2012/04/21 - Boring, boring, boring

Hey kids!

I don't really have any travel updates, unless you count my adventures on the internet and to the library as traveling. Which I don't. Nothing terribly exciting has been happening. It's been Easter break for the past three weeks. I've been exercising and eating better (also training for a walk for cancer in Dublin next month), working on small assignments for class as well as slowly writing one of my two final essays.

After my final papers are due next month, one of my favorite people and best friends is coming to visit me from the States! I am seriously so excited to see Miss Grace! :D It's pretty much all I can talk about. We are gonna have some sweet adventures. We're going to London for a couple days and checking out Dublin as well as the north coast. I'm looking forward to spending time with her and showing her around town. <3

So it's safe to say that my next entry will be less technical stuff and more fun. : )

Stay frosty, folks!

2012/03/29 - Am I really in Belfast?

I just need to talk for a moment about the amazingly gorgeous weather we've been having in Belfast.

No. Seriously.

Am I really still in Belfast?

Natasha, a native to Thailand, and myself, an American, are baffled by the sun and the warmth and the blue skies. We've had this for a week. Temperature has been holding steady at around  12-18 degrees Celsius (60ish degrees Fahrenheit). No rain, no clouds. According to locals, this is July weather. You know, if it were Belfast July weather all year round, I might not be so depressed or unmotivated, haha! <3

2012/03/13 - Wut is 2012 for 200 plz

Erm...

Hi.

: )

A smiley face always seems to make things less awkward and disconcerting. It's not that I haven't been active or doing anything - quite the contrary. After Xmas break, I worked hard to complete my essays for my courses followed by a whole lot of nothing. Since my work was due at the beginning of the finals' period, I basically had an extra few weeks of break before second semestre started. During that time, my old flatmate, Natasha, and I planned a trip to the north coast of Ireland. We decided to hit up Portrush and day trip from there. We visited several places including the White Cliffs, Dunluce, Bushmills, Mussenden Temple, and Derry. It was a fun four days. It was also nice to get away from dull Belfast. We were super lucky - the whole trip was sunny and beautiful! Very rare for Ireland. It was just so nice to have sun - I miss my vitamin D.

2011/12/22 - Medieval Field Trip + Life Update

Hello everyone! : ) I hope that you are doing well. Me? I'm all right. I can't complain too much. I thought today was going to be an awesome day. 11 degrees Celsius, bright and beautiful sun outside, a gentle breeze. I was gonna have a photo day!

Snapped this one from my kitchen 15 minutes after sunrise this morning before heading to the gym. <3

Until I mucked it all up by twisting my ankle during badminton. Curses! Foiled again. Now, that said, it's not nearly as bad as it sounds. It took me about five minutes of swearing lovingly at myself to calm down. Kristy was super kind and sat on the floor next to me in order to make it seem like we were pow-wowing instead of me dying from pain. A nice boy at the gym came over to check on me too - "You went down but you didn't get back up. I wanted to make sure that you were okay." So I guess it really wasn't that bad. I made it home okay, but climbing the stairs up to my room? Oh gawd. Talk about a challenge. Stairs still are a challenge. However! The swelling went down well before I made it home and now I just gotta deal with stiffness. Hooray! Progress.

But that's neither here nor there. In more exciting news, here's a story from roughly a month ago because I'm slow and irresponsible when it comes to updating here. Aren't you guys the luckiest?

2011/11/07 - Update, All Quick Like

Hey all!

I just wanted to do a quick update before heading to Dublin. Ohboyohboy, o boi! I'm super stoked. I will have tons of pictures and stories to share with everyone when I get back. I hope you're as excited as I am.

2011/11/03 - November, November

This year is going by so fast. Next thing I know, I'll probably be crying at my desk as I try to write my dissertation next May. What a sad thought for the future, huh?

Good thing I'm studying history. I don't have to think too much about that future. /joke.

But in more fun news:
Happy November birthday to Will and Josie! I hope you had/will have awesome celebrations, whether you're a homebody or a party animal. : )

Oh! It gets pitch black at 520pm now. And it's only gonna get darker earlier. Boohiss.

2011/10/27 - My Life

October, where did you go? And why is Halloween being celebrated more than a week before its actual date? Halloween is huge in Ireland. It's bigger here than in America (and you know how much America loves big things. heee~). The things you learn!

I hope everyone is doin' well. Things are quite all right here. Just started my gym routine. I have to stick to it - I have money invested in my physical well-being now, so I can't just squander this opportunity like with every other work-out routine I've attempted. Today was nice. I have an off-peak membership (meaning I can't go to the gym at night like everyone else). That means it's quiet whenever I go! I'm hoping to get there earlier tomorrow. I woke up at 9am, but I'm aiming for 8am. I'm sick of sleeping in so much! I'm getting too much sleep. It just makes me lazy. That's no good for wanting to get in shape, huh?

Fun story: I was on a cross-trainer (elliptical for Americans) and doing some people watching as you do in the gym. I noticed that men treat treadmills with the same rules of engagement for the toilet. Always leave an extra treadmill between each person. It made me chortle.

2011/10/13 - Quick Update

Half-way quick. Almost quick...?

I just made myself some hot cocoa - got the correct recipe from my dad today. I really botched it the last time I tried my hand at this. It smelled and looked right but tasted awful. My face felt droopy and sad after that attempt. However! I now know the trick to making delish and fresh hot chocolate. As I drink my cup of yummy and listen to the incredibly rare sound of sirens, I find myself enjoying my very day. Today is gorgeous - the sun is out and it's decently cool. Very... hmm, autumn. I'm happy that it isn't raining. Gruh. I suppose that I'll have to get used to the wet weather, but, in reality, I'm gonna complain about it as long as I'm in the UK. I miss my sunlight, damnit!

Clouds and rain just make me lazy. I want to curl up into a ball of blankets and pjs, never get out of bed and sleep all day long. I was talking with one of my professors, Dr. O'Sullivan, about the daylight/weather patterns here in N. Ireland. She was telling me that at peak times during the year that the day can be as long as eighteen hours and as short as six or seven hours. Summertime will be super nice. Sun stays up until 11pm or so and rises around 430am. Snap. <3 Gotta get ready for the days ahead! Temperature wise, it's been very stead at 13-16 degrees Celsius (or 55-60 degrees Fahrenheit for you Americans, haha <3). The other day, saw my breath while the humidity levels made it feel very warm. So weird.

2011/10/08 - Happy Birthdays!

Happy bday to my friend, Paulie, back home in KC! <3 I hope it's a super special awesome one! And that you aren't too bogged down with work, work, work.

Aside: an update on my life!

This week was the second week of classes - they are going well. Lots of reading, preparation, and discussion. I'm enjoying it so far. I've missed academic settings. Never thought I'd be saying that after graduating with my BA; life is full of surprises. It's very cool to meet people from all over Ireland and in the world - I've learned a lot already in my first month here. What an experience! Nothing super exciting stands out from class content. Talked about archives, how to use them, etc. Kept thinking about my old job at the National Archives. Our lecturer for that day spoke of the "dos" and "do nots" while spending time in an archive. It reminded me of the hiccups researchers and archivists ran into when dealing with each others. Oh the memories!

In terms of social and fun things outside of school, I totally got to see Batman Live with my flatmate, Alannah! How cool is that? I completely geeked out on her. Luckily, she appreciated my knowledge of the Batman; I didn't feel quite as nerdy when she got excited about the characters/plot lines I explained to her. The premise of this arena production was how Dick Greyson became the first Robin. It was a combination of classic!Batman and the more modern, darker Batman. The set itself was incredible.

The backdrop was shaped like a bat and it opened/closed to reveal different set pieces. While waiting for the show to start, they had a "daytime" Gotham City for everyone to admire. Once it began, the moon rose over the city and the lighting when from red to blue. Very cool. Literally (the stage and several seats were on top of the ice rink. It was very cold while watching the play.).

I don't want to spoil too much about it - hopefully it will tour in America. It was a bit of romance, lots of action, incredible acrobats, cheese and serious. My favorite part was the punch/kick sounds when the actors were fighting each other. Classic. So instead of boring you with blocks of text, I'll entertain with a wall of photos! <3

2011/09/26 - Week Three

Hello blog!

Going into my third week here in Belfast, I realized that I should potentially update the internet on my current living status: I'm alive. Don't worry, not dead yet. I'm settled into my quaint, incredibly not private flat with some awesome flatmates. School technically begins today and it's wonderfully sunny with blue skies outside. While the move was stressful beyond belief at times, it was worth it in every way imaginable. At least, I'll keep telling myself that for the moment. I might change my mind once I'm overwhelmed with studies, reading, and writing. But between you, me, and the rest of the world, I highly doubt that. ;)

So Tanith, you've been in Belfast for two weeks? What the hell have you been doing?