My Dublin Life

It's been a funny week, 'cause of being off with a cold and all, so it doesn't really feel like a weekend at all. I woke up feeling fantastic this morning and did a big shop on Moore Street and environs. Though I say so myself, turns out making soup is easy after all, and I'm getting quite good at it. While having soup for dinner every second night is getting a bit boring, it's a lot cheaper than eating pizza fro the corner shop and the result is more money for going out, so it's all good.

Even Bepe has had some of my soup and thinks it's OK. Which is a real coup as he's a chef. So he should know, right?

Anyway, I'm pretty psyched today. I'm about to go skating with a bunch of people I know from college and I'm actually looking forward to it a lot. Afterwards, we'll grab something to eat somewhere and then go to Sin E (that's pronounced "Shinn Ay" and it's Irish for something.) I haven't been there before, but I've heard it's great.

Tomorrow I'm hooking up with Beautiful PhD Student and daughter at some point. But I'm thinking maybe I should just stop seeing him at all as it's not fun, hanging out and knowing that nothing's ever going to happen. Also, as I've just been going to college since leaving school I guess it's something of a shock to know someone just a bit older than me who's already a parent. I've just been wandering around feeling all young but, fact is, I'm an adult and all this postgrad stuff is just a buffer between me and the real world -- a real world I'll be in as soon as the Masters is finished. It's not bad, but it's a little intimidating.

Well, either you live on the moon or you are aware that two nights ago Ireland was cheated out of a place in the World Cup.

I didn't watch the match but like everyone in the country I've seen the footage since and it's obvious what happened. Personally, I doubt any one actually cheated on purpose.

Meanwhile, I've discovered the one good thing about Ireland's having been cheated: everyone is talking about the same thing, and it's suddenly possible to strike up conversation with just about anyone on the street. The street sweeper? "Give us a smile, love, you can't stay depressed about the match forever." My college lecturer? "I realise you are all upset about the match, but I still can't extend the deadline..." The greengrocer? "This has ruined me life." Bepe (and he's not even Irish!): "I am going to hunt them down and strangle them with my bare hands."

Heh.

In other sporting news, I've found out that there will be skating rinks in Dublin for the holiday season.

Of course, I am going to invite everyone I know here--because what they don't know about me is that, like most Newfoundlanders, I've known how to skate since I was little, and I'm pretty sure that I'll be able to skate rings about all the Dubliners and assorted foreigners-in-Dublin I know. In fact, we're all very good skaters in my house. I grew up thinking Wayne Gretzky was an uncle, there were so many pictures of him in Dad's workshop.

I spent all day in the apartment today, still getting over my cold. But the fact is, I'm feeling a lot better although I'm sort of confused.

My friend came over last night with a bottle of Jameson, and he made me a hot whiskey or two (OK; it was four) because I had a cold. He'd brought a DVD as well: Garage, which is an Irish film.



(The Jameson place is near my apartment and here's a picture of it)


It was a sad little story, but the right sort of thing to watch when you have a cold and you're feeling a little glum anyway. Bepe was at work. He works a lot of evenings, obviously, being a chef. So there we were, sitting and watching and sipping and it just felt so nice and comfortable that I ended up with my head on his shoulder and legs across his lap. You know. Like friends do.

I've been kidding myself when I say that I'm OK about just being friends with this guy. I totally get that he's a separated Dad and his priority is his daughter, etc., etc. But. Ah. I really like him.

Of course, eventually the film ended and he had to leave. He kissed me. On the CHEEK, like I was his MOM or something!!!! That was worse than not being kissed.

So because I'm all better, I'm actually going to see this in the French Film Festival. And, this weekend is sorted 'cause Dublin Tourism says they're gonna give me some tickets to something in the Opera Ireland festival. Dublin Tourism I don't know what yet and I'm not sure who to invite. Half thinking I should stop seeing the Beautiful PhD Student Guy in general, because it's making me sad!!!

OK, going to stop moping and focus on how lucky I am. Most of the people I know would kill for free tickets to stuff. And even if I am not exactly an Opera Buff, it's free, right?? Just kidding, Dublin Tourism. I'm sure it'll be fantastic.

On second thoughts, it's NOT ok for me to look like a slob when the Beautiful PhD Student calls over. Crap... panic... does anyone have any tips on how to suddenly recover from a head cold? I don't want to be all cold-y and puff in the face when he comes around.

Well, I still have a cold.

I've discovered this stuff called Lemsip when I'm using during the daytime. Hot whiskey seems to work better but if I'm even going to pretend to work, I'd better stay off the juice during the day, eh? I'd like to wallow about feeling sorry for myself but really, I just want to get better for the weekend. Last night, Bepe and Fabia did offer to let me share their meal but when it was in front of me I couldn't eat. She said, "Well, maybe you'll lose some weight" and I guess that was meant nicely but I didn't really appreciate it coming from Stick Lady. I'm not fat!!

I've been whiling away the hours making elaborate plans for every weekend between now and Xmas and thinking of things to do when my folks come over.

Achoo.

One good thing: My friend the Beautiful PhD Student rang last night saying that he was concerned 'cause he hadn't seen me about for a while. He's coming over later. Just as well I've decided not to be into him anymore, because my nose is all red, my eyes are puff and I'm wearing sweat pants and a dirty tee-shirt. I'm not looking my best. It's a real test of friendship. I'm hoping he'll want to do something with me this weekend, and that my slobbiness today won't put him off!!

Tomorrow, I'm going to go the cinema, snot or no snot. A French Film Festival is starting, and the IFI is so close I could pretty much haul something on over my pyjamas and head out.

Achoo again. See you soon.

Urkle, snorfle.

I have a cold. I don't want to be too self-pitying as I know there are people out there with the swine flu, but ugh. And it was such a nice morning, too. I woke up, saw the bright winter sun streaming in the window...and then I just rolled over and groaned.

Bepe said, "It's from sitting by a drafty window." I told him that if I was going get a cold from a bit of wind, it would have happened back home in Newfoundland.

Anyway, I'm OK but I didn't make it into college today. I just stayed home, working my way through a box of Kleenex and reading my way through a pile of Penguin Classics that are (I'm trying to convince myself) somewhat connected to the things I'm actually supposed to be reading in college. I haven't felt like eating all day but now I'm hoping that Bepe and Fabia (maybe she'll catch my cold?) will let me share their dinner when they get back later.

A note relating to my reading today: Why is Heathcliff supposed to be this great, romantic hero? He's clearly a sociopath.

Also, got an email today telling me that next year's Book of the Year (A Dublin thing) is the Picture of Dorian Gray. That is quite cool as I wrote an essay about it once and actually really like that book. It gave me nightmares, and for a Goth-lite girl, that's a recommendation. I wonder if there will be lots of "Dorian Gray" activities? If they are having a "Dorian Gray impersonator" contest, I'd love to be a judge. I love goodlooking guys in velvet waistcoats. Heck, who doesn't.

Aha. I hear a key in the door. That's my cue to look feeble so that Bepe will let me share whatever he's cooking his girlfriend for supper.

Sniff. Sneeze. Whinge.

I had a nice weekend. Saturday morning, I actually went into college and worked. Then, I got the DART out to Saoirse's neck of the woods and allowed myself to be taken care of my Saoirse's Mom. Ah... maybe not the most cutting edge of entertainments but pretty good all the same. Home made soup in front of the TV! Sleeping in their huge guest room instead of the little bedroom in my apartment! Getting taken out for breakfast in a fancy hotel in Dun Laoighire!

Seriously, she couldn't have been nicer. Saoirse and I just talked and talked until 2in the morning. Apparently, the boyfriend wants it all to get a notch more serious, but she's not so sure and...well, I couldn't give her advice, but I listened and I think that was the main point.

I will confess that I was hoping that the weekend would somehow involve visiting or being visited by Saoirse's cousin who, as I mentioned before, is a real-life, bona fide rock star! Sadly, no... but instead I had an entirely new experience. On Sunday, I was beginning to worry maybe I'd been there too long and so I was going to head home, but S's mom more or less MADE us go shopping with her. In my case, I bought almost nothing, but this is a lady who takes her shopping seriously. We went to Dundrum, which is in I guess a fairly upmarket suburb. There's a huge, fancy mall. I think I'm more of a downtown kind of shopper, but this was right up S's moms street and she was having lots of fun. She parked Saoirse and me in a hairdresser that did manicures and paid for us to get our nails done. I think that the purpose of this was so that S couldn't see her getting in the presents. Well, that was something I had never done before. They even stuck little contact sheets onto my nails to make them look "French". Ha! I've been avoiding using my fingers ever since. In fact, the only reason I'm risking typing now is that I think one of the nails is begnning to peel.

A couple of hours and a few dozen packages in the trunk of the car later, and we were off. And now it's Monday again, sheesh. But I do feel very rested and taken care of!