stuff

Here I am in Waterford, Ireland. Yes, the place where the famous Waterford Crystal factory is. After two hours of searching and waiting for the next city bus to Waterford from a costal town of Tramore where I'm staying for tw nights, I gave up and plunked 15 euros to hire a taxi. Will take the next bus (that I know where to take from here. oy) back to Tramore after some web surfing and sighting of the city.

The flight to Dublin from JFK was uneventual other than a fellow passenger who wanted to do nothing with me as I him. Didn't sleep much as I'm a poor sleeper on a plane. I can sleep in any mode of transportation. It's the confined space, a broad shoulder passenger fighting for arm space, and the dry air on the plane. Thankfully not only I had the window seat, I m left handed and the passenger right handed, so we didn't spar our elbows as we ate.

I did manage to sleep for an hour until I felt the plane bank to descend and land. Less than two hours, after checking through immigration, an express bus into the city and I grabbed the next Eireann Bus (think irish version of greyhound with the golden retreiver) to Waterford. The driver must've just left school and is a hot shot driver. He whipped the bus around as if it is a mere sports car. The sun didnt rise til after 8 am, and despite the erratic driving I was able to sleep soundly for the most of the 3 hour journey south to Waterford.
My blackberry didn't activiate - I'm only able to obtain emergency services but text doens't work.. Tried texting my friend. oh well. Least we already sorted out meeting place and time. I checked into O'Shea hotel which is right by the water. My window faces the sea. I'm happy. I got some lumch and went out to the beach. Unlike beaches we know in the Americas, the beaches here are broad as if the moon has a very deep tide. I walked about for a while on wet and hard sand eventually reaching to where the waves crashed. A local dog joined me and kept me company. Nice dog. As I exited the beach, a man came with another dog so 'my' dog quickly lost interest in me.

After a long nap (bad idea) I had a yummy dinner of fried fillet with fries and salad with carlsberg beer. I felt so contented with myself that I didn't care about the woes of the world. I miss the real carlsberg beer.. tastes so much better than back in the states.

This morning - Had difficulty sleeping and finally fell asleep around 4 am and forced myself out of bed at 9 30. had some breakfast and headed out for a walk by the coast and down to Newton Cove. It's a marked drive/walk so I took in some amazing scenery of the cove, where a swimming club meets and a trail nearby. I took a short cut back to town, and there's a number of development popping up.. Some moderately large houses overlooking the sea and smattering of *ugh* burbs. With improved economy, house construction are up.

having spent all morning and early afternoon outside.. and now I've been in the internet cafe for three quarters of an hour, I still haven't thawed. Yeah it's a bit warmer here (50s) but with the coastal winds and you don't know how chilled you actually are until you get inside a warm place. I'm having difficulty typing with seized up fingers..

Tomorrow, I'll be returning to Dublin to spend three days with my deaf friends. My ISL is pretty rusty but will get the hang of it within 2nd day. On Tuesday will be meeting up with my former grad school (hearing)classmate for a day of sight seeing and dinner and drinks with the old gang on Tues night as most of them live in Dublin now. Then fly out back to the states on Wednesday.. My eyes feel like they're ready to roll out but I'll tough this out so I can really get a decent night's sleep.

More to come over the weekend..

Erin Go Bragh

I'm anxious to leave for my upcoming holiday in Ireland this week - bit nervous cos we're expecting some more snow on the day I fly out. I don't fancy camping out in an airport and I don't even want to think about what would happen to my luggage. I become cranky without fresh change of clothes.

Please Mother Nature, appease us of your violent winter moods known as the Nor'easter. Limit it to once a month, so when I return to the States in February, I'll be delighted to be delayed.

Was hoping that the temperate Irish climate would be a reprieve from the chilly January weather here. Alas, my friend updated that they're experiencing a cold snap over there now. Crud.

where's the time travelling machine when you need it?

I blinked several times and it's January 21st already. All this work to do and I'm leaving for Dublin next Wednesday for a bit of well earned holiday. I should be staying in late today to finish up some work, but I'm too exhausted. The cold weather is the least of my worries but it's exhausting to brace for the cold and nipping of Jack Frost. I'm running out of clean knee length socks and my 'long underwear' is my old JCREW yoga style pants. They still fit under my pants and jeans, thank goodness. Monday, I'll stay late, yes... man I wish I could rewind back to certain dates where I could've finished some damn tasks.. oh well. LEast there'll be a fire under my ass come Monday..

Bush was sworn in as president, again. I was visiting a welfare center. My form of protest, if you will. Four more years of extremism. *sighing* perhaps I shall declare political asylum in Dublin.. my name and a brief residency in 01/02 shall cinch it for me. I'm not short of sponsors..

On a brighter note, I've been reading some novels here and there. On breaks from "Anna Karenina" (good but intense - whoo) I've been reading the Martian chronicles, No 1 Ladies Detective Agency, Persepolis and now, "The Other Boyeln". The newest and stunning discovery, is thanks to KR and Char - "The Eyre Affair" with Thursday Next as the main character by Jasper Fforde (i think spelling may be wrong) .. it's a fantastic novel and I was pleased to find that there are 4 books in the Thursday Next series. I've added them to my Amazon wish list and recommendations. Wow. I'm already thinking about the series to read later in the winter (by golly, I surely need to finish "Anna Karenina"!!).

I must get out of my office. It's Friday for chrissakes and I'm getting the willies..

ta

sense of humor no more?

mein gott!

according to Sports Illustrated, Randy Moss, the receiver for Vikings is fined $10,000 for pretending to "moon" the fans after he made a touchdown. does nobody appreciate the art of pantomime??

and two lawyers were fined for one of the oldest lawyer jokes : "How do you tell when a lawyer is lying?" then they both replied "His lips are moving". First you think there's no harm in it until the media dug around their pasts. they've been known to be abrasive and annoying to other lawyers. trust the media to pick this up then turn around and explain why the lawyers were fined and arrested (!). (source www.cnn.com)

example of why the name for this blog came to life.

the usual story i tell to the others: I grew up in the rural area so I usually compare events or things that would've elicited a different response from either rural or urban community.

the reactions, particularly where I grew up in upstate would've been more ambigious or varied now that more and more people are moving out of the cities or the 'burbs thus bringing their lifestyles and beliefs to the rural community. nothing bad about it - few things that would irk me is driving up the property prices that would make farmers and others have difficulty sustaining their meagre economy. on the plus side - bit more educated folks not counting arrogrance they may bring..

anyways. gun control, pro and anti. I ve lived in cities that are rife with crimes from guns. NYC has improved significantly. DC?? no idea. Limerick was known as 'stab city' but now? stories i've heard about guns (rifles) in the rural areas are hunting accidents when one is careless in handling a rifle or one has had too many beers. I know there are some rural violence but I'm not an expert at it.

case in point:
1) I hate going to KMART or most stores cos razors are usually locked up in glass cases to prevent theft. I usually lose patience waiting for authorized person to arrive with the key to open it so I can shave my legs. pharmacies are usually better about it but KMART etc are cheaper. ack.

2) One summer, went to a Wal-Mart with my brother upstate to find some new toys for the back yard (badmintions that sort of thing).. in the same recreation area in the store, I found rifles and bullet cases. No locked cases. I picked up one bullet case for the sake of reality and put it back on the shelf. go figure.

"Dear Teacher, I'm Sorry I Was Late To Class Because I Gave The Guard Some Lip"

that would've been my excuse as opposed to my special yellow bus being stuck in slush as it tried to back out of a snowy driveway.

You know the infamous security guards and police manning security gates in inner city schools. I've seen a long line of students waiting to get inside the school before the school day begins. I had a meeting at one school earlier today and I was feeling very harrassed. The local train had suddenly changed into express thus missing my stop by 10 or so. I was already late. Once I arrived, I was subject to a search. put my bag through the xray, and it was searched. the guard with a wand, scanned each limb and my torso and I had to have my coat open, not off. It was a little confusing with the communication and all. Then, much to my perplexness, the guard instructed me to put my hands on a table, and before "body search" came to mind, the guard pointed at my platform boots. She waved her wand over them and I gratefully left the premises. the whole thing took under 15 minutes and I was hoping that the interpreter didn't give up and leave. I worked too damn hard for this!

Up Yours, Garfield, some Mondays ain't so bad..

Monday ended well for me - I was a total zombie at work, trying to service a line of clients. Business is picking up now that the holidays are over. I was distracted half the day with news of the birth of nephew #2, Tobias (tobey) and hoping that I would find him and my sis within reasonable time during lunch hour.

After going into the wrong hospital (d'oh!) I bumped into my parents and the inlaws near the proper hospital. I was pretty tense, greeting them with quick hello kisses and mumbling that time is scarce and ran off. I was able to find the proper room, etc. Wow - Tobey is the contrast of his older brother, Aidan. He's sturdily built and has stockier frame as opposed to the long and lean frame of Aidan. Aidan has straight and blond hair while Tobey has curly and (indefinite) dark hair. I was pretty wound up from seeing the actual result of my sis 9 month plus one week pregnancy. I caught up a bit with my sister and her husband before returning to work.

After work, I caught up with two old friends from high school and college. the latter was in town and rung me and the other friend for a last min wannahavedinnerbeforeiflyoffinthemorning thing. Ended up having a jolly good time and had mild consumption of barley and grapes. Reminisces of good times and things current. I barely got up in time for work and now my brain cells are almost perfectly functional.

a nice monday - get bent, garfield..

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince

Date of release - July 16, 2005. As every other fan, I'm all tingle wondering what is in store for Harry and his lot. JK says that there'll be some romance. Cho - most definitely not. She made a spectacle of herself in book 5 with serious baggage. Luna? Ginny? Susan? Who'll die? So far, Cedric (not close to Harry) and Sirius (very close to Harry). Many people reckon it'd be Hagrid, Lupin, or Mr. Weasley..or Dumbledore. I recently discovered from JK rowling's site that she had eliminated Dean Thomas' wizard origins to make room for Neville's story. I know the months will fly by til the book is released. When I first picked up Order of Phoenix from the post office in 2003, I sat on the front steps of the building reading the first few chapters oblvious to the passerbys working their way round me up the steps.

*ticking*

I done it now..

I did it. I've jumped onto the bandwagon. It's inevitable, anyways. Here I am. More to come shortly. This is only a test.

*emergency bulletin test buzz*