Cork, etc

So since some people (Taylor) have asked (repeatedly) to see the amazing fully sequined floral leggings, here is a picture:

Its not the best picture, but I didn't carry a camera that night and its the only one I have... for now. Just know they are much better in person.(Also, that's my friend Susan wearing tights as pants.)

Also, we went to Cork this past weekend! It was a fun, short visit where IFSA treated us to a SWANK hotel and I never wanted to get out of bed-slash-wanted to ship it home to sleep in every night.

One cool thing we did was climb to the top of this church in the center of town to ring these famous bells (we played "Three Blind Mice," although other options included "Final Countdown" and "Died in Your Arms Tonight") and see AWESOME views of the whole town. The only thing that wasn't great about it was the climb involved MORE creepy, super steep, narrow-as-hell, claustrophobic stone stairs. I had flashbacks to Blarney and didn't like it. But the view was worth it:


Also, we had to wear these awesome noise-blocking headphones because the bells were so loud when you were right next to them. Styyyylish:


It was also the Guinness Cork Jazz Festival, which is the real reason we went there. Lots of music and fun:


Fun fact: Guinness is basically the sponsor of life here in Ireland. Jazz festivals, rugby championships, pub crawls, even hospitals. Guinness is everywhere. Oh, and I can drink it now!! After some practice, I have acclimated to the taste and even (gasp!) kind of like it.

top ten again

Top Ten Best Things about Ireland (halfway through version):

10. the sequins, ha!
9. the sheepies
8. the castles! (and architecture in general)
7. the beautiful countryside and greeeennnnnnn
6. the food (when I can actually afford to eat it)
5. the boozes
4. the irish pub music
3. the literary history
2. the O’Rourkes
1. the time to think and explore / the independence of being away from everything

and as a bonus, the Top Worst Thing:

1. pretty much everything about the euro/dollar exchange rate (except the euro is WAY prettier than American moneyz. Just saying.)

what are the odds?

I was on the same bus three separate times today. Once on the way to meet Grace and Kendra for dinner. Once on the way home from dinner - over an hour later. It was the same bus. I am sure. Then Grace and I went back out and the bus we caught home? It was the SAME BUS - almost 6 hours from the first time I was on it. Same bus, same 4 discarded tickets, same opened Fanta bottle spilling all over the floor. THE SAME EXACT BUS, THREE TIMES.

Creeeepyyyyy.

senioritis

I'm getting pretty bad at keeping up this whole blog thing. I always do this with journals too - I start one every couple of years and write in it for some length of time, sometimes a month, sometimes 5 months, but inevitably I ALWAYS stop. The entries get fewer and further between and then eventually stop. I actually brought a journal to Dublin too... and I've written in it all of six times. I don't like that trait about me. Almost all my life I've wanted to be a writer, so why do I forget to write??

Anyway, I haven't had much to blog about lately. I've hit that point in the semester where things are starting to be due and I just DON'T want to do them. In fact, I'd rather do almost anything BUT my homework.

Senioritis: I have it.

But I did win a t-shirt in a literary pub crawl quiz last week! Whoo!

AND I finally bought the fully sequined floral leggings!!!! and wore them out to the clubs last night!!!!
(Yes, they were a big hit.)

musings

I can't believe I have been in this country 51 days and at UCD 37. So much time has passed already, it kind of makes the neurotic side of me go "Whoa!! What have I been doing? I need to get out, do things, experience, etc, etc while there's still time!" But the other side of me is content to just sort of be. Be here, and let that mean whatever it means in the end. Maybe I leave this country not having seen EVERYTHING there is to see. Although part of me screams about the money that it took to get here, and is taking every day to stay here, and that I need to see every freaking thing to make it worthwhile, that other part of me is happy in a way that I'm not.

Before I got here, I thought my study abroad adventure would involve making the best friends of my life, going here there and everywhere as much as possible, and generally just doing things constantly. However, the actual experience is much more... sedate (is that the right word? I'm not sure). And while I have made awesome friends and had some awesome times (which I'm sure will continue to be awesome), I think the most important thing this trip has given me is the chance to get to know myself.

At Millsaps, everyone knows everyone and people are in many ways defined by what they do. Hi, I'm Kathleen and I work for the P&W, I'm an LXA sweetheart and a KD, I do Wellspring and CMT and am in such-and-such honoraries. There, now you know who I am. But not really. I think I got so caught up in the things I was going to do as a senior - the things that would define me and make me worthy. But being here, on a campus where I can go an entire day and not see a single person I know, has let me lose all those things that formed my identity in Jackson and re-learn the things that I truly want to define me.

Hi, I'm Kathleen, and I like to read. Particularly modern-era poetry/fiction and fantasy and mystery stories, but really I'll take a shot at almost anything. I'm a bad cook who wishes to be a good one. I appreciate architecture despite knowing nothing about it. I like to look out the window while in cars, buses, trains. I am a scaredy-cat. I really like that I am Irish and that the O'Rourkes have such a strong family bond. I like to make things with my hands (like books) and draw silly doodles, but I don't consider myself an artist. I love a boy named Brian. I have a great family who is always there for me. I also have a great KD family who never fails to make me laugh. I am a huge nerd who likes things like dino hats and Harry Potter jokes. I think like my dad but feel like my mom. I want to be a better writer than I am. I want to be a deeper person than I am.

Nice to meet me.