Guess What? It's Raining!

While most people from home are heading off to the Newport Fair in the summer heat, I am sitting in a room thousands of miles away. It is slightly chilly, and has been raining all day. My computer is balanced awkwardly on my lap and there are two Jack Russell Terriers on either side of me. Hence my present state of discomfort. If I put on elbow down like I want to do, I will disturb Roxie. I can't make too much movement or else I will disturb Maggie who has wrapped herself around me somehow and refuses to move. This is my day. Amanda and Orla are working on their theses (supposedly) and, after a late night of applying for jobs and discussing copyright laws and Harry Potter, I'm still in my pajamas and quite happy about it.

Supposedly, we're going out tonight. I haven't been home since last evening and don't know how I'm supposed to look presentable in my current state of laziness. Shauna just arrived home and the dogs are up and away, hurray! I can stretch my legs! If I can get motivated, I might look for more jobs. Most likely, I'll just crochet some more. That is, until I'm told to get a move on, we have appearances to make. It's a rough existence, this Friday. There is ice cream in the freezer, I'm going to liberate it.

The Things We Take for Granted

So, dear readers, as most of you know, I’m due back in the States on September 1. As you also know, I’ve been struggling, hard, with having to juggle my excitement of coming home with a sinking disbelief and sadness that my year in Ireland is really almost over. Today it rained. I mean, really rained. The wind was up, and half the day you couldn’t see out the window. Those sorts of days are alright, but eventually, they can get you down. I got down. I’m sure reading Virginia Woolf didn’t help. Anyway, I was feeling kinda blue. So I started looking at pictures. All kinds of them. And then I thought, ‘Boy, do I take a lot of stuff for granted.’

You see, it hit me as I was looking at these pictures with a jaded eye and being grumpy about things that actually don’t matter, that I am surrounded by some pretty awesome stuff. The Aran Islands, which I will miss tremendously, are a boat ride away. Galway itself is absolutely gorgeous, not to mention the rest of the island that I’ve so carelessly called home over the past year. Sure, I’ve had my moments when I could hardly take in the beauty and the wonder of it, and no, you can’t really go around saying, ‘Wow’ all the time, but honestly, going around grumbling about having to leave and then being bored because your friends are still in the library writing their theses, is just a bit, how do I say this, lame.

And it’s not just Ireland. How many times does someone visit from out of town and I say, “Well, we can go hiking, I guess.” As if the Cascades had somehow gotten uglier from the last time I went up there. There is so much to appreciate and it has nothing to do with rolling fields and fresh air, because no matter where we are, there is always something to be amazed by and thankful for.

Look, I’m not good at sap, but this is really important. I guess what I’m trying to say is, that no matter where I go (and let’s face it, I’m always going to be wanting to go somewhere), I’m probably going to be sad to leave. And I’m always going to be excited to go wherever I’m going. But this intensity of gloominess shouldn’t happen. Why? Because I need to remember more often that I’m just a boat ride away from the Aran Islands or a short drive to the Cascades or even a walk away from something that’s just downright cool. So this is my sap. If I didn’t feel sad about leaving these places, I would be cold-hearted, plain and simple. Wherever you have people you care about, you’re gonna hate to leave. But, wherever you have people you care about, you’re always going to have a place to stay. And that is the most important thing never to take for granted. I think I’m done with the cheesy stuff now, but I’m also done with the grumpy. Next time, I'll write something funny, I promise.

Things I Can't Wait to Have Back

This post will be dedicated to the non-people things I have been craving while gone. So, things I can't wait to have back in no particular order:

1) Wendy's/Chick Fil A/American Quiznos - oh my gosh. It's such hard work to indulge in fast food here. Yes, I know this is a good thing, but today, I woke up really really craving a Spicy Chicken Sandwich.

2) My car. Mostly for use in procuring said Spicy Chicken Sandwich. And for singing really loudly. It's a stress reliever.

3) Kroger. Okay, so this list is mostly because of food. Yes, I have to get groceries, but that won't happen until tomorrow. There is a dinner at our house today. Anyway, Kroger. Why? Texas Toast Croutons, Stacy's Pita Chips, Pizza Rolls, that delicious cheese dip that has a gazillion calories, the anticipation of walking into Kroger and never knowing what you might find.

4) Netflix AND Redbox- Not only is it cheaper than iTunes, my computer doesn't freeze with these guys. Sorry iTunes.

5) Real, sit down, stay for a good long while coffeeshops.

At the moment, that's it, but as I've written this post, I have also been fed. So lesson learned. Don't blog on an empty stomach.

Celebrate Good Times, Come On!

Okay, kiddos. Prepare yourself. Are you sitting down? Because, for the first time in quite a long time actually, I have finished something with time to spare before deadline. Sitting on my desk is a bound portfolio for me to keep. The better looking one is sitting in the English Department. Cross your fingers that the readers like it.

In other news, I went out to celebrate. This week just happens to be Race Week in Galway and I can honestly say that I have never seen such a giant party in my life. It's too much. That doesn't mean I turned around and went home. Oh no. But it does mean that it's too much. Nevertheless, Orla, Shauna, Natasha and I soldiered on and had quite the late night. Now that the portfolio is over, the idea of sleep is just too hard to resist. So I've been catching up.

What does August hold? Job searching, hopefully some travel. And lots of friend time. There'll be some writing in there as well, including smaller, housekeeping projects for this course. Time is winding down. It's strange to think that my year here is almost over. So, my favorite question rears its head, "What am I going to do next?" I have no idea. Suggestions welcome. Maybe a nap first, then the world.

A love letter to Enda Walsh and Cillian Murphy

Tonight, I went to see a play. No shocker there. You might recall from my previous post that I was going to see Misterman, starring Cillian Murphy. Well, that was my destination tonight and it was absolutely fantastic. The play is written by Enda Walsh, and this particular performance was also directed by him.

Now, Enda Walsh plays are generally described as weird or disturbed or 'messed up'. Which, to be honest, on paper and, in general, they are. But they (meaning the only two I have read) are also original and compelling and all of those nice words people use in reviews. Anyway, I headed off the theatre excited and a bit unsure what to expect. It was a one man show though the people behind the scenes had just as much work to do as Cillian. I can't get over how good it was. If the show weren't sold out, I would go again. and again. and again. And it's not really a heartwarming tale. Basically (and this is very basic), you have Thomas, a religious fanatic who is trying to single handedly save his town from sin and in the end, does some very bad things. Throughout the day, he meets with random locals and Cillian plays them all through change in voice/dialogue. To describe it is impossible. There are funny moments, frightening moments, very sad and touching ones, and then, like the last scene, terrifyingly touching moments. You realize exactly what has happened and yet, you still can't hate him thoroughly.

In a nutshell, I want to be friends with these guys. They're super talented and appear (from the interview afterwards) to be the type of artist that just does their thing without worrying too much about explaining it after. I love that. I may not have had the guts to walk up to either of them after the show and shake their hands to say Thank You, but I hope one day to be recognized as their kind of artist.

A Funny Thing Happened on the way to the Grocery Shop

When you stay at home for four days and turn down a free boat cruise that also offers free alcohol, your friends are likely to think something is seriously wrong. With this in mind, Kate texted me this morning and asked if I'd like to meet her for dinner in town. As I also got texts from Liz and Leeann asking how things were, I figured I should reassure them of my mental health. So, I set off for town at around 7. I locked the door and turned towards my street to find a tiny woman at the bottom of our drive. A lovely day for a walk wasn't it? she asked. Yes, it was gorgeous, I said. The lady proceeded to ask if I was American, I surely didn't live alone? The family next door, I was informed, is quite nice, their daughter is going to University and visits often. The lady herself was one of 5 nuns that live next door, missionary nuns. There is herself, the sister who drives, the sister with bad eyesight who wears dark glasses and a dark habit, another sister who is youngish but 25 years ago had a benign tumor removed and hasn't been the same since. I don't know about the 5th one, but I told her their roses were beautiful. Then off I went to meet Kate.

We decided to try a burger place a little away from the touristy crowds. There are always signs everywhere for it and we'd both wanted to try it for awhile. Well. An hour after ordering, we get our food. The table beside us who came in AFTER us had already eaten and were paying their bill. We had ordered garlic bread as a starter, they forgot that, and then when we mentioned it, the waitress asked us if we still wanted it. Our ONE piece of bread came out with the rest of our meal. I ordered the BBQ burger and instead, got a salsa burger. What are the similarities between 'hickory smoked bbq sauce' and 'salsa'? The answer: none. It's a shame really. If the service hadn't been horrendous and they'd actually gotten our order right, it would have been a nice (if overpriced) place. But alas. It was such a nice evening, we decided we'd make a loop around the Spanish Arch to see how crowded it was and then took the back way to avoid crowds to where we usually part for our respective homes. I FINALLY discovered where Nora Barnacle's house is (not at all where I imagined; Nora Barnacle was the wife of James Joyce). There is a great film called 'Nora' starring Ewan MacGregor and if you like the costumey, literary biopics, I highly recommend it.

Now, usually, I go past Eddie Rocket's and McSwiggans on my way home and part with Kate earlier. But, as it's no difference in distance and she walks by BORN (a clothing store), I figured I'd see what they had in the window. I wasn't impressed, so we continued on towards the bridge. Coming towards us was a group of men, one of whom was sporting quite the beard.

I knew who it was instantly. No matter how bushy the beard, the cheekbones and eyes were unmistakable. It was none other than Cillian Murphy. He's in town for the Galway Arts Festival to perform in "Misterman"- a play by Enda Walsh. I'm going to see it on Wednesday and am stoked, but to see him on the street! Kate and I refused to look at each other and barely made eye contact with Cillian himself. When we passed him, Kate nudged me and I whispered, "I know, I didn't want to screw it up!" A straggler to the Murphy party heard us and said, "Don't do that!" and so we couldn't help it, we burst out laughing. Afterwards I went to the shop to pick up a few groceries, bought some very unsatisfying strawberry ice cream on sale and am now preparing to write. And that is the story of my first non-baseball related celebrity sighting and how I chose to spend my Saturday night.

Papers Hurt.

That being said, I have rewritten and edited 5/6 pieces for my portfolio due in less than a month. To celebrate, I did what any normal person would do. I paid an exorbitant amount of money for a tub of Ben & Jerry's ice cream and ate it while looking at castle hotels. Then, I read until I fell asleep. On the book. Much earlier than I have in possibly weeks. It was pretty amazing.

I know I've been a bad correspondent. I've posted nothing about my trips to Italy and France. Horrible, I know. But the truth is, the minute I step back into Ireland, my mind goes directly to my work. I have kept travel journals for both trips and hope to post those at some point, but will say, as much fun as I have gallivanting around Europe, every time I get off the plane and realize I should have packed five more pairs of socks and ten more scarves for the bus ride back to Galway, I feel happy. Even if the later the bus ride, the worse the driver. Or, if I happen to get on the bus that stops every 5 minutes in random towns because it leaves earlier and gets in about the same time as the quicker bus. (That was a bad idea). ANYWAY, bottom line: in spite of the ridiculous, nasty, miserable weather (if you get up at 5 am you might enjoy an hour or two of sunshine before it turns to crap), I am going to be very sad when I leave here despite being very happy to return home. In fact, if I spend summers here, then I could skip the miserable heat and get all the benefits of the rest of the seasons at home. Must remember that when I take over the world.

I am avoiding college and working from home for a number of reasons. 1) Summer camp. Small children are loud and scary. 2) Study abroad. Americans are loud and scary. Actually, they're not scary, they're just loud. And annoying. Two girls in the LIBRARY (not in the lobby, in the actual quiet, students studying part) had a normal conversation in their normal voices and then decided to open a bag of chips. in the LIBRARY. then they ate the chips. in the LIBRARY. One girl got a call on her cell phone, so she decided to answer it. in the LIBRARY. and she put it on speakerphone. in the LIBRARY. as if that weren't enough and they couldn't tell that the reason I kept looking at them wasn't because they were sooooo cool it was because I wanted to physically harm them, their friend came over. Yes, they were going to a barbeque, and oh my gosh, it was going to be so much fun. I'm really happy for them, but seeing as no one else IN THE LIBRARY was invited, I couldn't care less. Because they were blatantly breaking all the rules of the LIBRARY. 3) My headphones are broken, so until I get new ones, I can't drown out the sounds of loud people in the library (though I doubt anything would have helped for those idiots).

On a more patriotic note, we did have a 4th of July celebration at my friend Orla's house and made hotdogs and mac & cheese and red and blue cupcakes and an American flag cheesecake! It was delicious and I was so full I couldn't move. We even have leftovers (I got a little overexcited while making the mac & cheese).

And that, my friends, is what I've been doing in between writing (or at least pretending to) and doing/laughing at Geribody yoga. And, reading all of Jane Austen's novels in order of publication date. I have 3 more to go. Is this good enough, Danielle? I'm off to go make stuff up.

You Light Up My Life

In the midst of portfolio stress, I figured it would be nice to list some things that do light up my life (without being too cheese-tastic, of course).

- Croutons. Who knew stale bread could bring such happiness?

- Fires. Contained ones. As I sit in our living room with the wind blowing outside and a fire in the grate reading poetry (I was before I updated this blog), the warmth feels good.

- Tea. Okay, so most of this list contains things that are warm, but it's been very cold lately and a warm cup of tea is just so relaxing and comforting, you really can't go wrong. Plus, iced tea does the job when it's super hot outside, so this is a legit entry.

-Zebra snuggies. Or blankets in general.

-Quiz shows/Trivia night. Good clean fun.

-Friends who completely understand that you'd rather read than talk sometimes.

- Friends who convince you to go for lunch outside of your own kitchen.

-Finding out the family cat survived three weeks in your car and the car only vaguely smells.

-Really nice yarn and easy crochet tutorials on youtube.

There are much much more, but the portfolio calls. Until next time...

Too many songs about rain

It's raining. I wonder how many of these posts have started off with that statement? Currently, I'm waiting for it to go away so I can walk to the shop and pick up a few groceries. It's been a ridiculously busy few weeks for me where I have done nothing resembling work and tried my best to appear adventurous. More detail on my travels will follow soon, but for the past couple weeks I've been to Italy (where I stayed an extra day due to my inability to read a plane ticket) and up to Belfast and then the Giant's Causeway, where the map assures me I was at the northern tip of the country.

Now it's time to buckle down. My portfolio isn't going to write itself. Today I'm heading up to Spiddal for my friend Yvonne's 30th birthday party and tomorrow my work begins in earnest. It's amazing the little things you remember you HAVE to finish before you begin real work. Equally amazing is the amount of tea you will consume because taking that extra few minutes provides a distraction sorely needed. Have you ever noticed how many songs are about rain? Tons. Taylor Swift in particular is obsessed with rain. And fireworks. Maybe I just listen to her too much. Or maybe it's because when it's sunny outside no one in their right mind would sit inside and write songs about it being sunny, they would be out enjoying.

Obama will be in Moneygall on Monday! As with the Queen, even attempting to catch a glimpse of him will be impossible. Instead, I'm going to make cornbread and watch his walkabout on t.v. with my friend Orla. I know this update is a bit brief, but I just wanted to assure you all I'm still alive and I still have my Italian tan though Ireland is doing it's best to pretend it doesn't exist. For now, I'm off to fold laundry and drink more tea!

Allison Abroad: Windsor Style

At 3 a.m. this morning, I went to bed after baking scones and bread. I got up at 9 a.m. to prepare last minute details and wait for the arrival of my guests to my Royal Wedding Brunch. Wills and Kate are married, the dress was gorgeous, it was all lovely and beautiful BUT here are my thoughts, because you know I have them. Sometimes.

1) The real reason I watched the wedding= Chelsy Davy. Harry's on/off again girlfriend. Supposedly, she had two dresses designed just for her. As of this post, I've only seen her in the first and gah! Was not flattering. In fact, dare I say that I pull of royal better than Ms. Davy? Harry take note. Now, don't get me wrong, I think Chelsy would be great craic (as they say over here), but if this next outfit turns out awful, I'm declaring her unfit and moving in earlier than expected (rather than waiting for them to self-destruct again).

2) Grace Van Cutsem. She's a bridesmaid at three years old and was not amused by the crowd. Her covering her ears with Kate and Wills kissing in the background is a priceless photo.

3) Does anyone else think Kate's brother is a bit of a punk? How can someone look so smug. Dude, you make your money selling cake kits. You are no Harry that's for sure.

4) Zara Phillips looked great! She and Mike (Tindall) looked so happy!

5) Beatrice and Eugenie. Oh dear. Beatrice looks great these days and is definitely dressing better but what is with these sisters and their horrible taste in hats? Look, I know they were Philip Treacy, but honestly? Plenty of other women had hats designed by him and they were perfectly stunning. How do you pick out something like that and say, 'I can't live without that'? Keep trying (and Eugenie, you're adorable but can you 1) wear clothes that flatter and 2) smile? It goes a long way).

6) The Queen. As the guests all sang 'God Save the Queen', I wonder if she thought, 'Thank you' or 'That's right, suckers'

7) As you know, I've not always been a Kate fan but I have to say she worked hard at winning me over by asking William if he was okay in the carriage and the 'oh wow' comment as she walked out onto the Buckingham Palace balcony.

8) Speaking of lip reading, how lovely was William when Kate and her father got to the altar? But the best William moment was on the balcony before the second kiss. As he leaned in, he asked, 'One more?' That went a long way to redeem the first kiss that shouldn't even count as a kiss because it lasted all of two seconds.

9)Who thought it would be a good idea for Ann Curry to wear a hot pink sheath with hot pink wellies? Did she think anyone would take her seriously? Love how all the English presenters kept asking what Americans think about royal family members and when they asked about Camilla, Ann started talking about Diana. No one picked up on that AT ALL.

10) Let's face it. Kate might be a commoner but she is one ridiculously wealthy one. This whole rags to riches story isn't exactly true. She is not really one of 'us', but that's okay. She looks like a Disney princess.

11) Fun game of the day: Take your grandmother's name and pair it with your pet's name and then the name of your town. Voila, your royal name!

Honestly, the whole argument over whether people should care about this wedding or not is, to me, not an issue. It's entertainment and it's lavish and it's fascinating. To me. But other people think that about reality t.v., so to each their own. Just enjoy it. And if you can't, don't watch. And that's all I have to say about that.

Now, I'm off to plot my wedding to Prince Harry (Obamas definitely invited, as well as Jeff Bridges) or my 2024 Presidential campaign. Whichever comes first...

Oh! The Places You Go!

I am not afraid to admit that I have a problem with procrastination. I'm also unafraid to confess that this has gotten worse as I've gotten older. So, this post comes to you as an attempt to exhaust every possible avenue before working on my feature film treatment. It helps that there have been adventures of late in the land of ire (oh wow, that could take on a totally different meaning!)

This morning is overcast but not dark. It reminds me of summers at home in the mornings right before the humidity sets in and the sun burns the clouds away and you sit at the pool miserable but not wanting to admit it, then finally give up into the ridiculously chilliness of a/c. Except that doesn't really happen here. It's not cold at the moment, but it's cool and it will most likely rain within the hour. Still, due to a wet dog smell invasion of my drawers and closet, I have my clothes hanging outside in hopes that the breeze will air away all smell. I'm going shopping today with Orla and Amanda so will pick up lavender sachets to fight this battle with me. Also on the shopping list, and brace yourself, is a swimsuit. For the first time, I believe I'm going to buy a two piece, not just to wear in my yard, but to wear in public, with people. It's a big step but I figure if old, fat, french woman can go topless, I can wear a two piece. Where will I wear this you ask? ITALY. Duh. Once I finish my schoolwork, I'm figuring out where I'm going to stay in the land of pasta, gelato and men who don't feel guilty about still living with their mother.

This Wednesday, I took off with Kate to Dublin. She was nominated at the Student Media Awards (the Smedias, if you will). I figured, 'Why not? This will be an adventure.' I had suspected this, but it seems that girls are no longer required to wear pants or comb their hair and orange is an acceptable skin tone? Also, I still severely dislike fast talking media people who like to call themselves journalists or whatever they go by these days. You know how becoming a gym coach used to be synonymous with not growing up (or maybe it still is, I don't know)? Well, if you never want to grow up and refuse to believe you're 45 instead of 18, get a job as a 'journalist'. That was a little harsh, but holy cow. In short, Kate and I found two other normal people ( a whole TWO), got our free Bavaria and watched the ceremony in open mouthed dismay (maybe that was just me). In reality, I got through the evening by pretending I was at the Oscars and practicing my polite and attentive yet aloof camera face. I am being completely serious. BUT, despite the awards show, Kate and I had a great time hanging out with her friends in St. Stephen's Green. Have I mentioned the past two weeks have been sunny for the most part? Any day now that will end.

The rest of the week I spent procrastinating/cleaning/taking walks. Oh! and I signed up for a yoga class! It's an intermediate one which I was a bit worried about, but I figured Kate would be there with me so I wasn't all alone. With the exception of two things we did in the first class, I was fine, yes! My lack of coordination is a real hindrance but we shall overcome! I may also not be able to really move that well two days after but I can only take this as a good sign. Maybe one day I will be able to contort my body into a pretzel while balancing on one arm. This is what I strive for, this and an Oscar for life. Like Jenna in 30 Rock says, "There should be an Emmy for living theatrically". Speaking of 30 Rock, should any of you readers want something better to read, Tina Fey has a book out! 'Bossypants'. It looks absolutely amazing. Also, if any of you readers should happen to be my mother, it would make an excellent birthday gift or even a 'wow, I'm so glad you exist' gift. For now, I'm off to write (very slowly) part of my treatment. I leave you with this quote (Tina Fey in response to a hate letter): "To call me an overrated troll, when you have never seen me guard a bridge, is patently unfair." Happy Saturday!

Road Trip to County Clare, or Reasons to Procrastinate

I know too many geologists. No, really. Yesterday, some friends and I went to the beach somewhere in Co. Clare. I spent that time running around searching for rocks and interesting shells. Yes, this seems normal to some of you readers but let me tell you why. You are a geologist or are friends with one. My friends roamed around the beach for a bit, found some nice rocks and sat back to watch me go running around the place, barefoot over rocks and sand. Occasionally someone would shout to see where I was, and I'd answer with my head popping up, looking like Pebbles Flintstone because I'd tied my hair up to keep it out my face. One day, I will at least look like an adult. One day.

Earlier, we'd gone to the Cliffs of Moher. I'd been before with the lovely Diane Kanter, but this time, four of us: myself, Orla, Valerie and Anne, piled into Orla's car and took off. In a fit of stress, where I found myself sitting in the postgraduate room/my room/the library (it went on for a few days) willing myself not to cry, I decided I needed an adventure. Something to look forward to just to get through the week. So, I booked a flight to Italy in May and Orla suggested going to the Cliffs this weekend. Escapism at its best. Still, I felt better, began functioning like a human again (albeit a highly caffeinated and excited one) and we took off on Saturday morning for the Cliffs.

If there is anything more beautiful than green hills ending abruptly into cliffs with the ocean pushing against them, I need to know. At the moment, I'm gonna (ha!) go out on a ledge here and say there isn't. There was a great moment of hilarity when I misread a sign in my best movie announcer voice. Just for reference: Unstoppable Cliffage is not the same thing as Unstable Cliffedge. Why was there no space between cliff and edge (besides the obvious)? Classic.

After the cliffs, we went into Doolin to have lunch with our friend Anna. Her family owns a little cafe there and the food was quite tasty. I had the chicken pitta with paprika vegetables and herbed yogurt and Valerie and Orla ordered the bruschetta that looked so delicious I almost forgot I hated tomatoes. And peppers. And pretty much everything but cheese. Tasty, I tell you. After lunch, we headed to the beach and then went up to Anna's house that overlooked the ocean and the beach below. The views! I'm beginning to think I just need to spend the summer bouncing from one house to another. Jenn's house in Cork overlooks the river and is gorgeous as well. These houses and their waterfront views! I think though, if any of my new friends were to come visit me in the States, they would be just as excited about the mountains. Nature is so cool (see what I mean about hanging out with geologists and their outdoorsy-ness?) The whole way there, we were driving through the Burren, which is pretty amazing. Rock everywhere, then the ocean. All of us were high on fresh air, goofy photoshoots and the entire collection of Glee soundtracks in Orla's car. We decided we'd drive up to Spiddal to see Liz and Yvonne's new house. So just before 8 p.m., we pull into their driveway. The place is really nice and out in the country. Whatever stress I felt this past week had evaporated and I was just absolutely happy to be with my friends. So I enjoyed it and came home exhausted and with sand in my socks.

Today, I'm supposed to write my full Kathleen Kennedy article. Just to see if I can do it. Just to take the pressure off of April. I also have to finish a short story that must be submitted by Tuesday. The house is filthy because clearly everyone that lives here has a life too busy to clean up after themselves or for one moment think about wiping breadcrumbs off the counter. Trash needs to be taken out. One of my library books is overdue (surprise! I thought I had three weeks!). The clocks were supposed to spring forward this week, but my phone didn't change time, so I have no idea what time it is. Maybe I got the days wrong? Ah, well. Things need to be done. I will do that as well. The sun is still shining and advantage must be taken. Spring might kill me but I don't care: I'm going to see Country Strong this week and I have the soundtrack. If all else fails, I'm hitting the road with Gwyneth.

Those who show up rule the world

"Allie, you haven't updated your blog in awhile"- Sorry, Day. I'll try to do better. I write this while in screenwriting class. We're pitching film ideas but I've already gone. We have about an hour left. Now, I really like our professor and you all know I love movies, but sometimes it's hard to concentrate. We're talking about cross-dressers now, so there ya go. It's raining, or threatening to so, nothing new there either. Next month is the Cuirt (pronounced Kertch, I think) International Literary Festival and I believe we get free passes to seven events, which is pretty exciting.

We've moved on to talking about character introductions. The screenplays I brought in were 'Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid' and 'O Brother, Where Art Thou?' Classic and hilarious. You can't get any better than Paul Newman or the Cohen Brothers. Just great. What isn't great (mini rant alert) are people who 1) aren't prepared. ever. or 2) come prepared but refuse to participate. What is the point, really? Just don't show up. The saying goes 'those who show up rule the world', which may be true but, holy cow, be prepared to rule the thing. How most of the world's population hasn't found themselves dead in a ditch somewhere, I don't know.

Update: I'm sitting in my rather chilly room wrapped in my zebra snuggie listening to Kasia scream in Polish over the phone. I am a little afraid to make tea. At least the romance languages SOUND nice, even if the meaning is not. I think I'll just wait until things quiet down, keep a low profile and be thankful that while my workload is heavy and my toes are pretty cold, I have the most beautiful bouquet of daffodils to give me happy thoughts. No, matchmakers (ahem: Giles County), these did not come from a suitor. Part of them may or may not have been stolen from the nuns next door and the others came from my dear friend Jen who brought them to me because I'd been ill. Never fear, I'm on the mend and now my room smells like springtime.

I read two books this weekend, 'A Mercy' by Toni Morrison and 'All Summer' by Claire Kilroy. Both are excellent. Toni is possibly a literary genius and Claire Kilroy is my new girl/author crush. Why? 1) I recently met her (she came to speak to our class) and she's NORMAL. Most speakers come to talk to us about the industry and their method of creativity and let me tell you, though everyone (with the exception of one person who shall not be named, but he was raised in Texas, case closed) has been lovely, some of them have been out there. That's all well and good, but their out there and my out there are completely different places. Claire, I liked because she is creative but admits it is really really hard work and most of the time, incredible boring and frustrating. YES. It is. Afterwards, we talked like normal, down to earth people and she did a reading at the library. Her writing (in that particular novel) is dry, funny and engaging. I want her to be my friend. She's coming to Cuirt and my friend Liz and I are dragging everyone we know to go see her. Liz likes her because she was at the same Kate O'Brien conference and apparently, when a man stood up and criticized writers who didn't do public readings or 'perform', Claire gave him down the road and really put him in his place, arguing that writing is solitary and good writing doesn't always equal performance. YES. Enough about that, 'All Summer' was really good and I think everyone should read it. Next on my list is 'Tender Wire', but I have 'Summer' by Edith Wharton and 'Love' by Toni Morrison to get through first. I count reading as research in my plan to take over the world.

In other news, while I really do love it here and have made some pretty cool friends and meet awesome people, I am just a teeny bit stressed out. One word: Jobs. Why must people write cover letters? I'm sure it's just as big of a pain to read them as it is to sit here and stare at a blank screen/paper. Also, if anyone knows of any openings/has any ideas for ways I might feed myself/pay back student loans come September, shoot them my way. In the meantime, I'm going to sign off here to stare at that blank page and/or work on the non-fiction project that just seems to be going nowhere. Wouldn't want to show up unprepared. World domination awaits. One novel at a time.

Rugby and Happy Hearts

For the past few days, due to severe procrastination and the fact Summer Brown sent me a box of the finest cosmetics the various CVS locations in Houston has to offer, I've spent my mornings playing with makeup. Okay, it's only been twice, but to me, that's a lot. So for today at least I'm not born with it, it's just Maybelline. I have to say I prefer my natural look, even if it means pimples, warts and all. Still, the care package rocked and all my friends are jealous, though I did share my chocolates (thanks, Liv).

Also, I've discovered rugby. As in, I've watched two games. There's lots of hitting. I think I like it. My friend Anna and I went out for tea and bread pudding (the Dail makes the BEST bread pudding) and ran into some English men watching a rugby game. After their unsuccesful attempt to get us to share our dessert, they continued to chat with us and I managed to learn a bit about rugby. That I won't go into here because it might bore people and I'm not sure I'd get it right. There's lots of hitting in rugby. I think I like it.

In other news, classes are going well and picking up in the amount of work I need to do. Scriptwriting is great and I really like our instructor. For non fiction, I'm going to do my project on Kathleen Kennedy, so I'm pretty excited about that. It's so strange to think that I've been over here since September. I feel as though time has flown and there's so much left to do! So much goes on that when I start to write a new post, it promptly goes out of my head, but rest assured, life is good and I'm quite content with my lot at the moment. Keep sending me love notes!

I'm off to do a bit of reading.

I ain't high class, but I ain't white trash...

This post might end up as a rant, so I do apologize in advance. The first part of the bulk of this post was written in class in an effort to not say something to offend. This aside, I am so happy to be right where I am, despite a stuffy nose and sore throat. Our house is clean, I have to watch movies for homework and then make up stories. It's the best excuse for popcorn (well, after the throat feels better) that I know. So, without further ado, the rant that began at a guest lecture and will finish here...

Let me be the first to say that I can be snobby about many things. But if any of you ever see me act and speak with the same pomposity as our speaker on Thursday, hit me in the face. No, really. Break something even. Maybe I'm just feisty this week but give me a break. Not an inspiring Thursday to say the least. On the bright side, it's Oscar season. I have 4 out of the 10 best picture nominees left to see and two of them are waiting for me on iTunes rentals. I am a happy girl indeed. I won't be if I have to listen to this man much longer. I know I'm going to say something smart and not in a good way (maybe question and answer sessions aren't always good ideas). When I grow up and start my own literary salon/circle, we're gonna be so much cooler than this Dr. Phil lookalike. Another thing: we won't use the term postmodern as if it's going out of style (hint: it already has) and yeah, another thing, "overwhelmingly saccharine and sentimental" is overwhelmingly obnoxious.
That's as far as I got before the question section of the evening started. From there he told us that to write within the accepted forms and boundaries of writing is the equivalent of a sell out (which is apparently different than a cop out), and that nothing being printed now is worth anything. It's okay though, not only did we get a free drink out of it, the response we're required to turn in every week was just an argument against what he said using...his own words. HA! That will teach you to contradict yourself and use big words. At the very least, it makes me feel better for just a moment.

Now that the first rant is out of the way, I must say I had a great weekend with friends. I started volunteering again this week and think I've mastered the bus route to that location, so yay public transportation! Life is pretty great, and now for the second, lesser rant.

I am not Taylor Swift. Yes, most of my stories have a foundation from real life, but that's as far as it goes. Nothing is ever entirely true in my stories, so you can come out with me without fear that I'll turn you into a hit song or, in my case, poem. I can count on one hand the times I've written specifically about a person, so stop asking me if I'm going to put you in a story. From now on, my response will be 'Don't flatter yourself' or better yet, 'Go ahead and flatter yourself, because I won't do it for you'. Now, this rant really has nothing to do with anyone who reads this blog, but just in case, it's here. For now, I'm off to listen to Taylor Swift sing about Joe Jonas and do a little writing. :)

So Many Airports, So Little Time

After a long hiatus, I'm back: both blogging and abroad. Sometimes I think my favorite things to blog about are my flights. This most recent trip has, as ever, proved entertaining. Some highlights:

- Always the in-flight movies. Though the selection was limited this go round, quality makes up for it. Yes, I finally saw "The Social Network",but "Never Let Me Go" was fantastic. Carey Mulligan is officially my new favorite actress. Keira Knightley didn't ruin a film for once. Also, Andrew Garfield?! Despite looking nothing like leading man material (seriously, he looks scary in photos) he's really great in both films, looks dreamy in a black suit and threatens to hit Justin Timberlake. LOVE.

-unexpected upgrade to Economy Plus means more leg room and a happy Allison.

-People keep wanting to adopt me? Most recent on the wannabe parent list is the lady from Denver sitting beside me on the way to London. She refs soccer, I don't even know the rules. But her husband likes moviesand her 27 year old nephew likes books, writes and is working on his PhD. Apparently, she thinks I'm just lovely. New project: Write my own guide to taking over the world.

-Heathrow is alot nicer when you don't have to run through it. In fact, despite the random stalking episode with a boy in a flannel shirt, I like it best so far (yeah, I hate you too, JFK International)

-I still love the English accent, no matter how long I spend in Ireland. Everything they say just sounds funnier.

Most of you know my Christmas experience, so suffice to say, it was really great to get home and see everyone. Also, I got a new camera for Christmas, so pictures should follow, if I manage not to break this one. For now, I'm going to work on poetry for submission, and then decide what classes to take this semester. Why is it always so difficult?! I have it narrowed down to Screenwriting, Non-Fiction and North American Literature. I may just end up reading the required reading but not taking the literature class, though I do love discussions. AH. Until next time...