Fat Frogs and Black Rocks

Greetings from Belfast,

I was hoping to have some picturesque photographs to post here but unfortunately, my digital camera has no juice and my two pronged American-plugged charger is no use with these mammouth three pronged Jobbies they have here. They say everything is bigger in America but clearly they are not taking into account the Irish/UK electrical system. The outlets have twice the voltage and the plugs are half the size of my head...

Anyway, took an absolutely gorgeous hike with Tom and Brandy (Tom's family's 84 year old dog...that's 12 in human years.) We walked from Tom's house through a couple of neighborhoods and into a nature preserve area called Cave Hill. We took a three hour hike through very green Lord-of-the-Ring type forests and up onto this rocky mountain which sets just west of Belfast. Near the top, there are no trees, only rocks and shrubs and this grass that looks windblown in every direction. It was a surprisingly warm and sunny day and we climbed all the way to the very top, which is called Napoleon's Nose. From the top, you can see all of Belfast and the surrounding towns as well as the lough (That would be something like a harbor to us Yanks...) We took a very steep path up and then meandered down through pasturelands until we came down just outside of Belfast Castle. There were these very cool looking yellow-flowered shrubs growing everywhere. Very brightly colored flowers offset by huge thorns...I have never seen plants like them before.

After such a healthy jaunt into nature, we met up with Tom's friends at the pub around mid-afternoon and then ended up at an all-night party before arriving home at 5am to the sounds of morning birds chirping like mad. It's been a long time since I've heard the sounds of morning from anywhere besides my bed. People in this town definitely know how to party...I'm just going to put my grandma pants on now and say that I cannot keep up with even the 90 pound girls when it comes to the drink...which brings me to the Fat Frog part of the evening, a drink that people are obessessed with here. I just have to say that it is absolutely awful...no offense to Tom who loves them, but whoever came up with this drink should never, ever, be allowed behind a bar again. It's a drink which is a mixture of, get this, one bottle: Orange Bacardi Breezer, one bottle: Smirnoff Ice, and one bottle: WKD blue. When mixed together, they become a vivid green the color of mouthwash...and the taste is not so different from Scope...if it was a very sweet, cottoncandy flavored scope. Vile. Other differences in recreational substances, since we're on the subject is our mari-joo-uana vs. their hash. People carry around these tiny black balls of hash in the pockets of their jeans or Kylie Minogue purses. They heat them up with a lighter, flake bits off, and roll it with tobacco. Interesting and a very different, less foggy sort of high, although being the grandma that I am, I'm not prone to smoke very much of it.

The younger sister of the person throwing the party last night was obsessed with my accent. It's quite funny to be the one with the accent (probably nice for Tom for the shoe to be on the other foot...) Everytime, I would walk into a room, she would ask me to say different things and think it was completely hilarious. I had to say Wanker about 27 times...and "you loser," was popular too...They love the O.C. over here and were horrified that I've never seen it...I think they thought I sounded like a teenager from an American TV show or something....Er, Ya big Loser... I didn't mind but I did feel a bit like a party trick..."like, Heather, that is soooo very..." Haha. Ah, well, at least I'm exotic...or something. It was better talking to her than the guy, wearing the scarface t-shirt who introduced himself by saying how much he hates Americans...in a very jovial, non-threatening way, mind you, but it does feel like quite the burden to constantly explain that we're not all right-wing, gun-toting, rednecks...

Despite the American Hater who was actually very friendly for someone telling me he hates me and my kind...haha...everyone at the party was very sweet and inclusive which was nice. Met a couple who live down in Dublin so maybe Tom and I will have some occasion to speak to people besides eachother down in the land of the black pool. Could happen.

Well, I've got a couple of giant Easter eggs waiting for me so I'm off. They have Easter eggs here the size of footballs (hollow) which are absolutely tasty. Gotta love my new chocolate, beer and bacon diet...haha. I am the picture of health.

Sideways and Rolos

Went to my first movie here. Ironically, the film (Fillum, as Tom would say) was Sideways which is an American movie which takes place in Cal-i-forn-i-a. So, we buy our tickets (8 euros a person which has started to seem like a deal in comparison with the cost of everything else) and find some seats. A group of four older people come and sit next to us and the lady sitting next to me opens up some Rolos, turns to us and says, "Sweet?" as if it's a perfectly normal thing to do to offer strangers candy in a movie theater. I thought it was quite civilized...haha. Gotta love small kindnesses. On a less lovely note, the movie was prefaced by about 15 minutes of Adverts...Whassup with that?!

Anyway, thought Sideways was great and it was nice to get absorbed in someone elses (American) life. Afterwards, Tom and I were Jonesing for a bottle of wine (of course) and fortunately we had a bottle in the fridge...unfortunately when we tried to open it, we realized that we didn't have a bottle opener. We made some unsuccesful attempts with a butter knife, a carving knife and a fork before giving up and pouring ourselves ample glasses of cranberry juice...(well, it looks sort of like red wine.) Gotta buy an opener. I'm scared to find out how much Dunnes stores is going to stroke me for that one...haha...better be plated in gold for the prices they charge.

Well, I'm off to Belfast tonight where I will more than likely find myself in front of a coveted glass of red wine (or three...) Belfast: Land of many bottle openers and Tom's alcoholic friends. Should be fabulous. A hangover just waiting to happen.

Untill next time...

Taping up my first Euro (and why Ryanair sucks)

Hello All,
Been hitting the proverbial pavement this week looking for work and I actually got some, albeit temporary and freelance...I had my first job interview this week for a design/publishing services company. They do all the typical, design studio stuff and also do a lot of production that's outsourced from big publishing companies. They had an ad (or should I say advert like they do here) for a production artist position. Not the most exciting job but I'm not being too picky-being on the verge of illegal alien status... So I went for the interview which was in a town called Blackrock (which is this sort of posh seaside town with a nice park.) I showed them my book and some Chedd stuff (Thanks Marko for the quicktime movies) and they really liked my work which was fabulous cuz I just never know what to expect. Unfortunately, they said it wouldn't be worth going through all the hassle of applying for a VISA for a production artist position which is only a 3 month contracted job and not super skilled...but they said they could offer me some freelance work with the design studio part of the company and that if a full-time designer position or design-related publishing position becomes available, they would think of me. The funny thing is they asked me to start working on the spot on an ad campaign that they wanted to finish up so my hour long interview turned into two days of freelance work. I think it went well and they seemed happy with the results so hopefully some more freelance will be thrown my way...we'll see.

Anyway, it seemed like a positive start to my job search...it's always nice to have your work appreciated, especially by strangers who have no vested interest in stroking your ego. I have a pending meeting with a dub designer later this week who offered to let me pick his brain about the design industry here and a soon to be scheduled meeting with a creative director who, fingers crossed, will be overcome with a desire to hire me...haha.

So that's the story so far. It's always stressful to try and market yourself and cold call and do all those tasks that go with trying to find work (with or without the looming lack of VISA conversation.) I'm looking forward to a relaxing weekend. Am going up to Belfast for the weekend. Ireland celebrates both Good Friday and this strange thing called Easter Monday which means Tom gets an extra long weekend and I get a playmate besides my powerbook and the cashiers at Tesco. On Wednesday I'm flying to see Averi in Kidderminster which will hopefully involve lots of eating, watching movies, drinking cider at the pub and otherwise good craic as they say in these parts. (Good Craic = Good Fun. Not to be confused with good crack which is, of course, something else entirely.) My trip to England will include a scenic tour of the industrial midlands because I am a complete idiot and don't know the difference between one industrial wasteland of a city and another...haha. I booked my flight to Manchester instead of to Birmingham and when I tried to contact the nice people at Ryanair, they basically told me that the fees associated with changing the ticket would at the very least double the price. I wanted to reach into the phone and rip the head off of the English bitch on the other end of the phone (Is that too harsh?) but that not being an option that would solve my problem, I am going to have to take a 2 hour train journey from Manchester to get anywhere near Kidderminster...Alas. I guess I can add the Manchester airport to the list of exciting places that I have been fortunate enough to visit.

Will write again soon. Hope all is well in Beantown.

-D.

Bagpipers in the Crowd

Dub_Grafton
Originally uploaded by di_juice.

The bottom of Grafton Street just after the Parade let out....and the craziness began

The Liffey on St. Patricks Day

Dub_Liffey
Originally uploaded by di_juice.

A View from the South Side on St. Patricks Day.

Back from the Boondocks

Today, We move into our (temporary) digs for the next 2 months and words cannot express my excitement about this. I've slept in 3 different houses in 2 different cities in the last 6 days and I can't wait to have a place to hang my toothbrush. I'm finally getting over my jetlag and getting used to some of the Irishisms. Everything's the same here, but different...Lights turn on by flicking the switch down, the hot and cold taps on the sinks are separate...no such thing as warm water, I guess ;) and of course, the steering wheel of the car is on the right side. Gas is petrol and is expensive as f*ck and a sandwich is a toasty and always involves a good bit of butter. The chocolate is amazing and plentiful and the guy at the coffeeshop where I've been getting my tea is never in a rush and always friendly...I've been eating scones for breakfast and enough bread and cheese to feed a small country...I'm dying for some veggies. Well, my paid internet time is about up so that will have to be all for now. Tomorrow, the river liffey will be green and there will be more stories or paddy's day craziness I'm sure...Untill then.

D.

Two Days of Travelling Later

Well, I'm finally here; Here being Belfast. Tried to leave on Tuesday night but the weather was not cooperating. Sat on a plane for 4 hours before the airport was closed entirely. Then waited for another hour for a bus to bring me to a hotel and eventually 'round 2 am got myself a room for the night...next day my mom saved me by bringing clothes and food and the like (as my luggage was still on the plane.) Spent another 5 hours at the airport before finally becoming airborne and across the ocean. Yesterday i was absolutely, obscenely tired. Those red-eye flights just kill me...but this morning I'm feeling a bit more like myself. Will miracles never cease, the sun actually just came out...well, I'm off to go to Tom's favorite sandwich shop. Talk soon.

D.

Seven Hours and Counting

Just a few more hours and I'll be on the plane...excited but nervous...still got no place to live. Good thing we have Tom's family abode to crash at for a few days. The goodbye phase is the hardest part-trading in the familiar for the jobless, homeless unknown...

Big transitions always make me think about the passing of time and all those bigger, life questions that come along with that. I found this poem kind of comforting and thought I would pass it on...


Morning Poem

Every morning
the world
is created.
Under the orange

sticks of the sun
the heaped
ashes of the night
turn into leaves again

and fasten themselves to the high branches ---
and the ponds appear
like black cloth
on which are painted islands

of summer lilies.
If it is your nature
to be happy
you will swim away along the soft trails

for hours, your imagination
alighting everywhere.
And if your spirit
carries within it

the thorn
that is heavier than lead ---
if it's all you can do
to keep on trudging ---

there is still
somewhere deep within you
a beast shouting that the earth
is exactly what it wanted ---

each pond with its blazing lilies
is a prayer heard and answered
lavishly,
every morning,

whether or not
you have ever dared to be happy,
whether or not
you have ever dared to pray.

from Dream Work (1986) by Mary Oliver


See you all on the flip side.

-D.