Raindrops on Roses...

Hi guys & gals!

This evening I was on a phone call and through the conversation, I remembered that I haven't posted in a while - there's a reason for that: I'm boring!

A few things that I could update you on from my visit with Jill are:
1) I saw my very first homeless man sleeping on the doorstep of a bank. I am sheltered, I know.
2) I saw my very first street fight (if you call one guy on the ground being kicked, punched, spat on and yelled at a "fight") less than a block away from the homeless guy in Dublin. This was actually in a nice part of town - 2 blocks from Trinity College and across the corner from the only Starbucks I've found in the Nation... because apparently in my mind, Starbucks makes an area of town "nice" - lol! - seriously, it was a part of town that that Irish consider nice...
3) I saw my very first pickpocket (post-pickpocketing) as he threw the wallet in the street and walked by... someone else was in a car in front of him and ran out to get the wallet and jumped in the car quickly and drove off (I am assuming to go to the Gardi). This was in Limerick. woot. :)

That was the extent of my negative experiences - and technically, witnessing the beating turned out okay for me because Jill & I sat outside discussing it at the Starbucks and this remarkably attractive guy came out for a break from his computer and was totally staring at me the whole time. In a good way. Not in a creepy, stalker way. Alas, I am too chicken and didn't talk to him, though...

4) Kilkenny did not disappoint in the Hot-Guy Factory department, once again! We had walked maybe 4 blocks and I had counted up to 12 and then we turned a corner and there was this GROUP of guys at the ATM... every single one was attractive! Unbelievable! So our count turned into "12 + 60 billion". lol. The crazy part is that the Irish girls don't see it... as a matter of fact, I attempted a pseudo 'flirt to convert'- type thing with my new roomie when she saw a photo of the Peters' boys and was like, "is that what all the guys in your church look like?" and I was like... we DO have an amazing proportion of attractive people in our church -- you are MORE than welcome to visit a camp! It was cute. :)
5) We visited some of the other places, but nothing exceptional occurred that I recall. We went to the Burren, Cliffs of Moher, Rock of Cashel and Dublin. Dublin was really fun (not counting the aforementioned events)! We went to the National Gallery and the National Museum and on the same bus tour that I take everyone on now... and I think I got the same guy again - woot! - but it was only for 3 or 4 stops... *sigh*. We also went to O'Neill's pub (400+ yrs old) and the cute Italian place that Dana Reed (aka Chris Reed's sister) showed Ky & me. And we also made it to a play at the Abbey Theatre, so all in all, it was pretty memorable! :)

Post-Jill's visit is not nearly as interesting...

1) Slept for a week. Literally. Okay - not "literally" - more like, "did nothing but sleep and watch tv. no reading, forgot to eat, and I did not leave my house for more than 30 mins the entire week". It was gross and rainy and cold and WINDY - I really do miss -35 snowy, blowy SK! :( And I talked with Griffin today and mentioned that I cannot handle this weather and he said that this has been a rough winter and is tough on even the most hardened of the Irish. He actually said "Even us Irish can't handle THIS!"
2) I moved to a new apartment across the yard in the same village last Wednesday. If you want my new address, let me know! If you have my old address, everything is the same except the apt & room #s (apt 6, rm 2). My room is identical to my old one, but I have a smaller apartment. 3 post-grad roomies instead of 5 undergrads. 2 of us have been here all week and are getting along SO well!!! The other girl will only be here on the weekends 'cause she is going into high school music education and has a post as a student teacher in another town. And there is one guy from Spain that I haven't met yet, but apparently he is really easy to get along with, so yay! :)
3)After I moved and unpacked, I spent the rest of last week finishing up one of the novels that I plan to use for my thesis. Apparently people like it, but I have definitely been spoiled by the phenomenal writing of Edward Rutherford and was quite disappointed in my latest read... oh well!

Today started my last week before classes begin. I went to the library at 9am and started getting into a routine. I worked until 3:00, reviewed over 50 books and found more than 20 that I need to actually read for comprehension and began Sir Thomas More's "Utopia" for my utopian studies class. I found out my class schedule for next term and it is AMAZING!! Tuesdays 2-5pm and Wednesdays 11am-2pm. THAT'S ALL. Which is why I should get into a routine or I will run the risk of sitting at home sleeping and watching tv and that just won't be good!

So my plan is for Wed to be my first day back to the gym in a while - I will let you know how long that lasts! :) And the rest of my week is Sir Thomas More + Gulliver's Travels + preparing my thesis proposal. Wish me luck!

I am warning you - you may be hearing lots about research and utopias in the coming weeks... only because that will be my life! sorry...

PS
I only chose this post-title because of the "rain" portion - and the fact that my entire world is seen through a filter of rain lately. Not saying that public beatings, pickpockets and 16th century writings are "my favourite things"... haha!