We're going to talk about Kevin.

So had a really nice night out on Saturday with Connor, starting off with some good pasta at the best italian in Belfast (where I decided I want an authentic pizza oven in my future house). Then went on to the Queen's Film Theatre which is like a cinema created from a converted terrace house. It shows slightly alternative, off-the-wall films. It was all dressed up hallowe'eny, which was all well and good until the film was about to start and the smoke alarms went off because of all the dry ice. So we stood outside for a while. Then finally actually got to see the film.

Been looking forward to seeing the film for ages - it was 'We Need to Talk About Kevin'. I read the (inevitably better than film) book a couple of years ago, and although the storyline is pretty sinister (written from the perspective of a mother of a high-school massacre murderer) it was really really good. The film was along the same line - not exactly cheerful by any means, but made you think. Explored some ideas like the nature/nurture debate (i.e. can you be born bad?). It was shown at the Cannes Festival and has had loads of good reviews. Stars Tilda Swinton, John C.Reilly (weird to see him acting serious and not shouting 'boats n hoes' or similar) and some really good child actors (I always worry they'll get mentally scarred playing such screwed up kids though).

There's a couple more films I'm really looking forward to coming out. One is 'The Perks of Being a Wallflower'. I read the book of this about a year ago, and it's one that leaves you with a lot of questions, so I googled to see what people were saying about it and found out it's being made into a film starring Emma Watson (out in 2012). It's about this loveable naive boy called Charlie who's at that romantised stage of the "brink of adulthood" i.e. really awkward puberty stage. Reading it, I was pretty convinced he was autistic although this is never confirmed. An alternative explanation is given at the end regarding his different approach to life in an interesting twist. There's no official trailer out yet but read the book while there's still time!!

Finally also looking forward to Warhorse, out this Christmas and directed by Steven Spielberg. It's about World War One from a horse's perspective - but not in a childish way, it's really good. It was originally a book, then turned into a theatre production. I haven't read the book but I've seen the show, and even as a slight skeptic I thought it was so good - it's hard to describe but they use unbelievably lifelike horses made from wooden structures. The film looks set to be a winner too. Yay horseys!

Three Things.

i. Tree Artists.

ii. Good Stories.

iii. Pretty Things.

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Hello from Belfast!

My blog's been neglected the last few weeks due to lack of internet and busy times. There was one point in September when I had slept in Wales, England, Ireland and Northern Ireland in just over a week (sorry Scotland)! Wales was really great - I worked for a week at the Centre for Alternative Technologies - hopefully I'll have time to blog about it at some point!

So anyway I'm living in Belfast now! I moved over about a month ago. It was officially sort of because of him:

(Connor)

But secretly because of her:

(Grace)

;) couldn't resist using this photo.. she's a stunner really!

I flew over and sent two boxes of my stuff through Voovit - who were really easy actually, I recommend.

This was my stuff waiting to be collected, seems like a lifetime ago now.

I'm living about 30mins walk from the centre, on Coolfin Street with the Coolfin girls!

The house is really nice, esp compared to the damp mess that was Rigby (amazing as it was!) and SO cheap.

I knew one of my housemates already, lovely Melissa!

Her boy and mine used to be housemates.

My other housemates are Melanie and Heather, who are also great! We haven't got a Coolfin family photo yet that I can put up, but this is us all engrossed in a bit of Grey's Anatomy one evening!

I'm studying Environmental Management MSc at Queen's University, and hopefully graduating next winter if all goes to plan! I'm really enjoying the course so far, and really trying my best to be geeky and get a good mark at the end of it! 

Queen's is really nice as you can see! The front of it is the Lanyon building which is old and gothicy and a bit Hogwarts, complete with a Great Hall! When you walk through the main entrance you come out into a kind of  grassy quad. The rest is a mixture of old and new buildings.

Mum and Dad came to visit a few weeks ago and Dad brought his fancy camera, so enjoy these:

(ok, that last one is off Google!)

This is the lovely brand new library. I do like a good library. And this one is great.

It has trees inside. I can't stress how much I like this. It also always reminds me of this beautiful day...

It also has a C.S. Lewis room, the door of which is a replica of the wardrobe door from the film. Outside the room is a big rug with Aslan on it, and inside is a circular table with a map of Narnia. I always knew Southampton Library was missing something.

I'm officially in the School of Management, and we also have a brand new (/renovated) building called Riddel Hall. It's still being finished and I don't actually spend any time there aside from handing in essays.. but I think it looks pretty swish!

A lot of people think of Belfast as a really dangerous place but it's really not anymore. There are still murals around like the one below. 

But really it's a nice city. One of my fave things is that even in the centre you can still see the mountains beyond the city - can just glimpse them in this photo.

And it does have some nice old architecture. Obviously my Dad did not fly up in a helicopter and take this one either.

Right next to the Uni is a big park and Botanic Gardens, sometimes I walk through on the way to the Lib. Spent a while there with the Parentals

As you can see it is mainly raincoat weather! But I'm sure I've mentioned that I like rain.

We also did a bus tour of Belfast which was really good. Best fact I learnt was that they are building a replica Titanic as a tourist attraction!

While in Belfast discovered this Tesco's - probably the most regal food store I've ever been in! (Maybe excluding Harrods food court)

Apart from that been doing a fair bit. Connor is on placement in Dublin during the week at the moment so took the chance to look around there as well. It's a bit less run down than Belfast, and a bit like London with it's own 'Thames' and 'Hyde Park'!

We also went on the Connor's Church's Ballykeel Youth Weekend. This involved lots of paint...

A human tug-of-war (poor Andrew)

Connor looking like an R-tard.

Noah's Ark's crafted from loaves of bread

Some great talks by the very wise and chivalrous John Hewitt

And lots of lovely people!

And one very cute child!

It was good fun.

Last weekend we took Connor's new pup Max out for a walk

And went to see the Lion King 3D. SO GOOD. Just a classic.

This week has been mainly Uni work though had another great Bible Study with the girls. We're going through Fruits of the Spirit, this week was joy. Be joyful!

And I also went to Origami/Art Club at Uni to try it. Real nice break from studying, and look what I made!

Just want to say thanks for all the post and messages people have sent me. Have really missed you guys back in England and don't want to lose touch! I have such a lovely collection of cards and letters in my room and it makes me smile :) I will maybe give you a tour of my room sometime.. atm it's a bit messy and I still have some photo frames I want to put up!

Will maybe skive off work again soon and tend to my blog. 

Love x