Fridays

Now as an Au Pair Friday night generally is a word the stands in for "end of the week exhaustion that requires and 8:30 bed time-- for me, not the kids."

But this week was different.

Not that I wasn't knackered enough to pass out. That was still true. But anyway.

When I first came to Ireland it was in spring of 2010 on the Bristish Literary Tour from my college Brigham Young University Idaho. Yes I know, Ireland is not Brittish, but, we had to call it something.


That same tour was returning this month, and they were going to be in town on Friday night. I was given all this information from the professor who had also been a leader of my group.

So I was making my way to the hostel they were staying at and I saw three girls walk past me. I'm not saying they looked like tourists. They didn't really stand out, but then Galway is a pretty popular tourist haunt. Anyway, I noticed one of them was wearing a Young Women's Medalion. I called after them and asked them if they were from BYU-I. They responded the affirmative. They seemed a little freaked out but as Megan N. (when we were on our tour together she was Megan J.) pointed out, it was a little creepy of me.

I told them "I'm on my way to meet Brother Waddell. I was on this tour in 2010!"
They responce was something like "That's great! Nice to meet you!" and "So... what are you doing here?"
To which I was able to answer "I live here now." Which was a pretty fun answer. The girls did the appropriate responce of excitedly asking me for details.
We chatted and ended up going to the hostel together. At the hostel I was invited to share dinner, which was wicked nice,  free taco salad is great.

Brother Waddell asked me about my life and told me about the new tour. Where they were going and what they had already done. We talked a lot about Scotland-- because that's where they were heading next. And Ireland becuase that's where we were. I told him about my branch.
Then I ended up spending the rest of the night with a handful of the girls.
We shopped.  (They shopped. I'm trying to save.) 
We walked-- I showed them Eyre Square.
Then they were like "Where's a pub?"
Me: "It's Ireland, there's about three in view from where we are standing."
Them: "Where's a good one?"
Me: "I haven't been to a pub since I came here in 2010. I mean yeah you have to go to a pub when you are in Ireland... but since I don't drink I haven't really gone to any sense. But we'll find one if you guys want to go."

They wanted one that played live music. So we went up and down shop street looking for one that played live music. I'm sure if we actually bothered to go into any instead of standing outside saying "I wonder if that one plays live music?" Our search might have been a little more successful.

But I found it funny as this was pretty much exactly what my friends and I did on our night when we went looking for a pub. I had thought that now that I lived here I wouldn't act like a silly tourists. I was wrong.
Anyway, eventually we found street performers playing traditional music so we just stopped and listened to that.
Then it was really time for me to go to sleep and prepare for my long weekend. One girl, the one with the medallion from the beginning,  gave me a hug and said "I'm so glad I met you! I wish you were coming."

Anyway, it was fun to spend the evening with people my age and feel like an excerpt of where I live and immigrating. Which I'm not. But still nice to feel like one.

Currently

This currently thing is going around the internet. I haven't written a blog post in while, which I know is a huge loss to the online community. But I am feeling uninspired. So here you go.

Currently.

Loving: Ireland in general. My yoga class, though I took it to meet people and we are all too busy relaxing to do any talking. Besides I am probably the youngest one there. Hot chocolate, as always. Having plans this weekend. My course that's starting up, even though the idea simulatiously scares the be-jee-bers out of me.

Reading: Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy though I don't really get it completely. I don't think I pay close enough attention. But I like it. I'm also reading The Tower, The Zoo and the Tortoise. It's a little literary for my taste so far. But I'm only at the very beginning. Also Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Need I say more?

Watching: Literally nothing. Not at this very second. But this evening I will probably either be watching Life on Mars about a police man who wakes up after an accident stranded in Manchester in the 1970s.  New Tricks about a cold case squad, most of the squad are retired. Hence the title. Or, as always, Spooks. Tonight I will probably watch the one where X gets blown up trying to get a car with a car bomb in it away from civilians. Very sad. Plus the other agent takes his shirt off. So that's nice. Also I just finished Once Upon a Time, I was very pleasantly surprised. I really loved it. Oh and I just watched the newest Downton. HAHA I KNOW WHAT HAPPENS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thinking about: Edinburgh, it was incredible. Amsterdam,  I want to visit. My course on Saturday. How I should really learn to sing. What I need to get when I run errands tonight. How I like talking to Krista. How I don't really understand grammar.  Catching up with an old friend from the states on Friday. First friend from the states I'll have seen while here. All the gifts to various friends I need to post. How I need to buy stamps. How I need to write letters. Syria. How I should actually write my novel and not my blog. The Long Way Down movie. Why do I procrastinate?

Anticipating: The course on Saturday, seeing the friend Friday. Actually sitting my butt down and writing this scene. Editing some articles.

Wishing: To see London again soon. That I could talk to Shakespeare, and J.K. Rowling... same conversation of separately? That I was able to grasp the "case thing" in Russian and therefore learn to speak and understand Russian. 

Making me Happy: Hot chocolate-- obviously. My travel wall. The current level of silence.That I got to pet a Westie today.

What's annoying me (I added): The cut on my finger, because I can't cut a bagel without also cutting my finger. The fact that I have completed a degree in English and still don't understand grammar. My hair. 

There you go. Interesting right?

   

Sad Songs

I love sad songs. The majority of the songs I listen to are about disappointment in some form or death. No I am not emo I just like sad music. A friend of mine recently wrote a blog about her top sad songs. This inspired me to share mine. Unlike her I am sharing a couple musical theatre.
Below are some of my top sad songs in no particular order.

1. I'm Sorry by John Denver: A song about regret and acknowledging personal weakness. The artist is very honest that this seperation is his fault. He is sorry for what he did to his partner but sorrier for the consequences than the mis-conduct.

2.  Still Hurting from The Last Five Years. A woman realing with the aftermath of abadonment after a divorce.

3. Sad Song by Christina Perri. Kind of my Twenty Something go to song. A song about how nothing is really awful but nothing is really working out.

4. Tears in Heaven by Eric Clapton-- Probably one of the saddest songs on earth. He wrote it after his son died. Even if you don't know the back story it is so full of grief it breaks your heart.

5. Ronan by Taylor Swift. Along the same lines.This song was written through the mothers eyes after loosing a little boy to cancer. Eric Clapton has sudden grief where as this is drawn out pain.

6. Nicest Thing by Katie Nash. A really good song about unrequited love. No matter anyone says it's a really crappy feeling.

7. John Doe Number 24 by Mary Chapin Charpenter. About a blind and deaf orphan who was abandoned and no one knows who he is. He is unable to communicate the emotions he feels and struggles with the memories he has.

8. Only a Dream by Mary Chapin Charpenter. Two sisters are very close as children in a disfunctional family. As they grow up the younger sister feels she is loosing this connection with her older sister. Then her sister finally moves out. She realizes her sister has no intention of ever returning.

9. Last Kiss by Taylor Swift. Get over it I like her. This song is a good old post break up song.

10. Both Sides Now by Joni Mitchel. To me this is a song of regret and feeling personally inadequate, its never enough and it will always end the same way.

There you go. Sad songs. I love them. 

America

So here is the thing about living abroad. You actually realize a lot about your country.

This weekend I went to some friend's house for Sunday dinner. They had been on a road trip to the states and we ended up talking about all the places they'd been. Then we ended up talking about America in general.

It was really interesting to see my country through their eyes. Why? Because they saw the country I loved. They saw America as a country that has made some serious mistakes, but that is full of promise and beauty.

Then we talked politics but not POLITICS . At one point I considered going into politics. Because I love the idea of thinking about ideals and making lives better all the time. But I feel like if my childhood ideal of politics ever existed it has long since been extinguished by the need to win every time. The idea that everyone who disagrees with you is an idiot.


Anyway it was great to remember and talk about the things I love about America even though I don't currently live there.

Random Day Off

My "family" was going to the zoo.

Now I love the zoo.

I love my family. I was seriously tempted by the idea of seeing these kids see tigers ect.

But the idea of a spontanious three-day weekend was seriously something I wanted.

So I was torn.

But a migraine the Sunday night made my mind up for me. 

So I was looking forward to this spontaneous day off. I had a long list of things to get done. Some of which I accomplished. I am working on the achieveable part of the goal setting thing.
 

It was a couple days after a birthday of one of my best friends. I'd told her I'd get her a Claddagh ring. (Friend, if you are reading this I promise I will send it soon.)

So I went to the bus stop to wait for the bus.
And wait.
And wait.

I even started looking in the local shops for the ring. But I didn't see any I liked.


It became very evident the bus had no intention of arriving on time. Or at all.

I wanted to go back home and you know, read, write, watch BBC and all the other introvert things I love.

But summer was ending and I wanted to finish strong and go to Galway. Who knew when the next miandering shopping day would come my way?

So I sat down to read my Nook on the bench.

My Nook was out of batteries.

Oh well. I could listen to my i-pod.


I was thus occupied when a guy walked by, stopped and walked back up to me.

"Do I know you?" He asked.

I took out my earbuds because that's polite. "No. Sorry." I said. This guy was in his late thirties/early forties. I didn't know him. Besides, guys occasionally use that "do I know you" thing as a pick up line. I find it's just best to not play along at all if you are not interested. I was not interested. So I began to make a show of putting my ear buds back in.

"No, I'm sure I know you. Where do I know you from?" It was becoming very eveident that this man was drunk. Hammered. Sloshed. Pickled. It was about 1:30 in the afternoon, so that's pretty impressive even by Irish standards.

"No. I'm not from around here." I answered.

"Neither am I." He sat down on the bench next to me. "Where are you from."

"The U.S." I answered.

"Really!!!" He was shocked.

Now I have a pretty thick American accent. My vowels sound like they have been ironed with starch.  It shouldn't come as a shock that I'm American. But then maybe it's not as thick as it sounds to me because people are always shocked when I tell them I'm from the states. They usually guess Holland or the UK.


"Really." I answered.

"You're not the woman I'm thinking of. I'm thinking of a different woman." You don't say sir? "You're really from the states!!! An American Girl!"
He started cracking up at this point. So overcome was he by the hilarity of the astonishing fact that I was American that he actually started to lay down on the bench. Maybe I should pretend to get a phone call.


"What's your name?" He asked when he could speak again.

"Madison" I answered. Kicking myself for not lying. I'm usually pretty good at coming up with quick lies.

"Oh, Madison, it's great to meet you." He stood and shook my hand. "That's a lovely American name and you're a lovely American girl."

"Thank you." I answered.

"Well, nice to meet you." He smiled.

"You too." I smiled diplomatically.

"Just so you know," he leaned in, great. "I am not chatting you up in anyway."

"Oh, hahaha I know." Yeah okay but you are still to close.

"I have a lovely wife and two beautiful kids at home."

"Oh. That's so good." How am I supposed to answer that?

"I am an honest person." He said with viamence.

"Yes. Okay." My diplomatic skills were wearing thin. But it was okay because he walked off.

I figured besides the giving him my real name I had handled the whole thing pretty well. When I got to town I got myself a hot chocolate.

Birthday

It was my first birthday not-in-th-United Sates this year. That was cool.

Summary.

Woke up to the sound of toodlers announcing to the world they were ready for the day to begin. But as it was my day off I got to lie in bed and listen to this rather than get up and quickly get dressed. When I did decide to get up and get dressed I actually put effort into the way I looked. Make up. Did my own hair. Actually wore a flattering outfit. A lot of girls like to advertize what they feel is their personal style and come up with cutting edge names for said choices. Like "sleek and sexy" or "atheltic with a flirty twist". I feel the only phrase that acuretly describes my style is "cleans up nice." Seriously I am so attractive when I actually put time into my appearence.
Then when I got breakfast my "Family" gave me fifty euros on top of the day off. Pretty good right?!

So I went to town and ate mexican food. Well, Irish mexican. But still, one of my favorite things.
Then I went shopping. I found a professional jacket I wanted. Problem. It was 40 euros. Now with my birthday money it was perfect.
But I have a hard time parting with that much money at once.
Even though I need more professional clothes.

So I spent the next few hours window shopping elsewhere and deciding if I still wanted that jacket. Which I did. So I finally bought it. And I don't regret it. I just have a hard time paying a lot for clothes. Even though I love them. Even when I realize it's not an unreasonable price. I just still want to cling to money with my life strength.

Then I got my eye-brows threaded at The Body Shop. Ouch. And they wouldn't let me use my rewards card towards it. Meanies. But whatever.

Then I walked around a bit more and bought Slam, a book by one of my favorite authors Nick Hornby.

Then it was about time to head home. I went back. My family made me chili for dinner and an amazing chocolate cake with butter cream icing. Very nice. So nice I even let the babies sing to me. Something that has been against my policy since I was six. Then I got to skype with my mom for hours. Then I watched a favorite tv show. Which, yes, I do have memorized.

All in all a really good birthday. I mean I accomplished a lot since the last one and most of it has been stuff I wanted to do, graduate from college, get employed as an Au-Pair, get employed as a part time travel writer, move to Ireland are some of the high-lights.

There you go, my life to this point.

wish-list

My mom requested a wish list. Since this is also my way of journal writing I am posting it here. Feel free to read or skip.

1. Money. I like money. But don't get my money because with the exchange rate and stuff it would be complicated . But I can't just not include it on my wishlist. Maybe the universe is listening.

2. Hot British boyfriend. Again, maybe the universe is listening.

3. To speak French or Russian. This is becoming a bucket list.

4. http://www.modcloth.com/shop/kitchen-decor/trunks-full-of-taste-shaker-set aren't they cute!!!!

5. Pigmy Goats. I like goats, these ones are about the size of a bunny. But, again wouldn't really fit into my life right now.





Okay now to the real stuff.  (Ignore that Universe, it's all real)


6. Something tells me this necklace and I would have adventures together. But basically I like jewelry.
http://www.etsy.com/listing/84901512/fairy-tale-world-cinderellas-pumpkin?ref=usr_faveitems&atr_uid=11984476 













7. Barnes and Nobel gift card. I think my nook is getting tired of my uploading free classics. I'm certainly getting tired of reading them. Megan would say I don't deserve my major.



8. http://www.amazon.com/Pop-Culture-Graphics-Poster-11x17/dp/B002S6S826/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pdT1_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=1JBMC2NWFHDF9&coliid=I2D5WDYD2OHPBE
Spooks poster
Not my favorite graphic (or my least for that matter) but the only one I can find.







9. Spooks series nine region 2. I want region 2. Which may cause some difficulties... sorry. Possibly my favorite series in the series. Fall of the human spirit, despair, death, heart break, internal conflict, physiological twists, black mail, kidnap, death, love and hope. "Some of the worst things are done in the name of love. I understand that now."











10. Spooks series 10. The region 2 again. Better cover for one thing. "Wait, Harry, no. This can't be the end."
"We'll just smile, and pretend it isn't."
You can get both from amazon.uk.












 I know there is a lot of Spooks stuff. But in my defense I have bought most the other stuff I want for myself.   "I can't help it if I know what I like. And I know that I like [Spooks]".