Pleased To Meet You

Doing all the little tricky things it takes to grow up, step by step, into an anxious and unsettling world.  

Hello stranger.

I'm Ailbhe (pronounced alva; explaining this appears to be my burden in life), an 18 year-old thinker/tea-drinker from the tiny, sometimes troubled, city of Belfast. A levels depending (pray for me), I'm starting at Wadham College Oxford in October to read the glorious subjects of French and English Literature.

I believe that literature and ideas matter, that life is glorious but tricky and we owe it to the world to be wholly, unapologetically, joyfully, embarrassingly ourselves. I'm not as arsey as that makes me sound.

Expect thoughts on books and films (from the high to the most furrowed of low brow), the F word (...feminism), philosophy, ideas, the arts, places I love (Paris), a smattering of politics and fashion, my pursuit of happiness (à la Gretchen Rubin, Leo Babuta and Montaigne), and accounts of being fresh at Oxford. Also expect the unexpected, because I'm not quite sure what I'm about here.

Please comment with ideas for future blog posts, questions, opinions, criticism (but please be gentle with me; no bad vibes here if you don't mind), and if you're sad or bored or lonely just tell me your life story or whether you like marmite or not.

I also tumble and tweet @PronouncedAlva and wishingfortheclothsofheaven.tumblr.com for those technologically inclined.

Over and out,

Ailbhe

x

I have spread my dreams beneath your feet. Tread softly, because you tread on my dreams.