Sunday, January 29, 2006

To Market, To Market




Every Saturday morning I go to the Temple Bar Farmers Market to pick up groceries. It is one of my favorite weekly activities, swaggering through the stalls with my cup o’ joe. I love to admire to the baked goods, pick out organic veggies, and sample yummy cheeses. Yesterday’s indulgence was a sweet brie with cranberries, homemade walnut bread, basil pesto, goats cheese, olives with rosemary, and marinated artichokes. Delish! After the market, it was off to Mecca, i.e. the bookstore, where I found nothing I “needed” but still left with an arm load: my weekly New African Magazine, The Economist, the Commission for Africa Report, and Crimes Against Nature, Robert Kennedy Jr.’s new book about how the Bush administration is destroying the planet. Oh how I love bookstores! Later that evening, Erin N came over to enjoy our goodies from the market with a bottle of wine and How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days. Nothing like stinky cheese and a chic flic on a Saturday night!

Today I got up and went to the gym to run off my carb-hangover. Three miles later, I am back at my flat, wrapped up in my leopard print blanket with a cup of coffee, doing research in front of my laptop. NEW research, that is. A few days ago, in the interest of sanity, I admitted defeat and changed my essay topic. It was a good decision, but it means I am starting from scratch with my essay. Screw you, trade liberalization and your complicated economics! Now I am devoting my time to Intelligent Design (UN-intelligent, that is) and religion in America. Frankly I am not sure which topic is scarier!

That’s about all from this side of the pond. Research calls. Happy Sunday to all!

Saturday, January 28, 2006

Who Let the Dogs Out

My Chinese horoscope for the year of the dog:

Flexibility is the quality that will keep you sane during 2006. Be patient amidst blocked circumstances. Relaxation and activities that allow you to unwind will maintain your health and equilibrium. Remain optimistic and buoyant. This is a great time to sort the world out. Chat ‘til the cows come home and make the most of your agile mind. Allow your spirit to fly in whatever way takes your fancy.

Friday, January 27, 2006

Clarity

There are few times in my life I am ever sure about anything. I'm the "fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants" type of gal that just so happens to question everything that occurs in my little existence. However, at one point in the middle of the night, with puffy eyes from too little sleep, red lips from too much wind, and a sore head from too much vodka, I woke up and there were no more questions. There was clarity. And it was quite possibly the most liberating moment of my life. So before I go back to questioning everything tomorrow morning, I wanted this moment documented.

Tuesday, January 24, 2006

Why I Hate Cooking

I am no domestic goddess. I have never pretended to be. When I was in 8th grade, I was banned from cooking in Home Economics because I set the oven on fire... twice. Then in 9th grade I blew up two microwaves (one in school, one at home). I can think of about three meals in my twenty-two year existance that have not resulted in disastor.

Despite my turbulant history, I decided to turn over a new leaf while in Ireland (mostly because if I didnt cook for myself, I might starve). Once I mastered pasta, omelettes, salads, and protein shakes, I decided to take it up a notch. Enter Mom with an email full of recipes.

I made my Mom's famous lentil loaf earlier this week which was actually really good (not quite as good as hers, but lets be serious). Today I was going for my own recipes I found online: Arugala salad with bleu cheese, chopped dates, and mandarin oranges, stuffed mushrooms, and sweet potato casserole. Now I'm sure Martha Stewart would criticize me from the start and say those three dishes do not compliment eachother, BLAH BLAH BLAH. However they sounded good to me so I went with it. Screw you Martha.

Salad- done. Piece of cake. Mushrooms- not too difficult and pretty damn yummy, though somehow I ran out of the filling too quickly. Onto the sweet potato casserole, the dish I was most looking forward to. Enter disastor.

I don't know how you "officially" tell if a sweet potato, or any potato for that matter, is done baking, but these ones were not. Because they were still a bit too hard after I peeled them, the whole mashing process was just ridiculous, made even more so by my piece of shit blender and lack of proper cooking utensils. When I was done, I made a not-so-educated guess as to which baking pan to put the mound of orange gooo in (the recipe did not say) and then covered the top with marshmallows. Well apparently I chose the wrong pan, because when I pulled the casserole out of the oven, it was a marshmallow casserole with a chunky sweet potato crust (the pan was too big). Ugh.

Tomorrow night its take-out.

My Gentleman





Jared dancing with Mrs. Gallagher and chatting with Gmom at Uncle Pat and Aprille's wedding.

MORE PICS TO COME SOON!

Guinness Tuesdays


Tuesday mornings the whole city smells like Guinness. All the pubs put their empty kegs out on the sidewalk and wait for the Irishmen in black in their big black trucks to come and take them away. I walked by them this morning on my way to the gym. "Top of the mornin, Miss." I stopped dead in my tracks and smiled at the green-eyed, middle-aged, man in his Guinness jacket. It just doesn't get any more Irish than that. I am going to have to get a pint later.

I'm craving a movie today. I spent almost the entire weekend in the cinema (Matchpoint and Shopgirl- both great) and still didn't get my fix. Movies are such wonderful creations. It is the most indulgent two hours, just watching and imagining you are somewhere or someone else. Its been a stressful couple of days... I could use an escape like that.

However, "Trade Liberalization and Developing Coutries" calls, and I have loads of overwhelming, mind-numbing research to keep me busy. The cinema will have to wait. SIGH.

Friday, January 20, 2006

Lovely Lentils

The smell of lentil beans boiling on the stove reminds me of my childhood. My mom in the kitchen in our old house on Lightning Lane making lentil burgers on a warm summers night. Keely in the baby seat in the kitchen, Dad in the garage, Bryn and I running around the front yard with the Demicheal boys. Hiding under the dining room table just to lay on the soft Oriental rug, my tie-dyed bathing suit, and our dogs Annie and Cocoa. Skipping around the red ants on the brick patio and picking the purple flowers in the front yard because they smelled so sweet. Being called for dinner and pretending not to hear, always pouring too much ketchep on my plate, and loathing the time of day when the sun began to disapear behind the trees. Milk with dinner, messy hands, and ice cream for dessert.

I love lentils...

Wednesday, January 18, 2006

Back to School

Getting back into the swing of things in Dublin has been an exciting transition thus far! Its been wonderful to see my classmates again- especially my girlfriends- and I am so looking forward to this semester. I love my classes, love the material I am learning, and actually love writing these essays (well, until I get a mark that changes my mind).
Today was a busy, yet delightful, day. Got up early this morning and met Chessa at the gym (New Years resolution #1, so far, so good). I ran two miles and then beat the hell out of my upper body- tomorrow I am confidant I will be physically unable to move my arms. Afterwards I went to the cafe to read, read, read! Every spare moment of my life lately has been reading- researching for my essay all the live long day, reading Capote with Jared, trying to expand my knowledge of religion... though I complain, I must admit, deep down I bloody love it. I just hope I am retaining this information!
When I finally managed to pull my nose out of "Fair Trade for All" I headed home, though after being accosted by the sale signs in the windows at Cleary's all week, I finally succombed to the temptation. As predicted, I did not come out empty-handed. Hello, beautiful wrap around dress, sitting on the clearance rack. I then ran home, had a protein shake (resolution #2- be more healthy), and got ready for a night out on the town with the girls-- a protest and a movie!
We were protesting in front of Mount Joy Prison; a Nigerian woman is being held in there for deportation after not gaining refugee status for herself and her two girls. She came to Ireland after her oldest daughter died as a result of female genital mutilation- she fled so her other two other girls would not have to undergo the procedure. Thus far, the Irish Minister of Justice has not granted her refugee status, but her case goes before the High Court Monday, so we shall see. You know you're a peace studies student when a night on the town involves a little civil disobedience.
Afterwards the girls and I came back to our flat for a little veg out and a big binge- five girls and lots of pizza- it was good craic. The perfect end to a busy day. Not so bad, this back to school business.

Friday, January 06, 2006

Bye Bye 2005

New Years Eve was fabulous! The trendy Washington Square Restaurant with close friends, an 18 foot buffet, and lots of beautiful drinks. It was lovely- the perfect celebration to ring in the New Year!

Top 2005 Memories: Jenny, Jared, and I living it up in Manayunk (the last men standing!), my last track season with Coll, A-10s, any event that involves Melissa and Ryan, going to NYC with Jared, Borders dates, Kiss the Wall, Graduation and Party, Drunk Summer Nights with Katie, email affair with Melissa, 1 Year Anniversary, moving to Dublin, Halloween party at Chessa's (THREE BLIND MICE), Mom and girls visit, Jared's visit, completing my first essay, seeing my Dad in December, being home for the Holidays, Reunion with my Girls in Philly, spending a week in the movie theatre with Jared, and ofcourse, the greatest New Years Eve ever!!!







Resolution(s) for 2006: be more healthy, run more, keep in touch with more people (especially my Ben), improve my temper and other bad habits, get up earlier, be a better communicator, travel, be more organized (in all areas of my life), BLOG MORE, write in my journal more, finish my script, and HAVE MORE FUN!