy, sleazy side of journalism and exposes a side to the media we sometimes choose to ignore. But this is Gyllenhaal’s show and he well and truly steals it with a brilliantly dark and cold-hearted performance depicting the often cruel and callous nature of modern day journalism.

Nightcrawler is in cinemas now. Check out the trailer here:

What to say when you have nothing to say...

It’s like running a marathon; you don’t go in unprepared. You train. You go running with the club, you do what you’re told, you practice outside of training. You eat the right foods; stocking up on carbs and saying goodbye to alcohol. You do all the right things and take all the right steps, but sometimes it’s just not enough. Every distance runner’s worst fear is ‘hitting the wall’. It can happen anyone, at any stage of a marathon, no matter how diligently you train and eat. And, sometimes, there’s absolutely no reason for it.

Writing’s like that sometimes. At least I feel writing’s like that right now. I’ve been struggling with what they call writer’s block for the last few days and I just can’t seem to shake it. I’ve well and truly hit the metaphorical wall. And, right now, it seems ten feet tall. I’m wondering will I ever get over it.

It’s not that I have nothing to say; in fact it’s the opposite. I’ve plenty to say but I just can’t seem to transport it from my brain on to paper.

I sat down yesterday to write and I had nothing to say. I literally had nothing to say. For anyone that knows me, really knows me, then you will know that this is quite unusual. I always have something to say. I love debates and people challenging my opinion. I love justifying why I think or feel a certain way. I thrive off stimulating conversation. But yesterday the creative juices refused to flow.

I had loads of potential things to blog about. I agonised over a couple of different issues making the news at the moment wondering which one I would go with. The ongoing debacle over the Irish Water charges, the irony of wifi outage at the Web Summit, Eva Longoria’s much-publicised trip to Dublin and the Anti-Victoria’s Secrets Runway Show that took place in New York last weekend were all topics I toyed with whilst staring at a blank screen.

The cursor blinked back at me from the screen willing me to type something, ANYTHING. I closed my eyes and magically wished that when I opened them there would be 500 words dancing across the screen. Of course there wasn’t. But I at least hoped I would have been struck with some sort of inspiration. Like the animated light bulb going off inside my head.

For someone who (hopefully) anticipates a career centered around reading, writing, reporting and investigating, this is a weakness I really can’t afford. Writing my way through writer’s block is a work in progress as I try to figure out the best ways of overcoming this tricky and oh-so-inconvenient situation. I’ve learned that the best written blogs come from articles you’ve read, stories you’ve heard or things you’ve experienced. Forcing yourself to write something for the sake of it, on a topic you’re not particularly interested in, is a recipe for disaster. I learned this the hard way after forcing myself to write an excruciatingly soul destroying article on a topic I had zero interest in.

I also find that literally stepping away from the laptop is a good idea. Writer’s block is often symptomatic with stress and sometimes you just need a break. Taking your mind off the task at hand by going for a walk or meeting up with a friend is a really good way of refreshing and re-energising your mind. If you have a deadline to meet though you may not have that privilege.

Sometimes the well really is dry and I have nothing to say. But, deep down, of course there’s always going to be something to say. There will always be politicians making controversial decisions, celebrities dominating headlines and events taking place that need to be covered. There will always be something to write about. I’m a journalist after all, isn't that what I do.

All Hallows' Eve

I read an article a few days ago about a woman who said her daughter had a dilemma; she had three Halloween costumes to choose from and didn’t know which one to wear, so what should she do?! (Hashtag first world problems!)

THREE?! It’s a bit much isn’t it? When I was young I wore a black plastic bag and a pointy hat and, for all intents and purposes, I thought I was a witch. But that was the 90’s and those were simpler times.

Today, Halloween is a celebration many people are deeming the ‘new Christmas’ and it’s easy to see why. Retailers are certainly benefiting from the increased popularity of the annual event and a recent report found that, on average, Irish people will spend an estimated €41 million on Halloween this year. That’s a considerable amount of money for a celebration we don’t even get a few days off for!

In line with this, a survey carried out by Webloyalty of 1,500 people found that 60% of people will spend €40 on Halloween purchases. Two thirds of people surveyed said they would be buying chocolate, sweets and confectionary for the occasion, while the survey also discovered that one third of households would be handing out sweets to trick-or-treaters, with traditional Halloween foods such as barmbrack and nuts remaining a must-have.

Cinemas also rake in the big bucks as Halloween fright films dominate the box office. Whether it’s the exorcism of a little girl or someone returning from beyond the grave, Halloween becomes the perfect time to screen the latest horror movies.

Sparkling fairy lights, pumpkins on display and spooky creatures hanging off windows and front doors  has also become a must-do in the weeks leading up to Halloween, with many people putting in much more effort with their exterior decorations in October than December.

In saying that, when compared to Christmas, Halloween spending remains relatively modest.

Undoubtedly though, Halloween has grown leaps and bounds in the last few years and, in some ways, it’s become a celebration much more for adults than for kids. In the past it was regarded as a holiday solely for small children, putting on wigs and masks, and going out trick-or-treating. Nowadays Halloween is just as much for adults as it is for children. Fancy dress themed parties, ‘Nightmare Realmesque’ scare houses and competition over who has the sexiest, funniest or most outrageous costume has now made Halloween a much more exciting time for the big kid in all of us.

Social media has also played its part in the sudden urge to embrace all things spooky and scary. Social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram have all helped highlight the day known as All Hallows’ Eve as users share, tweet and post pictures of their costumes, decorations and whatever they may be getting up to on the night.

What will you be doing?!

A little German drink calld Jägermeister...

I read every day. In fact, I read lots every day. I read local news, national news, international news, sports stories, travel articles, how-to guides, blogs on what other people are getting up to in their lives and everything else in between. I also read features. Which brings me to this; my latest blog post. I was asked to write about my favourite piece of feature writing and nothing immediately popped into my head. I’ve read so many features, on so many different topics, yet many are forgotten about before I even close the computer tab and continue with my day.

There is one feature I read, many moons ago, that sticks in my mind. For all the right reasons. It is an excellent example of everything a good feature should be. It’s about alcohol. Jägermeister to be precise. And no, before you jump to any conclusions, I am not a raging alcoholic. Occasionally, I crave under peer pressure, and order a Jägerbomb. Four for twenty euro is the deal in the nightclub. But I don’t like Jägerbombs and, if the morning after the night before is anything to go by, the seemingly endless hangovers I’ve suffered through echo what I already knew: I don’t like Jägerbombs and Jägerbombs certainly do not like me.

But back to the feature I was telling you about, before I started reminiscing on Jäger-induced hangovers.

“How Jägermeister changed the way we drink” is a feature article written by British journalist Simon Usborne. I came across it in April 2013 on The Independent UK website while I was, presumably, procrastinating from college assignments. Although the article focuses mainly on Jägermeister, it also explores how the

German spirit has changed the face of drinking. It looks at the phenomenon of Jägermeister, its rise in popularity and how it has made binge drinking more acceptable.

Usborne’s writing encompasses everything a feature story should. It is journalistic; it is researched, descriptive, colourful, thoughtful, reflective and thorough.

He uses colourful descriptions throughout his article, accurately describing the “sticky dance floor” where he meets college students Paul, Polly and Andy, enjoying Jägerbombs.

His use of meaningful anecdotes really brings the piece to life as he recalls the nightclub and the people he met there. Significant quotes from some of these people drinking Jägermeister is also significant to the article. "It's my third, and I'll probably have another one," one is quoted as saying, while another recounts the night he drank one too many: "I did 12 of them in 10 minutes," he says.

Although it seems this feature may have originally stemmed from Usborne’s own observations from a night on the town, he uses this to his advantage and turns it into an excellent feature piece, giving readers information in a pleasing and entertaining format.

He provides us with fascinating statistics that highlight the popularity of Jägermeister: “Last year, Britain got drunk on 4.4 million litres of Jägermeister, equivalent to 6.3 million standard bottles (or almost 180 million shots). Five years previously, we managed fewer than 700,000 bottles, and only 70,000 in 2003.”

Usborne solidifies his feature by visiting the headquarters of Jägermeister and interviewing expert sources such as Marcus Thieme Jägermeister’s head of Western Europe, Daniel Wresinski, a master distiller, and Andrew Knowles co-founder of JKR. His research into the history of Jägermeister, it’s origins and how the company has developed over the years is extensive. He informs readers about the history surrounding the green colour of the bottle and the logo of the mythical deer.

Usborne makes some interesting points that readers, or even lovers of Jägermeister, may not even know: Jägermeister itself is trying to distance itself from the Jägerbomb as, the company believes Jägerbombs, usually mixed with a carbonated energy drinks like Red Bull, take away from the true beauty of the original Jägermeister.

For me, there are plenty of lessons to be learned from this excellent example of feature writing. The article exemplifies what exactly makes a good feature story: a human interest angle that focuses on particular people, places and events. It highlights the importance of carrying out background research and ensuring you have expert sources, in order to give credibility to the story.

It also shows how good features cover a topic in depth, going further than hard news coverage by amplifying and exploring the most interesting and important elements of a situation or occurrence. It highlights the difference between hard news by showing that feature writers have extra time to complete background research, interviews and observations; a privilege often denied to hard news journalists reporting on breaking news stories.


Here is a link to the original article: http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/food-and-drink/features/how-jgermeister-changed-the-way-we-drink-8577209.html 

The changing faces of celebrities

She was always unlucky in love, religiously kept a diary and wore those infamous granny pants during a rather flirty encounter. Yet the face of the much-loved Bridget Jones was barely recognisable as actress Renne Zellweger debuted a drastic new look on the red carpet last night.

The 45-year-old actress set tongues wagging when she stepped out at the Annual Women in Hollywood Awards and looked noticeably different. 

The Chicago actress’s skin looked completely smooth and line free while her eyes looked slightly larger. Her face also appeared slightly puffy causing the rumour mill to go into overdrive. 

It’s not the first time speculation has surrounded the actress and her ever changing appearance, in particular her fluctuating weight, which has been a talking point for many years. 

Zellweger joins a long list of famous faces who have had a little helping hand along the way in remaining pretty and youthful. However, surgeries do go wrong and some celebrities just don't know when to stop. I took a look back at some of the questionable plastic surgery decisions some celebrities made over the years.

Donatella Versace 

The Vice-President of high-fashion brand Versace, 54-year-old Donatella has had her fair share of plastic surgeries. Her trademark swollen smackers, as well as adjustments to her nose, have gained plenty of attention over the years.

Michael Jackson

The King of Pop only ever admitted to getting two nose jobs in his whole life, however a look at the difference in his appearance between the 1980's and the final years of his life suggests otherwise. The picture opposite shows the Thriller singer pictured in 1979, 1988 and 2005. 

Heidi Montag

Reality star Heidi Montag found herself dominating headlines worldwide when it emerged she underwent 10 plastic surgery procedures in one day. The Hills star reportedly had her breast implants increased to DDD's, a brow life, nose job and liposuction on her stomach and thighs, among other things.

Janice Dickinson

The self-proclaimed first supermodel of the world, Janice Dickinson, has, reportedly, had hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of cosmetic surgery done in order to maintain the beautiful looks that catapulted her to international fame in the 1970's and '80's. 

Jocelyn Wildenstein 

The New York City socialite became famous during her bitter divorce when it emerged she had spent four million dollars on her extensive facial surgeries and extravagant lifestyle

Facing the fear of final year

They say college years are the best years of your life and, after breezing through the first two or three years in a haze of parties, adventures and good times, the intensity of fourth year kind of knocked me for six. Now, over five weeks into my final year I’ve started to notice a couple of things.

1. Socialising has become a rare occurrence

Catching up with your friends and classmates now only happens on the walk in to college or on the walk home from college. Sneaky pints after class or heading out every Tuesday and Thursday night is, for the time being, a thing of the past.

2. Caffeine is my best friend

 The answer to all of life’s problems and stressful issues is, of course, to have a cup of tea. Or coffee. Or cigarettes. Just whatever gets you through the day as a functioning, intelligent college student.

 

3. Sleep has become a distant memory

A 24-hour-day just isn’t enough when you’re expected to attend lectures, labs and tutorials while also being bogged down with assignments, exams, presentations and final year projects.

4. There’s no room for procrastination

Although we’ve been good friends for the last few years and maintained a strong bond, I realised soon into fourth year that procrastination and I would have to part ways. I was quick to realise that watching re-runs of Friends episodes I’ve seen a hundred times or cleaning the house from top to bottom won’t write my 2,500 word essay for me.

5. Being healthy requires a lot of effort

Finding the time to make healthy snacks and nutritious meals as well as exercising every evening takes up precious time us final year students don’t really have. While staying fit and healthy is key to reducing stress and illness, finding the time to do that is not so easy. It’s all a vicious cycle.

6. The future is looming

As I edge ever so closer to finishing my degree the possibility of being thrown out into the big bad world scares the life out of me (and probably every other final year student). Thinking properly about what you’re going to do after college, applying for jobs and going for interviews are now all part and parcel of an already stressful year. That dreaded question being asked all too often; “So, what are you going to do after college?” instils the fear of God into me and probably will, until I figure out what the hell I’m doing with my life.

Although final year imposes many challenges and difficulties and, despite all the stress and pressure that the year inevitably brings, the important thing to remember is that it’s only temporary. Or so I keep telling myself. Yes it will be a demanding and tough year. Yes there will be tears and tantrums and thoughts of throwing the towel in but we will get through it, we will pass our exams with flying colours and next summer we will graduate (hopefully!)

Improving slowly but surely...

Just a few weeks ago I dedicated a whole blog post to my lack of Indesign skills and expertise. Anyone who read that post would know how much I despised the software, how inept it made me feel and how much I was longing to be free from ever looking at it again.

Then something inside me snapped and I decided I had to practice and I had to make myself better at it. It may never be a love of mine but for the sake of experience and (hopefully) a decent mark in my exam, I needed to practice.

After a few long, tedious and, at times, hair-pulling hours I began to improve. I didn’t panic as much when the picture box didn’t fit. I didn’t give a loud, exasperated and dramatic sigh when the headline was wrong. No. I copped myself on and I asked for help. My classmates, Amy and Lorna, who were both in the same boat as me, were on hand to help and so we gradually got our bearings with the software. I have realised that not panicking is one of the most important things when it comes to Indesign. In fact, it’s the worst thing you could do. Do the opposite. Play around with the tools and figure out what’s what.

Now, I’m not saying I’m ever going to master Indesign but I feel I’m improving slowly but surely. Today’s class was really good and I feel I benefited from it a lot. Although Photoshop goes over my head a bit, I decided to concentrate on my Indesign page. After seeing it as a PDF format I knew I had some changes to make to it and so I concentrated on those for the majority of the class.

I feel that with a couple more hours of practice I will be able to navigate my way around the software and be as ready as I can be for the lab assessment. Wish me luck!

Best of Both Worlds in Lovely Lisbon

As dilemmas go, it can be a tough one. For couples with opposing opinions on what a relaxing holiday should entail, choosing between a city break or a beach break is a tricky question. In the end our destination turned out to be the perfect compromise between culture and sun, activity and relaxation. Lisbon offers all the delights you’d expect of Portugal’s star attraction and strikes the perfect balance.

Like other cities, Lisbon is a hive of activity. The city is a flurry of activity and commotion and ensures that there is something for everyone. The city is easily accessible on foot but can also be explored through the cities affordable public transport system. The Lisbon Sightseeing hop on/hop off bus tour is a must do for anyone interested in capturing all the city’s most popular attractions in one open bus ride. The tour offers brief, but excellent, audio guide of the capital as it roams through different parts of the city.

We start our tour right in the heart of Lisbon at the Marques de Pombal Square where we first take in the modern side of Lisbon and the Baixa district, before delving back in time to some of the oldest most historical attractions such as the Se Cathedral and the Castelo de Sao Jorge, which overlooks the Portuguese capital from one of its highest points.

Included in the hop on/hop off bus tour is the option to explore the city in a totally different way; the GoCar. Voted one of the coolest inventions by Time magazine in 2004, the GoCar is a funky, yellow, mini convertible that takes you on a tour around the city while you drive. The GPS guided storytelling car takes you on an unforgettable journey around the city, through narrow alleyways and winding backroads, all the way into the heart of Lisbon and the hustle and bustle of city life. Renting out one of these cars allows you to see Lisbon as you want to and how you want to. You’re free to stop and start whenever and wherever you want. Although it was slightly stressful, it was also one of the funniest and exciting experiences I had while in the capital.

Once the sightseeing is done and dusted and you’re craving some tan time on the beach then the popular resorts of Estoril and Cascais are for you. The Mediterranean climate guarantees warm and blue skies for most of the year. The hottest summer months can reach blistering temperatures of 30 degrees and over, while even the winter months remain relatively mild compared to our harsh winters here. The average low winter temperature in Lisbon stands at 9.3 degrees making it a year round destination.

The Cais de Sodre train from Lisbon’s city centre will take you all the way to Estoril, in just over 20 minutes, where you can then hop off and walk the rest of the way to Cascais. The two beach towns are joined together by a promenade and so it’s just a quick walk from one area to the next. Both resorts look like a picture off a postcard with their warm sandy beaches that extend for miles and the glistening turquoise seawater. Estoril remains the quieter of the two while Cascais has more of a buzz about it with water sports activities taking place throughout the day and a range of small bars, restaurants and shops to choose from.

For the foody in you the Portuguese cuisine scene is largely dominated by seafood, although if that’s not your thing then there’s still plenty to choose from on the menu. One word of advice; in every restaurant we visited we were given a plate of bread and olives with our starter without us asking for it. This is added to the bill at the end of the meal so if you don’t like olives or simply don’t want it then just ask them to take it back. Sunday is also a bad restaurant day as a lot of places are closed so just make sure to plan accordingly.

So, if it’s beach time you’re hankering after, but your other half is craving a city break then Lisbon is the answer to all of your problems. The capital city strikes the perfect balance between the relaxation of suburban beach life and the rush of city life. Everyone wins.

Gone Girl

Every so often a book comes along that makes me want to tell everyone about it. I want them to feel the same rush I feel when I am engrossed in these spine tingling, page-turning books. I want them to feel the suspense and anticipate what’s going to happen next. I want them to gasp at the unexpected plot twists and become gripped by the thrill of the storyline. I want them to read Gone Girl.

Gillian Flynn’s bestseller is told in two narratives; his and hers. It’s a suspense-filled crime thriller that also looks at the idea that we never really know who we fall in love with.

The story begins with Nick and Amy Dunne’s fifth wedding anniversary. Presents are being wrapped and dinner reservations are being made when Nick’s beautiful wife disappears. Nick quickly becomes the prime suspect when Amy’s friends reveal she was afraid of him. Strange searches on his computer and persistent calls on his mobile phone don’t help Nick’s case, and readers are torn between wondering if he really bumped his wife off or not. Passages from Amy’s diary showcase her as the ultimate perfectionist capable of putting anyone on edge. But who is telling the truth; Amy or Nick?

As the police investigation intensifies and the pressure mounts, all eyes point to Nick; his lies, his odd behaviour and his vague attitude to his wife’s sudden disappearance. Nick hardly qualifies as Husband-of-the-Year but is he really capable of murder? And if he didn’t do it, then what really happened to his wife?

Flynn’s dangerously dark and deeply intelligent writing, along with her trademark psychological insight, makes for a truly gripping thriller. She plays her readers with unreliable narrators resulting in dramatic and disturbing twists in the plot. Her style of writing is so good, so compelling and so thrilling that it really does mess with your mind.

Published in June 2012, Gone Girl is Flynn’s third psychological thriller. It was released much to the delight of fans and critics who were quick to praise the genius of Flynn’s writing. The Independent on Sunday described the book as; “One of the best US literary thriller writers to emerge in recent years…a truly great novel”, while Marie Claire said; “Flynn keeps the accelerator firmly to the floor, ratcheting up the tension with wildly unexpected plot twists, contradictory stories and the tantalising feeling that nothing is as it seems”.

Bought by Reese Witherspoon’s production company, Gone Girl will star Ben Affleck as Nick and English actress Rosamund Pike as Amy. Since the release of the official trailer and some on-screen shots, expectation for Gone Girl has been mounting. If you get a chance to read this spectacular book before the film comes out then do. I promise you won’t regret it!  The highly anticipated film will be released in Irish cinemas this Friday, October 3^rd. 

Speed vs Accuracy: The Importance of Getting It Right

According to the Reuters Handbook of Journalism; “Accuracy is at the heart of what we do. It is our job to get it first but it is above all our job to get it right. Accuracy, as well as balance, always takes precedence over speed.”

Unfortunately in the case of author and journalist David Monagan this could not be further from the truth. In one of his regular blog posts for world-renowned media conglomerate Forbes, Monagan made a crucial error that ultimately led to his resignation.

Mistakenly referring to President of Ireland Michael D Higgins as an “acknowledged homosexual” instead of his electoral rival for the position two years prior, David Norris, is an unacceptable inaccuracy and an error which led to, what he described as, a “journalist’s worst nightmare”.

In an age where print media is fast declining and digital and social media platforms are where we now look, it is easy to see how such a blunder could occur by a journalist. However, how such a noticeable and clearly defamatory mistake could be approved for an online platform without so much as a second glance from a second pair of eyes is not so easy to fathom.

Although his mistake was genuine, and taken down from the internet within minutes, it still went viral and the damage was done. How can such a wrong be righted? How can something so defamatory be corrected? It is obvious through Monagan’s very article, published on Independent.ie, that he is truly sorry for allowing such a mistake to occur. The article itself is almost an apology to Michael D Higgins for ever allowing such a fault to appear in his article. His resignation from Forbes is another acknowledgement that he refuses to work within an organisation that doesn’t double-check copy and allows room for such errors to occur. These actions alone show how Monagan has attempted to vindicate himself and his actions.

As regrettable as this incident is, Monagan highlights for us, as aspiring journalists, how imperative it is to double and triple check your work. If he had not been under pressure and in a rush maybe he would have given his work one last crucial glance. However, there is a lot to be learned from Monagan’s experience and the moral of the story is simple; don’t submit your work online, in a newspaper or on radio without making sure everything is in order and your facts are correct.

Reuniting with an old friend

It was like maths class all over again. I could never do it properly. Never quite get it right. I tried. But I never grasped it fully.

I thought my days of maths class were over when I started university and they were. I would never have to do algebra or geometry again. I was delighted. However, that was short-lived. Although maths was already long forgotten, it had been replaced with a different class. Indesign. All the same feelings I had about maths in secondary school came flooding back. Those feelings of despair, helplessness and pure and utter frustration. Maths was gone but Indesign was here to stay.

Maybe that comparison is a bit dramatic. Ok, I don’t particularly like Indesign and I never have. I thought when I passed my exam on it in first year that was it. But here we are. It’s like reuniting with a long lost friend. Someone I haven’t seen in a very long time. I’m a bit reluctant. I’m slightly cautious. But I’m willing to sit down, have a coffee and get to know them all over again. And hopefully even better this time.

Although Indesign has never been my thing, this year I am ready and willing to try my very best at improving my skills with it. I may never be brilliant at it, but I’m confident that with a nice bit of practice and patience anything is possible.

This time round I am optimistic and excited about the Limerick Voice. Two years ago I worked as part of the sport and news team. Although it was stressful at times and I felt a lot was demanded from us, it was a great experience. Going into the project this time round I am far more confident than I was in second year. Having completed my Co-op and Erasmus last year I know I have so much to offer the paper and I am really looking forward to it.

Working with the MA students is new to me but I view it as a welcome change and feel we will all work very well together.

Although I have only had one class so far, JM4017 has been great. I know the module will demand a lot of hard work and time but I’m ready and willing to take on the challenge. 

The magic of the GAA

September marks an important month for many people. Children return to primary school, teenagers to secondary and others to college, while some embark for the very first time. For them it is the start of something wonderful. The beginning. For other Irish people, September marks the end of a long year. The GAA year. Those privileged enough to don their county jerseys and step out onto Croke Park’s hallowed grounds know that this is it; the fruition of months, if not years, of hard work, effort and dedication. The culmination. The pinnacle.

Yesterday, Dublin witnessed 82,124 people descend on the capital to see Donegal and Kerry battle it out in both the minor and senior All-Ireland championship finals. Both teams lined out on the pitch with the same aim; to bring the Sam Maguire Cup home. As it turned out it was a victorious Kerry side that emerged claiming the double and writing themselves into the history books.

To sell out a stadium with over 82,00 people for an amateur sport is a pretty big deal. In Ireland, come All-Ireland day it’s the norm. Anyone lucky enough to nab themselves a ticket (because let’s face it, they’re like gold dust) makes the annual pilgrimage to Croke Park to support their team in search of All-Ireland glory.

The buzz on the streets of Dublin before a match is something to behold. You really have to see it to believe it. Stepping into the stadium is even better. The air is electrifying and the crowd is excited. Soaking up that kind of atmosphere is unreal.

That’s one of the things that make GAA so special. There is no money to be made for the players. They are not on ridiculous wages like English Premier League soccer stars. They do it because they love the game, because they're passionate about it, because it’s all they know. For most players and supporters it is a labour of love and many of them go above and beyond the call of duty.

GAA evokes a range of emotions in people, both on and off the field; elation, disappointment, frustration, relief, pride. The last one is, for me, the biggest one and another thing that makes the GAA what it is. As a supporter or as a player, pride is a huge thing. Everyone wants the same thing; to make their club and their county proud.

Growing up in Ireland there’s no escaping GAA. It lies at the heart of every community and has long survived the growing changes of Irish society. Whatever economic or financial troubles we may endure, having an organisation like the GAA is one thing we can always be proud of. It defines us as a nation. It is our sport and our entertainment. It joins us together and, occasionally, pulls us apart. More often than not the conversation in Ireland is not about the recent troubles in Gaza but about the shock defeat of the U21's. The conversation surges through us like blood through veins. When we talk about football we speak with passion, our eyes light up and you can see clearly the love we all hold for this game.

It's all in a name...or is it?

Apparently some celebrities just don’t get enough attention, so they name their newborn baby something ridiculous to stand out. Cue Katie Price revealing the name of her one-month-old daughter yesterday; Bunny. Yes. You heard me right. Bunny. Bunny Hayler.

Forgive me for sounding old fashioned here but I think I’ve heard it all. It just seems unimaginable nowadays that Hollywood’s A-List would send their children out into the world with ordinary joe soap names like Tom or Emma. Instead, celebrities have waged a secret war against each other, in an attempt to come up with more and more ridiculous names, all in a bid to sound more outlandish than the last.

Fruit, cereals, colours, weeds, place names and directions have all been made into actual children’s names as celebrities attempt to outdo each other. Kim Kardashian and Kanye West took the biscuit when they named their only daughter North. The duo claimed it was more “inspirational than directional” and their “highest point” together as a couple. Fortunately, for her, North West joins a long list of unorthodox baby names in celeb land including; Blue Ivy, Apple, Coco and Memphis Eve.

But can someone with a name like Bunny or Apple actually be taken seriously in the real world? After all, a name is just a word. However if you look across the business world, there are hundreds of examples of people who have used their name to add value to their brand. Take a look at Donald Trump. His name is famous throughout the world. It is held with such high esteem that he now licenses it out to other businesses across the world in order to add value to their business and brand name, but would a name like Bunny Hayler have the same effect?  You’d have to wonder…

Former UK Apprentice contestant, Katie Hopkins, known for her deliberately controversial views, took to Twitter today to air her thoughts on Katie Price’s choice of name.

“Bunny? BUNNY? Makes sense I guess, given your dad was going at it like a rabbit with all of mums mates,” she wrote, referring to Price’s recent marital problems with her husband.

The controversial comments are nothing new to Hopkins who seems to thrive off the attention. The TV personality came under fire in July 2013 when she appeared on ITV’s This Morning and admitted she judges children on their first names.

Hopkins hit a nerve with presenters Holly Willoughby and Philip Schofield, as well as viewers, when she made controversial comments linking children’s names with social class. She said: “For me, a name is a shortcut of finding out what class that child comes from and makes me ask, 'Do I want my children to play with them?” Katie added more fuel to the fire by listing names she detested like Tyler and Charmaine. "We don't achieve best friend status with Chardonnay," she added.

While many of us dismiss the controversial comments as nothing more than ignorant, snobby and

narrow-minded, Katie Hopkins does force us to re-evaluate our own preconceptions. Do we think less of someone with an unusual name? Do we think we know what kind of background they come from or what their parents are like? Or is there anyone out there who agrees with Katie Hopkins?

We might not like to admit it but maybe Katie Hopkins has a point and maybe we subconsciously judge people on their name or where they’re from or what social class they fall in to. Maybe, deep deep down, Katie Hopkins is right and her outspoken and blunt opinions are what we’re all secretly thinking in private. Maybe.

When social media becomes antisocial...

It’s the first thing I do in the morning and it’s the last thing I do at night. Most of the time I don’t want to do it but I fall victim to the temptation. I’m an addict.

It’s like every drug; there are highs and there are lows. Sometimes I feel good after doing it and sometimes, more often than not, I’m left with a dull, empty feeling, and I wish I never bothered with it.

But there’s no escaping it, and that makes it hard to quit. The whole world is consumed with it. Social media is my drug and I am an addict.

Yet I’m not alone; far from it in fact. The latest social media statistics show more and more people are signing up and getting involved in the cyber world. What started out as a low key college project for one American college student is now the biggest social media platform with 1.28 billion monthly active users on Facebook. Twitter has also seen a boost in popularity in the last few years as more and more journalists see it as a strong platform for breaking news stories. The site now has 255 million active viewers and an average of 500 million tweets are sent everyday. 78% of Twitter’s active users are on mobile and almost half of these users tweet at least once a day.

Snapchat is the latest phenomenon to grab the attention of social media users. The photo messaging application, initially released in 2011, now has 30 million monthly active users, with an average of 400 million snapchats being sent every day. Similarly Instagram, another online mobile photo-sharing app, has also gained popularity in the past year. To date, over 20 billion photos have been shared on the site and 23% of teenagers consider it their favourite social network.

So how do we pull ourselves away from our phones and laptops? For many people it’s not as easy as just logging out. Most college students have a class Facebook page where they get information on whether a class is on or not or what topics people are studying for a certain exams. By not having a Facebook page you miss out on some important information. Likewise, your actual social life could also be missing out if you deactivate your Facebook page. Gone are the days of sending out handwritten invitations. Today people are invited through the events calendar on Facebook. So, if you don’t have a page you might not get the memo! 

For journalists it’s even harder. In an age where print media is declining, digital and social media is where we now look to. So how do we limit the amount of time we spend online when that’s where we now have to look to for breaking news, current affairs and all the latest happenings from around the world? As a journalist I find it difficult to distance myself from social media when it’s one of our main sources of information. But at the same time I have to wonder at what cost are we simplifying our lives by communicating through such sites?

And that’s maybe where the addiction starts. You say you’re just going to log on for a minute and check if there’s anything important you need to know and suddenly, you’ve wasted two hours scrolling through your news feed. It’s so easy to get addicted to looking at other people’s lives, both celebrities and people you actually know. They look like they’re living the dream and having a great time with all their statuses, photos and snapchats…but are they really? The problem with social media sites is that people only show the good side of everything they’re doing. So, the next time you get jealous while creeping on someone else’s Facebook, Instagram or whatever it may be, just remember; they may not be having as good a time as you think.

 

But most of us can’t resist and we all crave attention in some way, shape or form. By posting on

social media networks we satisfy that craving when we get a ‘like’ on our new profile picture, a retweet on Twitter, or a match on Tinder. We are a world that has become dependent on social media in order to feel good about ourselves and that’s not healthy.

Pubs and nightclubs, once full of people actually talking to each other, are now full of people glancing at their phones every two minutes, taking pictures on snapchat or creeping on Facebook. I have decided to make a conscious effort to distance myself from social media when I am on a night out or in the company of others. It’s just not necessary most of the time. I’m gonna try that old fashioned thing called talking. It can’t be that hard…can it?