to blog about this ridiculous/awesome/intense-as-hell debate Kendra and I went to about about the Lisbon Treaty (all the talk here until Oct. 2, when they will vote on it).
But Kendra blogged about it! So just read hers.
http://kendraanne.blogspot.com/2009/09/on-that-point-madam.html
(I used to know how to make that all cool where you just clicked on her name instead of the URL, but I can't remember now. So there you go.)
.jpg)
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Monday, September 28, 2009
Who needs Oktoberfest...
when you have O'ROURKETOBERFEST!??!?!
So when my parents were here and we were traveling about we stayed with the O'Rourke/Tierney clan, whose daughter was engaged. Somehow the bride-to-be's visit ended in a "you should come to the wedding!" and me with a "YES." Well, this wedding just happened to be this past weekend and against all odds, I managed to make it!
I caught a ride to Wexford with some other Dublin O'Rourkes, including my third cousin Claire who is a fresher here at UCD. "Uncle" Eamon (who is really my second cousin once removed or some crazy thing like that) found someone who had an extra bed in the hotel for me to stay in... The only problem? All I had was her first name, no surname, phone number, room info or anything. Luckily (and somewhat sketchily), the hotel receptionist gave me the key anyway.
The wedding commenced at 3:30, but as it was a FULL CATHOLIC MASS it was not over until 5:30. However, it was beautiful and sweet and awesomely wedding-y, so it didn't seem two hours long at all. There were a few bumps in the road - for example, the symbolic candle the bride and groom lit went out immediately (whoops), but luckily they occurred in a funny/charming way, not a this-marriage-is-doomed way.
Look! Here's the blushing bride:
After the wedding was over there were family pictures, and since the only people I actually knew at this shindig WERE family members, I took this time as the perfect opportunity to photographically document the NUMEROUS SASS/EDGY HAIRPIECES.
Can I just take a moment to discuss this? Irish weddings are apparently the MECCA of sass hair accessories. Flowers, feathers, art deco thingys, even netted hat dohickeys... all present. In fact, the mother of the bride, mother of the groom AND maid of honor all had some form of sass-in-the-hair going on. At one point I counted 27 heads of hair that were bedecked in some way. (Hey, I said this was a full Catholic mass! And what with all the up-and-down, saying peace, getting communion, etc., there was a lot of time to look around...)
Just a small sampling of the sassitude:
I personally channeled Blair Waldorf with an understated, minimally feathered, chic black headband, but in hindsight I really should have cranked the sass-o-meter WAY up.
But anyway, back to the reception. There was champagne and strawberries and then we all moved inside this castle-esque hall for the dinner. Or so I thought. Actually, first there were speeches. The best man acted as MC, and introduced the father of the bride (my favorite "uncle," Eamon - that man is hilarious).
Then the father of the groom gave a speech.
Then the best man gave a speech.
Then the groom gave a speech.
Then the bride gave a speech.
Then the priest gave a speech.
At this point everyone is starving and through at least one (but probably more) glass of wine, so I think the priest's speech was mostly ignored. But all the other ones were lovely and/or funny.
Finally! Dinner was delicious and then there was more wine and then there was the first dance and the father-daughter dance. And then there was an awesome band that played into the wee hours of the morning.
And can I just say that the O'Rourkes are party animals? When I finally gave up the ghost at 4 a.m. and crawled my happy ass to bed, the bride and groom were still up running around, the PARENTS of the bride were still up running around and all sorts of Irish tomfoolery continued long after I hit the hay.
Weddings rock!
P.s. Look I got the pictures to work! Yay! Check out more sass on facebook.
So when my parents were here and we were traveling about we stayed with the O'Rourke/Tierney clan, whose daughter was engaged. Somehow the bride-to-be's visit ended in a "you should come to the wedding!" and me with a "YES." Well, this wedding just happened to be this past weekend and against all odds, I managed to make it!
I caught a ride to Wexford with some other Dublin O'Rourkes, including my third cousin Claire who is a fresher here at UCD. "Uncle" Eamon (who is really my second cousin once removed or some crazy thing like that) found someone who had an extra bed in the hotel for me to stay in... The only problem? All I had was her first name, no surname, phone number, room info or anything. Luckily (and somewhat sketchily), the hotel receptionist gave me the key anyway.
The wedding commenced at 3:30, but as it was a FULL CATHOLIC MASS it was not over until 5:30. However, it was beautiful and sweet and awesomely wedding-y, so it didn't seem two hours long at all. There were a few bumps in the road - for example, the symbolic candle the bride and groom lit went out immediately (whoops), but luckily they occurred in a funny/charming way, not a this-marriage-is-doomed way.
Look! Here's the blushing bride:
After the wedding was over there were family pictures, and since the only people I actually knew at this shindig WERE family members, I took this time as the perfect opportunity to photographically document the NUMEROUS SASS/EDGY HAIRPIECES.
Can I just take a moment to discuss this? Irish weddings are apparently the MECCA of sass hair accessories. Flowers, feathers, art deco thingys, even netted hat dohickeys... all present. In fact, the mother of the bride, mother of the groom AND maid of honor all had some form of sass-in-the-hair going on. At one point I counted 27 heads of hair that were bedecked in some way. (Hey, I said this was a full Catholic mass! And what with all the up-and-down, saying peace, getting communion, etc., there was a lot of time to look around...)
Just a small sampling of the sassitude:
I personally channeled Blair Waldorf with an understated, minimally feathered, chic black headband, but in hindsight I really should have cranked the sass-o-meter WAY up.
But anyway, back to the reception. There was champagne and strawberries and then we all moved inside this castle-esque hall for the dinner. Or so I thought. Actually, first there were speeches. The best man acted as MC, and introduced the father of the bride (my favorite "uncle," Eamon - that man is hilarious).
Then the father of the groom gave a speech.
Then the best man gave a speech.
Then the groom gave a speech.
Then the bride gave a speech.
Then the priest gave a speech.
At this point everyone is starving and through at least one (but probably more) glass of wine, so I think the priest's speech was mostly ignored. But all the other ones were lovely and/or funny.
Finally! Dinner was delicious and then there was more wine and then there was the first dance and the father-daughter dance. And then there was an awesome band that played into the wee hours of the morning.
And can I just say that the O'Rourkes are party animals? When I finally gave up the ghost at 4 a.m. and crawled my happy ass to bed, the bride and groom were still up running around, the PARENTS of the bride were still up running around and all sorts of Irish tomfoolery continued long after I hit the hay.
Weddings rock!
P.s. Look I got the pictures to work! Yay! Check out more sass on facebook.
Sunday, September 20, 2009
whoa
As of yesterday, the 19th, I have been in Ireland for exactly one month.
One month ago, my parents and I first went to O’Connell Street, to catch the hop-on, hop-off tour to officially start our Irish adventure. It was so foreign then, the buildings and streets and stores unfamiliar. To go there now is a completely different experience. I know the bus to take to get there, exactly where it will stop off, which side streets to take to get to the grocery stores and famers market, which places sell school supplies and which places sell cheap clothes. I know which direction to walk to get to Grafton Street, Temple Bar, Trinity College. I know the sights, the smells, the sounds.
Dublin and I are getting to know each other.
In other news: Two weeks of school in. One week behind. Many things to read this week!
One month ago, my parents and I first went to O’Connell Street, to catch the hop-on, hop-off tour to officially start our Irish adventure. It was so foreign then, the buildings and streets and stores unfamiliar. To go there now is a completely different experience. I know the bus to take to get there, exactly where it will stop off, which side streets to take to get to the grocery stores and famers market, which places sell school supplies and which places sell cheap clothes. I know which direction to walk to get to Grafton Street, Temple Bar, Trinity College. I know the sights, the smells, the sounds.
Dublin and I are getting to know each other.
In other news: Two weeks of school in. One week behind. Many things to read this week!
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Heat wave/Claddagh adventures
So apparently last week/weekend was the extent of Ireland’s summer. “Summer” here means that for one week, it doesn’t rain and the temperature is blissfully warm (i.e. 70 instead of 60). Summer proved to be the perfect time to go to Galway, on the west coast of this lovely island.
Galway offered me my first taste of hostel life, in the form of the Claddagh Hostel. (Note to my mother reading this: it was listed in a guidebook, and therefore clean/legit.) Now I was prepared for some facets of hostel life, like the ten strangers sleeping in one room, one miniscule shower for approximately 25 guests, etc. What I was NOT prepared for was the fact that the workers all cleared out at 11 p.m., which meant that when Kendra and I got back to ole’ Claddagh around 12/12:30 no one was around to unlock the cabinet in which we had stored our bags. Which meant that Kendra and I had no access to a) pajamas, b) face wash, c) phone chargers and d) life. Which meant that we had to sleep in our clothes (read: jeans). And it was pretty much terrible… But it was cheap, and I suppose that’s the point, right? (The next night, we made sure to get everything out of hock in time to snooze in style.)
Galway was awesome, with tours to the Cliffs of Moher (I looove those cliffs), the Ailwee Caves, Doolin and more. But one of my favorite parts of the trip was just sitting on the bus looking out the window as we drove through the countryside. It’s just so peaceful here. Pastoral. There’s just something about watching the animals, the sheep and cows and horses, grazing in pastures, peacefully. They aren’t just being forced and rushed through feedlots in order to fatten up the fastest before going to the slaughterhouse (sorry, Fast Food Nation tangent there). The animals are respected, the land is respected, the farmers and workers and salespeople and businesspeople are respected too. It’s not all about the bottom dollar – at least not everywhere. Americans have gotten so wrapped up in efficiency and economy that they are willing to settle for… well, shit, if it is less expensive and more accessible. It’s so funny because the McDonald’s here are SWANKY. They are super clean, super well equipped (think comfy high stools and nice sit-down tables), and the beef they use is Irish, naturally-grazing beef. And while I haven’t actually eaten at one yet, I have a feeling the food might just taste better too. The Irish just seem to demand better, while we settle for worse.
In other news: I’m sick. But it’s not (snot, ha) the swine.
In other other news: All the people that told us that the Irish aren’t as loud as Americans LIED. At least when it comes to the 20 screaming people directly below my window.
Galway offered me my first taste of hostel life, in the form of the Claddagh Hostel. (Note to my mother reading this: it was listed in a guidebook, and therefore clean/legit.) Now I was prepared for some facets of hostel life, like the ten strangers sleeping in one room, one miniscule shower for approximately 25 guests, etc. What I was NOT prepared for was the fact that the workers all cleared out at 11 p.m., which meant that when Kendra and I got back to ole’ Claddagh around 12/12:30 no one was around to unlock the cabinet in which we had stored our bags. Which meant that Kendra and I had no access to a) pajamas, b) face wash, c) phone chargers and d) life. Which meant that we had to sleep in our clothes (read: jeans). And it was pretty much terrible… But it was cheap, and I suppose that’s the point, right? (The next night, we made sure to get everything out of hock in time to snooze in style.)
Galway was awesome, with tours to the Cliffs of Moher (I looove those cliffs), the Ailwee Caves, Doolin and more. But one of my favorite parts of the trip was just sitting on the bus looking out the window as we drove through the countryside. It’s just so peaceful here. Pastoral. There’s just something about watching the animals, the sheep and cows and horses, grazing in pastures, peacefully. They aren’t just being forced and rushed through feedlots in order to fatten up the fastest before going to the slaughterhouse (sorry, Fast Food Nation tangent there). The animals are respected, the land is respected, the farmers and workers and salespeople and businesspeople are respected too. It’s not all about the bottom dollar – at least not everywhere. Americans have gotten so wrapped up in efficiency and economy that they are willing to settle for… well, shit, if it is less expensive and more accessible. It’s so funny because the McDonald’s here are SWANKY. They are super clean, super well equipped (think comfy high stools and nice sit-down tables), and the beef they use is Irish, naturally-grazing beef. And while I haven’t actually eaten at one yet, I have a feeling the food might just taste better too. The Irish just seem to demand better, while we settle for worse.
In other news: I’m sick. But it’s not (snot, ha) the swine.
In other other news: All the people that told us that the Irish aren’t as loud as Americans LIED. At least when it comes to the 20 screaming people directly below my window.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
today it didn't rain
and I didn't have class!
and I bought many groceries!
and I "worked out" (i.e. ran a few times around the nearby track and then came home to make dinner)!
and now some friendys and I are making plans to travel to Galway, Paris and more!
... but seriously it didn't rain once today.
and I bought many groceries!
and I "worked out" (i.e. ran a few times around the nearby track and then came home to make dinner)!
and now some friendys and I are making plans to travel to Galway, Paris and more!
... but seriously it didn't rain once today.
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
a whole week!
So lots of exciting, mundane, interesting, inebriated, cheesy, strange and awkward things have happened in the past week. (But I’ll try to stick to the exciting, interesting ones.)
For one thing, I will never again complain about Millsaps registration (Millsaps financial aid, for sure, but not registration). UCD registration for study abroad arts students makes Millsaps look like a well-oiled machine. I’m still not fully registered, and we’re two days into the semester.
But I do have some classes, and when you put them all together they kind of add up to “How to Write a Children’s Book 101” – they include Hero Tales, Myth and Legend in Irish Literature, Other Worlds in Medieval Literature, Irish Literature in English (…and Paradise Lost, which doesn’t fit as well with the children’s book theme).
For example, on Monday we spent an entire 50-minute class (it was the Other Worlds class) talking about monsters. Which. Is. Awesome.
So basically what I’m saying is, after this semester I will be fully prepared to write the next Harry Potter and become widely acclaimed, rich and famous. And then I will buy an adorable little Irish apartment with an adorable little Georgian door and be able to come back to Dublin whenever I want. And I’ll probably buy lots of new clothes, including many be-sequined things, which are all the rage here. Seriously, I’ve never seen so many sparkly clothes. I plan to return to the states with many fabulous bedazzled things added to my life. Possibly/probably including fully sequined floral leggings. Yes, you read that right. FULLY SEQUINED FLORAL LEGGINGS.
If only I had my sequined/bedazzled/neon dress/skirt/leggings already, I could have worn it this weekend, when one of my housemates turned 21 (a bit anticlimactic here since the drinking age is 18). Where did we celebrate this momentous occasion, you ask? None other than ThunderRoad, the biggest and most obnoxious tribute to Americana that I have ever seen. Paraphernalia includes:
a)giant American-flag sculptural artsy thing on ceiling
b)giant eagle sculptural artsy thing on ceiling next to the flag
c)life-size wooden Native American greeting you at the door
d)American baseball and football flags displayed everywhere
e)3-dimensional Mount Rushmore painting/sculpture on one wall
f)giant Statue of Liberty, wearing an American flag
g)huge screens playing music videos of Bruce Springsteen, Journey, the Eagles, etc
h)bikes, bikers, license plates, road signs, tat signs, pleather
i)plastic tiger print tablecloths
Needless to say, it was quite the place. But it is what the Birthday Girl wanted, and its what she got (it did have free birthday ice cream, so there you go.)
Upcoming posts may or may not cover the exciting topics of:
Things I cook! (A fried egg sandwich being the highest achievement so far.)
Things I wish I could cook but can’t! (Pretty much everything else.)
Things I read for class! (Beowulf is up first.)
Things I read for fun! (Ulysses, since I couldn’t get into the class on it, and the Irish Times.)
Things I buy! (Have I mentioned FULLY SEQUINED FLORAL LEGGINGS?)
Things I want to buy but don’t! (Everything over approximately 10 euro.)
But not pictures since apparently neither blogspot nor facebook want me to share my photographic genius with the world.
Cheers!
For one thing, I will never again complain about Millsaps registration (Millsaps financial aid, for sure, but not registration). UCD registration for study abroad arts students makes Millsaps look like a well-oiled machine. I’m still not fully registered, and we’re two days into the semester.
But I do have some classes, and when you put them all together they kind of add up to “How to Write a Children’s Book 101” – they include Hero Tales, Myth and Legend in Irish Literature, Other Worlds in Medieval Literature, Irish Literature in English (…and Paradise Lost, which doesn’t fit as well with the children’s book theme).
For example, on Monday we spent an entire 50-minute class (it was the Other Worlds class) talking about monsters. Which. Is. Awesome.
So basically what I’m saying is, after this semester I will be fully prepared to write the next Harry Potter and become widely acclaimed, rich and famous. And then I will buy an adorable little Irish apartment with an adorable little Georgian door and be able to come back to Dublin whenever I want. And I’ll probably buy lots of new clothes, including many be-sequined things, which are all the rage here. Seriously, I’ve never seen so many sparkly clothes. I plan to return to the states with many fabulous bedazzled things added to my life. Possibly/probably including fully sequined floral leggings. Yes, you read that right. FULLY SEQUINED FLORAL LEGGINGS.
If only I had my sequined/bedazzled/neon dress/skirt/leggings already, I could have worn it this weekend, when one of my housemates turned 21 (a bit anticlimactic here since the drinking age is 18). Where did we celebrate this momentous occasion, you ask? None other than ThunderRoad, the biggest and most obnoxious tribute to Americana that I have ever seen. Paraphernalia includes:
a)giant American-flag sculptural artsy thing on ceiling
b)giant eagle sculptural artsy thing on ceiling next to the flag
c)life-size wooden Native American greeting you at the door
d)American baseball and football flags displayed everywhere
e)3-dimensional Mount Rushmore painting/sculpture on one wall
f)giant Statue of Liberty, wearing an American flag
g)huge screens playing music videos of Bruce Springsteen, Journey, the Eagles, etc
h)bikes, bikers, license plates, road signs, tat signs, pleather
i)plastic tiger print tablecloths
Needless to say, it was quite the place. But it is what the Birthday Girl wanted, and its what she got (it did have free birthday ice cream, so there you go.)
Upcoming posts may or may not cover the exciting topics of:
Things I cook! (A fried egg sandwich being the highest achievement so far.)
Things I wish I could cook but can’t! (Pretty much everything else.)
Things I read for class! (Beowulf is up first.)
Things I read for fun! (Ulysses, since I couldn’t get into the class on it, and the Irish Times.)
Things I buy! (Have I mentioned FULLY SEQUINED FLORAL LEGGINGS?)
Things I want to buy but don’t! (Everything over approximately 10 euro.)
But not pictures since apparently neither blogspot nor facebook want me to share my photographic genius with the world.
Cheers!
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
awkward in-between time
It is orientation week and it is awkward, as only orientation can be.
But tomorrow we finally get to move into UCD, and I couldn’t be more excited. I am ready to get settled in – and especially to finally be done living out of a suitcase! Hooray!
I am starting to figure out where things are and how to get around, which makes me feel very mature/urbane/cool/not touristy. Today myself and some other ladies managed to get on the right bus, get off at the right stop, locate and purchase phone plans for Ireland, get (a delicious bagel) dinner and return home on the right bus. While that might not sound like a lot, the bus system in Dublin is quite complex and we were quite impressed with ourselves. I’m excited about using this complex bus system to further explore Dublin. There are so many more museums I want to visit and things I want to experience, including but not limited to:
a)The Dublin Writer’s Museum
b)A literary pub crawl
c)CSI Experience (my obsession with CSI is shared here in Ireland – in fact, I am watching CSI as I type this!)
d)The James Joyce Center
e)A tour of Guinness Storehouse
f)The Irish Museum of Modern Art
I guess what I'm most excited about is making this city "mine." After this semester, I will always be able to remember/talk about/reminisce over "when I lived in Dublin." Which I love, because it sounds/is way cooler than "when I lived in Jackson" (no offense Jackson) or "when I lived in Utah" (no offen... well, Utah kind of deserves it). The little hole-in-the-wall pub, the one particular park bench that fits my butt better than any other, the best place to spend Sunday reading, the corner of the library where I suffer through the papers - these are the things that will make Dublin my city.
But tomorrow we finally get to move into UCD, and I couldn’t be more excited. I am ready to get settled in – and especially to finally be done living out of a suitcase! Hooray!
I am starting to figure out where things are and how to get around, which makes me feel very mature/urbane/cool/not touristy. Today myself and some other ladies managed to get on the right bus, get off at the right stop, locate and purchase phone plans for Ireland, get (a delicious bagel) dinner and return home on the right bus. While that might not sound like a lot, the bus system in Dublin is quite complex and we were quite impressed with ourselves. I’m excited about using this complex bus system to further explore Dublin. There are so many more museums I want to visit and things I want to experience, including but not limited to:
a)The Dublin Writer’s Museum
b)A literary pub crawl
c)CSI Experience (my obsession with CSI is shared here in Ireland – in fact, I am watching CSI as I type this!)
d)The James Joyce Center
e)A tour of Guinness Storehouse
f)The Irish Museum of Modern Art
I guess what I'm most excited about is making this city "mine." After this semester, I will always be able to remember/talk about/reminisce over "when I lived in Dublin." Which I love, because it sounds/is way cooler than "when I lived in Jackson" (no offense Jackson) or "when I lived in Utah" (no offen... well, Utah kind of deserves it). The little hole-in-the-wall pub, the one particular park bench that fits my butt better than any other, the best place to spend Sunday reading, the corner of the library where I suffer through the papers - these are the things that will make Dublin my city.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
