Hi all,
I have no idea if I have just been out of the loop all my life, if it's not something common in the South, or if this is actually something that is unique to this part of the world, BUT... something I learned about today:
February 29 is best known around here as the day women can propose* to the men! haha! There are talk shows and mentions of it on news broadcasts and everything! I was highly entertained. I watched a pretty good debate on whether women should propose this afternoon. There was a very traditional woman who argued the "he's just not into you theory" and a hardcore feminist-type who argued that women should be able to do everything a man can do (gender-role-wise) without fear of judgment, and a guy who argued that he finds it flattering when a woman makes the first move (dating or otherwise, I guess?)... but my favourite was a male model who mentioned that has a few friends who planned a "guys trip to Kilkenny" over a month ago with the specific intention of being away from their girlfriends on today! lol! They didn't even want to take the chance!
I am not sure which part fascinates me most:
the part about how afraid these guys were of being proposed to OR
the part about how they chose to go to Kilkenny**!!!!
FYI - no proposals were made by me... in case you were curious, haha :)
* as in propose marriage, specifically
** aka "the hot-guy factory", in case you've forgotten -- what better place for guys to run away to on the day women can propose to them! Maybe women should just start making trips there every 4 yrs and propose to one of the MANY cute guys they meet... KIDDING! About the instant proposal, not about the enormous amount of cute guys.
love you all ~
29 February 2008
28 February 2008
pros & con
so I went through a pretty weird evening tonight. I still don't know what exactly has happened. But what I do know is that there are definitely several pros and at least one con to living across the Atlantic from your family.
Con: you can't give your cousins a hug when they need it most.
Pros:
1) you learn that distance is a way of forcing a person into "giving up" control over situations...life...people...
2) you learn that emotions can't change a situation and that physical distance allows you time to achieve an emotional distance from the drama.
3) you learn what it is like to really pray. a person's helplessness in a situation can show God's power.
FYI
I am not going into any more detail. if you were directly involved in the situation and you are reading this, you know what I am talking about. If you don't know what I am talking about, then I hope you read this for the lesson and not for the story.
ALSO
if you didn't figure out the lesson, well there are several possibilities:
1) hug people often* & let them know you love them
2) giving up control is less traumatic when you make the choice on your own
3) being emotional is not always the answer (hah! this will take forEVER for me to learn!)
4) God is amazing and holds us up in our times of uncertainty-He is good,all the time :)
*virtual hugs to my friends and family. my body may be far away, but my heart is still with each of you :)
Con: you can't give your cousins a hug when they need it most.
Pros:
1) you learn that distance is a way of forcing a person into "giving up" control over situations...life...people...
2) you learn that emotions can't change a situation and that physical distance allows you time to achieve an emotional distance from the drama.
3) you learn what it is like to really pray. a person's helplessness in a situation can show God's power.
FYI
I am not going into any more detail. if you were directly involved in the situation and you are reading this, you know what I am talking about. If you don't know what I am talking about, then I hope you read this for the lesson and not for the story.
ALSO
if you didn't figure out the lesson, well there are several possibilities:
1) hug people often* & let them know you love them
2) giving up control is less traumatic when you make the choice on your own
3) being emotional is not always the answer (hah! this will take forEVER for me to learn!)
4) God is amazing and holds us up in our times of uncertainty-He is good,all the time :)
*virtual hugs to my friends and family. my body may be far away, but my heart is still with each of you :)
25 February 2008
just 'cause
Howdy :)
I don't have much to say (hah.), but I thought I would send out a tiny update anyway!
1) I finally got my room and schoolwork organised! I feel like I can make things happen now instead of swimming around in disorganised chaos... it feels good... :)
2) I signed up for ballroom dance lessons with 3 of my friends. So for the next 7 thursday nights, I will be walking 30 min to the lesson, dancing/falling over for 1.5 hrs and walking home for 30 min. Not counting my regular 1-3hrs of daily walking, so I feel good about that!
3) I picked up a temporary job calling alumni and asking for $$... sound familiar?? The UL campaign is only for 3wks, and it's an extra couple hundred euro in my pocket to support my traveling habit.
4) I bought a flight to Zurich to see SOMETHING on the continent! I'll be spending a weekend in April there with Lyn - woot!
5) I have made tentative plans to meet my family on my father's side for the first time in Birmingham, England. The ideal plan is to get to London for church at Bro Greenwich's service on the Sunday.
6) I have reserved a room in Dublin to spend St Patty's Day there with a few other americans - YAY!!!!!
**now's a good time to refer back to #3. Not that a couple hundred will suffice but it will make life easier! It will pay for both flights :)
Now I am off to finish reading an article by Dr. Griffin about Oliver Goldsmith... don't ask... but I am actually LEARNING something, so yay!
bye for now ~
I don't have much to say (hah.), but I thought I would send out a tiny update anyway!
1) I finally got my room and schoolwork organised! I feel like I can make things happen now instead of swimming around in disorganised chaos... it feels good... :)
2) I signed up for ballroom dance lessons with 3 of my friends. So for the next 7 thursday nights, I will be walking 30 min to the lesson, dancing/falling over for 1.5 hrs and walking home for 30 min. Not counting my regular 1-3hrs of daily walking, so I feel good about that!
3) I picked up a temporary job calling alumni and asking for $$... sound familiar?? The UL campaign is only for 3wks, and it's an extra couple hundred euro in my pocket to support my traveling habit.
4) I bought a flight to Zurich to see SOMETHING on the continent! I'll be spending a weekend in April there with Lyn - woot!
5) I have made tentative plans to meet my family on my father's side for the first time in Birmingham, England. The ideal plan is to get to London for church at Bro Greenwich's service on the Sunday.
6) I have reserved a room in Dublin to spend St Patty's Day there with a few other americans - YAY!!!!!
**now's a good time to refer back to #3. Not that a couple hundred will suffice but it will make life easier! It will pay for both flights :)
Now I am off to finish reading an article by Dr. Griffin about Oliver Goldsmith... don't ask... but I am actually LEARNING something, so yay!
bye for now ~
20 February 2008
Repeat for AG, sorry ~
Below is an excerpt from an email I sent Angela G recently. I thought it was a funny enough story to share and hope you find it entertaining - if it is offensive, I apologise. Not my intention. But I do like to use this blog to keep a record of my experiences in Eire, so here you go:
I have met (and was literally stalked by) 5 guys at a pub in town that has latin dancing on Thursdays... let me explain: 5 guys, 3 dances, 2 of the guys were 60 year-old irishmen and 3 of them were black. Not saying black is bad - but I did not feel that any of them were worth my time, regardless of race. The stalking experience occurred THE ENTIRE TIME I WAS THERE. I hadn't taken my coat off before a guy had my hand & was dragging me to the dance floor. The manager had to step in 2, maybe 3 times, ask some guys to go to the other end of the pub, come to me and ask if some of the guys were 'with' me, and make sure I was okay as I walked out... it got to the point that some of my classmates wondered if HE was stalking me. I didn't get it! All I did was agree to dance. In runners, so I wasn't anywhere close to good. And I only agreed to dance with 2 of the guys. (let's keep in mind: it was ballroom-style latin dancing, not like being in a dance club... just basic steps: 123pause123pause and a few very poor spins.) It was INTERESTING!
Then Muireann and I are outside waiting for the rest of our people and we get approached by 3 drunk young-ish men (welcome to Eire!). One is late 20s-early 30s and is totally enthralled with Muireann, one is 19 and the other is celebrating his EIGHTEENTH birthday! *sigh* What a gong show! I am enjoying the show of Muireann and the older guy when the 18yr old comes up to me and whispers in my ear: "I am only 18... don't take advantage of me, now..." HAHAHAHA! I replied, "honey, I couldn't if I wanted to." and he thought it was hysterical.
THEN 2 of the black guys come outside before my people arrive and start telling me their phone # and asking me to repeat it so that they know I am listening to them. I repeat it and forget before I get home. I had told them that if I did return to the pub, it would only be to dance and that I couldn't guarantee that I would even come back because I am not in Ireland for a social life - I am here for school. -- honestly, I really did say that!!! -- And now some of the girls want to go back and another girl who missed out that night wants to see the place... so it looks like I may be returning... lol.
Moral of the story: Stephanie cannot get a non-controversial, irish guy between the ages of 18 & 60 to SAVE HER LIFE! :) Seriously, is that too much to ask? I'd even sub "irish" for "guy who won't automatically get me disowned/arrested/kicked out of school".
Just so we are clear: I am open to meeting anyone who meets these qualifications :)
bye for now!
I have met (and was literally stalked by) 5 guys at a pub in town that has latin dancing on Thursdays... let me explain: 5 guys, 3 dances, 2 of the guys were 60 year-old irishmen and 3 of them were black. Not saying black is bad - but I did not feel that any of them were worth my time, regardless of race. The stalking experience occurred THE ENTIRE TIME I WAS THERE. I hadn't taken my coat off before a guy had my hand & was dragging me to the dance floor. The manager had to step in 2, maybe 3 times, ask some guys to go to the other end of the pub, come to me and ask if some of the guys were 'with' me, and make sure I was okay as I walked out... it got to the point that some of my classmates wondered if HE was stalking me. I didn't get it! All I did was agree to dance. In runners, so I wasn't anywhere close to good. And I only agreed to dance with 2 of the guys. (let's keep in mind: it was ballroom-style latin dancing, not like being in a dance club... just basic steps: 123pause123pause and a few very poor spins.) It was INTERESTING!
Then Muireann and I are outside waiting for the rest of our people and we get approached by 3 drunk young-ish men (welcome to Eire!). One is late 20s-early 30s and is totally enthralled with Muireann, one is 19 and the other is celebrating his EIGHTEENTH birthday! *sigh* What a gong show! I am enjoying the show of Muireann and the older guy when the 18yr old comes up to me and whispers in my ear: "I am only 18... don't take advantage of me, now..." HAHAHAHA! I replied, "honey, I couldn't if I wanted to." and he thought it was hysterical.
THEN 2 of the black guys come outside before my people arrive and start telling me their phone # and asking me to repeat it so that they know I am listening to them. I repeat it and forget before I get home. I had told them that if I did return to the pub, it would only be to dance and that I couldn't guarantee that I would even come back because I am not in Ireland for a social life - I am here for school. -- honestly, I really did say that!!! -- And now some of the girls want to go back and another girl who missed out that night wants to see the place... so it looks like I may be returning... lol.
Moral of the story: Stephanie cannot get a non-controversial, irish guy between the ages of 18 & 60 to SAVE HER LIFE! :) Seriously, is that too much to ask? I'd even sub "irish" for "guy who won't automatically get me disowned/arrested/kicked out of school".
Just so we are clear: I am open to meeting anyone who meets these qualifications :)
bye for now!
14 February 2008
Scholastic Update
Hi All,
So I am on my way to bake cookies (a recipe I got from Ellie Paul that is a total HIT over here!) for a chocolate Valentine's Day party a few of us singletons are invited to. :) After the baking and before the party, I am going to see the Irish Chamber Orchestra with a couple girls from class. The orchestra is being conducted by a world-renowned cellist that I am pretty sure I met at an after-party with Lane & Reanne, but I am awaiting confirmation on that... I have decided that on my way to the orchestra, I will share my cookies and if the orchestra runs late, or the party decides to go into town, then I will have at least done something special with my valentine's day, right? Better than reliving last valentine's day*, that's for sure!
Back to school:
I thought I would share with everyone that I have gotten my research thesis approved, so I have a supervisor (not the one I thought - actually, he's sharing me with another guy, so technically, I guess it is the one I thought... whatever... long story) and (one of) my supervisor(s) actually gave me some DIRECTION today - what a ginormous help!!!
So here it is: I am planning to research literary-historical representation & constructions of cultural identity in 19th century plantation literature of the American South and big house literature of Ireland. How's that for sounding academic? I have chosen my two books and my theorist(s).
Next step: come up with a concise argument! I can do this... :)
that's all for now - back to baking!
love,
not-bitter-about-vday ;)
* although last year was definitively my worst Vday ever (and I didn't like them BEFORE last year), I did share in the joy of cheesy romantic comedy with some pretty great girls!
So I am on my way to bake cookies (a recipe I got from Ellie Paul that is a total HIT over here!) for a chocolate Valentine's Day party a few of us singletons are invited to. :) After the baking and before the party, I am going to see the Irish Chamber Orchestra with a couple girls from class. The orchestra is being conducted by a world-renowned cellist that I am pretty sure I met at an after-party with Lane & Reanne, but I am awaiting confirmation on that... I have decided that on my way to the orchestra, I will share my cookies and if the orchestra runs late, or the party decides to go into town, then I will have at least done something special with my valentine's day, right? Better than reliving last valentine's day*, that's for sure!
Back to school:
I thought I would share with everyone that I have gotten my research thesis approved, so I have a supervisor (not the one I thought - actually, he's sharing me with another guy, so technically, I guess it is the one I thought... whatever... long story) and (one of) my supervisor(s) actually gave me some DIRECTION today - what a ginormous help!!!
So here it is: I am planning to research literary-historical representation & constructions of cultural identity in 19th century plantation literature of the American South and big house literature of Ireland. How's that for sounding academic? I have chosen my two books and my theorist(s).
Next step: come up with a concise argument! I can do this... :)
that's all for now - back to baking!
love,
not-bitter-about-vday ;)
* although last year was definitively my worst Vday ever (and I didn't like them BEFORE last year), I did share in the joy of cheesy romantic comedy with some pretty great girls!
12 February 2008
did you know...
that the first person to introduce me to the word "blog" was Brian Hannigan? We were playing speed scrabble at scripture studies '03 and he used the word "blog" and we all accused him of making it up. lol! Now for further weird/random facts about me, see below:
I have been tagged by Jen, yay! :)
RULES:
1. My toenails must be painted at all times. I haven't had naked toenails since I was 11.
2. I wake up every morning with a random song in my head. Today was "I believe the children are our future" by Whitney Houston.
3. I only bite my nails when I am watching TV or if I can't grasp a concept and and concentrating too hard. Ask Kelly H about chemistry class. (By the way, I have no nails for the first time since I was 18 b/c of TV and concentration this year!)
4. I have not re-read a book since I was 8. I need to be surprised by the ending. Except books from the Bible.
5. I must have my shoes off while I read - even if I am in public, say a coffee shop. (I will add an extra bit in here for anyone who does not know: wet sock is my pet-peeve. I can't handle it, so if I get wet sock, I take them off as soon as possible - reading or not!)
6. I organise my closet in ROYGBIV order with whites on one side and brown/gray/black (in that order) on the other side and the colours ascend/descend in shade accordingly. hah. oh: and I separate by category - shirts, pants, jackets.
7. I am a one-trip person. I would rather stop 25 times because I am carrying 100lbs worth of bags (hyperbole, I know) on one trip (say to carry in groceries) than have to go back for a 2nd trip.
just b/c: I have recently begun entertaining myself by counting the # of steps between places. It is approximately 250 steps across the bridge to my apt, 475 from the library to the village between campus and my apt, etc.
there you go! More than you wanted to know before you read this post, eh?
and I don't think I can tag 7 people with blogs who haven't been tagged. Let's see...
Dan M, Ky & Lyn are the only 3 I don't see right now. I will add my sister, Tina, Sharon and Victoria to this, but they'll have to post on FB, if they want to.
bye for now ~
I have been tagged by Jen, yay! :)
RULES:
- Link to the person who tagged you
- Post the rules on your blog.
- Share seven random and/or weird facts about yourself on your blog.
- Tag seven random people at the end of your post, and include links to their blogs.
- Leave a comment on their blogs so that they know they have been tagged.
1. My toenails must be painted at all times. I haven't had naked toenails since I was 11.
2. I wake up every morning with a random song in my head. Today was "I believe the children are our future" by Whitney Houston.
3. I only bite my nails when I am watching TV or if I can't grasp a concept and and concentrating too hard. Ask Kelly H about chemistry class. (By the way, I have no nails for the first time since I was 18 b/c of TV and concentration this year!)
4. I have not re-read a book since I was 8. I need to be surprised by the ending. Except books from the Bible.
5. I must have my shoes off while I read - even if I am in public, say a coffee shop. (I will add an extra bit in here for anyone who does not know: wet sock is my pet-peeve. I can't handle it, so if I get wet sock, I take them off as soon as possible - reading or not!)
6. I organise my closet in ROYGBIV order with whites on one side and brown/gray/black (in that order) on the other side and the colours ascend/descend in shade accordingly. hah. oh: and I separate by category - shirts, pants, jackets.
7. I am a one-trip person. I would rather stop 25 times because I am carrying 100lbs worth of bags (hyperbole, I know) on one trip (say to carry in groceries) than have to go back for a 2nd trip.
just b/c: I have recently begun entertaining myself by counting the # of steps between places. It is approximately 250 steps across the bridge to my apt, 475 from the library to the village between campus and my apt, etc.
there you go! More than you wanted to know before you read this post, eh?
and I don't think I can tag 7 people with blogs who haven't been tagged. Let's see...
Dan M, Ky & Lyn are the only 3 I don't see right now. I will add my sister, Tina, Sharon and Victoria to this, but they'll have to post on FB, if they want to.
bye for now ~
11 February 2008
BORED.
That's what you will be when you're reading this blog. Don't say I didn't warn you! :)
I haven't posted in a while but that's because I haven't had anything to post about. But here's what I have been up to over the past 2 weeks:
I have read: The Lover, Utopia (the 1551 translation from Latin), Murder in Memoriam, A Modest Proposal, Gulliver's Travels, Happy Birthday, Turk!, Waves of Time & Himmelfarb (all you get on the link from the last 2 are citation info - sorry, no pics, apparently!). All novels. All for class. 15 more to go. YAY!
I have watched: Indochine, L'Amant ,Chocolat (no, not the Johnny Depp one), La Bataille d'Alger & La Haine. All in French. But with English subtitles, woot! Indochine & La Haine are my faves so far. 9 more to go.
In addition to this, I have been preparing my Thesis proposal (crazy setback 12 days ago after 3 mos of research and had to completely change directions. it was due today.) DONE!
And I have read around 7 academic articles as supplementary readings. And a 10+pp poem by Oliver Goldsmith (a 17th? century Irish poet). 18 required plus another 30 or so secondary readings to go.
For the record: all the work left to do is to be done in the next 9 weeks. :)
I did manage to squeeze in a day of Firefly with a classmate; it was for an essay! :) And I got caught up on One Tree Hill over the weekend.
I have 3.5 articles that I am hoping to have read tomorrow. 2 before 2pm and 1.5 before 3:30pm. We'll see. And I am reading Joyce's "The Dead" from The Dubliners before I go to bed tonight! I have a potentially intimidating meeting with our external examiner from Italy on Wednesday.
Things I have learned since coming here: geographical location will never change the fact that I like to be involved in EVERYTHING and make sure EVERYONE is included! Apparently, I am fast becoming known for my ability to be "in the know" about all things course-related. I am the point-lady for any questions people may have, like, "which classroom are we in today?" or "what is the next book we have to read?" or "which movies are for this week?" or "what are the guidelines for our proposal?" or... or... or... lol! I should know better by now. Apparently, my tendency for gossip is being put to good use, eh? :)
I am also very slowly coming up with a list of "Irish" phrases/sayings that I hope to get posted eventually. Just to let you know that I am trying to give you something besides WORKWORKWORK.
In my spare time, I have also been looking out for possible trips. I have talked with my cousin in Birmingham, England who I have never met and am hoping to get over there for a weekend - in my dream world, I will take a train into London for church @ Bro Greenwich's church, if possible, and fly back to Eire from there. The class trip, last discussion will probably be to Edinburgh (Loch Ness!) & 3 of us are hoping to go to Dublin for St Patrick's Day! I WILL BE IN IRELAND ON SAINT PATRICK'S DAY!!!!!!
I have found out that I am required to stay in Eire until mid-July at the earliest, so no NB camp, for sure. Just so you know... :( But today, 4 of us decided to move into a house together over the summer. One girl already has the house and her 3 roomies move out in May. And I love this house - it's too cute! About the same distance from campus as I am now, but on the other side. (Jill, if you're reading this, it's Diane's place!)
okay. if you made it this far, you DESERVE points. give yourself however many you'd like. :)
LOVE YOU ALL! MISS YOU MUCHLY!
I haven't posted in a while but that's because I haven't had anything to post about. But here's what I have been up to over the past 2 weeks:
I have read: The Lover, Utopia (the 1551 translation from Latin), Murder in Memoriam, A Modest Proposal, Gulliver's Travels, Happy Birthday, Turk!, Waves of Time & Himmelfarb (all you get on the link from the last 2 are citation info - sorry, no pics, apparently!). All novels. All for class. 15 more to go. YAY!
I have watched: Indochine, L'Amant ,Chocolat (no, not the Johnny Depp one), La Bataille d'Alger & La Haine. All in French. But with English subtitles, woot! Indochine & La Haine are my faves so far. 9 more to go.
In addition to this, I have been preparing my Thesis proposal (crazy setback 12 days ago after 3 mos of research and had to completely change directions. it was due today.) DONE!
And I have read around 7 academic articles as supplementary readings. And a 10+pp poem by Oliver Goldsmith (a 17th? century Irish poet). 18 required plus another 30 or so secondary readings to go.
For the record: all the work left to do is to be done in the next 9 weeks. :)
I did manage to squeeze in a day of Firefly with a classmate; it was for an essay! :) And I got caught up on One Tree Hill over the weekend.
I have 3.5 articles that I am hoping to have read tomorrow. 2 before 2pm and 1.5 before 3:30pm. We'll see. And I am reading Joyce's "The Dead" from The Dubliners before I go to bed tonight! I have a potentially intimidating meeting with our external examiner from Italy on Wednesday.
Things I have learned since coming here: geographical location will never change the fact that I like to be involved in EVERYTHING and make sure EVERYONE is included! Apparently, I am fast becoming known for my ability to be "in the know" about all things course-related. I am the point-lady for any questions people may have, like, "which classroom are we in today?" or "what is the next book we have to read?" or "which movies are for this week?" or "what are the guidelines for our proposal?" or... or... or... lol! I should know better by now. Apparently, my tendency for gossip is being put to good use, eh? :)
I am also very slowly coming up with a list of "Irish" phrases/sayings that I hope to get posted eventually. Just to let you know that I am trying to give you something besides WORKWORKWORK.
In my spare time, I have also been looking out for possible trips. I have talked with my cousin in Birmingham, England who I have never met and am hoping to get over there for a weekend - in my dream world, I will take a train into London for church @ Bro Greenwich's church, if possible, and fly back to Eire from there. The class trip, last discussion will probably be to Edinburgh (Loch Ness!) & 3 of us are hoping to go to Dublin for St Patrick's Day! I WILL BE IN IRELAND ON SAINT PATRICK'S DAY!!!!!!
I have found out that I am required to stay in Eire until mid-July at the earliest, so no NB camp, for sure. Just so you know... :( But today, 4 of us decided to move into a house together over the summer. One girl already has the house and her 3 roomies move out in May. And I love this house - it's too cute! About the same distance from campus as I am now, but on the other side. (Jill, if you're reading this, it's Diane's place!)
okay. if you made it this far, you DESERVE points. give yourself however many you'd like. :)
LOVE YOU ALL! MISS YOU MUCHLY!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)